Book Reviews - Try it. You'll like it!

Do you read books? 

Do you ever tell anyone about the books you read? 

Did you know that a written book review can really help an author? 

And did you know that a written review can just be a sentence or two long? HA! Stumped you on this one, didn't I?

That's right! A written book review is not a book report, so all you really need to do is state that you liked it. 

Seriously. That's it. 

Those few words actually do so much to help us out! If you're feeling especially motivated, you can add what you liked about it. 

In the meantime, here are some examples of perfectly acceptable written book reviews: 

• "I liked this book!"
• "This book made me happy." 
• "So glad I tried this new-to-me author!"
• "Dudes! This was AWESOME!" 

Or, some real examples I've received:

• "Get your tissues ready!"
• "I ended up crying during the last few chapters..."
• "A wonderfully written inaugural book."
• "Another winner. Great pacing. Characters to tear at your heartstrings."
• "What a great summer read."

See? You don't have to write much and while some of those wrote more, some were just a quick sentence or two. 

Write as little or as much as you'd like, but please know that any written review, even a "Great book!" helps us authors far more than just a star rating alone. Just avoid spoilers, and you'll be fine!

Reviews help put us on the radar of much coveted (yet much detested) retailer algorithms... yeah, yeah, yeah, algorithms. Those are what add our stories to book lists and recommendations the online book retailers suggest to customers. (Ever see one of these? "If you liked this book, then you might like these..." lines on the screen? That is where we hope our books to appear.) 

Finally, book reviews will always help us because they let us know you liked what we wrote (I.e., what we poured our hearts and souls into over the course of 3-4-5 years!)

Still have questions? Romance Rehab has some good suggestions on how to write a review. Don't worry - it's quick! Read their suggestions here.

Authors love hugs. Please think of us the next time you read a good book! 

Thanks so much!!

Take care, and happy reading! 

 - Heather 

A strong-willed bookstore owner - a smokin' hot firefighter - and three flirty septuagenarians. 

What more could you ever need? 

Don’t Call Me Sugar is a slow-burn, Grant’s Crossing Romance - where family and friends mean everything, and happily-ever-afters are guaranteed.

Don't Call Me Sugar is available wherever books are sold online. If it's not already there, you can request it at your local library in paperback and digital for Libby and Hoopla.

Get your copy today!

Add to your Goodreads TBR

Haven’t yet read Wayward Guilt, Heroes of Grant’s Crossing Book 1? 

No problem. Click here to find it in print and digital on Libby / Hoopla or wherever books are sold online.

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

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Review - Double Up

I can't say this enough, but I love Courtney W. Dixon's books! She writes complex characters with realistic backgrounds and compelling stories. She also puts them all through the ringer, so I can't help but hurt right along with them.  

In other words, yes. She makes me cry but I can't stop turning pages!

If you’re not in love with Zayden and Noah by the end of Double Up, Dixon's 3rd installment of the Ohana Surfing Club series, you need to go back and reread this book. 

Right now. 

Zayden’s a good kid who happens to like boys instead of girls. His parents are crappy parents who kick him out at age 15 for kissing another boy. This amazing and resilient boy has to live on the streets for nearly a year, competing in and winning surfing contests to keep himself in cash. One day, his surfboard breaks, and he steals a new board from the Ohana Surfing Club. 

Fortunately, Kel, our lovable character from Impact Zone, saw desperation and not malicious intent in Zayden. Like the good man he is, he gives Zay the opportunity to work off the value of the board in exchange for a place to live and going back to school.

Noah a teenager who parents his own mom, typically drunk out of her mind and with a new man every week; he makes sure she gets up and makes it to work so they can keep eating and have a roof over their heads. 

When Zayden gets back into school after being on the streets for a year, he befriends Noah. Not that he has much choice in the matter because Noah befriends anyone and everyone. He was a beacon of positivity and optimism, quite the opposite of Zay, who is far more intense and kept to himself. 

Soon they become the best of friends. Noah is even given a job and a better place to stay at Ohana Surf Club despite still taking care of his mom. 

Though it starts with quite a rough beginning, the overall story between Zayden and Noah is super sweet once they get together and discover they like each other. Their friendship is unbreakable, as is their love for each other. They stick with each other through injuries, abandoned children like themselves, and all the ups and downs of their young lives. 

I adore these two and thoroughly loved reading about them. Their story was sweet and no matter what, they were always there for each other. I felt so good reading about two people who instinctively knew to be there for the other, even if they didn't always know how to word things. Just a simple touch or guidance communicated as much as an words. Zayden's intensity combined with Noah's endless optimism warmed my heart.

I can’t wait for Courtney W Dixon’s next book! In the meantime, I'm going to reread this.

You should, too.

If you've not yet started this series, each book can be read as a standalone, but it's fun to read from the beginning. 

Learn more about the Ohana Surfing Club and Kings of Boston book series at Courtney W Dixon's official website. 

As always, my reviews can be found on Goodreads and other retail sites. 

Take care, and happy reading!

 - Heather 

Follow and friend me online! 

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Review - Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

Meet Me Under the Mistletoe is the second book I've read by Jenny Bayliss. Like The Twelve Dates of Christmas, which I absolutely loved, it was a delight to read. 

MMUM brings a group of friends together for a wedding at an old castle in Nory's hometown. Nory, the proprietor of a book store in London is a woman who grew up in and around the old castle where her parents worked. Bridging the gap between her well-off friends she made at a high-end boarding school and her working class family, she teetered between the two worlds, though was welcomed by both. 

The romance part of this romance novel was really slow to start, but in its place, we were treated to a wonderful group of friends seeing each other in person for the first time in several years. I didn't really feel the romantic chemistry between Nory and Isaac, but I loved them both. It's as if they rekindled an old friendship and turned it into something more, but the something more was often off-page. 

All in all, a delightful listen. 

Since I ended up listening to this book, I must say that Shakira Shute did a fantastic job and kept me in the story the whole time. I listened at 1.3x speed. 

Side notes: 

* I loved the banter and interaction between the friends and would have loved this book even without the romance. I could easily have read another 100 pages of just all the friends together and in small groups - especially more about their thoughts on their late friend, Tristan. 

* Steam level was low. Any steamy scenes were glossed over in a sentence or two until the scene could be transported to a new locale.

* I was so happy for Guy's ending.

Click here for more about Jenny Bayliss. Find Meet Me Under the Mistletoe on Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon

 

Take care and happy reading!

 - Heather 

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown

Follow me on Facebook

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for the opportunity to read and review this book!

Review - Rookie Mistake by L.A. Witt and Anna Zabo

Rookie Mistake is the latest book written by authors L.A. Witt and Anna Zabo. It's a terrific, action-packed, and definitely steamy romance between two professional hockey players.  

Anna Zabo is a new-to-me author. They're a rather prolific author much like L.A. Witt is whose books I've been reading since I discovered her last summer. I've read at least 25-30 of her books. So far!

Rookie Mistake is currently available at retailers as of this week and is well worth the read. 

From the back cover: 

Rookie forward Isaac Rivera is still finding his footing in the big leagues where he’s no longer the best player on the roster. It’s a whole new world, especially now that several of his hockey idols have become teammates. Friends, even.

There’s one who’s more than a hockey idol, though… and he might end up being more than a friend. 

Julien Landry is a powerhouse on the ice. In eight years, he’s become one of the league’s top defensemen and the heartthrob everyone wants to bed. But fallout from a painful mistake as a rookie, followed by years of rough-and-tumble hookups, have him itching for something more.

When a connection sparks between him and Isaac, he discovers what he’s been missing: someone he can trust with his body and his heart. As long as Isaac and Julien keep the heat between them off the ice, what could go wrong?

But Julien’s past is never far behind him, and when it comes crashing in, he might lose everything—his career, his friends, and the first person he’s ever really loved.

CW: discussions of past abuse and sexual assault 

From my review:

Rookie Mistake by L.A. Witt and Anna Zabo. I went into this book as a big fan of L.A. Witt's books, so I know from the start I'd like it. Steamy romance, hockey - what's not to like?

If I didn't already love it, I'd be an absolute hockey fan by the end of this book. It's #1 in the new On the Board series, so I can only assume there will be more. (Thank goodness!) In the meantime, I'm off to watch my CBJ!

If this is not your first ever L.A. Witt/Anna Zabo novel, you're probably already rubbing your hands together in eager anticipation. If this is your first book by these talented authors, you're in for a real treat!

Click here for my full Goodreads review.

Rookie Mistake by L.A. Witt and Anna Zabo - Goodreads - Amazon

Take care and happy reading!

 - Heather 

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Review - The Dating Dilemma

I am all over books with a fake dating trope. I don't know why I love these, but I do!

OK fine - probably because it gives the characters to really get to know each other and then find out that yeah - there is more than just the person's good looks - even if they aren't a strip-o-gram!!

Nobody's perfect, I suppose.

Enter The Dating Dilemma by Mariah Ankenman. It's book 2 in her Mile High Firefighters series of romantic comedies. The Wedding Dilemma is book 1 and while I only just today bought it, not having read it in no way took away from The Dating Dilemma. The story made for a fantastic stand-alone book that I nearly read in one sitting. I really shouldn't have started it so late last night, but hey. That's on me.

This had me laughing throughout and unable to turn the pages fast enough to get to the end.

From the back cover:

Lexi’s Reminders

* Work.

* Don’t think about your birthday tomorrow. Or debt, your crappy apartment, and nonexistent social life.

* Re-stock wine and ice cream because that’s coming.

* Die in a raging blaze of humiliation when the super-hot and very delicious fireman waiting in your office is not in fact the strip-o-gram birthday present you suspected.

* Reschedule the fire safety inspection you 100 percent failed because of said humiliation.

* Figure out how you, in fact, agreed to fake dating Mr. Not a Strip-O-Gram Fireman to help him with a bet.

* Oh yeah, and do not fall for this guy. Seriously, they call him One Night O’Neil. Red flags all over the place.

* Remember, this is fake dating, even though his very talented, very real lips are doing some sexy things you definitely like.

* Realize bending one tiny rule can’t be that bad, can it?

* Except bend too far, and something breaks. Something you can’t get back.

From my review on Goodreads:

The Dating Dilemma by Mariah Ankenman - my first book by this author I discovered on instagram. It's a fun read with likable characters who work to figure themselves out all while fake dating each other thanks to a couple of bets and bad experiences with previous boyfriends and girlfriends. I enjoyed the characters of Lexi, who puts her heart and soul into a community center for kids, and Dyson, who is a local firefighter who goes out of his way to help Lexi getting her center up to code so it passes the fire inspection. When their paths crossed there are instant sparks for an attraction that only grows as the story goes on.

The story was a pleasure to read, had a great happy ending, but didn't have to deal with a lot of angst that would stress me out. I read the first few chapters last night before bed and finished the rest in one sitting today.

If you're looking for a fun read that'll make you laugh, but not cry, pick up The Dating Dilemma!

Learn more about Mariah Ankenman at her official website and be sure to follow her on Goodreads. The Dating Dilemma is available wherever you find your books. Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon

Happy Reading! 

        - Heather

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing 

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing 

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown - for this and all my book reviews

Read on my nook.

Review - The Fastest Way to Fall

I miss running and need to get my butt in gear to get back into it. I also love a good book with a happy ending. In a search for something that combines the two, I recently listened to a new romance novel called The Fastest Way to Fall. It's the sophomore novel by romance author Denise Williams. I absolutely loved her first novel, How to Fail at Flirting, and just had to check this one out. 

This is a wonderful book about a writer's journey through getting to better know herself as she writes for a healthy living magazine. It's 100% body positive but it travels through all the insecurities women, like Britta and also like myself, carry with us as we question so much in our lives. It was beautifully written and I definitely saw a lot of myself in this book as I read it.

From the book blurb: 

Britta didn’t plan on falling for her personal trainer, and Wes didn’t plan on Britta. Plans change and it’s unclear if love, career, or both will meet them at the finish line.

Britta Colby works for a lifestyle website, and when tasked to write about her experience with a hot new body-positive fitness app that includes personal coaching, she knows it’s a major opportunity to prove she should write for the site full-time.

As CEO of the FitMe app, Wes Lawson finally has the financial security he grew up without, but despite his success, his floundering love life and complicated family situation leaves him feeling isolated and unfulfilled. He decides to get back to what he loves—coaching. Britta’s his first new client and they click immediately.

As weeks pass, she’s surprised at how much she enjoys experimenting with her exercise routine. He’s surprised at how much he looks forward to talking to her every day. They convince themselves their attraction is harmless, but when they start working out in person, Wes and Britta find it increasingly challenging to deny their chemistry and maintain a professional distance.

Wes isn’t supposed to be training clients, much less meeting with them, and Britta’s credibility will be sunk if the lifestyle site finds out she’s practically dating the fitness coach she’s reviewing. Walking away from each other is the smartest thing to do, but running side by side feels like the start of something big.

From my Goodreads review:

This was an incredible story, but Britta - oh man. Things she said in this book hit so close to home. It was tough for me to listen to at times, but I couldn't stop. I could honestly relate to so much of the journey her character went through.

The evolution of their friendship and romance was fantastic and you can't help rooting for her and Wes throughout the entire book.

Read or listen to this book, it's a great read. And maybe at the end, you'll be inspired to run a 10K as well. Who's with me? 

And if you haven't already, pick up How to Fail at Flirting as well. Hits on some tough subjects, but is well worth your time to read.

Learn more about Denise Williams and all her books at these locations: Denise Williams - Official Website - Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon

Happy Reading, everyone! 

        - Heather

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing 

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing 

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown - for this and all my book reviews

Review - Burden of Poof

I was so excited to read the first installment of the new Bonnie & Clyde Cozy Mystery series by Julie Anne Lindsey whose brilliant writing ensured I was not disappointed! 

One of my favorite authors, I jumped at the chance to read her new series which features Bonnie Balfour, a recent, soon-to-be divorcée who has moved back from Atlanta to her hometown of Bliss, GA, to open her new dress shop, and her trusty stray cat, Clyde. 

I love the premise of her shop - she renovates and redesigns vintage / out-of-style dresses and makes them more fun and modern.

She discovers the murder victim and thanks to circumstances both beyond her control and some bad timing, she becomes the target of the murder investigation. Enter Ex-FBI agent and now detective on loan, Mason Wright. Mr. Wright? Love the pun. The witty banter between Bonnie and him is super fun to read. He’s just not - buying - her - story. 

The story is great fun to read because you’re introduced to a whole cast of characters including her loving parents who own a flower farm outside of town. Her friend Cami who works to advertise all that is wonderful and good about their town of Bliss, other shop keepers including one with a haunted book shop, another with a coffee shop that isn’t, but may be up for sale, and one who talks to plants because they’re pretty much troublemakers anyway. (The plants, that is) 

Things I liked

• While still younger, I like that the FMC of this book is at least closer to my age. 
• She also works with kids who may not be able to afford their own dresses which I think is awesome. 
• The snarkiness of Detective Wright, a.k.a. Detective Grumpy
• I also like that he’s sneakier than typical detectives in a cozy series 

Things I didn’t like 

• That I now have to wait for the second book in the series. So rude! (Just kidding - I just received the ARC for book two, Seven Deadly Sequins! It'll hit the shelves on October 15, 2021.)

One oddity which probably says more about me than the book. 

Detective Wright, from Cleveland, calls something a potato puff. What the heck is that? I live in Ohio, but I’ve never heard of that. FMC called them tater tots, but what? Huh? Of course they’re tater tots. (I may have to revisit this particular topic!)

This was a fun book with a good whodunnit wrapped inside a fun group of characters. Until it was revealed, I didn’t know “whodunnit,” which is exactly how I like my mysteries. 

I can't wait to delve further into this series. Julie Anne Lindsey is an author worth knowing. Her stories are fabulous, slightly more intense than your average cozy, but filled with fantastic characters and terrific mysteries. Whichever series you start reading, I guarantee you'll be hooked from book one! 

Find all of Julie Anne Lindsey's books on her official website - Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon

Happy Reading! 

        - Heather

P.S. As for the dress that was destroyed… I’m a little bummed about that and hope a similar iteration can make an appearance. It sounded SO COOL! 

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing 

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing 

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown - for this and all my book reviews

Review - Renovated: A Workplace Romance by Nikki Kiley

I love reading books in new series or by new (to me) authors. With Renovated: A Workplace Romance by Nikki Kiley, I get the best of both worlds! 

Renovated is the debut book in a new series of romance novels featuring the Chance Brothers. Levi Chance is one of 6 brothers who work in construction / home renovation business who has done work for a popular Home TV Network. Marisa Sanchez, is a designer and contractor known for her popular social media presence. 

Sparks fly when they're thrust together for a new home show, Renovated, at the last minute after the original team of hosts fell apart. 

With a tight timeline, they have to work through their differences and doubts about each other's abilities while at the same time learning what motivates each. Levi runs a family business with his 5 brothers and as the oldest, feels a certain responsibility to make sure they're all taken care of. Marisa runs her business with the hope of earning enough money to buy the building to help save her Nana's business.

The story keeps you updated on the progress of the renovation, but more importantly, it keeps you up to date with their familial obligations all the while as they're undeniably attracted to each other. When a huge curve ball is thrown Marisa's way that may put the entire show in jeopardy, the families come together and do what families do best, which is to support each other.

Throughout the book we get to enjoy Marisa and Levi's steamy romance as well as meet Levi's brothers and Marisa's sweet Nana and her best friends who stood by her through all her ups and downs. I can't wait to read more stories to get to know all those characters even better.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It was very readable, the story flowed, and I just had to keep turning my digital pages to see what happened next. It was a pretty quick read that will leave you longing for more. And... you get a sneak peek into the next Chance Brother romance, so be sure to pick this up!

Find Nikki Kiley online and her books at these and other locations.  Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon - Bookbub 

Happy Reading! 

        - Heather


Twitter - @GrantsCrossing 

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing 

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown - for this and all my book reviews

Review - The Cider Shop Rules

I just finished the Cider Shop Rules by Julie Anne Lindsey and while the wait seemed to last forever and ever! (Imagine a little kid’s wanting to open Christmas presents but Christmas was still three whole days away!) Fine - it wasn’t forever, but I’m thrilled it’s nearly here! This is a terrific whodunnit in which the murder suspect didn’t even appear on my radar until Lindsey was ready for me to start suspecting that particular killer. 

That particular killer, you ask? Yes. There are two. Heh heh heh. 

Imagine a beautiful fall day in the midst of pumpkin and cider festivals where families and friends are gathered to celebrate the season. Nearby, a Civil War reenactment is going on throwing more interesting characters. When it’s time to leave the festival, our Cider Shop friends take off for ice cream only to discover a body in the back of their truck. Oops. The best part? I didn’t know who it was until the author revealed it. 

Love me a good whodunnit!

I love cozy mysteries by Julie Anne Lindsey. She’s an author who’s books I pick up as soon as they come out. Well, actually, that’s not true. 

I’ve now taking to pre-ordering her books because I’m clearly not patient enough to wait for release date. Can’t help myself. She writes great whodunnits and likable, intelligent and yes, quirky characters, that you can’t help but fall in love with. 

See? Four of these pre-orders are books by Julie Anne Lindsey (aka Bree Baker for Partners in Lime). I just don’t want to miss them. 

The Cider Shop Rules in the latest in the Cider Shop cozy mystery series. I received the book as an ARC from NetGalley and posted this review both there and on Goodreads. 

I loved going back to Blossom Valley to spend time with Winnie, Granny, and Colton. Blossom Valley is knee deep in autumn festivals when the owner of the pumpkin farm is found dead in the back of Winnie’s truck. The town is all aflutter with the news and the community’s expectations that Winnie will help find the killer.

Naturally, Winnie doesn’t want to find anything out, but when threats find their way to her Cider Shop, she has no choice but to step in, much to the chagrin of Sheriff Colton Wise.

It certainly doesn’t help that Winnie is being stalked by an escaped serial killer on top of receiving warnings to stay away from asking questions about the man whose body was found in her truck.

I’ll be honest, there were a couple of times when I agreed with Colton about her promising him one thing and turning right around and doing the opposite and kind of wish he’d tried to drive that further into her head, but for the most part, she did alright and had me on the edge of the seat to find out what what she could learn. I could not stop turning those pages!

I enjoyed the expansion of characters in this book. Along the way, we meet some of Colton’s family, including his brother, Blake, a sheriff in a neighboring county, and his parents. We were also treated to a cameo from a couple characters in another cozy series by Lindsey, one I’ve not yet read, but will binge-read soon!

Be sure to pick up this latest / third installment of the Cider Shop Mysteries by Julie Anne Lindsey. I promise you won’t be disappointed. And the ending… GAHHH! Loved it. (I.e. FINALLY!) Ahem. :-)

Full disclosure - whenever I see a book by Julie Anne Lindsey, I pick it up. If you’ve not yet read her books, I highly suggest you check out her website and start reading. They’re all good!

Ebook was provide as an ARC by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks very much to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this opportunity.

The Cider Shop Rules is due to hit the shelves on July 27 but is available now for pre-order. The first and second books in the series are Apple Cider Slaying and Pulp Friction and yes - I absolutely love the punny titles. (Is punny a word?) 

I strongly encourage you to take a look at her website and try some of her books if you haven’t already. She writes Cozy Mysteries, including a new series, Bonnie and Clyde, starting with Burden of Poof coming out this fall. 

Julie Anne Lindsey official website - Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon 

Read my Goodreads review. 

Happy Reading! 

        - Heather


Twitter - @GrantsCrossing 

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing 

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown 

Review - Lovebug

I just finished listening to the cutest book on Audible. 

Lovebug, by Erin Mallon, is a contemporary romance / RomCom that features a sheltered entomologist and a gruff groundskeeper who, over the course of a summer camp at a local arboretum, are brought together through overzealous optimism and a shared love of nature.

This book looked absolutely cute when I read the description. I just finished and ended up really really enjoying it, but the first 10 or so chapters were excruciatingly painful to listen to. The main character, Mabel, was an Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt kind of character who was annoyingly optimistic without being very wise to the ways of the world. I only made it through the pilot episode of Kimmy Schmidt.) She also came across as incredibly ditzy. Talking about bugs - loved it. I learned things in this book, so for me, that part was interesting, but listening to her interact with others during the first 10-11-12 chapters... ugh. 

Her night out with her girlfriends when she described her sex life with her fiancé, especially painful. Just...ugh. I'll never think of Law & Order SVU the same way again. Oh. Yes, I will. It's a great show.

My recommendation? Like with making it through book 10 of Robert Jordan's Wheel of Time Series (you know the one, the book that is nothing but everyone's reaction to what happened the last chapter of book 9 with nothing new until literally 3 pages from the end? Yeah. That one.), I highly recommend you stick with this. Seriously - the main character becomes real and far more relatable starting about the end of chapter 12. And - there are 29 chapters + an epilogue. (Plus an interesting summary of the writing process from the author afterwards, so you need to listen to / read that as well)

After that point, I felt that 24-year old Mabel finally started coming into her own and becoming her own person who allowed herself to actually feel something other than pressure to make everyone else happy. There were some tough issues that were faced afterwards that an insanely sheltered person had difficulty dealing with, but that were a joy to listen to. 

Wally? He was awesome, of course. Nothing like a good guy who can see beyond the surface, beyond the façade put up by Mabel. He was also pleasantly patient as well and let her do things at her own pace.

Stick with the story - it's a good one and I already have Flirtasaurus (Natural History #1) to listen to by Erin Mallon as well. As an experienced book narrator, she does a fabulous job of reading her own book and look forward to more in this series. 

Learn more about Erin Mallon at her website. Find Lovebug at Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon 

 My Goodreads review.

 - Heather

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown - Find this and other book reviews here

Review - The Layover

I picked up book last week to listen to at work and discovered this new gem by Lacie Waldon. The Layover is her debut novel, an enemies to lovers romantic comedy. I originally read about it in a Goodreads giveaway (which I didn't win) so I was delighted to find it on audible. I listened to it all in a day and loved every minute of it. 

I absolutely loved this book! I think it’s because I love to fly, but also because I have a couple of friends who worked as flight attendants and they always came back with some fantastic stories about the various goofy people on their flights. While the passenger antics make up a small part of the book, it adds depth to the overall story. 

Ava is a newly engaged flight attendant working her last flight which includes a 24-hour layover at a beach resort in Belize. She’s been working the skies for nearly 9 years now and has her job down to a science. Typically unflappable, her professionalism is pushed to the limit with an eccentric, yet lovable, young flight attendant who traded for this layover flight and Jack, a former Air Force pilot who is now working as a flight attendant in the civilian world. Never mind that he has a reputation as a player looking to date as many flight attendants as he possibly can. 

Sensing a spark of romance, Ava and Jack team up to play matchmakers to two other coworkers on this flight resulting in some laugh out loud exchanges between all the characters. 

Maintenance problems add an extra 24-hours to their layover on the beach in Belize which is when it becomes more and more apparent that Ava and Jack are falling for each other. Add a fiancé that wants her to be nothing more than a trophy wife and romance ensues.

I love the way they come together at the end, especially with a little help from the Captain along the way. 

In all honesty, the fact that her brand new engagement ended up being called off was a tad predictable. We knew it was coming from the beginning, but it was quite satisfying when it did.

This is the debut novel by Lacie Waldon that keeps you grounded with fun, but leave you flying high. I look forward to reading more! 

Now… where can I get my hands on some deep dish pizza?

Find Lacie Waldon on line - Website - Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon

This book just hit the shelves last week. I highly recommend adding it to your summer reading list! In the meantime, happy reading!

 - Heather

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown - Find this and other book reviews here

Review - Undercover Bromance

OMG This book was hilarious!

I wanted to share my review of Lyssa Kay Adams' Undercover Bromance. This is the 2nd in a (so far) trilogy of hilarious romances featuring a group of, shall I say, prominent, well-known, famous men in the Nashville sports and nightclub scenes. 

There's a group of men who are business owners, professional athletes, etc, who have started a romance book club because they believe that romance novels are, more or less, step-by-step how-to manuals on how to romance ladies. 

And of course, first rule of Bromance Book Club? 

Don't talk about Bromance Book Club. Obviously.

This is book 2 of the series which features one of the men from book 1 and Thea's sister, Liz. I'm glad I read this one first because I liked Liz in this. After reading the first book (well, listening to the first book) I didn't like her at all, so I'm glad this was my first taste of this series. 

From my Goodreads review: 

OMG This book was hilarious! Especially the undercover parts with The Russian, whose actual name I learned about 80% of the way through the book.

This story follows a pastry chef, Liz, and Braden Mack, a well-off nightclub owner in Nashville who, along with a bunch of other well known men, have a secret romance book club. While showing off for a date, he creates an accident that causes him to lose his date and for her to get fired from a fancy restaurant run by a cocky chef who feels that all his female employees are there for the taking and if they say no, he has them all blacklisted in town.

Seems he has a history of sexually harassing the women who work for him, so the story follows a pissed off Liz who wants to get back at him and Mack, who decides to help her after getting dumped for the first time in his life.

When she finds herself in over her head, the guys in the book club step in to help and OMG - it’s so funny. There were parts, especially in the scenes where Noah is recruited in. (Don’t want to give any specifics) I have not busted out laughing like that in I don’t know how long while reading a book.

Great story with a wonderful and quirky cast of characters that will leave you laughing while tugging at your heartstrings the entire way.

***

The 1st and 3rd books were fantastic. Each one of these books actually tackles some tough issues while making the romancing itself the hilarious part. Admittedly, the 3rd book was not as funny as the first two, but it really tugged at your heartstrings and you just need to read it. 

Lyssa Kay Adams - Goodreads - Barnes & Noble - Amazon

Book 4? Coming out July 20 and it features: THE RUSSIAN! I can't wait. Vlad is terrific, but don't feed him any cheese. 

Just sayin'.

 - Heather

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown

Review - The Man From Darke County

This book was awesome! 

Have you read The Man From Darke County by N. Sullivan? If you haven’t, pick it up today and read it this week. It’s a fun, super quirky, well-written detective novel that touches on a bit of the paranormal. And, it’s set right here in Ohio.

Last summer, I just wanted to read a few pages so I could reference this book in my own book that I’m writing and two hours later, I’d read the whole thing. I couldn’t put it down it was so much fun to read. 

The Man From Darke County was an enjoyable read that did not at all go a direction I expected it to go, which is probably why it was such fun. 

A detective, deemed crazy by his fellow policemen, is pulled off suspension to join in with a police detective from a neighboring county filled with a most unusual populace. 

Be warned: there’s a lot of snark in the dialogue which is part of what appealed to me. Anytime an author can fill a character’s dialogue with copious amounts of sarcasm, I’m a happy camper. 

If you like detective novels and are looking for something a little different, I highly recommend you read this book. 

As for me, I’m looking forward to reading the sequel!

Find N. Sullivan online at Amazon - Patreon - Twitter 

If you’re unfamiliar with Patreon, as I was, it’s a digital subscription service that allows you to support your favorite indie authors with their audio stories, podcasts, behind the scenes footage, and all sorts of other fun content. You’re welcome to support at a variety of levels established by the various hosts. I encourage you to follow the link above and learn more. 

Read my original Goodreads review.

In the meantime, thanks and happy reading!

     - Heather 

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown

Review - Garrett Valor Series

These are so much better than the Harlequins I read in high school!

Julie Anne Lindsey is one of my absolute favorite authors and I'm currently in the point of pre-ordering every book she says is coming out because I know it's a guaranteed good story. I first came to know her as Bree Baker, her pseudonym for the Seaside Cafe cozy mystery series and yes - I'll probably post something about each series because that's how I roll. But, the stories are all fun, well-written, filled with fun, lovable, and quirky characters. As for the whodunnits? Well, they're not given away until she's ready to give them away. Just what I want in a cozy mystery. And yes, I have book #6, Partners in Lime (Barnes & Noble - Amazon) pre-ordered and know she's working on Book 7 which will, sadly, be the last book of the series. (Come on, Everly and Grady. Snap to it)

Because I know she's a good mystery writer, when I learned she also wrote Romantic Suspense novels for Harlequin Intrigue, I just had to read them and they did not disappoint.

Yeah. I'm hooked.I'm especially hooked on series of books that gives a full book to each member of the family. In the case of the Garrett Valor series, each Garrett brother is working on law enforcement, usually being brought into each others cases to offer up support. 

There are actually four books featuring the Garrett Brothers, so I recommend reading them in this sequence: 

1. Federal Agent Under Fire - Blake, an FBI agent, hunts down a serial killer, protecting Marissa Lane along the way. 

2. The Sheriff’s Secret - This follows West, the town Sheriff, as he tracks down someone stalking his former girlfriend. 

3. Shadow Point Deputy - In this book, Cole, a deputy working for his brother, West, follows the clues and protects a witness from a criminal that just might be a dirty cop. 

4. Marked by the Marshall - In the fourth book of the series, Ryder, the U.S. Marshall of the family, is in pursuit of a serial arsonist who is now targeting Ryder's ex-fiancée.

All the books are great reads with believable characters and the women who are in danger aren’t all the types who whine or constantly fail to follow basic instruction. No - they’re all smart, strong, have common sense, are independent thinkers and totally fall for the Garrett brother who’s assigned to protect them. Heck, if the Garrett brothers existed in real life, you'd fall for them, too.

I loved getting to know the whole family - even Uncle Henry, though I hear, as a paramedic, he's not going to get his own book. Life can be so unfair sometimes. He still gets to save the day in a couple of books.

The stories are fun - believable, suspenseful, action-packed and also quick reads because you can’t put them down! Sleep is overrated anyway.

Julie Anne Lindsey has two other Harlequin book series that follow families of law enforcement professionals (Heartland Heroes) or military veterans working security (Fortress Defense).

Julie Anne Lindsey's books can be found in stores and online wherever you buy your books. She has published under several pseudonyms. They are Julie Anne Lindsey - Bree Baker - Jacqueline Frost - Julie Chase - but all her books can be found on her official website.

Already available for pre-order is a new cozy mystery series set to debut this fall. Burden of Poof will be the first of at least eight Bonnie and Clyde mysteries that I can't wait to read.


Happy Reading!

        - Heather


Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown

Review - Anchored Hearts by Priscilla Oliveras

May 11, 2020 - that's when I read my first romance novel since I was in high school. If you're wondering how long that's been, I graduated from high school in 1987. 

So yeah. It had been a while. 

The book I read was by an author whose books I'd never read before named Priscilla Oliveras. I had heard of her only because I'm in the Between the Chapters Book Club, a Facebook group hosted by Kensington Books, a publishing house under the umbrella of Penguin Random House. So for fun, I decided to try the book. It was one of the May books of the month. I liked the cover. I'd seen it in a couple of Emails. Why not? 

Why not, indeed! Island Affair is a fake boyfriend/girlfriend romance that was a ton of fun and turned into the real thing for a happily ever after at the end of the book. Sara and Luis. Swoon. How could you not love it? It's a fantastic book - filled with a woman in Key West whose boyfriend basically stood her up on this trip and Luis, a dreamy Latinx firefighter paramedic whose family is big and accepting and more than happy to see their son find love. (This is Book 1 of why you should never go up against a Cuban mami. You won't win. Just smile, nod, and say Si, Señora! For book 2 of this lesson, read Anchored Hearts. No. Really.)

Thanks to this book, I've been hooked on reading romance novels nearly non-stop since last May11. No really. It's true. 

Her latest book, Anchored Hearts, book #2 of the Keys to Love series just came out and does not disappoint! 

There’s nothing better than returning to Key West to visit the Navarro and Miranda families. Oliveras’ earlier book, Island Affair was my visit visit to the Keys (in real life or fiction) and it’s also the book that piqued my interest in romance novels. Island Affair was the first romance novel I had read since high school and I graduated in ‘87. 

In Anchored Hearts, we return to spend time with Annamaria Navarro as she’s working hard as a paramedic / firefighter but also doing a fabulous job building her own business that centers on fitness and good nutrition. She’s making a name for herself in that industry and is making great progress at growing her business. 

Enter Alejandro Miranda, her first love who ran off to Europe after high school to pursue his dream of photography - breaking her heart in the process. Now, 10-12 years later, he re-enters her life after a serious accident that has him laid up at his parents’ home. It’s definitely a challenge since he doesn’t get along with his father who still harbours resentment towards his son for not joining the family business. 

Now, combine two broken hearts with their Cuban Mamis and there is sure to be a lot of fun and friction. 

Remind me never to say anything but yes, ma’am to any Cuban Mami who crosses my path. They sure are forces to be reckoned with - especially when they’re right! 

I love the rekindling of emotions between Annamaria and Ale that built throughout the story. Priscilla Oliveras’ writing style drew me in from the first page, as she has on all her other books I’ve made a point to read in the last several months. 

Following a constant theme of familia present in all her books, Anchored Hearts did not disappoint. I look forward to her next book. Definitely an author whose books I pick up on sight.

Priscilla Oliveras' other books include: 

* His Perfect Partner (Matched to Perfection #1)

* Her Perfect Affair (Matched to Perfection #2)

* Their Perfect Melody (Matched to Perfection #3) 

* Resort to Love (Paradise Key #2) 

* Holiday Home Run (which has a main character who played for the Chicago Cubs. Fictional main character, yes, but whenever my favorite baseball team makes an appearance, I like it that much more!)

Her books can be found most everywhere. Click here for a complete list. 

On social media, Priscilla Oliveras is always super friendly and is happy to welcome new romance readers into Romancelandia. I'm a romance novel convert thanks to her. Find her online here: Website - Twitter - Goodreads

Thanks and happy reading!

         - Heather

Find me online

Twitter - @GrantsCrossing

Instagram - @GrantsCrossing

Goodreads - H.M.S. Brown