Book Review (313): What A Woman Wants (Manley Maids #1) - Judi Fennell

What a Woman Wants (Manley Maids #1)

by Judi Fennell

Publication: 4th March 2014

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 336

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: Adult

Buy It: Amazon+Barnes & Noble+The Book Depository

What happens when three irresistibly sexy brothers lose a poker bet to their enterprising sister? They get hired out for her housecleaning venture. Now, the Manley Maids are at your service. Satisfaction guaranteed. It’s what a woman wants... 

Resort entrepreneur Sean Manley was all set to buy an historic mansion at a great price, making a name for himself while making millions, when the seller and a poker bet change the game. Now he’s in the place as a hunky male maid and there’s one more complication: Livvy Carolla.

The house is Livvy’s inheritance. Her plan? Unload it to the highest bidder and use the cash to start her own bakery business. One look at the help” and she’s hot to take him with her. Until she finds out he’s got a secret agenda.

But when Sean falls for the free-spirited, strong-willed Livvy, he has new ideas for the estate—and Livvy’s part in it. If all goes well, they’ll both be getting what they want. And then some.

My Thoughts.

What A Woman Wants is the first book in the brand new Manly Maids series by Judi Fennell.

I adored this book, such a humorously, entertaining read that kept a smile on my face the whole read through.

There is so much to love in this book, it's such a feel good story guaranteed to cheer you up and give you a laugh.

Sean Manley has lost, lost at a game of poker to his sister Mac, he and his two brothers Liam and Bryan must pay the price, four weeks each as a maid at her Manley Maids business, Sean is at least happy at where he landed at, the Martinson estate, his corporation buys historic buildings and turns them into B & B's, after coming to an agreement with the recently deceased owner he stands to make quite a bit of money by buying the mansion with the plans all in place, until Livvy the the woman's granddaughter makes an appearance to claim the house and her inheritance.

Ignored by her grandmother her whole life, Livvy just wants her inheritance to start up her business, and to be able to afford a house that doesn't have a leaky roof and enough room for her menagerie of pets, but then she discovers that the only way that she will inherit anything is to follow her grandmother's instructions and take part in the scavenger hunt which she set up before she died in hopes that Livvy will discover the history of her ancestors.

Fighting their attraction to one another, Sean knows to be able to buy the mansion that he needs to thwart Livvy's attempts at discovering all the clues she needs in the two weeks she's been given to solve it all and claim what's rightfully hers, but when their relationship takes the next step and he realises that he's falling in love with her, will he be able to go through with his plans or lose the one thing that has come to mean the most to him in Livvy.

If you're looking for a laugh out loud, feel good romance with characters that have sizzling chemistry then check this book out, I can't wait to read both Bryan and Liam's stories and find out just how their month of being a Manly Maid works out for them, and with the sneak peek we've gotten throughout this book of them and their employers they look to be as entertaining as this book was.

A great story with loveable characters sure to brighten your day.

I give this 5/5 stars.

I have been writing for as long as I can remember, winning my first writing award in a second grade Caldecott Medal contest. Readers' Digest gave me my very first publishing credit in April, 1994, and I was hooked. I seemed to have followed writing contests around, being a finalist in such online contests as American Title III, sponsored by Romantic Times BOOKreview Magazine and Dorchester Publishing, and two First Chapters contests, sponsored by Gather.com and Simon & Schuster/Pocket Books. My imaginary friend was Casper the Friendly Ghost. The little ghoul even had a special place set for him at our dinner table and got blamed for many of my childhood mishaps. I grew up watching Bewitched, I Dream of Jeannie and The Addams Family--my mom looked like Elizabeth Montgomery and I had a special Barbie outfit that looked like Morticia Addams' dress. My favorite books are Bewitching by Jill Barnett and A Knight In Shining Armor, by Jude Devereaux, so it should come as no surprise that I like to write tongue-in-cheek lighthearted paranormals.  I love pop culture and manipulating language, so you'll find lots of puns, double entrendre, plays-on-words, alliteration, clichés, and twisting of phrases, as well as several one-liners in my stories that give me a few chuckles. I studied Spanish at Penn State (Go Lions!), lived in Spain and traveled throughout that beautiful country.  I've always written and still have my journal from fourth grade where, even then, my stories were full of fantastical creatures, whimsy and magic. I wrote my first romance in 9th grade and still have that story in my memory chest. Even back then I dreamed of being a writer. Now with kids, a husband, a house, a social life (Go Survivor Girls!), and two cocker spaniels named Vixen and Raven, I get to live my dream of being a writer! I've also published, under the name J.A. Fenn, a horror anthology. Yes, a bit different from light-hearted romance, but just as much fun to write. Hope you check out Off The Beaten Path, A Terrifying Tales Anthology. Website+Facebook+Twitter+Goodreads

CURSED - ALEXA EGAN, in e-format on March 31st. For a limited time (now until April 14th), this three book set is available at the special price of only $0.99.

Cursed: The Complete Imnada Brotherhood Novellas

 Alexa Egan’s new novel, WARRIOR’S CURSE (Pocket Books; April 29, 2014; Mass Market Original/E-book), the third novel in the dark and sexy Imnada Brotherhood series about shape shifters in Regency-era England. The first two installments in Alexa Egan’s Imnada Brotherhood series received rave reviews from RT Book Reviews, Publishers Weekly and many more.  

Combining the genres of historical and paranormal romances, WARRIOR’S CURSE is a fast-paced and captivating story featuring a clan of shape-shifters and telepaths who have lived as human for centuries while doing anything necessary to guard the truth of their existence.

Over the past year our e-book only imprint, Pocket Star, has published three e-novellas by Alexa Egan set within her Imnada Brotherhood universe—Awaken the Curse, Unleash the Curse, and Vanquish the Curse.  These novellas are now being published together as CURSED, in e-format on March 31st.  For a limited time (now until April 14^th), this three book set is available at the special price of only $0.99.   

Book Review (312): Spirited (Tidewater #1) - Mary Behre

Spirited (Tidewater #1)

by Mary Behre

Publication: 4th March 2014

Publisher: Berkley

Pages: 320

Genre: Paranormal, Romantic Suspense

Age Appropriate: Adult

Buy It: Amazon+Barnes & Noble+The Book Depository

She’s running from who she is…...

All Jules Scott wants is to live a normal, quiet life—preferably one that doesn’t include ghosts. Jules’s talent for communicating with the dead has brought her nothing but trouble. Despite her best efforts, needy spirits always find her and draw her into their otherworldly drama. When one implicates her in a series of deadly crimes, she may need to entrust her secrets to the person least likely to believe her.…

He’ll do whatever it takes to catch her.

Detective Seth English can’t get distracted from the big case he’s working on, not even by his alluring new neighbor. He doesn’t believe that Jules had anything to do with the string of robberies-turned-murders that he’s investigating, but when she keeps showing up in all the wrong places, his gut tells him she knows more than she’s letting on. To solve his case, he’ll need to expose what the sexy redhead is hiding—no matter how impossible the truth may be….

My Thoughts.

Spirited is the debut novel from author Mary Behre, book one in the Tidewater series which from what I've read so far is going to be one fantastic series!

Spirited was such a great book, so you can imagine my surprise when I discovered that this is Mary's first novel, her writing reads as someone who's been writing for years and has a back catalog of book titles released.

I loved everything about this story, the plot was consistently entertaining, the characters were extremely likeable and interesting and the concept was so well done that I didn't want the book to end, and I'm desperately awaiting the second book Guarded to continue on with the Scott sisters stories.

Jules has a special gift, she's psychic, and can see ghosts, which hasn't gone so well for her once people find out, they pass her off as crazy, including her ex-husband, so when she starts being haunted by a woman whom was murdered and won't leave her alone, she finds herself involved in a robbery/murder case as a suspect, in charge of the investigation is Detective Seth English who she may have had a run in with when she fell into his open bedroom window, dressed as a hooker (she was at a fancy dress party), and accused of trying to rob him whilst at the same time trying to solicit him, with both of them attracted to each other at the same time, this would have to be one of the funniest opening scenes of a book that I've ever read and it was from that scene that I knew I was going to love and devour this book.

With the ghost who was the murder victim stalking and appearing to her at the most inopportune times, Jules is also having to deal with her burgeoning relationship with Seth, someone who is trying to kill her as well as the search for her two younger sisters after they were all separated and adopted out to different families when they were younger.

Full of action, drama, humor, ghostly apparitions and some romance, definitely add this to your tbr pile, it's an exciting new read from a talented new author.

I give this 5/5 stars.

Mary Behre is the lone female in a house full of males and the undisputed queen of her domain. She even has the glittery tiara to prove it. She loves stories with humor, ghosts, mysteries and above all else, a good romance. When not writing, she enjoys reading, gluten-free baking, and hanging out at the beach with the most important men in her life, her family.

Her debut paranormal romance, SPIRITED (Tidewater Novel #1) was an award-winning manuscript before it sold to Berkley Sensation. The Tidewater Series is mix of humor, suspense, and a psychic love-connection. The first three stories are about three sisters separated years before in the foster care system. As they search for love, each other, and a way to live with their psychic abilities, they’re tossed into the middle of mysteries that only their unique gifts can help solve.

Mary loves to hear from readers. Find her on Twitter/@MaryBehre and Facebook/MaryBehre.Author.

Website+Goodreads

Book Highlight & Giveaway: The White Door - Christy Sloat

 

Title: The White Door
Author: Christy Sloat
Genre: Young Adult
Series: The Visitors Series, Book 3
Publication: March 3rd, 2014

“When I first moved here I was still a girl who cherished the normality of teen life. Now, after being here a year I had come to love a boy who was both strong and courageous. I made real friendships that would last even after death. The selfish girl my grandmother warned me of becoming had vanished. A girl who stood tall, with the powers to see the dead and help those in need, appeared in her place.”
In Brylee’s world, nothing is normal. She sees and speaks with the dead and, at seventeen years old, she already has a full plate. She’s in her senior year of high school and college is just around the corner, but only if she learns to control her gifts and survive in the land of the living.
She has succeeded in ridding her boyfriend, Ephraim, from the Brown family curse, but, in the end, her best friend loses her life. Now a whole slew of new problems present itself and, like always, Brylee is tempted to run for the hills. With Ephraim at her side, she must come to grips with the reality that she is not an average girl and she never will be.
What will happen when the town turns on her? Or, better yet, when a body is unearthed in her backyard? The choices that Brylee must make will determine whether she has a future or nothing at all.

Buy on Amazon 

     I raised my hand to excuse myself to the bathroom and Miss Hailey obliged. I sped walked to the girl’s room as Kayla skipped behind me. I pushed open a stall and threw my hands up in the air. “What the heck Kayla? Here, at school?”

     She laughed.

     “Seriously? I know something’s up, but why not wait until after school?” 

     She leaned against the stall and sighed. “I told you things are weird with me lately. I don’t know what’s happening but I can feel a change coming. I… I…” Her mad rush to speak was suddenly interrupted by a choking sound coming from her mouth.

     “Kayla!” I rushed to her and my hands went through her body. She wasn’t solid like normal. Something was wrong! Kayla had always felt like flesh and blood to me. Never like a ghost.

     Suddenly her mouth opened and water poured out onto my feet, splashing my shoes and legs. I still tried but failed to help her. She was choking on water and, if I wasn’t mistaken, she was drowning. I was helpless and didn’t know what to do. Then before I could come up with an answer she uttered one word, “Diary.”

Christy Sloat is a SoCal born girl who resides in New Jersey currently with her husband, two daughters and Sophie her Chihuahua. Christy has embraced the love of reading and writing since her youth and was inspired by her grandmother's loving support. Christy passes that love of reading, writing, and creativity to her daughters, family, and friends. When you do not find Christy within the pages of a book you can find her being mommy, wife, crafter, and dear friend. She loves adventurous journeys with her friends and can be known to get lost inside a bookstore. Be sure to venture into her Past Lives Series, The Visitor's Series, and watch for many more exciting things to come.

Website | Goodreads | Twitter | Facebook

a Rafflecopter giveaway

(ARC) Book Review (311): The Summer I Found You - Jolene Perry

The Summer I Found You

by Jolene Perry

Publication: 1st March 2014
Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company
Pages: 240
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age Appropriate: Young Adult
Buy It: Amazon+Barnes & Noble+The Book Depository

All they have in common is that they're less than perfect. And all they're looking for is the perfect distraction.

Kate's dream boyfriend has just broken up with her and she's still reeling from her diagnosis of type 1 diabetes. Aidan planned on being a lifer in the army and went to Afghanistan straight out of high school. Now he's a disabled young veteran struggling to embrace his new life. When Kate and Aidan find each other neither one wants to get attached. But could they be right for each other after all?

My Thoughts.

The Summer I Found You is the first book of Jolene's I've read that wasn't co-written with another author, and I have to say that I loved it!

The concept and storyline was new to me, before this book I'd never read a story regarding this topic, it's about a young soldier who was injured in a bomb explosion in Afghanistan, that not only killed his friend but cost him his right arm, pardoned from the army and having to learn to live with his disability, Aidan is depressed, with everyone he knows seeming to be uncomfortable around him and unsure of exactly how to carry on a conversation in case they offend him somehow, until he meets Kate, his cousins best-friend, who says whatever she's thinking and who jokes around with him about only having the one arm.

But after becoming friends, and then a couple Kate is still keeping a secret from Aidan, she has Type 1  Diabetes, happy that someone doesn't know she has it and furthermore that she's not questioned about her blood sugar level every five minutes, she keeps putting off telling him, afraid that he won't want anything to do with her when she does reveal to him her disease, but once Aidan finds out that she's been keeping this from him, can their relationship survive this kind of deception this early on, or this the end of them as a couple for good?

With a storyline that you don't see a whole lot of in YA contemporary novels, this was a breath of fresh air, a fantastic story with loveable characters, you can't go wrong by picking this book up.

I give this 4/5 stars.

Jolene grew up in South-central Alaska. She’s lived in Anchorage, near the Alyeska ski resort, on a cabin on an island on a lake, and then in a boring old house.

Jolene kissed a boy on her high school graduation night. One she’d wanted to kiss for a long time. They got married two years later, have built two homes together, survived military deployments, law school, student loan debt, and two children.

Jolene plays the guitar, takes pictures, and loves to hike. She doesn’t like rivers, but loves the ocean. She loves to fly, but gets motion sick. Her ultimate vacation would be to sail through the deserted islands in The Bahamas. Two years ago, she got that wish when her parents retired on a sailboat.

She taught high school French when she was only a few years older than her students, and then taught middle school math with her degree in political science and French.

She spends grocery money on designer fabric, shoes, and books.

Jolene cannot express how many times she wished she could write a whole novel. And now she has. Many times. Life is good.

Website+Facebook+Twitter+Goodreads

(ARC) Book Review (310): The Bride Insists - Jane Ashford

The Bride Insists

by Jane Ashford

Publication: 4th March 2014

Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca

Pages: 384

Genre: Historical Romance

Age Appropriate: Adult

Buy It: Amazon+Barnes & Noble+The Book Depository

When governess Clare Greenough learns she's inherited a fortune, the good news comes with a catch: it will be held by her cousin until Clare can find a husband. 

To stave off ruin, Jamie Boleigh, the seventh Baron of Trehearth, agrees to marry Clare under the condition that she keeps the money, a provision he hopes to overturn. Their passionate relationship becomes a battle of wills. 

When the cousin tricks Jamie into betraying his wife, he'll have to prove the truth or lose her forever.

My Thoughts.

There's nothing like discovering a new historical romance author, especially one you were never aware of and whom also has a healthy back catalogue to their name, Jane's writing is engaging, a delight to read and add to that this was a great story to get lost in.

Clare is a Governess who inherits a fortune after the death of an Uncle, her joy at this news soon turns to disbelief when she is told that the only way her cousin Simon will release the money is if she's married, not letting that stop her she goes to her solicitor inquiring as to whether he knows of any men short on money, who would be willing to marry her only on the condition that they sign a contract to agree that Clare will be in charge of her own money, enter Jamie, Baron Trehearth who after the death of his Father has been left with a lot of debt and no means to afford to keep his house and lands out of the banks hands.

With the idea that Clare will eventually come around to the idea, after they're married that she'll relinquish the funds to him he agrees and they wed, once arriving at Trehearth, Clare discovers that Jamie has kept two important details from her, namely his twin ten year old sisters: Tegan & Tamsyn, who are out of control and insist on dressing and acting like boys, add in the downtrodden state of the house and gardens and their work is cut out for them.

In time they both develop feelings for one another but all that is changed when Clare discovers that Jamie has gone behind her back about her finances, fleeing to London to put some distance between them while Jamie figures out exactly why she's mad at what he did, will he figure it out in time to save their marriage or will it be too late?

I adored this book the storyline, characters and setting made this for a book that I didn't want to put down, so absorbed I was in this world that Jane had created with her vivid descriptions and details, I will definitely be hunting down her other works, she's got herself a new fan and I will definitely be awaiting all her future releases.

Highly recommended for fans of well written historical romances.

I give this 5/5 stars.

About Jane Ashford

Jane Ashford discovered Georgette Heyer in junior high school and was entranced by the glittering world and witty language of Regency England. That delight was part of what led her to study English literature and travel widely in Britain and Europe. Born in Ohio, she has lived in New York, Boston and LA.

Jane has written historical and contemporary romances. Her books have been published in Sweden, Italy, England, Denmark, France, Russia, Latvia and Spain, as well as the U.S. She has been nominated for a Career Achievement Award by RT Book Reviews.

Some of Jane's posts around the web:

Did you know that the law in the Regency period made married women legal nonentities?

Do you enjoy animal characters in fiction? I love writing them. And my own pets have been an inspiration.

Check out my "Author Override" at Under the Covers and a guest post at USATodayabout favorite character types.

You can find my posts about my writing desk (picture on my Facebook page), steamy settings and on the beginnings of Once Again a Bride.

What are some of your favorite things about the Regency period? I listed a few of mine on Kim's blog.

Fabulous author Grace Burrowes was kind enough to host me at her blog. See the interview here.

Website+Facebook+Goodreads

Book Review (309): Just Like Heaven (Sweetland #2) - Lacey Baker

Just Like Heaven (Sweetland #2)

by Lacey Baker

Publication: 26th November 2013

Publisher: St Martin's Paperbacks

Pages: 368

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Age Appropriate: Adult

Buy It: • The Book Depository •• Amazon •• Barnes & Noble • 

•B-A-M •• Chapters •• IndieBound •• Powell’s 
Ebook: • Kindle • • Nook • • Kobo • • iBooks • • St. Martin's Press •

As a successful criminal prosecutor, Preston Cantrell thrives in the hustle and bustle of Baltimore. Much as he loved his grandmother, the cozy streets of his hometown aren’t enough for him—not when he can make a real difference in the city. To get back to his career, all he needs is a new home for the energetic puppy he inherited. But when the gorgeous woman who arrives to adopt finds the dog more appealing than he is, Preston’s determined to plead his case.

Heaven Montgomery is still shaky after an accident almost claimed her life—and her doctor thinks having a pet would help her deal with the post-traumatic stress. The plan is for Heaven to take her new puppy back home to Boston…but Sweetland’s warmth and charm is irresistible.Why should she rush back to the chill and snobbery of her city? In Just Like Heaven by Lacey Baker, Heaven’s learning, with Preston’s help, that life doesn’t always care about the plans you’ve made. Sometimes you just need to let fate—and love—create its own sweet magic. 

My Thoughts.

Just Like Heaven is the second book in the Sweetland series by Lacey Baker.

I just adore this series, I love the fact that the series focuses on the Cantrell siblings: Quinn, Michelle, Raine, Preston, Parker and Savannah, brought home to Sweetland after the death of their Gramma and left to them in her will her bed and breakfast establishment as well as a puppy each, also brothers and sisters, and it's because of Preston wanting to give his puppy Coco away that we get to meet this books heroine Heaven.

Heaven arrives in Sweetland just planning to stay a couple of days to pick up Coco and be on her way, with her life at a standstill after an explosion at work which she was accused of setting up, she finds herself at peace finally, away from her controlling parents and spending her days as she wants to ,  falling into the rhythm of the towns day to day business she finds herself helping out at the inn as well as hanging around with lawyer Preston, who when he was younger had a reputation with his twin Parker as a ladies man, earning themselves the nickname Double Trouble Cantrells,

With Heaven and Preston starting a will they won't they relationship, and Heaven deciding to permanently move to Sweetland, it's up to Preston who is situated in Baltimore to finally decide whether he wants to move back home to be with Heaven and his siblings once and for all.

These books are so well written, once you pick one up its extremely hard to put it back down until again you've reached the very end.

With four more siblings to go I have a fair idea of whom they'll be partnered up with with, I can't wait to see how right I am and to discover their stories and just what Lacey has in store for them all.

Great series, I highly recommend!

I give this 4/5 stars.

ALL ABOUT LACEY

Lacey Baker is one of the luckiest women alive. Why? Because she gets to live out her life’s dream of writing emotionally fulfilling stories about relationships. A Maryland native she lives with her husband and three children in what most would call Suburban America, a townhouse development where everybody knows each other and each other’s kids. Family cook-outs, reunion vacations and growing up in church have all inspired Lacey to work towards her dreams and to write about the endurance of family.
For Lacey, the writing bug bit early, when she was a sophomore in high school. From that point on she’s been writing stories that depict the power of love and spirit of living. A homebody at heart, Lacey enjoys watching old movies and waking up to a nice hot cup of green tea.
Homecoming is the first book in Lacey’s Sweetland Romance Series. This series holds a special place in Lacey’s heart because it centers around a Chesapeake Bay community where crab season is the best time of the year and hometown roots are tradition—two things Lacey believes in wholeheartedly!

Website+Facebook+Twitter+Goodreads