This Hero for Hire by Cynthia Thomason

He's more than her protector…

Being a cop in a small Georgia town is a pretty peaceful job, and one that Boone Braddock takes pride in. Babysitting the governor's daughter, however, isn't Boone's idea of police duty. Especially when it's Susannah Rhodes, who has an impulsive streak a mile wide.

Boone was Susannah's crush in high school. He's still unmistakably handsome. Worse yet, it's impossible to keep anything from him—like the real reason she's returned home. And it's more impossible still to keep her distance. Because a long time ago, the two had shared something special. Something that was never finished….

I love the Harlequin Heartwarming line.  I always know what I'm going to get- sweet romances with no surprise sex scenes.  For a girl who loves clean romance, I just can't go wrong when I pick up from the Heartwarming line.  My thanks to Harlequin for allowing me to read and review these sweet romances for them.  (and thanks also to NetGalley for providing an awesome place for publishers and reviewers to link up!)

This Hero for Hire was a great diversion.  Sometimes my mind just begs for a mindless romantic escape.  I got it with this book.  Plus a little added bit of suspense which helped hold my interest through the end.

Boone is a kind and upstanding sort of guy.  He takes his job, his land and his family seriously.  There are a lot of things to like about Boone.  Mostly I admired his patience.  He has it in spades.

Susannah is an organic fanatic- trying to convert the world one field at a time.  It's funny because I just got through reading a non-fiction book about healthy, organic eating right before I picked this book up.  It was just funny to me to read about a fictional character who sounded much like the author of the non-fiction book I just read.  Well, I'm pretty sure that Susannah was a mite less bit fanatical.  Organic farming and organic eating are definitely picking up in popularity so this book fit right in with that.

If you love clean romance, you should try the Heartwarming line from Harlequin.  If you are in the mood for some light, romantic reading with a touch of suspense, this is your book.  Especially if you love them cowboys!  

You can purchase this book on Amazon.

Double Star by Cindy Saunders

When Cepheus, a dark god, forces seventeen-year-old Ally Ashworth off an isolated overlook, she has no idea she's falling into his world, or that the necklace she's wearing is actually a key--one with the power to ignite the next world war. But she's carried beyond his reach and into the one place where he's powerless... the forest of Gilgamesh.

Ally's never been Miss Popularity, but her outsider status takes on new meaning when she's rescued by Liam Cheveyo and his peculiar friends. After seeing them shape-shift into their freaky animal counterparts, Ally smacks hard into a few truths--magic really does exist and, although getting there took no effort, finding her way back might be impossible.

Feelings between her and Liam begin to grow along with the realization that, in this world, she's stronger and better... until she's caught in a trap set by the creepy spider-boy Cepheus sends to retrieve her. But Ally's not going down without a fight, not after learning the horrible truth about the passageways.

The survival of both worlds depends on it.

Today I have another book from Clean Teen Publishing.  I'm a fan and promoter of Clean Teen Publishing.  Why?  Because they offer a content guide to their readers on every book they publish.  If you want a head's up on what's in a book before you read it, and you want a great selection of books, you should head over to the Clean Teen Publishing website and check them out.  They give a head's up on violence, language, sex, and alcohol and drugs.  The quick view content picture looks like this for "Double Star".

I actually think their rating on language is too low as they only mention some mild swearing (H, D) and there was actually a few instances of more than that (S, B, A).  There is also a couple instances of profanity (using God or Jesus as an exclamation).  Just FYI.

Double Star started out really slow for me.  Fortunately it picked up as the story went on and I found myself enjoying it more and more.  By the end, I was into it enough that I was miffed at how it abruptly ended.

As far as characters go, my favorites were the ones that actually had less face time in the book.  I loved Grandma and I wish she would have been a bigger part of things.  I loved the people Ally and Liam's group of friends encounter as they begin their journey.  The little burned boy, the boy who speaks only through pictures... And Caleb.  Those were my favorite characters.

There were some editing problems- scenes that jump and such.  For example in one part, Liam walks into the kitchen where everyone is eating breakfast.  Someone asks him about his sword and then in the next sentence/paragraph it says, "They stood in the front yard."  Huh?  How did they get there?  It was some small things like that that had me going back to double read.  Sometimes the story just felt choppy.

I didn't love this book.  For me it was just okay and I liked some parts better than others.  I really liked the pictures at the end of the book though.  It really helped me get a better idea of how everyone should have looked and it was cool to see the shifters and their animal counterpart.

You can check out other reviews and purchase "Double Star" for yourself at Goodreads and Amazon.

The Pizza Trap by Gabrielle Welch

Junk food is everywhere: at school, at the ball field, at the mall -- even at your dinner table. Today, more and more American children are suffering from conditions that were once reserved for adults: obesity, diabetes, coronary artery disease and hypertension. And unhealthy eating the primary cause. It may seem like a battle that can't be won, but you can get your kids off junk food and set them on a lifelong path to healthy eating and wellness. As a Nutritional Consultant and mother of three, author Gabrielle Welch offers easy, practical and fun ways to educate and empower your kids to eat right. The Pizza Trap is a guide for every parent. Gabrielle's simple tips will help you experience less mealtime struggles and discover new ways to eat healthy on the go.

I should never have agreed to do this review.  The blurb makes this book seem like it offers "easy, practical and fun" ideas for healthier eating.  And, at some points it does offer that.  The thing is, so much of this book is telling you how awful so many things are to eat, using scare tactics and guilt methods.  "Do you want your kids to be one of those people?"  (speaking of people who suffer from depression, because they eat the wrong things, of course) That really gets my shakles up.  I did not like this book at all.  It was all in the presentation and approach.

I actually wrote a whole page of reaction to this book but there is no point in arguing the points I did and did not agree with.  I've read plenty of books and magazines about eating healthier and changing mealtime habits and the bottom line is that this book is not one I would recommend to anyone.  I just did not like it.  

*I was offered this book in exchange for my honest opinion.  

The Better Man by Amy Vastine + $25 and Book Giveaway!

A Themed Tour through Prism Book Tours.

The Better Man

by Amy Vastine

Adult Romance 

Harlequin Heartwarming

January 1st 2014

Kendall Montgomery's six-year-old son has barely spoken in the past year, locked in his world of silent grief. Then one day, he spots his dead father across a crowded street.

Max Jordan moved to Chicago to be closer to his own son and prove he can be a better father than his deadbeat dad. His striking resemblance to Kendall's husband and his track record with fatherhood make her determined to keep her distance…until Max helps her little boy come out of his shell. But can she trust him with their future? How can she be sure he won't take off just when they need him most?

Amazon - Harlequin

I knew right away when I saw this blog tour that I wanted to be a part of it.  I read another book by Amy Vastine and really enjoyed it.  Amy knows how to write a good, clean romance that is engaging.  I'm a fan of Harlequin's Heartwarming line because I always know I'm going to get a clean romance without any surprises.

Kendall is a single mother trying to hold everything together.  Her son, Simon, has some serious issues going on and Kendall is struggling.  She just doesn’t know what to do to help him.  Dealing with the death of her husband is hard, add on concerns for Simon, a big project for work, and a father in law who she can’t please no matter what she does and you have a recipe for a stress disaster.

Max is a walking disaster of his own making.  To his credit though, he is trying to change and be better.  You’ve got admire that.  It isn’t his fault that he is almost the spitting image of Kendall’s dead husband which causes all kinds of awkwardness as Kendall and Max have to work together.

The relationship between Max and Kendall grows slowly and as it does, we learn more back history about them both.  The unfolding process was well written.  Max and Kendall struggle separately and they struggle together.  Of course, my favorite bits are when they support each other.

The characters in this book are all so real and engaging.  Simon is a great addition to this book and really made it feel like a made for TV movie or something.  Honestly.  This should be a Hallmark show!  J

Amy Vastine has been plotting stories in her head for as long as she can remember. An eternal optimist, she studied social work, hoping to teach others how to find their silver lining. Now, she enjoys creating happily ever afters for all to read.

Amy lives outside Chicago with her high school sweetheart-turned-husband, three fun-loving children, and their sweet but mischievous puppy dog.

Website * Goodreads * Facebook * Twitter

Tour-Wide Giveaway

- Gift Card Grand Prize: $25 Amazon Gift Card and a signed paperback (US) or ebook (INT) of The Better Man

- US Grand Prize: Signed paperback of The Better Man plus swag (shown above)

- 5 copies of The Better Man (paperback for US and ebooks for INT)

- Ends October 5th

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Follow the rest of the tour:

15 - Launch

16

Book Freebies, Contests, Sweepstakes, and Giveaways

17

The Written Adventure

Katie's Clean Book Collection

18

Christy's Cozy Corners

The Wonderings of One Person

SBM Book Obsession

19

My Love for Reading Keeps Growing

Kelly P's Blog

J.R.Richardson Fics

21

Pretty Girls Read Books

Getting Your Read On

22

deal sharing aunt

My Devotional Thoughts

Southern Chelle

23

Undercover Book Reviews

Copywrite1985

24

Bookworm Lisa

Reader Girls

My Life, Loves and Passion

25

I Am A Reader

i blog 4 books

26

Lola's Reviews

Wishful Endings

28 - Grand Finale

Bible Bands: Create Your Own Faith-Based Rubber Band Jewelry by Katreina Eden

Rubber band jewelry is the hottest new craze, and now you can try these new designs! Based on scriptures from the Bible, these projects are easy to follow and fun to wear. Show your faith and inspire others with the uplifting jewelry found in Bible Bands.

My daugther is really into making these rubber band jewelry creations.  She loves to experiment and create her own and she loves new ideas for bracelets.  When I saw this book up for tour I jumped right on it because I knew this would be perfect for her to help me review.

My daughter just turned 12, which I think is important to note.  She read the instructions and made the bracelets completely by herself.  I have no idea about making rubber band jewelry so it was all on her.

The instructions were easy to follow and my daughter had no problem with any of the bracelets she attempted to make.  A couple of the bracelets required two looms and we only have one so she was unable to make those.  

My favorite bracelet was "God Created This Beautiful World For Me"

Her favorite one to make was "One With God"

And here are some of the others she made:

I think this would be a perfect book to give as a gift for anyone who loves making rubber band jewelry.  Christmas will be here before you know it!  This book is Christian based and takes themes from the bible to go with this jewelry.

You can purchase this book at Cedar Fort or Amazon.

Enter To Win a Book of Your Choice!

It's time for another giveaway hop!  Yay!

For this hop, I will be giving away a book of your choice, $12 or less, because you deserve to be reading that book you've been dying to get your hands on!  Books will be sent through Amazon if you are US and The Book Depository if you are INT (and they ship to you for free).  The giveaway is for an actual book- not a giftcard or any other item.  You can choose a print book or e-book.  Thanks for stopping by!


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Faded by Chloe Miles

Savannah wanted to kiss him, but she had never even kissed a human guy before, let alone a ghost. How was she supposed to kiss him if he wasn’t really there?

Savannah has never been in love before, but she’s in love with Hunter Emmerton. He’s cute, funny, charming ... and a ghost. How can you date someone if nobody else can see them?

When seventeen-year-old Savannah Fraser and her three friends are killed in a car accident, they are given a second chance at life by a group of century-old earthbound spirits who need their help.

I'm always a bit sorry when I read a book and do not like it.  It makes me feel bad to have to say that I didn't enjoy it because I know how much work and effort go into writing a book.  I really don't like negative reviews but as a reviewer, when you are asked for your honest opinion, you give it.

This book had so much potential.  The premise sounded intriguing and I was interested in reading it.  The actual play out of the potential ideas were lacking though.  Sometimes books grab you from the beginning and sometimes it takes a few chapters to get into a book but this book just never took off for me.

One thing that just bugged me was when Savannah and Hunter "kiss".  Neither one can feel it, which is just weird, but then Savannah says that even though she couldn't feel it, it was perfect.  Huh?  Okaaaaay.

The book itself seemed very simplistic to me.  The dialogue, everything.  I didn't connect to the characters at all.  The emotion fell flat and I just had a really hard time engaging.  The pacing was so slow and some scenes got so long that I started skimming.  The tension was missing.  (Ugh.  I just hate saying things like that.)  I read a lot of books.  I  know a good book when I read one and unfortunately, for me, this book wasn't one of those.  

There are plenty of other people who have read this book and enjoyed it though, so check out what other people are saying and decide for yourself.  I am one girl in a sea of readers and everyone has their own preferences.

* Amazon *  Goodreads *