Must have been Love by Carrie Elks

3 Stars

Inheriting a rundown bar from the father who abandoned me should be my chance to start over.

Instead, it puts me directly in the path of Hudson Fitzgerald—single dad, small town royalty, and the most insufferable man I’ve ever met. He’s rich, broody, and way too good-looking for my peace of mind.

Oh, and he wants me gone.

But I didn’t come here just to tuck my tail and run away. I came to prove I’m not the hot mess everyone thinks I am. Even if that means going head-to-head with Hudson every single day.

He thinks I’m chaos in a crop top. I think he’s a control freak with a stick where the sun doesn’t shine. But beneath all that tension is something else. Something electric.

And when he kisses me? Let’s just say, for a man who claims he doesn’t do messy, he sure knows how to make a mess of me.

I was only supposed to be here long enough to fix up my bar. I never meant to fall for the man who runs this place like he owns it.

But in a small town like this, love has a way of sneaking up on you.

The book was ok. I really hated Hudson and I can’t really forgive him for what he did to Skyler. I loved Skyler and all of the secondary characters, particularly Skyler’s brother and Hudson’s sister. Hudson had a lot going on and some of that might explain his issues but the way he handles some things in the book just frustrated me throughout. It didn’t matter what anyone told him he was determined to believe what he thought and push everything else away.

Book 1 The Fitzgeralds

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Trueborn’s Queen by Leona Page

1 Star

Warning Mature Language and Content, including abuse, violence, and SA

Ophelia
I never wanted this. I never asked to be a Luna. I only wanted a mate who loves me and cares for me as I do him. A simple life; happy and secure. I never knew that there was no humanity left to soften the Beast. I didn't understand until it was too late. I ran. I ran into the arms of another wolf. A good wolf. A knight in shining armor. A fairytale prince... but royal blood will never be stronger than a TrueBorn.

Gideon
I am TrueBorn alpha and no runt princeling will take her from me. She is mine. If I need to become King to Claim her, then so be it. I will make her a Queen.

Luna's are fought over... a Queen is worth dying for.

 

I’ve loved most of Page’s books but between errors in spelling and grammar plus the redemption of Gideon. I just hated this book. Gideon never redeems himself from all that he did to Ophelia. Ophelia tried so hard to get away from him and when all avenues are blocked she caves to his demands. I loved the secondary characters and Ophelia but Gideon just ruined the story.

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Garnet Flats by Devney Perry

4 Stars

Talia Eden loved Foster Madden for one year, two months and eleven days. It was on day 438 that her love died. The day he chose to marry her best friend. The day she vowed never to think of Foster again.

Until years later when he has the audacity to show up in her small hometown of Quincy, begging for her help.

The ink on his divorce papers is barely dry, yet he comes armed with apologies and promises. She knows it’s all a ploy. Foster is the king of games and secrets. But he’s got delusions the size of Montana if he thinks she’ll help him train for a world championship fight.

Except Talia has forgotten exactly what made Foster famous. The man has dedicated his life to victory. He’s steadfast. He’s determined. And he won’t stop fighting until he’s won her heart.

This book flowed nicely. I loved the backstory of Talia and Foster. Talia deserved so much more groveling from Foster than she got. I get Foster was in tough spot but there were so many ways that this could have been better. I did like them together.

Book 3 The Edens

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Wonder by Evelyn Flood

3 Stars

I wasn’t expecting to find a man whilst drowning my sorrows and hiding from my responsibilities in the filthiest bar in the city.

Hatter is elusive, beautiful… and sad.

Tempting enough to make me throw my usual caution aside and steal him.

Just for a night.

One night, to help us both forget.

I expected him to leave me. But I didn’t expect the invitation he left behind.

Wonder.

The most exclusive club in the city. Always moving, never discovered, and impossible to enter without permission. So naturally, I stole it. Except Wonder isn’t quite what the whispers say. Once you enter, you can’t leave without permission.

Red runs Wonder with an iron fist, a calculating mind and possession in her gaze. And when I find myself in the middle of Red’s games, I’ll need to use every skill I have to keep me and the men around me alive.

She likes to collect broken things. Maybe I’m the most shattered of them all.

But Hatter, Buck, Aiden, Kayden and Chess won’t let me fall. They shine a light on my nightmares, offering a shield against the grief that haunts me even as I rip theirs apart in return.

Red thinks she’s facing Alyss Lidell.

I’m much, much more than that.

Caveat for this book. I hate Alice in Wonderland and have never found a story based off of that story that I actually like. This is a riff on that and though I love Evelyn Flood’s writing and most of her books I just didn’t like this one. If you like Alice in Wonderland this book will be an amazing read.

Book 3 Forbidden Fairytales

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For Whom the Belle Tolls by Jaysea Lynn

5 Stars

They told her to go to Hell.

She went, but on her own terms.

Lily isn’t exactly thrilled with her arrival in the Afterlife, but what awaits her there is more fantastical than she ever could have imagined: Deities wait in line at the coffee shop. Fae flit between realms. Souls find ways to make death a beginning.

As she explores the many corners of the Afterlife, Lily finds herself surprisingly drawn to a place most people would avoid at all costs: Hell. Armed with years of customer service experience and pent-up sarcasm, Lily carves a job out for herself amongst Hell’s demons, sending souls to their rightful circles with more than a hint of sass.

Lily’s expectations are subverted every day in Hell—especially by Bel, a demon general with a distractingly sexy voice. The two meet by chance and form an immediate, deeply healing friendship, but the undeniable heat between them threatens to combust.

Meanwhile, something stirs beyond the boundaries of their world, threatening to destroy everything they’ve known and everything that could be…unless they fight like Hell to stop it.

I loved this book so much. It would have been my number one book for the month if it hadn’t been read in the same month as Devney Perry’s Shield of Sparrows. This book deals with death and dying and if this subject is hard for you avoid the book. I loved that Lily creates a help desk in hell to deal with crabby afterlife souls. She gets to take out her anger on those who are going to different levels of hell or to help them find their afterlife. This book has so much humor along with the serious notes which led me to not be able to put the book down. Would definitely read again.

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Bought by the Alpha by Bella Moondragon

2 Stars

I thought I was here to pay off my family’s debt…

But the Alpha King didn’t bring me to his castle to be a maid.

Isla

I’m a nobody from a struggling pack, just trying to help my family cover my brother’s medical bills. When I’m sent to the Alpha King’s palace, I expect to scrub floors—not sleep in a luxurious bed.

Then I find out the truth:

I’ve been sold to be his breeder.

King Maddox is cold, cruel, and dangerously powerful. Rumor has it he killed his first wife—and now he needs an heir or he’ll lose his throne.

I’ve never even been with a man. How am I supposed to survive this?

And worse… why does my body crave the one man who might destroy me?

Maddox

After my Luna Queen died, I vowed never to love again. But time is running out—I need an heir, and I need one now. I didn’t go looking for a breeder, but Isla arrived at my doorstep like fate itself.

She’s innocent. Untouched. Nothing like the woman I expected.

I told myself I’d use her and forget her.

But now I want more than just a breeder.

I want to make her mine—forever.

I actually liked this book if not for the ending. It ends on a cliff and there are a lof of books in the series. This is fine but to get the full story of Isla and Maddox it’s 4 books and the books are pricey for the read. In my opinion. Story wise Maddox is an idiot through and through and Isla is a freaking doormat.

Book 1 Alpha King’s Breeder

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Wild Eyes by Elsie Silver

4 Stars

A rugged mountain town seemed like the perfect escape from a life in shambles. But on day one I ran full tilt into the world’s hottest single dad and now all my plans are ruined.

As a chart-topping country singer with a recent streak of bad press it’s hard to find any peace. But I find it in Rose Hill. With a little boy and a little girl who steal my heart just as thoroughly as their dad.

Weston Belmont.

The man is a shameless flirt. He oozes confidence and masculinity in a way that’s downright distracting. And in bed? He’s addictive.

Everything with him is wild and impulsive and I’m desperate to regain some control.

But no one has supported me like West does. And no one has ever made me feel as loved as he does either.

So, while my brain says settling down with a small-town horse trainer is impossible… my heart says I’m right where I belong.

Still, my life as a celebrity haunts me. It has the power to pull us apart.

I can see in his eyes that wants me to stay. And I want that too.

But I know better than anyone that we don’t always get what we want.

I loved West and Skylar’s story. There were times I was so frustrated with Skylar and her continuing to push West away. However, when they finally get their HEA I loved it. The audiobook was also well done and I loved the duo narration. It was definitely worth listening too.

Book 2 Rose Hill

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