Trickery by Jaymin Eve and Jane Washington

 

3 Star

Minatsol there are those who have and those who don't.  If you are born without you're a dweller and will spend your life serving those better than you.  Willa was born a dweller and she was meant to serve those who could be come a God or Goddess without complaint.  She has the cursed luck and if it can go wrong it does.  The ground trips her as she walks.  When she fudges her and her sisters school scores they are sent to the main city to serve sols who might one day become a god/goddess.  Her cursed luck leads her to be put in charge of cleaning the Abcurse brothers' rooms.  They're feared by all at the academy.  She doesn't fear them but does lust after them.  Will she be able to make it out alive?

This is not your standard romance.  Which in and of itself isn't bad but it wasn't what I was expecting.  There is literally no romance in this book or anything else you would expect in a romance.  There are hints that it is coming but it didn't happen in this book.  The interplay between Willa and the Abcurse brothers was amusing.  It almost seemed like she has a death wish for the lack of fearing people she should fear.  I don't know if I necessarily liked the book but I did pick up the next one to read because I need to see how this series plays out.      

Book 1 Curse of the Gods

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Meet Cute by Elise Faber

4 Star
Talbot Green needed a breather from the engagement party he was throwing.  He wasn't expecting the strip tease he got from one of the guest.  It was too late for him to say something without being a creeper but he also needs to tell her.  Tammy is frustrated with life.  She's not sure where she fits and though she loves her friends why she thought it would be a good idea to where pantyhose to a party.  When she catches a strange man watching her undress she is mortified to find out it is the host.  When he cons her into a ride home she allows it.  What she doesn't expect to do is shoot a man.  This leads to a media storm that she will have to weather.  In this Talbot is the rock she needs.  Will she be able to get through her past trauma to find her happy ending? 

This was a very cute story about a small town girl finding love with a movie star.  It was super cute story.  A little bit fast on the I love yous but the scenes were hot and heavy.  I liked how most of it played out.  The only part I wasn't in love with was who the shooter was.  It was kind of an afterthought and didn't feel very completed.  It was supposed to be what brought them together and yet it didn't feel like it was a completed story arc.  I still enjoyed the story and was happy they both got what they wanted so good addition to the series.   

Book 5 Love, Camera, Action

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Polaris Rising by Jessie Mihalik

 

4 Star

Ada is a space princess on the run.  She is running away from her arranged marriage her father wants.  When she's finally caught she will do anything to get away from the bounty hunters, even if that means making a deal with the devil.  When they end up stranded on a far off planet they will do some maneuvering to get out of danger.  When Ada falls for the devil she will move heaven and earth to keep him safe.  Will Ada and Loch find their way out of danger and get their happy ending.

I did not want to put this audio down.  Training be damned.  I wanted to see how Ada and Loch worked out and got out of all the messes they found themselves in.  There were some major hot scenes and some sweet scenes.  I do think there was one too many kidnapping scenes but otherwise I enjoyed this book.  This book is part of a trilogy with Ada's sisters finding their happy ending.  I am very interested in finding out how those books turn out.

Audio Book: 5 Star

Loved Emily Woo Zeller's telling of this story.  She did an amazing job bringing each character to life.  I never had to guess who was talking and even at the faster speed talking there wasn't any issues.  Definitely worth listening too.

Book 1 Consortium Rebellion

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On the Rocks by Elise Faber

 

3 Star

Anabelle is the youngest child of all very successful people and she is just a bartender.  She's made a home for herself and is content to live her life the way she wants.  When a man shows up at her friends engagement she is there to protect them from the hurt they're feeling.  This is made difficult when it's the long lost brother Hayden.  Hayden has his reasons for disappearing and he will need to beg forgiveness.  Will he sway Anabelle and his friends and family to his side?

I wanted to like Anabelle and Hayden's story more than I did.  I just never got past Hayden abandoning his entire life and expecting everything to be perfect when he turns up YEARS later.  It was well written and I know some people loved the story.  I had a very hard time getting beyond him letting his family think he committed suicide so he could go deep undercover.  I liked Anabelle but even after finishing the book I still don't understand why her brother has so much hate for her.  Overall, it was an ok book.

Book 3 Love After Midnight

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The Specialist by Anna Hackett

 

5 Star

Harlow Carlson, executive assistant extraordinary, is being loaned out to workaholic Easton Norcross.  She was picked specifically because she won't throw herself at him in hopes of gaining access to his money and his hot body.  The problem is she does want him but is too professional to go after him.  That is until he decides all of her problems were his to handle and her problems were bad.  Several factions want her for her father's debt and they will do anything to get what is owed them.  Will Easton keep her safe and get her to agree to be his?

I loved this book.  Harlow has the hots for her temporary boss but refuses to cave because she is a professional.  That is until her life is threatened and HE refuses to back off.  I loved seeing the struggle she had accepting his help.  She didn't want to be one of many who took from him.  Which made it that much sweeter when she did.  The only big negative I had was towards the end and she ends up kidnapped.  I kind of rolled my eyes a bit at that part just because it was a bit contrived.  It was minor enough that it didn't knock the score down.  Excellent addition to the series.

Book 3 Norcross Security

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All I want for Christmas is a Cowboy by Jessica Clare

 

3 Star 

Eli plans on spending Christmas on the ranch by himself.  As a child of the system he doesn't have any family he wants to go see so he would rather let his coworkers go home and spend the holidays with family while he takes care of the animals.  While out rescuing a lost cow in a blizzard he finds a car had gone off the road.  Inside was a gorgeous woman, Cassandra, knocked out.  After getting her back to the house and she finally wakes up he's surprised to find she doesn't remember who she is.  As they get closer will the return of her memory keep them apart? 

I love Jessica Clare's writing but this book was a miss for me.  Eli and Cassandra were just ok characters.  The issue I had was Cassandra had amnesia from her car accident.  They hook up without thinking about what would happen if she's in a relationship.  When she finally gets her memory back she leaves without really talking to Eli.  Just I remember and now I need to leave.  It was ridiculous.  This ends up hurting both of them.  She will eventually come back for their happy ending but it just didn't work for me.  

Book 1 Wyoming Cowboys  

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Back in the Burbs by Tracy Wolff and Avery Flynn

 

3.5 Star

Mallory is having a run of very bad luck.  She caught her husband with another woman which led to her losing her job and her home and worst of all her great aunt died.  With the death of her aunt she inherits her home and a cranky HOA who wants the house cleaned up yesterday.  When she moves in against her parents wishes to get her life on track she finds a daunting task of things to do.  These tasks are not helped by the hot but cranky neighbor next door.  He pushes all of her buttons.  Will she find her backbone and possible love?

 The Book was ok.  My biggest problem with it was how wishy washy the Mallory was.  Every time there was some conflict she would just roll over and take it.  When she finally gets a backbone it's for the wrong reasons.  There were times I really enjoyed the book and those were what kept me reading.  I loved Nick.  He was a grouchy man but amazing.  The more you learn about him the more you respect him.  Even after Mallory was an ass to him, he forgave her with no issue.  One of the biggest misses for me was the storyline with the ex-husband.  It literally just mentions in passing what happened but in no amount of detail.  He was screwing her over and she finally fought him and I wanted the details.  Overall, it was just ok.  Not the worst book I read this week nor the best.  Will I pick up again probably not.  There are way better books by Avery Flynn to read.  

Book 1 Burbs

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