Review: Heartstrings and Diamond Rings by Jane Graves

Heartstrings and Diamond Rings
Jane Graves
Publisher: Forever
Published: October 1, 2011
Kindle {p.448}
Source: Publisher/Net Galley
Genre: Contemporary
Alison Carter, Brandon Scott
Challenge: 100+
Buy the Book: Amazon

HE'S THE MAN OF HER DREAMS . . .

In a world full of frogs, Alison Carter is determined to find her prince. Maybe her dating past is more Titanic than Love Boat, but she's seen enough happy marriages to know that true love is possible. No matter what, she won't give up on happily-ever-after. If she can't find Mr. Right, she'll simply hire someone who can.

SHE JUST DOESN'T KNOW IT YET

When Brandon Scott inherits a successful matchmaking business, he thinks his prayers have been answered. Set up a few lonely ladies, collect the fee, how hard can it be? No one needs to know he's not really a professional matchmaker-especially not his first client, the beautiful, spirited Alison. Soon he's falling for her-and her dreams of kids and carpools. But Alison is getting close to figuring out his secret, and if she learns he's deceived her too, she'll walk right out the door, taking Brandon's heart with her.

Alison has had a lot of bad luck when it comes to dating. Since she’s getting older and wants to eventually get married and have children, she turns to a professional matchmaker. Only he’s no professional.

I found this book to offer a lot of good laughs and a cute love match between Alison and Brandon. All the men Alison was matched with offered a great deal of entertainment. I even loved the secondary romance of Alison’s father.

Both Alison and Brandon were likable characters, but the romance between them was a very slow starter. Their romance took place really late in the book. Even though, that does not stop you from becoming engaged in their story and the outcome of Alison’s hunt for a husband.

Book Obsessed Spotlights {14}

I thought I would return a feature I used to do every Monday spotlighting a recently discovered book that I found interesting from its blurb.

This time around I've changed it up a bit. Instead of posting every week about books I haven't read, I'll post about books that I have read and loved, that I want to share with you.


Anna and the French Kiss
Stephanie Perkins

Anna is looking forward to her senior year in Atlanta, where she has a great job, a loyal best friend, and a crush on the verge of becoming more. Which is why she is less than thrilled about being shipped off to boarding school in Paris - until she meets Etienne St. Clair: perfect, Parisian (and English and American, which makes for a swoon-worthy accent), and utterly irresistible. The only problem is that he's taken, and Anna might be, too, if anything comes of her almost-relationship back home.

As winter melts into spring, will a year of romantic near - misses end with the French kiss Anna - and readers - have long awaited?



Perfect Chemistry
Simone Elkeles

A fresh, urban twist on the classic tale of star-crossed lovers.

When Brittany Ellis walks into chemistry class on the first day of senior year, she has no clue that her carefully created “perfect” life is about to unravel before her eyes. She’s forced to be lab partners with Alex Fuentes, a gang member from the other side of town, and he is about to threaten everything she's worked so hard for—her flawless reputation, her relationship with her boyfriend, and the secret that her home life is anything but perfect. Alex is a bad boy and he knows it. So when he makes a bet with his friends to lure Brittany into his life, he thinks nothing of it. But soon Alex realizes Brittany is a real person with real problems, and suddenly the bet he made in arrogance turns into something much more. In a passionate story about looking beneath the surface, Simone Elkeles breaks through the stereotypes and barriers that threaten to keep Brittany and Alex apart.



Black Ties and Lullabies
Jane Graves

A good girl can be bad for one night...

Bernadette Hogan doesn't make mistakes. Not when it comes to caring for her mother, and not at her job protecting Texas's most eligible—and infuriating—bachelor. Maybe that's why she's overcome with guilt after one tiny indiscretion: a passionate fling with her boss that's left her confused, intrigued...and pregnant.

but can a bad boy be good for a lifetime?

To self-made millionaire Jeremy Bridges, women are like fine wine: if held for too long, they sour. But one wild night with Bernadette changed all that. She makes him laugh, she makes him think, and soon she's going to make him a father. For the first time, Jeremy wants to be a one-woman man. So how can he convince the fiercely independent Bernadette he's ready to change from partying playboy to dependable dad—and become the loving husband she deserves?

Review: Black Ties and Lullabies by Jane Graves

Black Ties and Lullabies
Jane Graves
Publisher: Forever
Publication Date: June 28, 2011
Mass Market Paperback {p.387}
Source: Publisher
Genre: Contemporary
Characters: Bernadette Hogan, Jeremy Bridges
Challenge: 100+, Summer Romance

A good girl can be bad for one night...

Bernadette Hogan doesn't make mistakes. Not when it comes to caring for her mother, and not at her job protecting Texas's most eligible—and infuriating—bachelor. Maybe that's why she's overcome with guilt after one tiny indiscretion: a passionate fling with her boss that's left her confused, intrigued...and pregnant.

but can a bad boy be good for a lifetime?

To self-made millionaire Jeremy Bridges, women are like fine wine: if held for too long, they sour. But one wild night with Bernadette changed all that. She makes him laugh, she makes him think, and soon she's going to make him a father. For the first time, Jeremy wants to be a one-woman man. So how can he convince the fiercely independent Bernadette he's ready to change from partying playboy to dependable dad—and become the loving husband she deserves?

Black Ties and Lullabies had me laughing throughout the entire story. Bernie, Jeremy's bodyguard, is only putting up with him because she needs the money to care for her ailing mother. Bernie can't stand his womanizer ways and controlling attitude. One night her anger gets the best of her, and she ends up pregnant by Jeremy.

I love these two together because from their outward appearance you would never paired them together. Once they really got to know each other it became clear that they were made for one another. There was a genuine affection underneath all their arguing and snarky comments.

The side characters, Bernie's mother Elenor and Jeremy's new bodyguard Max, to be more precise, offered additional laugh out loud moments. Elenor reminded me of most mothers who are pushing their children for grandchildren.

This is my first time reading this author and I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I can't wait to read more from her, but in the meantime I guess I'll just have to read her backlist.

Theme Thursday {7}: Smile

This meme is being hosted by Kavyen @ Reading Between Pages. Each Thursday she will be posting a new "theme" Anyone can join in; here are the rules:

• A new "theme" will be posted each Thursday
• Select a conversion/snippet/sentence from your current read
• Post your selection, but don't forget to list the title and author of the book
• This event is open for one whole week
• It is important that the theme is conveyed in the sentence (you don’t necessarily need to have the word)
  
  Ex: If the theme is KISS; your sentence can have “They kissed so gently” or “Their lips touched each other” or “The smooch was so passionate”

This week's "theme" is: SMILE

Her gaze traveled leisurely from his chest to his abdomen, and then to the area below his belt, where it lingered for several seconds on the monumental hard-on he couldn't have hidden if he'd wanted to. She met his eyes again, giving him a wicked smile. "Take off your pants," she said.

page 36; Black Ties and Lullabies by Jane Graves

Teaser Tuesday: Black Ties and Lullabies by Jane Graves

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly meme hosted by MizB @ Should Be Reading. To participate, all you have to do is the following:

• Grab your current/upcoming read
• Open to a random page
• Share 2-3 "teaser" sentences from somewhere on that page
• Be careful not to include spoilers! (You do not want to ruin the book for others.)

Share the title & author so that others who enjoy your "teaser" may add the book to their TBL pile.

"I'm just so delighted you could make it here this--"
He knew the exact moment she caught sight of his slack tie and scuffed Nikes. Her voice faltered, and for a split second, he saw it. That look of disapproval. That expression that said, You're not one of us. But, as always, he consoled himself with the fact that for all her riches, he could buy and sell her ten times over.
"--this evening," she finished.
"Mrs. Caldwell. What a joy it is to see you again." Jeremy nodded toward Bernie. "Mrs. Caldwell, I'd like you to meet Bernadette. She's a family friend visiting from Arkansas. Rural Arkansas. It was a slow time at the chicken farm, so she put on her best dress, hopped a Greyhound, and here she is."
At the same time he got a furtive eye roll from Bernie, Mrs. Caldwell's nose crinkled as if she smelled something rotten.

page 11; Black Ties and Lullabies by Jane Graves