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Someone to Watch Over Me (Wounded Hearts Series Book 3) by Debbie Cromack – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Someone to Watch Over Me (Wounded Hearts, #3)Someone to Watch Over Me by Debbie Cromack
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Someone to Watch Over Me is a friends-to-lovers romance. Angelo and Lucia’s moms have been best friends forever, so naturally growing up together the two were inseparable. However, secretly both are in love with each other but develop a million excuses to never share their feelings. The book starts while Angelo is a senior in college and about the graduate, but Lucia still has 2 more years. He is so used to being her protector that both are feeling uneasy about being apart. In conjunction with this, Lucia is a virgin and has been waiting for Angelo but decided to shoot her shot a little and is rejected. This rejection leads to a damper on their friendship. Basically, this tends to be the trend throughout the who book. This back and forth of wanting each other, not telling each other, and then oh yeah throw in the troubling pregnancy troupe. Can they get over themselves enough eventually and drop the excuses of timing to finally have their happily ever after?
This book, while a cute romance when things were good, drove me a little nuts. I loved the characters as people, but the thought process behind why they were not together, then together, then not together drove me insane. Maybe it is because I am in my 40s now, that I read these types of plots and just want to shake the main characters and say “Will you just be honest and say you love them – things would be so much easier”. Because of this thinking, I really wanted to smack the 2 of them so many times along the way of the book. However, I did enjoy the author’s writing style and Angelo as a character. Lucia was fine but you can hear how young she is in her actions, words, thinking, etc. While Angelo made me plenty mad with his unrealistic thinking, how he responds to Lucia made him loveable. He is a loving, protective, caring man that knows how to properly love a woman. Don’t get me wrong, it was a good read, I think I just don’t want young people to make these mistakes in life because all it is is a waste of precious time when you could just be happy!!

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Breathless Love (The Bennetts of Langston Falls Book 3) by KG Fletcher – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Breathless Love (The Bennetts of Langston Falls, #3)Breathless Love by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Totally loved Breathless Love. This is based primarily in Tennessee when a farmer dreams of being a country star, and almost was until his band broke up. One night Hank decides to go to his country idol’s concert not knowing things would never be the same after meeting Ella Mae. Hank and Ella Mae quickly build a friendship and with her position in the music business things began to happen for him. However, he quickly realizes that the music isn’t the only magic that is sparking in his life – these friends quickly become more – lovers, confidants, and kindred souls. Ella Mae provides him with a realistic picture of what being a star looks like, but with fame comes so many other responsibilities. Is all of the love, music, and trauma worth the fame?
I loved this story so much. I don’t want to give too much away because it is just so heartbreakingly beautiful. First, the storyline – I loved the no-bullshit romance. The two were so honest and went for what they wanted. There was no back and forth, no telling each other their feelings and the drama that seems to come with romance books lately. Second, the characters were amazing. Hank, I can’t say enough about this man – he is what girls think of when they want a gentle, sexy cowboy. He is driven, honest, sweet, sexy, and straightforward in an unapologetic way, but in a gentlemanly way. Ella Mae, I also adored her. She is strong, passionate, straightforward, and independent, but a little broken. Her journey for herself is a great one. There will be other characters such as Ella Mae’s brother – it’s a love-hate relationship but so necessary for the plot. Last, but not least, it was face- paced. I was always interested and actually surprised I didn’t see the end coming till right before (it was nice just to be engaged in the book). Really recommend it for a great thought-provoking, encouraging life-love story. FYI read your trigger warnings.

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Sleeping Love by Natalina Reis – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Sleeping LoveSleeping Love by Natalina Reis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sleeping Love is an MM Romance Fantasy story about a man named Ayo who is banished by his kingdom, but quickly finds himself on a quest to save his love, Prince Yi, and his magic. The Prince and Ayo grew up together as “brothers” but he quickly realized he loved him, but due to the prince’s cruel father, this is a path that could never be. Eventually, the king banishes Ayo, to an awful island that finds a way to kill many of its inhabitants, and steals his magic in hopes to use it for himself. Ayo comes to find out that the kingdom was put under a spell and his prince is in a deep sleep. This spell is hitting many of the realms so that the Mulluk can obtain more power, or that is at least the thought. Ayo is able to wake his prince with “a kiss”, and they begin their journey to save the kingdom and Ayo’s magic. We quickly learn that the prince feels the same way and is in love with Ayo, however, Ayo is questioning so many things because he knows Yi is hiding something. Ayo, Yi, and other comrades make their way to get Ayo’s magic back, learn about Ayo’s past, and try and save the realms.
I liked that the storyline seemed to move along quickly and is a standalone book. There were parts that I thought were odd or unnecessary due to the lack of information provided for it, but overall was a good story. It was full of humor, strength, romance, and adventure. I enjoyed the characters for the most part. Bai Qian, one of the comrades, is a female princess but wants to destroy the female persona for the time. She was a great character – she was badass, royal, strong, smart, and cunning. She was quite funny and enjoyable to read about. As for the main characters, Ayo and Yi, they too were great characters. There were times that Ayo got on my nerves because of his insecurities, but overall, he was a loving, devoted love interest. Yi was more my type of character. While he was royal, he was down-to-earth, loving, honest, and not shy about who he was. The love story uses old tales to show how powerful a kiss can be!

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Obedience (Ties That Bind Book 1) by Liza Snow – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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ObedienceObedience by Liza Snow
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Obedience is about a girl named Cassandra Blackstone. Cassandra is a silk aerialist who has always wanted to be mentored by one of the greats, Chandler Moreau. Cassandra auditions for the school that Chandler’s family owns and receives a full scholarship, mentorship, and a job as a teacher assistant. I won’t go into too much detail because there is a lot of things that happen in this book. Long story short, Cassandra is borderline obsessed with Chandler and he seems to have similar feelings once he saw her perform. He is quite older then her and recently divorced so he is seen as a little bit of a grump (not to mention he hates his father). While infatuated with each other, this is not a love at first sight type of story – they each have a lot of baggage and secrets. They do end up falling for each other, but at what cost. Chandler’s family is evil from what we have seen so far and Cassandra is trying to rid the evil from her former life. That doesn’t really bode well for falling for a guy who has evil in his blood. There is this back and forth of information throughout the entire book and is left on a cliff hanger.
Overall, I enjoyed the book. I think it provided something a little different then what I am use to reading so that was refreshing. However, there is a lot of information to pay attention to so I had to make sure that I wasn’t too tire while reading. As for the characters, I thought they were interesting. I didn’t love them but didn’t hate them either. Chandler seems a little overbearing and overprotective, but I am sure there is a lot of reasoning behind it. However, I do think he is a little controlling as well, and while I normally love that in a male character, for some reason it just wasn’t hitting the same for me with Chandler. As for Cassandra, I thought she was smart, elegant (in her craft) but a little naive. However, there is a point where she just says what needs to be said and does what needs to be done. I do love that when came to the love story there wasn’t too much build up – however, there was always another secret around the corner. The romance built up so good, but then at times I wanted more. I will read book 2 because I now need to at least know what all the secrets are!!

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People Safari by Feather Chelle – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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People SafariPeople Safari by Feather Chelle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

People Safari was a cute book about a deer who wanted to adventure outside the forest. Ranger Marco, a raccoon, is about to take them on this journey, but the deer family is a little weary. Fawn, the young deer, is very excited to learn about his outside world and is amazed by many of the things learned. The fawn learns about neighborhoods, people, and what people do all according to the raccoon which is funny. However, they get spooked when they make their way into a garden and Fawn gets a little lost in the city. Ranger Marco finds the fawn quickly and because she was scared she quickly wants to find her parents and go back to the forest. When Ranger Marco asked if they were ready to explore more, the deer family wouldn’t have it. This was a cute book. I liked all the little thoughts about what they think people do in accordance with getting on a bus for school, walking their pets, and even how pooping works. The fact that the deer thought the human world was crazy was also funny because, well, it is!! I found the illustrations really cute too!

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Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow! (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the BeansFee, Fi, Fo, Grow!: The Real Magic of the Beans by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Fee, Fi, Fo, Grow is a recreation of Jack and the Bean Stalk. Jacqueline is a little girl living with her mother and they have a hard time finding food. They own a cow named Bessie and decide to sell her so they can eat. On the way to market, Jacqueline trades for some seeds. Well, as you probably know the seeds grow overnight into a huge stalk with a Giant couple living at the top. The wife is very nice and wants to help the little girl out, while the husband wants to eat her. He chased her and then said he would wait for her to come back because she was bringing his wife beans. Jaqueline sneakily brought the wife beans and got a basket of golden eggs in return, which now makes her and her mother rich. This book is a Science Folktale but I didn’t feel it taught as much as in the other stories the author has written. I thought this one explained how growing food is profitable for the sustainability of life, but how one goes about was fiction. One could take a deeper meaning from it where when you are at your lowest, there are times that your luck can change for the better. Sometimes you just have to take a chance on something that seems unrealistic.

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A Monster for Meg (Giants and Monsters) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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A Monster for MegA Monster for Meg by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

A Monster for Meg is about a girl who wants to understand why monsters are so scary. Meg is blind so she has her sister start to describe the scariness of a monster. The funny thing is Meg doesn’t find it so scary because everything being described reminds her of something her sister already does. It was a cute book. I like how they made it that just because you can’t see it doesn’t mean you can’t experience something. Also, the fact that although you may not see it doesn’t mean it is scary. It was a cute, inclusive take on a childhood fear for many.

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Afflicted Love (Rhythm & Heart Series) by Autumn Sand – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Afflicted LoveAfflicted Love by Autumn Sand
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Afflicted Love is the first book in the Rhythm & Heart series and I am excited for book 2. This is an M/M romance about Kyle and Lyle. The two met as young boys who were struggling with life – both coming from abusive homes. Kyle had come to Lyle’s rescue one day and the two have been inseparable since. They called each other brothers and Kyle even took Lyle’s family’s name and became his protector. As they started to become teenagers feelings started to change, both loved each other as brothers but also as more. Kyle ends up getting kicked out, for reasons I won’t say, but promises to come back for Lyle because they both agree that they belong to each other, always, and will never leave each other’s side. However, being together is not something that can take place in their situational lives. Well, you know how it goes, life happens – one boy wants a life with the other, and the other can’t get out of their own demons. Throughout the book, you see the struggle the two have about loving each other but how they just are not good for each other. What happens though when you literally cannot live without each other? Can they find the courage to live the life they want and dream of? This book does end on a cliffhanger so I am urgently waiting for book 2.
I enjoyed this book a lot. I am excited for the second book but I am really curious about how things work out for these two. I want them to work out on one hand, but on the other, I want so much more for Kyle. At the beginning of the book, I thought I was going to end up hating Kyle and feeling bad for Lyle. Well, lets just say it is almost the opposite feeling. I am pissed at Lyle and want to smack him upside his head. Kyle, on the other hand, I completely adore and feel so much for his situation. He deserves so much for the turmoil he has endured his entire life. I am hopeful that he will get the life and future he deserves and desires. I also hope that Lyle gets his head out of his ass and realizes the life he could have and how happy he could be. There is a part of Lyle’s story that I don’t think we are getting yet so I am interested in finding out what that is. Everyone deserves to not have to lie about who they are – I hope he realizes that.

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Consigliere’s Revenge (Sicilian Gods Book 3) by Via Mari – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Consigliere's Revenge (Sicilian Gods Book 3)Consigliere’s Revenge by Via Mari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just love these dark mafia romances by this author. In this particular book, we get insight into the Lurussio’s family’s consigliere, Lorenzo. He is a dark, private, intense man, but on the inside, he is more caring then he lets on, but only for Isabella. Isabella is a reporter that is trying to secretly get the scoop on the mafia families of Vegas. However, Lorenzo, as consigliere, he knows all and calls her out when caught in one of their private clubs. The chemistry between the two is instant. In addition, they are both familiar with circumstances because Isabella’s father use to work for the family. Because of the attraction and her father, the Lurussio family offers her a deal to be their reporter and write the stories they want to be published. Isabella takes the job because, well does she really have a choice? It definitely starts as a love-hate relationship that quickly advances to love-love. However, being someone who is trying to spill the family’s secrets, will need to try really hard to gain her trust, but she needs it from him too, the lady’s man. Can the two of them find common ground to do what is best for all families involved? Can they learn to trust each other, even when love is clearly present?
As all the other books in this series, it was a great, quick, sexy read. The author has a great way of just getting to the point – I am not a slow-burn lover and this author never keeps you waiting. Both characters were quite loveable and you can see the growth of love they both portray for each other. I also love that you can see the trust unfold through the story on both sides – it just makes the love story seem more believable. I am not sure if this is the end of the series it seemed like yes, but I know there are more characters that can become important pieces for the family so I hope to continue to read more on the Lurussio family.

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Unexpected Entanglement (The Echo Series Book 3) by C.R. Alam – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Unexpected Entanglement (Book 3 of the Echo Series)Unexpected Entanglement by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Unexpected Entanglement is the third book in the series. This book is about Chris – who we have met before -a hotel conglomerate, best friend of Dean, and now a great friend of Rae’s. We find out at the beginning that Rae has extended family that just found out about her. She is not sure how to handle this news, and due to the fact that she is pregnant, Chris volunteers to go check things out. Rae’s father has left property to her and her siblings, but not sure what to expect. Chris arrives on this small island and things from the start become quite interesting. He meets Rae’s siblings – Rowan and Kieran Kelly. The siblings own a farm and inn that is trying to reopen, but in two weeks they are holding a wedding and not really prepared. Once Chris makes it to his destination, things start to move quickly; Chris offers up his services to help prepare for this wedding. While no one understands why he would be doing this, he tries to reassure them it is for the love of his friend. What Rowan doesn’t realize is that Chris is a blessing in disguise. Can the two work together to host this wedding? Will obstacles always get in the way of progress? Can the two keep their attraction to each other at bay to have a successful opening? Will the siblings be able to come together to produce a successful inn that means so much to their father?
There is a lot going on in this book, but I love it. As the third book, I have already fell in love with most of the characters. Chris always had small roles in the first two books, but I knew I was just going to love him – and I do!! Chris is a down-to-earth, handsome, successful, smart, gentleman with a huge heart. He is a hard worker and confident in his abilities. Rowan is a strong, sassy, stubborn woman who is just a great partner for Chris. She is driven and begins to become more courageous about going after what she wants. The little bit of spice that is written was also enjoyable. It was a great story about siblings coming together, love finding each other, and healing from the past.

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Little Red, the Detective (Science Folktales) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Little Red, the Detective: a science folktale (Science Folktales)Little Red, the Detective: a science folktale by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Little Red, The Detective is a retelling of “Little Red Riding Hood” but with a detective twist. A girl named Maureen who everyone calls red because of her red sweater she loves to wear (even though her hair is red) is asked to go see her Grandma. Her Grandma is knitting her a new sweater and needs to measure her. Grandma asks her to grab a special flower for tea on her way over. So as Red is walking in the woods she is looking for this flower; she uses her detective book to look at the picture to compare. While walking she can’t seem to find the flower, but all of a sudden a friendly wolf approaches with a bunch of flowers claiming they are the right ones. Red doesn’t believe him, but it gives him time to get to Grandma’s to eat her before Red gets there. She finally finds the right flower and heads to Grandma’s. When she gets there she realizes something is wrong but uses her detective skills to realize that the wolf is there and not Grandma. Red makes a special tea that makes him spit Grandma out. Then they drink tea and take Red’s measurements for her new sweater. I don’t really know what to say about the book. This author produces cute kid’s stories, but I also find them odd. The story always tends to move fast and skip detail so it always just seems rushed to me. Then the ending just seems anti-climatic and strange.

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The Challenger (The Hustlers Trilogy Book 2) by Rowan Rossler – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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The Challenger: A Sports Romance Saga (The Hustlers Trilogy Book 2)The Challenger: A Sports Romance Saga by Rowan Rossler
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The Challenger is a story about two people who are famous (within their fields), but have a lot of baggage and no capacity for love. Chavez is a pro tennis player who over the last year has gone downhill due to family issues, separating from his fiance, and issues with rage. While waiting for his therapist, he meets Flynn, a writer and motivational speaker. Both of these individuals are not in the place to add someone to their life but are unusually drawn to each other. The two of them are honest but shady about the hardships they are going through, but they are so attracted to each other that much of these feelings are ignored and sex and attraction are replaced as the fix-all. They are both trying to regain their lives, Chavez is trying to get back to tennis and Flynn is trying to start a new writing adventure. While all this is occurring, each of them are dealing with many other problems – Chavez has no coach and issues with his parents since the breakup – Flynn is trying to deal with a stalker that has been around for over a year. They decide to explore their feelings but in a messed up way – she becomes his coach for the amateur rounds of tennis and starts to travel around the world with him. This tour around the world brings them closer and closer together and each is finding puzzle pieces to becoming whole again. Flynn however is hiding a lot of information while Chavez is basically confessing his love. Flynn starts to realize that she loves him but doesn’t want him messed up in her history. Is there a way where the past can be healed and a future of happiness can prevail?
This book was okay. I did enjoy the premise of the story, but I thought the author left some things to be desired. For example, the sexy, steamy attraction the two characters had you could tell was there but she left a lot to the imagination – I would have preferred to have it written right on the page. The chemistry between the characters was good but I didn’t really enjoy the characters themselves. I didn’t really find anything special about either of the characters. I do like how you could see Chavez become more and more vulnerable, but it was a little hard to believe in a 25-year-old kid with anger issues – I guess that development though was intriguing. Flynn was an everyday female who came across as educated, brave, and well-rounded but I felt she just took a back seat to female characters. However, I did like that the disagreement that climaxed in the book didn’t take over the entire thing – quick resolve, but believable.

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His Forever Muse (The Echo Series Book 2) by C.R. Alam – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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His Forever Muse (Book 2 of The Echo Series)His Forever Muse by C.R. Alam
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

His Forever Muse is the second book in The Echo Series. In the first book we met Rae and Dean, but we also met Rae’s best friend Brandon. Brandon Rossi is the front man in a famous band, Canis Major. However, Brandon is also an artist and at the beginning of the book seems to have lost his way. He is visiting Rae while waiting to give birth and she helps him realize that maybe he needs to recharge his batteries. He decides it is time to rediscover himself and get back to having motivation to keep creating, creating music and art. On his travels, he ends up in Morocco, which wasn’t on his original journey, however, this stop leads him to a long lost friend. Calliope Chen-Bisset (Callie), his bestfriend and bandmate’s sister showed up to consult on some art for a new project when they are reunited. Brandon and Callie grew up together and were very good friends until she went to college. When speaking about their past I think both were closer then they ever realized and depended on each other, but as in many situations life happens. Now that they have reunited, neither of them are wanting to let go. The problem is though, Brandon lives in New York and Callie in Paris. Callie is fighting a past that won’t seem to let her go, and Brandon is trying to keep the past from slipping through his fingers again. Each seem to be realizing that they have an energy together that they have never felt with anyone else. There lives are so far apart, but Brandon refuses to let her go again, but will her past keep her from moving forward and letting him in? Is he ready to really give up his entire life to make sure he stays in hers?
I really enjoyed book 2. I was already loving Brandon in the first book. He is an honest, down to earth, smart, artistic, gentleman who is a romantic at heart. In every ounce of this book he was respectful, loving, patient, and just what every woman would dream of. Callie was a great character too. She is brave, strong, and finding herself once again as a force to be reckoned with. The chemistry the two had jumped off of the page. You could truly feel the love they had for each other. The author described the feelings in a great way where you could feel the strength at times it took to hold back, or how much hurt they were dealing with. I will say the first love scene, wow!!! Before they even get to the main course she is approaching him like a piece of art and the process of taking her time absorbing everything this man had to offer – okay sign me up – HOT!! Definitely excited for book 3!

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Master Calabrea (Masters of the Consulate Book 6) by Sylvia Black – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Master Calabrea: Dark Vampire Romance (Masters of the Consulate Book 6)Master Calabrea: Dark Vampire Romance by Sylvia Black
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was another good vampire romance in the Masters of the Consulate series. This book sort of leaves off where book 5 ended – Isala is trying to overthrow the underworld and kill her sister. They have been hunting her and finally feel they are on her trail. In book 6, things are going down in Master Calabrea’s territory. They do not know who to trust because even their own kind seem to be turning on them. Master Calabrea and Overmaster Descallia are going over plans to keep everything under control. What Master Calabrea didn’t plan on was Tansia, the cousin of Embry, who works for Overmaster Descallia and is with his right-hand man, Lucus. The tension between Calabrea and Tansia is there from the start – he doesn’t want to have to take care of another person, especially a human even though he is physically attracted to her. Tansia, doesn’t want to get involved with the underworld, she just left a bad relationship, and she doesn’t like how Calabrea is eying her up and down. However, Overmaster Descallia groups them together to try and find intel on what is going on. Tansiacomese to find out that she should have powers of sight; she does not believe this to be true because she claims she has no powers. However, it is foretold that her sight and a master will save the underworld. This partnership quickly takes a turn toward romance. Because of the blossoming love, will that help them save the underworld, will she gain the power she needs to win this war, and will being a human get in the way of everything?
I thought this was a good addition to the series. It wasn’t my favorite story in the series, however, but I am glad that answers are finally coming to the forefront. I thought the characters were great. Tansia is a badass woman who is proficient in martial arts, and for a human she can really handle herself in their world. Master Calabrea is a little mysterious and rough around the edges, but completely loveable. The banter at the beginning that they have gives great build up. While I love that this book, and many of the others in the series, moves quickly along, the love story portion of this book happened in a blink of an eye. One minute I felt like they would never allow this relationship to happen, but then the next chapter starts and it is a completely different story. I would have just liked a little bit more build-up. Overall, still a good addition to the series.

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Braving Lily (True Platinum Series Book 7) by Morgana Bevan – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Braving Lily (True Platinum, #5)Braving Lily by Morgana Bevan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Braving Lily was a great rock star romance. Lily is a famous rock star who auctioned off a date for charity. When she went to meet the date, she was stood up. For some reason, she cannot get over the fact that she was stood up and decided to confront the man. The man is Rhys, a divorced man who isn’t ready to date but is constantly being set up by his mother. After they do meet for the first time, both of them are intrigued with each other and decide to try a real date. While the two didn’t start on a great footing, they quickly start to really enjoy each other’s company. Lily is giving him feelings he hasn’t felt in quite some time, he finds himself trusting her very easily. He provides a private life and a non-caring about her fame mentality that makes her quickly fall for him. However, the problem both face is she is leaving for a year long tour so they try to keep it casual, but that is hard to do when feelings get involved. Can they both get over their past and present livelihoods to let this love story bloom?
I liked this story a lot. I liked how it started with a girl going after what she “wants”, but the guy not wanting her just because she is famous. They advance quickly in their dynamics and I love how there was no bull in the story. The author kept it straightforward, always moving, with one issue, and a solution. I feel that while they experienced miscommunication, she kept that part short and sweet so I didn’t get pissed at the characters. I thought the characters were great. Lily was a strong, but vulnerable girl who goes after what she wants and doesn’t apologize for it. However, she is also caring and honest about her life. Rhys was also a strong, caring, honest character. He was upfront about his expectations, and while he had insecurities, his confidence was sexier. I will also mention that the sex scenes were just spicy enough for a nice romance-type story.

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Saving the Gingerbread House by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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saving the gingerbread housesaving the gingerbread house by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was an interesting story. Saving the Gingerbread House is a weird play on the original story of Hansel and Gretel. In this story, Hansel and Gretel are out for a picnic with their dad. They are careful while having a picnic because there are rumors about a witch who has a cauldron, who might kidnap children, who might eat children, etc. The kids hear a sound and go running away from the picnic and get lost, but they come upon a gingerbread house. They start to eat the house, along with the forest animals, and the woman who lives there is mad because she is trying to win a beautiful house contest. She forces the kids to help fix the house. Gretel tells the woman her dad will worry and had to go find him, but she keeps going down the wrong path. Finally, she finds her dad, brings him back to the house, and the woman wins the contest. In the end, the question is “was the woman a witch?” I did not really understand the point of the book, especially the ending. Normally this author has a learning point of view and I am not really sure what the message was here. I am sure kids may like this book because there is a cool candy house, but as a parent wasn’t my favorite.

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Ruthless Hawke (The Hawke Family Second Generation Book 1) by Gwyn McNamee – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Ruthless Hawke (The Hawke Family Second Generation Book 1)Ruthless Hawke by Gwyn McNamee
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

After “Night Hawke” left you on a cliffhanger, of sorts, it was totally worth it for “Ruthless Hawke”. I really loved book one in this series. This book starts 5 years after ‘Night Hawke’ with Issac (aka Nolan) in court working for his family’s businesses as their lawyer. After court that day he gets an emergency text from the family to get over to his dad’s office. On the other side of the story, Mina (aka Jack) is on her way to New Orleans to “hide” with a family friend of her father’s that she has never met. Her mother is Donne in Chicago and threats have been made against the family. Until the threat is handled they want Mina in a place no one would look. While not trying to give too much away, you come to see very quickly how Nolan and Jack will reunite after these 5 years. Two people who have been obsessed with each other, in their own minds, but never thought they will ever see each other again are now going to be emotionally jolted. The man she has been dreaming about is now her protector. Needless to say, Issac is pretty pissed after how they parted, but there are many complications coming their way. Can Issac handle being around this woman who has haunted him for so long, and can he keep her safe from this threat? Will the secrets the two have been keeping come out and affect the situation? Will they be able to keep their hands off each other? It is definitely a great story projected just what a small world it is out there.
I really enjoyed this book. I thought the plot was fast-moving and interesting, the characters were loveable, and the surprises along the way were great. As for the characters, these two together are just magic on paper. Issac is a confident, over-protective, possessive (in an endearing way), smart, and overall sexy character. Mina is a strong, but shelter woman. She hasn’t been given much freedom in her life, but she still is a dreamer, realist, creative, talented female character. The two have great chemistry even when they are fighting. The intimate scenes, while it is mainly a plot-driven book, are amazing. He is a dirty talker which helps you truly visualize the aspects that are happening between the two of them. The one thing that was a little difficult is that there are a lot of characters introduced and it was really hard to keep track, but props to the writer she kind of include the difficulty in the characters remembering family too. I am excited to read other books that come out in this series.

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Echoing Hearts (The Echo Series Book 1) by C.R. Alam – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Echoing Hearts (Book 1 of The Echo Series)Echoing Hearts by C.R. Alam
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Echoing Hearts was a good romance book. It starts with Dean, a successful, handsome, CEO, getting stood up at the altar. Then three years later, he is a changed man who is just walking through life. Rae, is a renowned travel blogger who is asked to go do a piece for Home Magazine on a house in the south. Rae does not know who the house belongs to and seems confused when she pulls up to an empty house, however, it actually isn’t empty when she stumbles upon a sexy man doing laps in the pool. Their meeting was rocky, he didn’t want to be disturbed, and she told him how it is. They quickly however learned to tolerate each other for that short weekend Rae would be doing the piece. Months later Rae is attending an event for her BFF Brandon who fronts a band – Dean happens to own the company that signed the band. The two have sporadically thought about each other, but due to the rocky start were intimidated about running into one another. However, the two do meet and begin a friendship. This quickly turns into something else but you have two individuals not wanting or not “available” for a relationship. Rae doesn’t believe in love and Dean is still “dealing” with being left at the altar. Can the two of them find a middle ground to further their friendship and get over their pasts?
As I stated before, the book was cute. The banter between the characters was on point. The book was a little longer but the chapters went quickly. Rae is an independent, straight shooter. Dean is a stuffy, misunderstood, heartbroken man, but at the same time has an air about him. The two complimented each other well. However, as a 40-year-old woman, I am getting tired of the “miscommunication” romance. The book seems to have a lot of moments where if you just say something and listen carefully, the drama could be avoided, but I guess we live for the drama. I did like how you could feel the change in both characters and the love jumping off the page. I will be interested in reading the next book in the series.

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Loretta’s Caterpillar (Loretta’s Insects) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Loretta's Caterpillar (Loretta's Insects #4)Loretta’s Caterpillar by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Loretta’s Caterpillar was a cute story of how caterpillars become beautiful butterflies. Loretta woke up to no more butterflies flying around her garden and she got quite upset. When she went to investigate, she saw many little eggs on leaves. She started to look after one of them that she considered her pet. She saw the egg hatch, as a caterpillar, change colors, build a chrysalis, and become a beautiful butterfly. The author always takes Loretta on an adventure teaching the reader along the way about nature. Even as an adult I learned that caterpillars always eat their shedded skin and if the butterfly has black dots that indicates it’s a boy! The author always provided a summary at the end about the subject which is a great teaching moment.

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Night Hawke (The Hawke Family Second Generation Prequel) by Gwyn McNamee – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Night Hawke (The Hawke Family Second Generation #0.5)Night Hawke by Gwyn McNamee
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

If you were looking for a quick all-night sex extravaganza, then Night Hawke is your book. Issac Hawke is a newly graduated lawyer who is leaving Chicago to move back to New Orleans to be a part of the family business. He thought having one more amazing celebration with a gorgeous redhead would do the trick. The two spark up a conversation both wanting the same thing – a really good one-night stand. The catch is that they want to end it with no strings, which means no real names; Isaac goes by Nolan and the redhead goes by Jack. Well, this one-night stand becomes the best thing either one of them has ever experienced. The whole story is a prequel that starts their relationship, but the only thing that really occurred was a lot of untruths (to safeguard each other’s feelings, but also their lives) and sex, lots and lots of sex. “Jack” you don’t really learn much about her except that her family is highly controlling and she isn’t supposed to be out. She makes little hints but there is no description of why she is kept “captive” by her family – my guess will be maybe mafia related. Either way, the two feel more then they expect when one night turns into two. However, while Nolan wants more, he is left wanting when she up and leaves in the morning. He has no information on how to find her except that she lives and is from Chicago – he doesn’t even know her real name. As characters, I find both of them charming, and mysterious, but want more for their lives. That is the only info you get so the prequel sets you up for future stories, but you have no idea what that will be. It worked because I am interested to find out what happens.

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Throwing the Curve (Playing for Keeps Book 2) by Lauren Fraser – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Throwing the CurveThrowing the Curve by Lauren Fraser
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Throwing the Curve is a sports romance between Peyton and Ryan. Peyton is a director of a community center who will be working with the Hawks, a professional baseball team. She meets one of the players, Andy, and really hits is off, however he is hiding some important information. This deceitful behavior leads Peyton to have to use Ryan, the star player on the team, to save her from embarrassment. This joint union ends up being one of the best things to happen, once the two of them stopped making assumptions about each other. What is suppose to be a business transaction ends up becoming all to real. However, each of them, especially Ryan, have some major insecurities around relationships. Hopefully he can get it together before everything is ruined.
I really enjoyed this sports romance with a little enemy to lovers motif. Each of the characters were loveable, but Ryan you had to get to know a little before that happened. By the end, he became one of my favorite characters and you could really see love develop over the page. I enjoyed how the book had male figures standing up for female rights and defending a positive treatment for them (but with that comes some negative treatment of women too). Peyton was a great character. She was strong, feminine, intelligent, but also realistic. I enjoyed her strength throughout. Overall, it was a good, fun read.

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Vaughn’s Xena (Dirty Rockhard Billionaire Book 1) by M.I. Rosegold – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Vaughn's Xena (Dirty Rockhard Series, #1)Vaughn’s Xena by M.I. Rosegold
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Well, Vaughn’s Xena was one of the smuttiest books I have read in a while. If you like a raunchy, best friend’s brother trope, this one is for you. This story is about a college student named Xena who fantasizes about her roommate’s (and best friend’s) brother, Vaughn. Vaughn is a wealthy, handsome, fit man, but one who is also private and apparently hates women, besides his sister, Ronnie. Vaughn has not been seen with a woman for quite some time and he seems to be super private, Xena knows from the start that her fantasies will stay just that. But, on a weekend break, Xena and Ron go to stay at Ronnie’s mansion and her brother is making the trip too. Xena comes to find out that Vaughn has been pining for her for a very long time. This is the start of their raunchy adventures. Xena, while very happy that Vaughn also wants her, she is worried about Ronnie. Will she be mad at Xena for being with Vaughn? Will the sibling relationship, which is very strong, weaken by this development? These questions haunt Xena so the relationship starts as a secret and we all know that never ends well! Will they be able to all find a way to be happy?
I enjoyed this book! I thought that the characters were loveable, but it has to be your cup of tea. Vaughn, well he is just all man, but he is the jealous and possessive, somewhat stalker type. What I love about him though is that the domination mainly revolves around the aspects of sex, in the real world he is always proud of Xena and how she handles business. He is also always showing her how he thought about her in many of the decisions that he made which was sweet. Xena is a quiet, secret sex craze woman, but one that knows what she wants. There are very vivid and explicit sex scenes and degradation – so if that isn’t for you don’t read. It is a story that progresses pretty fast, with feelings -one-day “strangers” and the next they are “in love”. I will say that one thing that really annoyed me, and it is probably just a “me” thing, was that the author said “gosh” a good amount. Now, this word normally doesn’t bother me, but when you are vividly stating what is happening, with all the juicy words that go with it, but then constantly say “gosh” it just throws off the vibe for me. Overall though, it was a pretty good read.

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Fear Inc: Volume 3 by Melinda Valentine – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Fear Inc.: Volume ThreeFear Inc.: Volume Three by Melinda Valentine
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I just love a good love story between the brother’s best friend and the little sister. One thing I really enjoyed was right off the bat they are together – there was no build-up – no angst – until there was. It starts off with a hidden relationship between Kasper and Krysta. Krysta was 19 and Kasper was a couple of years older and completely in love. However, as most of these books go it is a secret, but then Krysta becomes pregnant. Kasper didn’t have a great upbringing and never thought he would make a good parent and completely dropped the ball. They broke up and Krysta was destroyed. Six years later, Krysta and Kasper have a love-hate relationship because her brother is still best friends with him and her brother and Kasper work together. However, Krysta has “moved on” with her life and is engaged to be married, but the feelings are not the same for that man. Krysta is also getting over a trauma where her fiance is not the most supportive person. As the story progresses, both Krysta and Kasper realize that their feelings have never really changes and Kasper is now ready to make her officially his. That may take some work since she “hates” him so much, but slowly she starts to let him in. Can they get back what they had lost? Will Krysta’s brother be okay with that? Can you come back from such heartache?
There is a lot that happens in this story, I just didn’t want to give too much away. However, I really enjoyed the story, the banter, the characters. Krysta is a sassy, smart, independent woman just trying to figure things out. Kasper is a badboy-type playboy, but it really is a cover-up for the love he never lost for Krysta. Now that he is growing up, a little, he wants her back. He is loveable, jealous type, but also goes after what he wants. He teases her a lot which was intriguing and sexy. The chemistry both have coming off the page was great. While I have never read anything else from this author, I will most likely be going back and reading the first 2 books!

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Bees in Loretta’s Bonnet (Loretta’s Insects) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Bees in Loretta's BonnetBees in Loretta’s Bonnet by Lois J. Wickstrom
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Bees in Loretta’s Bonnet is an okay children’s book. In the story, Loretta loses her bonnet, while looking for wood for the fireplace. When she was preparing the wood, she found a strange brown tube. Her mother explains that it was made by the bees, it was their nest where the mom lays her eggs. Loretta returned the nest outside so the bees would be able to hatch and find flowers. She found a lot of clues that the bees had hatched and were flying about. She wanted to find them so she went walking in the woods and she finds that bees have actually made a nest in her lost bonnet. She wanted her bonnet back but realized she shouldn’t mess with the bees and allowed them to keep it. When she got home. Her dad suggests they made a home for the bees in the yard and Loretta was happy because she wanted more bees.
The book was cute if you like bees. I am not a bee person but I do love how the author teaches the reader about the different lives the insects may live – this one just happens to be about bees. I do also like that the author put in instructions for kids to make their own bee hives for their backyards. The best thing this author does is teach and make it a hands-on experience. However, I always feel there are pieces of the story missing when I read this author’s work.

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My Pearl Heart by J.N. Sheats – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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My Pearl HeartMy Pearl Heart by J.N. Sheats
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

My Pearl Heart is a story about a woman named Jasmine Hayes. She is a witty, beautiful, smart business owner of Divine Events. She comes from a socialite family and after her parents died, she went into business with her best friend, Cadence. Cadence is an unreliable, money-hungry, selfish business partner. The first chapter actually starts with Jasmine making out with a stranger in Cadence’s kitchen. She quickly comes to find out this stranger is James Conner, an old client’s arrogant son and Cadence’s new fiance. Needless to say, Jasmine is shocked to find out this news, and even more when hears that Cadence wants her to plan her wedding. Jasmine is professional, but how is she going to get through this when she has never had a feeling like the one James gave her? Throughout the story, James is super flirty and comes clean that he wants her and the marriage is just a “scam” to help each other’s needs. She also wants him but they just can’t for so many reasons. However, will they find a way to make it work, will it be worth it, and will Jasmine allow Cadence to continue treating the business and people around her like crap?
I really enjoyed this book. I think it was a storyline different than the normal enemies-to-lovers/friends-to-lovers mentality. Cadence was that annoying, thinks she is better than everyone character that you just want to punch her in the face. However, Jasmine and James were great characters. Jasmine is a confident, established, smart woman who is also very down to earth. James is a pain in the ass, but no bullshit type of man. He has always made his feelings pretty known to Jasmine and really continues to fight for what he wants. The banter, the description of how he looks at her, etc were all really sexy. The building of a love story was a good one!

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Underboss’s Retaliation (Sicilian Gods Book 2) by Via Mari – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Underboss's Retaliation (Sicilian Gods Book 2)Underboss’s Retaliation by Via Mari
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Underboss’s Retaliation is a dark mafia romance about enemy families. Dominic is the new underboss of the Larussio family. The Larussio family is trying to retaliate against the De Rosa family ever since they attacked and killed a handful of people from their family at a wedding. While Dominic is getting his revenge on the De Rosa’s, they capture the boss’s daughter. Emelia De Rosa is an educated female, but very much hidden from the work of her father’s life. She was taught how to somewhat protect herself, but not enough. She is feisty, and Dominic is highly attracted to that. While she tries to escape, she realizes that she is highly attracted to Dominic as well. The two of them know that this match can not happen, but can they resist each other? What does this mean for Emelia – she is the prisoner and the enemy’s daughter?
I enjoyed this book very much. I love a good dark mafia romance, enemies-to-lovers trope. I thought the story was quickly moving which kept my interest. The main characters were also loveable, even Dominic. Dominic is demanding, strong, and a little possessive, but also has respect for women. He shows a lot of honesty in her presence when he can. This mafia family takes care of their own which allows Emelia to feel pretty safe, even when she shouldn’t. Emelia is a great character. She is feisty, smart, and witty, but also very understanding. She also shows how much family means to her and that she too is willing to protect family, if they are deserving of it. This is the second of the series that I have read and probably will continue to follow the story.

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Married Blind (King of Screen Book 2) by Morgana Bevan – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Married Blind (Kings of Screen, #2)Married Blind by Morgana Bevan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Married Blind: A Marriage of Convenience was a great romance book. Finn is one of the “Kings of Screen”, in Hollywood, with a bad boy reputation. He had a relationship that destroyed his image and continued to make poor decisions. His agent thought it would be best to marry a stranger on the show “Married Blind” to improve his image, but he would not be marrying another celebrity. Abi is a woman living in New York taking care of her sister who is in remission from cancer. They need help paying off their medical bills and this show is willing to pay her to marry a celebrity. Both go into the marriage thinking it is a stunt to improve both of their lives, but when both are highly attracted to each other that task becomes difficult. After their honeymoon, they both decide to give it a real try. However, will Abi’s responsibilities lead her away from love, and/or will Finn’s history get in the way of trusting a relationship can work?
I just adored the characters in this book, and they had great banter. The spicy scenes were pretty good too. Finn just screamed Hollywood hotty to me! He was portrayed as a playboy, but someone who didn’t want to be. He was honest, but brutal at times. However, when he let his guard down, you could not help but fall in love with him. He loves hard and honestly, but can’t let his past go. Abi is adorable. From the beginning, she is sassy and strong but also caring. However, like Finn, she also can overthink, which leads to miscommunication. I would say that young people should read more books where miscommunication is the main issue – things can be solved so easily if someone just speaks lol!

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Ladybugs for Loretta (Loretta’s Insects) by Lois Wickstrom – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Ladybugs for Loretta (Loretta's Insects)Ladybugs for Loretta by Lois Wickstrom
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I have read a couple books by this author and I think this is my favorite so far. This children’s story is actually semi-”normal” for this author and provides children with a lot of information. Loretta is a little girl who loves to be mischievous, who one day stumbles upon a group of ladybugs all huddled together. She decided to bring them home where she learns that ladybugs stay in one spot and don’t eat while it is cold. So, Loretta decides to store them in her refrigerator to keep them to help her garden grow in the spring. However, everyday she was bringing more and more ladybugs home and the fridge had no more room left. Finally, though, spring came and it was time for the ladybugs to do their job in the garden. That summer they had the best crops their garden had ever seen, but when winter came, once again they would go under a rock till the next spring.
I actually learned something reading this book. I always knew that ladybugs were great for the garden. I went to a college that lived near a farm and each spring we would be bombarded with ladybugs in our dorm rooms because they used the ladybugs to keep all their plants healthy. However, I did not know about their habits in the winter. I found it strange and intriguing that Loretta kept the ladybugs in the fridge and they would be just fine once it was warm again. I love when I can read something that would teach my children and me something new and useful!!

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Where Do Pirates Go on Vacation? by Kim Ann – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Where Do Pirates Go on Vacation? : Fun pirate story that encourages imaginative and creative thinking. Ages 3 to 8, preschool to 2nd grade.Where Do Pirates Go on Vacation? : Fun pirate story that encourages imaginative and creative thinking. Ages 3 to 8, preschool to 2nd grade. by Kim Ann
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

What a cute children’s book “Where Do Pirates Go on Vacation?” is!! Because pirates are always sailing on adventures, the kids in the book wondered if pirates ever go on vacation. Do they relax, go camping, play games, dance, ever leave their ships? The message the book sends to kids is that they probably never need a vacation because everything they love is always with them. This was a cute book. It had a great message, diverse characters, great illustrations, and I loved the double layout of the book.

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Love Tools (Bluestone Series Book 1) by Isobel Reed – Review by Dr. Anya Schultz

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Love Tools (Bluestone Series, #1)Love Tools by Isobel Reed
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

Love Tools is a romance story about a lost girl, Lily,  from London who tries to rediscover herself in Bluestone County, USA. Lily’s estranged father left her his hardware store to run. Lily wasn’t happy in London lately so the change came at a good time. As she is trying to adjust to her new life in a small town, she runs into a gorgeous, cocky cowboy named Jake. There is an instant banter that stirs, but there is no denying the attraction they have for each other. They are forced to become closer when she befriends his sister. However, Jake has a reputation of a playboy who can’t commit so is warned to stay away. Due to her never running a business, she runs into a little bit of trouble and Jale offers to help. This is the start of a brewing romance. However, can the two of them figure out their own baggage to appreciate the connection they have found?

I enjoyed this romance novel. Both characters were very loveable. They had great banter and chemistry. She was portrayed as a strong independent woman trying to find her way, while Jake was the cowboy gentleman with an edge. The build of the romance seemed natural, not rushed, and really developed on the page. I am looking forward to the next book in the series.

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