Once In A Lifetime by Jill Shalvis

Happy Release Day!

Once In A Lifetime is the ninth book in Jill Shalvis’ Lucky Harbor series, a series I absolutely love! They’re fun, sexy, romantic, poignant… wonderful small town Contemporary Romances. 

Description…

Sometimes wrong is oh-so-right…

After a wrenching loss, Ben McDaniel tried to escape his grief by working in dangerous, war-torn places like Africa and the Middle East. Now he's back in his hometown and face-to-face with Aubrey Wellington, the hot-as-hell woman who is trouble with a capital T. Family and friends insist she's not the one to ease his pain, but Aubrey sparks an intense desire that gives Ben hope for the future.

Determined to right the wrongs of her past, Aubrey is working hard to make amends. But by far, the toughest challenge to her plan is sexy, brooding Ben - even though he has absolutely no idea what she's done . . .

Can this unlikely couple defy the odds and win over the little town of Lucky Harbor?

My thoughts...

I've been a fan of Jill Shalvis' stories for awhile now, each and every one a hit. There's just something about how easily her characters become people I care about and want to know better. They're real people with the same hopes and dreams we all have, and sometimes they even have demons to slay before those dreams come true, and this is the how it is for Ben and Aubrey.

I don't know when the last time was that I became so quickly attached to the heroine of a story. Usually - and I'm being honest here - the females are just a byproduct of the heroes story, filler so the hero can find his happily ever after. Trust me on this; that's not the case with Aubrey!

I'm a huge believer that if people would accept responsibilities for their actions instead of making excuses and casting blame on others, the world would be a happier, more peaceful place. With that in mind, it will come as no surprise that I adore Aubrey who decided to do just that. Making amends by facing the people she had wronged, even though some of these things were minor and took place years and years ago… well, she won me over right from the start!

Ben is such a great hero. A true hero in every sense of the word. I adored him, too, as he battled those demons that kept him from having the kind of life a man like him deserves – one filled with hope, joy, and the love of an amazing woman. I’m so glad he was able to come to grips with his own past and accept that he deserves the very best that life has to offer!

The bottom line…

Jill Shalvis’ Lucky Harbor continues to be one of my all time favorite, must read series’. If you’re a fan of Contemporary Romance and haven’t yet given her a try, come on out from under that rock and wait no longer! Story after story, the residents of Lucky Harbor make me laugh, smile, sigh, and wish that I could make my life there, too!

My thanks to Forever Romance for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review!

The Mad Earl's Bride by Loretta Chase

The Mad Earl’s Bride is such a treat! Funny, heartbreaking, sexy, inspiring… this novella delivers it all, and is an absolute delight to read.

The Story:

Dorian, the Earl of Rawnsley, knows he’s dying, and he also knows he’s going insane. His own mother suffered from the same headaches that have begun plaguing him, and she had to be institutionalized just before dying a tragic, painful death. Dorian hasn’t yet begun experiencing the hallucinations that his mother had, but he knows it’s only a matter of time, and he wants to meet his end peacefully and privately.

Much to his consternation, however, his relatives have other ideas.

Gwendolyn Adams is a nurse, and good one at that. And with her family’s reputation for producing hearty, healthy male children, she’s not surprised when the dying Earl of Rawnsley’s relatives ask her to marry the poor man in order to provide him with an heir. She knows life with a lunatic won’t be easy, but that doesn’t scare her off. Gwen’s a woman with a mission and will let nothing stand in the way of seeing her dream come true.

My Thoughts:

Loretta Chase is such a gifted author! There’s just something in the way she tells a story that draws readers in and keeps us coming back for more. She knows how to get right to the heart and soul of her characters and make them more than just words on the page. They are people we connect with, people we feel for, and people we love.

This story was originally published in the Three Weddings and a Kiss anthology in 1995, and while it might be short on pages, it’s not short on feeling. Do I wish we had been able to spend more time with Dorian and Gwen, and even cousin Bertie? Absolutely! But for me, this story lacked nothing.

The Bottom Line:

What more can I say than The Mad Earl’s Bride is such a beautiful love story. And the icing on this already delectable little cake? Spending a few minutes with Sebastian Ballister, the notorious Marquess of Dain from Lord of Scoundrels.

My thanks to Avon Books for providing me with a copy of this story in exchange for an honest review.

Kiss Me Anthology

Sometimes anthologies are perfect for my mood, and this collection of three fun, romantic, and sexy contemporary stories were exactly what I've been looking for!

The Trouble With Sexy by Codi Gary

This was a fun, romantic, sexy story about a boss and his employee who become friends, then much more. I enjoyed this and felt the author did a great job of giving us an awesome story with wonderful characters. We get a happily ever after that didn't feel rushed, which can sometimes be an issue with novellas, but not this one! There are a couple of others characters who are just begging to have their stories told, and I hope it happens. I'm looking forward to more by Ms. Gary!

Are You Lonesome Tonight by Cheryl Harper

Julie Dillon and Luke Pearce are co-workers on their way home from a business trip when they find themselves snowed in, sharing a hotel room themed after anything and everything Elvis. It’s such a fun story! I wish Julie had been less grumbly, but in the end she came around in a very clever way, and that's what matters most! Ms. Harper writes a cute, witty and definitely steamy story!

Love, Guns, and Heart Shaped Chocolate by Jaclyn Hatcher

This story isn't at all what I was expecting, but awesome, all the same. Katie had planned to spend her Valentine’s Day alone, watching movies and drowning her sorrows in chocolate, but her best friend’s brother has other ideas! Before they know it, they’re running for their lives in this fast paced romantic suspense that’s plenty sexy, and fun! Logan and Katie are great together, and with other characters, Will and Tracy, there's the potential for more exciting reading!

Three debut authors, three thoroughly entertaining Valentine's Day stories!

My thanks to Avon Books and Edelweiss for providing me with a copy of this anthology in exchange for an honest review.

The Earl in My Bed by Sophie Jordan

The Earl in My Bed is a sweet and passionate short story, just in time for Valentine’s Day. It’s part of the Forgotten Princesses series and takes place between books two and three, though I can honestly say, it works as a standalone.

It was unspoken, but well understood, that Paget and her childhood friend, Owen, would one day marry, but with Owen off fighting a war a world away, and his older brother Jamie, the new Earl of Willingham close by, Paget starts wondering why Jamie can evoke such strong feelings in her heart, and her body, feelings she never had for Owen. After all, growing up, Jamie made it clear that she, a mere vicar's daughter, had no business associating with he and his brothers, so what is it about him, now... why is he tempting her with things she shouldn't want, things that have her questioning which brother she truly loves?

Poignant stories can be difficult to tell in novellas, but Ms. Jordan did a fine job here. Jamie and Paget are well matched, and their story is tender and heartwarming. There were times I laughed, times I sighed, times I fanned myself, and even times my heart broke for the child that Jamie was never able to be. I adored Paget for her insight and compassion, and for recognizing what made Jamie the boy he had been, the man he became, and for loving them both.

I hope to read more of this series, very soon, most especially Owen's story, which promises to be an emotional journey.

3.5/5 stars

My thanks to Avon Books for giving me the opportunity to read this sweet story, in return for an honest review.