No Way Up (Cimarron Legacy #1) by Mary Connealy

When Cimarron ranch patriarch Chance Boden is caught in an avalanche, the quick actions of hired hand Heath Kincaid save him. Badly injured, Chance demands that his will be read and its conditions be enforced immediately. 

Without anyone else to serve as a witness, Heath is pressed into reading the will. If Justin, Sadie, and Cole Boden don't live and work at home for the entire year, the ranch will go to their low-down cousin Mike. 

Then Heath discovers the avalanche was a murder attempt, and more danger might follow. Deeply involved with the family, Heath's desire to protect Sadie goes far beyond friendship. The danger keeps them close together, and their feelings grow until being apart is the last thing on their minds.

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It's release day for this new book by Mary Connealy!  It's also the beginning of a new series- The Cimarron Legacy.  I am always on the lookout for new books by Mary Connealy- she is one of my favorite authors in the inspirational romance genre.  Her books are always more than inspirational romance though, they are full of adventure and usually some mystery as well.  That's what I love the best.

This book, while good, was not my favorite.  I've been trying to determine why that might be and the only thing I can really come up with is that I felt less connection with the characters than I usually do.  This book was more plot driven and there were a lot of characters.  I felt like I was getting a lot of information, sometimes in a way that felt like I was getting a lot of information.  Usually the characters shine with personality in Connealy's books and I felt like this one lacked a bit of that for me.

Having said that, I did enjoy the book- especially toward the end when things really got moving.  The action picked up and I was fully engaged as a reader.  I definitely felt the plot setting up for future books and I will be picking up the next book.  Even though there were some things that lacked for me in this book, I am a Mary Connealy fan and I'll be coming back for more by her.  Plus, now that I know more of the "story" perhaps the next book will bring out the character connections I'm looking for.

Content:  Clean

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Chasing Fireflies $100 Book Blast

 

 My sisters think I’m crazy. But, I’ve never forgotten the mysterious woman from my childhood who told me Paul is the name of my one true love. She told me to search far and wide for him. I haven’t stopped looking ever since. When I stumble across an article about a successful American entrepreneur named Paul who lives and works in China, I’m intrigued. When the opportunity to teach English in China presents itself on the same day, I know it’s not a coincidence. It’s destiny. My sisters say I’m chasing a dream. Just like the fireflies we tried to catch on the warm summer evenings of our youth, the dream seems beyond my grasp. Will my quest for the elusive Paul always be just short of fulfillment? My sisters tell me it’s a fool’s errand. Until I remind them of the day we saw the Red Bird. The memory silences them. The Red Bird Incident remains inarguable—and proves my search for Paul is not a silly fantasy. I will find Paul . . . I will.

   

  Praise for Chasing Fireflies It was like Taylor Dean left a trail of chocolate chips leading to a plate of delicious cookies at the end. Yummy! I had to eat every single one and now I’m full and feasting on the satisfaction of a well written story. -Author Charissa Stastny

 Taylor Dean is such a creative and skilled author that she has the ability to make the unusual and the unthinkable seem real. -Lisa, Goodreads Reviewer

 As always I loose myself in Taylor’s books, experiencing rather than reading the story, from that first glance and butterflies in my belly, to the inevitable heartache, to the amazingly captivating events that lead us to the blissful happily ever after. -Mylissa's Reviews and Book Thoughts

   

  Excerpt  Am I chasing a dream? Just like the fireflies my sisters and I tried to catch on the warm summer evenings of our youth, the dream seems beyond my grasp. The fireflies always eluded us, flying within inches of our eager fingertips, their incandescent lights teasing us with the promise of magic. Just like the elusive fireflies, will my dream of the mysterious Paul always be just short of fulfillment? Am I clutching at the tenuous threads of enchantment? Is my desire to find Paul just a silly fantasy? Maybe it’s high time I accept the foolishness of my dreams. Maybe it’s time I live in reality and stop dabbling in the realms of the supernatural. Then I remember the Red Bird and my confidence bolsters. My vivid memories of Miss Pearl remind me that she hadn’t felt like a lady who would lead me astray. It’s real. It’s all real. Please let it be real.

Taylor Dean lives in Texas and is the mother of four grown children. Upon finding herself with an empty nest, she began to write the stories that were always wandering around in her head, quickly finding she had a passion for writing, specifically romance. Whether it’s paranormal, contemporary, or suspense—you’ll find all sub-genres of clean romance in her line-up.

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Blast Giveaway Details $100 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 7/21/16 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. a Rafflecopter giveaway

The Girl He Used to Love (Grace Note Records) by Amy Vastine

The past will always be between them

He swore he'd never return home. Then a flat tire lands Dean Presley back in Grass Lake, Tennessee, and he's forced to confront the woman he left behind. Faith Stratton was once the love of his life. Now her gifted brother could be the rising Nashville star Dean needs for his struggling music label. But it means taking Sawyer away from the horse therapy farm that Faith's so proud of. That won't be easy, especially since those old feelings that started all the trouble... Well, let's just say he can't go back there, because he doesn't want to relive the memories of the terrible accident that drove them apart.

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Happy release day to The Girl He Used to Love!

I'm super excited about this new book from Amy Vastine.  She's one of my favorite Harlequin Heartwarming authors and I do believe this is the first of a new series by her.  

This is a second chance at first love kind of book.  Dean and Faith reconnect after years of separation.  They parted heartbroken over an accident and the loss of a loved one.  Blame and pride make their re-connection a difficult one but an oh, so good one.

I really did love the characters in this book as well as all the secondary characters.  There was something real and tangible about the relationships and the struggles faced.  I was in it from beginning to end.  

Sawyer (Faith's brother) sort of stole a bit of the show for me and I am really hoping the next book in this series is all about him!

Content:  Clean

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review.

Four Chambers (Power of the Matchmaker) by Julie Wright

Every time Andra Stone crosses paths with Everett Covington, trouble follows. First she loses her scholarship. Then she loses the apartment she’d wanted more than anything. But tragedy hits hardest when she loses her grandmother—the best friend Andra has ever known. She determines that Everett is a talisman of ill fortune. When Everett comes to work in her hospital and is applying for the same position she’d been working toward since residency, Andra believes him to be her personal poltergeist.

The human heart has four chambers—four chances to get it right. Andra has only one chance left.

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There were so many little things I loved about this book.  First, I love the cover.  Second, I love that each page inside the printed book has squiggles and then a heart around the page number.  I loved the proverbs at the beginning of each new section of which there were four after the four chambers of the heart.  For me, it was these little things that made me smile and fall in love with the whole of this book.

This book is part of the Power of the Matchmaker series, but can stand alone easily.  Each book in this series is written by a different author with one minor character, Pearl, included in all the books.  Pearl's story is the prelude to this series and I would recommend reading it prior to any books in this series.  I have loved all the books in this series so far.  I have two more sitting on my kindle waiting for me which is something to look forward to!

This book was such a journey.  The span of time from beginning to end is years- over a decade.  Andra and Everett are an on again, off again kind of couple.  They are drawn to each other and fall in love but usually Andra puts an end to it for one reason or another.  Actually, she usually just runs away.  Sometimes Andra was just frustrating and I wanted to shake her but then those endearing moments popped up and I knew I couldn't stay annoyed for too long.  

I was drawn into this book immediately and putting it down was difficult.  Because of the on again, off again nature of this book, I was almost desperate to get to the end to see if and how they finally came together.  There was a definite pull to the story and the characters and I really loved it!

Content:  Clean!

* I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.  I also bought a physical copy of this book which is actually the one I read.

Mail Order Bride Collection Only .99 Cents!

This book is only .99 cents right now!  If you haven't read it, now is the perfect time to pick it up!  6 Novellas by 6 different authors.  This received a five star review from me.  See my review HERE.

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And I Darken (The Conquerors Saga #1) by Kiersten White

NO ONE EXPECTS A PRINCESS TO BE BRUTAL.

And Lada Dragwlya likes it that way. Ever since she and her gentle younger brother, Radu, were wrenched from their homeland of Wallachia and abandoned by their father to be raised in the Ottoman courts, Lada has known that being ruthless is the key to survival. She and Radu are doomed to act as pawns in a vicious game, an unseen sword hovering over their every move. For the lineage that makes them special also makes them targets.

Lada despises the Ottomans and bides her time, planning her vengeance for the day when she can return to Wallachia and claim her birthright. Radu longs only for a place where he feels safe. And when they meet Mehmed, the defiant and lonely son of the sultan, who’s expected to rule a nation, Radu feels that he’s made a true friend—and Lada wonders if she’s finally found someone worthy of her passion.

But Mehmed is heir to the very empire that Lada has sworn to fight against—and that Radu now considers home. Together, Lada, Radu, and Mehmed form a toxic triangle that strains the bonds of love and loyalty to the breaking point.

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Oh.  Oy.  I don't think I expected this book to be quite as dark and violent as it was.  The blurb doesn't really give you a real clear picture of the brutality and horrors this book contains.  It is graphically violent and full of brutality and man, if I would have known that before I read it, I probably would not have picked it up because I am a bit squeamish when it comes to things like this.  

For me, this book contained so much heartache and despair and so little hope.  I kept trying to find the good, the light, the hope and every time I thought I found a glimmer, it was taken away in some violent, unhappy way.  It was hard.

I will say that even though the subject matter was not to my taste, I can easily recognize the amount of research it took to create a story crafted like this.  The writing was good- the story pulls you in and doesn't let you go.  I am still thinking about this book days after finishing it.  

Bottom line is that this just wasn't the kind of book I personally enjoy reading.  It's a personal preference and has nothing to do with the author, her abilities or writing style.  I would say this book is best for those 18+.  If this were a movie it would be rated R.

Content:  graphic violence, sexual situations without details within a harem, multiple wives and concubines, same sex attraction, swearing, innuendo

I received a copy of this book from the publisher for my honest review.

Fresh Starts: Bree's Story (Second Chances #3) by Kimberly Krey

Bree has had her fair share of difficulties. The loss of her parents, a not-so-recent divorce, and the disruption of her life caused by a stalker now who’s serving jail time. When the determined criminal finishes his sentence, Bree is sent into hiding. And while she’s doing all she can to steer clear of this frightening piece of her past, an old acquaintance enters the scene, determined to be part of her future.

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I love reading Kimberly Krey books!  She knows how to write chemistry and sizzle without crossing the lines of comfort for me.  I've been waiting for this book- to finally see Bree's story come to life.  It's always a happy day when I get a new book from Kimberly!

This is the third book in the Second Chance series.  I don't think you have to read them in order as they can stand alone, but you will have a better understanding of the secondary characters and references to them if you have read the previous books in order.

Greyson was awesome.  He is strong and smart and determined to keep Bree safe.  Because Greyson and Bree knew each other from high school there was already a thread of knowing between them.  Probably more on Greyson's end as he definitely had a crush on Bree way back when and he is now seeing her in a new light but with the added responsibility of keeping her safe.  I loved how Greyson tried to understand Bree's personality and give her what she needed in order to feel independent and safe.  He is so attentive to her and that is very attractive.  

The apple orchard was the perfect, beautiful setting for growing love and attraction.  It was fairly isolated, with hours and hours of working alongside of each other.  There are sparks that lead to a growing attraction and love.  It all felt natural and good.  I loved the added element of the stalker and the tension and bit of suspense it added to the book.  This was so diverting and fun!  I loved it.  

Content:  some mild swearing, kissing

* I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review.