Book: Leanne Banks - Billionaire’s Baby

Rating: 5/10

Favorite Part:


“I don’t need a husband. I just need things to stay the same,” Haley said.
“Hmm. Well, I can guarantee that won’t happen. C’mon, let’s get a look at the executioner. He may hand us our pink slips, but I hear he’s a hunk. He’s a bachelor,” she added with emphasis, then sighed. “But I also heard he has a beautiful blonde assistant who’s angling for another position and making some progress in that direction.”
Haley couldn’t help smiling at Susan’s ability to get the personal scoop on the new owner. “How do you get all this info?”
“I keep my ear to the ground and my nose to the wind.”
“Sounds like a recipe for a crick in the neck.”
“Aren’t you cute?” Susan said with a chuckle.

Book: Jules Bennett - Caught in the Spotlight

Rating: 5/10

Interesting beginning since it starts off with the main girl in a towel. It was a decent read. Too bad there were no surprises within the story however.

Book: Anna Cleary - The Night That Started It All

Rating: 5/10

Another ok read without much to say.

Book: Kim Lawrence - The Petrelli Heir

Rating: 5/10

Not much to say besides the fact that the story was another decent read.

Book: Emma Darcy - The Incorrigible Playboy

Rating: 5/10

Favorite Part:


‘Now, let me select cocktails for you both,’ he said, the vivid blue eyes twinkling confidence in his choices. ‘A Margarita for you, Elizabeth.’
It surprised her that he’d actually picked her favourite.
‘Why that one?’ she asked, curious about his correct guessing.
He grinned. ‘Because you’re the salt of the earth and I revere you for it.’
She rolled her eyes. The day Harry Finn showed any reverence for her was yet to dawn. He was just making a link to the salt-encrusted rim of the glass that was always used for a Margarita cocktail.
‘You’re right on both counts,’ Lucy happily volunteered.
‘Ellie loves Margaritas and she is the salt of the earth. I don’t know what I’d do without her. She’s always been my anchor.’
‘An anchor,’ Harry repeated musingly. ‘I think that’s what’s been missing from my life.’
‘An anchor would only weigh you down, Harry,’
Elizabeth put in dryly. ‘It would feel like an albatross around your neck.’
‘Some chains I wouldn’t mind wearing.’
‘Try gold.’

Book: Maisey Yates - Her Little White Lie

Rating: 6/10

While the interactions between the characters are interesting and funny, the story as a whole didn't really impress me much.

Favorite Parts: 

“Oh, sorry. Most people like babies, you know,” she said, stepping out into the hall, closing the door behind her.
“I have no interest in having any of my own. I’m not certain why it would be important for me to like babies.”
“They’re cute.”
“Yes, so are puppies but I don’t want one.”


“As for the parent interview …” He neatly sidestepped the moment.
“What about it?”
“I don’t see how it will be a problem.”
“You may have to grow a personality between now and then.”
“And you may want to tone yours down.”
“Why because a fun-loving, smiley person might not make a good parent? Do I need to be a bit more dour?”
“Are you calling me … dour?” he asked.
“If the scowl fits.”
“You’re going to have to keep yourself from taking shots at me in the presence of the social worker. Actually, you should probably keep yourself from taking shots at me because I’m your boss.”


“Is that what you think?” he asked.
Something in his eyes changed, the look becoming hungry, wild almost, as far from cool, calm, stuffed shirt Dante Romani as she could possibly imagine.
“I … obviously,” she said, her throat suddenly dry.
“What is obvious about it?” he asked.
“I’m … I’m …”
“Attractive,” he said.
She blinked. “Even with the pink stripe?”
“It’s growing on me.”
“Maybe I will get it colored over next time. In that case.”
“You just like to be difficult.”
She shrugged. “I’m a contrary beast, on occasion, I admit it.”

Book: Susanna Carr - Her Shameful Secret

Rating: 7/10

This one was surprisingly interesting. Although the secret was spilled quite early, I am not too disappointed because it was an interesting twist in the relationship between the two main characters. They not only have a child on the way, but the child isn't even the main guy's! In fact, it is his brother's child! So how is the author or the romantic hero supposed to overcome this shock and forgive the heroine? Well, love conquers all doesn't it? The story had just enough conflict between the characters to keep the story interesting, but not too twisted or long.

Book: Sara Craven - Wife in the Shadows

Rating: 5/10

Not much to say besides the fact that it was an ok read. I have found that most of these Harlequin stories to only be decent reads. They seem to be missing something. It is either the fight/struggle to realizing the attraction or it is the element of surprise. It is kind of disappointing since many of them have such promising summaries. *sigh*

Book: Girl on a Diamond Pedestal by Maisey Yates

Rating: 8/10

When the people who are supposed to love you most betray you, what do you do? Do you seek revenge like Ethan Grey? Or simply sit in denial and hope that when you wake up tomorrow, it is all a dream like Noelle Birch?

The main characters in this book have both had tough lives due to the selfishness of their parents. Noelle, the piano prodigy, was once a girl who had it all - fame and money. All of that disappeared when she started selling less CDs and her mother bankrupted her and left. Meanwhile, Ethan, a billionaire in the hotel industry, hates his father for abandoning him and his mother to go meet up his mistress... who happened to be... wait for it... Noelle's mother!

So when Noelle is about to lose the only property she has in her name, Ethan steps in to make a proposal: Marry him and she gets to keep her house free and clear. What starts out as a business deal, quickly changes to become something more. However, with their jaded past, can they learn to trust one another?

Pros: I found the plot interesting. I loved the interactions between the characters. They learn and grow together and I can really feel their bond strengthening.

Cons: I found the ending a bit lacking. I was hoping to read more about what happened to Noelle's mother and Ethan's father. I wanted to see them regret their selfish choices.

Book: Bet Me by Jennifer Cruise

Rating: 10/10

Where can you find true love? Somewhere between a bunch of bets, Chicken Marsala, a jealous ex-boyfriend, a determined psychologist/ex-girlfriend, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, great shoes, baseball, a freakishly smart "mutant" cat, snow globes, and a bunch of theories. xD
Min has just been dumped by her "perfect boyfriend", David. At that same bar, her two best friends decide it's time for her to move on and dare her to talk to Cal. Unknowingly, David bets Cal ten bucks Min won't go out with him and ten thousand dollars Cal can't get Min to sleep with him. Min overhears this bet and is furious. And here is where our story begins...

I love love love this story. I couldn't put it down from beginning to end. It kept me on my toes and all the sweet little incidences made me smile and laugh out loud. This author is quite promising and I can't wait to read her other works.


Pros: The banter between the main characters are adorable. He is patient and charming while she is trying hard to be cold and nonchalant. I love the relationship between the friends. Lots of stories don't develop the supporting character's roles such as the friends. (ROFL the smacks Liza throws at Cal for kissing Min. It's hilarious.) There were lots of funny parts (such as the phone call between Cal and his mother, which I included in the excerpts below.) There were interesting theories to discover too (The butterfly effect, the chaos theory, the edge of chaos, etc.)
Cons: I honestly can't think of anything I don't like about this book.

SO many favorite parts in the story... Here's some:

Bonnie patted Min's arm. "It's a good thing he broke up with you because now you're free for when the
right man finds you. Your prince is on his way."
"Right," Min said. "I'm sure he was on his way but a truck hit him."
"That's not how it works." Bonnie leaned on the bar, looking like an R-rated pixie. "If it's meant to be,
he'll make it. No matter how many things go wrong, he'll come to you and you'll be together forever."
"What is this?" Liza said, looking at her in disbelief. "Barbie's Field of Dreams?"
"That's sweet, Bonnie," Min said. "But as far as I'm concerned, the last good man died when Elvis went."
"Maybe we should rethink keeping Bon as our broker," Liza said to Min. "We could be major
stockholders in the Magic Kingdom by now."



"Calvin?" he heard his mother say, but even she was better than the silence.
"Mother," he said. "How are you?" His toast popped, and he cradled the phone between his shoulder
and his ear as he opened the peanut butter.
"I'm calling about dinner on Sunday," she said.
"I will be there, Mother," Cal said, thinking,I'm there the third Sunday of every month, Mother .
Definitely in a rut.
"I'd like you to pick up our guest."
"Guest?" Cal said, as he got out a table knife to spread the peanut butter.
"Minerva Dobbs," his mother said.
"What?" Cal said and dropped the knife.
"I called her because Harrison has been speaking of her often, and it occurred to me that it would be
nice for him to have her there."
Cal sighed. "What did she say when you called?"
"She seemed surprised," his mother said. "But when I explained that Harrison would be so pleased if she
came—"
"She said yes," Cal said, reaching for his toast. "However, I cannot bring her because I will not be seeing
her ever aga—" His fingers brushed the metal top of the toaster and he burned himself and dropped the
phone. "Damn it," he said and put his scorched fingertips in his mouth.
"Calvin?" his mother said from the phone.
He picked up the receiver. "I burned myself on the toaster. Sorry." Cal turned on the cold water and
stuck his fingers underneath the stream. "Anyway, I will not be seeing Minerva Dobbs again." He stepped
away from the sink onto something hard and his foot slipped out from under him and smacked into the
cabinets. "Ouch."
"Calvin?" his mother said.
"I stepped on a knife." Cal bent to pick up the peanut butter knife and smacked his head into the
counter. "Hell."
"Did you cut yourself?" his mother asked.
"No. I..." He put the knife in the sink. "I'll call you tomorrow, Mother."
"Calvin?" his mother said, and he hung up on her and considered the situation.




The Butterfly Effect, he remembered that, the idea that a butterfly flapping its wings in Hong Kong could
cause a hurricane ten years later in Florida or prevent a tornado ten years later in Texas, take your pick
because it was unpredictable. That was Min; she'd looked harmless that first night, and then she flapped
her wings two weeks ago and now he was a mess. She was a goddamn stealth butterfly.



"So how's Roger?" Min said, more than willing to have somebody else be the topic at hand.
"He is The One," Bonnie said. "He's going to propose in a couple of weeks and I'll say yes. I told my
mama to plan the wedding for August."
"He told you he's going to propose?" Cynthie said, and when Bonnie looked at her, surprised, she said,
"I'm writing a book on this. It's none of my business, but I am interested."
"Oh," Bonnie said. "Well, no, he hasn't told me. I just know."
Min tried to look supportive, but the silence that settled over them must have reeked of skepticism
because Bonnie turned back to the field and called Roger's name. When he came trotting over to them,
she said, "Honey, are you going to ask me to marry you?"
"Yes," he said. "I didn't want to rush you, so I thought I'd wait till our one-month anniversary. It's only
eleven days."
"Very sensible," Bonnie said. "Just so you know, I'm going to say yes."
Roger sighed. "That takes a lot of the worry out of it." He leaned over and kissed her and went back to
the field.
"That was either really sweet or really annoying," Liza said.



"Are you going out tonight?" Liza asked.
"Yes, but just as friends," Min said. "He's doing me a favor. We're going to my mother's so she can stop
worrying about him being a vile seducer."
Liza shook her head, looking doubtful. "I don't think meeting Cal is going to reassure your mother."
"Why not? Elvis likes him. And Elvis has very good instincts."
"Elvis?" Liza said, sounding alarmed.
"The cat. I named him Elvis," Min said.
Liza sighed. "ThankGod. I thought you'd finally cracked."



Min's father met them in the hall, a lumbering man with a shock of blond hair and heavy white eyebrows
who should have been hearty and welcoming but instead had the vaguely paranoid look of a sheepdog
whose sheep were plotting against him.



When they were in the car, she said, "Okay, give me the cheat sheet for your parents."
"There is none," Cal said. "They will be very polite but not warm. We don't have to chill the wine at
home, the atmosphere does it for us."



"I was just relieved because I thought you were never going to want to see me again. I'm positive your family doesn't want to."
Cal put the key in the ignition and started the car. "Oh, some of them do."
"Harry." Min leaned back in her seat, and tried to think about something else besides kissing him. "That's
just because I gave him my ice cream."
Cal slowed the car. "He had yours and his?"
"Yes," Min said. "He said he didn't throw up ice cream."
"He lied." Cal stopped the car. "It's sugar in general that makes him sick."
"Do we have to go back?" Min said, alarmed.
"Christ, no." Cal pulled out his cell phone. When he'd warned Bink about the imminent vomiting, he
started the car again.
"Great, I poisoned her kid," Min said. "Now she hates me, too."
"No. She knows Harry and the cons he pulls for sugar. She likes you."
"She didn't look like it."
"No, she really likes you," Cal said as he pulled out into the street. "She offered me a hundred thousand
dollars to marry you."
"What?" Min laughed. "I didn't think she had a sense of humor."
"She does, but she wasn't joking. She can afford it." Cal picked up speed as they left his parents' street
and sighed. "ThankGod, we're out of there."

"Wait a minute," Min said, not laughing. "She honestly offered you—"
"She's been going to dinner there every Sunday for ten years," Cal said. "That was the first one she
enjoyed. When you figure that my parents are in their fifties and likely to be around for at least another
thirty years, she's looking at a minimum of sixteen hundred more miserable Sundays. That's her estimate.
Add in holiday dinners, and she says a hundred K would come out to about sixty dollars a dinner, which
is a real bargain in her book." He thought about it. "Actually, that's a bargain in my book, too, although
nothing on this earth could get me there every Sunday."
"My Lord," Min said.
"Plus Harry's been singing 'Hunka hunka burning love' since we went to lunch yesterday. She said the
expressions on my parents' faces alone were worth a hundred grand."



Cal said from the couch, "The cat knows how to turn on the stereo?"
"He knows the power button," she called back. "And replay, unfortunately. I heard 'Love Me Tender'
four times last night before I took the CD out."



"What are you guys doing?" Tony said, coming up out of the dark and scaring them both into shrieks.
"Standing around waiting to get mugged?"
"And now our wait is over?" Min said, trying to get her breath back.
"Cal sent me," Tony said. "He doesn't like you walking home alone. So you get me."
"You don't have to," Min said.
"Are you kidding? I'm with two hot women in the dark," Tony said. "By the time I'm finished retelling this
in my head, it's going to be phenomenal."



"Who are you again?" Cal said. "Because you look like this woman who keeps hitting me, but you seem
to be on my side. Do you have an evil twin?"
"I'm Min's fairy godmother, Charm Boy," Liza said, frowning down at him. "And if you don't give her a
happily ever after, I'm going to come back and beat you to death with a snow globe."
"What happened to 'bibbity bobbity boo'?" Cal asked Min.
"That was Disney, honey," Min said. "It wasn't a documentary."

Book: Blackmailed by the Beast by Sam Crescent

Rating: 7/10

This story is about a girl who was blackmailed into marrying "the Beast". The girl is very much like Cinderella who was hated by her family. Both characters have had an unhappy childhood but they didn't let it beat out their will to make a better life for themselves. I thought that was inspiring. Other than that, there isn't much to say about the story. It was a pretty good read.
Pros: I enjoyed how they mixed Cinderella and Beauty and the Beast into the story.
Cons: The pace of the story was a bit too fast. Everything fell into place too quickly and a bit too easily.
What's interesting about this story is the epilogue is more like an introduction to the next book.

Book: Touching Lace by Anne Rainey

Rating: 6/10

I decided to try a new author and randomly decided to pick Anne Rainy since I found more than one of her ebook titles interesting (others being What She Craves and What She Needs). I decided to try Touching Lace and see how I like her writing.

The story seems interesting enough. It is about a guy who has always wanted his best friend, but is worried about scaring her away if he tells/shows her his intentions. The main girl has just dumped another loser boyfriend and he gets his chance. Since she is worried that the reason she can't seem to get a guy to stick around for more than a few months is because of her lack of talent in the bedroom, he plots to be her sex instructor. I would probably put this book in the erotica genre since there seemed to not be much depth in the characters or the story. I was quite disappointed. Even the "sex instruction" was hardly even formulated - just throwing in the words "lesson 1... lesson 2" does not make it an actual learning experience. But there are some redeeming parts to reading this story and I have listed those below.

Pros: I enjoyed the beginning - the teasing and the sexy talk were stimulating and exciting. It was adorable and the underlying problem between the main characters, the fear that the friendship will fail if they got intimate, is very real and an audience can relate to that.

Cons: While the plot was interesting, the book's ending leaves me unsatisfied. It felt rushed and there are even some parts that didn't feel like it fit. I understand it is difficult to write a book and leave a little tid-bit for the next book to connect to the first one, however, it is weird to have a random character introduced and not develop it a bit more. For example, her family, her two friends, and another girl mentioned in a phone call by her brother could hardly be considered supporting characters since they barely leave an impression. I would have enjoyed a bit more character development. Even the main characters seemed pretty superficial and weak (in a development sense).

All in all, I am left unsure if I want to bother trying out her other books.

Falling in love w/ the Best Friend's Older Brother

I have always been partial to the whole "falling in love with the best friend's older brother" thing. Don't really know why. Most of my friends don't have hot older brothers for me to trip over myself after. However, I must admit I tend to like older men. ;) Now let's get back to the books...

First up, The Marriage Bargain by Jennifer Probst and I give it a 8/10. This book is about a girl who needed money to save her family's home. What I thought was cute was how she made references to Gone with the Wind; such as referring to her family's home as Tara and comparing herself to Scarlett O'Hara. The billionaire whom she ends up married to is her best friend's older brother whom she's always had a crush on. Where does his need come from? Not his love for her, but because he needs to marry in order to have complete control over the architectural firm his uncle left him. Their story is about how they fall in love while trying to face doubts in each other as well as their own. No matter how much they fight their attraction and try to keep it all business, this story proves that fate has a way of messing with the best laid plans.
Pros: There was good character development for the main characters. I really liked how well the background was developed,. They have a really long history and it is shown over and over again with their recollections of the past as they grew up together. And as adults, they both had their own problems to deal with, but they do so while reconnecting. There were some interesting scenarios, such as the card game. I enjoyed the little banters between the brother, sister, and the main girl. I thought it was cute how the girls ganged up on the guy. Go Girl Power!
Cons: There was also a lack of supporting character development. I wanted to read more about the sister since she is after all the middle person. I wonder about why she drifted apart from her brother. Did something happen? What about her date with the Count? Why did Alexa, the female lead, want to set her and the Count up? Is there something wrong with the sister's dating habits?
Overall, I thought it was a pretty good read.

The second book is His to Keep by Stephanie Julian and I'd rate it 7.5/10. This book is about a girl who was has always been in love with her best friend's older brother. The guy started noticing her when she turned 18 or so but kept his distance because he felt she would always be too young for him since they were 9 years apart. This all changes when he receives a threatening phone call and he becomes worried about her safety. They are thrust upon one another in more ways than one and become intimately involved.
Pros: Interesting plot that mixes looming threat and the passions of two people. The characters are quite entertaining as well.
Cons: I felt the ending a bit rushed. Right after the climax of the story - where the villain is revealed and captured, he proposes. I thought that was a bit weird. However, I suppose since they waited this long to be together, they just couldn't wait.

Between the two books, I'd say The Marriage Bargain has more of a family theme while His to Keep has a bit of a mystery theme. I enjoyed both books and look forward to reading other works by these authors.