Tag: romance

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

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

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

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.

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow

I’ve sat on this review for a couple of days because 1) I couldn’t decide how I’d be able to write one and 2) I couldn’t figure out how to describe my thoughts and feelings. Let’s start with the back of the book synopsis.

In the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical debut.
In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place.
Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own.

The above synopsis is accurate but totally different than I would have described this novel. Yes, January Scaller is a curiosity. She’s of mixed race and is the ward of a wealthy white businessman. In his social world, she is a curiosity, but she is also biased against, treated pretty abominably by Mr. Locke, and has an absentee father who occasionally visits but has his own agenda that isn’t explained until the end of the book. January lives in a very black and white world. If not for the friendship of the grocer’s son, she’d be unbearably alone and her life would be pretty bleak.

One day she goes delving into a chest in Mr. Locke’s office and finds a book about these Ten Thousand Doors. When she reads this book she can escape from her dismal life through the story of another young girl. That story is about love at first sight and her journey to find a mysterious young man who had stepped through a door from another world. Doors that may or may not be real. This tale is certainly brighter than January’s own story, and for me more interesting. It’s not until the two stories intertwine that I really became invested in The Ten Thousand Doors of January and the character in her own world.

This novel mixed several genre’s creating a kind of hybrid, atmospheric historical fantasy. I would even say it bordered gothic and was very dark. The elegant prose with which it was written, while beautiful, created an emotional barrier that made it really hard for me to immerse myself in the story and care strongly for January. I did have feeling’s for Her and some of the other characters, but I didn’t feel involved or invested in what happened to them. Am I the only person who’s read this novel that feels this way? It feels like it! Other reviews have waxed lyrical about the writing, and it was certainly all that, but for me, there was a piece missing that kept it from being a great novel. Can I pinpoint what that may be? No. Not to say that I hated all of it, I didn’t! I loved how there were doors into other worlds and the possibility of journeys into those worlds. Unfortunately with a couple of exceptions that I can’t go into without spoiling the outcome, those weren’t avenues that were explored much in this novel.

I did like the alternate storyline. It was a wonderful journey of exploration and self discovery. January’s storyline was a bit more subversive, her story was about wanting something strong enough to change her circumstances and go after it. She did do that, I just wish I had cared more for that self exploration than I did. ❤️❤️❤️❣️

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

Click this link to purchases!* The Ten Thousand Doors of January

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Don’t You Forget About Me by Mhairi McFarlane

Fired from her waitressing job and finding her boyfriend in bed with another woman is not the way Georgina saw this day going when she got out of bed that morning. At thirty years old Georgina has struggled to find her place in this world only wanting what anyone wants, the love of a good man, and a job she can feel proud to go to every day. When she lands a job at a pub owned by her ex high school boyfriend she dreams of having a second chance at love, but is hurt when Lucas doesn’t seem to recognize her. Don’t You Forget About Me is the story of how Georgina’s past and present collide, and how, just maybe, things may start to go her way.

There were a lot of things I liked about Georgina, she didn’t take the crap that was dished at her (an inordinate amount of times!), she had a wonderful group of friends, and she was always striving to be better. As this was a slow burn novel I really come to care for Georgina but I’ll admit her struggle with self confidence wore thin for me. If it hadn’t been for a pivotal plot point when she entered a stand up writing competition at the pub where she works, I may have lost patience and put down this novel. It was the story she told that night that caught my attention, and I thought there might just be more to this novel than pining for the ex who doesn’t seem to remember her. We start to get hints of a trauma that may have contributed to how Georgina ended up still waiting tables and hooking up with losers at the age of thirty. Finally, the story flowed and time flew until it was 1am, I was blowing my nose and drying my tears and reflecting on how this story was so well pieced together and where my feelings turned from “meh” to “I really like this!”.

One of the things that I enjoyed throughout the entire novel were Georgina’s group of friends. They were supportive, funny, snarky, and didn’t hold back from letting her know their thoughts about anything and everything. A good group of friends in a novel can help a reader understand their main character better and I really believe that was the case for Georgina. By hearing about Jo’s dissatisfaction with her own relationship the reader could draw a line between a healthy dissatisfaction and the unhealthy boyfriend choices Georgina had made in her past. It also helped the reader really want that healthy relationship for Georgina and Lucas adding to the tension in their story arc.

You’re probably wondering why I haven’t said much about Lucas since he’s the love interest for Georgina and this is a love story. I guess that’s because Lucas was kind of a mystery to me. He was a little stand off-ish, partly because he pretended like he didn’t know her for a good portion of the novel and he was kind of a quiet guy. He was likable, but it wasn’t until the end of the book where he had a defining moment and had probably one of the most romantic dialog’s in a romance I’ve read in quite awhile that I really liked him for Georgina. It was a REALLY good monologue. LOL.

My feelings for this book were kind of all over the place. The first third was a solid three- good but not great. The middle of the book picked up and started to hold my interest. The characters became more interesting and less annoying- a solid four! The last quarter of the novel was riveting, emotional, and un-put-down-able, and I’d give it a five. If you get to the 3/4 mark of this novel and you’re wavering between reading one more chapter or getting a good nights sleep, be warned. You will NOT be able to put this book down so be prepared to be really tired come morning… I was. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“The way the humour is combined with the darker side of relationships and the feeling of failure Georgina tries to hide is really well done. At no time did I think serious issues were being treated too lightly or the story got bogged down in sadness. The plot moved along at a solid pace and always with a glimpse of light at the end of the tunnel. ” Sam Still Reading

“If you’re looking for a humorous, heartfelt work of women’s fiction with a good smattering of romance, Don’t You Forget About Me might just do the trick. It will certainly entertain. (And have you humming the Simple Minds’ tune from the 80s that shares a title with this book, which is quoted at the start of the story…)” Harlequin Junkie

Click this link to purchase!* Don’t You Forget About Me: A Novel

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chicks Sunday Commentary: Aug19 Wrap Up!

I was on vacation the last week of August so am a little late getting to my wrap up post this month. Sorry guys! I vacationed in New York City and went to visit family in Maine. Getting out of the south in August was awesome! We happened to hit a week with temperature’s in the low to mid 70’s and no humidity. Now THAT’s a vacation!

In New York we crammed in some fun things like a day at the US Open and got to see Djokovik play, saw Jeff Daniels in To Kill a Mockingbird on Broadway, and traveled to the Top of the Rock for the view of Manhattan at sunset, went to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for the Play it Loud exhibit, and we ate SO MUCH FOOD! LOL. My vacations are all about eating, especially in NYC! Here’s some highlights in pic form.

We drove up to Maine and had a great time visiting family and again lucked out on the weather. It was great!

I may have mentioned last month that I signed up to do way too many reviews in the month of August and Sept. So my vacation also spent some time getting caught up on my reading. I scheduled a lot of reviews and even wrote some posts from the road. Here’s what you may have missed on the Reading Chick last month.

AUGUST- BEST READS

“Since this is a trilogy, we are given peeks at the depths of their feelings for each other. There are two more books in this series for all of their mysteries to be revealed and I will be one of the millions that is eagerly awaiting the next installment! ”

Click this link to purchase!* Sapphire Flames: A Hidden Legacy Novel

“I can’t really think of anything I disliked about this novel. Yes, there was a miscommunication that went on a little too long, but i understood how that helped establish why these two characters needed each other. Maybe it was my own memories of a Renaissance Faire that made me like this so much? Who knows! I just know that I read it at the right time, it hit my sweet spot, and I really enjoyed the journey. You can’t ask for more than that!”

Click this link to purchase!* Well Met

“The Bride Test is a unique romance novel in that its main characters are not perfect at the end of the book. You get the feeling that both Khai and Esme have a long journey of self discovery ahead but they will do it hand in hand.”

Click this link to purchase!* The Bride Test

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

THIS CHICKS SUNDAY COMMENTARY

Beyond my July’19 Wrap Up post and My Most Anticipated Releases for August, I did write an editorial asking if Author’s ever wanted to provide a do over because their opinions on a subject may have changed or even a subject that was considered normal (ex: women not being treated equal to men) has now changed. If you missed any of these posts, please click the links below and join in on the discussions!

July’19 Wrap Up!

My 5 Most Anticipated August Releases

Should Author’s ever take a Do-Over?

WHAT’S ON TAP FOR SEPTEMBER?

It’s already 9/8, so I’m into the month of September and trying to stay on track with my blogging. I am only committed to 4 reviews, so I’ll get those out of the way starting this week. I’d really like to spend my reading time actually picking out a book that may take me a little longer to read and make me think a little bit! A nice historical, or even a political thriller. Both of those genre’s require paying attention to what I’m reading, otherwise I’ll be re-reading sections when I can’t figure out what’s going on!

I never did get out a Giveaway post last month, so I may try to compile some goodies to give away to a blogger. Hopefully, I can do that in the next week!

If you’ve read down this far, thanks! I’d like to ask what’s on tap on your own blog next month? I need to do some hopping! Let me know!

Until next Sunday!

Deb

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads8 Comments

This Chick Read: Bringing Down the Duke by Evie Dunmore

Destitute daughter of a vicar, Annabelle Archer earns a place as one of the first female students at the illustrious University of Oxford. In return for her scholarship she must join the women’s suffrage movement and try to gain the backing of a man of influence. Her target? Sebastian Devereaux, Duke of Montgomery and political advisor to the queen. Her beauty catches his eye and despite her fellowship with independent women he’s drawn to her. Can she hold him at arms length while still earning his backing of their movement? Can he convince her to become his without the promise of marriage? Evie Dunmore’s debut novel is atypical of other historical novels in that it dives into the politics of this time and the societal divide a lack of income and good background creates between a man and woman. Bringing Down the Duke was an intricate love story, but also a historical eye opener.

Despite the fluff that the word “Duke” brings to a historical romance title, this novel was anything but. The intricate love story between Sebastian and Annabelle was revealed a piece at a time and was enthralling, don’t get me wrong, but it was the history of the time and how that impacted these two characters that held my attention. I can only recall having read one other novel set during the women’s suffrage movement and as an independent woman myself (even though American), I’m very interested in how and when women’s rights were fought and granted In England. The fact that Evie Dunmore chose this time for a romance gave it a more modern feel.

Sebastian started off the novel as you would expect. Frigid Duke taking all of his responsibilities very seriously gets upended by a beautiful woman. BUT because of the setting we get to see how his thoughts change about women’s rights as Annabelle is threatened through her actions while fight for them. That makes Sebastian different than other historical romance heroes giving the story more impact. In real life a Duke couldn’t consider a woman for his wife if she wasn’t in the correct societal rank without throwing away his own livelihood and lands. Of course in romance novels there are no rules and Dukes marry whomever they want, but this novel doesn’t seem to throw away those societal rules and the Duke’s decisions propel not just the romantic side of the story but the historical plot as well.

I liked Annabelle a lot. She was smart, educated, pretty, but also had a head on her shoulders. She was no innocent and new how her actions would affect her future, but also the future of those around her. She was always thinking ahead. Her attraction to Sebastian was HUGE, but she was no ninny. She knew what it meant if she became a mistress or a wife. Her decisions were based upon real life plot lines and not romance novel plot lines. That made her so much more interesting and real!

Bringing Down the Duke is one of those novels where you pick it up not knowing what you are going to get. The only hint is from the picture on the front where the woman is seated in the saddle of the horse and the Duke is behind her when usually their placement would be in the reverse. A very subtle hint at her independence. I don’t want to give the impression that there isn’t any tension or romance between these two characters. There is plenty of food for the bodice ripping romantic! These two have heat, and their romance was riveting. Even more so because of everything that was happening that I mentioned above! Also, Annabelle’s friends in the movement were interesting and fabulous and hopefully their stories are to come in future novels in the series.

Bringing Down the Duke was everything I love in a historical romance. Riveting characters, sexual tension, and interesting details about the time they are living in. This is a novel that I can easily recommend to anyone who enjoys a great historical romance!

❤️❤️❤️❤️❣️

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

Opinions from around the Blogosphere!

“Bringing Down The Duke is one of the best debut’s I have read, it is simply stunning! The character’s are beautifully written, each one sparkles with life, the story is fun and original, it is an exciting, gorgeous and mesmerising love story. Evie Dunmore captivates and enthrals the reader with her intelligent, passionate and dazzling writing.” Chicks, Rogues, and Scandals

Click this link to purchase!* Bringing Down the Duke (A League of Extraordinary Women)

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Well Met by Jen DeLuca

Emily moved in with her sister and niece in order to help her sister recover from a bad car accident. Part of that help is squiring around her teenage niece Caitlin to audition for a part in Willow Creek’s hometown Renaissance Faire. What she didn’t know was that her under age niece needs an adult to sign up with her. Guess what? Emily will be playing Bar Wench for the summer. When she meets high school English teacher, and man in charge of the Faire, Simon, they immediately butt heads. He’s a know it all with a stick up his butt and Emily has just had it with “that” kind of man! Well Met is a rom-com where two people go from enemies who don’t think they have anything in common to confidants and lovers. I laughed out loud and sniffled away a couple of tears. My favorite kind of romance!

Emily just got dumped and admittedly has a chip on her shoulder for men who think they know everything. Simon’s definitely got an attitude that pushes all of her buttons. I’m a sucker for this trope and loved the Renaissance Faire set up. I can remember going to one of these Faire’s with my mom and aunt when I was a kid and remember how the actor’s really got into playing their parts. This book gave you a behind the scenes look into putting on one of these events and really brought back some fun memories!

Simon’s character had an interesting mix of vulnerability and bravado. I loved the way the author contrasted Simon with the pirate Captain he played in the Faire. It allowed him to act on some of his fantasies through the Captain’s antics. This sped the plot along while also creating conflicting emotions that made this a lot more interesting than it might have been. Emily’s confusion at what were real feelings and what weren’t added tension as well as a little comic relief.

This novel also had a great supporting cast. Mitch the brawny, kilt wearing hunk, her friend Stacey who helped strap her into her bar wench costume, and her sister April who’s injuries gave Emily a sense of purpose. All of these characters helped add comic relief, but also depth to Emily’s character making her more 3-D and not so two dimensional.

I can’t really think of anything I disliked about this novel. Yes, there was a miscommunication that went on a little too long, but i understood how that helped establish why these two characters needed each other. Maybe it was my own memories of a Renaissance Faire that made me like this so much? Who knows! I just know that I read it at the right time, it hit my sweet spot, and I really enjoyed the journey. You can’t ask for more than that!

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️

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

Opinions from around the Blogosphere

“Overall this is one of my favorite romances of the summer! I absolutely plan to read everything that Jen Deluca writes in the future! If you’re looking for one final, swoon-worthy romance before the cool weather hits, definitely pick this one up!” Paperbacks and Planners

“Emily was adorable and totally relatable, her hesitation about the Faire at the start of the book rivaled my own, so I knew she was my kind of people. Simon may as well be called Swoonworthy Simon, my lord this man knows how to woo a lady. Throw in a supporting cast of characters that are just as lovable, sizzling chemistry between Em and Simon and an absolutely adorable and heartwarming story and I’m done” Novel Gossip

Click this link to purchase!* Well Met

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads

This Chick Read: The Blacksmith Queen (The Scarred Earth Saga #1) by G.A. Aiken

It has been awhile since I’ve read a novel by G.A. Aiken, but after my first few moments of WTF-ness I caught onto the rhythm of her magic and got swept along by the story.

As the Old King’s last breathe is uttered, his sons start slaughtering each other and every living relative in the hopes of being the last man standing and becoming the new Old King. A few of the brothers actually separate, hoping to gather enough soldiers to march and fight for the title when a prophesy that a queen will ascend the throne who is a farmer’s daughter waylays their plans. A race to find this girl, Beatrix, and either kill her or marry her to retain the title is foiled by the epic strength of her blacksmith sister Keeley.

Despite her almost god-like strength, Keeley is a simple woman. Family means everything to her and even though she’s thrilled at how this war is great for business, she doesn’t hesitate to fight for her families safety. Joined by the Amachai, a group of Centaur warriors, Keeley takes her sister Beatrix off to the Black Hills to be declared the girl who would be Queen, but in romantic fantasy nothing is ever as easy as it looks.

I loved Keeley’s heart, and her relationship to her sisters and family. They mean everything to her and she is an easy heroine to support and like. Even more I liked her mischievousness and humor. G.A. Aiken didn’t want a one dimensional heroine and her practical jokes and ready smile were her most likable characteristics. Caid, the Centaur romantic hero, was the perfect foil. Dark, brooding, and non-verbal, he couldn’t help but be taken with her and watching him slowly reveal more to his personality than the taciturn warrior was unexpected.

The Blacksmith Queen was an irreverent mix of fun swordsmanship (or hammer skills!), trash talking sisters, and a romantic adventure. Filled with Centaurs, dragons, trolls and elves, this novel has the beginnings of what could be an epic series. Be prepared to be surprised at the mix of modern slang with historic fantasy elements. At times it was a little confusing but if you throw all of your expectations out the window and enjoy each reveal you’ll have a blast reading this totally unique novel. ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase!* The Blacksmith Queen (The Scarred Earth Saga)

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

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This Chick Read: Handle With Care (Veteran Movers #3) by Marie Harte

When Evan Griffith quits his accounting job to work full time with his cousin’s in the moving business he’s part owner in, he meets Kenzie Sykes. He’s immediately attracted but her protective little brother tries to throw him off by painting her crazy. Unfortunately for Daniel, Evan isn’t thrown off by that and gently starts pursuing the reluctant Kenzie.

Handle with Care is a little different than the first two novels in the series. Although it continues the underlying story of the Griffith family and the mysterious Smith who looks and acts exactly like Evan’s cousin. Evan is not quite as alpha as his two cousin’s who starred in the first two books in the series. Which was great! It paints a more accurate picture of men coming in all shapes, sizes, and demeanors. Evan is sensitive, gentle, and a little eager to please. It was interesting to hear his inner thoughts on how his personality sometimes scares off the ladies. I thought his insecurities were really attractive!

I think I might have found this story a little lackluster if it hadn’t been for both Evan and Kenzie’s amazing friends and family. Lila and Hector’s romance, her little brother Daniel’s mischievousness and need for a male role model, and even Smith’s introduction into the family helped hold my interest. I hope we get a spin-off series of some sort because I want to learn more about these other characters lives and interests! If I had to guess, though, I think Smith’s novel will be the last, as he is the only remaining Griffith whose story has gone untold to date.

If you like real romances about normal people and great stories about how families come in all shapes and sizes, then this series should be on your radar. The movers are all ex-Vets and create their own family, but each couple’s story has unfolded with a unique angle on what and how their version of family has enriched their lives. I like that angle a lot! ❤️❤️❤️❤️

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

Click this link to purchase!* Handle with Care (Veteran Movers)

Copyright 2019 Deborah Kehoe The Reading Chick All Rights Reserved

*Amazon Associate

On By deborahkehoeIn A Hot Chick Who Reads