Rafe by Rebekah Weatherspoon

Going to be honest, I never would have looked at this book (because of the title) if one of my podcasts (I can't remember which one) hadn't recommended it. But it is really quite charming.
Dr. Sloan Copeland has twin girls and, when their nanny disappears without a word, she finds herself in a bind. One that Rafe Whitcomb can help fill. He loves being a nanny but after his last family moved to Australia, he thinks that the life might not actually be for him. But meeting Sloan and her girls has him rethinking.
Weatherspoon actually does a good job of the boss/employee dynamic and it helps that it's a one-to-one connection. But Rafe taking care of Sloan? Feeding her, filling her tank, helping with chores. Super hot.

Four stars
This book came out September 26th, 2018
Opinions are my own

The Hollow by Nora Roberts

Layla Darnell isn't sure what she's doing in Hawkins Hollow. One day, she just felt the urge to leave her life at a boutique in New York City and travel to rural Pennsylvania to a town where she's having horrible nightmares, seeing horrible things, and falling for Fox O'Dell, one of the three men responsible for releasing an ancient evil that had been captured three hundred years ago but was let back into the world when three ten-year-old boys swore a blood oath.
Now Layla is working for Fox and working with him and the other two boys (now men) to put the evil away for good. She has also made friends with two other women and they all seem to be tied in with combating the Big Bad as well.
Good addition to the series. Not my favorite Nora paranormal series (hello, <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/series/40843-three-sisters-island">Three Sisters Island</a>) but an okay read.

Three and a half stars
Follows Blood Brothers
Followed by The Pagan Stone
This book came out May 6th, 2008
Opinions are my own

A Husband for Santa by Doreen Heron

Researching the mythology of Christmas for his Ph.D., Symeon Golightly never expects to meet the son of Santa. Nor does he expect to fall in love. But when Turk, expecting his father to turn over the role this year and being disappointed, takes off to nurse his wounds and ends up in the hotel where Symeon is working.
I liked that the novella took place over the course of almost a year giving Symeon and Turk time to get to know each other. I didn't love that the story seemed half-told and that parts were very jerky to read.

Three stars
This book came out December 23rd
ARC kindly provided by NineStar Press and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

Someone to Remember by Mary Balogh

Balogh take a slight detour from her Westcott series with this novella focusing on a second chance romance between a maiden aunt and a viscount. Shockingly, both are in their fifties but they still find love. And I think the reason this book works for me is that they had love but both realized that it may not have worked out in the past but they're ready to try again now. Will it really work out for them? Perhaps not but seeing how to adults might court and fall in love was worth the read.

Four stars
Followed by Someone to Romance
This novella came out November 5th, 2019
Opinions are my own

Duped by Abby Ellin

Abby Ellin almost married a con artist. She got out sooner than a lot of people would've but she counts herself lucky because he made it so very easy to believe all of the outlandish things he told her. And almost being duped herself made her want to explore the world of people who lie for a living or even for their life.

Three and a half stars
This book came out January 15th, 2019
Opinions are my own

Blood Brothers by Nora Roberts

Cal, Gage, and Fox went on a camping trip when they were 10-years-old and, while becoming blood brothers as children will do, they accidentally unleashed a centuries old demon who had been trapped by one of the ancestors for centuries. Ever since that day, there have been seven days on every seventh year (7/1-7/7) when evil is unleashed on Hawkins Hollow, their hometown.

Quinn Black is a researcher in the paranormal. She's written many newspaper articles as well as a well-received book and now she wants to concentrate on the Seven. What is it about this place that makes the inhabitants go nuts? And what is it about Cal that draws her so deeply? She's happy with her life of travel and exploration but Cal is all about home. And, of course, there's no guarantee that they'll be alive past July... but they're both wiling to take a chance.
Quinn and Cal don't get as much of a story in this book because it is the first in the series and everyone is being introduced and set up but still worth a re-read.

Three and a half stars
Followed by The Hollow
This book came out November 27th, 2007
Opinions are my own

Finding Christmas by Karen Schaler

Emmie loves Christmas. She LOVES Christmas. And she is sure that her boyfriend will love Christmas as well-especially when she puts together a seasonal game ending at a quaint B&B in the heart of a town that is all about celebrating. Too bad Grant doesn't get her card; instead, a mystery novelist with writer's block gets the hunt. Having been told by his agent that she's sending him something to get him started, Sam isn't worried about the hunt that takes him to a small town. In fact, he's sort of delighted by it. Even when he finds out that he's on the game as a mistake, Sam stays at the B&B. He gets to know Emmie and the town and decides there might be something long term about both...
A little too sweet for me but an enjoyable story and one worth picking up as a fun winter read.

Three stars
This book came out October 15th
ARC provided by HarperCollins and Edelweiss
Opinions are my own