Fredo's Dream (SEAL Brotherhood:Fredo) by Sharon Hamilton

You can purchase it on Amazon

Blurb

***See SPECIAL NOTE below if you preordered this book***
Navy SEAL Alphonso Manuel Esquidido “Fredo” Chavez has the heart of a lion and would do anything to protect and honor his beautiful bride, Mia. He’d fought for her love tirelessly, even after his Team buddies suggested he give up. But it was more than pride that wounded him when he discovered he could not father children. He is raising another man’s son as his own, but can never give her what she wants more than possibly anything else in the world. He has kept this a secret only unto himself and his best friend, Cooper. And he knows time is not on his side.

Mia Guzman has come a long way from wild child girlfriend of San Diego drug dealers to devoted mother and now dutiful wife of the man she now knows was always there for her, and always will be. She yearns to have a child with Fredo, to honor him with her body in every way she can, perhaps making up for the years she discounted his devotion.

Their beautiful love and marriage will be tested to the limits through twists and turns before the dramatic final outcome readers will love.

I have gotten more fan mail about Fredo than any other of my Navy SEALs. This book is for you readers, by popular request!

****PREORDER ALERT - An incorrect version of this book was uploaded in error, but has been fixed. If you preordered this book, you can get the new version by going to "Manage Your Kindle Devices" and requesting the free update ****

My Review

4 of 5 stars

I'm a huge fan of the SEAL Brotherhood series and when I was given a chance to read an early copy, I jumped on the chance and I'm happily writing a review of my own choice. 

I can't say how excited I was when I found out Sharon Hamilton was writing another Fredo book. He is one of my favorite SEALs in her series and I really wanted to see what happened with him and Mia. I do recommend reading Fredo's Secret first, just because it gives you a bit more depth of the characters and just that much more understanding of Fredo and Mia's relationship.

This book catches your attention from the start. Fredo's problem is something a lot of men face and I loved that Sharon Hamilton willingly put it in one of her books, showing that even the best and strongest have flaws. It makes them just that much more relatable. And he keeps the fact he is sterile from his wife only to learn she is pregnant? He thinks the worst. His job takes him away before they can work it out. When his mission is over he tries to reach Mia only to learn she was taken.....

This book was written very well, the plot well thought out and expanded on. It feels like a perfect flow from Fredo's Secret. 

B. Gillilan

Idolize by Maggie Mundy

You can find this book on Amazon

Blurb

Cassi moved to LA to escape a violent past and wants anonymity for herself and her son. She's starting to get her life back on track when she meets Declan Reed. He's the latest hit on the Hollywood scene, playing the lead in the TV series Dark Storm. Just when she finds the love of her life, Declan's fame forces Cassi's past to come back and haunt her. 

My Review

3 of 5 stars

This is a first Maggie Mundy book for me, but the blurb and cover caught my attention, and everyone will tell you I'm done for a great cover. 

Idolize was an interesting read for me. You have Cassi trying to keep herself and her son in the shadows so her past doesn't come to bite her in the butt. Then you have famous actor and center of the limelight, Declan. They meet when Cassi rescues him from a hiking trail. Declan is instantly attracted and feels a different emotion towards her that he doesn't feel towards anyone else. Cassi feels it too but fights it so that she can stay hidden. 

The story is well structured and the character development is expressed well for the most part. Following the storyline is a bit halting at times, and for me the intimate scenes were too short. I don't have to have an extremely detailed love scene, but it was almost sterile in the length leaving the reader to feel like it was a wham bam thank you ma'am kind of moment. 

It is a good read, it just needs some help.

B. Gillilan

The Temple of the Exploding Head by Ren Garcia

You can find this book on Amazon for $3.99

Blurb

A God In His Temple Is Invincible.

An outlaw and evil spirit, the Horned God confronts the gods themselves. From his Temple deep in the ground he is finally ready to act. A new Age of Blood could be in the offing.

Lord Kabyl of Blanchefort returns to his home with the pieces of The Machine in hand. He expects his love, Lady Sammidoran, will return to begin their life together as man and woman at last. However, the Horned God has other ideas and he pursues Lady Sammidoran without pause. As Lord Kabyl seeks to save his love from an insane god, all roads lead to the dreaded TEMPLE OF THE EXPLODING HEAD, where none emerge alive.

Elsewhere, Captain Davage and his Countess, Sygillis, find themselves lost deep in enemy territory where the Horned God’s horrific servants hold sway. Even if the Captain and Countess manage to return home to Kana in one piece, what will they find when they arrive?

The Temple of the Exploding Head saga concludes in this action-filled adventure of love and loss. In a place where even the gods fear to tread, how can naught but a tragedy be the outcome?

My Review

4 of 5 stars

I walked into the end of this series, but I have to say this book kept my attention from start to finish. I was a little confused but as I read further I figured things out. I had a great time getting to meet the characters and even the evil god beings. The action was amazing and everything was very well explained and detailed. There were a few characters I thought were left high and dry, but makes me hope for a spin-off for them. A great plot and an amazing read! I look forward to reading the rest of the series.

B. Gillilan

More Than Words by Susan Child

You can find this book on Amazon for $1.99

Blurb

It was just fun & games… until it got serious.
There are reasons you’re not meant to fall in love with your best friend. The big one would be watching as he introduces you to a skinny blonde. A week away to drown my misery—with lots of wine—seemed like a good idea. Well, that was until my infatuation showed up. That one steamy encounter changed everything.
There’s a reason you’re not meant to sleep with your best friend. Because once you do, nothing will ever be the same again.

My Review

4 of 5 stars

Ever had a best friend that you fell in love with? You eventually tell your best friend.....and they say they don't feel the same? That is what happens in More Than Words. Sam has been in love with her best friend Brett for a long time, but she's been to scared to tell him. Finally, she gets up the nerve to tell him.....not only does he NOT say it back, but in walks his beautiful new girlfriend......heartbroken and feeling like she just ruined their friendship, Sam leaves. This is a short but amazing read. Finding love and healing hearts, throw in some steamy love scenes and you have a great Susan Child read! B. Gillilan

Goodnight Kisses by Wilhelmina Stolen

This book is currently free on Amazon.

Blurb:

Fearing she carries her mother’s curse of marriage, nineteen-year-old Eleanor Mackenna swore never to vow herself into matrimonial bondage. Nuptials aren’t needed where true love is concerned. A concept she is sure a man like McCrea Coldiron would agree with. The town gossip has him pegged as a heart breaker, but Eleanor knows a different side to McCrea. And years of loving him without seeing his affection returned has made her desperate enough to ask him for advice on seducing a man.
​
McCrea isn’t proud of his reputation as a brawler and a womanizer. As a teenager the rumors were funny, now they may cost him the land he has worked so hard for. Chatty little Eleanor Mackenna has been chasing his spurs for years and ignoring her was easy to do until she grew up. A beautiful face and curves in all the right places made her hard to resist, and when his granddad lays down an ultimatum to make her his wife, McCrea offers her a first class lesson in seduction.

My Review:

4 of 5 stars

I received this book for an honest review. 

While growing up the people we love are our examples of what relationships should be. So when Eleanore grew up watching her mother in failed marriage , she felt she would go through the same thing. So she decided she could have love but the big 'I Do' was not for her. 

McCrea is called a womanizer and as an adult, he hates the reputation. He wants people to see the man he is not the troublemaker he was. 

Eleanore has crushed on McCrea since they were kids and he easily brushed it off...but now she is a beautiful woman any man would be dead not to want. And when his granddad tells him  to marry or lose the land he was to inherit, he decides to make an arrangement with Eleanore. 

Marry for a year and then they divorce, going their separate ways and he would pay her a good price. 

Eleanore, hurt that her crush wants to use her, says no and leaves for college heartbroken. McCrea doesn't understand what he did wrong. Will he get his head out of his ass and chase her? Or be a moron forever?

This book was well written. The troupe is an oldie, but a goodie and I really enjoyed my time getting lost in the story. Following these two as they learn more about theirselves and each other is a great experience. The development is detailed, but doesn't bog down the read. 

B. Gillilan

Being Green by Cynthia Sax (Book 1.5 of the Sizzling Cyborg series)

I found this book for free on Amazon

Blurb:

Can a stubborn scientist and a sexy cyborg make love grow?

Green, a cyborg warrior, cares for one being—his plant Windy. When Windy becomes sick, he’ll do anything to heal her, even venture across the universe to visit a worlds-renowned plant doctor.

He doesn’t expect to find love.

Doctor Shelby Cooper is the sole resident of a tiny planet. She prefers to be alone rather than risk caring for another being and then losing him. The curvaceous scientist is determined to resist Green’s patient caresses, his thought-burning kisses, his slow seduction.

She has underestimated the power of a cyborg’s passion.

Being Green is a short companion story in the Cyborg Sizzle series and is meant to be read after Releasing Rage.
It is also a BBW Cyborg SciFi Romance.

My Review

4 of 5 stars

Being Green is an amazing read about love and cyborgs. Green is a Cyborg traveling through space because he won't part with his poppy plant Windy. He is one of many cyborgs that escaped their human slave masters and remains in space with his plant because it is not allowed on their Homeworld. His plant is dying, and he found a female that has knowledge in ancient plants. He used the information she sent through messages, but Windy is still not better so he decides to go meet the female.

Doctor Shelby Cooper lives on a planet all alone. She vowed to follow in the footsteps of her mentor and keep the ancient plants on the planet thriving. She enjoys speaking with Green and helping him to try to save his plant, but she doesn't want him on her planet. More people means a higher chance of invasion and she already survived the destruction of her family on her homeworld she doesn't want to go through another. 

When Green finds Shelby she is scared and takes drastic action. His being a cyborg is the only way he survives. The closer they become the more Shelby knows she will be torn apart when Green leaves. This is a great read. Its a short story but has a great plot and detail. It is a great addition to any collection and a great book in the series.

B. Gillilan

The Perfect Pairing by Susan Ann Wall from the Romancing the Wine Box Set

I received this book for an honest review. You can purchase it as part of the Romancing the Wine Box Set for $0.99 on Amazon

Blurb:

She thought she landed the perfect job, but what her sexy new boss has to offer is the perfect pairing. 

My Review:

4 of 5 stars

The Perfect Pairing is a lovely romance about Courtney Daniels and Aiden Black. Courtney is the sister of Brent "Bear" Daniels in the previous book 3rd Trip to the Altar.

Courtney's brother got married and left the state for a few months, closing his business while he was away and leaving his sister without a job. She applied at the prestigious Black Vine Vineyard for the Marketing position over the Winery. 

Aiden Black has come home after 11 years to take over the family business after his father's death. While in charge, his father put the business in the red, Aiden is determined to restore the Winery to it's former glory that his Grandfather had it as and make a success of the place.

He hires Courtney to be the receptionist with the possible chance to go to Marketing when he makes the position available.

The attraction is instant and while Courtney wants to ignore it Aiden wants to find a way around her rules, one night he brings her home and kisses her.

After swearing he won't fire her if things go south, they start a private relationship....which means people figure it out before they are ready to tell them. 

This book is a great story. It a steady pace and a fun read, With steamy love scenes and sweet moments, it's a book that will reach a wide variety of readers. And add a rescue dog named Humphrey that earned the name to top it off, and you get the Perfect Pairing.

B. Gillilan

3rd Trip to the Altar by Susan Ann Wall

You can purchase this book on Amazon for $0.99

Blurb:

Tristin May has a bad habit of leaving men at the altar, but Brent Daniels isn’t just any man, he’s her first love.

When traveling nurse Tristin May heard the song dedication on the radio, there was only one thing to do: return to Lilac Ridge to see if summer love once again sparked with her long ago flame. The spark explodes, and Tristin spends the summer making new memories, but she is spooked when things go further than she dared dream. She high-tails it to her next nursing assignment, desperate not to leave a man at the altar for a third time.

Dedicating a song to Tristin on a national radio show was a shot in the dark for Brent Daniels, so when she shows up in Lilac Ridge, he’s determined he won’t let her go a second time. Tristin is as wild and carefree as Brent remembers despite the tragedy she endured after graduating college, and she brings out his own, long dormant wild side. Since he’s not looking for just a summer fling, Brent sets out to prove to Tristin he’s a man not only worth taking a chance on, but worth spending the rest of her life with.

But when Brent’s proposal sends his would-be bride running in the wrong direction, it takes the affection of his rescue raccoon Rascal to remind him she’s worth fighting for and to convince her that the third time is a charm. 

My Review

4 of 5 stars

3rd Trip Down the Aisle is a story about summer love that lasted even after they parted ways.....ten years ago. Brent "Bear" Daniels lives in Lilac Ridge and when he was a teen he met the girl of his dreams. For the last ten years he has been trying to find a woman to give him that same feeling, but he can't. In a desperate attempt to find the one that got away, he writes in to a local radio station and dedicates a song to her. Hoping she will hear it and return to him. Tristin May was visiting the small town for a family vacation before going off to college. When she met Brent she was stuck on him. They spent the summer together as much as possible. When she left, she left part of herself behind. A tragedy after college makes her gun-shy when it comes to men, going so far as to leave two men at the altar. When she hears Brent's dedication, she goes back to Lilac Ridge. The rekindle the love from that summer, ten years ago. But when Brent wants to take the next step, Tristin May runs... This book is a great read. It's a great romance that explores the one that got away and healing from tragic events. It takes on a realism that not everyone has a good relationship with love and that it takes dedication from someone else to help heal. B. Gillilan

Taken by Love (Bradens at Trusty #1) (Love in Bloom: Bradens Book #7) by Melissa Foster

I found Taken by Love on Amazon as a e-book for free.

You can find it here

Blurb:

The Bradens are a series of stand-alone romances that may also be enjoyed as part of the larger Love in Bloom series.

TAKEN BY LOVE is a USA TODAY BESTSELLER

"You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!" New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak

"Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely

In TAKEN BY LOVE...
Daisy Honey fled Trusty, Colorado, after years of battling rumors sparked by her gorgeous looks and lust-inducing name. Now a physician on the brink of a promising career, she reluctantly returns home when her father is injured in a farming accident. Daisy expects the small-town girls who hurt her in the past to take cheap shots again--but she's completely unprepared for a run-in with tall, dark, and wickedly sexy Luke Braden, the only man who has ever stood up for her--and the man she's never forgotten.

Luke Braden is handsome, wealthy, and the best damn gypsy horse breeder in the Midwest. After a restless youth, he's finally ready to settle down--only connecting with women is nothing like connecting with horses, and he's never met a woman worth the energy. After an arrest in a neighboring town, Luke's past comes back to haunt him, and he realizes that his inability to find love runs deeper than he ever imagined.

A chance encounter sweeps Luke and Daisy into a world of passion. For the first time ever, Luke feels a connection, but Daisy's life in Trusty is anything but permanent, and Luke can't manage a future until he puts his past to rest.

My Review:

5 of 5 stars

Taken by Love is about a doctor named Daisy Honey and a horse rancher named Luke Braden. Daisy returned to her hometown when her Father fell off his tractor and hurt his back. She came home to help out in the weeks before choosing her new career location. She left years before to become a well-respected doctor, and to forget the cruel false rumors she suffered from in High School. Luke is a well-known horse rancher with a bit of a reputation. They hit it off from the moment they run into each other again.
Taken by Love is a great read. While not a short, I read it in one day. I had trouble putting it down. The plot is great and really easy to follow. Melissa Foster did a great job taking an older idea and reworking it to make it enticing. I enjoyed following Daisy and Luke as they worked through their issues and developed their relationship. And even though he loved her, he wasn't going to beg Daisy to stay in Trusty. Their relationship is powerful. The love scenes are so steamy! I loved this book and plan to work on getting the rest of the series!
B. Gillilan

The Three Stones of Bethany by April Marcom

I received this book as an ARC

Blurb:

The kingdom of Bethany was once a beautiful place made up of five magical nations, each with their own special gifts. It all changed in a day, however, when the murderous dredgelings arrived. No one quite knows where they came from or how they keep multiplying, no matter how many are killed in the long, cruel war they’ve waged. 
All seems to be lost, until a human girl named Taylor is mistakenly transported to Bethany. Kane, the king over these nations, despises her whole-heartedly at first, and then she makes him laugh for the first time since the devastation began years ago. And the earthling manages to find new ways to surprise him with her valor and loyalty every single day. Unfortunately, Taylor’s only wish through their dangerous quest to reunite three magical stones and save the kingdom, aside from surviving this fearful place, is to return home.
But as fate goes, she soon discovers the only way to recapture the stones and save the lives of the royals she’s come to love as her first real family is to give up any hope of ever returning to her old life. In the end it all comes down to what sort of hero she truly is, one to her own self, or one to entire nations.

My Review:

I give 4 of 5 stars

I received this book as an ARC, I requested to review it because the information given captured my attention. I can be picky about my books, but as an author, I'm allowed. But when I started reading The Three Stones of Bethany, I was captivated. The characters are very well developed and the world April created for them, makes the reading experience even better. I enjoy when a book leaves me wanting more, but not mad that there wasn't more. The plot was developed and explained flawlessly throughout the book, keeping the reader in the loop, and by the end, I was satisfied with the story that was told. Yes, I would love to read another, but I not mad it ended because it finished in a good spot. I expect great things from April.

B.Gillilan

Tempted by a Marine (A Few Good Men: Night Moves Book 1) by Kerry Conners

I found Tempted by a Marine on Amazon as a Free Read

Here

Blurb:
TEMPTED

Erin Wyatt had never wanted anyone the way she wanted Mike Keller. Too bad he was a major pain in the ass. Keller seemed to think it was his responsibility to look after the sister of the man who'd saved his life. The last thing Erin wanted was a hardass Marine trying to play big brother—especially when there was nothing sisterly about the way she was looking at him…

FORBIDDEN

Keller owed a debt of honor to the fellow Marine who’d given his life for his. That meant the man’s sister was strictly off-limits. But the one woman he was duty-bound to stay away from was the only one he wanted—and in a battle between honor and the heart, sometimes the heart can't be denied….

Contemporary Romance Novella; 16,000 words
Contains strong language and sexual situations

My Review: 4 of 5 stars

A sweet read about a Marine that feels he owes penance for being saved by a fellow Marine, an injury that took his life, and a sassy teacher that wants to be seen as a woman, not a kid sister. Mike is a Marine, he was saved by his fellow Marine nicknamed Boomer. Mike, who has nobody waiting for him, feels it should have been him to make that sacrifice not Boomer, who had a wife, kids and sister waiting on him. While the platoons tells the grieving Widow call on them should she need anything, Mike thinks of Boomer's sister.
Erin is a high school teacher and sister to the late Marine Boomer. Boomer was always very protective of her and constantly tried to run her life. They love each other, no matter their differences. When Mike started coming around, making repairs, she hoped she could 'get to know him' better. But he kept his distance.
When he shows up late one rainy night, like a force of nature, she puts her foot down. Does she get her Marine?

Lion's Love by Kate Kent

I found Lion's Love by Kate Kent in a blog about her book. You can purchase it HERE on Amazon, at the time of this post, it's free.

Blurb:
Lion's Love - STANDALONE Mail Order Bride Romance

Hungry lion meets shy BBW for a roaring good time!

All she's ever wanted is to find the love of her life. BBW Sherry Cole dreams about the day she will find her true mate, marry and have kids but her natural shyness and a birthmark have eroded her confidence.
Some of her co-workers are mean girls who decide it would be fun to play with Sherry's love life and they take matters into their own hands signing her up for the 'Luscious Lads and Ladies Marriage Mates' site. Luscious Lads and Ladies is a new marriage match site with a twist. All the men on the site are shifters from the rowdy town of Shifter Villages looking for their mate and all the women are looking for shifters in the town to mate with.
When Sherry finds out what her co-workers have done she is in shock. Will she use the opportunity to grab a chance at happiness or let the opportunity slip through her fingers?
Lion's Love is a BBW Paranormal Shapeshifter Romance. This is a standalone novella and the first story in the Confessions of a Mail Order Bride series. These paranormal romances can be read in any order. The story includes strong sexual themes and language.





4 of 5 stars
Sherry is a shy, curvy woman with a self-esteem problem brought on  by years of bullying about her birthmark on her face. She learns about a dating site for Shifters and while interested, she is reluctant to join. Then the office "Mean Girl" goes and creates an account for her, even contacting the man that caught Sherry's eye.
Adrian is a sexy lion shifter that owns his own Barbershop in Shifter Town. He joined the shifter site because he wanted to find his mate and settle down. He is eager to be with Sherry and tells her often.
The book is well written with a good plot and gives detail and backstory, I just wish there was a bit more. It gets a bit rushed towards the end with little filler or details. But I enjoyed the book enough to buy the complete set.

B.Gillilan

Sway by Adriana Locke

I was given Sway as a ARC for a honest review. You can purchase it HERE . It's on Amazon for $3.99 or free on Kindle Unlimited.

Summary:
BARRETT LANDRY has it all.
Power, prestige, and plenty of women, the dapper politician’s life is pretty phenomenal. But in the midst of the biggest campaign of his life, he needs to focus. The last thing he can afford is a distraction.

ALISON BAKER is a work-in-progress.
As a single mother to HUXLEY, she’s rebuilding life on her terms. She’s focused on family, faith, and a future for her son that can’t be taken away. Putting her child first means not being careless, no matter what.

A chance encounter forces Barrett and Alison to redefine what they really want out of life. But everything comes at a cost ... and sometimes, even for love, it’s a price too steep to pay.

4 of 5 stars
I'm a big fan of Adriana Locke and her books. I was really excited to receive this ARC for an honest review. She is really creative with her stories and makes the readers fall in love with her characters.....and I SO claim dibs on Lincoln.
Barret is a sexy as sin Mayor of Savannah, Georgia. He is sex on legs and rarely has to search for companionship. So when Allison says no, the chase is on.
Allison is working two jobs while going to school while raising her son. She's not into the fame and glamour but eventually gives in to dating Barret.
I loved the book, the development between the characters and getting to know these family oriented people. I only had a few issues with the book but they are a matter of my opinion, and very minor
But overall a really great book! I am eager for the next!
B. Gillilan

Tender Forces by Lili Von

Cassidy Barron's divorce is final and now she's poised to start a new life a continent away. But before she can pack up her home and her life, she's promised her brother they'll reunite with old friends for a Civil War reenactment.

Cassidy shouldn't be surprised to see Ty Markson in the truck when her brother picks her up. She's always had a slight crush on the dark, broody commander of their group of living historians. Repressed sexual desires surge to the forefront and it's all Cassidy can do to play the part of a demure Southern Lady. What she doesn't know is that Ty has plans for her, and those plans are anything but gentlemanly.

My rating: 3 1/2 of 5 stars
Cassidy is a new author to me and I enjoyed reading Tender Forces. Cassidy's back story is informative and gives the reader incite to her feelings and how she is going to be portrayed in the book. Ty comes off as a sexy nerd and a die hard for reenactment realism. A great combination. The plot is good and has a great developing start. But it doesn't feel finished to me. I don't have to have happily ever after, but I do prefer a book to finish unless I know it's part of a series. But it is a good quick read.

B. Gillilan

Promise and Protect (Heros of Evers, Book 2) by Lori Ryan

It’s been years since Katelyn Bowden last set foot in Evers, Texas. Sent away at age four by her father, the town sheriff, after her mother was murdered, Katelyn thrived under the loving care of her aunt in Austin. Now that her father is dying, it’s time for her to finally come home and face the past. But that means having to deal with the new sheriff, the handsome ex-New York City detective, John Davies.
When John realizes his mentor’s daughter may be hiding the key to a decades-old mystery, he fears her repressed memories could make her the target of a killer who’s still at large. He also finds it more and more difficult to resist his powerful attraction to the beautiful, talented artist. And as shocking revelations about local murders, past and present, slowly come to light, the threats against Katelyn’s life become all-too real—and John knows only he can protect the woman he loves from the peril that surrounds them both.
Previously released as Everlasting (2014) to the descriptions for Promise and Protect.


Rated 4 of 5 stars
I received it at an ARC from the author, but can be purchased on Amazon, Kobo, Barnes and Noble for $4.99 for ebook

I received Promise and Protect as an ARC for an honest review, and I'm happy to say I really enjoyed the book. Katelyn and John are a great hero and heroine. Their characters are very well developed and they keep you interested in their story, drawing you in more and to see what is going to happen. John is loved by everyone in town and Katelyn is the girl that comes back after her dad sent her away. They save each other in every sense of the word when things start to go wrong. The book is fun of twists and turns that keep you guessing. Lori Ryan did an amazing job keeping the story flowing and the reader coming back for more.