Truly, Madly, Whiskey by Melissa Foster

A new, emotionally riveting, sexy standalone romance by New York Times best-selling author Melissa Foster. Watch mysteriously sexy Bear Whiskey claw his way to his happily-ever-after with sassy, rebellious Crystal Moon.

 

Eight months is a long damn time to have the hots for a woman who keeps a guy at arm's length. But Crystal Moon is no ordinary woman. She's a sinfully sexy, sass-mouthed badass, and the subject of Bear Whiskey's midnight fantasies. She's also one of his closest friends.

Just when Crystal thinks she has her life under control, scorching-hot, possessive, aggressive, and fiercely loyal Bear pushes all her sexual buttons, relentless in his pursuit to make her his.  

The more Bear pushes, the hotter their passion burns, unearthing memories for Crystal that are best kept buried. But there's no stopping the collision of her past and present, catapulting the two lovers down an emotional and sexually charged road that has them questioning all they thought they knew.  

Series: The Whiskeys #2 | Publisher Melissa Foster | Narrated by: Paul Woodson | Length: 9 hrs and 41 mins | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Author | Rating: 4 Cups

Challenges Read For: - Blogger Shame - Literary Pickers Skirt

 

 

I really loved Bear in Tru Blue and couldn’t wait to finally dive into his story to see if he finally convinced Crystal to give him a try.

 

There’s been an attraction between Crystal and Bear from the start but she keeps pushing him away due to an event from her past. When Bear finally convinces her to give him a chance, she realizes that there’s more to their relationship than just attraction. Although she’s worried this connection won’t be enough to overcome the hurt from her past.

 

Bear’s such an amazing guy. He’s loyal, steadfast, and determined. I enjoyed watching how he slowly built up trust with Crystal without pushing her into something she doesn’t want. I also liked how he interacted with Tru’s kids. Crystal’s been hurt before and hasn’t had anyone to rely on so when Bear walks into her life she’s a bit confused. On one hand, she knows she can trust him but on the other, she’s afraid he’ll hurt her again so she had some things she had to figure out.

 

The romance was interesting. It was a bit of a slow burn romance and I thought it worked for this one. They got to know each other before jumping into anything.

 

Overall, I enjoyed this one. It was a quick listen with heart, heat, and very little drama. Parts were a bit intense but not overwhelmingly so. I’m eager to get more of the Whiskey family.

The Whiskeys

Tru Blue #1

Truly, Madly, Whiskey #2

Driving Whiskey Wild #3

We All Love the Beautiful Girls by Joanne Proulx

One frigid winter night, Mia and Michael Slate's comfortable world dissolves in an instant when they discover that their best friend has cheated them out of their life savings. At the same time, a few doors down, their teenaged son passes out in the snow at a party--a mistake whose consequences will shatter not just their family, but an entire community.  

In this arresting, masterful page-turner shot through with fierce, clear-eyed compassion and a sublime insight into human fragility, award-winning novelist Proulx explores the savage underpinnings of betrayal, infidelity, and revenge--and a multilayered portrait of love, in all its glory, that no reader will soon forget.

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing | Genre: Literary Fiction | Source: Publisher | Rating: 1 Cup

 

I wanted to like this book—and I thought I would—but this one, sadly, was one of those nails down a chalkboard books. If I would have been able to care about just one of the characters, things might have been different but I couldn’t find anything I liked about any of them.

 

The book’s basically about two couples and their children unraveling due to their own stupidity. Michael’s allowed his best friend and business partner, Peter, to steal his company out from under him because he was too stupid to read the paperwork before he signed it. Mia’s now working to get some of the business back while carrying out an affair. All the while, they’re so wrapped up in their own lives that they have no idea what their children are up to—which, mainly involves getting stoned, getting drunk, and sleeping around with each other—and now Finn will bear the consequences for the rest of his life prompting his father, Michael, to take revenge.

 

I thought this book would be dark and angst-driven where I would feel the emotion of the characters but it ended up being rather lackluster.

 

I was pretty much done with this book by the third chapter but I kept reading hoping it would get better or I would find a spark of something to care about but it ended up being a futile effort. It was hard to feel sorry for a group of people who were caught in webs of their own making.

 

Overall, I didn’t really find anything in this book to recommend it. It was a lot of people making stupid choices that led to even stupider results.

2018 HoHoHo Readathon Goal Post

Kimberly @ The Caffeinated Reviewer is once again hosting her HoHoHo Readathon and I’m so excited. I love this challenge because it’s my time to unwind before the holiday craziness starts. I set down with a pot of hot tea and delve into all the Holiday/Winter books that I’ve amassed (and there’s plenty of them because I cannot say no to these types of books).

The goal of this Readathon is to read/listen to as many Holiday or Winter themed books as you can. There’s mini challenges along the way and so many fun ways to interact with other participants.

The readathon starts November 9th 12:01 am (your time zone) and ends on November 18 at 11:59 pm (your time zone).

Find out more or sign up HERE

 

Here’s a list of books I’m planning to read (I’ll add more as I dig them out)

 

1-Christmas at Copper Mountain by Jane Porter

2-Rocky Mountain Christmas Cowboy
3-Christmas Glitter
4-Christmas in Kilts
5-A Hummingbird Christmas
6-The Doctor’s Christmas Proposal
7-A Brammble House Christmas

Christmas Wishes and Mistletoe Kisses by Jenny Hale

An uplifting, beautiful story about never letting go of your dreams, the special magic of a family Christmas… and the rush of falling in love under the mistletoe.

Single mother Abbey Fuller loves her family more than anything, and doesn’t regret for a moment having had to put her dreams of being an interior designer on hold. But with her son, Max, growing up, when a friend recommends her for a small design job she jumps at the chance. How hard can it be?

Nick Sinclair needs his house decorated in time for his family’s festive visit – and money is no object. What he doesn’t need is to be distracted from his multi-million dollar business – even if it is Christmas.

When Abbey pulls up to the huge Sinclair mansion, she has a feeling she might be out of her depth. And when she meets the gorgeous, brooding Nicholas Sinclair, she knows that she’s in real trouble…

With the snow falling all around, can Abbey take the chance to make her dreams of being a designer come true? And can she help Nick to finally enjoy the magic of Christmas?

 

Publisher: Forever | Release Date:  10/30/2018 | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Publisher | Rating: 4 Cups

Challenges Read For: Literary Pickers  - Pots/Pans

 

When the woman Abbey’s been caring for offers her the chance to fulfill her dream of becoming an interior decorator, she jumps at the opportunity to decorate Nick’s home. The only problem she didn’t plan on was falling for the handsome, broody, and somewhat reclusive millionaire. Nick’s always been work-driven and nothing or nobody has been able to draw him away from it until he encounters Abbey and her son. The more time they spend decorating his home, the more he finds himself drifting away from his work. Now he must decide which is more important: allowing himself to fall for Abbey or chasing after the next deal.

 

Okay, so this one started a bit slow—give it a few about three or four chapters to start going—but once it picked up the pace I was hooked. Although this one’s not going to be everyone’s cup of tea. Yet I did enjoy this one. It’s a bit different from the normal Christmas romance but there’s still fluff and joy and cheer mixed in with a bit of gruff.

 

Abbey’s a single mom trying to keep her head above water while caring for her family. Instead of following her dreams, she went into nursing and stuck with it to be able to support her family. She’s very family focused and caring and I was rooting for Abbey to succeed.

 

Nick’s very driven and very work-focused—he has a reason for this—and he’s determined not to let anyone distract him from what he feels is his duty and this cost him his first marriage. Because of how work-driven he is, he comes off as a bit cold and distant but he’s a man of action and his actions shows a caring side, he just not sure how to express what he’s feeling. I felt bad for Nick, he’s caught in a web of his own making and he’s not sure how to change.

 

The romance between Abbey and Nick was interesting. While there was an attraction and a certain degree of chemistry, it felt a bit stilted at times and I think that had to do with the fact we never get Nick’s POV. Although as the book progresses, I felt like more of the romance was coming to light.

I really liked the relationship/bond between Nick and Max (Abbey’s son). Max pulled Nick out of his comfort zone and Nick was there when Max needed him. There was also a bit more warmth to Nick in the moments when he was interacting with Max.

 

The only problem I had with this one was the fact that we only get Abbey’s side of the story. Given that Nick has more to tell and readers really need to be able to warm up to him, I feel that by not having his side the book is lacking a bit and comes off as one sided.

 

Overall, this one does have a few flaws but I found it to be a nice little Christmas read.

Christmas on Mistletoe Lane by Annie Rains

Christmas is coming to the North Carolina mountains, and the air is fresh and crisp and filled with promise. After the devastating loss of her job in the big city, the small town of Sweetwater Springs feels like heaven to Kaitlyn Russo. She's inherited her grandparents' charming (if a little rundown) bed and breakfast, and it's just the new lease on life she needs. Only "heaven" comes with a catch-and a handsome and completely infuriating one at that.

 

After what he hopes will be a quick trip, Mitch Hargrove wants nothing more than to put his hometown in the rearview mirror. But his plans get derailed when he learns he's now half-owner of the Sweetwater B&B. The fact that he's given only two months to make the inn a success is a huge problem, but it's his pretty-and incredibly headstrong-partner who's the real challenge. With the holiday fast approaching and a grand re-opening looming, will Mitch keep running from the ghosts of Christmas past . . . or will he realize the true gift he's been given?

Series: Sweetwater Springs #1 | Publisher: Forever | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Publisher | Rating: 3.5

Challenges Read For:  Literary Pickers: Quilt

 

How could I resist a charming Christmas romance about two stubborn strangers inheriting a small town inn?

 

When Kaitlyn inherits her grandparent’s small town inn, she finds it to be the perfect solution after losing her job until she realizes that she only owns half the inn and her co-owner does not intend to become an innkeeper. Mitch has no desire to stay in his hometown but Kaitlyn is making it nearly impossible to leave. Now he finds himself stuck between the promise he once made and the woman who has intrigued him.

 

I really liked Mitch and Kaitlyn and I really enjoyed them together. They’re both damaged and they’ve been carrying it around for a bit so when they inherit the inn they both view it as something different. She sees it as her comfort zone and a place to start over; he sees it as a reminder of the mistake he made in his past and he’s desperate to escape. Little by little, they start to trust each other and allow themselves to act on their attraction. Although Mitch still has some things to figure out before he’s willing to fully commit.

 

Mixed in is a cast of fun secondary characters, a tad bit of a mystery, and a whole lot of Christmas cheer.

 

Okay, so this sort of reminded me of a cross between the Inn BoonsBoro series (Nora Roberts) and Inn Love (the Hallmark movie series) but set at Christmas with a broody hero. While it could have felt a little overdone, I thought this one still had a fun freshness to it.

 

If I loved the book, why the 3.5 rating? She kept using ‘marine’ instead of ‘Marine’ when referring to Mitch.

 

Overall, the book was good and I find myself eager to see if Paris is going to get a story of his own, but using ‘marine’ nearly ruined it.

 

 

This book also includes a bonus short story "Midnight Clear" by Hope Ramsay, which was released as an e-book in 2015. You can read my review of that HERE.

Christmas 2018

The Fictional Boyfriend Tag

I was tagged in this one at the start of the year or the end of last year—I can’t remember who tagged me—then my computer died and I completely forgot about this one until I found a rough draft while I was going through my flash drive. I’m also unsure about the origin of this tag, so if you know please leave it in the comments below.

So, this one was fun to do but it was a bit harder than I thought it would be.

 

The Most Romantic Boyfriend—Abe Cameron from Every Little Kiss by Kim Amos. He’s just super sweet and super romantic.

 

The Dark & Moody Bad Boy with a Good Side— Arrow from Arrow’s Hell by Chantal Fernando. Arrow will forever be my favorite of the Wind Dragon men. He’s definitely dark and moody but he has a heart of gold. Think Jax Teller.

 

The Paranormal Boyfriend—Kendrick from White Tiger by Jennifer Ashley He’s a protective single father of two adorable tiger cubs and he adopted a wolf cub. There’s no competing with him.

 

The Boyfriend you Want to Tame—Lucas Donahue from Dare to Run by Jen McLaughlin. He’s a bit gritty and tainted but would be the one I’d want to Tame—or turn legit.

 

The Boy you Friend-Zoned—Justin Sloan from Cider Brook by Carla Neggers. He’s such a nice and interesting guy but just not my type.

 

Your Soulmate— Grayson Beaumont by Waking up with A Billionaire by Katie Lane. He’s kind, caring, artistic, and just an overall great guy.

 

 

The Boyfriend you would Elope with—Griffin from Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely.  Not only is a handsome beast, he can speak French. Plus, we could wander the globe.

 

The Boyfriend you would Venture Anywhere with— Ethan Hunter from Run to You by Rachel Lacey. He’s a sweet and sexy former Olympian who started his own adventure center so I feel like he’d be someone you could have fun venturing around with.

 

The Boyfriend you want to be Stranded on a Deserted Island with—Why do I have this uncontrollable desire to say Dick Cheney, the vampire, from Molly Harper’s Half-Moon Hollow series? Probably because he’s shady enough to know a way and/or a guy who could get me off of said deserted island.

 

The most Bad Ass Boyfriend— Ian Iskander from Memoirs of a Dragon Hunter by Katie MacAlister. A little bit dragon, a tad bit demon, and a whole lot of sexy badassery.

 

I’m not going to tag anyone but if you want to participate, please feel free to do so.

Wanderlust by Lauren Blakely

A British accent is my weakness...

 

Good thing I can avoid that kind of temptation in my new job in Paris. And when my company hooks me up with my own personal translator, I should be on the fast track for success. Except, he's charming, witty, and, oh yeah, he just so happens to be British, which means everything he says melts me.

 

Don't mix business with pleasure. I do my best to resist him as he brings the city to life for me. Soon, I can navigate the streets, discuss perfume with my co-workers, and barter at the outdoor market. But I also learn how to tell the sexy man by my side how much I want him to kiss me under the streetlamps.

 

Except there's a catch — I can't have him.

 

One more assignment before I take off on my big adventure...

 

And it's a good farewell gig too since my newest client is a fetching American who loves to explore the cafes and cobbled streets while I teach her the language of love. We fall into a fast and flirty friendship, doing our best to resist each other. But you know what they say about best intentions. Soon we're spending our nights together too, and I don't want to let her go. The trouble is, my wanderlust is calling to me, and before we know it, I'll be traveling the globe to fulfill a promise I made long ago.

 

What could possibly go wrong with falling in love in Paris? Nothing...unless one of you is leaving.

 

Publisher: Audible  | Narrators: Richard Armitage and Grace Grant | Length: 8 hrs 48 mins | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Publisher | Rating: 5 Cups

Challenges Read For: Literary Pickers  - Patio Furniture

 

Oh my goodness! I loved this book. It was sexy, flirty, and downright delicious.

 

Here’s what’s going on. When Joy stumbles upon a sexy man with a British accent her first day in Paris, she’s hooked and is determined to learn more but when she discovers Griffin’s been hired by the company she works for to be her translator, she’s determined not to mix business with pleasure. Although she just can’t seem to shake the attraction she has to Griffin and soon he becomes too much to resist. Griffin has a plan: one more job then he’ll be free to fulfill a promise he made but Joy’s making him rethink everything. And the longer he’s around her, the harder it is to walk away.

 

Griffin and Joy were amazing together. They fit perfectly into each other’s lives but it took them a bit longer to realize that it would actually work.

 

Joy’s been hurt before and she’s decided to put her career first. She’s in a new city, a new country, and she wants to finally do all the stuff she’s promised herself she was going to do. She’s such a fun, spunky, and honest person. Griffin’s loyal, especially to the promises he made to his dying brother, promises that that will take him away from Joy. He’s had his life mapped out for the last few years and he wasn’t expecting Joy to show up and shake up his plans. Now he’s conflicted because he wants to honor his brother but he also wants to follow his heart and stay with Joy.

 

The romance in this one was slow and steady but the chemistry was there from the start. They were both trying to figure things out and finally realized they were better together.

 

I loved how Paris came alive in this book and it really added a magical quality to it.

 

I enjoyed the narrators. Richard Armitage just has this amazing voice that makes me hooked on whatever he’s saying. I’m fairly sure I could listen to him read the phonebook and not grow board. It took me a bit to warm up to Grace Grant but once I did so, I really enjoyed her narration.

 

Overall, this book definitely earned top marks with me. It was funny, sexy, flirty, and full of romance.

What’s your favorite book set in Paris?

Memoirs of a Dragon Hunter by Katie MacAlister

Dragon Hunter Wanted:  Sword supplied. No experience necessary. 

One moment, I was a normal (if somewhat germaphobic) math teacher getting ready for summer vacation. Then my sister died in a pile of black ash, leaving me with a sword... and her destiny as dragon hunter. It turns out there's a whole other world out there filled with demons, dragons, and spirits. Now my job is to protect mortals - and I haven't got a clue what I'm doing.

 

Then there's tattooed hotness Ian Iskander. Part dragon hunter and part demon, Ian's got some seriously creepy business associates and keeps trying to steal my sword. So why do we keep getting lost in hungry, crazy-hot kisses? Ian is the only person who can help me figure out who - and what - I am. But trusting a half-demon is dangerous... because when you play with dragon fire, someone always gets burned.

Series: Dragon Hunters #1 | Publisher: Forever | Genre: Paranormal Romance | Source:  Publisher | Rating: 4 Cups

Challenges Read For: Bad Boys of Romance  Literary Pickers  - Tortilla/Flat bread 

 

I haven’t laughed this much while reading a book in a long time. Seriously, why haven’t I been binging on Katie MacAlister books?

 

Here’s what’s going on. When Veronica becomes a dragon hunter thanks to a tag-you’re-it style sneak attack from her dying estranged sister, she’s not really sure what to think or how to handle it. And she can’t imagine the amount of germs that come along with all the things in the beastie world. As if things aren’t complicated enough, the handsome devil who tried to steal her sister’s sword just so happens to be her upstairs neighbor.

 

Ian has his own problems—he happens to be in servitude to the creepy, and annoying, demon lord Anzo—so he’s not too thrilled when he realizes he has a new breed of dragon hunter on his hands. He’s also not too thrilled to discover he’s rather attracted to her and she seems to return the attraction. Although they both soon discover dating in the paranormal world can be a bit tricky and Ian’s harboring a few secrets that could shatter Vernonica’s world.

 

Oh my goodness, this book was just what I needed. Veronica and Ian were just too much, but in the best possible way.

 

So, Veronica’s a teacher who is wanting to be a writer. She’s also a massive germaphobe—I can so relate to that— who is slightly OCD about things so it was interesting watching her in sticky—pun intended—situations. She’s also had a bit of a rocky home life growing up. While it wasn’t dwelled on, it was brought up a few times.

 

I just found Ian to be irresistible—and rather yummy. He’s a bit broody—and I do love me a broody hero—and he’s struggling to deal with what he considers his dark side but, come on, the guy rescues animals, how dark can he be?

 

Ian and Veronica just gel well together. She’s always spouting off these amazing one-liners and he’s just such a play-it-straight type. I also liked how baffled they made each other. Neither was sure what to do with the other and they took some time figuring it out.

 

While I did enjoy this one, there were a few things left open—I’m guessing they’ll be cleared up in the coming books—, a few things were a drawn out longer than they should have been, and because it was told from Veronica’s POV, it didn’t feel as fleshed out as it could have been. Still, it was a fantastic read that I know I’ll read again.

 

I just have to add that I loved MacAlister’s take on her dragons in this one. I always find her paranormals to be so unique and it always makes for an interesting read.

 

Overall, this was my cup of tea. It was a nice, fluffy, funny, and snarky paranormal romance that had me laughing out loud in public