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The Last Man Standing Series, Book 3

From the publisher:

As the only Beckett cousin who is still unattached, I’m a shoo-in to win the bet with my cousins to be the last man blissfully not in love by Christmas. Of course, I know they’re still going to make me follow the rules of our bet and go on six dates with the same woman—but I’ve figured out a way out of that too. I’m getting married. Is it love? Not even close. Chelle Finch needs a temporary husband and I need to win this bet. We agree to put a ring on it knowing that in six months this marriage of convenience will end in divorce. Except, somehow dating my wife has me realizing that I don’t ever want to take this ring off if it means losing her.

What does the guy who can talk his way out of anything have to do to sweet talk his temporary wife into forever?

https://amzn.to/3NpXE9l

I actually read the first two books in this series (applause, please!) so I was eagerly anticipating this one. I don’t think it was quite as good as the first two. I have to give it extra points for the cute title and cover though.

Beckett comes from a super competitive family, but they are all really close. When their grandmother dies leaving behind a Christmas gift, the three cousins decide to bet on it. Whoever goes on six dates of the other cousins’ choosing with the first woman who responds to their dating app profile, and doesn’t fall in love, wins the bet. The first two books were the first two cousins’ stories, and they both fell in love and were happy to lose the bet. But now it’s Beckett’s turn, and he has a plan.

Chelle comes from a dysfunctional, misogynistic family. She runs the family foundation, but her father’s will explicitly states that if she isn’t married, she’s out and her slimy uncle will take over, and run it into the ground. So when Beckett’s mom works up an introduction for them, they both realize they can help each other out. The will doesn’t say how long she has to be married, and Beckett figures if he’s married and not in love, he’ll win the bet. Then he can get a divorce and the mystery Christmas gift.

It’s a bit convoluted but fun nonetheless. There is definite heat between them, and I liked that Chelle is a plus-sized woman, dealing with those insecurities compounded by her miserable family. But no worries, they find their happy ending and the mysterious Christmas gift gets opened. I wish there was a bit more to this story, it was a bit too short to really get me invested, but because I read the earlier books, I was all in anyway. It’s fun, it’s sexy, and it’s a quick read, so perfect for an afternoon on the beach.

The series in order:

1. Mama’s Boy
2. Neanderthal
3. Mansplainer

7/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

MANSPLAINER by Avery Flynn.  Entangled: Amara (June 27, 2022). ISBN:‎ 979-8835428281. 260p.

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From the author:

Reality TV, riches, and a race for romance! What’s not to like?

For Easton Cooper, everything—except a chance at one million dollars. Desperate for cash, he’ll even compete on an outrageous action-adventure reality show, and he hates reality TV. As luck would have it, he’s thrust into his element, a series of outdoor challenges in the Oregon Cascade Mountains. But there’s a catch—he’s staring across the meadow at his partner—a tan, hot, out-of-place California girl, wearing heels and a formal dress in the middle of freaking nowhere—and she will not bring him down! Even if he has to drag her across the finish line.

Amity Rose wants an adventure. No one told her that “dress accordingly” meant deck out in hardcore mountain gear. So she wore strappy heels and a fancy dress to the opening scene. So she hates bugs, cold air, tents, campfires—must she go on? Now all the contestants think she’s a pampered princess—and to add to her bad luck, her partner is the worst—a gangly, overconfident, know-it-all mountain trail guide. Did the directors just add a romantic twist to the drama? Sure, why not? Maybe she’ll leave the race with something more valuable than money. Just not with him!

Crush in the Cascades is a full-length contemporary romance that can be read as a standalone. It features an emotionally-charged, enemies-to-lovers romance weaved into an action-packed, fast-moving plot.

https://amzn.to/3I2qg7F

Even though I’m not a fan of reality TV (aside from Top Chef,) I still found a lot to like here. Easton & Amity meet as contestants on a “Survivor” type reality TV show. Or maybe it’s more like that race one, what do I know. Basically the contestants have to team up as boy/girl couples for challenges. Is that really a thing in reality TV? The ones who come in last are out, and the couple that wins gets an advantage. It’s set in the Cascade Mountains in Oregon (I’m assuming that’s real, but what does this geographically challenged east coast girl know?) The challenges are things like chopping wood, racing on a trail, starting a fire, etc. Outdoorsy stuff.

Easton has a big advantage here – he is a mountain climbing tour guide from Aspen, Colorado. On the other hand, Amity shows up in designer duds and high heels, earning her a few not-so-nice nicknames. Easton is here for the money; his best friend and business partner has some sort of rare heart disease that can be treated, but not through insurance. So Easton wants to win the money to save his friend’s life.

Amity isn’t as bad as she seems. Turns out she is a runner, and that gives her a leg up more than once. She’s also good at doing puzzles, another plus for her, and her balance is nothing short of amazing – but her true skill is that she is terrific at thinking outside the box. She is here because she lost her father, and he always wanted her to travel and go on adventures. So she is here for the adventure.

Amity is a beautiful girl, and somehow she gets under Easton’s skin, despite her lack of skills. This is a sort of enemies to lovers trope; they start off hating one another and eventually fall in love. But there are many hurdles (no pun intended) to get through before they find their happily ever after. There is a super cute ending as well, which hopefully will lead to another book, making this a series? We shall see.

All in all, this was a fun read, especially I imagine, if you love those outdoorsy sort of reality TV shows. It’s light, funny, and sweet, making this a winner and a terrific escape. And since these past couple of weeks have been just brutal, it was much appreciated.

7/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

CRUSH IN THE CASCADES by Lisa S. Gayle. ASIN:‎ B09Z9LBHHS. 324p. 

From the publisher:

The “reigning romance queens” (PopSugar) and New York Times bestselling authors of The Soulmate Equation and The Unhoneymooners present a charming and laugh-out-loud funny novel filled with adventure, treasure, and, of course, love.

Growing up the daughter of notorious treasure hunter and absentee father Duke Wilder left Lily without much patience for the profession…or much money in the bank. But Lily is resourceful, and now uses Duke’s coveted hand-drawn maps to guide tourists on fake treasure hunts through the red rock canyons of Utah. It pays the bills but doesn’t leave enough to fulfill her dream of buying back the beloved ranch her father sold years ago, and definitely not enough to deal with the sight of the man she once loved walking back into her life with a motley crew of friends ready to hit the trails. Frankly, Lily would like to take him out into the wilderness and leave him there.

Leo Grady knew mirages were a thing in the desert, but they’d barely left civilization when the silhouette of his greatest regret comes into focus in the flickering light of the campfire. Ready to leave the past behind him, Leo wants nothing more than to reconnect with his first and only love. Unfortunately, Lily Wilder is all business, drawing a clear line in the sand: it’s never going to happen.

But when the trip goes horribly and hilariously wrong, the group wonders if maybe the legend of the hidden treasure wasn’t a gimmick after all. There’s a chance to right the wrongs—of Duke’s past and their own—but only if Leo and Lily can confront their history and work together. Alone under the stars in the isolated and dangerous mazes of the Canyonlands, Leo and Lily must decide whether they’ll risk their lives and hearts on the adventure of a lifetime.

From the author of the “heartfelt and funny” (Publishers Weekly) sensation The Unhoneymooners, this page-turning adventure full of second chances, complicated relationships, and the breathtaking beauty of the American Southwest will take fans on one wild ride.

“Writing duo Lauren Billings and Christina Hobbs strike gold again in this thrilling contemporary romance set in Utah’s Canyonlands National Park. Equal parts exhilarating puzzle-filled adventure and steamy second-chance romance, this cinematic wild-west rom-com is a must-have.” —Booklist (starred review)

“Fans of Christina Lauren, known for their delightful rom-coms, may be surprised by this shift into the world of adventure romance. It should be a pleasant surprise, though, given that the story is fast-paced, exciting, and still full of that classic Christina Lauren swoon (in between the danger, occasional violence, and plot twists). Lily and Leo’s romance is plenty steamy, but the real star is the landscape, which is described in sweltering, dusty detail. A vivid escape that’s perfect for romantic thrill-seekers.” —Kirkus (starred review)

https://amzn.to/3zJZRJM

I’ve included two quotes from starred reviews in authoritative journals because I didn’t love this book. I don’t always agree with other reviewers, so I think it only fair to show another point of view.

This was no rom-com, the subgenre of romance that these authors generally write, despite what Kirkus said. A rom-com is light and frothy and most of all, funny – the “com” in rom-com stands for comedy. This was also labeled as “adventure romance,” a subgenre I’m not familiar with at all. To me it was romantic suspense, which I enjoy now and then. The suspense is definitely there; it is enough to keep the pages turning for sure.

My issue with this book is the romance and the main characters. There is very little in the way of character development. We learn that Leo and Lily spent a couple of months together ten years earlier, and somehow they are still madly in love. They’ve not been in touch nor seen one another in that time, so I just found it very hard to believe. This is a second chance love story, and usually I like those, but I didn’t buy their story and I didn’t feel especially drawn to these characters. If I’m not invested in the characters, I’m not invested in their story.

I did like the setting a lot. The basic plot is Lily is eking out a living by taking tour groups on a treasure hunting adventure through the Utah desert. Her father, Duke Wilder, was a world renowned treasure hunter, and Lily has all his maps and uses them to help her tourists find “treasure.” When Leo shows up with his friends, he is just as shocked to see Lily as she is to see him.

The premise of the book is that Butch Cassidy hid much of his bank robbery earnings throughout the Utah desert, and Duke supposedly knows where, so people want to come on these tours. However, the group with Leo’s friends are sketchy at best, and that’s where the suspense comes in. Unfortunately, the characters are very one dimensional including Leo and Lily.

I put this book down several times – I think I read four other books while reading this one because I just couldn’t get into it. It probably would have been a DNF for me if it wasn’t by Christina Lauren – I have loved all their books until this one. I understand they wanted to try something new, but for me it was a disappointment. Please see starred reviews above for a different point of view!

6/2022 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SOMETHING WILDER by Christina Lauren. Gallery Books (May 17, 2022). ISBN:‎ 978-1982173401. 384p.

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