Make-Believe Wedding

This is my first read by Ms. Holt and it was a wonderful treat.

The characters were relateable, the pacing on target, and the emotions well represented. Ms. Holt is a strong writer on all fronts. I enjoyed all the traps the heroine and hero got themselves into and had to figure their way out of.

A charming, clean, quick, heartfelt read.

Amazon

Molly Beluga was abandoned at the altar and has no intention of heading back there anytime soon. When she crosses paths with an arrogant fireman, she knows better than to let her heart get involved. She can’t face the idea of having it broken by another failed relationship. A serious journalist working for her family’s newspaper, her only plan is to focus on her career and to train her new Labrador puppy, Daisy, to behave.

Tim Holden left the family newspaper to become a fireman with the Atlanta Fire Department. After a lifetime of watching the newspaper business consume his family, he has no time for journalists, let alone a beautiful and feisty journalist with no regard for anything other than getting the story. Now thirty, he’s grown tired of bouncing between short-term relationships so when an idea emerges for a fake relationship, he’s intrigued. 

Will these enemies sheath their swords long enough to formulate a plan that just might bring their warring families back together? 

A modern retelling of the classic tale, Romeo and Juliet, without all the gore. Okay, maybe just a little bit of gore. This book is a laugh-out-loud romantic comedy that proves once again true love can overcome even the most bitter feud, and conquer the hardest of hearts.

Rule #1: You Can't Date the Coach's Daughter (The Rules of Love)

I wasn't sure about reading this book at first. High school romance wasn't a genre I was up for. But, as I've admired Ms. Meyer's other works, I thought I'd give it a try. If it was rubbish, which it's not, then I could always bow out early.

That didn't happen. The characters were engaging, the obstacles true, and the turmoils of teenage love real. I was pleasantly surprised and happy to read this tale beginning to end.

I look forward to the next book in the series.


Amazon

There are two types of people in high school: the ones that you can date and the ones you can’t. Unfortunately for me, I’m the latter. Even though I’m around hot football players every afternoon, they are not allowed to date me. If they even come close to flirting, my dad, Coach “The Boss” Davis, makes them run laps around the field until they puke. 

Nothing scares off a boy more than the threat of physical pain. 

Not only has he forbidden me to date anyone at all, he’s even made me the football team’s water girl so that he can keep tabs on me. Apparently, over protective dad is a fabulous guy deterrent. Outdoor shops should find a way to bottle it and sell it. They’d make a killing.

What Dad doesn’t know is that I spend every last second of those two blissful hours of practice in the scorching California heat, staring at Tyson Blake. He is the epitome of perfection in a six-foot-two, incredibly toned, smells-good-even-when-he-sweats, senior body. And when he smiles, angels sing. Literally. 

And Dad hates him.

It feels a bit cliche to say I fell for the one guy that would send Dad’s already high blood pressure over the the top. But it’s true. There’s something about Tyson. Something he’s trying to hide. But I can see through his cocky persona and I know there’s something more.

Love Me at Sunset

Life and love continues in Portugal in this charming series.

I liked how the simple background of a mansion could be all the setting this book needed. The story was centered around the characters, their pitfalls and triumphs, and how the focus could be on their friendship and budding romance. No frills, just a well told clean romance with sweet suprises.

Amazon

An ex-con reforming his life. A pregnant widow hiding her past. Will the price of her secrets cost her his love?

Top 20 Amazon Bestseller in Clean & Wholesome Romance
Top 20 Amazon Bestseller in Multicultural & Interracial Romance 


Catarina Romano has lost everything: her husband, her house, her lifestyle. She flees to her cousin’s empty manor in the heart of Portugal, trying to find peace and to hide from the scandal spun by the media, only to discover she is pregnant.

Afonso Cortez is done with all the lies. Fresh out of prison for trusting the wrong person, he’s ready to leave the past behind and look ahead to new opportunities. The remote Sunset Manor, in need of a groundskeeper, is the perfect solution, promising to provide Afonso with the solitude he craves while he restores the grounds to their former glory.

Catarina avoids Afonso at first, not wanting to further complicate her life. But Afonso is intriguing, and she feels drawn to him. If only she didn’t feel guilty for all the secrets she’s keeping from him.

When suspicious accidents start occurring at the property, Afonso believes his past is catching up with him. Will he be able to protect Catarina or will he lose the woman who might restore his belief in love?

Books in the Romano Family series:
- Book 1- Hold Me At Twilight
- Book 2- Meet Me At Sunrise 
- Book 3- Love Me At Sunset
- Book 4- Keep Me At Christmas 
- Book 5- Kiss Me At Midnight (coming soon)


Previously published as part of the Destined for Love Romance: Mansions series:
— Kiss Me in the Rain by Lindzee Armstrong
— Roping His Heart by Jaclyn Hardy
— The Princess and the Pizza Man by Cassie Mae
— Mending Fences by Lorin Grace
— Love Me at Sunset by Lucinda Whitney
— Saving Sycamore Bay by Cami Checketts

Meet Me at Sunrise

I became a fan of Lucinda Whitney sometime back and love her obsession with Portugal. It's high time she had a book series centered on it.

I missed reading the first book in the series, but as the books can be read a stand alones I didn't feel behind the curve at all.

This was a charming story of cruise ship love, a trope I happen to enjoy. There was enough description to let me feel as if I'd seen some peeks of places to visit in Portugal, should I ever get there, without weighing down the pacing of the story.

The slow simmer romance was definitely sigh worthy and fulfilling.

I really didn't need much of the "suspense" part, which was very light, to round out the story. But as it does have some bearing on book three was helpful.

Well done.

Amazon

A reluctant heiress. A river cruise captain. Finding love in eight days was not on the itinerary…

Top 10 Amazon Bestseller in Holiday Fiction
Top 20 Amazon Bestseller in Clean & Wholesome Romance

Between a bad breakup and a rocky relationship with her overbearing father, twenty-three-year-old Vanessa Clark has a history of being disappointed by the men in her life. So when her long-lost grandfather reenters the scene and persuades her to tour northern Portugal on one of his river cruise ships, Vanessa boards the vessel looking for answers about her estranged family, not looking for love. 

Captain Matias Romano has enough to worry about without having to babysit his boss’s spoiled American granddaughter, no matter how good-looking and wealthy she is. First the issue with the refrigerators, and now the ship's computers are malfunctioning—he’ll be relieved when this trip is over and he can get back to business as usual. 

But as Matias plays tour guide on Vanessa’s excursions and they work together to investigate a series of suspicious accidents aboard, they both realize there’s more to the other than first impressions. 

Can Vanessa work through her complicated past to make room for Matias in her future, or will they pass like ships in the night?

Books in the Romano Family series:
- Book 1- Hold Me At Twilight
- Book 2- Meet Me At Sunrise 
- Book 3- Love Me At Sunset 
- Book 4- Keep Me At Christmas 
- Book 5- Kiss Me At Midnight (coming soon) 

Previously published as part of the A Destined for Love Romance: Europe series:
— Desperately Seeking Mr. Right by Sally Johnson 
— Meet Me At Sunrise by Lucinda Whitney (also part of the Romano Family series)
— 12 Days to Love by Lisa Swinton 
— Kiss Me in the Moonlight by Lindzee Armstrong 
— Never Trust the Rain by Laura D. Bastian