Harvest Moon

Blue Moon Lake 2: Harvest Moon by Sharon Struth is my first read by this author.

I didn't read the first book in the series, but didn't feel behind in any way. It seems the books can be read as stand alones, which is great because you can always go back and pick up the rest should you accidentally start in the middle like I did.

The characters are likeable with their own issues to work out. A plot twist is revealed in the blurb, and the reader can quickly figure out what is going on before the characters do. The setting is pleasant with the desire to know the stories of the side characters better.

The book does deal with a heavy women's issue: rape and the long term effects on a woman who doesn't receive help to work through it and live a healthy fulfilled life. The topic is addressed with sensitivity.

Heads up: the characters have off page sex. Also, scenes leading up to it, nearly went past the tipping point of steam for me, especially the scene where Veronica is topless.

Overall, the story is well done and worth reading.


Amazon

Getting past the librarian’s guard…Trent Jamieson isn’t one for virtual romance, but there’s something about the intriguing woman he meets on the Internet he can’t resist. Then the small town bachelor discovers the mystery woman who shares her secrets with him online is the laced-up librarian in his self-defense class! Veronica Sussingham may just be his toughest student yet. Because how can he show the vulnerable beauty that some men are worth letting your guard down for?

Veronica returned to her hometown seeking shelter for her shattered spirit. The last thing she needs is a blue-eyed charmer who wants to show her how to live—and love—again. Then she discovers Trent is not just another admirer, but a man who knows her deepest secrets. Now Veronica must choose between running from her past—or finding future happiness with the kind of man she swore she’d never fall for….

Accidentally Me

Accidentally Me is my first read by Kim Karras.

It's a YA/New Adult coming of age story. Sabrina is off to her first year of college. But will it be Caltech (her dream) or Boise State (her parent's practical pick)?

Lots of family dynamics at play in the story. Getting into them would take too long to review, but they move the story forward. The pacing is consistent.

The story is clean with a youthful vibe. Sabrina is a bit shallow and self involved at the beginning, which made her slightly unlikeable. However, this was intentionally done to give her lots of room for development and self improvement. She needs to grow up! And tell the truth. Her biggest mistakes: hiring a stalker and lieing to her family. Fortunately, after several poor judgements on her part, she comes into her own and redeems herself.

I'd like to read a book about her experience in college. I think there is more growing for Sabrina to do and I'd like to see more Joe.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Amazon

WANTED: Pretend stalker. No experience required. Tall, dark, and quirky preferred. Sabrina is desperate to go to her dream college, but her parents want her to stay close to home. If she wants to maintain her perfect child image, Sabrina must break rules that even her rebel sister keeps . . .

Men Like This

Men Like This is my first read by Roxanne Smith.

The premise is pretty entertaining. Horror writer meets famous Brit actor and how their paths recross throwing them in an unusual situation of faking a relationship, which of course leads to blurred lines and deep feelings.

The story is well crafted with strong emotional arcs for the characters. Side characters are well developed. Pacing is quick, moving the story and relationship along. Characters have the right balance of flaws and redeemable qualities to make the story believeable.

It has an edgy witty vibe.
Fair warning, the characters have off page sex, where it belongs IMO. Passionate kissing.

The cover is an excellent representation of the book.

Amazon

Can she trust a man who pretends for a living?

Horror author Quinn Buzzly knows all about the dark side, but when she meets actor Jack Decker, she’s moved to explore something completely different—at least on paper. With his sexy good looks, intriguing manner, and charming Irish-tinged English accent, Jack is the perfect model for her next hero. Quinn decides to spend one year in London writing a historical romance inspired by him. Until real life butts in…

Jack’s jealous ex-fiancée sparks a media storm when she accuses him and Quinn of having an affair. But Jack knows how to play this game. At his insistence, Quinn agrees to go along with the faux romance until the chatter subsides. Then they’ll stage a quiet breakup and go their separate ways. Yet Jack is a shameless—and irresistibly convincing—flirt, and Quinn has to remind herself it’s an act. Or is it? If Jack means business, he’ll have to find the words to convince a wordsmith that their love is the real thing…

Hohenstein

Hohenstein is my first read by Didi Lawson and appears to be her debut novel.

She has set the bar high with this period love story of an aristocrat woman who wishes to throw off the bindings of her class and marry below her so she can have more freedom. Interesting scenario. Further complicated by the aristocrat she's attracted to and the middle class doctor she forms a friendship with. But the overriding difficulty of the tale is her determination to save her ancestral home without being able to access her inheiritance.

To be honest, I couldn't pinpoint the exact time period of the story. There were hints with the mention of certain European cars, but not being versed in that area I couldn't say. I set the story in my imaginiation in the early 1900's, pre WWI.

The characters have depth and strong emotional arcs. The story is well crafted and well told, and obviously well researched. Pacing is consistent. Wonderful side characters.

If a period romance of the sweet, clean, and wholesome variety is what you're after, then you've found the right book.

I look forward to reading more of Ms. Lawson's novels and hope she won't take too long to delight her new fans with the next one.

Amazon

Anything but a typical aristocrat, young Baroness Marie-Louise is not afraid to roll up her sleeves and get to work, especially when it comes to saving her ancestral estate. Determined to shake loose the shackles of propriety and gain the warm family life her upbringing denied her, she has vowed to marry a man of lower rank. Blue-bloods need not apply.

But when she is forced to turn to a childhood friend for assistance, the handsome, debonair count may prove a temptation impossible to resist. Marie-Louise soon finds herself caught between the comfort of a middle-class doctor and the passion of a nobleman, with the future of her childhood home at stake.