Book Review: Dr No Commitment by Virginia Taylor

Thanks a lot for the ARC! This is the first medical romance i'm reading and it was interesting. I enjoyed author's writing, it is a beautifully written romance. 

A book cover summary -

A mischievous romantic comedy, about a man who’s always run from love and the girl who just might catch him.Ally was warned about Rohan Sinclair when she first moved to town – and she is determined she won’t let this gorgeous, model-dating doctor distract her from being the best nurse she can be. Problem is, this bad boy just happens to live in the room next door . . .It’s hard enough to resist his persistent charm at home; almost impossible when they are thrown together at work . . . But a little innocent flirting never hurt anyone, right?Wrong. Ally knows it’s a terrible idea to fall for a man who will never commit, but what if in every other way he’s her perfect guy?

Now, my opinion on the book - can't tell in one sentence, just have to give my whole experience on reading the book. First of all nice name 'Dr No Commitment' interesting,
which captures your attention and it was my motivation to choose this book. Yeah, so even though i decided to read this book, i was not much impressed with the blurb, i thought it is the same old romance between a good, sweet girl and a commitment-phobic guy, just with a scenario change! But, let me say i was in a mood to read a simple, easy romance which will just make you feel good, not much drama or conflicts. And this one was exactly what i needed and i enjoyed reading it very much.
I loved both Ally and Rohan, so perfect together! Ally was a sweet and so strong, she never wanders from the career path she had decided for herself. I enjoyed , the contrasts of her character - she was so confident in her career whereas she equally had a sensitive side, with little bit of insercurity. And Rohan...wow...he is a sweetheart...what we see on the surface and what was portrayed to others was just a screen , he is a great guy who was not really a commitment-phobic but was waiting for the right girl :) and when the right girl comes, he was all for it and was ready to do anything for her. It was a sweet romance...great chemistry, lots of funny scenes and interactions. Everything was enjoyable except Rohan keeps lots of secrets from Ally and that i did not like! It could have avoided some of the heartache for Ally. Anywas, even if there were lot of misunderstandings, the resulting HEA was that much sweet and worth the read.

I would rate the book as an 'i really liked it' read. Will definitely try to get hands on more books from Ms. Taylor.

****************  Received as ARC from NetGalley ******************

Book Review: It Must be Your Love by Bella Andre (Sullivans Series)

My favorite Sullivan series is back with a bang with Mia and Ford's romance. I loved the book cover and blurb. Check it out on goodreads - It Must be your Love by Bella Andre

Ms. Andre....you are the best!! Another spectacular novel from Bella Andre. Sullivan series is my all time favorite considering all the family based books i have read. And it is just amazing how the author could write each book in this series (this is the 10th one!!) so unique and beautiful romance in itself. We were already waiting for Mia's story from last one...so the anticpation was so high for me....and it was as expected a wonderful book. Mia and Ford had a one week affair five years ago, both of them fall for each other but, being a young, upcoming rock star Ford (mainly being stupid) breaks Mia's heart and leaves her! Now, after five long years, Ford has finally realized, what he was not admitting to himself, the empty hole in his heart can only be filled by Mia's love. So he vows to do anything and everything it takes to win her heart again and bring her back to his life. Here the story starts, and its a beautiful journey how Ford wins back Mia and they finally understand how strong their connection is and how they become best friends to each other.
When i started reading the book, by first few chapters itself, we were clear about Ford's feelings and how much he loved Mia and how he was ready to leave everything for a life with Mia, i thought the book will be like a novella as the wooing can't extend for a lot of pages but i was so wrong, it was not at all easy to woo back Mia, we can understand her thoughts and fears due to their past(for that you have read it yourself!) and it was entertaining the whole book!! I loved how the author included the Sullivan wedding - Marcus and Nicola's in this book, i was so happy to read about all the previous characters...it was a fantastic get-together , the wedding in Napa valley!
Hmmm....at many points, i was surprised by the turn of events, even when i was expecting something predictable for instance, when Ford suggest a solid friendship with Mia, it was so sweet and was a right step in the direction to get to Mia's heart! There are so many moments like this, sweet and wonderful moments, especially at the end, the conflicts Mia suffers as she thinks of letting go the person she loves with her heart and soul, lovely!! Anywas, a feel-good romance which made me whole heartedly happy. 

I rate the book as Excellent.

If you are thrilled to read the book, visit the below links and buy a copy -

#Amazon Kindle: http://amzn.to/1cSI7II
#Apple iBooks: http://bit.ly/187ND6x
Barnes & Noble Nook: http://bit.ly/1b820On
#Kobo: http://bit.ly/1fk9kpe
#Smashwords: http://bit.ly/19GQSlc
#Amazon Canada: http://amzn.to/1b7XHCM
#Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/17MGd92
#Amazon Australia: http://bit.ly/18PG19e

Book Review: Blue Lines by Toni Aleo (Assassins Series)

Blue Lines by Toni Aleo is one of the Assassins series book i was eagerly waiting for.  I love Nashville Assassins with the hunky hockey jocks. I am a great fan of sport romance novels, it is one of my favorite genres. And this book has become one of my favorite books.

Here is a short summary of the book:

Opposites do more than just attract in Toni Aleo’s latest Nashville Assassins novel about a very bad boy and the good girl he can’t resist. The instant Piper Allen sees Erik Titov, she wants him—wants his rock-hard body, sure, but the strength and mystery that lies behind that superstar hockey jock demeanor, too. So when he sidles up to her at a bar and slinks his arm around her waist, she’s lost. What follows is the wildest night of her life . . . followed by inevitable heartbreak the next morning. And then, a few weeks later, a very big surprise: two blue lines on a pregnancy test. Only a check to the head could make Erik fall for a nice girl like Piper. But since their crazy-sexy night together, he’s been trying to forget about her alluring body by falling into bed with every woman in Nashville, and it’s not working. So when Piper shows up at his house with a baby-bomb to drop, it doesn’t take much for Erik to suggest the nuclear option: marriage. While it’s supposed to be all for show, the second they say “I do,” the ice between them starts to melt into sizzling steam.

My review:

Blue Lines is a wonderful romance with deeply emotional characters and a beautiful narration. The story is about hockey player Erik Titov and sweet girl Piper Allen, a made for each other pair. Before i write more about the story, i really want to mention the thing i liked most about the book and which i think makes this book different from the previous ones in the series and that is our male lead, Erik's character. I loved and enjoyed Shea, Lucas and Tate BUT, they were so perfect, perfect boyfriend/husband....it was too sweet for me, most of the time their female counterparts were not much great opposed to their heroes. Erik is a super-cute character, not a perfect one but with lots of different shades to his character. I just enjoyed reading Erik Titov evolving into a real hero from a not-so-impressive character. 

Piper, as we already know, is very kind, sweet girl who always generously help others (especially her sisters, and i felt a little irritation towards Harper and Reese, but at the end they redeemed) and loves unconditionally. Wow! she was so sweet, i mean, i did not understand how she could love someone so unconditionally even though that person most of the time was a jerk...yes...a real jerk, or first class idiot, obviously i'm talking about Erik. But, as i already said, he is not what he seems to be in the first half. And once Erik and Piper marry each other, we can see why Piper loves him, how he can be so sweet and caring sometimes. And it was really unfortunate what happened to him when he was a kid and its really painful to read his story, we can really understand why he hides behind his bad playboy perona and he is not the person he tries to show others. The novel was an emotional roller coaster ride for me, i cried at some places, for Piper who was in love with someone who can't seem to love in return and for Erik, what he suffered from his own parents. But, it was fine as i love my books when it makes me feel emotions, not only happy ones but sad ones also. Finally, Erik and Piper also gets their happily ever after when  Piper changes the whole persona of Erik and how he realizes and accepts his destiny which is Piper, and stops fighting it! Still, some places, even after a 360 degree character change in Erik, he was so confusing and annoying as hell, i really wanted to smack him and instill some good sense in him.
Anyways, everything was perfect at the end, especially the last chapters, really appreciate Ms. Aleo for not abruptly finishing the story, for giving us a big happily-ever-after chapters (still not enough, i need more), it was so cute, especially the delivery chapter...loved it. Even though the novel was big, it was fast-paced mainly because of the wonderful writing by Ms. Aleo. That is something in have noticed in her novels, it capture your full attention and you won't be satisfied till you read it completely. Okay, I think that is enough spoilers for one day, even though i am not ready to stop admiring the book but, i have to, otherwise it will spoil your read :). Oh, Just one more thing, i forgot to mention about Philip , a nice insight provided by the author to Philip's character in this book and i loved him - he was a great best friend to Erik and a charming guy. Alla and Cooper, Erik's adoptive parents were other two characters that i loved and i enjoyed the relationship between Erik and his parents.
You know, the best part of the book was the final chapters and epilogue (ahhh how many times am i mentioning this but it is really cute), and we have some funny scenes, serious laugh material, just thinking about it brings a smile on my face. The book really made me emotional and happy at the same time and i'm glad i read this. My rating for the book is 4.5, you will be thinking why it is not 5 if i liked it so much, it is just because at some parts, Erik irritated me like anything with his confusing thinking and it made me pull my hair off! thats why a 4,5 :) . Otherwise, a smooth and very statisfying read for me.

I'm really thankful for receiving the ARC copy of Blue Lines from NetGalley. Waiting for the original release.

Book Review: Leo by Mia Sheridan

A beautiful, intense read for people who crave romantic happily ever afters and obviously, i'm one of them. Leo is one of the best books i have read. How can i miss the review for this one! 

A short Summary from book cover: 

Evie and Leo met in foster care as children and formed a bond of friendship. As they grew, their bond turned to love and they vowed to make a life together when they turned 18 and were no longer a part of the system.

When Leo unexpectedly gets adopted as a teen and he moves to another city, he promises Evie that he will contact her as soon as he gets there and come back for her in a few short years. She never hears from him again.

Now eight years later, in spite of the odds, Evie has made a life for herself. She has a job, she has friends, she’s content. Then a man shows up out of the blue, claiming that her long lost love, Leo, sent him to check up on her. The attraction between them is undeniable. But, should she trust this sexy stranger? Or is he keeping a secret about what his connection to Leo is really all about and why Leo disappeared all those years ago?

My Review:

Excellent book!! Beautiful work with a beautiful cover by new author Mia Sheridan. Leo is a very intense, emotional, love story. I had read lot of reviews about the book and I was eager to read the book, so much that i stopped whatever i was reading earlier and dived into this. Both the story and characters are so deep, you will be immersed in the book till the end. It is like once you start reading the book, you are pulled into a different world and i felt as if iam in Leo’s and Evie’s world, was only able to come out when i finished the book.
I loved Evie - sweet, caring, forgiving…she is one of the best female character i have read! I also loved both Leo’s and Jake’s characters - characters with lot of strong feelings. I’m not going to tell much about the story because i think it would be a spoiler…when i read reviews first before reading the book, it was a spoiler for me and i got an idea about the storyline. But, the beautiful dialogues and the deep romance in the story were really a pleasant surprise for me. The love relationship in the story  is something that they develop when they are in their worst situation, which they develop as a sweet friendship and turns into a life-long romance. It was really sweet and enticing. As the author says, the romantic couple complete each other, just made for each other!!
Mia Sheridan has written the book beautifully, with lot of sweet, romantic dialogues. I can’t even quote any one dialogue as my favorite, as there are lots of beautiful lines in the book.

So, overall, a must-read book for die-hard romance book-lovers and did i mention a happily-ever-after epilogue of the book….its wonderful!! I rate it as an excellent book by Mia Sheridan!!

Book Review: Love Irresistibly by Julie James

Julie James is one of my favorite author. And this FBI/Attorney series...OMG...its wonderful...and Love Irresistibly is the latest from the series and a beautiful read.

 

A short summary from book cover:

HE’S USED TO GETTING WHAT HE WANTS…

A former football star and one of Chicago’s top prosecutors, Assistant U.S. Attorney Cade Morgan will do anything to nail a corrupt state senator, which means he needs Brooke Parker’s help. As general counsel for a restaurant company, she can get a bug to the senator’s table at one of her five-star restaurants so the FBI can eavesdrop on him. All Cade has to do is convince Brooke to cooperate—and he’s not afraid to use a little charm, or the power of his office, to do just that.

AND WHAT HE WANTS IS HER.

A savvy businesswoman, Brooke knows she needs to play ball with the U.S. Attorney’s office—even if it means working with Cade. No doubt there’s a sizzling attraction beneath all their sarcastic quips, but Brooke is determined to keep things casual. Cade agrees—until a surprising turn of events throws his life into turmoil, and he realizes that he wants more than just a good time from the one woman with whom he could fall terrifyingly, irresistibly in love . .

My review:

Love Irresistibly…the latest book from FBI/US Attorney series is a wonderful romantic book. I felt the story was somewhat realistic. A modern-day heroine, Brooke Parker, is smart, witty, ambitious and with a bold attitude towards everything girl, is a successful businesswoman and lawyer for the famous Sterlings Restaurant. I enjoyed her character a lot….the way she proves herself in life by becoming a successful lawyer is really admirable. Cade Morgan…wow….smart, very charming and successful Assistant US Attorney….i loved their chemistry! Both Cade and Brooke are perfect for each other. They start their relationship as casual, but slowly become more close to each other than they expected. The romance was sweet…the funny inside jokes, sarcastic quips and conversations were fun to read. The conflicts they faced…with Brooke’s job with which she was always busy, with not much time for a personal life and Cade’s father issues which always made him ‘emotionally unavailable’ were realistically portrayed in the book. I enjoyed how Ms.James gave equal importance in the book to their professional lives with their day to day problems as well to their love story. The secondary characters Ian, Vaughn, Huxley and obviously, Cade’s brother Zach were great. How could i miss Ford, he was lovely and a wonderful best friend to Brooke…a great romantic read!!

My Rating:  4/5

Book Review: Perfect Timing by Jill Mansell

Perfect Timing, the second book i read by Jill Mansell is a perfect read and the title is apt for the story, i enjoyed reading it. Here is the book cover summary for you: 

Summary:

When you meet the man of your dreams on girls night out, it’s hardlyPerfect Timing In this fresh and funny contemporary romance by bestselling author Jill Mansell, Poppy Dunbar’s whole life gets turned upside down after a chance encounter with a handsome stranger…

Never a troublemaker, Poppy had always been content with the way things were supposed to be donewhich included marrying predictable Rob McBride. But that was before she met Tom Kennedy the night before her wedding. Could she really be falling in love with a stranger?

Unable to forget Tom, or go through with the wedding, Poppy runs off to London. Her new life and colorful friends are anything but predictable. Misunderstandings, family secrets, and jealous quarrels ensue, but can Poppy stop running long enough to figure out whator, rather, whois in her heart?

My Review:

Poppy has become one of my favorite heroine, she is easygoing, funny, always cheerful, caring and sweet. Never a troublemaker, Poppy had always been content with the way things were supposed to be done which included marrying predictable Rob McBride. But that was before she met Tom Kennedy the night before her wedding. Even though she wanted a content family life which she had not got from her father (whom she comes to know later is not her biological father), she realizes she might have fallen in love with a stranger and cannot go through the wedding. So, after cancelling her wedding, Poppy runs off to London to a new life and in search of her real father. It becomes really entertaining in London when Poppy faces a whole new unpredictable life and colorful friends. Juggling between two jobs, one in a antiques shop whose owner is Jake and a part-time catering job, Poppy comes across Caspar French, the gorgeous and very much irresponsible painter, and his roommate Claudia. Claudia, constantly unlucky in love, is the slightly chubby and dissatisfied daughter of two glamorous movie stars. Poppy, Claudia and Casper all come together and then lot of misunderstandings, family secrets, and jealous quarrels ensue that makes the book more interesting. I loved Casper’s character, even though he is irresponsible and a playboy, he is nice at heart. I enjoyed reading Poppy and Casper’s friendly banters. Jake is also a good character, nicely created by the author, even though a little nerdy , was entertaining. But, Claudia, i hated her, most of the time she was a bitch towards Poppy only because Poppy was so cheerful and i did not like it a bit. Finally, after lot of searching, Tom is found, and as Poppy was waiting for the moment from first, she thinks she has got her perfect mate in Tom. But, slowly Poppy realizes may be ‘love at first sight’ was just a beautiful concept, not enough for a happy life that she wants. I liked Tom’s character, he was ok, but what i felt was he was not right for Poppy, i mean he was trying to make Poppy into an entirely different person, a stepford wife for his successful architect life.
Anywas, at the end everything is perfect as it should have been and i don’t have to say who will be Poppy’s perfect mate, obviously you can guess now!! The last scene was a good one when Casper surprises Poppy by taking her to their own marriage. One more thing , Casper is also having his own pov, and that was best as we could know what he was thinking and why he was doing the things he did!
Overall, the novel just captures your full interest and you cant keep it away until you finish reading it. A great chick-lit novel!!

Book Review: Home to Whiskey Creek by Brenda Novak

Home to Whiskey Creek was a full length interesting read for me. And i enjoyed Ms. Novak's formula of writing a strong romantic plot with a interesting story with substance. I can happily say that this was my favorite book out of the whole series! The name of the book and the book quote "Sometimes home is the refuge you need-and sometimes it isn't."  was very apt based on the storyline.

The book is Addy and Noah's love story and the struggles Addy has to overcome to get her happily ever after.
Adelaide Davies, Addy as friends and family calls her, who has been living in Sacramento, returns to Whiskey Creek, the place she once called home. She's there to take care of her aging grandmother and to help with Gran's restaurant, Just Like Mom's. But Adelaide isn't happy to be back. There are too many people here she'd rather avoid, people who were involved in that terrible June night fifteen years ago when she was attacked. Ever since the graduation party that changed her life, she's wanted to go to the police and make sure the boys responsible-men now-are punished. But she can't, not without revealing an even darker secret. So it's better to pretend nothing has happened but she is still having nightmares.. Now about our male lead,Noah Rackham, a professional mountain biker, popular, attractive, successful, is shocked when Adelaide won't have anything to do with him. He has no idea that his very presence reminds her of something she'd rather forget. He only knows that he's finally met a woman he could love.

I loved Addy and Noah's character, Addy is a strong person. She has suffered so much in her life because of her past,leaving her home and settling somewhere else, a failed marriage but still when she comes back, she is ready to forget the past and move forward in her life. She has a big and forgiving  heart.Even when she had a big crush on Noah when they were teenagers, she tries to stay away from him for his own good when he was clearly interested in her. Noah whereas, was a commitment-phobic, easygoing playboy, but the moment he saved Addy from the mine in the first chapter, he realized a connection between them and he worked till he convinced her his feelings were real for her and did not disappoint her till the end when she needed him the most. Then also, there was the relation between Noah and Baxter, as who have read the series already know, the tension was there from the previous books, but was efficiently handled in this book and their friendship (at least from Noah's pov :)), was wonderful!!

When i started reading this, i thought of another book i have read with a similar storyline...Breath of Scandal by Sandra Brown. Because the other book was an intense read for me, i expected a similar, repetitive story with this but, i was so mistaken, this Whiskey Creek book is entirely different and beautifully written by Ms. Novak. Actually, there are lot more to write about this book, but i don't want to reveal too much of the story!! So, read it yourself and enjoy.

Book Review: Hollywood Ever After by Sasha Summers

It is a long, long time since i have posted a book review in my blog. I was just busy with some personal problems and honestly, i read a lot of books but nothing captured my mind as my favorite, so was waiting something worth to post. And this is one of them which i enjoyed with my whole heart.

Recently, i have become a big fan of celebrity romances. Whenever i see one, i just add it to my goodreads bookshelves. Hollywood Ever after was one of the book i just added when i read synopsis of a celebrity hero in love with a  divorcee.
The story was predictable, not at all realistic...a complete fantasy romance , something a fairy tale romance, and that is why i loved the book and enjoyed it whole heartedly. A single praise for the book from me, Hollywood Ever After is a feel-good romance start to end. Even though the romance was a fairy tale kind, the characters were almost realistic...i loved both Josh and Claire. And i admired Claire...she is so strong...a good role model for all the women who has faced similar situations in life. Even though, she was in a abusive marriage for a very long time, she was brave to come out of it and she did it when she realized the single reason she had to leave her husband for kids. I loved how Claire was with her kids - Natalie and Will. Both were great kids especially Will...he was so cute and adorable...!! Now, our hero, Josh, what to say about him....he was the perfect prince for Claire....and awesome. He was a very sweet character, he knew what he wanted in life, something real which was difficult to find in Hollywood but he realized it the moment he meets Claire that she is the one for him. Once Josh decides, till the end, he sticks with Claire, a very consistent character and i loved him for that!
I enjoyed all other secondary characters mainly Claire's mom...a very sweet mom, always supportive of her daughter!!
This was having a bit of common plot line but still was a nice, sweet read for romance lovers!!

Book Review: The Bet by Rachel Van Dyken

I saw this book in the 2013 new releases list and after reading the synopsis, just grabbed it and book was just fantastic. No single word to describe about the book...it was a mixture of everything...sweet , funny, refreshing! I finished the book in a single read till morning 3am. Ms. Rachel has done a great work - my best wishes to her.
I enjoyed the book very much for its funny, hilarious dialogues. Really entertaining! And i want to tell a bit about the story also....i loved the situations created in the book and how the author has beautifully sketched the storyline. The characters are nicely depicted.
Kacey, Travis and Jake are just wonderful, i loved each of their characters. Kacey's world was turned upside down after a fateful night where she not only loses her best friend but also her parents. Jake has always been Kacey's best friend and protector from not just his older brother who terrorized her as a kid, but also mean high school girls who did not understand their relationship. Travis, Jake's older brother, has a big crush on Kacey from their childhood. He teased and tortured Kacey as he was not able to express his feelings properly and also, he thought he was her saviour by slaying dragons (created by himself) for her (so cute and sweet:) thinking ). A few years later, after the falling out with Jake, Kacey gets a call from her ex-best-friend, Jake who is a millionaire playboy and heir to the Titus throne, with a proposition to be his fake fiancee for a weekend so that he can save his image in front of press and family. Kacey agrees to play the role for the sake of Jake's family and especially his grandma who she loves more than anything. Now, when Kacey and Jake comes to the family home....the story becomes really interesting as Travis, Kacey's nemesis, is also there the whole weekend. From there, it is lot of funny dialogues and sweet conversations between Travis and Kacey which will make you laughing out loud and happy at heart. I loved how they both develop their relationship and understand each other's feelings, and it was so cute to see their fights, very enjoyable. 
Travis's 85 years old grandma is a fantastic character , makes you laugh a lot, her affair with her neighbor was awesome :). This book was a refreshing experience for me. When you start the first chapters, you will think the story is going on the best-friends turned lover track, but it was a change from all such stories when we meet Travis. And you will love it, it makes the story more entertaining. It would be really unfair not to mention Jake, even though this is not his story but he has a equal role in this book - Ms. Rachel has created a great character in Jake, you will love and hate him at the same time. And because some chapters have Jake's point-of-view, it will help you to know him and understand why he is doing the things he does.
All in all...a romantic read with lots to laugh. It was an excellent read for me!!
  

Book Review: Making Chase by Lauren Dane

Lauren Dane's Chase series was on my to-read list for a long time. I love family series, love reading family drama/dynamics mixed with romantic stories. But, when you start a series , you have to read all the books in the same order from the series otherwise it is won't be much enjoyable. And that was the reason, i started reading this series now only when i wanted some spicy dose of family dramas.

Making Chase is the final book in the Chase Series and this was the best one among all the four books of the series.  The three other books of  Chase brothers - Kyle, Shane and Marc was ok to read bot bot much enjoyable for me. But this one, wow, I loved reading this book especially because of the female protagonist - Tate. The book was sweet and emotionally touching.

From the goodreads summary:

Matt is an expert and the Chase is on. Tate doesn't stand a chance.

Tate Murphy is a girl from the wrong side of the tracks. She grew up a million miles away from the easy life Matt Chase has had. She's spent her life pulling herself and her siblings up and out of that trailer by the railroad tracks and she hasn't looked back. 
Matt Chase is a dream of a guy and she's certainly not going to turn down a short fling with one of the most handsome men she's ever seen! Matt Chase has watched each one of his brothers find love and he knows he's ready for that too. It's all a matter of finding the woman who captures his heart. He's certainly sampled his fair share of them but none has moved him the way Tate Murphy does when he goes to her shop to thank her for some cookies and a thank you note.
But as Matt gets to know Tate and appreciate her strength and unique beauty, he also realizes she's got some big self esteem issues about her past. To build a future, he's got to find a way past some big road blocks.

Tate Murphy - she is one of the best female character i have enjoyed reading. She is beautiful - not stunning beautiful but, beautiful at heart, funny, intelligent, compassionate and etc etc. The character of Tate is really admirable, even having a rough childhood because of abusive alcoholic parents, she took care of her siblings and pulled them and herself from the worst situations. She has made a successful life for herself as a hairdresser and owns a family salon. She is always self-conscious as she had been emotionally tortured by her father, but she is so strong that she is always ready to face the new challenges of life. Now, what to say about Matt Chase, i love all Chase brothers, they are so charming and irresistible. Each had their own good personalities, but Matt is my favorite. He is a firefighter who has daily challenges in his professional life but his personal life is boring, easy. He had everything easy in life, but he is searching for the right soul mate who challenges him to be a better person and he has found that in Tate. Matt is smitten with Tate when he first sees her in her salon laughing, he is attracted to her personality and gets to know her better by spending more time with her during lunch time. He is determined and patient to bring Tate into his life. Tate is also attracted to Matt but she has her own past that she is ashamed of and also self esteem issues but with Matt, realizing his sincerity and love, she is ready to lead her life as she deserves. The romance is sweet, but there were lot of problems with town people harassing Tate and small fights but both Matt and Tate understood each other and were able to overcome them together.The other characters in the story - Tate's overprotective siblings, sometimes they were irritating but understandable as they only cared for Tate's happiness.

At last not the least, how can i not mention the Chases - a wonderful, supportive family. They embrace Tate and her siblings to their home. And Polly chase is the best mother-in-law ever. All the chase brothers and their wives from other books of the series also have small roles in the book, they were great.

My favorite scene from the book was when after a huge fight with Tate, Matt returns home to find Tate cleaning the bathroom tile with his toothbrush, that was really funny. I loved it . And i loved how Matt always call Tate  'Venus', it was sweet. 
A recommended read for romance lovers!! It would be better if you read the whole series at a time but this one as a stand alone will be enjoyable on its own! 

Book Review: From Rags by Suzanne Wright

From last 5 minutes iam thinking of something to write about this book....but i just can't express my feelings on this wonderful book!! From Rags is one of the best books i have read!! And that also after saying, the storyline is a common, simple love story. But I'm quite impressed by the author and her writing style, the main characters  of the book - Jaxxon and Connor were fabulous - i don't have words to tell about them. Fantastically depicted characters by Ms. Suzanne Wright, I loved each of them!!

A short summary to the book:

There has only been three people in Jaxxon Carter's life who truly mattered to her. Her mum, who committed suicide. Her sister, who she hasn’t seen since her teens. And Connor McKenzie, who disappeared from her life the same day he left their foster home. The hardest part of that was that he never completely left her life because she was forever seeing him on T.V. or in magazines as a Formula One Driver. But Jaxxon refuses to live a ‘woe is me’ life, even in spite of living alone in her one-roomed flat and being expected to survive on a ridiculously low income. Then one night she is offered a modelling job and before she knows it she has been catapulted to the peak of success, gaining fame, fortune and security. Oh and a stalker.
Connor McKenzie is busy trying to shake off his crazy ex-girlfriend - another woman who thought she could get around his no marriage rule - when he sees Jaxxon on the cover of a magazine. Remembering how close they had once been, he’s shocked when she doesn’t respond to his attempts to contact her and then acts indifferently to him when they meet. But Connor can’t let it go. The only reason he had kept his hands off her ten years ago was that she had been younger than him. Now that they’re adults, he isn’t prepared to allow anything - not even Jaxxon - to stop him from having her.

The story is about how Jaxxon Carter, grown up with a foster care past, endures all the worst sufferings life can ever give at a very young age and becomes a successful model and finds her true love in the end (childhood crush reunited) - a kind of rags-to-riches story.

Jaxxon .....I adored her!! She is so different and unique, the best one word description for her is real, than any other female characters i have read, I really enjoyed her character. Jaxxon is everything a woman should be, strong, beautiful, kind, loving and the best quality is she is so bold...speaks her heart to anyone and everywhere, a not at all attention-seeking, down-to-earth character. Still, there are so many things to Jaxx's character, i cant tell in words. I loved all her dialogues, it was funny and entertaining. Connor.....a F1 race car driver, from a broken home, raised in foster care, temperamental and sometimes short-tempered. Initially i did not like him at all, he was so possessive and controlling towards Jaxxon but still he was a lovable character, gentle and caring most of the time. Both Jaxxon and Connor are not sweet or soft characters, as they have both suffered a hard past, but they become successful in life because of their strong personalities and never failing attitude. Their relationship also starts with a strong attraction, lot intense and steamy romance , but at the end realize their forever love for each other. Even though Connor took a long, long time to realize his love, it was wonderful when he realized and acted on it.  I loved how Connor does not allow his friend to call Jaxxon 'Jaxx' as he tells only he is allowed to call her Jaxx. There are lot of local slang dialogues and funny conversations between Jaxx and Connor which entertains us a lot!

The secondary characters - Ollie, Richie, Tony, Anna and Dane were great. The stalker angle was okay, not much contributing to the story, but for Jaxx she was able to lighten some of her past burdens. I just thought the multiple POVs was not a good idea...sometimes it was confusing when suddenly the pov changes from one person to other without any warning. Otherwise, an enticing recommended read for everyone!!

Oh ...i forgot to say one thing... the epilogue...was the best part of the book where we get a glimpse of the HEA life of Jaxx and Connor and it was superb!! Enjoy!!

Book Review: Playing James by Sarah Mason

Recently, I have been reading lot of chick-lits.....and i was kind of over-dosed with it. So, i decided that i need a change in scenario and thought of reading some romantic novels. Keeping that in mind, i selected a book with a good plot - Playing James. But, when i started reading it, i realized it was actually a chick-lit and had only the female point-of-view which i don't like much. Anyways, Playing James was not what i expected as a typical chick-lit - it was refreshing, funny and entertaining.

The main character - Holly Colshannon has a flair for the dramatic, a nose for trouble, and the remarkable ability to smile through any indignity. She is the new crime reporter for Bristol Gazette who has a quirky and lovely, confident persona. Her latest crime assignment is to shadow the unsmiling, though gorgeous  Detective James Sabine through his action-packed days, and then capture all the danger and thrills of a cop’s life in a daily column for the paper. Even though Holly gets her own byline, delectable James Sabine is not happy to work with a reporter. But, then, that makes the story interesting, the bickering interactions between James and Holly and their slowly developing friendship.

The story was a normal predictable one but, i enjoyed it a lot, Sarah Mason has written the story beautifully. The best thing about the book was it made me laugh and smile a lot. Normally, in chick-lits, i have seen the hero character is almost non-existent, but Playing James has a strong hero character. James is very caring and loving even though he was grouchy and grumpy most of the time.I loved Holly and James as a couple, they were great. Only problem for me was the way they ended the book, i did not like the change in Holly's character, she is so confident in everything in life but when she falls in love she becomes exact opposite...very vulnerable....and James also takes a long time in deciding what he exactly wants. There was a little drag at the end but otherwise, it was a enjoyable read.

When i read the book, i could not resist sharing my opinion of the book even if it was an old book. It will be worth your time if you try this fun-filled romantic book!!

Book Review: Midnight Fear by Leslie Tentler

Midnight Fear is the latest romantic suspense thriller i have read recently. I love suspense thrillers for a change when i get overdosed with romance novels. And this book is an chilling and intriguing suspense thriller by Leslie Tentler who is a first time author with her Chasing Evil Trilogy series (Midnight Fear is the second one of the series and the best one). I expected a story with a serial-killer plot as most of the thriller goes but this one was different with a surprising suspense.

Synopsis from GoodReads:

The still of the night is once again shattered by Caitlyn Cahill's recurring nightmare—her brother standing before her, gripping a butcher knife, his eyes black with hatred. Two years ago, the former Washington, D.C., socialite defied her powerful senator father and risked the ruin of her family by helping the FBI link her troubled brother to a string of horrific murders. "The Capital Killer" was sent to prison for life…and Caitlyn's entire world fell apart. Now, FBI agent Reid Novak is forced to rend the peace Caitlyn has found on a rural Virginia horse farm. A copycat killer is on the loose and slowly toying with Caitlyn—his ultimate target—in a terrorizing cat–and–mouse game. Almost destroyed two years ago by Caitlyn's family, not to mention the Capital Killer's haunting final murder, Reid vows to save the woman he's never forgotten or die trying.

In this book, Ms. Tentler brings us a suspense thriller which has a serial-killer who is copying Joshua Cahill's , 'the Capitol Killer' horrific murders and is trying to finish what Joshua started—and Caitlyn, Joshua's sister is the main target of his fantasies. 

Caitlyn, an adopted daughter to a US Senator, defies her family and helps the FBI to expose her brother. After her infamous brother's arrest, she loses her whole family and leaves her socialite world to start an equine therapy program in a Virginia farm. But, after two years of trying to rebuild her life in isolation, she again gets dragged into the investigation when her brother's copycat killer is on loose. FBI Agent Reid Novak was the investigating officer for Capitol killer case and is the FBI link whom Caitlyn helps in catching Joshua. Now, once again Reid is there to assist and protect Caitlyn, whom he still have strong feelings for. 

Both the characters, Caitlyn and Reid are loving, caring persons with a strong attraction to each other from first but due to life's worst circumstances, had to continue through their own different path. When once they meet again after two years, they realize the depth of their feelings and develop a strong relationship. At first, Reid was hot and cold towards Caitlyn, but it was understandable as Reid was faithful to his job and gave his job the high priority but later due to his illness and recuperation and all, he realizes his priorities of life. I loved their relationship, it was not a suddenly developed one based on impulsive attraction , but a relation developed on understanding and care which develops into love. Even though there is not much as a romance plot, Caitlyn and Reid are really good together throughout the book.

Ms. Tentler keeps you mesmerized through the whole book till the end. The suspense is really twisty and intriguing. Both Joshua and his copycat are so creepy and evil, it keeps you engaging to find out who the copycat is. And as expected by author, the end surprises us. The author's writing style is admirable. I had read her third book in this trilogy - Edge of MidNight and that was also good, but this one i liked more. I hope she writes more novels for suspense genre.

Highly recommended for thrilling suspense book readers.

Book Review: First You Plz by Nisha Takur

"First to Plz" is a sweet and simple story about an immature girl. The book was very short, i could finish it in just three hours. 

The female character of the novel, Avanti is a sweet girl who is very homesick as she is away for MBA at her new college. Her best friends Meenakshi and Rachana are with her in her new journey. Here, she meets Akash, a handsome boy, whom she falls in love at first sight. He is adorable and Avanti is unable to take her eyes off him, why she herself doesn't know. She feels that Akash is her first love and secretly nurtures the dream that he will propose to her first. The story goes on from there as Avanti tries to know what is in Akash's mind and if he is interested in her,  will he understand her feelings and who will propose first!

In my opinion, the story was very shot and sweet, Avanti as the author herself has depicted as a immature girl, i felt she is more sensitive than immature in most of the book. As she is away from her parents, very homesick, it is natural she tries finding comfort in her friends. When she starts falling for Akash, even for a very small thing he says or does, she feels hurt. I think it sometimes happens someone you love tease you or make fun of you, it will hurt your feelings, i think it is because of that particular age. But, then, there were some things in the novel which i felt was very immature behavior like when she cries because Akash tells her she is cute and not beautiful.Also, there is not much insight into Akash's feelings or thoughts in the book but as the author has depicted the story as Avanti's story, it was ok! But i always love a story when both the character's have their own point-of-view. Otherwise, it was ok, a page-turning book, author has tried to create an interest from the first page. But, still when i finished the book, i felt like there was not much as a story, i like books with a solid storyline. One more i felt was, the end was abrupt, it would have been nice if there was something more at the end, some more pages with the happy ending.

All in all, First you Plz is a sweet read if you prefer a simple, not much time-consuming read. I liked reading it. It was a nice debut novel by Nisha Thakur.

Book Review: The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

The Best Man is the one of the best book i have ever read. I loved Kristan Higgins writing. This has become one of my favorite Ms. Higgins book.
It is funny, sweet, and entertaining with lot of interesting characters and a good plot.

GoodReads Summary:

Sometimes the best man is the one you least expect?

Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she's ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family's vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there's some great scenery there?.

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief and best friend of her former fiancé. There's a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it's not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she's having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.

Faith is a lovable, sweet person who lost her mother at a young age and still carries the grief in her life as she thinks she was responsible for her mother's accident, which affects all her important decisions in life. Her most important decision of life being marrying Jeremy, who was her high school sweetheart and town doctor who was a perfect man but she gets jilted at the altar when he announces himself as gay. She always did good things for others to make them happy without caring for her happiness so that she can forgive herself. Thatsy she never use to understand Levi Cooper who seemed not to like her and always felt Levi was the one who ruined her marriage by outing his best friend.

Levi always thought of Faith as "Princess super-cute - spoiled, irritating and ditzy", but he was attracted to her even when she was her best friend's fiancee.
Now, after 3 years, Faith as a successful landscape designer has come back to her hometown Blue Heron to do a work on their Holland barn and end up as a next door neighbor to Levi. When both start getting to know each other, they realize what they thought about each other was far from the truth and their feelings for each other are deep. They start falling for each other and it is the best part of the story, a sweet romantic part - it is amazing.

I would say the book is lovely, the depiction, Ms. Higgins writing style and the characterizations are fabulous. Lot of humorous dialogues which makes for the fun part. Faith has a quite interesting family, with her grands always bickering, i loved pops and groggy. All her family members were interesting characters including Faith's niece and nephew, nicely depicted secondary characters. There are lot of funny dating scenes with Faith dating different people, either non-straight men or liars and also Faith fixing her dad on dates, very witty and entertaining.

One of the dialogue from the novel i loved best where Faith describes Levi:

Twice in her life, Faith had been in love. Once with a man so perfect she should’ve known there was something wrong. And now with a man who wasn’t perfect at all, who was stubborn, occasionally irritable, and mildly to moderately constipated when it came to emotions, and maybe had some abandonment issues going on, too, not to mention the weight of the world on his shoulders.
He was also the best man she knew.
There was nothing he wouldn’t do to help someone. Find a cat on a dark night, drive an hour to do his sister’s laundry, wash a dog covered in chicken poop, let his ex-wife say her piece. Go out in the middle of the night to reconstruct a twenty-year-old accident. Stop his best friend’s wedding when he knew it would only lead to misery...for Jeremy and for her.

One thing is found little bit irritating was Faith forming ridiculous conlusions of Levi. she has her own boredom scale in which she will measure Levi's expression from 0 to 10 and the she is using this scale at every time she meets Levi in the book, i don't know it was slightly repetitive and just that i was not happy reading about that part.

All in all, it was a good book, but with a predictable plot and some cliqued moments but, a lovely, romantic, fun read.
I would rate it as fantastic!!

Book Review: What She Doesn't Know by Beverly Barton

A great suspense/mystery novel i have read in a long time.

Summary from goodreads.com

It's been 20 years since Jolie Royale witnessed the brutal crime that left her mother, her aunt, and her aunt's lover dead, and Jolie critically wounded. Ruled a murder-suicide, the case was closed, although rumors of the murderer's true identity abounded. Now, Jolie is coming home with mixed feelings about her father's funeral. Those feelings turn to dread when the case is reopened--and it becomes clear the killer is still on the loose

I think this was one of the best romantic suspense i have ever read. Ms. Barton has nicely balanced the romantic and suspense part of the story in her book. It captures your complete interest from the first single page.

This is the story of Jolie Royale, the only daughter of a wealthy southern couple, and Max Devereaux, the son of a former prostitute. When Jolie is 14 years old, her family is attacked by a unknown murderer and her mother and aunt are killed with her critically wounded. Once after the incident she leaves her home town and vows to never come back as her father marries Max's mother not long after her own mother's death. The story picks up twenty years later and Jolie still hates her father's new family but still harbors the 14 year old crush for Max. Max also resents Jolie as she is bend on hating his mother and her half-sister but same time fights with an unexpected attraction for Jolie. Ms. Barton has beautifully depicted the love/hate relationship between Max and Jolie. Their relationship is really intense and the romance is sweet. The suspense part of the story unravels when Jolie decides to search for the real murderer of her family with the help from Max.

Both of Max and Jolie characters has a lot of depth, but only one thing i found odd was sometimes Jolie's reasoning was not at all acceptable. From the first itself she was under lot of assumptions based on which she makes lot of decisions which she later realizes were wrong and accepts the life as it is. Max whereas is a good man who cares about his family more than anything and i loved both Jolie and Max. There were lot of secondary characters, each having their own important part in the story. By the end, i was so sad the book was getting over, even though i wanted to know the suspense badly, i wanted the happily-ever-after to extend for some more pages.

Wow! all in all, a good read!!

Book Review: Senseless and Merciless by Mary Burton

As iam an avid ready of contemporary romance, i thought for a change i will go for suspense novels. So when i went in search of good suspense books, i came across books by Mary Burton...and i was so much interested by her titles and book summaries that i started reading her books!! Her books are of romantic-suspense genre literally, but in reality, the romance part of the novels are just sub-plots , the plots deals with. But, i wont complain as the romance in itself, even as a sub-plot, is wonderful and sweet.

The first one of Ms. Burton book i read was Dead Ringer, it  is a riveting, page-turning tale about a serial killer obsessed with a TV news anchorwoman, Kendall Shaw and the detective working on the case, Jacob Warrington. 

The second one i read - Dying Scream was , you can tell it is a kind of connected to the first as some characters are common in both books. The story's main character are Kendall's sister Adrianna Barrington and detective Gage Hudson. The book was ok, little bit boring but at the end suspense was interesting.

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The next i read was Mary Burton's Senseless - a surprising and fantastic suspense novel, i loved it.

Here is the hardcover Summary of Senseless:

Every Serial Killer Knows. . .

The vicious burns scarring the victims' flesh reveal the agony of their last moments. Each woman was branded with a star, then stabbed through the heart. With every death, a vengeful killer finds a brief, blissful moment of calm. But soon it's time for the bloodshed to start again. . .

The Perfect Time. . .

Ten years ago, Eva Rayburn and her sorority sisters were celebrating the end of the school year. That party turned into a nightmare Eva can't forget. Now she's trying to start over in her Virginia hometown, but a new nightmare has begun. Every victim is linked to her. And Detective Deacon Garrison isn't sure whether this mysterious woman needs investigating--or protecting. . .

To Make His Mark

Only Eva's death will bring peace. Only her tortured screams will silence the rage that has been building for ten long years. Because what started that night at the sorority can never be stopped--not until the last victim has been marked for death. . .

My review on Senseless:It is a fantastic book with lots of good suspense and twists, great mystery and wonderful tension with a nice romantic sub-plot. Both the characters Eva and Deacon were full of depths with their own motivation and purpose in the story.

The female character Eva is an ex-con who is trying to establish her new life after 10 years of prison life, that also for a crime she never remembers doing. She is strong, incredibly smart, beautiful and tough. With a tragic past where Eva was attacked and branded with four-point star, she gets trapped in her sorority house fire and she barely escapes with her life. Her attacker, Josiah Cross, dies in the fire, and Eva is convicted of killing him. Homicide Detective Deacon Garrison is investigating the current case , similar to the 10-year old case where the victims are branded with four-point start and murdered. The chemistry between Garrison and Eva is good and the romance even though as a sub-plot is touching. 

The best part is the suspense of the story which leaves you on edge till the end. A good recommended book!!

Okay, so when i finished Senseless, i was eager to read the linked suspense novel - Merciless with Detective Malcolm Kier's story who was Garrison's partner in Senseless. And Merciless is the "best" one from all the books i have read of Ms. Burton.

Here is the hardcover summary of Merciless:

No Pity

Each skeleton is flawless,gleaming white and perfectly preserved, a testament to his skill. Every scrap of flesh has been removed to reveal the glistening bone beneath. And the collection is growing

No Compassion

When bleached human bones are identified as belonging to a former patient of Dr. James Dixon, Detective Malcolm Kier suspects the worst. Dixon was recently acquitted of attempted murder, thanks to defense attorney Angie Carlson. But as the body count rises, Kier is convinced that Angie is now the target of a brutal, brilliant psychopath.

No Escape

Angie is no stranger to the dark side of human nature. But nothing has prepared her for the decades-long legacy of madness and murder about to be revealed or a killer ready to claim her as his ultimate trophy

My review on Merciless:An engrossing thriller!! This is a on the edge follow-up to Ms. Burton's previous book Senseless so it would be better if the books are read in order. There are lots of references from Senseless in this book.  This book  is  an intense, mystery suspense. I liked that Ms. Burton has told the story from different povs including Kier, Angie and the serial killer's.

Not much of romance in the book, but the romantic sub-plot between Kier and Angie was interesting. Initially, the relationship between Kier and Angie was strained which slowly develops from hate to love by the end of the book. There was lot of space and time given for both of them to deal with their issues and develop a strong relationship.

The bad guys are violent and lot of gory details described in the book but the end-suspense is surprising and thrilling. The ending is unbelievable and action-packed.

A good recommended read for suspense lovers.

Book Review: Wife for Hire by Christine Bell

I was attracted to this book by its name 'Wife for Hire'. I thought it was an interesting idea for a novel. I loved Ms. Bell's writing style and characterizations. 
The book was entertaining, with lots of fun filled, quirky dialogues.

Book summary from goodreads:

He needs a wife for three weeks…

Owen Phipps is out for revenge. His mission? To expose the man who stole his sister’s money and dignity. All he needs is a “wife” who can play along. Too bad his last best hope is an actress who tries to mace him with perfume when he offers her the role of a lifetime.

Lindy Knight is a real sap. She loves too hard, feels too deep, and often finds herself saying yes when she should be saying “Let me think about it.” She can’t believe her good fortune when Owen offers her more than enough money to hold off foreclosure until she can find a job. Three weeks at a resort, money she desperately needs, and she gets to help bring a criminal to justice? Score.

It seems easy enough until the first time a couples bonding game turns intimate, and they realize how dangerous their mutual attraction could be. Can they keep their hands to themselves long enough to find the evidence Owen needs? Or are the close quarters more temptation than they can handle?

My review, Wife for Hire is just simple fun with a happy ending which makes you smile. This is a terrific one to read if you need a sweet story to just smile and laugh and not to think much. The way the story is told by the author is really good.  

The story is about Owen Phipps, in order to right some wrong done to his sister, he hires Lindy Knight to play the part of his wife for three weeks to accompany him to a couples retreat.There starts a game of attraction which later buds into a sweet romance. They are in the Couple's retreat to find any discrepancies related to Owen's sister, Cara's ex who has cheated Cara of her life-long savings and left her with a broken heart. There is the little suspense part of the story as from the first we are unaware of the wrong that is happening in the retreat, if anything at all. By the end only, every loose-end of the story ties up in a perfect package, that is, a happy-ever-after package.

The main reason for me to review the book was i loved Lindy's character. I think i will always remember Lindy as one of the best female characters from all the books i have read. She is so sweet....and so innocent, but yet strong-willed. Lindy is very talkative, funny and totally genuine, down-to-earth and i loved her from the first to last page.

Owen is a business tycoon, entirely opposite to Lindy outside but inside he is just as lonely and has a good heart. He is caring and generous towards everyone, especially Cara even though Cara is his step-sister from his father's second wife. But due to his father's betrayal, he does not believe in love and relationships. During their three weeks fake marriage in the retreat, Owen realizes and learns what is love from Lindy as she is so open to love and feelings.

Even though, i have read similar story lines , this was pretty good because of its characters and the simple, entertaining approach.

I would recommend this book if you need something to read when you are low and sweet Lindy will obviously cheer you up!!

Book Review: Tribute by Nora Roberts

It has been a long time since i have read a Nora Robert's book! I had almost forgotten Ms. Robert's writing style but when i started with Tribute, i was so enthralled by the depth of her story and depiction style that i was not able to put it down till i finished it. Ms Robert writes romance novels with a strong storyline, not the 'falling in love at first sight' romance but 'falling in love with time by knowing each other' romance.
Tribute is exactly such a novel about people, their pasts and relationships. The book is a romantic-suspense with keeping a perfect balance between romance and suspense, neither high-intensity suspense or highly-emotional romance.

Book Summary from goodreads:

Cilla McGowan, a former child star, has found a more satisfying life restoring homes. So she comes to Virginia’s Shenandoah Valley to save the dilapidated farmhouse that once belonged to her grandmother, a legendary actress who died of an overdose more than thirty years ago.

Plunging into the project with gusto, Cilla’s almost too busy and exhausted to notice her neighbor, graphic novelist Ford Sawyer. Determined not to carry on the family tradition of ill-fated romances, Cilla steels herself against Ford’s quirky charm, though she can’t help indulging in a little fantasy.

But it’s reality that holds its share of dangers for Cilla. A cache of unsigned letters found in the attic points to a mysterious romance in her grandmother’s life and may be the catalyst for a frightening, violent assault. And if Cilla and Ford are unable to sort out who is targeting her and why, she may, like her world-famous grandmother, be cut down in the prime of her life.

I love Nora Robert's books about how efficiently she describes both nature and people. You will get a real look and feel of the situations. When you read the below lines, you will understand, its so sweet!. This is one of the thing that is best about this book...lot of beautiful descriptions of nature and house renovations.

Quotes from Tribute:

Cilla describes about her litte farm:

"SHE SAT on the lovely patio with the view full of the pretty pond and the green hills that rolled back to the blue mountains. Roses and lilies stunned the air with perfume that had the bees buzzing drunkenly and a hummingbird, bold as an emerald, darting for nectar. The sun poured strong and bright out of cloudless skies to wash everything in the golden light of fairy tales. Birds sang their hearts out in Disneyesque harmony."

Ford is describing about Cilla:

"She was a ride on a dragon, a flight through space, a dive into the deep waters of an enchanted sea."

Cilla McGowan is on a journey to find herself, who she is and what she exactly wants in life. Coming from a long line of actors, she was a child actor for a TV series, then did lot of commercials but was never happy with her work. Thirty-five years later after her grandmother's death, Cilla  has just purchased her grandmother's beloved little farm in Virginia from her difficult mother, Janet Hardy's daughter. Cilla seems drawn to the farm and decides to take the terribly neglected farm and make it once more into a home of beauty and charm as in its past as a tribute to her grandmother. 

Cilla is determined to do the all the hard-work needed to repair and renovate the little farm house but, she also has a vulnerable side which craves for love and care, which she has never got from anyone in her life. She shares a close relation only with her ex-husband , forever best friend, Steve. When she comes to little farm, her father and his new family tries connecting with her but, as she has never received any affection till now, she is confused about her feelings. But, she is unable to resist the affection and care shown by her neighbor,Ford and his ugly but charming dog, Spock  at her good or bad moments.

Ford is a graphic novelist, a geek, charming, funny, irresistible, easy-going and caring ..wow...i loved him! He is full of positive attitude towards life. At times, he is little bit dominating but only when Cilla was being stubborn not wanting anyone's help when she needed it. But i loved his character, as Cilla is saying that Ford is someone who cared enough to get pushy and bossy about her welfare and she is happy to be flexible or accommodating sometimes. For Cilla, Ford is always a stable guy and she wonders how she has connected with someone so blessedly stable!

Ford is very protective towards Cilla and he is not afraid to let her know how much he loves her, and he makes certain that she knows he will keep her safe and never leave her alone. He is sometimes so sweet and endearing, like when he says about construction work "Tools and I have a long-standing agreement. We stay away from each other, for the good of mankind." He is happy to observe while watching Cilla work with power tools on her house renovations and he is always ready to provide her moral support. When Ford's pictures comes in tabloid with Cilla after an attack on Cilla, and she is described as reincarnation of Janet Hardy and Ford as seduced by the lonely, trapped spirit of Janet , he reacts so unexpectedly, he takes it as funny, not at all bothered by it, just explains his unique thought process. Excellent work with Ford's character...he is my favorite hero! He is a perfect guy for Cilla who needs someone like him in her life to help her "find" herself.

Cilla and Ford are attracted to each other from the first but more than the way they find each other attractive on the outside, they are attracted to each other's smartness, intelligence and strength. When they develop a romantic relation, it is sweet and tender. I loved Ford and Cilla's relationship, the affection and understanding between each other they were having from the first and slowly how it develops into true love. The conversations between Ford and Cilla were really sweet and funny. Even though both of them fall in love with each other, Cilla is not convinced to take the next step as she is scared due to her past history of Hardy women but, eventually Cilla falls for Ford's persuasiveness once she realizes that Ford has seen her true self and loves her unconditionally.

The suspense part of the story is fairly good as we keep guessing from the first who is the mysterious lover from Cilla's grandmother's past who has written the letters she has found in the attic. It was obvious by the first half of the story that someone hates Cilla and her family and is causing harm to her and her property. And Ms. Roberts did a superb job of throwing suspicion around and kept me guessing throughout nearly the entire story as to who the antagonist was. At the end, Cilla decides to find the 35 year old truth which she thinks she owes to her grandmother as a tribute, with Ford's help and that is when the suspense unravels.

One of the odd things about the book which i did not like much was the dreams Cilla use to have where she is conversing with her late grandmother. I was little bit unsure about it but one thing was clear as Cilla was living and rehabbing her grandmother's favorite farm, she is closer to her than ever and she was trying to connect to Janet through her dreams.

All in all, Tribute was an entertaining read. The most part of the book is about the rehabbing of the farm by Cilla, her construction and landscaping crew.  There are lot of jargon and dialogues based on house renovations and Minute details about sinks, tiles, shower blocks, paint, and trim.

A quote from Tribute where Cilla is thinking about Ford and her love relation:

"They could take some time, couldn’t they, to build on that? To restructure, to decide on tones and trim? They could take a good look at the foundation, evaluate. Because hers was so uneven. Lots of cracks there, she mused, but maybe they could be shored up, supported and repaired. Since his were so solid, so sturdy, there had to be a chance to make the whole thing stand. To make it last. She so badly wanted to make things last."

There is one quote Cilla describes about Ford, it is really a fabulous one....

  "A slow leak, unchecked, eventually eats through just about anything. Stone, metal, wood. It doesn’t make much noise, and it’s a long way from the big gushing flood. But it gets the job done."

It is interesting  right? But,for someone who doesn’t like home renovations, it might be a bit boring. As i love reading about home stuffs, i loved it...each and every dialogues!! And there is also Ms. Roberts way of describing each and every small thing beautifully, you just can't resist getting interested!

One of my favorite quote from the novel:

Ford's dialogue to Cilla's dad

“She needs me. She needs someone who understands and appreciates who she is, and who she’s decided to be. And I need her, because who she is, and who she’s decided to be are—big surprise to me—what I’ve been waiting for all my life.”

Tribute was just a great, enjoyable read and i enjoyed reviewing it!!