Rachel, Out of Office by Christina Hovland

Single mom Rachel Gibson seriously needs a break. Between an absent ex-husband, rowdy twin boys, and running her own work-from-home business, her candle isn't just burning at both ends, it's a full-blown puddle of wax. She's the go-to girl for other entrepreneurs, handling all the tasks they dread. Social media posts? She's got it. Website updates? She's on it. Light bookkeeping? She loves it.

Thank goodness Rachel’s about to get a reprieve, as her former in-laws plan to whisk her boys away for a summer of fun at the family lake house. But when her ex backs out at the last minute, she finds herself in a pickle. Even though she's drowning in to-dos, she's horrible at saying no—especially when it comes to providing some stability for her kids.

Once Rachel arrives at the lake house, she struggles to keep up with work and balance the demands of family, all the while fending off pesky new feelings for her ex-brother-in-law. Which makes her wonder...is falling for her ex-husband's brother just one more messy complication added to the dumpster fire of her life? Or is anything possible when she's out of office…?

This book made me LOL so many times. I've never read Christina Hovland before, but I will definitely be checking out her other books after reading this one. 

I loved how much I could relate to Rachel and her "mom struggles". It helps us remember that even the tough parts of life can be funny. There were so many times I just wanted to give her a hug and tell her it would be ok. 

I liked the interactions between the two main characters as well. I'm always dubious about a story that brings together an ex and a sibling. I just feel that it would be way too awkward, but somehow it worked in this. For me, though, it isn't one of my favorite tropes.

All in all, this was a thoroughly enjoyable book with lots and laughs and plenty of feels.

I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.

Her Last Summer by Melinda Woodhall

 

A Heartless Killer Plays a Deadly Game

When a celebrity author dies under mysterious circumstances in a small Florida town, a vulnerable young woman is the only witness, and Willow Bay’s new chief of police must begin the hunt for a ruthless serial killer who will stop at nothing to hide his true identity.

As reporter Veronica Lee investigates the breaking story, a local woman is brutally killed, exposing a disturbing connection to a dangerous con man who has eluded capture for almost a decade.

After Veronica’s efforts to uncover the killer’s motives lead to a horrifying discovery, she comes face to face with the cunning killer and must overcome her deepest fears to survive his deadly game.

This one hooked me right from the beginning. We open the story with a man and a woman and we think they might be the center of the story then....BAM. Someone is murdered. Since we're inside the killers head at this point, I really didn't expect what transpired, but it sure dragged me in and kept me invested. What was a little frustrating for me is that we had such an inept killer. He was sloppy, scared, unprofessional and made a ton of mistakes. The murder was supposedly well-thought out and had been planned to a 'T', yet he was impatient and made some rookie mistakes. 

I did, however, enjoy my first taste of Veronica Lee. She was smart and witty and I really enjoyed her personality. The cat and mouse between the killer and Veronica was enjoyable, but predictable. Overall, I enjoyed the book, but it wasn't a stand-out. I'm not sure at this point if I will continue to read any other books in the series.

Fall of Night by Lara Adrian

 

Breed warrior Micah is one of the Order’s best, his reputation for cold justice and lethal skill rivaled only by that of his formidable father, Tegan. So, when a mission Micah’s leading in an off-limits area called the Deadlands goes terribly wrong, leaving him the sole survivor of an apparent Atlantean attack, he won’t rest until he has answers...and vengeance for his fallen team.

Phaedra thought it was only a dream, a hideous nightmare. Yet somehow, she had been transported from her life in Rome to a stretch of barren forest when it suddenly lit up with unearthly fire, obliterating everything in its path—including the fiercely handsome Breed warrior she’d encountered in the dream. Or so she believed, until their paths cross again and Phaedra finds herself, and her Atlantean people, at the center of Micah’s wrath.

With tensions between the Breed and the Atlanteans already edging toward war, and another powerful nemesis growing bolder by the day, uncovering the stunning truth about what happened in the Deadlands will force Micah and Phaedra to work together in an alliance forged by fate and an undeniable desire neither of them can resist. 

I've been waiting for this book for SO LONG! Unfortunately for me, and all the other Midnight Breed fans, Ms. Adrian has spent some time the last few years writing other books, which are also amazing, but not about my Breed warriors. So, I've been sad. That sadness ended today! Or rather, ridiculously early this morning.

Fall of Night is the story of Micah, son to Tegan and Elise. I was super excited for this one, because Tegan is my absolute favorite from the original order. I do really enjoy a romance where two characters are forced together, but neither one of them really WANT to be together. This was Tegan and Elise's story, and had such a sweetness to it, that I'm forever in love with them. As for Micah, we have seen literally nothing of him until this book, so I was really excited.

What I wasn't expecting was to see Phaedra as his true love. We met Phaedra in Midnight Unleashed, which is a novella set after Defy the Dawn. Phaedra runs a women's shelter in Rome and takes in Tamisia when she is banished from the Atlantean colony. This is definitely I series where I do not recommend skipping the novellas. Some of them aren't necessarily essential to the story line, but others are. And they are all fantastic, so that's reason enough to read them. 

I loved the pairing of Micah and Phaedra. But I would have loved more backstory on Micah to get a better understanding of who he is and how he was shaped. We know that he is constantly trying to live up to the example his father sets, and feels like he isn't worthy. And like Tegan and Elise, Micah and Phaedra were thrust together against their will, and fought the chemistry that was so evident between them. When they eventually succumb, we can really see why Phaedra is the perfect mate for Micah. His mission that went wrong, thrust him in to a deep darkness and he needed someone as strong as Phaedra to match him. Someone who could take his pain, because she had some of her own, and help them both heal. 

I also loved that we got some more back story on the Atlanteans. It's pretty clear that while Opus Nostrum needs dealt with, Selene, the Atlantean Queen is going to play a HUGE role in the series conclusion. (My friends and fellow book readers know that I called romantic pairing in the final book when I read Defy the Dawn. I am SOOOOOOOO EXCITED that I was right, because that is going to be an epic story. If you want to know, you can check it out and preorder here.)

I'm insanely sad that there is only one more book left in this series. I discovered Kiss of Midnight on a Barnes and Noble bookshelf 12 years ago. I was fortunate to be able to binge the first seven books in the series and I began my love affair with Lara Adrian. After that, I read everything she had published previously and she is now a "1-click" author. The Order have been my friends and companions for 12 years, and it will gut me to say goodbye to them. But I can't deny that I am counting down the days until King of Midnight. I love the beautiful symmetry of the series starting with Lucan, and ending with his son Darion.

Obsessed by Jolie Vines

 

He's the leader of the mountain rescue service. She might just need saving.

Lochie

For too long, I've been alone. Just me and my daughter. Keeping her safe is everything, so taking a job in the remote Scottish Highlands suits us fine.

I shouldn't need anything more.

Yet I'm beyond distracted by a lass.

Smart, beautiful, and living right next door, Cait McRae makes it clear she's not interested. Every sly glance tells another story.

It's all I can do not to throw her over my shoulder and take her home.

Cait might claim she only wants to explore the physical, but I know she's wrong.

She's mine.

If the people pursuing us both don't destroy what we've found.

Cait

I always knew I was different. No one ever caught my eye.

Until a huge, scowling man moves in next door. He's the new head of the mountain rescue service, and a single dad to a sweet little girl.

Turns out, I'm a late bloomer, as all I can think about is Lochie.

But someone else wants me.

A series of strange events point to one conclusion. I have a stalker, and the danger I'm in is only just starting.

Obsessed is the first in Jolie Vines’ new Wild Mountain Scots series. It follows her Marry the Scot and Wild Scots series’. I recommend reading those first before jumping in to this one. Start with Storm the Castle.

Lochie and his daughter are forced to move to stay safe, but from what, we don’t know. His first introduction to Cait is finding her outside her house with a threat painted on her door. The last thing he needs is to be around a woman who may have just as many things to fear as he does, but he can’t seem to stay away. And though Cait has accepted there will never be a special person for her, she can’t stop thinking about Lochie. Unfortunately for them both, the things they fear threaten to tear them apart.

If you’ve been keeping up with Ms. Vines’ Scots, this is seriously the best one yet. Cait has intrigued me since we learned that she really isn’t interested in intimacy and nobody has ever gotten her worked up. I just knew whoever was going to be the lucky guy had to be ultra manly and take-charge. Boy was I right! Loki was all kinds of yum and was exactly perfect for Cait. He challenged her, but completely accepted where she was at and never pressured her or made her feel wrong for the way she felt. Add in a cute daughter, a few wicked fantasies and a stalker and you get one delicious package. I’m looking very forward to reading Hunted, Cait’s cousin, Cameron’s story.

Don't Kiss the Bride - by Carian Cole

 

I guess you could say I was a damsel in distress, and he was my knight in shining armor.

But more accurately, I was a girl with a lot of bad luck, and he was a guy with a lot of muscles and tattoos.

Jude “Lucky” Lucketti wasn’t just a sexy, brooding construction worker. He was my own personal hero who seemed to be in all the right places at the right times. Like when my car broke down and I needed a ride home, and when I face planted on the sidewalk right in front of him and had to be taken to the emergency room.

Those weren’t exactly my best moments, but they were his.

We became friends, and it didn’t matter that he was sixteen years older than me. We had a lot in common—like our love of old rock music and vintage fast cars, and our aversion to relationships.

When he approached me with a crazy idea to help me out, I couldn’t say no. The arrangement was supposed to be temporary. A marriage on paper and nothing else.

It should’ve been easy, but it wasn’t.

Because here I am, eighteen years-old, still in high school, and married to a man I was never supposed to fall in love with.

We had just one rule—no kissing the bride.

But we broke that rule, and it sealed our fate forever.

I've been so very curious about Lucky's story ever since we got a glimpse of him in Asher's book. Once again, Carian Cole does not disappoint! This story was beautiful and heart-squeezy in the absolute best ways. It's the story of two broken people, who enter a fake marriage to help each other. They intend to be just friends, but the chemistry between them in undeniable. The problem? He's 16 years older than her and she's still in high school.

I LOVED this book! It was so sweet how Jude happened to end up being wherever Skylar needed him, and instead of acknowledging that it really wasn't his responsibility to help her, he stepped up time and time again. Both of them had such bittersweet stories and together, they unknowingly were the healing the other needed. Their chemistry was amazing, on a deeply intimate level that wasn't just sexual. And I can't even count the number of times my heart squeezed, in both sympathy and gooey loviness. This story was so raw and real, with absolutely no fantastical or non-believable parts. It felt like a memoir of their life. It was so poignant and beautiful. I've loved all of Carion Cole's books, but I think this one is my favorite, for its depth and the immersion I felt in the story.

Thank you to Grey's Promotions for sending me an ARC of this book.

Marry the Scot series by Jolie Vines

Phew! The one word I would use to describe this series is SWOONY! Big, sexy Scots and the women who knock them on their arses. I devoured these in just a couple days, then downloaded them on audio and started again. (Only the first three books in this series are on audio, so far. Ms. Vines has stated that the rest are in the works)

I've been sitting on this review for a while, because these books are JUST SO GOOD I was worried I wouldn't be able to do them justice. 

Callum (Storm the Castle) is the eldest of four brothers; Gordain (Hero), Wasp aka William (Picture This), Ally aka Alisdair (Oh Baby) and surrogate older brother to James Fitzroy (Love Most, Say Least). 

Callum, as the oldest brother, has been raising his three other brothers since their father died and he was just 18 years old. Gordain was 16 and Ally and Wasp (who are twins) were only 8. They’re all loyal, kind, sweet and fiercely protective. The twins are mischievous and I loved it! Callum is the head of the family, and him finding his HEA with Mathilda really sets the tone and firms the foundation for the rest of the family. James gets together with Mathilda’s best friend (wait until you see how they meet) and their story is so sweet, with a touch if heart-squeezes. My favorite book was Hero, Gordain and Ella’s story. It’s a bit of an age-gap and Ella’s is only just 18. Gordain is so loyal and swoony, I just couldn’t get enough. Wasp and Taylor have a bit of a second-chance, friends with benefits to HEA story. They’ve both had some rough times and their journey together (literally) really helps them both see what it is they truly want out of life. The one that gave me the most feels was Oh, Baby, Ally and Scarlet’s story. Scarlet is Mathilda’s younger sister, so she and Ally have known each other since they were 16. Ally gets some shocking news and it’s Scarlet who is there to hold him up and help him sort out what he wants. Their story was really heart-warming and may have made me cry the most tears. 

These books were all so amazing and I’m really excited to dive in to the next series, Wild Scots, which features the elder children of the original Scots. 

The Segonian by Dianne Duvall

I'm going to preface this review by saying that I was so excited about this book coming out that I woke up at 3am to start listening to the audible version and hardly stopped until I finished. Spolier alert....it was amazing!! Scroll down for my full review.

New York Times bestselling author Dianne Duvall brings readers the second stand-alone novel in a thrilling new sci-fi romance series full of action, humor, and happily-ever-afters.

Eliana's life has never been what one might term ordinary. At least, it hasn't been for a very long time. As a powerful Immortal Guardian, she spends her nights hunting and slaying psychotic vampires that most of humanity doesn't even realize exist. Then an opportunity arises that instantly makes her extraordinary existence seem downright boring. The leader of the Immortal Guardians asks her to guard a group of mortals who are embarking upon a voyage across the galaxy to the planet Lasara. How could she possibly say no?

In no time at all, Eliana is hurtling through space on board a Lasaran battleship and getting to know not one but two alien races. It's the most exciting adventure of her long life... until the ship is unexpectedly attacked. Amid the chaos and destruction that follow, she valiantly helps everyone she can before an explosion renders her unconscious. When Eliana awakens, she finds herself alone, floating in space, clad only in a spacesuit, with no ship in sight. Alone--that is--except for the warm, deep voice that carries over the comm in her helmet.

Commander Dagon and the crew of the Segonian battleship Ranasura respond to a distress call from their Lasaran allies and join a massive Alliance-wide search-and-rescue mission. He quickly achieves communication with a lone Earthling female and races toward her. Every time they speak, his fascination with her grows and he becomes more desperate to reach her before her oxygen supply runs out. Her strength, bravery, and humor entice him, even more so when she defies all odds and they meet in person.

As he and Eliana embark upon a quest to find her missing friends, a bond swiftly grows between them that deepens with every laugh and smile and tender touch they share. But they are not the only ones searching for Earthling survivors. When Eliana herself becomes the hunted and their enemies begin to close in, can the two of them fight their way to victory?

Firstly, this may have been the most anticipated book of my entire life. Don't get me wrong, I get super excited for new book releases from authors I love, but I can't save I have ever been as excited as I was for this book. It's partly because the first book in this series was PHENOMENAL (read my review here) and partly because Ms. Duvall teased us with a tantalizing preview of The Segonian at the end of The Lasaran. It was equal parts so good to hear what was coming next and equal parts torture to have to wait for something that was already so good less than one chapter in. 

As we know from the sneak peek at the end of The Lasaran, Eliana is floating in space after the attack on the Kandovar. She's in nothing but a suit and doesn't have enough oxygen to last until Commander Dagon and the Ranasura reach her. Even though we know this is the story of Eliana and Dagon, so obviously she survives, I was literally on pins and needles waiting for them to reach her. You could feel everything she was feeling. She was afraid, but determined to make it. Confident she could, but unsure how to mentally survive the wait. On top of that, you could feel Dagon's desperation to reach her, and his lack of confidence that it could possibly be in time. As much as I loved the whole book, I think this time where he is racing to rescue her was my favorite. Rather than a traditional "angsty" period where the characters don't know if they belong together, we get to see a man who will do whatever it takes to rescue a woman he doesn't even know beyond a few brief communications. It's definitely this time communicating that sets the foundation for the rest of their relationship. Wait until you read about the "Eliana" command he has in his private quarters. I almost died from swooniness. 

I absolutely loved watching Eliana acclimate herself to her new environment aboard the Ranasura. She's so eager to completely immerse herself in the culture and spirit of the ship and everyone loves her for it. I love the scenes where she is "learning". It's so sweet and endearing to see how much she wants to fit in. Her interactions with the crew are hilarious, and it gives her a sense of home, because her Immortal Guardian family treats her the same was as the Segonian warriors. It's like she has a few dozen brothers. I especially love when she finally convinces them to train with her. 

Eliana's interactions with Dagon are sweet, with an undercurrent of burgeoning feelings. Their relationship is everything I hoped it would be. As most IG do, Eliana has scars from her past, but Dagon is so loving and solid, he's just exactly what she needs. I wouldn't say their relationship is a slow burn, because they both have real feelings for each other pretty early on, but it's really sweet to see them each nervous about not knowing the other's "courtship rituals". When they do get fully together, Dagon is definitely boyfriend goals. They have the sweetest, easiest rapport with each other. It's like a warm, fuzzy hug. And when she called him "Babe" in the middle of a battle, I almost fell on the floor laughing.

This book was funny, and action-packed, and full of feelings and interesting and all around everything I could have hoped for. It's so good, I intend to turn right back around and read it again. I can't wait for the next installment.