#BookReview Return to You by Samantha Chase

This romance novel is a fun page turner that I couldn’t put down! Return to You follows James Mongomery and Selena Ainsley as they slowly reconnect with each other. The two have a dramatic past that is slowly revealed throughout the novel, instead of most novels where it is all delivered up front. This wonderful idea by Samantha Chase gives the novel a little extra boost in making the novel more interesting. As a reader, it made me want to continue reading and discovering what happened to James and Selena in their past as it is explained and revealed chapter by chapter.

The novel focuses on the present day and how James and Selena learn about how their view of events is very different from each other. Their relationship and circumstances seem very realistic, and well thought out. I didn’t see any of the characters being over exaggerated or boring. The characters are an amazing aspect of the novel!

The plot line is also intriguing, but could have used a bit more action or drama. I found the plot line to be very predictable and obvious as the novel went on, and even made some of the chapters slow and boring. Once I was past those chapters, I became instantly interested in it again.

Overall, I felt like a little more action and drama could have been added, but it was a good quality book. The novel moved smoothly and kept me interested!

Four out of five stars!

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

 

What is your favourite romance novel series? Comment below!
Did you enjoy this review? Why not check out another you might enjoy? #BookReview Alejandro’s Sexy Secret by Amy Ruttan

Use the hashtags #BriarsReviews and #TheMontgomeryBrothers to start the conversation on Twitter! @ReviewAlholic

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#BookReview The Longing by Wendy Lindstrom

The Longing was a beautiful historical romance novel that kept me wanting more!

The novel follows a marriage of convenience between Kyle Grayson and the beautiful Amelia. When they find themselves married and unsure of where they romance would go, drama ensues.

Not only does this book follow the romance, but it follows a bit of woodworking business as well! This novel is great for anyone who loves a good romance that is not just purely romance, but wants an emotional ride.

This book is part of a series, so I found some of the references confusing. But, you do not need to read the rest of the series to fully understand the book. Wendy Lindstrom does a good job feeding in the information you need to know as it comes. If you have read the series, some of the plot twists will probably be easier to predict, but it’s not a major problem in the book.

I found the book to be a little slow, but I am used to fast paced romance in fast paced genres. It’s a slow read, but it’s emotional and dramatic, which helps this slow plot develop.

I would definitely read the rest of the series after picking up this book! I saw no major plot errors and the character development is drawn out well over the novel. Fantastic novel!

I rate this four out of five stars because of the slow moving plot. It does not hinder the story, but it makes it harder to stick to the book. If anything, that would be the only potential problem I can knick-pick about!

This book would be great for anyone who loves: historical romance, romance in general, emotional and dramatic reads (such as The Fault in Our Stars – but in an adult genre instead of YA), and historical fiction in general.

Four out of five stars!

I received this book for free through Goodreads First Reads.

 

What is your favourite historical romance book? Comment below!
If you loved this book, then I highly suggest this book: #BookReview The Proper Proposal (A Regency Romance) by Sophy Hester

Use the hashtags #BriarsReviews and #GraysonBrothers on twitter to start a conversation! @ReviewAlholic

#BookReview Second Guessing by Gail Ward Olmsted

 

Second Guessing by Gail Ward Olmsted is a lovely sequel to Guessing at Normal that shouldn’t be missed!

I thought this book was a fantastic addition to this series – this time with Jill falling for Ben (a much younger guy). It was a nice twist on the story of older woman, younger man with lots of sweet romance scenes in between the dramatic bits. Add in another boy band, Lynsey and teenage drama with Jill’s daughter Carly and you’ve got a soap opera-esque women’s fiction novel!

One thing that really hit me was that Carly accurately described how I feel about the loss of my own Father. Sometimes you forget they are gone, or you just forget – it’s tough! I totally bonded with Carly over feeling like everything is okay, and then one day you wake up and realize (again) that he’s gone. It was right on the nose!

I also really enjoyed the final newspaper/magazine articles that worked better than an epilogue (if I’m being honest). It was a nice change and was a fun glimpse into life right after the novel finishes.

One ‘con’ for this book was that having the names of actual recent bands and singers could potentially age the story. It wasn’t a bad thing to have, because right now it’s recent and makes sense. But for me, thinking about this book ending up in someone’s hand in the future… will they know Maroon 5 or Nick Jonas? Will they be just as big then as they were now? The rest of this story felt like it could have aged well (maybe not the texting, but who knows where that will go in the future), but the name dropping of recent bands worries me. Older bands I can understand (I mean, they have become legends) but will those recent singers and bands be legends? That’s more of a psychological question I had about this book that didn’t ruin it by any means.

This was by no means an R rated novel – it’s a fun, sweet yet sassy PG-13 novel. I could easily see teenagers going into this book even if it is intended to be read by adults.

Overall, this book was another fun women’s fiction novel packed with romance and drama. Gail Ward Olmsted has hit it out of the park with another sweet hit! I highly recommend this novel to those who want romance (but no erotica), women’s fiction or some soap opera-esque story lines.

Four out of five stars!

I received a free copy of this novel from the author Gail Ward Olmsted in exchange for an honest review.

 

Check out this novel, Second Guessing, on:

Goodreads: Goodreads – Second Guessing

Amazon.com: Amazon.com – Second Guessing

Amazon.ca: Amazon.ca – Second Guessing

 

Check out Guessing at Normal (the first book!) on Amazon:

Amazon.com: Amazon.com – Guessing at Normal

Amazon.ca : Amazon.ca – Guessing at Normal

 

Find out more about Gail Ward Olmsted on:

Her website: http://www.gailolmsted.com/

Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/gwolmsted

 

Comment below – what is your favourite romance novel?

If you read this review, give me a shout out on Twitter using the hashtag #briarsreviews @ReviewAlholic

#BookReview Jeep Tour by Gail Ward Olmsted

 

Jeep Tour is another stunning women’s fiction novel by Gail Ward Olmsted.

Seriously, this lady KNOWS what I’m feeling and thinking! Just the quote alone “A series of unrelated and seemingly random events that can singularly cause stress and anxiety” is my life right now – college, working, life, EVERYTHING! Within this sweet, women’s fiction are words of wisdom I never would have appreciated until I became an adult and finally understood what “adulting” meant! The metaphor comparing whack-a-mole made it even better, to be brutally honest. That’s is how life feels sometime!

This novel is the first in the “series”, but like the rebel I am – I read Jackie’s daughter’s story first! So, it was only necessary to read Jackie’s story as well! The two books can easily be read apart, but if you want a little more sanity and understanding, reading them in order would be helpful. I do have to say, you can tell that Gail has improved in her writing (not that she was bad to begin with, but you can see the growth and I LOVE when that happens! I’m a nerdy little birdie for seeing authors grow and change into sophisticated and more talented authors!).

Now, back to the story!

Middle-aged Jackie is divorced from her husband and decided to go on an adventure and hop on a Jeep Tour. She ended up meeting uber sexy tour guide Rick, and he gave her his number! Rick is young, hot, and flirty!

I related to Jackie in many ways – troubles with her job, a “Linda” in their life, troubles with relationship and wanting to just run away. But the one thing I really liked about Jackie was her ridiculous sense of humor! “Waa-mbulance” was one of the best comments I’ve ever seen, and I will definitely be entering that into my verbal thesaurus for the next time life gets tough. The accounting metaphors also had me chuckling, since I’ve taken some accounting classes (and the comments really fit how I see some of my accounting friends…).

Even the relationships in this novel felt real, which was shocking! I don’t know many people who got divorced and started sleeping with their ex when the papers were signed, but Gail made me feel like I did! I felt like Jackie and Robbie could have been my neighbors or friends of mine! It was weird, but incredible. But that’s raw talent for you! Although, sometimes I felt like this relationship was a little bit… tumultuous, or not healthy. Knowing the contents of the second book made me feel better about it, but there was still this ache in the back of my head going “NOOOO JACKIE NOOOO YOU DESERVE BETTER – NICE GUY AND GOOD SEX! YOU CAN HAVE BOTH! DON’T SETTLE FOR ONE!”

The journey Jackie embarks on is definitely a beautiful story. The ups, the downs and everything in between will make you feel! It was a beautiful story to sit down, admire the summer air and fall into. It was a relaxing read, something that women’s fiction definitely needs!

I definitely recommend this book to anyone who wants a soft, simple read with a little splash of drama and romance. It’s a PG rated, flirty and fun book that will whisk you away into the life of a of truly incredible character. It’s a must read that will be added to my shelf!

Five out of five stars!

I received a free copy from the author Gail Ward Olmsted in exchange for an honest review.

 

Check out this book on:

Goodreads: Goodreads – Jeep Tour

Amazon.com – Amazon.com – Jeep Tour

Amazon.ca – Amazon.ca – Jeep Tour

 

 

Check out the sequel with Jackie, Robbie and their daughter in Driving on the Left!

Goodreads – Goodreads – Driving on the Left

Amazon.com – Amazon.com – Driving on the Left

Amazon.ca – Amazon.ca – Driving on the Left

 

Find out more about Gail Ward Olmsted on her website: http://www.gailolmsted.com/

Or give us both a shout out on Twitter! @GWOlmsted & @ReviewAlholic

 

Comment below – have you read any novels by Gail Ward Olmsted?

#BookReview Spin by C.D. Reiss

 

Spin by C.D. Reiss is a must read for lovers of erotic romance!

This book is mega hot and obsessive! Mobsters? Cars? Heck yes! This felt like General Hospital on erotica/romance steroids!

This is book 1 of 3, so I’m sure the following books are steamy and amp up this series, but for now I’ll settle on reviewing Spin (which was in the A Love Thing anthology – highly recommend, by the way!).

Theresa, Daniel, Antonio, Katrina and Johnathan are exciting characters to follow in this book. Antonio’s the mob boss, yet Theresa finds him highly attractive. Theresa and Antonio are the main leads, but the other characters are also lovable. Antonio gave me Sonny vibes (from General Hospital) but insanely hot and the perfect alpha male lead. Theresa is a career driven woman (I relate so hard to her) and isn’t the Mary Sue or Plain Jane character some of these books tend to have.

Keep in mind, this book is not PG – it’s hot and heavy! The sex scenes are steamy and will bring the summer heat! This is the “Fifty Shades” book we needed – hot, lovable characters and excellent writing!

This book is a roller coaster of action and romance, and C.D. Reiss lifts this book up to new levels. I definitely loved this book and would love to see more books by C.D. Reiss on my local bookstores shelves! I highly recommend this book and it’s a must read on my shelf!

Four out of five stars!!

 

Find C.D. Reiss on her website: http://cdreiss.com/

Or give us a shout out on twitter! @CDReissWriter & @ReviewAlholic

Check out another book you might enjoy! #BookReview Seduction on the Slopes (SIG #2) by Tamsen Parker

Comment below – what book are you reading this week?

#BookReview A Week In New York by Louise Bay

 

A Week In New York is an addicting, romantic read that will sweep you off your feet.

This book was FANTABULOUS! Yes, fantastic and fabulous all in one! It was full of romance, some super sexy and erotic scenes, and kept me hooked to every single word on every single page.

Anna is trying to get over a nasty break-up, and in walks Ethan – a super hot, super rich man who can fulfill her every desire. But, she has rules! She isn’t going to go into another relationship, since the last one didn’t go to well. Yet, something builds between them – something hot and desirable. A Week in New York follows these characters and their antics while Anna is in New York (hence, the title).

The book is mega hot – there’s sexy, erotic scenes that will get your heart racing! It’s not the dirtiest or most R rated I’ve read, but it’s still really hot! The down and dirty time is written well and will get you heated! There’s more sex than romance, but it is a nice fit between these two characters. Their chemistry makes this sort of relationship work well, but that’s because Louise Bay is a fantastic writer. She develops their relationship really well within the constraints of one short novel. I honestly can’t wait to see how this pair develops in the future installments.

I also really enjoyed the references throughout this novel – they are romantic yet nerdy references that really added to the story. It makes it feel more real than it is.

My only con is – WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT ENDING?! A cliffhanger?! Louise Bay wants to kill me! I HAVE to keep reading this series after she had me fall in love with these characters and want to know what happens to Anna and Ethan! What a jerk she is! Being a good writer and making me want more!

I would highly recommend this sexy novel to anyone who loves romance and erotica. It’s also a short read and highly addicting, so if you’re looking for a simple novel to read in one sitting – you’ve found it!

Five out of five stars! Holy heck, that was hot!

I read this book from the anthology “A Love Thing”.

 

Purchase this book on:

Amazon.com – Amazon.com – A Week in New York

Amazon.ca – Amazon.ca – A Week In New York

 

Find this book on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22428861.A_Week_in_New_York

Find out more about Louise Bay on her website: http://www.louisebay.com/

Or give us both a shout out on Twitter! @LouisesBay & @ReviewAlholic

 

Comment below with your fave romance novel!
And while you’re at it, check out another review you might enjoy:

#BookReview Rogue Hearts (Anthology) by Tamsen Parker, Amy Jo Cousins, and more

#BookReview Free Fall by Emma Barry & Genvieve Turner

 

Free Fall by Emma Barry is one of the sweetest, feel good books of the year!

Thank you to Tamsen Parker who suggested I pick up books by Emma Barry! I can’t thank her enough, because Emma’s writing is beautiful and matches perfectly with my reading style.

Free Fall is about Dean and Vivian, an astronaut and the daughter of of a wealthy businessman, who happen to find themselves in a sticky situation. They are expecting a baby and they have to get married to “set things right”. This story follows their relationship and the troubles of Dean’s career.

This book really made me feel good – it’s ooey gooey cute and isn’t negative. It’s the type of book you’d want to read when you are in a bad mood because it will pick you up. Yes, there’s drama in this book (it’s a romance novel, there’s bound to be some kind of drama), but it doesn’t make you feel bad. I love a book that lets me sink into it’s words and feel great, and Emma does that perfectly.

I’m also so incredibly excited to see a book about a woman with a full figure that isn’t solely about her weight. Vivy embraces her full figure, and isn’t described as “fat”. I can fully relate to Vivian – I’ve always been athletic, and as a child I was told by other kids I was “fat” because I wasn’t super skinny like everybody else was in my classes. Being told to stay silent, be smaller, etc., just like Vivy was my life until I got older. It’s nice to see the storyline develop with the introduction to her body type, but not revolve around her weight. Too often do we see differences (whether it’s gender, sexuality, weight, etc) be used as the problem or plot line of the story, but this book embraced her as a person.

I’d like to see more of Dean and Vivian – I think they’re characters are well developed and could definitely hold their own in a series! I’m not sure where we could take them, but they were very cute! These characters do develop and face issues in this story.

Now the big question – do I have any cons (since I’ve listed many pros). If anything, I would have liked the book to be longer! Maybe a little more drama or action between the couple themselves. That’s my only suggestion to improve, because this was a really good book! It’s a worth while read! The book was “long enough”, but I could see this book including a few extra chapters and work just as well!

Overall, this book was truly beautiful! It’s a nice read to embrace on a soft, summer day! I highly recommend this book and declare it a romance must-read! It’s also not even close to an R rating (there are some sexy scenes, but nothing a PG-13 warning label won’t cover). So if you love romance and a happy ending, then this book will be for you!

Five out of five stars!

I received an ARC copy from the author Emma Barry in exchange for an honest review.

 

 

About Free Fall:

Authors: Emma Barry and Genevieve Turner

Book Title: Free Fall

Series: Fly Me to the Moon, Book 5

Houston, Texas, 1965

When an accident rocks the American Space Department, threatening the race to the moon, the agency is determined to eliminate distractions, including those in the bedroom.

Astronaut Dean Garland, on track to become the first man to walk in space, is fine with putting a temporary hold on his love life. Except the directive comes too late to prevent the biggest distraction of all: Vivian Muller… Garland. But now that he’s married, Dean is determined to follow the rules until he makes history with his spacewalk.

Vivy never expected to find herself pregnant or in a shotgun marriage, much less a sexless one. While her new husband might pretend to be perfectly happy sleeping alone, Vivy’s never believed in pretending or holding back. She’s determined to make her husband fall for her, even if it means bending—or breaking—the rules.

Dean’s resolve to keep marriage and work separate hits another serious snag: the suit he’s supposed to wear in the killer vacuum of space isn’t reliable, and his new father-in-law manufactured it. As Dean unravels the technical problem and Vivy tries to win her husband’s love, their hearts and his life hang in the balance.

 

Or purchase the book on Amazon:

Amazon.com – Free Fall

Amazon.ca – Free Fall

Give Genevieve (@GenTurner5), Emma (@AuthorEmmaBarry) and myself (@ReviewAlholic) a shout out on Twitter!
And check out Emma on her website: http://authoremmabarry.com/

 

Did you enjoy this review? Check out another one of my reviews including Emma Barry:

#BookReview Rogue Hearts (Anthology) by Tamsen Parker, Amy Jo Cousins, and more

#BookReview Rogue Affair by Adriana Anders, Tamsen Parker and more!

#BookReview Rogue Desires by Tamsen Parker, Adriana Anders, Amy Jo Cousins and more!