The last thing Blue Hendricks needs six months into his uneasy reentry into civilian life is trouble in the form of his old friend's kid sister, all grown up and smack in the middle of a dangerous murder investigation. But he didn't become a SEAL to turn his back on the hard stuff, and he can't bring himself to ignore Everly's call for help--no matter how much he knows he's not fit to be around the soft, vibrant woman she's become. Not after the things he's done.

Everly Campbell is desperate. When her roommate is murdered and the body vanishes, Everly fears she might be next. With no one to believe her, Everly runs to a remote Alaskan town to find a man she only vaguely remembers and his crew of ex-military brothers who could be her only hope. Blue wants to keep things all business but Everly isn't a little girl anymore and the commanding former SEAL is more temptation than she can resist.

As the men on Everly's trail draw closer, Blue will do anything to protect the woman he's starting to think of as his...

Title: Seal's Honor
Author: Megan Crane
Series: Alaska Force
Pages: 352
Genre(s): Contemporary, US
Hot Buttons: Murder <-- highlight to reveal (may contain spoilers)

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I don’t often go for a romantic suspense but so long as the romance element is good, and the suspense part isn’t too scary (yep - I’m a proper wimp!) then I’m game. This particular story sounded fun and I dived right on in.

We get stuck right into the storyline with Everly arriving in Alaska and begging for help. Despite this, I found the start of the story a little bit slow paced. There was lots and lots (and lots) of chat about what a badass Blue Hendricks is. My what big muscles you have. My what manly deeds you have done. It started to become a tad counter productive to me. And then the descriptions of the Alaskan light despite it being nighttime. For some reason, after the fifth time of telling me, I actually yelled at my kindle to shut up about the Alaskan light already!

Then Blue and Everly got to Chicago and things just kicked into high gear. There was murder attempts, confusion, break ins - with a little bit of sex and a whole lot of internal confusions and ponderings thrown into the mix for good measure. Great fun and it soon became an unputdownable and riveting story - I couldn’t get enough.

By this time, I believed in Blue’s badassery. He kicked some ass but I also loved that he taught Everly how to kick some ass, too. He was having a tough time of it though, poor wee scone. He was having all these ‘feelings’ that made this big, hard, ex-marine feel all fluffy and hella uncomfortable. His attempts to belittle Everly into hating him royally pissed me off. I knew, and Everly knew, too, what he was trying to do - but it still irked me. Stupid man!

I loved Everly. She was smart and sassy and had just the right amount of scared to go along with the hots for Blue. I hate it when an author forgets that there’s some serious shit going on just so the couple can get it on. This author didn’t forget and we got some legitimate emotions over that fact. Alongside getting it on!

Speaking of emotions - I admit to getting a little bit weepy at the end. Not so much in the mystery or the romance but because of the parts about Blue and his family. And that set me right up for shedding happy tears when we finally get our HEA. The fact that there were a few laughs thrown in made me even happier.

The first couple of chapters of the story were 3 stars for me - while the rest was 5 giving me my rating of 4 stars. The next book in this standalone series is Sniper’s Pride and I’ve pre-ordered it already. I can’t wait to see the next Alaskan Force team member to meet his match. Great writing, great characters and great fun. A book I’d recommend.

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* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

The Alaska Force Series:

       

    

       

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A fresh start is all Eliza wants for Christmas…

Nothing short of a miracle can restore Eliza Hayward’s Christmas cheer. The job she pinned her dreams on has gone up in smoke and now she's stuck in an unfamiliar, little town for Christmas.

Enter Aidan Caine. He can help Eliza find the perfect Christmas as project – the renovation of his lakeside guest lodge. Soon he see how quickly he could fall for her. But is he's willing to risk his heart on a yuletide romance that could lead to forever?

Title: Snow Angel Cove
Author: RaeAnne Thayne
Series: Haven Point, Book 1
Pages: 382
Genre(s): Contemporary, US, Christmas
Hot Buttons: Previous death of a partner, child with medical issues, brain tumour <-- highlight to reveal (may contain spoilers)

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I’m a huge fan of romance novels and Christmas - so this kind of book is like perfection all wrapped up in a bow. And that gorgeous, Christmassy cover doesn’t hurt, either!

However, two things that I tend to avoid in romance books are children, and widows or widowers. So at first, I felt that perhaps this wasn’t going to be a book for me after all. But little Maddie stole my child-averse little heart. She was cute and sweet, without being a stereotyped caricature. And her imaginary horse, Bob - loved him, too!

As for the fact that Eliza is a young widow…part of my concern over that was dispelled simply because Eliza is such a rich, warm character - you can’t help but love her. She’s feisty and independent but with that sweet personality that makes her the perfect Christmas heroine. The other part of the widow thing was dispelled as Eliza didn’t hate her ex but you could tell he wasn’t her happily ever after. And while that’s perhaps not real life - it’s definitely the way I prefer it!

Aiden was, in Eliza’s words, a geek God. He was sexy, focussed and a workaholic but he was so in need of the love of a good woman. And the fact that he wears glasses and has sexy, ruffled hair…oh boy!

The romance between the pair was sweet and steady. There was kissing and a few thoughts of sex - but no doing of the deed. Normally I’m always hankering for more sex in books, but this book felt so magical and sweet - I don’t think that sex would have been right, if I’m honest. It was still clear that Eliza and Aiden were perfect for each other and I felt like cheering when they got their happily ever after.

I normally complain that Christmas books are just normal romances transplanted into December without any of the magic and wonder of Christmas; not so this book. There’s snow, there’s baking, there’s a tree and family, roaring fires, hot chocolate and cosy socks. It just oozes Christmas and really gives you the feeling of the season.

From all the chat of the family members arriving at Snow Angel Cove for Christmas, I gather that this book might be part of a much larger series. There wasn’t enough interaction with the other couples to make me want to read the earlier books in the series - but I will look out for future books. Either way, this story still stands nicely alone.

My one complaint is a huge bugbear of mine. Epilogue. If any story was crying out for an epilogue then this was it. I wanted to see Aiden, Eliza and little Maddie (and Bob) in a year’s time. At Christmas. I wanted to see how they were, dammit. Dear authors - please write epilogues!

Having said that, this was still a magically sweet story that snuggles you in Christmas spirit no matter what time of year. It’s a book I very much enjoyed and one I would recommend. 4 stars.

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* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

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The accidental governess…

After her livelihood slips through her fingers, Alexandra Mountbatten takes on an impossible post: transforming a pair of wild orphans into proper young ladies. However, the girls don’t need discipline. They need a loving home. Try telling that to their guardian, Chase Reynaud. The ladies of London have tried—and failed—to make him settle down. Somehow, Alexandra must reach his heart . . . without risking her own.

The infamous rake…

Like any self-respecting libertine, Chase lives by one rule: no attachments. When a stubborn little governess tries to reform him, he decides to prove he can’t be tamed. But Alexandra is more than he bargained for: clever, perceptive, passionate. She refuses to see him as a lost cause. Soon the walls around Chase’s heart are crumbling . . . and he’s in danger of falling, hard.

Title: The Governess Game
Author: Tessa Dare
Series: Girl Meets Duke
Pages: 384
Genre(s): Historical, Regency, England
Hot Buttons: /

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Tessa Dare always write an absorbing and exciting story filled with highs and lows that ultimately lead to a satisfying and rewarding happily ever after.

This is the second book in Dare’s Girl Meets Duke series (after The Duchess Deal and before The Wallflower Wager. The series follows four unusual heroines as they each find their own happy ending. Despite being part of this series - and the obvious inclusion of the other three girls and one husband - this book stands completely alone and you don’t have to have read any other book to read this one. Although of course I’m going to suggest that you do!

This story doesn’t meander into the start of the tale - it gets there and it gets there quickly. That sets the tone for the whole of the book. I couldn’t put it down and damned if I wanted to.

Chase is, I suppose, a bit of an unusual hero in that he’s not brooding and angsty. Sure, he’s got issues, but he’s got a sense of humour, a playful side and a very lusty nature. I shouldn’t be surprised that his opposite, Alex, is just as unusual. She’s a penniless clock setter turned governess of Spanish and American parents, born and raised on a boat - which may or may not have been piratical.

I loved the pair together. They sparred, they laughed and they had sexy times together - and everyone knows how much I love the sexy times. Sadly, that’s also where this book dropped a star. In the beginning, the chemistry sizzled between Chase and Alex, giving me that lovely jump in the tummy kind of feeling. They got intimate without being intimate aaaaaand….suddenly two weeks had passed and we were being told that the pair had been having fun this whole time. Without me.

Okay, fine - I have an imagination - I could work with this. And then the grand old consummation came…and it was uncomfortable and awkward. For Chase and Alex and for me. I know that sex isn’t all popping cherries then popping the champagne, but come on, I don’t read romance novels for real life. Especially not real life sex.

To be honest, those missed two weeks really seemed to change the tone of the book. I felt I’d missed out, not just on the sexy times but on the relationship building with the girls, and the growing feelings between Alex and Chase. Oh, I believed everything when the end came around - and I was really happy for it - I just wished I had more knowledge of how things got there.

And speaking of the girls - I don’t really care for children in books (or children in real life either, really) but Rosamund and Daisy (and Millicent) were really quite funny. The continual death of Millicent was particularly hilarious. (It’s okay - she survives in the end!)

Please don’t get me wrong - I really loved this book and practically devoured the thing. I just wanted a teensy bit more of the build up to the finale. But Tessa Dare has reaffirmed her position as one of my emerging favourite historical romance novelists and I cannot wait for the next book to see whether Nic or Penny gets her man.

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* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

The Girl Meets Duke Series:

               

   

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At a society bachelorette auction, a hedge fund king gets more than he bargained for…

When Cassie Harris squeezes herself into a too-small neon designer dress for a bachelorette charity auction, she realizes there’s nothing she won’t do for her landscape design business. Her biggest client is hosting the New York society event solely to show off her own filthy-rich, dead-sexy Australian boyfriend. And she’s using Cassie to make herself look good. Cassie steps on stage, humiliated. But an unexpected bidder spends an enormous sum on her, causing gasps throughout the gala. The winner? Thom King, her biggest client’s boyfriend. Cassie can kiss that account goodbye—and her fledgling business along with it.

Thom King has no interest in society girls with grand designs on his wallet. But he has a huge interest in getting that ridiculous gown off of the hourglass figure of Cassie Harris. And once he gets to know her, his interest only grows. She’s as hardworking as he is, as focused, and as smart. Before he met Cassie, women were mere distractions from his hedge fund. Now, Cassie’s the only thing Thom can think about.

But Cassie doesn’t believe a man like Thom can love at all, let alone love a woman like her. And that means Thom will have to use all of the charm and seduction at his disposal to prove her wrong.

Title: A Tycoon's Bargain
Author: Avery Laval
Series: Sin City Tycoons
Pages: 93
Genre(s): Contemporary, US
Hot Buttons: /

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I am a huge fan-girl of Avery Laval and the Sin City Tycoon’s - just putting that out there as a disclaimer before I start waxing lyrical about this book. And the book definitely deserves to be fawned over.

But first, the important parts. This is book 3.5 in the Sin City Tycoon’s series. (It’s a novella at only  93 pages so it’s a point five!) but each book in the series stands alone and doesn’t contain those bloody annoying cliffhangers you see everywhere these days. For those of you following the series (and you really should because it’s great), Thom is one of Grant (from A Tycoon’s Jewel)’s buddies from their school days.

The story kicks off straight away with Cassie about to go out on stage “like a sausage in a tutu”, according to her boss, in front of a crowd of the very best of New York society. Of course I’m going to root for the underdog, especially when the target of a mean girl. But Cassie impressed me on her own merits in the way she dealt with the situation and the whole inference that she wasn’t as modelesque as the New York socialites in attendance. It didn’t bother her at all. The predictable way for an author to go, would be to have her character have rousing speeches or monologues about how she didn’t care - she loved herself regardless yada yada yada. Cassie just got on with it. She felt in the situation then dealt with the situation. None of this “Thom’s too hot for me” or “I need a man to show me that my body is beautiful”. And it was more empowering because there was no hullabaloo around the situation. And the fact that Cassie was also sharp, bright, sassy and fun didn’t hinder my love for her either.

Then there was Thom.

Sigh.

I just want a Thom for my very own. He was gorgeous (which obviously doesn’t hurt) but he was dedicated, determined and so sarcastic and funny. So funny. I love a man who can laugh at himself and the situations. It was bloody adorable. If Cassie and Thom weren’t so perfect for each other then I would have wanted him for my very own. The perfect man.

As I said, the pair were funny - there was banter - yay! - and I actually laughed out loud on a number of occasions. The writing was dazzling and the story flowed by so fast that you got completely absorbed in the characters and their story. I could see it, feel it, smell it…

This book was just a joy - and it reminded why I love romance. It had the great couple who you genuinely like and want to root for. It had the humour. It had the banter. And it has the feel good, stomach jumping romance that leaves you feeling just a little bit giddy and in love. 5 well-deserved stars.

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* I received this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. *

The Sin City Tycoons Series:

         

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