This Apil and May reviews

Daddy Wanted

By Penelope Marzec

A game designer in NYC, Grace wakes up one morning to discover she has lost her job and her roommate is pregnant. Determined to solve both problems, she searches for jobs online and sets up an ad to find a daddy for the child. How hard could it be in a city of eight million people? She soon learns it is both risky and dangerous. She wonders if Russell, who lives downstairs, is a safer bet, but why is he always stalking her? And why is it that the only one who will listen to her is her roommate's turtle?

Russell, an IT repairman, is going to be the best man for a wedding in Minnesota. He needs a date, but the woman on his arm must be the Perfect Woman. According to his list of specifications, Grace will fit the bill—until he finds a pregnancy test kit box in the garbage. Deciding she's only a little bit pregnant, he offers her a business deal, an all expenses paid trip to Minnesota with no strings attached. But when Grace insists on bringing her roommate along, Russell is in for a surprise.

 
I thought that Grace has a strange way of showing that she liked someone. She had very odd plans to find her friend a husband and she was in strange situations. It was interesting to see what she would come up with next. I really liked Russell, even though Grace pushed him away he was always forgiving and trying to get her attention. I give this book 3 stars*. This book is coming soon.
 
Mail Order Man (Ladies Of Larkspur)

byHeather Gray

Some people get a mail order bride. She got a mail order man.
A well-meaning friend places an ad to find a mail order husband for Sarah, the proprietress of Larkspur's stage and mail office. Sarah, who is generally quiet and reserved, doesn't know about the ad and has no idea what to do with all the people that are showing up in her community. Before long, the town is overrun with men and mail alike. Sarah is trying to avoid some men who have accosted her on the street when she stumbles into Samuel. Through long days spent together at the stage office, some very adventurous pots of coffee and a shared faith, the two become friends. Sarah knows that Samuel is hiding something from her, something important, but that doesn't stop her heart from leaping wildly into love. Lacking the confidence to trust her heart, Sarah wars with herself over the feelings she can no longer deny. When some of the men who have come to town show their true intentions, a shootout follows. Sarah finally gets answers to many of the questions circling through her mind. One question remains, though. Where will her mail order man go when the dust settles?

 
I liked this book! It was about 230 pages, not that long but had my attention the whole way. It didn't at all get dull for me. This is a christian book. I  am a christian but sometimes some christian books do lose my attention, but this isn't one of them. I give it 4* stars.

33 Valentines by Stephanie Monahan

All Sophie wants for her thirty-third year is a calendar without a February—and without a Valentine's Day. The unlucky month haunts her with regrets, loss, and missteps she can never take back. But this year, she's determined to make a change— and she's going to start with telling her best friend, Sam, how she feels about him.

But February isn't making it easy for her. Sam's got a date with his dream girl, and Sophie finds herself in the hospital. Then there's her father, who has a surprise that's about to turn her world upside-down, and her little brother, who doesn't seem to have any room for her in his life. While everyone else seems to be living life, Sophie is stuck in neutral.

Now, Sophie must come to terms with everything that's holding her back in order to fight for what she wants before she loses the chance to turn her luck around.
 
It was a story about a women who needs to make changes and move on. Sophie had a lot of flashbacks during the book. When I first started to read I didn't really like Sophie's personality but later I felt bad for her and wanted her to have a happy ending. This book was clean but had a lot of language I didn't care for. I give this book 3*stars. 

Acadian Waltz by Alexandrea Weis

At thirty, Nora Kehoe is feeling pressured to settle down. On a blind date, Nora unexpectedly ends up in the emergency room where she meets Dr. John Blessing. She hopes the pragmatic Dr. Blessing can make her life complete. Then, a passionate encounter with a childhood friend changes everything.

The charismatic Jean Marc Gaspard manages the family business, Gaspard Fisheries. But rumors abound that Jean Marc is running more than seafood through the waters around Manchac Louisiana. When a family crisis sends Nora to Manchac, she is thrown headlong into the dangerous world of smugglers and swindlers. And as Jean Marc tries to protect Nora from his past, he realizes he may lose her because of it.

The dark bayou waters run deep with secrets in Louisiana, and every Cajun knows how to dance the fine line between the right and wrong side of the law. But for strangers, learning the steps to staying alive in the swamps can be tricky. Life, and love, will be dependent on how well one can master the … Acadian Waltz
 
 
I was contacted by the auther to read her book. This book had a lot of drama and action I didn't expect. this is not a clean read. I would say that it is rated R, there was a lot of cussing and I was surprised when one of the characters was in a cult. I can say that this book was not predictable, there was a lot of surprises and twists and turns. And it is only 144 page, it is packed. I give it 3*stars.

Take A Chance On Love (Mystery Romance) by Cara Cooper

 Fleeing family tragedy, a new start working at Margrave Manor seems perfect to Marie. Matthew Hughes, the charming gardener, takes a shine to her, but Mrs Johnson the housekeeper resents her very presence. What's more, Mrs Johnson warns Marie that Matthew has a murky past. When the police are called to an incident, everyone falls under suspicion. Will handsome, commanding Detective Sergeant Martin solve the mystery, and could he finally be the man to mend Marie's broken heart?
 
This is another quick and clean story.  I found that while I was reading I kept thinking it was taken place in another era, which I liked. Also, I thought there would be more information about what happened to Lady Margrave's grandson. It is a mystery with a love triangle. I give this book 3*stars.

 

http://elegantbookworm.blogspot.com/

 

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From: reviewcoordinator@att.net
To: tweeelfin@live.com
Subject: RE: Astraea Press: Take A Chance On Love (Mystery Romance)
Date: Wed, 13 Feb 2013 09:59:34 -0600

 

 

Opal
Review Coordinator/Marketing Director

Assistant to Stephanie Taylor

Astraea Press


http://reviewcoordinator.blogspot.com/p/for-review-sites.html

Reviewers are always welcome to join my newsletter to get emails about NEW AP titles that are available for review.

 

From: tweeelfin@live.com [mailto:tweeelfin@live.com]
Sent: Thursday, February 07, 2013 7:04 PM
To: Opal Campbell
Subject: Re: Astraea Press: Take A Chance On Love (Mystery Romance)

 

I would like to read this.

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From: Opal Campbell <reviewcoordinator@att.net>
To: =?utf-8?Q??= <TweeElfin@live.com>
Sent: Fri, Feb 1, 2013 17:00:17 GMT+00:00
Subject: Astraea Press: Take A Chance On Love (Mystery Romance)

Pure. Fiction. Is this email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser.   New Title Available For Review!!!! Take a Chance on Love by Cara Cooper Romantic Mystery Length: 112 Pages ISBN: 9781621351177 Blurb: Fleeing family tragedy, a new start working at Margrave Manor seems perfect to Marie. Matthew Hughes, the charming gardener, takes a shine to her, but Mrs Johnson the housekeeper resents her very presence. What's more, Mrs Johnson warns Marie that Matthew has a murky past. When the police are called to an incident, everyone falls under suspicion. Will handsome, commanding Detective Sergeant Martin solve the mystery, and could he finally be the man to mend Marie's broken heart?     Like Us on Facebook Follow on Twitter Forward to a Friend   Astraea Press Book Club The Astraea Press Book Club on Face Book is a great way for readers to try new books and authors...for FREE! Each month one Astraea Press title is offered up for free to readers to read and enjoy. At the end of the month we have a chat with the author and a random drawing for an AP Swag Pack. Fun for all. Promo Ops Here is a list of authors who are available for Interviews, Spotlights and Guest Blogs Rachel Van Dyken Nell Dixon Samantha Combs Ruth Hartman Lindsay Downs Joselyn Vaughn Brenda Maxfield Lisa Orchard K. Victoria Chase C.C. Troy S.G. Rogers Kelly Martin Leah Sanders Jennifer Comeaux Tracy Krauss J.F. Jenkins Patricia Kiyono Tanya Eavenson Lynn Spangler www.astraeapress.com If you are interested in receiving a copy of this title for review please email reviewcoordinator@att.net or respond to this email :) You are receiving this email because you either signed up for notifications via our sign-up form or gave permission via email to be on our notification list.  unsubscribe from this list | update subscription preferences

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A Suite Deal

Jilted by her fiance, marine biologist Lily Greensly retreats to the tranquil shores of Loon Lake to research indigenous fishes and help out at her family's rustic fishing lodge. But when she finds an enormous, new-age hotel spoiling the view from her cherished inheritance, the tiny and pristine Osprey Island, Lily decides that the Nirvana Hotel's handsome owner warrants closer scrutiny. Ambitious hotelier Ethan Weatherall cut his teeth in the hotel industry and is determined to buy Lily's treasured island and convert it to a concrete helipad. Career-climbing, cosmopolitan Ethan cannot risk falling for a woman who could never be happy away from the wilds of nature. But it seems that boat may have already sailed, as he falls into the deep end for Lily's sweet soul and independent spirit. Lily must figure out a way to stop Ethan from destroying the tranquility of Loon Lake while trying to resist his charming city-bred manners. If she can't, there's more than just Osprey Island at stake
 
It was clean, the most they did was kiss. A good story where opposites attract. It was not that long but still a cute story. I give it 3*stars.

I am sorry it took so long to put these review up. I still have another list of books I am working on and will put up soon.
Truth and Circumstances by Myrna Parks
Desperate to prove to her rich, patronizing relatives she can make a name for herself as a writer, Bethany Ashton returns to Sacramento with a manuscript nestled inside her briefcase and a tight-lipped smile of determination on her peach-tinted lips. Hoping to enlist the aid of successful writer and speaker, Adrian Adams, to publish her first novel, Beth attends an international writer's conference where the author is scheduled to speak. However, when she discovers her registration isn't valid and all the sessions are full, she impulsively fibs and tells the matron in charge that she is married to one of the seminar lecturers, the handsome man she sat next to on the plane. It gets her through security and into restricted areas.

Carter Phillips loves to laugh at the eccentricities of others. On his flight to California, when he encounters an aspiring young author who unwittingly pulls him into a make-believe marriage that offers all of the pitfalls of matrimony but none of the perks, Carter finds himself embroiled in a dilemma that is no laughing matter. Especially when he falls in love with his pretend wife.

Two people bound together by a set of circumstances that produces more fabrications than a crooked politician on the trail to reelection, Truth and Circumstances is a humorous tale of a damsel determined to be distressed, and the handsome stranger who reluctantly, and repeatedly, comes to her rescue.
 
 
I loved this book, it had my attention from start to finish. I would read it again. I am definently looking for more books by this author. Also it was just right in length. I give it 4* stars

Twelve Kisses Later

by Sandra Sookoo

Can you find true love in a kiss? How about a dozen?

Lucy Duckworth is comfortable with her life and in her own skin, and her habit of picking up orphaned cats is charmingly noble. Yet when her roommate asks her to fill in at a kissing booth during the Winter Carnival, Lucy's even-keeled existence suddenly tilts.

Matthew Kincaide has one simple motto: live off the land, keep your head down, don't talk a whole lot and never trust a woman. Divorced and not about to give a female control over him again, all he wants is to deliver his animals for the petting zoo and go home. Too bad his annoying brother coaxes him into buying tickets for the kissing booth.

Lucy's and Matthew's first kiss ends with a violent sneeze, but she can't forget that first lip-tingling, take-me-away moment. Though Matthew's shocked by his first reaction, he lines up for a second chance. Surely lightning can't strike twice. Will winter fun and a random accident derail their quest to find out how many kisses it takes to fall in love?
 

This was such a sweet story. It was a fast book and I read it all in one setting. I give it 3* stars

 

Time for a Duke by Ruth Hartman

Izzy Hodgkin just wants an adventure. Who knew that involved being locked in a closet in 2012, then being transported to 1812 when the door is opened later?

Charles Hamilton Douglas Wade, Duke of Bramblewood Green, thinks he will never find the right woman. When he opens his closet door one day, imagine his surprise to find a woman in there. And she's from the future!

Will Izzy stick with her plan to return to 2012 America to achieve her goal of financial independence? Or will she and Charles find happiness in 1812?

 

I liked the plot it made me think of a Lynn Kurland book, which is one of my favorite authors. It's a short story. I am not trying to spoil anything but this is one of those books where the characters don't wait for marriage to sleep together, which kind of bothered me. This is a clean book. I give it 3*stars.

 

 

Ghosts of Winters Past by Christina Graham Parker

Five years ago, Lord Henry left Lady Emmaline alone to face society's scorn after the two were found in a compromising position. Now Henry has returned to London as the Duke of Salle, determined to win back the woman he never forgot.

Lady Emmaline believes herself to be happy as a resigned spinster. Though her days are no longer filled with callers and balls, she has found her place in society and has no interest in romance. Her vow to withstand Henry's renewed advances slowly crumbles, however, under his persistent and unwavering charm.

Finally, they believe, the ghosts of their past have been banished. That is until a new scandal threatens to separate them. This time, forever.

 

You get to see the struggles that these characters had to go threw to be together. It was good to see how things can work out in the end.

I give this book 3* Stars.

 

The Toymaker by Kay Springsteen

REGENCY ROMANCE
He was a duke who wanted to be a toymaker. She fell in love with a toymaker but her parents wanted her to marry a duke.


Lady Ivy Plumthorne, elder daughter of the Duke and Duchess of Wythorpe, is a worry to her parents. Desiring only that she be as happily wed as her younger sister, they've spent the past year parading prospective suitors in front of her. When she finds none of the suitors… suitable, her parents despair she will ever find the perfect husband. With Christmas approaching, they find one more prospective suitor, the Duke of Greenbriar. Only problem is, Ivy's already met the man of her dreams… and he's a toymaker.


Noel Phillip Vincent Greenstone, the Twelfth Duke of Greenbriar, wasn't cut out to be a duke. He preferred crafting toys that made children happy. So that's just what he did. And as Phillip Green, he traveled freely about, visiting shops and orphanages, and making certain no child went without a toy of his or her own. But a few chance meetings with Lady Ivy and he knows he wants to spend the rest of his life with her. The problem is, she needs to marry a nobleman and she only knows him as Phillip the Toymaker. He needs a plan, and fast. The world needs to meet the reclusive Duke of Greenbriar, so Phillip plans his own coming out. But how will Ivy react when she learns the truth?

 

It is a cute story, there is a mistaken identity and it is different because it starts in our time. I was a little confused when the story didn't start with the main character. I give it 3*stars.

 

Partridge in the Peartree by Patricia Kiyono

Phillip Peartree, Duke of Bartlett, dreamed of a peaceful life with a suitable mate until a hunting accident left him scarred and nearly deaf. Resigned to spending the rest of his days alone, Phillip has devoted himself to rebuilding his family estate. But, a chance encounter with a lovely young woman in a dusty bookstore rekindles his almost-forgotten hopes and dreams.

Lady Amelia Partridge has no time for the frivolity of the London social scene. She is much too busy. In addition to her work with the Ladies Literary Society, she has a mission – educating poor children in the city. She also has a secret life, one she fears might drive away the young duke who has become increasingly important to her.

 

This is a very fast read, only 60 pages. It is a sweet little book to read in between novels. It was easy to guess the ending but still nice. I give it 3* stars

 

 

Two Turtle Doves by Leah Sanders

Baldwyn Sinclair, the Duke of Paisley, returns to London in the dead of winter at the request of his overbearing grandmother to find she has made a betrothal contract on his behalf... without his knowledge. Now he is to be married to none other than the girl who used to throw mud at him in order to gain his attention.

He is not happy about the prospect, but he is nothing if not devoted to duty.

Anastasia Trent has been in love with the Duke of Paisley since she was seven years old and has spent her life pining for him, fantasizing about the moment they would see each other again. But when he makes it clear that her imaginings are in vain, her disappointment drives her into the arms of a dangerous man.

It is up to Baldwyn to rescue her once again, to save her from herself, and to find perhaps, along the way, exactly what his own heart was looking for.

 

First of all this is a beautiful cover. I enjoyed reading about the different characters in this series. A little SPOILER, I am happy that the girl get the guy that she was in love with for all those years. I will continue to read this series. I give it 3* stars.

 

Edge of the Past by Jennifer Comeaux

Emily's skating career and personal life have never been more golden. She and her partner Chris have won every competition they've entered this season, and she's found the man of her dreams in her coach Sergei. But when one of the biggest competitions of the year takes Emily and Sergei to Russia, Sergei's past explodes into the present and makes Emily doubt everything in their future.

 

This is the second book in the series. This was a drama that had me intrigued and interested in how the characters would solve their problems. I really like how Sergei and Emily, I hoped they would skate together some more. I also loved the location. I am learning russian so I enjoyed reading about it and its people. I give it 4* stars