Book Review: Delectable

Author: Adrianne Lee
Title: Delectable
Publisher: Forever
Publish Date: May 27, 2014
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: 

Montana real estate agent Quint McCoy will tell you that the most important thing is location, location, location. It's a lesson he learns all too well when he goes incommunicado for a four-week fishing trip to Alaska. While he's away, his mother Molly turns his office into the pie shop she has always dreamed of, Big Sky Pie. But that's not the only surprise in store for him.

On her way out of town, Callee McCoy only wants to say a fond farewell to her beloved mother-in-law. But Molly soon persuades Callee to stay and lend a hand at the new shop, even if it means heating up the kitchen with her soon-to-be ex. As Callee and Quint rediscover their recipe for love, they realize that some couples are so sinfully good together that one delectable taste is never enough.

Review: Delectable is a romance of second chances and pie. Lots and lots of pie. Quint and Callee's marriage falls apart when his father dies, but the near death of his mother brings them back together. Oh and so does pie!

The Big Sky Pie Shop is a place you'll want to return, so its a good thing that this is the first book in a new "yummy" series. All of the characters are pretty well developed and mostly easy to relate too. I could really understand the breakdown Quint had when his father died. His reactions made sense. However, it also made him a bit of a jerk. He ran off on a fishing trip with little care for his wife or his grieving mother.

I wasn't quite as sure about Callee, especially with her life plans. Who wants to be a chef when they don't know how to cook? That made no sense to me whatsoever, but I could understand her wariness of getting back with Quint when he really didn't seem like he was changing.

The chemistry between these two was electric, though. And you really wanted them together, even when things were't looking well for them. I loved uncovering Quint's dirty little secret, as well as the search for a pastry chef, while his mother, Molly recovers from bypass surgery.

I look forward to getting to know some of the other characters better in upcoming books, particularly Jane and Andrea. (Hey, gotta love a character that I share a first name with!)

The book has some steamy bits, some in the form of flashbacks and others in the present. Nothing too hot though, just enough to make you want a cold glass of milk to go with your pie!

Definitely a "delectable" summer read!

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: Last Chance Beauty Queen

Author: Hope Ramsay
Title: Last Chance Beauty Queen
Publisher: Forever
Publish Date: February 1, 2012
Buy:Amazon
Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: Dear Reader,
Gracious me, my beautiful daughter Rocky sure could use my help. I always knew she wasn't much interested in the local boys - but who'd have thought she'd come home with English royalty?
Trouble is, Hugh wants to buy some of our folks' land. We don't want to sell, but Rocky's job depends on her closing the deal. And though Hugh's obviously smitten, I'm not sure he's right for my Rocky. Oh, he's classy and handsome - and you should've seen the way he judged pies and fixed stock cars at our Watermelon Festival! - but what do we know about him, really? I know I sound like a nervous mother hen, but after forty happy years with my Elbert, all I want is to see my little girl find the same.
Well, time for me to quit chattering and get back to Miss Bray's wet set. Always nice talking to you, and remember: the Cut 'n Curl's got hot rollers, free coffee, and the best gossip in town.
See you real soon,
Ruby Rhodes

Review: If Debbie Macomber's Blossom Street could move to South Carolina and have a little more romance in it, it would be Hope Ramsey's Last Chance series. This is small town America meets sweet romance, with a little bit of sex tossed in for good measure.

Reasons why you should read Last Chance Beauty Queen

1. Quirky Characters abounding: A down-to-earth English aristocrat that wants to build a textile factory, Rocky's dad, who owns a miniature golf course called Golfing for God!, a little girl that sees angels and an ex-football player who will do anything to get the attention of the girl he thinks he wants to marry.

2. Great imagery of the typical American small town. You will fall in love with Last Chance, and you'll definitely want to go to the Watermelon Festival!

3. Its a series, but you really don't have to read these in order.

4. It is just so darn funny. It is hard to find humor in romance novels. There are some authors that do it well, and Hope Ramsey is one of them.

This book was a quick easy fun story. I fell in love with the town of Last Chance and all the people in it. Rocky was a wonderful heroine, she was smart, sweet and had a great sense of family. I loved that she wanted her career and life, but still cared for her hometown and didn't talk down or act like she was better than those at home.

The same can be said for Hugh. He was the type of character you wanted to be snotty, but he never was. He was a "regular guy" with a title, and you couldn't help but love him.

If you like authors like Sherryl Woods and Debbie Macomber, you'll be sure to love Hope Ramsey's Last Chance! Oh and isn't the cover adorable!

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: The Secrets Of An Accidental Duchess

Author: Jennifer Haymore
Title: Secrets Of An Accidental Duchess
Publisher: Forever
Publish Date: Feb 1, 2012
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley

Book Blurb: With her pale hair and slim figure, Olivia Donovan looks as fragile as fine china, and has been treated as such by her sisters ever since a childhood bout with malaria. But beneath her delicate facade, Olivia guards a bold, independent spirit and the kind of passionate desires proper young ladies must never confess... 

It was a reckless wager, and one Max couldn't resist: seduce the alluring Olivia or forfeit part of his fortune. Yet the wild, soon-to-be Duke never imagined he'd fall in love with this innocent beauty. Nor could he have guessed that a dangerously unpredictable rival would set out to destroy them both. Now, Max must beat a Madman at his own twisted game-or forever lose the only woman to have ever won his heart.

Review: Where to start with this book. I really enjoyed it. It was a pleasure to read even though it fell into many of the pitt falls of historical romance.

What are those you ask?

1. There is a dastardly villain. Seriously, you can't get more dastardly and bastardly than Fenwick. This guy was evil. I'm sure if she wrote about his childhood, he kicked puppies and drowned kittens. That's how evil this guy is.

2. Kidnappings...there's 3 in this book. I'm pretty sure that's a new record.

3. The heroine thinks she's somehow unworthy of love.

I probably shouldn't have liked this book as much as I did. But it was another guilty pleasure read. I felt good reading it. I enjoyed Olivia and Max and the other Donovan sisters. These characters were really well developed. They made me want to find the other books in the series.

I wish Fenwick was as well developed. I mean was was he such a bastard and why the rivalry between him and Max. There wasn't much of an explanation. Not that not knowing is going to keep me up at night.

If you are looking for an amusing book to pass an afternoon with, this one should work for you, especially if you like regency era historicals.

Rating: 4 flowers