Book review: BOSS OF THE YEAR, by Nicole French

Belmont Billionaires

Marie & Lucas

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Delicious! I saw a very strong influence from the movie Sabrina, this author wrote a magical love story that bewitched me, kept me enthralled all book long.  Wonderful characters! From the get go, I saw Lucas, knew who he was.  I didn’t recognize the sadness within until later, but I did see the decency, the goodness, the considerate man that he was.  He knew everyone’s names, had deference and courtesy to all the persons who worked in his house. He looked like he had the weight of the world on his shoulders, while his stepmother and half-brother only lived to enjoy the trappings of wealth, none of the responsibilities, and his father was no longer able to work.  

Marie used to be a wallflower, dressed in black, covered from neck to ankle, shying from life and suffering from social anxiety.  It took a year in Paris, studying to be a chef, to start (only start, mind you) to get out of her cocoon, and sort of take a mini step into enjoying life.  She had big longings and little bravery.  She had a ten year crush on the younger Lyons brother, Daniel, who was a relentless playboy, useless, and alcoholic.  But all she saw was the brightness of his smile, the sunshine of his hair, and the electric blue in his eyes.

Pretty soon she started to compare brothers and recognize that Lucas had more depth, strength, made her fell safe and seen.  I loved how she evolved from a shrinking violet into a woman who knows what she wants.  

Their story is tortuous, full of uncertainty. Marie doesn’t see her beauty, she only shines when food is involved. Lucas was enthralled but entrapped by duty.  I kept pining, and biting my nails, sometimes I wanted to slap Marie for still thinking of Daniel when magnificent Lucas was in front of her begging for attention.  The pitfalls made me despair, the siblings interventions made me hope.  It was a wonderful, epic read, full of many interactions that made the book lively and entertaining. I loved seeing all the siblings make their appearances, sad at seeing Lea lost and sad.  

Purchase links

https://amzn.to/4mWXTeO

About the author

Nicole French is a USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance. She's also a hopeless romantic, Springsteen fanatic, and total bookworm. When not writing, she is hanging out with her family, playing soccer with the rest of the thirty-plus crowd in Seattle, or going on dates with her husband. In her spare time, she likes to go running or practice the piano, but never seems to do either one of these things as much as she should.

 

Keep up with Nicole French and receive your FREE copy of one of her books when you subscribe to her newsletter here

 

For more information on Nicole French and her books visit: https://www.nicolefrenchromance.com/

 

Connect with Nicole French:

https://www.nicolefrenchromance.com/links

Book review: THE LAST CALL HOME, by Blaudia Burgoa

Timberbridge Boys #5

Malerick & Delilah & Cassian

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The single most important emotion I felt throughout this book is “want”.  Cassian arrives at Birchwood Springs, buys a bar, and prepares to settle for some time on his assignation.  The CSQ, who are working on taking down the Hollow Syndicate, want him there to help on the operation.  He didn’t know that Malerick was in town, also on assignment with the FBI, posing as the town sheriff, and with the same purpose.  When Cass arrives at Delilah’s coffee shop, finds Mal there, there’s a complete scene all full of emotions, want, lust, longing, guilt, resentment, and a very heavy sexual tension, very little words.  That scene was intense!

What came out of that scene and other meet ups, is that Mal and Cass used to work together in the FBI, had a relation that blew up disastrously and left them both full of many regrets and broken feelings.  There’s a sense of wanting to belong, wanting love and family, and wanting to be home. As their work progresses, so does the courtship between Delilah, Malerick, and Cassian, all abetted and supported by Rosalinda, Delilah’s mother. She’s anxious to find a spouse for her daughter, wants grandkids.  She’s a force to be reckoned in this town; even Cassian, experienced operator that he is, is scared of her.

There’s suspense and there’s sex, in equal amounts.  There’s a lot of tension, as Delilah makes her demands and waits for her men to deliver: the truth or nothing.  It’s very interesting that Atlas and Keir’s stories happen during the course of this book, so this one takes several months to happen.  There seems to be a lot of waiting, and a lot of playing for our throuple.  They wanted each other, and they were doing the work, lead by Delilah.

I loved to see them coming home to each other, was biting my nails in the final part of the book where things were coming to a conclusion in unexpected ways.  There’s surprises in the book, very intriguing.  I actually wanted more of the three as they settle into domestic bliss, so sorry to see them all go.

Purchase links

👉 Read FREE in KU

https://geni.us/TheLastCallHome

👉 LISTEN on audio🎧

https://geni.us/AudioTLCH

About the author

Claudia is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author. 

She writes alluring, thrilling stories about complicated women and the men who take their breaths away. Her books are the perfect blend of steamy and heartfelt, filled with emotional characters and explosive chemistry. Her writing takes readers to new heights, providing a variety of tears, laughs, and shocking moments that leave fans on the edge of their seats.

She lives in Denver, Colorado with her husband, her youngest two children, and three fluffy dogs.

When Claudia is not writing, you can find her reading, knitting, or just hanging out with her family. At nights, she likes to binge watches shows or movies with her equally geeky husband.

Connect with Claudia Burgoa:

https://claudiayburgoa.com/wp/links/ 

book review: FORMULA FREEDOM, by Sawyer Bennett

Race Fever #3

Reid & Lara

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’m loving this series more and more!  I love all the technical details that the author includes in the story, it makes it so real and like I’m there at the race track, I only need the sound track.  Also, the story about childhood friends who lost their chance not once, but twice, and now finally can make it real.  It’s chef’s kiss!

Reid is a driver in the FI International Matterhorn team.  He will be racing in the Melbourne Grand Prix and went to the promotional event the night prior.  There he encountered his brother Lance and fiancee Lara.  They were all very close childhood friends, their parents are close friends and own a business together.  Lara is the one who got away, the one he never got over.  And to make it worse, he finds Lance being his usual show off, and Lara strangely diminished and sad.  When Lara later calls him asking for help, an incredible line of events and love story begins.

As with the previous books in this series, and actually, all Sawyer Bennett’s books, I’m enchanted with the stories and the characters. It’s her impeccable writing, the engaging characters who compel to want to be their friend too.  Lara is sweet and considerate, Reid is handsome and dashing. The fact he drives cars around a race track at three hundred miles per hour make him very intriguing.  There are other characters that add to the story, like Carlos Moreno, friend and FI driver, Posey, the romance writer who posed as a journalist, and the new female FI driver, Francesca Accardi, hired by Brienne Norcross, owner of the Titans hockey team, now entering the FI field also. Good times!

Reid and Lara’s story is full of pitfalls, since Lara just broke up with Reid’s brother, and they are worried on the effect it will have on their parent’s friendship.  Lara is a worrier, quick to forgive, but also strong enough to decide that she’s done.  Reid respects and loves Lara and lets her dictate the progression of their relationship. Their story is inevitable, because they have been in love since they were fifteen, they just shoved it into a box because it was not their time. Then after graduation, Reid couldn’t give her the attention she deserved because he was making his name in racing.  So third time is the charm, and what a wonderful steamy story it was!  

Purchase links

https://geni.us/SB-FormulaFreedom

Available in KU 

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 Bennett:

https://geni.us/SawyerBennett

Book review: ALL TIED UP, by Abbi Glines

Mississippi Smoke #7

Ransom & Noa, part 2

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This conclusion to Ransom and Noa’s story is one of the most romantic books in this series.  Ransom is forbidden to see Noa, the command comes from Blaise Hughes himself.  This causes unending despair and frustration on Ransom, and an utter desolation in Noa.  She felt rejected, tossed aside after one night of sex.

Reading about Ransom’s torturous weeks of missing Noa was very angsty and romantic.  Abbi Glines wrote a maelstrom of emotions as he wrestled with missing his woman, his best friend, the one who calmed the darkness within him. And Noa, submerged into utter devastation, when she lost her daily texts with the man she loves.

The book is very emotional, I loved how Ransom comes into the realization of how much he loves Noa, how much he needs her to stay sane.  The final parts of the book were very dramatic, very compelling, before we’re gifted with the long awaited HEA.  Another winner to add to this incredible series!

Purchase links

https://geni.us/AllTiedUp

Read All Jacked Up: https://geni.us/AJUAG 

About the author

Abbi Glines is a #1 New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of the Rosemary Beach, Sea Breeze, Vincent Boys, Field Party, and Existence series. She never cooks unless baking during the Christmas holiday counts. She believes in ghosts and has a habit of asking people if their house is haunted before she goes in it. She finally moved to New England into a home that is 200 + years old with it's own ghosts. She drinks afternoon tea because she wants to be British but alas she being born in Alabama, her life in New England is as close as she will get. When asked how many books she has written she has to stop and count on her fingers. When she’s not locked away writing, she is reading, and/or watching Netflix like the introvert that she is. 

You can connect with Abbi online in several different ways:

www.abbiglinesbooks.com

TikTok @abbiglines

Twitter: @abbiglines

Instagram: @abbiglines

Snapchat: abbiglines

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/abbiglinesauthor

Book review: WHIRLWIND, by Alison Rhymes

Seattle Blades #4

Tyson & Kit

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Alison Rhymes writes riveting books that grab the reader from the get-go.  I already knew Tyson and Kit from previous books in this series, and was delighted to read their love story.

In Rainfall, I loved Tyson, I actually liked him better for Isla than Cillian because of Cillian’s actions.  So I was happy to see that this is his story, and I loved that he gets such an interesting and quirky heroine.  Kit sees herself as weird, but as the story evolves, we see that she has a brilliant mind that never rests.  She seems to be processing data all the time, or retrieving information from the immense memory server in her mind.  She’s interesting and full of fun trivia!

Tyson is evolving, from feeling sad that he lost Isla, to feeling jealous that Cillian now has everything he wanted, a family, with the woman he loved.  When he meets Kit, he’s intrigued and as he gets involved and starts to fall in love with her brilliant mind, he starts to question what he felt for Isla.

The story is incredibly romantic and emotional, evocative as Tyson compares what he had and what he now has, funny/tender as we read about Kit’s cute quirks.  There’s a dark story about Kit’s childhood, very sad, and it affected her sexuality.  It’s lovely to see Tyson worried and supportive, and helping Kit get over it. I loved every word and enjoyed it immensely.

Purchase links

https://www.amazon.com/dp /whirlwind

About the author

 Alison lives somewhere in the shadow of a Pacific Northwest Mountain, bordered by the Puget Sound, and not too far from the country roads she grew up on. 

When not writing, she can be found avidly reading, traveling with youthful wanderlust, or slowly turning the inside of her house into her own personal houseplant jungle. 

Content Warnings for Alison's books can be found on her website alisonrhymes.com

You can join Alison's newsletter to receive early news and bonus scenes: https://tinyurl.com/ymrrdtfc

Alison can be contacted at alison@alisonrhymes.com

Book review: TO THE CHASE, by Julia Wolf

Mile High Billionaires #3

Tore & Bea

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

The beauty of Julia Wolf’s stories lies in her incomparable characters.  In this book, Bea and Tore are magnificent, Bea is quirky, different, mean when she gets mad, but loving the rest of the time.  Tore is autistic, so he’s very literal, very focused, very intense.  He misses social cues and couldn’t care less.  I loved that he was so perfectly imperfect, all those scenes where he was overwhelmed but tried to process fast and perform.  Bea was his perfect match because she understood him like no other and appreciated his uniqueness and sexy nerdiness.  

Only a genius nerd like Tore would build an app just to keep contact with Bea during the two years they were separated.  The conversations between Bea and Anthony, her digital butler, were enchanting.  

Tore moved to Denver due to a contract between his cyber security company and the DoD.  The fact that Bea was there was a big enticement.  After a very sad loss, Tore took some time to reorganize his life and then go to the chase of Bea.  He was determined, if slightly clueless on how to proceed.  Thankfully, he had the help of his dandy father and enthusiastic nieces and nephew!

The story is delightful and entertaining, with humorous notes, a slight industrial intrigue, and wonderful characters.  Tore and Bea were a combination of dour and vibrant, one determined suitor, an independent woman who wanted to belong to a beloved one, great friends, kids and precious big dog.  A page-turner for sure!

Purchase links

FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://bit.ly/4l0LPrk

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4kF0vwp

About the author

Julia Wolf writes sexy rockers, broken bad boys, snarky heroines, and bad ass women. She's a firm believer in happily ever afters, no matter how rocky the road is to get there.

Julia lives in Maryland with her husband and three crazy, beautiful children. When she's not writing romance, she's reading it. Some of her favorite things are, in no particular order: goats, books, coffee, and Target.

 

Connect with Julia

Website: http://juliawolfwrites.com

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/17563191.Julia_Wolf

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/stores/Julia-Wolf/author/B078VDJ3Z1

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJuliaWolf

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/2086152844974595

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