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All We Ever Wanted
8.2
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In the riveting new novel from the #1 New York Times bestselling author of First Comes Love and...
fiction women's fiction
Stronger Than Longing (Chesapeake Days #3)
9.0
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Return to small-town Chesapeake and fall in love with the single-dad bad boy who keeps breaking...
Contemporary MM Romance
Debbiereadsbook (1087 KP) rated Single (Single Dads #1) in Books
Jun 28, 2019
so bloody sweet, but GOOD!
Independent reviewer for Archaeolibrarian, I was gifted my copy of this book.
This book, this just shy of 200 pages?? So bloody sweet, I broke a tooth!
I mean it's so bloody good, so cute, warm and fuzzies too!
Ash is left, quite literally, holding the baby, and the idiot banging on his door at 3am is gonna get it if he wakes Mia up! Sean comes to rescue his friend, who just moved in next door to Ash, and is smitten, immediately, and totally with Ash, but equally, with Mia. Once Sean knows Ash is single, he wages an all out war to make him see that just because he has a baby, he doesn't have to be a monk.
Like I said, so bloody good!
Both Ash and Sean have a say, in the first person. Both voices are clearly headed, and happen as the chapter changes. Both men's voices are well defined and they tell their story well. I loved the marked differences between them too.
Ash is trying, bless him, to be the best dad he can, and is a little overwhelmed by that new dad feeling, especially now he bought Mia home, and he is alone. He thinks he won't have a life til she leaves home, and holds steadfast to that, till Sean makes him see that he doesn't need to give up on life. Ash's sister will help, his mother is a bit on the dodgy side. Their relationship is rocky at the best of times, but she tries to make amends here, she really does.
Eric and Leo are Sean best friends and house mates. Sean is an Emergency Room doctor; Eric, a fireman and Leo is a cop. They three guys are great together, and once Sean admits Ash is HIS, they look out for Ash and Mia.
There are some characters who hint at their stories, Eric and Leo included, and I can't wait to meet Brady properly: he has some tale to tell, I'm sure!
This is the first full length book I've read of Scott's that was just written by her. I've read the Owattonna U Hockey series she wrote with VL Locey. I want to read more. I really enjoyed this!
4 sickly sweet but oh so GOOD stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
This book, this just shy of 200 pages?? So bloody sweet, I broke a tooth!
I mean it's so bloody good, so cute, warm and fuzzies too!
Ash is left, quite literally, holding the baby, and the idiot banging on his door at 3am is gonna get it if he wakes Mia up! Sean comes to rescue his friend, who just moved in next door to Ash, and is smitten, immediately, and totally with Ash, but equally, with Mia. Once Sean knows Ash is single, he wages an all out war to make him see that just because he has a baby, he doesn't have to be a monk.
Like I said, so bloody good!
Both Ash and Sean have a say, in the first person. Both voices are clearly headed, and happen as the chapter changes. Both men's voices are well defined and they tell their story well. I loved the marked differences between them too.
Ash is trying, bless him, to be the best dad he can, and is a little overwhelmed by that new dad feeling, especially now he bought Mia home, and he is alone. He thinks he won't have a life til she leaves home, and holds steadfast to that, till Sean makes him see that he doesn't need to give up on life. Ash's sister will help, his mother is a bit on the dodgy side. Their relationship is rocky at the best of times, but she tries to make amends here, she really does.
Eric and Leo are Sean best friends and house mates. Sean is an Emergency Room doctor; Eric, a fireman and Leo is a cop. They three guys are great together, and once Sean admits Ash is HIS, they look out for Ash and Mia.
There are some characters who hint at their stories, Eric and Leo included, and I can't wait to meet Brady properly: he has some tale to tell, I'm sure!
This is the first full length book I've read of Scott's that was just written by her. I've read the Owattonna U Hockey series she wrote with VL Locey. I want to read more. I really enjoyed this!
4 sickly sweet but oh so GOOD stars!
**same worded review will appear elsewhere**
Brandy Bentley (3 KP) rated Complicated in Books
Jan 21, 2018
Good small town, law enforcement romance
Contains spoilers, click to show
Complicated is classic Kristen Ashley! Lots of alpha male action that you either love or hate at times, but ultimately love because he's our hero.
Hixon Drake and Greta Dare begin their story with misunderstanding and hurt feelings. After a night together, Hix brushes Greta off like a one night stand and drives off. Greta, a kind-hearted and generous soul, does not know how to hold a grudge, though, so when Hix gets another chance, she lets him in.
Both characters have issues: Hix is a newly single dad with a slightly unstable ex-wife. Greta is responsible for the care of her mentally disabled younger brother (made so by an accident caused by their self-involved mother.) Both have to overcome their hang-ups and interfering third parties in order to finally find their HEA.
Outside of family drama, Hix is the county sheriff investigating a murder in a town that hasn't had a homicide in decades. Greta finds herself attacked by a stalker, which leads her to seek Hix's help.
Ashley is well known in the romance world for crafting swoonworthy alpha heroes and kickass heroines. Complicated is one of her rare standalones, and is not connected to any of her other books.
I really, really LIKED this book, but I can't say that I LOVED it. I'm not sure if I can put my finger on why. I am a huge KA fan, and LOVE many of her books; most of which I've read more than once.
Hixon Drake and Greta Dare begin their story with misunderstanding and hurt feelings. After a night together, Hix brushes Greta off like a one night stand and drives off. Greta, a kind-hearted and generous soul, does not know how to hold a grudge, though, so when Hix gets another chance, she lets him in.
Both characters have issues: Hix is a newly single dad with a slightly unstable ex-wife. Greta is responsible for the care of her mentally disabled younger brother (made so by an accident caused by their self-involved mother.) Both have to overcome their hang-ups and interfering third parties in order to finally find their HEA.
Outside of family drama, Hix is the county sheriff investigating a murder in a town that hasn't had a homicide in decades. Greta finds herself attacked by a stalker, which leads her to seek Hix's help.
Ashley is well known in the romance world for crafting swoonworthy alpha heroes and kickass heroines. Complicated is one of her rare standalones, and is not connected to any of her other books.
I really, really LIKED this book, but I can't say that I LOVED it. I'm not sure if I can put my finger on why. I am a huge KA fan, and LOVE many of her books; most of which I've read more than once.
Girl Least Likely to: 30 Years of Fashion, Fasting and Fleet Street
Book
Liz Jones is Fashion Editor of the Daily Mail, and a columnist for the Mail on Sunday. She is the...
LoganCrews (2861 KP) rated Brawl In Cell Block 99 (2017) in Movies
Sep 20, 2020
Cold, hard filmmaking at some of its most insatiably cruel. My coveted "I told you so" moment for anyone who said Vince Vaughn couldn't act and one hell of a provocation in the process (Zahler might be the closest thing we have right now to a grindhouse Neil LaBute). The film equivalent of a rusted pair of brass knuckles of dubious origin with dried blood on them. Realistically could have skimmed 10 or so minutes off of itself but I think the gruelingly elongated scenes aid in the merciless hellscape this paints, and the fights don't waste a single second - Vaughn (who is God-tier in this, plays the role like one giant piece of battered meat) eats barbell swings, nightsticks, debilitating electric zaps, and brute punches like a champ. And that gore? I verbally screamed out loud multiple times, here I'd thought I'd seen it all but to quote Mark Wahlberg's dad from 𝘛𝘦𝘥 (which I routinely do) "Jesus H Fuck!" A trillion times better than 𝘉𝘰𝘯𝘦 𝘛𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘩𝘢𝘸𝘬 and even that was wildly good in its own right. One thing I love about the guy is how successfully he subverts the "feel-horrible filmmaking for the sake of feel-horrible filmmaking" junk that has seen a bit of a resurgence lately. When he's bleak, he fucking means it. Guaranteed this will scare you away from even the most petty crime, you'll flinch in fear if you even think about littering. Plus it's funny as fuck. Unique and unflinchingly nasty - almost exactly what you'd want out of a movie with this title.
Lenard (726 KP) rated Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw (2019) in Movies
Aug 26, 2019
La e faatafa ma e soso ese
I was completely ready to dismiss this film as a mindnumbing display of testosterone starring a trio of follicly-challenged Adonises. Mostly it turned out to be true. Idris Elba starred as Brixton, a half-machine mercenary charged with the retrieval of a dangerous virus. Dwayne Johnson plays Lucas Hobbs, a single dad special agent who uses his brawn to solve all of the world's problems. Jason Statham plays Deckard Shaw, a possibly quadruple agent he has changed sides so many times in his three movies. Deckard Shaw worked with Brixton undercover and almost killed him, then attempted to kill the car thieves from Fast and Furious until he joined the gang to solve the problems of the universe. Maybe Dom, Lucas, Deckard, Lettie, Owen, Mr Nobody, and the rest can hijack a space shuttle and battle intergalactic terrorists in the next chapter. But I digress... Deckard's sister Hattie working for MI-6 prevented Brixton from stealing the virus and is on the run from everyone. So, Hobbs and Shaw are recruited to find Hattie and save the planet before the virus is released. While the Tango and Cash routine is entertaining, witty reparte is not the series' strong suit and soon helicopters are chasing trucks, trucks are chasing motorcycles, motorcycles are chasing McLarens, and sports cars are chasing helicopters. The big lesson learned is that in order to save the world, the two greatest superspies who are not good at stealtiness have to work together and sacrifice their egos.
Billie Wichkan (118 KP) rated From the Shadows in Books
May 22, 2019
A stunning, atmospheric police procedural set against the grit of Inverness and the raw beauty of the Scottish Highlands, this is the first book in the DI Monica Kennedy series.
Sixteen-year-old Robert arrives home late. Without a word to his dad, he goes up to his bedroom. Robert is never seen alive again.
A body is soon found on the coast of the Scottish Highlands. Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy stands by the victim in this starkly beautiful and remote landscape. Instinct tells her the case wont begin and end with this one death.
Meanwhile, Inverness-based social worker Michael Bach is worried about one of his clients whose last correspondence was a single ambiguous text message; Nichol Morgan has been missing for seven days.
As Monica is faced with catching a murderer who has been meticulously watching and waiting, Michael keeps searching for Nichol, desperate to find him before the killer claims another victim.
From the Shadows is the first book in the Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy series by G R Halliday and it is a promising start to what will hopefully be one a successful and long running police procedural series.
The story is set in the Scottish Highlands and uses its' setting well to add atmosphere to the book.
I really enjoyed the story and the twists and turns of the plot.
It's quite a dark story but I liked that and wasn't sure who the killer was until close to the end.
I was thoroughly engrossed whilst reading the book and could not put it down.
Definitely recommended.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Vintage for a copy of this book.
Sixteen-year-old Robert arrives home late. Without a word to his dad, he goes up to his bedroom. Robert is never seen alive again.
A body is soon found on the coast of the Scottish Highlands. Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy stands by the victim in this starkly beautiful and remote landscape. Instinct tells her the case wont begin and end with this one death.
Meanwhile, Inverness-based social worker Michael Bach is worried about one of his clients whose last correspondence was a single ambiguous text message; Nichol Morgan has been missing for seven days.
As Monica is faced with catching a murderer who has been meticulously watching and waiting, Michael keeps searching for Nichol, desperate to find him before the killer claims another victim.
From the Shadows is the first book in the Detective Inspector Monica Kennedy series by G R Halliday and it is a promising start to what will hopefully be one a successful and long running police procedural series.
The story is set in the Scottish Highlands and uses its' setting well to add atmosphere to the book.
I really enjoyed the story and the twists and turns of the plot.
It's quite a dark story but I liked that and wasn't sure who the killer was until close to the end.
I was thoroughly engrossed whilst reading the book and could not put it down.
Definitely recommended.
Thank you NetGalley and Random House Vintage for a copy of this book.
Leanne Crabtree (480 KP) rated Show Me the Way (Fight for Me, #1) in Books
Jan 9, 2020
This has been borrowed from the Kindle Unlimited Library.
This one starts with Rynna leaving her small town after yet another run in with her bullies, breaking her Grammy's heart as she flees. Fast forward quite a few years and Rynna is coming back to run the diner her Grammy used to own after her passing away. She's wary of people recognising her and dreads running into her bullies but makes new friends within her first days and meets her neighbours, single dad, Rex, and his young daughter Frankie Leigh. Rex has closed himself off from pretty much everyone and, intrigued by the contradictory man, Rynna can't help wanting to get to know him.
This was sweet. Both damaged in one way or another, wanting to overcome it when they meet that special someone and in this case it's each other. My only issue is I want angst in my stories lately. I want them to scream and fight and make up with each other. That didn't quite happen but somewhere around the 65% mark, someone made an appearance that sent everything up in the air and I was dragged into the story fully for the first time. It got a little intriguing with me wondering how it would all play out.
One thing I did really like about this book was Frankie Leigh. I have a huge weakness for adorable babies/children in my romances and Frankie Leigh may just have won the award for cuteness. She's so full of cute energy with her enthusiasm and crazy fashion sense. Adorable!
I wouldn't mind going back to Gingham Lakes to read Rex's friends stories.
This one starts with Rynna leaving her small town after yet another run in with her bullies, breaking her Grammy's heart as she flees. Fast forward quite a few years and Rynna is coming back to run the diner her Grammy used to own after her passing away. She's wary of people recognising her and dreads running into her bullies but makes new friends within her first days and meets her neighbours, single dad, Rex, and his young daughter Frankie Leigh. Rex has closed himself off from pretty much everyone and, intrigued by the contradictory man, Rynna can't help wanting to get to know him.
This was sweet. Both damaged in one way or another, wanting to overcome it when they meet that special someone and in this case it's each other. My only issue is I want angst in my stories lately. I want them to scream and fight and make up with each other. That didn't quite happen but somewhere around the 65% mark, someone made an appearance that sent everything up in the air and I was dragged into the story fully for the first time. It got a little intriguing with me wondering how it would all play out.
One thing I did really like about this book was Frankie Leigh. I have a huge weakness for adorable babies/children in my romances and Frankie Leigh may just have won the award for cuteness. She's so full of cute energy with her enthusiasm and crazy fashion sense. Adorable!
I wouldn't mind going back to Gingham Lakes to read Rex's friends stories.
