Author: Ruby Lang

Genre/Themes: Contemporary romance

Release Date: 11 Nov 2019

Author links: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads

My rating: 3,5 Stars

Blurb 

Love can take root where you least expect it.

Tyson Yang never imagined that one day he’d be the de facto spokesperson for an illegal community garden. But when the once-rat-infested-but-now-thriving Harlem lot goes up for sale, Ty can’t just let all their hard work get plowed under.

Even if he is irresistibly drawn to the lovely but infuriatingly stubborn real estate associate.

Magda Ferrer’s family is already convinced this new job will be yet another flop in her small but growing list of career path failures. But her student debt isn’t going anywhere, and selling her uncle’s historic town house and the lot nearby means a chance to get some breathing room.

Ty is her charming rival, her incorrigible nemesis, the handsome roadblock to her success.

Until one hot Harlem night blurs the hard line drawn between them, and the seeds of possibility in this rocky garden blossom into love…

It was a nice, somewhat subdued city romance. I loved the focus on community, coupled with some interesting and very real family dynamics. I  liked how none of the characters are perfect, they have their strengths and weakness and makes mistakes but learn from them. It's not some preachy story, rather, it's about kindness and supporting, uplifting each other. 

It's very much focused on unlikely friendships and love connections. all about building, something, creating. I liked seeing the heroine acting like an adult, dealing with very real issues of dealing with dept, struggling professionally. While I loved seeing her as a newbie in her job, I never felt like she settled properly in her job. It never read to me like being a real estate agent was her dream job and despite being good at it, it never felt properly satisfactory to her. I have mixed feelings about this to be honest. Lots of people do a job that they are good at without loving it, but still I would have preferred to see her happier/more optimistic about her career choice. 

It's a true enemies-to-lovers, they were literally at the opposite sides of the fence. There was no real hate though, both understood the position of the other. Lots of angst there and a feel-good, working resolution of the conflict. 

While I liked the overall writing, I wanted more character development, stronger connection between the MCs, more focus on their romantic relationship. I didn’t really buy the whole plotline with her uncle and his neighbour/classmate. It seemed far-fetched and at odds with the very real, down-to-earth feel of the rest of the book. 

Title: Wild Embrace (Psy-Changeling # 15.5)
Author: Nalini Singh
Date of publication: 23 Aug 2016
Genre: Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters, novellas

Author's links:
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My rating: 3.5 Stars



Echo of Silence 

In a deep-sea station, Tazia Nerif has found her life’s work as an engineer, keeping things running smoothly. But she wants nothing more than to break down the barrier of silence between her and her telekinetic Psy station commander...

Dorian 

A changeling who can never shift lives a life of quiet frustration—until he learns how to let his leopard come out and play...

Partners in Persuasion 

Still raw from being burned by a dominant female, wolf changeling Felix will never again risk being a plaything. But for dominant leopard Dezi, he’s the most fascinating man she’s ever met. She just has to convince this gun-shy wolf that he can trust the dangerous cat who wants to take a slow, sexy bite out of him…

Flirtation of Fate 

Seven years ago, Kenji broke Garnet’s heart. Now the wolf packmates have to investigate the shocking murder of one of their own. And the more Kenji sees of the woman Garnet has become, the deeper he begins to fall once more. But even his primal instincts are no match for the dark secret he carries...

This is a collection of 4 novellas set in the world of the Psy-changeling series. They can be read as standalones except for Dorian which for me functions as a sort of epilogue to Hostage of Pleasure.

I love Ms Singh's writing and this series is really fabulous with an intricate world building and intriguing characters and challenging relationships.

I very much enjoyed all the stories in this collection with the exception of Partners in Persuasion which just did not work for me. 

Echo of Silence was just delightful, a slow burn romance between a human female and a psy male. Tender and sweet, this story was a pleasure to read. I find the psy really interesting and all the plotlines about breaking their silence and learning to feel is like catnip for me. This story placs a strong emphasis on forming connections, the importance of family, friends, people who will stand by you and share both your happiness and your sorrow. 

Dorian is the undisputed jem in this collection. We see Dorian finally being able to shift and it's glorious. Ms Singh shows us this big, confident and smart ass sentinel we already know, stumble like a baby, learning to walk, run, live in his animal form  and it is so much fun. This storyi's full of love and tenderness and good humour and true sense of friendship which are tardemark features of the whole series. 

Partners in Persuasion plays with the dom/sub dynamic in a reversed order and while I appreciate the idea, the execution did not quite work for me. I felt disconnected from the characters, couldn't see the chemistry between them. 

Flirtation of Fate is my second favourite novella in this collection. It's a second chance, friends-to-lovers story with a strong suspense element which just added richness to it. We have already met Kenji and Garnet in earlier books where they were younger and it was nice to see them all grown up, finding the road to each other. They both struggle with their feelings for each other, try desparately to deny them, only to come together in the end as a strong meant-to-be couple.

Title: The Seal's Rebel Librarian (Alpha Ops #2)
Author: Anne Calhoun
Date of publication: 1 March 2016
Genre: Contemporary romance, novella

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My rating: 3.5 stars



The second in the Alpha Ops novella series that features an alpha Navy SEAL and the librarian who brings him to his knees.

Jack Powell never planned on leaving the Navy, but his final mission as a SEAL left him with a tremor and a bad case of nerves. He's home, taking some college classes and trying to figure out what comes next when he meets Erin Kent, a divorced college librarian with an adventurous bucket list and a mission to get her ex-husband's voice out of her head. Jack guides Erin through skydiving and buying the motorcycle of her dreams, blithely accepting Erin's promise that their relationship is purely temporary. But when Jack gets the chance to go back into the shadowy world of security contracting, can he convince Erin to break her word and join him on the adventure of a lifetime?

Review

I'm big fan of Anne Calhoun's writing - profoundly intimate and erotic. I was excited to pick an ARC of this novella since I quite enjoy romances with librarians and a SEAL is never boring either.

I liked this novella a lot but think it would have worked even better if it was made into a full-length novel.

The beginning was very strong and I fell in love with both characters from the start. Erin was recently divorced woman earning to make up for lost time and do all the exciting/scary/thrilling things her husband didn't let her do. I liked her rebel streak and the way she felt a bit at a loss and scared but also determined to try new things, to be open, to live to the fullest.

Jack was also great character, younger than her, a recovering SEAL, at a similar place in life as her - on the brink of something new and unfamiliar.

They had great chemistry and I loved how their affair helped them both move forward in their lives. There was the thrill, the adrenaline, the risk-taking but also the reality of everyday life, of danger of being hurt.

The subplot with Jack's sister was also nice and fitted well into the story.

My greatest disappointment was the rushed ending. It felt forced and didn't fit the natural flow of the story in my opinion. The depth of the characters and the complexity of their relationship - sexual, emotional, was lost towards the end and we were left with a very happy but also unrealistic ending.

Overall, I I'd recommend this novella to romance readers who are looking for a nice, hot story with interesting characters and just some minor flows.

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N / Kobo 

Title: Deeper Than Dreams 
Author: Jessica Topper
Date of publication: 18 Aug 2015
Genre/themes: Contemporary Romance, Musicians

Author's links:
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My rating: 4 stars

Synopsis

Will wedding bells rock out for Louder Than Love’s most beloved couple in this Love and Steel novella?

Falling in love with rock star Adrian “Digger” Graves was a dream come true for former librarian Kat Lewis. But with a little help from friends and family—including Kat’s adorable daughter, Abbey—Adrian has planned an evening and a proposal beyond her wildest dreams. 

The night before, Kat witnessed the triumphant reunion of Adrian’s rock band at Madison Square Garden. Tonight, he will escort her to the elegant, ultra-exclusive Library Lion’s benefit. It seems like a fairytale, but even fairytales have a deeper, darker side. When old habits return to tempt her knight in shining heavy metal armor, will Kat’s happily ever after come crashing back to reality?

THIS IS AN EPILOGUE NOVELLA THAT PICKS UP THE DAY AFTER LOUDER THAN LOVE ENDS. This novella is intended to be read after Louder Than Love.

Mini Review 

One could say that nothing much in terms of action happens in this story - just a preparation for a big/the biggest night out for Kat and Adrian, yet for them and their relationship it was like everything happened. Every little thing mattered and had deeper meaning and affected everyone around the main couple in one way or another. 

Reading this felt like watching the farewell episode of a beloved TV show where we meet all the stars of the series again. We see all the important people in Kat and Adrian's lives and it was a true beginning of their HEA.

There was a lot of hope and optimism, some saddness and fear, some fun and sexy times. The story sets stage is set for Rick to shine in the next book coming out in September.

Recommended read for fans of the first book. Adrian is even sexier and kinder and more of everything and Kat just melts my heart. 

Pre-order link: Amazon

Waiting on Wednesday is a book meme hosted by Jill at Breaking the Spine and it features books that we are eagerly awaiting to be released.

Synopsis

Title: Drive It Deep (Desert Dogs #2.5)Author: Cara McKenna
Genre: Romantic suspense, Bikers
Release Date: 16 June 2015

Author's links:
Website / Twitter / Tumblr / Goodreads

My rating: 4 Stars
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Synopsis

Jeremiah Church and Raina Harper have been close since they were kids, back when life was all about hot Nevada summers spent running wild on the backs of their motorcycles with their friends. Now in their thirties, their lives are changing, and so is the way Miah looks at Raina—a sizzling tension has begun to smolder, impossible to ignore.

Miah is a man of simple pleasures—after a long day overseeing his family’s cattle ranch, a cool drink in his hand and a barstool under his backside are all he needs. Except lately, Miah’s begun looking at his bartender differently. Raina is Miah’s polar opposite—she’s as hot-headed as he is self-possessed, as wild as he is steady. And though they’re a recipe for disaster, the mutual attraction brewing between them is too tempting to deny.

But when bottled-up desires hit this hard, this fast, after so long, the results are positively explosive. And while the affair is hot enough set the badlands on fire, when the flames burn out, will their lifelong friendship survive, or go up in smoke?

It's a novella telling Miah and Raina's story set two years before the events in the book 1 and 2. It was slightly weird reading it, because I knew there won't be any HEA for the characters, yet I was curious about them and their relationship. 

The best thing in this short novella was Miah. I can't love the guy more, it's uncanny how close I felt to him, to his views on life, love, family. He is not perfect by any means and his little quirk (I wouldn't call it an issue) worked perfectly in the story, made him real and human. 

We already know so much more about Raina, since Ms McKenna told her story in book 2, yet it was nice seeing her fall for Miah. At first it felt easy and natural and then it grew bigger and more passionate. Two life-long friends becoming lovers, having tons of chemistry, yet ultimately breaking up because they are not compatible in the long run. I respect Raina's honesty and strength but I also hated her for hurting Miah so much. 

There was a lot of anger and hurt in this story. It was not a regrettable affair for both Miah and Raina, in a way it seemed a necessary part of their lives' journey but it was painful nonetheless. 

This is a very vivid, well drawn story. I appreciate the insight we got into Miah's character, he was more elusive so far. Now I'm even more excited about his book which will be the last in the series, after Casey's story coming later this year.

Date of publication: 6 April 2015
Genre: Romance

Author's links:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

My rating: 2 stars

Author's links:
Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

My rating: 3.5 stars

Power. Brute strength. Unforgettable moves. It’s no wonder Harper Gates hasn’t been able to get her fling with Gage “Savage” Ringer out of her head. Months have passed since she laid eyes—or any other body parts—on him. Months without a word of contact… until, sidelined by injury, he comes back to town.

Staying focused on his training seemed like a smart move to Gage, even if he thought about Harper every day. Seeing her again only makes it clear how much is at stake. He’s got one night to earn back her trust. One night to show her that behind his breathtaking skill and ripped body is a man who’ll give her everything she needs.

This is a short novella introducing us to the world of the fighters who will be featured in Ultimate, the new series by Lori Foster. 

It was sweet, light read about Cage and Harper finally coming together and admitting their feelings. Cage was not your typical bad boy fighter, all cocky and self-confident. He was a bit shy, keeping his feelings (for Harper and in general) to himself. His insecurities and his attempts to mentally sort through his relationship with Harper made him seem real and easy to relate to which made me really like him.

Harper was pretty great herself. She was determined to act on her attraction to Cage, to make the first step, even if she was by nature more reserved and has always been too much of Ms Goody two shoes to act naughty. Like Cage, all her behaviour made her seem genuine and very likable. She had an easy friendship with the other fighters and devoted time to help in the gym. Her attitude towards Cage was nothing simple - she loved him, yet she was afraid he might not share her feelings, she wanted to be with him, yet she was worried of being a burden for him in his professional development as a fighter.

These two good people were in love with each other but they needed some help to get together and naturally, the rest of the fighters were only to happy to step in. The easy camaraderie among the guys in the gym and their good-natured ribbing of Cage and Harper and especially, the priceless advice of Armie (I'm already looking forward to his story) was fun to read. 

My rating: 3 stars

Title: Ripped (The Miller Sisters #1)
Author: Sarah Morgan
Date of publication: 26 Nov 2013
Genre: Romance, Novella, Cosmo Red Hot Reads

Author's links: Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
Purchase Links: Amazon / B&N / iBooks

My rating: 3.5 stars

It's a nice fairytale Christmas romance where I loved the first half and was disappointed by the second. The story started rather promising - a wardrobe malfunction at a wedding led to scorching hot, yet confusing encounter between the hero, Nico and the heroine, Hayley. 

I liked Hayley a lot initially, she was smart and funny and her musings on life, love and men read a lot a cute chick-lit. Hayley was a professional woman who bad luck with men since they were usually intimidated by her brains and didn't appreciated her career-oriented lifestyle.

Nico, on the other hand, was just perfect from the start, too good to be true. We see him through Hayley's eyes and even though she finds him irresistible but believes he disapproves of her. All this leads to a lot of misunderstanding and some very hot loving between the two of them.

It was at Christmas dinner and what followed where things lost their balance for me. From then on the story read just like a rather simple a fairy tale cliche. The hero is in love with the heroine but she fights it because she doesn't believe he can love someone like her. The smart and funny Hayley lost all her common sense and self-confidence and she couldn't believe someone like him could actually fall for someone like her. She insisted on her New Year resolution for no-strings-attached sex, even though she knew it was not working for her. It was a magic reunion at Midnight on New Year's Eve led to fairytale happy end. 

It was a nice hot romance but I was definitely disappointed with Hayley - her transition from a smart, witty and self-confidant woman to a self-conscious, immature girl who is afraid to admit her feelings didn't sit well with me.

The story was quite predictable but there were a few good laughs there and Nico was just yummy, making this an enjoyable quick read for a rainy afternoon or a day on the beach.

Author: Laura Florand
Date of publication: 1 Sept 2013
Genre: Romance / Novella  /Angst

Author's links:Website / Twitter / Facebook / Goodreads
Purchase links: Amazon / B&N / Kobo / iBooks

Title: Whisper of Sin (Psy-Changeling # 0.6)

Author: Nalini Singh

Date of publication: 25 Feb 2014

Genre: Paranormal Romance, Shapeshifters, Novella

Author's links: 

Website / Facebook / Twitter / Goodreads

My rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis

San Francisco is under threat from a violent gang…a gang that has no idea who they’re challenging. The DarkRiver pack of leopard changelings has already claimed the city as their territory, and they will fight with wild fury to protect its residents. Emmett, a lethally trained leopard soldier, isn’t about to let outsiders muscle in on his home ground—especially when they target a human named Ria.

Emmett has one word for the smart stranger with her curvy body and tough spirit: mine.

Possessive, dominant, unyielding in his demands and desires, Emmett is unlike anyone Ria has ever before met. But while the sexy leopard changeling makes her body ignite, his kisses molten and his touch addicting, she’s no pushover and she has a few demands of her own. This leopard has met his match…

I loved this little novella on Ria (Lucas' human assistant) and Emmett (a leopard changeling). I've only read the first two novels in the Psy-Changeling series so far and I was greatly impressed. 

The focus in this book is on the humans (Ria and her family) and we get to see just glimpses of the changeling world (Emmett's parents, Lucas, Dorian, Nate and Tamsyn all make an appearance). I do miss the Psy in this novella, since I find their race fascinating and they are only briefly mentioned as part of the general world building. 

Both Ria and Emmett are wonderful characters. She seems fragile on the outside, but in reality she has a quiet strength that holds her family together. Emmett is the typical strong, possessive, protective changeling, yet he respects Ria's strength and loves her for it. Their relationship develops really fast but since it's a paranormal romance I don't mind the instalust/love. 

Chronologically, this book comes before book 1, Slave to Sensation (my review), so it's a suitable read even for readers who still haven't started this series. As for the fans of the series, I'm sure they will love Ria and Emmett's story. It has all the brilliance of Ms Singh's writing - well-developed characters, intriguing plot and detailed world building.

Title: Red at Night

Author: Katie McGarry

Date of publication: 01 April 2014

Genre/Themes: Young adult, Romance, Realistic fiction, Novella

Author's links: Facebook / Website / Twitter / Goodreads

Purchase links: It's free - Amazon / B&N / Kobo

My rating: 4 Stars

Synopsis

In Red at Night, Stella and Jonah are total opposites. She's the girl with purple hair from the wrong part of town. He's a high school senior who hangs with the cool crowd. Until a car accident leaves him haunted by guilt, and Jonah starts spending time at Stella's favorite refuge…the local cemetery.

Stella knows she should keep her distance—after all, she spent her girlhood being bullied by Jonah's friends. Once he's sorted out his tangled emotions, Jonah won't have time for her anymore. Too bad she's already fallen for him.

It's a cute realistic YA romance written in the superb style of Ms McGarry's books. It's a tender story of first love between two teenagers facing difficult circumstances in life. They have to make a choice that will turn them into the people who they want to be.

Mini Review

The character development is rich and detailed. With just a few words Ms McGarry creates memorable and very likable heroes and heroines. Jonah and Stella have unique voices and their life situations are engagingly and convincingly presented. The story is told from a dual POV focusing on the inner struggles of the characters who are trying to find their place in life.

I liked how Jonah was not this super villain who turned into a good guy overnight. He kept silent in the face of injustice and that made him guilty, yet he was a basically just an ordinary teenager, unwilling to go against the his group of friends, afraid to disrupt his nice, peaceful life. He was a good guy who just needed a push to show his goodness to the world. An unfortunate accident served as this push which led him to Stella. It was their friendship-turned-to-love that brought the change in him to fruition.

Stella was a great character - really unique, enduring a tough family situation. She struggled between hope and dreams on the one hand, and the harsh reality of being on your on with no family to support you. I liked how strong and confident she was, yet at the same time, vulnerable and scared.

Both Jonah and Stella felt very real and easy to relate to. Ms McGarry is a master at creating realistic and intriguing characters with just a few words and making the reader care deeply about them. Despite the short length of the book I felt involved in Jonah and Stella's story and wanted for them to overcome all the difficulties life threw at them.

I just have one minor quibble with the story and it has to do with the volunteering episode. Jonah suddenly realized that there were many poor children and that Stella was one of them and he was outraged by that fact. His reaction didn't feel natural to me, the message against poverty came off as forced. 

It's a recommended read for fans of Ms McGarry's books and for anyone who likes a realistic YA story with good plot and great characters.

Note: This novella is part of Harlequin More Than Words and it celebrates the work of Goodie Two Shoes Foundation. You can check the harlequin site for similar novella offered for free. 

My reviews of other books by Katie McGarry:

Dare You To (Pushing the Limits #2)

Crash Into You (Pushing the Limits #3)

Title: Her Best Laid Plans

Author: Cara McKenna

Date of publication: 15 April 2014

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Erotica, Novella

Author's links:

Website / Twitter / Tumblr / Goodreads

Purchase links: Amazon / B&N / Kobo

My rating: 5 Stars

Experience Ireland—the dramatic beauty, the warm hospitality...and the smoking-hot local guys!

Imagine nursing a pint in a cozy, authentic country pub, far from Cork City’s busy pulse. Getting here took you a plane, bus, taxi, and...erm, bicycle. But just as you’re resigning yourself to drinking beside gray-haired farmers, you see him—a man with the looks and charm to soothe any heartbroken girl.

He’s your bartender. Your really, really gorgeous bartender.

For American Jamie Webb—recently dumped and housesitting for two weeks—Connor Kelleher is like a six-course feast after a 23-year starvation diet. But it’s gotta be casual. She’s just begun re-routing her life after an extended, man-related detour. Still, a sexy romp (or twenty!) with Sexy McBartender? 

But what about when Jamie's best-laid plans for no future plans with any man begin to change?

It's my second book by Ms McKenna after Unbound (my review) which I greatly enjoyed, and I really, really liked this one as well. It's the perfect erotic romance novella. 

I'm getting to like Ms McKenna's writing style a lot - her stories flow smoothly, the characters are well developed and real. This was the case with this book, as well. Two ordinary people dealing with normal issues come together and something extraordinary happens between them. They are very likable and easy to relate to.

The story is told from Jamie's POV - an American visiting Ireland in an attempt to lift her spirits up after a being dumped by her boyfriend. Enter Connor - super sexy and sweet local Irish guy willing to show her good time. Things happened almost instantly between them but for once the instalove didn't bother me. It worked well because both of them were aware how unusual it was to feel so at ease with each other in such a short time (10 days).

There is no melodrama or grand declarations of eternal love. Just a strong chemistry, growing into something more. The love scenes were sensual and real with Jamie and Connor being completely open and honest with each other. 

Being a romance, it has a happy ending but I won't say more in order not to spoil the story for you. I'll just admit that I didn't see the twist in the end coming, probably because we are given only Jamie's perspective and it was unexpected for her as well, or it could be just that I was not paying enough attention. Either way, I'm very happy how things turned out in the end for Jamie and Connor. 

Teaser Tuesday is a weekly bookish meme hosted by MizB of Should Be Reading. Here are the rules:

This week's teaser is from Her Best Laid Plans by Cara McKenna. It's a fun, hot novella set in Ireland which I enjoyed very much. The book comes out on April 15. Amazon / B&N / Kobo

"I'm naming this contact 'shameless Irish bartender,'"she informed him, typing the entry.

"I'm naming yours 'beguiling American snooker shark.'" He pocketed his phone with a lopsided little smile.

Synopsis

Imagine nursing a pint in a cozy, authentic country pub, far from Cork City’s busy pulse. Getting here took you a plane, bus, taxi, and...erm, bicycle. But just as you’re resigning yourself to drinking beside gray-haired farmers, you see him—a man with the looks and charm to soothe any heartbroken girl.

He’s your bartender. Your really, really gorgeous bartender.

For American Jamie Webb—recently dumped and housesitting for two weeks—Connor Kelleher is like a six-course feast after a 23-year starvation diet. But it’s gotta be casual. She’s just begun re-routing her life after an extended, man-related detour. Still, a sexy romp (or twenty!) with Sexy McBartender? 

But what about when Jamie's best-laid plans for no future plans with any man begin to change?