A Christmas Proposition by Jessica Lemmon

A Christmas Proposition by Jessica Lemmon
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

I now have a new favorite author to binge read! This book was so sweet and I am such a sucker for "have to get married, fall in love later" romances.

In The Christmas Proposition, Stefanie has to get married in order to "save" her brothers re-election bid for Dallas mayor. Her recent public scandal could hurt her brothers chances at keeping his job and in order to help him she decided getting married (for just a little while) is her best bet. Who's the best man for this charade? His good friend and top employee, Emmett. Emmett thinks Stefanie's idea isn't the best but to help his good friend and keep Stefanie from marrying some other guy, he'll do it.

The romance begins almost right away and I was okay with it. Many times this romantic trope is to instalove and the characters aren't developed. In this story, each person is developed as the story goes along and you can see where they really could fall in love. Because they already knew each other, the idea wasn't that far fetched. The couple decides that they will have real sex in their fake (but real) marriage and while it isn't gratuitous, it is hot!

The ending was slightly rushed but I still enjoyed it and highly recommend it. I am certainly ready to pull books 1 and 2 and add Jessica Lemmon to my author list!

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Guess Who's Back, Back Again...

I thought about whether or not I should address the 4 year hiatus or keep it moving and just go with it. Well, I am a woman of many words so why not address it.

It's been a crazy 4 years for me. Some good, some bad, all growth worthy. I haven't read nearly as much as I should have and I've missed it.

I've missed reading and falling in love with characters and falling out of love with other characters. I've missed buying too many books and spending too much time at the library. I've missed losing hours and hours of my life because I was wrapped up in someone else's. I've missed writing book reviews, using bookish words and being too snarky.

I've always been on Goodreads so my starred reviews have been there but even on Goodreads I haven't been writing my full book reviews. I haven't been assessing books and adding to my TBR. I haven't joined in the conversations and talked about my adventures in reading.

Earlier this month I volunteered at the National Book Club Conference as I have for the past 8 or 9 years. Being around so many dedicated readers and book lovers really got my bookish juices going. I really wanted to dig back in to my love of reading. So, I dusted off the library card and pulled some books from the shelves.

Lucky you, that means I have plenty to say and I'm ready to get back into the swing of things.

This looks like a job for me!

BOOK REVIEW - Never Enough by Lauren Dane

Hey there!

Never Enough is the fourth book in the Brown Family series. This particular Brown is Adrian Brown, the rock star.

The main character is Gillian Forrester. She is raising her adopted son Miles who is the son of her deceased sister. She has done a great job of raising Miles and building a life for the two of them and then her sister (who hasn't been a part of their lives at all) dies. Upon her sister's death she reveals that Miles' father is Adrian Brown. She says that she never told Adrian she was pregnant so he doesn't know that he has a son.

Adrian Brown is a rockstar that holds family very near and dear to his heart. He keeps close to his privacy and of course, doesn't take too kindly to Gillian when she comes to him and tells him that she is raising his son. Even though he makes a horrific stink (and I do mean very horrific), once he realizes that Miles is his son and once he sees Gillian, Miles and the family she's build for him, he mellows pretty quickly.

The main three characters in this book become "Insta-family". You are supposed to see that it has gradually happened but it really hasn't. It happens within a matter of weeks. That didn't bother me. What I had to get over was the fact that Lauren Dane goes from portraying Gillian as a firm mother figure to her sister's son to sleeping with the man that her sister had slept with 13 years prior.

I know we have seen this book trope before and because it's not new, it shouldn't even bother me. For about 2 days it did, so I put this book down and then came back to it later. Nothing on Lauren, all on me.

The secondary characters are very secondary. The main trio would have been okay in a standalone book. But, the secondary characters in Adrian's life had already built their lives in other books and I really missed out because I hadn't read them. One storyline in particular, left me wanting to read their book so I will probably pickup one of the other Brown books.

The pace of the book is odd. It's fast and slow and moves like molasses. I felt like it was about 50 pages too long. I felt like once we got to a certain point in the story, it was just time to let the characters (and me) get on with their lives.

Over all I liked the story, once I wrapped my head around the fact that this was not a plot driven book, I was ok. It had a plot that I would have loved to see developed differently. I just had to see this as a erotic novel that had a plot. Then I read it and felt better about finishing it.

I give this book 4 stars. And, I give this book that rating on it being an Steamy sex book that has a bit of plot. If I have to go back and make it a novel with steamy sex, I have to take a star away. 

RYBSAT #6

Hey there!

I really had to think about whether or not I wanted to participate in the Read Your Book Shelf A Thon #6. The last BookTube read a thon left me tired, sleepy and cranky. I didn't want the same fate this time. So, after mapping out a plan of attach, I decided to participate! But, this time I decided to go easy on myself. If I finish everything, great. If not, that's ok too.

Let's backup. What's the RYBSAT or Read Your Book Shelf A Thon? Well you are supposed to pick a spot on your bookshelf and start reading books from that point onward. You are seeing just how many books you can read from September 22nd through September 29th.

I chose the section of my TBR bookshelf that houses books I need to read that either aren't mine or I need to pass along to someone else or for some other reason, I really, really need to read them.

So, what am I reading for this challenge? So glad you asked...

1. The Dukes Guide to Correct Behavior by Megan Frampton is a book that I need to read for book club. My book club meeting is in a month so no real rush but I have three books that I need to read so...

2. Hungers Mate by A.C. Arthur belongs to a coworker. I've had it in my work desk drawer for about 5 month so I really need to get it back to her.

3. The Last Cowboy in Texas by Katie Lane also kinda belongs to that same coworker. She brought books to the book club from a readers/writer conference and I was supposed to read this one and pass it along. It's time to hurry that up.

4. The Royal We by Heather Cocks & Jessica Morgan was a birthday gift (from April). Again, my birthday was in April. I don't need to say more.

5. SHADA The Lost Adventures by Douglass Adams. This one is a library book so I only have 3 weeks to read it anyway. I love Doctor Who (as I'm writing this, I'm getting ready to go meet folks to watch the season premier) and this one will get read.

So you see, there is no real urgency to read many of the books on my TBR shelves but these probably need to get read soon. This is the perfect excuse to get it done!

Again, this challenge is September 22nd through September 29th. I am so ready to hop to it. These books will get read during this time (well, some of these books will get read).

This is the perfect time to get some books off of you TBR shelf. I only allotted 5 books but I have 12 times (plus) that on my shelf (and don't get me started about my Kindle!). Are you participating in the read a thon? It's a good time to get some books off that shelf!

BOOK REVIEW - The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros

Hey there!

The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros is so fantastic! It's a quick read but it's a mighty read! It is a beautiful photo album of all of the people that Sandra has met on Mango Street. It's written vignette style and each chapter is a deeper peek into Sandra's life as well as the people around her.

It's so descriptive and you can relate to all of the characters. She speaks life into each one of them and in 1 - 2 pages you learn all about each person or family. You understand their life as seen through the eyes of a young girl (which as an adult reading it, you immediately understand what is really happening). You either know them, live with them or by them or you are them! I love that she captured the vibe of the people on her street.

You just have to run out and get this book. I am so upset that I wasn't required to read this book in school. I think everyone should read this. I am on the fence about making it required reading in schools. I don't want it to be something that you dread reading because it's so good. But, I certainly think that it should be introduced to everyone. Sandra's neighborhood description will get the mind juices flowing. Anyone with a creative bone will either want to write about their neighborhood, "draw about it" or read more about other folks' neighborhood. It made me want to run out and get more from Ms. Cisneros.

I gave this book 5 stars. A definite must read!

BOOK REVIEW - Cloak And Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon

Hey there!

As I said in my Goodreads review of Cloak and Silence by Sherrilyn Kenyon, it's really not fair to write a review because Sherrilyn Kenyon could write a book about dog poo and it would be the best ever!

I came across Sherrilyn's books when I needed a book to read on a plane and picked up Acheron. WHOA BABY! That's one to pick up as your first Sherrilyn Kenyon book! It just slams you into her writing style.

Sherrilyn's books have touches of dark and light magic in them. There's lots of action and ass kicking. And, when she adds a love scene, it fits. It's not gratuitous sex. It has a purpose to the story.  The romantic parings are fantastic and you know that the couples are meant to be together.

This SK book is book 7 from The League series. It's about Maris and Ture, two very hunky men that met in a previous League series book. Sorry, I don't know which one because I completely read this series out of sequence. The great thing is that you are almost ok if you don't read them in sequence. Yes, there will be some spoilers but I'm okay with them.

The book opens with Ture and his friend Zarya having been captured and tortured and Ture has very little faith that anyone is going to save them. Zarya, on the other hand, believes that her love (aptly named) Darling and Darling's best friend Maris will save them. When they do save them, it doesn't take long for Ture to fall in love with Maris.

Both characters have had to keep secrets in their lives and you get great insight as to how they kept these secrets, who they trusted and when/where that trust has taken them. Sherrilyn wonderfully knits her tale with flashbacks to help you understand both characters. You feel for both of them and root for their love.

Maris and Ture fall in love with each other and have to fight for that love. Sherrilyn tells you in the preface that this book is different. Really, it's not. You have bad asses that kick butt and take names, a group of the best soldiers that make a family unit, and a love store intertwined. I love a great romance and it makes very little difference if the characters are a man and a women, two men or two women. Hell, I read books about shape shifters and "doing it" with dragons so... What I don't like is a book that is just gratuitous sex for no reason or a poorly developed love story.

This book is neither of those things. I could go on and on and keep singing Sherrilyn's praises but that would get boring for you and keep me from reading other books in The League series. I say get your hands on this book (and the rest of the series) now!

I gave this book 5 stars because GR won't allow me to give it more.

What I Bought- August 2015

Hey there!

Sooooo, I bought a lot of books in August -- 18 books to be exact! What can I say? It was a very good month at the Goodwill stores.

To run through quickly...

Out of Sight by Elmore Leonard is such a great book and a wonderful movie as well. I saw the movie first (Jennifer Lopez and George Clooney -yum) and fell in love. Then I saw the book at the library and picked up it. Oh, amazing. The movie follows very closely to the book. Elmore Leonard writes a great novel. I've ready several of his books. When I saw this at Goodwill I had to snatch it up for my shelf. Yes, I will read it again. It was just that good.

Circle of Desire by Carla Swafford is the first book in a series by Carla Swafford. I got the second book in a RT book haul (years ago!) and wanted to read the first book before reading the second one. I got this one from amazon (second hand) and at $4, it's the most expensive book in the entire haul.

Highlander Most Wanted by Maya Banks was a no-brainer buy. Maya Banks is an auto-buy author. I love everything she writes and I have a portion of my book shelf dedicated to her (almost the entire shelf -- yep! It's that deep). I have read this book and it was great. I gave it 4 stars and I'm ready to read the rest of the series (and anything else she puts out!).

I haven't read anything by J.R. Ward but I saw Covet at the thrift store and decided I'd try it. The Alchemyst by Michael Scott was the same thing. I had heard about it on BookTube and when I saw it, decided I need to get it.

The Soldier's Lady by Michael R. Phillips was a book that I stumbled on and decided I need to try it out. I've never even heard of Michael R. Phillips, and this is the second book in a series but I wanted to read it. It's a historical romance and I really love historicals. I'm betting that I won't really miss the first book that much and if I do like it, I can find it online, I'm sure.

Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides and The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros are total BookTube buys. Middlesex is one that I've seen and not sure that I want to read and The House on Mango Street is one that I've seen and really want to read. I decided to get them both to balance out my reading.

Where Peachtree Meets Sweet Auburn: A Saga of Race and Family by Gary M. Pomerantz is a historical novel set in my hometown of Atlanta. I love history and I love history in my hometown. It sounds interesting and it will be a bit of a break from what I normally read.

Thirteen Reasons Why by Jay Asher and The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman are again, BookTube buys. I have seen them both on YouTube and thought they might be interesting.

The Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis...well you know! I read The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe as a child and began Prince Caspian as an older child. I figured I needed to add this big book to my collection and my plan is to begin reading it in the fall and take my time reading it. I am SUPER excited about taking my time to read this one and really enjoying it.

Radiant Shadows by Melissa Marr was a "pretty cover" purchase. The cover was just so shiny. Unfortunately, this is the 4th book in a series so I have to read 1 - 3. I think I need to check out book one from the library, you know, just in case.

Beneath The Glitter is written by Elle & Blair Fowler. I use to watch their beauty vlogs on YouTube and saw when they were just getting this book ready for market. I kinda wanted to read it then but it was a fleeting thought. When I saw it at the thrift store for $2.92, I knew that I needed to grab it.

Juliet by Anne Fortier is another "pretty cover" buy. I have never heard of it but it sounds interesting. It looks like one of those books that I'll read slowly but I am interested to get to it.

Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs is all over BookTube. I wanted to read it when I heard about it and got very excited when I found it in the thrift store. I grabbed it up and looked around to see if anyone else saw my good find (yep, I'm crazy this way).

And, Delirium by Lauren Oliver, again, a "pretty cover" buy. Luckily, it's the first book in a series (because I've kinda sucked at getting book one's this month). Not sure If I'll like it but at less than 3 bucks, it's ok.

I've mentioned the $2.92 price and alluded to the $1.91 price a few times. At Goodwill, hardback books are $2.92 and paperbacks are $1.91. If your book has the sticker color of the week, it's half price. I love looking through Goodwill and Value Village and other thrift stores. This past month all of my books (except the one purchase from Amazon) came from Goodwill and many of them were during half price week or a sale time. I don't like paying full price for anything so this serves me well.

I don't normally purchase this many books in a month but I found ones that really excited me. I wouldn't normally buy 18 books because I normally only read half of that in a month. But, you gotta have goals!

What did you find last month? What are you planning to read first?