Reprise Review: Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty by Stacy Juba

 

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Young Adult/Chick Lit

Description:

“Dance instructor Rory Callahan likes to play it safe. When she meets Kyle, he’s impulsive, persistent, and her exact opposite. He’s pushing her to tango way past her comfort zone and keeping Rory on her toes more than twenty years of dance teachers ever had.

Unfortunately, he’s the grandson of her family’s archrival and she doesn’t want to disappoint them. After all, her parents imagine her as a proper princess - hence her namesake Aurora, AKA Sleeping Beauty. Complicating matters, Rory’s also dealing with a surgeon boyfriend who’s perfect for her (sort of), an obnoxious boss, and desperate dance moms. Kyle wants to change her whole life, but Rory doesn’t like the stakes. After all, princesses are the ones who get the happy endings. . .aren’t they?”

Author:

“Stacy Juba loves to write about Characters at a Crossroads: individuals who are finding themselves and getting on the right life path after overcoming obstacles. Her goals are to entertain readers of all ages as well as inspire them through her mystery, romance, and contemporary fiction books for adults, teens, and children. She has written about ice hockey, sibling rivalry, and sportsmanship, teen psychics, U.S. flag etiquette for kids, and determined women sleuths solving mysteries.”

Find out more about Ms. Juba on her website or follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Aurora Callahan, nicknamed Rory, is floating through her life. She’s dating a doctor in residency. Their relationship is comfortable but going nowhere. When Rory trips into Kyle’s life they both enjoy a lively banter. Which entices Rory and Kyle alike.

Rory’s brother, Dylan is general manager for the family-owned Storybook Valley Amusement Park, who we met in book one. Wants to start a princess program for young girls that will incorporate dance, crafts, and games. He wants Rory to teach it. Grandmother is quick to offer her services for etiquette lessons as well. Rory agrees to start the program but can’t see how she can continue to work the program while she is teaching ballet and running interference between competitive dance students, their mothers, and other dance teachers who are tired of dealing with their overly competitive boss. It’s beginning to be a full-time job for Rory to smooth things over for everyone involved. Things are working to a boiling point.

I really enjoyed the way this story was told. I kept waiting for Rory to end up in a coma like her namesake Aurora from Sleeping Beauty. That would have devastated me, because I grew to love all the characters. That’s not to say I didn’t want to slap Rory a few times or perhaps just shake her and yell, ‘WAKE UP’. It was fun watching her learn to stand up for herself and go after her dream job and dream guy with or without her family’s approval. It was also nice to learn more about Rory’s family’s past. What a quirky family with grandmother all prim and proper, and grandfather with his feud that stems from a high school classmate and his garden gnomes. This is a quick easy, enjoyable read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Prancing Around With Sleeping Beauty is book 2 in Ms. Juba’s Storybook Valley Series. These novels can be read in any order. The series starts with Fooling Around With Cinderella.

Format/Typo Issues:

I found no issues with proofing or formatting.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 55-60,000 words

Reprise Review: Finding Fiona by Donna Fasano

 Genre: Romantic Comedy/Chick-lit/Mystery

Description:

“If her husband turns up alive—she'll kill him!

Explaining to the seriously sexy cop why she hasn't noticed her husband has been missing for three days is both embarrassing and sobering. But the day Fiona Rowland lifts her head above the churning chaos of kids, carpools, and a million things to do, annoyance turns to fury...then to worry. Where is Stanley?

Having one of those wake-up-and-smell-the-coffee moments changes the way a woman looks at things: marriage, money, family, and friends. And when her best pal from high school arrives (packing her own secrets) to lend support, it turns out even the past isn't quite what it seems. Scrambling to make sense of the drama unfolding, Fiona discovers there's an upside to having your whole world turned upside down. It's easier to grab the good stuff.”

Author:

“USA Today Bestselling Author Donna Fasano has written over 40 women's fiction and romance titles that have sold over 4 million copies worldwide.”

Appraisal:

Finding Fiona is many different, sometimes contradictory things. It starts with a mystery. Where’s Stanley? Fiona’s husband disappeared and there aren’t many clues as to where he might be. There’s romantic comedy in a few different ways as romance threatens to take hold, but there are times when the romantic side of things is way too serious to be funny. Fiona’s best friend from her high school days stumbles into the middle of this crisis and alternates between helping and exacerbating the situation.

This was a fun story that kept me guessing, both about the mystery part, but also the romance and relationship part. I wasn’t sure who was going to end up with who, or how the different conflicts would resolve. It kept me guessing and, even more importantly, I liked the characters enough to care how it turned out.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 75-80,000 words

Review: Gone Country by Hunter Snow

 

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Description:

“Two worlds. One accidental hit song. The stage is set for the ultimate showdown.

Jamie Keaton is a rock star with a reputation as fiery as her songs. Clayton Langley is a country singer who epitomizes Southern charm.

Their paths were never supposed to cross—let alone collide—but when a chance encounter forces them to collaborate on a song, she’s suddenly thrust into his universe of cowboy boots and steel-string guitars.

As old resentments and undeniable chemistry simmer beneath the surface, Jamie must decide whether to embrace the unfamiliar world she’s been dragged into—or to stoke the fire of their rivalry and watch everything burn.”

Author:

“Hunter Snow survived (just barely) a wild ride through the music industry and now channels those experiences into writing rock and roll romances from her home in the Pacific Northwest.”

Appraisal:

While there are some serious things going on in this story including the romance, it is also funny in so many ways. For a fan of music (yes, even that twangy country stuff) as well being a person who likes to laugh and be a bit of a smart … well, you know … this book was one of the most fun and enjoyable reads I’ve devoured in a while. I’m glad I decided to give it a try.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adultish language and content.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Review: Rock Crush and Roll by Hunter Snow

 

Genre: Romance/Romantic Comedy

Description:

“What if the rock star you had a crush on in high school is into you? But it's 15 years later and you're over dating musicians. Or are you?

Tyler Robertson is a music manager. Cary Kingston is the biggest rock star in the world. She's sworn off dating musicians. And he's a confirmed bachelor.

But when their working relationship turns into something more, she wonders if she's falling for the rock star or the person.

You can't always get what you want... but sometimes you can.”

Author:

“After (barely) surviving a career in the music industry, Hunter Snow now lives to tell its tales. She writes contemporary romances from her home in the Pacific Northwest. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.”

For more, check out Hunter Snow’s website.

Appraisal:

This tale has the things you’d expect a book in the romance genre to have. The unexpected and humorous twists that happen as our heroine, music manager Tyler Robertson, and her unexpected romantic partner, rock star Cary Kingston, find their way to the ending a romance is expected to have add a ton of humor to the story. If you’re a music fan like I am it makes this story even better. A fun and enjoyable read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Plenty of adult language and some mildly adult situations.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 85-90,000 words

Review: The Exception by Marian Bruno

 Genre: Romantic Comedy

Description:

“A married couple struggling with infertility decide to go outside of their marriage for a consensual affair. One month, one exception and then they'll decide if IVF is right for them.

Set in the sunny hills of Silver Lake, Los Angeles where the young artists and lawless musicians roam, comes this thrilling, fun, comedic love story that'll have you chuckling in public.

Becca and Mark have been trying to have a baby for years. Technically, there's nothing wrong with them. They fight a lot, but what couple doesn't? Everyone tells them to relax and it will happen. The next logical step is in vitro, but that’s invasive and scary. If it isn’t physically meant to be, why force it? The conundrum leaves Becca feeling anxious, depressed, and alone, until the day her neighbor Macy, a wild-spirited music producer, introduces her to Heathcliff, an undeniably attractive and attentive photographer. Becca’s loins are awakened, and she wonders whether she and Mark are truly compatible. When Mark’s mom, a sociology professor, admits to swinging and preaches about the social imposition of monogamy, an idea brews: what if they went outside of their marriage?

Before taking the plunge and making a baby in a lab, they need to know, are they truly meant for one another?

They make an agreement: one month, one exception.

Will their relationship survive? Is letting go of each other, their dreams of being parents truly the secret to getting everything they’ve ever wanted? Or will their desires change completely?”

Author:

“Marian Bruno is an emerging author of humorous women's fiction novels. She used to be an actress but still considers herself a comedian. She studied at the renowned Second City Conservatory and Upright Citizen Brigade theaters, performed stand up at The Comedy Store, debuted her own one woman show and created several web series. She currently lives in Dallas with her husband, a reality tv editor, and their two vivacious children. She has thoroughly enjoyed the transition to novel writing as it has eliminated the need to do her hair and face: she'd rather be outside under a tree with a book.”

Appraisal:

This was a fun read. I liked Becca and, while I sometimes got irritated by things her husband Mark did, also understood where he was coming from enough of the time to mostly like him as well. I got mentally pulled into the struggles they were gong through and was hoping it would all work out. I also wondered if I was going to end up with an unexpected ending of some kind that I didn’t anticipate as an option. The other characters in the story were interesting and kept things lively and entertaining. While the obvious reader for this book would be a woman of child-bearing age or potentially her spouse, but as an old grandpa well past that point I still found the story compelling and good to get myself pondering how I would react if I was gong through what the characters here did.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language and relatively mild adult content.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of proofreading issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words

Reprise Review: For the Love of Katie by Erica Lucke Dean

 Genre: Romantic Comedy/Chick-Lit

Description:

“Newlywed Katie Maxwell is ready to settle down and leave her amateur detective days behind. But when the veil of secrecy surrounding her husband’s latest project takes them to Europe, her penchant for sleuthing lands her in some serious hot foreign water.

Katie will need to think quickly to talk her way out of handcuffs and a Parisian jail cell. Too bad she doesn't speak French.”

Author:

Erica Lucke Dean: “After walking away from her career as a business banker to pursue writing full-time, Erica moved from the hustle and bustle of the big city to a small tourist town in the North Georgia Mountains where she lives in a 90-year-old haunted farmhouse with her workaholic husband, her 180lb lap dog, and at least one ghost.

When she's not busy writing or tending to her collection of crazy chickens, diabolical ducks, and a quintet of piglets, hell bent on having her for dinner, she's either reading bad fan fiction or singing karaoke in the local pub. Much like the main character in her first book, To Katie With Love, Erica is a magnet for disaster, and has been known to trip on air while walking across flat surfaces.

How she's managed to survive this long is one of life's great mysteries.”

To learn more about Ms. Dean and her books please visit her website or follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Katie, who is now four months pregnant, gets arrested in Paris trying to spy on her husband, Cooper Maxwell, at his latest film shoot.  Unfortunately she isn’t carrying any ID to prove who she is. It could happen! At the end of To Katie With Love, the prior book in this series, the book skipped forward a year. While Katie is trying to convince the Paris police inspector, Henri Gaspard, who she is, the story jumps back, using this book to fill in the gap.

The hijinks and miscommunications at work are hysterical. All of Ms. Dean’s secondary character interactions are just as enjoyable as her main characters. They always add depth to the scenes. Vivian Allen, Cooper’s publicist, is a thorn in Katie’s side, and Cooper seems oblivious to Vivian’s advancements, which gives Katie the opportunity to rely on her own devices. We are then given the privilege of getting to know Katie’s parents, I think Katie takes after her mom a little more than she’s willing to admit. There is also no denying Katie is a gem in her father’s eyes. Cooper’s parents were both gems. Lizzie, Cooper’s mom, is excellent at reading people and knows how to get what she wants. Colin, Cooper’s father, is now enjoying his life since retiring from Her Majesty’s Diplomatic Service. One would expect him to be a stuffy old Englishman, which is far from the truth. They are both delightful and will be wonderful grandparents. And I’m not just saying that because they have chickens and goats on their estate in England.

The storyline moves at a good pace with a couple wrenches thrown in to complicate things. A lot of For the Love of Katie is a comedy of errors that were no fault of her own. Then there are memorable scenes that are Katie’s fault, these all involved too many adult beverages. The ending is perfect as Cooper defines being the perfect man by accepting and relishing Katie for who she is. For the Love of Katie is an enchanting read I highly recommend.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Original review published May 9, 2017.

For the Love of Katie is book two in The Katie Chronicles. This book can be read as a standalone.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Reprise Review: For the Love of Katie by Erica Lucke Dean

 

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Chick-Lit

Description:

“Newlywed Katie Maxwell is ready to settle down and leave her amateur detective days behind. But when the veil of secrecy surrounding her husband’s latest project takes them to Europe, her penchant for sleuthing lands her in some serious hot foreign water.

Katie will need to think quickly to talk her way out of handcuffs and a Parisian jail cell. Too bad she doesn't speak French.”

Author:

“After walking away from her career as a business banker to pursue writing full-time, Erica moved from the hustle and bustle of the big city to a small tourist town in the North Georgia Mountains where she lives in a 90-year-old haunted farmhouse with her workaholic husband, her 180lb lap dog, and at least one ghost.”

Appraisal:

In To Katie with Love (the first book in this series) between the penultimate and final chapter, the story jumps ahead a year. A lot of things have changed for our protagonist, Katie, and her love interest, Cooper, during that interval. This story looks back on that period and tells the story of how Katie and Cooper jumped from point A to point B.

While a lot changes in that year, the things that don’t change are just as critical. Katie is still clumsy. She worries just a little too much. And she’s … snoopy might be a nice way to put it. In other words, none of the things that made Katie so loveable and her first story such a fun read have changed which made For the Love of Katie a fun read as well. For what it’s worth, I think Cooper is a saint.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Original review published May 9, 2017.

Mild adult situations.

While this is the second book in a series it can be read as a standalone.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Review: Get a Room by Casey Dembowski

 

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Description:

“Brian Hawkins has had the worst year. He watched his girlfriend marry another man, lost his job and his apartment, and after a summer under his parents' roof, has taken refuge with his younger sister. A quiet few months in Philadelphia are just what he needs to clear his head and get back on his feet. But he's barely unpacked before the bane of his existence, his sister's best friend, shows up. His planned solitude is replaced by pop songs, rom-coms, and bright-pink hair. All that would be bearable, except there's only one extra bed, and there's no way he's sharing it with her.

Sarah Webb didn't think anything could be worse than a marriage-proposal-gone-wrong walk of shame to her best friend's apartment. But she was wrong. So wrong. Because she's not just staying with Jess. She's also sharing space with Jess's older brother. Brian is grumpy and stubborn and—not that Sarah would ever admit it out loud—totally hot. He's also off limits, which is why she should let him have the bedroom, stop staring at his abs, and keep her distance. But playing nice isn't in her nature.

As Sarah and Brian pull pranks and place wagers over who can lay claim to the bed, things between them start to shift. Sarah can admit that Brian has his moments, and Brian sees a side of Sarah she usually keeps hidden. When she needs a last-minute date for a charity gala where her doctor-ex is going to be in attendance, Brian seems like the perfect fake date. But as they spin around the dance floor, their fledgling friendship turns to something unexpected—and only one thing's certain: more than just the bed is up for grabs.”

Author:

“Casey Dembowski loves to write stories that focus on the intricacies of relationships—whether romantic, familial, or platonic. Her novels focus on the inner workings of women and how everything in their lives leads them to exactly where they are, whether they like it or not.

Casey lives in New Jersey with her family. She has an MFA in Fiction from Adelphi University and currently works in corporate marketing communications. In her (limited) spare time, she enjoys reading, baking, and watching her favorite television shows on repeat.”

For more, visit Ms Dembowski’s website.

Appraisal:

As I was thinking about this story it occurred to me that I wasn’t sure if the romantic comedy genre is the same as the romance genre in that you can assume the potential couple will end up together in the end. A quick Google and a visit to the Wikipedia page indicates that normally they do end up together although an occasional rare exception will happen. This isn’t one of those times and the description makes that clear.

However, despite knowing how things are going to end you’ll find yourself questioning that at times. Even if Sarah and Brian realize what the reader does, that they belong together, there are other things where they don’t seem to be a fit. Sarah has a great job that she enjoys where she lives in Philadelphia whereas Brian is eager to move back to New York for just one example. Plus, we have Brian’s sister, Jess, who is also Sarah’s best friend in the mix, complicating things exponentially. The ups and downs as Sarah and Brian navigate their eventually romantic relationship are an adventure and, yes, the word comedy also applies. The results are a fun read.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language and mild adult situations.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Reprise Review: For the Love of Katie by Erica Lucke Dean

 

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Chick-Lit

Description:

“Newlywed Katie Maxwell is ready to settle down and leave her amateur detective days behind. But when the veil of secrecy surrounding her husband’s latest project takes them to Europe, her penchant for sleuthing lands her in some serious hot foreign water.

Katie will need to think quickly to talk her way out of handcuffs and a Parisian jail cell. Too bad she doesn't speak French.”

Author:

“After walking away from her career as a business banker to pursue writing full-time, Erica moved from the hustle and bustle of the big city to a small tourist town in the North Georgia Mountains where she lives in a 90-year-old haunted farmhouse with her workaholic husband, her 180lb lap dog, and at least one ghost.”

Appraisal:

In To Katie with Love (the first book in this series) between the penultimate and final chapter, the story jumps ahead a year. A lot of things have changed for our protagonist, Katie, and her love interest, Cooper, during that interval. This story looks back on that period and tells the story of how Katie and Cooper jumped from point A to point B.

While a lot changes in that year, the things that don’t change are just as critical. Katie is still clumsy. She worries just a little too much. And she’s … snoopy might be a nice way to put it. In other words, none of the things that made Katie so loveable and her first story such a fun read have changed which made For the Love of Katie a fun read as well. For what it’s worth, I think Cooper is a saint.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Original review published May 9, 2017.

Mild adult situations.

While this is the second book in a series it can be read as a standalone.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 80-85,000 words

Review: Chasing Ginger by Marie Lavender

 

Genre: Contemporary Romantic Comedy

Description:

“Chased by a group of angry men. Saved by quite a hunk.

This is not the résumé Ginger Halloway ever imagined having. But thanks to a miracle pill, which makes her size 22 body instantly sexy, that’s what happened.

Yet, now Lance Franklin is showing interest in her, and she can’t figure out if he really likes her for her, or if it’s just because of a bizarre drug.

And her wild bunch of friends, The Misfits…well, they’re always getting her into some interesting situations.

So, yep, business as usual. Except for the guy. What the hell should she do about him?

As for Lance, he believes he’s lucky to have found Ginger. But can he convince her they should go for it?

With some new attention from the hottest guy she’s ever met, Ginger can’t help but wonder…is this all too good to be true?”

Author:

“Marie Lavender lives in the Midwest with her family and two cats… At the tender age of nine, she began writing stories. She majored in Creative Writing in college because that was all she ever wanted - to be a writer… After graduating from college, she sought out her dream to publish a book.

Since 2010, Marie has published 21 books in the genres of historical romance, contemporary romance, romantic suspense, paranormal romance, romantic comedy, dramatic fiction, fantasy, science fiction, mystery/thriller, literary fiction and poetry. An avid blogger on the side, she writes adult fiction, as well as occasional stories for children, and has recently started some young adult fiction.”

To learn more visit Ms. Lavender’s website or follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Ginger Halloway is desperate enough for a male companionship to sign up for an experimental drug testing program, for a new drug called Instasin. The doctors report the pill contains pheromones to attract the opposite sex. Her only obligation is to keep a journal while taking the pills. After three months the guinea pigs would report back with their findings.

Ginger is a smart, savvy, and mostly comfortable in her plus size body. She has beat down her insecurities about her weight, instilled from her parents while growing up. She tries to look at things through realistic eyes. When she meets Lance through happenstance she is immediately smitten. When Lance seems to be pursuing her, she writes it off as ‘the instasin’ effect. There is no way an intelligent, handsome, rich man could be interested in her.

Chasing Ginger is a unique, intelligent story that will capture your heart. Their journey together and apart shows character growth and acceptance. Ginger’s group of close friends, the Misfits, add levity and a sense of realism. Ms. Lavender takes a serious subject and has written an entertaining tale with smart dialogue and heart.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Chasing Ginger is book 1 in Ms. Lavender’s, Misfits Series. Several F-bombs are dropped, and graphic sex scenes.

Format/Typo Issues:

A small number of proofing misses.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 125-130,000 words

Reprise Review: She's the Boss by Lisa Lim

 

Genre: Romantic Comedy/Chick Lit

Description:

“The Devil Wears Prada meets The Office. Twenty-something Karsynn is now a boss, but she's not so much The Devil Wears Prada as she is The Angel Wears Payless. With a brighter career, things should be going better for her, right? Wrong. There's now a new director at the office, Carter Lockwood, and he's brought his reputation for wreaking havoc amongst the ladies. Karsynn prides herself on being the only one impervious to Carter's good looks. In fact, she takes great pleasure in blowing on the embers of Carter's hostility.

Karsynn thinks Carter is arrogant and obnoxious. Carter believes Karsynn is an ignorant, sassy spitfire. Once they start working closely together, they discover first impressions can be deceptive. Karsynn may be winning the battle against Carter, but will she lose the war? And more importantly, will she lose her heart?”

Author:

Lisa Lim’s debut novel, Confessions of a Call Center Gal, was shortlisted for “Goodreads No Young Adult Best Chick Lit Reads” and featured on the Wall Street Journal online.

For more, visit Lim’s Amazon Author page.

Appraisal:

She’s the Boss largely takes place in the same call center as Lim’s Confessions of a Call Center Gal, but with a focus on different characters and no need to have read the prior book to easily follow what’s happening in this one. Humor abounds, with idiot customers (the characters may have to pretend that the customer is always right, but I don’t have to), and the normal hijinks you’ll find in any office full of young, energetic people.

The main character, Karsynn, is, as the book description says, a “sassy spitfire.” As a relatively new supervisor, she’s finding her way, learning how to balance the demands made on her from above with supervising those people who were recently her peers and are still her friends. Anyone who has gone through this balancing act will empathize with her experiences.

It would be fair to describe She’s the Boss as Chick Lit, as it has all the elements of that genre, primarily the humor in the situations the protagonist faces as she grows as a person. But the book is also being described as a “Romantic Comedy,” and has all of those elements too, with a potential love interest who is unappealing in many ways, yet Karsynn is unaccountably drawn to him. Categorize it however you want. What’s important is it’s a read that won’t leave your funny bone alone.

Buy now from:    Amazon US    Amazon UK

FYI:

Some adult language and situations.

Added for Reprise Review: She’s the Boss by Lisa Lim was a nominee in the Chick Lit/Women's Fiction category for B&P 2014 Readers' Choice Awards. Original review ran May 6, 2013

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: BigAl

Approximate word count: 65-70,000 words

Review: All of Me by Andrea Smith

 

Genre: Romantic Comedy

Description:

“Dirk Sexton is a thirty year old playboy with a conscience.

He wants the sex without feeling the guilt of his meaningless one night stands.

Deciding to take a chance, he finally takes the leap only to realize that he may just have chosen the wrong sister.

Autumn Dey, Dirk's newest employee at his radio station, may be Summer Dey's twin sister, but they are definitely not identical. Summer is tall and toned . . . and well Autumn isn't.

When Summer starts dating her sister's gorgeous new boss, Dirk Sexton, Autumn slides herself into the friend zone, admiring from afar.

Until, that is, Autumn's alter ego (and 900 operator "Ramona") discovers Dirk's true desires.

Will love truly conquer all?”

Author:

“Andrea Smith offers her readers a plethora of romance and suspense genres to enjoy!

From New Adult Romance, YA Suspense, M/M Romance, MMF Romance, Paranormal Romance, and Rom Com, Ms. Smith has it all. Her unexpected plot twists are just one of her signature traits; she also infuses clever humor and sprinkles of satire in her novels. Her unique style is what her readers love most. She is no one-trick pony, and promises her readers she'll never publish ’cookie-cutter‘ fiction.”

Appraisal:

All of Me was a wonderful surprise. It’s smartly written, fun, unexpected, and humorous. The characters were realistic, witty, and well rounded. Autumn Dey is a phone sex operator who goes by Ramona and has a sexy southern drawl. She thinks her voice is her best asset and her dream job would be a radio show. Dirk Sexton is the manager of radio station WQRK, Quirk-99 in Indianapolis. He is looking for a host for Midnight Caller, a new late night call-in program. Dirk is also having a crisis of conscience about his playboy lifestyle which is complicating his personal life.

Autumn’s twin sister, Summer, took me a while to warm up to. She’s tall, thin, beautiful and full of herself. However, she plays an important role in Autumn’s life and with a surprising twist she finds herself on a growth in character journey as well. 

Dirk feels like he’s found the golden ticket with Autumn as host of Midnight Caller. The stations ratings are going up. Dirk’s phone relationship with Ramona is ongoing. He’s never used her for phone sex, only an ear to listen to his woes, sympathize, perhaps offer him advice, or give him another perspective. She has become his call-in psychiatrist. Until the day it all implodes.

The plot has a nice pace and loads of twists to muddle things up. All of Me would be a great summer vacation read or a wonderful winters day read to warm things up.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

All of Me, is a BBW (Big Beautiful Women) romantic comedy. There are sexual scenes some may not be comfortable with. I thoroughly enjoyed them. There are also several F-bombs.

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant proofing issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 15-20,000 words

Review: Roller Coaster Romance by Kate Moseman

Genre: Sweet Romance/Romantic Comedy

Description:

“Falling in love is the wildest ride...

When Vanessa finally gets her dream job as a manager at the most elaborate theme park in the world, love is the furthest thing from her mind. She’s walked right into the middle of a workplace war, and her roguish employee Thomas is clearly on the wrong side. All she has to do is keep it professional—even if she can’t stop thinking about him.

Thomas has just 30 days to outwit upper management and convince his fellow ride operators to unionize. Falling for his cool-and-collected new boss is not part of the plan. So why can’t he stop finding excuses to spend time with her?

Their slow burn could ignite the fireworks of love—or destroy everything they’ve fought for.”

Author:

“Kate Moseman is a writer, photographer, and recipe developer who lives in Florida with her family and enjoys going to theme parks as frequently as possible.”

To learn more about Ms. Moseman check out her website or follow her on Facebook.

Appraisal:

Vanessa is thrilled to get her dream job as a manager at Destiny Theme Park. She’s a little nervous the first day at her new job, but well prepared. Thomas is the employee assigned to introduce her to each of the different areas of the park and how they operate. Vanessa and Thomas both share an instant appeal for the other. Both keep these feelings under wraps, upper management and employee relationships are frowned on, I suppose. At any rate it’s a good policy. Vanessa is also unaware of the situation she has been dropped into accepting this new job. The Union is trying to entice the employees to join, and Vanessa, being upper management, has to side with her boss or lose her job. This creates a stressful, suspenseful, and intriguing conflict between Vanessa wanting the best outcome for her employees and still having to side with her employer. She has also been tasked to uncover who is organizing the ride operators.  

On her mission she starts to spend as much time with Thomas as she can, while at work, to find out if he is promoting the union. All this time together starts heat to build in their relationship. I enjoyed the character development of the key players, even Dirk, the resident brown-noser. Vanessa tries to keep him busy trying to keep him out of and from causing trouble, which he is very good at. I liked Vanessa’s character, she is intelligent, down to earth, and astute. Thomas with his costume hats sitting at a rakish angle always made me smile. I loved his confidence and humor.

Roller Coaster Romance is different from other sweet romances I’ve read. I really enjoyed the smartly written plot, characters, and dialogue. This would be a great summer read.   

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

FYI:

Nice, clean, and entertaining read.

Format/Typo Issues:

No issues.

Rating: **** Four Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 35-40,000 words

Review: The Joke’s on Me by Laurie Boris

Genre: Contemporary Fiction/Romantic Comedy/Humor

Description:

“Stand-up comic Frankie Goldberg’s Hollywood life falls apart with an exclamation point when a mudslide destroys her hopes, her home, and her entire collection of impractical footwear. She returns to her mother’s B&B in Woodstock, New York, expecting the comfort that home once provided, but continually finds that the joke’s on her. In Frankie’s absence, some things have changed—and some, to her dismay, are exactly as she’d left them. A lighthearted-but-serious romantic comedy about love, trust, second chances, squabbling sisters, and baseball.”

Author:

“Laurie Boris has been writing fiction for almost thirty years and is the award-winning author of eight novels. When not playing with the universe of imaginary people in her head, she’s a freelance copyeditor and enjoys baseball, reading, and avoiding housework. She lives in New York's lovely Hudson Valley.”

Appraisal:

Thirty-something Frankie Goldberg’s life has hit another huge bump in the road in California. With only the clothes on her back, and a red corvette, she’s headed home to her mom’s Bed and Breakfast in Woodstock, New York to regroup and figure out what’s she’s going to do to move forward. Frankie has many talents. One is to help people prioritize and guide them to focus their energy to achieve success. The problem is she’s not sure what she wants to do now.

When she arrives home to the B&B she is shocked to see what direction her older sister, Jude, has taken to save the B&B from financial ruin. Jude Goldberg has found success in New York City’s corporate world. However, with her having to divide her time between the B&B and her real job things are getting dicey there as well. Jude is also dealing with the impending empty nest syndrome as her son is planning his future, deciding between college or jumping straight to Hollywood to pursue his future as a movie producer.

What originally brought Jude back home to the B&B is their mother had a stroke and Jude had to admit mom into a nursing home alone, without help or opinions from Frankie. This is a source of friction between the sisters. Frankie also feels a sense of abandonment from the way Jude left home years ago to a less than perfect start of her own life.

What I found captivating about The Joke’s on Me are all the relationship angles explored. Frankie is the one who had the most soul searching to do and the story is told through her point-of-view so we know what’s going through her head. The dialogue is witty, realistic, serious, and humorous at times — since that is how Frankie deflects. When Frankie learns that her preteen crush, Joey Mazzerella, is back in town after a failed big league baseball career and a divorce, Frankie is ready to jump his bones. He’s the reason she loves baseball, and he now coaches a local Double A Baseball Team, The Dukes. They happen to be in the running for the league championship this season. Luckily, Joey has had time to reassess his life and insists on taking things a whole lot slower than Frankie finds comfortable, which gives her time to prioritize what’s really important to her and it is not a one-night stand. However, is Joey enough reason to move back to Woodstock?

The Joke’s on Me is a thoroughly enjoyable read, and will stand alone from the prequel, Catering Girl. Now I want to know if there will be a third book in this series. I really want to know what is in letters Frankie and Jude found in a box their mother had saved and tucked away for safe keeping.

Buy now from:            Amazon US        Amazon UK

Format/Typo Issues:

No significant issues.

Rating: ***** Five Stars

Reviewed by: ?wazithinkin

Approximate word count: 95-100,000 words