Just Finished:
Synopsis: When Ethan agreed to work at a sawmill his family is purchasing, he didn't foresee getting fired on his first day. He should be mad at the fiercely outspoken female foreman, but something about her seems disconcertingly familiar--even though Ethan is sure he'd remember meeting a stunning beauty like Anna Segee before.

Anna has never forgotten Ethan--or the schoolgirl crush she had on him before her father whisked her off to Canada. Now the shy, gangly girl is grown up and back in Oak Grove with a new name, new confidence and a newly inherited mill of her own. Her superb reputation in a male-dominated industry hasn't come easy, but even harder will be ignoring the sexy man Ethan has become....

My Thoughts: Janet Chapman only mildly disappointed me with this second installment of The Logger series (I’ll get to that in a moment). The book gets off to a fun start when Anna Segee fires Ethan for stepping in front of her loader, not knowing that his family is the new owner of the sawmill and, in essence, are her new bosses.

From there, the arguments just keep getting better. The fun just keeps on coming when Ethan moves into an empty cabin at Abby’s property, but invites himself to sleep in her home because the cabin isn’t exactly up to code for anyone to live in. Anna finds him to be as overbearing as her father and four over-protective brothers that she left behind.

I enjoyed the sparks between Anna and Ethan from the start. In that, Janet Chapman didn’t disappoint. What I didn’t like really had nothing to do with the story. It was the fact that Paul, the playboy of the Knight family, wouldn’t be getting his own story. His HEA was tidily pieced together in just a few pages of this book, and really disappointed me. I wanted to see Paul fall for a strong woman just like his brothers Ethan and Alex did.

Like I said, the only disappointment I felt had nothing to do with Ethan and Anna. Their story was excellent and kept me engaged from beginning to end.

Verdict: This was Very Good. I highly recommend it!

Labels: Contemporary Romance, Janet Chapman, Pocket, Very Good

Just Finished:
Synopsis: He set out to seduce her for all the wrong reasons -- but found himself falling in love with her for all the right ones.

Alex Knight is dead -- or so everyone thinks. A widowed logger baron with a risk-taking streak, he took on a South American engineering project and was reported dead after a rebel attack. So when he turns up back in Maine very much alive, his grieving family is shocked. But the biggest shock is Alex's, when he discovers he's now married -- to a woman he's never met.

Sarah Banks is ready for a change from running a quiet Bed & Breakfast, and working for the Knight family offers not only a bigger opportunity, but also the family life she yearns for. So she's glad to help secure custody of Alex's orphaned children, whom she's come to love, by marrying their father by proxy before he's legally declared dead. But when Alex returns, the sexy, determined woodsman upends all of Sarah's plans. Because suddenly she's married to a passionate stranger with an easy smile...and tumbling headlong into a fiery dance of seduction.

My Thoughts: I don’t think I’ve ever read a story before where the hero was presumed dead and comes home to find himself married to a woman he’s never met. I’m sure there may be more books like this out there, but I’ve never read them. So, I was interested in how JC was going to pull this unbelievable theme off. But then I started reading and from Sarah and Alex’s first meeting I was hooked. They had unbelievable chemistry right from the start that just continued to grow as the book went on.

Then there is the rest of the Knight family: Grady, the matchmaking schemer of a patriarch; Ethan, the gun-shy middle brother; and Paul, the youngest brother, a flirtatious lady’s man who is never at a loss for a date; and Tucker & Delaney, Alex’s children that Sarah adopted when she believed him to be dead. There are also the two side characters: John Tate, the local sheriff and Daniel Reed, the local Fish & Game Warden. I can only hope that they will all eventually get their own stories.

Alex was an awesome hero. I love how he and Sarah would try to best each other by coming to the rescue of each other, all ideas they each got by reading Sarah’s romance books. It was just hilarious. I had several laugh out loud moments as the two continuously tried to one-up each other throughout almost the whole length of the book.

Verdict: This was Very Good. I didn’t want this story to end. I got sucked in to the world of the Knight family and their Maine home from the very beginning and could not put the book down. I am anxiously looking forward to reading Ethan’s story, The Stranger in Her Bed, and sincerely hope that Ms. Chapman finishes this series.

Labels: Contemporary Romance, Janet Chapman, Pocket, Very Good

Just Finished:
Synopsis: Of all the Marcelli sisters, the one who dreams of running the family's winery is Brenna -- and she's about to get her chance. But taking the helm at Marcelli Winery is tougher than she bargained for -- especially when she butts heads with her grandfather, whose Old World ways dictate that a male should inherit the business. In need of some fast capital in order to prove her grandfather wrong, Brenna turns to Nic Giovanni, her family's nemesis....Years ago, she ended her secret relationship with Nic, choosing loyalty to her family over the hot passion they shared. But now he's back in her life, he's loaned her a million dollars, and their feelings for each other are stronger than ever. Brenna must find out for herself: is Nic the love of her life? Or the schemer who could topple the Marcelli dynasty -- and break her heart?

My Thoughts ***CONTAINS SPOILERS***: I enjoyed this one maybe most out of the series so far. Anyone who knows me at all knows I’m a sucker for an unrequited love / lost love kind of story. Brenna and Nic secretly dated 10 years ago and fell in love. Because they come from families that are mortal enemies of each other, they reached the point in their relationship where they needed to choose their future. Nic chose Brenna; Brenna chose her family. Nic was kicked out of the family and went to Europe while Brenna married a man she didn’t love.

Brenna finds herself working with Nic and the more time she spends with him, the more the old feelings surface. And when the old feelings surface, new conflicts arise. Such as Brenna finding out Nic had betrayed her. How she and her family handle this betrayal is great story telling by Susan Mallery, in my opinion.

I also enjoyed that the long-lost brother Joe makes an extended appearance in this story and I found myself really liking him. I enjoyed the reluctant, uncomfortable bond he formed with his sisters and how he soon adapted to being a bit of a protective older brother, especially to Brenna.

Verdict: This was Very Good. I enjoyed Brenna’s story very much and was happy to see that the conflicts that had been hinted at in the previous books came to a very satisfying conclusion. And I have to say, I found myself really liking that old crusty man, Lorenzo Marcelli, by the end of this story.

Labels: Contemporary Romance, Marcelli series, Pocket, Susan Mallery

Just Finished:
Synopsis: Francesca Marcelli married at eighteen -- right on schedule, according to her warm, colorful family, who have always said a beauty like Francesca need never worry about finding love. But a few years later, finding herself on her own with a wide open future ahead of her, she pursues her educational passions -- with a risky experiment that takes her straight into the arms of playboy CEO Sam Reese. Delighted by Francesca's interest in a no-strings relationship, Sam suddenly finds himself needing her outside the bedroom when a secret from his past lands on his doorstep. But Francesca soon has a secret of her own to tell -- a bombshell that will force the diehard bachelor to show his true colors. Are there "I do"s in Sam and Francesca's future? Only if she can persuade him that home truly is where the heart finds happiness.

My Thoughts: The second book in the Marcelli series is a great way to spend a day. I enjoyed Francesca and Sam’s relationship, starting from the unusual way they met. And of course, the writing’s on the wall as soon as they agree to have sex with no strings. They soon formed a friendship that turned into a relationship, unbeknownst to them.

The only thing I couldn’t forgive about the book and something that still bugs me is how Kelly (Sam’s secret daughter) traveled to Santa Barbara from New York. The 12-year-old girl ran right up to the counter, late for the flight and they let her right on??? No ID? No parent? A child claiming to be 15 and they didn’t question it? The way airport security is now? That was a stickler for me and still bugs me.

Okay, maybe a second thing bugged me a bit too. The use of the word “panties”. Maybe it’s a regional thing, I don’t know. But I don’t think grown women wear panties, do they? Underwear? Yes. Lingerie? Yes. Panties? Again, maybe it’s just a regional thing. But that left me with a bit of an ick factor.

Verdict: This was Good. Mallery’s writing is very good in this one, I just couldn’t get past the few things that bugged me. All in all, though, I did enjoy the read and was happy to spend some time with my favorite Irish-Italian family again.

Labels: Contemporary Romance, Good, Marcelli series, Pocket, Susan Mallery

Just Finished:

Synopsis: A party planner extraordinaire, Katie Marcelli loves her big, boisterous family -- even when their chronic matchmaking drives her crazy! In the Marcelli household, fine wine and good food are as celebrated as true love, so when her eighteen-year-old sister announces her engagement, Katie promises her the perfect wedding. There's only one hitch: the father of the groom, Zach Stryker, who is adamantly opposed to his son marrying so young. Now, despite her instant attraction to the handsome, arrogant attorney, Katie must approach with caution: Zach, who hired Katie for a major fundraiser, holds the fate of her business in his hands -- and how can she trust a man who is willing to break her sister's heart? It will take a passionate battle of wills to determine if wedding bells will ring for a Marcelli bride, and to unlock the deepest desires -- for family, love, and home -- inside a strong-willed man's heart.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this story. I’ve had the Marcelli books in my stacks for quite awhile now, but after talking to Nath and Anne over at Anne’s blog, I was motivated to whip these out and start reading them. And can I just say, I had an uber-crush on Zach from the very beginning???

This book is not only about Katie and Zach, but also encompasses the entire Marcelli Irish-Italian clan. I enjoyed the family aspect of the story, and I think SM did a wonderful job of world building for the future Marcelli books. I enjoyed Francesca, Brenna, and Mia almost as much as I did Katie and Zach (notice I said almost). Did I enjoy the grandfather, Lorenzo’s, male chauvinistic views?? No. Not so much, but it gives great groundwork for Brenna’s story and I can’t wait to see how she resolves this conflict.

As far as the much coveted ILY, I thought it came too soon. I was just starting to actually believe in Zach and Katie as a couple and then in the last two pages, it was over. I wouldn't have minded if the story would have been a little longer, but I suppose 326 pages is long enough. I have no suggestions on what could have made this better. It's just my opinion.

Verdict: This was Very Good. This was a wonderful starter book for the series and I’m looking forward to reading the rest soon (hopefully).

Labels: Contemporary Romance, Marcelli series, Pocket, Susan Mallery, Very Good

Just Finished:
Synopsis: Lily Morgan may be Shivaree, Georgia's most talked-about lady. Everyone in town knows about the bitter breakup of her marriage five years before, when Daniel Walker, her husband's tough, uncompromising lawyer, tore her reputation to shreds and left her with nothing but a wish to get even. But now something about Daniel makes her blood boil and her pulse quicken . . . not with righteous fury, but with passion.

Daniel has returned to Shivaree to once again match wits with Lily Morgan. The thought of a rematch with Lily delights him, for he has never forgotten her hot temper--or her lovely looks. But when a shocking murder shakes the town, Daniel joins Lily to find a killer, and their unexpected partnership sparks something between them they never expected--desire. Now Daniel, the strong-willed lawyer for whom winning is everything, realizes he must win the one reward he can't live without: Lily's forgiveness--and her love.

My Thoughts: I first heard about this book from a guest review that Nath did at Book Binge, and usually if Nath likes it, I’m pretty much guaranteed I’ll like it too.

By page 7 I was laughing out loud and that pretty much continued throughout the majority of the story. Lily is a stubborn character and I love how Daniel’s mission in life seems to be to get her riled at every turn. What he does to her and how she responds kept me laughing throughout most of the book. The amount of hatred that Lily had for Daniel seemed to leap right off the pages. Literally. But then, slowly the hatred turned to tolerance. Which turned to respect. Which turned into a friendship. Which turned into something else entirely.

I enjoyed Lily’s tenacity. She was a smart, stubborn, flawed woman. The fact that she was wronged, but still held her head up high just made me like her more. The fact that she hid her hurt and sadness behind acting out by wearing outrageous outfits or displaying a naked statue of David (no fig leaf) in her foyer just added depth to the character.

For the most part I enjoyed Daniel’s character as well. I enjoyed his sarcasm, his wit, and his sense of humor. He’s smart, shrewd, and driven to succeed. He’s also arrogant and cocky ~ which I guess adds to his charm. I also like how he is with Lily. First as an adversary, then as a friend.

The story was a wonderful read from beginning to end with not only great lead characters, but also a host of well-written side characters that gave great depth to the book. I loved every minute of it, and of course the ending left me with a goofy grin on my face with is a sure-tale sign that I enjoyed it.

Verdict: This was Very Good. This was the first book of Laura Lee Guhrke’s that I’ve read, but it definitely won’t be the last. I’m looking forward to catching up on some of her other stories and have her Guilty series on order.

Labels: Historical Romance, Laura Lee Gurhke, Pocket, Very Good