Week ending June 12, 2015
Bennett, Sawyer. Zack. Loveswept: Random. (Carolina Cold Fury Hockey, Bk. 3). Jun. 2015. 325p. ebk. ISBN 9781101886779. $3.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Zack Grantham is off his game. It’s been four months since the car accident that took the life of his son’s mother, Gina. Physically, Zack only suffered a fractured wrist, but emotionally, he is nearly broken by overwhelming guilt and grief. As he prepares to return to playing professional hockey for the Cold Fury, he needs to hire a live-in nanny to care for his young son, Ben. He leaves the hiring decision to his sister Delaney, trusting that she will make a good choice. When nanny Kate Francis arrives, Zack is initially underwhelmed by the petite, baggy-clothed, recent college grad standing on his doorstep. All of that changes when he begins to discover the smart, goofy, loving, and irresistibly sexy woman who hides behind those glasses.
Verdict Bennett (Alex; Garrett) has scored a hat trick with the third installment in the “Cold Fury Hockey” series. It reads well as a stand-alone, and sports fans who love the players as much as the game will be very satisfied with the intense action both on and off the ice.—Vicky Coffin, Eastern Connecticut State Univ., Willimantic
Boyle, Elizabeth. Mad About the Major. Avon Impulse. (Bachelor Chronicles, Bk. 8.5). Jun. 2015. 100p. ebk. ISBN 9780062322890. $2.99. HISTORICAL ROMANCE
In this madcap romp through Regency London, a protected young society lady seeks one day of freedom before being married off to the heir to a dukedom—a man she assumes must be an old fuddy-duddy if her father approves of him. Major Kingsley uses Arabella’s very temporary foray into the wilder parts of the city to delay his own return to his parents’ society house party, where he will be forcibly leg-shackled to some horse-faced debutante possessing of a perfect pedigree and no intelligence whatsoever. As they spend one glorious day doing everything that they shouldn’t, Kingsley and the adventurous young woman he knows only as Birdie fall head over heels for each other, only to return to the respectable bosoms of their respective families to meet their, ahem, promised mates.
Verdict It’s obvious that Kingsley and Birdie are unconventionally perfect for each other in this latest from Boyle (The Viscount Who Lived Down the Lane). Part of what makes the story of forbidden romance and mistaken identities so much fun is that everyone they encounter on their day together knows who they are, but neither of them is willing to listen long enough to hear the truth. This love story will bring a smile to any historical romance reader’s heart.—Marlene Harris, Reading Reality, Duluth, GA
Bright, Crystal B. The Look of Love. Lyrical: Kensington. (Mama’s Boys, Bk. 1). Jun. 2015. 340p. ebk. ISBN 9781616507114. $3.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Gunnar Wells and his two brothers will never be able to repay the woman who adopted them when they had no one else. “Queen” Elizabeth is definitely queen of her family and the little world she has created. Gunnar may be an undefeated mixed martial arts (MMA) champion, but when his mama needs him, he thinks nothing of dropping everything and heading home. Unfortunately, this means that he will be in close contact with Eboni Danielson, his high school love and his mother’s right hand at her salon. It’s been ten years since Gunnar left Eboni without a backward glance to pursue his MMA career. Since then Eboni has worked hard to put Gunnar and her feelings for him in the past. Eboni plans to stay strong and resist Gunnar as they work to keep the salon going while his mother recovers. However, it’s not easy when Gunnar is doing everything he can to break through her defenses and convince her that he deserves another chance.
Verdict There’s a lot going on in this book, but Gunnar, Eboni, and “Queen” Elizabeth are engaging characters you want to get to know better. The first installment in Bright’s (Revamped) “Mama’s Boys” series.—Lisa M. Jordan, Johnson Cty. Lib., Overland Park, KS
Kennedy, Jeffe. Under Contract. Carina: Harlequin. (Falling Under, Bk. 3). Jul. 2015. 289p. ebk. ISBN 9781459290013. $3.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
In the third title in her loosely connected “Falling Under” series, Kennedy uses a somewhat unlikely premise to tell an engrossing tale, one in which she expertly explores the sexuality of her protagonists. Celestina Sala has just lost her job, the latest in a series of personal and financial blows that have left her responsible for her orphaned nieces and almost $1 million in debt. When she runs into former client Ryan Black, she doesn’t realize that she has perhaps found the answer to her problems. All she has to do is yield control to him in ways she’s never dreamed. Ryan found Celestina wildly enticing when she worked on a landscaping project for his company but never acted on his attraction. Now he sees a new chance, and he’s a man who always goes after what he wants. The contract he offers Celestina sets up all the ways he can control her sexually but ultimately sets him up for a total loss of emotional control.
Verdict Kennedy (Going Under; Under His Touch) handles her subject matter with authority (if you can forgive the pun) and makes the premise and choices of her characters entirely believable, all while grabbing her readers by their hearts. Recommended for fans of the 50 Shades trilogy.—Jane Jorgenson, Madison P.L., WI
Moon, Jeannie. Until You. Tule Pub. 2015. 420p. ebk. ISBN 9781942240341. $4.99. CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Kate Adams is celebrating her 40th birthday on the West Coast, far from friends and family. As she sits with a bottle of wine and contemplates her recent divorce, a charming young man sits down and tries out his best pickup lines. Unbeknownst to her, this man is David Burke, the captain of the Philadelphia Flyers hockey team. Kate gives in to David’s offer of dinner, and the two quickly fall for each other. What follows is a romance complicated by David’s history of tabloid-worthy affairs and Kate’s vindictive ex-husband. Until You is a clean romance between an author of a series of best-selling thrillers and a younger hockey star, both of whom need to look beyond their emotional baggage.
Verdict Moon (Unexpectedly Yours) creates a realistic portrayal of a romance between an older woman and a younger man, but the side stories involving a wide cast of characters will make readers wish the author had spent more time on her power couple.—John Rodzvilla, Emerson Coll., Boston