Review: Gray Card

Gray Card by Cassandra Chandler
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

Adam is an alien military officer whose tour is done and he wanted to see Earth.  Evelyn loves all things space.  She and Adam are in love.  We are not really told how they meet, but dropped in the middle of their relationship (and story).

Anyway, things work out just fine, the end.  

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Review: The Heart Principle

The Heart Principle by Helen Hoang
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This has been a fantastic series.  Of the 3, I think this is my favorite.  

Quan is Khai's (book 2) brother and Michael's (book 1) cousin.  Quan has had a rough couple of years.  He was diagnosed with testicular cancer and had surgery.  This also affected his fertility.  He went from someone who was at the top of his game & someone who was called on to help, to being the one his family worried about.  Now he is cured and looking to get back into the swing of things.

Anna is a violinist who had (an awesome) viral moment.  Now she is dealing with performance anxiety.  Anything less than perfect is a failure.  Her long-term boyfriend also wants to see other people.  During this time, she also starts therapy and begins to understand she may be on the autism spectrum.  During the course of her life, she "masked" and became the person she thought her family and other people wanted her to be.  She lost herself.  She joins a dating app with the goal of having a one night stand (because the ex is "exploring things," so she should too!).  

The first date becomes a second date, then a third.  Quan quickly becomes the one person who understands Anna.  During this time too, her father suffers a massive stroke and the women in the family become his caregivers.  

This was a wonderful book about the story of discovery and learning about oneself.  Anna grows so much throughout the book.  This was definitely a more serious book, but also a love story.  The traditional love story is there, but it was also a story about loving and accepting oneself.  

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Review: Immortal Matchmakers, Inc.

Immortal Matchmakers, Inc. by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

The goddess Cimil starts up a matchmaking service for immortals. She decides to setup Andrus, a demigod who lost his mate years ago. Problem is, he has a BIG alpha-hole. Sadie was hired to smooth his edges. Enter romance.
I did like the mix of banter and humor. I liked Sadie. I hated Andrus.

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Review: Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life

Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life by Arnold Schwarzenegger
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Arnold is an interesting person. I listened to the audiobook which he narrates. Nice mix of memoir and self help/advic

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Review: Two Rogues Make a Right

Two Rogues Make a Right by Cat Sebastian
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

Will found Martin (his childhood friend who is chronically ill) living in the attic of Harley's house (Martin lives there as a kid). Will takes him to the country for the fresh country air. Martin has tuberculosis. Will would wake up every morning not knowing if would find Martin deceased. Martin slowly recovers.
This was a sweet, but slow paced friends to lovers with interesting characters (bisexuality, addiction, chronic illness, PTSD). I did find this slow going and this was so easy to put down and pick back up.

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Review: The Matchmaker's Playbook

The Matchmaker's Playbook by Rachel Van Dyken
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

I liked that this was told from the guy's perspective. Ian is a player who decides to help women out and get the guy they are crushing on. He also doesn't date clients. But, of course, that changes when he takes on Blake who hired him to get her crush David.
Ian is super cocky, but I did like him when it came down to it. Good banter and I liked the writing.

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Review: Three Little Words

Three Little Words by Jenny Holiday
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Gia (who is friends Elise, Jane, and Wendy (who were in previous books) is a bridesmaid in Wendy's wedding (just like in the previous 2 weddings). Gia is also a model and is struggling a bit (she turns 30 in this book). She was hurt once upon a time and ever since has vowed to not "do" relationships. Bennett, Noah's friend (from book 2), owns a restaurant and is also in the wedding party. They get stuck together while making their way south to the wedding in FL.
Fun forced proximity about 2 very different people who end up complimenting each other so well. Both have issues. Gia with disordered eating and body image issue (due to modeling and her mother). Bennett has a history of addiction and unsupportive parents. Despite this history, or because of it, Bennett understood Gia and Gia understood Bennett.
Enjoyed the epilogue which showed what everyone was doing 2 1/2 years later.

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