Archive | July 2013

Another fine Westmoreland romance!

Canyon (The Westmorelands) – another Westmoreland romance!!! ♥♥♥♥

Canyon is an attorney that is determined to plead his case with his ex-girlfriend Keisha. She caught him in a compromising (very damning) situation with her best friend and was convinced that he was cheating on her. Canyon knows he was not cheating and he wants her to see reason.

Keisha knows what she saw and accepted her friend’s tearful apology. However, she will not tolerate being in love with a man who has been unfaithful. Her distrustful attitude towards men has a lot to do with the grudge she hold against her father for not acknowledging her when her mother told him about the pregnancy with Keisha. To her, it seems that men in her life continue to disappoint her.

Although Canyon would like to try to hate Keisha for not believing him, he cannot. He loved her then and still loves her. If only he could convince her to take him at his word. At some point in the story, I got the impression that he would probably still accept her even if she had those doubts about him. That is not the optimum way he wants the relationship to go, but he was borderline desperate to have her in his life. The attorney in him could not give up on the relationship without a giving closing arguments to wrap up his case.

All the while, Keisha is struggling with her own questions “What is truth?” “Could he be telling the truth?” “If he is, did she overreact?” “Could they have a future together anyway?”

I loved Canyon and tolerated Keisha. Canyon was an overall good guy. Keisha had so many trust issues that she was a little bitter. She is holding so many grudges that it colors her judgment. She made some bad decisions because of that but I am glad that she acknowledged her faults in the end.

Seriousness aside, there is also a lot of funny moments and conversation that add depth to the characters’ personality. The funniest part of this book to me was part where Canyon was trying to explain why following Keisha was not stalking. I was laughing out loud because he was bordering on creeper and trying to justify why it was a good idea. His brothers/cousins/friends were sure he was going to end up in jail. The only reason why I did not get annoyed (because I do not think any guy should force himself on a woman for the sake of a relationship) was that he prevented a crime from being committed and probably saved her life. But he was walking a fine line for a minute there.

I am not usually one to read so many books from the same series. Nevertheless, I have read many of the Westmoreland, Madaris, and Steele series books (15 so far) because Brenda Jackson rarely disappoints with the storyline. My favorite series is Westmoreland. The plots are variations on the same type of scenario but each has its own special twists that keep me entertained. I enjoy all of the books in this series, but I especially like it when the couple has history. The love-at-first-sight scenario can get played out. As in the case with Canyon (The Westmorelands), when the couple has history, one or both of the main characters have trust issues. Good thing there are enough Westmoreland family members around to talk logic and reason into them.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

The divorce party is neither a party or a divorce- Discuss!

Jul30

The Divorce Party (Harlequin Presents) – ♥♥♥♥

Lilly wants a divorce. Riccardo is of the opinion that they are married and should just work out whatever problems they have. He has the right idea but with all the tact of a bull in a china shop. Needless to say, Lilly does not take too well to being railroaded.

I thought another name for this book could have been: Billionaire Romance – The rest of the story.

The sequel to the fairytale romance is called reality. He uses his money to wine, dine and sweep this girl off of her feet. Then daily life sits in. It is not all about wining and dining when he has to go to work. He might be the CEO of a successful billion dollar company, but it will not stay that way unless he goes into the office.

Sometimes it seems that love is not enough. Lilly and Riccardo had a whirlwind romance.

However, when it is time to live normal life, they have problems.

Plus, both of the characters had internal issues that they needed to resolve before there could be success in the marriage. In short, two people from dysfunctional families will experience some form of culture shock in what they consider to be a “healthy relationship”. Just because two people fall madly in love, this does not necessarily mean they will have a happy ever after ending.

The characters to this story were not one-dimensional. Lilly’s insecurities and Riccardo’s imperfections cause their personalities to the leap off of the page as if they were real people. Both had preconceived notions of what they thought the relationship would be like, but their partner did not meet their expectations. Since Riccardo was extremely arrogant, he did not question the fact that his will would always be done in the relationship.

The question was not if he loved her, it was could keep her?

They might love each other, but are they right for each other?

I loved The Divorce Party (Harlequin Presents) because it validates all the things that I have been saying about some of the love at first sight romance stories. The two people need to have a connection and a lot of common ground. A torrid love affair in which they spend more time in the bed than they do actually talking to each other means they’re probably not going to be together for very long.

The Divorce Party (Harlequin Presents) was a great story with great emotional characters. Buy this book!

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Gyaros – Book Zero – Cry Wolf

Jul26

Gyaros Book Zero: Cry Wolf (YA 17+ Sci Fi Adventure) – ♥♥♥♥

On the surface, after the unification on planet Carthage, there was a seemingly utopian society by banning all social deviants to Gyaros- a lunar prison. But the strict totalitarian government has rigid, structural social hierarchy that is designed to keep everyone in their place.

This is setting for Cry Wolf. And then there should be a countdown like 3 – 2- 1 Action! The book is an adrenaline rush following Wolf, Ryker and the rest of the crew on their mission. I won’t give too much of the plot away, but I can say that there are some very tense moments.

I think that the purpose of this book is to set the stage for the full length novel Gyaros Book One: The Mice Eat Iron (YA 17+ Sci Fi Adventure) that is set in the same setting. In Cry Wolf, you as the reader are able to get a better sense of the divisions within society. Everyone is relegated to their place or social position. All the information about a person is imprinted on the bio chip that is embedded in each person’s skin. The quality of life of a person is determined by social status. For example, in one district, it always rains and the weather is depressing. Closer to the upper levels, there is sunshine. Above all else, no one can freely move between the districts.

As is common in many sci-fi books, you need time to understand what is going on in the society in order to fully visualize and appreciate the setting. For Gyaros Book Zero: Cry Wolf , because of all the detailed scene descriptions, Carthage becomes real.

I do not read a lot of sci-fi books, but I was glad that I read Gyaros Book Zero: Cry Wolf . It was like a burst of caffeine without drinking any coffee. I really enjoyed it. My interest was stirred to read Gyaros Book One: The Mice Eat Iron .

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Neue food truck

Jul26

The food truck movement is happening all over the country. Finally it has found Greenville, SC. Yay for me and other foodies!

I found out about Neue from a friend of a friend who knew that I liked trying new things. There was a food truck rodeo going on at Community Tap (Stones Point shopping center) and I knew I wanted to check it out. There were two trucks participating Asada and Neue.

Neue describes their food as an eclectic mix of Southern and European cuisine creating a wonderful fusion of flavors. Okay. It works for me. All I know is that it is good food. What they offer is missing all those preservatives and chemicals that are present in many of the chain restaurants. The food is not mass produced, chemical concoctions, or ground up mystery meat. They use really fresh, local ingredients which lends to the intensity of the flavors of the food. They even have vegan dishes and some gluten free. Eating their food is not just a meal, it is an experience. A delightful jaunt for your taste buds.

I ordered the Korean fried chicken, Brussels sprouts, and the sour cream donut holes. The Korean fried chicken was fried to perfection. The skin was crispy with a hint of Korean seasonings. The Asian slaw was crunchy and vinegary and balanced well with the chicken. The meat of the chicken was marinated well and tender. I was surprised how crispy the skin was in comparison to the moisture of the chicken meat. It was as if the skin held all the infused juices inside until the flavor bubbles burst in my mouth.

The Brussels sprouts were like nothing I ever had. When I got to the truck and was in line, everyone was raving about the Brussels sprouts. I was curious and a little doubtful. My only experiences with Brussels sprouts were when my mom made me eat them as a child. I did not remember them as being very appetizing. In this instance, however, I bowed to peer pressure and order a side of Brussels sprouts (funny that peer pressure made me eat more veggies 🙂 ) From the first bite, I was hooked. I became a fan of Brussels sprouts, as long as Neue was cooking them. The sprouts were a little sweet, with crispy outer leaves. I think they were tossed in a balsamic reduction or some other sweet vinegar to finish off the dish. This was the first time in my life that I ever willingly ate all my Brussels sprouts.

As for the sour cream donut holes, they were good too. I was not wow-ed over the top about them, but they were super yummy. I was still coming off of the Brussels-sprouts-high that I could not fully appreciate any other food. The donut holes had the texture of cake and were not too sweet. I wished I had had a cup of coffee to go alongside them.

As for the food truck rodeo, both trucks were AMAZING. I decided I needed to follow Neue and Asada on Facebook so I would know where they would be and when. Every time I order from their truck, they have different food on the menu. Since they use local farm ingredients, they cook what is in season. If you are in Greenville and see the brightly colored orange Neue food truck, stop and order up some deliciousness. If it is not raining, chances are that they might be in the Community Tap parking lot most Saturday nights (I recommend following them on Facebook to know exactly where they will be). If you are not familiar with where Community Tap is located, it is on Wade Hampton Blvd near downtown Greenville and the Handlebar.

I can confirm, not even knowing what you will order, it will be awesome.

Sweet, rich, French guy- What’s not to love?

Jul16

The Marriage Bargain (Billionaire Games: Book 1) ♥♥♥♥

Julian is a French billionaire with a complex problem. He needs a wife in-name-only to convince his father why he cannot marry the woman who his father previously picked out for him. Camille is a not-so-successful actress who answers Julian’s ad for the role of her life. If she can convincingly play the part for 6 months, she may not win an Oscar, but she will be $5 million richer. Julian said she was perfect for the part, but Camille is not so sure she can pull it off.

She would have rejected the deal altogether, but circumstances beyond her control put her in a situation where she needs the money. Against her better judgment, she accepts the job because she knows that she does not have any options. Living it up in luxury for 6 months beats waiting tables to make ends meet. The hard part for Camille is reminding herself that none of the charade is real. I think most girls would swoon from a hot guy reading the phone book in French. So I know that Camille probably had stars in her eyes when Julian called her “cheri” and casually touched her affectionately as if it is second nature for him. I am sure the French accent was probably very sexy and charming too.

Meanwhile, Julian’s ex-girlfriend (the reason for the fake marriage in the first place) is in her ear shamelessly telling her that while Camille maybe the wife, SHE will be the mistress taking care of him. Seriously? Since when does mistress status upstage the legal rights of the wife? The ex-girlfriend did not know that Camille held all the cards.

There was a great cast of supporting characters that helped the story along. Besides the meddling father and jealous ex-girlfriend, it was great that Camille found an ally in her mother-in-law. And while I was not sure I would like her best friend, she ended up being a great friend as well.

Overall, I liked the book and the way it ended. Camille had her insecurities and that is what made her adorable. Julian might have got married for the wrong reasons, but he was lucky enough to marry the right woman. The way the book ended was too sweet. I was gushing and saying “Awwwwwwww”!

I have a soft spot for this typical fairy tale romance. It is in no way believable but the story is sweet without being corny. I think we all would like to believe there are uber-rich down-to-earth handsome men out there that fall for lower middle-class women who do not allow wealth to corrupt their outlook on life and how they treat people.

Everyone needs to buy The Marriage Bargain (Billionaire Games: Book 1) ! I like this author 🙂

Received a copy of The Marriage Bargain from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.