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I try to make a point of posting a review of everything I read, even cheesy Harlequin romances. Unfortunately, I do not have a whole lot to say about this one. The romance was sweet, and at times sexy, but it was predictable that the two main characters would end up together, since that is the focus of the book. My favorite character was actually the owner of the diner, simply because she seemed to be the one really running the town. I found the doctor to be melodramatic and behave at times as if he had a split personality, which was kind of a turn-off for me. I felt sorry for the baby, since he rarely seemed to see much of his mom at all, what with her passing him off to the baby-sitters so she could go fool around with the doctor. Tina could have planned the motherhood vs. dating aspects better by having Dan come to her place instead, and then Dan could have spent some time with the baby, too.
  
TM
Truly, Madly (Lucy Valentine, #1)
8
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
TRULY, MADLY is mystery, romance, chick-lit and a bit of paranormal all wrapped up in one delightful little package. Lucy Valentine is a nice, normal, and a little bit quirky protagonist who never got on my nerves. It's nice to have a main character who isn't totally self-absorbed, ditzy, neurotic, clumsy and just plain irritating, basically just about every female you run across in lighter fiction books these days. All the other characters added to the story seamlessly and there wasn't one who was unnecessary. I enjoyed the psychic angle and thought that it was used in a fresh and interesting way. The plot was engaging and moved swiftly, and everything was well-written in an easy and smooth manner. I don't really have any major complaints and look forward to the next in the series.

The best word to use in describing this book is cute. So if you like cute, check it out, it's a nice piece of brain candy that won't offend your intelligence.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Entry Island in Books

Mar 27, 2019  
Entry Island
Entry Island
Peter May | 2019 | Fiction & Poetry
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Not my usual sort of thing, but recommended to (more like thrust upon) me by someone whose taste in books is usually interesting. Not necessarily in this case, though: a competent mash-up of a contemporary police procedural thriller with a windblown historical romance set during the Highland clearances (younger readers, ask your dad): a Canadian cop starts having flashbacks (kind of) to his ancestor's life while investigating a murder on a remote island; he feels certain he knows the prime suspect, although she and he have never met before...

The structure of the book certainly works in its favour: whenever you get bored of the whodunnit, the switch to goings-on in the 19th century Hebrides is welcome, and vice versa. And, fair's fair, the story does pick up pace and interest in the final third after a slightly stodgy opening. However, neither the plotting nor the writing are what I'd call inspired; workmanlike is the word that springs to mind. Passes the time inoffensively but unlikely to linger in the memory.
  
You'd Be Mine
You'd Be Mine
Erin Hahn | 2019 | Romance, Young Adult (YA)
8
7.7 (3 Ratings)
Book Rating
Characters (0 more)
While browsing NetGalley "You'd Be Mine" came up. It sounded interesting and I'm a sucker for a good rockstar romance. This is a little different simply because it features a bunch of country music references which did throw me for a loop simply because I don't listen to country.

This book was surprisingly good. The main characters are realistic & will definitely make you root for them to get their lives together. They both are damaged and I like that they struggled with issues. It was nice to see how Erin Hahn wrote them. I definitely enjoyed the storyline. My only issue with this book was how easily things were fixed. It seems like it was wrapped up a little too quickly. I wish that we would have seen more of the "getting our lives together" stuff and less of the "everything is perfect" stuff.

I do appreciate that Erin was able to create solid characters and I will definitely look into reading more of her books.

All in all, it's a good book that had solid characters.
  
Again, not a fan of novels with leads who have “seen the real world” and changed, usually due to negative events. However, this novel struck a chord with me. I have known my husband all my life and fell in love with him long before we dated. However, we both had a lot of growing up to do. Had we tried a relationship before we did, I don’t think we would still be together. There is a time and place for everything and I certainly felt that in accordance with this novel.

I think because of that, I felt more forgiving of all the little things that annoyed me in this novel, whether it was something eye-rolling worthy that someone said or did or something that was just cliché or annoying.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel especially because I felt more connected to it than others. I could understand the character’s motivations and actions even if I didn’t agree with how they handled them. Definitely a touching second chance romance.
  
<i>Received an advance reader copy in exchange for a fair review</i>

What a lovely read. I like strong female characters, but I love strong female leads with visible flaws. Mariel is clever, resourceful, a great archeress…and absolutely terrified of her father which she is very open about to Robert. It was refreshing to read and made Mariel all that more endearing despite her also trying to prove repeatedly that she can “take care of herself.” Yes, that age old trope.

That being said, there are few men worthy of her, but Robert is definitely one of them. Faced with obstacles on all sides, Robert handles them all with ease and dignity all while trying to protect Mariel and not fall for her.

Historical romance can be hit or miss. With so many of them out there, it can be overwhelming to weed out the good ones. AEftA is great read worth your time. While not an original plotline, Watson’s breathes life into it fueled by dynamic characters and a powerful love story you can’t help but root for.
  
MO
Master of Crows (Master of Crows, #1)
10
10.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
This is the second novel I have read from Grace Draven and it further solidified my love for her writing. Master of Crows was even better than I could have hoped for. After reading Radiance, I immediately bought Master of Crows hoping that I could somehow prolong the feelings Radiance inspired in me. Master of Crows not only prolonged them, it built upon them.

The world of Master of Crows was much more fleshed out and described than the world of Radiance. The characters were completely different in disposition, but I found myself loving them just as much.

It was so frustrating to read, knowing what the characters don’t and wanting to scream the truth at them. I became so invested in the story that I could bring myself to put the book down. Again, Draven has written perfection that is a wonderful mix of action, fantasy, and erotica/romance. I cannot wait to read more from her is this is the caliber at which she writes everything.
  
SO
Scandal of the Season
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
An absolute delight to read. Nothing pleases me more than a couple who genuinely loves each other. It’s so hard to put into words how I feel about this novel. While it’s not groundbreaking or revolutionary, Scandal of the Season is a lovely read filled with mutual love built upon friendship. It’s such a change from the romances where the couple fight the entire time or fall in love because they are forced into each other’s presence for extended periods of time (a.k.a soulmates trope).

I am not sure what I can say about this book. It had a simple but enjoyable storyline, entertaining characters, and a tender love story. The writer also has an easy style that make the story a pleasure to read. The only negative comment I have is that the title is a little misleading. I am still not sure what the scandal was…

  If you are a fan of historical romance, this should definitely be on your TBR list.
  
TH
To Hell With Love
4
4.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
I seriously do not even know what to say about this piece of work. It's a rare and special day when you run across a romance novel where the male protagonist is death/devil/Hades. They are personal favorites of mine. So you can imagine I snatched this one up as soon as I saw it. I am glad I only dished out $2 for it.

The plot is as thin as wet tissue and more boring than watching mud dry. Every page was obvious and expected, the obstruction between the protagonists was blaring, and it was just very...bland. I will give the author credit for knowing how to write and tell the story she wants to tell. However, I must deduct points for the lack of creativity. I wanted so much to be wowed or at least enjoy the novel, but instead I felt like this would be a the love story about death and his lady as written by a high school freshmen, still dewy eyed.
  
LF
Long for Me (Luminous, #3)
6
8.0 (2 Ratings)
Book Rating
ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A boss romance involving BDSM. Sounds like the perfect recipe right? I thought so too, but I wasn’t 100% happy with this novel. On one hand, the erotic scenes were as graphic as they were hot. The chemistry between the leads was undeniable.

The being said, I wanted to punch the heroine in the face on multiple occasions. Okay, I know that is a bit extreme. Overreactions aside, she could be pretty obnoxious. I understand that she is supposed to have the “PTSD from past abuse” back story but she over the top with it. Even after the long extensive conversations with her best friend about the BDSM community, she still can’t separate from abuse. Even after going to the club and seeing consenting couples enjoying themselves. She still can’t separate it from abuse. I had to put the book down multiple times because she was so annoying.

If that doesn’t bother you, or you can get past that aspect, the story is pretty enjoyable.