Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wow. I’m not sure what I expected when I picked up this book but this book completely transfixed me from the beginning. Moving and emotional and romantic. Plenty of tension and struggle. The author does a beautiful job conveying the emotion between these characters. Really enjoyed it and looking forward to more from this author.
Reviewed by @heatherlovelace
View all my reviews
My Lips Are Sealed by Carmen Richter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
My Lips Are Sealed is book one in the Sealed With a Kiss series by Carmen Richter. This is part of a trilogy and needs to be read in order. My Lips Are Sealed is a new adult romance but can be enjoyed by all ages. I really got into this story and was quite surprised by the style in which the author wrote the story. The characters were intelligent, yet a little naive. Zoe had a lot going on for her young age. Elijah came into her life at a very pivotal time in her life. There was a little of a lot to this story. A little intrigue, a little tension, a little betrayal, a little teen angst, and a lot of discovery and maturing. The author captures the inner feelings of each character. Some I loved, some I detested. But all provoked thoughts and impressions. The story was well thought out and the delivery was well executed. I felt completely enthralled by this story and felt the impact of all that is this amazing tale. 4 stars.
Fake Fiancé: A Second Chance Office Romance by Amy McKinley
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This story was interesting, a little fast paced but definitely romantic.
Adenine has her career path all planned out, and the first step after college is to work for Stone Enterprises. Thanks to her soriety sister, she’s on her way to work as Stone’s personal assistant and away from her clingy ex.
As soon as Adeline arrives in Italy, she feels a connection with the hotel and also a connection to Stone, which she can’t explain.
When Stone needs her to be his fake fiancé for a business deal, she’s more than happy to help out, but on her own terms.
Adeline was a likeable character that seemed to be older than she actually was, she was extremely confident and took charge, not letting anyone walk over her, including Stone.
Stone was a cool headed business guy, but something about the hotel was making him uncomfortable, but he can’t figure out what it is.
The mix of dreams and a past life made this story interesting to read, and also helped explain the instant attraction between these two. The epilogue was also a nice touch.
I listened to this story as an audio book, the narration was easy to listen to and I would happily listen to a book read by Regan Brown again.
Reviewed by @MrsR
Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This was a nice steamy romance read! You can really feel the want and desire between the characters. Jules is strong willed and a great counter part to Adam. I really like reading from both perspectives. This was a great quick romance read and I really enjoyed the characters! I will definitely look into more from Marina Hanna!
Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna is a brilliant contemporary romance. I found this to be quite a quick and easy book to read, I fell straight into the story and really got behind the characters. The characters were strong and relatable – I thought Jules was so fiesty! It took a little getting to know both of the characters but I liked how their story developed more as it the book went on.
The author has done a great job with the writing too. It is well paced from start to finish and effortlessly pulls you in. If you have already this is definitely a book worth reading.
Date Night by K.M. Lowe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Date Night is a really cute fun romance by KM Lowe. Despite being just over 100 pages, it is a full story and we really get to know and love the characters. Hannah and Kyle have worked together on several projects over the years, but have never met. Their correspondence has always been through email. When they finally meet, sparks fly for both of them. However, due to past failed relationships, neither of them is looking for anything, and both have sworn off relationships for the foreseeable future. Their business meeting turns out to be enjoyable for both of them, so they agree to meet once more. Simply for a no strings attached Date Night. But will things really stop at that… guess you need to read to find out!
Reviewed by @way2gosmartguy
Date Night by K.M. Lowe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Date Night by K.M. Lowe is an easy read romance centered around two people who are not looking for love. They always say love finds us when we stop looking, right? When Hannah finally meets her boss Kyle, there is an almost instant attraction. They both bring relationship baggage, and are not sure they’re ready for the possible heartbreak.
This story follows Hannah and Kyle as they start with a no-strings attached deal and grow their friendship. Can they get over their hardships and baggage to see where things lead?
Review by Carly Vogler
Date Night by K.M. Lowe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Date Night is about 2 people who have had a working relationship via phone calls and emails for years. Both Hannah Banana aka Hannah Brently and Kyle Randall have had really bad luck with love and Valentine’s Day. Here they are having a meeting in person after so many years and both are attracted to eachother. They end up going on a dinner date to discuss work Hannah will be doing for Kyle. They end up being very happy spending time together and find it very easy to talk to.
Hannah runs into someone she knows at one of Kyles hotels but Kyle does what he can to get her not to think about it.
When Hannah wakes up one morning with a note from Kyle she lets her mind get the best of her and automatically thinks the worst. Luckily for Hannah she has a great best friend who helps her work thru lots of things. Will Kyle and Hannah be able to have a personal relationship or will they just be casual business friends with the occasional date night?
I thought this book was very well written and I liked most of the characters. All except Kirk!
review by @xchellex
Date Night by K.M. Lowe
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Date Night by K.M. Lowe is a quick and easy read that sweeps you off your feet from page one. This author has a fantastic way of using words to create scenes that are easily imagined. I became so swept up in the drama of characters Hannah and Kyle that, before I knew it, I had the book read. I really related to the bitter-with-love characters and their cynicism towards dating and falling in love. That was definitely me before finally meeting my husband! This is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I was thoroughly delighted. I recommend this fun book 4 out of 5 stars!
Date Night by K.M. Lowe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
All I can say about Date Night by K.M. Lowe is wow….. I was expecting a cute little romance book but it swept me right off my feet. Date Night has everything that a romance reader loves a hunky male, a cute shy girl, one heck of a love interest, and even a little drama. Based in Glasgow, Miss Lowe leaves you breathless with her descriptions of the city, and she’ll have your head spinning imagining her characters. At only 139 pages Date Night is a short but amazing romance story and I hope the author thinks about continuing the story.
Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna was a really good read! The story keeps you engrossed, and it’s full if steam and sass. This also felt like a very quick read to me as well. It seemed very well written to me, and the characters were also very fascinating. It felt a lot like reading Fifty Shades of Grey to me. If you like reading contemporary romances that have a slight twist this is the novel for you! I’m glad I read this book and I thoroughly enjoyed the ride it took me on.
My Lips Are Sealed by Carmen Richter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
My Lips Are Sealed (Sealed With a Kiss Book 1) by Carmen Richter. This is a very emotional young adult love story. Its the story of a young girl named Zoe who lost the love of her life at a very young age. She is crushed beyond words and her parents think moving her to a new town will help her get over him. In this new town she decided to go to a local teen hangout where they have an open mic night and sing a song she wrote for her lost love. She meets a guy named Elijah and sparks fly. When she shows up to her a new school she realizes that Elijah is her new drama teacher. She has been thru so much heartbreak already is Elijah just going to add to that heartbreak? This is for sure a forbidden romance but she can’t help feeling the way she does. Will they try to work it out even though they could both get in trouble for the relationship? Read this forbidden love story to find out!
My Lips Are Sealed by Carmen Richter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Wow, this was a heavy book. I can honestly say I did not know what to expect when I picked this one up. Carmen Richter is a new author to me and this book caught my eye with the cover. I went in blind and probably that was for the best. I tend to judge books based on topic sometimes and I have been trying to break the habit. I am glad that I did so here but this book is a heavy read that hurt my heart for the main character, Zoe. For only being 16 this girl has been through it, good grief. I wanted badly to reach into my kindle and hug her. Things seem to look up for her when she unleashes her grief in a soul crushing performance at an open mic night but the secrets it creates can only cause more tension and possible pain. Will it be another tragedy for her? I will definitely be back for more in the next book to see how things will progress for Zoe. I am really pulling for her!
Review by @lizaileen
View all my reviews
Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna. This is a steamy contemporary romance that will leave you wanting more. Its the story of Julia “Jules” Connors is wanting to take the advertising world by storm but the job she is in now is a dead end. When she hears of a great job at Foster’s Advertising and Marketing she applies. She gets the job but before she starts she’s out celebrating and at a local bar she makes eyes at a very handsome stranger. Before he leaves the bar he locks her in a very heated kiss and lets her go. She is shocked to find out Monday morning when she arrives at her new job that the same guy that kissed her is her new boss. Adam Foster is just as shocked to see the new intern is the hot blonde he kissed over the weekend. He knows there is a no relationship clause in his contract but he’s willing to risk it for Jules. This is a very steamy story so be prepared for a cold shower afterwards!
Julia “Jules” Connors is a young woman trying to make a name for herself in advertising and marketing, but the company she is currently with doesn’t want to make changes no matter how much they like her ideas. She heard about a job opening at Foster Advertising and Marketing so she decides to make the move to that agency. While out at the bar with her girlfriends she meets eyes with a handsome stranger. When he goes to leave he unexpectedly pulls her in for a mind blowing kiss that she can’t stop thinking about. When she walks into her new job the following Monday 10 minutes late she shares an elevator with the mysterious stranger who she comes to find out is her boss.
Adam Foster wasn’t expecting to run into the beautiful blonde, but he is pleasantly surprised when he finds that she is one of the new recruits. Although there is a no fraternization clause in the contracts he is willing to bend the rules for this woman. Normally he doesn’t have relationships that last more than a month, but there is something about Jules that makes him want to keep her forever. Is he willing to open himself up to a serious relationship or will he push her away like all the others?
This books title describes perfectly what this book entails. There is some crude language used in the book so I would not recommend it for anyone under the age of maybe 16. I would say even 18, but I’m sure most 16 -year-olds have either used this same language themselves or heard it being used by friends. There were some moments in here that the main characters kind of got on my nerves as they were either rushing to judgement or not using their words to express how they truly felt. Over all though I did enjoy the book as it was easy to read. The pace and tone of the book were well set and it drew me in.
Date Night by K.M. Lowe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Date Night is a cute and quirky romance novella by K.M. Lowe. I had never read any of this author’s work before but as this book is set in my home city of Glasgow, I just had to read it. I’m so glad that I read this book as I loved the tour of Glasgow that we get in the book. I loved being able to picture restaurants, bars and landmarks that are mentioned in the book and I felt that this made me enjoy the book much more.
Added to the location, I loved the 2 main characters. Hannah hates Valentine’s Day as it holds bad memories for her. So being asked to design a valentine’s themed opening night for Kyle Randall’s latest project did not fill her with enthusiasm.
I really enjoyed reading Hannah and Kyle’s story. They’ve done business together for a few years but have never actually met and when they do meet, the sparks are flying.
This novella is fun and entertaining and well worth reading. I’d definitely recommend this book.
I enjoyed this audiobook. The author and narrator made this fun to listen to. This is a romance story that I had no problems listening to as it was brought to life. The narrator’s voice and the changes in tone just added to the story. Adeline has her dream job all set up in Italy, the city of love. Once she gets there, the city of love isn’t what she expected. She now finds herself playing the role of fiance to her boss, Stone. Now they are faced with keeping their relationship business or crossing a professional line. Will they cross that line and give in to the attraction? Great story and I highly recommend this audiobook. It is worth the pick up.
Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I enjoyed this romance story. This is a newer author for me which I really enjoyed and look forward to seeing what is next in the future for her. I found the story to be well developed, fast paced and engaging. The characters are realistic and made the story pop. Jules has kissed a stranger one night who she never expected to see again. Fate has other things in store for her and this stranger. Adam, is the stranger, doesn’t do relationships until her. He knows that he is no good for her. Fate has something else in mind. This is a great story that the characters really made the story for me. I enjoyed watching their growth and chemistry throughout their story. I highly recommend reading their story to find out what fate has in store for them.
Review by @bjwagner
Date Night by K.M. Lowe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Date Night by KM Lowe
5 Stars
The interaction between the two main characters made this story feel real to me. It was easy conversation where both pretty much said what they were thinking. I dont have the correct words to explain what I mean by that but it was just so easy to read and imagine.
I loved this book, it was a quick one sitting read that wasn’t full of a whole lot of drama and problems at every turn. I’m so used to reading twists and turns, which I love, and at first I kept waiting for that to happen in this book, but they never came and I was truly ok with that. It was a nice break from the kindle throwing LOL
I love this author and I love how her stories flow so easily. I have to admit Jesse was one of my favorite characters in this story. His loyalty to and friendship with Hannah seemed real and I felt that! There are some steamy scenes that will make you blush and some fun back and forth that will make you smile and in some cases laugh out loud a little.
Loved it!
Love by Design by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the type of book to sweep you right off your feet and into the lives of both characters to be a fly on the wall in their story. It was romantic, funny at times, but most of all charming as it teased you with these two falling in love but doing so naturally and innocent. Pretty easy to read and straight to the point. Entertaining till the last page with characters you can’t help but fall in love with. By having read previous works of the author’s I highly recommend this one and many more.
Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Love Unexpected was just that. Unexpected. I did not expect to absolutely love Jules and Adam. I did not expect to be enthralled by this new to me author. But I was. The blurb intrigued me. The story blew my mind. It was more than your typical taming of the wild man that never intended to settle down. The author penned this with a clever eye for detail. And one crazy wicked sense of humour. There was serious moments, and the tension was palpable between Adam and Jules. They complimented each other perfectly and gave me endless thrills and feelings of delight and enjoyment. Love Unexpected was a blissfully captivating story and I have found another ridiculously talented author to add to my ever growing bookshelf. 5 stars.
Ready For Flynn, Part 1 by K.L. Shandwick
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
K.L. Shandwick is fast becoming one of my go-to authors.
Ready for Flynn is an AMAZING coming of age story with lots of emotional ups and downs. K.L. Shandwick takes you on a superbly crafted emotional ride with young Valerie’s love story.
The character development is perfect, as the book takes you from a young puppy crush to love without borders.
I especially appreciated the development of Valerie. The way she changes from a you naive girl into a strong independent young woman, but she her heart doesn’t harden after all the turmoil she’s gone through.
Anne Marie also did an amazing job with the narration. Her transition between characters is flawless.
One of my favorites of this year.
My Lips Are Sealed by Carmen Richter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
5 Stars
My Lips Are Sealed (Sealed With a Kiss Book 1) by Carmen Richter
My Lips Are Sealed is the first book in the Sealed With a Kiss Series by Carmen Richter. I truly enjoyed this story and found myself lost in the pages and couldn’t stop reading. I had to know what was going to happen next. I’m not going to lie there were parts of this story I was ugly crying so have some tissues close by as you to might need them. I swear I felt everything single emotion that Zoe felt. Zoe is a young lady who’s boyfriend comes up dead and she’s heart broken. Her family thinks a vacation away from everything will help her heal, she doesn’t expect to meet him. These two have a real connection but what will happen when she finds out he’s her teacher? Find out what happens next in this must read. I can’t wait to read more from this Author.
Love Unexpected by Marina Hanna
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Picked this book up on a whim and was sucked in by the ease of the story’s progression. The characters kept my interest and while their language could be crude at times (they admitted to the same in the book), it was easy to see why they thought/spoke that way once you got into the story. Jules was a believable character in her take-no-crap attitude, but I truly enjoy female characters who know their worth. Adam was a more complicated person to dissect. While he was an alpha type character, there was more that you had to delve into to really understand him.
Just FYI, this is definitely an adult book.
Four stars
Wow. This audiobook kept me completely glued to the story. Shandwick is a relatively new author to me and proving to be a must read. I thought the narrator did a beautiful job providing an emotional depth and connection to the story. I can’t wait to continue the series and see what comes next.
My Lips Are Sealed by Carmen Richter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
This is one of those books that has so much going on…but I couldn’t stop reading.
To deal with the loss and heartbreak after the death of her boyfriend, Zoe’s parents move her to a town where hopefully she can heal. After writing a song to cope with her loss, she performs at an open mic night. This is where she meets Elijah. Sparks immediately fly and the two find out they have so much in common…much more than they should…when she find out Elijah is her new drama teacher.
This is definitely a forbidden romance. However, I found myself pulling for Zoe to find the happiness that has eluded her so she could heal. The author just kept throwing more into the mix and there were so many emotions. From heartbreak to hope…and frustration to anger…the rollercoaster of emotions went every which way.
I won’t give away the ending…but please have tissues at the ready if you are an emotional person (like myself). I will definitely be checking out the next book!
My Lips Are Sealed by Carmen Richter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
A wonderful start to an intriguing series. This novel is vastly different that one would expect. There’s drama amd more drama, but there is also love, intrigue, mystery to go along with it. Most seventeen year olds don’t have it as put together as Zoe does in this novel. However, it makes for a great young adult read.
Love by Design by Effie Kammenou
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
Love by Design (The Meraki Series Book 2) by Effie Kammenou. I love books that make me forget about the real world for a while and this one definitely delivers on that. It could definitely be read as a stand-alone but I do recommend reading them in order as past characters do show up. And honestly they are both great so you’ll want both anyway. The characters are complex and relatable, they pulled me into their world with no problem and I enjoyed every minute I got to spend with them. I may have even liked this one a bit more I just felt a bit of a stronger connection with these characters. It’s a great storyline that was paced nicely never feeling rushed or lacking anything. I can’t wait to see where the author takes readers next. Five stars all the way and highly recommended!
My Lips Are Sealed by Carmen Richter
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the first book in the Sealed with a Kiss series. This is a Contemporary Romance novel and is 464 pages. This story follows Zoe and Elijah. Zoe is 16 and her boyfriend has died. She is completely devastated so her parents take her away thinking this would help but it did not. She goes to an open mic night and sings her heart out and this is where she meets Elijah. There was an instant spark. Until the next day at school she realizes Elijah is one of her new teachers. How is she supposed to get past the feelings from the night before?
Date Night by K.M. Lowe
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is a Romantic Comedy novel and is 139 pages. This story follows Hannah and Kyle. Hannah was dumped on Valentine’s day and is not keen on the idea of love. Until Kyle. Kyle is every woman’s “most wanted” and he has got it all. He was not keen on love either until he meets Hannah. I loved “watching” this romance bud. This was the perfect short story.
