Category Archives: Sourcebooks

December 2, 2013 · 11:57 pm

Review: Welcome Back to Apple Grove by C.H. Admirand

Title: Welcome Back to Apple Grove by C.H. Admirand
Small Town U.S.A. Trilogy Book Three
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

There’s No Place Like Home…

Grace Mulcahy thought she’d finally gotten Apple Grove, Ohio, out of her system. Then she’s lured back for a family barbecue and spies a broad-shouldered hottie hanging out at the grill. He somehow seems utterly at east, whether flipping burgers or horsing around with her hellion nephews. Why didn’t her brother-in-law tell her he had such gorgeous friends? Suddenly her mouth is watering for more than her best friend’s famous pie.

Some fires aren’t meant to be fought

When firefighter Pat Garahan sees Grace, it’s like a five-alarm bell goes off and he’s the one ablaze. She says she wants to leave Apple Grove, but he will do whatever it takes to keep her around. The life of a firefighter isn’t an easy one though, and he’ll have to prove their immediate spark can have a lasting chance at love.

The Review:

Welcome Back to Apple Grove is another delightfully heartwarming addition to C.H. Admirand’s charming Small Town U.S.A. series. In this outing, youngest sister Grace Mulcahy finds love with fireman Pat Garahan.

Grace left the family handyman business and moved from Apple Grove to pursue her dream of living in a big city. While she is satisfied with her career, her love life is another story. So her best friend Kate and sister Meg play matchmaker for Grace and Pat. She and Pat hit it off, but is there a future for their long distance romance?

The sparks are soon flying between Grace and Pat and their romance quickly heats up. Neither of them are quite sure how their relationship is going to work, but they are both committed to exploring the possibilities. Grace takes a couple of weeks off from work and in order to stay close to Pat, she returns to Apple Grove. Once there, she learns that the family handyman business is in desperate need of her organizational skills so she agrees to help out temporarily while she is in town.

Grace and Pat are a good match and for the most part, their relationship is fairly easygoing. Like the other books in the series, theirs is basically lust at first sight that soon deepens into love. Grace and Pat have an easy rapport and their conversations reflect their comfort with one another. They also have an instantaneous attraction that simmers in the background and the sexual tension between them positively sizzles.

Grace is very surprised to discover how much she has missed Apple Grove and the family business. In true “grass is greener on the other side” fashion, what once irritated her is now a source of comfort. Grace also discovers how very much she misses her family and friends and that big city anonymity is no match for the care and concern she finds in her small home town.

The conflict between Grace and Pat builds for much of the novel. Pat is unwilling to discuss the traumatic event that drove him to relocate from NY years earlier. He has never really dealt with the emotional issues stemming from the incident and his lack of communication eventually comes between them. Fortunately for Grace and Pat, family and friends are quick to aid the couple and their problems are easily resolved.

Welcome Back to Apple Grove is another deeply moving and entertaining installment in C.H. Admirand’s Small Town U.S.A. series. The love and support of family and friends has made this series an absolute joy to read and I am really going to miss visiting Apple Grove.

Read my reviews of the other books in the series HERE.

3 Comments

Filed under C.H. Admirand, Contemporary, Rated B, Review, Romance, Small Town USA Trilogy, Sourcebooks, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Welcome Back to Apple Grove

November 4, 2013 · 11:56 pm

Review: Lies You Wanted to Hear by James Whitfield Thomson

Title: Lies You Wanted to Hear by James Whitfield Thomson
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Landmark
Genre: Fiction
Length: 416 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Lucy’s two young children have been gone for nine years now, an unbearable burden that haunts her even more because of her role in what happened. You can hardly see a glimpse of that carefree girl Lucy was before she married Matt. She was a magnet for men who were bad for her—men like Griffin. With shattering, unthinkable turns that will wrench every mother’s heart, this suspenseful story probes the issue of how well you know the person you married. How much can you trust them with your heart—and with your future?

The Review:

James Whitfield Thomson’s extraordinary debut novel, Lies You Wanted to Hear, is a compelling story about the disintegration of a marriage and its messy aftermath. Impossible to put down, this spellbinding tale of love gone wrong will leave readers questioning what choices they might make under similar circumstances.

Lucy Thornhill is on the rebound following the demise of her long term and tempestuous relationship with Griffin when she agrees to a blind date with Matt Drobyshev. Hard working, loyal and all around good guy Matt immediately falls for Lucy and although he clearly sees her faults, his feelings for her make it easy for him to overlook them. While Lucy likes Matt, she is not in love with him but she continues to date him although she still harbors feelings for Griffin. When Griffin re-enters her life, Lucy makes a fateful decision that sets into motion a chain of events that spans over twenty years.

Lucy and Matt are richly drawn and highly complex characters. Lucy is overwhelmed by motherhood and plagued by feelings of inadequacy. Matt is very comfortable and at ease with fatherhood and he remains deeply in love with Lucy. Following the birth of their second child, Lucy suffers from a severe bout of post-partum depression and despite Matt’s patience and understanding, their marriage never quite recovers. Once again, Griffin’s reappearance in Lucy’s life spells disaster for the struggling couple.

Lies You Wanted to Hear is written in first person from both protagonists’ point of view. The chapters alternate between Matt and Lucy’s perspective and provide the reader with each characters’ viewpoint of unfolding events. Lucy’s actions and dishonesty paint her in a very unflattering light for much of the story. It is much easier to sympathize with Matt, especially when the marriage begins to unravel. But in the aftermath of Matt’s questionable decision, Lucy becomes the more sympathetic character and by the novel’s end, she is one who undergoes the most dramatic transformation.

Lies You Wanted to Hear poses some very interesting questions about the unwitting repercussions of the choices we make. Many readers will be able to relate to the struggles of both characters and all will be left wondering what they would do if faced with the same situation. All in all, an amazing first outing by James Whitfield Thomson that I highly recommend.

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Filed under Fiction, James Whitfield Thomson, Lies You Wanted to Hear, Rated B+, Review, Sourcebooks, Sourcebooks Landmark

October 3, 2013 · 3:59 am

Review: The Christmas He Loved Her by Juliana Stone

Title: The Christmas He Loved Her by Juliana Stone
Bad Boys of Crystal Lake Book Two
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

All he wants this Christmas is her…

In the small town of Crystal Lake, Christmas is a time for sledding, hot chocolate, and cozying up to the fire with those you love. For Jake Edwards, it’s also time to come home and face the music. He thought there would never be anything harder than losing his brother. Turns out there is: falling in love with his brother’s widow, Raine.

Ever since they were little, Jesse was the Edwards brother who was always there for her, and Jake was the one who knew just how to push her buttons. Raine can’t imagine a life without them, which is why it was doubly decimating when Jake left town after his brother’s sudden death. Now he’s back and she doesn’t know whether to be mad or thrilled. Maybe both. Or maybe it will be the perfect chance for both of them to finally find happiness again.

The Review:

The Bad Boys of Crystal Lake are back and Oh. My. Goodness. Juliana Stone pretty much ripped my heart to shreds with Jake and Raine’s story. There is so much raw emotion and anguish in The Christmas He Loved Me, it is positively gut wrenching. This deeply emotional read will make you laugh, cry and ultimately rejoice as Jake and Raine finally break free of their haunting pasts and find their much deserved happily ever after.

A year and a half after he left town following his brother Jesse’s funeral, Jake Edwards returns home just in time for the holidays. Waiting for him are all of the problems he left behind and topping the list of things he would give anything to avoid? His childhood friend and Jesse’s widow, Raine. Running a pretty close second? His overwhelming (and somewhat misplaced) guilt. Guilt over Jesse’s death. Guilt over his feelings for Raine. And underneath it all? The never ending grief he feels for the brother he has lost.

Grief is an emotion that Raine knows all too well. She is deeply depressed, barely able to function and spends most of her days with her head buried under the covers. Jake’s homecoming is just the catalyst Raine needs to begin emerging from her sorrow.

Neither Jake nor Raine are prepared for the irresistible attraction they feel for one another. Nor are they ready for the emotions that surface after they give in to their passion. Both are haunted by an incident that precipitated Jake’s departure and neither knows how to bring it up without destroying their fragile new relationship. But it is long buried secrets that threaten to destroy them as they try to plan their future together.

Jake and Raine are also facing some difficult family issues. Raine’s mother, Gloria, essentially abandoned Raine as a child to work as a missionary. Gloria has recently returned to try to salvage their relationship, but Raine’s hurt and anger make it difficult for her to give Gloria a chance. Jake has an easier time repairing the damage to his relationship with his parents but the secret Jake is keeping from them keeps him mired in the past. Their tight bond is strong enough to withstand anything, but it takes almost of the entire novel before Jake fully believes this.

The Christmas He Loved Her begins around Thanksgiving and continues through the Christmas season. It is not a light and fluffy holiday read, but it is a beautiful story of love and forgiveness. Jake and Raine are dealing with realistic and incredibly painful issues but Juliana Stone makes all of the heartbreak (and tears) worthwhile with a touching and uplifting ending that perfectly sets up the next novel in the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake series.

Please click HERE to read my reviews of the other novels in the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake series.

5 Comments

Filed under Bad Boys of Crystal Lake Series, Contemporary, Juliana Stone, Rated A, Review, Romance, Sourcebooks, Sourcebooks Casablanca, The Christmas He Loved Her

September 5, 2013 · 3:58 am

Review: Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes by Gina Lamm

Title: Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes by Gina Lamm
Geek Girls Series Book TWo
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Historical, Romance, Time Travel
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

All Leah wanted was a little gallantry, a bit of chivalry. What she had was Kevin, the ex-boyfriend who’s asked her to be his new fiancee’s bridesmaid. Fat chance. Why can’t it be like the good old days? It’s as though someone hears her plea because the next thing she knows, a plump housekeeper full of mischief sends her back in time to Regency England. And now Leah is determined to snag her very own duke…

Avery Russell was polishing boots when the woman fell through the mirror into his arms, breathlessly babbling some nonsense about “my one true love, Your Grace.” If the chit couldn’t tell a valet from a duke, she was in a sorry state indeed. And as much as he wanted to give in and give her a good tumble, he knew it wouldn’t be proper. No, he’d take his time wooing this one… as long as necessary to convince her that sometimes a duke just won’t do.

The Review:

Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes is another fast-paced and charming novel in Gina Lamm’s fun time travel series. I absolutely loved The Geek Girl and the Scandalous Earl so I was quite eager to read Leah’s story.

Ms. Lamm does an excellent job keeping the Geek Girls series fresh and unique and Leah Ramsey’s trip back in time has a few distinct differences. Unlike the first novel, Leah’s time travel is voluntary so she is able to bring a few items to make her stay in Regency England a bit more comfortable. She has more knowledge of the time period she is traveling to. But the biggest difference is Leah knows that she is destined to fall in love with someone in the Duke of Granville’s household. Since her friend Jamie’s true love turned out to be an Earl, Leah arrives at the Duke’s home anticipating a love match with the Duke. So she is a little confused by her attraction to the Duke’s valet, Avery Russell. And when she meets the Duke? Well, let’s just say he is definitely not what she was expecting.

Part of Leah’s desire to travel back in time stems from her beloved grandfather’s desire to see her happily married. So she gamely accepts a position as maid in the Duke’s home. The work is much harder (and more disgusting) than Leah thought it would be, but Avery is there to lend a helping hand. With the other servants openly hostile towards her, Leah is grateful for Avery’s assistance and his steady friendship.

Avery is a wonderful hero and there was not anything about him that I did not like. He cannot quite escape his past career as a boxer and although he is an honorable man, he is forced to make unsavory decisions to protect those he loves. Avery is quite protective of Leah and he does an admirable job looking out for her. But his past collides with his present and puts Leah in danger. His feelings of inadequacy override his love for her and their future together looks bleak when someone from Leah’s life arrives bearing bad news.

As with the first novel in the series, Ms. Lamm does not downplay the less than ideal living conditions in Regency England. Leah’s repugnance over cleaning chamber pots and the unsanitary street life dispels a little bit of the romance of the era and provides historical accuracy to the overall story. It is also a refreshing change of pace that the main characters are not nobility. Leah does experience a more glamorous life when a well-meaning member of the peer offers to introduce her to the Duke but she is soon disillusioned by the daily lifestyle of her patroness.

A wonderful addition to Geek Girls series, Geek Girls Don’t Date Dukes is a highly entertaining novel. Full of appealing characters, plenty of snarky humor and a wonderfully unpredictable storyline, it is a must read for fans of time travel and historical romances. I have my fingers crossed that Gina Lamm has more stories planned for this delightful series.

Please click HERE to read my review of the first book in the series.

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Filed under Geek Girls Don't Date Dukes, Geek Girls Series, Gina Lamm, Historical, Rated B, Review, Romance, Sourcebooks, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Time Travel

August 6, 2013 · 3:57 am

Review: Wicked Beat by Olivia Cunning

Title: Wicked Beat by Olivia Cunning
Sinners on Tour Book Four
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 416 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

From the moment he lays eyes on Sinners’ new front of house soundboard operator, drummer Eric Sticks knows he has to make Rebekah his. Unfortunately, she’s too busy trying to seduce guitarist Trey Mills to pay him much attention. Rebekah never planned to fall for the tall, goofy drummer with the weird sense of humor and a heart the size of the galaxy, but Eric makes her laugh and his constant attention makes her feel sexy and irresistible–exactly what she needs after the things her last lover said to her. A woman who gives as much as she takes, Rebekah makes Eric feel like a total stud–exactly what he needs after surviving a decade of watching the incredibly talented members of Sinners from the wings.

The Review:

In Wicked Beat, the final installment of the über hot Sinners on Tour series, Olivia Cunning turns up the heat and delivers a plethora of smokin’ hawt and extremely erotic sex scenes. Rebekah “Reb” Blake and drummer Eric Sticks are playful lovers who eagerly act out their raunchiest fantasies with amazing frequency.

I have to confess that Rebekah is my least favorite Sinners’ heroine. In fact, I really did not like her much in the beginning or end of Wicked Beat. Rebekah is seriously crushing on Trey, but instead, she gets involved with Eric right off the bat. Now, I’ll be the first to admit, her self-esteem is at an all time low, she has zero sexual self-confidence, and she is attracted to Eric, but the fact is, she used him. I did like her through the middle of the story. Rebekah accepts Eric and she really gets his sense of humor. They are sexually compatible and their sexual chemistry is undeniable. But her reactions to certain events later in the book sent me back into dislike territory and I never did regain respect for her.

Now Eric? I LOVED him. He is offbeat with a quirky sense of humor and he is just adorable. Fans of the series know what Eric’s kink is and yep, he and Rebekah are on the same sexual page where it’s concerned. Eric has his own sexual insecurities and in this area, Eric and Rebekah are good for each other. Right from the start, Eric is serious about Rebekah and he only has eyes for her. He is just soo freakin’ cute and sweet once he falls for her. There is depth and substance to Eric’s character but his troubled past is barely touched on and his storyline remains sadly underdeveloped.

Rebekah and Eric’s relationship is superficial and outside of getting to know each other sexually, they really do not know anything about one another. So I had real problems with how quickly they fell in love. The “I love yous” were exchanged within days and I was highly skeptical that Rebekah could fall out of lust with Trey and into love with Eric that fast. There is little romance to the novel and while the sex scenes are definitely steamy, Eric and Rebekah practically do nothing but have sex. There are so many long and drawn out sex scenes that they eventually overwhelm the storyline.

With so little substance to their relationship, it is really no surprise when it implodes. While Eric tries to patch things up between them, Rebekah takes the advice of her ex, you know the man who crushed her self-esteem. And when she finds out how he manipulated her? She forgives him! I don’t care how close your friendship is, there are some things that are unforgivable and I was furious when Rebekah overlooked everything he did.

There are parts of Wicked Beat that I truly enjoyed. Trey and the rest of the band see how much Rebekah means to Eric and they take every opportunity to throw them together. Even though Trey knows that Rebekah wants him, he becomes an unlikely matchmaker for the duo. I love, love, love Eric and I am thrilled that I got to know more about this sensitive man. While I was not crazy about Rebekah, she is a good fit for Eric and I loved that they finally found their happily ever after.

Wicked Beat is an overall entertaining read that nicely wraps up Olivia Cunning’s Sinners on Tour series. I’m gonna miss these sexy rockers and the women who won their hearts!

Read my reviews of the previous two books in the series HERE.

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Filed under Contemporary, Erotic, Rated C+, Review, Romance, Sinners on Tour Series, Sourcebooks, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Wicked Beat

August 5, 2013 · 3:57 am

Review: Surrender to Sultry by Macy Beckett

Title: Surrender to Sultry by Macy Beckett
Sultry Springs Series Book Three
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Leah McMahon is back in Sultry Springs, Texas to help her dad recover from surgery. But there’s a new sheriff in town and he’s none other than Colton Bea, the wild-as-weeds boy who stole her heart a decade earlier.

Colt’s a changed man, and the feelings between these high school sweethearts are stronger than ever. But Leah’s got a secret so devastating that he may never forgive her. Can she find a way to earn absolution and build a future with the sultry man she’s loved half her life?

The Review:

The final book in Macy Beckett’s divine Sultry Springs series, Surrender to Sultry is another laugh out romance that is heartwarming and a little poignant. A beautiful story of redemption and forgiveness, readers finally get the full story behind bad boy Colton “Colt” Bea’s and preacher’s daughter Leah McMahon’s ill-fated teenage romance.

In the previous books in the series, Colt is a hard-drinkin’, unrepentant, womanizing deputy who is still nursing a broken heart from his long ago romance with Leah. Two years after a one night stand ran him down and put him in the hospital with numerous broken bones Colt has cleaned up his act. Now a respectable Sheriff, he has a whole passel of regrets for his past misdeeds. At the top of the list is his remorse for the cruel high school prank he pulled on Leah. When Leah returns to Sultry to nurse her father back to health, Colt is determined to make amends with Leah and in the process, he hopes to win her back. Unbeknownst to Colt, Leah is harboring a secret that will destroy his trust in her and threaten their fledgling relationship.

Colt and Leah have a lot to overcome. Both made terrible decisions as teenagers and their choices continue to haunt them. Their reflections on their failed relationship provide valuable insight into their long ago actions. Colt is truly remorseful for hurting Leah and his unwavering attempts to apologize are heartfelt and quite moving. Given Leah’s background as a preacher’s daughter, it is easy to believe that she truly has forgiven Colt but she has good reasons for keeping him at arms’ length.

Colt finally works his way past Leah’s defenses, but she knows she has to confess the reason she left Sultry. But as she suspects, Colt does not take the news well. The resolution to this part of the storyline is beautifully handled with very little angst and while it does not happen overnight, it is wrapped up fairly quickly.

Macy Beckett’s Surrender to Sultry has plenty of down-home charm, sass and steam. It is a sexy and sweet second chance at love story that is sure to delight old and new fans of the Sultry Springs series. I have loved every book in the series and I highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys contemporary romances.

You can read my review of the other books in the series HERE.

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Filed under Contemporary, Macy Beckett, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Sourcebook Casablanca, Sourcebooks, Sultry Springs Series, Surrender to Sultry