Love in Plane Sight

This book by Lauren Connolly is not what I expected and I feel like it could have been better if lust weren't the centerpiece of the whole book.  There really isn't enough plot development to create an organic love story.  There are a lot of points that could have been more fully developed.  The money struggles Beth was having trying to pay off loans and her mortgage was the one thing that seemed complete in the book. Beth's relationship with her brother was one thing that could have more fully fleshed out. Beth's flying lessons could have been more detailed. It could have been a really good book but it missed the mark by a mile. 

Two Stars.

Berkley Publishing provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.

 

Maid for Each Other

Abi Mariano's apartment is being fumigated and the penthouse apartment of one of her cleaning clients is supposed to be empty for the week while she needs to be out of her own place. She figures that she can use the penthouse and then clean it up before he even knows. Except his parents come in and find her and think she's his girlfriend.  Then horror of all horrors, he shows up in his own home and Abi has a lot to explain.  

Declan, the owner of the apartment, sees how this can work to his advantage and makes a deal with Abi.  She asks for $40,000 to pay off her student loans and she will go with him to a business weekend as his girlfriend.  It stretches out for more than just the weekend and one thing Abi learns about Declan is that his wealth is not as important to him as it would seem on the outside.  He plays the party line with his company, but behind it all his passion lies in a charitable company that does its good deeds anonymously.  

This is a formulaic romance, but it is one that uses a third party to throw a spanner into the works.  Lynn Painter has done a creditable job in creating a believable story.  Her plot lines are sometimes hilarious, but easily followable. She uses her thoughts to paint a picture worth perusing.  

Four Stars. 

Berkeley Publishing Group provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are solely my own. 

 

Sense and Suitability

Emmeline thought that Simon was going to propose to her, but he bailed on her at the last minute.  Now both of them have been given ultimatums to find a spouse this season or else.  Simon needs money, Emmeline doesn't have a large enough dowry.  The problem is they are in love with each other, but there is a black mark against Simon and Emmeline would rather not get married if she can't have Simon.  

There are several interesting characters who flesh out the movement of the plot--Aunts for both Simon and Emmeline feel that they have a say in what happens in their niece's or nephew's lives, even to the point of choosing spouses for their charges. 

Pepper Basham writes compelling novels that grasp the reader from the very first pages all the way through to the end.  She seems to know what her readers want and delivers with a flourish. I love the way she puts a plot together and her settings are spot on for the story she is telling.  

Four Strong Stars. 

My Thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own. 

 

Look Before You Leap

 

This is a reverse of the normal romance novel formula.  Instead of boy meets girl, etc., it's girl meets boy, girl loses boy, girl gets boy back.  

Lottie is capricious and unrestrained.  She rides horses with wild abandon and has an unfortunate accident with a Viscount.  That specific ride gets her fired from her nanny position, and now she is looking for new employment.  When she is hired to be a companion to a crotchety older lady, her life takes an unexpected turn in ways that no one ever anticipated. 

Guy Harrowby is the man who gets thrown from his horse because of Lottie's wild ride through the park. While he is incensed because she came out of nowhere, he can't fault her horsemanship. The next hurdle he has to master is his thirtieth birthday, which his mother wants to celebrate in a big way.  

The lady Lottie is employed by is the sister of Guy's mother.  They engage Lottie in their schemes to throw a week-long party for Guy.  Every social climber shows up for the party and plagues Guy until he can hardly stand it anymore.  When he finds out that Lottie was involved in planning the party, he frosts her out in spite of the growing feelings he has for her.  

This is my first book to read by Virginia Heath and while it does have its rather steamy parts, there are some really funny parts to the book. The plot flows pretty seamlessly, and even though it is the second in a series, it reads well as a stand alone. I truly enjoyed reading Look Before You Leap--four strong stars. 

St Martin's Press provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.

Capture the Moment

“Most of what makes a book 'good' is that we are reading it at the right moment for us.” - Alain de Botton

 I chose this book because of the author.  I have read many of her books with great enjoyment.  This one fell short of the mark even though it is set in one of the most beautiful places in the United States.  There were too many subplots for me to navigate. It could be that it just wasn't the right time for me to appreciate the nuances of the book.  

Kate has been a zoo photographer, but her boyfriend convinced her to go to the Grand Teton National Park to photograph Grizzley 399.  He told her that National Geographic will publish the best picture of the bear coming out of hibernation.  Coop is the ranger who works the part of the park where 399 lives.  He encounters Kate and finds a way to help her out.  Wade is a poacher who wants the pelt of 399 and infiltrates the National Park Service as a way to get into the park to hunt for the bear. Tim is a senior ranger and Sally is the managing ranger.  Tim's granddaughter, Maisie, is a boy-crazy teen, and she's often in the way of whatever action is going on. All of these people are cast in roles that are too close to main characters.  That's too many.  Trying to keep all these people straight while reading the book was overwhelming. 

Suzanne Woods Fisher usually writes very readable books. I generally like what she writes, but I found this one to miss the mark.

Three stars.  

Revell Publishing provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own. 

Sunrise Reef

Irene Hannon has written a novel that departs a bit from the normal romance formula but in the sweetest way.  

Bren's house has had a fire in the walls because of a storm, so she has to move out of her house for a couple of months.  Fred has a guest cottage that he allows Bren to move into while her house is being repaired.  On her first night, she hears someone enter the house, so she douses him with pepper gel. Thus was her inauspicious meeting of Fred's son, Noah.  

Noah and Bren get off to a rocky start, but it evolves into a friendship and then to something more. 

On the side, Emma comes to town and her car breaks down.  She's trying to find a job so that she can gain custody of her brother from their step-father. Bren offers to let Emma stay with her until her car is fixed. Emma goes on an extensive job hunt and finally finds a temporary job that will pad her resume.  Noah has an initial objection to Emma because no one knows anything about her.  Once she passes the background check, he acquiesces to her living with Bren. 

Sunrise Reef is a novel more about how a town comes together to help one another out, than a true romance, although it does figure into the story--just not the main focus until much later in the book.  In fact, the Hope Harbor Novels are all written in much the same way.  It is a strong Four Star book that is so hard to put down.  

Revell Publishing provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own. 

 

Sometimes You Stay

I wanted a light-hearted read and I got it with this book.  Liz Johnson knows how to bring readers in and take them for a light-hearted ride through Prince Edward Island in Canada. 

The major players are Cretia--a travel blogger who lives out of her suitcase (and all she owns is in that suitcase), and Finn--a dog breeder who takes in stray animals who need a place to light and land, but we also cannot forget Joe, Jr. the Newfie who rescues Cretia from the harbor.  

There are lessons learned by both of the main characters, but the relationship grows organically and even though the romantic novel formula was followed--to a point, it didn't feel forced. There were inner conflicts to overcome, friendships to forge, and a litter of puppies to whelp. 

There is a lot of humor, some angst, but a lot of longing on Finn's and Cretia's parts.  Finn's biggest issue is getting Cretia to stay, and Cretia's is not wanting to be a burden to her new friends at the Red Door Inn or Finn. There are times you just gotta reach out of your comfort zone and Liz made this a book that reaches that point with these characters. 

This is a strong Four-Star Book. 

Revell Publishing provided the copy I read for this review.  All opinions expressed are solely my own.