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Debbiereadsbook (1551 KP) rated Sweet as Pie by Beth Bolden in Books
Apr 28, 2023
it's more about letting go of your self imposed shackles and trusting those around you.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
Luca heads to Indigo Bay to help rescue a branch of the family business ran by his aunt and cousin. He expected to set them on their way, and be gone. He did NOT expect to be run over by the owner of the bakery in town! Oliver knocks Luca's heart, and then Luca is fighting with himself, when he could be happy. but his family NEED him, right?
I think I knew I was gonna love this book, right when Oliver nearly ran Luca over! Their meet-cute was just that! Then there was the second nearly knock down and its game over for the both of them!
I loved this, I really did! Luca is grumpy, and bossy and takes it all out on making sure the family restaurant businesses are being run under a tight ship. They work well cos Luca makes them. Oliver is a polar opposite in personality but no less a man who knows hard work. They are suited for each other, and it they know it very early on. but Luca lives across country and only in town for a few weeks. Oliver can enjoy Luca for a while without falling head over heels, right??
Turns out, not so much! But what I especailly loved about this was that while Luca and Oliver knew this had a time limit, they still jumped in with both feet. They did not actually say those three little words, not until they were making proper plans, but they showed them to each other, in every way. They both knew.
It's not especially angsty, thats not needed here. It's steamy, oh yes, but it's more about letting go of your self imposed shackles and trusting those around you.
Some characters from The Food Truck Warriors series play a part here, but I haven't read those.. . . .yet!
5 pound-gaining inducing stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Luca heads to Indigo Bay to help rescue a branch of the family business ran by his aunt and cousin. He expected to set them on their way, and be gone. He did NOT expect to be run over by the owner of the bakery in town! Oliver knocks Luca's heart, and then Luca is fighting with himself, when he could be happy. but his family NEED him, right?
I think I knew I was gonna love this book, right when Oliver nearly ran Luca over! Their meet-cute was just that! Then there was the second nearly knock down and its game over for the both of them!
I loved this, I really did! Luca is grumpy, and bossy and takes it all out on making sure the family restaurant businesses are being run under a tight ship. They work well cos Luca makes them. Oliver is a polar opposite in personality but no less a man who knows hard work. They are suited for each other, and it they know it very early on. but Luca lives across country and only in town for a few weeks. Oliver can enjoy Luca for a while without falling head over heels, right??
Turns out, not so much! But what I especailly loved about this was that while Luca and Oliver knew this had a time limit, they still jumped in with both feet. They did not actually say those three little words, not until they were making proper plans, but they showed them to each other, in every way. They both knew.
It's not especially angsty, thats not needed here. It's steamy, oh yes, but it's more about letting go of your self imposed shackles and trusting those around you.
Some characters from The Food Truck Warriors series play a part here, but I haven't read those.. . . .yet!
5 pound-gaining inducing stars
*same worded review will appear elsewhere
Gareth von Kallenbach (980 KP) rated Plane (2023) in Movies
Jan 12, 2023
Brodie Torrance (Gerard Butler), is a recently widowed dad who looks
forward to completing his nearly empty run from Singapore to Tokyo so he
can take advantage of the time difference and meet up with his daughter in
Hawaii in time to celebrate the new year.
In the new film “Plane” things do not go as planned as the nearly empty
the flight also hosts a prisoner transfer as a dangerous fugitive named Louis
(Mike Colter), is brought onto the flight late.
Forced by a corporate officer to fly through a storm they were told would
be clear by the time they reached it to save time and fuel, the flight
encounters severe issues and soon find themselves without avionics and
forced to make an emergency landing on an island.
Unable to send for help and unsure of their exact location, Brodie learns
that they are on an outer island of the Philippines and that there is only
insurrectionists and militia on the island and that the military or police
are not options.
While attempting to find a way to contact help, Brodie enlists Louis to
help and soon finds that the passengers and crew have been taking hostage
by a brutal local militia. Forced to improvise rescue and wait for
help, the tense and violent situation quickly becomes a living nightmare
as they fight to survive.
The tension level of the film is great as the early segments in the plane
did a great job of showing the routine of a pilot and also ramped up the
tension. I can be a nervous passenger when a plane gets into bad weather
and I found my palms getting sweaty and anxiety creeping in during the
detailed sequences of the flight in peril.
The action of the film was engaging as were the characters as they were
easy to pull for despite not having much in the way of backstory or
character development. The film has plenty of action as was engaging from
start to finish which makes “Plane” a pleasant diversion and one fan of
Butler will not want to miss.
4 stars out of 5
forward to completing his nearly empty run from Singapore to Tokyo so he
can take advantage of the time difference and meet up with his daughter in
Hawaii in time to celebrate the new year.
In the new film “Plane” things do not go as planned as the nearly empty
the flight also hosts a prisoner transfer as a dangerous fugitive named Louis
(Mike Colter), is brought onto the flight late.
Forced by a corporate officer to fly through a storm they were told would
be clear by the time they reached it to save time and fuel, the flight
encounters severe issues and soon find themselves without avionics and
forced to make an emergency landing on an island.
Unable to send for help and unsure of their exact location, Brodie learns
that they are on an outer island of the Philippines and that there is only
insurrectionists and militia on the island and that the military or police
are not options.
While attempting to find a way to contact help, Brodie enlists Louis to
help and soon finds that the passengers and crew have been taking hostage
by a brutal local militia. Forced to improvise rescue and wait for
help, the tense and violent situation quickly becomes a living nightmare
as they fight to survive.
The tension level of the film is great as the early segments in the plane
did a great job of showing the routine of a pilot and also ramped up the
tension. I can be a nervous passenger when a plane gets into bad weather
and I found my palms getting sweaty and anxiety creeping in during the
detailed sequences of the flight in peril.
The action of the film was engaging as were the characters as they were
easy to pull for despite not having much in the way of backstory or
character development. The film has plenty of action as was engaging from
start to finish which makes “Plane” a pleasant diversion and one fan of
Butler will not want to miss.
4 stars out of 5
Earth Wolf & Fire (Eliza Falls #2)
8.0
Rate It
Book
Tate I’m not going to argue that I’m a gregarious and charming werewolf with a mischievous...
Paranormal Romance Series
Heather Cranmer (2721 KP) created a post
Sep 22, 2022
The Dragon’s Fake Mate (Bad Dragon's Bride, #4)
10.0
Rate It
Book
Marrying her brutal dragon-shifter nemesis is the only way to save her friend. Starla ...
Paranormal Romance Dragons
Second Match (Perfect Match Agency #5)
6.0
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Book
One failed attempt with the Perfect Match Agency leads to a second—will this omega be The One? ...
MM Omegaverse possible Mpreg Romance
Debbiereadsbook (1551 KP) rated Lionhearts: Part Two Box Set in Books
Mar 21, 2019
nice easy reads.
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of these books.
Into The Arena
Cesare has been banished from his pride after his uncle cheated in a leadership fight. Finding work on a food truck headed from a for set seemed too good to be true. Finding Hayden as the star AND his fated mate, made Cesare think that maybe he wasn't supposed to win the fight at all. But Hayden has a stalker, and things turn deadly. Can Cesare keep his human mate safe, and will Hayden accept Cesare's lion half?
This is book 4 in the Lionhearts series and I have not read the other books. I did not feel I was missing anything, and so will say these are stand alones, with interconnecting characters, rather than a follow on series.
I liked this one. It did not blow me away, but right now, personally, this was JUST what I needed to read.
It's well told, with both Cesare and Hayden having a say. There is enough history for each of them, but not enough to be overwhelming in a short book. Well, I say SHORT, but it's still 176 pages! Didn't feel like it though!
I loved that we got some of the stalker too! They have their say in a couple of places, and I do love getting into the mind of the baddie! Did NOT see who that might have been, or rather, I had an idea, but was way off base.
It's quite sexy. There is a scene with Hayden getting down and dirty with his boyfriend BEFORE he and Cesare meet. Then Hayden and Cesare get down to it really quickly after meeting! Not sure how I feel about the first, but loved the second.
Nice easy read, and just the thing to pass a wet sunday afternoon, while nursing a very real hangover!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Pride Under Fire
Book 5 in the Lionheart series, and there is a pop up from Cesare and Hayden (book 4) which was nice!
Connor punched his commanding officer, and is shifted out to a town in the middle of nowhere, that needs a full time fire fighter. Andy is a detective in said town. Andy is human, Connor is not. Can Connor keep his mate safe, while the town burns around them?
Again, an easy read, that was just what I needed!
Connor knows he did wrong, punching his superior, but he won't apologise. Being shipped out was probably the best thing that happened to him, since he meets his mate. But Andy is human and lions don't mate with humans, do they?When there are several fires in town, in abandoned buildings, both Connor and Andy have to investigate. Then the bodies start piling up, and they know the arsonist has to be stopped , and soon.
There were several throw away comments that made me put the clues together for who the arsonist was very early on, and it was great to see it unfold the way I thought it would.
Again, the guys get down and dirty very early on, and I did like that here.
BUT
The general way the story goes is almost identical to book 4, Into The Arena. It's very VERY similar in that the human half gets taken, and the lion half comes to the rescue, mostly in the same way too!
Still, I did enjoy this as much as book 4, and I did read them back to back.
4 stars
Animal Passions
This is book 6 and for ME, the weakest of the three I've read.
Here's why:
It follows an almost identical plot line to the other two. Human half has sex with *someone* then goes off and meets mate. Mate and human get down and dirty right quick (did not like that here!) danger threatens human, lion reveals himself. human is taken by *stalker/arsonist/psycho editor assistant* and lion comes to the rescue. the end.
So, I'm sorry, but no, this one did not work for me. I only gave it 3 stars because I DID finish it, and it was touch and go for a while.
Maybe if I had NOT read them back to back, this one would have worked better, but I did read them back to back, and this is how I feel. And I'm all about the book feelings.
Sorry!
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Into The Arena
Cesare has been banished from his pride after his uncle cheated in a leadership fight. Finding work on a food truck headed from a for set seemed too good to be true. Finding Hayden as the star AND his fated mate, made Cesare think that maybe he wasn't supposed to win the fight at all. But Hayden has a stalker, and things turn deadly. Can Cesare keep his human mate safe, and will Hayden accept Cesare's lion half?
This is book 4 in the Lionhearts series and I have not read the other books. I did not feel I was missing anything, and so will say these are stand alones, with interconnecting characters, rather than a follow on series.
I liked this one. It did not blow me away, but right now, personally, this was JUST what I needed to read.
It's well told, with both Cesare and Hayden having a say. There is enough history for each of them, but not enough to be overwhelming in a short book. Well, I say SHORT, but it's still 176 pages! Didn't feel like it though!
I loved that we got some of the stalker too! They have their say in a couple of places, and I do love getting into the mind of the baddie! Did NOT see who that might have been, or rather, I had an idea, but was way off base.
It's quite sexy. There is a scene with Hayden getting down and dirty with his boyfriend BEFORE he and Cesare meet. Then Hayden and Cesare get down to it really quickly after meeting! Not sure how I feel about the first, but loved the second.
Nice easy read, and just the thing to pass a wet sunday afternoon, while nursing a very real hangover!
4 solid stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Pride Under Fire
Book 5 in the Lionheart series, and there is a pop up from Cesare and Hayden (book 4) which was nice!
Connor punched his commanding officer, and is shifted out to a town in the middle of nowhere, that needs a full time fire fighter. Andy is a detective in said town. Andy is human, Connor is not. Can Connor keep his mate safe, while the town burns around them?
Again, an easy read, that was just what I needed!
Connor knows he did wrong, punching his superior, but he won't apologise. Being shipped out was probably the best thing that happened to him, since he meets his mate. But Andy is human and lions don't mate with humans, do they?When there are several fires in town, in abandoned buildings, both Connor and Andy have to investigate. Then the bodies start piling up, and they know the arsonist has to be stopped , and soon.
There were several throw away comments that made me put the clues together for who the arsonist was very early on, and it was great to see it unfold the way I thought it would.
Again, the guys get down and dirty very early on, and I did like that here.
BUT
The general way the story goes is almost identical to book 4, Into The Arena. It's very VERY similar in that the human half gets taken, and the lion half comes to the rescue, mostly in the same way too!
Still, I did enjoy this as much as book 4, and I did read them back to back.
4 stars
Animal Passions
This is book 6 and for ME, the weakest of the three I've read.
Here's why:
It follows an almost identical plot line to the other two. Human half has sex with *someone* then goes off and meets mate. Mate and human get down and dirty right quick (did not like that here!) danger threatens human, lion reveals himself. human is taken by *stalker/arsonist/psycho editor assistant* and lion comes to the rescue. the end.
So, I'm sorry, but no, this one did not work for me. I only gave it 3 stars because I DID finish it, and it was touch and go for a while.
Maybe if I had NOT read them back to back, this one would have worked better, but I did read them back to back, and this is how I feel. And I'm all about the book feelings.
Sorry!
3 stars
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Ross (3284 KP) rated The Siege of Abythos in Books
Nov 7, 2017
Poetry battle (2 more)
Poetry battle
Poetry battle
The third instalment in the Chronicles of the Black Gate series is the biggest yet, in terms of page count. The story follows the same PoV characters as previous books but their adventures are now covering so much more of the world and the storyline is becoming quite entangled.
Tharok's attempts to unite the orc-like kragh tribes and invade the human world continue, meanwhile Lady Iskra seeks to rescue her son and take revenge on the Ascendant's empire.
This book covers a lot more political debate and intrigue than the previous two, with prolonged discussion of who should be invaded, and what should be done thereafter. While this is very much a necessity in such an epic tale I felt it was somewhat laboured at times.
I very nearly gave up on this book at one point - where the portly magister Audsley (who has three demons lurking in his soul) was seeking to inveigle his way into the upper echelons of the empire, most of this storytelling centred around the colour of robes to wear, the type and colour of paper to use in sending letters and reciting poetry. Again this was very much laboured but bearable, until it looked like we were heading for what can only be described as a poetry battle, where Audsley (coached by one of his demons) was set to take on a senior government official's poetry representative in a battle of wits to see how would curry favour in the empire.
That's right: a poetry battle.
Think Philip Larkin in 8 Mile.
Will the real Slim Shakespeare please stand up.
Kanye Wordsworth.
NWA (Novelists with Assonance)
At this point I very nearly gave up. Thankfully, so did Audsley and the contest ended abruptly as he refused to let his demon take control of him. Phew. Disaster avoided. If this had been allowed to continue it would have made Tom Bombadil look like a critical plot point.
Other than Audsley's chapters (which in the previous book had been a highlight) the book does roll along at a reasonable pace and there is just about enough action to keep the interest, particularly in the last 100 or so pages.
All in all, a good read and a turning point for the series as a whole, but a lot of nonsense could have been removed, (Edgar Allan) Poe Shizzle.
Tharok's attempts to unite the orc-like kragh tribes and invade the human world continue, meanwhile Lady Iskra seeks to rescue her son and take revenge on the Ascendant's empire.
This book covers a lot more political debate and intrigue than the previous two, with prolonged discussion of who should be invaded, and what should be done thereafter. While this is very much a necessity in such an epic tale I felt it was somewhat laboured at times.
I very nearly gave up on this book at one point - where the portly magister Audsley (who has three demons lurking in his soul) was seeking to inveigle his way into the upper echelons of the empire, most of this storytelling centred around the colour of robes to wear, the type and colour of paper to use in sending letters and reciting poetry. Again this was very much laboured but bearable, until it looked like we were heading for what can only be described as a poetry battle, where Audsley (coached by one of his demons) was set to take on a senior government official's poetry representative in a battle of wits to see how would curry favour in the empire.
That's right: a poetry battle.
Think Philip Larkin in 8 Mile.
Will the real Slim Shakespeare please stand up.
Kanye Wordsworth.
NWA (Novelists with Assonance)
At this point I very nearly gave up. Thankfully, so did Audsley and the contest ended abruptly as he refused to let his demon take control of him. Phew. Disaster avoided. If this had been allowed to continue it would have made Tom Bombadil look like a critical plot point.
Other than Audsley's chapters (which in the previous book had been a highlight) the book does roll along at a reasonable pace and there is just about enough action to keep the interest, particularly in the last 100 or so pages.
All in all, a good read and a turning point for the series as a whole, but a lot of nonsense could have been removed, (Edgar Allan) Poe Shizzle.