A Brit Complicated by Brenda St. John Brown

I'm not a huge fan of boss-employee romances, especially with the implied power struggle. St. John Brown did a good job with having the story be from the point of view of Scarlett so we know that she is the one taking the lead on moving their office relationship into a more romantic sphere. But it is sort of confusing because we see that, in her head, she is not a fan of Bradley, her boss. Really not a fan. She finds him arrogant and standoffish. Until she starts showing him HER London and realizes there might be more to Bradley than she thought.
Not my favorite story but St. John Brown has a nice writing style that kept me going through the whole book.

Three stars
Follows A Brit Unexpected
This book came out in 2018
Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own

Natural Evil and Devil's Gate by Thea Harrison

Former military sniper Claudia Hunter is at loose ends. She is just over forty and only needed four more years until retirement but she wanted to get out. So now she's just traveling the United States, living as simply as possible. During a trip through a Nevada desert, she feels compelled to stop and walk out a little distance. That's where she discovers a dog that has obviously been beaten and then dragged behind a car. It is only just barely alive. She manages to get the oversize animal into her car using her telekinesis and then hits the highway at a rush. When a sheriff pulls her over, she is startled to realize that he is acting very strangely once he sees the dog. But he does help her get the dog to a vet. There, he continues to act strangely before eventually leaving. That is when the vet and Claudia share their suspicions that the dog is actually a Wyr shifter.

And he is. But for reasons of his own (and as he heals), Luis Alvarez doesn't want to let on what he is. Too bad Claudia immediately starts needling him and calling him "Precious." When he finally does speak, it's to reveal that Claudia is right, there is something bigger going on and he was targeted because of what he figured out.

The tarot deck mentioned in the first Elder Races novella plays a small role in this story as well.

This was a nice novella and I hope that we get to see more of Claudia and Luis. How will their relationship work when Luis is Wyr and it's implied that Claudia, a human, is his mate?

Four stars

Follows Oracle's Moon

Followed by Devil's Gate

This novella came out March 20th, 2012

Borrowed from CloudLibrary

 Seremela Telemar is as susceptible to helping family as the next person. Now her niece, Vetta, who swiped the magical tarot deck from Claudia in the last Elder Races novel, has run away from home and  toward Devil's Gate, a present day gold rush - though, in this case it's a silver that holds magic easily. 
When Duncan Turner, lawyer vampyre, hears that Seremela is going to the most lawless place in the United States, where nothing is being policed, he tells her he can't let her go alone. With a voice like Alan Rickman's, so smooth that other lawyers and judges will come just to hear him speak on the rare occasions he still tries a case, he convinces her to let him come along.
Short but sweet, this book is better read in the context of the full Elder Races series, at least the other novellas.

Three stars
Follows Natural Evil
Followed by Hunter's Season
This novella came out June 5th, 2012
Borrowed by ebook from Overdrive
Opinions are my own

The Accidentals by Sarina Bowen

 I usually shy away from New Adult books but I love Sarina Bowen and had read a good review of this book... somewhere. And it was worth the read. 
At 3 weeks shy of 18, Rachel's worth has gone a number of upheavals. First, her mother died from cacer. Then, her famous, rock star father shows up. The man has only sent money for Rachel's entire life, but now he's here. And she's not exactly sure that she wants him to be in her life. She's followed all of his exploits by combing magazines and online news articles, but she doesn't want him to know that.
At the same time, she's ready to leave her old life behind. Even her best friend, Haze, who has lately been pressuring her to take their relationship into the physical realm and she's just not ready. She's gotten a scholarship to a fancy prep school and is ready to leave. Maybe her father will follow.
Just a quietly good book. Even Rachel's "Big Outburst" isn't pitching a fit and screaming, it's just a breakdown of tears.

Four stars
This book came out July 10th, 2018
Ebook from Kindle
Opinions are my own

Better Luck Next Time by A.R. Casella, Denise Grover Swank

 Both Finn and Adalia are at crossroads in their lives. Finn has just sold a business (not a smooth process for many reasons including the fact that he almost lost his best friend because of it.) Adalia has pulled out of art school even though art is her life. Her mentor really did a number on her and now she's not sure she can continue to make art. Well, she's doing it part-time for her family's brewery as their marketing person. And also hiding out in a friend's shed painting but then ripping up her work. It's there that Finn starts to realize that Addy might be hiding secrets. Which is not good because Finn is horrible at keeping secrets. Like, really, really bad. But he realizes that he could use her expertise in getting together a fundraiser art show and maybe while she helps him, he could be helping her as well.

I liked this book better than the first in the series and am waiting with bated breath to see what the next book in the series will be. Hopefully Lee (Addy's brother) will finally get rid of his girlfriend and also get himself out from under his father's thumb.

Three stars
Follows Any Luck at All

Followed by Getting Lucky
This book came out November 17th, 2020
Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own

The Beast in Him by Shelly Laurenston

When she was sixteen, Jessie Ann Ward was desperately in love with Bobby Ray Smith. Even though his sisters made her life hell, even though she was an orphan, even though she was a wild dog in a town full of wolves, Bobby Ray (now known as Smitty) was one of the few people who were kind to her.
But he left. And she went out and built her own pack, becoming the Alpha of a wild dog team that also does computer hacking to test security. When they meet again as adults, Jessica wants to put him in his place so she pretends not to know him. And that pisses Smitty off. Because he "knows" that she's faking so he's not going to take no for an answer (not romantic).
I had a lot of issues with the not taking no and Jessie being a little hyper but I did love her family and how they were so accepting of everyone. Except the Smiths; but there was history.

Three stars
This book came out April 1st, 2008

Follows The Mane Event
Followed by The Mane Attraction
Hard copy I own
Opinions are my own

Reread as borrowed audiobook from Audible January 2024

A Brit Unexpected by Brenda St. John Brown

 What is a big-time Hollywood star to do when his ex-girlfriend claims to all the press that he is chasing after her shamelessly? Well, if his grandfather is dating a woman with a semi-presentable, eligible granddaughter, his grandfather might set up some staged photos between the star (Greyson Vaughn) and the narrator of our story, Claire. 
Neither actually knows that that's why they've been called to Castle Calder so when they first meet, it's as a star-struck fan and Hollywood heartthrob. Claire, especially, doesn't expect her grandmother to think this is a good idea. Not from the distant grandmother who raised her, the one who's all about propriety. And when Greyson finds out, he lashes out slightly at Claire which means she really doesn't want to get involved. But then Greyson offers her money... and so the deal is struck. They will pose for a few photos over the weekend to distract from Greyson's ex. Unless the heat that is bubbling up between them spills over into something real.
A cute story. The characters weren't super deep but a fluffy book was nice to read right now.

Three stars
Follows A Brit on the Side
Followed by A Brit Complicated
This book came out April 10th, 2017
Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own

Any Luck at All by A.R. Casella, Denise Grover Swank

River Reeves' world has come crashing down. First his beloved mentor, Beau, died and now the man that he thought of as his business partner sold their company out from right under him. He's not sure where to go or what to do. But, when Beau's granddaughter offers River a job as a brewmaster in Beau's company, he's hesitant. Georgie is incredibly attractive and he's not sure that he can work with her.
Georgie's world isn't doing much better. She had only just reconnected with her grandfather when the man died. Now she's got a brewery that she co-owns with her siblings. All three of them. Even the one her father never acknowledged. They can all decide to sell but if even one wants to run the now failing brewery, they all have to be in. Her brother and sister immediately decide they want to sell. Her half-brother Jack is ready to go all in. Her only problem is that there is a teeny-tiny clause in the will which means that she is going to be lying by omission to River, a man she is not only getting to know, but to love.
A nice set up for the series. I am not a huge fan of clauses in wills creating the action for a book and this one was compounded by adding to the last Big Misunderstanding. I did like Georgie and Rive and especially liked that much of their relationship was conducted before she actually became his boss.

Three stars
Followed by Better Luck Next Time
This book came out September 22nd
Borrowed from Kindle Unlimited
Opinions are my own