Thursday, November 26, 2015

The Books I'm Thankful For (so far) in 2015

HAPPY THANKSGIVING EVERYONE!!

In tradition (well mine at least) of today being Thanksgiving Day, here is a list of ALL the books I've read thus far this year (and have given my highest ratings to), which means I'm VERY Thankful for finding/reading them!! So, here you go (listed in the order of when I read them this year):
  1. "The Cowboy's Forever Family" by Deb Kastner: 5 out of 5 stars!! In a bull riding accident a man loses his life, afterwards it makes his wife and best friend become friends too as they work to help each other out no matter their differences.

    I was surprised with the outright animosity between Slade & Laney (Princess) when this novel began. However, what hooked me was how their relationship, and novel, progresses. [Read more of Jess' Review and TWO TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  2. "Huckleberry Spring" by Jennifer Beckstrand: 5 out of 5 stars!! Anna & Felty are match making again! Only this time Felty is being pulled through the ringer just to keep his grandson living with them. Poor thing. Together they try to get Ben & Emma back together again but because of one big secret and a bunch of lies, it might be a harder job than Anna originally planned. But she won't give up without a fight ... and Felty's wise words of course.

    I really enjoyed this dramatically touching novel. Anna's quirky ways were all fun to read about but I also liked how sweet Ben was and how determined Emma is to see everything through. [Read more of Jess' Review and ONE TEASER for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  3. "Her Forbidden Cowboy" by Charlene Sands: 5 out of 5! Two years after the tragic loss of his wife and unborn child Zane is still overcome with grief and not sure what to do with himself. When his wife’s younger sister decides to stay at his vacation home in California in hopes to pick up the pieces of her own life, Zane comes to realize what he’s been missing and starts living again but does he really want to move on with his life for good?

    I totally enjoyed this novel. With its subtle ways in romance and the emotions both Zane and Jessica (Jess) go through to deal with their grief this novel hits a homerun on many levels! [Read more of Jess' Review and TWO TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  4. "This Heart of Mine" by Brenda Novak: 5 out of 5 stars! After 17 years away a wrongly accused woman is released from prison, heads back home, and hopes to connect with her son. Yet as she grows closer to her son, she also grows closer to his father too. Will she be able keep her heart intact through it all or will she loose it along the way?

    I was instantly addicted to this novel!! I loved the main and sub plots!! [Read more of Jess' Review and ONE TEASER for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  5. "The Promise of Palm Grove" by Shelley Shepard Gray: 5 out of 5 stars!! Leona (Le)—an Amish woman who is unsure if her fiancĂ© is really the right man for her—takes a vacation to Pinecraft with her two best friends and meets a man who changes her perspective for the future.

    This engaging novel keeps you wanting more from the very beginning. Even though its plot was based around Leona and Zack (Zachariah/Zachary), with their budding friendship turned romance, it also brings you into the lives of Beverly (an older Mennonite woman who runs an Bed & Breakfast) and Effie (Zack’s Amish little sister who is dealing with Perthes disease) to give you an even broader perspective on the town itself. I enjoyed it all! [Read more of Jess' Review and ONE TEASER for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  6. "Caller of Light" by T. J. Shaw: 5 out of 5 stars!! King Marek travels to a neighboring kingdom with plans to meet the other King's daughter and agree to marry her, even though he isn't very hopeful or even happy about getting married for again he does need an heir. However, his plans change as soon as he sees then meets Carina, deciding to take her as a mistress instead, setting them both on a path neither expected...

    WOW!! I am in love with this intensely dynamic fast-paced novel! It was like a fantasy driven Cinderella romance with surprising twists the whole way through. [Read more of Jess' Review and TWO TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  7. "Interaction with a Dragon" by Cheyenne Meadows: 5 out of 5 stars! Alex finally lands a job after desperately searching! Yet, since she's now working as a "gofer" for a "man" called Cannibal who is known for his strong personality and determined ways, is it really a good thing? Well, she needs the money and plans to stick with her new job no matter the risk. However, is she willing to risk her heart? Even if her feelings might not be returned?

    From the witty banter between Alex & Cannibal (Byron) to reading about their growing relationship, it all helped me fall in love with this novel! I especially loved the scenes when they were at the Dragon Keep, mostly because they show off Cannibal's sweet side. [Read more of Jess' Review and THREE TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  8. "Mia and the Bad Boy" by Lisa Burstein: 5 out of 5 stars!! When Mia gets the chance of a lifetime to associate with her all-time crush--Ryder--for a month, she leaps at the opportunity. However, as soon as she arrives all her hopes of it being a "fun" experience disappears in the wake Ryder's personality. Yet, as their "relationship" progresses they find that they have more in common than they thought. Though will their differences be too much for them to overcome or will they be able to work through whatever comes their way?

    This was one sweet novel that pleasantly surprised me!! I was prepared for a good girl/bad boy singer romance but what surprised me was how these two seemly different people find common ground. [Read more of Jess' Review and THREE TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  9. "What a Bachelor Needs" by Kelly Hunter: 5 out of 5 stars!! Mardie's life might not be grand, but it is her own and she's proud of what she has accomplished. However, when her friend purchases Jett for her as a handyman for a week from the local bachelor auction, Mardie freaks out a bit. It's not that Jett isn't nice, because he is. It's not that he can't help her, because her home can definitely use the work. It's just that Jett is the one man who she has had a longtime crush on, and is the man who saved her from that frightening night years ago. Now Mardie's scared to loose herself to the one man who could hurt her and possibly loose her heart too.

    This fast-paced novel keeps its readers on their toes just as much as Jett keeps Mardie on hers. Fun, heartwarming, and intense it was entertaining from beginning to end. [Read more of Jess' Review and ONE TEASER for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  10. "His Lion Blood" by Scarlett Grove: 5 out of 5 stars!! In Mystic Harbor Vampires and Shifters are known enemies and it is forbidden for them to mate. However, once half-vampire Isabella and mountain lion shifter Ashton meet they find their connection undeniable and uncontrollable. Will they control the uncontrollable or will they embrace the unknown?

    I thoroughly enjoyed this fast-paced paranormal romance!! As this is the first novel I've read in this series, I found it involved enough to get a good grasp on the town while being completely standalone enough that you can enjoy it all by itself too. [Read more of Jess' Review and ONE TEASER for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  11. "Center Ice" by Cate Cameron: 5 out of 5 stars!! This novel reels you in with crazy squirrels than hooks you with a romance that is intensely sweet. When Tyler and Karen meet, their lives are stacked against them. As their relationship grows, they decide what they really want for themselves and what they are willing to do to help accomplish their goals.

    I was riveted by this dramatic YA novel. Karen’s life is in turmoil; she just lost her mother in a car accident and is now living with her father’s “perfect” family. [Read more of Jess' Review and THREE TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  12. "A Will and A Way" by Claudia Harbaugh: 5 out of 5 stars!! After seventeen years of believing her father was just a traveling sales merchant, Philippa (Pippa) finds out that her father was actually the Earl of Milbank upon his death. In addition, he learns that she is actually a bastard. Approximately a year later, Pippa learns that in her father’s will she and her half-sister, Charlotte (Charlie), are to have a Season in London together without the interference of either of their mothers. During Pippa and Charlie’s time together, they grow close as sisters while trying to navigate the confines of the ton. Yet, Pippa is still uncertain if the ruse to pass off her being there as Charlotte’s cousin is the right one, but is telling the men in her life the truth about her parentage any better?

    This fast-paced novella reminded me a bit of Ms. Austen’s "Pride & Prejudice" because of how much Pippa & Lord Trent (James) mimic Elizabeth Bennet & Mr. Darcy’s pride/stubbornness. [Read more of Jess' Review and TWO TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  13. "Sweet as Sin" by J. T. Geissinger: 5 out of 5 stars!! When Kat (Katherine) meets Nico during his music video shoot, she never expected her world to change in the blink of an eye. But it does. The question is does she have the courage to stay on and enjoy the ride or will "she run for the hills" too soon?

    If you’re looking for an EXTREME romantic rollercoaster read than this is the book for you!! Very well written! At times, it made me feel like I was reading Kat's diary. Overall, Kat makes you fall in love all of the characters, even herself.

    I was pleasantly surprised with how Kat & Nico's romance progressed and grew. It was erotically heartwarming in its extreme intensity. And while I'm shocked at where Ms. Geissinger took the plot at times, I LOVED how everything played out!! [Read more of Jess' Review and THREE TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  14. "In The Air Tonight" by Lori Handeland: 5 out of 5 stars! A little over four hundred years ago, while being burned at the stake two witches (a husband and wife) do one final spell that sends their triplet baby daughters into time in hopes of finding a place when witchcraft won’t be a crime and they’ll be “safe.” The spell works ….

    Throughout her life, Raye (Rachel) has been able to see and speak to ghosts. However, when she was five year old, and overheard her adopted father talk about how he didn’t like it and wanted to “send her back,” she learned that talking to ghosts wasn’t normal and did everything in her power to stop. Now at the age of twenty-seven she might still hide her “gift” but knows that it won’t go away.

    One-day Raye’s “normal” life suddenly changes when a unique murder happens downtown and homicide detective Bobby (Robert) rushes into her life. In some ways things go from bad to worse while in others things get better but as sparks start to fly between Bobby and Raye other forces try to keep them apart, can they work things out between each other or will their pasts mess up what they want for their futures?

    This unexpected paranormal thriller hooked me with Raye’s sarcastic personality, its fun witty plot, its suspenseful ways, and the growing relationship that Bobby & Raye share. Spectacular! [Read more of Jess' Review and THREE TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  15. "Spellbound" by Michelle M. Pillow: 5 out of 5 stars!! All her life Jane has known that she was going to die, because of that she has been distant to others and accepted her fate. Yet, when she meets charming Iain all her best laid plans dissolve and she's left with an unexpected she never imagined before ... a future for herself. Now if only Iain and Jane can prove her worth to the rest of his family everything might just be okay...

    Ms. Pillow cast an exemplary spell when she wrote this novel! Funny, thrilling, and destiny finding; this novel was one that had it all. From Jane's mysterious background to Iain dealing with his powers to Iain's family and their quirky ways, I didn't want to put this one down! [Read more of Jess' Review, TWO TEASERS, & AN EXCERPT for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  16. "Mayhem" by Jamie Shaw: 5 out of 5 stars! Rowan (Ro/Peach) goes on a girls’ night out to see a band perform and has her whole life changed when she witnesses her longtime boyfriend cheating on her. That same night Rowan meets Adam, the lead singer of the band, who makes what could have been a terrible night into something memorable. After one kiss, they part ways with Rowan believing she’ll never see or hear from Adam again, that is until she sees him in her college French class on the first day of school. However, Adam doesn’t seem to recognize her so she stays away, that is until she volunteers to tutor him when she finds out that he’s about to fail the class. From that point on they become “friends” and their lives will never be the same but are either of them willing to commit to something more to each other than friendship and risk their hearts?

    Wow! This is an intensely sweet novel that I didn’t want to stop reading! [Read more of Jess' Review and THREE TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  17. "Blood and Metal" by Nina Croft: 5 out of 5 stars!!! After recently being turned into a vampire, Daisy is still trying to come to terms with her life and the new turns it's taken. Yet, the path she was on changes about the instant she sets her eyes on Fergal again. He isn't who he seems, yet he's the one who can set her free while making her feel like her old self too. But when their choices end up working against each other, will they be able to put their trust in one another enough to succeed for both of them or will Fergal's past come get in the way and tear them apart?

    This exciting sci-fi paranormal romance will delight you while keeping you in suspense the whole way through! I'm still reeling, a bit, from the massive twists this novel throws your way. [Read more of Jess' Review and THREE TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  18. "An Irish Heart" by Jackie Zack: 5 out of 5 stars! When Greta was five-years-old her mother tells her to go to Cork and, because her mother was on her deathbed at the time, it has stuck with her ever since. Now, years later, she is finally making that trip to Cork, Ireland with the goal of checking out the location and finding someone to help out to honor of her mother. Her first day there she meets Aedan, a handsome man who helps run his family’s inn and restaurant, who mistakes her for his ex-girlfriend because of how similarly they are in appearance. From then on, Greta and Aedan get close but will their growing relationship be enough to overrule Aedan’s past hurts and help Greta find out where she’s from?

    An unexpected Christian romance that keeps you in suspense as to Greta’s heritage, while you fall in love with Aedan and the town of Angel’s Hollow along with her. This novel is very charming! [Read more of Jess' Review and THREE TEASERS for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  19. "Taking on Tory" by S. E. Smith: 5 out of 5 stars! Wanting to finally spread her "wings," Tory's older brother allows her to accompany him on a trip to Charleston, South Carolina and unintentionally finds her mate.

    This fast-paced paranormal romantic comedy keeps you entertained the whole way through! Tory and Simon's whirlwind romance was fun to read, especially as they go about learning each other. [Read more of Jess' Review and ONE TEASER for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  20. "Cougar’s First Christmas" by Jessie Donovan: 5 out of 5 stars!! After six months of being together Sean wants to officially claim Lauren as his mate and propose to her, even if that means going against the laws and figuratively putting targets on their back for the purist groups to attack them...

    Sean and Lauren's connection is palpable in a way that make the reader want to read more about them! Both are feisty which made reading about what they go through to protect one another, and their relationship, an enjoyable experience. [Read more of Jess' Review and ONE TEASER for this novel HERE | BUY YOUR COPY HERE]
  21. "Theirs" by Eve Vaughn: 5 out of 5 stars! After years of heartache of her past Alex’s men—Cash and Rusty—come back into her life to set things right.

    I’m a fan of MFM romances but only when all three get a HEA. This novel hits their HEA right out of the ballpark it’s so sweet, erotic, and entertaining! [Read more of Jess' Review and ONE TEASER for this novel HERE | CHECK OUT MS. VAUGHN HERE]
I hope you'll find a novel or more that you liked to read as much as I did!! As usual it's an eclectic mix of New Adult, paranormal, contemporary, erotic, Christian, and historical romances! =0)

Anyway ....

I hope you will have a FUN, DELICIOUS, and ENJOYABLE Thanksgiving! Wish you a wonderful day and some exciting days ahead!

Best regards, Jess

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