Review: Some Kind of Hero by Suzanne Brockmann

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Have I ever told you how much I love Suzanne Brockmann’s books? I’ve been a fan for over ten years. The ride has been bumpy, but I still get so excited every time there’s a new release, and I always, always, manage to derive joy from them even when the characters are doing God knows why. And this book, oh, you guys, this book is a sight to behold! I don’t know how it manages to be so restrained and focused while at the same giving in to the worst urges.

The story reminds me a lot of The Unsung Hero, the book that launched the series all those years ago. It makes sense, because it’s not quite a spinoff like Do or Die was, but it features all new characters and only the smallest cameos by old characters. So it reads closer to book 1 in a series than to book 17. It has a secondary plot that involves a teenager, and although we do meet a bunch of new SEALs, there’s no obvious sequel bait in sight or the beginning of a romance that’s left dangling so it can be stretched forever and ever throughout books to come. The only thing missing is a World War II subplot, which seems weird because there’s enough groundwork there to make me wonder if it was originally planned or even edited out. The suspense subplot is inconsequential and it involves domestic white guys as villains, so I can’t even complain about the faceless, Fakestani brown terrorists Brockmann—and military romance in general—loves. The book stands alone so well, that I’d dare say it makes for a good entry point for new readers who don’t want to bother with a long series. When I say the book shows immense restraint, I mean it.

Romance and the Other Woman: Maybe this Christmas by Sarah Morgan

Source: Review copy provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Warning: Unannounced spoilers, proceed with caution.

This post should be my “Best of/Favorites” list, but I just need to accept that, if the list is happening, it will be in January. I read many great books this year, but I don’t have the energy or time to put a decent post together. So instead, you get a review that I’ve been trying to write for over two months, but hey, it’s a Christmas books, so at least there’s that.

Here’s the deal: It is a truth universally acknowledged, that in a series featuring a bunch of hunky brothers, the most compelling one always goes last. This means that even though I loved the first two books (book one being my favorite) Tyler, the final brother, was always there, lurking and tempting us with the promise of a great final book. And although yes, the book was compulsively readable and almost impossible to put down, what started as a combination of anticipation and joy, slowly transformed into a ball of uncomfortable feelings, to the point where I’m not sure whether the unputdownable (<-- a real word, believe it or not) qualities of the book came from my original expectations or from the sheer trainwreckiness (<-- not a real word, sadly) of the story.

Currently Reading: Rock Stars, Vampires, Demons, and Maids

Source: Review copies provided by the publishers through NetGalley.

Are you feeling cheerful today? Here’s a bunch of mini doom-and-gloom reviews to help you with that.

Rock Addiction by Nalini Singh

I was very excited when Ms. Singh announced that she was publishing a Contemporary Romance, but this book was a disappointment that I couldn’t even finish.

A rock star falls in love with the virgin, skittish heroine the moment he first sees her. There is absolutely no reason why these two would want to be together, not even to have sex. The problem here wasn’t the trite tropes and contrived plot, though, but how incredibly half-baked the book was. Nalini Singh’s books are all about complex world-building and interesting characters, and at first I thought that the shortcuts she was taking were the product of bad PNR habits that didn’t translate well to a contemporary setting. But whereas the fated mates in the Psy/Changeling series are nuanced people who take time to develop a relationship, this book had two stock, flat characters getting together for superficial reasons in what ultimately was an underdeveloped story. I hear the second half gets better, but I seriously doubt it, because the groundwork just isn’t there.

Grade: DNF
Purchase: Amazon

Review: Black Dog by Rachel Neumeier

Note: I received an e-ARC through NetGalley, but I also purchased my own copy to verify, so the quotes in this review are from the finished copy not the e-ARC. Also, the review ended up being really long, so you're welcome to go TL;DR on it. 

There are four reasons why this book appealed to me: I’m going through a Romance burnout (I know!) so I wanted something different (because werewolves are about as rare as unicorns, right? Right?); the main characters were Mexican; I’ve heard great things about Ms. Neumeier’s books; and the cover was pretty.

The werewolves in this story have a magic shadow that allows them to change at will. They are born that way and are known as black dogs. Regular werewolves, or shifters, are the product of a bite, and unlike black dogs, they can only change during the full moon. Then we have magic humans known as the Pure. Because their shadows hold a lot of power over them, the black dogs are in a constant struggle to control their natures, but the Pure have a calming effect over them (a bit like the Omega wolves in Patricia Briggs’ books), so they are considered valuable by some and useful by others whose intentions aren’t that good.

Review: Addition by Toni Jordan

Warning: There will be spoilers.

Kaetrin reviewed this book a few weeks ago and it sounded interesting and unique, so I bought it. I’m glad I read it. For the most part I found it entertaining, and it has stayed with me after I finished it. But I also keep having more and more issues with it, so this review will be mixed at best.

Grace’s life depends on number. It’s obvious to the reader that she suffers from some type of obsessive-compulsive disorder, even if she doesn’t admit it. Yet she’s quite frank about how numbers dominate her day and how she has rearranged her life to fit all the numbers in it. 

Counting, mathematics, weird trivia and numbers rule her life, but she’s comfortable and somewhat happy with it, because they also ground her. There are certain longings and thoughts that sneak in and wreak mini havocs at times, but she’s very good at keeping them at bay, so it’s hard to tell whether she’s miserable, content or happy.

Review: Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

First things first: Wallbanger must be the most unfortunate book title ever. At least I don’t associate the word wallbanger with anything good, especially not when it comes to books. So based on the title and the fact that it’s a former Twilight fan fiction, I wouldn't have read it if not for some reviews that piqued my interest. My overall impression includes a lot of mixed feelings, although I can’t deny that I had a lot of fun while reading it.

The plot is quite simple: Caroline Reynolds moves into a new apartment, and every night her next-door neighbor, Simon, has loud sex with a different woman (hence the wallbanger part). Tired and orgasm-less for months, she confronts him, and hilarity ensues. There’s also a cat, a bunch of minor romances between her friends and his friends, and a very slow-building romance that surprisingly takes the time to establish a strong friendship first.

Review: Tigerland by Sean Kennedy

Tigers and Devils is one of my favorite M/M books. It’s a story about love and friendship that every Romance fan should read. My love for that book is the reason why I was equal parts excited and weary when I found out that a sequel was in the works. The opportunity to revisit favorite characters is always welcome, yet there was always the possibility that the magic would be lost. I’m afraid to say I was right to worry.

If you haven’t read Tigers and Devils then you should read it first. Tigerland reads more like a long epilogue to the original than as a standalone, and new readers will be completely lost. The story is very simple; it follows the lives of Simon and Declan three years into their happily ever after. They are happy and their friends are struggling with their relationship, some handling it well, some not so much. But overall everything is fine. That is until Declan’s ex comes out of the closet and, well, doesn't really break much havoc in their lives.

Review: Within Reach by Sarah Mayberry

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.

I’m sure you’re tired of hearing me say how much I love Sarah Mayberry’s books, but it’s true. I love them so much, that I’m willing to read a story that revolves around my least favorite trope. Unfortunately for me, not even Ms. Mayberry could make me enjoy it. 

Michael and Angie had one person in common: Billie -- his wife and her best friend. One day Billie died, and just like that their lives changed. Almost a year later, Angie is ignoring her pain and Billie and Michael’s children are coping, but Michael is a mess. He doesn’t take care of the house, makes the same dinner every night and forgets promises he made to his daughter. Basically grief has rendered him useless. When Angie sees what a mess he’s become, and how the kids are suffering because of it, she wakes up from her own pain. Little by little they help each other put their lives in order, regain some normalcy and deal with their loss. Then the attraction begins. Subtle and unwelcome at first, they get to the point in which they can’t deny what’s happening. They both feel like they are betraying Billie, Michael isn’t ready to let go, and Angie doesn’t want to fall for a man whose heart belongs to someone else. Saying this is a tricky situation is putting it mildly.

Review: Hearts of Fire by Kira Brady

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.

I have a love/hate relationship with prequel novellas. Some are fantastic because they feel like they’re all about their story, truly belong to the series and aren’t there to sell you something else. But then there are those whose only purpose is to sell you the next book. Unfortunately, Hearts of Fire falls under the latter category.

The story takes place in 1889. Alice, our heroine, is the daughter of the Kivati’s leader – a shifters clan residing in Seattle. One day, she meets a dashing stranger. Just by looking at him she can tell there’s more to him than meets the eye, and by the mighty power of the insta-love, she falls for him. Fortunately for her, the same happens to him. But this guy isn’t even a regular shifter, nope, his name is Bran and he’s a Drekar, an ancient dragon-shifter race that happens to be the Kivati’s mortal enemies. So we also have a Romeo and Juliet situation in our hands. Will love conquer hate?

Review: My Life Next Door by Huntley Fitzpatrick

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.

I’ve been on a YA binge for the past few months and this was a book I couldn’t wait to read. It’s one of those stories that sound like the perfect mix between YA and Contemporary Romance. I loved the idea of a girl longing to belong to the messy family next door, I also wanted to know what was going on with that “impossible decision” that may break them apart. So I got it and while I didn’t think it was bad, I thought the overall story was disappointing.

Samantha Reed’s family consists of a sister and their mother. Their life is orderly and perfect, as long as you don’t look too closely. Their mother is a snob and criticizes everything but herself, because if she saw how flawed she was, she would have kept her mouth shut about everyone else. In order to please her mother, Samantha behaves and does everything she’s told. But she longs for a different life, a life that closely resembles that of her next door neighbors.

Review: Redwood Bend by Robyn Carr

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.

Warning: the review contains a spoiler, it’s hidden, but I'm making sure you know about it now in case you prefer to skip the review.

One of my favorite books by Robyn Carr is A Summer in Sonoma. It’s one of her standalone books and if you haven’t read it you should because it’s wonderful. When I found out that Walt, the hero of that book, had a cameo in this book (he also makes a cameo in the previous book, Hidden Summit) I was a happy camper.

Katie Malone is a single mother of 5-year-old twins. Her husband died in war when she was pregnant and she’s been alone ever since. Months ago, tragedy struck again when her brother became the main witness of a murder and had to go into hiding. That ended up well with him moving to a small town called Virgin River and finding love, but Katie’s life was a bit of a mess. When she finally allowed herself to date and maybe find love, the guy she was dating turned out to be gay. Now she’s trying to start again but first she’s taking her boys for a little road trip and to visit their uncle.

Review: Firelight by Kristen Callihan

Source: we received an e-ARC of the book through NetGalley for review purposes.

I got this book because everyone was talking about how great it was, so curiosity got the best of me and I requested it. It also helped that I love Beauty and the Beast stories and this one seemed to be the paranormal version of one. Unfortunately the book failed to meet my expectations.

Lord Benjamin Archer is a tormented man. Years ago something mysterious happened to him and now he’s disfigured and hiding behind a mask. Desperate to find a cure he seeks vengeance against the person who stole it from him, but what he finds instead is his daughter, a lovely and rebellious young lady who takes his breath away and makes him feel alive for the first time in years. So he devices a plan in order to have her, a plan that includes blackmailing her father so he can marry her.

Review: Deeper Than Midnight by Lara Adrian

Deeper than Midnight is the 9^th book in the Midnight Breed Series. I am assuming that if you are reading this review is because you are familiar with Lara Adrian and the series so let’s skip all the basic stuff and go directly to the review.

This story is about Hunter and Corinne Bishop, the Breedmate who was saved from Dragos’ Lab in the 7^th book.  I was dying to read Hunter’s book; I mean, how someone raised -in a lab- to be an assassin and who is an emotionless bastard could be a romance hero? And let’s not forget that he did live most of his life doing exactly that: killing without a conscience. So, I really was looking forward to reading how the author would deal with Hunter’s past and how she would make him fall for our heroine. I am sorry to say that Ms. Adrian let me down. In previous books we saw some progress with Hunter’s lack of emotions and his relationship with Mira was beautiful and it made me like him, so why the hell is he so flat in his own book? He goes from “I feel like I should protect Corinne” to “I lust after Corinne” and “I Love Corinne” without any real interaction between them. I am going to say it now: this book was a huge disappointment in the romance department, so don’t get your hopes up.

Review: The Welcome Home Garden Club by Lori Wilde

Lori Wilde’s Twilight Texas Series is wonderful. She has created a beautiful town full of quirky characters and compelling stories. I discovered her books a couple of years ago after the release of The Sweethearts' Knitting Club, and since then I’ve been anxiously expecting the next release.

The Welcome Home Garden Club is about Gideon and Caitlyn. They used to be high school sweethearts and they loved each other madly. They also had a lot of obstacles in their way to happiness.  He was the natural son of the wealthiest man in town, a guy from the wrong side of the tracks, son of a Mexican woman who loved him, but was a bit of a loose woman. Caitlyn was the overprotected daughter of the town’s judge who loved his daughter but was very controlling, needless to say that he categorically disapproved of Gideon. After a series of unfortunate developments Gideon ends up between a rock and a hard place, Caitlyn’s father offers him a choice, he can either go to prison or join the army, Gideon of course chooses the army.

Immediately after Gideon leaves, Caitlyn finds out she is pregnant. She desperately tries to find him but when the private investigator she hires comes back with the bad news that Gideon has been killed in action she is devastated. Fast forward eight years later, Gideon’s father has just died, and who happens to show up in the middle of his funeral? You guessed it, Gideon himself. Needless to say Caitlyn is shocked.

Review: Breaking The Rules (#16 Troubleshooters Series) by Suzanne Brockmann

I'm going to try to make this review as spoiler free as I can, but maybe, just in case, don't read it if you don't want to know anything about the book, even vague references to the plot.

I have to be honest, I was a little scared about this book; I mean, when you have so many expectations about a book, is more likely that you are going to be disappointed, and this one was in my top five of “most expected books ever”! While I can’t say that I’m disappointed about Izzy’s book it wasn’t my favorite.

The plot was alright, I actually enjoyed it, but maybe you should at least read the previous book Hot Pursuit.  I can’t lie and say that I loved it, for me this plot cannot be compared with those of the first Troubleshooter’s books, which are amazing and are some of my favorite books (specially Over the Edge that, let me tell you: Is the best Romantic Suspense book ever).