Review: The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

Publish Date: February 26, 2013
Mass Market Paperback {p. 432}
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Blue Heron #1
Source: Publisher
Faith Holland, Levi Cooper

Sometimes the best man is the one you least expect… Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she's ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family's vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there's some great scenery there….

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief—and best friend of her former fiancé. There's a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it's not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she's having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.

Faith has finally returned home after years away in San Francisco after being jilted at the altar. Upon her return, she gets herself in some pretty comical situations trying to avoid seeing Jeremy, the man she almost married. And of course they have to be witnessed by the person she hates most, Levi Cooper.

The Best Man is a non-stop laugh fest. Faith is highly entertaining. And of course what good romance doesn’t have a handsome brooding male; in this case, Levi. The two of them didn’t seem to get along well in the beginning, but once that changed they couldn’t stay out of each other’s bed.

Of course everything wasn’t rosy, they had their issues. One was being Levi’s lack of communicating. Even with that, they were still great together.

The secondary characters were also amazing. Faith and Levi had a great set of people around them. Not one character, other than Levi’s father, did I not love.

Review: The Wanderer by Robyn Carr

Publish Date: March 26, 2013
Mass Market Paperback {p. 384}
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Thunder Point #1
Source: Publisher
Sarah Dupre, Hank Cooper

Nestled on the Oregon coast is a small town of rocky beaches and rugged charm. Locals love the land's unspoiled beauty. Developers see it as a potential gold mine. When newcomer Hank Cooper learns he's been left an old friend's entire beachfront property, he finds himself with a community's destiny in his hands.

Cooper has never been a man to settle in one place, and Thunder Point was supposed to be just another quick stop. But Cooper finds himself getting involved with the town. And with Sarah Dupre, a woman as complicated as she is beautiful.

With the whole town watching for his next move, Cooper has to choose between his old life and a place full of new possibilities. A place that just might be home.

I was so excited and hesitant when I learned of the new series by Robyn. My thinking was, how can it anywhere near as good as Virgin River when it’s already perfect. But Thunder Point is just as perfect. Robyn is one of the few authors I’ve come across who manages to make the town feel like one of the lead characters along with the hero and heroine. I always love and dread reading Virgin River series because I always finish the book wanting to pack my bags and move there. That’s when the disappointment sets in, when I remember it’s not a real place.

Thunder Point, to me, is the younger crowd version of Virgin River. The high school crowd played just as much of an important role as the adult crowd. Thunder Point added the excitement of Friday night lights to the small, close-knit seaside town. I immediately fell in love with the town Robyn created with words that came to life in my imagination.

Cooper and his relationship with Sarah’s brother Landon was a major highlight for me. I’m glad Robyn chose to develop their relationship first before developing Cooper’s relationship with Sarah.

List of Five ~ February 2013

I got the idea of making a list of the books I'm going to read for the month from a similar feature done by GalleySmith. Although she lists 10 books I'm only doing 5, to take into account ARCs I may receive or just falling into a reading slump.

Hopefully this will also cut down on the time I spend sitting in front of my bookshelf trying to decide what to read next. Plus maybe it will help with my need to read my own books. I have this problem of putting books on the shelves in favor of reading newer, shinier books and forgetting all about the previously purchased ones.

My goal is to stick to this 5 with the addition of others throughout the month. I may not read them in the order they are listed, but it is my goal to read all five.

February 2013 List of Five:

• Beach House No. 9
• Undertow
• The Best Man
• A Shot of Sultry
• When Lightning Strikes

In My Mailbox {123}

In My Mailbox (IMM) is a weekly meme hosted by Kristi @ The Story Siren. Every week I'll post what books I've received either by mailbox/library/store.

I'll try to post an entry of IMM every Sunday that I receive books by mail/library/store of that week.

Books via Publisher

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

The Last Debutante by Julia London

 

Books via Reader Service

All He Ever Desired by Shannon Stacey

Beach House No. 9 by Christie Ridgway

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

Bungalow Nights by Christie Ridgway

Return to Willow Lake by Susan Wiggs

That Night on Thistle Lane by Carla Neggers

When Summer Comes by Brenda Novak

Be Mine by Jennifer Cruise, Victoria Dahl, Shannon Stacey

Random Reads {5}: Undertow

Random Reads is a monthly meme hosted by I'm Loving ♥ Books! It's a great way to knock out some of the books that've been piling up on your shelf for awhile. To play along, you randomly choose something from your TBR list and read it some time during the course of the month.

Like Sarah, I will be using my Goodreads account and Random.org to choose my book for the month.

Undertow

Cherry Adair

SHE TAKES THE PLUNGE.
Teal Williams is content with her career as a ship’s master mechanic—until Zane Cutter, the “Casanova of the Caribbean,” makes her an offer she can’t refuse: to climb on board with him for a real-life treasure hunt. Teal must help him dredge up a shipwrecked vessel containing an abundance of gold, silver, and emeralds—and she’ll claim part of the prize.

HE’S BLOWN OFF COURSE.

Zane needs a mechanic—not a lover—and Teal, who can also dive, is perfect for the job. So it suits him just fine that Teal is completely immune to his charms…or so he tells himself. But with a deadly enemy in their midst—one who’s silently edging closer—Zane and Teal sink into troubled waters. Trapped in the middle of a perilous sea, they have no one to turn to but each other as they face down a danger that runs unfathomably deep—and a passion that runs even deeper…

Review: Hot Ticket by Olivia Cunning

Publish Date: February 13, 2013
Trade Paperback {p. 383}
Genre: BDSM, Erotica
Series: Sinners on Tour #3
Source: Publisher
Jace Seymour, Agatha

There are things in bassist Jace Seymour’s past that he is unwilling to share with anyone. To cover his guilt and anguish, he seeks dominatrix Mistress V (Aggie) to temporarily placate his inner turmoil. Aggie doesn’t have much use for men–besides the power rush she gets when they’re begging for mercy at her feet–but Jace isn’t like her usual clients. His cool defiance and unexpected dominance in the bedroom drives her to distraction and quickly steals her heart. When circumstances threaten Jace’s position in Sinners, Aggie must help him regain his rightful place in the band while showing him that time and love can heal all wounds.

This installment to the series takes place during the timeframe of book two in the series. That threw me a bit because I was expecting it to pick up after the last book.

I wasn't a fan of Jace needing pain to get off, and to be honest. I was a little put off by it. I didn't have a problem with Jace or dislike him, I just didn't inderstand it. And with that being said, I didn't have any desire to try to understand it or continue with their story.

Eric on the on the hand was a complete asshole. I don't see how Eric could even be considered a friend. It seems like he treated Jace as a flunky instead of a bandmate.

Not my favorite of the series, but I won't let that deter me from continuing on with the series.