My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Publisher via Net Galley
Thrillers aren’t usually my literary cup of tea, but Shari Ryan is a favorite author, so I wanted to try this one and am so glad I did.
The Homemaker is told from multiple points of view in alternating timelines, so you have to be paying attention or you will miss certain clues. I have to admit that I figured out one of the “bad guys” fairly quickly, but I would have never imagined the full depth of the deception woven into this well-written story.
I won’t go into much more detail because I don’t want to potentially spoil anything. I will say that this book kept me on my toes, twisted me up, broke my heart, and put it back together. An excellent read!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Author
If you are looking for a feel-good story about friends figuring out love (with a little help) then The Happiness Plan is for you! Daphne, Heather, and Tori are three friends with a family that they have created with each other and a trio of brothers Brody (Daphne’s spouse) Grant, and Campbell.
When we meet this group each of the ladies is in a different place emotionally. Ms Mallery walks us along with them as they struggle through their journeys to a potential happy ending. We see misunderstandings, support, hard truths, and surprises. Daphne and Heather have the biggest challenges, but all three have things to face and they are the biggest supporters for each other.
This well-written book takes a hard look at one of couples' biggest issues - communicating- from three seemingly different standpoints. I found myself rooting for all three of our heroines to get things figured out!
Long-term fans of Ms Mallery’s will see a familiar face in the supporting cast - it was a fun little connection in this truly stand-alone read.
*Prices are accurate at the time of posting, please double-check before one-clicking. All links belong to E-Reading After Midnight and we may be compensated.
Strictly Off Limits by Stella Holt is out now! Check out the gorgeous new release and be sure to grab your copy today!
Title: Strictly Off Limits
Author: Stella Holt
Genre: Contemporary Romance
About Strictly Off Limits:
This irresistible flirt would do anything to get his girl—but clearing his name could be out of his jurisdiction.D.C. paramedic Hannah Paletti has just one problem: the ripped detective who’s starred in every romantic fantasy she’s ever had. Not only is longtime crush Conner Maguire her new partner on a community service project—he’s her brother’s sworn enemy. Hannah’s determined to raise enough funds for a community center to keep kids off the streets. And Conner, who denies betraying her brother, is all-in on her project. After one kiss, she can’t resist Conner anymore, and she doesn’t want to. But if her family finds out, she’ll lose more than just her heart.Conner Maguire’s biggest problem has curves that make his hands itch, red curly hair, and enough sass to keep him hooked and booked forever. But to this day, he doesn’t know how her brother’s college sweetheart ended up in Conner’s bed, and he never cared to figure it out—until now.Because choosing between family and love is tearing Hannah apart, so he needs to offer her both.
This is a fun addition to the Maguire Legacy series, focusing on Conner. He has appeared in support of his siblings in previous books, but it was a treat to get to know him better here.
Life, and a charity function, bring him back into the orbit of Hannah. She is the younger sister of his former best friend. The conflict here isn’t one huge event, but carried throughout and is directly related to Hannah’s brother. This is an interesting sub plot in the larger story.
Hannah and Conner are a feel good story and I found myself rooting for them to figure things out. He is definitely a “cinnamon roll” of a hero!
Given that the stories of this series are sequential, there are potential spoilers if you aren’t reading in order, but nothing that would really detract from the book. We see both sets of siblings in supportive roles here. It makes me very curious for Finn’s story and has me wondering if Hannah’s brothers might be next!
Author of your next binge-worthy romance series, Stella has been plotting sexy, tear-jerker stories since she was old enough to hold a pencil. Born a Georgia peach, Stella loves all things country but calls the beach home even though she’s currently living outside D.C. with her family. Most days she can be found drinking too much coffee, collecting lipstick she forgets to wear, and baking.Stella’s first series featuring first responders debuts in 2023. You can find her on Instagram @stellaholtbooks and www.stellaholt.com
Strictly Off Limits by Stella Holt is out now! Check out the gorgeous new release and be sure to grab your copy today!
Title: Strictly Off Limits
Author: Stella Holt
Genre: Contemporary Romance
About Strictly Off Limits:
This irresistible flirt would do anything to get his girl—but clearing his name could be out of his jurisdiction.D.C. paramedic Hannah Paletti has just one problem: the ripped detective who’s starred in every romantic fantasy she’s ever had. Not only is longtime crush Conner Maguire her new partner on a community service project—he’s her brother’s sworn enemy. Hannah’s determined to raise enough funds for a community center to keep kids off the streets. And Conner, who denies betraying her brother, is all-in on her project. After one kiss, she can’t resist Conner anymore, and she doesn’t want to. But if her family finds out, she’ll lose more than just her heart.Conner Maguire’s biggest problem has curves that make his hands itch, red curly hair, and enough sass to keep him hooked and booked forever. But to this day, he doesn’t know how her brother’s college sweetheart ended up in Conner’s bed, and he never cared to figure it out—until now.Because choosing between family and love is tearing Hannah apart, so he needs to offer her both.
Author of your next binge-worthy romance series, Stella has been plotting sexy, tear-jerker stories since she was old enough to hold a pencil. Born a Georgia peach, Stella loves all things country but calls the beach home even though she’s currently living outside D.C. with her family. Most days she can be found drinking too much coffee, collecting lipstick she forgets to wear, and baking.Stella’s first series featuring first responders debuts in 2023. You can find her on Instagram @stellaholtbooks and www.stellaholt.com
*Prices are accurate at the time of posting, please double-check before one-clicking. All links belong to E-Reading After Midnight and we may be compensated.
Lyla Eden has spent the last few years watching her siblings fall in love. Meanwhile, she's married to her job. It's on her hundredth consecutive workday that her sister stages an intervention, kicking Lyla out of her own coffee shop. With nothing else to do, Lyla sets out on her favorite hiking trail. It's there that she spots a man washing blood from his hands in a stream. One moment she's staring at the jagged scar on his face. The next, his hand is around her throat. But by some miracle, he lets her go.
Shaken to her core, Lyla reports the incident to the local police. Two days later, Vance Sutter arrives in town, armed with endless questions and a tarnished badge.
Vance may be ruggedly handsome but he's as mysterious as the man he's hunting. And he'll be gone from Quincy in a blink. Yet Lyla's crush is impossible to stop.
No matter how hard Vance tries to ignore it, there's no denying the chemistry between them. And avoiding Lyla is not an option. After years of chasing dead ends, she's his only lead to closing the case that haunts his career. So together, they'll retrace her steps.
To find the scarred man she met beside a crimson river.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Devney Perry is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of over forty romance novels. After working in the technology industry for a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to pursue her passion for writing. She was born and raised in Montana and now lives in Washington with her husband and two sons.
I was really tempted to give this a five-star rating - the only reason I didn’t is that this is fairly deep into an interconnected series where events are sequential. The fact that this book stands on the shoulders of others in terms of back story is the only thing that kept it from the higher rating.
In Crimson River, we return to Quincy and the Eden family with Layla (the last of the Eden girls) and town visitor Vance. I’m not going to go too far as to why he’s in town because I don’t want to potentially spoil things.
Ms Perry pulled us into this one from the get go. The story has an heavy drama and angst element, but at the same time I kept rooting for our couple to find a way to a happy ending. Both characters are interesting and I loved them together, how they seemed to quickly understand what the other needed.
The Eden family played an integral part as a secondary cast, but this story definitely focuses on Vance, Layla, and the events surrounding them. There are unexpected twists that kept me on my reading toes!
This was a fantastic addition to the series and I can’t wait to see how things wrap up with the last Eden standing.
*Prices are accurate at the time of posting, please double-check before one-clicking. All links belong to E-Reading After Midnight and we may be compensated.
The next exciting novel in Dianne Duvall's Immortal Guardians series is out today! Grab your copy of Rogue Darkness at one of your favorite online retailers! Keep reading to find out more about this can't-put-down paranormal romance, and for your chance to win in the tour-wide giveaway!
ABOUT THE BOOK
ROGUE DARKNESS Immortal Guardians Book 12 by Dianne Duvall Release Date: June 13th, 2023
New York Times bestselling author Dianne Duvall brings readers the next stand-alone novel in her “fast-paced and humorous” (Publishers Weekly) and “utterly addictive” (RT Book Reviews) Immortal Guardians series.
Immortal Guardians have hunted and slain psychotic vampires for thousands of years. Now someone is hunting them. Humanity remains oblivious to the existence of immortals, vampires, and gifted ones, so how does this rising nemesis even know who they are and where to find them? Could it be the machinations of an old nemesis—one they thought they defeated? Or is this something new? Because unlike the foes they’ve faced in the past, this one doesn’t just target immortals. He targets those who are near and dear to them.
A gifted one under the Immortal Guardians’ protection, Nicole has worked hard to land her dream job—that of an Immortal Guardian’s Second or mortal guard—and loves working with Sean. He’s smart. He’s funny. And despite the sometimes dark existence he leads, the two of them laugh a lot. Years spent as a special ops soldier prepared Nicole well, enabling her to keep Sean safe despite his tendency to dive headlong into danger. But can it keep her safe? The enemy they face is determined and shrewd. Uncovering his identity may require new methods of engagement and force her to take a few risks. Sean hasn’t been immortal long, but he knows the rules. And according to the rules, Nicole is off-limits. She’s his Second. His guard. His best friend. The one person who knows him better than anyone else. Though he loves every minute he spends with her, friendship is all they can ever have... isn’t it? Sean soon begins to question that as the two of them engage in a deadly cat-and-mouse game with the enemy, one that will reveal the true depth of their feelings for each other and drive him to abandon the rules altogether.
Dianne Duvall is the New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author of the Immortal Guardians paranormal romance series, the Aldebarian Alliance sci‐fi romance series, and The Gifted Ones medieval and time‐travel romance series. The Lasaran, the first book in the Aldebarian Alliance Series, was a #1 Audible Mover & Shaker. The Segonian, the second book in the Aldebarian Alliance Series, was a Barnes&Noble Top Indie Favorite. Audible chose Awaken the Darkness as one of the Top 5 Best Paranormal Romance Audiobooks of 2018. Reviewers have called Dianne's books "fast-paced and humorous" (Publishers Weekly), "utterly addictive" (RT Book Reviews), “extraordinary" (Long and Short Reviews), and "wonderfully imaginative" (The Romance Reviews). Dianne's books have twice been nominated for RT Reviewers' Choice Awards. And her audiobooks have been awarded the AudioFile Earphones Award for Excellence.
Dianne's books have all appeared on the New York Times, USA Today, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Apple Books, and/or Kobo Bestseller lists. The first book in Dianne's The Gifted Ones series, A Sorceress of His Own, is a prequel of sorts to Darkness Dawns. A USA Today bestseller, A Sorceress of His Own is a medieval romance with paranormal elements that was awarded the AudioFile Earphones Award for Excellence and was an Audie Finalist. The second book in the series, Rendezvous With Yesterday, is a time travel romance that won the GraveTells Readers' Choice Award for Best Historical Romance.
In addition to writing romance, Dianne has completed a one-act play (comedy) and teamed up with an award-winning screenwriter to write a spec script for a new situation comedy. Several of her poems have also been published in anthologies.
When she isn't writing, Dianne is very active in the independent film industry and has even appeared on-screen, crawling out of a moonlit grave and wielding a machete like some of the psychotic vampires she creates in her books.
For the latest news on upcoming releases, contests, and more, please visit DianneDuvall.com or sign up for her Newsletter. You can also find Dianne online . . .
To celebrate the release of Rogue Darkness, Dianne Duvall will be giving away a Swag Pack to (2) two separate readers (US only please) AND a $25 Amazon Gift Card to (2) two separate readers! To enter, fill out the Rafflecopter form found in this post. Follow along with the Blog Tour at DianneDuvall.com for more chances to win daily. Good luck!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Author
The Immortal Guardians is a series from Dianne Duvall that I have consistently enjoyed (even though there are a few books I have missed). This is a series that works in sequential order, so please keep that in mind.
Sean and Nicole (new additions to the family) are entertaining main characters to get to know. Ms Duvall made it easy to become invested in them and root for them to figure out their growing relationship and the outside conflicts making life difficult.
As with all of Ms Duvall’s books, this is well written and engaging. I was pulled in and didn’t want to leave! My one caution would be for people who are brand new to the Immortal Guardians- I would not start here. As the series is sequential, there is a lot of back story. The author does an excellent job of weaving details in, but I think having at least some familiarity with the series would be helpful. For me, getting to revisit this would makes me want to go back and find the stories I have missed!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Author
In The Sweetheart List, Ms Shalvis brings us back to Sunrise Cove in a stand alone read with a brand new group of characters.
The tribe of Campbells surrounding bar owner (and more) Brodie are pure fun and I enjoyed seeing their interactions. Seeing him with his mom and brothers added so much to his unfloding and evolving personality. Harper and Ivy are new to the town and watching them find their way in the community and each other was heartwarming. They were excellent additions to the Campbell mix!
Brodie is what I consider a typical Shalvis hero. He is a little wounded, a lot Alpha, and very sweet under all the gruff. Harper is getting her act together and finding her way to happy, I loved the way these two slightly wounded people helped each other grow and find the missing pieces.
Overall, this is a well written and feel good read. Interesting main characters, fun secondary characters, and a story that will tug on your heart strings. When I reached the end, I was both happy for the characters and sad to see them go. Hopefully, there will be cameos in future Sunrise Cove books....
In Double Pucked, we are introduced to two professional hockey teams and their star players who happen to be best friends off the ice. You'd think this would be a great setup for a MM romance, but it's not. It lays the groundwork for these two to discover they are attracted to the same woman and don't want to make her choose.
As we get to know Chase, Ryker, and Trina we see some of their personalities and get to know them a little, but the whole story takes place in just a few weeks, so we don't get super deep dives into who they are. All three characters were easy to like and root for as we saw them have emotional entanglements and evolutions to have a chance at a happy ending.
This is a fairly quick read that focuses more on the steamier parts of the budding romance. If you want the fantasy experience, this is a great escape read!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Author
Just for Me is a novella length entry in the Escape to New Zealand series featuring Luke and Hayden. Both are secondary characters we’ve met previously.
Ms James has a knack for giving us stories where the featured couples face a struggle or hard circumstances and this is no exception. In this case we have two men facing the complications that their sexuality introduces into their personal and professional lives. The issue was handled with honesty and grace. I appreciated the fact that the secondary cast helped navigate some of the trickier aspects of revealing oneself and a long-distance relationship.
Loyal fans of the series will be glad to see familiar faces appear in the secondary roles and you will see a few updates to where they are now, but this is a complete standalone entry. Having read some of the more recent Escape to New Zealand stories will provide context, but is not necessary.
This is a book I picked up for free in an author newsletter swap and I am glad I gave it a chance. Chloe and Holden are life long friends living about an hour from eash other in Tennessee. He is in their hometown helping run the family business while she is out of Nashville and has avoided the town for 16 years.
This is a friends to lovers/Marriage of convience story. I'm not going to retell the story, but I will say that the marriage piece was a little too convienient for me - I bought that these two were life long friends, but I'm a bit surprised more people in the secondary cast weren't questioning the wedding. (That's the missing 1/2 star for me).
I enjoyed Chloe and Holden and the overall way their story played out. Both characters had evolutions that made the story sweeter and more entertaining. This is by frst book by Ms Knupp, but I hope it won;t be the last. I am curious to get to know Holden's brothers and some of the other towns people of Dragonfly Lake better.
*Prices are accurate at the time of posting, please double-check before one-clicking. All links belong to E-Reading After Midnight and we may be compensated.
Hendrix: A Pittsburgh Titans Novel
Sawyer
Bennett
Release Date: June 6, 2023
Synopsis:
Hen
drix Bateman is one of The Lucky Three, a trio of players who were not on the
Titan
’
s team plane the night it crashed. Feeling as if he
’
s been given a second chance, Hendrix is
determined to make the most out of his life, but that doesn
’
t mean he
’
s not suffering from scars that
can
’
t be seen.
When I lost my Titan brothers in the crash, it was a mixed bag of emotions. I was devastated and grief
stricken, but I was also grateful to be alive. Yeah, that might cause a little
—
okay, a lot of
—
gu
ilt, but now
I
’
m determined to live each day as if it
’
s my last.
A night out with friends puts me in the crosshairs of Stevie Kisner
—
the devastatingly beautiful bar owner
with a sharp tongue and a fire in her eyes that lets me know she has zero tolerance
for guys like me. I
’
ve
never been one to back away from a challenge, so I
’
m not dissuaded by Stevie
’
s tough as nails attitude or
her big biker dad who looks like he wants to kill me. Fueled by too many shots and the raucous urging of
my teammates, I set ou
t to show Stevie I
’
ve got game both on and off the ice.
While I shouldn
’
t be looking for anything more than a good time, I can
’
t help but be captivated by Stevie.
She
’
s cool as hell and we burn hot together. But the more I get to know her, the more I can
tell she
’
s
holding something in reserve, and let
’
s just say I
’
ve got some trust issues after my last disastrous attempt
at a relationship. Now I need to decide if I
’
m going to let my past dictate my future or if I am willing to
put my heart on the line to
find out if Stevie is exactly what I think she is
—
my everything.
Get Hendrix: A Pittsburgh Titans Novel in digital, signed
paperback and audio (narrated by Tor Thom and CJ Bloom) direct from Sawyer:
PLEASE NOTE:
Ebooks
purchased from the Sawyer Bennett Bookstore will be
delivered via BookFunnel and can be sent to the e
-
reader of your choice.
Audio will be available exclusively on the Sawyer
Bennett Bookstore for approximately 90 days before releasing at all retailers and libraries (excluding
Audible). Hendrix is narrated by Tor Thom and CJ Bloom. Audio purchase from the Sawyer Bennett
Bookstore must be enjoyed within the BookFunnel app (which is VERY user friendly and FREE!).
About the Author:
New York
Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to
create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array o
f readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy
romance, and both women
’
s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.
A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur,
stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full
-
time servant to
her wonderfully naughty dogs.
If you
’
d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter
(sawyerbennett.com
/signup).
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Author
The journey of the rebuilt Titans team continues with one of the “lucky three,” Hendrix. He is paired with bar owner, Stevie. She is tangentially related to the team through Harlow (the leading lady in book one). He has appeared in previous book, but we don’t really get to know him until this story.
The meet cute between Hendrix and Stevie is unique and I appreciated how things played into something that would be a running theme in the book. On the surface these two don’t seem to have much in common, but Ms Bennett makes it work so that we see the core of the couple.
Our source of conflict for the story is pretty obvious early on, the only question is how will it play out. I have to admit to mentally yelling at a certain character a couple of times. Stubbornness is a big factor here and the secondary cast had to get a bit creative to help get passed that!
As always, Ms Bennett does an excellent job of weaving real emotion into her characters while they explore all facets of their relationships. With a great emphasis on family and friendship, this is another winner in the Titans series!
First rule of being a nanny? Don’t fall for the single dad, even if he is smoking hot.
But that’s exactly what happens when grumpy small-town sheriff Asher Whitlock reluctantly hires me to take care of his daughter for the summer. Neither of us is thrilled with the arrangement, but he’s desperate for help, and I need the money for grad school this fall.
All we need to do is keep our distance and remain professional . . . turns out, that’s easier said than done.
Instead of focusing on my future, all I see is the strong jawline, crystal-blue eyes, and rock-hard body right in front of me. We try to resist each other, but we end up crossing every line until I’m in his bed.
I tell myself it’s just this once.
Okay, twice.
All right, every night.
But it’s got to end–he’s fourteen years older than me, with a kid and a stressful job. Have I mentioned my dad is his boss? Then there’s the past I’m trying to forget. Secrets aren’t easy to keep and mine are getting too big to hide.
Walking away is never simple but when I do, I can’t look back.
Even if it means leaving behind the man I was never meant to love.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.
Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed--reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Author
Are you ready for a new family of heartbreakers in Sugarloaf? Ms Michaels brings us back to the community we got to know with the Arrowwood family and it was fun to come back with a new cast of characters.
Now we get to know the Whitlocks, starting with the oldest Asher. He is paired with Phoebe who comes screaming into his life when neither of them were looking. I truly enjoyed these two characters! I have to admit that they both had their share of rough edges in the beginning, but seeing them evolve and grow tugged at the heartstrings, especially when seeing them interact with Asher's daughter, Olivia.
This is Corinne Michael's book, so we know that things aren't going to be easy for our couple. The deck is stacked against them from the beginning and one of the things I appreciated about this story is how they both endeavored to do what they thought the right thing was. Asher and Phoebe's journey pulled me in and didn't let go. Their individual story was engaging, and I am intrigued by the rest of the Whitlock family. Loyal readers will be glad to see a few familiar faces in the supporting cast, so I am looking forward to seeing where this new series will go!
Tucker Beckett and I likely never would have met if our spouses weren’t having an affair.
Newly divorced with a young son to raise Tucker Beckett is the last man Miranda Owens should be itching to figure out, to make smile, and hear laugh. Still there is something about the detective with haunted blue eyes and a dirty mouth that draws her in from the moment they meet.
If only life were so simple.
As Tucker and Miranda begin to navigate their new relationship, Tucker is tasked with solving the murder of a young woman, while their ex’s begin to play games in an attempt to split the two of them up.
Before they fall, these two will need to figure out if the only thing tying them together is the circumstances that brought them together in the first place or if it’s something more.
Aurora Rose Reynolds is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author whose wildly popular series include Until, Until Him, Until Her, Underground King, Shooting Stars, Fluke My Life and How to Catch an Alpha series.
Her writing career started in an attempt to get the outrageously alpha men who resided in her head to leave her alone and has blossomed into an opportunity to share her stories with readers all over the world.
To learn more about Aurora and her books, visit here!
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would Recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Author
I'm Snow Into You introduces us to the community of Sven's Beard, a grumpy police chief, and a fish-out-of-water newspaper owner. Avon shows up in town to collect an inheritance she didn't expect and finds way more than she bargained for. Ryan Grady is the police chief and he is prepared to keep his distance from the red-haired tourist. Ms. Rothert gave us a great, heartwarming read with these two.
Both Avon and Grady have wounds that appear to have healed but have definitely left scars. Their interactions are fun and it was entertaining to see them evolve from slightly antagonistic to friends and potentially more. Add in personal growth, an intrigue element, and a fantastic secondary cast amongst the town of Sven's Beard and you really have a book that was a joy to spend time with.
This was a well-written read and I really hope we get to see more of this community soon!
The Man She Loves to Hate was a fun read but was not what I expected based on the title and blurb. I was expecting more of an enemies-to-lovers story and while there is a definite conflict element early on - it does not go as far as “enemies”
Rylee and Trick are the entertaining main characters in this connected stand-alone (the other books are by other authors). I enjoyed their adventures as he encouraged her to loosen up and she showed him that plans are okay too. The conflict in the story flowed naturally as it was personality based.
There is a large secondary cast here since this is part of a series. These supporting players help move the story along, but the reader doesn’t feel lost for having not read the other books.
If I enjoyed the book, why only 3.5 stars? It’s a personal preference thing, but it’s the setting of the book. The book supposedly takes place in Texas, but several times Ms Lemmon references “mountains” in the background. The only part of Texas where you would get mountains in the background is not conducive to the wealthy environment of the TCC or Rylee’s upbringing. I get that I am being picky and that fiction allows for creative license, but this little bit of being unrealistic bothered me and pulled me from the story when it came up.
My rating: 4 of 5 stars - Would recommend to a Friend
Review Copy Provided by Author
Unscripted with Mila brings the BAM/ABC world to a conclusion with the story of Mila (the adopted daughter of Van and Liv) and Nick. Mila is a character that we saw some of in previous books, but haven't really gotten to know until now. As we get to know her, we see her leave her comfort zone for work and meet the movie star she's had a crush on.
I found myself liking Mila and Nick. Both characters have struggles that are not obvious given the privileges that their lifestyles afford them. The fact that these issues aren't obvious doesn't make them less real, but it does add a relateable-ness to their lives as they work to figure things out. One of the things I appreciated about this couple is that while their relationship started quickly (a classic Moreland move) they helped each other grow and explore the strengths they didn't even know they had.
Since this book is part of the BAM/ABC world, there is a large secondary cast. The active portion of this group is fairly small and helps push the story forward. Nick is slightly different from some of Ms Moreland's previous leading male characters as he has a unique vulnerability. This plays into some of the interactions with secondary characters and influences the story. It was nice to see "flawed" characters succeed in life and find the potential happy ending of a good partner.
I'm sorry to see this series end, but maybe, just maybe Ms Moreland will let us see this crew pop up in other places in the future.