Review: Time Out by Jill Shalvis

Title: Time Out

Author:  Jill Shalvis

Publisher:  Harlequin

Format: ebook (NetGalley)

ISBN: 0373796730

Genre: Romance
Release date: February 21st 2012

Number of pages: 224

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NHL coach Mark Diego’s plan to spend his off-season volunteering in his hometown goes awry when he learns that not only is he coaching teenage girls, but that the program is coordinated by energetic (and five feet two inches of trouble) coordinator Rainey Saunders, his childhood friend—and the woman he could never stand to see dating any other guy….

When their tempers flare, Mark and Rainey discover their fireworks don’t just burn angry—they burn very, very hot! But that’ll just sweeten the victory. Because Mark always plays to win. And with Rainey, he’s planning on playing very dirty, too.

My Thoughts

This book brought a theme that always made me fall in love. These two were friends as teenagers and grew up together and afraid of their feelings and how the other would react, the whole relationship was doomed.

 

Mark had the chance of a life time and took it by going to another city and working as a couch for the NHL, but after his players made some screw up, the only way was put them to work and the best place to do this is in his brother school.

 

Rainey went to college and after the fiasco her relationships went, let’s just say no man is good enough and usually is harder to even try to understand why they cant’ be Mark, not that his perfect, but she has her feelings for him since high school and after some truths one night, she regrets not having him in her life anymore.

 

I loved this author writing stile and I’m sure not alone but I do appreciate when a author can make us feel the romance in a book and even better can make us understand the mistakes and cheers for the couple to be together. Rainey and Mark together was kinda cute and I liked how possessive he was and that she put him to work hard on the field and to get her.

Quote

“All you have to do is take a man at face value. Don’t go into it thinking you can change them. Men aren’t fixer-uppers, not like a house or a car. You buy them as is.”

Rating

 

Review: Simply Irresistible by Jill Shalvis

Title: Simply Irresistible

Author:  Jill Shalvis

Series: Lucky Harbor

Publisher:  Grand Central Publishing

Format: ebook

ISBN: 044657161X

Genre: Romance
Release date: October 1st 2010

Number of pages: 311

 

Maddie Moore’s whole life needs a makeover.

 

In one fell swoop, Maddie loses her boyfriend (her decision) and her job (so not her decision). But rather than drowning her sorrows in bags of potato chips, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim the inheritance left by her free-spirited mother-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington.

 

Starting over won’t be easy. Yet Maddie sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if only she can convince her two half-sisters to join her in the adventure. But convincing Tara and Chloe will be difficult because the inn needs a big makeover too.

 

The contractor Maddie hires is a tall, dark-haired hottie whose eyes-and mouth-are making it hard for her to remember that she’s sworn off men. Even harder will be Maddie’s struggles to overcome the past, though she’s about to discover that there’s no better place to call home than Lucky Harbor.

My Thoughts:

I love a little town romance and this one was spoken highly off. For months now I’ve seen around the blogosphere people talking how good Jill Shalvis books are. Last year for Christmas challenge I read an anthology that has a novella for this series and it was really good.

 

This is a great story with very emotional parts and I couldn’t help but fall in love with Lucky Harbor. Maddie made everything more alive. Her emotions were really high and it’s Christmas time in town. Everyone wants to find love and be with family.

 

Maddie is starting over and after her mother left an inn to her she decided to try and make things right. Her mother lived like an hippie and never raised her, so she grew up with her father and started working in his area, but when things go wrong Lucky Harbor is her fresh start.

 

Her sisters didn’t want to stay in this little town, but all of them has scars from the past and really miss a family  time. But love also happens for Maddie in this book. Jax is perfect, even thought he thinks otherwise.

 

I really loved this story and how much Jax helped her with past and the inn. He’s a great catch and so romantic. I loved how their relationship evolved in the book and he was a great part of her changing. Loved this romance and recommend to anyone who likes starting over stories with lots of tears.

 

Books in this Series:

#1 – Simply irresistible

#2 – The Sweetest Thing

#2.5 – Small Town Christmas

#3 – Head Over Heels

#4 – Lucky in Love

#5 – At Last

#6 – Forever and a Day

Quote:

“If I looked like him,” Tara said. “I’d want to have sex with myself. All the time.”

Review: Small Town Christmas by Jill Shalvis, Hope Ramsay and Katie Lane

Format Read: e-ARC provided by NetGalley courtesy of the publisher

Series: -|-

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Genre: Romance > Contemporary Romance

Release date:  November 1st 2011

Formats Available: e-Book, kindle, nook

Number of pages: 136

Purchase information: Jill Shalvis Website, Hope Ramsay Website, Katie Lane Website, Goodreads, nook

Book Blurb:

Three heartwarming holiday stories
to prove that love is the greatest gift of all

Kissing Santa Claus
NASCAR driver Logan Perrish returns to Lucky Harbor, Washington, with love in his heart and a ring in his pocket. But can Sandy Jansen forget the past and give him a second chance? Or will Logan be spending another Christmas alone?

I’ll Be Home for Christmas
After ignoring the advice of Miz Miriam Randall, local matchmaker, Annie Roberts expects another hum drum holiday in Last Chance, South Carolina. But when a stray cat arrives in the arms of Army sergeant Matt Jasper, a calico named Holly just may be the best matchmaker of all.

O Little Town of Bramble
All Ethan Miller wants for Christmas is to celebrate in Bramble, Texas, with family and friends. But when his childhood neighbor, Samantha Henderson, comes home for the holiday, Ethan realizes that the girl-next-door could be the girl of his dreams.

My Thoughts:

Kissing Santa Claus by Jill Shalvis

I haven’t read any books from Jill Shalvis so this short story was a very welcome good start. I have all her books and will try to read them during this winter, because I think her stories are made for a cold day with a hot cocoa, snuggled on the couch. Some romances are definily made for lazy days and from this read I diecovered that Jill books are the perfect fit for a fun and romantic reads.

This story is set during the christmas and is very sweet. Lucky Harbor sounds like a place where everyone knows each other life. Sandy Jansen is the town clerk and she had a fling for about a week five months earlier with NASCAR race Logan Perrish, but she never forgot him and the fellings he’s brought to her heart.

I loved how Logan decided to follow his heart and try by any means to get Sandy in his life permanetely, and Sandy is such a nice girl to she get her fellings get the best of her and they struggle a little but Logan is determineded, so very nice to follow how they find a way to stay together.

I’ll be home for Christmas by Hope Ramsay

Matt Jasper has left the army and now is trying to deliver a last guy from his best friend in the army to the grandmother, but things are not so easy and start to have a hard time finding her. And now is where the story really picks up. Matt tries to find the grandmother and deliver the present, and his last source is the town church, where he finds a stray cat, and a very beatiful woman.

Annie Roberts is fighting her fellings on this christmas. Her mother died few months before and she’s trying to change her life and start new, after so many years taking care of her mother. So when this lost soldier enters the church, she decides to help him and the cat.

Another story set on a little town during Christmas eve, but this didn’t get the same apeal as the first, I don’t know if it the fact that they suddenly became in love with each other or the end. It leaft me hangin’. I was expecting at least some kiss from the characters, I didn’t feal the love or even the passion. I couldn’t really connect with this story.

O Little Town of Bramble by Katie Lane

Third and last story on this anthology is set on Bramble, Texas. Sweet and handsome farmer Ethan, has never been good with women, but Sam is his best friend and they’ve been apart for years since she’s gonne to college.

Sam returns to town for a few christmas days and Ethan knows this is his last chance to charm Sam and make her stay for good.

This was a short and fun story and I quite enjoy, the city is all crazy about christmas and the nativity scene has made them a little crazy. Sam and Ethan is sweet and very romantic love, loved the wway the author made them be together to resolve their problems. I could really feal inside this crazy little town.

Rating:  

Challenges: