'Til Death Volume 1 by Bella Jewel

Rating: 4 stars

Title:' Til Death Volume 1

Author: Bella Jewel

Publisher: Bella Jewel Publishing

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Dark

Pages: 196 pages

Summary:

They say there's a fine line between love and hate.

There is.

I married a douchebag.

I didn't know it at the time.

He came in like a handsome stranger and blew me off my feet.

I fell madly in love, like the naive girl I am.

Then he left me high and dry.

Turns out, I was nothing more than a business plan for billionaire playboy, Marcus Tandem.

He needed to be married in order to obtain his grandfathers business, and I was the poor victim in his path.

I believed in what we had, until the truth reared its ugly head.

I never meant anything to Marcus. Not a damned thing.

With my world spinning on its axis, the girl I once was has long since died.

Instead he left me as this empty, emotionless shell.

I may have made a vow before God to love and cherish him ‘Til Death do we part, but it’s time for me to give back to Marcus, exactly what he gave me.

He has to pay.

Review:

Oh my goodness, what to say about this book. This book is smoking hot! I do mean smoking!

You have Katia, who works hard for what she has in life. She goes to work everyday for a jerk, works long hours for little pay, takes care of her mother who is partially invalid. Then you have, Marcus, a man with money, has his own business, used to getting his own way. He sees Katia just when he needs a wife and decides she'll do.  He does everything that he can to make her fall in love with him and she does. He pulls all the stops out and they get married.

He doesn't know how to love and doesn't want to. Why would he - his life is great just the way it is. She wants more than he is giving, she wants him to love her. He wants things to stay the same. Then one day it all comes crashing down on her. When she confronts Marcus is he going to lie or is he going to tell her the truth, no matter what the cost?

This book is Part 1 of a 2 part series.

Love In Rewind by Tali Alexander

Rating: 4 Stars

Title: Love In Rewind

Author: Tali Alexander

Publisher: Tali Alexander Books, Inc.

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 344 pages

Summary:

Emily has the life every woman dreams of.

At 29, she has two beautiful kids, a live-in nanny, housekeeper, cook, and every imaginable luxury in the posh Upper East Side townhouse she shares with her drop-dead gorgeous husband, Louis Bruel. His company, Bruel Industries, owns a big chunk of New York CIty's most sought-after real estate, and together Emily and Louis embody the perfect hot fairy tale couple for ten happy years of marriage.

But when Louis mysteriously starts pushing Emily away, becoming distant and secretive, she is forced to search for the truth among the lies, scandal and heartbreak of his past that threaten to shatter her world. What she finds out will test the strength of her love and her vows to the man of her dreams.

Can Emily and Louis rewind far enough back to a time when life was simpler and love was all they needed? Follow their story with the help of some of their favorite songs from the 80's to discover just how deep and how far love will go.

Review: 

Ok, so I was in a book slump and asked for a recommendation from a friend. She recommended this book, so I gave it a try. (Thank you fellow bookie!)

I literally was up reading until 3 am. My blinks were getting long and I was mad that I was falling asleep. 

Louis and Emily. These two don't seem like they should fit together. He's older and has some serious money and in no way shape or form innocent. She comes from a well to do background, and she's an innocent and is very sheltered. I mean sheltered - sheltered. She's such a good girl. 

I love how the author uses 80's songs in the book to reflect on how her and her best friend communicate. I imagine this could be from me growing up listening to these songs, but even if you didn't grow up listening to them you know how they are feeling. 

You literally get see how their love is in rewind. You feel their love for each other, then you get to feel their heartache. My heart was beating in my chest like crazy! Tears were brimming in my eyes. 

The author drew me in, the characters were so real, the kindle was smoking in places, (he has a very dirty mouth) and the way she ended it! I was like seriously? You're gonna do me like that? Killing me! I cannot wait for the next book in this series! You get to meet Sarah  and get to know her in this book. She's Emily's best friend and is crazy funny and has no filter. This book is not a cliffhanger, you'll just want to read the next book, desperately.

Blind Sight (Through the Eyes of Leocardo Reyes) by Ermisenda Alvarez

Rating: 4 Stars


Title:  Blind Sight (Through the Eyes of Leocardo Reyes)

Author:   Ermisenda Alvarez

Publisher:  Ermilia LLC

Genre:  Young Adult Contemporary Paranormal Fantasy

Length:  173 Pages (For Leocardo's side only)

Summary: 

 A blind girl drawing is abnormal even on the magical island of Edaion where leaves brush themselves into piles in the middle of the night. So when Odette Reyes, a girl blind from birth, begins to experience ominous side effects of the island's "gift," her brother Leocardo and best friend Aniela must figure out what the doctors cannot. As an immigrant, Leocardo is not biased by accepted rules of magic and determines that Odette's drawings are premonitions. Aniela grew up with magic and knows premonitions are impossible. She determines Odette is a medium channeling voiceless spirits.

Who is right? Whose eyes will you read through?

Snatched out of their life in Spain, Leocardo and his blind sister Odette find themselves on an island with no recollection of the trip. After foiled attempts to escape, Odette’s strange behavior gets worse. Even after learning the island has bestowed magic upon them both, Leocardo faces the possibility his sister is having a mental break down. Just as he thinks he is settled in, job and romantic life stable, Odette disappears.

Read Aniela's side of the story in "Blind Sight Through the Eyes of Aniela Dawson" by Eliabeth Hawthorne.

(Summary hijacked from Amazon)

Review: 

 I've been reading this book off and on for the past couple of weeks, and sadly, I'm not finished with it yet. It's been off and on only because I was on vacation (at the beach!) and then catching up from work, otherwise I would be done with it by now. I'm going to write a review up to the point I've reached. It's not something I normally do, but since I agreed to be part of this blog tour, I wanted to get a review up ...even though the authors were fantastic about me going on vacation and said I could just post an excerpt. So, on to the review....

The format for this book is different and not something I've seen for a long time. Two books. Both titled the same. Each told from the perspective of a different character. Each written by a different author. I remember reading books as a kid where you would read one side, then flip it over and read the other side. While I haven't had a physical copy in my hands, this concept sort of reminds me of that. I was intrigued and excited about the whole idea! As a writer, I cannot imagine how incredibly difficult writing like this would be. You would have to know your writing partner very well to pull this off.

I let the authors choose which side to give me, and I received Leocardo's side. The other side is from Aniela's (aka Ana) perspective. You get lots of exposure to Ana throughout Leo's side and I can only imagine that the same is true for Ana's side. At this point, I can't speak as to whether or not they are stand alone reads, but why cheat yourself, anyway? It's also interesting that one perspective is from an outsider and the other is from a native.

I found the beginning slightly confusing. The story seemed to jump ahead a bit, without much explanation as to what happened. Some of it comes back later in flashbacks that Leo has. Some of it (so far) has not been explained at all. I understand that it's supposed to be because they don't remember it but it makes it confusing for the reader. If I'm this confused as a reader, how confused would the characters be? And, taking that into consideration, I can't believe how relatively calmly they take everything. Leo does freak out a bit, but not nearly as much as I think I would.

Leo seems to be a well fleshed out character. He is a devoted big brother to Odette and feels an overwhelming responsibility to her. I thought it was rather strange that they lived together at the beginning of the story, rather than Odette living with her parents. Especially considering that she is still in high school and blind. Leo was going to college at the time and I don't know many college guys that would want their blind little sister living with them unless their parents were gone.

I also really like Ana. Even though she is young, she knows who she is and seems to be fairly independent. She will do what she has to do to help Leo and get things done, regardless of the consequences. She is strong, but also vulnerable when it comes to Leo.

Odette, on the other hand, comes across more like a spoiled brat. We don't see a lot of the relationship between Odette and Leo, other than the fact that they live together, but she treats him horribly enough to make me question his devotion to her. Sometimes she seemed sweet and in the blink of an eye I would be wondering if she was bi-polar. I just didn't connect with her at all.

 So far, I'm really enjoying this book! I'm about 2/3 of the way through and anxious to see how it ends.  Right now I'm giving it four stars. If that changes when I'm completely finished with it, I will update the review. It's definitely something I would recommend anyone to check out, if only for the fun and unique quality to it. Once they start reading, I'm sure they'll be hooked.







This post is part of the Blind Sight Blog Tour. Blind Sight is an urban fantasy novel written in two volumes, each telling the story through a different character's perspective.

Ice Princess by Jennifer Anderson

Rating: 4 Stars 

Title:  Ice Princess (Honey Creek Royalty Series)

Author:  Jennifer Anderson

Publisher: Turquoise Morning Press
     Cover Art: K.J. Jacobs

Genre:  Young Adult Romance

Length: 69 Pages 

Summary :  
 
Mya Newman never minded the routine or quiet that came with living in a small country town like Honey Creek, Ohio. For her senior year, she craved something exciting to happen instead of it melting into a cookie cutter routine like the previous years.

When a new girl, Audrey Moore, moves to Honey Creek, Mya finds herself caught in a triangle. She discovers hidden feelings for her best friend, Michael Graves, but he seems to have eyes for the new girl.

After Mya’s father becomes ill and eventually passes, she turns to her best friend, Michael. Never leaving her side, she can’t help but wonder if he’d rather be elsewhere. With fear of rejection and loss of friendship, Mya decides she can’t confess her recently discovered feelings.

When Michael and Mya share a dance at the Winter Formal, does she confess her true feelings for him? Or does she shy away, forever longing to be the princess who finds her prince?

Review:

 I wanted to review this book partly because of the story but also partly because it takes place in my home state of Ohio. This was a quick, albeit emotional, read that I really enjoyed. I loaded it on to my Nook and read it each night before bed while we were on vacation in Myrtle Beach. It only took me two nights and that's only because I was dead tired by bed time. 

I loved the characters of Mya and Michael in this story, or M and M, as their parents call them. They were very real and engaging - especially Michael.  Mya's internal struggle as she deals with her jealousy of Michael's relationship with the new girl, Audrey, is such a typical teenager that it hit all the angsty checkpoints and ran the gamut of angry, sad, and resigned emotions - and was entertaining all at once. Understandably, Mya is worried about destroying their friendship but her heart knows the truth before her head does and watching her figure it all out was interesting. Her attitude about Audrey was surprisingly mature for her age and watching the internal struggle to get there was interesting.

Her relationship with Michael is heartwarming and endearing and kept me rooting for them through the whole book. I loved Michael's devotion to her and how he always seemed to know when she needed him and exactly what she needed. Michael is at that age where he is getting past the most awkward phases of being a teenager and becoming a man. He knows who he is and what he wants and is prepared to be patient.  

The subplot of the illness of Mya's father is heartbreaking and very well portrayed in the space given. It was so sad and brought me to tears in a couple of places, relating to what it would feel like going through that as a teenager. 

Being from Ohio and familiar with the general area portrayed (Fayette County), I was surprised that more scenery wasn't described within the story. We just drove through that area last night and I found myself thinking about this book. Ms. Anderson could have taken more advantage of the beauty of the area. 

One note to the author - it's pop, not soda! And, yes, I am laughing as I type that. Anyone native to Ohio will understand.

I really enjoyed this book and will definitely be checking out future installments of the series. I recommend any teens looking for a new series or romance to read, or anyone that enjoys the Young Adult genre give this one a chance. 

Danger In Deer Ridge by Terry Odell (A Blackthorne, Inc. Novel)

Rating: 4 Stars 

Title:  Danger In Deer Ridge 

Author:  Terry Odell 

Cover Design: Dave Fymbo 

Genre:  Contemporary Romance 

Length: 319 Pages 

Summary :  

What do you do when your life turns upside down? Whatever it takes. 

When Elizabeth Parker arrives in Deer Ridge with her eight-year-old son, she's constantly looking over her shoulder, afraid her husband won't believe she's dead, despite the new identity provided by the high-end firm of Blackthorne, Inc. Within hours of her arrival, a man shows up claiming he's there to hook up her gas line. When he keeps turning up, she's wary as to his motives. For Elizabeth, trust doesn't come easy. She'll never let her husband lay a hand on her son, no matter what, and if this man is working for her husband, she wants no part of him.

Mark Grinciewicz, Grinch to everyone who knows him, was Blackthorne, Incorporated's top pilot. When his ex-wife dies, he is left with custody of a five-year-old son he hardly knows, and everything changes. Determined to do what it takes to help his son adjust to a new life, Grinch finds himself tethered to the ground, unable to do what he loves—fly.

When he gets a call from Blackthorne, requesting that he take a simple assignment—teach a woman how to fit into the community under her new identity—he reluctantly accepts the task. Bad enough he's not supposed to let on he's aware of her identity, or that he's on her side. But what he doesn't know is that she has something her husband needs, and the man will do just about anything to get it back. Suddenly, everyone is a potential threat. Can Grinch break through her defenses and earn her trust in time to save her without endangering her son or his? 

Review:

This is the first book I've read by Terry Odell and I really enjoyed it. Picking one in the Blackthorne, Inc. series was just luck, but I enjoyed this taste of the series enough to check out some others in the series. The plot develops at a good pace, one that's easy to read and keep up with, but also keeps driving the story forward. The characters are also very well developed and grow noticeably throughout the book.

The paranoia that Elizabeth Parker exhibits at the beginning of, and throughout, the book are believable and contagious. The feeling of it travels through the pages, up your arms and punches you in the gut. You get that feeling of paranoia yourself and can feel her fear of her husband finding her and taking her son. Despite the fear, she is determined to try not to let it show to Will, her son, hoping to give him as relatively normal of a childhood as she is capable of. If you've ever been a parent, it is easy to relate to the feelings and fear portrayed throughout the book, especially when certain situations arise.

The relationship that develops between the two boys (Grinch's son and Elizabeth's son) is cute to watch and the dynamics of the relationships with all of the characters is very real. It was also very interesting to have a book about a grounded pilot. It's not often you get one like that - usually it's the hotshot pilots, not one that is giving up what he loves for his son. The decisions that Grinch makes shows a lot about his character in a subtle way.

The imagery used in describing the Colorado mountains is extremely well done. I could just see the little town - just a quaint little, unassuming, country/mountain town - and especially the restaurant they took the boys too. I loved it! It made me want to get the map out and see if this place is real so I could visit.

The heart of the plot comes about when it's discovered that Elizabeth took something with her when she left her husband. If she had left well enough alone, she may have gotten away with hiding from him, but whether it was the human nature of greed, curiosity or, as she claims, an insurance policy, it comes back to bite her in the end. With the tension reaching new heights by the end of the book, it culminates in a nail biting situation that kept me reading well past bed time.

The romance that develops between Elizabeth and Grinch was relatable to anybody that has been hurt in a relationship before. It was slow to develop, showing them dealing with both of their feelings of fear and vulnerability. Because of that, it comes across as a much more real, and enduring, relationship. It can be hard to do this in the span of a book and still keep the plot moving forward, but Ms. Odell does an admirable job.

Whether you are a fan of Terry Odell's, a fan of the Blackthorne, Inc. series or are just finding this one, it is definitely one worth checking out. It kept me on the edge of my seat with suspense and tension and had a satisfying ending that wrapped things up nicely.

Spellbound by Samantha Combs

 

Rating: 4 Stars
 

Title:  Spellbound

Author:  Samantha Combs

Publisher: Astraea Press

      Cover Art: Elaina Lee

Genre:  Young Adult Paranormal

Length: 233 Pages

Summary:

Logan Daniels has always led a sheltered life in sleepy, predictable Lancaster, New Hampshire. But when beautiful Serena suddenly appears at school one day, his comfortable existence becomes anything but as he finds himself falling in love with her. There’s something special about Serena Starr. He realizes what it is when he sees her unleash her spells. Soon, a mysterious and foreboding presence settles over his placid home.

Logan and Serena find themselves battling darkness and evil with an ominous mission: it wants Serena and will stop at nothing to have her. Tearing apart Logan’s town, threatening his friends, even causing harm to his family, the demon will spread its doom over every facet of Logan’s once placid life. Logan matures in ways he could never have imagined as he struggles to protect those he loves, including Serena. But he can't do it alone.

Serena hails from a long line of able and powerful women who will aide in the battle and perhaps settle a score of their own. The strength of the coven and Serena's love will be behind him, but ultimately this is Logan’s fight to win. But, will he? 

Review:

I usually try to write my reviews in a way that I don't need to give spoiler warnings, but I think with this one I'm going to need to. Not that I plan on giving away anything huge, but comments here and there might be a bit more revealing than I usually like to be. So on that note.....


SPOILER WARNING     SPOILER WARNING     SPOILER WARNING     SPOILER WARNING     SPOILER WARNING     SPOILER WARNING     SPOILER WARNING 





This book is different and unique for the Young Adult story - or even, really, for any genre. It is filled with action, romance, mystery, suspense, magic and even a demon or two - all some of my favorite things. It's a fun read that kept me engrossed in the story just to see what was going to happen next.

The author did a great job with the characters in this story and making them sound like teenagers. Having two teenage boys myself, I could (at times) see my kids and their friends behaving like the kids in Spellbound, especially Logan's friend, Dave. The plot has been developed very well and even the history has been well thought out and developed.

Serena came across as that beautiful high school girl that most other girls are prepared to hate, but she was very nice and extremely likeable. She had this odd mix of sweetly vulnerable mixed with fierce and strong. She is also very loyal to her family and those she cares about.

Logan is the typical teenage boy who is into sports and popular at his school. He is a genuinely nice guy and everybody seems to love him.

The book is written in first person and the point of view switches in each chapter from Logan to Serena. I wasn't too sure how I felt about this, and I'm still unsure. On one hand, it was nice to see what each character saw/thought/felt/etc. I did find myself wishing we were in the other point of view at times, just to see how they felt about something. On the other hand, it could also become confusing at times. Especially considering that not only were you switching point of view but also gender. I've never read another book that did this, so it was definitely unique!

The pacing, when there is action, is done very well, though it does tend to lag a bit towards the middle. It picks back up again but there are parts that I felt could have been removed and it would have kept the story moving along more smoothly. On the flip side of that, some things I felt moved too quickly. The intensity of the relationship between Serena and Logan seemed to happen overnight, Logan's acceptance of the fact that Serena and her family are witches and Logan's acceptance of Serena being able to read his mind (which, let's be honest, I think would freak anybody out if you suddenly found your boy/girlfriend inside your head), just to give a few examples. I could list more.

The magic involved in this story was fantastic. I loved the scene in the backyard, when all the coven sisters were preparing for the fight about to come, and you got to see a little of which each individual could do. I completely loved the magic and I found myself wishing I knew more about some of the coven sisters. I could see this becoming a series in the future, not necessarily with Serena and Logan, but instead with the coven sisters getting their own time in the spotlight.

I'm not a big fan of the cover. I love the colors but I find it misleading. To me, with the sea in the background, it almost looks like it should be about mermaids or something. And I'm really not sure why there is a beach on the cover. I don't remember the beach being mentioned in the book and if it was, it was very brief.

All in all, this was a great read. I really enjoyed it and will definitely continue to read the series. This is a great addition to the Young Adult genre.

Kindle:




Paperback:

Summer's Journey by Summer Daniels

My Rating: 4 Stars

Title: Summer's Journey (Volume One: Losing Control)

Author: Summer Daniels

Genre: True Romance/Erotica Series

Length: 19 Pages

**Sexual Rating:  *Mild to Explicit 

      (This particular chapter is mild but future installments promise to be very explicit, with elements of D/s. It is labeled as erotica, so be aware of this before you begin.)

Summary: 

Fortyish, newly divorced, searching and longing for something different. Something fulfilling and exciting, somewhere far outside my ordinary comfort zone.

Come with me on my journey of discovery. Explore with me. Touch, taste and feel with me.

Lots more to come following my introduction to you in this first volume of a multi-part True Romance / Erotica series.

“Perhaps I was being picky, but I really didn’t think being able to spell orgasm without being spotted a vowel was asking too much.”

Approximately 6,000 words – this first volume is somewhere around 90% background story, and 10% erotic.

Future volumes will be more explicit as I expand my horizons and detail my journey of sexual self-discovery. 

Review:  

This is a self published series based on the author's life after her divorce, and choice's that she made in moving forward and re-discovering herself. It is a very well written narrative that shows the courage and determination needed to go forward with life and jump back into the dating pool. It also shows the feelings and thoughts associated with a divorce and that past relationship, the doubts you feel afterwards and the questions that inevitably arise. 


This installment is primarily to give you the background of her life and what led her to this point, and also to set up future volumes. We get to see what led her to this point in her life and we get to meet Mark, who is not at all what is expected and promises to be very interesting.Ms. Daniels does a fantastic job of drawing you. Erotica is not typically a genre that I read, but I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.


I have no idea many chapters there will be in the series, so I can't say how much it would cost in total to continue reading, but so far the chapters are priced at $.99. Not too bad for an entertaining, quick read. When this author first contacted me, I wasn't sure what to expect. As a previously unpublished author with a self-published book, I was a little leery. With authors that I've never heard of before, with these qualifications, you just never know what to expect. I was pleasantly surprised with this one. As mentioned - it is very well written and engrossing. In truth, the only reason I gave it a four star review is simply because of the formatting of individual chapters for purchase, which is simply not my preference. Check it out! And check back here for reviews of future volumes.

My Killer, My Love by Mona Karel

Rating: 4 Stars

Title: My Killer, My Love

Author: Mona Karel

Publisher: Black Opal Books

      Cover Art: Pepper O'Neal and Mona Karel

Genre:  Paranormal/Fantasy/Romantic Suspense

Length: 233 Pages

Summary: 

She came to the woods to heal and found evil lurking among the trees....

Upon her grandmother’s death, Kendra inherits a cottage deep within the sequoia forest, along with the powers given only to certain women in her family—powers she doesn’t know she has. Recovering from a vicious attack in Phoenix, Kendra returns home to the remote cabin determined to heal both her body and her spirit. But the forest is ailing, too. Evil lurks in its dark places, turning its quiet glades into a battlefield. When a strangely beautiful man appears at her cabin intent on punishing her for a crime she didn’t commit, Kendra needs all her strength to protect her forest, her life... and her heart. Can she learn to use her powers and to trust Mykhael in time to save the ancient forest? 

He came to the woods to redeem himself and found innocence that would be his undoing....

Throughout his long life, Mykhael has struggled, often in vain, to please the Atrahasis, immortal overlords of the sacred places in the universe. Now they have given him one last chance to redeem himself. He must punish the person they think desecrated an ancient forest in Northern California. But when he meets Kendra, he realizes he’s doomed to disappoint them yet again. Not only is she innocent of the crime the Atrahasis have accused her of, Kendra is the missing part of the soul he didn’t know he still possessed. Can he defy the Atrahasis yet again and live long enough to save the only thing in his life that matters?

Review: 

When I first sat down to read this book, I wasn't really sure what to expect. The blurb seemed a little vague to me and I wasn't entirely sure what I was dealing with. Then, the first few pages confused me a little. I persisted though, and things cleared up nicely. It's not that the beginning doesn't hook you. Not at all. I just wasn't sure what was going on. The beginning is actually intriguing, and you'll get the gist of the plot with in a few pages. 

Kendra has had a rough life, at least in some respects. Her parents had other priorities and very rarely made appearances. She grew up with her grandmother, who taught her the ways of the women of the family. Later, she is severely injured in an attack and returns to the house she grew up in to recover. It's here that she meets Mykhael. 

Mykhael shows up out of nowhere. His job, ultimately, is to kill Kendra, per orders. After spending sometime with her, he realizes that she is not who his superiors thinks he is. He is also falling in love with her. A lot hinges on him following the orders he's been given, but he can't bring himself to do it. Together, Kendra and Mykhael try to figure a way out of their dilemma. 

Kendra is a strange mixture of a quiet, introspective and sassy woman that, once committed to something, stuck by it. And Mykhael is just one of those guys that is sexy and sensitive but still able to take care of things in most situations.

An interesting twist on the paranormal genre, once I got into the book I really enjoyed it. The resolution was a little unexpected and threw a little monkey-wrench into things initially, but worked out in the end. I was a little confused on what Mykhael's race actually is. I narrowed it down to two possibilities, but I'm still not sure which one is correct. Despite the confusion (for me) about that, it is a good read and I really enjoyed it.

Ebook:



Paperback:

Guilty as Charged by Anna James

My Rating: 4 Stars

Title: Guilty as Charged (Book 1 of the Bradford Sisters Trilogy)

Author: Anna James

Publisher: Sugar and Spice Press

      Cover Art: Cover art designed by the publisher

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 81 Pages

Summary: 

Passion ignites between Nicole Bradford and Max Paradis the second they lay eyes on each another. Nicole seems to be everything that Max is looking for in a woman. She’s sweet and loving and incredibly sexy. But looks can be deceiving. Hadn’t he learned that the hard way?

Nicole is crazy for Max. He is sensitive, caring and his kisses are to die for. But when secrets from her past are revealed will she be found innocent or is she guilty as charged?

Review: 

Another entertaining, quick read from Ms. James. This author definitely likes her white collar men and has a nice knack for making them sexy as well. As I mentioned in a review of another book by this author, white collar men usually aren't my thing, but these guys are very deserving of the "sexy" title. Of course, they also seem to be deserving of the "hot headed" and "stubborn" titles as well, but hey, I like a few flaws with my guys. After all, perfect would be boring, right?

After leaving his brother in charge of the very successful company that he built from the ground up, Max Paradis left the country to escape an ex. Now he's returned, angry, jaded and determined not to let another woman close to him. Until he sees Nicole.

Nicole Bradford has been working for Max's brother, Reed, for over a year and is Reed's "right hand man". Talented, charming and loyal, she has the smarts to help build the company up even more. She raised her sisters after the death of her parents and, even though she is attracted to Max, she doesn't have much free time to date.

Meeting under an amusing, yet somewhat appalling (on Max's part), misunderstanding the trouble just snowballs from there. This story is like a comedy of errors from start to finish, with two adults that are used to being independent and who have been burnt by past relationships. The question becomes whether they can set all their preconceived notions aside and give the relationship a real chance. When the past comes back to haunt Nicole, it could be the beginning of the end of everything she has worked for.

Max is a sexy, take charge kind of guy that is capable of helping her if Nicole would only trust him. In Nicole's defense - Max is also the kind of guy that you want just to slap some sense into once in a while but if you can get past his shell, he is also a softhearted, sweet man that will win you over.

The secondary characters are all also very engaging and it will be fun to see more of the other sisters, and the development of the relationship between Nicole's sister, Natalie, and Max's brother, Reed. As I mentioned in a different review, to not only engage you in the story being told, but to also make several other characters intriguing enough to make you want to learn more about them as well, is a very difficult task to accomplish in a novella. This author did an excellent job and I very much look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy.