Marrying a Cowboy

I'm a growing fan of Ms. Anne-Marie Meyer. This book was a lovely romantic comedy.

Poor Emma is the last single woman standing. Naturally everyone wants to marry her off, especially her mother. There's nothing wrong with being single and Emma is fine with her status, but to get the matchmakers off her back she agrees to a fake marriage with Austin, who she barely knows, to help him get his ranch. His matchmaking grandmother won't given to him unless he gets hitched. Hilarity ensues as Emma and Austin try to prove their marriage is real (which it legally is) and try to convince themselves they aren't falling in love while they act like they are.

Lots of miscommunication and second guessing if their spouse has feelings for them provides the necessary tension to drive the story along. Clean writing, swoon worthy kisses, and good storytelling make this a good read and a great start to a series. I'm looking forward to the next one.

And I like the cover.

Amazon

Emma George seems destined to be the perpetual bridesmaid. Out of her five friends, she's the surviving single gal and her one potential groom dumped her on her birthday a year ago. Now at the mercy of every do-gooder matchmaker, she's starting to think that love isn't ever going to find her. Alone at her best friend’s wedding, she reaches a point where she will do just about anything to get some relief from those who think that the only way to happiness is through marriage. 

Austin Maverick thought that he was finally going to get married to fulfill his grandmother's stipulation that he must be wed to inherit his grandfather's ranch. But when his romantic weekend in Las Vegas turned into a broken heart, he decided that love wasn't going to be a requirement for marriage anymore. Now a groomsman in his old friend's wedding, he reunites with Emma and concocts an idea. A fake marriage between the two of them would be beneficial for both. 

After a quick wedding at the courthouse, they fly to Austin’s Montana ranch. What starts out as a mutually advantageous trip turns into something more. Feelings emerge and neither Emma nor Austin can figure out if the other one is genuine or just playing the part of a fake spouse. When Austin's grandmother arrives and starts poking holes in their lie, they must decide if what they feel is real or if it's all just an act.

Seeking Mr. Perfect

I enjoyed this book. Ms. Youngblood does an excellent job of giving the inner workings of her characters depth and authenticity. Both Sierra and Dalton are well fleshed out and strong in their thoughts, opinions, and actions. The side characters all have unique personalities and motivations. The only who comes off a bit shallow and without development across the story is Parker. Perhaps he will get his own story where we can see more growth from him. 

There is plenty for Sierra, Dalton, and others to sort out based on past decisions. A wonderful tangle to unweave one page at a time. Plus I enjoy all the theater references. 

The cover doesn't do the story justice. 

Definitely a clean and wholesome read with believablility. 

Amazon

Broken trust, broken hearts, and a twist of fate that could change everything.

Sierra McCain has her life figured out with a fabulous job in New York City and a perfect boyfriend who is the modern-day equivalent of Jane Austen's Mr. Darcy. The type of guy Sierra always wanted to find. 

Then, a frantic call from an old friend sends her rushing back to South Carolina where she comes face to face with the very guy she's spent the past seven years trying to forget--Dalton Chandler whose slow, Southern smile unleashes an army of butterflies in her stomach and sends her heart into flips. Under no circumstance can she fall for him again, and she certainly can't tell him her long-kept secret.

Caught between two worlds and two very different men, Sierra must decide which love she'll choose--Mr. Perfect or Mr. Right.

A Walk in the Woods

This is likely Mr. Bryson's most known book. I picked it up for book club.
It is an interesting and informative read regarding his expereiences on the AT. I would be curious to see if he did a follow up so many years later. Not likely.
The first half is better than the second.
I've read other books by him that strike my sense of humor better.

Amazon
Back in America after twenty years in Britain, Bill Bryson decided to reacquaint himself with his native country by walking the 2,100-mile Appalachian Trail, which stretches from Georgia to Maine. The AT offers an astonishing landscape of silent forests and sparkling lakes—and to a writer with the comic genius of Bill Bryson, it also provides endless opportunities to witness the majestic silliness of his fellow human beings.

For a start there's the gloriously out-of-shape Stephen Katz, a buddy from Iowa along for the walk. Despite Katz's overwhelming desire to find cozy restaurants, he and Bryson eventually settle into their stride, and while on the trail they meet a bizarre assortment of hilarious characters. But A Walk in the Woods is more than just a laugh-out-loud hike. Bryson's acute eye is a wise witness to this beautiful but fragile trail, and as he tells its fascinating history, he makes a moving plea for the conservation of America's last great wilderness. An adventure, a comedy, and a celebration, A Walk in the Woods has become a modern classic of travel literature.

Accidentally Married (The Married Series Book 1)

This premise is entertaining from the start and the characters were in danger of coming off as comical cartoons save for Ms. Lieske's excellent writing and choice to make them people of depth.

Madison is wonderfully relatable and I liked her spark of spunk. She has a tendency to let her mouth get carried away when her emotions run high. We've all done that. I love the way she helps Jared to loosen up and heal in unexpected ways.

Jared makes the bigger transformation over the course of the book, going from arrogant to adorable in a want-to-throw-something-at-you way.

There's lots of twists and turns for the romantic reader to keep you guessing where the plot is going to go next, besides the obvious trip to the altar mentioned in the blurb.

Well-written and well emoted, this is a clean read that will have you ready to click buy for the next book in the series.

Plus, I love the cover. It's my favorite of the series.


Amazon
From the New York Times best selling author of NOT WHAT SHE SEEMS.

Madison Nichols, aspiring actress, is floundering. Her rent is due and she needs a job. Desperately. After getting a tip about an open position, she rushes to Jameson Technologies and meets CEO Jared Jameson. Unfortunately, due to a misunderstanding, she is put in the awkward position of pretending to be his girlfriend. Not the job she was applying for. And when she finds out Jared lied to her to get what he wanted, she decides to get back at him. In front of his family.

Jared is stunned when Madison announces they are getting married. She pushed her revenge too far. How can he tell them it’s all a lie? And when his sick aunt asks them to be married before she dies, Madison comes up with a hair-brained plan to hire an actor and stage a fake wedding.

What they both don’t know is Jared’s father has found out about the fake wedding. And he’s got his own hair-brained plan.

This is a sweet romance, appropriate for any age.