A Rancher For Christmas by Brenda Minton

Title: A Rancher for Christmas
Author: Brenda Minton
Series: #1 in the Martin's Crossing series
Genre: Inspirational Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Love Inspired; Original edition (December 1, 2014)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: A Family for Christmas
Martin's Crossing: In this small Texas town, every heart finds a home. Raised on the run, free-spirited Breezy Hernandez has never stayed in one place too long. But now that she has joint custody of her late brother's twin daughters, she's determined to give them a stable home. Even if it means cooperating with the twins' bossy uncle.
Texas rancher Jake Martin learned the hard way that women can't be trusted. But as he and Breezy care for the orphaned girls, Jake begins to open his heart. Is Breezy ready to put down roots in Martin's Crossing, or will she run from the one thing she's always wanted: A family?
Martin's Crossing: In this small Texas town, every heart finds a home.

My Thoughts: A small town romance with a lot of feels and a set of adorable twins.

The Good: I loved the small town romance aspect of this book. Martin's Crossing is the kind of town with the kind of people I want to live in and hang out with. Jake's family is intriguing especially his younger "big" brother who owns the local bar/restaurant who makes amazing pies. The added characters of Oregon (a local artist and shop owner) and Joe, who came to town as a drifter, rounded out the book nicely. There was an added suspense aspect to the book which added an additional depth to the plot. I like romantic suspense books so this was a nice surprise.

The Bad: There was a lot of relying on Breezy and Jake's chemistry to pull the storyline forward and into romantic times but I wasn't always on board with it. As these characters were complete strangers at the beginning of this book Breezy's constant wanting to comfort Jake seemed unusual and out of characters for her. It also went both ways but at least when Jake is concerned he was the primary caretaker of his siblings from such a young age. Him wanting to comfort and protect Breezy wasn't that outrageous unless you factor in him trying to dig up dirt to discredit her and prove she wasn't appropriate to be a guardian to his nieces. Which, consequently, brought up the dreaded miscommunication trope. I'm not a fan of this and prefer my characters to have better communication. In this book's case it was paramount to have good communication because they were co-parenting the twins. The suspense aspect was wrapped up a little too quickly but I did like the "mystery of Joe". One last thing...Breezy is a stupid name. That is a personal issue for me though and not something someone else might be annoyed with.

In a Nutshell: A good book even though I don't normally gravitate towards Inspirational books. I'll look for the rest of the books in the Martin's Crossing series. I am really wanting to learn more about Jake's brothers.

 

I Have Lost My Way by Gayle Forman

Title: I have Lost My Way
Author: Gayle Forman
Audio: Read by...Nicole Lewis, Michael Crouch, and Sunil Malhotra
Genre: Fiction
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers; First Edition edition (March 27, 2018) Audible.com Release Date: March 27, 2018
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Around the time that Freya loses her voice while recording her debut album, Harun is making plans to run away from home to find the boy that he loves, and Nathaniel is arriving in New York City after a family tragedy leaves him isolated on the outskirts of Washington state. After the three of them collide in Central Park, they slowly reveal the parts of their past that they haven't been able to confront, and together, they find their way back to who they're supposed to be. Told over the course of a single day from three different perspectives, Gayle Forman's newest novel about the power of friendship and being true to who you are is filled with the elegant prose that her fans have come to know and love.

My Thoughts: This was my first Gayle Forman book and if this is typical of her writing I'm hunting down her back list and giving it all a go. For reals.

The Good: While this was such a good story about friendship and discovering oneself I can't help but be awed by the production of the audio book. Without the three narrators this wouldn't have been as great of a book. Sure it probably still would have been a good read. One I still might have recommended to bookie friends of mine. However, what Nicole, Michael, and Sunil did was elevate this story to greatness. The characters were more real. Their fears, their struggles, their friendships, all of it became my fears, my struggles, and my friendships. This doesn't happen very often but when it does...WOW....just wow.

Even though I did find Nathaniel's storyline a bit expected I was still fully invested in it. From his phone calls that always went to his dad's voice mail "Tell me something good!" to his talking about the different attractions him and his dad had always said they'd see someday. I knew where it was leading, I just didn't know how we were going to get there. This could technically be said about Harun's character as well. As much as Nathaniel struggled, Harun's struggle was harder. His inner conflict about being gay in a family saturated in culture from another land where religion and being gay do not go together was tough to listen to. He felt alone and isolated and grew up thinking he was an abomination yet he fell in love with another man anyway. Unfortunately, this relationship was doomed to fail because he was unable to accept who he was in order for it to grow.

The Bad: While I will say I absolutely loved this book I'm not sure if I had read it myself rather listened to the audio version if I would have been as taken with it. From Harun's accent to Freya's singing in Ethiopian, the audio made this book come alive where I would have been stuck on pronunciation to the point of distraction. Some people might not be as picky about this type of thing as I am so this "bad" thing might not be horrible to another reader. I also would have liked to have known what happened after. Meaning the book ended but I wanted more. Harun probably is now an outcast from his family, Freya still cannot sing, and Nathaniel is homeless and depressed. I need more...or least a plan of sorts so I know the characters will be ok after the last page. Is that weird?

In a Nutshell: As much as this book had the potential to wreck me by the end I was at peace. I went through so many emotions I'm surprised people driving next to me didn't worry about the state of the "crazy crying lady" in the Nissan Rogue. Despite my wild emotional ranges or maybe because of them I will whole heartedly recommend this book, I even have to admit I found myself not going straight home many a night detouring the loooong way so I could get another few minutes of listening in. Now isn't that a sign of a good book?

An Unwanted Guest by Shari Lapena

Title: An Unwanted Guest
Author: Shari Lapena
Narrator: Hillary Huber
Genre: Mystery Thriller
Publisher: Penguin Audio (August 8, 2018)
Source: Library Find
Rating: ☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: A remote lodge in upstate New York is the perfect getaway . . . until the bodies start piling up.
It's winter in the Catskills and the weather outside is frightful, but Mitchell's Inn is so delightful! The cozy lodge nestled deep in the woods is perfect for a relaxing - maybe even romantic - weekend away. The Inn boasts spacious old rooms with huge wood-burning fireplaces, a well-stocked wine cellar, and opportunities for cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, or just curling up with a book and someone you love.
So when the weather takes a turn for the worse, and a blizzard cuts off the electricity - and all contact with the outside world - the guests settle in for the long haul. The power's down but they've got candles, blankets, and wood - a genuine rustic experience!
Soon, though, a body turns up - surely an accident. When a second body appears, they start to panic. Then they find a third body.
Within the snowed-in paradise, something - or someone - is picking off the guests one by one. They can't leave, and with no cell service, there's no prospect of getting the police in until the weather loosens its icy grip.
The weekend getaway has turned deadly. For some couples, it's their first time away. For others, it will be their last. And there's nothing they can do about it but huddle down and hope they can survive the storm. storm.

My Thoughts: A good plot, a good setting,  a bunch of characters I didn't like.

The Good, The Bad, And Everything Else: This was actually a good mystery. As many other reviewers, I also felt it was reminiscent of Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None. Not completely but the essence was there. I liked that the story had not only murder but an added winter storm which made the setting of this book so much better. With all of the guests trapped with no internet, no phones, no electricity, and a killer, it made for finger pointing and hostility. All the guests had secrets as well and they all had different reasons for needing an escape for a weekend at Mitchell's Inn. The suspense was very well done and as the guests are picked off one by one.

I listened to the audio version and it was well done. I've listened to books read by Hillary Huber before and I find she does a good job.

As much as I liked the suspense and the pacing of the book I was annoyed with one specific character to the point of near disgust. Gwen is a horrible character, a terrible friend, and someone who should have died but had a happily ever after instead. UGH! She brings a friend suffering from a serious PTSD event for girls weekend getaway. Knowing how her friend could experience debilitating panic attacks she ditched her at every moment to hook up with a man who acts very suspicious throughout the book. A her friend blindly runs out into the winter storm in the grips of a panic attack she is practically useless and her care for her friend takes a backseat. She's a selfish individual and almost ruined the book for me.


In a Nutshell: Overall, I really did like this book (despite Gwen) the tension was good throughout and I'll seek out more books by this author.

**Early Review** Texas Trouble by Gerry Bartlett

Title: Texas Trouble
Author: Gerry Bartlett
Series: #2 in the Lone Star series
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Lyrical Liaison (June 4, 2019)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: ☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Scarlett Hall followed a job and a friend to Texas, but that cost her more than she’d bargained for. Now, wounded but determined to get past one of the worst days of her life, she decides she has to pull herself together. First step: cover up the physical scars left from her ordeal. That’s easy. But the emotional scars are proving harder to handle . . .

Then she meets Ethan Calhoun. This bad boy seems ready to make his own changes and might be just what she needs to start a new chapter in her life. When he offers her a job as manager of his new bar, she decides to go for it. A change of pace and a hot guy who makes her forget her troubles while she’s in his arms are a great cure. But it soon becomes clear that danger will be in Scarlett’s life no matter how many changes she makes. As Scarlett comes face to face with her worst nightmare, it seems happiness was just an illusion. Maybe Texas is just too much trouble . .

My Thoughts: Ugh. This book took me forever to finish and honestly, I found various parts of it a bit ridiculous.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: The chemistry between Scarlett and Ethan was off the charts and their work time together was a nice way to develop the characters and their connection more. Even though Ethan's character sometimes felt too young. There were quite a few "baby brother" comments that just didn't bode well for Ethan's potential Book Boyfriend Roll.

I did feel that I was thrown into an already existing storyline as this book recaps Scarlett's PTSD from an event that happened, I'm assuming, in the first book of the series. I know reading series books out of order can be tricky and normally I would not do this but when I got the opportunity to review a Gerry Bartlett book I was excited. I've been hearing about this author for years and never read one of her books before. Unfortunately reading book 2 before reading the first book was probably not the best idea as this book definitely had a part 2 feel to it. As if this were a continuation of book 1 rather than it's own entity. Everything from the original terror Scarlett had when she was kidnapped in the last book to Scarlett and her brother Rhett's names. Why were they named after Gone With the Wind characters? I have no idea.

The suspense aspect was lacking as well. There was a convoluted feel to the suspense part because there ended up being 2 different sets of "bad guys" with 2 sets of motives/plot lines running simultaneously. None of the baddies really caused me to be on the edge of my seat with worry either. Leroy Simms, who is a cop killing psycho, kept having tender thoughts about his woman running amok in the "I'm going to torture and kill Scarlett" plot thread. I just couldn't find anyone to root for in the book. Yes I root for bad guys just as often as I root for the good ones.

In addition, there was a whole lot of He-man chest beating in the form of "I carry a gun. I just wish I Leroy Simms would make an appearance 'round here. I could use the target practice." type crap. Ugh!!!

In a Nutshell: Overall a rather disappointing romance which makes me a sad panda. I really wanted to like this book. I will give Gerry Bartlett another try but will definitely go with one of the Real Vampire ones and steer clear of these Rom/Susp books. They just aren't for me.

Running Wild by Linda Howard and Linda Jones

Title: Running Wild
Author: Linda Howard and Linda Jones
Series: #1 in the Men From Battle Ridge series
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Ballantine Books (November 27, 2012)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: In book 1 of this steamy new contemporary Western romance series by two blockbuster authors, a cowboy and a woman on the run take a stand and fight for love.

Carlin Reed lives in fear, off the grid, moving from place to place. So Battle Ridge, Wyoming, a small town in the middle of nowhere, seems like a good place to lie low for a while. But after becoming cook and housekeeper to cattle rancher Zeke Decker, Carlin suspects that she’s made her first mistake. Rugged, sexy, and too distracting for his own good, Zeke is pure temptation mixed with something deep and primal that makes Carlin feel almost safe. Soon things are getting way too hot in the kitchen.

Zeke doesn’t challenge Carlin’s terms: cash, dead bolts, and no questions. It is easy to see that she’s a woman in trouble. Problem is, he’s so blindsided by his attraction to her he can’t think straight. Zeke tries to stay all business, no complications—but that game plan is sabotaged the second Carlin gets under his skin. And when her terrifying past follows her to the ranch, Carlin faces a heartbreaking choice: run away from the man she loves, or put him in the crosshairs of a madman.

My Thoughts: A really great contemporary romance with ok romantic suspense elements.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: So what I really loved about this book was the honest romance that took it's time to blossom between Zeke and Carlin. Both Zeke's and Carlin's characters are pretty great and their banter between each other and with the secondary characters were highlights of the story. I did like the suspense aspect of the story but wish it would have more prominent in the middle of the story. The book started out so good with Carlin's stalker hunting her down. The climax of that plot thread was really well done as well. The middle lacked much in the way of the suspense. However, the good romance that built throughout the middle almost made up for it.

In a Nutshell: I really liked this book a lot and wish there was a second book already out in the series. Not sure when there will be a second book in the Battle Ridge series but since it's been so many years since the first one came out a new one doesn't look like it's coming, unfortunately.

Consumed by JR Ward

Title: Consumed
Author: JR Ward
Series: #1 in the Firefighters series
Genre:  Romantic Suspense
Publisher: Gallery Books (October 2, 2018)
Source: NetGalley
Rating: ☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Anne Ashburn is a woman consumed...

By her bitter family legacy, by her scorched career as a firefighter, by her obsession with department bad-boy Danny McGuire, and by a new case that pits her against a fiery killer.

Strong-willed Anne was fearless and loved the thrill of fighting fires, pushing herself to be the best. But when one risky decision at a warehouse fire changes her life forever, Anne must reinvent not only her job, but her whole self.

Shattered and demoralized, Anne finds her new career as an arson investigator a pale substitute for the adrenaline-fueled life she left behind. She doesn't believe she will ever feel that same all-consuming passion for her job again--until she encounters a string of suspicious fires setting her beloved city ablaze.

Danny McGuire is a premiere fireman, best in the county, but in the midst of a personal meltdown.

Danny is taking risks like never before and seems to have a death wish until he teams up with Anne to find the fire starter. But Danny may be more than a distraction, and as Anne narrows in on her target, the arsonist begins to target her.

My Thoughts: A book that started out as fire unfortunately fizzled towards the middle.

The Good, The Bad, and Everything in Between: What I love about JR Ward's books are her amazing characters. I love the complexity of her tortured heroes and in most cases the heroes' heroines are their equals in every way. In this book, Danny is a typical Ward hero. He's tall, massively built, good looking, and brooding (with good reason.) Anne is very much Danny's equal and in many ways she's just as tortured as he is, which adds a layer of complexity not usually found in romances. Many romance books that feature a tortured hero has a total opposite in their love interest to balance the drama of the story. In Consumed, because both characters are tortured, the book could have gotten bogged down with seriousness but Ward inserts some lighthearted moments as well which helped balance the book, Anne's rescue dog for example. I love when author's add dogs to their stories.

So, I love me a good romantic suspense and this one did have some suspense but honestly it wasn't until the end when I truly felt anxious for Danny and Anne. I like being on the edge of my seat in anticipation of what will happen, and the longer I'm there the better, but I never really had those feelings during this book. It might have be more my issue than Ward's because I never really warmed up to Anne. Her reasons for not being with Danny were mere excuses, one right after another. Her first being they were both firefighters in the same firehouse and dating would be near impossible as she was struggling to be considered just one of the guys. After the opener of the book, which I thought was stupendous by the way, we can see that particular excuse could no longer be used. Anne just found another....and another.

The romance lacked for me as well because there was not a significant amount of actual romance on the page. If you read the prequels (which is something I would recommend as a need to rather than a suggestion of maybe) then you know Anne and Danny had a quickie, one night stand...or rather one hour stand as there was no cuddling or sleeping or whatever after it was over. Slam Bam Anne is gone. See ya Danny Boy. And all Danny can think is how much he adores Anne. Not only did she do it once but she did it twice and Danny let her just hoping she'd come around and want him as much as he wanted her. Anne was just a cold character I never connected to but then when it comes to JR Ward's book, it's all about the hero for me. Thank goodness I was able to connect with Danny.

In a Nutshell: Not a terrible book but honestly not one of her better ones. I'll continue with the series though because...well....it's Ward.