Tag Archive | contemporary Romance

Synopsis

Jamie just moved to New Orleans and is experiencing her first Mardi Gras. Colin is a computer programmer who meets Jamie at a bar while helping out his friend the bar owner. After she accepts his offer to show her around Mardi Gras, passions were high fueled by their instant attraction. Plus Mardi Gras licentiousness stoked their simmering flame into a combustible event.

Alas, at the end of the night they get separated.

Knowing nothing more than first names, it was difficult for either party to follow up on the one night stand.

Colin’s ex-girlfriend helps him find Jamie. Meanwhile, Jamie, recently out of a very traumatic breakup with a sports celebrity, cannot decide if she wanted to be found or not.

They navigate their way through the relationship, dealing with ex’s and insecurities. In the end, they discover what is important while confessing their love for each other.

Opinion

This is one of those cotton-candy-types of romances. Sweet. Light. Fluffy.

The characters were amusing. I loved Colin. He was a cutie and a nurturer. Not my usual surly hero but a Prince Charming. At least he was a gamer computer programmer. I am more of a geek than jock girl.

However, I thought Jamie was overly neurotic. I know that she has reason considering she went from riches to rags plus no friends when she broke up with her sports celeb boyfriend. But get over it already! It was like she wanted to move on but could not.

Plus she had an annoying habit of micro-analyzing Colin as if he was just like her jerk ex. Since she was fresh out of a relationship, she should have taken it more slowly with Colin. Or at the very least, she should have been more open about (1) why she is relationship shy and (2) what drama she was still dealing with. It is exasperating that she wanted a relationship with Colin but wanted to shut him out at the same time. No wonder, he did what he did (not excusing him but saying I understand his frustration).

I thought the book happened all in one night/weekend. I was prepared to scoff at the early protestation of love. That was not the case. A plus in my book.

Overall, this is light fantasy romance reading. Series of very fortunate coincidences and they end up with a HEA.

This book in real life: two people have a one night stand during Mardi Gras never to see each other again even though they live in the same city. THE END

Should you buy? Even as annoyed as I got with Jamie, I think there were enough good points about this story to recommend reading. For the most part it is a predictable Harlequin romance.

Y is for Yielding #atozchallenge #ABCofRomance @AprilA2Z

Apr29

Yielding for Him ♥

Synopsis
Donovan (Van) is a billionaire who has everything and he is finally serious about a woman.

Lisa is his girlfriend but wants eventually to get married. She feels that Van is the one and she will do whatever kinky thing he suggests because she is so in love with him.

Opinion
Where do I begin?
Point #1 – As a fundraiser coordinator, Lisa is known for being able to get billionaires to part with their money for charity. Van admits to himself that he does not agree with all the causes. I am not sure if that is because he is stingy or if Lisa does not really vet the charities that she works to help. Either way, not a good start for character development.

Point #2 – Lisa seemed like she was only with Van for what she could get.

“She learned exactly which buttons to push to get what she wanted from him.”

Translation: She knew how to get him to agree to buy stuff by performing various kinky sex acts. He would agree to almost anything while in the throes of passion. In her latest “transaction”, it seems that if he helps monetarily with the latest fundraiser, she agrees to whatever sex act/fantasy he wants her to do

Point #3 – Van says that having a threesome would be hot and give her so much pleasure. Plus he threw in some screwed up logic about how acting out the fantasy would make their relationship stronger. To Lisa’s credit, she did hesitate a brief moment and ask some thoughtful questions, like, why wouldn’t he be jealous?

His response, “This is supposed to be fun. Hot. It not supposed to be something you analyse (sic) to death.”

I was still scratching my head. I did not imagine that the word “yielding” mentioned in the title would mean three people in the party. I was thinking possibly light bondage, maybe. However, I am not into the group sex scene. Two people getting it on is enough for me. When I read out the synopsis blurbs on Amazon, I choose books that match what I like to read about.

From 38% of the book to the end is a long threesome sex scene. I did not read because as you probably inferred from my comments above, threesomes are not my thing.

Should you buy? If you like threesomes, you might find this book hot. Take away the sex, and the characters were average, almost forgettable. Van was a billionaire without much depth. Lisa seemed to me to be only concerned about her personal gain and what she needed to do to get it.

Book details from Goodreads
ebook, 37 pages
Published April 1st 2013 by Total-E-Bound Publishing
Available on Amazon

W is for Wedding Trap #atozchallenge #ABCofRomance @AprilA2Z

Apr27

The Wedding Trap (Second Service, Book 1) ♥♥♥

Synopsis

Alex is a CIA agent trying to catch another agent who is selling secrets to Venezuela.

Beth is the maid of honor in her best friend’s wedding. Her pretend boyfriend Charlie is her way of making sure her ex-boyfriend does not try to put the moves on her. After catching Alex in a compromising situation, she blackmails him to pretend to be Charlie.

When Beth sees something she should not have and the attempt on her life fails, Alex is not just a pretend boyfriend. He becomes her protector as well.

Opinion

This book was enjoyable. It was a like one of those corny action romance movies.
You have to suspend belief to get into the plot.

The banter between Alex and Beth made me chuckle at times but groan at other times. It seems that all the characters are off-the-wall with their questionable decision making, but it all comes together in the end.

I did enjoy the final elevator scene. Beth came out of character and did the unexpected. Good for her!

Should you buy? I recommend it as entertainment and do not take the story too seriously. It is part romance, part suspense with enough over-the-top hijinks to keep you amused.

Book Details from Goodreads
Kindle Edition, 166 pages
Published July 2nd 2013 by Adrienne Bell
series Second Service #1
Click here to buy on Amazon

T is for Touched #atozchallenge #ABCofRomance @AprilA2Z

Apr23

Touched By Midas (SEALs Going Hot Book 4) ♥♥

Synopsis

Michael (Midas) is a Navy Seal that is very superstitious. He sees lucky signs in everything. He credits his routines before missions with keeping his team safe.

Angie is a teacher at the Naval Station in Rota Spain. She will not give Midas the time of day. The more she shows her disdain, the more he wants her in his bed.

When Midas’ team members bet he cannot date her, he pulls out all the stops to charm her. If Midas wins the bet, his team members promise not to give him any grumbling when he forces them to follow his lucky routines. Little does Midas know, Angie resists him because of her secret identity.

“If she could get to the point where she really trusted him, she would reveal her identity.”

Opinion

Midas seemed to be a sweet, sincere guy, but I kept thinking that the only reason why he was mesmerized by Angie was because she made him chase her. While his quirks humanized him, they also detracted from his hotness. He went from being HOT to CUTE. Both are good, but, for me, it’s the difference between a book boyfriend and a book guy friend.

I just believed I friendzoned Midas.

I think that the author wants the reader to believe that Angie was this reformed wild child. I had a hard time believing she had been into anything so kinky it made her a “bad girl”. I guess I am jaded when it comes to kink. Angie so melodramatic, I thought she needed to chill.

Many of the elements of the story were predictable

Angie’s secret was not as radical as she hyped it up to be
Insta-romance: From hate to love in a week
Angie flips out over the bet – LOL no brainer there

The story was cute, but I was expecting better. I read Dagger’s Edge (by the same author) and was thinking that this book would have similar energy. I like that it was a romance featuring a SEAL but it was not steamy as I was anticipating.

Should you buy? It is light reading, without a complicated plot or conflict. In the course of a week, Angie and Midas decide they are in love but that is almost derailed when she finds out about the bet. Nothing new in the plot but sometimes (if you are like me) you might want to read something without too many surprises.

Book details from Goodreads
Kindle Edition
Published August 14th 2014 by The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
94 pages
Series SEALs Going Hot

Available on Amazon

P is for Private #atozchallenge #ABCofRomance @AprilA2Z

Apr18

Private Passions (Private Series Book 4) ♥♥♥

Synopsis

Former Green Beret Daniel (Deck) has been the bodyguard for A-list actress Jane for the last five years. After she receives some particularly bad news regarding her ex-husband, Deck’s effort to console her end with them both in bed.

“I’ll be damned if I’m going to dry hump you on the couch” – Deck

Before they have a chance to talk about what just happened, they are discovered and derogatory things are said.

Can an actress and her bodyguard have a love life together
or
are they doomed from the start?

Opinion

This book could have been over in two chapters if this had been me. After the first love scene, I would have been like, “Deck, you and me belong together. I have been crushing on you for years. Let’s do this!”

Jane had similar thoughts, but she did not verbalize them.

“Like everything else with Deck, the reality was infinitely better” – Jane

Instead of going with what would have been a good idea, she decided to listen to people who fill her head with nonsense like she is supposed to be better than a relationship with Deck.

While Deck is a strong, alpha male, he still had feelings. He does not take to kindly to Jane playing with his emotions and trying to keep their relationship in the closet.

Should you buy? While it was the typical bodyguard romance, it was still interesting enough to keep me entertained. I got a little annoyed with Jane, but at least she came to her senses early enough. Plus it is inexpensive.

Book Details from Goodreads
ebook
Published October 24th 2012
series Private #4

Available on Amazon