#sweetromance

Review: WHISKEY AND GUMDROPS by Jean Oram

~ CassidySalem ~ Leave a comment

Light romance tends to provide my go-to break from all the mysteries and thrillers I read. Whiskey and Gumdrops by Jean Oram is a fun read that provided an enjoyable diversion from my usual fare. It is the first book in the author’s five-book Blueberry Springs Series.

Description

Whiskey and Gumdrops: A Blueberry Springs Sweet Romance by [Oram, Jean]One woman. One case of self-denial. One hunky best friend who wants a lot more.

Watching the man she thought she’d marry tie the knot to someone else spurs small-town waitress, Mandy Mattson, to finally pursue her dreams of opening her own restaurant.

But she can’t do it alone. . .

Mandy’s going to need the help of her sexy, long-time best friend, Frankie Smith. He has everything she needs–and more. She fell for him years ago, but has never allowed their friendship to evolve into something more. After all, he’s “Frankie fall-off-the-tower Smith,” and she has no intention of giving her heart to a dare devil like him. But what happens when Frankie asks Mandy to take the biggest dare of all?

My Review

This romance centers around a well-known dilemma – whether you should risk losing your best friend by trying to become more than just friends. Mandy is likeable and can’t imagine what she would do without her best friend and so she closes herself off to the possibility of their ever becoming something more. Frankie is wonderful, always at her side, providing support in every possible way, while Mandy does her utmost to push him away. Sometimes you just want to shake some sense into her. Their antics are entertaining as they circle the elephant in the room – their strong, mutual attraction – until (as in every good romance) they find their happily ever-after. An enjoyable sweet romance.

You can get your copy on Amazon.

Spotlight: THE AMBITIOUS ONE by Jeanette Lewis

~ CassidySalem ~ 2 Comments

Today’s spotlight shines on the most recent addition to the Billionaire Bride Pact Romance series –  The Ambitious One.

Description

AmbitiousOne_SMLLindsey Asher took the Billionaire Bride Pact at girl’s camp, but she’s never taken it seriously. Her dreams were always about building her own a bakery empire, not marrying a billionaire. Years later and all grown up, Lindsey has poured her heart and soul into Sugarbee’s Sweets in downtown Manhattan. All she wants for Christmas are good reviews from a pair of big-name food bloggers and plenty of customers to enjoy her sweet treats.

When Eric Kasabov parks his cookie cart in front of Sugarbee’s and starts stealing her customers, Lindsey’s resolve is tested. And when Eric’s partner starts causing trouble, Lindsey has to make a choice. How far will she go to save her store? Can rivalry turn to love?

Author’s Note: The Billionaire Bride Pact series is written to be read in any order without missing any of the story. Jump in any time! You might have some fun spotting crossover characters.

The Ambitious One is available on Amazon.

About the Author

Jeanette LewisJeanette Lewis is a bestselling author of clean romance novels. Dreaming up stories has always been one of Jeanette’s favorite things. Other favorites include family, friends, crisp Autumn days, having adventures, and frozen gummy bears.

You can connect with Jeanette on social media:

 

Review: A CHANCE TO GET IT RIGHT by S. M. Spencer

~ CassidySalem ~ Leave a comment

Change of pace today –  a romance instead of a mystery.  I downloaded “A Chance to Get It Right” a while back,  but hadn’t found the time to read it before now.  Glad I finally did.

Description

512bg0cktlnlKatrina Jacobs knows something is missing from her life–even though most would say she has it all. But when she pays a visit to her sister in the sleepy rural town of Willows, she discovers what’s been missing.

Richard Jensen has the looks, the money and the career–now all he needs is the perfect wife. He’s convinced Katrina’s the one; he just needs to make it happen.

Terry Winters doesn’t mind the whispers going on in town–after all, he moved to Willows for his horses, and they don’t listen to rumours.

As Katrina grows fond of Willows, she finds herself caught in a battle between substance and form, learning that having it all isn’t the same as getting it right.

But is it just the town she’s enamoured with?

A Chance to Get it Right is the second instalment in the Copperhead Creek Australian Romance series, and while this is a stand-alone story with respect to the main characters, some of the characters from the first book, A Chance to Come True, make appearances as life continues in the rural town of Willows.

My Review

A sweet and lovely romance about a young woman trying to decide what she wants from her life and who she really wants to spend it with. The personalities of the two contenders are as different as could be. Their characters are well drawn, with Richard is as easy to dislike as Terry is to like. The story also provided an interesting  glimpse into small town life in Australia.  All in all, an enjoyable read with a happily ever after conclusion. I’ll be on the lookout for more books from this author.

You can get your copy on Amazon.

Review: HER IMAGINARY HUSBAND by Lia London

~ CassidySalem ~ 2 Comments

Looking to escape into a non-mystery book for a change of pace, I recently read “Her Imaginary Husband,” a sweet romantic comedy by Lia London.

ImaginaryHusbandDescription (from Amazon)

New teacher, Nikki Fallon, is trying to ward off the lecherous attention of Coach Carlin. She should
a) slap him silly.
b) report him for harassment. 
c) invent an imaginary husband.

Nikki opts for “C” and is not prepared for how the plan backfires! Sure, pretending you’re married to get rid of a jerk is fine, but what if a really nice guy comes along? How can she untangle the web of lies before true love passes her by?

My Review

Delightful, fun read. Nikki is a young and energetic teacher with a positive attitude, who manages to connect with her students.  She is also inexperienced, and not just with respect to teaching.  As a result,  Nikki digs herself into a hole with one spur of the moment lie.  A whopper.  Like in any good romance novel, the end is not a surprise – but the journey Nikki takes on the road to finding love made for an enjoyable, laugh out loud read.   This was my first time reading anything by this author; it won’t be the last.

Release Spotlight & Excerpt: PUPPY DOG TALES by Liwen Y. Ho

~ CassidySalem ~ Leave a comment

Thinking ahead to Valentine’s day next month? Liwen Y. Ho’s recently released Puppy Dog Tales: A Romantic Comedy is here to get you in the mood.  I haven’t read this one yet but it sounds cute. I have enjoyed other works by this author – so this one’s going on my TBR list.

Description

puppydogtalesIt’s Valentine’s Day blues for animal hater Melvin Lai when his world collides with animal lover, Vivian Chu.

An animal hater and an animal lover’s paths collide the week leading up to Valentine’s Day.

Melvin Lai inherited the last thing he ever wanted from his favorite uncle: a cocker spaniel. Now he’s on the verge of losing his home to the unruly puppy and, much to his surprise, his heart when he meets Dr. Chu, Sparkle’s vet.

Vivian Chu loves caring for her furry friends, so she can’t fathom how anyone could think poorly of her new patient, especially his owner. To her, first impressions are everything, and the one Melvin left has her feeling disheartened and bruised—quite literally.

With a pair of matchmaking mothers and unexpected animal escapades, they encounter more trouble than they can handle. He longs to make her his valentine; she can’t wait to escape him. Can Melvin and Vivian pull together to find common ground?

You can check out an excerpt at the end of this post.

Puppy Dog Tales is available on Amazon.

LiwanAbout the Author

Liwen Y. Ho works as a chauffeur and referee by day (AKA being a stay at home mom) and a romance writer by night. She also enjoys writing about real-life matters, such as marriage, parenting and faith because truth can be as strange and entertaining as fiction. Her work has appeared in various online publications, including LiteraryMama.com and MomLifeToday.com, and she is a regular contributor at StartMarriageRight.com.

In her pre-author life, she received a Masters degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Western Seminary, and she loves makeovers of all kinds, especially those of the heart and mind. She lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her techie husband and their two children, and blogs about her adventures as a recovering perfectionist at http://www.2square2behip.com.

You can connect with Liwen Y. Ho at:

An Excerpt from Puppy Dog Tales

Melvin took a seat on one of the chairs by the wall while Josie weighed Sparkle. He started to wonder if this place was magical. The dog who’d turned his home—not to mention, his life—upside down now seemed like a different animal. He obeyed the receptionist’s command to stay the moment she said it and waited patiently while she jotted down his numbers. Was he pulling some kind of Jekyll and Hyde trick? Melvin shut his eyes and opened them again, half-expecting and hoping Sparkle would return to his monstrous self. But there he was, being the world’s most behaved dog. Crazy animal.

“Did you say something?”

He didn’t realize he’d spoken his thoughts out loud until he saw Josie staring at him. “No, uh, I’m just filling out this form.”

Sparkle chose that moment to bark as if he wanted to expose Melvin’s lie. He let loose a long, low growl before barking again.

He hated to admit it. The dog was crazy, but he was smart, too. Shaking his head, Melvin redirected his attention to the clipboard. He answered the questions to the best of his knowledge and returned the form to the front desk.

“Right this way.” Josie led him and the dog down the hall and into the first open room. She carried Sparkle onto the exam table, unhooked his leash from the collar and set it aside. “Dr. Chu will be with you soon,” she announced before closing the door on her way out.

“Great. It’s just you and me again.” He gave Sparkle a stern glare as he took a seat on a metal chair. “I wouldn’t try anything funny if I were you.”

Sparkle rested his head on the table and wagged his tail.

Seeing that the dog didn’t pose an immediate threat, Melvin took his eyes off of him to check out the exam room. It was similar to the ones at the hospital where he worked, except there were posters of puppies and kittens on the walls. And instead of sterile white walls, the ones surrounding him were a light purple color. The smell was also less antiseptic and a bit musty, like wet socks with a hint of something that reminded him of breakfast food—was it oatmeal? He took shallow breaths and wished he didn’t have such a keen sense of smell. It was one of the drawbacks of being a doctor, but at least the hospital was fully-ventilated and he worked with a mask on.

The door opened and a different scent filled his nostrils. Dr. Chu entered, bringing in with her a welcoming, sweet floral fragrance. He hadn’t noticed the perfume before, but now with her standing only two feet away, he was noticing a lot of things. The curves of her petite body, her long lashes, the perfectly groomed brow that was raised disapprovingly … oh no, was he in trouble again?