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Bridesmaids Behaving Badly, Book 1

8/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

ONE AND ONLY by Jenny Holiday. Forever (June 26, 2018).  ISBN 978-1455542420. 384p.

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Romancing Manhattan, Book 1

8/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

ALL THE WAY by Kristen Proby. William Morrow Paperbacks (August 21, 2018).  ISBN 978-0062674913. 288p.

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Montana Heat, Book 3 

(or 4 if you count a novella, Protected by Love)

I really enjoy this series and this latest installment is a good, fast read.

DEA agent Jay Bennett is happy to attend his best friend’s wedding. Except his friend’s baby sister, Alina, is there and he has always been attracted to her. Now she’s no longer a baby by any stretch of the imagination, and apparently the feeling is mutual. They end up in bed together after the wedding, causing all kinds of complications in both their lives.

They try and keep their relationship to themselves, but when Alina keeps finding herself in strange, dangerous situations, her brothers, also DEA agents, and Jay spring into action. The brothers soon realize that there is more going on than they thought, and to Jay’s surprise, they don’t kill him.

There is quite a bit of suspense here, more to do with the DEA stuff than the romance, but it does kick up the tension quite a bit. This was a page turner for sure, and another fun read in the series.

8/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

TEMPTED BY LOVE by Jennifer Ryan. Avon (August 28, 2018).  ISBN 978-1335017529. 352p.

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Did you ever worry that one day you would write an email and accidentally send it to everyone in your address book? Essie Phillips didn’t, until she wrote a silly, scathing holiday letter to her best friend, complaining about her future mother-in-law and her job working for her. She leaves it on her computer and her brother shows up at her apartment, drunk, an acquaintance in tow. They spend the night and in the morning Essie finds out that her brother’s friend Lucas thought it would be funny to send out that email, and he did, to everyone she knows.

Essie’s boyfriend dumps her, leaving her homeless, and she loses her job. She also goes viral and a story about her debacle ends up in the local newspaper. This intrigues Zillah, a lonely widow with a large home where she rents out a couple of rooms. She offers Essie a place to stay for what she can afford to pay with the proviso that she run errands as needed. Essie is thrilled, she never thought she would live in such a posh neighborhood. Did I mention this is set in Great Britain?

Essie is happy to find a job as a waitress at the pub across the street, until she finds out that Lucas, the source of all the drama in her life, is the owner. But she is desperate, and she likes the job despite him. Eventually Essie finds a way to forgive him, and they find themselves with a strong attraction to one another but unable to act on it. Until they can.

Nothing unusual here but this was a fun read. I liked the characters very much, and the subplot about granting wishes to older folks in hospice was a nice touch. If you are looking for a quick read and you enjoy a good romance, you should like this book. I did.

8/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THIS COULD CHANGE EVERYTHING by Jill Mansell. Sourcebooks Landmark (June 5, 2018).  ISBN 978-1492664222. 342p.

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Reluctant Royals, Book 2

I think this was a first for me – a royal, contemporary romance! You just don’t see a lot of Dukes wandering around so this was a real treat.

Portia Hobbs is having some trouble at home. She’s a wealthy NY socialite but can’t seem to keep a job or even find something that interests her. It helps to have rich parents but even they are running out of patience. Then she impulsively applies for an apprenticeship to a swordmaker in Scotland and lands the gig.

Tavish McKenzie is struggling to keep his business afloat and his cousin comes up with the idea for an apprentice. He isn’t thrilled and makes that very clear but Portia is undeterred. She loves the idea of swordmaking and Tavish’s good looks and Scottish burr are really making her crazy, but he’s standoffish and gives her scut work to do. But she is nothing if not persistent, and eventually figures out a way to make a place for herself in updating their website.

In the process, she stumbles across some information that is life changing. It seems the struggling swordmaker is, in fact, a Duke. That leads to all sorts of complications and trouble, and a lot of laughs, too. Finally, the Duke realizes he needs Portia for more than her mad web skills and she needs him, too.

This was a really fun read with great characters, some nice heat, and a terrific storyline. It also touches on some important issues like racism – Portia is a woman of color.

I loved it!

Note: Alyssa Cole is an award winning author. AN EXTRAORDINARY UNION was chosen as the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award’s Best Book of 2017 and the American Library Association’s RUSA Best Romance for 2018. She was also a RITA award finalist in 2017.

8/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

A DUKE BY DEFAULT by Alyssa Cole. Avon (July 31, 2018).  ISBN 978-0062685568. 384p.

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Hellcat Canyon Series, Book 2

From the publisher:

Everyone knows the Greenleaf family puts the “Hell” in Hellcat Canyon—legend has it the only way they ever leave is in a cop car or a casket. But Glory Greenleaf has a different getaway vehicle in mind: her guitar. She has a Texas-sized talent and the ambition (and attitude) to match, but only two people have ever believed in her: her brother, who’s in jail, and his best friend . . . who put him there.

Sheriff Eli Barlow has secretly been in love with Glory since he was twelve years old. Which is how he knows her head is as hard as her heart is soft—and why she can’t forgive him for fracturing her family . . . or forget that night they surrendered to an explosive, long-simmering passion. But when a betrayal threatens Glory’s big break, Eli will risk everything to make it right . . . because the best way to love the girl from Whiskey Creek might mean setting her free forever.

Catching up on a terrific series with the second book, a terrific read. I really read these out of order, and while Long does a really good job making it easy to keep up, it’s been great putting everything I already knew into perspective. I really enjoyed this story and these characters. Glory is talented and smart enough to know that with her family’s bad reputation, she needs to be extra careful because people are always going to assume the worst. Luckily, she’s known Eli since they were children and that’s not an issue with him. But there are lots of other issues.

Glory is a truly gifted singer and songwriter who has spent her life dreaming of a music career and leaving Hellcat Canyon. But she lives with her mother and younger brother, and they are just one paycheck away from foreclosure. The women in Whiskey Creek aren’t especially nice or kind to Glory, and she has a major chip on her shoulder which is totally understandable. I like women who help one another, but this rang true for me so I’m not going to quibble about it, it works for the story.

Some hot sex scenes amp up the romance and all in all, this was a good read for me. I enjoyed the humor as well. Now I’m all caught up in this series and hoping there’s a fifth book coming soon.

7/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

WILD AT WHISKEY CREEK by Julie Anne Long. Avon (November 29, 2016). ISBN 978-0062397638.  384p.

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Stay Series, Book 1

When Ethan Bishop and Mia Thrush first meet, it is hate at first sight. Romance readers know that means that love is sure to follow, and it does but there are many obstacles to overcome first.

Mia has her own public relations firm, and she is finally on track to the big leagues with her client, a man running for Mayor of New York City. Mia knows first hand what can happen in a political campaign so when the candidate’s daughter, Chloe, gets in trouble and has to perform community service for the summer in upstate New York, he begs Mia to stay up there and keep an eye on her. Very reluctantly, Mia agrees and moves into the bed & breakfast attached to the horse rehabilitation center where Chloe has been assigned.

Mia is a city girl through and through. Ethan has moved back home after a severe injury in the Special Forces. The physical injuries were horrible, but it’s the PTSD that is really keeping him down. Mia and Ethan keep butting heads, but Chloe is learning a lot and the changes in her are all for the better. Eventually, Mia and Ethan realize they have more in common than they thought, and the sexual attraction between them is undeniable (and occasionally pretty steamy.) But can the country boy live in the city? Can the city girl live in the country? These problems seem almost insurmountable.

These are really well developed characters. Mia is a strong, successful woman and Ethan is a kind, albeit damaged man. This is a terrific start to a new series, and I can’t wait to read the rest. I’ve read a few of Probst’s books and she never disappoints. She is an excellent story teller who really knows how to keep the pages turning. Highly recommended.

7/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE START OF SOMETHING GOOD by Jennifer Probst. Montlake Romance (June 5, 2018). ISBN 978-1503901858.  316p.

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Hellcat Canyon Novel, Book 1

Once again I’m working my way backwards into a series. I read book 4, The First Time at Firelight Falls, and liked it so much that I searched out the first book in the series and will go from there.

JT is an actor who is a bit adrift. He was the hottest thing on TV with a catchphrase and everything, but that was years ago. Now he’s pushing forty and trying to stay relevant. His truck breaks down in the small town of Hellcat Canyon, and he stops at the only restaurant in town, the diner, where he meets a cute waitress.

Britt is the waitress, and she’s come out of an abusive relationship and is not looking for more. But their chemistry is undeniable even though they both fight it. Being that this is the first book in the series, there are a lot of introductions to the town and the folks who live there. The romance is central though, and there is a lot of humor and some steamy scenes as well.

This was a fun read but I’m guessing, based on reading book 4, that it gets better as the series progresses.

7/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

HOT IN HELLCAT CANYON by Julie Anne Long. Avon (May 31, 2016). ISBN 978-0062397614.  384p.

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Romantic Escapes, Book 2

This British import is a delightful read set in the hipster haven, Brooklyn.

Sophie Bennings had the worst possible breakup after a two year relationship when she found out her boyfriend was married. Luckily, she is offered a last minute job exchange to America and she jumps on it, escaping as quickly as she can. Sophie is a food writer, and her magazine and their American counterpart want to switch things up for a six month period, so off she goes.

The apartment she is provided with is above a delicious bakery, and the owner’s cousin, Todd, is her gorgeous co-worker. Todd is the perfect antidote to Sophie’s messy love life, but everyone warns her off him, he is a notorious player. But he’s also kind and considerate and Sophie & Todd become friends….and then more. But the relationship is doomed to fail as Todd has some serious commitment issues, and Sophie’s work visa has an expiration date.

These characters are terrific, Brooklyn becomes another character as well, and this was just a delicious read.

6/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE LITTLE BROOKLYN BAKERY by Julie Caplin. HarperImpulse (May 25, 2018). ASIN: B077CYJ3QM.  272p. (e-book only)