Book review: KARMA’S KISS, by R.S. Grey

The best part about this book is that it’s a small town romance, and I love this trope.  Everyone knows everyone else’s business, gossip travels at the speed of light, there are busybodies and there are book clubs.  Scarlett moved back to town after her life imploded in Alabama.  She was on the run to be a trophy wife for a senator’s son when he cheated and dumped her.

She’s now working in her mother’s wedding planning business, there’s a huge mess in the office, similar to her life now.  She’s shoved into a baseball game by her brother and runs into Sawyer Garner, who used to be the high school heartthrob.  He shows interest in her and her bestie Kendra convinces her to revenge date him.  And this is when the plot went awry, in my opinion.  This story plot line was dumb, but the author promptly changed courses and saved the book.

It’s a fun and flirty story, I liked Scarlett and how she got rid of all the “perfect girlfriend” persona she used to be and is now showing her real identity, grumpy and sassy.  She’s snarky to Sawyer, she’s funny, and she really got hooked to the guy in spite of Kendra’s dire warnings.  I liked how her life went from a picture perfect style, to a very messy life and how she grew out of her old lifestyle and felt free to be herself.  I loved Sawyer, knew from the get-go he was genuinely into Scarlett and I thought he was a great guy. This is why I hated the karma scheme that Scarlett let Kendra convince her to do.  I didn’t particularly like Kendra, saw her as an air head.

There are brilliant parts in the book, others where the humor felt contrived, mostly when Kendra is involved.  I really didn’t like that side of the plot, but did enjoy the rest.

Purchase links

FREE with Kindle Unlimited!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3A83RpN  

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3BhSD2i

About the author

R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including seven #1 bestselling romantic comedies. She lives in Texas with her husband, two daughters, and dog.

 

Connect with R.S.

Website | www.rsgrey.com  

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Book review: THE TRYST, by Sawyer Bennett

Bluegrass Empires #3

Trey & Holland

I have been loving this series a lot! Family feud in a small town that has lasted several generations. Ethan Blackburn had a child with Alina Mardraggon and there was a custody battle, then it turned out Gabe Mardraggon and Kat Blackburn were college sweethearts turned enemies. They had a second chance, so a bridge has been cast between the two feuding families.  

Now enter Holland Rhodes, whose father owns the town printshop. She was a honorary sibling to the Blackburn kids, she spent as much time as she could in their house because her home life was crappy.  Her father was alcoholic, her mother apathetic and didn’t defend her. Eventually, Trey and Holland fall in love and were making plans for the future when Wade confessed to Trey his feelings towards Holland.  Immediately, Trey stepped aside and let the field clear for his brother and what happened is that Holland left town for college and never came back until eleven years later when her father died.

I love second chance, small town romances and this one delivered perfectly.  I loved all the groveling Trey had to do. I loved all the family times with the Blackburn crew, now including Gabe Mardraggon. At the same time we’re getting Trey’s and Holland’s second chance love story, we also get updates of life on the ranch, riding lessons, Trey’s issues with Gabe, Wade and his playing ways, Holland’s issues with her mom.  This author always writes a very well rounded up story that is not just about love and sex but life around the family.  Her stories are so entertaining, I just love to sit and enjoy and forget about my own issues.

Purchase links

Get The Tryst from the Sawyer Bennett Bookstore:

Ebook: https://geni.us/STORE_TrystEbook

Audio: https://geni.us/STORE_TrystAudio

Paperback: https://geni.us/STORE_TrystPB

Get The Tryst from all other retailers:

Amazon: https://geni.us/bI4P5

Nook: https://geni.us/W6fR

Apple: https://geni.us/wZRA

Google: https://geni.us/2YB0ajV

Kobo: https://geni.us/ADWJY8

About the author

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal 

Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that 

appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both 

women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a 

chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well 

as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.

If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her 

newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).

Connect with Sawyer:

• Webstore: https://shop.sawyerbennett.com/
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Book review: TEXT APPEAL, by Kylie Scott

Delicious and oh so playful, this was a highly entertaining read! I loved the subtle humor and how humanly imperfect these two characters were!  I also dig the fact that the female character is a romance author and there are frequent references to all the book tropes we love, like second chance, fake relationship, etc.  It’s cute to read an author writing about an author, and get all the difficulties of writing a story that compels readers. 

The start of the book is unique and intriguing.  Riley just moved to this small town, got a new cellphone number and starts receiving messages from someone called Ava directed to Connor, asking for a second chance.  Ava doesn’t believe that Riley doesn’t know Connor and spread the rumor in town that Connor has a new girlfriend.  So by the time Riley makes her first appearance to a coffee shop, she’s the talk of the town and appears in the shop’s dueling jars as “Riley the new girlfriend” versus “Ava the home hero”.

From here and forward, we’re treated to a fun story where Connor finally visits his “new girlfriend” and proposes a fake relationship in order to get the town off his back.  Everyone is rooting for him to get back with Ava and it’s not happening, but he needs help. And the rest is history, as of course fake turns into true.

The humor of the story is great, loved the banter between Connor and Riley and Riley’s witty comebacks. It was super entertaining and fun to read!

Purchase links

Amazon: https://a.co/d/3pO3q2Z

Apple Books: https://apple.co/44XDyxD

Nook: https://bit.ly/3Vhc7M1

Kobo: https://bit.ly/3UW381x

Google Play: https://bit.ly/4f50Mph

Audible: https://adbl.co/450CfxR

Narrated by: Andi Arndt

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3QUH0U0

About the author

Kylie is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today best-selling, Audie Award winning author. She has sold over 2,000,000 books and was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year four times by the Australian Romance Reader's Association. Her books have been translated into fifteen different languages and she is based in Queensland, Australia.

 

Connect with Kylie

Website: www.kyliescott.com

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Book review: FINDING HAYES, by Laura Pavlov

Magnolia Falls #5

Hayes & Savannah

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As I read the other books in the series, I always saw Hayes as a grump.  In this story, I got to see his huge heart and huge capacity for loving.  I got to see that his best friend of all times, Savannah, came back after an absence of ten years, in which she blocked him out of her life.  And yet, when she needed help, he didn’t hesitate, he offered himself to help her, no doubts.

I knew immediately that Sav’s absence and anger towards him had to be a misunderstanding, because the feelings between them, that easiness of being together, didn’t allow for any bad actions between them.  They marry so Sav could inherit and help her dad fight his cancer.  And of course, her forced stay in Magnolia Falls and in his house brought the clarification they needed and we needed to know.

In this story and all the stories of the series, there’s a common thread of brotherhood.  These five men have been loyal and supportive to each other, and their group chat is hilarious.  It’s one of the best things I like in the book.  And the other one is little Beefcake.  He’s a little boy, but his old soul gives lessons to the big men in his life, all the time.  He is love personified, the product of a father and four uncles who care and watch out for him.  To me, he is the best part of the series.

I’m sorry this series ends, but I’m already looking forward to the new series and Easton’s story.

Purchase links

FREE with Kindle Unlimited

https://geni.us/findinghayes

Audible: https://adbl.co/3U4CxzK 

Narrated by: Andi Arndt & Lee Samuels

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3yIXc4S

About the author

Laura Pavlov writes sweet and sexy contemporary romance that will make you both laugh and cry. She is happily married to her college sweetheart, mom to two awesome almost-grown kids, and dog-whisperer to one temperamental yorkie and one wild bernedoodle. Laura resides in Las Vegas where she is living her own happily ever after. Be sure to sign up for updates on new releases. Laura loves to hear from readers!

 

Connect with Laura

Website: https://www.laurapavlov.com/

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