Tag: contemporary romance

This Chick Read: The Dating Charade by Melissa Ferguson

Cassie Everson just wants to find the right guy and settle down but all she seems to find is Mr. Wrong. After trying out a dating app she’s given up on her dream. Her best friend doesn’t give up on that dream and responds to an email on the aforementioned app on Cassie’s behalf and puts her face to face with a guy she went to high school with… a guy she doesn’t remember at all but wants to get to know better. Then life and responsibilities start knocking on her door. Will Cassie make the time for love?

Unlike some other reviewers I had zero expectations for this novel and was really happy with how much I liked it. Yes, the synopsis gives the reader the feeling this might be a lighthearted rom-com, and The Dating Charade really was not that book. However, it really delivered on a solid plot, great characters, and a ton of heart. Cassie and Jett were both such nice people that you couldn’t help but root for them to overcome all obstacles to make their dreams come true. Those obstacles may have been a little deeper than some other readers liked, but this novel packed a lot of emotion into it’s 336 pages! I read it straight through from start to finish.

Cassie works in an after school facility that helps keep teens off the streets and provides a safe environment for them to hang out in. When Star doesn’t show up one day and Cassie goes looking for her she finds Star and her sisters on the border of being thrown into foster care. Cassie dives into the deep end and offers them her home and becomes even more attached to these three girls. I thought this plot was so well written! Cassie is kind of a bleeding heart but Star and her sister’s add something to Cassie’s life that was missing and I thought this really helped bring something extra to Cassie character. Melissa Ferguson could’ve gone down the road so many other authors have tried but she chose to write something with meaning and I support that decision whole heartedly!

This novel was about love, but it wasn’t just about love between two people it was about how love creates a family, not blood. The message was beautiful. The Dating Charade may have been mis-cast by it’s publishers but don’t punish this author by not reading it because of a few mediocre reviews. I always say that you have to be in the right frame of mind to read any book and The Dating Charade was the book I needed to read at the time I read it. I hope you will give it a chance to be that book for you too. ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley and the publisher for an honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase!* The Dating Charade

Copyright 2019 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I will receive a small (very small) stipend.

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This Chick Read: Blitzed (Playbook #3) by Alexa Martin

Brynn Larson is the owner of the female-centric bar HERS where the Denver Mustangs WAGS hang out to watch their men play. Being on their reality show has brought notoriety and fans to her business and given her a solid group of ladies to call friends. Star player and shy guy Maxwell Lewis, has admired Brynn from the sidelines long enough and has decided to step up his game and make his play, but his past creates mixed signals that gun-shy Brynn has a hard time reading and isn’t sure she wants to open herself up to more betrayal.

Yes, once again I picked up a book in the middle of a series. However, this time instead of feeling a bit confused I was intrigued by all of these strong women and immediately went into my Overdrive app to look up the previous two books and bookmarked them. I haven’t read any previous Alexa Martin books before but I love her style of writing! Brynn had depth but she was also really funny, and her fictional friends were more solid than the RHONY group you see on reality TV, and a LOT more hilarious!

I was really intrigued by the concept of Brynn’s bar HERS. Created for women to hang out and be themselves, make friends, and stop being so harsh with each other is awesome! I wish I had a neighborhood bar like this one! Brynn also had quite a bit of depth in her character. Being abandoned by her mother gave her strong opinions about relationships and what she would and would not put up with and Maxwell was smart enough to see that he’d have to work through her protective shell to win the prize within.

Brynn wasn’t the only one who had some depth, Maxwell also had a secret in his past which isn’t revealed until almost 3/4’s of the way through the book. Surprisingly I didn’t get annoyed at his waffling and instead was intrigued. I think it was because the author did such a great job of making him such a nice, sweet guy. I really bought into his good character. I love these fictional good guys, it seems a rarity in a book world of too many alpha males!

I thought Blitzed was thoroughly enjoyable with just enough meat in the story to make it feel real. Brynn also had a solid group of female friends that were fun, funny, and loving. I’m a sucker for female friendships in romance novels! Since I started this series in book #3, I’m excited to go back and read the first two and re-introduce myself to this group of gals and hear their individual stories. I love finding a new to me author! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a free copy of this book through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase!* Blitzed (Playbook, The)

Copyright The Reading Chick 2019 All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you purchase through the above link I’ll receive a small stipend.

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It’s Monday, What Are You Reading?

Happy Monday everyone! I ran across this post on Book Date and liked the idea of sharing what I’m currently reading, and hopefully hearing about what you’ve picked up off your shelf. So here goes!

JUST FINISHED

Synopsis:

Brynn Larson owes a lot to reality television and professional athletes. Her bar hit new heights of success after becoming a local haunt for the Denver Mustangs players and their WAGs. But although she’s grateful, that doesn’t mean she’s crazy. And that’s exactly what she would be to ever consider dating a professional athlete. Even if it’s Maxwell Lewis, whose shy smile makes her wonder what going on behind those beautiful brown eyes. 

Maxwell knew from the moment he met Brynn that she was going to change his life. It was only a matter of time. But when he finally makes a move, fate conspires against him and everything goes wrong. Now he has to show her that their potential is real. Too bad for him, Brynn isn’t fooled by his glamorous NFL life, and when ghosts from both their pasts make a sudden reappearance, she must decide who she can trust. But when the person she’s most afraid of is herself, navigating life’s tackles is harder than anticipated.

Click this link to purchase!* Blitzed (Playbook, The)

JUST STARTED

Synopsis:

Aldrich University is rocked to its core when a hacker dumps 40,000 people’s e-mails—the entire faculty, staff, students, alums—onto an easily searchable database. Rumors and affairs immediately leak, but things turn explosive when Kit Manning’s handsome husband, Dr. Greg Strasser, is found murdered. Kit’s sister, Willa, returns for the funeral, setting foot in a hometown she fled fifteen years ago, after a night she wishes she could forget. As an investigative reporter, Willa knows something isn’t right about the night Greg was killed, and she’s determined to find the truth. What she doesn’t expect is that everyone has something to hide. And with a killer on the loose, Willa and Kit must figure out who killed Greg before someone else is murdered.

Told from multiple points of view, Reputation is full of twists, turns, and shocking reveals. It’s a story of intrigue, sabotage, and the secrets we keep—and how far we go to keep them hidden. Number one bestseller Sara Shepard is at the top of her game in this brand-new adult novel.

Click this link to purchase!* Reputation: A Novel

Both of these books are really good! Look for reviews this week!

What are you reading this Thanksgiving week?

Deb

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This Chick Read: The Friend Zone by Abby Jimenez

Kristen Peterson is one of those girls that is effortlessly beautiful, sarcastically funny, and everyone’s best friend. The moment Josh Copeland meets her he knows she’s the woman for him. With her boyfriend on deployment, Kristen has plenty of time to hang with her best friend helping her plan her wedding. As the maid of honor to Josh’s best man, they are thrown together on many occasions and develop an easy friendship that could turn into so much more, except for two things. Her boyfriend and the fact that she has a medical condition that will make her unable to have children.

This was one of those books that is a delight to read at least for the first half of the book. I loved Kristen’s personality. She was so freaking funny but also had so much heart. She and Josh together were really effortless and the tension that built between them as she fought to keep that wall up was extreme! As the second half of the book rolled along I’ll admit to moments where I wanted to kick her in the shins to just make her get over herself and give him a chance. Thankfully the tender moments outweighed the frustrating, but I did seriously question my resolve to finish this book.

With the exception of a lack of communication skills, Josh was the perfect guy. Handsome, had a great job, and a good personality. The fact he was so nice was kind of unreal but knowing I was reading a fantasy filled romance novel I let myself enjoy his wonderfulness. There were a couple of tense emotion filled scenes where he just shone and I again wanted to kick Kristen in the shins because her reactions just didn’t make sense! LOL! Who wouldn’t want to do everything in their power to be with this guy?

Thankfully, knowing this is a romance and a happy ending is pretty much guaranteed I chose to enjoy the ride and not question things too much. The ending was happy just as I’d hoped and this amazing couple fought through adversity and then some… to finally get that happy ending. The Friend Zone had moments of hilarity mixed with tension filled heartbreak. I hit all points on the emotional spectrum and still enjoyed the novel. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“What I expected upon picking up The Friend Zone was a light-hearted, fluffy contemporary romance perfect for summer. And while the book delivered with the romance, angst, and humor, it also contained a layer of emotional complexity that was unexpected in the best way.” Paws and Paperbacks

“The Friend Zone in three words: Witty, Relatable and Emotional” Novel Gossip

Click this link to purchase!* The Friend Zone

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Twice in a Blue Moon by Christina Lauren

Tate Jones and Sam Brandis meet and fall in love while on a two week vacation in London. He was her first lover and confidant and ultimately broke her heart. 14 years later Tate is an actress who shows up for a role of a lifetime and finds out the screenwriter is none other than Sam. This reconnection brings up all of her past hurts. Will they take advantage of this second chance?

OK, boy, this story was so much more than the brief synopsis above. Another huge plot point is the fact that Tate’s father is this huge actor and is cast in a supporting role in the movie. Tate has always wanted to have a better relationship with her father and her journey towards the discovery of who they both are is at times heartbreaking and is such a great sub plot to this novel! I really feel that without that additional conflict the story would have fallen a little flat. I’m always a sucker for daddy issues and boy, this daddy has issues!

I loved Sam right from the start and was just as heartbroken as Tate when their relationship couldn’t get past their first big conflict. However, it was Tate and her family/friends that held this story together. Her Nana and mom were awesome and her best friend Charlie was funny and ferocious.

I recently read Christina Lauren’s Unhoneymooners and that novel was hilarious and fun. This novel had more heart and depth. There was some humor from the cast of characters but there was a lot of emotional turmoil in Tate’s heart and it was that emotion that drew me in. I feel like this novel was different than their other books because of how adult the topics and the maturity of the characters. If you look for those heart tugging moments in the books you read then you need to pick this one up! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Twice in a Blue Moon

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- (if you click the link and purchase the book I’ll receive a small stipend)

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It’s Monday! What are you reading? (10/21/19)

Happy Monday everyone! I ran across this post on Book Date and liked the idea of sharing what I’m currently reading, and hopefully hearing about what you’ve picked up off your shelf. So here goes!

JUST FINISHED

First Sentence Read: “Nana turned to inspect the hotel room.”

JUST STARTED

First Sentence Read: “Just when Caleb Stuckey thought it couldn’t get any worse his mom walked in.”

I feel a little guilty for reading two romances back to back because I usually switch up my genre’s, keeping the choices fresh. However it took me a week to read Lady Rogue, a historical fantasy of sorts and I just wanted to catch up. Romances are typically a quick read and Parental Guidance was next on my list from the library. It looks cute!

Now that you know I’m on a romance jag, what are you reading this fine Monday?

Deb

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This Chick Read: Rock Bottom Girl by Lucy Score

Moving back to your home town is never easy but when you’ve lost your job, been dumped, and don’t have a penny to your name it’s a necessity. 38 year old Marley is back in her childhood bedroom living with her parents when her mom gets her a new job as the high school girls soccer coach and gym teacher. Marley couldn’t wait to leave town after high school and now she’s right back in the midst of teenage angst, cliques, and raging hormones- oh wait, those raging hormones are hers! High school crush Jake Weston is a teacher at school and when Marley ends up in the principal’s office she finds herself in a fake relationship signing an ethics contract! She has definitely hit Rock Bottom… or has she?

Rock Bottom Girl nailed all of my sweet spots; down on your luck heroine, girls soccer (I played in high school), hunky high school crush, and humor with a capital H! Marley was the type of heroine who doesn’t believe in herself but at the same time manages to rise to every occasion albeit sometimes accidentally. Her hijinks had me laughing out loud and reaching for the tissues. Not because I was crying from the emotion but because I was laughing so hard my eyes were streaming.

Jake Weston was the perfect hero. A little too good to be true, actually, but I’m going to overlook that perfection. He was the perfect foil to Marley’s imperfect life. Despite her flaws, he falls for her hook line and sinker, as do I. She was a tough heroine to dislike!

This was my first novel by Lucy Score. I stumbled upon it by accident and am thankful for whoever it was that recommended it. It’s a slow burn romance and there’s plenty of build up to the relationship and when our two main characters get together? Oh my! After finishing Rock Bottom Girl I immediately jumped on Amazon to see which novel I’d read next. I hope they’re all as good as this one!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Rock Bottom Girl: A Small Town Romantic Comedy

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read (Audio Review): Like the Wind by J. Bengtsson

Bohdi Beckett is pretty laissez faire for being a pop star in one of the biggest boy bands in the world. One night after a show he receives a letter from a woman claiming to be his mother. One problem, his dad told him his mother was dead. Feeling betrayed good guy Bohdi goes off the deep end getting drunk publicly and flashing the Paps. His father rents him a home in the Southern California hills, hoping he’ll cool off. Little does he know the heat is about to get turned up. Literally! It’s fire season in Southern CA and Bohdi’s house is right in the path of a large fire. Breeze is pet sitting in those same hills when she’s told to evacuate. She can’t leave behind her charges, so she packs up, gets the dogs on leashes, the fish out of the tank, and the cat in the cat carrier and hauls off the property in her car. When a falling tree blindsides her she and her crew are rescued. By pop star Bohdi Beckett.

I grew up in So CA myself and am very familiar with their change of seasons. This author painted a very accurate picture of the hillsides burning around Bohdi and Breeze as they tried to escape. I thought the real setting was a great contrast to Bohdi’s stage persona and Breeze’s casual lifestyle making their experience seem even more dangerous and real. When Breeze offers up her place for Bodhi to stay it’s their chemistry that catches fire but when they lean on each other for support, the story really gets going and I’m all in.

There were a lot of emotional ups and downs in this book. The revelation that Bodhi’s mom wasn’t dead, the fire, pop star mania, Breeze’s crazy ex boyfriend situation? A LOT was going on! Somehow it all tied together for a really good book. I will admit that Callie Dalton and Zachary Webber are two of my favorite narrators and their characterizations seemed spot on. They imbued Breeze and Bodhi with life making it really hard to dislike these characters.

I’m a fan of J. Bengtsson’s dialog and Like the Wind had some really humorous moments mixed in with the serious. She gives her characters such depth that I was lost in the story, forgetting that I actually had to stop listening and get back to work. Like the Wind is a stand alone novel so there is nothing to stop you from picking up this book and starting your journey with Bodhi and Breeze.

❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“A pop star, a quirky pet sitter and a wildfire made for one the best listens I have all year when combined with Callie Dalton and Zachary Webber’s amazing narration.” The Red Hatter Book Blog

Click this link to purchase!* Like the Wind

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Wrapped Up in you (Heartbreak Bay) by Jill Shalvis

After years of moving from town to town, not making friends or planting roots, Ivy finally settles down in San Francisco’s Heartbreak Bay, purchasing and running the local taco truck. Despite her own code of honor, she’s always been shy of the law. When she meets cowboy and sheriff Kel O’Donnell she’s immediately attracted and wisely wary of this newcomer to her group of friends. Thrown into his company by a break in at her truck, Ivy and Kel fight their instinct to stay away from each other and instead start to rely on their unlikely friendship.

I liked Ivy’s back story of a troubled family that requires them to move always staying one step ahead of whoever may be trying to find them. Ivy keeps a wall up, even with her group of friends, so it’s not surprising she’d be especially wary of a man who asks too many questions and tries to delve to deeply into her past. Kel has his own demons with a mother who he felt abandoned he and his sister, which makes him less likely to trust than most. The two of them together seemed an unlikely pair, neither of them too willing to trust. Despite the tentative trust factor I liked them for each other and easily rooted them on.

Wrapped Up in You was about friendship and love overcoming all obstacles. The story wasn’t too deep and didn’t require my complete immersion into the plot to keep up, but it was enjoyable and totally lived up to my expectations of an easy to read romance. Something I’ve come to expect from a Jill Shalvis novel. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a copy of this novel through NetGalley and the publisher for my honest review and it was honest.

Click this link to purchase!* Wrapped Up in You: A Heartbreaker Bay Novel

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Love on Lexington Avenue (The Central Park Pact #2) by Lauren Layne

When Claire finds out at her husbands funeral that he left behind not only a wife, but also a girlfriend and a mistress she decides to rid herself of everything her husband owned and hires a contractor to re-do her Upper East Side brownstone. Scott Turner is surly, tells it like it is, and fills out his flannel shirt like no other. Claire is intrigued. Maybe her brownstone isn’t the only change she needs to make!

I found it fascinating that the three women Claire’s husband conned all became fast friends. Their unique friendship is a fun aspect to this series and that history makes it easy for the reader to root for each of them to find their love match. Claire is very practical and kind of reminded me of myself, so of course I loved her! LOL. I also like surly alpha men so loved Scott immediately. I liked how they talked straight with each other and that their attraction was a slow burn. He might’ve thought she was attractive right from the get go, but it wasn’t until she started to “see” him that way that their thoughts became actions.

I liked Lauren Layne’s style of writing a lot. This was my first novel of hers and I’m definitely going to read the first in this series. I fell in love with all three of these women, but even more I liked the heat level on the romance. They became friends first and the love scenes were more of a fade to black. It was a nice change of pace and reminded me how much I love sweet romances! I’m going to be checking out Layne’s other novels and maybe refreshing my browser to “sweet” instead of “Stanky” on heat level. 🙂 ❤️❤️❤️❤️

I received a free copy of this ARC through NetGalley for my honest review and it was honest!

Click this link to purchase!* Love on Lexington Avenue (2) (The Central Park Pact)

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate- if you buy it, I get a small stipend.

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