Rose by Elle Casey

Rose Lancaster is running her animal clinic in Maine on a wing and a prayer. She doesn't have a lot (or any) funding and the only veterinarian who was willing to help her has just bowed out. Now her clinic has been robbed. It is NOT the time for a new romance. Too bad her fathers' lawyer, Greg Lister, is so dang cute.
Greg doesn't plan on falling in love with Rose, especially since he can't give her anything but bad news (at least he feels like it.) But their chemistry is just too strong (and her sisters are just too eager to put them together.
This book was not as disjointed as the previous book but still didn't flow smoothly. It felt like the ending didn't wrap up the loose ends (maybe there'll be a book for Smitty? But he wasn't portrayed well in this book).

Three stars
This book comes out today
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Amber by Elle Casey

Amber grew up on a communal farm with her two "sisters," Rose and Emerald, with each of their
three mothers taking turns raising them. She knows it's an idyllic existence which is why she's not super stoked that a hot lawyer-type is on her front porch with news that is going to change their entire lives. It seems they're actually the love children of the band Red Hot. Their mothers were groupies, and when they found themselves pregnant, they decided to leave. Hot lawyer wants to offer them 10 million dollars a piece to meet the band. Amber is the only sister who really wants to go. So she goes to New York and immediately gets accosted by a tattooed gentleman who seems to know her name.
Tyler Stanz is the newest member of Red Hot, replacing the lead guitarist. He's very "guyliner" in a band that is known for mullets. Neither the band nor their fans seem very accepting of him. Which is part of the reason he was so ready to help out by bringing Amber in from the airport, not that anyone has told him who she is.
As Amber and Ty start to figure out where each fits into the Red Hot family, they also start to discover just how their initial attraction can start to turn to love.
Elle Casey can be kind of uneven for me. The books I've read of hers have been rated from two to four stars. There were some definite sticking points in this book for me (how did Amber attend college and not know about smart phones or Snapchat; why did she start beating on some guy who definitely knew who she was) but I overall fell into the "like" category for this book. I liked the world-building and am ready to see Rose and Em get their own HEAs (and hopefully hot lawyer too, but preferably not with one of the sisters.)

Three stars
This book comes out February 6
ARC kindly provided by NetGalley

Wrong Question, Right Answer by Elle Casey

Oof. I was so looking forward to this book (and not just because the "lithping" plot moppet would have a smaller role.)  Toni was such an interesting character in the first two books. Strong, independent woman who had killed a man. And then, right away, she's sidelined by an unexpected pregnancy. The description of this story says that she's thrown for a loop, more than that, I'd say that she's caught up in one. One that we have to read about, her making bad decision after bad decision. I get that she is supposed to be growing but I'd rather not see that growth come about as as a result of such rampant stupidity.
Antoinette “Toni” Delacourte is a kickass operative of the Bourbon Street Boys. She's always had the hots for Lucky, the computer specialist. Like, always-always. Since they were kids. But she didn't think he liked her so she got involved with a bad guy. A really bad guy.
Too bad she didn't know that Lucky also had the hots for her. Because he did. And one drunken night leads them to that realization.
I so wish that their romance had been more to the forefront of this story. Instead we got one hookup, a pregnancy, a lot of Toni looping in her own head, and then an HEA. I just didn't feel it. Unfortunately, I just read the first book within the last week and comparing the fun of that book with the angst of this book just made this book seem so much... angstier. I will read Thibault's story but I'm worried about whether I will enjoy it.
Two and a half stars
This book comes out August 23

Wrong Place, Right Time by Elle Casey

So, you know how annoying a plot moppet is? Well, this plot moppet had a lisp (lithp?) and he talks a lot. A LOT. I usually give ARCs a little more leeway otherwise this would have been a fast DNF for me.
Which I'm glad I did finish because this was mostly a pretty decent book. Yes, it was outlandish and there was way more sex than romance, but I generally liked the hero and heroine. The height differential seemed a little extreme but considering I know some similar couples, I've seen it work.
Jenny is a single mom with three kids and an ex who is pretty worthless (of course). Her sister (who has her own book) asks her to come do some computer work for the Bourbon Street Boys. While she's there, Jenny meets Dev and then gets to spend some extra time with him courtesy of the loud thump that sends them running (well, Jenny gets dragged, more or less) to the panic room. They're only there for a bit but it gives her a chance to spend some extra time with the super-tall, shaved head man. She starts working for the Bourbon Street Boys and spreading her wings.
This book reminded me of a Julie Ann Walker book but she does NOT usually throw in lisping, annoying plot moppets.

Two and a half stars
This book comes out July 5