Book review: YOU, ME, AND FOREVER, by Laura Pavlov

Blushing series #1

Montana & Miles

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I found this book to be so cute and sweet.  It does have steamy times, but the way Montana and Myles fell in love is just what romance books is all about.  Montana has a wedding planning business going on in Blushing, Alaska.  It’s going great until some mogul from New York purchased the Seaside Inn, where most of her weddings took place and it caused her problems with the bridal couples who had their heart set in using that venue.  Montana herself has fond childhood memories tied to that place, so it made her hate the person who bought the inn and plans to demolish it and build a bigger structure.

Trying to raise her mood, she went to the Moose Brew bar with her two besties, she met this gorgeous guy, had a one-night stand, and woke up next morning in a much better mood.  That is, until she went to the inn for a wedding meeting and met the guy, learned he’s the new owner! Awkward!

It starts as enemies, then cautious acquaintances, on to friendship, and on to bed.  In spite of his ambitious business goals, Myles is a great guy, generous with his time and attentions, and he starts to care for Montana.  But he steadfastly denies any further feelings because he has no time or desire to be tied down, or for marriage, after suffering through his parents’ crappy marriage.  The joke is on him, because he does fall in love, in total denial all the time.

The story is cute, they are a wonderful couple who decide to have a fling and end it when his work with the inn is done.  We suffer with Montana as she deals with falling in love with no hope because his life is in New York and she knows she won’t ever leave Blessing.

I laughed at Myles and his constant state of denial.  He was besotted with Montana and helped her business as much as she allowed him to.  And he kept on planning his next project, all the time bemoaning having to leave Montana behind.  

A perfect romance, with lovely characters and a sweet story with just the right touches of steam, angst, family and friends.  I love small town stories because they include all the charm of a little town, even if it comes with a side of the gossip train.

Purchase links

FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://bit.ly/3BaBXdi

Amazon Worldwide: https://mybook.to/YMandF

Add to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3ZAkG6X

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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Book review: STERLING FIGHT, by L.B. Dunbar

Sterling Falls #5

Judd & Genie

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I loved this book! So romantic, so sweet.  Judd and Genie knew each other since they were kids in grammar school, they crushed on each other but it’s not until they are in their 40’s that they really had their chance.  I loved their back history, how careful and attentive Judd is with Genie as he woos her, cherishes her, and brings her to love.  

Genie had reneged on marriage after the example of her toxic mother who is on her fourth marriage, but Judd is teaching her what it really means to love.  She realizes all the couple goals she had in her mind and that Judd fulfills so easily, so wonderfully.  

I loved that a quirky girl who had issues with love finds a guy who has loved her for many years.  Judd was full of anger inside because of an abusive father, but in loving Genie he finds forgiveness and fills his soul with love.  Their story is full of little quirks, remembrances from their childhood, Judd’s siblings who are also finding love and forgiveness. From having a toxic mother, Genie finds a family who circle her with support, friendship and acceptance.  It was a very uplifting and heartwarming story.

Purchase links

https://a.co/d/7KIiaqr

About the author

L.B. Dunbar loves sexy silver foxes, second chances, and small towns. If you enjoy older characters in your romance reads, including a hero with a little silver in his scruff and a heroine rediscovering her worth, then welcome to romance for those over 40. L.B. Dunbar’s signature works include women and men in their prime taking another turn at love and happily ever after. She’s a USA TODAY Bestseller as well as #1 Bestseller on Amazon in Later in Life Romance with her Lakeside Cottage and Road Trips & Romance series. L.B. lives in Chicago with her own sexy silver fox.

To get all the scoop about the self-proclaimed queen of silver fox romance, join her on Facebook at Loving L.B. or receive her monthly newsletter, Love Notes.

Connect with L.B. Dunbar:

https://linktr.ee/lbdunbarwrites 

Book review: THE KISS LOTTERY, by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Beautiful! This story is quintessential Ilsa Madden-Mills, a perfect combination of romance, steam, sweetness, and funny.  The tropes of second chance and small town are like kryptonite for me, I can’t resist them!

Everly was best friends with Becket since they were kids, she loved him but he kept some distance.  So, she turned to Carson, their other best friend, and they started dating.  Until the sorry incident that caused the basketball team to lose the championship game. Everly was blamed, and she spent the whole senior year shunned by both Becket and Carson, and bullied by the rest of the school.  She left Rose, TN, and hasn’t been back in ten years.

She received a Valentine letter inviting her back to Rose, and she came back, successful with her podcast Travels with Everly, intent to cover the town’s Kiss Lottery program.  Here she met with her gang, Tabby, Fritz and Troy, and they went back to their usual haunts. Beckett is a mystery, neither glad nor angry.  He did include her in his latest mystery as the villain, so she has a bone to pick with him.  He has been keeping secrets from her, which explained the distance, and they are revealed during the story.

The story evolves just how I like it, with remembrances, yearning for what could have been, regrets over hurts dealt, melancholy over the loss of their mothers.  Becket works on forgiveness from Ever, and their story evolves sweetly, as if meant to be.  He gives some beautiful speeches to Ever, super romantic and full of love and regrets and longing.  We also have the mean girl who is after Becket and hates Everly, fun times!

The story was beautiful and funny and sweet, I loved reading this and enjoying such a wonderful romance.

Purchase links

FREE with Kindle Unlimited

Amazon: https://amzn.to/49BGhiI      

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4gt5tdc 

About the author

#1 Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills pens angsty new adult and contemporary romances.

A former high school English teacher and librarian, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.

 

Connect with Ilsa

Website | www.ilsamaddenmills.com   

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Book review: THE ART OF STARTING OVER, by Heidi McLaughlin

Beautiful story, angsty as all heck, but full of hope and growth.  Devorah learns about her husband’s cheating from a vlog her best friend published, declaring their love for each other.  Disbelieving, she went to his place of work, he’s not there, then went to her best friend’s home, and found them in bed, in fragante delicto.  And the worst thing? Neither of them were repentant, they were entitled and fully convinced they have a right to be together.  Never mind all the vows and codes they broke.

Brokenhearted, Devorah and her daughter Maren left their home in Chicago and moved to Devorah’s hometown, Oyster Bay, the small town she swore she would not come to live in again.  And there she found Hayden McKenna, the one who got away when they were teenagers. 

Hayden is also moving back to town, also brokenhearted, the difference that he lost his wife to a fatal car accident.  He tried to wing it for a while, raising his nine year old son, Conor, but found he needed his family and his hometown, to help and support them during their mourning.  

When Hayden and Devorah run into each other, they are in different parts of their mourning, but their companionship brings a lot of surcease to their pain, and in Hayden’s part, hope because she was the one who got away.  Notice a pattern here?

They were in love during high school but Hayden didn’t have the pants to declare his love because Devorah is his best friend’s little sister.  Now they are older and wiser, so this is his chance.

I loved the evolution of Devorah as she deals her heartbreak, from staying depressed in her bed, to starting to deal and find her groove. Love for her daughter made her move, and Hayden played a mayor role in helping her cope and overcome. I loved the small town feeling, the gossipy Cathys, the wonderful families, Hayden’s and Devorah’s slow burn romance, the kids with their resilience and their insta friendship.  It was at times a heartbreaking story, but also uplifting as we share Devorah’s evolution. Very heartfelt and emotional, with just the right touch of steam.  This was a story of the heart, and I loved that the author respected that process. 

Purchase links

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3W19DBo

Barnes & Noble: https://bit.ly/40jZu5b

About the author 

Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.

In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.

Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018, and is now available on DVD & Digital.

To stay connected with Heidi visit www.facebook.com/authorheidimclaughlin or heidimclaughlin.com

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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