Susan's Review of With This Cake By Samantha Chase-Meet Me at the Altar #2

Cheery baker dreams of finding Mr. Right…

When your last name is Baker, it’s really only a matter of time before it also becomes your job title. Some might see it as a self-fulfilling prophecy, but for Leanna, being the go-to baker for Meet Me at the Altar is a dream come true. There’s nothing she loves more than to create the perfect desserts to help couples celebrate their big days. But despite what they say about the way to a man’s heart being through his stomach, Leanna has yet to lure her perfect man with her sweet treats.


Uptight workaholic dreams of being left alone…

If Brody King is going to take time off, he would much rather it be to train for his triathlon and not his brother’s engagement party. It would be one thing if it was just a regular party, but no, his brother and his bride-to-be had to go over the top and plan a full week of family togetherness and ridiculous wedding games. There’s no way he’s going to survive it.

When Brody crashes into Leanna and a hundred cupcakes are ruined, he does the only thing he can–he offers to help her make more. All it takes is a few cups of sugar and a dash of vanilla before Brody is craving not just Leanna’s sweet treats, but the baker herself.

With This Cake is the second book in Samantha Chase’s Meet Me at the Altar series. I adored reading Leanna and Brody’s opposites attract story with a sweet twist!

Leanna Baker is one of the partners of Meet Me at the Altar, a wedding business owned by three best friends. She is the chief baker and creates to die for desserts to celebrate special occasions. Her easy going personality enables her to deal with demanding customers such as her bridezilla cousin Charlene. Leanna has agreed to supply the desserts for her cousin’s three- day engagement celebration.

Samantha Chase’s choice to create an alpha hero intrigued me. Brody King is a difficult character to like. His strong work ethic combined with an even stronger personality often puts him at odds with his family. He’s been warned to behave during his brother’s weekend engagement party. Brody and Leanna’s relationship does not begin well. While out for a run Brody runs into Leanna who was carrying a tray of cupcakes. Leanna falls to the ground, hits her head and the desserts go flying!

The attraction between Leanna and Brody was off the charts. I enjoyed reading how their story unfolded-and loved that the confident Brody struggled with how to reach out to Leanna after the party. He was nervous, anxious and totally unsettled when they met. Leanna brought out Brody’s softer side –he could relax and be himself with her. Loved the honest, emotional conversations between the couple.

I will admit that the gorgeous book cover interested me and I pre-ordered it. After reading the novel, I realized that the cover image perfectly captured the characters-Leanna’s smile beams because she is about to bake and Brody is smiling because he is looking at Leanna with love. Samantha Chase writes the picture perfect happily ever after!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

Kindle copy purchased on Amazon

 Samantha Chase is a New York Times and USA Today bestseller of   contemporary romance. She released her debut novel in 2011 and   currently has more than forty titles under her belt!

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Susan's Review of Must Love Cowboys by Carly Bloom

In this charming, sexy romance, a bookish beauty needs a fake boyfriend and finds a handsome cowboy who is just the man for the job.

Beau Montgomery is living his best life . . . until he's left in charge of Rancho Cañada Verde. With his dyslexia, he'd choose a saddle over spreadsheets any day. His best hope is to ask the town librarian for tutoring. Only he's had a crush on the book-loving beauty since his junior high days—and despite being a smooth talker, he can't help getting tongue-tied every time they meet.

Alice Martin doesn't regret putting her career above personal relationships—but when Beau comes to her for help, Alice decides to see what she's been missing. She'll improve Beau's reading skills if the handsome cowboy teaches her how to flirt and agrees to be her date to an upcoming wedding. But when the town's gossip mill gets going, they're forced into a fake romance to keep their deal a secret. Soon Alice is seeing Beau in a whole new way . . . can she turn their imaginary story into a real-life happy-ever-after?

I thoroughly enjoyed Must Love Cowboys by Carly Bloom. The author has created a small town romance filled with charming characters, witty dialogue and a story that will grab at your heartstrings.

Must Love Cowboys features an unlikely pair: smooth talking rancher Beau Montgomery and Alice Martin the shy, fact spouting librarian. The Montgomery brothers Beau and Bryce, are the foremen of Rancho Canada Verde. Beau is enjoying his job and social life until Bryce accepts a new job; leaving Beau in charge of the ranch. Beau cannot make sense of the words, facts and figures that need to be inputted daily into the ranch’s excel program because he has dyslexia. I loved that Beau stepped up and asked Alice for help.

Loved Carly Bloom’s voice! Beau takes his reading lessons seriously and the author is able to add just the right amount of banter between the couple to keep the reader engaged. I loved that Alice tried different concepts to see what learning tools would work best for Beau. I could imagine hearing the excitement in Beau’s voice when he asked Alice to show him how to download a book on his phone—he wasn’t reading but, he had made huge progress! Loved the outdoor reading lessons and that Beau was able to introduce Alice to nature and help her come out of her shell. Beau’s reaction to Alice chattering about drought as they rode horses was perfect. He was attracted to Alice and saw the beauty within her. Swoon!

Carly Bloom is an amazing storyteller. Alice and Beau believed that they didn’t fit in. Alice because she was shy and intellectual and Beau because of his reading disability. The feeling of being an outsider looking in tugged at my heart. Adored that the author included subtle references to my favorite Disney movie Beauty and the Beast—Gaston the dog was perfectly named! Loved how Beau and Alice’s fun, flirty friendship lead to romance.

Must Love Cowboys has all of the story elements that I adore; well-crafted dialogue, fabulous characters and an engaging, relatable storyline. Looking forward to the next book in this series!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by Publisher and Net Galley

Susan: Tell us a little bit about Must Love Cowboys.

Carly: Must Love Cowboys is the third book in my Once Upon a Time in Texas series, and like the others, it’s a cowboy tryst with a fairy tale twist (Beauty and the Beast was the inspiration).

Beau is a ranch foreman who has dyslexia, and he needs some special help from Alice, the town’s librarian and, ahem… Beau’s former babysitter. In exchange, he promises to be Alice’s plus-one for an upcoming wedding. To keep their deal a secret, they end up in a fake relationship. Beau falls in love with Alice AND books (I honestly don’t know which is the better love story) and Alice, who is happily single and confidently self-partnered, falls in love right back. *You also get skinny-dipping, stargazing, cowboy strippers, and a few Latin lessons

Susan: Alice and Beau’s relationship and their hilarious banter drew me into this story. Beau really liked getting under Alice skin as much as she liked having the last word in their discussions. The witty dialogue and sexual tension between the couple reminded me of the Moonlighting TV series which starred Cybil Shepard and Bruce Willis. What inspired you to pair Alice and Beau?

Carly: I forgot all about that show! I loved it! As for pairing Beau and Alice, I really didn’t plan to pair them at all. But the attraction between opposites is pretty dang powerful, and they found each other. It was actually Claire (what a little matchmaker!) who clued me in that there might be something going on between Alice and Beau.

Susan: Was it difficult to balance the couple’s romance with Beau’s need to address his dyslexia?

Carly: The biggest tipping point in a romance (for me) is the moment when a character reveals their biggest secret; that part of themselves that makes them feel unlovable and completely bare and exposed, only to discover that they can be both seen and loved. Beau’s dyslexia provided a great medium for delivering that tipping point. And not only did Alice accept and love him, she helped him overcome his challenges.

Susan: I noticed a few sparks between Carmen and Bryce in this story—will you write a story for them?

Carly: I would love the opportunity to write about Carmen and Bryce! They’re a very unlikely pairing, so of course, I want to smoosh them together.

Susan: What book are you reading and recommending now? Favorite author?

Carly: I just finished the Intimacy Experiment by Rosie Danan, and I’m starting the Roommate (I’m reading them out of order). So clever and fun! My all-time favorite author is Susan Elizabeth Philips. I’ve been reading her books since the 90s. She’s the queen who turned me on to contemporary romance.

Susan: How can readers reach you?

Carly: I’m on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook. I have a readers’ group called Carly’s Bloomers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/carlysbloomers

And you can sign up for my newsletter, Carly Spills the Tea, at my website: www.carlybloombooks.com

I freaking love to hear from readers. Every time someone tells me they’ve visited Big Verde, I get goosebumps, because that makes my fictional town “real.”

Carly Bloom began her writing career as a family humor columnist and blogger, a pursuit she abandoned when her children grew old enough to literally die from embarrassment. To save their delicate lives, Carly turned to penning steamy, contemporary romance. The kind with bare chests on the covers.

Carly and her husband raise their mortified brood of offspring on a cattle ranch in South Texas.

 

Susan's Review of Sandcastle Beach by Jenny Holiday

From the USA Today bestselling "master of witty banter" (Entertainment Weekly) comes a hilarious and heartwarming romance about two enemies whose feud turns red-hot.
Maya Mehta will do anything to save her tiny, beloved community theater. Put on musicals she hates? Check. Hire an arrogant former-pop-star-turned-actor? Done. But what Maya really needs to save her theater is Matchmaker Bay's new business grant. She's got some serious competition, though: Benjamin "Law" Lawson, local bar owner, Jerk Extraordinaire, and Maya's annoyingly hot arch nemesis. Let the games begin.
Law loves nothing more than getting under Maya's skin, and making those gorgeous eyes dance with irritation. But when he discovers the ex-pop star has a thing for Maya, too, Law decides he's done waiting in the wings-starting with a scorching-hot kiss. Turns out there's a thin line between hate and irresistible desire, and Maya and Law are really good at crossing it. But when things heat up, will they allow their long-standing feud to get in the way of their growing feelings?

I really enjoyed Jenny Holiday’s Sandcastle Beach! It’s a charming, small town romance filled with unforgettable characters.

Jenny Holiday’s characters drew me into the story. Ben “Law” Lawson is the perfect swoony hero. I loved the witty banter between Law and theater owner Maya Mehta. He looks forward to seeing her every night at his bar, Lawson’s Lager, where he greets her with a glass of Riesling. Although Maya may appear to be indifferent towards Law—she genuinely enjoys his company and friendship….although she’d never admit it.

The slow burn romance between Maya and Law is perfectly written. Loved the laugh out loud scenes when Moonflower Bay’s matchmakers Pearl, Eiko, Art and Karl tried to bring the couple together. The attraction between the couple was apparent to everyone—the couples friends, family members and the patrons of Law’s bar. Loved how the town wide competition heated up the romance between Law and Maya.

The storyline is engaging, romantic and relatable. Loved how the author blended these elements into the grant competition as it kicked the storyline up a notch. Jenny Holiday is a “new-to-me” author and I look forward to her next book!

If you are looking for a small town romance filled with fabulous characters—pick up a copy of Sandcastle Beach!

Reviewed by Susan Gorman

ARC provided by Publisher

Jenny Holiday photo credit Kate Stasyna

Jenny Holiday is a USA Today-bestselling and RITA®-nominated author whose books have been featured in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, and National Public Radio. She grew up in Minnesota and started writing at age nine when her fourth-grade teacher gave her a notebook to fill with stories. When she’s not working on her next book, she likes to hang out with her family, watch other people sing karaoke, and throw theme parties. A member of the House of Slytherin, Jenny lives in London, Ontario, Canada