The Substitute Millionaire by Susan Mallery

 Title: The Substitute Millionaire 

Author: Susan Mallery

Narrator: Savannah Richards

Series: #1 in the Million Dollar Catch series

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin (November 7th 2006)

Audio Version: Harlequin Books S.A. (March 16, 2010 )

Source: Audible Escape

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Successful businessman Ryan Bennett had agreed to masquerade as his wealthy cousin for a blind date.

But from the moment Ryan saw Julie Nelson to the moment he should have said good-night, he was captivated and couldn't resist an invitation to share her bed. In the hazy afterglow of their heated lovemaking, Ryan confessed his true identity, claiming the passion between them was real despite his deception, but Julie wasn't buying it. Obviously she considered him the enemy.

Except now she was having the enemy's baby…. 

My Thoughts: Another great older category romance by Susan Mallery.

The Good, The Bad, and Anything Else I Might Want to Mention: I'm always hesitant to read category romances because so many just let me down either because of insta-love or because there is not enough room to create a viable plot. This one was a straight forward contemporary romance with a mistaken identity (on purpose) and a surprise pregnancy (not on purpose). I like that there wasn't a whole lot of added things to detract from Ryan and Julie's budding relationship. The main conflict within the book was Julie and her inability to trust Ryan. She was constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop so she could throw it in Ryan's face. I understand why but after awhile it got tiresome.

The whole concept of Grandma coming into the girls' lives after they were adults and trying to control their lives and the lives of her great nephews was a bit odd and although her absence is explained it didn't do much for how controlling she was. Factor in she wasn't in contact with her own daughter for over 20 years because of the rift between her second husband and her daughter...her current controlling behavior doesn't jive well with her inability to stand up for her daughter and with her daughter against her husband back then. This is also explained away as if but the whole thing is just weird.

Despite those things I actually did like the romance even if the love part was quick to come. I enjoyed the banter between Ryan and Julie a lot and the interaction between Julie and her two sisters was enjoyable as well. 

Savannah Richards' narration was great. I'd absolutely listen to another book with her.

In a Nutshell: A nice quick read. I'd recommend it to anyone who likes Susan Mallery or enjoys a good category romance.

Testing the Limits by Kira Sinclair

Title: Testing the Limits

Author: Kira Sinclair

Series: Stand-alone

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Harlequin (January 1, 2014)

Source: NetGalley

Rating: ☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Wanting him was wrong, but it felt so right…

Social worker Quinn Keller sees the best in people…and the worst. When she rescues a prominent businessman's battered wife, Quinn is targeted by the woman's violent husband. Her only option is to place her safety in the hands of Ranger Jace Hyland—tattooed, scarred, incredibly hot…and the brother of Quinn's deceased fiancé. An entirely different kind of dangerous!

Quinn is the woman Jace has always wanted—and she's strictly hands-off. But keeping her safe means taking her to his small apartment…and his bed. So for one unforgettable night, Jace will give in to the temptation he can no longer resist. One night of forbidden hunger. One night he prays will be enough to satisfy a lifetime of longing….

My Thoughts: Sometimes you really can judge a book by the cover. I've done it and won. Sometimes, like this one, a hot tattooed guy coupled with an intriguing synopsis proves, once again, you shouldn't. 

The Good, The Bad, And Everything Else: I rarely read Harlequin Blaze imprints. Mostly because I find many of them tend to have more sex and less character development and sometimes even less fully developed plots. In this case I should have stuck with my original thought pattern and skipped this one but first let's discuss the characters.

Quinn is a social worker and Jace is an MMA fighter and ex-Army Ranger. Honestly the set up couldn't have been better for me to really love these characters. Unfortunately, they are so consumed by guilt over the loss of Quinn's fiancé who happens to also be Jace's brother. The rehashing over and over about Jace taking on added responsibilities that aren't his cross to bear gets tedious. Also, Quinn's nonchalance attitude over an abusive man's threats to her, directly contradicted her characterization of a strong social worker who gives victims second chances at life. 

The plot is overshadowed by the sex within the book mostly because the synopsis clearly defines the book as a romantic suspense which is what I expected. The really great beginning fizzled and really made me scratch my head a bit as the suspenseful part failed to be brought up again until the 30% mark. At that point Jace and Quinn decided she'd be safer at Jace's apartment. This seemed a clunky way to get them to "have" to share a bedroom/bed as I really felt Jace, with his Ranger background, should have been able to protect Quinn in her own home without having to relocate to his apartment. Also, on a side note, if a crazy stalker man casually walks into your home to threaten you just to prove he can do as he likes the right response would be shout out to the hot Army Ranger just outside. You know...the one who was there to protect you??? Of course hot Army Ranger guy really couldn't protect Quinn as the bad guy literally kidnapped her in front of him. Um....I've never read a book with a special ops hero (either currently enlisted or retired) who wasn't capable of taking down a bully who only seems to be able to beat on women. What a rip off. I hope he never got tattooed....you know the Ranger brotherhood ones all special ops men tend to have....if he did he'd have to get it removed because he's a disgrace.

Ok I hated the characters. I equally hated the plot...because...what plot? The Quinn and Jace have sex plot? Since this was the only plot that seemed to have enough pages dedicated to it I have to assume this was the main point of the book. If you follow any of my reviews you should know I'm not all about sex just for the sake of it in my romances. Sex does not equal love no matter what some authors want you to believe. Kira Sinclair did not fall completely into this negative trope but since the footwork of the Quinn/Jace I love you parts happened off the page...we don't necessarily see them fall in love. It's just assumed with their history they've always kind of been there even though at the beginning of the book they admit to sharing semi-regular awkward meals together to keep up appearances of the brother and sister-in-law act. Highlight on the awkward part. 

In a Nutshell: What a stink-a-roo for me. I am not sure I'll pick up another Sinclair book even though some reviewers claim there are better books out there by her. I would stick a label on this book to my friends "Read at Your Own Risk" but may ask them to try it out just as an experiment of sorts. I want to know if I'm all alone in my dislike/hatred. Christina Out.

The Unexpected Millionaire by Susan Mallery

Title: The Unexpected Millionaire

Author: Susan Mallery

Narrator: Catherine Carr

Series: #2 in the Million Dollar Catch series

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Silhouette Desire December 5th 2006 (audio version March 22nd 2010 by Harlequin Books S.A.)

Source: Audible Escape

Rating: ☕☕☕☕

Synopsis: Millionaire Kane Dennison's first mistake had been carrying an injured Willow Nelson inside his home, which, as a rule, was off-limits. Of course, she'd needed his help, but his one kind gesture had her believing he was a nice man. He wasn't.

His second mistake had been surrendering to passion after warning Willow to run away. Because a woman like her deserved better than a one-night stand. She believed in soul mates. He trusted no one--needed no one. And not even Willow was going to change him!

My Thoughts: What a gem!

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: I loved this book. The heroine was quirky and optimistic. The hero was brooding and emotionally unavailable (until the right woman came along anyway.) The plot was a little thin and a longer book could have developed some of the storylines better (like the family dynamics between Willow, her 2 sisters, her dad, etc.) This is a straight forward contemporary romance with no suspense, no miscommunication, no love triangles....and I liked it so much for not trying to be something it wasn't. Sure it could have been longer. The love could have developed over a longer period or time. Willow's character could potentially grate on some people's nerves as she's quite quirky in her sense of humor. The sex happened very quickly and was pretty explicit (as Silhouette Desires are known for....the Harlequin Temptations were their doppelgänger...all which were replaced by the Harlequin Blaze line...essentially....all of which featured a lot more explicit sex than other category romance imprints.) None of those things took away from my enjoyment. The epiphany of Kane's love did happen almost off page (not quite but it would have been nice had we seen him literally brought to his knees prior to his declaration to Willow.) He groveled but perhaps not nearly enough for me to bump this book up to a 5 star read. Even though this book is practically 14 years old it didn't feel dated at all. Major plus! Just a side note...I really hate this cover.

The narration was done well and I was able to listen to Catherine Carr's voice at 2Xs the speed without difficulty. I would listen to another book narrated by her but I'm not sure I would purposely seek out a book she reads outside my comfort book zone just because of her narration.

In a Nutshell: I honestly find more diamonds with Susan Mallery books than I do coal. I really liked this book and will definitely read the rest of the series. I'd also recommend this book to my friends who like to read the occasional category romance and ones who read them habitually. 

With a Hitch by RC Boldt

Title: With a Hitch

Author: RC Boldt

Narrator: Jennifer Mack and JF Harding

Series: Standalone

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: RC Boldt Publishing LLC (March 19, 2019)

AudioBook Published: Audible Studios (May 7, 2019) 

Source: Audible Escapes subsription

Rating: ☕☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Amazon bestselling author RC Boldt brings us a smart, sexy new standalone about a matchmaker/dating coach who's faced with the challenge of finding Mrs. Right for the city's beloved NFL wide receiver...

———————————————————

She’s playing it safe. He’s playing for keeps.

DARCY

Growing up in the foster system, I learned the hard way that lasting love doesn't always come easy. Dating in the modern era can be daunting; the bar scene and dating apps leave you wondering if there's any hope in sight.

That's where I come in. Helping you break the “swipe-right” cycle, I’m dedicated to matching you with the love of your life.

Finding Mrs. Right for Dax Kendrick should be a piece of cake. Except nothing about this man is simple.

DAX

The NFL has given me more than I ever imagined—a roof over my head, food on the table, and a chance to provide for the family who sacrificed everything while I chased my dreams.

Maintaining a squeaky-clean image for my sponsors when my paycheck and the fruits of my endorsements are all women want is a hefty challenge.

I’d nearly given up when I hired Darcy Cole. Yet the more I’m around her, the less I care about finding my perfect match.

Because it might be right in front of me. 

My Thoughts: A surprisingly good friends to lovers romance from a new to me author. 

The Good, The Bad, and Everything Else: Being so character driven it's not surprising how I was completely sucked in by Dax. He is everything a book boyfriend could be. When Darcy has menstrual cramps he baked her turmeric muffins and went over to her house to watch chick flicks with her. He started a fundraiser for Gainesville Florida after a natural disaster that raised millions which he matched. Oh did I mention he's a hawt football player with a multimillion dollar contract and endorsement deals? Book Boyfriend people....Book Boyfriend. Darcy was a little harder to like because she's ruled by fear when it comes to accepting a relationship with Dax. Yet.... she proved herself by trying to protect him from harm showing she really did care for him. She's driven and a smart business woman who came from nothing to make something of herself. I ended up liking her more than I thought I would. The secondary characters were notable and I really need to read more about them especially his teammate Kyler.

The plot is fairly simple as far as the friends to lovers part goes but it did add an added layer when a nefarious character is introduced and ultimately a #MeToo additional storyline came into play. I couldn't be more please with this. I thought it was tastefully done even if it was wrapped up with the best possible outcome, which isn't always reality....thus the reason for the movement and it's importance. Overall, despite the sunshine and rainbows outcome of the storyline I am happy to have it included in a book that could have just been all fluff.

Towards the middle of the book begins the sexy times (remember it's friends to lovers and Boldt did a great job of creating the foundation for an amazing and believable friendship.) The steamy parts were pretty hot and I'd go as far as to say almost erotica in nature (minus all the over the top 50 Shades fetish sex.) Darcy and Dax have great chemistry despite both stating neither one is their typical type.

The audio was done well and the dual narration of JF Harding and Jennifer Mack helped make Dax and Darcy come alive. Both narrators are new to me and I'd absolutely listen to another book by either one or both again.

In a Nutshell: I picked this book up to satisfy a reading challenge I'm doing. These random books can be hit or miss and I'm happy this was an absolute hit for me. I'm 100% going to read more by this author. Just an FYI While this book is touted as a standalone there is a book written prior to this one that involves Darcy's sister and one of Dax's ex-teammates.

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros

Title: The Last Letter
Author: Rebecca Yarros
Series: Standalone
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Entangled: Amara (February 26, 2019)
Audio version Published: Audible Studios (April 23, 2019)
Source: Audible Escape
Rating: ☕☕☕☕1/2

Synopsis: Beckett,

If you’re reading this, well, you know the last-letter drill. You made it. I didn’t. Get off the guilt train, because I know if there was any chance you could have saved me, you would have.

I need one thing from you: get out of the army and get to Telluride.

My little sister Ella’s raising the twins alone. She’s too independent and won’t accept help easily, but she has lost our grandmother, our parents, and now me. It’s too much for anyone to endure. It’s not fair.

And here’s the kicker: there’s something else you don’t know that’s tearing her family apart. She’s going to need help.

So if I’m gone, that means I can’t be there for Ella. I can’t help them through this. But you can. So I’m begging you, as my best friend, go take care of my sister, my family.

Please don’t make her go through it alone.

Ryan

My Thoughts: Did I love this book? Maybe. Did ugly cry during it? Absolutely.

The Good, The Bad, and Whatever Else I Want to Say: The longer I listened to this book the longer it felt. The longer it felt the more I was irritated by, Ella, the heroine. So, why was I going back and forth between rating this book 4 Stars or 5? Because it had two adorable kids, a dog, a military man, and it made me cry...more than once.

First off, Ella...she has major trust issues and it really started to get on my nerves because she couldn't trust Beckett because she just knew he'd be like all the other men in her life and leave. Through the whole book she was just waiting for Beckett to prove he wasn't trustworthy so she could say "I knew it." Yet I didn't hate her. I actually liked her a lot. She was actually a really great character and Yarros did an amazing job of fleshing her (and the other characters) out.

Colt and Maisy, Ella's twins, are adorable. I think they stole the scenes they were in every time. They acted and talked more like little adults rather than the 6 year old's they were but I still liked them a lot anyway. Beckett Gentry was also fleshed out well and despite his keeping part of his identity a secret from Ella he was very upfront with his intentions and thoughts. I liked him a lot. Are you seeing a pattern here?

The supporting characters are just background noise and not that remarkable but with everything going on with the storyline their additional input wasn't necessary. Speaking of the storyline...how much should one person have to go through? Honestly it was too much. Bad things happen to good people. It's a fact. Also, just because a person goes through one really bad thing doesn't mean they are exempt from more bad things from happening in their life. This sucks but true as well. With that said, I've decided this book is a standalone because everything that could have possibly taken place in a sequel took place in this book. There is nothing left that could happen to these characters but good gravy WHY? Because Rebecca Yarros wanted to make us cry. It's the only thing that makes sense in my mind. She wanted to make her readers sob to the point of red puffy eyes and lots of snot....AKA ugly cry. Yet I still liked this book a lot.

The Audible experience was a good one. Teddy Hamilton (who I've listened to before) and Jennifer Stark dual narrate which is always a great way to listen to dual POVs within a book. Teddy's voice is great for Beckett and Ok for Ella....this is pretty typical in audiobooks. Men are great narrators but when it comes to their women voices they all come out a bit weird to me. Jennifer's voice was new to me but I thought she did a good job. I was able to listen to the book at 2X the speed easily and would pick up another book narrated by her.

In a Nutshell: I picked up this book because it fit into a reading challenge I'm doing. I've never read a book by Rebecca Yarros before and even though I overall really really liked this book I'm not sure if I'd pick up another book by her any time soon. I love a book that can run my feelings from warm and tingly to sad and crying and back again but this book was just too much. I don't like to ugly cry.