* The Perfect Distance by Dianne May

March 11, 2022 By 5 Comments


* The Perfect Distance by Dianne May
Publisher: The Wild Rose Press, Inc.
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Before Finley Thompson’s husband died, he told her to run and keep running. So she relocates with her kids to a small town in North Carolina. Her false sense of safety ends when a runaway horse barrels into her yard and she meets her surly but disarming neighbor, CJ Sinclair.

As a permanently disabled Navy SEAL, all CJ wants is peace, and to build his animal rescue. His peace is interrupted when his sassy and beautiful neighbor stirs up his past, which threatens to uncover his connection with her dead husband.

But both Finley and CJ are hiding truths of their own, and digging into the past may unleash secrets from which neither CJ nor Finley will survive.

The Perfect Distance is an intense and emotional ride filled with suspense and romance. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this well written story and getting to know the two main characters, CJ and Finley. This small town story has intricate plot weaving, good pacing and the characters are easy to connect with.

Finley and CJ are two damaged people who have a lot of secrets. They had tragic pasts and do not trust people. When Finley moves next door to CJ, they find it hard to ignore the spark that ignites whenever they are near each other.

I loved CJ, he is a tough alpha male who is protective but also sensitive. He is a retired Seal who was injured on the job. I was excited to read this story because one of my favorite genres is stories about military vets who come home with scars and have a hard time acclimating. This story immediately drew me in and I devoured every word. I just couldn’t put it down. I wanted CJ and Finley to be together and get the HEA they deserve.

When I first started reading this story, I felt a bit overwhelmed by the number of characters being introduced so quickly, but as I kept reading, I found myself engrossed in the story. This intriguing story kept me guessing about who the bad guys were and what would happen next. I highly recommend this mesmerizing story; it will keep you on the edge of your seat.

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* The Deeper I Fall by Erika Kelly

March 7, 2022 By Leave a Comment


* The Deeper I Fall by Erika Kelly
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

He’s a rough and rugged hockey player. She’s a posh British princess. To win an enormous inheritance, they’re forced to live together.

This is not going to go well.

When his former hockey coach passes away, Declan Cadell is shocked to learn the man left him a cattle ranch. Well, not exactly. He’s got one little hurdle to jump first. He has to win a trivia contest against the man’s estranged daughter. Oh, and there’s a caveat: he’s only in the running if he lives and works with the spoiled princess who blew off one of the greatest men he’s ever known.

As if it wasn’t hurtful enough that Seraphina Crutchley’s biological father replaced her with a bunch of sweaty hockey boys, now he’s forcing her to vie for her inheritance with one of them. Worse, the guy clearly can’t stand her because if—no, when she wins the contest—she’ll sell the land and return home to London. Why on earth would she keep a cattle ranch in Wyoming?

But Seraphina comes to learn the contest is about so much more than a ranch. It’s about learning who her father was and why he stopped asking to see her. It’s about falling in love…and finding the courage to fight for it.

The Deeper I Fall is a beautifully written small-town romance. It is a bittersweet story about a Phinny (short for Seraphina) who travels from London to Calamity, Wyoming to attend her estranged father’s funeral. As Phinny spends time in Calamity she learns a lot about herself and changes her views on many things.

The two main characters, Declan and Phinny, are perfect together. I also loved the small town of Calamity and all the people who live there. This spicy romance made me feel good as I fell in love with the characters and the story.

Declan looks big and tough, but he has a tender heart. He is protective and caring and just what Phinny needs. Declan is brooding and silent with everyone but Phinny. He opens up to Phinny in a way he has never been able to open up to anyone else.

Erika Kelly is able to capture the emotions and vulnerabilities of both Declan and Phinny. She makes the story and the characters come alive and I was quickly turning the pages to find out what would happen next. This is a compelling story with realistic characters that are down to earth and easy to like. The pacing is perfect, and the story kept me spellbound from beginning to the end. This is another wonderful book in the Calamity Falls series and Erika Kelly brings this poignant story to life.

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* With Love, Ella by Alexa Randolph

March 1, 2022 By Leave a Comment


*With Love, Ella by Alexa Randolph
Publisher: Self-published
Genre: Romance, Contemporary
Rating: 3 stars
Review by: Larkspur

New York’s power couple Daniel Collins and Ella Chambers, have been best friends since they were young. He is the Quarterback for the New York Giants, and she is one of the most sought-after New York Party Planners.

It is summertime in the Hamptons, which means Ella is in full swing planning events while Daniel prepares to get back to another season. They are busier than ever and more in love than ever.
He finally decided it is time to pop the question. Just after she says yes, she finds out news that has changed her world upside down.

Will they make it down the aisle?

Is the Hamptons drama too much for their relationship?

There are always people trying to take them down. Will they succeed?

Find out in the first book of the With Love, Series.

With Love, Ella is a sad story covering a serious topic. It’s about falling in love and discovering everything isn’t perfect. It’s also about finding the strength to carry on through adversity.

Ella and Daniel’s love story is happy until bad things happen which are beyond their control. It shows how heroic people can be when tragedy strikes. It is a realistic look of what struggles people go through when they discover they have cancer.

I have to admit, I love happy books, so this one was a little bit too realistic and depressing for me. I liked the two main characters Daniel and Ella but unfortunately, I thought the dialogue felt flat and unconvincing. I don’t want to give the plot away and say too much, though. While I did like the two main characters, it wasn’t the story I was hoping for.

If you like heroes that never give up when tragedy strikes the one they love, you will enjoy this story.

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Dirty Billionaire Trilogy by Meghan March

February 3, 2022 By Leave a Comment


*Dirty Billionaire Trilogy by Meghan March
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 5 Stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Have you been missing obsessive and possessive billionaires? Find out why over a million readers love Creighton Karas! He answers to no one and is denied nothing. He leads his company like a marauder, rampaging through financial markets and scores of women worldwide until the unthinkable sets in… boredom. At least, until he meets a southern spitfire who disappears after an explosive one-night stand. He will stop at nothing to find her, and when he does, he plans on making her the next Mrs. Creighton Karas. Rising country star Holly Wix isn’t ready for Creighton Karas, but he’ll take her on the ride of a lifetime to find their happily ever after.

Country star meets alpha millionaire in Meghan March’s delightful Dirty Billionaire trilogy. I have to admit, I am just now discovering Meghan March and she is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. She loves to write cliffhangers, which I usually try to avoid. However, I just can’t seem to resist her books. I listened to this as an audiobook and thought the narrators did a great job. In fact, once I started this book, I couldn’t put it down, I needed to know what would happen next.

I thoroughly enjoyed these three books, Dirty Billionaire, Dirty Pleasures and Dirty Together. Creighton and Holly’s story is enthralling and kept me wanting more. They have explosive chemistry and their story kept me riveted.

Creighton is a demanding, domineering alpha male and I loved him right along with Holly. Holly is the only one who sees Creighton’s softer side. He is a tough talking, successful businessman who doesn’t take no for an answer.

Holly is different from all the other women Creighton meets. She doesn’t cater to him, he has to chase her. Something he isn’t used to doing. I found it easy to like Holly. She is a county star but her life isn’t as wonderful as it seems. Holly is an up-and-coming country singer when she first meets billionaire, Creighton and from the moment they meet, it is like an explosion. I loved these two together and I thoroughly loved reading their story.

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*Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne

January 26, 2022 By 1 Comment


Made in Manhattan by Lauren Layne
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Violet Townsend has always been a people pleaser. Raised in the privileged world of Upper East Side Manhattan, she always says the right things, wears the right clothes, and never rocks the boat. Violet would do anything for the people closest to her, especially her beloved grandmother. So when she asks Violet to teach the newly-discovered grandson of her friend how to fit in with New York City’s elite, Violet immediately agrees. Her goal? To get Cain Stone ready to take his place as heir to his family company…but to say he’s not exactly an eager student is an understatement.

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But somewhere amidst antagonistic dinner parties and tortured tux fittings, Cain and Violet come to a begrudging understanding—and the uptight Violet realizes she’s not the only one doing the teaching. As she and Cain begin to find mutual respect for one another (and maybe even something more), Violet learns that blindly following society’s rules doesn’t lead to happiness…and that sometimes the best things in life come from the most unexpected places.

Made in Manhattan pairs a Park Avenue princess with a southern hayseed in this opposites attract story. Cain and Violet couldn’t be more different from each other. Violet is a blue blood who wears pearls and is always polite. Cain, a product of a one-night stand, was brought up by his single mother and grew up in the south. Cain is rough around the edges and isn’t afraid to speak his mind and has no interest in living in Manhattan.

Cain and Violet’s story is fun and enchanting. Even though they are total opposites they are perfect for each other, and I enjoyed all of their bantering. They go back and forth between being annoyed with each other and fighting their growing attraction. Along the way, they realize they may have more in common than they realized.

I always enjoy everything Lauren Layne writes and this one is no exception. The characters are delightful and entertaining, and I was hoping they would work out their differences and end up together. Cain and Violets story left me with a good feeling.

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* Until April by Aurora Rose Reynolds

January 20, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Until April by Aurora Rose Reynolds
Publisher: self-published
Genre: Romance, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Contemporary
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

With happily ever after being something that happens to other people, April Mayson has decided to put all her energy into her career and living her best life, and things are better than ever.

Little does she know that her world is about to be turned upside down when she’s asked to help out a family friend, Maxim Kauwe.

Now, she’s dealing with a man unlike any she’s ever met before, her ex—a famous musician who’s decided he wants her back—and a possible serial killer.

With all the drama suddenly swirling around her, she will have to figure out if she is brave enough to trust Maxim with her heart and maybe even her life.

Until April is a spicy and suspenseful story that reunites Maxim and April. This fast paced, second chance story has great dynamics between the characters and Maxim and April have a lot of chemistry. In fact, I could feel the intensity between them jumping off the pages as I read their story.

April and Maxim reconnect after not seeing each other since they were teenagers. Although Maxim and April get together very quickly in the beginning, their story is beautifully written. The character development is realistic and they each have layers and vulnerabilities.

This is the perfect combination of romance and suspense. Someone is killing real estate agents and April could be next. So, Maxim does everything within his power to keep April safe.

I loved Maxim. He doesn’t hesitate to let April know he wants a relationship with her. Yes, Maxim is a possessive, dominant alpha male, but he is also affectionate and caring and I loved how he treated April.

April is an independent and successful woman, who isn’t used to a man like Maxim. He is protective and opinionated and expects April to follow his directions. Sparks fly as they disagree with each other because April doesn’t like to be told what to do.

I love everything Aurora Rose Reynolds writes. She knows how to write romance with alpha males who are demanding and protective, yet also sweet and willing to do anything for the woman they love. I also enjoyed the entertaining secondary characters, they add even more interest to the story. I listened to this story as an audiobook and I thought the narrators did a great job. Maxim and April are the perfect couple and I never wanted this story to end.

Filed Under: Mystery/Suspense, Reviews Tagged With: , , , , ,

*Fast Forward by Kat Mizera

January 18, 2022 By Leave a Comment


Fast Forward by Kat Mizera
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 5 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

One night can change everything.

Musician Ford Malone left Texas, without so much as a backward glance—lured by the bright lights of L.A. and the all-consuming world of rock and roll. It’s taken a while, but his star is finally starting to shine. Ready to take the world by storm with his new band, Nobody’s Fool, nothing will stand in his way. Until he sees her again… the girl he left behind.

Since the death of her parents, Sydney Aiken has had no time for romance. Her entire life now revolves around being a full-time mom to her three much-younger siblings. And even if she were interested, the last person on earth she’d get involved with would be the jerk who broke her heart and walked away seven years ago.

A chance encounter brings them face to face and as the past and present collide, Sydney is caught between protecting her family and following her heart. Seven years is a long time, and Ford has no idea he’s about to untangle a web of ugly secrets. But the only woman he’s ever loved is about to slip through his fingers…for the second time. Will he realize that only she can play the melody of his heart?

Fast Forward is a heartbreaking and beautiful second chance story about Ford and Sydney. I enjoyed reading their story and thought they were perfect for each other. However, heartache and pain from the past could ruin their future hopefully, they won’t let that happen.

Ford is an up-and-coming rock star with the group Nobody’s Fool. Sydney and Ford fell in love when they were teenagers, but misunderstandings tore them apart. Now, seven years later, they meet again.

Sydney is afraid to trust Ford again and she finds it impossible to let go of the past. I understood Sydney’s reluctance to give Ford a second chance, but I was hoping she would give in and try to forget past mistakes. I thought Ford was the perfect boyfriend. He is a thoughtful, caring, down to earth guy and he never gives up on Sydney.

Ford and Sydney are perfect for each other and I was rooting for them to work through all their issues, so they could finally be together. I found it hard to put this book down because I needed to know what would happen next. I highly recommend this tender, emotional story.

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Christmas at North Bend by Wendi Zwaduk

January 14, 2022 By Leave a Comment


*Christmas at North Bend by Wendi Zwaduk
Publisher: Totally Entwined
Genre: Holiday, Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Are second chances possible? They can be in North Bend.

Alex West left North Bend behind and became the famous author RR Taylor. He’s happy with his jet-setting lifestyle, until a book signing brings him to North Bend. Surrounded by the beauty of the small town and the closeness of the community, he starts to rethink his reasons for leaving. Seeing his high-school flame, Molly Adams, brings all the old feelings back into focus. He wants to make her Christmas bright and win her heart, too.

Can he convince her to believe in the magic of Christmas and their second chance, or is the blossoming romance destined to melt with the holiday snow?

Spending Christmas in the small town of North Bend and falling in love sounds magical. I enjoyed reading this heartwarming, slow burn Christmas story. It takes place in the small town of North Bend and it gives Alex and Molly a second chance at love. I found it easy to connect to Alex and Molly and I also enjoyed all the secondary characters included in this story. Alex and Molly are vulnerable and afraid of being hurt but with Christmas in the air, and with their friends and families help, they just might decide to take a chance on love.

After becoming a successful author Alex returns to his hometown of North Bend for a visit during Christmas. Alex hopes he can reconnect with his former high school girlfriend Molly and make amends for his past mistakes. When he visits North Bend Alex realizes that although he has achieved his dreams of becoming a successful writer, he isn’t fulfilled. Alex knows he has been selfish and didn’t treat Molly fairly. I admired Alex for being able to admit he made some mistakes and would like a second chance.

Molly has a big heart and is full of kindness. She is so busy helping everyone she has little time for herself. She is afraid to trust Alex because he broke her heart once and she doesn’t want it to happen again. I liked Molly, she is a good person and deserves to be happy.

Alex and Molly are perfect for each other and I could feel the chemistry they shared with each of their encounters. North Bend is full of Christmas spirit and the perfect place to spend Christmas. Reading this engaging story filled me with optimism and left me with a good feeling.

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A Christmas Love Song by Andee Reilly

December 16, 2021 By Leave a Comment


* A Christmas Love Song by Andee Reilly
Publisher: Champagne Books
Genre: Contemporary, Romance, Holiday
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

He gave her a song. She gave him Christmas.

Once a huge pop star, Jake Wilder hasn’t written a hit song in over ten years. Stuck playing small-time venues where only his most dedicated fans remember him, a comeback seems improbable. But even those gigs are quickly drying up, and if Jake doesn’t do something soon, he’ll slide into permanent has-been oblivion. In a twist of fate, a record executive with a soft spot for retro artists, holds a competition in search of pop musicians to write a new Christmas classic.

Longing to become a serious and respected journalist, Mackenzie Stone scoffs at her latest assignment to write a profile about a washed-up pop singer. She would prefer to cover hard news rather than light stories assigned by her editor who seems unwilling to give her a chance. Determined to write a noteworthy story and at the same time prove herself, it’s up to Mackenzie to help inspire Jake to compose a Christmas classic.

As Jake struggles to overcome his anxieties and write a great song, Mackenzie digs for a story of substance. Together they find love while also discovering the true meaning of Christmas.

Opposites attract in this heartwarming story. A Christmas Love Song is a light read and is guaranteed to put you in the Christmas spirit. It is a small town, slow burning romance.

When Jake and Mackenzie are first thrown together they are unhappy they are being forced into spending time together. Jake is a singer hoping to make a comeback and Mackenzie is a journalist trying to find the next big story. As they spend time together, they are reluctant to admit they like and admire each other.

I enjoyed this upbeat story and Jake and Mackenzie. Jake is such a nice guy and he is also very talented. He deserves to get a second chance and I was rooting for him. Mackenzie is so fixated on her job she almost misses how wonderful Jake is. I recommend this tender, slow burn story.

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Dream Keeper by Kristen Ashley

December 15, 2021 By Leave a Comment


* Dream Keeper by Kristen Ashley
Publisher: Publisher: Forever (Grand Central Publishing)
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Rating: 4 stars
Reviewed by Larkspur

Evan “Evie” Gardiner has spent her whole life being the responsible one in her family, but enough is enough. It’s time to pursue her own dreams. Evie’s finally going to finish that engineering degree she’s been working toward. But first she needs to come up with the money to pay for tuition. Working as a dancer at Smithie’s club seems like the perfect solution to her problems . . . until her family lands in yet another scrape and comes to Evie for help. Only, this time, her family’s recklessness is risking more than her dreams-it’s endangering her life.

Daniel “Mag” Magnusson knows a thing or two about desperation and disappointment, but no one notices that his good looks and quick wit hide the painful memories that haunt him. When Evie’s family puts her in danger, Mag insists on offering Evie his protection. He has the skills to guard Evie’s life, but as they grow closer, Mag realizes he’ll need to come face-to-face with his demons to prove himself as the man who will protect her heart.

If you like a lot of drama with your romance, Dream Keeper is the one for you. I love everything Kristen Ashley writes, she is one of my favorite authors. She knows how to write a story with a hot alpha hero paired with a feisty woman, add in entertaining characters and suspense and that is the perfect recipe for me.

This is the fourth book in Kristen Ashley Dream Keeper series and this one is about Auggie and Pepper. These two have tons of chemistry and their story held me spellbound. They are perfect for each other, but it takes Pepper a while to take a chance on Auggie. Auggie stole my heart, right along with Pepper’s. He is the perfect boyfriend, and he never gives up trying to persuade Pepper how good they can be together.

There is so much Auggie and Pepper have to deal with in this story they barely have time to be together. The whole time I was rooting for them to get everything straightened out so they could live happily ever after. Auggie and Pepper are lucky to have a group of friends to help them whenever it is needed. Their friends are interesting and colorful characters and many of them are from KA’s other books. I enjoyed the fun filled romantic ride filled with quirky characters, emotion and intense moments.

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