The Cowgirl Ropes a Billionaire by Cora Seton

Another installment in the Chance Creek series. I liked the story but...
The reality show seemed a weird setting. I just wasn't a fan of that. I liked the characters themselves but deliberately setting up the show to go in one direction, and the high level of manipulation was just not super fun to read. Although to be fair, I don't like reality television shows at all. I don't watch them. I am glad that Bella gets to save her furry friends, but as a vet I would have thought that she would be at least a bit more practical. I love animals, but even I can see that an overpopulation is a problem.

I read it, I liked it, but only marginally. It isn't something that I would go out of my way to read again. that said, I liked the writing and the author's voice, so I will (and have) read more from Ms Seton.

The Cowboys of Chance Creek by Cora Seton

There are three books included in this collection, but as the stories are all connected I am just going to take it as a whole. I truly enjoyed reading these stories. The complicated (beyond belief) family dynamics were some of the most interesting parts. Of course the installments are all very compressed, and so you have to be willing to accept that people would meet and decide to marry within a month or less. Also, and not necessarily in a bad way, the aspect of money- the need for it and the desire for more played a large part in the story as a whole. I understand that it was an important aspect, but making life decisions based on financial gain doesn't always sit well with me. It works here because it isn't the focus, so that is good.  I wish there would have been more information on  Aria's history and what she was actually doing with her time away from home, but perhaps that will show up later in another story. There is no shortage of chemistry and connection between the main characters in their respective stories. Although in the second book, Claire is really distracted and there doesn't seem  to be a lot of development there, but as they have know each other for such a long time, it works.

I would recommend these titles to anyone wanting a fun read.

Calculated Exposure by Holley Trent

Complicated! How nice it is to read about characters that actually feel real. I loved that both Curt and Erica have a ton of baggage and still find their way to a HEA ending. I have to say that I was totally not expecting Erica's backstory and I liked that. I loved the chemistry and interaction between the characters. Curt was a good man, he took care of his family and that just made the whole situation with his parents more interesting. Once they both decided not the let the past and other obstacles interfere they found their happiness.

 I also was a fan of the citrus sour cream pie mentioned, I was curious so I actually made it myself.

Awakening the Warriors by S.E. Gilchrist

This is the first I have  read from this author, but I do not think it will be the last. I enjoy a good sci-fi romance, but especially where things are still in the realm of believability. I liked that the women had backbone and that the men were honorable and willing to sacrifice to help people they didn't really know.  Though fairly short, I thought that there was enough story to round out the steamier bits. Of course, it does still stretch the mind to think that you would make such huge jumps with your life in such a short time, but it works. I would definitely like to know how things end up not just with Fran, but the colonists as well...
All together it was a fun read, that has peaked my interest to reading more of this author.

Dragos Takes a Holiday by Thea Harrison

I listened to the first few books in the series on audiobook, and really enjoyed them. When I saw that there was a novella about what happened after the HEA I was happy to get the chance to read it. Most of the time I find myself wishing to know what happens after and how everyone is doing; especially if the characters are as engaging as Ms Harrison's. I loved hearing the point of view from the peanut. The details in any story are important, and even though the story was short I did not feel short-changed.  It is a great addition to the Elder Races series.

Last Call by Alannah Lynne

This was a bit of a different story than I have been reading lately, which made for a nice change. I wasn't expecting the story to go in the direction it did and that is always nice.  Sunny is a strong selfless woman trying to make a better life for herself and her brother. When big business tries to throw a kink in her future she doesn't give up. I really liked that she wore her necklaces for her, and that it almost seemed that her artistic side was trying to sneak out under the radar.  Gavin was a complicated character and I liked how real he seemed. I am also glad that he finally got his priorities in line and helped those around him. The description of the regulars at the bar were great and they made sense as well as added depth to the story. Ms. Lynne did a great job of developing her characters in the length allotted.

I enjoyed the book and will be looking for more from Ms. Lynne.

Snowbound with the CEO by Shannon Stacey

Adrian Blackstone built a million-dollar business with hard work and determination—and by remaining professional at all times. Denying his longtime attraction to his beautiful executive assistant hasn't been easy but it's necessary. She's indispensable, and he can't stand the thought of losing her if things didn't work out.
For more than a year, Rachel Carter has been quietly dreaming of all the ways she'll never seduce her sexy, buttoned-up boss. She's worked too hard to get where she is to cross that line, no matter how badly she'd like to act on her fantasies. But then a wicked snowstorm leaves them stranded in a romantic winter wonderland…
What begins as a single kiss and a few bad Santa jokes turns into a weekend full of breathless passion and hopes for something more. But with Monday comes a return to their complicated reality—and Adrian must prove that promises made are promises kept, especially at Christmastime.

So this was a fun read. Quick and light. It was a fairly traditional boss/secretary story but I like those. I wanted to smack Adrian a few times, but that makes the book much better. The main conflict really boiled down to them each not wanting to admit what they wanted at one point or another. Once they got through that it was pretty simple. I did really like that Rachel wasn't a pushover, and that Adrian seemed like a pretty normal guy for a millionaire.

A Duchess in the Dark by Kate McKinley

Miss Daphne Hayward is on the hunt for a safe, honorable husband and she has set her sights on the perfect target. She plans a full-scale seduction that will bring him to his knees, and have him begging for her hand in marriage. But when she mistakenly slips into another man's bed, the passions that quickly ignite threaten to send her well-laid plans up in smoke.

Ashton Fitzgerald, Duke of Claymore has never been for want of a willing woman in his bed and his rakish ways have become legend in boudoirs and dark corners all across London. But not even Ashton can account for the powerful desire that surges through him when a mysterious woman pays him a clandestine midnight visit. As dawn breaks, his goddess flees before he can learn her identity. Now Ashton will stop at nothing to unmask the identity of the woman who bewitched him body and soul and make her his . . . forever.

I have to admit that I imagined something a bit different when I started reading, but ended up loving how things unfolded. I couldn't imagine what Daphne saw in Edward at all! He was a weak man who wanted her money and to change her into something that she wasn't. 

Now, Ashton on the other hand.. he was clearly the better option, especially once we discover that he has held a tendre for her for years. I loved that Daphne didn't just fall in line with what he wanted and I liked that he gave her time to reconcile what she was feeling. 

When you read as much as I do it is nice to find something just different enough to whet your appetite again and have you looking forward to what comes next, both in the story and from the author.

Perfect Mate by Aubrey Rose

Julia always thought that she was human. When the blind leader of a pack of straggling misfits claims her as his one true mate, she accepts that she is in love with Damien despite their radical differences.

But after another shifter wolf attacks them, he points to her as he dies and utters words that will change Julia's life forever:

"...she's not what you think she is..."

This was a bit confusing until I realized it wasn't the beginning of the story. It does hold its own really, but it is makes so much more sense that I have read Blind Wolf.  I like that Damien is building his own motley crew of misfit shifters. I did think that it was interesting learning about Julia's history, the fact that she really wasn't what she seemed, and that people were out to get her.

I am a fan of shifter stories and this one was a nice addition to the repertoire.

A Midsummer Bride by Amanda Forester

I really liked this story. It was different than the normal and the characters were interesting and real. I liked that Harriet was an American who wasn't interested in fitting in with the Ton. Her interest in chemistry was a nice addition to her quirky nature. I also enjoyed Duncan, he really wanted to be her friend and found himself fighting what he knew was "best" because he wanted something that he deemed that he couldn't have.

I really thought that there was great balance between the secondary characters like Madame X and Penelope.... I can see the writing on the wall there.. :)

It is really nice to know that there are still ways to freshen up the traditional romantic themes.

Club Wonderland by Christine D'Abo

Alice White isn't used to being ignored. So when the object of her lust does just that, she's bound and determined to get his attention. Her pursuit leads her to Wonderland, the kind of club she's only read about, and suddenly Alice is craving something she never knew she needed.
Gael Hernandez wants to be the youngest partner at his prestigious law firm, and not even a certain tempting legal assistant can distract him from his goal of financially helping his family. Until she shows up at his favorite club and surprises him with an interest in being restrained. But the BDSM lifestyle is no game to him, and he won't take things further until Alice is schooled into submission.
After a taste, Alice wants more. She offers to be Gael's sub for one weekend, with nothing forbidden and no boundaries. In a few short days, he gives her the strength to be the person she's always wanted to be. Now Alice just needs to convince Gael that he can dominate in the bedroom, and submit to love.


So, I have read my share of erotica with BDSM themes and this was decent. I did think that the angle that had Gael hiding his relationship with his uncle was rather unnecessary, and it didn't add a lot to the story. I also liked that Gael didn't just pick up his Dominant interests by chance, he grew up with that dynamic and had a good model from which to base his behavior.  The  one thing that I think is the hardest to swallow with the short books like this is that there is virtually no time between starting down a new path to total acceptance. It is totally not realistic to my mind. I accept it as a necessary byproduct of the limited word allotment.

All in all, it was a fairly quick read and I liked it.