I'm catching up on reviews again....
New Releases/Coming Soon:
Kiwi Rules by Rosalind James4.5 Stars - One of the Best
Review Copy Provided by Author
Sometimes we meet secondary characters and they resonate so much that we hope they end up with a story of their own. That's exactly the case with Karen Sinclair (First seen in the Not Quite a Billionaire series). Kiwi Rules takes place roughly 10 years after we last saw young Karen.
Ms James does a wonderful job of bringing Karen into adulthood and creating a reason for her to also return to New Zealand. I loved the descriptions of Karen's character, she's entertaining and her mix of confidence and insecurities ripple off the page making her incredibly easy to relate to. Jax is an excellent counterpoint to Karen. He has his own issues and baggage, but has a confidence that she needs. I appreciated the things both Jax and Karen had in common, especially regarding their families and trying to determine where they are meant to go forward in life after some pretty big changes.
Kiwi Rules is another example of Ms. James unique style that pulls you into the adventures of her characters and makes you want to go along with them. There is an excellent balance between place descriptions and character activity so that you can picture the environment even if you've never been there. New Zealand's unique culture is also woven into the story via secondary characters that make you want to hang out with them as much as with Karen and Jax.
If you have read the Not Quite a Billionaire series, then you will appreciate the appearance of Hope, Hemi, and the rest of the extended Te Mana family. Don't worry if you have not read the earlier books as this is a complete stand alone.
Ms James is an author that I can always count on to deliver a high quality, engaging read and Kiwi Rules is another example of why this is true.
Amazon
The Careless Boyfriend by Erika Kelly3.5 ⭐️ - Worth a Reader's Time
Review Copy received from a gift from author
Ms Kelly is an author that I haven’t read much of (this is only the second book of her’s I’ve read and it’s been almost 2 years) and The Careless Boyfriend makes me want to read more.
This is the third book in a series about the Bowie brothers (don’t worry, it’s a stand alone) and focuses on Gray as fate brings him back into the orbit of his high school friend/crush seven years after he saw her last.
I liked both Gray and Knox. Given their history, it felt like their reconnection to friendship then more was fairly organic. There was baggage to deal with and while issues resurfaced more than once, it felt real and as if each encounter advanced their relationship.
This was a fun read and Gray’s brothers play a hefty role as secondary cast. There are hints at their stories, but nothing that would be a spoiler. I am definitely curious to go back at read the two Bowie Brother books already published and am looking forward to the 4th book featuring Brodie.
Amazon
Until Twyla by Ella Fox3.5 Stars ⭐️ - Worth a Reader's Time
Copy Received as a Gift
This is my first read by Ella Fox and it won’t be the last! My only complaint about this fun, sexy read is that it’s a novella and I wanted more of Jensen and Twyla’s story.
The taste of these characters makes me want to know more - I will definitely be visiting Ms Fox’s back list!
Amazon
TBR Pile:
Tycoon's Forbidden Cinderella by Melanie MilburneMy rating: 3 of 5 stars
Copy Provided for Review
This was an entertaining, quick read.
Audrey and Lucien are the adult children of two famous people who keep getting back together even though history shows its a bad idea.
Watching the chemistry these two have worked to keep at bay for the 6 years they have known each other come out was entertaining. I would have liked to have seen a bit more character development and I would have appreciated Audrey making Lucien work for things a bot more than he did at the end.
Amazon
An Unexpected Forever by Joanne DannonMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
Copy Provided for Review
I went into this book knowing very little. The story line is very sweet and while there is nothing technically “wrong” with An Unexpected Forever, it’s not a book I liked.
I had a hard time connecting with Marnie and Daniel as characters. I appreciated their desires to honor religion and family expectations, but I found them both to be flat in terms of understanding their motivations and deeper feelings.
The premise was unique and presented a natural conflict, but the actions, reactions, and interactions all felt very stiff to me.
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