How are you this fine Monday? I’m doing well. It’s been hot like the sun here this past week (it’s gotten as high as 111 F) and it doesn’t look like there’s an end to it so I’m just trying to stay indoors as much as possible.

The kids had a good week as school and they both like their teachers and their classes which is a bonus! Hopefully the teacher love will continue! lol

I still didn’t get a picture of my oldest – she’s always in such a hurry in the mornings that she can’t be bothered to stand still for two second so that dear old mom can click. Soon – I swear I’ll tie her down if I have too. lol
Update: I finally got her picture this morning. You can tell how thrilled she was! lol  

 

The fam headed to a friends house for a get together this weekend. Judy used to live a few houses down from me for years but then moved to Iowa. She stayed there a year or so and when she moved back she moved about 2 hours away. Much closer than Iowa but still not as close as on the same street! I’ve hardly seen her since she’s been back, which sucks. We went and had a great time on Saturday night. Where she lives is considered living in the country but it’s gorgeous there. Rolling hills and open land and it was lovely. We were on her back deck when we got to see a mama deer and her 2 babies. We went for a walk about an hour or so after I took the picture and we ended up seeing the whole family – mama, daddy and 4 babies – so pretty!  The whole family had a great time and hopefully we’ll head there again soon.

I read a bit this week. I’m really behind on my netgalley and Book Binge reading and need to get my butt in gear. There are just too many distractions! lol Also, I know the month isn’t over yet but I realized that I’ve only bought 3 books the whole month and I spent very little money – one book was .99, one was 1.99 and the other 5.95 – bargain! Yay me! I’ve really been trying to read from my TBR and get those books read – it’s not easy holding myself back lol.

So what did I read?

First for the week was One Night in London: The Truth About the Duke by Caroline Linden. This was (kind of) an attached book to the novella I Love the Earl. The story is about a 3rd son who has stood by his father’s side through thick and thin – even when his two older brothers were off doing their own thing. The brothers find out after their father’s death that he may have been a polygamist. He was married before and never actually got a divorce – so will the sons inherit and will Edward’s oldest brother really become a Duke? That’s what starts the story off but not really the whole focus of the book. The focus is on Edward as he tries to quell the horrible (yet true) rumors going around London and helping a woman try to find her niece who has disappeared. I liked the romance quite a lot but I have to say that I was disappointed in not getting more info about the Duke and what exactly happened. So yes, some the truth about the Duke comes out, but not all. It was a cute book and I’ll read the next when it’s released to see if the truth comes out in that book…but I have a feeling we’ll have to wait until book 3 to discover it. 3 out of 5

Next was Jennifer’s Garden by Dianne Venetta. The story about a woman who is trying to get married before her mother dies and is creating a beautiful garden to get married in. But she finds herself doubting her decision to marry Aurelio when she starts falling for the Landscape architect, Jackson. You can read my review here. 3 out of 5

Changeling Moon by Dani Harper was a book I read for the Book Binge. It’s about Connor Macleod who is a changeling aka shapeshifter who is a vet in Alberta, Canada. He ends up saving Zoey’s life one night when she is attacked by a rabid changeling. The story is about their romance as well as keeping Zoey from harm when the wolf comes back to finish what he started. 3 out of 5

Changeling Dream by Dani Harper is the next book in the Changeling series. This book was about James Macleod who survived the shooting that killed his pregnant wife. He turns to a wolf and stays that way for 30 years. Now he’s back in Alberta and learning how to be a human again – but he’s only doing it because he’s so drawn to his brother Connor’s new Vet that he has on staff. He tries to stay away so that he doesn’t put her in danger but eventually the pair come together. I liked this book much more than book one. I love scarred heroes (emotionally scarred) and this one was good. The pair was apart for a lot of the book but it was still really good. 4 out of 5 (also read for The Book Binge)  

Am I the only one that was freaked out by this cover? I thought at first that the woman was turning herself inside out until I realized that she just had her necklace hanging down her back! lol Freaky!

Annabelle, the American by Lavinia Kent was my next read. This is book 3 in the Real Duchesses of London series and I’m loving it. The newest cartoon comes out and shows Annabelle’s husband, Thomas, standing with a second family. The story has Thomas revealing secrets and the couple falling in love. The novella’s in this series are all connected so I recommend starting with book 1. This story, like the others had a great little romance in it and it was a great read. 4 out of 5

My Tracy’s TBR Challenge read for the week was Betweens Sinners and Saints by Marie Sexton. This story was about a bartender who had worked at the same place for 10 years. The work included bartending but it also allowed the bartenders to have sex trysts in the back storage room. Levi loved his work and the fact that he was satisfied sexually so many times a weekend. His family HATES his job and his sexual exploits and aren’t afraid to let him know. Levi grew up Mormon and though he loves his family he hates meeting for holidays as they seem to attack him every time. The thought is that they understand that he’s gay but they want him to live a celibate life as acting on his sexual urges is a sin. Levi meets Jaime when he goes for a massage to help a muscle problem he’s been having. Jaime was sexually abused as a child and can’t even stand to be touched. The story revolves around Levi and Jaime falling in love, Jaime coming to terms with his past and also falling in love and Levi’s family pseudo acceptance of Levi’s relationship with Jaime. It was a great book! I really hated the way that Levi’s family treated his homosexuality but it was understandable given their Mormon upbringing. The romance with Levi and Jaime was slow and steady and in my mind that’s exactly how it should have been given Jaime’s past. I definitely recommend this one. 4.5 out of 5

Wild & Steamy by Meljean Brook, Jill Myles and Carolyn Crane was my last read of the week.

Meljean’s story, The Blushing Bounder, was set in the steampunk world of her Iron Seas novels. This was Edward Newberry’s story (you’ll remember he was Mina Wentworth’s constable assistant) and was about him and his wife, who hates him. It takes a murder outside the couple’s flat to get the two together. As usual Meljean’s world was awesome and the romance was good too.

Vixen was Jill Myles’s story about a were-fox who is being protected from hunters by two cat shifters. Miko wants them both but doesn’t want to choose between them. The men, Jeremiah and Sam have no problem working together however. The story was cute – more a happy for now than a true HEA.

Kitten-tiger and the Monk by Carolyn Crane was a story set in her Disillusionist world. Sophia is searching for the Monk so that he can zing her and disillusion her and save her from herself. She can erase peoples memory (only going back a day) and when searching for the Monk runs into her old love who she betrayed and abandoned. The pair have many issues but they still love each other and decide to stay together. Sophia and Robert were messed up, both of them but really they were perfect for each other. Definitely a sign of a good writer when they can make me want an HEA for two people I don’t really care for. lol

The book as a whole 4 out of 5

My Book Binge reviews that posted last week: