Showing posts with label Contemporary Romance. Show all posts

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

Almost Like Being in Love (Destination Wedding #2) by Beth K. Vogt

Title: Almost Like Being in Love (Destination Wedding #2)

Author: Beth K. Vogt

Pages: 384

Year: 2016

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Howard Books

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

From the author of Somebody Like You, a RITA finalist, and one of Publishers Weekly’s top ten books of 2014, comes the story of a woman who has everything for a perfect wedding—except the groom!

Winning an all-expenses paid Colorado destination wedding might seem like a dream come true for some people—but Caron Hollister and her boyfriend Alex Madison aren’t even engaged. How is she supposed to tell him she’s won their wedding and honeymoon when he hasn’t asked her to marry him? Being “perfect for one another” seems like the absolute best reason to get married. But what if their supposedly faultless relationship is merely a safe place to protect his secrets and a way to keep their families happy? After quitting her job, Caron accepts her best friend’s offer to visit Colorado. She needs to catch her breath. Who knows, maybe visiting the destination wedding site will make a future with Alex seem like a reality.

Kade Webster just landed the biggest deal of his life with his company, Webster Select Realty, participating in the Colorado Springs Tour of Homes. He never imagined he would run into the woman who broke his heart—Caron Hollister—right when his career is taking off. Seeing her again, Kade can’t help but wonder why Caron walked away from him years ago, leaving him with no explanation. When Kade learns his home stager won’t be able to help with the Tour of Homes, he vaults past all the reasons he should stay away from Caron, and offers her a temporary job helping him on the project. This time, their relationship is purely business.

Spending time with Kade has Caron questioning everything. The man intrigues her—at times infuriates her—and remind her of what she lost. Has she been settling for what everyone expects of her? Just because others believe she and Alex are an ideal couple, does that mean they should get married? And how can Caron say “I do” to one man when she’s wondering “what if?” about another?

My review:

This is a very thought provoking contemporary romance!

I love the main characters in this wonderful story. Caron has a very complicated life emotionally. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the journey she went on trying to sort it out and figure out how God wanted her to live it. She had a couple of very strong and supportive friends that were encouraging her along the way.

At the same time Alex had a very difficult family life that he seemed to be trapped in. He also had to go through a period of sorting out his feelings about it and grow and mature.

I was very caught up in the story and was pulling for each person to work through their problems and find their own happily ever after.

I am giving this wonderful book a rating of 5 stars. I highly recommend it.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention or review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I have done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Saturday, April 10, 2021

Heart of the Crown (Daughters of Peverell #3) by Hannah Currie

Title: Heart of the Crown (Daughters of Peverell #3)

Author: Hannah Currie

Pages: 320

Year: 2021

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: WhiteSpark Publishing

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

About the book:

The last place Lady Wenderley Davis ever expected to find herself after swearing off princes forever was living in a palace with two of them. Even if it is only temporary. And she did agree to it. Kind of. Against her better judgement.

But then, she’s never been one to hide her heart, nor hold back help from anyone who needs it. And if ever there’s a family who need help, it’s this one.

As two weeks stretch to more, Wenderley throws all she has into showing the princes and their family how to smile again, and she’s loving every moment of it. Which is a problem. Because she’s very quickly becoming attached, and—as the man she’d rather forget keeps reminding her—the one thing she can’t do is stay.

My review:

This is a wonderful “princess” romance story!

I loved seeing how Wenderley came into her own in this book. She was a great support character in the previous books in this series but she is fantastic in this one. She fits in so well with the children yet she can rise to the formality of the royal adults.

Prince Marcos had me a little confused at the beginning of the book. He was very careful to separate himself from others but he definitely needed to connect with his son more.

I enjoyed seeing the mischief that Wenderley got into with the young Princesses and Prince Ryan. They had fun and it seemed to help others in the family work through the grieving process.

Saturday, October 31, 2020

Heart of a Princess (Daughters of Peverell #2) by Hannah Currie

Title: Heart of a Princess (Daughters of Peverell #2)

Author: Hannah Currie

Pages: 257

Release Date: July 15, 2020

Genre: Contemporary Romance / Princess Story

Publisher: WhiteSpark Publishing

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

About the book:

To the watching world, Princess Alina has it all — maids to serve her, a kingdom to revere her, a prince to marry her, and a wardrobe filled with enough frills, flounces and shades of pink to rival a flower shop. But behind the smiles and designer clothes, Alina has a secret. She’s barely holding it together.

After a moment of panic almost ends in tragedy, Alina is sent to a refuge far from the palace to recuperate. Her family claim it’s for her own good but — faced with cows, knife-beaked ducks and far too many of her own insecurities — Alina is pretty sure it will kill her first. And Joha Samson, infuriating man that he is, will laugh as it does.

Only there’s more to Joha than she realizes, and more to herself too. When the time comes to make a stand, will she find the courage?

My review:

This is an amazing contemporary romance, princess story!

I went through so many different emotions reading this book. I was angry at, and frustrated with, a number of the characters at different times. My heart broke for all of the doubts and anxieties that Alina felt. I loved the simple acceptance that she found from many of the people at The Well.

I was completely caught up in this story. I kept rooting for Alina to find her way to a place where she was at peace and comfortable with her life.

I loved this story and will be looking for more books by this author.

Sunday, May 24, 2020

On a Coastal Breeze (Three Sisters Island #2) by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Title: On a Coastal Breeze (Three Sisters Island #2)

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Pages: 320

Release Date: May 5, 2020

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Revell

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complementary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

For Madison Grayson, life is good. Newly licensed as a marriage and family therapist, she can’t wait to start her practice. Despite the unfortunate shortage of eligible bachelors on the island—they’re all to young, too old, or too weird—Maddie feels like she’s finally found her sweet spot. Not even one panic attack in the last year. Not one.

And then Ricky O’Shea drops in. Literally. Floating down from the pure blue sky, the one man in the world she hoped never to see again—the one who’d been her arch-nemesis from kindergarten through her senior dance—parachutes into town, landing on Boon Dock, canopy draping behind him like a superhero. Ricky O’Shea. Now Pastor Rick, the new minister on Three Sisters Island.

Time to panic.

With wit and a bit of whimsy, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher invites you back to Three Sisters Island where family, forgiveness, and a second chance at love await.

My review:

This is a wonderful contemporary romance!

I love the cast of characters in this book. They have such a wide variety of personalities that it is amusing to see how they interact with each other. It is fascinating to see how many of them have two completely different sides. One that is evident to others and the other that we only see in their private thoughts.

There are a couple of things that I picked up on that left me really thinking about my own life. It is much easier to see the faults of others than it is to see our own short comings. Also we are much quicker to remember things that others do that hurt us than things that we do and say that hurt them.

I definitely love the focus on second chances that comes through this story. We all have times that we desperately need one.

I am giving this fantastic story a rating of 5 stars. I highly recommend it. I do consider this to be part of a true series. You should read book one before this one. It is called On a Summer Tide. My review for it is at: https://godslittlebookworm.blogspot.com/2019/05/on-summer-tide-three-sisters-island-1.html

Monday, May 20, 2019

On a Summer Tide (Three Sisters Island #1) by Suzanne Woods Fisher

Title: On a Summer Tide (Three Sisters Island #1)

Author: Suzanne Woods Fisher

Pages: 308

Release Date: April 30, 2019

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Revell

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to give a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

Sometimes love hurts—and sometimes it can heal in the most unexpected way.

Camden Grayson loves her challenging career, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. “Moving on” is Cam’s mantra. But there’s a difference, her two sisters insist, between one who moves on . . . and one who keeps moving.

Cam’s full-throttle life skids to a stop when her father buys a remote island off the coast of Maine. Paul Grayson has a dream to breathe new life into the island—a dream that includes reuniting his estranged daughters. Certain Dad has lost his mind, the three sisters rush to the island. To Cam’s surprise, the slow pace of the island appeals to her, along with the locals—and one in particular. Seth Walker, the scruffy island schoolteacher harbors more than a few surprises.

With On a Summer Tide, bestselling author Suzanne Woods Fisher begins a brand-new contemporary romance series that is sure to delight her fans and draw new ones.

My review:

This is an incredible look at bonds between sisters.

The characters in this book are fantastic. They are all incredibly well developed and as varied as you will find in any group of people that you find in your own life. A number of the residents on Three Sisters Island when the Grayson family arrive have very differing quirks that kept me smiling at their antics.

As the story progresses we quickly find that the three sisters are so set in their own way of living that they each believe that they have all the answers as to how things should be handled. This naturally has created huge rifts between them. I thoroughly enjoyed following their interactions and seeing how they grew and learned to build bridges back together.

At the same time all of the Graysons are having to figure out how to be accepted by the islanders who don’t like outsiders. The problems that they encounter added another layer of interest for me.

I love this book and have to give it a rating of 5 stars. I am highly recommending it. I’m really looking forward to reading the rest of this series when they come out.

Disclaimer: *Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book for free in the hope that I would mention/review it on my blog. I was not required to give a positive review, only my honest opinion - which I've done. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.*

Monday, March 25, 2019

Courting Mr. Emerson by Melody Carlson

Title: Courting Mr. Emerson

Author: Melody Carlson

Pages: 352

Release Date: March 5, 2019

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Revell

Format: eBook (also available in paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. All of the opinions expressed are my own.

About the book:

When the fun-loving and spontaneous artist Willow West meets buttoned-up, retired English teacher George Emerson, it’s not exactly love at first sight. Though she does find the obsessive-compulsive man intriguing. Making it her mission to get him to loosen up and embrace life, she embarks on what seems like a lost cause—and finds herself falling for him in the process.

A confirmed bachelor, George vacillates between irritation and attraction whenever Willow is around—which to him seems like all too often. He’s not interested in expanding his horizons or making new friends; it just hurts too much when you lose them.

But as the summer progresses, George feels his defenses crumbling. The question is, will his change of heart be too late for Willow?

With her signature heart and touches of humor, fan favorite Melody Carlson pens a story of two delightfully eccentric characters who get a second chance at life and love.

My review:

This is a delightful contemporary romance!

I love Willow West. She is a very friendly and outgoing person. She has a huge job on her hands with trying to get various people that have extremely different personalities to get along with each other. Most of the characters in this book have quirks that I was able to quickly identify someone in my life that they reminded me of. The biggest problem is getting them to get along, in relationship, with each other.

I was captivated by the story of how Willow handled it and yet found space for herself. She is very open about her relationship with God yet she isn’t preachy about it. This is a major plus in my mind.

This wonderful book is getting a 5 star rating from me. I am definitely recommending it.

Saturday, December 15, 2018

Who I Am With You (Legacy of Faith #1) by Robin Lee Hatcher

Title: Who I Am With You (Legacy of Faith #1)

Author: Robin Lee Hatcher

Pages: 320

Release Date: December 11, 2018

Genre: Time-Slip (Contemporary/Depression Era)

Publisher: Thomas Nelson

Format: Paperback (also available in eBook)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

For these two broken hearts, the first step toward love will be a huge leap of faith.

Jessica Mason isn’t looking for love when she meets Ridley Chesterfield. Instead she is still reeling from the tragic, unexpected loss of her husband and daughter—and awaiting the arrival of her unborn child. Harboring the secret of her husband’s betrayal, her pain is deeper than anyone knows.

Ridley Chesterfield is hiding out in Hope Springs, Idaho, avoiding a political scandal and the barrage of false media headlines that have tarnished his good name. The last thing Ridley wants is a relationship—but when fate leads Ridley to form a friendship with his reclusive and pregnant neighbor, he wonders if this small-town hideout might be more of a long-term destination.

When Jessica begins to read her great-grandfather’s Bible, she finds a connection with a man she never knew. Somehow the verses he marked and the words he wrote in the margins open her heart to healing. And as Ridley and Jessica help each other forgive the people who have wronged them, they must decide if the past will define them or if they will choose to love again.

Who I Am With You weaves together a modern-day romance with Jessica’s great-grandfather’s story from the 1930s, reminding us that some truths can cross generations and that faith has the power to transform families forever.

My review:

I loved this incredible time-slip romance novel!

The two time periods in this book are contemporary and Depression Era. The main characters in each period are fantastic. Their depth pulled me into both stories and captured my interest and emotions. I was caught up in their difficulties and heartaches. I was rooting for all of them to sort out their problems and move past them as they matured because of them.

They grew in their faith and learned to trust God more. The journey to forgiveness was wonderful. It is something that we all struggle with at some time in our lives. We can learn from seeing how these characters progress on their emotional journeys.

I was captivated by the idea that Jessica was led through her journey partially by reading notes that her great-grandfather had written in his bible. I don’t write many things in the margins of my bible, yet when I received my father’s bible the first thing I did was to look and see if he had.

Friday, August 17, 2018

Merry and Bright by Debbie Macomber

Title: Merry and Bright

Author: Debbie Macomber

Pages: 288

Year: 2017

Genre: Christmas Romance

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Format: eBook (also available in hardcover and paperback)

Note: I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinion.

About the book:

Merry Knight is pretty busy these days. She’s taking care of her family, baking cookies, decorating for the holidays, and hoping to stay out of the crosshairs of her stressed and by-the-book boss at the consulting firm where she temps. Her own social life is the last thing she has in mind, much less a man. Without her knowledge, Merry’s well-meaning mom and brother create an online dating profile for her - minus her photo - and the matches start rolling in. Initially, Merry is incredulous, but she reluctantly decides to give it a whirl.

Soon Merry finds herself chatting with a charming stranger, a man with similar interests and an unmistakable kind soul. Their online exchanges become the brightest part of her day. But meeting face-to-face is altogether different, and her special friend is the last person Merry expects—or desires. Still, sometimes hearts can see what our eyes cannot. In this satisfying seasonal tale, unanticipated love is only a click away.

My review:

This is a charming contemporary holiday romance!

I love the main characters and the very differing views of the Christmas season that they have. Their names are fantastic for fitting into the the story itself. In fact I think that they are inspired. I don’t know which came first the idea for the story or the idea for the title of this book. I do know that they are perfect.

I adore Merry and the way that she relates with her family and others around her. I would love to be able to consider her a friend. At the same time I can understand all of Jayson’s negative opinions of the holidays. He’s had a difficult family life that has totally colored the season for him.

I was enchanted with the way that their relationship developed through the course of this book. As with just about all romances they needed some help from others and I can’t think of any better helper than Patrick.

I am definitely giving this wonderful book a rating of 5 stars and highly recommending it.

Wednesday, June 27, 2018

The Love Letter by Rachel Hauck + A GIVEAWAY

About the Book

Title: The Love Letter

Author: Rachel Hauck

Release Date: June 12, 2018

Genre: Contemporary

Tour Dates: June 21 – July 4

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Wedding Dress comes a story of long-lost love and its redemption in future generations.

Romance has never been actress Chloe Daschle’s forte—in life or on screen. But everyone knows who to call for a convincing death scene . . . and it might be killing her career.

When Chloe is given a peek at the script for an epic love story, she decides to take her destiny into her own hands and request an audition for the lead female role, Esther Kingsley. The compelling tale, inspired by family lore and a one-page letter from the colonial ancestor of scriptwriter Jesse Gates, just might break her out of this career-crippling rut. Jesse would rather write about romance than live through it after his past relationship ended in disaster. But once on-set together, the chemistry between Jesse and his leading lady is hard to deny.

Centuries earlier, in the heart of the Revolutionary War, Hamilton Lightfoot and Esther Longfellow wrote their saga off the silver screen. Esther’s Loyalist father opposes any relationship with Hamilton, but Esther must face her beloved father’s disapproval and the dangers of war in order to convince Hamilton of their future together. Hamilton has loved Esther for years, and on the eve of battle pens the love letter she’s always wanted—something straight from the heart.

Set in stunning upcountry South Carolina, The Love Letter is a beautifully-crafted story of the courage it takes to face down fear and chase after love, even in the darkest of times. And just maybe, all these generations later, love can come home in a way not even Hollywood could imagine.

Click here to purchase your copy!

My Review

This is an absolutely incredible contemporary/historical romance!

The characters in this novel are so well developed that I felt I could sit down for a cup of tea and visit with them. I was especially captivated by all four of the main characters. It was like I could get right inside their heads at any moment.

The way the story flowed between the two time periods was wonderful. I don’t read very many duel-time-period books so it did take me a couple of switches to get used to it.

The historical portion really brought to life for me what the conflict between Tories and Patriots was like during the Revolutionary War. I had never really considered that they would be living in close proximity with each other. The fact that Esther and Hamilton had grown up as close friends and then found themselves on opposite sides was heartbreaking for me.

All four of the main characters had personal journeys to grow closer to God and mature. There was past baggage that they had to sort out and move on from. I love it when the characters grown throughout the story. That is what life is all about.

I loved this book and find myself compelled to give it a 5-star rating. I'm highly recommending it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through Celebrate Lit and NetGalley. I have chosen to write this review to express my personal opinions.

About the Author

Rachel Hauck is an award winning, New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author.

Her book The Wedding Dress was named Inspirational Novel of the Year by Romantic Times. She is a double RITA finalist, a Christy and Carol Award Winner.

Rachel sits on the Executive Board for American Christian Fiction Writers, and is the comical sidekick to Susan May Warren at the amazing My Book Therapy. She is a worship leader and speaker.

A graduate of Ohio State University with a degree in Journalism, Rachel is a devoted Ohio State football fan. She lives in sunny central Florida with her husband and ornery cat.

Guest Post from Rachel Hauck

I’m always looking for story ideas. My husband does a standard disclaimer when I start drilling into a conversation with questions like:

"Really? So why did you do that?”

"Have you sought help?”

”Was it love at first sight?”

Hubster says, “Warning, anything you say can end up in a book.”

Of course, stories abound! Interesting people abound!

Then again, sometimes ideas just hit out of the blue. A few years ago I had the idea of a young, contemporary couple meeting by “accident” only to learn that their great grandparents were in love but time, life, family, war, or society made their love impossible.

I suppose there are a hundred ways to tell such a story but when it came time to write The Love Letter, I was slightly infatuated with the Poldark series on PBS.

Set in 18th century Cornwall, the story and the characters were so dynamic I had to write my own version of Poldark.

But could I write a split time with a 240 year difference? I mean, they didn’t have electricity or phones in 1780! They didn’t even have a postal system. Letters were carried by traveling friends or family.

What possible conflicts could my historical characters face? What event could be so dark and tragic to keep them apart?

The Revolutionary War created a perfect backdrop for my young lovers.

I set the story in upcountry South Carolina not realizing the battle I chose for the back drop, the Battle of Cowpens, was the inspiration for the movie The Patriot. (A fav movie of mine!)

For the contemporary story, I started with shoes. I mean, doesn’t every thing start with shoes?

”Nice outfit but what shoes are you wearing?”

”You’re going on a date? You need new shoes.”

What we “walk in” can either empower or defeat us. There’s a spiritual metaphor I’ll mediate on for awhile.

However the shoe angle didn’t quite work so the contemporary story ended up in Hollywood with an actor/screenwriter and an actress.

Both worlds—1780 upcountry South Carolina and contemporary Hollywood—were a bit out of my southern bailiwick.

I did a lot of research on the war and the colonial south. Where I couldn’t find details, I filled in with my imagination.

As for Hollywood, I talked with a screenwriter friend, read books, watched interviews, and then, you know, made the rest up. Don’t you know I eventually ended up on a movie set—Once Upon A Prince—four days after I finished reading the galley proofs for The Love Letter!

One of the hardest parts of the story was the actual love letter. What did it say? Who wrote it and why? Was there more than one? No, only one. But why only one?

I must have written and rewritten the letter five different ways to Sunday before I settled on the magical one.

During the course of the book, I realized I’d never written a love letter. Have you?

I’ve written sentiments to my husband on an anniversary or birthday card. I speak my love and affection out loud all the time. But a bonafide love letter?

A love letter is it’s own art form. They range from sickly sweet with a lot of “darlings” and “sweethearts” to Shakespearean sonnets.

There’s a vulnerability that comes with writing a love letter. Putting one’s heart on the page creates a new level of commitment with your affections.

Will the reader receive your words? Will the reader respond in kind?

It’s fascinating to consider the purpose of a love letter. Have we lost something intrinsic to the human heart with our instant texting and email society.

Can you imagine Romeo texting to Juliet in 2018?

Saw you at your window. You looked hot.

Doesn’t quite have the same ring as: “But soft! what light through yonder window breaks? It is the east and Juliet is the sun.”

Scripture is a continuous love letter. “For God so loved the world—”

Whether you write love letters or poems, or quick texts, or put XO’s on cards to loved ones, write a love letter this month.

Write one to yourself, to Jesus, a spouse, child, parent, friend, foe—

See how it will bless your heart! Off to write my love letter…