Charlotte Brides of the Oregon Trail Book 6; by Cynthia Woolf

Charlotte

Brides of the Oregon Trail Book 6; by Cynthia Woolf

This was a cute book. Travis and Charlie have a time trying to get to know each other and build a life. 

Travis MacGregor moves to Oregon City because he has a friend there and he wants to start over. He is going to set up a law office and he needs a proper wife at some point. The woman that has followed him to be his assist hopes she will be the wife, but he does not want her to be that wife. Then he needs help and meets Charlotte, he decides that she will be his wife.

Charlotte other wise know to all as Charlie Taylor is anything but a proper woman. She wears pants, carries a gun, and goes by a male name. She does not understand why someone like Travis would want her as a wife. She thinks if she shows him how wrong they are together he will move on, but the more time they spend together the more she likes him and thinks being his wife might be ok.

When they get caught in the rain life will change. Now they will marry, but will they fall in love with each other? Will the other woman that wants to be Travis wife be able to break them up? Can they compromise on Charlie’s ways of pants and no dresses? Can they get past all this and stay together, or will they fall apart?

* I received a free advance review copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review.

A Family for Christmas; by Cynthia Woolf

A Family for Christmas; by Cynthia Woolf

I had a hard time putting this book down. It felt like it could have been a real story set during Christmas in the 1880’s. I could have been there or even been Charlotte.

Charlotte Walker is running from the only home (and town) she has ever known. She is widowed and her late husband’s brother thinks she now belongs to him. If she doesn’t run, she and her unborn child may be in for a horrible life she doesn’t want. However, she is running away during a blizzard. Now she is lost, cold, worried, and her horse just tossed her into a large snow drift. Hope is lost as she yells for help.

Adam Masters lives near Morgan’s Crossing by himself. He thinks he hears someone calling for help, but this is a blizzard and that can’t be right. Except it is, he finds a pregnant, half frozen women on his property in a snow drift. He pulls her out and takes her and her horse home. 

Now the fun starts. She goes into labor and he must deliver the baby. Once the baby come and they have time to talk and wait for the snow to melt some so he can take them to town. Adam thinks he just might be falling for Charlotte and baby. Though Adam will not let that happen he is still grieving for his late wife and child. He is not ready to try again, or is he? The more time Charlotte spends with Adam the more she falls for him, but is she ready to try again?

Adam takes Charlotte and baby to town so she can move on. It is there that her late husband’s brother finds them, and he is going to force her and her child to go with him. Luckily for her the people she is staying with don’t want that to happen. Now with this trouble following her what can she do? Will Adam protect her and her child, or will they be forced back where she doesn’t want to be? Can Adam take another change on love? Will Charlotte open her heart to Adam and move forward?

* I received a free advance review copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Spun Out Blacktop Cowboy 10; by Lorelei James

Spun Out


Blacktop Cowboy 10; by Lorelei James

OMG! Lorelei did it again! I tried to set this book down to make it last longer, but I always picked it back up I aa couple of minutes.

Bailey Masterson is Harpers younger sister and taking a “Break” from the Army to help her out. At least that’s what she tells Harper. So, this tough Sergeant is in Muddy Gap, WY not sure what to do next. That is until she tells her sister and the other parents of the lodge that there kids need boot camp not a craft camp. Now she is in charge of the 1 day a week camp.  She has also had a run in with one of the girl’s fathers and finds out that her mother is dead. Nothing in the Army prepared her to oversee kids especially the five-year-old Olivia.

Streeter is a widow and trying to take care of his five-year-old daughter that has some personality issues. Because of this he does not date. Bailey has left an impression that he is not sure what to do with. He also sees a huge improvement in is daughter Olivia’s personality issues and thinks it might be because of Bailey.

Both Bailey and Streeter have pasts and have been broken. Can they open up to each other? Can they help each other heal? Can they fall in love with each other?

* ARC provided by author for an honest review.

Loving Arabelle Brides of Homestead Canyon Book 2; by E. Ayers

Loving Arabelle

Brides of Homestead Canyon Book 2; by E. Ayers


This is a different mail order bride book then I have read before. Not my favorite but it was good.


Arabelle was raised by nuns. Her parents died when she was young and so she only knew the way of the nuns.  Now at 17 she has some choices to make. She can become a nun or move out. For the last bit she has been working for a family teaching their boys. She has some problems there like the man of the house wants her as a mistress and she does not want that. She is also getting letters that someone wants something back and she doesn’t know what it is. She has also been writing with a man named Claude that is looking for a mail order bride. When her birthday comes around, she found out that her parents had left her money.  Now the choices come. Stay and teach boys of a man that may hurt her or move on to Claude and be his mail order bride? She chooses to move on to Claude. She leaves in the dead of night for her new life. 


Claude had no idea that the woman he has been writing and hoping to marry is going to be at his house one night when he comes home from work. When he meets Arabelle he is stun. He lives in a very small house and has very little to his name and hopes that will not scare her away. Now they will get to know each other and see where this will go. 


However, trouble follows Arabelle and it will test her relationship with Claude. Will they make it?

* ARC provided by author for an honest review.

Rebecca Brides of the Oregon Trail 5; by Cynthia Woolf

Rebecca


Brides of the Oregon Trail 5; by Cynthia Woolf

I like how this book is a little different from the other books in the series. This book the journey to Oregon is very short. We meet Rebecca Taylor and her siblings as they are heading to Oregon, but the real story is what happens once they get there. I love how Rebecca is a take charge kind of woman, and we see how much she loves her siblings in the choices she makes. 

Rebecca Taylor is the oldest even if it is by 10 mins to her twin brother. She also has one other brother and 2 sisters. Both of their parents are dead, and she takes the responsibility to raise her siblings. So, she moves them all to Oregon. Once there she finds a home big enough for them all and more, but it needs of some big repairs. She is told that Ian will be perfect to help fix the house up. She hires him and vows to keep her mind off him. She has also caught the eye of a wealthy man in town, but there is something about him she doesn’t like. One thing is he is not Ian.

Ian Stanford is a widower with twin boys to raise. His wife was murdered, and the man is still out there somewhere. He has vowed to find her killer. He also has come on hard times as he lost his home and land to the wealthy man that is looking at Rebecca. When he agrees to help repair the house for Rebecca, he requests to move him and his sons into the house. She can’t refuse as she needs his help. However, the more time he spends with her the more he falls for her and her family.

When a new lead comes out about the murder of is wife Ian leaves to follow it. Little does he know this is going to change everything. Now Rebecca, his boys, and her family are all in danger. 

Rebecca wants Ian but can she stay alive to help him find the murder?  Will Ian lose her just when he realizes he wants her too? Can they keep their family safe from harm?

* I received a free advance review copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Carter Bachelors & Babies Book 3; by Cynthia Woolf

Carter

Bachelors & Babies Book 3; by Cynthia Woolf

Men are so stubborn and Cater is no different. Good thing Samantha is patient.

We first meet Carter when someone is riding away from his house and he finds a baby at his door. He is totally baffled and the note with the baby has him scratching his head. The note says the baby is his, but he has not been with a woman since he lost his wife 2 years ago. Not sure what else to do he goes to town to get what he will need for the baby (not that he knows what that is). While at the store he meets a woman named Samantha that clams to be his mail order bride, he never wrote or asked for one.  She shows him the letters, while she helps with the baby. An idea forms in his head. He will marry her, and she can take care of the baby. 

Samantha is running from an engagement that she doesn’t want to what she thinks is a man that she has been writing with as his mail order bride. When she gets there, he does offer marriage but tells her he will never love her. He also wants her to care for a baby that he says isn’t his but was left at his door. She agrees and hopes he past is behind her.

Now they will learn about each other and see where this marriage will go. Will Cater ever love Samantha? Can she live in a marriage that has no love?

* I received a free advance review copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Eliza Brides of the Oregon Trail 4; by Cynthia Woolf

Eliza

Brides of the Oregon Trail 4; by Cynthia Woolf

I enjoyed reading Eliza. It is another book in the Brides of Oregon Trail series and we see the journey through another’s eyes. This time we get Eliza and Hank. I will say you don’t have to read any of the other books in this series to read this one and know everything going on.

Eliza Tanner is moving to Oregon to start a new life. She has joined a wagon train of Mail Order Brides; she however is not one of the brides. She is running from her current life, and all she wants is leave her past behind but that is something that never happens easy. By running she is keeping her past a secret from all, and remember secrets are never good. On the journey she finds an abandoned baby and decides to keep it as she does not think she will ever have a family of her own. Then the trouble starts.

Hank Barringer is man/guard otherwise known as an outrider on the Mail Order Bride Trail. He is there to help keep everyone safe. He does this took keep his mind off losing his wife and son. He doesn’t want to go through that again. Then he meets Eliza and all his plans go out the window. He has never met a woman like her and the more time he spends with her the more he likes her and thinks about her. However, she has not told him about her past. A past that is coming for her.

Now Eliza’s secrets and past are coming out and it may destroy the new life she is working on if it doesn’t kill her or her friends first. Eliza needs a hero a man that can save her, know the truth about her past yet still love her. The question is will Hank be that man or will she have to start over again?

* I received a free advance review copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review.

A Highlander Walks into A Bar Highland, Georgia 1; by Laura Trentham

A Highlander Walks into A Bar

Highland, Georgia 1; by Laura Trentham

So, when I read this title, I thought I HAVE TO READ THIS BOOK! I found this book very cute. There is lots of trust issues and secrets. As Izzy and Alasdair get to know each other and open up to each other you can’t help but route for them.

Isabel “Izzy” Buchanan lives at home with her mom. They plan Highlander games for their small town every year. Their plans should start as soon as her mom gets home from her trip to Scotland. But see her mom brought home a surprise. He is a real highlander. Izzy doesn’t know what to do with him and just wants everything to go back to normal now. But then the highlander’s nephew shows up looking for his uncle.


Alasdair Blackmoor has been sent to bring his Uncle back from the crazy American that must be after something more. Alasdair does not trust the American women and starts to do some digging into their background. However, the more time he spends with Izzy the more he likes her.  So, he decides to help with the highlander games too. But his digging has set motions moving and events start to happen. Can he correct them before Izzy finds out?

* ARC provided by netgallery for an honest review.

Hot SEAL, Alaskan Nights (SEALs in Paradise) by Cynthia D'Alba

Hot SEAL, Alaskan Nights (SEALs in Paradise)

by Cynthia D'Alba

I enjoyed Hot SEAL, Alaskan Nights and think you would too. So if you are looking for a new romance book with an awesome hero then this is a book for you!


Navy SEAL Levi Van der Hayden team is on break. He goes home to Homer, AK for what he calls the three Rs…rest, relaxation and recovery. On the teams last mission Levi was shot. His wound is in his butt and thigh.  


Bailey Brown is in Alaska to recover herself. She has a controlling ex in Texas that put her in the hospital once. She is staying with her maternal grandma and working in the clinic in town.


When Levi meets Bailey there are sparks right away, but he is a SEAL and her life is in Texas. As they get to know each other better they start to fall for each other. Then Levi learns of Baileys ex and that he is now in town after her. Levi’s protective side is coming out and he will even put his own life on the line for Bailey. Will they survive this together?

* ARC provided by author for an honest review.

Christmas In His Arms by Cynthia D'Alba

Christmas In His Arms

by Cynthia D'Alba

Cynthia has done it again. I loved it! I so would love to hear more about Mae and Michael. I really, really didn’t want it to end.


Opal Mae McCool or Mae to her friends and family is a high polished lawyer. She was raised with any and everything she could want. When she is standing at the alter to be married and her fiancé looks at her and says he can’t go through with the wedding and it is because he loves another woman. You would think this would be the end of her world, but no. She takes him outside to talk in private and then goes back in to tell everyone to go home. She is not crushed so what does that say about the future she thought she had? Her best friend KatiLyn takes her to lunch one day thinking she is going to cheer her up. Nope, she sees the one man that she has never forgot Michael Rockland.


Michael Rockland is a mechanic and know by his friends and family as Rock. He has always been middle class. When he was in high school Mae helped tutor him so he could graduate.  That lead to them dating. Then because he thought he had nothing to offer her when she went to college, he left her. He said it was for her own good.


Now 10 years have gone by and here they are face to face but leave with just a conversation. However, fate has other ideas. When Mae goes to Montana for what should be a quick business trip and gets snowed in at the airport with nowhere to go the last person, she thought she would see is Rock. Rock goes to pick up his parents from the airport only to find it closed and Mae standing there looking lost. The only thing he can do is take her back to his place. While snowed in together the time lost seams to drift away. Then the snow melts and real life comes back.  Now the question is do they stay together or stay apart?

* ARC provided by author for an honest review.

Kingdom of Exiles The Beast Charmer 1; by Maxym Martineau

Kingdom of Exiles


The Beast Charmer 1; by Maxym Martineau


When I read that this book is like the Fantastic Beasts meets Assassin's Creed, I knew I just had to read it. Then I started the book and was like I’m not sure what this is what I wanted. I pushed on as I don’t give up. It was a good thing I did as I started to enjoy it. The more I read the more I liked it. When it ended I wanted more. 


This book has a beast charmer named Leena Ednfrell. She is an exile from her lands and does what she needs to survive. However, what she does is sell beasts on the black market and if she is caught, she could be killed. She knows her life is in danger and is always looking over her shoulder. What she didn’t expect is a bounty to be placed on her head.


Now meet Noc the leader of the brotherhood of assassins. He is not happy when the assassin sent to kill Leena returns with her. Now she wants to negotiate with him. He listens to what she has to say and thinks he can turn it to benefit him and his group. 


Next comes the time together and the feels start. Both Leena and Noc are keeping secrets and both think they will make it out of this unharmed. Neither one sees what the future holds. 

Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep trouble. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and now there's a price on her head. With the realm's most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes him an offer he can't refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

If only it were that simple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the undying ones are bound by magic to complete their contracts, and Noc cannot risk his brotherhood of assassins...not even to save the woman he can no longer live without.Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep trouble. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and now there's a price on her head. With the realm's most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes him an offer he can't refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

If only it were that simple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the undying ones are bound by magic to complete their contracts, and Noc cannot risk his brotherhood of assassins...not even to save the woman he can no longer live without.Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep trouble. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and now there's a price on her head. With the realm's most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes him an offer he can't refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

If only it were that simple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the undying ones are bound by magic to complete their contracts, and Noc cannot risk his brotherhood of assassins...not even to save the woman he can no longer live without.Exiled beast charmer Leena Edenfrell is in deep trouble. Empty pockets forced her to sell her beloved magical beasts on the black market—an offense punishable by death—and now there's a price on her head. With the realm's most talented murderer-for-hire nipping at her heels, Leena makes him an offer he can't refuse: powerful mythical creatures in exchange for her life.

If only it were that simple. Unbeknownst to Leena, the undying ones are bound by magic to complete their contracts, and Noc cannot risk his brotherhood of assassins...not even to save the woman he can no longer live without.* ARC provided through NetGalley and publisher for an honest review.

Bella Brides of the Oregon Trail 3; by Cynthia Woolf

Bella

Brides of the Oregon Trail 3; by Cynthia Woolf

Let me start by saying I really wanted to hit Bella upside the head. This is a good book and I did enjoy it, but Bella just drove me crazy. I know trust is earned but sometimes you just need to have some in someone.  

Bella Devereaux was a thief before she became a mail order bride. But before she was a thief, she had a dream of opening a restaurant. See her parents had died and she did what she needed to in order to survive. She didn’t keep everything she stole either. She pasted it on to others in need also. When she did her last job, she was going to lay low and let the police forget about her and then start over. Now she just needed a place to lay low. So, she signed up to be a mail order bride and moved from New Orleans to Oregon. Not knowing she was being followed by Jack Pasquin a very evil man. Jack wanted her stash.

Marshal Robert McCauley has decided that a mail order bride is the way to fins a wife seeing as he doesn’t have to do much to get one. Then Bella arrives and now he is sure this is what he wanted. He doesn’t have to lose Bella, but she is keeping him at arm’s length. He also thinks she is hiding something from him (yes, she is). He is hoping in time she will trust him and open up to him about her secret.

Now that trouble has found Bella and she knows it is for her, she needs to choose to keep her secret or tell her husband Robert about it. As the time passes, they do fall in love, but they both are scared to tell the other. When everything comes to light both Robert and Bella must make chooses. Will Robert choose his duty? Will Bella Choose her restaurant? Will they choose each other?  Might someone die?

* I received a free advance review copy of this book and am voluntarily providing my honest review.

Colorado Cowboy Rocky Mountain Riders 5; by Sara Richardso

Colorado Cowboy


Rocky Mountain Riders 5; by Sara Richardson

Oh, I fell in love with Charity, Dev, and Brodie. I was right there with their pain, fear, and hope. I know this book is Charity and Dev working on a relationship, but Brodie becomes part of it even if he is just a kid. This has real issues in it that people must work through. Sara did a get job with that.

Charity Stone is a champion barrel racer. She spends almost all her time with men, and she can hold her own with them. That is until Office Dev Jenkins comes into the picture. He treats Charity as a woman and not one of the boys and she is not sure how to handle that. One day her sister shows up and leaves her 13-year-old nephew Brodie with her and doesn’t say why. Now Charity’s life is turned upside down. Charity has always taken care of herself and never asked for help from anyone. That will not work anymore.

Dev has wanted Charity since he first meets her after she move to Topaz Falls. She has always pushed him away and he doesn’t know why, but he keeps on trying. Now that her nephew is here, she is asking for his help. He is going to use this to make his move and start a relationship with her. 

When Brodie makes some mistakes that Dev can’t overlook because of his job it puts tension between him and Charity. Dev is trying to do his job without loosing Charity. Is that even possible? Can Charity learn to trust and is Dev someone she should?

* ARC provided by NetGalley and the Publisher for an honest review.

Lydia (Brides of the Oregon Trail #2) by Cynthia Woolf

Lydia (Brides of the Oregon Trail #2)

by Cynthia Woolf

Wow this is a great book! I Loved it! This is the 2^nd book in the Brides of the Oregon Trail series but you can read this as a stand-alone book.  If you do read the 1^st book in the series, you are already in love with Lydia. If you have not you will fall in love with her very fast. She has the biggest heart and will do just about anything for others.  When I first met Max, I didn’t think he would be good enough for Lydia, I am glad I was wrong. 

Lydia Granger comes to Oregon City as a mail-order-bride. The man she is to marry does not meet her when she arrives. So, she goes to find the town sheriff. He informs her that her fiancé is dead.  When she first hears the news, she worries that the life she has always had has followed her here. That though is not the case. Her late fiancé has left her everything he had. Now she is the wealthiest person in town (not that it matters). Soon after seeing her house and some of her new fortune she meets a man that wants her to help catch the man he believes killed her fiancé. By agreeing to help him it will put her life in danger. There is also more to the reason he wants this man caught.

Detective Max Caldwell has lost a lot, his wife and time with his daughter. Max is after a killer. Both he and the killer are from Chicago. Max has followed the killer to Oregon City as it is his job. He is to find the killer that stole uncut diamonds from his victim. The vengeance for his wife’s death is just a plus and he wants Lydia’s help to do it. He has no worry or qualms about seeking her help or putting her life in danger.  That is until he starts to have feelings he has not ever had before. He learns that Lydia has the biggest heart and not just for the animals she rescues but for everyone. Now he is more than worried for Lydia and he is fully to blame.

Will it be too late for Lydia and Max?  Will he lose her before he has her? Will Lydia win his heart and get the future she has always wanted?

* ARC provided by author for an honest review.

I Want You Back (Want You #1) by Lorelei James

I Want You Back (Want You #1)

by Lorelei James

I love Lorelei James’s books. With that said I had a hard time with the start of this book. I am not sure what I was looking for but the more I read the more I liked it. I really started to feel for Lucy. I saw Lucy start to let go of all the control and could see how hard that was. I saw the pain Jax goes through to earn his way back in. By the end of the book I didn’t want it to end. I want more. I want to know what happens next. I can’t wait for the next book!

This is a great spin off of the Need You series that Lorelei writes. No, you do NOT need to read that series for this series. I would say you do read it at some point as you see both Lucy and Jax in it and see more about their relationship.

Jaxson Lund has retired from the NHL and has moved back home to the Twin Cities. He now needs to find what he does next with his life.  He was born the oldest and groomed to be the CEO for Lund Industries. He really doesn’t want to do that. He also has an ex-girlfriend Lucy who is the mother of his daughter, Mimi. He really messed up with them and is hoping for a second change at a life with them.

Lucy Quade is just where she thinks she wants to be. She has a steady job, a daughter she loves, a good place to live. However, her ex is back and wants to be more active in their lives. She is not sure she can trust him after everything he has done. The more time she and Mimi spend with Jax the more she sees the man she originally fell in love with.

Now that they are communicating with each other can they build a life together or is it too late for that?

* ARC provided by author for an honest review.

Summoned to Thirteenth Grave Charley Davidson 13; by Darynda Jones

Summoned to Thirteenth Grave

Charley Davidson 13; by Darynda Jones

Charley Davidson one last time. What a way to end a series. I loved and hated it. Loved it because it is awesome and hated it as it is the end. All the gang is here. I am so happy to see them all pull together.

Charley was kicked off the earth plain, but some is back now. She thinks she has been gone for just over one hundred years.  In Earth reality it has only been a few days. Now she needs to help close the hell dimension she helped to open. To do this she must find out want happened to her mother and how she died.

* ARC provided by NetGalley for an honest review.

The Trouble with Twelfth Grave; Charley Davidson 12; by Darynda Jones

Oh my! I don’t remember the others in this series being so funny. This book has everything you are looking for in the Charley Davidson world. I loved it and once again want more!

Reyes escapes a hell dimension then disappears from Charley’s life. She is not sure if it is her husband Reyes or another face of Reyes. Charley now needs to find Reyes, and hope he is still the man (god) she loves. Save him. She also needs to find a killer with her Uncle for the Albuquerque Police. She does know that this killer is paranormal and is targeting people that have a sensitivity to the supernatural. Did this entity come out of the hell dimension with Reyes?  One of her friends is worried she might have killed a man and needs Charley’s help with who really killed the man. Charley not only helps but covers up some of what happened. Did I mention there is a time limit to get all of this done, or some very bad things will happen. Is there anything else that Charley needs to do before time runs out?

Fourth Grave Beneath My Feet, Charley Davidson 4; by Darynda Jones

Where do I start? I keep saying this, but I want more.

Charley’s is depressed now and taking time off. That is until a woman needs her help. The woman thinks someone it trying to kill her. Charley now must get up, get dressed, and find out what is going on. The more Charley digs into the woman’s story the more it seems to be true.

Reyes is out of prison and staying away from Charley (remember that is what she wants). However, she is rethinking that now.

Albuquerque is being held hostage, Reyes maybe involved. So, Charley must investigate what is really going on.

Charley’s life is crazy again.