Wild Thing

Review:

Hunter loves the outdoors. He hikes, kayaks, skis, you name it, he does it. He also owns his own outdoor company. Toni, on the other hand, is a city girl. She's the manager for a modeling company. 
The outdoors freak her out. Not to mention, fashionable shoes are so much more important than practical ones. (Snark).
I admit to being a bit confused. I'm really, really not sure what Hunter saw in Toni. This was definitely an opposites attract, insta-love story. 
I also felt I missed something with the (brief) Ben/Gina/Rafael story-line. Huh?
But, it was kinda cool to read a story that happened in Idaho. 

This works for fashionista for Ripped Bodice Bingo; Toni is unconventional in her fashion choices. She is a manager for a modeling agency.

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1767777/wild-thing

Spirited Away

Review:

This was an enjoyable read. Tristan and his knights were murdered (and cursed) in 1292. Fast forward to present day. Andi, a forensic archaeologist, is tasked with excavating a skeleton and weaponry buried underneath a tree that goes uprooted by a storm. What ensues next is a nice mystery. If you like your romance clean, with some paranormal, I would recommend this one.

I will use this book for the time-travel square for Ripped Bodice Bingo. (It fits, kind of- it IS shelved 13 times as time travel on GR).

 

 

 

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1766395/spirited-away

Updrift

Review:

I would have DNF'd this had I not needed a mermaid book for Ripped Bodice Bingo. I owned this one and have too many books to go and buy something new I knew I would like and would fit this category. 
I'm hiding this behind a page break because I can't review this book without spoilers. Rant ahead.

 

Ripped Bodice Bingo!!!!!: Mermaids

Holy fuck, what DID I just read? 
Kate is 6 when the book starts. Part one is so slow and it took me FOREVER to wade through. Part 2 and 3 DO pick up and more happens. 
Back to Part 1. Kate goes from 6 to about 17 in this one. I did like how Kate and Gabe first met. I liked the introduction to the world, the various friendships, and personalities. 
I didn't like the secrecy. It sucks when you feel you should know something and people you trust don't in turn trust you enough to share. That is this WHOLE book. Kate does finally find out Gabe is a merman (he likes the term siren better). But....all that build up and BOOM! It's over. Kate doesn't question it, wasn't surprised. Nope. 
Sirens have to ability to influence people. Imagine this: 
Human: "Oh my, the sky is so blue and pretty today! The sun is shining and I love the warmth on my face!"
Siren: "Oh, no it's not. It's cloudy and rainy."
Human: "Oh yeah, I'm cold. Let's go in and get out of the rain."
Yeah, didn't like this. There were several instances when it affected a character's personal choice to go do something. 
Siren's (the guys, I don't know about the gals) have the ability to hold a female's wrist and tell if they are ovulating. If they have sex, there is a 100% chance of pregnancy. Holy shit, that's not creepy at all!
I HATED the Will and Dana storyline. What was the point? Dana is Cara's sister and Kate's aunt. Both Dana and Will decided not to have kids and then both have a mid-life crisis where they regret the decision. One's a cheater, alcoholic who decides to commit suicide, but is saved......by sirens. And wouldn't you know it; are happily pregnant at the end of the book. 
I didn't like the Peter storyline either. Really? I'm supposed to believe that this particular siren is soooo talented he can fool anyone believing he is someone else? *Eye roll* Yeah, of course Peter had "mommy issues." Asshole. And Gabe discovers he has abilities previously unknown and saves the day!
Kate worked her ass off for her degree, but decides at the end BABIES!

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1765990/updrift

Dark Oracle

Review:

So, this has so much information at time, my eyes crossed. I was bored. I stuck with this one, because the hero is named Harry and I need this for Ripped Bodice Bingo! I would have liked this better had it not been so damn descriptive. I did like Tara and felt her character was realistic for someone who had been through a trauma and subsequent PTSD. I do wish she had been a less resentful. Harry, was okay.

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1765984/dark-oracle

Her Super-Secret Rebound Boyfriend

Review:

Lola's boyfriend just broke up with her. Her best friend, Frankie, comes up with an idea to cheer up her and get her out of the rut she fell in. That idea, taken from an episode of the Golden Girls (yeah!), is to crash someone else's high school reunion. While there, she meets Luke. Luke happened to know the person whose name tag Lola was wearing. Busted! But wait, Luke has a family reunion to go to and needs a fake girlfriend.
While this was predictable, it was exactly what I was in the mood for. This was fun, flirty, lighthearted and doesn't take itself too seriously. Both have Issues. Luke with his dad, Lola with her mom. Lola was a little naive. She also had some self-esteem issues. I didn't like how being nice was equated with being a doormat. 
I really like Lola's friends and Luke's family (I suspect a story might be brewing for Oliver and Winnie; and then maybe one for Frankie?). I loved the Golden Girl quotes. I do wish more had been said that, while there are many families that are related, there are many more that are chosen. Lola thought too much about how alone she was, when she had a chosen family right there (like the Golden Girls). 

eARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing, LLC (Lovestruck) and NetGalley
Publishes on June 11.

I'm going to use this for Ripped Bodice Bingo for the Heroine's eyes are described using the ocean; "the crystal blue hue of her eyes." and "Her eyes sparkled..."

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1764966/her-super-secret-rebound-boyfriend

Beauty and the Beast

Review:

I did enjoy this. Nice, fairly clean romance. I would have liked it a little more had there been a little more steam. Nice set-up at the beginning, I would have liked more in the middle once Ana got to the castle. I did like the ending, it didn't feel rushed like the middle of the book felt. I did really like that Alistair truly saw Ana as his equal. While Ana was very sheltered, she was quick to stand up for herself.
This would be appropriate for older teens.

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1764656/beauty-and-the-beast

One in a Million

Review:

This is one of my least favorites in this series. Callie and Tanner weren't bad, but each had their Issues. Callie more so then Tanner. She had a bad experience with love and therefore love must not exist. She gave one person way too much power to dictate her life. I don't mind some push-pull, but this was annoying. One step forward, now let's take 2 steps back shall we? 
I did enjoy the roles Becca, Olivia, Sam, Cole, Troy, and Lucille. I liked that Lucille has her own ending. As always, I enjoyed the interactions between all of them. One thing did help make up for my frustration: the proposal scene.

Original post: RachelGoodbyeBorders.booklikes.com/post/1764238/one-in-a-million