Romance Review: Only Mine by Susan Mallery

Only Mine (Fool's Gold, #4)

You can’t win if you don’t play…
Her town’s lack of men may make headlines, but it isn’t news to Dakota Hendrix. The beautiful blonde has bigger problems to deal with, such as overseeing the romance reality competition filming in Fool’s Gold. Screening eligible bachelors is a difficult enough task, but Dakota hits an unexpected snag when a sexy stranger comes to town.
Finn Anderssen will do anything to keep his twin brothers—the perfect contestants—off the show. Despite Dakota’s better judgment, she finds herself drawn to the mysterious outsider. Like her, Finn knows about heartbreak and how a family can fall apart, so she doesn’t dare to hope for anything more than a fling. After all, even in the Land of Happy Endings, finding true love is never as easy as it looks on TV.

Title: Only Mine
Author: Susan Mallery
Series: Fools Gold
Publisher:  HQN
Format: ebook
ISBN: 0373775881
Genre: Romance
Release date: July 26th 2011
Number of pages: 379
 
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I loved this little town and this book made me remember why romance series are the best. We can follow a character and know more about their HEA in the new books and can even hope for the romance of one character that we love to see on the sideline. With this book I felt those two especially, because we already know Dakota from her brother book Almost perfect and she deserved a nice guy to fall in love.
 
Dakota was a nice girl and after discovering she most likely can’t have children of her own, I have to say there were some tears shed, but this story is very fast and quite entertaining. Susan Mallery does know how to make a great couple and I think Finn was perfect for Dakota. At first he sounded way to serious and obsessive with the idea of meddling in his brothers life, but in the end we can clearly see he loves his family and only wanted to make everything right.
 
Dakota decided to adopt after hearing she can’t conceive and I loved her for this decision. She didn’t let a situation get the best of her and decided to be proactive. Finn of course was all support and he was more help than I expected. in the end he is such a nice guy. Loved this couple. Oh, and we even got to see Pia, my favorite so far.

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Series in Order

#1 – Chasing Perfect
#2 – Almost Perfect
#2.5 – Sister of the Bride
#3 – Finding Perfect

#4 – Only Mine
#5 – Only Yours
#6 – Only His
#6.1 – Only Us
#6.2 – Almost Summer
#7 – Summer Days
#8 – Summer Nights
#9 – All Summer Long
#10 – A Fool Gold’s Christmas
#10.5 – Halfway There
#11 – Just One Kiss
#12 – Two Of a Kind
#13 – Three Little Words
#13.5 – Christmas on 4th Street


 

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Romance Review: Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery

Almost Perfect (Fool’s Gold #2)

Back in high school, Liz Sutton was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Then she’d stolen the heart of the most popular boy in town, and their secret romance helped her through the worst of times. Until Ethan Hendrix betrayed her and everything they’d ever meant to each other. Devastated and pregnant, Liz left Fool’s Gold, California—forever, she thought….Now Liz must return to town and face the man who doesn’t know of their son’s existence. And this time she won’t have the option of making a quick getaway. Ethan and Liz can’t deny their passionate attraction, even after all these years. But will their desire be enough to spark a second chance at love?
Title: Almost Perfect
Author: Susan Mallery
Series: Fool’s Gold
Publisher:  HQN
Format: ebook
ISBN: 0373774907
Genre: Romance
Release date: June 29th 2010
Number of pages: 379
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Second book in this series and it was even better than the first one, maybe because I already knew a bit more of the town and their gossip way of life, or just because I liked Ethan real bad. He’s charming and such a good guy.
It was a great romance and we can see they have sparks even after all those years apart. It was interesting seeing them falling in love again and discovering the never stopped loving each other, plus for Ethan to get to know his son, was extremely sweet. I loved the Hendrix family and they are huge. Can you imagine triplets?
Liz was unexpected, because she lived in San Francisco but once her life was miserable and in Fools Gold. It’s really interesting seeing all those people talking badly about her, but they never did one thing to save her from her mother back in the days she still lived in town. That part I didn’t liked, but Liz was an okay girl, she suffered a lot, but always did the right thing. She deserved a nice and peaceful life.
I liked Liz and Ethan together, but didn’t liked the way people tried to meddle in their relationship. In the end, it’s a great story.

Series in Order

#1 – Chasing Perfect
#2 – Almost Perfect
#2.5 – Sister of the Bride #3 – Finding Perfect
#4 – Only Mine
#5 – Only Yours
#6 – Only His
#6.1 – Only Us
#6.2 – Almost Summer
#7 – Summer Days
#8 – Summer Nights
#9 – All Summer Long
#10 – A Fool Gold’s Christmas
#10.5 – Halfway There
#11 – Just One Kiss
#12 – Two Of a Kind
#13 – Three Little Words
#13.5 – Christmas on 4th Street (Expected publication: September 24th 2013) 

Romance Review: Chasing Perfect by Susan Mallery

Chasing Perfect (Fool's Gold, #1)

Welcome to Fool’s Gold, California, a charming community in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada. There’s lots to do and plenty of people to meet, especially women. Because there’s just one tiny problem in Fool’s Gold: the men don’t seem to stick around. Maybe it’s the lure of big-city life, or maybe it’s plain old bad luck, but regardless of the reason, the problem has to be fixed, fast. And Charity Jones may be just the city planner to do it.Charity’s nomadic childhood has left her itching to settle down, and she immediately falls in love with all the storybook town has to offer—everything, that is, except its sexiest and most famous resident, former world-class cyclist Josh Golden. With her long list of romantic disasters, she’s not about to take a chance on another bad boy, even if everyone else thinks he’s perfect just the way he is. But maybe that’s just what he needs—someone who knows the value of his flaws. Someone who knows that he’s just chasing perfect.
Title: Chasing Perfect
Author: Susan Mallery
Series: Fools Gold
Publisher: HQN
Format: ebook
ISBN: 0373774524
Genre: Romance
Release date: April 27th 2010
Number of pages: 376
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I have this series on the TBR for so long and have no idea why I keep postponing. I love romances and Susan Mallery makes the best of them, but Fool Gold has some books released that I was a little lazy to start. Don’t get me wrong there’s nothing wrong with the book or anything it was just me and starting a new series dilemma.
Onto the best part we have a town with fewer males every year and a population very small. But it’s such a quaint little town in the mountains with great outdoors activity and some very nice weather. So what’s wrong, right? Nothing just better opportunities elsewhere, but the town great guy is back to stay and try to settle down after his career came to an end. Josh is everything good and he’s hiding his secrets and his fear, but he’s such a nice guy that it’s a little difficult to find bad things about him to say.
The girl was actually the mayor granddaughter and came to town after getting a job offer. You see she never knew her mother had left this town and it’s was quite a surprise to discover this little gem, but Charity made such a nice couple with Josh. They are truly meant to be because we can see friendship and love more than anything else. I liked this first book and it was nice meeting everyone, but my hopes are high for the rest of the series.

Series in Order

#1 – Chasing Perfect
#2 – Almost Perfect
#2.5 – Sister of the Bride #3 – Finding Perfect
#4 – Only Mine
#5 – Only Yours
#6 – Only His
#6.1 – Only Us
#6.2 – Almost Summer
#7 – Summer Days
#8 – Summer Nights
#9 – All Summer Long
#10 – A Fool Gold’s Christmas
#10.5 – Halfway There
#11 – Just One Kiss
#12 – Two Of a Kind
#13 – Three Little Words
#13.5 – Christmas on 4th Street

Review: Irresistible by Susan Mallery

Irresistible (Buchanans, #2)

It wasn’t just her homemade brownies that made Walker find Elisa irresistible . . .

When ex-marine Walker Buchanan stops to help Elissa Towers change a tire, he tells himself it’s just the neighborly thing to do. And when Elissa finds herself baking him a thank-you pie, she’s just returning the favor . . . right?

Both of them have sworn off dating — Elissa’s determined to protect her little girl, and that means ditching her taste for dangerous men . . . especially former marines with dark secrets. Walker knows that he’s not cut out for hearth and home . . . his own crazy family made sure of that. But the sparks won’t stop flying between them.

Now the two are struggling to keep their relationship "just friends," but with every kiss, their rules fly out the window . . .

Title: Irresistible
Author:  Susan Mallery
Series: Buchanan’s
Publisher:  HQN
Format: ebook
ISBN: 0373771177
Genre: Romance
Release date: July 1st 2006
Number of pages: 376

 
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Don’t get me wrong she’s not afraid to work and is handling her job and her daughter, but she misses her family and her ex is an addict that uses her everything he needs money. I liked her story and how she completely trusted Walker, because he needed some help to overcome what happened in his past.

The best part was the comparison with Angel. Plus he was really shocked about it. He’s strong and very manly, but not so funny, it was nice seeing his other side for once and he’s really good with kids.

These two deserved some happiness and things working for them is great actually.

Series in order

#1 – Delicious
#2 – Irresistible
#3 – Sizzling
#4 – Tempting

Review: Delicious by Susan Mallery

Delicious (Buchanans, #1)

Menu
Appetizer
Cal Buchanan needs a top-flight chef to take over his failing Seattle restaurant, The Waterfront. He can afford to hire the best in town — the only problem is that the best happens to be his ex-wife, Penny Jordan.
Entree
Penny really needs this opportunity, but she doesn’t need the distraction of working with her ex. She’s sworn off romance — she’s even having a baby on her own. But before she knows it, the heat is on . . . and the attraction between her and Cal moves from a low simmer to a full boil!
Dessert
The rest should be easy as pie, but a secret from Cal’s past could spoil everything. Maybe it’s true that too many cooks spoil the broth — or maybe two is enough to make it irresistible.

Title: Delicious
Author:  Susan Mallery
Series: Buchanan’s
Publisher:  HQN
Format: ebook
ISBN: 0373770561
Genre: Romance
Release date: February 1st 2006
Number of pages: 377
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Cal is seriously screwed up and it’s all Gloria’s fault. At the begin of the book it was interesting to understand that these tow separated but still are friends, so working together can be strange but not impossible. Cal thinks it’s better for them to be friends than anything else, because everything he touch became destructive.
I don’t blame him, for his mistakes in life, but I do blame him by the way he treated Penny during their marriage and how he never even came clean about his secrets and the reasons why he kept her from the family business.
Penny is very strong and a really great girl, she decided to have a child and after what happened with her marriage, she just jumped on the in vitro fertilization to save time and keep her child to herself. She’s very capable in the kitchen as the executive chef, but there’s only one thing missing in her life and it’s closure about her marriage going wrong. They were good together but things started happening and she never figured out why he withdraw from her.
I liked how they managed to overcame the mistakes of the past, but I still think Cal could be a little proactive and start sharing the secrets before his crazy grandma start hurting people, because the woman has a problem with control and loves to see the others suffering.
It was really nice meeting this family and now we get to see even more secrets.

Series in order

#1 – Delicious #2 – Irresistible
#3 – Sizzling
#4 – Tempting

Review: Big Sky Country by Linda Lael Miller

Big Sky CountryTitle: Big Sky Country
Series: Swoon-Worthy Cowboys
Publisher: HQN Books
Format: ebook
ISBN: 0373776438
Genre: Romance
Release date: May 29th 2012
Number of pages: 384
Add it: Goodreads
 
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The "First Lady of the West," #1 New York Times bestselling author Linda Lael Miller is back with a new series about Parable, Montana-where love awaits. The illegitimate son of a wealthy rancher, Sheriff Slade Barlow grew up in a trailer hitched to the Curly-Burly hair salon his mother runs. He was never acknowledged by his father-until now. Suddenly, Slade has inherited half of Whisper Creek Ranch, one of the most prosperous in Parable, Montana. That doesn’t sit well with his half brother, Hutch, who grew up with all the rights of a Carmody. Including the affections of Joslyn Kirk, homecoming queen, rodeo queen, beauty queen-whom Slade has never forgotten But Joslyn is barely holding her head up these days as she works to pay back everyone her crooked stepfather cheated. With a town to protect-plus a rebellious teenage stepdaughter-Slade has his hands full. But someone has to convince Joslyn that she’s responsible only for her own actions. Such as her effect on this lawman’s guarded heart.

My Thoughts:

I love a good cowboy and this was actually my first book from Linda Lael Miller. Heard great things about her and now I can understand why people love her books so much. She’s a great storyteller and I felt compelled to visit Parable. Such a cute little town.

 

Moving on this book is more about introducing new characters I felt like the romance was a bit short. Don’t get me wrong the book is huge and has lots of stories but it tells more about the town and some things that happened a great time ago. This is a story of forgiveness and I wanted more romance.

 

Joslyn is such a great girl and suffered a lot after her step-father stole from the people of Parable. Now she decided to help these people and returned to town, but was so unwelcomed that I really didn’t understand why bother you know.

 

Slade is the sheriff and also a bit lost in the book. It took almost death for him to realize what he wanted since the beginning and he spent a few years in love with a girl that was far away not even knowing he existed.

 

I liked the town and some characters but the principal couple was not one of my favorites. Still is an introduction to a new series so give it a try and see how it goes. I’ll read the second and see if it’s better.

Books in this Series:

#1 –  Big Sky Country
#2 –  Big Sky Mountain

Review: Undeniably Yours by Shannon Stacey

Undeniably YoursTitle: Undeniably Yours
Author: Shannon Stacey
Format Read:
e-ARC provided by NetGalley courtesy of the publisher
Series: Kowalsky Family #2
Publisher:  HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release date: January 24th 2012
Formats Available:  ebook, kindle, paperback
Number of pages: 384
Rating:

 

Book Blurb:

Can a one-night stand turn into happily ever after?

Bar owner Kevin Kowalski is used to women throwing their phone numbers at him. Even if lately he’s been more interested in finding Mrs. Right than Miss Right Now. Enter Beth Hansen.Kevin and Beth may have started out all wrong, with an impromptu passionate encounter at a wedding, followed by a walk of shame. Yet Kevin knows there’s more to their relationship than a one-night stand. Especially when Beth turns up pregnant.Kevin may be ready for the "next step," but Beth doesn’t want a relationship with a former playboy, however irresistible he might be. And it’s going to take a lot to convince her to go on a second date with the father of her child….

My Thoughts:

This is the second story in the Kowalsky Family and after loving the first I decided to read this one too. And it was perfect, a sweet romance with a little spicy moments plus a pregnancy. I don’t know about you guys but I love when there’s a baby in the middle.

Kevin is a womanizer and a fun character that suffered on life and now all he wants is enjoy his moments, but after a long time single, he’s actually considering marriage to the right one of course. And that’s when Beth came along on the bar.

After a special steamy night with a bit of confusion, Beth decided to tell Kevin about the pregnancy and was surprised when he was all on board after their nightly encounter.

I loved Kevin but Beth found problems where they didn’t exist so their relationship could be better if she at least trusted on him. It was fun to see the other couples and the baby made everyone happy at the end, even if Beth was a bit off for me.

Purchase information:

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Excerpt:

Chapter One

October

Every time the New England Patriots chalked one up in the win column, Kevin Kowalski got laid.

A score for them was a score for him. Not that he was always looking for a companion on a Sunday night, but the offers weren’t scarce. As he slid a foaming mug of Sam Adams down the polished surface of the best damn sports bar in New Hampshire’s capital city—which just happened to list his name as proprietor—he caught a blonde watching him. The Pats were lining up at first and goal on the big-screen, but her eyes were on him, letting him know the New England quarterback wasn’t the only guy in scoring position.

But tonight he was having a hard time concentrating on the blonde with the chemically enhanced lips, surgically enhanced boobs and alcohol-enhanced sex drive giving him the you could go all the way look.

He was too busy keeping his eye on the brunette at the other end of the bar. It wasn’t just the fact she was pretty, with a mess of dark brown hair falling to her shoulders and eyes to match. Or that her fisherman’s sweater and jeans hugged her body in all the right places, though that certainly didn’t hurt.

Mostly he was keeping an eye on her because her date was going downhill in a hurry. Either the guy in the uptight, button-down shirt and khakis had had a couple before he walked into the bar or he had the alcohol tolerance of a high-school freshman, because it had only taken a couple shots of scotch for drunken-asshole syndrome to kick in.

Now there was some body language going on between the couple and her body wanted away from his body. His fingers would start looking for a soft place to land. She’d deflect. Rinse and repeat.

Jasper’s Bar & Grille had three rules. No smoking. No throwing beer mugs, even at the Jets fans. And when a lady said no, it meant no.

The Patriots scored and the glasses shook on the shelves as a triumphant roar filled Jasper’s. The blonde hopped up and down on her barstool, her boobs testing the bungee ability of her bra straps. And the jerk with the wandering hands raised his empty glass to wave it in Kevin’s general direction.

He made his way down to the couple, but ignored the glass. “We won’t be serving you any more alcohol, but you’re welcome to a coffee or a soda, on the house.”

Uptight Guy’s face turned as red as a Budweiser label and Kevin sighed. He was going to be one of those guys. Jasper’s had a zero-tolerance policy, so as the guy’s ass lifted off the stool, Kevin gave Paulie the signal and watched her roll her eyes as she reached for the phone.

“I’m not drunk and I want another goddamn scotch!”

The woman put her hand on the guy’s arm, as if to push him back onto his seat. “Derek, let’s—”

“Who the hell are you to tell me I can’t have another goddamn scotch?”

Uptight Guy’s bad-ass act was diluted a bit by the weaving. “I’m the guy who reserves the right to refuse you service.”

“Beth, tell this asshole to gimme another drink.”

Kevin shook his head. “You’re cut off.”

It happened fast. Kevin wasn’t sure if the guy was throwing a punch or reaching in to grab him by the shirt, but his elbow hit his date and knocked her backward. She didn’t fall, thanks to the guy sitting next to her who was pleasantly surprised to find himself with an armful of brunette, but it distracted Kevin enough to allow the guy to land a weak, glancing blow to his jaw.

Uptight Guy, who the woman had called Derek, sucked in a breath, as if he just realized what he’d done. Kevin watched as the guy’s fight-or-flight instinct kicked in and wasn’t surprised when he chose flight. Sadly for him, Kevin was six-two and had some experience collaring yahoos, whether they were crooks back when he wore a badge or his four rowdy nephews. He reached across the bar, grabbed the guy by the scruff of the neck and yanked him back.

Derek was struggling like a pickerel on a hook and, when Kevin’s grip almost slipped off the guy’s collar, he jerked his left arm hard. Derek’s head snapped around and his nose exploded on the edge of the bar. Oops.

The guy screamed like a girl…and the crowd went wild. Jasper’s didn’t attract a real rough crowd, but everybody loved a good fight.

“Good fight” being relative, of course. Derek cupped his hands over his face, trying to staunch the blood, and made a high-pitched keening sound that made more than a few of his patrons wince.

“Shut up or I’ll knock your ass out,” Kevin yelled at the guy which, of course, got everybody in the bar chanting. Do it…do it…do it…

“Oh my God, his nose!” Derek’s date untangled herself from her neighbor and grabbed a couple of napkins off the bar. She tried to get to Derek’s nose, but he kept pushing her away.

The crowd quieted when a couple of police officers walked through the front door. Derek’s keening changed pitch when he saw them, from a pain-filled squeal to an oh shit desperation.

“Hey, Kowalski,” the older of the two cops said.

“Hey, Jonesy. Your old man like those tickets?”

“Are you kidding me? Tenth row, fifty yard line? He was in heaven. Said to tell you thanks and give you his best.”

“Glad to do it,” he said easily, still holding on to Derek’s collar. He fostered a friendly relationship with the local PD, not only because he’d been on the job once down in Boston, but because any good businessman did. Especially businessmen who served alcohol. “Got a live one here.”

“What happened to him?”

“Hit his face on the bar. You know how it is.”

In the split second between Kevin releasing him and Jonesy grabbing for his wrists, Derek stupidly decided to make a break for the door.

The rookie made a move to stop him at the same time Beth did. She accidentally—at least it looked accidental—tripped him and the young cop fell on his face. Jonesy jumped over his partner and did the nearing-retirement version of a sprint after Derek.

Beth was practically hyperventilating.

The rookie scrambled to his feet as Jonesy took down his prey in a half-ass diving tackle that made the crowd roar in approval. Rookie had his handcuffs out, but it looked like Uptight Guy was going all in on a resisting charge.

“Why are you doing this to him?”

Kevin’s gaze swiveled to the woman, who looked almost as pissed as her date. “I didn’t do jack to him, lady. Did you forgot the part where he hit you?”

“He didn’t hit me. He bumped me trying to hit you.

Yeah, that was so much better. “How about the groping? How many times were you going to tell him no?”

She actually rolled her eyes at him. “I had it all under control.”

“No, now it’s all under control.”

“Look, it’s not what you…forget it. You have to help him, though.”

Since Derek had two hundred pounds of veteran cop kneeling on his head while the rookie tried to secure the cuffs, there wasn’t much Kevin could do for him, even if he wanted to. Which he didn’t.

“It’s not what you think,” she insisted.

“I’m going to sue you for everything you’ve got, asshole,” Derek screamed over his shoulder. “And you, you dumb bitch, you’re fired!”

Oops. Kevin looked at Beth. “I thought he was just a bad date.”

She climbed on to a stool and dropped her forehead to the bar with a thunk. “You just cost me my job.”

Only several years of fine-tuning his brain-to-mouth filter behind the bar kept him from pointing out she was maybe better off without it. “Want a beer?”

Review: Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey

imageTitle: Exclusively Yours
Author: Shannon Stacey
Format Read: 
e-ARC provided by NetGalley courtesy of the publisher
Series: Kowalsky Family #1
Publisher: HQN Books
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release date: December 20th 2011
Formats Available:  paperback, kindle, ebook
Number of pages: 318
Rating:

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Book Blurb:

When Keri Daniels’ editor finds out she has previous carnal knowledge of reclusive bestselling author Joe Kowalski, she gives Keri a choice: get an interview or get a new job.
Joe’s never forgotten the first girl to break his heart, so he’s intrigued to hear Keri’s back in town–and looking for him. Despite his intense need for privacy, he’ll grant Keri an interview if it means a chance to finish what they started in high school.
He proposes an outrageous plan–for every day she survives with his family on their annual camping and four-wheeling trip, Keri can ask one question. Keri agrees; she’s worked too hard to walk away from her career.
But the chemistry between them is still as potent as the bug spray, Joe’s sister is out to avenge his broken heart and Keri hasn’t ridden an ATV since she was ten. Who knew a little blackmail, a whole lot of family and some sizzling romantic interludes could make Keri reconsider the old dream of Keri & Joe 2gether 4ever.

My Thoughts:

I loved Joe since the first moment I heard he was a reclusive author, but one thing was a bit too much. The book revolves around Joe and Keri trying to work things after their abrupt ending when high school was over.
First thing that I believed was strange is that when Keri left town she was actually going to college and this is an expected thing to do so why was Joe so heartbroken I don’t know.
Keri world is a bit crazy so when her boss send her in this interview, I actually believed she had cheated on him by the way they were acting. So from the start I not saying their feelings are wrong is just sounds way worst that is explained.
I liked the fact that one together they actually decided to talk about the past and why things turned out this way. But I was expecting some immature talk about love and sexual tensing, but they both seams to me very much like the HEA couple that we all love to read.
But I do love the Kowalsky! And the camping was hilarious. The kids are way too smart for that family and there’s also some romantic problems around the other brothers and sisters. So big applause for Shannon because I started the book with one feeling and finished wanting more from this family.

Purchase information:

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Books in this Series:

Exclusively Yours Undeniably Yours Yours to Keep