With A Kiss: A Sweet Romance Anthology

DANCING TO FREEDOM by Traci Hunter Abramson: A Russian ballerina. An American hockey player. A forbidden romance. Can Katrina follow her heart when freedom is the one thing she lacks? Or will the Cold War cost her the only man she has ever loved?

RYLEE’S MIX-UP by Rachel Branton: Rylee Williams didn’t want to be a bridesmaid at her estranged sister’s wedding, the sister who’d grown up with the family she was supposed to have. So why does she find herself in a dress two sizes too big and no date for the wedding? Maybe it’s time to give up on her family once and for all. But a greased pig contest and handsome cowboy Beck Seeger might just change her mind—both about sticking it out and taking a chance at love.

THE REFUGEE’S BILLIONAIRE by Rachelle J. Christensen: Shawn Halstrom has an assignment: travel to Atlanta, Georgia to investigate The Heart of Atlanta refugee center so that Burke Enterprises can make a donation. The job should take two weeks tops, but he wasn’t planning on falling for a Cuban refugee named Carolina Diaz. She’s a single mother who isn’t interested in dating, even if the guy might be a billionaire.

JUST THIS MOMENT by Joyce DiPastena: Alys’s late husband thought her useful only for spinning thread. Now a mysterious monk has come to take her to a nunnery. Can a sightless woman like Alys exert her independence to forge a future of her own choice? And will the monk, who stirs forbidden longings in her, help or hinder her?

ORIGAMI GIRL by Danyelle Ferguson: Josephine loved teaching crafts at the children's hospital until she was assigned to help Dr. Blake learn how to relate with his patients. As she helps the young doctor soften his sharp edges, relax his rigid folds, and open up to the people around him, she finds she can't help but love the man he's becoming.

SABRINA’S HERO by Donna Hatch: For weeks, Sabrina daydreams about a mysterious gentleman who frequents the lending library. Is he perchance an agent for the crown? A returning war hero? A highwayman? A fateful public assembly introduces her to the mystery man as well as an intriguing newcomer. Now she’s torn between a charming rake promising the adventure she craves, and a handsome barrister who offers security. Only one will stand by her when it matters most.

FALLING FOR LUCY by Heather B. Moore: Lucy Morley’s older sister is perfect, yet Lucy can’t even hold down a job, let alone stick with something like college. After another disastrous firing, she lands her dream job at a bookstore—and it doesn’t hurt that her new boss, Adam Parks, is pretty much her dream man. But if Lucy is good at one thing, it’s guarding herself from heartbreak. Adam has other plans in mind that include finding a way into Lucy’s heart.

MY DEAREST EMMA by Luisa Perkins: Since her husband died at 25, Johanna has worked at a busy hotel in the new railroad town of Danube, Minnesota, soothing her loneliness by writing home to her sister in Germany. When she meets August, a shy widower, her letters reveal a budding friendship. But Johanna soon begins to question whether their romance can survive a demanding employer, August’s jealous daughter, and the misgivings of two recently broken hearts.

COVERTLY YOURS by Janette Rallison: Paisley Spencer never needed a knight in shining armor—until she finds herself surrounded by three gangsters in a bad part of Phoenix. A handsome stranger intervenes, rescuing her from certain disaster. The only catch? Now she has to pretend to be his girlfriend for the next hour. She finds it’s a job she doesn't want to end.

 * Amazon * Goodreads * 

What a fun collection of stories from a fantastic group of authors!  I love that this group of people have come together to do what they do best- write stories- to raise money for a fellow author friend that is struggling and in need of support.  What a great community of friends, right?

These books will transport you to various times and places but all of them have one thing in common.  Sweet, clean romance, which I love, so this anthology was perfect for me to settle right in to.  I don't have time to review each book individually but they are all good.  I have a few favorites- Origami Girl, Falling for Lucy, and Just This Moment.  You just cannot go wrong picking up this collection.  Read them binge style or savor them one by one, here and there.  There are so many stories!

Content:  kissing, clean romance

- I picked this book up on Kindle Unlimited  

Sweet & Sassy Anthology: Stormy Kisses

Will extreme weather keep these six couples apart or bring them together? Sweet & Sassy Anthology: Stormy Kisses has six contemporary romances set against wild weather from award winning and Amazon best selling authors. 
 
Love Right
by Rebecca Rode

Corie McMullen doesn’t consider herself a man-hater. It’s just that being dumped by a fiancé via text has given her trust issues. Now, two years later, she’s written a bestselling relationships book, Love Right, and managed to avoid dating altogether. Even better, she’s scored an interview on a prestigious national morning show.

So when her best friend, Sofia, drags her to Singles Week at a ski lodge in Colorado, she’s reluctant to jump into the dating scene again. Especially when the man who seems interested turns out to be Micah Calloway, a playboy from her high school who insists he’s changed.

Then a blizzard hits while they’re snowshoeing, and the dating game turns dangerous. Now Corie’s very survival rests on an impossible decision. Not only must she trust Micah with her life, but somehow she must find the courage to trust him with her heart.
 
Waves of Deceit
by Donna K. Weaver

Twenty-six-year-old Shelby Nash wants to break free of her controlling, billionaire father. With the completion of one more project for his company, she can branch out on her own. However, her ex-boyfriend’s been appointed as the new lead architect. She has to find a way to protect her heart from him while avoiding whoever’s making anonymous threats.

Wade Armstrong did a poor job handling the news about the identity of his girlfriend’s father. Shelby walked out of his life without another word. Finally, four years later, Wade has a chance to win her back. As long as whoever’s targeted her doesn’t get to her first.
 
Secrets in the Storm
by Cindy M. Hogan

High in the Canadian Kananaskis National Forest, super spies, Christy and Jeremy try again for a romantic getaway, in hopes that their remote destination will give them a long awaited private holiday.
Unfortunately, someone else has found shelter in the same abandoned lodge, but with much more nefarious intent. Christy and Jeremy set off, determined to get the evidence into the right hands in Calgary.

But a violent flash storm rolls in, as well as a beautiful girl from Jeremy’s past. Combined, they threaten to not only help the terrorists have their way, but also to end the relationship between handler and spy for good as jealousy and distrust come between them.
 
Back to You
by Jo Noelle

Zara Hollis never thought at twenty-three she’d trade in her passion for hiking and spelunking to run a mortuary and care for her mother, who has advanced Alzheimer’s. When Trevor Cooley, all grown up and gorgeous, moves back to town, Zara is drawn to the quiet man who used to be her childhood friend, but now in a much more than friendly way.

Trev wants to pull Zara, as fun-loving and beautiful as ever, back into his life and hopefully into his arms. But there’s a problem. He’s only in Colorado for a short time on a stint as an undercover boss. He and his company can’t afford distractions. When the two get stranded together, sheltering from a violent storm, Trev realizes this particular “distraction” may jeopardize not only his plans, but also his heart.
 
Twisters and Textbooks (a Sunset Plains romance novella)
by Lindzee Armstrong. 

After the death of her parents, chasing tornadoes is the only thing that makes Lauren feel alive. Each storm gives her the adrenaline rush she craves, but it can’t make her forget Tanner, the country boy she left behind in Oklahoma. When a funeral brings Lauren back to Sunset Plains, she decides to seek out Tanner in a desperate attempt to finally let go of her past. He’s still angry by her abrupt departure from his life, and she begins to question whether she ever should’ve returned.

Just as Lauren’s about to run—again—a tornado hits near town, and Lauren and Tanner are caught up in a cyclone of emotions neither is sure they want to escape. Can they weather the storm of their past, or will they let it consume them?
 
Zoey’s Place
By Rachel Branton

Caring for the animals at Safe Haven Exotic Wildlife Sanctuary has filled the holes in Zoey Morgan’s life and smoothed the memories that still haunt her. It helps that she works with friendly Stephen Carey, whose uncle owns the Arizona sanctuary, and Declan Walker, who is as wild and untouchable as the animals they help.
When a storm hits, flattening buildings and flooding roads all over the state, the sanctuary goes into lockdown mode. But Zoey learns that her younger sister is lost in the storm, and she will risk anything to find her. So will the man who loves her—if she’d let him. Can he slip past the walls Zoey has built to hide her secrets?
Zoey’s Place is a stand-alone novella telling the story of the now-grownup orphan that readers first saw in Rachel Branton’s House without Lies.

 * Amazon * Goodreads *

This was such a fun collection of novellas.  I'm very familiar with all but one of these authors so it was a treat to delve into this book.  Secrets in the Storm and Zoey's Place are both spin off novellas from full length novels by the authors.  The characters in both books appear in other books.  I haven't read anything by Rebecca Rode so I'll be looking into her other books now that I've had a sample.  :)

I loved how different each novella felt.  There was romance in all of them but each one also had some sort of suspense, action or danger as well.  It was fantastically diverting!  

One of the great things about novella collections is that you can plow right through them (like me), or you can read one at a time, (just a nibble) here or there.  Whatever your circumstances allow.  It's a great way to be introduced to new authors who you might enjoy.

As of right now, this book is only .99 cents to buy on Amazon for kindle.  That's a bargain deal!  If you have kindle unlimited, you can read this book free!  :)  Yay!!

Content:  clean

--I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.

House Without Lies (Lily's House Book 1) by Rachel Branton

Her Dream Didn’t Include Falling in Love
Lily has a dream, a dream of a big house without lies, a place of refuge for runaway girls. She knows what it’s like to grow up feeling unloved, and she now fills every space in her tiny apartment with endangered teens. They don’t have everything they need, but together they have enough.

Or so she thinks—until she meets Jameson and glimpses the mysterious something between them that just might mean real love.

Jameson, who works as a teen counselor, believes the only way Lily can really help the girls is by certifying as a foster parent and going through the system. But becoming legitimate may mean losing some of the girls to the families who threw them away, and Lily hasn’t worked hard to save the teens only to abandon them now.

It seems Jameson will be one more entry on the very long list of things Lily has given up for the girls. What other choice is there when she is all they have?

When two of the teens’ fathers come looking for them, and another one’s mother plans to put her daughter in danger, Lily’s life spins out of control. They need a new home—and fast. A safe place. A house without lies.

Editorial note: House Without Lies is a clean, contemporary romance with a satisfying ending (no cliffhanger). There are currently two sequels that tell the stories of other characters connected with Lily’s House: Tell Me No Lies and Your Eyes Don’t Lie. Another novel and several novellas are in the works.

 * Goodreads * Amazon *

There are so many different reasons to love a book.  This book is a clean romance, which I love, but there are a lot of clean romance books out there.  This one stood out because it was equal parts plot and character driven.  There was such a good balance of both going on that I was completely absorbed into everything.  I didn't want to put this book down.

All I know is that we need more Lily's in this world.  While reading, I wanted to be Lily.  Or someone just like her.  She has a ginormous heart, dedicated to helping girls that cannot help themselves.  I loved her determination and her protective nature.  

Yes, there was a growing romance with a few bumps happening throughout this book but the main focus of this book really was Lily and her relationship with the girls under her care.  Jameson just gradually found his way into Lily's life and goals.  

There were a lot of characters in this book which can be so overwhelming as a reader but each character in this book was so distinct in personality and traits that I had no problem keeping everyone straight.  I am so glad that while this is the beginning of a series, this book ended happily and with resolution.  The other books that follow will be based on different characters and can each stand alone.  That's my favorite kind of series!  I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series that revolves around Lily's sister.

Content:  Clean romance, some talk of drug and alcohol abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse

* I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.