Love by Design by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Effie has done it again and in my opinion has done it better than the first time! The characters are larger than life and come to life as you flip each page. The plot is well written and keeps readers attention from start to finish! In my opinion the author has pulled readers in even better than the first installment and I know they best is yet to come!
Love is What You Bake of it by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed the first installment of this series and look forward to the one!
The characters are wonderful and a “sweet treat: includes recipes that come with it! The author does a very good job of bringing each character to life and making sure readers are engaged from the very beginning!
Love is Worth Fighting for by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Just like the first 2 books in this series I fell in love with this book also. The authors way of writing has a way of bringing the characters to life. I can feel and see everything they are. This series is amazing and I will be rereading is for years to come. I highly recommend this to any and everyone who loves romances. I will be reading more of the authors book in the near future
Love by Design by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the second book in the Meraki Series and I loved it. I feel in love with this book as I did with the first one. The author has done it again with the beautifully written plot and characters. I’ve fallen in love with this authors way of writing. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and more books from this author in the future!
Love is What You Bake of it by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the first book in the Meraki Series. This is the first book that I have read from this author and let me tell you I was not disappointed. I feel in love with this book from the very beginning and I was not able to put it down until I had finished the book. The plot and the characters were wonderfully written that I was able to see and feel everything the characters were. I’m excited to see what this author does with the rest of the series
Let It Be Love by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the first book that I have read from the author and I was not disappointed. I loved this book from the beginning to the end. I had to read the entire thing in one siting.
Eric
Falling in love with a pop starlet has its drawbacks
Lack of privacy, for one
Gossip, for another
But falling in love with Kiki Ramirez was the best thing I’ve ever done
And the stupidest
One story planted by her agent and now I look like a fool
Played by the starlet
Looking like a simp for the world to see
But none of its true and I can’t defend my woman how I want
The urge to fight for her, to defend her is too strong
Even against the Hollywood machine working hard to keep us apart
Kiki
Falling in love with a civilian wasn’t part of the plan
I didn’t believe in love
Not for me and not for my life
But a small town mayor was the man who’d torn down my walls
Snuck past my defenses
And now with our future hanging in the balance its up to me to find a way to make it all work
A crazy agent
A ravenous paparazzi
And a pregnant belly I’m powerless to hide
I want Eric and the life I see for us
But how can I invite this madness into his quiet, small town life
I’m excited to read more books from the author in the coming future.
One Unexpected Gift by Marianne Rice
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Skyler is a new mom that has made the trek to Maine to see her sisters. She has spent the past few months on her own…adjusting to being a single mom, a soldier, and not wanting to face her family just yet. But, when she shows up on their doorstep, they welcome her with open arms. Offering her a place to stay while she finishes out her maternity leave. Bonding time with her sisters and daughter and working at their summer camp sounds like a great way to spend the next eight weeks.
Nick runs the local bowling alley and is so happy to see Skyler walk in. He hasn’t seen her in almost a year…since they shared two hot hookups. He does what he can to be her friend, despite her constantly brining up his reckless and thrill-seeking behavior. But, when a trip to the doctor reveals a secret, his whole life is changed.
Skyler and Nick’s relationship felt so real…like they could be two friends you know. They had their ups and downs…laughs and tears…frustration and understanding….lust and love. It’s all there. Reading the story of them navigating their way through a new relationship with everything else going on was entertaining. Skyler is emotional and determined to do right by Gabby…while Nick is flawed and puts his foot in his mouth more times than I can remember…but it felt genuine. Overall, a good book that kept me entertained from beginning to end.
Love is Worth Fighting for by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Krystina Meraki is the youngest sister of three and this is her story, she is in her late teens and obsessed with her Instagram and blog about travelling the locale where she lives in the USA, however, her dream is for that to become a hit and increase her already large following so that she can travel the world and see all the exotic places she wants to. Loukas is the same age as Krystina and lives next door, but since he messed up their close friendship years ago, she doesn’t see him as anything more than a pain who won’t leave her alone and this isn’t helped by the fact that he spends a lot of time with her family too.
The other thing Krystina wants to be able to do is finish what her sisters started and bring their grandfather home so that her grandmother can be truly happy again, but that is easier said than done when he lives so far away, but Krystina is determined and when the chance to do just that falls into her lap, she gives it all she has to try and convince him. Meanwhile, circumstances take a turn for the worse and external challenges interfere with all her plans, not to mention that Loukas is still following her around like a lost puppy and that is irritating her to no end, however, as she faces the challenges all around her, Krystina comes to realise that it is Loukas of all people who is helping her deal with it all.
This is another romantic adventure where a quest to bring family back into the fold faces impossible hurdles and where frenemies have to relearn how to work together to face an uncertain present, while reuniting a past. This is an unpredictable story where twists and turns throw you off until the path to the end is revealed.
Reviewed by @roxsannel
The Mastermind by Nadia Han
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
If you love a good forbidden romance with a brother’s best friends this is your kind of story. Our couple, Remi and Audri have tremendous chemistry together. This alpha has met his match with this fierce, smart, and very self-sufficient woman. Remi cannot help but fall for the beautiful Audri even though she is his best friend’s little sister! There are twists and turns giving you that stomach drop feeling hoping that after this they will be together. The author did a beautiful job of keeping the story moving in a very organic way without sacrificing any aspect of the story that needed telling. This is a wonderful start to what is sure to be an action packed, heat fueled series.
Fighting for Us by Bella Emy
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this book and it kept me engaged. I really liked Carissa and rooted for her in the story. I find that if I don’t connect in some way with the main female of the story, the book drags for me. There was the right mix of elements for books of this genre. I would definitely read more by the author.
Love is Worth Fighting for by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Love is Worth Fighting For By Effie Kammenou
5 out of 5 stars
18 year old Krystina was told a true love story by her grandma on a weekly basis. But in that love story lies a mystery, a mystery of what happened to her grandfather and where he went. Krystina; a blogger, traveler, and a force to be reckoned with. Loukas; a young boy with a past of mistakes, hurt and pain. What used to be best friends, now frenemies, both being somewhat friendly just for their families’ sake. Read the third installment of The Meraki Series to see the mystery unfold of Krystinas grandmother, and see if Krystina and Loukas can overcome the pain and mistakes of the past. But hold on! Can they navigate through this all with the rising pandemic of COVID-19 and the world shuts down?
To say I loved this back, is an understatement. Mystery, trauma, romance, and drama, all entangled into one eloquently written book. Love is Worth Fighting For, is written with multiple views, giving you more information about each character. The romance is slow, but is absolutely beautifully written and takes you in a whirlwind. Another part I love is the background building. You get the romance story of Krystina, but you also go through the pain and heartache of Krystina’s grandparents.
Not every part of this book has a happy ending though. There were a couple of sad parts that just ripped your heart into shred, leaving you as the reader crying and wanting to throw the book.
I also loved the different viewpoints from each character, and getting little insights into each character’s love life. From weddings, to heartbreak, stories of the past, dreams of the future.
Only thing I disliked is how there were different viewpoints from each character, but the whole story was told in third person versus the character directing it as if it was a first person point of view.
Overall, an amazing read and I cannot wait to read more books in this series!
Someone Exactly Like Me by Debbie Cromack
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Pain can be a fickle thing. Pain from a heartbreak can be even worse. Destiny is an author in a writing slump and Nicco is a up and coming celebrity trying to break into the American market. When the two make a deal on her thirtieth birthday all they expect is to help each other’s careers. Partners turn into friendship turn into more? When both have been burned from their past, is there any hope for their future? Amazing writing can’t wait for the next book.
Love is Worth Fighting for by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Let me just start off by saying this series was absolutely wonderful. I loved everything about them.
Love is Worth Fighting for is the 3rd book in the Meraki Series. This story follows couple Krystina and Loukas. I’ve been dying to know their story since book one. I could tell there had to be something there with all the back and forth between them in the 1st 2 books and boy was I right. Their story is officially my favorite so far in this series. I loved being able to see how their relationship started, how things went sideway and how they came full circle back to each other.
I also really enjoyed getting closure to yiayia and Panos’ love story.
Just like books 1 & 2 I enjoyed that the author continued to add the little extras at the end of some of the chapters. I enjoyed being able to see into the minds of the characters that went back in time.
I also thought it was really neat that the author chose to place this story in our time and have the characters go through what we were going through with Covid and how it was affecting our lives.
The author did a phenomenal job telling the stories of each of these characters relationships and I can’t wait to read the next book in the series and see who’s love story will be told in that one.
Let It Be Love by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is a super sweet book. A small-town mayor and a Pop Princess meet, develop a relationship, and prove to the world that normal and extraordinary can work.
Eric is a small-town mayor, and he is a private person, but can he overcome his need for privacy and allow himself to be seen in public with one of the most recognizable pop stars ever?
Kiki is trying to break out of the Pop world and write more mature music. She wants to embrace the fact that she is no longer the child star that she once was and PROVE to the world that she is more than the flashy outfits.
The couple is thrown a few road blocks so lets see if they can dodge the obstacles.
This is the fifth book in the series but I haven’t read the first four and had no problems understanding the plot and figuring out the secondary characters and their part in the story.
Let It Be Love by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Lies, lyrics and love
Book 5 of the Mustang Prairie Romance and Eric and Kiki get their moment. There are obstacles to their HEA and as they navigate these more discoveries are made. It was great to have glimpses of characters from previous books and to see how their relationships are developing. A fast paced story which was entertaining, romantic and an excellent read.
༻•
•༺ •COMING SOON• ༻••༺ •
Ten years ago, my teenage dreams ended with a kiss and a bully’s fist.
The target of a brutal attack, Wesley became lost to me, his mind wiped of the six months we spent together, writing songs and creating a bond that ran soul-deep.
Blamed for the tragedy and forced to remain at a distance, I watched Wesley’s rise to fame as he sang the songs we wrote, the only things he remembered from that lost period of his life.
When a decade-old songbook I published comes to light, accusations fly that I’m a plagiarist, stealing Wesley’s lyrics.
What a joke.
But after facing down his lawyer, I wipe clean a personal debt and make a quick exit.
Only I don’t get far. Because Wesley is outside, waiting.
His mind may have forgotten me, but as soon as our eyes meet, something in him recognizes something in me.
The chemistry between us is explosive, and I can’t resist the moth-to-flame tug into his world — even if it’s only for one night.
This could be our second chance… Unless his instant attraction means his memories are returning.
And if they do…
He’ll wish he’d remembered to forget me.
Love is Worth Fighting for by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Krystina and Loukas have known each other for their whole lives. At one point they were best friends and inseparable, that is until the other boys continues Loukas to do some things that in Krystina’s mind we’re unforgivable.
Krystina wants to be famous. What girl these days doesn’t want to travel and dreams of being a famous blogger on Instagram? But, as usual, Loukas is always there. All she wants is for him to leave her alone so she can breathe and do her own thing.
When situations arise and Krystina is stuck trying to manage it all, Loukas is there to help her through it all. Add on to that the search her family has been doing for her missing grandfather, and things start to get a little intense. Krystina and her sisters are determined to find and bring home this man even in the midst of hard times. This determination will test everything Krystina has and may help her learn that no matter what, love is worth the fight.
This was an entertaining read. I didn’t read much about the description prior to starting it, so I didn’t realize it took place during the pandemic and closures. I feel like the pandemic side of it was well done and realistically portrayed in most ways, although the timeline bouncing got me a little confused at times.
At times, the timeline felt jumbled to me when discussing present day events vs events happening that felt like they would have been in present day but were labeled differently (ex: one chapter would be present day in June, then suddenly it’s thanksgiving 2020, but the story continues into December). I enjoyed falling back in time with Kalliope and Panos so the dates on the timeline are definitely important to follow along with.
While it can be read as a standalone in the series, I feel that if I had read the first two books I would have been able to understand a little more in some parts. I found myself lost and unsure on several occasions and feel that the first part of the series may have helped with that confusion.
I loved that there are recipes found throughout some of the chapters because I enjoy food and plan to come back and try some of them!
Overall, I liked reading this book and would be will to try more from this author. However, definitely plan to read any series from her in order.
One Unexpected Gift by Marianne Rice
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a story that will melt your heart and bring out all the emotional feelers. Skylar has to find her way in single motherhood. With the help of her band of sisters, she will tell Gabriela’s father about her and work through the intricacies of a relationship. She and Nick both bring baggage. Can that love survive? A beautifully written story with real struggles that just makes you smile. The characters are wonderful and feel like family. You’ll find youurself relating to them. The plot is very smooth, just like a flowing river. A romance that I would recommend to all contemporary romance lovers.
Paige and the Reluctant Artist by Darci Garcia
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a completely new author to me and while looking for a beach read I stumbled across this book which sounded interesting. Albeit if you’re looking for a good beach read romance novel then definitely give this one a try.
We begin by meeting Paige, an art curator, constantly on the hunt for new artists and pieces for her art exhibit. This is when she stumbles upon a painting that absolutely blows her away and she knows she must have more from this artist. I mean how hard could it be convincing someone to paint for her gallery? This is where Mark enters the story, he is a ranch owner, horse rescuer, and artist. Unfortunately Paige didn’t plan on Mark not wanting to paint more for her gallery nor the sparks that fly between them. Can Paige convince Mark to give her more paintings? What about the sparks between them can Mark move past the tragedy from his past to embrace a future with Paige? If these questions leave you intrigued you should definitely pick up this book to find out just what happens.
While I loved this cutesy romance I would have liked to have a dual perspective a little more to add more depth to the characters. It was a great read and if you like romance mixed with sexy cowboys and animals then this book is right up your alley!
Let It Be Love by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Let It Be Love (A Mustang Prairie Romance Book 5) by N.D. Jackson. This is such a good book. Its a series book but can be read as a standalone. Its the story of Kiki who is a pop starlet and Eric the mayor of a small town. Kiki’s career is going great and doesn’t really want to be in a relationship. She wants to enjoy all the craziness that is her life. Greg likes his life just fine but when he meets Kiki he falls madly and completely in love with her. He’s not crazy about all the attention hes getting from Kiki’s life. Kiki is also having to deal with her crappy manager who is a cheat and scum. Kiki really likes Greg and wants to spend time with him but would love to be able to do it without the paparazzi all up in their business. Will they be able to work out their relationship or will it be too much for Greg?
Let It Be Love by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This was a super cute romance. It was interesting that this story doesn’t start at the very beginning of Eric and Kiki’s relationship. At first I wasn’t sure if I would like that – usually I want to know everything about how a relationship starts, but in this instance it really worked. I didn’t read the previous books in this series, so I suspect you see the beginning of their relationship in previous books, but it did not detract from this story at all.
Eric and Kiki are figuring out their relationship and trying to make it work. Eric may be the mayor of Mustang Prairie, but that kind of public figure is not quite the same as being a pop star, and it has made him a bit reluctant. But you can tell he truly cares for Kiki, and once he decided he was in, he didn’t waver.
Kiki is dealing with a lot. She is getting ready to tour, is dealing with a smarmy agent, and has been working on songs that are different from what she usually sings. She cares a lot for Eric, but has things in her past that make her hesitate.
The growth of both characters was great. You see them grow both individually and as a couple. The level of communication was better than a stereotypical romance – even if there was something Kiki wasn’t quite ready to share, she acknowledged it was actively looking for when to do so. If she made a mistake, she owned it. I really liked watching them get to their happily everything today.
Let It Be Love by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
An enjoyable and engaging contemporary romance, which kept me happily turning the pages. Pop starlet Kiki Ramirez and ‘civilian’, small town mayor Eric didn’t plan to fall in love, but they did. However, their relationship is being tested by Kiki’s fame, her crazy agent, the paparazzi, and the Hollywood machine. I loved Kiki and Eric and was cheering them on, hoping they would get their HEA. The characters were well defined and I felt engaged with them and their circumstances. The chemistry between the couple really came across in the story. The storyline flowed well and I found myself immersed in the story. This was a heartwarming romance which I definitely recommend.
Let It Be Love by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
What a heart warming story. I’m not a fan of pregnancy in a romance book but this one wasn’t that bad. Kiki Ramirez is a famous pop star and is secretly dating Eric a small town mayor. The story follow them learning what it’s like to fall in love, deal with a crappy agent (Louie can eat ****) and handle the hard side of fame. Is shows what it’s like to communicate in a relationship though very difficult ups and downs. Outside of the pregnancy aspect of it I loved the book!
Let It Be Love by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed reading Let it Be Love. It was a wonderful story about overcoming obstacles and romance. Have you ever had anxiety/depression so bad that you don’t think anything good could ever happen to you? I definitely have and that’s exactly the battle our main character deals with throughout. The author depicted it beautifully, I felt like I was in the main character’s shoes.
Kiki is a pop star, she still can’t believe it sometimes. Has a wonderful boyfriend, who she thinks will leave her any minute. Also is pregnant and feels Eric is only staying for the baby. These things happen to people who have had a messed up childhood, because that’s all they know. (I’ve been through it myself.) This book is her struggle to not only reinvent herself but actually accept that it’s all not a dream, this is her life!
Eric is a saint in my eyes. He’s so patient and loving with Kiki. It’s beautiful. Not many men out there would accept the constant insecurities of the woman they are seeing/in love with. I understand it’s a book of fiction but it gives one hope that they may find a partner like this someday. Because there are definitely people out there just like him.
This book is definitely not just a romance but about the struggles one goes through overcoming and taking back one’s life! Read it, trust me it may surprise you like it did me!
Let It Be Love by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Eric is a small town mayor just trying to woo the woman he loves. The only problem is that she is a mega pop superstar. Kiki isn’t just a mega pop star, she was a successful child actor before that. There are lots of people who think they have a claim to Kiki and her life. Kiki has strained relationships with her entire family due her stardom and all that comes with it. Eric wants to find a way to balance her stardom with his quiet, small town life.
The author gets you all in the feels. The book is excellent! While Kiki and Eric figure out how to build a life somewhere between the concert stage and being a hermit, Kiki finds out what being a person is like. Friendships and love are keys to this romance! Great story and outcome!!
Paige and the Reluctant Artist by Darci Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This book was written by a new author to me. I wasn’t quite sure what to expect but it’s a romance and the cover has a cat on it. Cats are always a wonderful way to get me to pick up a book. What I found was a very cute story with romance and animals combined. I thought the writer did an amazing job with describing what was taking place. I could visualize the surroundings in my mind. I also thought that she did a wonderful job with the characters, and I felt like these could be personal friends of mine. I did feel like it took a little too long for them to connect but once they did, WOW what a connection it was. This was a very fast paced book for me as I was unable to put it down. I even snuck in some reading while at work. I highly recommend this book if you are a fan of romantic stories. I look forward to picking up more books from this author.
Love is Worth Fighting for by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
This was my first read in the series and by this author. It definitely can be a standalone. This book is a “falling in love with my friend/enemy” story told from different points of views. We meet Krystina, who wants to travel, expand her blog and be “insta” famous. She works hard at planning her outfits, photoshoots and uploads. When Krystina and her family take a trip to find their long lost grandfather… she finds that what she thought she knew isn’t what is real. Longtime family friend Loukas tags along and goes through some tough situations with Krystina. This trip makes her think differently about and love and learn that love is worth fighting for.
I loved the characters and the way the story goes back and forth between past and present.
Let It Be Love by N.D. Jackson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this romance story. This isn’t the first book I have read by this author. Each one is unique but I have never been disappointed and I wasn’t with this one. I love the author’s style of writing. How you feel completely drawn into the story and the lives of the characters. The storyline isn’t so far fetched either so it feels realistic and relatable which helps you connect to the characters even more.
Our two characters in this story are Kiki and Eric.
Kiki is a pop starlet. Her career is going well and she never saw herself falling in love but she did. She falls in love with a normal guy called Eric.
Eric falls madly in love with Kiki as well but he had trouble coping with all the gossip and rumours that surround his famous love. Are the stories true? Does he need to doubt the woman he loves?
Together they need to find a way to protect their love and work to make sure that nothing comes between them. But with Kiki’s agent and meddling paparazzi trying to tear them apart do they even stand a chance.
You will fall in love with this couple from the beginning and you will be cheering them on all the way through this story. But when the odds are stacked against them does their love stand a chance of surviving?
Paige and the Reluctant Artist by Darci Garcia
My rating: 3 of 5 stars
The story idea is good. But it is very hard to get into the actual story. I struggled connecting with the characters. There seems to be chunks missing that interrupts the flow of the story. This is also is a very descriptive or narrative story. I really enjoy more dialogue to get a feel of the characters. Like I mentioned above the idea is good and after finishing it I was able to get the gist of what the author was trying to say.
I loved the idea of rescuing horses and I admire Mark of doing what he did. He does have some nice staff and friends that I enjoyed getting to know.
Overall this is an okay story. I really wanted to love it. Sorry
Paige and the Reluctant Artist by Darci Garcia
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is one of those have to reads ❣️📕
Paige has been burnt and is still healing after her narcissistic ex Kyle and is focused on her job which she is brilliant at just by the why and she seems happy with her rescue kitty Chloe and best friend Camille but she has so much love to give , she has such a beautiful heart and I kept all fingers and toes crossed that she’d give Mark a fair chance
Mark , where I start with this beautiful man , yes I called a man beautiful and I can because he has more money than he knows , yet he’s humble , he’s been hurt yet he yearns to win Paige’s heart , he saves horses so what is not to fall in love with ….also the man is a gifted artist
They say you know a persons heart by the way they treat animals and that’s why these 2 truly are a match base in heaven ❣️🙏
There were a few times I just wanted to shake Paige and tell her to snap out of it but Camilla best me to it 😱😂🤦♀️
I loved Paige , Chloe , Camilla , Steve and Mark and I’ll share them with a happy heart ❤️
P.S. Storm Cloud you own my heart ❤️🐴