Only a Crush, Book 2 of the Kasper Ridge Series by Delancey Stewart brings the steam with “Monroe” and Mateo. Mateo is a single Dad to an adorable 7 year old girl. He’s part of the contractor team who is working on a ski resort that was left to a pair of siblings by their very eclectic uncle.
This book has a snowed in situation which I love! It takes place in Colorado and Mateo and Monroe hike up to remote cabins on the resort property to assess them, but, a sudden snowstorm happens and they have to buckle down in the cabin for a few days. Sparks fly and they admit their mutual attraction, but once the storm is over and they return to normal life again, will they be able to overcome their pasts? This was a 5 star read for me and I highly recommend this book.
Only a Crush is available on Amazon, Kobo, B&N, Google Books and iBooks.
Triggers: left at the alter/childhood emotional abandonment-all mentioned as back stories.
Just buy the book! But seriously, we’ve all been through a lot in the past couple of years and we sometimes need a hug! Rival Radio is that hug! Yes, it’s E2L, yes, Daria and Dr. Theo Chadwick are in two different camps about love but we are all evolving and learning and smudging the edges as we go because we can commit to one another by listening and with understanding comes respect and love. That’s what this story is about.
There are public platforms both Theo and Daria stand and they are different and opposite platforms. They hold assumptions about each other and there is a lot of verbal sparring, but when they are asked to combine their separate radio shows into one, it’s a rough start, but they learn more about each other and there’s undeniable love that stemmed from attraction on DAY 1.
What I can say is this author’s writing is transparent and really beautiful. It throws a little light on social issues as well as including characters you’ll find in any community and it’s written naturally in a very organic way that makes sense for the story.
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Triggers: Past history and present battle with cancer, parent abandonment, loss of a parent at a young age, history of alcohol abuse (not a factor in the story), a comment by a character that is anti-Semitic.
This book came to me via a recommendation and it was definitely different in both it’s story content and the characters. We meet Ryan our H who has been pining over Mackenzie for the last year. Mackenzie is his “girl in the coffee shop” he hasn’t been able to approach. But one day, she comes into the coffee shop upset after losing her job and getting terrible health news. She cries on his shoulder, he offers her a job at his tattoo shop. And then she meets Colby, Ryan’s employee and friend and he makes remarks about her body, etc.
Both Ryan and Colby put their own lives on hold completely to step in and take care of Mackenzie and it’s quite rough. All are put through the ringer.
I gave this book 4 stars because there was a lot of repetition to the story and the same things kept coming up, Mackenzie just kept repeating that she wasn’t good looking enough, fat, etc to be with Ryan, who was, apparently, out of this world handsome. Ryan was too good to be true. Colby was a good guy, but the interactions between he and Mackenzie bordered on very odd and at one point I thought the story might turn and become a MFM.
There are post treatment sex scenes and one very odd tattooing scene with Ryan then Colby. There is body shaming as well, and then a reference by, I think, Ryan about not wanting to date a holocaust victim, which was extremely inappropriate.
All in all, this book is written well, but there is a lack of spark and I assume the men are much older than Mackenzie, but seem young. Ryan admits to never attending college, but is able to run a business which is interesting.
From what I can see of the author’s other works, this looks like she’s writes mostly PNR, which I’m willing to read.
On a personal note, I’m still in school chipping away and trying to sneak in reading here and there! The semester is almost over, but then it starts up again a week later! Have a wonderful week and I’ll probably post another review in May!
Triggers: murder, attempted murder, a body count, trauma, potential PTSD, mortal danger, informal police procedure.
Pining neighbor
Book 1 in a 3 book series
Warning: may cause a kindle to be tossed, but do not toss the kindle, take a break and make a cup of tea.
Binge reading warning
Rating: 1000 stars
Wow, all I can say is I was searching for a book about an OR nurse for a challenge billed “book with a character in your profession.” I’m an OR nurse, this book was written by an OR nurse and our main character, Annie Collins, is an OR nurse.
Even though we only get snippets of the OR life, the snippets were very spot on and made sense to an OR nurse.
Onto the story. This is a page turner in every sense of the expression. I was very challenged to put this book down and get adulting done this past weekend, and I don’t regret choosing not to do everything on my to-do list.
Annie Collins lives in Colorado and works as a PRN OR nurse, so she makes her own schedule which works out great for this story, if she was regular staff, nothing in this story would have been possible. This story starts with Libby, a college friend of Annie’s, who is unwell and asks Anne to take care of her. She had a miscarriage several weeks prior but her health is declining. Annie takes this on, but her friendship with Libby had a disconnect 4 years prior when Libby married an IT superstar, but Annie never liked him. Libby is a talented and sought after artist. Annie and Libby don’t have a smooth reunion and everything in this story moves quickly along.
There are many moving parts to this story and I can only advise you to strap in for the ride and carve out the time to give this book your attention, stock up on snacks, tea, wine, or whatever you enjoy!
I’ve been busy with work and school, but I have squeezed in a few books!
The Last Eligible Billionaire by Pippa Grant is everything I love in a romance! Fake relationship with sunshine and grump! Plus an adorable dog. This one is the perfect read for a weekend. It just oozes happiness!
Next up, Hollywood Ball by Annie Dyer. This is book 2 in the Manchester Athletic Series, all written by Annie Dyer. This book is absolutely amazing. Ryan is a pro footballer as well as having some serious coding skills. This can be read as a stand-alone.
This is a fiction novel and takes us back to the late 1960s early 70s and the sad results of having a child with special needs, places that would “keep” them and throws a light on misogyny and the patriarchy of the 20th century.
Next up, I listened to Impact Winter, an Audible Original, this was a great listen. It’s more like an audio play with a cast and sound effects. It’s post apocalyptic. You do not need an Audible membership to listen.
I’ll admit, I have way to many books on my e-reader. It feels like too much at times and I’ll never read them all, but maybe there is a gem or two hiding in the stacks? The ereader has allowed me to one click my way into this current situation! How will I ever give these books my eyes? I can’t even spare the time to organize them or even thin out my library.
Since I’m currently a student as well as working, my reading time has been reduced a bit so I’m in reading crisis mode. I’m reading ARCs and that’s just about it because studying has taken over my life. It doesn’t negate my guilt when I see my ereader library, but hopefully, a better day will come and I’ll be able to read all I want when I’m done with the program I’m studying.
So, I wasn’t aware until I got an email, but today, in Romanclandia, it’s Mpreg day. If you’re unfamiliar with this, Mpreg is a male pregnancy and you’ll see this is the Omegaverse sub genre.
Omegaverse also is called A/B/O which is “alpha/beta/omega” and is speculative erotic fiction. It’s basically a fantasy world created by the author, the characters have animal like behaviors and may include shifters. There is the term knotting used to describe sex between the characters and is used to describe the male appendage. Males can become pregnant in Omegaverse romances. Bringing me to Mpreg Day. There are freebies around today for you to try out! Just Google Mpreg Day and you’ll be able to find freebies.
Personally, I enjoy Omegaverse books, but it’s a very specific sub genre, but maybe you’ll give it a try.
The Mastermind by Dylan Allen in in the author’s Rivers Wilde World. You can read The Mastermind as a stand alone.
Ok, honestly, Dylan Allen in the best at writing emotional dialogue with mature characters. I love how dialogue is constructed in Dylan Allen’s books. It’s so careful and thoughtfully written and it just takes you right into the story.
Our main characters are Omar and Jules. Omar is a retired professional football (soccer) player turned businessman. He was based in the UK for much of hisfootball career, but moved to LA at the end of his career to play soccer there. He carries quite a bit of responsibility related to his family, mainly his Dad and sister as he bears the burden of supporting them financially. After a falling out with his father, Omar returns to London.
Jules lives in London and is a strong woman. At the beginning of this book, she has completed law school and been called to the Bar and starts her pupillage. She also works as a bartender. She’s a survivor and I won’t share to much of her story here to avoid spoilers.
Omar is a little gruff and grumpy but he’s the connsumate care taker of those he loves. When he meets Jules, he’s immediately tied to her and likewise for Jules. I really love Omar. He’s really good, mature man.
This story is an emotional roller coaster with many beautiful and unexpected highs and lows.
5 stars for this beauty, and I can not wait for what Dylan Allen has for us next!
ARC provided by the author, and this is my honest review.
Julian and Tally’s story arrived in the deep chill of a Mid Atlantic winter and proceeded to melt my heart. Julian is the operations commander at Hidden Justice while operating Elite Security as a front.
In need of a new hire to act as Julian’s secretary to replace a retiring employee, Tally arrives almost late to interview for the position. Tally is not at all what Julian is looking for to fill the position, but the string between them ties itself around his heart and Julian is forever bound to Tally.
A lot happens between Tally and Julian as their relationship develops and Julian makes a misstep with their relationship. Tally disappears and keeps a big secret from Julian.
Both of these characters are flawed and make mistakes in their relationship but they know they are meant to be together. It’s an emotional roller coaster but they get their HEA. The romantic suspense is superbly written and just the right amount of sensupense.
This series, along with Melanie Moreland’s contemporary backlist, puts her firmly in my must read author list.
Much thanks to Grey’s Promotions for providing this ARC.
Available in Kindle Unlimited! Visit Melanie Moreland’s website!
Playing Dirty in Alaska by Samanthe Beck is book two in the Captivity Alaska series. I did not read book 1, but these can be read as stand-alone novels.
This book is about Bridget Shanahan, a bush pilot, who has grown up in Captivity, Alaska, and whom’s family runs a cargo and transport company with an airfield. Her former boyfriend of three years, Archer Ellison III, left her unexpectedly while studying at Stamford. This experience crushed her, and from then on, she committed herself to remain single and only have casual hookups.
Archer Ellison III comes from a well to do family that owns a successful business and his parents aren’t supportive of Archer. Archer has a sister who wants to run the family company after their father retires, but I guess Archer’s father wants Archer to run it? Either way, his family wants him in the family fold. Archer has been working his way back to Bridget since he left her abruptly, but it’s taken four years and a lot of planning to get back to her. He purchases an air freight business from his father, which frees him from his family commitment.
These two have a lot to work out, and they both make missteps along the way.
I gave this book 4 stars, it’s well written. There are many intimate scenes, a random, adorable kitten named Wally and a malamute called K’eyush or Key.
Triggers: tragic/sudden death of a sibling which happens prior and off page to this story, grieving, abandonment, sleepwalking, contact from departed loved one who appears in ghost form.
Thank you to Greys Promotions for providing an ARC.
Pineapples and Coffee Book Reviews 