Reading Fanatic Reviews
Contemporary RomanceThe Going Back Portal by Connie Lacy
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
The Going Back Portal*
Time Portal to Dark Time in American History
Kathryn, an investigative TV journalist, loves her grandmother, but thinks she is not quite in her right mind when she starts talking about seeing a Cherokee woman at a farm nearby. The problem is, there is no farm close to them. After investigating with Grandma, Kathryn changes her mind when she is transported back to the 1840s. Forest Water is a woman from that time who was left behind on the trail of tears and trapped on what used to be her family’s farmstead by a brutal white man. Kathryn keeps going back in time, wanting to help the young woman. Soon, she finds that more is at stake than the woman’s freedom and her life.
Will Kathryn be able to help the Cherokee woman? Can she keep the dangers at bay? Will Forest Water be free of the man harming her?
This book was well written. There’s a good mix of dialogue and narrative prose; she doesn’t hit you over the head with a lot of backstory all at once. The story unfolds naturally, as we learn along with Kathryn. It’s clear that Kathryn and her grandmother have a good relationship, even when Kathryn doesn’t believe her. It’s always lovely to see warm, intergenerational relationships. Oh, my goodness, poor Forest Water! What she had to go through! Even though this is fiction, it brings home the atrocities that happened at that time.
This book is a real page-turner. The author made the time travel aspect seem plausible. You can’t help but feel for these two women as they struggle against forces that are so strong. Yet, the fight is important. I loved how the author interwove romance relationships for both of the women into the plot. Something for them both to have hope for.
If you enjoy time travel and romance steeped in one of the dark times in America’s past, you might enjoy this very different take on time travel romance.
A Love For the Pages by Joy Penny
Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Kobo, Mondadori, and Angus & Robertson
A Love for the Pages*
Modern Woman Seeks Byronic Hero
June is coming back to her hometown after her first year of college. Her step-dad isn’t happy with the A’s and B’s she earned last semester; he wants her to follow in his footsteps in business, but she’s more into books and writing. Instead of having a relaxing summer off—as she’d hoped, but the step-dad nixed—June volunteers at the library. She meets an interesting group of characters there. June is a young woman who is enamored with Regency and Gothic novels, specifically Pride and Prejudice, Jane Eyre, and Wuthering Heights. She especially loves the heroes in these books. She happens to meet a young man who reminds her of the heroes of those novels all rolled into one modern-day person.
Will June’s stepfather stop giving her a hard time? Will she enjoy her time at the library? What will happen between her and Everett?
As someone who likes to read, especially similar books to June, this is a deliciously fun novel. The way she loves her paperbacks as well as her Kindle is just like me! I love how she is so immersed in her fictional world that she sees her real life through a fictional lens. Sometimes she is self-aware about this, but other times she is not. The plot arc of the book follows some of her favorites in literature, and that’s a real treat, too.
If you’re a person who enjoys reading Gothic and Regency literature, you might enjoy this author’s spin that brings elements of these into a contemporary new-adult story.
Three Last First Dates by Kate O’Keefe
Available at Amazon only
Free with Kindle Unlimited
Three Last First Dates*
A Last First Date for a Commitment Phobe?
Marissa is quite willing to admit that she is a commitment-phobe. Despite this, some time ago she made a pact with some girlfriends that their next date would be their last first date. In the previous two books of this series, two of her friends found their true loves. Marissa decides to ratchet the idea up a notch, and she plans three first dates for one day, figuring that her odds will be better if she can choose one last date from three of them! The book really picks up when she goes on these dates. She even starts to get a little self-awareness about the way she self-sabotages herself and relationships.
Will one of these men be her last first date? Or will an old boyfriend turn out to be her best choice? Will she make other insights into herself and her past?
Marissa was at times a comical character involved in funny situations (loved the dog slobber kiss!). The three very different dates and her reactions to them were a hoot to read. The author details them thoroughly. Oh, my gosh! Loved the first date with the mortician and his pride-and-joy project! She could be a bit shallow, like comparing all of the men she might be interested in to movie stars. I enjoyed reading her thoughts, actions, and reactions to all that happens to her as she tries to sort herself out and truly figure out what she wants. In her interactions with her chosen man, it is clear that she wrestles with her commitment phobia. I like it when even in a romance a character becomes more self-aware and grows and changes in a positive way. The end was simply awesome, as Marissa overcomes two, not one, fears.
I’ve enjoyed the three books in this series so far, though I think book two about Paige is still my favorite. I love that the author writes sexy and romantic stories that aren’t tawdry or laced with gratuitous sex and profanity. She writes fantastic, classy love stories with heroes and heroines that you can relate to easily and root for. Marissa’s story was fun yet insightful about the strange ways that we protect ourselves in ways that aren’t always in our best interest. That this was done with humor is a testament to the author’s skill.
Tempt the Beauty by Alexandra Banks
No preview or universal link available as currently this is only available in paperback.
Click on the cover above to be taken to the page at Amazon.com.
Tempt the Beauty*
Sudden Attraction and Family Machinations
Rosey just wants to have fun on her 24th birthday when she and her dog JT literally run into Wade, an ER Trauma surgeon. While JT gets friendly with Wade’s leg, Wade gets a little friendly with Rosie. He agrees to come to her birthday bash at a club. Before that, at a dinner with his parents, he is informed that they’ve set up a business merger with the expectation that he will marry the daughter of the other family, and she will run both companies. Wade is not too pleased about this, and neither is his Aunt Mel, who had always hoped her son would take over the family business since Wade wasn’t interested.
Will Wade’s family force him to marry this daughter to save the business? What about his new feelings for Rosey? What is Aunt Mel willing to do to get what she wants?
This book had a surprising amount going on for such a short novella. Too much, actually. Things are going on with both Rosey’s parents and Wade’s parents and their respective businesses as well as the romance. To fully appreciate all this, more time was needed with each of the elements. Wade and Rosey fell pretty quick for each other, which I understand is needed with such a complex plot that has been shoehorned into a novella, but it didn’t feel organic or natural. And, goodness, some of what Wade said to Rosey when they first met would make give nearly any woman the creeps! By the way, this is definitely a steamy read.
Hers From the Start (Multi-Author Anthology)
Hers From The Start*
Collection of Mostly Paranormal/Fantasy Starters of Reverse Harem Series
This is a delightful collection of reverse harem prequels or first in series books. I love anthologies like this that contain work by both authors I’m familiar with and ones who are new to me. Two of the books were by authors whom I know well, but I hadn’t read these particular works, so those were particularly fun finds.
Let me tell you a little about each book. Wolf Blessed follows the adventures of a fae princess who ran away and her wolf honor guard (who recently found her) as they struggle for survival in a post-apocalyptic world. A demi-goddess’s power finally comes to the surface in Winter Princess, but to understand it and get to her mother’s realm, she needs the help of her Guardians. A young woman feels cursed to feel the elements in a book called Cursed, but she finds fellow students with connections to the elements who help her appreciate this gift when she goes to college.
Riley, in the first of the Unseen series, still hasn’t moved beyond the tragedy of losing her spouse and child, in part because she has no answers about how it happened. Suddenly, her life is full of danger after someone claiming to be from the FBI shows up at her doorstep. Who can help her? Tricking the Beasts is a prequel involving a maid and royal princes in the Hybrid trilogy. Finally, the last book in the trilogy is the first book of the contemporary Redline series, which sets up the relationship between Kayla and her hockey-playing harem.
As you can tell, the book is mostly fantasy and paranormal RH. I found it fun to explore new series and some new authors. If you enjoy the RH concept, you might enjoy this starter pack as well.
Authors: Laura Greenwood, Skye McKinnon, Grace White, L. A. Boruff, Aleera Anaya Ceres, T. B. Mann
Friends without Benefits by Marci Bolden
Friends without Benefits*
Care and Support During and After Bitter Divorces
Another amazingly honest book from one of my new favorite authors, Marci Bolden. In this book, she explores the pain and suffering caused by divorce. Dianna, married for over 20 years, finds her husband in flagrante delicto with a young woman. On the day of her divorce proceedings, Dianna finds a stranger on her doorstep with an interesting proposition. The man is her husband’s mistress’s husband! Paul asks Dianna to testify at his divorce proceedings, as his wife is asking for alimony on the grounds that she never had a physical relationship with Dianna’s husband. Though it is difficult for her to relive that moment of seeing her husband’s infidelity, Dianna does this, as she saw it as ironic that she got no alimony after 20 years of raising her family and running their home. She and Paul develop an unusual friendship in which they decide to be supportive of each other as each has great sympathy and empathy for what the other is going through. Although it could be awkward to create circumstances for these two strangers to become involved in each other’s lives, the author did a good job a showing an organic grown of their relationship, including awkwardness and apologies, as well as support. Some scenes are emotionally wrenching, like when she decides to be the one to tell Paul of their soon-to-be ex-spouses’ engagement. Their families don’t know quite what to make of this relationship, her younger son being angry and his family thinking she is his next relationship.
I’ve been divorced myself, so the way she depicted the roller coaster of emotions that causes rings true. I wish I had a Paul during the aftermath of mine; support can be hard to come by during that time, as families don’t want to see you wallow and friends often don’t know what to say. Paul’s and Dianna’s story feels realistic in its hesitancy, but it is lovely to see their sincere care for each other. It was another book that I didn’t want to put down, as I kept wanting to see what would happen next as they both tried to move forward and create new lives. Beautifully done!
The Middle-Aged Virgin by Olivia Spring
The Middle-Aged Virgin*
Death of a Friend Triggers Heroine to Change Her Life Plan
Sophia appears to have it all. She has a thriving public relations business and has been in a long-term relationship with a decent guy. She’s busy all the time, jetting around the world for her clients. After the death of her good friend and mentor, Sophia realizes that she is not living as full of a life as she could. She is a workaholic, and there has been no spark (and no sex) between her and her boyfriend for a very long time. She decides to change this and writes herself a new life plan.
How will Sophia’s business fare when she decides to change things? Will she find passion (one of the items on her list)? Will she be able to fulfill her new plan?
This book follows the well-trodden path of certain chick lit novels. A woman, whether by choice or circumstance, decides to strike out on a new and potentially frightening course to see what more life has to offer her. The book had interesting secondary characters, and Sophia’s new life had all sorts of twists and turns that I enjoyed reading about. Her thoughts and reactions were a little off-kilter at times, which seemed to point up that, while she may be approaching 40, she isn’t as sophisticated or knowledgeable as she’d like to believe.
There were some odd tense and voice shifts in the section where she is writing her plan for her new life. The book is written in the past tense, and this part shifted into the present. In this section, too, it felt like the wall between reader and character was knocked down unintentionally by using *you* or making it seem as if Sophia was speaking directly to us, the readers. I found these two things a bit jarring in an otherwise enjoyable book.
Marrying Mars by Shay Quin
Marrying Mars*
The Bachelor: Mars Edition
We meet Billie after her friend convinces her to do a call-in show that use subterfuge to figure out if someone’s partner is cheating on them. We watch her devastation and public humiliation as she finds out that her friend is right; her boyfriend has been cheating on her., She moves out and retreats into herself, her only enjoyment being watching the reality TV show about the in-progress colonization of Mars. At the start of the new season, her celebrity crush on this show, Marsden, announces a spin-off show in which women will compete to be his bride; Earth citizens can pick the final 5, but Marsden gets the ultimate yeah or nay. Billie decides to enter. What does she have to lose?
How will Billie do in all the tests and competitions that are a part of the show? Can she make him notice her? Will she be able to develop real feelings for this man while he’s on Mars and she’s on Earth? Will she win?
The author did an excellent job of showing the state of Billie’s life before it all went downhill. It was a gripping scene to watch her go through that call-in show where she finds out about her boyfriend’s infidelity. I love that Billie is an unapologetically normal sized woman in a world where tinier is better. She is an empathetic character, and I love her humor, which is often self-deprecating. I actually did laugh out loud a few times. I found to be such an enjoyable, guilty-pleasure read with just that little bit different, but fascinating spin on something that we’re already familiar with. Fans of The Bachelor and The Bachelorette will enjoy this for sure!
The Road Leads Back by Marci Bolden
The Road Leads Back*
Breathtakingly Beautifully Written Tale of Coming Home To Love
Forty-something hippie chick artist, Kara, is blown away when she is touched on the shoulder by a man she hasn’t seen since their one-night stand nearly thirty years ago. They had each had a secret crush on each other during high school, and after a graduation party, acted on it. This resulted in a pregnancy that, through no fault of either of them, Harry never knew about. Their son, Phil, is a father of a young daughter with Down syndrome.
How will this play out for this long-fractured family unit? Can Kara give up her resentment and anger and allow Harry to get to know his son and granddaughter? How will Harry react to finding out that he is not only the father of a grown son but also a grandfather to a special needs girl? Will Phil accept Harry and allow him to know his daughter?
What an emotional ride! This author hit all the right buttons showing the varied and varying emotional responses of the primary characters. The pain expressed by them is raw and real. She deftly reveals the past slowly so the various parties can understand the impact of decisions made by others that affected this family unit. The author writes with an emotional honesty that is breathtaking to read. I tend to move quickly through books, as I am an avid and fast reader, but this book had me slowing down and immersing myself in the thoughts and feelings of these good people who had been kept apart. It is a real pageturner, though not in the action-filled sense we usually think of one.
On the book review site where I downloaded this book from, it was listed as both Contemporary Romance and Women’s Literature. I agree with these labels; categories at both review sites and online retailers are often inaccurate. If you read romance, you’ve read the second chance at romance and the secret child tropes before a gazillion times. But in this book, these themes are explored with emotional and psychological depth, which is more common in women’s literature. Kudos to the author for creating such three-dimensional characters and an in-depth backstory. For instance, it was beautiful to read Harry’s reaction as he was thumbing through Phil’s baby pictures.
One Last First Date by Kate O’Keefe
One Last First Date*
Literally Made Me Laugh Out Loud!
Cassie and her two best girlfriends make a pact on the beach. Whomever they go on a date with next will be the man they marry, their “last first date.” It took three months for one of them to finally make that move after some heavy-duty vetting and research of the man, Parker, a doctor. Cassie is working on a big project at work at this time as well, partnering with the number one sales agent in the office whom she considers to be a bit of a jerk, Will. The last first date starts off as a bit of a disaster when she accidentally punches her own nose trying to get her skirt uncaught. But the rest of the dinner goes well.
Will Parker, that hopeful last first date, truly be that? Does he have any old girlfriends lurking around in the past? What about Will? Will their project be successful without coming to blows or oneupsmanship?
This book was a very fun, light-hearted read. It is based in Australia. It’s written with a great deal of humor. I actually did laugh out loud at times! Sometimes at the situation Cassie had gotten herself into or her reaction to it. In a fun way that I love in good sitcoms, the author would occasionally create what would become an in-joke, as in she would set up fact early on and then used it to create a humorous situation. It is rare to see such a comedic device in a fluffy romance, so it was a delight.
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