Funny and Clean Contemporary Romance I loved this book! I’ve liked a lot of Melanie Jacobson’s contemporary romances. They all seem to have some real message to them, beyond just finding your true love. This one did too. It was really great. [br] [br] The best part though was I loved the main character. She was so funny and clever. So is her roommate, so is her love interest. I just fell in love with the writing and the dialog. There were a couple of […]
A Clean(ish) New Adult Contemporary Romance Let’s address the whole New Adult/Clean-ish thing first because this is going to be a make or break for some readers. The “New Adult” designation is sort of code for 18-25 year old characters and steamy love scenes. When a New Adult book is marked “clean” it doesn’t always mean no sex or swearing, what you’d typically expect from a “clean” romance. It usually means that relationships are implied, but not descriptive. And that is the case with this […]
A Magical Romance series by 12 best-selling authors! Not Always Happenstance is part of The Power of the Matchmaker series. While each book is a stand-alone read, they all contain the recurring character of Pearl, the matchmaker. The story of Lani and Easton is takes place against the backdrop of Hawaii. I loved the rich descriptions and culture that weave through the story almost as a counterpoint to the plot. I really felt like I was there. Pearl is back on the job as matchmaker […]
A Sweet End to a Wonderful Series This is the last book in the June series. I have read all of them and loved each one. In the first book, Finding June, June is only 16 and starting a career as an actress. It is definitely a Young Adult novel and would be enjoyed by teen readers and adults who like YA fiction. Over the course of the books, Chasing June (book 2) and Catching June (book 3), June grows older, goes to college, and […]
A Sweet, Clean Debut Romance Sometimes “debut” means not quite up to the competition, but that’s not the case with The Secret Life of Daydreams. It’s well-written and kept my interest through the entire story. I look forward to reading more from this author. Sofia and Josh first meet when he is in Portugal on an LDS mission. He taught Sofia about his religion and she joined the church. This story takes place years later, when Sofia and Josh meet again. Because of the issues […]
A Magical Romance series by 12 best-selling authors! Broken Things to Mend is part of The Power of the Matchmaker series. While each book is a stand-alone read, they all contain the recurring character of Pearl, the matchmaker. This is the story of Celia and Silas. They both had an extremely difficult childhood that set them up for heartache and distrust. When Celia shows up in Silas’ home town, he wouldn’t have even given her a second thought if she hadn’t been introduced to him […]
ALWAYS WILL was a fun, fast read for me. It’s not my favorite by Melanie Jacobson, but it’s in the top 3 (#1 Painting Kisses, #2 The List). I love fun and quirky characters. Hannah, Will, and Hannah’s best friend, Sophie, were great. So were a few of the guys Hannah met online. I found myself laughing out loud (literally) at some of their teasing interchanges. Funny and clever dialog all over the place! For example, this conversation between Hannah and Will: Will: “What is […]
Shhh! In my real life, I’m known for not liking romance. And really, I don’t love it. At all. But, I have a confession to make. *looks around to make sure no one’s eavesdropping* I sort of, kinda, maybe really like those Lifetime Christmas Romance movies. So when this blog tour popped up in my review radar, I thought I’d give it a read. Also, I have friends who like romance. AND it’s only 99¢ right now for Amazon Kindle. AND I’ve read other romances […]
For me to like a contemporary romance, there needs to be a “something.” It’s hard for me to put my finger on what the “something” is but I do know it’s not the romance itself. The best I can do is say it’s got to be either highly character driven and the characters are fun or interesting, or there’s something of depth there. This one has both. While 99% of the book was light and fun, there’s a very serious topic and scene that makes […]
Trifecta Books has just started a Sweet & Clean Romance Collection which includes And Something Blue from the Main Street Merchants series. Set in the small town of Aspen Ridge, Colorado, the series will feature love stories by author Paige Timothy and will involve the owners and employees of the shops on Main Street. For me to really enjoy a romance, there must be more to the story. I prefer romance to be the backdrop, and if it’s not then the characters have to be […]
If you’re into all that kissing/hand holding/heart pounding stuff, here’s a book you might like. I’m not a big romance fan, but I AM into authors. I’m always curious to find out what makes them tick. So here’s a short interview with Amber. Q: Hi, Amber. Welcome to Inksplasher. Tell me a little about yourself. A: I’m a wife, a mother and a writer of Young Adult fiction. I traveled a lot as a child, but went to high school in Denver. Now I live […]
I read Rules of Engagement by Stephanie Fowers yesterday in just a few hours. It’s cute and fun. This book gives you a humorous look into college life while exploring the non-existent love lives of Samantha and her roommates. I enjoyed Samantha’s feisty character and personality. I laughed aloud at many of her antics—such as getting stuck in a window, sneaking into a boy’s apartment to steal a cross-stitched quote, and trying to avoid a stalker. It took me back to my college days. I […]
This was the “stretch” book for a reading challenge because I really don’t care for romance novels. I think the reason I dislike them so much is because when I was 16, my aunt gave me 4 LARGE paper grocery bags filled with romance novels. I think I read at least 100 of them that summer—more than enough to last a lifetime. So, even though some of my best friends are romance novelists, when anyone mentions reading one of those kind of books, my eyes […]