Review: Her Halloween Treat by Tiffany Reisz

Her Halloween Treat (Men at Work #1) by Tiffany Reisz

Publication Date: September 20th 2016 by Harlequin

Purchase Link: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

About the book:

Trick…or wicked treat!

It was a devastating dirty trick—Joey Silvia just found out her boyfriend of two years is married. What. A. Dick. Joey knows her best chance to get over one guy is to get under another. Of course, heading home to her family's remote cabin in Oregon poses some challenges in the "available men" department…until she discovers this cabin comes with its own hot handyman!

Holy crap, Chris Steffensen. When did her brother's best friend turn into a hard-bodied pile of blond-bearded hotness? He's the perfect Halloween treat—and a surprisingly dirty rebound guy. For a couple of weeks, anyway. Except that Chris has other ideas…like proving to Joey that this blast from the past is a whole lot more than a naughty Halloween hookup.

My Thoughts:

Joey had the shock of her life when she found out her boyfriend of two years is actually married.  Going home to the family’s lake cabin for her brother’s wedding provides the perfect getaway to lick her wounds. Meeting up with Chris, her brother’s best friend, who’s turned into a super hot lumberjack, makes forgetting her cheating, lying ex very easy.  How did she not know that Chris was such a bossy, sexy, dirty talker?

Chris was in love with Joey, the younger sister of his best friend, since high school, so hearing she’d be coming back for a visit, Chris wanted Joey’s family cabin fixed up just right. Chris is ecstatic that he’s finally caught Joey’s attention, and he’s determined to keep her!   

I love the idea of fixing up an old fashioned cabin by the lake, and from the description Chris was very talented in many ways *waggles eyebrows*!  Chris and Joey’s connection was easy and fast. Since they were together so much as teenagers they knew each other well even after all the years gone by.  Chris and Joey had chemistry to spare and together they were wickedly hot! Oh my, Tiffany Reisz can write some scorching scenes!

Fall is one of my favorite times year, with the crisp cold edge in the air, and the changing color of leaves, and Ms. Reisz made this setting come alive with her vivid writing! I wanted to bolt out of town to go stay in a woodsy mountain cabin! I could just about smell the pine as I read:

Sunlight trickled through the high canopy of towering Douglas firs and red cedar trees. Ferns and bear grass lined the edge of the trail like a soft green fence. The last week of rain had left the trails muddy and the air scented with pine and cedar and everything clean and alive.

Her Halloween Treat was a sweet and super hot second chance romance!  I was immediately hooked and could’ve easily read this in one sitting with it being 224 pages.  I can’t wait for the next Men at Work story: Her Naughty Holiday!

4 Suns

Connect with Tiffany Reisz:

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Release Blitz, Review & Giveaway: Merry Cowboy Christmas by Carolyn Brown

I'm thrilled to be part of the Release Week Blitz for Carolyn Brown's Merry Cowboy Christmas since I've loved this series from the beginning!  Be sure to scroll down for more information on the series and a giveaway of Merry Cowboy Christmas!

Merry Cowboy Christmas (Lucky Penny #3) by Carolyn Brown

Publication Date: September 27th by Forever

Purchase Links: 

Wallmart | Amazon | B & N | Books-A-Million | Google Play | iBooks | Indiebound | Kobo

About the book:

"Jud with his slow, Texas drawl is one sexy cowboy who will have readers falling in love with him. His romantic connection with Fiona sizzles. Brown's modern storytelling and fun-filled plot will engage readers and wrap them up in this sweet, Southern holiday romance." --RT Book Reviews


THIS CHRISTMAS, SANTA'S WEARING A STETSON

'Tis the night before Christmas and all through the house is the presence of one wickedly hot cowboy who's come to stay for the holiday. Fiona Logan is downright shocked to return to her childhood home and find that the tall blond stranger who came to her rescue on an icy road will be sleeping just across the hall from her bedroom. Talk about temptation . . .

Jud Dawson never believed the Lucky Penny Ranch would live up to its name until now. Fiona is gorgeous, smart, funny, and everything he thought he'd never find. Now all he has to do is convince her to stick around town instead of hightailing it back to Houston. But with wild weather, nosy neighbors, and a new baby in the family, getting her to admit that she's falling in love might just take a Christmas miracle.

My Thoughts:

Fiona is back home in Dry Creek, Texas, not really by choice, but because she had nowhere else to go.  After a failed marriage that got her blacklisted in her line of work, and losing her job at a coffee house, she barely had enough funds to get her back home. However, being back feels more right than Fiona would’ve expected.  Could it be that Dry Creek is where she’s meant to end up after all? That sexy cowboy, Jud Dawson, staying across the hall from her in the family house is sure an incentive to stay, but will she miss the big city life if she settles down?

Jud Dawson has finally made his way out to Lucky Penny Ranch after buying into it with his cousins Blake and Toby. Bunking at the Logan family house while working on the ranch turns out to be a sweeter prospect when Fiona Logan comes back home.  Jud is looking to plant roots at Lucky Penny, making a place for the Dawson’s generations to come.  Could Fiona be the woman to help all those dreams come true?

While it seemed that Fiona wasn’t too keen on settling in (at first), the heat and passion between Jud and her made it real evident Fiona was going to think twice about leaving.  What is a high-powered job and big fancy city when you have no one you love to come home to?  

It was fun catching up with Fiona’s sisters, Allie and Lizzy, now married to Blake and Toby Dawson, and the Dry Creek town folk.  Some of the characters who’ve caused trouble in the past have a turn of fortune, and the Logan’s and Dawson’s show their big hearts by setting grudges aside and helping out.

Carolyn Brown's romances are always filled with sexy cowboys, strong families, and laugh-out-loud humor! Jud and Fiona’s romance was at the center of the story, but this was also about family and friends rallying together, enjoying the holidays, and making amends.  It will make you crave turkey, pies, biscuits and gravy, old-fashioned Christmas cookies, and hot-chocolate!  The food sounded delicious, and now I’m hungry all over again thinking about it!  Merry Cowboy Christmas is an easygoing, warm-your-heart kind of romance, a perfect read for a cold winter night!

4 Suns

Top 5 Books That Makes Great Gifts (Christmas/Holidays theme)

1. Merry Cowboy Christmas (a little ego slipping out here). It’s got magic, healing and miracles for my readers.
2. Mistletoe Cottage by Debbie Mason. It’s a special time of year with special circumstances but again love has the ability to jump over hurdles.
3. Christmas Comes to Main Street by Olivia Miles. It might be the worst time of the year to be single but hey, Kara Hastings isn’t going to let her festive season be ruined. At least not until a very bossy city guy enters the picture.
4. Christmas in Cupid Falls by Holly Jacobs. It’s a sticky situation that’s happening in Cupid Falls and time is getting away from Kennedy Anderson.

Kissing Under the Mistletoe by Marina Adair.  Regan Martin lost everything including her faith in all men when she fell in love six years ago. Now there’s a chance it might be restored

The Lucky Penny Ranch Series:

About the author:

New York Times and USA Today bestselling romance author and RITA® Finalist, Carolyn Brown, has published more than seventy-five books. She presently writes both women's fiction and cowboy romance. She has also written historical single title, historical series, contemporary single title and contemporary series. She lives in southern Oklahoma with her husband, a former English teacher, who is not allowed to read her books until they are published. They have three children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. 

Connect with Carolyn Brown:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

Follow Forever online: 

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

Review:It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover

Published August 2nd 2016 by Atria Books

SOMETIMES THE ONE WHO LOVES YOU IS THE ONE WHO HURTS YOU THE MOST

Lily hasn't always had it easy, but that's never stopped her from working hard for the life she wants. She's come a long way from the small town in Maine where she grew up - she graduated from college, moved to Boston, and started her own business. So when she feels a spark with a gorgeous neurosurgeon named Ryle Kincaid, everything in Lily's life suddenly seems almost too good to be true.

Ryle is assertive, stubborn, and maybe even a little arrogant. He's also sensitive, brilliant, and has a total soft spot for Lily, but Ryle's complete aversion to relationships is disturbing.

As questions about her new relationship overwhelm her, so do thoughts of Atlas Corrigan - her first love and a link to the past she left behind. He was her kindred spirit, her protector. When Atlas suddenly reappears, everything Lily has built with Ryle is threatened.

With this bold and deeply personal novel, Colleen Hoover delivers a heart-wrenching story that breaks exciting new ground for her as a writer. It Ends With Us is an unforgettable tale of love that comes at the ultimate price.

This book contains graphic scenes and very sensitive subject matter.

My Thoughts

Emotionally charged book that seems to be CoHo’s style as of late.

To be completely candid, I feel like I’ve been having a rocky reader/author relationship with CoHo lately. My initial impression of this author in her early days was that she was a breath of fresh air to the new adult scene. However, as time has gone by, I sense a need from CoHo to flood the market with emotionally packed stories that include everything but the kitchen sink. I really don’t know anymore what her signature style is, and as a result it’s hard to predict if her stories will be a hit or miss for me.

Luckily for It Ends with Us, I was able to connect with the story. It’s a solid four stars in my book. However, I experienced this novel as an audio book, so there’s a good possibility the narrator Olivia Song had a lot to do with my experience.

In this novel, we meet Lily who is hard working, motivated and full of life. The story commences when she meets Ryle who happens to be an ambitious neurosurgeon who doesn’t have time for relationships. Eventually these two fall in love, and there begins their tumultuous love affair that ultimately leads to heartbreaking physical abuse.

There is so much to the story, which I feel can be overwhelming to some readers. For example, CoHo adds themes such as abuse, neglect, possible suicide, homeless teenagers, etc. to an already heavy book. Luckily, because I was listening to the audio, I never felt truly overburdened by the multitude of themes flooding the pages.

The characters were all distinct and relatable, which is one of CoHo’s strengths… her ability to create characters you want to get to know.

Overall, It Ends with Us is sure to be a hit for CoHo’s rabid fan base. Worthy story that will likely stay on your mind for some time.

4 Suns

Review: Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs

Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs

Published May 26th 2015 by Mira

It's the beginning of another season in the seaside resort town of Winslow, Rhode Island, and Rosa Capoletti is given the chance to rediscover the pleasures of love and laughter, food and wine, friendship and romance…

With a little determination and a lot of charm, Rosa Capoletti took a run-down pizza joint and turned it into an award-winning restaurant that has been voted "best place to propose" three years in a row. For Rosa, though, there has been no real romance since her love affair with Alexander Montgomery ended suddenly and without explanation a decade ago.

But Rosa's life takes an unexpected turn when Alexander arrives back in town and asks for her help sorting through his late mother's affairs. Reunited at the beach house where they first met and fell in love, Rosa and Alexander discover that the secrets of the past are not what they seem. Now, with all that she wants right in front of her, Rosa searches for happiness with the man who once broke her heart -- and learns that in love, as in life, there are second chances. 

My Thoughts

Summer by the Sea by Susan Wiggs is a perfect beach side read. This is my first novel by Wiggs and it turned out to be a pleasant surprise, so I was definitely glad I included it in my summer reading bundle.

In this novel, we meet Rosa Capoletti who is a successful restaurateur of Celesta by the Sea. It’s located in lovely beach town that has been Rosa’s home since she was born. As with most summer beach spots, the townies always seem to stand apart from the regular summer residents that occupy the country clubs and local stops. However, when Rosa was eighteen, she made the mistake of falling for Alexander Montgomery, which ended in heartbreak for Rosa.

Now, ten years later, Alex is back in town and hoping to rekindle a romance he mistakenly sacrificed for reasons that slowly unfold throughout the story.

I really enjoyed this second chance romance novel. It was exciting to uncover the backstory that included slow and steady drama that was never over the top. I enjoyed how Susan Wiggs slowly, but purposefully, exposed the events that led up to Rosa and Alex going their separate ways.

Overall Summer by the Sea was filled with characters I enjoyed meeting and a storyline that was the perfect backdrop for a beach side read. I enjoyed this one quite a bit!

P.S. The recipes in this novel sound amazing and simple to make. The book inspired me to give a few of them a try. I'm quickly becoming hooked on food fiction. YUM!

4 Suns

Review: The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

The Light Between Oceans by M.L. Stedman

Published August 23rd 2016 by Scribner

The years-long New York Times bestseller and Goodreads Best Historical Novel that is “irresistible…seductive…with a high concept plot that keeps you riveted from the first page” (O, The Oprah Magazine)—soon to be a major motion picture from Spielberg’s Dreamworks starring Michael Fassbender, Rachel Weisz, and Alicia Vikander, and directed by Derek Cianfrance.

After four harrowing years on the Western Front, Tom Sherbourne returns to Australia and takes a job as the lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock, nearly half a day’s journey from the coast. To this isolated island, where the supply boat comes once a season, Tom brings a young, bold, and loving wife, Isabel. Years later, after two miscarriages and one stillbirth, the grieving Isabel hears a baby’s cries on the wind. A boat has washed up onshore carrying a dead man and a living baby.

Tom, who keeps meticulous records and whose moral principles have withstood a horrific war, wants to report the man and infant immediately. But Isabel insists the baby is a “gift from God,” and against Tom’s judgment, they claim her as their own and name her Lucy. When she is two, Tom and Isabel return to the mainland and are reminded that there are other people in the world. Their choice has devastated one of them.

“Elegantly rendered…heart-wrenching…beautifully drawn” (USA TODAY), The Light Between Oceans is a gorgeous debut novel, not soon to be forgotten. 

My Thoughts

This book was both emotional and unputdownable! The Light Between Oceans had me hooked and I could not let go. I was on a mission to finish this story before seeing the movie, and luckily I was able to do so because it’s not in my nature to see a movie without reading the book first… if I can help it.

Having experienced both the book and the movie, I have to say how amazing the author was able to tell this gripping story, and how meticulous the movie was adapted to the book. I truly enjoyed both.

In The Light Between Oceans, Tom Sherbourne embarks on a new journey after serving in World War I. He takes a station as a lighthouse keeper on Janus Rock and after a short time, falls in love and marries the lively Isabel. After a few years of marriage and several miscarriages, Isabel and Tom are heartbroken, but all that changes when a small boat washes up on their island with a newborn baby and a dead man. From that moment, their choices create devastating consequences.

Tom was an absolutely worthy character. From the moment he entered the scene, it was clear what a kind, meticulous and heavyhearted soul he was. I completely adored him. Isabel was the perfect, slightly wild balance to Tom’s steady nature, and together they portrayed a love I never doubted.

Throughout the book, I never lost sight of the impending doom that was to come as a consequence to keeping Lucy as their own daughter. As the story unfolded, I scrambled to think of an outcome that would accommodate all parties… but that was impossible.

The movie did an amazing job of bringing this story to life. Despite not having Tom’s full backstory outlined in the movie due to time constraints, I feel the audience was still able to appreciate why Tom made certain decisions.

Overall, if you’re looking for a story with heart and power, not to mention a beautiful Australian backdrop, The Light Between Oceans is sure to please. This novel will rank in my top five this year.

4 Suns

Cover Reveal: Bad Mommy by Tarryn Fisher

Waves of Fiction is so excited to share the cover reveal for Tarryn Fisher's upcoming novel.  Enjoy!

Bad Mommy by Tarryn Fisher

Release: TBD

Almost every day is a very bad day when you’re thirty, your tits are starting to sag, there are lines creeping in around your eyes, and you realize that no one would like you if they actually knew who you really were. Fig Coxbury is fed up with her life: her cheating ex-husband, the excess fat around her waist, and most of all, her loneliness.


When Fig chances upon Jolene Avery, the embodiment of everything she’s ever wanted to be, Fig befriends her out of curiosity.


Fig soon begins to emulate all aspects of Jolene's life, because when you find someone who knows exactly who they are, you can't help but want to be just like them.


Or in Fig's case... become them.

Release Day Spotlight & Giveaway: The Lullaby Sky by Carolyn Brown

I am currently reading and loving The Lullaby Sky! Family, friendships, love and romance all rolled into one story.  Carolyn Brown's stories are usually filled with humor, heart and pearls of wisdom, and this one is no exception. Scroll down for a message from Carolyn Brown, an excerpt and a chance to win The Lullaby Sky! 

The Lullaby Sky by Carolyn Brown
Publication Date: September 13th 2016 by Montlake Romance
Purchase Links: Amazon | Barnes & Noble 

About the book:

After seven years of misery and abuse, it’s all over—Hannah O’Malley is officially divorced. Hallelujah. It’s like every Christmas in her life all rolled up into one glorious day. Not only does Hannah get to keep her grandmother’s spacious old house, but she has full custody of her sparky five-year-old daughter. All Hannah has to do now is put the past behind her.

And now that she’s free, she wants to make a difference. With the help of her warm, close-knit circle of friends—including her high school crush, Travis Wilson—Hannah begins turning her home into a safe house for other women who’ve endured the pain she’s known. But even as life and laughter return to Hannah’s home, she’s haunted by the memory of her dangerously unstable ex. With a second chance at love on the horizon, Hannah must face down her past in order to let the sunshine back into her life.

Message from Carolyn Brown:

Good mornin’, all y’all! Thank you for taking time out of your busy schedule to listen to me talk about The Lullaby Sky. I’m so excited about this book and hope that it touches the emotions of every woman who reads it. Hannah has found joy in giving back to others and has a brand new and budding relationship with Travis.

I asked her to give us some advice about second chance love. This is what she had to say: 

I’ve known Travis my whole life and down deep in my heart I knew he was a good person, had a heart of gold and was a wonderful man. But after what I’d lived through the past several years, trust was a major issue. I had to learn to trust my heart again, to open it up and give Travis a chance.

So I had a long talk with myself and decided that it was not fair to judge this good man, by another man’s short comings. It was time to let go of the past and move on to the future. Then I rememberd something that my grandmother used to tell me and applied it to my life: Never shut the door to an opportunity. It’s better to open the door, invite it in and feed it chocolate cake than to chase it down the road after it’s already a mile away.

If you’ve been blessed with a second chance, if opportunity comes knocking on your door and there’s a hero standing there with paint on his shirt, a quirky little smile and a twinkle in his eyes, just open the door wide and tell him to come right on it. Feed him chocolate cake and give him a chance. You never know, the second chance might be the stars that light up a lullaby sky.

Please enjoy this excerpt from The Lullaby Sky

Hannah had paid for her marriage to Marty in nerves, nausea and migraines. She wrapped her arms around her body and shivered--never would she have to worry about him arriving unexpected and finding things out of order. Never would she have to send Sophie outside to play so she wouldn’t witness his wicked temper.

“It really is over,” she whispered. “So why don’t I feel like it is?”

“Because it’ll take time,” Travis whispered.

Startled, she jumped and shivered. “I’m sorry. I didn’t hear you come out of the house.”

“It’s okay, Hannah. You never have to apologize to me.” He smiled.

The limo came to a slow stop in front of the house and Sophie shot out of the door and jumped into her mother’s arm for the second, or was it the third time that day? She wrapped her legs around Hannah’s waist and hugged her, planting dozens of kisses on her face.

“I liked the ‘tentious car, Mama, but it’s too big for us. I like our car and Travis’s truck and Aunt Birdie’s van better than the big princess car.” She leaned back and looked Hannah right in the eye. “Did I really get a new name today or was you teasin’ me?"

“You really did. So did I. We are now Hannah and Sophie O’Malley,” Hannah answered.

“Sophie O’Malley,” Sophie whispered. “I like it. Do you like it, Travis?"

“Oh, yes, I do. It sounds just like a princess name.”

“Sophie O’Malley, princess of Aunt Birdie’s castle and queen of Hannah O’Malley’s house.” Sophie’s pecan-colored eyes danced with merriment.

“Oh, no, you don’t, young lady,” Hannah said. “You might be princess of Aunt Birdie’s house and mine, but I’m the queen and don’t you forget it.”

Sophie hopped down and ran into the house, no doubt to tell Aunt Birdie all about the limo. Travis kept his distance but his eyes locked with Hannah’s.

“What?” She wiped her cheek. “Do I have chocolate pie on my face?”

“No, I was thinkin’ maybe you shouldn’t forget it,” Travis said.

“Forget what?”

“Who’s queen of your house,” he said.

“Are you saying that I spoil Sophie too much?” Hannah asked.

“No, I’m saying that you’ve been spoiled too little, Hannah O’Malley,” he grinned.

Author Biography
Carolyn Brown is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, as well as a RITA finalist. She has written several beloved and popular romance titles, ranging from historical to contemporary to cowboy-themed. She and her husband live in Davis, Oklahoma. They have three grown children, and enough grandchildren to keep them young.

Connect with Carolyn Brown:

Website | Facebook | Goodreads

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