Tag Archives: Contemporary

Contemporary books are ones where the events take place at or near the time the book was written.

Review: Love Hard

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I received this book for free from Netgalley in order to prepare an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.


Review: Love HardLove Hard by Nalini Singh
Series: Hard Play #3
Published by Tka Distribution on March 10, 2020
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 320
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: Oh, I loved this one. Jake is sweet and adorable and such a good man trying to raise his daughter until Jules comes and knocks his well ordered life for a loop. These are adults dealing with things in a mature and reasoned fashion and I loved their story.

THE STORY: A wedding brings high school classmates Jacob Esera and Juliet Nelisi together again. As students, the two were uneasily connected by Jacob’s girlfriend who happened to be Juliet’s best friend. After his girlfriend’s death, Jacob has spent the last six years raising his daughter as a single parent and working on his career as a rugby player. There is definite heat between them but Jacob wants a quiet private life and Juliet seems to bring scandal and attention wherever she goes.

OPINION: This book is a joy to read primarily because these are adults who deal with their relationship in an adult way. Less unnecessary drama and more smart people who talk things out make this book a wonderful read.

Jake is a really decent man. Raising his daughter alone after the death of her mother, she is clearly the center of his life. Definite gooey heart stuff seeing this strong man completely wrapped around the little finger of his girl. What is particularly good in is that the kids feel like real people and not convenient plot points. As a parent, I also really felt for Jake who has conflicting emotions regarding this daughter that he loves greatly and yet wants her protected and yet independent.

Juliet is a woman who is smart and clever and has made mistakes. She owns her mistakes which felt mature and realistic. I appreciated having a heroine that was imperfect and dealt with her past with humor and aplomb.

I just love the serious guy with the naughty girl, but even better, these characters are complex and are ultimately they have more in common than at first it seems. This is a lovely story with intricacy of character. There is angst and some drama, but such likable people.

The story is also very sexy as well as being sweet and romantic.

This book just made me feel good and happy.

WORTH MENTIONING: While it is certainly not necessary to read the other books in the series, I highly recommend reading ROCK HARD. A highlight of this book for me is the community of characters that Nalini Singh brings into the story (especially in the beginning). One of my favorite aspects of Nalini Singh’s books is the supportive cast of characters in her books.

CONNECTED BOOKS: This whole series is a spin-off from ROCK HARD in the Rock Kiss series. This book, however, is especially connected as it has the wedding of Gabriel and Charlotte (the couple in ROCK HARD). This book can certainly be read as a standalone as the romance is completely self-contained.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via Netgalley. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own. I purchased a paperback copy of this book after its release.

five-stars

Review: Protecting What’s His

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Review: Protecting What’s HisProtecting What's His (Line of Duty, #1) by Tessa Bailey
Series: Line of Duty #1
Published by Entangled Publishing (Brazen) on February 23, 2013
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 252
Goodreads
three-stars

FINAL DECISION: Only average for me. There are some highlights including the bantering between the characters, but at times the story really dragged for me. Things are hot between Derek and Ginger but just too much other stuff.

THE STORY: Ginger Peet takes an opportunity to help herself and her younger sister escape from their family and get a new start. It only took taking $50,000 from her mother without permission. In her new apartment, Ginger’s next door neighbor happens to be a really hot cop. Derek Tyler finds his new neighbor hot and very bothersome. Intense attraction between the two worries Ginger who has to worry about what brought her to Chicago in the first place.

OPINION: This book was uneven. I liked the characters and their sexual energy and attraction to one another. They are sexy and funny together. But there are a lot of threads brought up in this book that seem to be important but are dropped or are brought up only to advance the plot. There is a whole section in the middle of this book that I got bored during. The book was okay as a one time read, but I wouldn’t pick it up again.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book is self-contained but there is a novella that involves the same couple that follows the events of this book.

CONNECTED BOOKS: PROTECTING WHAT’S HIS is the first book in the Line of Duty series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 3 stars.

three-stars

Review: Wicked as Sin

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Review: Wicked as SinWicked as Sin: One-Mile & Brea, Part One (Wicked & Devoted, #1) by Shayla Black
Series: Wicked & Devoted #1
Published by Shelley Bradley, LLC on March 3, 2020
Genres: Contemporary
Goodreads
four-half-stars

FINAL DECISION: Loved this story. One-Mile ended up being much more of a marshmallow than I expected about Brea. The story felt really classic and was eminently enjoyable because of that. My only negative is that the book is only part 1 and I’ve been burned by these split stories before. But I can’t wait to read the conclusion.

THE STORY: Brea Bell is warned to stay away from Pierce Walker (aka One-Mile). But the attraction between the virginal preacher’s daughter and the dangerous sniper is hot and immediate. When Brea ends up coming to One-Mile for help, things explode with far reaching consequences.

OPINION: This was a story that I was highly anticipated. I really loved this couple together. The story was hot and yet there was a definite sweetness between this couple that I didn’t expect. I got immediately engrossed in this book and read it quickly in one sitting.

Brea and Pierce are adorable. He’s an alpha who can’t imagine his feelings for the Brea and yet can’t stay away from her. Brea is a woman of values but she doesn’t judge or shame other people. I really liked that about her. I also liked that she recognizes her own faults. The heat and the passion between these two was obvious and I thought their connection worked really well.

The only negative for me is the cliffhanger. I wasn’t angry or annoyed because it is clear from the cover of the book that this is a part 1 of the story. I think my trepidation is because I have over the recent years read some really fantastic beginnings of stories that I was deeply disappointed in the ending. None of those books were by Shayla Black, but I’m still wary. I hope that I will be pleasantly surprised in the end.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book is NOT the complete story of this couple. It is part one. There is a part two that will be the conclusion.

CONNECTED BOOKS: WICKED AS SIN is the first book in the Wicked & Devoted series. The Wicked & Devoted series is a spin-off of the Wicked Lovers series and the Devoted Lovers series. It is not necessary to have read any book in the prior series to read this one. I have not read the Wicked Lovers series at all and didn’t have any problem understanding the various characters and conflicts.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

NOTE: I received an eARC of this book via the author’s Facebook group. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own. I also purchased a copy of this book once it became available to the public.

four-half-stars

Review: Fall

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Review: FallFall (VIP, #3) by Kristen Callihan
Series: VIP #3
Published by Plain Jane on October 23, 2018
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 452
Goodreads
five-stars

FINAL DECISION: Incredibly satisfying book. These two characters journey was well paced and I especially enjoyed the slow burn aspect of the story. These characters are deeply engaged in their relationship which allows readers to get to know their weaknesses and their strengths. Loved this one.

THE STORY: While shopping for groceries, Stella Grey runs into a handsome guy who is taking the last package of her favorite ice cream from the freezer at the store. Their competition over it is won by Stella who kisses the guy. Of course, it turns out that the guy lives next door to the penthouse where she is working her temporary pet sitting job. He also happens to be Jax Blackwood — one of the famous, and perhaps the most infamous, members of a legendary rock band.

OPINION: In this book, a lot of time is spent on John and Stella learning about one another. The story is sexy because these two have time and space to get to know one another. I really enjoyed this because it allowed depth to their romance. The focus is on the characters and the plot only serves to highlight and raise issues between the characters — which is my favorite kind of romance.

John aka Jax is a man dealing with his mental health issues. I thought that this book depicted his depression in a way that really gave me insight into how this issue can effect ones life. I found his character sympathetic even as he is sometimes a jerk. I found him generally sweet and funny.

Both John and Stella have masks on. The smiles, the confidence, the concern for others hides dark thoughts and deep insecurities and hurt. The unveiling of these characters kept me fascinated by their story.

Stella is a woman who everyone likes, but no one really knows. Her internal life and pain compel her to keep a distance for those who would care for her. She has strength but also is incredibly vulnerable. We know John’s story immediately, but Stella’s story is hidden in the beginning and only begins to reveal itself through John and Stella’s relationship.

I love books where the relationship is allowed time to develop. Two people learning one another, building a relationship based upon friendship and caring. That makes this book really hot because of the delayed gratification and when things progress here, there is definitely caring and emotion involved.

WORTH MENTIONING: Readers of the prior books will be aware that Jax has attempted suicide (off page) and this book addresses, among other things, his depression and other emotional and mental challenges he faces.

CONNECTED BOOKS: FALL is the third book in the VIP series. The romance here is self-contained and although there are overlapping characters, this book can be read completely as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.

five-stars

Review: Managed

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Review: ManagedManaged (VIP, #2) by Kristen Callihan
Series: VIP #2
Published by NLA Digital LLC on November 14, 2016
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 344
Goodreads
four-half-stars

FINAL DECISION: I loved this book which has a totally buttoned up stuffy hero and the strong woman who just breaks him down. Funny and emotional and a nice slow burn story.

THE STORY: Gabriel Scott aka Scottie who is the manager for a famous rock band ends up flying next to Sophie Darling on a transatlantic flight. The two argue and flirt and talk their way to England where Sophie discovers that her new mysterious job is as a social media manager for the band.

OPINION: I loved this book because there is something adorable about the grumpy stuffy Scottie completely falling for the strong willed spunky Sophie. She doesn’t put up with his grief and that makes him completely undone by her.

Scottie keeps himself apart from those who care about him, and he is reaching a quiet breaking point in his life. He manages to keep his life buttoned up and carefully planned until Sophie comes into it. Sophie is big and open and makes mistakes but owns them. This opposites attract story worked so well for me.

I liked that these two became friends of a sort before the sex began in their relationship. These two talked and argued as a form of foreplay which made this book funny and emotional and incredibly sexy in a different way.

These characters are complicated and felt real in their humanity. They make mistakes and have to deal with the results. I also really loved the relationship between the band members which I felt was more developed than the first book in the series.

Because the book touches on serious themes, I thought it might be dark, but instead it felt funny in a completely human fashion that made me smile and laugh but never feel that the book was slapstick.

WORTH MENTIONING: This book is told in alternating first person points of view.

CONNECTED BOOKS: MANAGED is the second book in the VIP series. The romance is self-contained and although there are overlapping characters in the books, this book can be read as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: Idol

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Review: IdolIdol (VIP, #1) by Kristen Callihan
Series: VIP #1
Published by Plain Jane on June 7, 2016
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 339
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION: The story was uneven and the blurb is mostly the first quarter of the book. There is a development in the story that encompasses the middle third of the book and then a dramatic turn for the ending. I found the middle of this book a bit meandering and it wasn’t the strongest part for me. I still enjoyed the book, but the pacing didn’t work for me as well as I would have liked.

THE STORY: Liberty Bell find a drunk man sprawled out on her lawn. Eventually she finds out he is Killian James, a huge rock star. The two begin a friendship that turns into something more and brings Libby into a world of music that she has avoided for most of her life.

OPINION: I enjoyed the characters in this book. Libby and Kilian are funny and yet deeply emotional. I liked that this book is centered around the emotions on these two people who struggle and make mistakes. I felt that these characters had depth and complexity to them.

I really enjoyed how Callihan writes. The prose and the sentence development was very engaging. The story is told in alternating first person narratives which makes the motivations of the characters clear even if I was frustrated with their struggles. But I enjoyed that part of the story.

I also really enjoyed the secondary characters who also have a complexity that makes me want to read their stories as well.

The negative here was that in the middle of the book, I just felt that the characters were in a holding pattern waiting for the plot to develop around them. I didn’t feel that the characters had a purpose during that portion of the book.

Finally, the characters were popped free by the plot and I felt that things began to move again. I overall enjoyed this book.

WORTH MENTIONING: Fans of Nalini Singh’s Rock Kiss series or Kylie Scott’s Stage Dive series might enjoy this book.

CONNECTED BOOKS:  IDOL is the first book in the VIP series.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: The Way Back to You

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Review: The Way Back to YouThe Way Back to You (Blessings, Georgia #9) by Sharon Sala
Series: ,
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on December 31, 2019
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 352
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION: Heartfelt romance that is rooted strongly in the community of Blessings. I enjoyed the story although it is not entirely focused on the relationship between Sully and Melissa but a holistic story of them as individuals and as members of their community.

THE STORY:  Sully Raines gets a shock upon the death of his mother — he discovers that he was adopted. This sends him on a search for his birth mother and brings him to Blessings, Georgia. In Blessings, he runs into Melissa who was a girl who he liked when they were kids.

OPINION: The Southern small town of Blessings, Georgia is a wonderful community. What I liked best about this book is that the town and its residents are central to this book. This is not a couple who are separate from those around them, but rather, this is about people being part of a community. Sully comes to Blessings, Georgia so this is the story of him finding a place in this town and he does it while building a relationship with Melissa.

I loved that the drama here felt real rather than the full throttle drama in some books (I like those too sometimes so it is not a criticism). Everything felt solid and warm. Sully and Melissa seem to settle things between them so nicely. There are some external issues, but I really liked these two who manage to talk through serious issues.

I also really loved that these two find one another at age 45 and look forward to a life together. Not the same life a couple of 25 or 35 have, but a life that is valuable and can be filled with love and belonging.

WORTH MENTIONING: I loved all the characters in the town and this book really made me want to know more about their stories.

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE WAY BACK TO YOU is the ninth book in the Blessings, Georgia series. This book can be read as a standalone (and indeed, I haven’t read any other book in the series). I’m sure there are overlapping characters, but I didn’t feel like I needed to read anything else to enjoy this one.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

four-stars

Review: Closer

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Review: CloserCloser: A Stage Dive Novella by Kylie Scott
Series: Stage Dive #4.6
Published by Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated on September 24, 2019
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 107
Goodreads
four-half-stars

FINAL DECISION: I really enjoyed this one with opposites attract. The story was tense with the stalker on the loose, but it also increased the tension between these two as they are stuck together. I loved Mae and Ziggy!

THE STORY: Mae Cooper, plus-sized model, ends up with a bodyguard when she receives a threatening package from a stalker. Ziggy Thayer considers himself a consummate professional until he finds that Mae shatters his non-plussed demeanor.

OPINION: I adored Mae. Sometimes reading one character’s thoughts can be too much, but I loved the quirky way she thought and how positive she was about her curvy self. Because we are reading Mae’s thoughts, it is a little difficult to get to know Ziggy, but his actions are clear. But I ended up absolutely loving the quiet steady man. They are a great match with the differences in their personalities.

The story is a sexy little treat. The pacing of the story worked really well. The characters get to spend a condensed amount of time together because of the stalker threat and so there is definite heat between these two. The sex scene was romantic and sexy and really funny. I thought it was a perfect culmination of these two.

As a fan of the Stage Dive series, I love the chance to get to reacquaint myself with some favorites while getting to meet those around them.

I also really loved that we get to see the Stage Dive crew with some updates on everyone and, of course, I loved seeing Mal.

WORTH MENTIONING: This is a novella and it is told from Mae’s point of view in the first person.

CONNECTED BOOKS: CLOSER is book 4.6 of the Stage Dive series. Although appearances are made by characters in the Stage Dive series, the romance here is self-contained and it is not necessary to have read any other book in the series. This book operates as a standalone.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: The Hostage Bargain

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Review: The Hostage BargainThe Hostage Bargain (Taken Hostage by Hunky Bank Robbers, #1) by Annika Martin
Series: Taken Hostage by Kinky Bank Robbers #1
on April 29, 2012
Genres: Contemporary, Erotica
Pages: 170
Goodreads
four-half-stars

“We’re criminals, baby. Everything we do is inappropriate.”

FINAL DECISION: High energy, campy, and thoroughly entertaining read. The story setup is pretty silly, but the “anything goes” attitude of this book makes it a fun read with plenty of action and sex.

THE STORY: Melinda Prescott is working at a bank in order to save the family farm from the terrible man who holds the mortgage — and runs the bank. When three masked men come into the bank to rob it, Melinda is happy to help. Taken hostage by the men, Melinda ends up wanting to join the crew, but there are rules and some of them are sexy rules.

OPINION: I loved this book because it was completely bananas and embraced the craziness completely. There was definitely chemistry between the characters and I thought the twist of having Melinda come into the group where it complicates just about everything was good. There was nice tension and plenty of sexiness.

Yes, the premise of this book is over the top, but if a reader can just accept that and go with the story, it is hot and fun.

WORTH MENTIONING: This is a reverse harem story with three guys and one woman. All the interaction is MFM or MF.

CONNECTED BOOKS: THE HOSTAGE BARGAIN is the first book in the Taken Hostage by Kinky Bank Robbers series.  The series continues with the same group, but this story is complete if you want to start and stop here.

STAR RATING: I give this book 4.5 stars.

four-half-stars

Review: Oh Christmas Night

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Review: Oh Christmas NightOh, Christmas Night by Jane Porter
Published by Tule Publishing on 5th November 2019
Genres: Contemporary
Pages: 252
Goodreads
four-stars

FINAL DECISION: Sweet Christmas story that feels like it could translate well into a Hallmark movie. This was exactly what I needed for a holiday read, easy-going, nice people in an enjoyable story.

THE STORY: Rachel Mills, a hardworking California accountant has been passed over for a promotion again. When she is given a closed bookstore in a small Montana town by her aunt, Rachel travels there to get a look at the store. There she meets Atticus Bowen who has been wanting the bookstore building to open a restaurant. Although the two should be at odds, Atticus can’t resist helping Rachel try to reopen the bookstore. As Rachel has to confront what she wants in life, she draws closer to Atticus, but maybe she doesn’t want to commit to him either.

OPINION: I found this book exactly what I needed for this time. A sweet, Christmas romance that takes the characters seriously, has generally nice people as characters, no angst or serious drama, and a heartwarming ending.

This book felt like it could easily translate into a Hallmark holiday movie in the best way. The story is heartwarming and made me smile. I read it and felt happy when it concluded. It captured some of the best emotions of the holiday season. I liked that it avoided the dark and intense storylines (I love those as well, but this was a good holiday book).

Rachel is a woman at a crossroads in her life. I liked that the book doesn’t denigrate her choices but shows that our wants and desires and goals can change and that is okay.

Atticus is a sweetheart and I liked that he is supportive and is willing to change his own goals to build something with Rachel.

I haven’t read anything by this author before but would definitely try something else after this book.

WORTH MENTIONING: This is a clean romance with kissing and implied more.

CONNECTED BOOKS: From mentions in this book and a look at the author’s backlist, it seems like this book is slightly connected to some of her series. It is not necessary, however, to read those books (I didn’t).

STAR RATING: I give this book 4 stars.

 

four-stars