Archives

-Letter B- Craved by the Bear #bearshifter #romance #kindleunlimited @aprilAtoZ #atozchallenge

Apr3

B is for Bolryder

Craved by the Bear  by Terry Bolryder

Synopsis
Rock cannot stay in Bear Canyon and yet the woman he loves does not ever want to leave. That does not stop him from asking her to marry him every time he gets drunk. It is like their favorite joke. But when it seems that she needs a man in her life, Rock wants to get her set up with the right guy. However, his bear argues that she is his forever mate.
Rosalyn “Ros” has been in love with Rock for years and pining for him. He always comes back, but she knows that one day he will leave for good. She is trying to protect her heart and enjoy the time she has with him at the same time.

Opinion
I read “Sheltered by the Bear” so I know a little of the back story to what Rock and his brothers suffered as children. I gave Rock a lot of leeway with his decisions because I knew that he was trying to avoid dealing with the emotional trauma that he experienced.
Though he did not want to deal with his deeper emotions, he still was trying to do the right thing by Ros and take care of her the best way he thought possible. To him, that meant trying to hook her up with a “good man/bear”.

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While the basis for the trauma is heavy (child abuse), the overall tone was not dark. For example, it was funny that everyone humored Rock with his matchmaking exercise, all the while knowing that he really was the only man for Ros. I am glad that he had real friends like Francis calling him out on his BS.

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Ros was a heroine who was very understanding and compassionate of his situation. That does not mean that she was anyone’s doormat. She pushed Rock’s buttons a time or two as well. It made for great chemistry.
Overall, I loved this story. Plus, this is a story of friends to lovers (my favorite trope). Winning in my book!!!!
P.S. Terry I hope you continue to feel better. Love reading your books. And Francis needs his own story. After Ryland of course.

TOW Final Word: Buy, Borrow, Pass?
BUY. This story is unique in the way that the hero and heroine approach their situation. While the plot is somewhat predictable, Rock’s antics are entertaining enough to keep your interest.

Book details
Series: Trapped in Bear Canyon Book 2
Heat Level: 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥
Publication Date: February 13, 2017
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

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-Letter A- Sold to the hitman: a bad boy mafia romance #mafiaromance @AprilAtoZ #atozchallenge

Apr2

A is for Alexis

Sold to the hitman: a bad boy mafia romance

Synopsis
Andrei is a bodyguard/hitman who is on a job where women are being auctioned. When he sees Cassie, his protective instincts cause him to bid on her. The man he outbids is the son of a mafia leader. He knows that he should have left her to her fate, but he decides to risk it all to save her.

Cassie is an innocent young girl whose father sells her to the highest bidder. After the ensuing traumatic experience resulting in a sham marriage, she is disillusioned and realizes that her family did not really love her. She knows that Andrei might be dangerous, but he treats her well.

Opinion
When I bought this book, I did not know what to expect with this. I don’t usually read books where the hero is obviously on the opposite side of the law. I mainly bought the book because of the cover. Yea, I know that is not the best reason. I was willing to take a chance because he was man candy. I figured that if the story was not any good, I can just look at the cover.

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As I got into the story, I found that I liked Andrei. I liked that he had a conscious and treated Cassie with care. He might be a cold-blooded killer, but he knew how to treat his woman.

I felt bad for Cassie because … sex trafficking victim. Her scum of a paternal person (not worthy of calling him her father) sold her for love of money. Because of that, I was glad she had a happy ending. I tried not to think too hard about how real that situation is and how many girls don’t have a hitman savior in real life.

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TOW Final Word: Buy, Borrow, Pass?
I say BUY because it was a gritty but sweet story. Andrei may have been a bad boy, but he was definitely worth rooting for. For a better bang for your buck, I recommend buying the set: Hitman – The Series: A Bad Boy Mafia Romance Collection.

Book details
Print Length: 326 pages
Heat Level: 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥
Series: Alexis Abbott’s Hitmen

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Fae Spark #review #amreading

Feb15

Fae Spark 

2heart

Synopsis
Eero is a fae man that is ready to choose his companion to have his children. In this world, fae choose human women to bear their children. This is an enviable position for most women because having a fae child means that they will be taken care of and be able to live in luxury the rest of their lives. Fae men usually choose their consort based on looks alone, but Eero also wants someone who he believes will genuinely love and care for their children.
Liana is a human woman and the chosen consort of Eero. She does not want to be chosen by any fae to be a consort. Mainly she believes that she is not the skin tone or body shape that could attract any fae man.

Opinion
The story started really strong and I was drawn into the world that the author created. But (and you know I am about to let the other shoe drop now) Liana was a tremendously stubborn woman. It was draining.

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She signed the contract to accept Eero and be his consort, but then she spends the majority of the book resisting him. She knew she thought he was attractive, but she acted like she had to fight the impulse at every turn.

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I could tell that she had low self-esteem because she did not believe that someone who looked like her could attract someone who looked like him. There were some mentions of her skin tone and body size as if she had a complex because of her looks. Eero thought they belonged together, but I felt that she did not deserve him.

Do not get me wrong, I am all for the big brown girl to get the hunky hotty.

However, in this case, it was infuriating to me that she would repeatedly be overly negative to him when he was trying to get her to understand why he thought there was a connection. How much disses can one guy take? If she could only get it through her thick head that he was not with her just to have a baby!

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TOW Final Word: Buy, Borrow, Pass?
If the story had stopped after the first few chapters, I would have said unequivocally BUY. But with the rest of the story, you might find it as tiresome as I did. I kept reading because I was hoping it would get better. There were some interesting side plot lines that peaked my interest, but I am not sure it was enough to make up for Liana’s bad attitude.

Book details
Series: Mates of the Fae
Publisher: Hard Candies Publishing; 2 edition (May 5, 2016)
Publication Date: May 5, 2016
Sold by: Amazon Digital Services LLC

 

The Secret Life of Bees #bestseller #historicalnovel #fiction #bookclubpick

Feb10

The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kidd

3heart
Synopsis
Lily is searching for answers about her mother who died in a tragic accident when she was a toddler. Following a violent incident with her nanny Rosaleen and some racist men in their town, Lily and Rosaleen travel Tiburon, South Carolina. This town might be a clue to helping Lily find out who her mother really was.

The family that they stay with are 3 black beekeeper sisters. Here, they find shelter and Lily is able to search for the answers that she has had her whole life.

Opinion
The writing and imagery was good, but I could not fully enjoy the coming-of-age story because I was on edge hoping that these black women would not be lynched for having the humanity to be hospitable to a white girl. Given that racists at that time committed some very violent acts with impunity, I was not sure which way the author was taking the story.

In the beginning chapters, Rosaleen was put in the hospital because of a confrontation. I have two thoughts on that whole incident as well because I feel that was the catalyst for the Lily moving and taking Rosaleen with her.

  1. There is NO WAY that a black woman at that time would do what Rosaleen did, knowing full well that those men would try to kill her.
  2. If a black woman of that era had done what Rosaleen did and if the sheriff allowed them to beat her while in jail, I doubt that they would have taken her to the hospital. They would have beaten her to death.

I read this book because it was picked by a member of my book club. I hesitate to read books from this time period because usually the issue of the racial discord is glossed over in such a way that tries to make it seem like things were not really all that bad. Essentially, the white people were privileged to do whatever they pleased, and for the most part, they did not question the division and inequality of races. It was accepted as that is how society was and there was no need to change it (which is still a problem BTW). The black people were wise enough to counsel and support the white person in their care, while being content with their lot in life to be subservient.

Therein lies one of the main reasons I have issue with people saying that they wished they could be back in the “good old days”.

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But that is a post for another time…

All things considered, if you want to pretend that the ugliness of racial prejudice did not happen, the story is a heartwarming tale. If you or someone you know was negatively affected by the racially motivated domestic terrorism in the South during the 50s and 60s, you might be bitter like I was.

TOW Final Word: Buy, Borrow, Pass?
I say BORROW, but there is a large population of readers that say BUY.

Book Details
Print Length: 333 pages
Page Numbers Source ISBN: 0143124323
Publisher: Penguin Books; 1st edition (January 28, 2003)
Publication Date: January 28, 2003
Sold by: Penguin Group (USA) LLC

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Claimed by the Cyborg #cyborgromance @CaraBristol #whattoread #bookaddict 

Feb3

Claimed by the cyborg

4heartSynopsis
March fell for Jules when she was an alien exchange student visiting earth. She left all of a sudden and March has never forgotten her.

In the intervening years, he has become a cyborg. Now March’s job brings him to Xenia and he wants to see if he can find Jules to at least get closure to understand why she left him years ago.

Julieta is in line to be the next Xenian emperor and falling in love with a Terran man March was not part of the plan.

Years later, she still regrets leaving March, but she is determined to sacrifice her happiness for her people. Then March is on her planet and all her resolve is gone.

Opinion

FTC disclosure: I voluntarily read an advanced reader’s copy of this book

This book was the most romantic cyborg book I have ever read. I know it sounds like I am exaggerating, but once you read it, you will understand. I feel like it needs it’s own soundtrack. Descriptive language painted such a detailed picture, my emotions were fully involved.

First of all, I loved March. He was not ashamed to admit that he had fallen in love and the analytical part of his brain wanted to understand what went wrong and why did she leave.

“He still dreamed of her and awakened each morning breath to find her gone.”

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When March finds Jules and realizes who she is, he is determined to be an honorable man and do what would be best for everyone else.

He was not weak or indecisive, however, he calculated the implications of their union and decided to sacrifice his happiness in order to ensure the stability of her nation. He was going to let her go for the greater benefit of her world. He could not in good conscience ask her to give up being emperor in order to be with him.
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What he did not factor into his equation was that Jules was feeling just as strongly about him.

“One beckoning smile from Jules… rendered him powerless to resist temptation“

Before I even began reading the book, I did not like Jules because she left March and I was in love with March from the beginning. As the story progresses, I could understand why she left years ago and the predicament in which she found herself. I can say that she redeemed herself and I felt that she was worthy to be with March.

TOW Final Word: Buy, Borrow, Pass?

BUY. I have been recommending this book ever since I read it. I loved it that much. I can best describe this book as sweet but not sappy.

Book details

Series: Cy-Ops Sci-fi Romance (5 Book Series)
Heat Level: 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥

Print Length: 158 pages

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