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WEDNESDAY, JULY 24, 2024


THE SINGLE MOM AND THE ORC BY HONEY PHILLIPS [REVIEW]



The Single Mom and the Orc (Sweet Monster Treats, Fairhaven Falls) by Honey
Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 11, 2023

Sweet Monster Treats
Cookies For My Orc Neighbor
Candy For My Orc Boss
Cupcakes For My Orc Enemy
The Single Mom and the Orc - Paperback | Kindle
Single Orc Dad
Twins for the Wild Orc

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Fairhaven Falls
1. Trouble for My Troll

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):


> Her grumpy orc is going to hammer his way into her heart!
> 
> When Pippa finds herself in Fairhaven Falls with empty pockets and a brand new
> baby, she’s thrilled when a sweet - and slightly scary - old lady offers her a
> job and a place to live. Their new home isn’t much, but it offers a
> desperately needed shelter.
> 
> Then her grumpy orc neighbor comes charging into their lives. She should be
> wary of the huge male, but when she watches him handling his hammer, fear is
> the last thing she feels. And when he cradles her daughter so tenderly against
> that big muscular chest? Her heart isn't the only thing melting!
> 
> Trogar likes his own company just fine, thank you very much. When his
> grandmother insists he help out his new neighbor, he reluctantly agrees. But
> the more time he spends with the curvy human and her adorable daughter, the
> more he wants to claim them both as his own.
> 
> When Pippa’s past catches up with her, can Trogar keep her and her daughter
> safe? And when the dust settles, will he have a new family - or the solitary
> life he no longer wants?

Thoughts on The Single Mom and the Orc: We're back in Fairhaven Falls and Flora
is working her matchmaking magic again. (I'm not even going to clarify that it
might not be magic because the lady has an uncanny ability to show up and have
the right thing happen at the right time and she somehow gets everyone where
they need to be.) This time around, she has a single mom on the run and her
loner of a grandson in her sights and YESSSSSS.

So. Pippa initially thinks she's only passing through Fairhaven Falls as she
tries to find someplace safe for her and her daughter to hunker down. Flora,
however, has other ideas. Soon Pippa's set up in a cottage that needs a little
TLC with a grumpy orc neighbor who keeps finding reasons to stop by. Poor Trogar
is also a little terrified of all the care a baby needs, but he suck sit up and
soon he's changing diapers like a pro.

No lie, Trogar is an utter sweetheart. He might not know much about babies, but
he's fierce and protective and willing to learn. He's also a little smitten by
Pippa and her sweetness. Soon the two of them (plus Daisy) are spending time
together and getting their hearts tangled up.

A little danger, a lot of elbow grease, a baby who is quick to wrap one burly
orc around her finger, a brotherly reunion, an orc with a penchant for
organization and a willingness to learn, and a lady who found the place she
didn't know she was looking for. GOOD STUFF!




Posted by Kelly Rubidoux at 3:00 AM No comments:
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Labels: Element: Monsters, Element: Series, Element: Small Town, Genre:
Paranormal Romance



TUESDAY, JULY 23, 2024


MY FAIR ALIEN BY HONEY PHILLIPS [REVIEW]



My Fair Alien (Cosmic Cinema #1) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 30, 2023

Cosmic Cinema
1. My Fair Alien - Paperback | Kindle
2. The Alien King and I

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):


> Can an alien professor decode the language of love?
> 
> Professor Harak H’gin leads a peaceful life studying linguistics on his native
> planet of Plumeria. Until the day he stumbles across a bedraggled, beautiful
> human female. Dared by a colleague to transform the pitiful creature into a
> true member of their society, Harak takes on the challenge.
> 
> Forced to eke out a meager living selling flowers, Liza is desperate to
> improve her situation. When a chance meeting offers the opportunity to become
> something more than a menial worker, she doesn’t hesitate - even though it
> means moving in with the arrogant, handsome alien.
> 
> But somewhere along the way, the lines between teacher and student, human and
> Plumerian, begin to blur. Can Harak resist her newly discovered charms? And
> can Liza give her heart to an alien who only seems to think of her as an
> experiment?

Thoughts on My Fair Alien: A down-on-her-luck human and the professor who sees
something potentially wonderful in her are up and Liza and Harak and more than a
few speedbumps along the way. Does that stop them from catching feelings? IT
SURE DOESN'T!

So. Liza. She doesn't quite feel like she fits in with the other human refugees,
but life keeps throwing roadblocks in her way to keep her from changing her
circumstances. Harak's idea to teach her the nuances of Plumerian society is a
chance for her to break out of the rut she's in, but it comes with a downside -
she has to spend time with the arrogant professor. As it turns out, that's not
all bad since soon the two are making eyes at one another.

On Harak's end, he's drawn to Liza, but he tries to keep things professional.
Which doesn't work all that well when his protective instincts flare up and he
starts getting a little irritated by anyone and everyone flocking to her.

A lady who wants to make more of herself, a man who sees potential where others
don't, a whole lot of steamy looks, a little instinctive claw-baring, and a
happily ever after that grabs both of them hard. GOOD TIMES.




Posted by Kelly Rubidoux at 3:00 AM No comments:
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Labels: Element: Aliens, Element: Series, Genre: Sci-Fi



MONDAY, JULY 22, 2024


BETTER HOMES AND HAUNTINGS BY MOLLY HARPER [REVIEW]



Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 28, 2023

Purchase Links: Paperback | Kindle

Molly Harper
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):


> When Nina Linden is hired to landscape a private island off the New England
> coast, she sees it as her chance to rebuild her failing business after being
> cheated by her unscrupulous ex. She never expects that her new client,
> software mogul Deacon Whitney, would see more in her than just a talented
> gardener. Deacon has paid top dollar to the crews he’s hired to renovate the
> desolate Whitney estate—he had to, because the bumps, thumps, and unexplained
> sightings of ghostly figures in nineteenth-century dress are driving workers
> away faster than he can say “Boo.”
> 
> But Nina shows no signs of being scared away, even as she experiences some
> unnerving apparitions herself. And as the two of them work closely together to
> restore the mansion’s faded glory, Deacon realizes that he’s found someone who
> doesn’t seem to like his fortune more than himself—while Nina may have finally
> found the one man she can trust with her bruised and battered heart.
> 
> But something on the island doesn’t believe in true love…and if Nina and
> Deacon can’t figure out how to put these angry spirits to rest, their own love
> doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance.

Thoughts on Better Homes and Hauntings: My love for run-down places on isolated
islands (although, to be fair, it could be a run-down place anywhere and I'd
probably be all over it) holds true! The decaying estate Deacon has hired Nina
and the others to bring back to life is a sweet, sweet locale. Sure, it's not
sweet to the group when they're dealing with unexplained occurrences and visions
and other odd situations, but I'm in!

So. As part of his plan to bring the moldering family estate out of it's, uhh,
moldering phase, Deacon has hired Nina (the landscaper), Cindy (organizer
extraordinaire), and Jake (architect and family friend) to get the place into
tip-top shape. They're joined by Deacon's cousin Dotty before long and soon it
isn't just Nina experiencing odd things. Deacon doesn't necessarily disbelieve
the experiences of the others, but he tends to look for logical solutions. Even
when he starts getting in on the experiencing action.

Throw in a TERRIBLE interior designer who has her eye on Deacon (and his
fortune), Nina's ex who is exhibiting STRONG stalker-esque tendencies, some
fabulous lady-friendships (or at least the start of them), the mystery of what
happened to the lady of the manor in its heyday, and some truly terrifying
memories/visions and this group has a lot going on. Did I like? INDEED I DID!




Posted by Kelly Rubidoux at 3:00 AM No comments:
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Labels: Element: Ghosts, Genre: Paranormal Romance



SUNDAY, JULY 21, 2024


RTP'S WEEK IN REVIEW (07/21/24)


Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review
 * Grave Wars by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe [Review] - Jane is BACK!
 * Grave New World by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe [Review] - MORE JANE!
 * The Gargoyle from General Management by Kate Prior [Review] - Monster love!
 * Harvest Moon Misfortune by London Lovett [Review] - Back on Frostfall!
 * Star-Crossed by Kerrigan Byrne and Cynthia St. Aubin [Review] - Townsend
   Harbor!
 * Night Magic by Karen Robards [Review] - Old-school romance!

Bookish Delights
 * Books added to the pile
    * Romancing Rem'eb (Ice Planet Clones #3) by Ruby Dixon
    * Golden Touch by Sarina Bowen
    * The Body in the Backyard (Riley Thorn #4) by Lucy Score
      

 * Currently reading 
    * The Body in the Backyard by Lucy Score


Posted by Kelly Rubidoux at 12:00 AM No comments:
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Labels: Meme: Weekly Recap



SATURDAY, JULY 20, 2024


NIGHT MAGIC BY KAREN ROBARDS [REVIEW]



Night Magic by Karen Robards
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: December 4, 2023

Purchase links: Paperback | Kindle

Karen Robards
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):


> Romance writer Clara Winston dedicates her newest book to her cat, Puff,
> without knowing what havoc she is about to unloose on her placid (boring?)
> life. Because there’s a rogue CIA agent out there whose code name is Puff, and
> some very bad guys want to kill him.
> 
> When the bad guys show up at mild-mannered Clara’s house, thinking that she
> can lead them to the man they’re hunting, she is rescued by that man,
> disgraced CIA agent Jack McClain. Jack is green-eyed, black-haired,
> infuriatingly macho—and every bit as sexy as the romantic heroes she’s always
> writing about. Clara hates him on sight, but if she wants to survive he is the
> only game in town.
> 
> With Puff very reluctantly in tow, they go on the run for their lives,
> battling each other until the sizzling chemistry between them explodes into
> red-hot passion.

Thoughts on Night Magic: It looks like this book was originally published back
in the 80s, so, yeah, some aspects are a little dated. But it's fun. I mean, you
get a romance author who is NOT up for all the adventure Jack unwitting delivers
to her doorstep and a CIA agent who comes with a lot of baggage. Like, A LOT.
And I'm not talking about any physical baggage either. In fact, Clara's cat Puff
is kind of the only physical baggage between them.

So. Clara and Jack. She's dragged (kicking and screaming for the most part) into
Jack's life all thanks to one (seemingly) harmless dedication in a book. She
gets menaced, kidnapped, and nearly killed (several times) by some VERY BAD
PEOPLE who think she knows where Jack is. To be frank, Jack isn't terribly
sympathetic when they first meet and there might be some hard feelings on
Clara's end because of it. After all, she's only in this situation because of
Jack, right?

On Jack's end, his career is floundering after an operation gone bad and he's
determined to get the job done with this newest operation he's been tapped for.
Besides which, the information he's been entrusted with is big and needs to stay
out of the bad guys' hands. He's driven and focused and getting distracted by
the tempting woman on the run with him would probably be a very bad idea. Very
bad. But what can a guy do when the woman of his dreams is within reach?

A whole lot of danger, a very unhappy cat, more adventure than a quiet romance
author wants to deal with, bad guys, good guys, double crosses, a man who is
determined to see things through, and a lady who has far more steel than she
gives herself credit for. Good stuff!




Posted by Kelly Rubidoux at 3:00 AM No comments:
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Labels: Genre: Romantic Suspense



FRIDAY, JULY 19, 2024


STAR-CROSSED BY KERRIGAN BYRNE AND CYNTHIA ST. AUBIN [REVIEW]



Star-Crossed (Townsend Harbor #4) by Kerrigan Byrne and Cynthia St. Aubin
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 24, 2023

Townsend Harbor
1. Nevermore Bookstore
2. Brewbies
3. Bazaar Girls
4. Star-Crossed - Paperback | Kindle
5. Sirens

Kerrigan Byrne
| Website | Amazon |

Cynthia St. Aubin
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):


> Everyone thinks LYRA MCKENDRICK is magic. She’s not, for the record, just a
> lawyer who predicted a few outcomes that were blown out of proportion in the
> robust Townsend Harbor rumor mill. After a messy breakup in which she lost her
> thriving practice, she’s returned to her hometown to lick her wounds and is
> persuaded by a local town cook to capitalize on her cringe-worthy reputation
> by running the local new-age shop. How hard could it be to sell
> chakra-cleansing crystals, libraries worth of tarot cards, crops of candles,
> and enough incense to choke out Willie Nelson’s entire entourage? When one of
> Townsend Harbor’s many ancient trees threatens her plumbing, she engages
> Cypress Forrester, aka “Cy the Tree Guy” to rid her of the problem. Instead,
> he seems intent on becoming one.
> 
> Cy’s family have been arborists and healers for generations, and they’re firm
> believers in the mysticism of trees, among other things. When she hires him to
> chop down an endangered tree to save her business, they find themselves on
> opposite ends of a battle neither of them is willing to lose. As a man
> tethered by indigenous roots to the earth, Cy immediately realizes Lyra is a
> woman who lives in her head, which often disassociates her from her heart,
> body, and intuition. It’s how she always finds “practical” explanations for
> the series of unexplained, serendipitous coincidences that keep thrusting them
> together. Alone. But Cy knows better, and he realizes that he must tempt her
> out of her thoughts and back into her body, and what better way to do that
> than by a thorough seduction?

Thoughts on Star-Crossed: Gemma's twin sister, Lyra, is up and she's at as much
as a crossroads in her life as Gemma was. Maybe more. I only say that because
Lyra had been holding onto the idea that she had to be the practical twin, the
twin that keep on track, the twin that did what needed to be done. She didn't
give herself the luxury of ever allowing herself to fail which means her breakup
with her fiancé (who was a total d-bag, thankyouverymuch) and subsequent
joblessness sort of sent her spinning.

BUT...now she's settling into Townsend Harbor. Mostly. She gives brutally frank
tarot readings, has to deal with a new-age shop and all the new-age people who
come with it, and she's starting to find herself a piece at a time.

One of those pieces lies in Cy's direction. After a missed opportunity when they
were younger, an accident that made Cy learn to live with limitation he never
expected to live with, and more than a little miscommunication (because Lyra was
locked up tight and didn't want to deal with the angst that came with listening)
circumstances force Lyra and Cy to deal with one another as (mostly) mature
adults. On Cy's end, he sees in Lyra everything he could ever want, but he's
dealing with those aforementioned limitations (some of which he put on himself)
and that has him as locked down as Lyra was about communicating.

Small town shenanigans, a little oversharing by everyone's favorite uptight
former sheriff, a few cranky tarot readings, a whole lot of family, a man who
keeps himself hidden until his special someone tempts him out, and a lady who is
very lost until she allows herself to be found. GOOD STUFF.




Posted by Kelly Rubidoux at 3:00 AM No comments:
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Labels: Element: Series, Element: Small Town, Genre: Contemporary



THURSDAY, JULY 18, 2024


HARVEST MOON MISFORTUNE BY LONDON LOVETT [REVIEW]



Harvest Moon Misfortune (Frostfall Island #5) by London Lovett
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 11, 2023

Frostfall Island
1. Murder at North Pond
2. Death by Rocky Road
3. Ice Cold Killer
4. Bakery Bump Off
5. Harvest Moon Misfortune - Paperback | Kindle
6. Candlelit Calamity

London Lovett
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):


> Frostfall Island is getting ready for a big harvest moon celebration! Dozens
> of boats have arrived in Bayberry Harbor, and the island is buzzing with
> activity. Anna is looking forward to the delicious food and dancing. Her
> sister, Cora, is looking forward to meeting all the yacht owners, especially
> the single ones. Anna’s plan for a fun weekend is thrown into turmoil when the
> current owner of her late husband’s fishing boat shows up at the boarding
> house. He hands her a photo that he found in the wheelhouse. It’s a photo that
> stirs up far more worrisome questions than it does fond memories.
> 
> The weekend is further disrupted when one of the yacht owners dies in a deadly
> fire. As usual, Detective Norwich jumps to the conclusion that the death is an
> accident, but Anna finds evidence that points to murder. Looking for a killer
> is always a nice distraction when your life has taken a bittersweet turn.

Thoughts on Harvest Moon Misfortune: We're back with Anna on the island and
let's just say that there's plenty of non-locals around to cause a little mayhem
during the every-so-often Harvest Moon Festival. Throw in a photo that makes
Anna take a look back on the time she spent with her (now missing) husband and
re-examine bits of their life together and, well, Anna has a lot going on.

No lie, I almost think investigating the circumstances surrounding the fire and
subsequent death are almost a relief from all the other stuff going on.

To be fair, it's not like Anna has a choice in not investigating. Given that the
detective assigned to deal with island problems tends to classify things as an
accident (when Anna knows it's not) and nobody else is stepping up, she does
what needs to be done.

A deadly fire, a sister on the prowl, a picture that raises a lot of questions,
a little run-in with the detective, and a lady who is VERY good at unraveling
clues. GOOD STUFF!




Posted by Kelly Rubidoux at 3:00 AM No comments:
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Labels: Element: Series, Element: Small Town, Genre: Cozy, Genre: Mystery

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WELCOME!

I'm Kelly. I read incessantly. Tweet occasionally. Love werewolves. Stalk
vampires. Have a soft spot for demons.

I review anything from paranormal romance to urban fantasy to historical romance
to sci-fi to young adult to new adult to erotica. My tastes are many and varied.

Find me at:


Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.



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CURRENTLY READING

Sirens
by Kerrigan Byrne
The Body in the Backyard
by Lucy Score
The Package
by K. Bromberg
Romancing Rem'eb
by Ruby Dixon

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