"Until Fountain Bridge" By: Samantha Young Review

Until Fountain Bridge

By: Samantha Young

Synopsis from Goodreads

Ellie Carmichael had a crush on Adam Sutherland, her brother, Braden’s, best friend, for years, and although Adam treated her with proprietary concern he made it clear he thought of her only as a little sister.  

Over the years, as Ellie’s crush develops into love, her romantic idealism makes it difficult for her to move on. To make matters worse, as she’s gotten older,

Adam’s attitude has changed toward her. His affection for her is now joined by attraction, but his loyalty to Braden, and his fear of losing the only family he has, stops him from claiming Ellie the way she wishes he would.  

But one night his attraction is put to the test, and as much as Adam would like things to remain the same everything changes between them in a simple brush of the lips.

Soon lust, love, jealousy and heartbreak combine to force change upon their relationship… and Adam discovers the hard way that life is too damn short to spend it on regret.

My Thoughts

     Ellie Carmichael and Adam Sutherland are the “other” couple in On Dublin Street. About as central to the story as the two main characters, the reader finds themselves immersed in their love story as much as Braden’s and Joss’. With Until Fountain Bridge, we get a first seat look at their incredibly and long lived love story with bits and pieces we all remember from the first book.

    Ellie has loved Adam as long as she has known him. As a teenager with a crush and growing into a woman in love, Ellie strains to become more than just a friend. Adam is resistant and even though he feels an attraction and a deep friendship for Ellie, he is ultimately resistant because Ellie’s brother is his best friend.

     Ellie and Adam’s story is basically told through On Dublin Street, so readers won’t find anything explosive in this new novel. With that said, I absolutely loved the look at the early years of the Ellie and Adam friendship and behind the scenes looks at different parts of the book. Sure we knew they were arguing at this point or that, but why.

     Samantha Young does a fantastic job of writing characters. What happened, two people fell in love, we know that. But why read this book? The characters absolutely sweep you away and jump off the page. I thought I knew Ellie but I saw an entirely new dimension within these 80 pages.

Note: Until Fountain Bridge is a special novella Samantha Young is offering to people who preorder Down London Road (available May 2013). Check out her website for more information.

Book Details

# of Pages: 80

Date of Publication: March 2013

Source: From the Author

Challenges

#35 for the 2013 E-Book Challenge

#38 for the 2013 Women's Reading Challenge

#41 for the 100 Books in a Year Challenge

#41 for the 150+ Books in a Year Challenge

#35 for the 2013 Where are You Reading Challenge {Edinburgh, Scotland}

#28 for the 2013 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge

"Ticket Home" By: Serena Bell Review

Ticket Home

By: Serena Bell

Synopsis from Goodreads

Is that a cell phone in his pocket...or is he just happy to see her?

A Strangers on a Train Story

When Amy Moreland left Seattle, she never expected to see her workaholic ex-boyfriend again. Encountering him on her Connecticut-to-New-York-City commute is the surprise of her life. He seems hell-bent on winning her back, but every time his cell phone rings, it's a painful reminder of how he failed to put her first.

Jeff Havers can't help that his phone keeps interrupting his carefully composed apology speech, but having Amy sic the Metro North security team on him is a bit much. Once he talks his way out of handcuffs, he focuses on coaxing Amy to talk about the fears that drove her away.

As the train ride takes them through the landscape of their lost life together, sparks fly and remembered heat reignites. But if they're not brave enough to overcome the still-fresh pain of old wounds, it could be too late to pursue what really matters--their ticket home.

Warning: This book contains steamy train-car action, sex on the stairs, and a hero determined to give his velvet-and-heels-clad woman exactly what she's looking for.

My Thoughts

     I think this is the first story I’ve ever read by Serena Bell but it most definitely won’t be my last. An incredibly cute, heartwarming story about the concept of home and what true love really means. Best thing about it? It takes place on a train!!

     Amy Moreland has left Seattle and now has a new job in New York. She rides the train to and from everyday and is surprised one day to suddenly look up and realize her ex-boyfriend is standing next to her. Jeff still doesn’t understand why Amy left suddenly, but after six months without her he is going to do whatever he can to win her back.

     Ms. Bell did a wonderful job of bringing these two ex-lovers back together using the train as almost a third leading character. Amy and Jeff truly love one another, they just don’t konw how to be together any longer. I think they had grown so used to one another, instead of say what was bothering them, they kept their feelings to themselves and slowly poisoned their relationship. It was refreshing to see a past relationship “mistake” be fixed with a real solution. “Ticket Home” is novella length but is a wonderfully well written complete story that will leave you with a smile and sigh.

Book Details

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

# of Pages: 78

Date of Publication: April 2, 2013

ISBN: 978-1619214347

Source: From the Author - Blog Tour

Challenges

#17 for the 2013 E-Book Challenge

#19 for the 2013 Women's Reading Challenge

#19 for the 100 Books in a Year Challenge

#19 for the 150+ Books in a Year Challenge

#18 for the 2013 Where are You Reading Challenge {Manhattan, NY}
#16 for the 2013 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge

"Back on Track" By: Donna Cummings Review

Back on Track

By: Donna Cummings

Synopsis from Goodreads

Allie Whittaker is in a dating slump, too busy getting her fledgling marketing company off the ground to have a personal life. All that could change, though, if she can get baseball superstar Matt Kearns on the cover of a charity calendar. Except Matt won't even talk to her.

Matt is in a slump, worried his career might be over. A Napa Valley wine tour isn't enough to take his mind off his troubles--until sexy, funny Allie plops into the adjacent seat and tells him three things about herself. One of them, she says, is a lie.

Matt can't resist playing along, and soon the afternoon getaway becomes an interlude with lies, truths, and desire flowing as fast as the wine. Then Allie lets slip one truth too many...and they both realize they're playing for keeps.

My Thoughts

     First off, how awesome is the cover of Back on Track? Yeah I’m a half naked guy standing in front of a train, but I’m still cool. It just makes me smile and the story behind the cover? Absolutely fantastic!

    Allie Whittaker is out for a night on the town...well an evening on the train as it were. Trying to meet new people and maybe find a hot guy, she sees a guy sitting near the back wearing a baseball hat and who seems kind of grumpy. When she approaches Mr. hat she realizes he is really a fairly famous baseball player.

    Matt Kearns is a world famous baseball player just trying to go unnoticed for the evening. He is surprised when Allie comes up to him and claims to know the real “Matt Kearns.” They both know its just an act but he is intrigued at how brazen and outgoing Allie is. She isn’t impressed by his money or his status, which isn’t something he sees too much.

    An adorable story of two people finding one another on a train, Donna does a wonderful job of giving life to these realistic characters. Cute, funny as all get out, and fully fleshed out even if it is only a novella, I enjoyed Matt and Abby’s love affair. Will they stay together forever after their brief love affair? Who knows but it was a fun journey to get there.

Book Details

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

Date of Publication: April 2, 2013

# of Pages: 67

ISBN: 978-1619213761

Source: From the Author - Blog Tour

Challenges

#15 for the 2013 E-Book Challenge

#14 for the 2013 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge

#17 for the 2013 Women's Reading Challenge

#17 for the 100 Books in a Year Challenge

#17 for the 150+ Books in a Year Challenge

#16 for the 2013 Where are You Reading Challenge {Napa Valley, CA}

"Tight Quarters" By: Samantha Hunter Review

Tight Quarters

By: Samantha Hunter

Synopsis from Goodreads

In the years since a horrific car accident left her with a long list of phobias, Brenna Burke has overcome them all except one. Crippling claustrophobia—not a good trait for an aspiring travel writer. 

With an interview for her dream job looming, Brenna forces herself to board a train for a weekend tour through New York State…only to find her berth has been double booked. 

Retired NYPD detective Reid Cooper isn’t happy about the mix-up, or his attraction to his petite, sexy roommate. But as their up-close-and-personal weekend progresses, something remarkable happens. Being with Reid makes Brenna feel normal, unafraid of anything. 

After one passionate night, both are thinking beyond a mere weekend fling. But when Brenna’s last phobia pounces at the worst possible time, she could miss the last boarding call for happily ever after. 

Warning: This book contains a hot-to-the-touch hero and sizzling sex at high speeds.

My Thoughts

      Another train story, another novella, yet a totally new concept and a sizzling romance from Samantha Hunter. Brenna, a severe clausterphobic, is paired with a retired NYPD Police Detective called Reid Cooper. From the minute Brenna stepped on the train, I knew it was going to be a fantastic train adventure and I was completely right.

     Brenna has been claustrophobic, with a host of other neurosis disorders, since she was young. As a result of a car accident, she feared the outside world and closed spaces. Trying to overcome her fear and in the process, a new job as a travel writer, Brenna books a ride on a cross country train. She is surprised and quite petrified to realize her private car has been double booked and she is expected to share her quarters with a complete stranger.

    Reid retired from the NYPD a few months ago after being shot and decides he wants a new lease on life. When he meets the slightly weird woman he is expected to share a room with on the train, he is intrigued. He is amused by her intricate lists and interested in her actions and reasoning's behind them. While trying to understand her, he finds himself falling in love.

     In less than 80 pages, Hunter created a fully fleshed out romance that was quite wonderful. Brenna is so lost and seems hopelessly OCD and Reid is able to talk her through her panic attacks. He is the ying to her yang and Reid finds his missing parts within her. I thought the story was incredibly sweet while also being funny with a mixture of hotness thrown together. An exceptional anthology and a winner from Samantha. I wouldn't mind meeting my own Reid Cooper on my next train ride!

Book Details

Publisher: Samhain Publishing

# of Pages: 77

Date of Publication: April 2, 2013

ISBN: 978-1619213777

Source: From the Author for Review

Challenges

#39 for the 2013 E-Book Challenge

#42 for the 2013 Women's Reading Challenge

#45 for the 100 Books in a Year Challenge

#45 for the 150+ Books in a Year Challenge

#39 for the 2013 Where are You Reading Challenge {New York, United States}

#32 for the 2013 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge

"Big Boy" By: Ruthie Knox Review

Big Boy

By: Ruthie Knox

Synopsis from Goodreads

A Strangers on a Train story

Meet me at the train museum after dark. Dress for 1957.

When Mandy joins an online dating service, she keeps her expectations low. All she wants is a distraction from the drudgery of single parenthood and full-time work. But the invitation she receives from a handsome man who won’t share his real name promises an adventure—and a chance to pretend she’s someone else for a few hours.
She doesn’t want romance to complicate her life, but Mandy’s monthly role-playing dates with her stranger on a train—each to a different time period—become the erotic escape she desperately needs. And a soul connection she never expected.
Yet when she tries to draw her lover out of the shadows, Mandy has a fight on her hands…to convince him there’s a place for their fantasy love in the light of day.
Warning: Contains sexy role-playing, theatrical application of coal dust, and a hero who can rock a pair of brown polyester pants.

My Thoughts

     It’s official, I am a huge fan of Ruthie. She takes characters, a crazy setting, and creates absolute magic. Two people role playing on a train doesn't sound like a fun premise for a romance novella, but it was utterly fantastic.

    Amanda is a single parent who works as a professor at the University of Green Bay. Her sister has recently passed away, leaving her in charge of her infant son, instantly turning Amanda into a Mother. Stressed out between caring for a baby she hadn't planned for and trying to keep her career afloat, Amanda has little time in her life for romance. So when she sees Tyler on a dating website, she decides she needs to make a little time in her life for fun.

     Tyler tries to escape from real life by role playing with the sexy professor. Once a month they meet at a train museum and pretend to be people they aren't, both trying to hide from their real lives. In reality, Tyler works part-time while trying to care for his father throughout his development of dementia. Pretending to be someone he isn't for a few hours a week with Mandy is his way of escaping from the world and pushing away his problems.

     I think what appealed to me about this story the most was how real it was. Amanda and Tyler both were dealing with tough situations and want to escape for a while. They are so scared to reveal the real details in their life, which I think to some extent, we all do in some form. No one has a same situation and sometimes its nice to just pretend your someone else for a while.

     Another hit out of the ballpark for Ruthie, Big Boy takes two people, adds a little mystery and creates a delightful realistic romance. At under 100 pages, you won’t even notice its a novella you've had such a ride. A great addition to the Stranger on a Train series, it works well with the other novellas included in the anthology. Well done Ms. Knox, I can’t wait to see what you come up with next!

Book Details

Publisher: Samhain

# of Pages: 66

Date of Publication: April 2, 2013

ISBN: 978-1619215306

Source: From the Author - Blog Tour

Author Information

Ruthie Knox’s Website Ruthie Knox on Goodreads

Challenges

#14 for the 2013 E-Book Challenge

#13 for the 2013 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge

#16 for the 2013 Women's Reading Challenge

#16 for the 100 Books in a Year Challenge

#16 for the 150+ Books in a Year Challenge

#15 for the 2013 Where are You Reading Challenge {Green Bay, Wisconsin}

"Wolf With Benefits" By: Shelly Laurenston Review

Wolf With Benefits

By: Shelly Laurenston

Synopsis from Goodreads

Ricky Lee has no plans of getting serious about anyone, but he will protect Toni Jean-Louis Parker. Not just because he’s been hired to do so, but because it’s the right thing to do. And if that means traveling around the country with one complicated She-jackal, dealing with chocolate-eating wild dogs, instigating trouble between his brothers, and having the most amazing sex he’s ever had…well, who said his job didn’t have perks? 

Toni doesn’t know how she keeps getting herself into these situations. But even she has to admit there’s something about Ricky Lee Reed that she finds kind of interesting…and downright sexy. Now they just have to survive long enough to figure out if what they have is worth fighting for…

My Thoughts

     Shelly Laurenston seems to be back on track with her newest book after seemingly jumping the shark for the last few books. Ricky Lee Reed, one of those ornery Reed wolves from down south is paired up with Antonella “Toni,” a jackal. Annoying at times but ultimately a fun read, I enjoyed my time back in the pride world Laurenston has created.

     Antonella finds herself at a crossroads. Extremely attached to her needy family, she feels as if she may be wasting her life taking care of them. Other relationships, romantic or otherwise, have suffered because of her close relationship. A friend of a friend finds Toni a job that she is quite qualified for but feels as if she’s leaving her family.

     Who is a perfect match for an obsessive compulsive jackal with family issues except for a laid back wolf shifter who has his own crazy family? Ricky has appeared in numerous Laurenston books so he will be familiar, but to be honest, I don’t know really what sets him apart from her other heroes that have appeared before. They are all a little wacky, definitely quirky, and a little weird but lovable.

     To be honest, this book was cute but not unique. I think so much time was spent trying to be funny that the actual romance and relationships between characters suffered. The pace of the book seemed off, speeding up in some areas and being incredibly slow in others. There was a botched kidnapping and a villain towards the end, but it didn’t seem fleshed out and frankly still is a bit confusing.

     Overall, I did enjoy Wolf with Benefits. Toni was cute and I adored her absolute ordinary nature. She wasn’t a genius or an extraordinary artist, just a girl trying to get through life and annoyed by the wild neighbor wolf. I almost gave up Laurenston’s Pride Series after the last book, (oye, still shaking my head at that one) but I’m glad I didn’t.

Book Details

Publisher: Brava

# of Pages: 400

Date of Publication: March 26, 2013

ISBN: 978-0758265220

Source: NetGalley Advanced Reader Copy

Shelly Laurenston’s Website       Pride Series Reading Order

Challenges
#24 for the 2013 E-Book Challenge
#26 for the 2013 Women's Reading Challenge
#28 for the 100 Books in a Year Challenge
#28 for the 150+ Books in a Year Challenge
#20 for the 2013 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge
#24 for the 2013 Where are You Reading Challenge {Raleigh, North Carolina}

#1 for the 2013 Immortal Reading Challenge (Werewolves)

"Surrender Your Love" By: J.C. Reed Review

Surrender Your Love

By: J.C. Reed

Meeting Jett was like lightning. Dangerous. Better left untouched. And better forgotten. But lightning always strikes twice.

Brooke Stewart, a realtor in New York, doesn’t do relationships. When she’s sent to a remote estate to finalize a real estate deal, she discovers her new boss is no other than the guy she left naked in bed.

Sexy, dangerously handsome, and arrogant Jett Mayfield attracts trouble, and women, like a lightning rod. But the night he meets Brooke he gets more than he bargained for. The green-eyed millionaire playboy isn’t used to taking no for an answer, and he isn’t about to start now.

When he proposes two months of no strings sex, Brooke is intrigued and accepts his proposal. Little does she know Jett’s determined to claim the one woman he can’t have, pulling her deeper into his dangerous world.

A man who doesn't take 'no' for an answer.

A woman afraid to surrender to love.

Two lives that are about to cross...and secrets laid bare.

My Thoughts

    Soooo, I liked this book but I’m gonna warn you. The author is planning on having this become a series so the entire story doesn’t end with this story. Its pretty good and I’ll admit, when I realized at the end of the story it was ending with a cliffhanger, I let out a little umph of disbelief. Regardless, I’m looking forward to the world that is being created and the romance blooming between Jett and Brooke.

     Brooke first meets Jett, a millionaire real estate developer, after a case of mistaken identity. At first thinking he was someone else, she doesn’t put her best foot forward as is the case. When Brooke returns to her job, she is unceremoniously fired and miraculously, the company that Jett works for hires her!

     So it sounds very meet cute I know, but its so much more than that. Jett has such a conflicted history and you just ache for him. Brooke, coming off of a bad relationship to begin with, finds herself in a relationship with her boss (Jett) and she doesn’t know if that is a good or a bad thing. There is a pull but near the end, a shocker reveals a little known fact, that puts into question everything they knew about one another.

      J.C. Reed is a fantastic new author who can definitely write confusion and conflicts. Brooke is your atypical twenty something, trying to get by but not using mommy’s money to do so. She’s working hard and when Jett gets in her way, she has to decide whats important in life. Love or her career; and can the two ever meet? Be prepared for the ending though, its gonna leave you wanting and counting the days until the sequel!

Note: Conquer Your Love, the sequel will be coming out June 1st!

Book Details

Date of Publication: March 15, 2013

ISBN: 978-1482334302

# of Pages: 324

Source: Author Giveaway

Links

Goodreads    Amazon    J.C. Reed’s Blog  

 J.C. Reed’s Official Author Website  J.C. Reed Facebook Page

Challenges

#36 for the 2013 E-Book Challenge

#39 for the 2013 Women's Reading Challenge

#42 for the 100 Books in a Year Challenge

#42 for the 150+ Books in a Year Challenge

#36 for the 2013 Where are You Reading Challenge {New York, NY}

#29 for the 2013 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge

"Curve Ball" By: Charlotte Stein Review

Curve Ball

By: Charlotte Stein

Synopsis from Goodreads

When Judy Myers is offered a relaxing vacation to get away from her latest heartbreak, she can’t say no. A cruise on her brother’s yacht sounds like heaven...until she realizes her brother’s best friend has been invited along for the ride.
Steven Stark is big, he’s loud, and he’s obviously not interested in the plump, plain little sister he used to tease unmercifully. In fact, he’s still quite happy to tease her – until she turns the tables on him. Now Steven can’t seem to keep his thoughts, or his hands, to himself. And worse, Judy’s not sure she can resist the attraction she’s kept buried for so many years.
Being trapped on a boat isn’t the best place to be, when you’re suddenly thrown a hunky curveball.

My Thoughts

     A free read over a weekend, I saw Curve Ball featured a chunky heroine and I couldn’t help myself so I picked it up. Being somewhat of a zaftig lady myself, its nice to find books featuring the bigger ladies. Free and with a unique heroine I was excited, but sadly I disliked this book so much it almost turned into a DNF.

       The whole novella is filled with Judy feeling bad about herself. Lots of internal dialogue but its almost completely about how fat she is, how large she is, no can find her attractive, and on and on and on. It was exhausting.

      For someone with all of these body issues, Judy has no problem allowing her brother’s misogynistic and somewhat sexist friend Steven ,to secretly sneak into her bed...then he acts as if it never happened. Suddenly Steven is professing his love for her and all is well. Does it sound rushed and not well planned, because it is.

      I will mention this is a novella, so there isn’t a lot of character development as with a regular novel. With that being said, the author could have done quite a bit more with the time she had. I didn’t care for the plot, the characters, and I even disliked the setting, which takes place mostly on a boat. Everything was hurried, character motivations didn’t jive, and frankly, Judy needs a class in self-esteem before she needs a boyfriend.

Book Details

Date of Publication: January 21, 2013

ISBN: 978-1909520677

Source: Personal Purchase

Challenges

#21 for the 2013 E-Book Challenge

#23 for the 2013 Women's Reading Challenge

#25 for the 100 Books in a Year Challenge

#25 for the 150+ Books in a Year Challenge

#18 for the 2013 Contemporary Romance Reading Challenge

#22 for the 2013 Where are You Reading Challenge {Spain}