Current reviewer rank: 2079. Reviews posted: 1218.
Finished
Thirty-Two Going on Spinster by Becky Monson PRIME READING
Julia is a spinster... at least in her own head. She's 32 and stuck in a dead-end job with no chance of advancement. Her boss prefers her baking to her actual work. She lived in her parent's basement suite with her cat. She has no boyfriend... Or even a lover. When a new hire, Jared, arrived at work, taking an HR position that Julia had hoped for to break out of her work rut, Julia was ready to hate the new hire for all his worth... except he's so gorgeous. When a couple extra assignments brought them together, Julia was willing to fit in a few minor changes to her life... and take a chance at *gulp* a relationship. But when the biggest change of all came, Julia will feel an act of betrayal that will fundamentally shift her life... But will she embrace the change... or revert to spinsterhood?
Actually quite a bit of fun to read, despite it being essentially "chick-lit", complete with shopping, gossip, background manipulations (in a good way), and trying to understand men. The book also ended up a "happy for now" ending as there are two more volumes to Julia's story. Call it 6/8.
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Finished
Scarred -- the complete series by Kylie Walker PRIME READING
Kelly Ward had a hard life... she grew up having suffered horrific abuse as an adopted child, that the only thought she had was to escape... and go to university. She thought she found the right man to escape to... Until he turned out to be a psychopath that relished hurting her for two years. She barely survived the attack that finally put him in jail... but his powerful father got the sentence reduced to only two years. He promised to kill her... slowly. So she changed her name, changed her looks, and change her town... and her career... exotic dancer at night, as Chole Green. She needed to save her money and chase her dream to become a teacher. She can't fall for any of the lecherous men who came to ogle her.... Until Derek Stark came. He is rich, he is handsome, he's not the kind of man who visit a pole-dancing club, but he wanted Chloe. Why is he here? As Chloe and Derek got closer, they discovered each other's secrets... just before her abuser is about to be released... and determined to finish what he started...
This is a multi-volume almost 700 page saga that was NOT a bad read, but there are a couple bits where the plot and revelations didn't lead to anything and felt wasted. That, and a few technical details, made it hard to give this book top marks.
There was a bit about how Derek's car was sabotaged with cut brake lines. This part is NOT believable. Any car, with NO brake fluid, would have the brake panel light flashing. Also, the hand brakes would still work as that's in a separate system from the main brakes. Finally, any one who had been driving would understand how to use engine braking and scrape the barrier or walls in order to slow down, even at a downhill. This particular driver, having suffered through a crash that killed his wife, would have been extra careful. The idea that he would fail to notice warning light, drive for miles, only to realize no brakes upon reaching top of a hill, then had many many seconds to panic before running through a barrier and barrel roll down a hill, frankly, is NOT a credible scenario.
Also, the saboteur made no sense. The guy was a law student before he went to jail. He was on track to be a junior partner. Somehow, after 2 years in jail, he became a master criminal capable of stealing cars, cutting brake lines, stalking, and other things. WHEN did he pick up those skills?
6/8, and that's being generous.
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Finished
Maggie's Way by Linda Bradley
Maggie Abernathy is suffering through her darkest hours alone. Her son had moved out for his internship hours away. Her husband of 20+ years is divorcing her, after raising a son together... As he finally realized that he's really gay. She was also diagnosed with breast cancer, and her radiation treatment is soon. She just wants to spend her summer alone, away from her teaching job, in peace. However, that was not to be, as her peace was disturbed by the precocious seven-year old Chloe next door, with her gorgeous father John, a pediatrician. Her mother also drops by unexpectedly, and her ex-husband is still here, lending her support... Maggie just wants to be alone in her huge house, but nobody will leave her alone. When an accident with Chloe sent Maggie to the hospital needing stitches, Maggie found herself falling in love with Chloe... and John, and her empty house didn't feel so empty any more...
Sweet story, minimal angst, slow simmer, and additional complications along the way, such as Chloe's mom... and more. 6/8
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Finished
Judith, Rose Creek Ranch Mail Order Bride by Ann Laurel FREE 68-page short.
Judith was the daughter of a coal miner, and her parents wanted a better life for her, so they married her off to Colorado by pretending to be her and corresponded with a man in Colorado, and married her off as a mail-order bride. After months there, she didn't quite fit in, didn't find Christ, and was homesick, so she ran off back home. On the way back, her train was robbed, and she along with another girl traveling alone, was taken off the train and forced to work in a lawless town as a saloon girl. She begged for mercy from God and deliverance from her ordeal, until one day, her husband along with US marshals came to town and rescued her. She learned her lessons and decided to stay married to her husband. The end.
Clean, yes. Christian, yes. Entertaining, no. Religious message was heavy-handed, and there really wasn't much of a struggle in anything. 3/8
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Finished
More than Neighbors by Isabel Keats PRIME READING
When Leopold Sinclair returned from a long trip, he did not expect to find the captivating Catalina Stapleton had moved in next door. Catalina is a free spirit who's always helping someone or something, and after a couple pointy conversations with Leopold, Catalina decided that Leopold needs to be saved... from himself. Leopold didn't need saving, as he's got more than a decade on Catalina, but she's just so tempting and he can't quite seem to control himself around her. Both tried to pretend they aren't attracted to each other, but how long can they keep it up?
Eh... Older guy, younger woman, uptight guy vs free spirit girl, etc. The chemistry is slightly lacking, IMHO, and the ending involved one side ran away for months trying to sort out his/her feelings. ARGH. I **hate** that sort of endings. 5.5/8
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Finished
When You Got a Good Thing by Kait Nolan
Kennedy Reynolds had wandered the world for the past decade. Everybody thought she simply left town, even the boy she left behind... But she was keeping a secret, a promise that she will keep... Until news that her adoptive mother had passed away in a car accident, and she's going home. Xander Kincaid, deputy of the town, believed that he had driven Kennedy away ten years ago. Now that she's back, he wanted to apologize, to see if they can pick up where they left off... if that is even possible. Kennedy tries to patch things up with her adoptive family, but her abandonment for the past ten years was not so easily forgiven. As Xander help Kennedy through the ordeal, Xander found out what really happened ten years ago that drove Kennedy away... and the truth will devastate him... and he will have to make a choice...
Nice twist, didn't see that coming. 7/8
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Finished
Sniper (Women of the United Federation Marines) by Jonathan P Brazee
Lance Corporal Gracie Medicine Crow volunteered to transition from marine rifleman to scout-sniper. She is beautiful, but small in stature, which lead her to be often underestimated, and she coped by being aloof, leading to nickname of "ice princess", but she prefers to let her shooting do the talking. However, when her superiors sat her down with some "advice", she realized even in shooting, there must be teamwork, and leaders must know his or her men to deploy them most efficiently. As Medicine Crow deploy on various missions, she must learn how to lead and how to survive, as she came up against an enemy sniper that may be as good as she is... and had already taken out several marines...
Got this in a storybundle or humble book bundle before. It's pretty darn good military yarn. It's only "slightly" scifi, as all the rounds are still kinetic. 7/8
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Finished
Blue Dot Girl by J M contemporary thriller
Mar'shawl is a rich girl of Arabian descent and chose to live in the West as a student, finding life at home stiffling, but misses the family. On a day where she chose to decompress at a cheap motel, she was raped by a man called Dekker, who used a condom and forced her into the shower to wash away all evidence of his assault. It was clear he had done this before. Mar'shawl was devastated when Dekker was pronounced not guilty by the courts of raping her after a prolonged lead up to the trial, and vowed revenge by any means necessary. And she set about to accomplish this plan... by making a bargain with Dekker... She has evidence to ruin him for life... but it will ruin her too. He can continue to indulge in his sick desires... except she is picking his targets... and the first target is... his lawyer's wife...
The title was referring to the blue dot used to hide her face (and identity) in the few photos available, and the novel is DEEPLY disturbing on several levels. Did the additional women Dekker raped "deserved" it because they were implicated in wronging Mar'shawl? Is Mar'shawl evil help Dekker in order to take revenge on the system that let her down? Is she selfish in trying to achieve vengeance with her own hands by manipulating Dekker?
The writing style is very jarring, and the ending was a bit of a deus ex machina, but I enjoyed all the parts leading up to it. 6/8