Tag: Forever Publishing

Guest Review: Dream Spinner by Kristen Ashley

Posted July 30, 2021 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: Dream Spinner by Kristen AshleyReviewer: Tracy
Dream Spinner by Kristen Ashley
Series: Dream Team #3
Also in this series: Quiet Man, Dream Maker, Dream Chaser
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: May 25, 2021
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Point-of-View: Alternating First and Third Person
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 393
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Hattie Yates has finally met the man of her dreams. Yet years of abuse from her demanding father have left her petrified of disappointment. She’s already failed to reach her goal of becoming a professional ballerina—she can’t handle the terrible consequences of another dream becoming a nightmare. But when a stalker sets their sights on Hattie, there’s only one man she dares to hope can help . . .

Axl Pantera knows Hattie is the only woman for him. Yet despite the attraction burning between them, Hattie refuses to let him in. The former soldier is determined to woo her into letting down her walls. And when danger comes calling, he’s up against more than her wary and bruised heart. Axl will do anything to prove to Hattie that they’re meant to be, but first, he’ll need to keep her safe.

Hattie has lost her self-confidence.  She wanted to become a professional dancer, but that didn’t happen.  With her father verbally abusing her and telling her what a disappointment she is to him, she doesn’t love herself so therefore feels like no one else can love her.

Axl is totally into Hattie but knows that she needs time.  When she gets a stalker, he feels like time is up and makes his move.   Hattie isn’t really receptive, but when the stalker issue starts to heat up, she finally gives in.

I really liked Hattie and Axel together.  Their relationship was really the glue that held this book together.  The stalker issue was kind of bland.  The overall story arc throughout the series is dealt with but even that wasn’t too exciting.  I felt that this was more to do with family issue between Hattie, Axl, Hattie’s father and mother as well as Axl’s parents.  While that’s no a bad thing, per se, it just didn’t make for an exciting read.

Ashley threw in all of the secondary characters from other books in this story as well and that was almost too much.  I get those friendships are a huge part of why these books work, but occasionally I hit my boiling point and then it just seems to be overload.

If you’re into this series already than this is a nice addition to the series, but I certainly didn’t love it.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Dream Team

three-half-stars


Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Guest Review: Laird of the Black Isle by Paula Quinn

Posted May 22, 2018 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: Laird of the Black Isle by Paula QuinnReviewer: Tracy
Laird of the Black Isle (The MacGregors: Highland Heirs #7) by Paula Quinn
Series: The MacGregors: Highland Heirs #7
Also in this series: The Taming of Malcolm Grant, A Highlander's Christmas Kiss, The Scot's Bride
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: May 29, 2018
Format: eARC
Point-of-View: Third Person
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 400
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

This Highlander will risk everything to find his daughter...

Lachlan MacKenzie has nothing left to lose since his wife and daughter were killed. But when a shadowy figure reveals his little girl might still be alive, Lachlan will do whatever it takes to find her—even abduct a lass from the MacGregor clan for an exchange. Being caught would mean certain death. But the laird of the Black Isle won't let anything—or anyone—interfere with his mission...not even his beautiful, stubborn captive.

Even his heart

All Mailie MacGregor wants is to return home to her family. And the Highland beast who captured her can go to the devil. Her plan: to thwart him at any cost and win her freedom. But she never expected to be so drawn to the fierce warrior and the desire in his eyes.

Two years ago Lachlan wasn’t home when someone set his house on fire and his wife, small daughter and staff were all burned to death.  He searched and killed the men who were responsible. He’s lived a solitary and quiet life since that time, secretly taking care of his clan.  He’s minding his own business when an emissary for Ranald Sinclair shows up on his doorstep.  He tells Lachlan that his daughter isn’t dead and that Ranald Sinclair has information about where she is.  He’ll give it to Lachlan if he kidnaps Mailie MacGregor.  Sinclair says that Mailie is in love with him but her father won’t allow the match.  Lachland kicks the emissary out but he can’t stop thinking about the possibility of his little Annabel being alive.

Lachlan kidnaps Mailie and while she tries to get away at first she soon stops trying. When she finds out why he kidnapped her, she understands he had no choice and she starts to see life from Lachlan’s point of view.  When she finds out more about the Dragon Laird of the Black Isle she starts to fall in love with him.  Soon, he’s just as in love with her – but how can they be together with the possibility that Annabel is out there, hoping for her papa to rescue her?

Paula Quinn has a great mind. Seriously.  She comes up with some incredible scenarios and makes them work.  This could have easily turned into an eye-rolling Stockholm Syndrome “love” story, but it was so well done that thought never crossed my mind.  Once Mailie knew that Lachlan had no choice, she softened toward him.  (Ok, he could have gone to the MacGregor’s, explained Sinclair’s plot and then ask for their help in getting his daughter back but then that wouldn’t have been as good of a story, would it?) I’m not usually a huge fan of the abductee falling for the abductor but in this case, it really worked for me.

Lachlan made my heart hurt.  He was so despondent over the deaths of his family and everything he’d been through almost made me cry.  He proved himself a good man, however, during the course of the book and a perfect match for Mailie.  He had a good heart.

I truly enjoyed this romance and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.

Rating: 4 out of 5

The MacGregors: Highland Heirs

four-stars


Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Guest Review: The Scot’s Bride by Paula Quinn

Posted February 9, 2018 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: The Scot’s Bride by Paula QuinnReviewer: Tracy
The Scot's Bride by Paula Quinn
Series: The MacGregors: Highland Heirs #6
Also in this series: The Taming of Malcolm Grant, A Highlander's Christmas Kiss, Laird of the Black Isle (The MacGregors: Highland Heirs #7)
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: October 31st 2017
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 384
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

AN IRRESISTIBLE SCOUNDREL

Highlander Patrick MacGregor likes his life just the way it is. Fighting for his coin, enjoying a woman's charms, and bearing no responsibility at all. Aye, that's the life for him. That is, until Patrick sees her-a raven-haired beauty with eyes as dark as midnight. Patrick swore never to fall in love. Not even with a lass as wild as he...especially when she's from a rival clan.

AN UNDENIABLE DESIRE

Charlotte Cunningham knows Patrick is trouble the moment she sets eyes on him. Her only goal is to escape the possibility of marriage. Any marriage. But as the summer days turn into sultry nights, enticing her beyond reason, Charlie is forced to choose between the freedom she craves and the reckless rogue she can't forget.

Patrick MacGregor is a man who’s a bit bored with life.  He sees beautiful, available women and can’t seem to find interest in them.  He thinks there might be something wrong with him. Lol  He sees Charlotte, however, and his interest is piqued.  He follows her and ends up being captured by her father and brothers while on their land.  Charlotte secretly warns Patrick to say that he’s not a Ferguson as her family has a feud with them.  Patrick isn’t a Ferguson but he’s related to them through his mother.  He decides to make himself a Campbell as the MacGregor name is proscribed and being a Campbell, the Cunningham’s welcome him in.  Especially as Charlotte’s father sees a marriage between Charlotte and a Campbell a very good thing.

Patrick is more and more enamored with Charlotte aka Charlie every day.  The more he gets to know her the more besotted he becomes.  Unfortunately when he finds out that her brothers killed his cousin he wants nothing more than revenge.  He has to play his cards right, however, and find out exactly what happened to his cousin Kendrick.

Charlie is a woman on a mission.  She wants out of her father’s house, away from his rule and her brother’s high-handedness.  She‘s trying to find a cure/relief  for her sister’s asthma and as soon as she does she’ll leave town.  She had been in love with her neighbor, Kendrick Ferguson, but her father had ordered her brothers to kill him when he was 15-years-old  just to keep him away from Charlie – she had never forgiven any of them.  She still loves Kendrick and had never looked at another man until Patrick showed up.

Charlie knows that Patrick can change her whole life and she’s not sure she wants that.  As much as Charlie tries to stay away from Patrick his love for her soon has her thinking of a very different future for herself.

This was a good Scottish romance.  I liked Patrick and Charlie a great deal and the story was definitely one that kept my interest throughout.

Patrick fell hard and fast for Charlie which was nice (even though he kept denying it to himself).  Charlie took a bit longer to admit her feelings for Patrick since she’d loved no one but Kendrick for so long.  Of course when true decisions needed to be made I was a bit surprised that Charlie chose Patrick.  Quinn almost did too good of a job telling us of Charlie’s love for Kendrick and it made me doubt her fast-growing feelings for Patrick.

The story had a few plot holes in it but overall it was a decent read.  It wasn’t overly exciting but sometimes that’s a good thing.

The MacGregor’s: Highland Heirs


Rating: 3.5 out of 5

three-half-stars


Tagged: , , , , , , , , ,

Guest Review: No Other Duke Will Do by Grace Burrowes

Posted December 20, 2017 by Tracy in Reviews | 0 Comments

Guest Review: No Other Duke Will Do by Grace BurrowesReviewer: Tracy
No Other Duke Will Do by Grace Burrowes
Series: Windham Brides #3
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: November 7th 2017
Genres: Historical Romance
Pages: 368
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Julian St. David, Duke of Haverford, is barely keeping his head above water in a sea of inherited debts. Though he has a long-term plan to restore the family finances, his sister has a much faster solution: host a house party for London's single young ladies and find Julian a wealthy bride.

Elizabeth Windham has no interest in marriage, but a recent scandal has forced her hand. As much as she'd rather be reading Shakespeare than husband-hunting, she has to admit she's impressed by Julian's protective instincts, broad shoulders, and, of course, his vast library.

As the two spend more time together, their attraction is overwhelming, unexpected... and absolutely impossible. With meddling siblings, the threat of financial ruin, and gossips lurking behind every potted palm, will they find true love or true disaster?

Julian is a duke but poor as a church mouse.  His father, grand-father and great-grandfather had spent the family fortunes on books.  Books!  He finds himself hating books and all the many libraries in his home!  He just wishes they would have invested in something that would have brought in an income instead of throwing them into possible poverty.  He is barely hanging on financially and has been cutting costs whenever possible.  His sister, not realizing how much a house party costs, nor how dire the family’s financial problem are, plans one and invites a ton of eligible ladies and their chaperones.  Of course Julian doesn’t want the house party but if his sister’s going to invite eligible ladies then Julian is going to invite eligible bachelors for his sister.  In the end the amount of people who show up at Julian’s is astounding.  Not only that but the party is three weeks long!

Elizabeth is a spinster who is there for her sister.  She never imagines that she’ll meet the duke and actually like him.  She does, though, and loves his incredibly stocked libraries as well.  Elizabeth has a bit of money in her dowry, but nothing like what Julian needs to save his family.  While Julian becomes more entranced by Elizabeth every day, and they soon begin a physical relationship, they both know that Julian must marry for money.  It breaks their hearts but those are the facts.  They decide to enjoy the time they have together and try to ignore their breaking hearts.

This was a wonderful story.  I very much enjoyed reading about Elizabeth and Julian and their relationship.  How they got together, where it went, the ease of their friendship – it was lovely.  I also thought that the whole book situation with Julian was quite novel (snort) and I enjoyed the premise of the book.

The secondary characters were almost as intriguing as the H/h.  The villain, Radnor, was a bit of a bastard and needed someone to teach him some honor.  Elizabeth’s sister, Glenys, was a crack up and made me laugh.  And then there was Julian’s brother, Griffin, who almost stole the show.  He was developmentally delayed but his interactions with Elizabeth as well as those in his household warmed my heart. He was such a good person. Burrowes did a great job writing him.

Overall this was a great book and one I’d recommend.  I haven’t read the first two books in this series but this one stands alone so don’t feel you need to read those in order to pick this one up.

Windham Brides

Rating: 4 out of 5

four-stars


Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Guest Review: Maybe This Christmas by Jennifer Snow

Posted October 6, 2017 by Tracy in Reviews | 1 Comment

Guest Review: Maybe This Christmas by Jennifer SnowReviewer: Tracy
Maybe This Christmas by Jennifer Snow
Series: Colorado Ice #3
Also in this series: Maybe This Summer
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: September 26th 2017
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 352
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars
Series Rating: three-stars

All wrapped up . . .

One more game. That's all that stands between NHL star Asher Westmore and a major career milestone. But then his brother bashes him against the hockey boards, sidelining him for months. Over Christmas holidays, no less. If staying off the ice doesn't drive him crazy, staying with his family will. The only bright spot amidst the mistletoe and twinkle lights: His best friend, Emma, is a physical therapist. And working out with her improves his body and his spirit.

One last time. Emma Callaway was in trouble the minute she and Asher added benefits to their friendship. How is she supposed to resist a funny, caring guy who makes her toes curl? Her heart was safe while he lived in a different state. Now that he's back home recuperating, though, it's only a matter of time before she blurts out her feelings. Emma's only hope is that with a little holiday magic, she'll get the best Christmas gift of all.

Asher Westmore is completely focused on hockey.  He plays professionally for the Devils and though he injured his ACL he keeps playing.  His brother Ben, who also plays professionally for a rival team, received an award for playing 1000 games.  Asher is at game 999 and he’s not about to sit out because of an injury. He wants the same award his brother received.  He’s very competitive with Ben. Instead he plays through the pain and self-medicates.  During his 999th game he’s hit and goes down.  He is taken into surgery for the ACL and is told that recovery is 8-10 weeks.  He’s bound and determined to play his next game which is 6 weeks away.  He can only do that if he gets help from his best friend, Emma.

Emma was once as focused on her career as a snowboarder as Asher is on hockey.  Unfortunately a stupid mistake on her part and a severe injury changed all of that.  She is now a physical therapist and is focused on getting her doctorate.  Emma loves Asher than more than a friend and when they started making it friends with benefits, she was thrilled.  Asher, however, keeps pushing her to get back onto the snowboarding circuit and she just isn’t going there again.  Emma wants to be with Asher forever but Asher has no intention of taking his focus off of hockey for one minute – even for a woman that he thinks he might be falling in love with.

This was a cute story that I enjoyed reading.  I liked Emma a lot and admired her determination to go as far as she could in her chosen field of physical therapy.  Asher…I never truly liked him until the end of the book.

Emma and Asher had been best friends for years but had been sleeping together for the last couple of years.  Even though they were sleeping together I found it very strange that these supposed “best friends” couldn’t talk to each other.  Emma hadn’t told Asher about her acceptance into the doctorate program in Florida (they lived in Colorado) and Asher kept his mouth shut about his feelings on Emma giving up snowboarding for good.  He never voiced to her his thoughts that he wouldn’t settle down until after his hockey career was done, which wasn’t slowing down at all (except for his injury of course). I guess I felt if they had been such good friends they could have talked to each other.  There was a decided lack of communication between them and that started to grate on my nerves.

Asher was just so bull-headed that he annoyed me for much of the book.  He was very self-centered and it was hard to like him.  When he finally started pulling his head out of his ass he was a much better person.

I have to say that they were cute together when they were just being together and not worrying about other things in life.  It was easy and comfortable but still exciting and sexy.  I liked the way Snow made their time together special in a lot of ways.

Overall it was enjoyable and a sweet Christmas story.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

three-half-stars


Tagged: , , , , , , , ,