Earls Trip by Jenny Holiday

stars

This book comes out April 23, 2023

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Wait Until Midnight by Amanda Quick

Caroline Fordyce, the well-known widowed author of sensational novels, seems to be caught up in a real-life sensation of her own. She was just trying to do research for her next novel but, after the medium she was visiting is killed, Caroline comes under the focus of Adam Hardesty. Normally, she is not the sort of person he would focus on. At least in her opinion. They move in entirely different social circles. So why is he focusing on her now? Soon the two are caught up in a world of murder and blackmail. And, quite possibly, they are finding their way to true love.

A typical Quick book. Good for a light, fast read.

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 25, 2005

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus catalog

Opinions are my own

Ghost Hunter by Jayne Castle

When Elly found out that Boone Cooper was only engaged to her because it was good for the Guild (of which he is the Aurora Springs boss), she broke off their engagement and fled her small town for the big city. When she calls him, he's quietly sure that she's ready to come back to him. It comes as a big shock when she asks for help finding a lost friend. It's even more shocking that finding her friend pulls them into a drug ring conspiracy and hunting down a man determined to kill Boone.
Decent story in the Harmony series though not one of my faves.

Ghost Hunters #3

Three stars

This book came out May 28, 2006

Follows After Glow

Followed by Silver Master

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

Lie by Moonlight by Amanda Quick

Concordia Glade thought that she had landed the perfect job. She had just been fired from her last position and working as a teacher to four girls at an out of the way castle seemed like a dream come true. Except that the dream was more like a nightmare. The girls kept telling her that their last teacher disappeared mysteriously and Concordia is beginning to think that she's about to do the same. She and the girls concoct a plan to escape. Their pyrotechnics display annoys Ambrose Wells who has come to the castle in order to disrupt the plans of a master criminal. Ambrose uses his Vanza training to help right wrongs and this is a huge speed bump.

Concordia and Ambrose will have to work together to save the girls and maybe even fall in love along the way.

Vanza #4

Three stars

This book came out in 2005

Follows Wicked Widow

Audiobook from Audible Plus catalog

Opinions are my own

After Glow by Jayne Castle

Lydia Smith is having issues. Her love life is a little uncertain (she loves Emmett but isn't sure of his feelings), her job isn't her favorite (but Shrimpton's House of Horrors is beginning to grow on her), and now she's found another body. This time it looks like an overdose. But why did Professor Maltby call her? And what the heck is going on with Emmett?

Ghost Hunters #2

Four stars

This book came out February 24, 2004

Follows After Dark

Followed by Ghost Hunter

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

The Exception to the Rule by Christina Lauren

This novella is written mostly in emails. It starts when one high school student accidentally emails another instead of a teacher. The train of Valentine's emails continue for years with either one of the other of the two trying to be the first to say hello. They also start to learn more about each other and discover they might just be made for each other.

A really quick, enjoyable read.

The Improbable Meet-Cute #1

Four stars

This book came out January 23, 2024

Borrowed as ebook from Kindle Unlimited

Opinions are my own

Perfect Partners by Jayne Ann Krentz

When Charlie Thornquist dies and leaves Thornquist Gear to his niece Leticia (Letty), Joel Blackstone is in a fury. While Charlie was off fishing, Joel was the one to build Thornquist Gear into a burgeoning empire.  It was understood that Charlie would be selling the company to Joel in a year (we hear about it a lot.)  And now Letty wants to use the company to reinvent herself or somesuch nonsense. A former librarian from Indiana, she's chucked the cheating fiance and has decided to throw her hand in at being a businesswoman. And wants Joel to be her mentor. But Joel is also wrestling with the seeds of revenge that are finally coming to fruition. He is about to take down Victor Copeland, the man who killed his father. 

I go back and forth on how to rate this book. Joel does seem like a jerk but, at the same time, he's spent so much time of his own building up the company. Then this librarian from Indiana (ha!) comes in and wants to use his company to change her life. Is the romance a little thin? Maybe. But the scene with Letty's ex barging into Joel's office makes me smile every time I read it.

Three stars
This book came out in 1992

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus catalog

Opinions are my own

Trust No One by Jayne Ann Krentz

When she was a teenager, Grace Elland stumbled onto a murder scene and rescued a child. An incident that left the killer dead. But now she's found another murder victim, that of her employer, Sprague Witherspoon, a motivational speaker.

The current murder investigation get entangled when the chief of police introduces her to Julian Arkwright at a blind date. The chief is married to graces best friend and they both think she need some companionship. As long as it turns out that she isn't a murderer.

Julian and Grace are drawn to each in ways that are more than just physical. Grace hires Julian is her consultant and Julian allows Grace to help him punch up his "Speech from Hell." But somebody sending Grace some nasty emails and now they're upping their game. So it's time for Julianne to step in and help Grace figure out exactly what's going on.

The story was very reminiscent of many of Krentz's older stories - in the very best ways. This book reminded me of why I love this author so much and why I continue to read all of her books under whatever name she's writing.

Three and a half stars

This book came out January 6, 2015

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Prime

Opinions are my own

Family Man by Jayne Ann Krentz

Katy Wade is the personal assistant for Justine Gilchrist, head of the Gilchrist food empire. Justine gave Katy a job when her parents died so Katy feels indebted to her. To the rest of the Gilchrist family, not so much. Even (especially?) the one Gilchrist Katy doesn't know. Justine disowned his father when he ran away with his secretary leaving a socialite bride at the altar. But Justine needs Luke now, he's the only one who can save the floundering company. And Katy is the one who gets him to come. But what will happen when he gets there?

This was one of the earlier romance novels I read so it's hard for me to separate that joy from what I read now but I think it holds up.

Four stars

This book came out in 1992

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

Not Your Crush's Cauldron by April Asher

Olive loves her triplets. She does. And she's ecstatic that they've found the loves of their lives. But. Could she maybe catch a break? Chubby, with dirty blond hair that doesn't hold a curl or a color, Olive is generally happy about her life but she really could use a break. Or two. Moving into her crush's apartment isn't exactly the break she was hoping for. However, she's decided to take on the assignment she's given her students and try to stretch her wings. And now that her roommate seems happy to help...

Baxter Donovan is a Guardian Angel but he doesn't much like the position. He likes it even less now that he's been assigned to guard Olive. There are three rules to being a guardian angel: don't tell your Assignment you're their designated guardian, don't get your Assignment Killed, and don't fall in love with your Assignment. Bax has come a little too close for the Guardian Angel Affairs lately and his father isn't pleased. It's just too bad that this latest assignment might find him breaking more than one of the rules. 

Three and a half stars

Supernatural Singles #2

This book comes out February 13, 2024

Follows Not Your Ex's Hexes

ARC kindly provided by St. Martin's Press and NetGalley and Edelweiss

Opinions are my own

Falling Awake by Jayne Ann Krentz

Isabel Wainwright has just been fired. She worked for a dream lab as a Level 5 extreme dream analysis. Her former boss had postulated that there were five levels of dreaming with very few people who are able to reach the fifth level. So far, Isabel is the only analyst they know of. There is an unnamed government agency who has been using Level Five dreamers to solve particularly nasty crimes. Isabel then interprets their more enigmatic dreams.

But her boss has died and his son fires Isabel. She is frantic since she just spent a lot of money on some very expensive furniture. Eventually she ends up asking her sister's husband, who runs a motivational center, for a job as one of his teachers.
The romance aspect comes in to play when one of Isabel's client, Ellis Cutler, who she had privately dubbed as "Dream Man," finds her and tries to draw her into the unnamed government agency. But he's not the only one who wants her expertise. There's someone else who is willing to kill to make sure Isabel doesn't leave with Ellis.

Four stars

This book came out September 30, 2004

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Plus

Opinions are my own

Simply the Best by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Stepping out of her regular stories, Phillips adds a murder into this one. But, it doesn't detract from the romance, the genre she is really known for and trying to solve the mystery lets our two main characters get past their initial meeting which was both good... and not so good.

Rory Garrett (she uses the name Meadows so people are less likely to connect her to Clint Garrett, Chicago Stars football player) is used to things going wrong in her life. But her recent life is really taking the cake on that. A failed business, a bad attempt at a one-night-stand, and breaking up her best friend in Chicago and Clint are just some of the recent examples. But she's not prepared to find a body. Nor is she able to understand why Clint's agent is so darn hot, even if she knows there can never be a real relationship between them. 

Brett "The River" Rivers is used to being perfect. His life is built around being the best sports agent in the business. And that's about to be paid off with a promotion to Vice President at Champion Sports Management. But he's just made two massive mistakes and now he's not sure how to hang on to Cliff as a client. And it seems foolhardy to run around with the man's sister when Brett just can't help but be so darn attracted to her. 

I'm really not sure about the murder but it does create an external reason for Rory and Brett to be thrown together. Of course, there was a last Big Misunderstanding and a rather over-the-top end scene to the two being together but I overall enjoyed the book. 

Chicago Stars #10

Three and a half stars
This book comes out February 14, 2024

Follows When Stars Collide

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Devil of the Gridiron by Melissa Blue

Adam Carpenter is almost through the year that he's been put on probation for his football team. He's been caught a few too many times doing things that his team would rather him not be doing. Now he's run into a cute little redhead and has offered her a favor.
Charlotte West is, indeed, sweet and insanely attracted to Adam. And he seems to be changing his feathers, helping her out by creating social media buzz to help her program. But has he really changed or is he just using her too?
This was just a little too short for me. Could have used some more time rounding out the characters and making me believe in an HEA.

Gridiron Bad Boys #1

Three stars

This book came out November 8, 2015

Followed by Gridiron Heartbreaker

Borrowed as ebook from Hoopla

Opinions are my own

Wildest Hearts by Jayne Ann Krentz

When Daniel Lyncroft, the head of Lyncroft Unlimited, disappeared in a plane crash some time ago. His creditors are getting restless but his sister Annie doesn't want to sell his company; she knows that he is alive. So she's pulling her nuclear option, contacting his former employer, Oliver Rain. Everyone knows that he not pulled his own family's company from the brink of disaster several years ago, he multiplied their fortunes by quite a bit. He's invested in Daniel's company so it's in his best interests to make sure that the company doesn't fail. So Annie proposes a marriage of convenience.

It is possible that some of my enjoyment of this book is nostalgia but I still like that both Annie and Oliver are able to grow in this story. Oliver becomes a little less rigid while Annie becomes a bit less naive.

Four stars

This book came out in 1993

Borrowed as audiobook from Audible Prime

Opinions are my own

Accidentally His by Sabrina Jeffries

Lady Verity is the last of the three sisters who run Elegant Occasions to find a long-term partner. She assumes that she would never marry but fate may have other plans even as she is sure it will remain true. 

We've met Rafe Wolfford in previous books as a man who is interested in Verity and her family, but not primarily for reasons of marriage. Instead, he is trying to figure out if someone from her family is feeding information to the enemy (France.) This same someone shot the uncle who raised him. Though the man was strict, Rafe still loves him and would like to find the culprit.
The two are brought together in deceit but the attraction that they have is visible to all and, when the chance is offered, the two may decide to stick it out for the long run. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 23, 2024

Follows What Happens in the Ballroom

ARC kindly provided by Kensington Books and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

When He Was Bad by Shelly Laurenston

Miss Congeniality by Shelly Laurenston

Professor Irene Conridge doesn't have time for anything that isn't work. Like many of the people in this series, she was a child prodigy. Her area of expertise is... science...y... stuff (?). But more important, she's caught the attention of Niles Van Holtz. Well, she caught it seven years ago when he thought she was a freshman on campus and he hit on her. She was actually a visiting professor.

Magnus Pack #3.5

Three stars

This book came out June 1, 2008

Follows Here Kitty, Kitty

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

My Kind of Town by Shelly Laurenston

Emma Luchessi isn't sure why she's drawn to Smithville but this New York girl is down in the south to see what is leading her here. She's not expecting to end up in the hospital in a town where everyone is a giant and strangely good looking.
Kyle Treharne likes living in Smithville. Yes, it's a wolf town and he's a cat but he can't choose who his father married (his half sister is the snaggle-toothed cousin in the Pride series). He is interested in Emma but isn't sure she's going to stick around. She's not sure about it either but it may be up to fate.
A cute little story but short and not a lot of depth. 

Long Island Coven #1

Three stars

This story came out June 1, 2007

Followed by Belong to the Night

Hard copy of mine

Opinions are my own

The Bright Spot A Novel by Jill Shalvis

Luna's been working on a ranch that barely scrapes by but she has gotten to work for an owner who, though incredibly cranky, has usually treated her well. Well, he did until last week when he died. So, now Luna's trying not to panic while she waits to find out what's going to happen next. She is shocked to find out that she will be the half owner, along with someone from out of town. 

Jameson Hayes is used to coming in and dismantling companies. He knows the farm has been failing and he's not impressed with what he's heard about the manager. He's only planning on being in the town for a short time but is intrigued by a lady he meets at the bar. In true romance novel fashion, the night doesn't end how he would have hoped and it's even worse when he realizes who he was chatting up.

The two will have to work past preconceived notions in order to find out what they want in the end. Neither really has a biological family and they're trying to figure it out along the way.

We get a LOT of background on Luna and her found family but we don't get to see much from Jameson. We especially get to know Luna's best friend Willow and the husband who she just can't get separated from. 

If you are looking for building friendships and in-depth characters, Shalvis is amazing. The romance is a little less well-developed but I don't think regular Shalvis readers will mind. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 16, 2024

ARC kindly provided by Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley

Opinions are my own

Always Remember by Mary Balogh

Ben Ellis and Lady Jennifer Arden both know what it is to be on the outside. He was born a bastard and she has a twisted leg which means she will never walk. Both are stalwarts of their families in different ways and the families have gathered at Ravenswood for the summer. 

The two don't actually come together because they are outsiders but because Ben tries to help Jennifer and Jennifer falls in love with his daughter. At first, Jennifer is resistant to Ben's help but she really would like to walk, at least some form of it. Or find any way she can to get some freedom (he also shows her how to drive a gig.)

It's a quiet story with a LOT of characters from previous stories and it got rather confusing there for awhile even though I have read the previous books in the series. I'm not entirely convince that the two are in love but I do see how their personalities would mesh well together. 

Three and a half stars

This book comes out January 16, 2024

Follows Remember Me

ARC kindly provided by Berkley Publishing Group

Opinions are my own

Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld

I saw this book on the 2023 NPR Best Books and it was worth the read. It took me some time to appreciate the story as the first week is somehow most of the first half of the story but I ended up being glad I stuck with it. 

Set behind the scenes of an SNL-esque show, we meet Sally Milz, one of the writers. She enjoys her job but is stymied by how her fellow writers (male) keep hooking up with these superstars (female.) In fact, she makes a rule out of it. Everyone laughs. Except Noah Brewster who is a guest on the show. However, the two of them seem to have a connection. But maybe only Sally feels it. Then COVID hits and the two start communicating through email and getting closer without being physically close. Love ensues. 

Three and a half stars

This book came out April 4, 2023

Borrowed as hard copy from library

Opinions are my own