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Wrong for Him (The Love Lottery Series Book 3) by Christi Barth – Review by Trish Ann

Wrong for Him (Love Lottery, #3)Wrong for Him by Christi Barth
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It took me a little bit to get into the story. While I ended up liking it, I had a hard time connecting with the characters. I did like how Amelia and Teague’s friendship developed into a romance despite the obstacles they had as well as their history. I think the depth of their background together added an interesting dimension to the group dynamic as well. I would definitely read more books by this author and possibly the first two in the series. Even though books like these are standalones, I always feel I’m missing something when I don’t start from book one.

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The Bastard Prince (It’s Raining Royals) by Alix Nichols – Review by Trish Ann

The Bastard Prince (It's Raining Royals, #2)The Bastard Prince by Alix Nichols
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed the partnership of Sasha and Arnaud. They were well suited and deficits in their character was often filled by the other. Sasha’s medical issues was an interesting character development which gave some depth to her fierceness as a leading lady. I also enjoy the secrecy of Mont Ever and the hunt for the keys. The details of the family his also something well done in these books. The pain the characters experiences prior to meeting one another fuels the need to work together for finding the answers they seek. The overall story itself is good and I look forward to seeing how this storyline continues to unfold.

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Love’s Refrain (The Stardust Duet, Book 1) by KG Fletcher – Review by Trish Ann

Love's Refrain (The Stardust Duet, #1)Love’s Refrain by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a beautiful story. I really liked the way the time travel was done in the context of the plot. Kat and Phillip had a beautiful story. The author did a great job creating deep dislike for Spencer and creating a thorn in the side of Kat. I loved that the time travel was to the 1940’s and especially that the author compared Kat’s voice to that of Judy Garland at one point in the book. Definitely hit the mark for me. I look forward to reading Book 2!

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Stormwood by Luna Mayfield – Review by Trish Ann

StormwoodStormwood by Luna Mayfield
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a pretty good read. It was short but I did enjoy the idea of an estate holding paranormal secrets. Some of the parts felt a bit rushed event though their intent in building the plot was clear. I would have liked to see the events occur over along duration at the estate. I felt it developed too quickly in the timeline. I definitely would read other books by this author.

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The Boss Prince (It’s Raining Royals) by Alix Nichols – Review by Trish Ann

The Boss Prince (It's Raining Royals, #1)The Boss Prince by Alix Nichols
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book was very cute. I enjoyed the idea of and undercover mission and Lucie not knowing the identity of Max. The name of the organization was fun, too. I really enjoyed the scenes where they traveled the passageways. It was very reminiscent of National Treasure or Robert Langdon in the Dan Brown books. I would like to see how this story progresses in the series and would read more by this author.

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A Natural Passion by Tammy Mannersly – Review by Trish Ann

A Natural PassionA Natural Passion by Tammy Mannersly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a quick cute read. I liked the plot about being centered around the turtle preservation. I did not really connect with the characters in the story but that could be due to the brevity of the book. I did have a feeling about Jake from the start. Overall, it was a clear, clean plot and enjoyable.

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Journeys Through TimeSpace (Journeys Through Book 2) by James Talisman – Review by Trish Ann

Journeys Through TimeSpaceJourneys Through TimeSpace by James Talisman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Since I read the first one, I wanted to also read the second one to see how it picked up. I really appreciate the author’s attention to details and the pictures he paints of such creative places. The three friends, Matt, Julia and Dan have good chemistry and really bring the reader on the adventure with them. I appreciated in the first installment the ways the character faced challenges and the portrayal of different moral perspectives. This story was definitely easier to follow in terms of characters, setting and the overall plot. It was a good continuation in the series.

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Journeys Through SpaceTime (Journeys Through Book 1) by James Talisman – Review by Trish Ann

Journeys Through SpaceTimeJourneys Through SpaceTime by James Talisman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was definitely something outside of my comfort zone. I was interested in giving this book a shot because is is so different than what I normally read. I was not disappointed. The only drawbacks for me were personal. There was so much detail and characters to keep straight in my head. I did enjoy the Multiverse concept as well as the attention to detail with how the character explored the challenges they were facing. I also appreciated the allusion to cultures we are familiar with but with its own spin. This is definitely a good read for someone that is into the sci-fi/fantasy genre!

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Drew: Book One of the Perfectly Independent Series by Amanda Shelley – Review by Trish Ann

Drew (Perfectly Independent, #1)Drew by Amanda Shelley
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I thought this was a really good book! I was completely invested in Abby and Drew. I loved how aligned they were and their chemistry. I feel that the story flowed nicely and provided the right amount of details to support the situations at hand. The ending was perfect and couldn’t have imagined it any other way! I definitely would read more by this author.

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Slow Burn by A.K. Macbride – Review by Trish Ann

Slow Burn (Breathing Hearts, #2)Slow Burn by A.K. MacBride
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! The plot was very sweet and tied up the loose pieces all around. I feel like the arcs were complete for both Maddie and Adam. The moment with Maddie and her father was exactly the right and I definitely did not expect it to happen in the way it did. Sheldon was a great link that helped break down the walls.

I really appreciated Maddie’s passion for dancing and the way the author painted the picture of her dancing on the beach. I felt that connection of art and healing is really important.

Overall, I look forward to reading more from this author!

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Caught by Him by Tammy Mannersly – Review by Trish Ann

Caught by HimCaught by Him by Tammy Mannersly
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

It was a short, quick read. I thought Willa and Brody were sweet together. Overall, the plot was very light and things moved along. The conflict with Hayden and Carmody made sense to the story. I would have wished for just a little bit more depth overall. In the end though, it was a cute story.

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Hazard in Hawaii (A Doctor Danger Mystery BOOK 1) by Heather Silvio – Review by Trish Ann

Hazard in Hawaii (A Doctor Danger Mystery Book 1)Hazard in Hawaii by Heather Silvio
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a pretty interesting read. Since the book was short, the action was fast moving which I appreciated as I believe that if the book was longer, it would have been drawn out. I enjoyed the supernatural hook into the Hawaiian culture. I would be interested to read others in the Doctor Danger series to see other links to culture and the supernatural in other places. Overall, the plot made sense, the story was engaging and I would definitely read more in the series.

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A Divided Mind (The Divided Series Book 1) by M. Billiter – Review by Trish Ann

A Divided MindA Divided Mind by M. Billiter
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was definitely outside of what I normally choose. I’m glad I took a chance on this book! I kept in mind what was prefaced before the book even started and how this story even came to light.

While I wouldn’t necessarily classify it as a traditional thriller, it was definitely psychologically suspenseful at times. The consideration of how Branson’s voices and hallucinations manifested as well as the way his mother handled what was unfolding kept me very invested.

I’ve read a few books that contain characters with mental illness but I found this one to be one that really creates a supportive pull for all involved. I understood the rationale for the father, Ed and his role in the initial PTSD diagnosis but I felt that he was an inconsistent plot point.

I am definitely interested in reading the second book of this series, The Divided Twin.

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Dating the Intern by Natalina Reis – Review by Trish Taub

Dating the InternDating the Intern by Natalina Reis
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I absolutely enjoyed this book! I was engaged from the beginning and had a hard time putting it down. As a 37 year old woman, there was a lot of relatable ideas to the main character, Ivory. I will say, I am fortunate to not have the confidence demons that she has and I got so frustrated for her trepidation throughout the book.

I liked that the story was light and moved smoothly. The plot kept moving and all of the details were relevant to the story. I would definitely read more books by this author!

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Potager Plot (A Backyard Farming Series Book 5) by Vikki Walton – Review by Trish Ann

Potager Plot (A Backyard Farming Series, #5)Potager Plot by Vikki Walton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a good story. I wish I would have read the other books in the series first because I feel like I was missing some key points especially about the protagonist, Anne. She reminded me a lot of a Jessica Fletcher (or as her romantic partner called her, Nancy Drew). I wasn’t certain of her age and the rest of the gardening club so it was a little difficult when the characters kept mentioning age gaps to follow some of those.

I thought the mystery was pretty clean and the plot lines followed a certain structure. I did guess who did it in the middle of the book but it didn’t take away from the rest of the story.

Overall, I would read others in the series as well as other books by this author.

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Jake the Growling Dog Shares His Trail (Jake the Growling Dog Book 3) by Samantha Shannon – Review by Trish Ann

Jake the Growling Dog Shares His TrailJake the Growling Dog Shares His Trail by Samantha Shannon
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a cute story with a great message. As an elementary school teacher, this would be a great shared reading experience for discussion. The characters are enjoyable and the illustrations are beautiful. The rhyming is a fun part of the book for the kids but some of them are a little forced. I also liked the activities included at the end of the story.
Overall, this book was one I would check out the others in the series to see other adventures of Jake’s.

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HOLD ME FOREVER (HERON HARBOR Book 3) by LEA NOLAN – Review by Trish Ann

Hold Me ForeverHold Me Forever by Lea Nolan
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely enjoyed this story! It was engaging, moved smoothly and all of the plot points worked well together. There was nothing that felt forced or out of place especially being the third book in the series. I didn’t feel like I was missing key points at all.

Lark and Hunter had a beautiful second chance and the road to realization for what caused them to fall apart in the first place was well designed. I loved the character arc that Lark experienced with her family, herself and Hunter as she healed the parts of herself she denied and hid for so long. This was a beautiful story and I will most likely read the others in this series!

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Hairballs and Homicide (Kitty Beret Cafe© Mysteries Book 1) by Ruth J. Hartman – Review by Trish Ann

Hairballs and HomicideHairballs and Homicide by Ruth J. Hartman
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Where do I begin? I absolutely adored this book! It was a light, a little cheesy (in the best way!!!) and engaging read. First off, as a proud cat lady, I really appreciated the lengths that Ellie went through for the cats that reside at her cafe. The idea of running a cat cafe that also provides adoption opportunities for these cats is a huge win for me. I would definitely patronize that business and be a part of that. Great premise.

I thought that the mystery of the plot was good. There were, however, parts of the story that I felt became much, were not necessary or confusing to the overall plot but I did like the way it ended.

I thought the naming of her cat, Templeton was very clever. He was an absolute star in this book. I definitely would read more mysteries in the Kitty Beret Cafe series.

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Flirting with my Enemy (Love is a Mystery Book 1) by Laura Burton – Review by Trish Ann

Flirting with my Enemy: A Sweet Romantic Comedy (Love is a Mystery #1)Flirting with my Enemy: A Sweet Romantic Comedy by Laura Burton
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Flirting with the Enemy was a sweet story. I did have a lot of questions as I was reading since it really jumped in right at the start. I was glad that they were able to be answered as the story went on. I loved Zane’s character! Elle was a good character but I had difficulty at times connecting with her. She frustrated me because her train of thinking was all over the place at times and I just had a hard time with her. I did connect with her on a personal level when she was taking care of Joyce. It resonated with me regarding things going on in my life right now. Overall, it was a good story. The epilogue had me confused at first but then it made sense at the end. I would read more books by this author.

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Lyon Tamer by Jen Luerssen – Review by Trish Ann

Lyon TamerLyon Tamer by Jen Luerssen
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This story was really cute! Sheldon and Simone’s road was really sweet as were their adventures together. I loved the idea of being part of a rescue team liberating big cats. There were parts that felt a little forced but mostly it developed smoothy as pertaining to their relationship, obstacles and overall plot. I enjoyed the story and would read more by this author.

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Repair (Rescue Me Book 1) by Trish Williford – Review by Trish Ann

Repair (Rescue Me #1; The Everyday Heroes World)Repair by Trish Williford
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book. The second chance love story always gets my attention and this one definitely did not disappoint. I feel like the characters were well developed and their stories weren’t overdrawn in detail. Charlie and Trent were very sweet and I loved the she was his redemption. There was the right amount of heat and sweet in this love story as well as reliability. I liked the dynamic of Charlie’s siblings as well as the other people in their lives. Also, the drama wasn’t drawn out and what was included fit well within the plot. It wasn’t forced or drawn out taking away from the main intent. This small town, second chance for love story really hit its mark.

(There was also an allusion to Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz and that there is no place like home. That earned some bonus points from me!)

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Finding It All (Finding Happiness In Harmony Book 1) by Stacey Komosinski – Review by Trish Ann

Finding It All (Finding Happiness In Harmony Book 1)Finding It All by Stacey Komosinski
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This was a cute story and had some good moments. I think what I had difficulty with was I could not connect with Chloe and her mindset throughout the story. I also feel like there was a lot going on at times and there were some details that weren’t essential and did not add to the plot. I also kept wondering if something was wrong about Chris. I was glad the situation in the end made it clear why the premonition thing was important and tied that loose end for me. It was overall a nice story and I enjoyed it. I would read more by the author.

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Sex on Fire (Naughty Neighbor Book 1) by Ashley Bostock – Review by Trish Ann

Sex on Fire: A Quickie Read (Naughty Neighbor Book 1)Sex on Fire: A Quickie Read by Ashley Bostock
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This was a super quick read! I would have liked to see a little more development prior to them getting together. There was, however, a fair amount of story within the short amount of pages. I appreciated the glimpse of character development that alluded to Poppy being an introverted person realizing that a relationship with Turner will encourage her to come out of her comfort zone. I would like to see a continuation of this and see where their journey progresses.

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Unlikely in Love (A Parker Lake Novel Book 1) by Olivia Sherwood – Review by Trish Ann

Unlikely in Love (A Parker Lake Novel Book 1)Unlikely in Love by Olivia Sherwood
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I absolutely loved this book! It was an all around beautiful story with well developed relationships. I loved the relationship that Annie had with Sophie. The selfless, good-hearted nature of Sophie was something instilled in Annie and spoke volumes of the woman that she was. Wyatt, with all of his cracks, was to the core a genuine, sweet man that’s heart was made for someone like Annie. I loved his relationship with his parents, sister and most of all, his niece Hattie.

I loved that the story focused not necessarily on the hardships that they faced but how they filled in their cracks together and became the support for the other. I appreciated that there wasn’t too unneccessary drama that could take away from the story and the intended focus. The “hiccups” the characters faced were important pieces to their character development which in turn enriched the plot. I thought this was a very well envisioned arc.

The Heart of Baker Bay by Danielle Jacks – Review by Trish Ann

The Heart of Baker BayThe Heart of Baker Bay by Danielle Jacks
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was a quick, sweet read. It did take a little bit to get into but once I did, I really enjoyed the story. I liked the development of how Adam’s walls were built due to having his heart broken by an outsider yet Jody, an outsider, helped tear them down. Jody’s struggle with confidence is understandable especially with having the type of relationship she had with her older sister. I would definitely read more books by this author.

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Georgia Clay (Southern Promises Book 1) by KG Fletcher – Review by Trish Ann

Georgia Clay (Southern Promises, #1)Georgia Clay by K.G. Fletcher
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Georgia Clay was such a beautiful love story! I was hooked from the first meeting between Clay and Katie. I loved how sweet their story was and how it didn’t have the usual turbulence of the genre. When Katie got on the Harley and saw the vanity plate, my heart just about burst! Talk about a beautiful, karmic moment. I absolutely loved the lightness of the story and how endearing it was. It was the perfect summer read that hit all the right heartstrings.

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Mr. Nice Guy (Pierce Brothers Book 1) by Belinda Williams – Review by Trish Ann

Mr. Nice Guy (Pierce Brothers, #1)Mr. Nice Guy by Belinda Williams
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book was a fantastic read! I had a very hard time putting it down and finished it in a few hours. Chelsea and Tom were very sweet and I thoroughly enjoyed the development of their situation. It was refreshing to see a man who overthinks and not just the woman as that brings a different perspective to a relatable issue. The roles their work played, life experiences and idiosyncrasies of their personalities were well incorporated into the plot. I felt like the story was pieced nicely together. The concept of the nice guy taming the unconventional girl with a penchant for under-appreciating men really hit the mark for me! A quote that really stood out to me was, “You think it’s hard to live with regrets? It’s harder to die with them.” This is definitely a good read if you are looking for a romantic comedy with some insight.

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Moonlit Whisper: An Irish Romance (Moonlit Destination Series) by Amy McKinley – Review by Trish Ann

 

&nbspMoonlit Whisper (An Irish Romance)Moonlit Whisper by Amy McKinley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Overall, the story was a decent, quick read though I did have a heard time getting involved in this story. I would have liked to see more depth of the characters though I do understand that since it was short that is not always easy to do. The base of it is enjoyable and I really liked the character connections between Fiona, Connor and Lach. I would read more from this author and would like to see other types of books from her.

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Moonlit Mirage (A Cook Islands Romance) by Amy McKinley – Review by Trish Ann

Moonlit Mirage - A Cook Islands Romance (Moonlit Destination Series)Moonlit Mirage – A Cook Islands Romance by Amy McKinley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This story was laid out nicely. The strong memory that Cade had of Nadia was well thought. I also liked the personal reasons that guided them together. The connection from their past encounter and their present was clever. I didn’t get a strong sense of suspense as I’ve seen in other reviews but the story was carefully thought through. I appreciated the shorter story because I feel that the length may have drawn it out and impacted the feel of the story.

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Moonlit Kiss (A Venice Romance) (Moonlit Destination Series) by Amy McKinley – Review by Trish Ann.

 

Moonlit Kiss (A Venice Romance)Moonlit Kiss by Amy McKinley
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

This book had a nice story but I had difficulty embracing Giana’s character. Sergio’s romanticism was great but their chemistry wasn’t a complete sell for me. I did appreciate the women tapestry of the past and present, mirroring what was god on against what had already transpired. I loved the pieces of history and the connection to art. I also enjoyed how the characters fit in together and Giana’s relationship with the parties that were her present but also how it connected with her past. The fountain scene was my favorite!

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