Category / Favorable Read

Rating of 3.5 Stars

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Forbidden Dreams by Natasha Madison

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: First Person, Dual
Series: Dream, #2
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Brady Thatcher
Heroine: Harmony
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: January 03, 2025
Started On: January 16, 2026
Finished On: January 19, 2026

Forbidden Dreams follows a woman at the very end of her rope and the man who steps in at exactly the wrong and right moment. Harmony has finally left a marriage that hollowed her out, only to find herself trapped by a vindictive almost-ex who refuses to let go. When she lands next door to Brady Thatcher, the town’s golden bachelor and her husband’s sworn enemy, the setup alone promises sparks, complications, and a whole lot of emotional fallout.

Harmony is written as a survivor first and foremost. She is a devoted mother, cautious to the point of self-denial, and painfully aware of how little room she has left to make mistakes. Her resilience is quiet rather than loud, shaped by years of emotional neglect and public scrutiny, and much of her character revolves around endurance. Brady, on the other hand, is competence and confidence wrapped in small-town charm; protective, capable, and when fate throws Harmony into his life, he is willing to fight every battle he must to keep her by his side.

The tension in the story comes less from the romance itself and more from the external pressure closing in on Harmony. Her estranged husband’s influence seeps into every corner of her life, making even the simplest acts; finding work, securing housing, staying put, feel like acts of defiance. Brady’s connection to that same enemy adds an extra layer of risk, forcing both of them to navigate attraction while knowing exactly how messy the consequences could be. It is a setup ripe for intensity, with high emotional stakes baked in from the start.

What worked for me was the sense of safety Brady represents and the natural ease between him and Harmony once they give in to what is already there. Brady is very much the over-protective, supportive, dream-husband archetype, and there is comfort in how steady he is when everything around Harmony feels unstable. I also enjoyed the glimpses of found family and the warmth of the supporting cast, which helped ground the story in its small-town setting.

Where the book did not fully land for me was pacing and emotional depth. I expected a heavier, more drawn-out intensity given the premise, but the relationship moves quickly into settled territory, skipping over some of the tension I wanted to linger. The fact that Harmony jumped straight from her failed marriage into an intense relationship with a possessive Brady all too soon was perhaps something she should have taken time with. Don’t get me wrong, I loved how easygoing she was, but at the same time, it was evident that she had a lot of trauma from her marriage which she needed to deal with. The fact that there wasn’t more light shed on her backstory also did not give a full picture of how she came to be who she is, which I believe would have added more emotional weight and depth to her character.

Brady’s insta-lust with Harmony can be taken in stride. After all, life throws the most unexpected curve balls and you find yourself with the most rewarding experiences while you trudge through the dreary existence of daily survival. However, Brady gave in too quickly if you ask me, and the shift into a more domestic hero who quickly embraces the “baby” endearment phase came sooner than expected, which softened the angst and emotional turmoil rather than sharpening it. While the characters are likable, their rapid emotional certainty made the journey feel smoother and shorter than anticipated. I just wished for more from both characters, individually, and together.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy protective heroes, single-mom romances, small-town dynamics, and relationships that lean quickly into comfort and security rather than prolonged turmoil.

Final Verdict: Forbidden Dreams is a solid, readable contemporary romance with appealing characters and a strong protective-hero vibe, which sadly failed to deliver the level of intensity I was hoping for.

Favorite Quotes

“Harmony,” he murmurs my name, and this time, he pushes the hair away from my shoulder to my back. His finger then trails from my ear to my collarbone. “Baby.” My stomach flutters when he says that, “Harmony,” My name is on his lips in a whisper. My body comes awake as he bends and kisses my neck. It’s the softest kiss I’ve ever gotten, and it’s a kiss I’ll never forget.

“Can Brady take me to school tomorrow?” he asks me softly.
“I don’t know, buddy,” I answer. “I think he has to go to work.”
He turns on his side. “I’ll ask him and see what he says.” Wyatt doesn’t say anything else because he is asleep in seconds. I bend to kiss his head before walking out of the room, finding Brady waiting for me.
He wraps one arm around my waist. “Waited all day for this,” he says softly as he moves me to his bedroom. “Fuck, all night.” He bends his head to mine. “I feel like I’ve been waiting my whole life for you two.” That’s the last thing he says before his mouth claims mine.

“Brady,” I say his name, “I know what they did to your family.” I swallow down the bile that threatens to come up. “You guys have overcome so much. Is it worth having it all taken away?”
I don’t know what I’m expecting him to say. But I will say that what he says doesn’t only shock me, it leaves me speechless. “If it means you and Wyatt are free from them, then yes.”

“You okay?” he asks, and I shrug.
“I just want to live in peace. I want to wake up and take my son to school without having to look over my shoulder. I want to be able to have a babysitter come over to my house and watch him like a normal person instead of sneaking him out of places. I want to be able to just walk down the street without anyone pointing their fingers at me. I want to live in a place for more than a couple of weeks without having to pack everything up and move again and again.” I smile at him. “How’re you doing?”
“Me?” He points at himself. “I’ve never been more at peace before,” he reveals, shocking me. “It’s as if I was living my life in black and white, and suddenly, it’s in color.” All the breath in me leaves my body, all of it. Here I was thinking, his life’s been turned upside down since I came in it, but he’s telling me the opposite.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: A Million Reasons by Noelle Adams

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Eric Vincent
Heroine: Julie Nelson
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: October 21, 2024
Started On: November 21, 2025
Finished On: November 23, 2025

A Million Reasons begins on a quietly devastating note, and that emotional grounding becomes the lens through which the entire story unfolds. Julie Nelson has spent years caring for her aging parents, putting her own ambitions on hold, and when the novel opens she is standing at the edge of loss, exhaustion, and profound uncertainty. Into that fragile space enters an unexpected proposition: three months as a personal assistant to a difficult billionaire recovering from a serious injury, in exchange for a life-changing sum of money.

Julie is a heroine defined by restraint. She is thoughtful, emotionally intelligent, and deeply shaped by responsibility. At thirty-one, she has lost not only both parents but also the life she once imagined for herself. Her calm, stoic demeanor and her quiet competence makes her an easy heroine to root for. Eric Vincent, by contrast, is all sharp edges. A wealthy, brash former athlete with a broken leg and a deep aversion to emotional dependence, he is used to control and isolation. Their dynamic is built on their differences: her steadiness against his volatility, her patience against his entitlement.

As Julie steps into Eric’s world, forced closeness, care giving, and shared silences begin to chip away at both their defenses. Both with unresolved trauma, their connection grows from a place of mutual need than fantasy. Julie slowly finds her footing again, testing the idea that she is allowed to want something for herself after years of sacrificing her dreams. Eric, meanwhile, is confronted with a version of intimacy that does not revolve around control or avoidance, something that unsettles him far more than his injury ever could.

What worked especially well for me was Julie’s character arc. Her growth is deeply human, particularly in how she begins to imagine a future beyond grief and obligation. The emotional weight of caregiving, loss, and starting over is handled with sensitivity, and those elements lend the story a grounded realism. I also appreciated the tenderness woven into smaller moments, as well as the presence of secondary characters who add emotional texture to the story.

That said, I could not help feeling that the story did not fully explore the depth it promised. Both Julie and Eric felt like characters with immense potential who were not pushed quite far enough. Their emotional and physical connection, while believable, never quite reached the intensity it hinted at, and I found myself wishing for at least one moment where the full scope of their chemistry was allowed to unfold without restraint. Given their opposing energies and shared wounds, there was room for a more expansive exploration of desire once Eric was physically healed, and that absence was noticeable.

One of the most affecting aspects of the story for me was Maddy. My heart broke for her in a quiet, lingering way, the kind that stays with you beyond the page. There is something profoundly sad about a child carrying so much so early, yet there is also a measure of grace in knowing that she has a father who can marshal every possible resource to shield her from the worst of it. That contrast between fragility and protection added an unexpected emotional depth to the story, and Maddy’s presence softened Eric in ways nothing else quite managed to.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy caretaker romances, emotionally reserved heroines, wounded heroes, and stories about starting over after loss, especially when romance unfolds quietly rather than explosively.

Final Verdict: A tender, reflective romance with a strong emotional foundation and a compelling heroine, though it stops just short of fully realizing the intensity its premise suggests.

Favorite Quotes

He met her eyes. “I never thought having a kid would be easy, you know. But I never knew it would rip you up like this.” He lifted a hand to cover hers on his cheek and held it for a long moment.
Finally, Julie pulled her hand away. “That’s exactly right,” she said, leaning back against the sofa. “What family does, I mean. It puts you together and then rips you apart. Over and over again.”

Purchase Links: Amazon

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Accidental Bride by Noelle Adams

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Beaufort Brides, #3
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Peter Blake
Heroine: Kelly Beaufort
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: January 19, 2016
Started On: October 11, 2025
Finished On: October 12, 2025

Accidental Bride wraps up the Beaufort Brides trilogy by Noelle Adams, with the story of the youngest sister, Kelly Beaufort who is the responsible one, the homebody, and the woman who never took chances. After years of looking after her grandmother and watching her older sisters find their happily ever afters, Kelly decides to let loose for once in her life.

What she does not expect is to wake up in Las Vegas, married to her best friend, Peter Blake with no memory of how it happened. What follows is a slow, quiet journey toward love between two people who have always been close, with Kelly never having considered that love could actually be part of her life, if only she is willing to give Peter the chance he deserves.

Peter has been in love with Kelly since their friendship began, quietly pining while she remained oblivious. He is kind, patient, and steady, the sort of man who does not push and patiently bides his time. When she wakes up horrified at what she has done, Peter does not let her run; instead, he convinces her to stay married for forty-five days to avoid upsetting their families, giving him the one chance he has been waiting for to show her how right they could be together. Kelly, on the other hand, is reluctant, self-conscious, and burdened by a sense of duty that has been drilled into her for most of her life. She is terrified of making mistakes, of being selfish, and most of all, of hurting the people she loves.

The dynamic between Peter and Kelly is gentle and understated. There is no grand angst or explosive passion here, just the quiet unfolding of feelings between two people who already share deep familiarity. Peter’s patience and good humor balance Kelly’s fear of stepping outside her comfort zone. He is the perfect foil to her cautiousness, grounding her in warmth even when she tries to pull away. Still, I found Kelly to be a difficult heroine, her reluctance often felt excessive, and while I empathized with her sense of responsibility, it also made the story feel slow in places where I wanted a bit more spark.

Of the three Beaufort Brides stories, this is the one I least liked. I am usually a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope (the trope being my favorite in romance), but this did not quite deliver the emotional punch or chemistry I expected. The premise, a Vegas marriage gone wrong (or right, depending on how you see it), had so much potential for playful tension, but the story leaned more toward introspection and restraint. Peter’s steadfastness carried the book; his quiet devotion and subtle persistence are what made the romance work, even when Kelly’s hesitancy threatens to dim the spark.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy sweet, low-angst friends-to-lovers romances and heroines learning to step out of their comfort zones.

Final Verdict: Accidental Bride is a tender, understated close to the Beaufort Brides trilogy—heartfelt, if a little too subdued. Peter shines as the quietly devoted hero, but Kelly’s hesitancy keeps this one from soaring.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Not That Duke by Eloisa James

Format: Paperback
Read with: Paperback
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Would-Be Wallflowers #3
Publisher: Avon
Hero: Silvester Parnell
Heroine: Stella Corsham
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: July 25, 2023
Started On: April 29, 2025
Finished On: May 16, 2025

It had been a while since I last picked up a physical paperback, and Not That Duke by Eloisa James reminded me why that experience still feels so distinct.

This installment in the Would-Be Wallflowers series tells the story of Silvester Parnell, the Duke of Huntington, and Stella Corsham, an intelligent, bespectacled heroine who believes herself unlovable. What begins as a story of mismatched expectations slowly unfolds into one of mutual respect, sensual awakening, and unexpected tenderness.

Silvester is the kind of hero you cannot quite decide whether to admire or shake your head at. With a brilliant but eccentric mother whose inventions once caused polite society to brand the entire family as odd, he is determined to live a life as far removed from scandal as possible. His goal is simple: find a well-bred, quiet duchess who will bring respectability back to his name.

What he does not want is Stella, a woman who talks too much, reads too much, and wears spectacles that seem to define her in the eyes of those around her. Yet in true Eloisa James fashion, fate or rather, an interfering mother and an annual treasure hunt forces them together until the spark between them is impossible to ignore.

Stella is an unconventional heroine for certain. Orphaned and raised by an aunt who instilled in her a deep wariness of men’s desires, she moves through life convinced that she is too opinionated and plain to ever inspire genuine affection. Watching her navigate society’s unkindness, especially the barbed remarks from so-called friends who reminds her of her “unsuitability”, makes her eventual transformation into a confident, passionate woman immensely satisfying. There is something deeply endearing about Stella’s curiosity and her quiet humor, even when her inner monologue veers toward self-doubt.

For much of the first half, Silvester’s attentions are directed elsewhere, toward Lady Yasmin, the very picture of aristocratic perfection. It is only through proximity and the slow realization that Stella’s sharp mind and unflinching honesty challenge him in ways Yasmin never could, that his admiration turns into desire.

Their chemistry, when it ignites, burns surprisingly hot, and the sensuality between them is trademark Eloisa James: lush, emotional, and deliciously frank. The scenes after their marriage are particularly memorable, showcasing not just physical passion but also the vulnerability of two people learning how to love without pretense.

That said, the book falters in pacing. The first half feels bogged down by too many intersecting storylines; Yasmin and Giles’s romance runs parallel here, which often steals attention from Silvester and Stella. It isn’t until the second part that the narrative truly becomes theirs, and from that point, the emotional payoff finally delivers.

At times, the prose veers into ostentation, with vocabulary that feels like it’s trying too hard to sound clever, pulling me out of the moment instead of deepening it. Still, there is undeniable charm in James’s humor and her ability to write characters whose flaws make them human.

Despite its imperfections, Not That Duke has moments of genuine warmth, especially when Silvester’s polished composure cracks and we glimpse the man beneath; passionate, protective, and wholly undone by his unlikely duchess. Stella, for her part, gives as good as she gets, matching him wit for wit, and by the end, it’s clear that she’s exactly the woman he needed all along.

Recommended for: readers who enjoy slow-burn historical romances, intelligent heroines, and reformed dukes who learn that love rarely fits inside their plans.

Final Verdict: A clever, slow-burn Victorian romance where wit meets heat and the wrong duchess turns out to be just right.

Favorite Quotes

He put a strong hand under her elbow. “Are you uninjured?” Silvester asked, once she was on her feet.
She thought of him as Silvester because the name suited him. It was a fancy, elegant name for a fancy, elegant man.
“I’m fine,” she mumbled.
Stella thought of her body as capable of walking and dancing, most of the time. Luckily she was sturdily constructed, since her bones never broke, no matter how often she tumbled to the ground.
But around Silvester? With his broad shoulders, the handsome curve of his jaw, the easy swing of his muscled body, his gray eyes, even his commanding nose…
His smile.
Around him, her body became her enemy, serving up shaking knees and quickened breath. Desire that flared straight down her back after a glance at his lower lip. Or the touch of his hand on her arm.
He went to Stella’s head like potent wine.

Silvester in the ballroom was one thing: he gleamed like the gold-plated aristocrat he was. But here? Wearing little more than a sheet, his burly chest undisguised? His nose seemed twice as bold and fierce.
And his eyes? Those gray, piercing eyes that could look so charming?
His coats must be cleverly cut to disguise his breadth, just as his charming smiles disguised the fierce desire to win every battle, important or other-wise. Stripped of his embroidery and lace, there was no mistaking who stood in the middle of the garden, wearing a swath of cloth and spinning a wooden sword while he listened intently to a young boy.
A warrior.
A man who ruthlessly manipulated currency markets for his own good—and incidentally to prevent the collapse of England’s finances.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | eBooks | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Older Man Plan by Noelle Adams

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Coble Coffee, #1
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Rick Grant
Heroine: Vivian Carmichael
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: March 15, 2022
Started On: January 19, 2024
Finished On: January 20, 2024

In The Older Man Plan, the debut novel of the Coble Coffee series by Noelle Adams, 25 year old Vivian Carmichael is determined to turn around her streak of bad dates. In order to do so, she comes up with a plan that seems foolproof: date older men. In her perspective, they are more stable, confident, and settled—everything she thinks she needs to turn her disastrous dating life around.

But the truth is, Vivian’s so-called “plan” is less about a new dating pool and more about getting over one man in particular—Rick Grant, the grumpy, unkempt, quietly sexy science fiction writer who practically lives at her favorite coffee shop. 38 of age and emotionally unavailable, he has shown that he is clearly not interested. Or so she thinks.

Rick knows Vivian’s been into him. It is hard not to notice the vibrant, too-pretty, too-smart, and too-young woman who keeps talking to him, smiling at him, making him feel far more alive than he would like to admit. He keeps telling himself that it is a bad idea, that he has been around the block, and that he does not want marriage, and that Vivian deserves more. But watching her try to date other men in his age group? That turns out to be something else entirely—perhaps the one thing that breaks his tenuous self-control.

While this novella had all the hallmarks of Ms. Adams’ work—low-key angst, internal conflict, and a slow tipping-over from resistance into desire, it somehow failed to give me the feels that I was looking for when I picked this up. I liked the characters well enough. Vivian is the what-you-see-is-what-you-get kinda girl, someone who knows what she wants and is not afraid to admit to the fact. Rick is the direct opposite in many ways—reserved, emotionally guarded, and trying very hard not to let himself fall for the woman who seems to be tailor-made to challenge his every instinct.

It is Rick’s deep resistance to vulnerability that serves to be the main conflict in the novella. While he is not pining for Vivian at the start; he does actively avoid her because of how much in fact, he does notice her. For her part, Vivian is convinced Rick is not interested and does what many women would—tries to reason herself out of her crush, only to find that logic is no match for genuine chemistry.

Perhaps it was the constraint of the novella format, but I found myself wishing there had been more time to explore Rick’s internal struggle, or to build up the quiet moments of tension that often elevate a romance of this kind. The pacing was brisk, but at the cost of richer development. I loved the concept, I liked the characters well enough, but I wanted just a little more than what I got. Still, there is an enjoyable, mature undercurrent to this romance. Rick’s attraction to Vivian and his resistance—and the way he finally succumbs made for memorable moments.

Recommended for: Readers who enjoy May-December romance and reluctant heroes.

Final Verdict: The Older Man Plan had the workings for an age-gap romance that would have delivered. Charming as some of it was, the story left me wanting more.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Loving the Wounded Warrior by Adriana Anders

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Oasis
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: First Person, Dual
Series: Love at Last, #2
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Kurt Anderson
Heroine: O’Neal Jones
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: June 14, 2018
Started On: October 22, 2023
Finished On: October 22, 2023

Loving the Wounded Warrior by Adriana Anders, the second installment in her Love at Last series, is a short length novel that I wanted more out of. Featuring the rugged yet deeply scarred Kurt Anderson and determined reporter O’Neal Jones, this novel weaves a tale that had many elements that worked for it, while at the same time there were missing aspects to it to make the story more wholesome.

Kurt is a man struggling to find his footing after life deals him several harsh blows. Once a promising football player, a career-ending injury pushes him into the Marine Corps, where he faces the brutal realities of war. The physical and emotional scars are compounded by guilt and trauma of losing his closest friend while in the military, making the label of “wounded warrior” an apt description of the man he is.

In comes O’Neal Jones, a tenacious reporter for the Daily Dispatch, who is sent to cover a controversial event in Washington State’s North Puget Sound region. Her reckless driving nearly results in a deadly accident, bringing her face-to-face with Kurt, her brother Jared’s best friend, also her long-term crush while in high school.

An article that O’Neal writes with the best of intentions, ends up being the reason behind the wedge that drives Kurt away from Jared, and puts the nail in the coffin of his promising career in football. Kurt’s resentment towards O’Neal is palpable, which adds to the emotional intensity of the story. As O’Neal learns the full extent of her article’s impact, the feelings of guilt that she herself has to contend with, proves to be the undoing for someone like herself who does not do emotions.

While the dynamic between Kurt and O’Neal keeps the pages turning, it is Kurt’s character that gives the emotional punch to the story. Behind his rough and tough exterior lies a vulnerable heart, a man who has suffered much, both in professional and personal capacity. While O’Neal comes off as more tenacious, she shies away from exposing herself to emotional vulnerability, which perhaps makes her in fact, the more vulnerable of the two.

While the sexual tension and delivery was done well, I found that the novel’s pacing and character development left much to be desired. The story feels rushed, and the lack of depth in characterization detracts from the overall impact. The intense emotional themes and potential for deeper exploration are not fully realized, leaving readers yearning for more.

Despite these shortcomings, the novel does manage to capture Kurt’s struggle with his sense of self and O’Neal’s internal conflict between her professional instincts and personal feelings. Their relationship is a delicate balance of physical desire and emotional intimacy, pushing O’Neal to confront her usual approach to relationships and embrace a deeper connection with Kurt.

Recommended for fans of shorter novels featuring intense heroes that seeks deeper emotional ties with the heroines they fall for.

Final Verdict: In Loving the Wounded Warrior, Adriana Anders presents a heartfelt story that resonates with themes of forgiveness and rediscovery, making it a worthwhile read for fans of emotionally charged romances.

Favorite Quotes

It took just a slight shift for me to turn it into a hug. His head settled onto mine, and we were entwined. Not quite lovers, but more than two strangers comforting each other. Our parkas made a slithery sound, while the stuffing kept us from getting too close.
He inhaled, possibly sniffing me the way I’d done him, and I sank into his body, heavier, deeper, more relaxed and easy.

Lovers. That was what I wanted him to be. My lover, or…something.
Love.
Crap crap crap, O’Neal.
Yeah, so I’d fallen for the most emotionally unavailable man I’d ever met.
And I’d fallen hard.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
POV: Third Person, Single
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Dane Visconti
Heroine: Claire Fletcher
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: August 01, 1987
Started On: June 18, 2023
Finished On: June 23, 2023

Initially published in 1987, Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham is a novel that thrusts readers into the tumultuous world of Claire Fletcher and Dane Visconti, where passion collides with pride, and misunderstandings ignite an inferno of emotions.

The story opens with the funeral of Adam Fletcher, a man whose death sets in motion a chain of events that unravel the tightly wound lives of those left behind. Claire Fletcher, his adopted granddaughter, is forced to choose between what her heart desires; i.e., follow the love of her life Max or marry one of her cousins for her inheritance.

Claire had never received any affection from the man who had taken her in at a tender age, making it a point to be cruel to her and keep her at an emotional distance. Claire had been forced to sacrifice her own happiness when Adam had taken ill, and his death, while it should have freed her to pursue her own happiness, brings forward more responsibilities.

The novelty of the story lies in how it is Claire that proposes a marriage of convenience to Dane Visconti, the estranged grandson of Adam, whose reputation precedes himself. Dane’s return to the family home ignites sparks of disdain among the Fletcher clan, yet Claire sees in him a solution to her predicament.

While Dane is at first contemptuous regarding Claire’s proposal and sees it as an extension of her crush on him from long back, Dane finally agrees to what she proposes on certain conditions. From the onset, Dane and Claire’s coming together is fraught with misunderstandings and of course, passion. Their ensuing marriage, shrouded in secrecy, when exposed to the prying eyes of the media, adds another layer of distrust to the battleground that is the union between Dane and Claire.

While Claire believes herself to be in love with Max, her internal conflict stems from the effect Dane has on her, his magnetic presence and his sexuality that plays havoc with her emotions. Dane, whose character is more explosive in nature in comparison to Claire, is often driven to the edge by Claire and her seemingly unaffected nature, when she is anything but.

While Claire’s emotional scars are all too vividly portrayed, Dane is a harder nut to crack. However, Claire does have help in understanding Dane’s complex and multi-faceted character, a boy who had been just as emotionally deprived as Claire had been as a young girl growing up in the household of a man who had always made it well known who she was to him.

While I enjoyed the building blocks of the story which had all the hallmarks of a Lynne Graham novel, I felt that the novel faltered in its execution. The prolonged separations between Claire and Dane, fueled by pride and miscommunication, diluted the impact of their passionate encounters. While the underlying chemistry between the characters is palpable, it was not enough to give the novel that oomph factor which I expect from most of Ms. Graham’s work, especially her earlier ones.

Recommended for fans of Ms. Graham’s earlier works. Even though this did not work for me, it just might for you.

Final Verdict: Bittersweet Passion by Lynne Graham is a compelling tale of love, sacrifice, and redemption which offers romance of the raw and intense variety.

Favorite Quotes

In that storm there was only Dane and a flashfire desire that burned in her very bones until she was crying, gasping she knew not what and he gazed down at her in masterly and triumph when she was quite blind to such calculation, her abandonment drawing an answering shudder from the hard, virile length of his body. For the merest instant he hesitated and she collided with the febrile glitter in his beautiful eyes before he possessed her and even the pain did not prevent that instantaneous explosion of pleasure that shattered her into a thousand pieces.

He carried the caress down over the flat tightness of her belly and her clenched hands unfurled and curled again as his tormentingly expert fingers located the silken triangle of her desire. She thought later that she cried out his name in protest, because this was no gentle, gradual seduction that respected her inexperience. He racked her with hunger and her hands wove over his sweat-dampened skin in tortured circles while he slowly sank deep into her, possessing her degree by degree until her nails dug into his shoulders, her head falling back in ecstasy. Ironically it was wilder and more earth shattering than it had ever been before.
Dane ran a possessive finger across the fullness of her lower lip afterwards, while she still trembled against him. ‘This is what I can give you, and don’t tell me it’s not enough, when I see you like this.’

‘I ought to go back to bed.’ Her eyes lingered on him, then swerved away. ‘I thought you were with Mei Ling.’
‘Would it have bothered you if I had been?’ he countered cynically.
‘Yes!’ Angered, she stood her ground. ‘I don’t have to be jealous to find promiscuity offensive,’ she flared.
He caught her to him with powerful hands. ‘Is that a dog-in-the-manger attitude, or something more?’ Hard amusement brimmed in his bright chilling gaze.
‘It’s a very awkward situation.’
‘Awkward?’ Her control appeared to antagonise him. Then he laughed softly and took her tender mouth fiercely, and she went under as if she was drowning, trading him kiss for kiss, guided only by raw hunger. His hand thrust up her jersey and closed over the pointed swell of her breast and she gasped, her knees threatening to buckle under her as her body surged wantonly against the lean, masculine lure of his.

Purchase Links: Amazon | B&N | Kobo | Apple

by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Truth About Love and Dukes by Laura Lee Guhrke

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novel
Genre: Historical Romance
POV: Third Person, Dual
Series: Dear Lady Truelove, #1
Publisher: AVON
Hero: Henry Cavanaugh
Heroine: Irene Deverill
Sensuality: 🔥🔥🔥
Published On: March 28, 2017
Started On: December 07, 2022
Finished On: December 24, 2022

“I should like you to consider what impact your decisions may have on the lives of other people. If my mother suffers ridicule and condemnation because of you and your publication, what responsibility do you bear? If her life is ruined, what consequences should there be for yours? Given the part you will have played in her downfall, what punishment will you deserve?”
She inhaled sharply. “Is that a threat?” she asked, her chin tilting up in defiance. “There is nothing you can do to me, sir.”
“You think not?” He gave her a pitying smile. “Oh, my dear Miss Deverill.”

The Truth About Love and Dukes by Laura Lee Guhrke is the debut book in the four book series entitled Dear Lady Truelove. This also brings me to the review of my last read from 2022! Told in the third person from the perspectives of both the hero, Henry Cavanaugh and the heroine, Irene Deverill, this historical romance features an unconventional heroine who runs a gossip tabloid/newspaper to make ends meet.

Henry, the Duke of Torquil is at his wits end because of his fifty year old mother and her letter to the Dear Lady Truelove column, verifying to the ton that his mother was indeed in love with a younger man who happens to be an Italian artist. What has Henry livid is the fact that without thought or concern to what it would mean to the reputation of the family and his two unwed sisters, the response from the columnist has put gasoline to fire by advising his mother to follow the path where passion leads her.

As a consequence, Irene who owns and runs Society Snippets and is the author of the column finds herself faced with the infuriating Duke. Henry seems to be capable of invoking emotions from Irene that she has never experienced before, and for the first time she understands that she is capable of great anger and greater passion as well, all for a man who does not mince words when it comes to what he thinks of the work she undertakes.

Irene is a woman forced into the situation by familial circumstances. While her grandfather had owned the lucrative Deverill Publishing and her father had inherited the business when he had passed on five years earlier, her father managed to bring the entire business to ruin within just an year. To put food on the table and make ends meet, Irene takes on the challenge of bringing her own tabloid paper to life and enjoys doing so, hoping to turn the paper into something more serious and meaningful in time.

Things come to a head when Henry bargains or rather threatens Irene to do the impossible, i.e., make his mother change her mind, and gives her an ultimatum of two weeks while throwing her into situations in which she has to spend more time with the exasperating man himself which brings them both closer to the edge than either of them bargains on. Passion is easier to conquer than the heart, and it is this lesson that both Irene and Henry must learn before a life of shared togetherness and everlasting love is possible for them.

The overall premise of the story had such great promise. I mean how can you go wrong with a widowed hero who keeps his highly sensual and passionate side of him under a tight leash and a woman who is unlike anyone else he has ever come across, who stirs him from the inside out? And this being a Laura Lee Gurhke novel, I had such high hopes for it, which alas did not materialize fully.

Things that worked for me includes the Duke, whose character I loved along with his stuffiness. His character makes sense given how he was brought up by a rigid father who was uncompromising in many aspects, and demanded that Henry follow in his footsteps and stifle the side of him that is passionate. His one indiscretion when he was nineteen years old and the repercussions of it is not something he has forgotten and is paying penance for eight years on.

To be saddled with familial responsibilities that includes two unwed sisters, a penniless younger brother, and a lazy brother-in-law, along with a mother who had suddenly fallen passionately in love inviting societal gossip and ruin to the family name is enough to make even the sternest of men break their stride. Henry attempts to resolve the problem in the only way he knows how, and in the process learns that one cannot control what is beyond one’s own will.

Now Irene on the other hand, did not really win me over even though I really wanted to fall for her character. While I understood the state of affairs which resulted in her having to find an occupation to save her family from ruin, I found her tiresome for the most part. I am all for strong heroines who stand up to their male counterparts, but I just felt that she could have done a better job persuading Henry without all the tongue lashing that she gives him at times.

The story was also a huge disappointment in terms of the red hot passion I was expecting – Ms. Gurhke delivers phenomenally on that score in most of her books, and I was quite ready for the delivery on that score, especially with a tightly buttoned up hero such as Henry. But alas, it fell a bit flat in that regard if you ask me with the story focused on how clever the heroine is for the most part which ruined things if you ask me. I would have loved to see more romance unfold than arguments and recriminations to show how her intelligence and how much she fought for the rights of all mankind.

I feel like that romance writers today try too hard to walk away from what works for their readers, what they are good at writing, trying to conform their stories to the demands of the ever changing society. From skimming most of the reviews on the rest of the books in the series, this seems to have disappointed long term fans of Ms. Gurhke for one reason or the other. Perhaps I might be tempted to pick one of them up somewhere along the way, as I am not someone who entirely depend on other reviews to pick books to read.

Recommended for fans of historical romances who love a heroine that has a modern outlook in life. The one thing you have got to love is the gorgeous cover this one totes!

Final Verdict: A tightly buttoned up Duke and a heroine that I could not really muster up enough enthusiasm for rendered this to be a less enjoyable read to what I was expecting!

Favorite Quotes

He’d swept into her office and into her life two days ago like an arctic storm, seeming the most frigid man she’d ever met, but despite that, strange heat began spreading through her, making her skin prickle and her toes curl in her slippers. He was close enough to her that when she drew in her breath, she could smell the scents of castile soap and bay rum that clung to his skin. She could almost hear his breathing. Time seemed to hang suspended as he filled her senses with a new and different awareness. The awareness of him as a man.

He could be so infuriating, so damnably rigid. And yet, she could not deny his love for his family. It was, she now knew, absolute and all-encompassing—the center of his world. Until now, she hadn’t really appreciated how deeply ingrained in him that quality was, or how attractive it could be. In truth, she hadn’t known such men as that existed at all.

She closed her eyes, and the moment she did, he overwhelmed her senses. There was nothing else in the world but him. His scent—castile soap, bay rum, and something deeper. His taste—port and fruit. His arm like a steel band around her waist. His clothes, soft velvet and crisp linen against her palm, and beneath them, his heart, thudding hard in his chest.

“And do you want to know the most aggravating thing about you?” she demanded, punctuating each word with another tug on his lapels. “It’s that every time I start to think what an amazingly attractive man you are, you open your mouth and ruin it!”
Henry blinked, startled, certain he hadn’t heard correctly. “You think I’m attract—”
“Henry?” She eased between his legs before he could think to stop her, and pulled him closer. “Just shut up,” she said and kissed him.

Irene stared at him, shocked and dismayed. “All this time,” she murmured, “through these nights we have been together, I have been so happy. But you . . .” She stopped, finding it hard to say the words out loud. “But you have not.”
“I have.” His voice was fierce, harsh. His gray eyes were dark and turbulent, but in his face, there was pain, pain that hurt her, too, that made her feel as if her heart was being ripped out of her very chest. “Here in this room, when it is just us and there is nothing else, this time has been the happiest of my life, Irene. But life cannot just be this room. And out there, I am in agony.”

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: The Lost Fisherman by Jewel E. Ann

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Fisherman #2
Publisher: Self-Published
Hero: Fisher Mann
Heroine: Therese Capshaw
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 14, 2021
Started On: November 01, 2021
Finished On: November 03, 2021

The Lost Fisherman by Jewel E. Ann is the second and last book in the Fisherman duet series. There was no way that I was going to be able to focus on any other book having finished the first book in the series, thanking God that the second one was already out – because when I first started reading The Naked Fisherman, I had no idea that it was going to be a cliffhanger ending; I was just too excited to see the most recent release from the author and plunged right in.

The second book in the series takes place five years after Fisher and Reese go their separate ways, each having confessed to the love they have for each other, but agreeing that it was not their time, or perhaps that it would never be. Reese spends time in Thailand, where she finally finds her calling, choosing to become a midwife nurse.

Having graduated from University of Michigan in nursing, Reese is on the lookout for jobs when she receives the news of Fisher being involved in an accident. Dropping everything else, Reese rushes to Fisher’s side, all the while knowing that it was futile to hope for anything to happen between them.

When Fisher wakes up and is diagnosed with amnesia, Reese decides to stay back and see through his recovery, even if it means observing the recovery from a distance. Fisher failing to recognize Reese hurts deep inside, but at the same time, she is willing to become reacquainted with him, even if it may mean her heart breaking all over again as it did five years before.

This novel too, is told mainly from the perspective of Reese, making it difficult to discern where Fisher was coming from. Nevertheless, it was interesting to observe how Fisher gets drawn to Reese, finds himself unable to deny his burgeoning attraction to her, and wants her in a way that he is willing to put his long-standing relationship with his now fiance on the line, just because.

To be honest, I found The Lost Fisherman to be a bit of a letdown, not that the first book was excellent either, but I still had hope that this one would deliver specifically in areas that I found lacking in the first installment. With Fisher having rejected the notion of having sex with Reese in the first novel, all because he wanted to save her virginity for some future bloke who would be her husband (cue in some eye rolling here), when they finally get the deed done five years later, I was expecting a lot of fireworks to herald in the moment. But alas, it was not so!

Furthermore, I always felt as if Reese was the one who did the pursuing when it comes to Fisher. Not even once was there a mention of how Fisher had actually yearned for her, did something out of character to go after her or because he wanted her that badly, and I felt that Reese always gave in just like that because it was the love of her life. There was also no explanation to Fisher’s borderline creepy behavior when they initially met when Fisher was making Reese feel as if at eighteen years, she should be totally fit for modern society, in spite of having been brought up otherwise.

In fact, if I were to be honest, there was nothing that really proved how much he loved her (that is if he loved her at all). It is only through the epilogue that there is a brief respite from all these misgivings – which I believe is a cop out when all is said and done. The reader is pretty much privy to all the internal monologues, misgivings, and rationalizing that Reese does, and the agony she goes through when Fisher is all about taking his time, but there is nothing whatsoever that shows to the reader, either by action, involuntary reaction, or even a spasm of emotion that passes through Fisher’s expressions, just how much Reese means to her which was hugely disappointing.

Recommended for fans of Jewel E. Ann.

Final Verdict: The Lost Fisherman failed to live up to my expectations in a grand way, but then again, Jewel E. Ann is too remarkable a writer to make the reader experience anything but memorable!

Favorite Quotes

I pulled him to me, lifting onto my toes as my lips brushed back and forth over his. “Yeah,” I whispered before giving his mouth a slow kiss. My right hand reached for his left hand, and I guided it under the hem of my shirt.
Up.
Up.
Up.
“This is the chapter where the lost fisherman makes it to second base.”
Fisher grinned before I kissed him again. His hand cupped my breast, and his thumb slid under the fabric and grazed my nipple.
We knew it wouldn’t go past that. So we took our time kissing, like sipping coffee on a lazy Sunday morning.

His good hand tangled in my hair, deepening the kiss, and I softly moaned. I loved our bubble, but I hated the fate of it, like the fate of every bubble. Eventually, all bubbles popped.
Pulling back, I released his mouth but kept my hold on his neck so he kept his lips close to mine as I whispered, “I’m in. I’m in as long as you want me to be in your life. Even on the days it hurts like hell. I’m in.”
He rested his forehead on mine and blew out a slow breath. “Can I tell you something truly terrible?”
I grinned, lifting my chin and brushing my lips against his as I giggled. “Tell me.”
Fisher dragged his mouth along my cheek, depositing small kisses on his way to my ear. “The only memories of my past I want to get back … are the ones of you.”

That slow kiss took us all the way to the bed. I wasn’t the nervous girl anymore. And knowing he wasn’t getting my virginity didn’t make it feel any less special.
I wasn’t a used sanitary napkin.
I was the woman who put myself first, who loved myself first. I was the girl who left the love of her life to find a life.
There were mistakes.
Lessons to learn.
Tears to cry.
Intimate moments with other people.
Risks to take.
And I did it all.
I did it not because I thought it would lead me back to Fisher; I did it for me. The only gift I cared to give my future husband was the most confident version of myself. A full heart and a humbled soul.

I sat up just enough to let him push into me the whole way. Drunk on the feeling, I couldn’t move. I just wanted to stay in that exact position forever. I’d imagined that feeling so many times, and despite the other men I’d been with, there was no comparing them or anything I’d done with them to Fisher being inside of me.
Him sitting up and kissing me.
Him rolling us again and again.
Arms and legs tangling together with the sheets woven every which way.
The look in his eyes when he moved inside of me—so intense. His strong hands all over my body, laced with my fingers, and tangled in my hair as he kissed me.
The whispered promise of never forgetting that moment—so heartbreaking.

“I love you today,” he said.
That was his reply. The perfect reply.
I nodded toward him. “Thought you were going to shower.”
“After I drive you home.”
I grinned, taking two steps to him then taking his hand and pulling him toward the front door. “You’re one, Fisher.”
“One in what?”
I opened the door, and he closed it behind us.
“Not in anything. Not one in eighty thousand. Not one in a billion times infinity. You’re just one. The one.”

I let Fisher undress me and do all the things. He kissed me in places only he could kiss me and make it feel sexy, make me feel beautiful and desired. When he touched me, it didn’t feel like my body. It felt like an extension of him, and I just got to experience him giving me a thorough tour of it.
Every touch was a silent whisper, all the things he said to me by showing me.
This is how I make you moan.
This is how I steal your breath.
This is how I make you beg.
This is where you make me feel like a god.
Because I don’t remember you, but I know you.
I. Know. You.
Nestled between two open sleeping bags, we made love, we made noise …. and we made new memories.

I reached across the island to grab an apple from his big bowl of them. “You know what I mean. Official.”
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“Oof …” I sucked in a sharp breath when he pinned me to the counter, my chest stretched over it with a shiny green apple in one hand.
“I don’t know what you mean, because I heard nothing after you bent over my counter.” His fingers teased my outer thighs. “And I discoered you’re not wearing anything under my sweatshirt.”
“Fisher …” I gulped. It was a compromising position I hadn’t been in before. He restrained me using his body and the counter instead of zip ties, but the effect was the same.
“You can’t be in this position…” he hiked the hoodie up, completely exposing my bare butt “…with callipygian tattooed on your very sexy and shapely ass…” his knee nudged my legs apart a little wider “…and not expect me to fuck you.”

“A hand job in front of my friends? Who are you?” Fisher pressed my hands to the wall and yanked my sweatpants down to my ankles followed by my panties.
“I hope … I’m yours,” I said in a shaky breath, rattled by what he was doing to me and how much it thrilled me.
He chuckled. “You’re mine alright.” I liked his fast hands. He was impatient boot-shopping Fisher with his cock out as he thrust into me in a matter of seconds.
“Fishe—” I wasn’t prepared for that quick of an invasion.
He silenced me with his hand over my mouth and a harsh “shh” in my ear. Fisher moved with intention with one hand giving attention to my clit while his other hand snaked up my shirt and used my breast like a handle.
It was quick and dirty … and I liked it.

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by mvbookreviewer

Review: Another Time by Susan Napier

Format: E-Book
Read with: Kindle Paperwhite
Length: Novel
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Standalone
Publisher: Harlequin
Hero: Alexander Knight
Heroine: Helen Smith
Sensuality: 3
Date of Publication: October 1989
Started On: May 03, 2020
Finished On: May 04, 2020

Susan Napier is an author who continually pushes the expected norms when it comes to writing romances, especially at a time during which not many authors were inclined to do so. Ms. Napier’s novels are about feminism, equal rights, and at times heroines who hold onto the concept of independence to the point where it becomes a tad annoying to read the book. But never let it be said that Ms. Napier writes conventional romances, as this title itself is testament of.

Another Time was first published in 1989 and given the concept that is explored in this book, I rightfully guessed from the onset that this would not be well received by most readers. At certain points at the beginning of the story, even I was unsure of how I felt about what was taking place, up till the point where more salient details came to light later on.

24 year old Helen Smith is engaged and getting ready for her nuptials with the help of her future in-laws. With her fiance away, Helen is not at all ready for the havoc that is wrought by the introduction of her fiance’s brother, Alexander Knight (Alex).

With a reputation that precedes him, both professionally and otherwise, Alex makes Helen uncomfortable right from the start. Alex mistaking Helen to be someone else, the woman who had haunted his dreams for the past five years makes Helen want to understand where he is coming from when he makes untoward remarks and comments that a future brother-in-law rightfully should not be making.

However, as the events unfold and more details emerge, things aren’t as straightforward as they seem to be at first. Helen who does not remember her time with Alex, is determined to do right by her fiance, even when her body clamors to be with her fiance’s brother. Forcing herself to go through the motions is made impossible by the fact that Alex is everywhere she turns, unrelenting on his goal to win back the woman he believes to be his, even if it means stealing her away from his own brother.

As I mentioned at the beginning, this novel’s premise is not for everyone. Most readers would not be able to get past the fact that Alex is seemingly the one in the wrong, when truth couldn’t be far from it. While I loved Alex as a hero, I believe his sensuality was the most well done factor in the book, something Ms. Napier excels at and amazes me with time and yet again. For a novel that was written and published in the late 80’s, Another Time certainly packs a punch with scenes of passion done so right, which is classic Ms. Napier.

While the novel lost some of its allure towards the latter half of it, I believe the key reason behind that factor was Helen herself, who could not seem to understand the love she has for Alex and vice versa. She fails to see where Alex was coming from, when what they had shared together at a certain point in time had been transcendental. I would have liked it better had Helen come to terms with her feelings, as complex as they seemed to be, and met Alex halfway when all was said and done.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy this story for the most part, or at least the parts where Alex made my senses hum. I believe the ending felt more bereft due to the lack of an epilogue which would have gone a long way towards making this more well rounded.

Recommended for fans of Susan Napier and those that love reading unorthodox romances. Another Time is perhaps, not for everyone.

Final Verdict: Another Time is a novel that pushes the envelope when it comes to the genre. However, Ms. Napier’s mastery in delivering sensually charged stories is the saving grace when it comes to Alex and Helen.

Favorite Quotes

‘Who am I?’ he asked against her mouth.
‘Alex?’ The terrible implications of his words suddenly sank into her hazy brain, the ugly reality of what he was saying. ‘No—’
‘Yes.’ His tongue stroked away her muffled protest, his teeth burrowing lightly into the fullness of her lower lips, taking small, delicious bites out of her resistance. ‘Alex… you know me, don’t you? In your heart you know… I was the one who drew first blood, Angel. I was the one you turned to in your need, who showed you the glory of being a woman. And how you loved me for it…all through the long night. How hot and sweet you were, and eager, so eager to know everything. You were the most uninhibited lover I’ve ever had… my best lover… my last lover… my once and only lover…’

‘Alex—’ She clutched at him convulsively, not knowing whether she was rejecting or inviting his touch. But he knew…
‘It’s all right, darling,’ he whispered against the delicate curve of her jaw. ‘I know what you want, I know where you like to be touched, and how… I know everything about how to please you…’ And his fingers wound into her hair, pulling her head back so that her spine arched against the hand that held her hips against his arousal. His tongue tracked the blue vein that traced a creamy breast until he found the rosy crest, where he nipped and licked until her hands pleadingly cupped his head and he began to suckle with rhythmic firmness that made her almost faint with pleasure. Her legs sagged until she was cradled against the hardness between his thighs as he turned his attention to her other breast and loved it with equal fervour and skill.

‘Ssshhh.’ He covered her cries with his mouth. ‘No noise, darling, not this time… If you want to scream, do it with your body, express it all in the way you move…’
‘Greg—’
‘Lover—’ His hard mouth corrected her, his hands sliding beneath her to cup her arching bottom, preparing to make the appellation the literal truth at last. ‘I’m your lover.’ His husky whisper was as erotic as the strain of his hair-roughened thighs between hers. ‘The only lover you’ll ever need… ever want…’
‘Yes, oh, yes…’ she sobbed in sweet, passionate relief.
‘Say it… my only lover.’
‘My only lover—’
‘Tell me you’ll never love anyone else…’ ‘Never… anyone else,’ she gasped, twisting in his implacable grasp. ‘Only you…’

And then, with a single, powerful movement that stole the last of her shattered reason, he flipped her on to her back and came over and into her so hard and fast that her head spun, stretching her body into a taut bow beneath his as he wrenched her into paradise, cupping her head and pulling her face hard against his chest to muffle her helpless cries.

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