Book Review: The Italian Single Dad

Author: Jennie Adams
Title: The Italian Single Dad
Publisher: Harlequin Romance
Publish Date: 
Buy: Amazon
Book Blurb:
An Italian single father, a motherless child…

Bella Gable never wanted to see rich, handsome Luchino Montichelli ever again! They had a brief romance in Italy when she was young and naive, butwhen Bella discovered Luc had betrayed her, it broke her heart.

Her first love, their chance for happiness…

Now, years on, Luc has come to Australia with his young daughter in tow. This Luc, who looks at his daughter with such tenderness, seems like the man Bella once fell in love with. But can she trust him enough to take another chance on this Italian single dad?

Review: 4 flowers/stars you say? Why you say? No this book isn't fantabulous. Its premise is somewhere between a soap opera and a hallmark movie. Its cheesy at its finest. The plot is unbelievable, at best

The characters are kind of lackluster.

3 sisters abandoned by their parents when the oldest is in her teens and she becomes the mother figure and an overly protective one.

She fell in love with a married man a few years back who she then finds out took his daughter from her mother and then left her in the care of the nanny....

Is your jaw on the floor yet?

He's back and demanding she work with him or he will ruin her.

It will get better, ok probably not but the plot will get more kooky and that's really why I have to fling all the flowers/stars at this story.

It pulled me out of a reading slump.

There are so many goofy twists and turns...and not enough info about how Bella got to be a model/designer and I'm so confused by how the sister act, especially as one is married with a baby on the way.

So much drama too. Again, think the worst soap opera you ever watched? This book could be part of that.

Its so bad its kind of good.

I didn't love any of the characters, but I kept on reading, because I needed to see what other ridiculousness might happen.

So no it doesn't deserve the high rating as far as content goes, but it made be want to read again, so maybe it does.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: Pet Peeves

Author: Virginia Hart
Title: Pet Peeves
Publisher: Harlequin Romance
Publish Date:  July 1993
Buy: Amazon

Book Blurb: 

It was raining cats and dogs!

Pets seemed to inhabit every corner of Arley's apartment building, even though the low-rise had a strict no-pets policy. And that forced Arley to do something she'd never done before--LIE. But it was also the first time she'd rescued two abandoned kittens and smuggled them into her home.

Now the other tenants--who'd formed a pet underground dedicated to keeping their animals secret from Ben Travis, the building's sexy owner--wanted her to convince Ben to change the rule. Arley knew that would be like a mouse trying to bell a cat, but she had to make the attempt. Even if her deception meant risking a more personal relationship with Ben...

Review: I'm a sucker for romances that involve animals, which is why I love Kristin Higgins and Jennifer Crusie.

This is one of those short romances that you can't help but love. Arley bumbles around while trying to hide the fact that she has 2 kittens from the owner, Ben Travis. The fact that he's a hottie, and all the women want him make things worse.

Oh and he's the guy that made the strict no pets policy.

I found it hysterical that there was a pet underground with the tenants, because when it comes to pet rules, most renters don't have a say with that sort of thing. The fact that this was such a huge issue in this book made it almost laughable at times.

Just about everyone in the building is hiding a pet!

Seriously?

I have to admit that after the pet ownership comes out in the open, things get really funny between Arley and Ben, and when a not so little "Rags" joins them, it gets funnier.

It isn't very realistic, but it makes for a sweet romance, if it is a little kooky at times.

This is a Harlequin Romance from the early 90s and it felt really dated to me.

Rating: 4 flowers

Tasty Book Tours Book Review: Return of The Rebel

Blurb

The guy from the wrong side of the tracks… 

Being promoted should be a dream come true, only it means working closely with Cleo's childhood crush, Jax Monroe. Jax may no longer be the rebel she remembers, but he still gets her heart racing like no other.  

Jax cares too much about Cleo to let her get too close—but keeping his distance is proving impossible! As Jax reveals the extent of what he's been through, will Cleo show him that some things are too precious to put off until tomorrow?

Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/The-Return-Rebel-Harlequin-Romance-ebook/dp/B00I66GEN2

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-return-of-the-rebel-jennifer-faye/1118053056?ean=9781460334928

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/the-return-of-the-rebel/id818501092?mt=11

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/The-Return-Rebel-Harlequin-Romance-ebook/dp/B00I66GEN2

Link to Follow Tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2014/05/now-booking-tasty-virtual-tour-for_10.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20523681-the-return-of-the-rebel

Book Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DrfBScqIAas

Review: It has been awhile since I've read a Harlequin Romance, but this book reminded me, why I have to pick one up every now and then. I actually think the last Harlequin Romance I read was her, Safe In The Tycoon's arms, which was a fantastic read.

This one was just as good. And its a sweet romance. Sometimes you can get a bit of overkill on the smut and that's why I will always buy one or two books from the Romance line.

I love stories where people revisit old loves/crushes and that's what this book is. Oh and if you love a bad boy, Jax is rather hot reformed one. Though I'm not sure he really ever was a bad boy, more of a misunderstood one that needed some TLC.

Cleo is a Ranch girl with big dreams, dreams that keep her estranged from her family. I liked the drama that involved her family and that fact that Jennifer didn't have everything fixed at the end of the story. It made things more "real."

Jax and Cleo are really well developed characters that you really fall for. Oh and Jax has a secret he's keeping from Cleo, and though that causes him to make some pretty stupid decisions, it also makes you love him all the more.

A fun quick read. Jennifer Faye is now on my must read list

Rating: 5 flowers

Author Info

Jennifer Faye is a two-time RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Best Book Award nominee. Maybe that’s partly due to the fact that she has spent most of her life with her nose in one book or another. It was only natural that she would go on to spin tales of her own. Now living her dream, she resides in Pennsylvania with her patient husband, one amazing daughter (the other remarkable daughter has flown the coop to chase her own dreams) and two spoiled cats. She’d love to hear from you via her website.

 Author Links

http://jenniferfaye.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JenniferFayeAuthor

https://twitter.com/JenniferFaye34

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6902849.Jennifer_Faye

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Tasty Virtual Book Tours Book Review: Safe In The Tycoon's Arms

Safe in the Tycoon’s Arms

By: Jennifer Faye

Releasing March 1^st, 2014

Blurb

The man behind the headlines…

 When billionaire Lucas Carrington returns to his New York mansion, he never expects to find beautiful stranger Kate Whitley making herself at home. Invited by his aunt to stay, he soon discovers she's a woman in need. She's raising funds for her sick daughter, so he agrees to let her stay—temporarily! 

Kate may not belong in Lucas's high-society world, but she sees there is more to this tycoon than the headlines suggest. Yet with so much at stake, can she trust herself and her heart with New York's most sought-after bachelor?

Buy Links

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Safe-Tycoons-Arms-Harlequin-Romance-ebook/dp/B00FBZMY7Q

B&N: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/safe-in-the-tycoons-arms-jennifer-faye/1116871047?ean=9781460327463

Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/books/safe-in-the-tycoon-s-arms/_H1w_C36QE-vlvSSqfYC1g?MixID=_H1w_C36QE-vlvSSqfYC1g&PageNumber=1

Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/Safe-Tycoons-Arms-Harlequin-Romance-ebook/dp/B00FBZMY7Q/ref=la_B00HDOYIHM_1_5_title_1_kin?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1387315713&sr=1-5

Link to Follow Tour: http://tastybooktours.blogspot.com/2013/12/now-booking-tasty-virtual-book-tour-for_19.html

Review:  Safe In The Tycoon's Arms is a wonderfully sweet romance in the way you can only find at Harlequin. Kate is a mother in need of help. She's got a daughter that is terribly ill and she needs the funds to cover an experimental surgery.

Enter, Lucas Carrington, a wealthy man who just happens to own the house she's staying in.

Ahhh

When the two of them meet, it is just hilarious, because there is a lot of confusion as to why she's staying in his mansion.

Sparks fly and there's lots of chemistry...so much so that things should explode in this book. Jennifer Faye has created two characters that you really love and want to root for. Kate is the perfect mother. She'll go down fighting for her daughter. Lucas is a dad, but he has problems with his ex that are keeping him from his daughter.

The two of them really were a perfect fit and I loved Kate's passion for design. The descriptions of Lucas' house made me want to see it, especially the Prohibition Tunnel. I would have been thrilled to attend the  Fundraiser for Molly...20's Flapper style has always been my thing.

I felt bad for Lucas. I also wanted to deliver a swift kick to his backside, because anyone who could run a business as successful as his, could take on a rather witchy ex-wife. But I liked how Jennifer took Kate's relationship with her own father and mingled it with Lucas' problems. It provided for some good conflict in a story that really didn't have much. (Honestly, I though their would be trouble with Kate's ex at some point)

Definitely worth reading! I look forward to reading more by Jennifer Faye soon!

Rating: 5 flowers

Author Info

Jennifer Faye is a two-time RT Book Reviews Reviewers' Choice Best Book Award nominee. Maybe that’s partly due to the fact that she has spent most of her life with her nose in one book or another. It was only natural that she would go on to spin tales of her own. Now living her dream, she resides in Pennsylvania with her patient husband, one amazing daughter (the other remarkable daughter has flown the coop to chase her own dreams) and two spoiled cats. She’d love to hear from you via her website.

 Author Links

http://jenniferfaye.com/

https://www.facebook.com/JenniferFayeAuthor

https://twitter.com/JenniferFaye34

https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6902849.Jennifer_Faye

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Book Review: Single Dad's Christmas Miracle

Author: Susan Meier
Title: Single Dad's Christmas Miracle
Publisher: Harlequin Roman
Publish Date: Oct 1, 2012
Buy: Amazon

Review Copy Provided By: Net Galley
Book Blurb: 

He needs a helping hand…

Having recently lost his wife, Clark Beaumont is trying to make it through the holidays for the sake of his kids. But with his son failing at school and his little girl talking only in whispers, he needs nothing short of a miracle….

…when one arrives on his doorstep!

Althea Johnson is only meant to tutor Clark's son. But with her help the Beaumont family begins to come alive again, and against the odds Althea hopes that when Christmas morning arrives there will be four stockings hanging over the fireplace….

Review: Holiday romances are always the very best, and Susan Meier usually delivers a good one for the Romance line. This year's is super sweet and very heartwarming.

Althea is hired on the spot as Clark's son, Jack's tutor, but she become's so much more than that. She becomes the band aid on a family that needs a lot of healing.

Clark's wife was killed in a car accident 3 years prior and everyone is taking it badly, Clark the most, because his wife had been cheating on him, and he's living with the belief that his 3 year old daughter, Teagan,  might not really be his.

He's very over protective. VERY over protective.

These two characters work very well together and from the very beginning they have a chemistry. It is nice to have a romance where there isn't a lot of conflict between the hero and heroine on their way to their happily ever after.

The conflict in this story really comes from Althea's father, who was abusive. He's just downright nasty. I wish Clark would have had the opportunity to punch the man in the nose, because I wanted to. He messed up so many lives and was ultimately trying to mess up Althea's new relationship with Clark.

What I love about Susan Meier's books are the focus on family. She writes children so well. I adored Jack and Teagan, she was so precious. Toss the holiday into this story and what you have is close to perfection.

This is a must read for sweet romance lovers out there as well as those of us who love Christmas romances

Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: Snowbound Reunion #2

Author: Barbara McMahon
Title: Snowbound Reunion
Publisher: Harlequin Romance
Publish Date: Nov 2006
Book Blurb: Watching the snowflakes fall and make everything look perfect, Cath Morgan knows she's made the right decision to spend Christmas alone, far away from the city and her husband, Jake. For six years Cath has dreamed of more from her marriage--a husband who isn't off globe-trotting around the world and a home ringing with children's laughter.


Only Jake isn't about to let his wife go so easily. He has one Christmas to show how much he loves her--to share the secrets that have kept him away.

They just need this one chance to make their marriage beautiful again....
 
Review:  Snowbound Reunion was another Harlequin Romance that left me with a feeling of "WOW" when I turned the last page.  I really liked that the story involved a couple with marriage difficulties.  Which totally tossed the usual 25  year old virgin thing from the storyline!

Woo hoo!

Cath and Jake have a long distance marriage, and Cath has pretty much had it with not ever seeing her husband. Why bother being married if you almost never see the guy.

It makes a lot of sense, until Jake shows up at the home she inherited from her aunt.  The two of them have a chemistry, and it is obvious that they both love each other, so much so, that it is hard to believe that Cath would want the divorce she is pretty passionate about getting.

McMahon teaches Cath a lesson in love through a centuries old journal found in the cellar of the house, and through a little Christmas magic woven by Jake.

I love how the story of Tansy and Jonathan is entertwined with Cath and Jake's without making itself a story inside of a story.

She also paints Jake in a favorable light. Sure, you may get miffed at him for the information he withholds but not enough to stay mad. I'm also glad that in the epilogue, McMahon doesn't create a miracle for them.

This was another beautiful holiday love story. Bravo!

Rating:  5 flowers

Book Review: Their Christmas Wish Come True #1

Author: Cara Colter
Title: Their Christmas Wish Come True
Publisher:  Harlequin Romance
Publish Date: Oct 9, 2007
Book Blurb: Forty days till Christmas...Can they open their hearts in time? Kirsten Morrison runs the Secret Santa Society and loves making others happy. Although she knows opening your heart can be painful, her secret wish is to find a special man to share Christmas with...

Volunteering to wrap children's gifts isn't something Michael Brewster would normally do. But, facing his first Christmas alone, he finds himself on Kirsten's doorstep.
As they work together, an undeniable attraction flares between them. Is a kiss under the mistletoe the start of their Christmas wish come true?

Review: Their Christmas Wish Come True, is Harlequin at its finest. This is one of the sweetest stories anyone can read. Both Kirsten and Michael are wounded souls at the holiday, for different reasons. Thanks to a neighbor, the two of them find each other and things begin to develop.

This story was really different in the grand scheme of Harlequin novels. Michael was a very wounded soul, but he was so lovable, that you hoped that Kirsten fell for him much faster than she did. He starts out looking like a playboy but it is soon apparent that he is anything but.

Kirsten is a very quirky heroine.  She's a little drab and possibly a little dull, wallowing in her grief and clinging to a love for a figurine collection called Little In Love. She's more than a little obsessed with these things too.

The two of them work to bring Christmas happiness to the less fortunate at the Secret Santa Society. Kirsten works hard, but Michael really brings life and more donations to the society thanks to his charm, and his bank account.  The volunteers at the society really bring life to the story too, especially Lulu!  She reminded me a bit of a toned down Lola from the Stephanie Plum novels. She had a lot of spunk.


It was also really refreshing  to see a hero in a Harlequin Romance sensitive and really caring from the getgo for the heroine. There was never any doubt that Michael was falling for Kirsten. Better still there wasn't any silly fight between the two that usually puts readers on pins and needles at the end. The happily ever after comes after a shattering revelation. (literally..but you'll have to read the book to understand that)

Cara Colter created a perfect romance for the holidays. I found myself wishing that this book could be adapted for TV. It would make a fabulous Hallmark Channel movie. Totally sweet. Totally Christmasy!




Rating: 5 flowers

Book Review: A Cowboy's Christmas Proposal

Author: Judy Christenberry
Title: A Cowboy's Christmas Proposal
Publisher: Harlequin Romance
Publish Date: Nov 2007
Book Blurb: One snowy Christmas, wedding bells ring!

Penny Bradford has inherited her family ranch, but she has no idea how to run it! So she hires rugged rancher Jake Larson to train her up and show her the ropes. Jake thinks it will be easy -- he'll run the ranch and hold Penny's hand until she realizes she isn't cut out for ranching. Trouble is, Jake realizes he doesn't want to let Penny's hand go!

As the snow falls thick and fast, Christmas begins to work its magic on the boss and her rancher...

Review: There's nothing like a cowboy story around Christmas. This sweet romance could really give you the warm fuzzies. At times it was a little too sweet, a 25 year old virgin? Only in Harlequin Romances. However in the spirit of the holiday, the story worked well.

Penny works admirably to learn how to run the ranch that she inherited after her parent's deaths earlier that year. She works hard, even when she doesn't have to, and she has a generous spirit, giving her time to help others as well as herself. It was hard not to love Penny, even when she does stupid stuff out of anger or frustration.

Jake comes to her ranch on the recommendation of a friend of her father. He also comes with a warning that he's a lady's man. I think that characterization is one of the only problem's with the story. Jake really doesn't fit the playboy mold at all. There was also his total lack of family that didn't make any sense. The reader knew what happened with Penny's family but not Jake's.  It left a bit of a hole in the story.

The character that really makes the story is the housekeeper, Harriet. She really plays a big role in getting Jake and Penny together. This type of character reminds me of Mrs. Miracle again. I guess it is because she's a matchmaking older lady that you can't help but love.

All in all, this was a lovely story of goodwill and romance and a wonderful quick read to get you into or keep you in the holiday spirit.

Rating: 4 flowers

Book Review: The Magic Of A Family Christmas

Author: Susan Meier
Title: The Magic Of A Family Christmas
Publisher: Harlequin Romance
Publish Date: Nov 2009
Book Blurb: With her little foster son Harry to care for, Christmas suddenly sparkles again for secretary Wendy Winston. The only fly in the ointment is Cullen Barrington. He's her boss, yet insists on playing the part of Scrooge!


When they are all stranded together in an ice storm, Wendy sets about showing them just how magical a family Christmas can be....

Review: When it comes to sweet holiday love stories, you can't' go wrong with Harlequin Romance. They always seem to create loving tales that would make Norman  Rockwell go all warm and fuzzy. The Magic Of A Family Christmas was on my TBR pile last year so I made sure I got to it and I am glad I did. This is the kind of romance that you want to read curled up on the couch with a cup of hot cocoa.  Think Call Me Mrs Miracle but with a little sadder backstory on the child.

Harry is a foster child whose mom died of cancer and whose father is found to have died in a prison fight a few years back. The story has a definite "aw" factor to it, but it isn't cavity inducingly sweet. It definitely would make a good Hallmark Movie.

Wendy is a sweet administrative assistant learning to balance her job with her new duties as a mom. Cullen is a sort of playboy who is about to change his ways.

If it were longer it would have been nice to understand the workings of Cullen's family, who own and operate Barrington Candies, where Wendy works, but as it was, Susan explains their situation pretty well.

I loved Harry though. He was by far one of the cutest kids in a romance novel. He was great at being a matchmaker too.  The only complaint anyone might have with him would be that he seemed too adjusted, especially after losing his mom.

The story can be a little cheesy, but not in a bad way. This is definitely one of the holiday stories I'm keeping so I can revisit it in years to come.

Rating:

Book Review: An Old Fashioned Girl

Author: Betty Neels
Publisher: Harlequin Romance
Publish Date: Nov 1993
Rating: 4 Stars
Book Blurb: Patience knew she couldn't be more different form the sort of women Dutch surgeon Julius van der Beek seemed to attract. After all she was a quiet country girl with a somewhat unique taste in clothes -- and an assertive personality to match! Yet she was attracted to him. Not that she had a hope of making him notice her, particularly with the glamorous Sylvia van Teule already at his side. . .

Review: This Betty Neels starts off slow, but it is a sweet an enjoyable read. Betty has a format that she stuck to with all her books and this doesn't change here.

There's usually a Dutch doctor, well respected in his field and a spunky, plain girl who both annoys and intrigues him. Sometimes she's a nurse other times she's some kind of hired help.

In this case, Patience Martin is Julius's kind of Personal Assistant. She's always putting her foot in her mouth too. She lives with two elderly aunts in a small terrace house that makes me think of a Herman's Hermits song, but that's beside the point. The house she used to live in before finances became too bleak is where Mr. van der Beek is staying.

Somehow her job as a go between to Julius can work on his reference book allows her to find a place in Julius' heart, though, lord knows he never bothers to tell her that.

One thing about Betty Neels, the books are about as old fashioned as her characters. You can never really pinpoint when the books take place. This one was released in 1992, but Patience still used an old typewriter!

Betty wrote what she knew. Her husband was Dutch and she was a nurse in the army.

They may not be up to date books, but they are sweet reads for any age.

Book Review: Forecast Of Love

Author: Katherine Arthur
Title: Forecast Of Love
Publisher: Harlequin Romance
Publish Date: May 1988
Rating: 2 Stars
Book Blurb: Alexis had little time for men


Her single-minded dedication to a career had precluded a social life. She was a highly qualified economist, but as she was a woman, doors did not readily open for her.

Jake Jensen's offer of a position was a surprise. The head of an international corporation, he was considered not only an eligible bachelor but a known male chauvinist.

"I'll take the job if you treat me like any male employee," she demanded. Jake agreed but

Alexis found herself wrestling with her own physical reaction to him and an aching sense of loss when she learned he was to be married.
 
Review:  I have a love/hate relationship with old Harlequin romances. Some are absolutely wonderful and hold up well over the years, others are just stinkers. This is one of the stinkers.
 
Alexis is a woman that is up for an executive position but it goes to a man. She is then given a similar position at Jake Jensen's company. None of this really works, because Alexis is so naive about things that it is hard to believe that she's capable of being in the higher ranks of a huge corporation.
 
The subplot with Lorna and Peach Records is even more unbelievable, not to mention how awkward the relationship is between Alexis and Jake. It borders on sexual harassment at times, making it really hard to understand how she's falling for him.

The other thing that will have you questioning the characters is why Jake and his dad seem to be haggling over a woman that is really not either of their "types." It is hard to believe these characters can run a successful business.
 
Definitely not one of my favorite reads.

Book Review: Accidentally The Sheikh's Wife

Author: Barbara McMahon
Title: Accidentally The Sheikh's Wife
Publisher: Harlequin Romance
Publish Date: March 2010
Rating: 4 Stars
Book Blurb: For Bethanne Saunders, flying Sheikh Rashid al Harum's private plane has its perks. When her feet touch the ground it's on the plush carpet of his sumptuous palace. And just being near gorgeous Rashid makes her feel on cloud nine!

Bethanne has all the luxury she can handle--until suddenly she's promoted to princess! But the dazzling rock on her finger is a stark reminder that it's a convenient engagement. Everyone knows sheikhs don't fall for ordinary girls from Texas....

Review: This book had the market cornered on sweet. Bethanne is a fairly strong female as fare as Harlequin romances go. Rashid was a little hard to like at first and his brother and mother even more so. At least as you read on, you learn why his twin behaved so unkindly towards Bethanne. There really wasn't much of an excuse for his mother.

Barbara wrote the love story in a fairly believable fashion, if pilots and sheikh's got together all the time. Their love grows slowly from both sides as they get to know each other, even though both of them feel that the relationship is all "pretend." She also beautifully describes the area in which the story takes place. You could easily visualize the middle east and the Persian Gulf.

I loved Bethanne's determination to find out what happened to her father. Though it is this part of the story that I have one small issue with. Rashid knows that she is looking for answers and yet when she's trying to tell him her feelings he feels like she's using him to get the information. It didn't fit the way he had behaved towards her.

This was definitely a good quick read. Plus it really is hard to resist a handsome sheikh.

Book Review: The Maid And The Millionaire

Author: Myrna MacKenzie
Title: The Maid And The Millionaire
Publisher: Harlequin Romance
Publish Date: March 2007
Rating: 4 Stars
Book Blurb: Anna Nowell loves her job—living rent-free in a fabulous mansion for an absentee landlord has perks she'd never imagined. But when her boss returns, her dream job is in jeopardy—unless Anna can convince him she's indispensable!

Wealthy, cultured Donovan Barrett was a renowned physician until the tragic death of his son. Grief-stricken, he craves solitude. Consorting with the help isn't on his agenda, but Anna, with her compassion and laughter, has a way of changing all his plans and bringing him back to life when he thought he'd never love again.—

Review: This is one of those romances that kind of makes you groan. The story is cute, but a little trite. OK, a lot trite. The housekeeper, who desperately wants to have children and her millionaire boss who is avoiding children and life because his son was killed while he was too busy being Super Doctor.

The two fall in love but both fight it because of class structure. Anna is a housekeeper, after all, and this is Lake Geneva! The way these two act really makes you think you might be reading a historical rather than a contemporary novel.

Donovan is way too into his grief and it almost becomes obnoxious how well he hides from the world. I would have loved to have had more background on his failed marriage. All we know is that her name was Cecily. I do give props to the author for not making her some nasty woman, but more than a passing mention of her seems appropriate.

The odd thing about this book is that both main characters could best be described as goody-two-shoes. There's nothing terrible about Donovan, except that he was putting his career before his family and now he's come to regret it. Anna is loved by all, except maybe the wealthy housewives of Lake Geneva that want Donovan for themselves.

It was nice that none of those snotty ladies (particularly) Dana got their hands on Donovan. That really made the story perfectly sweet. The other thing I thought was sweet was how both Anna and Donovan tried to do what they could to make the other happy even though they didn't feel they should be happy together (pun intended).

Overall it is a good read. Perfect for a sunny afternoon. Then when you are done, pass it on to someone else.

Book Review: Accidental Wife

Author: Day LeClaire
Title: Accidental Wife
Publisher: Harlequin Romance 3438
Publish Date: December 1996
Rating: 3 Stars
Book Blurb: Nikki Ashton was invited to a wedding--her own!

The inspiration behind the Cinderella Ball was simple--come single, leave wed. By midnight perfect strangers could find themselves married...as if by magic!

To keep her love-struck boss, Eric, at bay, Nikki Ashton had told him she was happily married. The wedding ring had been easy -- all she needed now was a husband!

Jonah Alexander seemed heaven-sent. Unfortunately he'd come to the ball to stop a wedding, not start one! He was convinced his brother Eric was about to make the biggest mistake of his life -- marrying Nikki Ashton. But then he realized Nikki wasn't so much waiting for her husband-to-be as shopping for him...

Review: Like most of the stories in Harlequin's Romance line, this one is really sweet. The only problem is it is just a little too unbelievable. I love the idea of the Cinderella Ball, but how Nikki and Jonah got to be there seemed a little to far-fetched.

Nikki is supposedly a very intelligent woman with a prominent position, yet she feels she has to lie about having a husband to fend off the advances of her boss. That doesn't sit well with me. Neither does the idea that Jonah who is the CEO of the company would think that one of his VPs was using his brother for his money.

The fact that the two of them end up married doesn't say much for either of them, though it becomes really obvious that they have a chemistry. I love how easily Jonah comes to trust Nikki, even though past events keep her from easily giving her trust.

There's a lot about this story that is really the stuff of dreams, but it is just too cute not to enjoy, and that's how all Harlequin Romances are. I think that's why I eat them up!

Book Review: Winning The Single Mom's Heart

Author: Linda Goodnight
Title: Winning The Single Mom's Heart
Publisher: Harlequin Romance #4035
Publish Date: July 1981
Rating: 4 Stars

~ Summary via fictiondb

Single mom Natalie juggles creating fantastic cakes for the Wedding Belles with raising her troublesome twins. But her hard--won independence means she won't be decorating her own cake anytime soon....


Cooper Sullivan is a winner. He's competitive and at the top of his career. A new job leads him back to Natalie's door. Seeing her again after so many years makes Cooper realize that the only thing he never won--and the only thing that really matters--is Natalie's heart.


Linda Goodnight is one of those authors whose books always leave you with a smile. I've read several of her romances for the Love Inspired line that Harlequin also publishes. I was really interested in seeing if her writing style changed when she was writing for a more mainstream line, and I'm glad to say that it didn't. Her characters didn't lose their values.

Natalie was a widow, her husband, Justin, died in a tragic motorcycle accident two years earlier, leaving her with debt and twins to raise. The twins, Rose and Lily are really the highlight of this novel. Lily is an absolute joy and Rose is a mischievous little imp. Their interactions with each other and especially Cooper bring a lot of laughs to this story.

Cooper is a go getter, always looking out for number one, but his heart is always in the right place. He's the kind of doctor that there should be more of. He really cares about the kids that he helped. I only wish the story could have been longer, so that some of his issues with his parents could have been resolved.

Linda worked a lot of real life into this story, from illnesses (diabetes) to family problems and the characters stayed believable. I also love that though, Justin died leaving Natalie with a lot of debt, Natalie didn't feel that he was less of a man and that Cooper was her one true love.

I really loved this story and was sad to see it end.

Book Review: Folly To Love

Author: Lynn Jacobs
Published Date: December 1989
Publisher Harlequin Romance #3020
Ratings: 3 Stars

Olivia Morris is left with the debts her father created when he passes away from a stroke. She then takes a temporary job with interior designer Ross Courtenay, going through the library and sorting through the books there. Which results in the couple falling in love, except there are pitfalls, those being certain gossipy and jealous members of Ross' staff.

The story itself is cute and well written. Olivia and Ross are well suited. I love how he comes to her aid at all times, from when she falls to the financial rescue, but he doesn't really go all alpha male on her. He romances her with picnics and wine. What girl wouldn't fall for a guy like that? He's also teasing and flirty. Ross is definitely one hero that you can truly fall for.

What keeps this book from being great is the ending. When the jealousy of one of Ross' employees gets to be too much, Olivia runs. It doesn't really fit with the character and it definitely doesn't fit with a woman in love however inexperienced she might be. On top of it all she runs home, which is the antique store which is up for sale and has no phone or much in the way of furniture. It truly makes you question this girl's sanity.

Thankfully, Ross finds her and gives her a happily ever after, but the conflict at the end isn't believable enough and makes Olivia look childish. It spoils an otherwise excellent story.

Book Review: Recipe For Love

Kay Clifford's Recipe For Love is the perfect example of a "Classic" Harlequin romance. I'm rather surprised at how old fashioned the heroine is throughout most of the story, considering the book was published in 1988, when it was becoming more and more commonplace to not be the 24 year old virgin.

Vicky is a cookery instructor who gets caught up in the affairs of her boss. J.P. Duncan is an owner of some highly popular diners who had come to take the course in gourmet cooking so that he can seduce Vicky, so that one of his secrets wouldn't be revealed.

I loved that while Jay was the typical alpha male, who seemed to believe the worst of Vicky, he wasn't obnoxious. In fact, it was easier to like him than the very prim, proper Vicky at times. She was a little too old-fashioned in her ways, even when she set out to get Jay to make love to her, she just didn't seem like she was ready for a casual affair, which, of course, she wasn't.

One of the only things that bothered me was how Jay seemed to not notice that he deflowered her. I think that should have had him on the phone to his blackmailer instantly, to tell her she had the wrong woman. The right woman was actually Vicky's boss, Claudeine.

I definitely would have liked some more time spent on Jay's point of view. You only got a glimpse into his feelings and his life towards the beginning when the blackmail starts.

All in all, it was a sweet book, typical of the series at the time.

Book Review: Loving Deceiver

Loving Deceiver by Katherine Arthur had to be one of the most original plots I've come across in a Harlequin Romance. Its also silly. Very silly.

Our heroine is a private detective working for the A-1 Detective Agency owned by her brother and she's on her way to NOLA to find a runaway husband. On her way she finds the man who broke her heart five years ago, Luke Thorndike, because when they were involved, Luke was a married man.

This is where the story gets fun and takes a turn for the slapstick comedy route. Theresa overhears two thugs talking about snuffing her ex-beau and her being a Private Detective, decides she's going to protect him, even though she doesn't want to be near a man she can't trust.

The story plays out like an episode of Monk meets the Keystone Cops. And Luke, though lovable is really not very believable as a Hollywood screenwriter. He's a bit too goody-goody to be successful in LA. Hollywood types are not known for their chastity.

The thing that you will like about Luke is his kooky behavior. This guy is more than a little bit eccentric and that really helps make the story funny rather than suspenseful, which is good, because this is the romance line. Things need to be kept light here.

Even though there were some very unbelievable things in this story, I couldn't help but like it. It was too funny not to like. Also it was one story that I could see crossing over to the little screen. Very cute. Very Funny and Very Readable.

Book Review: Never The Time And The Place

This is actually the second time I've read this book. I can't remember when the first was, but when I got about 20 pages in, I knew I had read this one before. That didn't stop me from reading again. I love Betty Neels. When looking up cover images, I saw that she had died in 2001 and that made me terribly sad. But back to the book.

Like all of Neels' books their is a character from Holland. The heroine is an English nurse with a father that is a country doctor. She breaks off an engagement early on because she knows she doesn't really love the man.

Our hero from Holland, is a doctor that's come as a stand in for her boss while he's away. The two strike up a curious friendship. It seems wherever Josephine is, Doctor Julius Van Tacx is also. I wonder why?

More modern readers will find Neels' books to be a bit too sweet. After all in this book the couple got married and not once did they share a marriage bed! But now that I know more about the author I can safely tell you, that this was the way things had to be when she was of that age. Neels was born in 1910 and she seems to write what she knows about. Courtship was different in the late 20s and early 30s. Yet for some reason its hard not to love her books. I think the reason is that Neels created stories that were like fairy tales and what woman doesn't want to be taken away from the drudgery of day to day life by a rich, handsome man, even if he is just a little bit arrogant?

Book Review: Letters Of Love

Judy Kaye's Letters of Love is one of the sweetest books I've read in the Romance line in quite a long time.

The character's Chase Kincaid and Karen Matthew aren't young. Both are career minded adults and that makes the story more interesting. Its nice not to have a super young girl, and the older wiser man.

I really loved Chase's meddling kids and how they conspired to keep their father from being lonely. Karen's friend Molly, is just as bad, and her personal issues add a lot of laughter to this story in spots where things just weren't happening with Chase.

In fact, throughout the story, I found myself waiting for another guy to jump into the picture because Chase was taking his good ole time. The budding romance between those too took a lot longer than I would have liked.

The one thing that really made me pleased was how good of a father Chase was. He was willing to put just about everything aside, including his relationship with Karen for his kid's sake. That was admirable.

I also liked how sex was really downplayed in this story, and yet the two characters made it through their "courtship" without hopping into bed.

I read this one in a day and I enjoyed every page.