Tag: romance

This Chick Read: A Wicked Kind of Husband (Longhope Abbey #1) by Mia Vincy

Cassandra and Joshua DeWitt have been married for two years and haven’t seen each other since their wedding day. When Cassandra shows up at their London house and her husband is in residence she convinces herself that the house is big enough for the two of them. When her husband is accused of betraying her in her marriage, she leaps to his defense and all of a sudden they are forced to portray a happy union. Of course, spending all of that time together leads to grumbling tension and intense attraction.

When your favorite writing duo speaks out about enjoying this novel you just have to take a look. I was pleasantly surprised at this historical romance. Joshua was a different kind of hero. Once part of the peerage until his father’s bigamy was discovered he has made his fortune in business. His frenetic energy made him seem rather ADHD but Cassandra’s soothing influence gave him a more mischievousness that I’m not sure the author intended.

Cassandra, also was something other than she appeared. Smart and confident on the outside, she was actually desperate for the love and affection of her family who have blamed her for their rather dire straits and boredom. Cassandra and Joshua were an interesting pairing and I enjoyed this quick paced love story very much.

There were plenty of antics and bickering, as well as a bit of a mystery for them to solve together that paired them off rather quickly. If you like sassy historical romances this one is just different enough to elevate it to a 4.5 rating, but then a little humor always gets an extra .5 from me! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

Click this link to purchase!* A Wicked Kind of Husband

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This Chick Read: How to Love Your Elf (Embraced by Magic #1) by Kerrelyn Sparks

Synopsis: Sorcha knew the mission was dangerous. Leaving the safe grounds of her brother’s kingdom and parlaying with the elves across their border . . . well, treachery seemed at least as likely as true peace. But to support her sister, Sorcha would brave far more than the underhanded ways of the elves. Or so she thought, before she was taken hostage.
 
Of course, her captors didn’t count on her particular abilities—or on the help of the Woodsman, the mysterious thief who made his home in the forest. He saw the battle from the trees, saw the soldier attacking against incredible odds to save a comrade—and then saw the valiant fighter revealed as Princess Sorcha of Norveshka. He can’t tell if he wants to kidnap her or kiss her. But despite Sorcha’s stubbornness, his inconvenient honor, and a rebellion on the cusp of full war, something burns between them that neither can let go . . .

REVIEW: The series name Embraced by Magic #1 implies that this book is the first in the series, doesn’t it? Foolish me! As I was reading this novel I quickly realized this was not the first novel. There were clearly a few couples already covered in a previous series which normally would make me mad. I kept reading because I had to, as I was given an ARC of this novel to review. At this point you’re probably thinking that I got lost in the story and soon forgot that the publisher misled me….you’re wrong! I only got more mad because this novel was so poorly written! Even though I’ve never read a Kerrelyn Sparks novel before, I know this is an author who has written a whole bunch of novels and well, this novel felt like it was a first attempt by a high schooler. If it had been? Well, maybe I would be a little less harsh, but it wasn’t. So, how did I feel about this book? Disappointed would be putting it mildly.

I’m not a reviewer that normally writes scathing commentary. It’s not worth my time unless I feel like I need to take a stand on behalf on women for a horrible topic like romanticizing sexism or rape. This novel didn’t have any of those topics, it was a fantasy romance about a bunch of elves in a forest. It should’ve been fun, but was really just bad. That happens. I get it. That’s why I usually just choose to pass on the review. However, I feel like I need to make a point about how putting this novel, which was clearly the third or fourth in a different series and titling it as #1 in a new series clearly misleads the reader. Added to that is that it was just poorly written and juvenile and well, you’ve got one really unhappy reader and I got this book for free!

Setting the publisher’s intentions aside, why didn’t I like this book? This story was in 2-D. The character’s weren’t developed, the love story was contrived, and the sex scenes truly awful. The dialog was pretty comical. Our hero was a wood elf and our heroine Sorcha jokes about his wood-like erection. Yeah, it was really bad and I found myself rolling my eyes and skimming the pages hoping it would get better. It didn’t. So, despite our hero’s wood-like penis, I was left totally unsatisfied.

Maybe this style of writing is what Kerrelyn Sparks is famous for and I’m going to anger a bunch of fans of this author, but I hope it’s just one bad book in her catalog and I just chose the wrong one to test the waters.

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

Copyright 2020 The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved.

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This Chick Read: Aurora Blazing (The Consortium Rebellium book #2) by Jessie Mihalik

As the third oldest child in House Von Hasenberg, Bianca has always been the dutiful daughter. Marrying for a political alliance instead of love, now widowed she’s vowed to live life by her own rules. When her house comes under attack and her brother is kidnapped, Bianca’s underground informants give her a lead on his kidnappers. She’s determined to go after them alone, but the Head of Security for her house is fast on her trail and they have to come to an agreement about how to investigate the situation. Action, danger, and romance, all rolled into one, Aurora Blazing was exactly as I’d hoped. Even better than the first novel in the series.

Bianca was so fascinating! A horrible marriage changed her both physically and mentally. A fact that she’s hidden from her family and friends. Ian Bishop knows there’s something different about her but it’s not until they go on the search for her brother together that he’s given the chance to get close and see the consequences her disastrous marriage had on her psyche. He’s determined to protect her from both herself and from her enemies.

I thought Polaris Rising had a lot of promise but it left me feeling a little disappointed. Aurora Blazing lived up to that first book’s promise and then some! The characters were fully fleshed out, the mystery detailed and enthralling, and Bianca and Ian’s relationship was full of tension and burned slow. A Sci-Fi fantasy novel full of heat, heart, and heartache.

I get the feeling as this series moves forward and every little detail of the Von Hasenberg’s are revealed I’m going to love the series even more. Bianca’s back story was pretty horrible and really really interesting. I can’t imagine how any other character could be as interesting but in Aurora Blazing we are given little hints into a couple of future novels that may live up to my expectations. I hope this author is writing fast and furious because I want the next novel out soon! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Aurora Blazing: A Novel (The Consortium Rebellion)

Copyright 2020 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick Read: Alone in the Wild (Casey Duncan #5) by Kelley Armstrong

While on a camping trip with her boyfriend Detective Casey Duncan here’s a baby crying. With a foot of snow on the ground Casey searches out the sound and finds a baby lying in the arms of a dead woman buried in the snow. Casey and Eric take the baby back to the safety of Rockton determined to investigate. Was the dead woman the baby’s mother? Or had she taken the baby from it’s mother. Alone in the Wild shows us a different side of Casey and pushes she and Eric into making an emotional decision.

I really enjoyed how Alone in the Wild was this great mystery but it was also a self discovery novel that pushed Casey and Eric into making decisions about their future. Which one was more interesting? Truly they were both great. The mystery was excellent and it each discovery gave a little more information about this world and some of it was eye opening.

This series is now in it’s fifth installation and my interest in the town of Rockton and Casey and Eric in particular has not waned at all. The two of them keep getting more interesting and as their romance becomes more emotional I want to learn even more about them. While taking care of a baby we see a softer side of both Casey and Eric and I kind of liked it. They are both so tough that it’s nice to see that they can have deeper emotions, not just for each other, but for someone that needs their care and support.

I was really looking forward to this novel and it lived up to my expectations. It was not just a mystery it was a look into the souls of our two main characters. Luckily, the depths of these two characters held up and made this novel even stronger. I’m really looking forward to what their future holds and can’t wait for the release of the next novel!

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

Click this link to purchase!* Alone in the Wild: A Rockton Novel (Casey Duncan Novels)

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

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This Chick Read: Connections in Death (In Death #48) by J.D. Robb

Once again Homicide cop Eve Dallas and her gorgeous billionaire husband Roarke’s lives cross closely with murder. Dr. Rochelle Pickering has just been hired as psychologist at their youth shelter when her brother Lyle is found dead by an apparent drug overdose in their apartment. As Eve investigates his troubled past as a gang member emphasizing the reasons their shelter is being built.

There have been sooooo many In Death books that after 47 you would think it would be hard for the author to come up with an original mystery. I really felt Connections in Death delivered! I could be wrong, but I don’t remember Eve investigating gangs in any of the previous novels. I found this brought a grittier feel to the mystery. The bulletproof vests were on and doors were being broken down, it was similar to an episode of Law & Order! The contrast between that gang lifestyle and Lyle’s rehabilitated world made the reason for his murder even more sad.

I enjoyed this novel more than quite a few others in the series because the detectives felt more like cops than investigators. Yes, Peabody in her pink coat and boots is adorable and brilliant, but I enjoyed seeing her pummel a gang member and get physical.

This was a fast paced story that I easily read in a few hours and enjoyed tremendously. The characters didn’t advance any storylines further it was just a straight mystery with no sidebar distractions, and I really liked it! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* Connections in Death: An Eve Dallas Novel (In Death, Book 48)

Copyright 2020 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick Read: Whiteout (Survival Instincts #1) by Adriana Anders

In her final day as cook at a remote Antarctica camp, Angel Smith is making her last meal before heading back to the mainland when their camp is attacked. Angel escapes but is stuck alone on this base with no power and no way to contact anyone for help. Ford Cooper, glaciologist, was out in the field during the attack and when he returns to an empty base he finds Angel locked into a sub basement cavern, almost frozen. Despite their differences and the obvious tension between them, they work together to get themselves out before their enemy returns to finish the job.

Adriana Anders does a great job of turning up the heat in this atmospheric, ice cold thriller. As a setting, the Antartica seems to be the antithesis of a hot romance, but she does such a great job of creating tension between Angel and Ford that you can’t wait for that moment when they are both warm enough to strip off all of those layers and create their own heat. Angel and Ford also seem to be the complete opposite of the other with Angel beaming in good nature a direct contrast to Ford’s glowering disapproval. Yet as they work together Angel’s good humor seems to rub off on Ford and his scowl turns upside down. Not that he ever gets comfortable showing his emotions but you can feel him thawing out and warming to her until they become partners in surviving the elements and the dangerous situation.

I don’t believe I’ve ever read a romantic thriller set in the Antarctica before and loved how the setting became as big an integral part of the story as what happens between our characters. The Antarctica and the low temperatures became another evil character to survive and I really liked that they could conquer or be killed by the land as well as the bad guys. Because the novel started off with the bad guys taking over, you knew who they were the entire time so the Antarctic and its elements added the mystery to the story.

I really enjoyed Whiteout and this story of a mysterious virus found in the ice in the Antarctica. Even more than the mystery, I enjoyed how the characters worked with and conquered their time in the elements and loved how much the tension sizzled even though they wore clothes (a LOT of them) through much of the story. Angel and Ford had completely different personality types but as a couple they became whole. I loved that because I think for a large part that’s how it works in real life too. Opposites attract! This novel was a quick, fun ride and I’d recommend it if you’re in the mood for an exciting action adventure novel. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase!* Whiteout (Survival Instincts)

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

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This Chick Read: Headliners (London Celebrity #5) by Lucy Parker

If you’re a fan of this series then you’ll remember that Sabrina Carlton and Nick Davenport are rival anchors on competing networks in London and at the end of the previous book Nick had reported news that tore Sabrina’s family apart. So, at the beginning of Headliners when they are both told they would be anchoring a morning show together for one month I knew that the sparks would be flying! When they start the show and realize someone is out to sabotage their chances at making this show a success they band together to find the culprit and all of a sudden there are other kinds of sparks flying.

Just as with the previous novels in this series Lucy Parker really knows how to write great dialog, characters who are not perfect but that a reader can care about, and sizzling romance. I loved that Sabrina and Nick were an interracial pair yet all of the issues they had stemmed from non racial issues. In fact, despite the saboteur at work, this was a “normal” romance…and that is how it should be. Maybe it’s not realistic to talk about issues others may have with their pairing, but truthfully? All I cared about after starting to read was that they were interesting characters and had some great dialog, and most importantly HEAT. Enough said.

So, despite seeing Nick as the bad guy in the previous novel, that one act was all we knew about him. This book allowed us to see his regrets over how that story played out. That insight totally helped me get past him screwing Sabrina and her sister Freddy over. I moved on from dislike to enamored rather quickly, exactly as the author intended. It also helped that in this novel Sabrina and Nick had a common enemy to fight. There’s nothing like banding together to fight evil that makes you think of sex! LOL.

Headliners was a ton of fun to read and I hated that it had to end. I’m trying to think of someone that this series could continue with, maybe Nick’s brother Iain? A single dad who is slightly gruff, but loves his daughter? Hmm. From my lips to the book gods (ok authors) ears in New Zealand… fingers crossed! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

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

Click this link to purchase!* Headliners (London Celebrities)

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*Amazon Associate- if you purchase this book through the above link I may receive a small stipend.

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This Chick Read: If You Only Knew by Kristan Higgins

Jenny Tate is moving her wedding dress store back to her home town for two reasons. The first is to be closer to her sister and her three nieces and the second is to be further removed from her ex-husband, his wife and their new baby. It’s hard to move on with her life when they (Rachel and her ex) are still so involved in each others lives. Rachel is thrilled her sister Jenny is moving back to town, but when it seems her marriage is on the rocks she has difficulty seeing the truth behind the lies. If You Only Knew is the story of two sisters who are navigating through difficulties leaning on each other but also learning their own inner strengths.

Jenny’s marriage slowly falls apart with her husband eventually leaving her saying he just wants something more. He finds that just three months later and then immediately has the baby Jenny had wanted with him. He remains friends with Jenny, calling her his best friend, and she lets him even though it makes her miserable. When she moves the shop to her hometown she moves into a small complex and meets her downstairs neighbor Leo. He is devastatingly gorgeous and closed off keeping her at a distance with a friends with benefits status. Jenny dreams of a relationship with Leo that may never come. The good thing about their story is that she’s finally weaned off from her ex and didn’t really even notice it happening.

Rachel tries so hard for the perfect life and marriage. She deftly raises her three children and when her husband comes home everyone is spotless and lovely for him to kiss goodnight. When she discovers he’s cheated the walls come crumbling down on her perfect life and she wonders why she tried so hard to keep the love and passion in her marriage. If there was one character I hated in this book I’d say it was her husband. He acted entitled and I just loathed him for how he treated Rachel.

The two sisters have a wonderful relationship, so supportive and are each others champion through life. Even with their problems their love for each other was so apparent, it was lovely. If You Only Knew was filled with angst, pain, and rebirth. It was deftly told and at the end the reader is left with a feeling of completion if not happiness for each sister. Their lives may go through good and bad, but I felt like if they had each other in their lives they could pull through almost anything. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Click this link to purchase!* If You Only Knew: A Women’s Fiction Novel (Hqn)

Copyright 2020 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

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

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This Chick Read: Echoes Between Us by Katie McGarry

Veronica is the weird girl at school who is totally confident and doesn’t even try to fit in. Sawyer is the popular golden boy and championship swimmer. They don’t hang with the same crowd but when Sawyer and his family move into the apartment in the downstairs of Veronica’s home, he can’t help but notice her. They partner together on a class project and become close but despite their growing attraction they each have a secret that they are afraid to tell the other. Veronica’s is that she has migraine’s that let her see her dead mother and Sawyer has an adrenaline addiction. He craves the rush that comes from jumping off of high cliffs and endangering his life.

I don’t know if it was too many evenings at home watching Ghost Hunters but this synopsis was too tempting to pass up. Are these ghosts Veronica see’s real? She thinks her house is haunted and has conversations with her dead mother, however these sightings might also be hallucinations from the tumor she has growing in her brain. A tumor that she fears will kill her, just like the one that was responsible for the cancer that killed her mother. However, if she can prove that ghosts do exist she thinks it will make her father feel better if he isn’t alone after she dies. I know, kind of a shaky reason for hiding this secret, but as the story moves forward it kind of makes total sense.

Sawyer has his own problems and dating the weird girl wasn’t what he thought he’d be doing his senior year. He’s starting to get scared that he has a real addiction and that it may just be the death of him. When he meets Veronica and her theories about ghosts he feels the same rush as he does when he jumps off a cliff, but when he starts to fall for her he starts to see through her reasons for picking this topic for their senior thesis.

I was riveted by this story. Katie McGarry did a great job of giving these characters depth and her storytelling was impeccable. She created a creepy mood for some of Veronica’s chapters that added a darkness to the ghost tales that she and Sawyer went out to investigate. Sawyer’s story was also filled with a darkness and despair and it was Veronica that brought light into his life and he clung to that brightness.

I don’t want to give away any of this story because each reveal only entices you to keep reading to find out what happens next. If you like ghost stories and tales of overcoming obstacles to find happiness then you need to crack open the pages of this book. I thoroughly enjoyed this novel and would love to talk to you about it! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

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

Click this link to purchase!* Echoes Between Us

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

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This Chick Read: Love Her or Lose Her by Tessa Bailey

Rosie and Dominic Vega were high school sweethearts and got married when when he enlisted. They’ve always been each others best friend able to talk about anything and their chemistry? It sizzles! Ever since Dominic came back from Afghanistan their relationship has changed. They don’t talk as much, living together as husband and wife but except for their once a week sex-date not interacting. Rosie is heartbroken but wants to move on and start living out her dream and feels like Dominic isn’t going to stand beside her and help her accomplish them. She asks for a divorce and is surprised by how vehemently Dominic wants to make things work. So she comprises by going to last chance couples therapy. Love Her or Lose Her is a love story that puts communication first while still delivering the heat.

I really liked the premise of this novel and after reading Fix Her Up and liking it a lot, was confident Tessa Bailey would deliver a good story. Did she? Well, yes and no. I was really conflicted and my emotions were all over the place.

What I liked: I really liked Rosie. She obviously loved Dominic a lot but wasn’t going to settle for less than what she thought she deserved from her husband. She was confident, sassy, and her cooking sounded amazing. Seriously, I got hungry for cuban food reading this novel! What I also liked about Rosie was that when she realized she should take part of the blame in their failed marriage, she did…and felt horrified by it. I also liked her friends. Georgie was our heroine in Fix Her Up and she was just as charming in this novel, and Bethany, Georgie’s sister, who will star in her own novel next. Their sisterhood and support system were amazing and I had a lot of fun reading about that group.

What I didn’t like: I’m just going to say it.. Dominic. I usually like an alpha male, but this guy had way too much testosterone. Whew! His old fashioned attitude about what makes a good marriage definitely needed to be brought up to date. The heat between the two of them was crazy hot, but the way he spoke to her during those hot moments, for me, was a complete turn off. I hated his moniker for her… gosh, I’ve blacked it out of my mind, I think it was honey girl? Every time he said it, I just cringed. It seemed like the author was trying way too hard. Would such a taciturn guy really start calling her this name only when they had sex? To me, it was just weird.

So, the fact I didn’t care for half the couple wasn’t a good sign. However, I did like how going to therapy made them open up and see things in each other and in themselves. That, and Rosie’s character elevating their coupledom out of the trash heap with her genuine likability? I gave Lover Her or Lose Her a 3 rating, which on my scale is average. I like this author but I think she missed the mark on this couple. ❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase!* Love Her or Lose Her: A Novel

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

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