Review ~ Bombshell by Abbi Glines

Bombshell by Abbi Glines
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bombshell was quite enjoyable, being a spin off from the original Smoke series. I really enjoyed getting to know both Micah and Dolly. Micah is definitely the alpha male type and was quite surprised when he came across Dolly - his sisters best friend. She unsettled him and he found it hard to put her out of his mind. Dolly was the quiet type and didn’t really have a lot of social skills so found it hard to interact.

I liked the way these two grew together, Micah settled down and he gradually brought Dolly out of her shell. She was thrust into situations where she had to learn to overcome. Micah was really protective of her and I could see that he would do anything for her, but he struggled with having a relationship. His sister Pepper was good for them all, she cared for both of them. The only thing is that this book ended a bit too abruptly.

Title: Bombshell

Author: Abbi Glines

Series: Judgement #1

Genre: Dark Contemporary Romance

Published: February 14, 2024

Momma always told me that my sins would find me. I just didn’t think it would happen in a biker bar with my first crush bursting through the doors with his gun pointed at me. Well, not technically at me, but at my boyfriend- also known as my current sin. He was the thing I hoped the good Lord didn’t tell momma about in one of her dreams. Guess it didn’t matter anyway. I was caught and in a bigger mess than I could have imagined.

Micah Abe hadn’t laid eyes on Dolly Dixon, his younger sister’s best friend, in years, but her eyes were the kind you didn’t forget. Even if she’d grown into a woman with a body made for sin, he had recognized that unique shade of amber the moment she had locked her gaze on him. Damn shame he wouldn’t get a taste of her. His sister would cut off his favorite body part if he even considered it. Besides, he was over clingy women, and the way Dolly was holding on to his enemy like she wanted to wrap her legs around him meant she was the needy type.

Problem was he had to save her from herself. Clearly, Dolly was still clueless about life. That much hadn’t changed about her. He’d come here to get back what had been taken from him five years ago, but it looked like he’d be saving Snow White in the process.

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Review ~ Pretty Little Mistake by Micalea Smeltzer

Pretty Little Mistake by Micalea Smeltzer
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It was interesting to know these two were not only from the same town, but had also crossed lines when Lennon was younger and before Beck went to college. They certainly had chemistry, but Beck definitely made it hard for Lennon. Working together was good for them as Beck not only lowered his walls, but started to feel. Their project brought them closer together.

I must admit that Lennons family were asshats. They really irritated me, not only the way they treated her but how they treated Beck. Beck’s family were great though,they are the type of family you want to support you.

This read was good, but the crappy parents always make me mad. It was nice to see Lennon and Beck come together. I really wanted to love this read, but it was hard to get fully invested.

Title: Pretty Little Mistake

Author: Micalea Smeltzer

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: August 22, 2023

What happens when the one person you thought you’d never see again waltzes back into your life? One scandalizing night in an emotional novel by a USA Today bestselling author.

Lennon Wells and Beckham Sullivan should have been perfect for each other. Both vulnerable, both striving to please difficult families, and both broken by the past. Going from friends to lovers seemed inevitable. So did a bad ending. They thought—they hoped—they’d never see each other again.

Years later, bad luck or fate, Lennon and Beckham find themselves working for the same magazine. The wounds are still raw, but the chemistry is there. Then they’re forced to work together on a project. Some things never change, and all it takes is one impetuous night. One mistake. And Lennon discovers she’s pregnant.

With more in common than they ever had before, Lennon and Beckham are going to be in each other’s lives for a long time now, whether they like it or not. And they’re starting to. If only they can break from the generational traumas that hold tight and take a shot at something they never expected: a second chance.

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Review ~ The Rules of Dating a Younger Man by Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

The Rules of Dating a Younger Man by Vi Keeland
My rating: 3.5 of 5 stars

I have enjoyed all the books in this series, so it was no surprise that I would pick up Brayden and Alex’s book. Brayden was the type of character I love! He is kind and thoughtful and was doing something that was close to his heart. Alex was older than the women that he usually dated, but he was drawn to her immediately. I could see the sparks grow between them and it was not long until he wanted to be all in.

Alex, I liked her when with Brayden. She was not looking for anything, but soon her feelings were growing and she was convinced to take a chance. She was close with her step daughter - Caitlin - and a lot of the time she worried more about Caitlin’s feelings before her own. Being an adult, I wished she had more confidence in herself and would take the opportunities when she could, as we live only one life.

Thank goodness for Alex’s BFF Wells. He constantly put Alex back on track and allowed her to explore her feelings. Other than a small bump in the road, Caitlin was pretty level headed and encouraged Alex to take a leap. They all just wanted her to be happy. And honestly, Brayden and Alex were great together!

This wasn’t my favourite read of the series but I was so happy to complete the journey of these 4 friends.

Title: The Rules of Dating a Younger Man

Author: Vi Keeland & Penelope Ward

Series: The Law of Opposites Attract #4

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: September 15, 2024

I was the last of my group of friends to find “the one.”
The guys would always tease me that I needed to hurry up and settle down.
But I was in no rush.
Until I met someone worth rushing for.
Alex was one of the weekend volunteers at Ryan’s House—a charity I founded to build housing near hospitals.
Little did I know she was the same person I’d been arguing with over email before the project started. At the time, I’d thought Alex was a dude.
In reality? She was a smoking hot blonde who captivated me from the moment we met in person.
Our chemistry was off the charts, and I fell hard pretty fast.
Unfortunately, Alex insisted I was too young for her. I hated that she felt that way. Because age was just a number.
Not only that, her words didn’t match the way she looked at me—like she was very interested.
I lived for the weekends we’d spend out of town volunteering. Alex and I side-by-side hammering during the day, while sharing intimate dinners together at the hotel at night.
Eventually, the walls she’d put up to protect her heart began to crumble.
Until fate threw us a doozy that I wasn’t sure we could come back from.
If I’d thought our age gap was the biggest hurdle, I didn’t know anything yet.
Rule number one for dating an older woman who insists you could never be together?
Don’t fall in love.

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Review ~ Not Made to Last by Jay McLean

Not Made to Last by Jay McLean
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars

I liked getting to know both Olivia and Rhys. How they met was quite amusing, but I soon got to see that Olivia had secrets that she was hiding from everyone. I liked how close she was to her brothers and would do anything to protect them. Having Rhys in her life threatened everything that she was trying to hold together.

Rhys had his own issues but felt at peace when he was with Olivia. There was something about her that drew him to her. He went out of his way to get her into his life and the longer that they were together the stronger their connection became. There were a few hiccups and things fell apart for them as secrets unravelled.

Some parts of this read that were so good and my heart ached for Olivia. Rhys was quick to overact at times, but took his time to realise what his heart wanted. There were a few moments that annoyed me, but overall it was a good read.

Title: Not Made to Last

Author: Jay McLean

Genre: Sports Romance

Published: April 5, 2024

Two simple words hold the truth of our love: wait and hope.

Olivia
Rhys Garrett—recent high school graduate, ex-captain of the basketball team, and my brother’s rival both on and off the court.
Oh, and he’s also the guy I just hit with my truck.
Awesome.
To be fair, he had it coming.
Why else was he dressed in all black, in the middle of the night, if not to hide out amongst the darkness?

Rhys
I wasn’t looking where I was going or what was around me. I didn’t even see the headlights. Just felt the impact. And I thought, as strange as it was, that getting hit by a car may be the best thing that could’ve happened to me.
Until I opened my eyes…
…and she told me her name.

Some might call it fate, destiny, kismet…
A collision of souls.
One night.
One chance encounter.
The problem?
One night wasn’t enough.
But the more time we spent together, the more truths came to light.
And soon, we’d discover that what we once thought was meant to be…
…is not made to last.

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Review ~ Say You Want Me by Corinne Michaels

Say You Want Me by Corinne Michaels
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After reading the first book in this series I knew I had to read more as I’ve just fallen in love with these brothers and their small town of Belle Buckle. Wyatt was one of my favourite characters in the first book and I really enjoyed getting to know him better. He and Angie had chemistry since they first met so it was fun to see them together now that they are going to be parents.

Angie struggled a lot with her feelings. She’d lost hope of falling in love and having children, so she panicked alot to begin with. Once she accepted it, I liked the change in her and how she slowly let Wyatt win her over - they were so cute!! Wyatt was just the perfect gentleman and I could see that he had fallen hard for Angie. He constantly wooed her and even some of the townsfolk tried to help him win Angie over.

It wasnt smooth sailing for them either. My heart broke at one stage and it was a difficult time for everyone. Angie wanted Wyatt regardless, but he struggled with his emotions and pushed her away. I just wanted him to fight harder! This truly was a fantastic read, and again I ran through so many emotions. Corinne Michaels executed this story perfectly! I cannot wait for Travis and Graces story.

Title: Say You Want Me

Author: Corinne Michaels

Series: The Hennington Brothers #2

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: October 29, 2016

There’s no way I’ll fall for Wyatt Hennington.

He can keep his Southern drawl, irresistible smile, and those pick-up lines all to himself. I made the mistake of sleeping with him not once, but twice. I’m not stupid enough to give him round three, especially after he left me in the middle of the night so I could see myself out. I vow to return to Philadelphia and forget him.

It proves easier said than done.

When the doctor informs me I’m the winner of door prize number two, I put my life on hold and head back to Bell Buckle. Three months and if we can’t make this work, I’m gone.

The problem is—when the cards are stacked against us, and I can’t bring myself to leave him, I’ll finally know if he truly loves me or if all my fears were real . . .

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Review ~ Say You'll Stay by Corinne Michaels

Say You'll Stay by Corinne Michaels
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this read. My heart shattered for Presley at the start and her heartbreak continued to grow the more time that passed. She had to deal with so much - what she lost and having to push through for her sons. She had to make decisions that lead her back to her home town, the last place she ever wanted to go back to, and inevitably, her first love. It was tough for Presley as she dealt with old feelings.

Presley was amazing, it took her time to find her feet, but I did love the way that being back at home began to breathe life back into her. She was angry to begin with, but the longer time passed the more she grew, and her anger turned into happiness. Her boys were happier and her old friends and family supported her through everything. Being around Zach was hard for her as they both had a lot of baggage to unravel.

They both struggled with past mistakes, but there was no denying the chemistry that was still between them. I loved Zach, he was such a nice guy and time was good for him. He was patient with Pres and waited for her to come to him. He was amazing with the kids too. They had hurdles along the way, but they had such a big support crew. Corrine Michaels nailed this read - it had all the feels and such amazing characters.

Title: Say You'll Stay

Author: Corinne Michaels

Series: The Hennington Brothers #1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Published: June 20, 2016

One word.
Stay.
It was all he had to do. Instead, he got on that bus and took my heart with him.
That was seventeen years ago.
I moved on. Marriage. Kids. White picket fence. Everything I ever wanted, but my husband betrayed me and I was left once again.
Alone, penniless, and with two boys, I had no choice but to return to Tennessee. He wasn't supposed to be there. I should've been safe. However, fate has a way of stepping in.
This time around, the tables are turned. It's my decision. Second chances do exist, but I don't know if we can repair what's already been broken . . .

** This book is a STANDALONE **

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