Match Made in Paradise {a review}

image source: author's facebook page

Match Made in Paradise is the brand new book by Barbara Dunlop! Match Made in Paradise is also kicking off a brand new series called Paradise, Alaska. After reading the book, I am positive this series will be quite interesting.

When I initially read the description for the book, my mind immediately went to The Simple Wild by KA Tucker. It was giving me similar vibes. I mean the hero works as a bush pilot, the heroine is a fish out of water, the heroine has to leave luggage behind at the airport, it's a bit of hate to love, it's small town romance, and of course there is a HEA. But really that's where the similarities end.

After the death of her husband, Mia is heading to Paradise to stay with her cousin Raven. Mia is heading there at the request of her lawyer, as back home she's in a legal battle with her step-children regarding the fashion empire, and she's receiving death threats from fanatics who think she is to blame for her husband's death. Upon arriving in Alaska, Mia has to hop aboard a smaller plane to get to her final destination. Silas happens to be the pilot who is handling this trip, and he has to break the news to her that she cannot take all her luggage. The plane is already full, and there just isn't space (physical or due to weight restrictions). When Silas drives Mia to Raven's home, Mia doesn't know what to think. This strange man has just taken her to this remote home that is in desperate need of repairs, and Mia's first thought is to run for her life. That right there is just the start of it all. There is so much that happens in this book, and I cannot even begin to recap it all.

I went into Match Made in Paradise with high hopes. The teaser had my full attention, and I could not wait to pick up the book. If I'm being completely honest, this book had potential to be fantastic. Instead, it was just middle of the road. I found myself skimming through the filler, and only truly paid attention when it was about the relationship, the side stories, or the big scene at the air strip. I mean I get it, a world needs to be built, we need the background, especially since this is the start of a new series. But there was some that could have been cut. Maybe that's just me though as I don't care about fashion, yet at the same time I can understand why it was put in as Mia is about to be the head of a fashion empire. Also, the description says that this is a rom-com. I didn't get that from the book. For me it was really more of a standard contemporary.

Now I say all that about the book, but there were parts that I liked. I loved how the relationship between Silas and Mia developed. I enjoyed how Mia took charge at the radio during the air strip scene. I was curious about the dating app Mia was going to implement (with help of course). And I was curious about what was going on with the side characters. It is all of this that will have me continuing with the series. After all there are a few who I want to see get their HEAs, and how their partners will fit into Paradise, Alaska.

Let's talk about my star rating. As you know on every site, you only have the option to leave full ratings, there are no half stars. So on Goodreads, I marked this as 3 stars, but then wrote in my review that it was a 3.5 star. I stand by that. I don't feel like it was a 4 star, and I really think it deserves higher than a 3 star. So 3.5 it is.  

Thank you for reading my thoughts,

The Spy in 3B {a review}

Hi Friends,

I have a fun book recommendation for you today! 

The Spy in 3B is the brand new book by Nana Malone, and it is the start of the Covert Affairs duet.

This is a "spy vs spy" book mixed with romance, a little slow burn, a little neighbors to lovers, and eventually we have a whole lot of steam.  And since it is a duet, the book does end in a cliffhanger.

So let's recap the book a bit. We have Lyra who is an agent for The Firm, and one of the rules the organization has is that the agents must be in relationships. Now of course they cannot tell their partner what they really do for work, so to the average person, Lyra works for a PR company. She's signed up on a dating app, and she's been matched with a man she's not so certain of. But he also happens to live across the hall. Meanwhile Marcus is an agent for Exodus, but most people think he is a video game developer, and Exodus has a similar rule regarding agents being in relationships. Which makes sense as we learn these two organizations used to be one. Anyways these two start dating, but with each date a situation arises where the date has to come to an abrupt end. Flash forward a little bit, and while Lyra and Marcus are on "date" they are also both working. They both hear from their respective teams that the other organization is onsite and to be aware of the situation. Lyra and Marcus have no clue that they work for opposing companies. That is until a later mission.

I freaking LOVED The Spy in 3B. I did. I kept wondering when Lyra and Marcus would figure out the other's true job, and how that would all play out. Since there was some slow burn going on, I also was wondering when the steam would kick in. But once it did, it didn't really stop. Marcus and Lyra are both fantastic characters. I am intrigued by them, and I'd love to know more about their history with the companies. But I highly doubt I'll get a prequel, so I'll just have to make up the backstory. I am finding myself curious about Rhodes, Addie, Roz, and Tyler too. So I wonder if any of them will ever get their stories told. Or maybe I should peruse Nana Malone's backlist to see if there is something about these fabulous side characters.

I cannot wait to see what happens in The Assassin in 5F. I have a feeling it is going to be epic. I did a quick search, and it looks like The Assassin in 5F is coming in July. So my wait won't be too long.

I highly recommend The Spy in 3B! It's so good. Please go purchase it from Kobo. I really think you'll enjoy it. (and yes, this is a Kobo original, so that is the only place you'll find it.) 

Thank you for reading my thoughts,

Anything For This Love {a review}

 

Today is the day that Anything For This Love is available! This is the third book in the Wild Hearts series by Ashley Cade. It is also the third book in Abby and Jacob's story.

If you've been following along, then you'll know that I recently read the first two books in the Wild Hearts series. I could not put them down. There was something about Abby and Jacob's story that kept pulling me in, and I was just enjoying being a part of their world. After finishing those books, I was so thankful to have an advanced copy of Anything for this Love. That way I could stay in that setting, stay with these characters that I've come to love, and find out how things wrap up for Abby and Jacob.

If you've read Something That Could Last and Everything We Left Unsaid, then you'll know that both of those books ended in a cliffhanger. No, that's not the right word, as a cliffhanger makes it sound dramatic. We were left at a break in the story. And now in Anything For This Love, we are picking up right where we left off.  So I need to be careful with my description of the story, as well as my review, so that I do not say more than I should.

In Anything For This Love, we find Abby and Jacob separated because of the actions of Jacob's mother. Her finally coming clean about what she had done years prior made Abby really uneasy, and as we know, Abby ran. And now she's been avoiding Jacob. There are a few surprises in the book that affect Abby, and it's a lot. We also witness Jacob stepping in to save the day once again. And I'm here for him being a hero. Anything For This Love is all about these two finding their way back together once again. It's also about forgiveness, healing, and their future.

This book gave me just what I wanted for Abby and Jacob's story. It gave me the HEA I was hoping would happen, and quite frankly it was time for them to have it. These two had been through so much in this trilogy, and I think they're stronger for it. There is so much I loved about Anything For This Love. Obviously the continuation of the story is a huge part butt I also loved that we were able to witness these two reconnect, we got to reconnect with Luke, and we find out what is happening with Ethan and Tiff, and we get to see Jacob's Mom getting the help she needs to process the grief of losing Peyton all those years ago. Then there is the setting. I love the small town that Abby lives in. Yes we see bits and pieces of Arlington, where Jacob lives, but my heart is back in that small town with Abby's family. This entire series has been fantastic, and I cannot wait to see how Ashley Cade continues it with Ethan's story. You already know I'll be reading it whenever it is announced.

Curious about my star rating for Anything For This Love? I gave it 4 stars.

If you like the small town, opposites attract, insta-love, or the accidental pregnancy trope, then go grab the Wild Hearts series. Just remember, you need to start with Something That Could Last!

Thank you for reading my thoughts,

Everything We Left Unsaid {a review}

You may recall that yesterday I posted my review of Something That Could Last. Well today I am talking about Everything We Left Unsaid. That's right folks, we are staying with the Wild Hearts series by Ashley Cade. I mean why not, Anything For This Love releases on May 24, so it's perfect timing.

Now I really need to watch what I say in my recap of the book, as well as my review. You see if you read Something That Could Last, you know that we did not get our HEA in that book. Everything We Left Unsaid picks up two years in the future. But don't you worry, we get little snippets of the past here and there so we know what has happened with Abby and Jacob. (as well as a little blurb about Tiff and Luke)

A lot can change in two years, and it certainly has for Abby. She's graduated from college, and is working the job she has been dreaming of. No longer does she need to work two jobs to pay her bills. It's wonderful for the most part. Yet a part of her is missing Jacob. As for Jacob, he went on that internship, and is now working full time. He also has a place of his own, but will be moving back with his parents for a short period of time. As I said, it's been two years, and Jacob cannot get his mind off of Abby. He loves her. She is his first true love, and he knows he needs to figure out what went wrong. So he takes off to Abby's home town to track her down. They need to talk. They need to see each other, and hopefully reconnect. When Jacob arrives in town, he tracks Abby down at Rosie's, and it is there that his life changes. 

I think that I liked Everything We Left Unsaid more than I liked Something That Could Last. I say that because the first book was the beginning of the relationship. It was the getting to know you stage, the falling in love (or lust) stage, and figuring out if a future could work. In this book though, things have changed.  There is still that attraction between Jacob and Abby. There is still that spark. That love. That connection. But there's also distrust, and heartache, and pain. These two need to fight to work things out, and to find out who was trying to sabotage their relationship. After all someone wrote that letter from Jacob, and it certainly wasn't him. Also, someone had his phone, and replied to those texts, but it wasn't him. So who was it? What was the motive? Then there's the scene with Grandma. Oh my heart. OH MY HEART. You can't do that to me. I can't take things like that. Yet there was Jacob, doing what he could do help. To protect those he loves. To try to minimize the pain and heartache for those people.

This book, was just so good. It is reconciliation. It is forgiveness. It is trust. It is building back stronger. And I loved it. I am looking forward to reading Anything For This Love, as I need to know how their story wraps up. What happens now? After everything that Abby and Jacob had been through in this book, what does their future hold?

I hope you'll consider reading the Wild Hearts series, because it is a good one.

Thank you for reading my thoughts,

Something That Could Last {a review}

 

Something That Could Last is the first book in Ashley Cade's Wild Hearts series. 

In this book we meet Abby, Tiff, Jacob, and Luke. Abby and Tiff are best friends, they live in a small town, and are trying to figure out their lives. Abby (our main heroine) is working two jobs, attending school, helping out her Grandma, and it's just a lot. Enter Jacob and Luke. These two are escaping reality, and their parents control, to blow off a bit of steam, and enjoy a two week vacation. They never planned on falling for a couple of locals. All it took for Jacob was taking one look at Abby, and he was done for. Luke was immediately taken with Tiff as well when they met later in the day. When the girls aren't working, they are spending time with the guys.

Something That Could Last is really all about Abby and Jacob's relationship. It's instalove, with a little opposites attract action happening. This book is also quite steamy. Oh, and the way it ends, you'll want to have the second book on hand. That's all I'm saying.

I really enjoyed Something That Could Last. It was an easy read without too much drama. I found myself really liking Abby and Tiff. Jacob and Luke seem like nice guys as well, but I will say that Luke is quite full of himself and comes across as a bit too much. Knowing that Abby has to work two jobs in order to pay for her schooling makes her hit a little closer to home. She's relatable in that sense, as most people have to work through college or take out loans. Abby's also been through some rough times, but she has her Grandma and her brother (Ethan) by her side to work through all the emotions/heartache that were caused.

When I started reading the book, I wasn't expecting it to be a two week relationship for our couples, nor was I expecting it to end the way it did. I fully expected more time to pass for the couple, and for them to get their HEA. I figured book two would then focus on Tiff and Luke. But that's not the case. It is looking like the entire Wild Hearts series is all about Abby and Jacob. (which I'm perfectly okay with)

If Ashley Cade is a new-to-you author (she was for me!), then please give the Wild Hearts series a read. The third book, Anything for this Love, releases on May 24.

Thank you for reading my thoughts,