Do You Hear What I Hear? by Margaret Brownley

Title: Do You Hear What I Hear (Second Chance at Star Inn)
Author: Margaret Brownley
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas
Length: Novella
Publisher: Swerve
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Two bad things happened to Sally Cartwright that week. Three if she counted the pink slip received at the Home and Familymagazine's annual Christmas party. But nothing was worse than plowing into a snowbank and being stuck in a town she swore never to see again. A town she once called home. Now she must spend the long cold night in the car or follow the bright shining star through the woods to the old Star Inn. She chooses the inn and that's where her troubles really begin...

Lumber mill owner, Rick Talbot, is in no mood for Christmas cheer. Having recently buried his father, he's still trying to sort out the financial mess left behind. Unless Rick comes up with a miracle, the mill run by the family for generations is about to shut down for good. That would put a lot of men out of work and impact the future of the town. If things weren't bad enough he's now stuck at the old Star Inn waiting for the road back to his cabin to reopen. His luck takes another turn for the worse when he suddenly comes face to face with the past he'd sooner forget. For unless he's seeing things, the only woman he's ever loved is standing in front of the inn's blazing fire trying to get warm. How is it possible that one chance meeting could stir up so many old memories?

Both Rick and Sally regret what happened between them, but his family lumberyard clashes with her tree-hugging ways and neither is willing to try again. It will take the storm of the century, one stage-struck young boy, a certain meddling "angel"--and even a cranky cat--to convince them that in matters of the heart, sometimes the second time around is best.

The best in this little collection so far! I loved Sally, and the one that got away theme is always a favorite of mine. Sally is spunky and has a mission in her life. Life just may not agree with it. I loved her go-get-em attitude and would love to be bestfriends with her.

Rick was a tad cliche. But I've come to expect a little bit of that in a Christmas romance. He's always regretted letting Sally walk out of his life, but he still doesn't see any other choice. Their life goals were just too far apart. But what if all that changed? What if they could align their views and goals and find a way to make it stick this time?

A great second change romance with some really fun characters.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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Second Chance at Star Inn

Room at the Inn for Christmas
Silent Night, Star-Lit Night

Silent Night, Star-Lit Night by Ruthe Logan Herne

Title: Silent Night, Star-Lit Night (Second Chance at Star Inn)
Author: Ruth Logan Herne
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novella
Publisher: Swerve
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Jed Taylor knows how to cowboy up on the range, and on the sales’ floor of his family’s rapidly growing western and ranch store in Central Washington, which is exactly where he would normally be a week before Christmas… but when he heard Mia O’Loughlin was planning a trip north, pregnant and alone, Jed’s promise to her late husband kicked in. More Grinch than grace, he boarded a plane and headed to the coast, determined that his best friend’s widow wouldn’t make the long trek alone. It wasn’t supposed to be like this, widowed, pregnant and all alone on the West Coast.

E.R. nurse and Red Cross emergency responder Mia O’Loughlin had always taken life in full stride, but losing her deployed husband the week before she realized they were expecting their first child knocked her off-kilter. With Christmas and her due date approaching, all she can see is getting back home to Kittitas County for the birth of her child… their child… and seeing her failing Grandpa Joe one last time. Determined to do it on her own, she reluctantly allows Jed to accompany her, mostly because the gruff cowboy showed up and won’t take no for an answer.

But when a blizzard grinds their progress to a stop in Northern Oregon, the light from an old inn beckons them into a town hunkered down to ride out the unexpected storm. With the help of the inn’s wise and wonderful “angel,” Mia realizes the old white church has been turned into a shelter. She insists on leaving the inn to help those forced out of their homes and off the highway. As she and Jed improvise to provide comfort to others, they begin to see that facing this once-dreaded Christmas together could be the very best way of all.

 Another sweet glimpse into the Star Inn and Christmastime. Once again, plans go wrong and a very pregnant Mia finds herself stranded at the Star Inn with her friend, Jed. The set up for this was cute, but a bit cliche. With Mia's husband having died, Jed seems to swoop in to rescue her from all of the things. Yes, all of them. It was a bit much.

But Mia does her own fair share of saving while stranded in the little town. When a blizzard keeping the electricity out, her Red Cross training comes in handy in a very unusual way - and two little kids will never forget this Christmas.

I enjoyed the story, but it justs didn't stick to me. It wasn't as memorable or sigh-inducing as I had hoped it would be.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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Second Chance at Star Inn

Room at the Inn for Christmas

Room at the Inn for Christmas by Mary Connealy

Title: Room at the Inn for Christmas (Second Chance at Star Inn)
Author: Mary Connealy
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Christmas
Length: Novella
Publisher: Swerve
Release Date: October 25, 2016
Source: NetGalley
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Welcome to Heywood, Oregon where three lost women find healing, hope and love under the bright light of the town's old Star Inn this Christmas season.

Amanda Star’s father always wanted her to come into the family business, and run the majestic old Star Inn with him but she had bigger plans. She’s a high-powered executive in the multi-national Halston hotel chain. One more promotion—which she expects to get by Christmas—will make her the youngest vice president in Halston history and she’s got her sights set on the CEO job.

Then she inherits the Star Inn. With no time to be away from her job, she impatiently rushes home to list the beautiful old bed and breakfast for sale. Now that she’s here she’s swamped with sweet memories and keen regret. Her father has made the inn a safe haven where weary travelers can get away from their hectic lives, and Amanda, working 10-hour days and living on coffee and antacids, desperately needs that safe haven.

As Amanda struggles against the lure of home, she also is reunited with an old classmate: Anthony Carter, a handyman with a guarded heart. Hurt before by a woman who saw his contentment and pleasure in building and living on his own land as a lack of ambition, Cart reluctantly finds himself drawn to a woman who wants so much more than a man with callused hands and sawdust in his hair. A woman who came home for Christmas and badly needs to stay. With the help of Angel Rafferty, the front desk clerk and a lifelong friend of Amanda’s parents, can Cart help Amanda realize the hospitality industry is far more than spreadsheets and bottom lines in time for Christmas?

This is one book in a series that are all centered around the Star Inn. This one seemed like the perfect place to start with an introduction to the Inn, it's family, and the town of Heywood. And it was a great place to kick off.

This story starts off on a roll with Amanda returning to clear up her father's estate after his death. She's a big city girl that's always on the go. When she runs into her old crush, Anthony, she's in for quite a surprise. Not just because he's hot as all get out and seems genuinely happy to see her (at least at first), but his appearance is the first in a string of lies that begin to unfold.

Now, I won't be giving too much away when I say that Amanda is about to find out that pretty much everything she heard after she moved to the city about her hometown and family was all lies. Really big lies. She is perfectly devastated and confused, her reaction was everything it should have been. But Anthony doesn't really buy it. Why didn't she come see for herself, or call, or something.

Eventually the two find their way through the sea of lies and come up with a reason for why they were told to her. I really really really didn't buy the reason. None of it felt right, and they even admitted that they were just guessing. But it threw a hole into the story that I had a hard time getting out of. I kept going back to "why?" And I never got an answer that seemed even remotely believable to me.

I've already dove in to the next books in the collection. I'm excited to see what happens at the Star Inn this holiday season.

**This book was received in exchange for an honest review**

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Hometown Holiday Reunion (Oaks Crossing #3) by Mia Ross ~ Review

Title: Hometown Holiday Reunion (Oaks Crossing #3)

Author: Mia Ross
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Inspirational
Length: 224 pages
Publisher: Love Inspired
Release Date: September 20, 2016
Source: Purchased
Rating: 4
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Falling for the Girl Next Door

Returning home to take care of his ailing mother, Cam Stewart reunites with his best friend's little sister. And while Erin Kinley is still a firecracker, she's grown from an annoying tagalong to a beautiful woman and devoted foster mom. She and Cam still drive each other crazy…until Erin turns to Cam for comfort during a stressful adoption process. Cam's fractured family had him convinced he'd never be a dad, but suddenly he's considering two things he never thought he would: having a family and staying in Oaks Crossing. Could Erin and her son be everything he's longed for?

Another great story from Mia Ross - she is the ultimate queen of Contemporary Inspirational Romance. Returning to Oaks Crossing to visit the girl of the Kinley family, Erin is setting off on her own to set up a new pet shot in town. When she goes to see the space she might be buying she's surprised to find out it's owned by Cam (he's equally surprised). They haven't really seen much of each other since they tormented each other in school.

But life has changed both of them, although it does take them a little bit of time to realize this, but old impressions can be hard to change. Gradually, their lives begin to intertwine more and more. The best thing about Mia Ross's romances, is that I could see them happening to anyone, anywhere. The couples come together so naturally that that you just sit back and enjoy a very pleasurable ride.

Now, things aren't all sun and roses. Every relationship will have its bumps, misunderstandings, and differences. Those are all present as Cam and Erin discover their new feelings for each other and learn their way with each other.

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Oaks Crossing

Her Small Town Cowboy #1

Rescued by the Farmer #2

Review Better Than Catnip by Ruth J. Hartman

Title: Better Than Catnip

Author: Ruth J. Hartman
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: 194 pages
Publisher: CleanReads
Release Date: March 1, 2012
Source: Publisher Request
Rating: 3
Heat Rating: 1
Reviewed by: Laurie

Roxy Williams adores cats. Always has. That’s why she devotes her life to running her stray cat shelter. But is that enough? Isn’t there a man out there who will love her for who she is? A special man who won’t try to change her or ask her to choose between him and her cats? Max Weller has a problem. His son, Derek, must complete community service for fighting at school. The only available place is the stray cat shelter. But Derek is terrified of cats from a frightening childhood experience. How will they get through this traumatic experience? Roxy and Max feel the strong attraction pulling them together as Max volunteers at the shelter, too. Will they be able to keep the spark alive? Or will Derek’s fears come between them?

A great story for cat lovers.

Better Than Catnip, to me is more fiction than romance. The romance is there, it’s just the heroine’s shelter seems to take prominent over the romance. I would’ve liked to have gotten a deeper background story on both Max and Roxie. I would’ve also liked to have seen more passion between them. I know this is something that maybe hard to do in clean romance, but I have read some where you can really feel the passion between the couple without sex and to me this couple didn’t have that spark.

Derek is a great addition to the story. There were times I wished the author would have gone into more detail on what he were feeling and how he felt when he overcame his fear of cats.

I hope one day the author would be willing to write a follow up for this story. I would like to know how things are going for Roxie, Max and how Derek growing over his fear of cats by working at the shelter with Roxie.

Overall, if you love cats this is a great clean story with a touch of romance between Max and Roxie. I recommend this book to cozy readers and light romance readers that love a good story about the everyday cat shelter.

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Blog Tour: Review and Giveaway: Immersed (Ripple Effect Romance #6) by Jennifer Griffith

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Title: Immersed (Ripple Effect Romance #6)

Author: Jennifer Griffith

Source: I Am a Reader

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: Novella

Release Date: May 19, 2014

Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4

Sexual - 1

Lisette Pannebaker speaks five languages and has a brilliant business plan—personal
language immersion. Clients can hire her to shadow them and speak all day in any language they need to learn for business or travel—whatever. But there’s a major hitch: she’s far too pretty. Clients with less than honorable intentions sign up just to have Lisette at their side. Solution? A make-under. Way under.

The bad wig, icky makeup and puffy sweaters work like a charm. None of her male clients show her the least bit of interest. Lisette’s totally relieved.

Until...Erik.

Erik Gunnarson is charming, kind, and smart—everything she’s ever looked for. Every day as his tutor is making her fall for him more. Even though he seems to have a secret, and she’s sworn she'd never date a client, Lisette is tempted to shed her disguise—although it could mean jeopardizing her career.

Book One: Home Matters - Review 
Book Two: Silver Linings - Review
Book Three: Righting a Wrong - Review
Book Four: Lost & Found - Review
Book Five: Second Chances 101 - Review

Can someone be too pretty?  Apparently so - especially when people begin to think your language tutoring skills are actually a nice way to say "escort".  But Lisette has that handled now - with her amazing make-under people are taking her seriously and her business is taking off.  But then Erik Gunnarson walks through the door.

He's everything a woman could want in a man - and he seems to like Lisette for herself.  But Lisette still has a strict policy of no dating clients.  I thought this situation brought up some very interesting and very humorous moments (don't you hate it when you forget to put your mole on the morning).  This book sets up some amazing moments and both characters are fantastic.

There is a bit of a surprise at the end that I didn't see coming.  I'm going to be going back and re-reading a couple chapters just to see if the author was that sneaky or if I got caught up in the storyline and missed the big clue.  Either way this was a great way to wrap up the series.  It has become one of my favorites.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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Author Jennifer Griffith 
Jennifer Griffith studied French, German, Japanese, and a wee bit of Spanish in her school days. Her grandmother was Norwegian, and Jennifer grew up with lots of Scandinavian traditions floating around, including fabulous cardamom laced cookies called Krumkaker, made on a fancy waffle iron. However, she’d never dream of trying to teach someone any of those languages. And she might botch the cookies. Instead, she writes novels in English, drives her five kids a million places, and laughs with her husband, who came up with the plot for Immersed because he’s just a cool muse like that.

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Blog Tour Giveaway 

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 6/9/14 Open only to those who can legally enter, receive and use an Amazon.com Gift Code or Paypal Cash. Winning Entry will be verified prior to prize being awarded. No purchase necessary. You must be 18 or older to enter or have your parent enter for you. The winner will be chosen by rafflecopter and announced here as well as emailed and will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be chosen. This giveaway is in no way associated with Facebook, Twitter, Rafflecopter or any other entity unless otherwise specified. The number of eligible entries received determines the odds of winning. Giveaway was organized by Kathy from I Am A Reader and sponsored by the author. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW.

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Review: Seaside Romance by Mia Ross

Title: Seaside Romance (Holiday Harbor #3)

Author: Mia Ross
Source: FirstReads
Genre: Contemporary Romance/Inspirational
Length: Novel
Release Date: February 18, 2014
Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 3
Sexual - 1

INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE

Book 3-Holiday Harbor: Where love is just around the bend...

Running away from her troubled city life, Lauren Foster never thought she'd find herself in small-town Maine. But Holiday Harbor is everything she's looking for. The townspeople are welcoming, her job at her friend's toy store is going well and, most important, she's safe. Meeting contractor Ben Thomas soon changes all that. With his good looks, easygoing nature and kind heart, he's turning her peaceful new life upside down. She's quickly falling for the local hero, but when her past catches up to her present, is she willing to face her fears for the future she's always dreamed of?

Book One Review:  Rocky Coast Romance

They say that once you visit Holiday Harbor you never want to leave.  Well, I can say that I might leave, but I will definitely want to come back.  This series has been the perfect vacation book for me (not in the sense that I'm on vacation).  When I need a break from the booding males, the flirty females, and all the super hot sex scenes - this series is becoming my break.  (Book two is a christmas one so I'll probably read that closer to the holiday).

This book in the series was ever so slightly more preachy than the first, but it's still very subtle and not hitting you over the head with a bible.  Lauren is a little fragile when she shows up in the small village looking for a place to find herself and figure out a new path in life.  Ben is the perfect "good boy" to make make her feel comfortable and relax again for the first time in a long time.

Their relationship unfolds over a length of time very naturally - I think that is one of the things I like best about this series so far.  It's real life.  They have a handful of communication break downs.  They both have some baggage to deal with, but when you get down to it, it's two nice people falling in love.  It's just the type of story you need sometimes.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

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Blog Tour Review and Giveaway: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin

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Title: Silver Linings (Ripple Effect #2)

Author: Kaylee Baldwin

Source: I Am a Reader

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Clean

Length: Novella

Release Date: March 24, 2014

Reviewed by: Jasmyn

Rating - 4

Sexual - 1

A Ripple Effect Romance Novella

Drew Westfall wants nothing more than to forget what he had to do in the name of "smart" business. Cutting off all ties with his parents—including handing over the entire contents of his trust fund to a charity—he takes off for Bridger, Colorado where his best friend has an extra room for him. It doesn't take long for him to realize that his business degree won’t do him much good in a town as small as Bridger, but he's broke and has nowhere else to go.

Eden Torresi has every reason to wallow. Not only did she have to sell her house to pay for her mother’s medical expenses, but she had to drop out of school and is in a relationship with a guy unwilling to commit. But Eden isn't the wallowing type. Instead, she spends most of her time taking care of the seniors at Silver Linings Assisted Living. When she learns that her boyfriend's new roommate is down on his luck, she reaches out to offer what help she can. But the more time they spend together, the more complicated things get, especially when the seniors of Silver Linings decide to play matchmaker.

Silver Linings is a great follow up to Home Matters.  It stays with the pattern good clean romance between two amazing characters.  Eden Torresi seems to be the perfect person - but her refusal to accept help may be her downfall.  Drew doesn't know what it's like to do a good deed until he meets Eden, but once he sees what it can do to other's lives and even his own, he's on board to find out more.

The people that live at Silver Linings Assisted Living really helped make this book memorable.  They were sneaky little busy bodies that couldn't keep their noses in their own business - and it's fantastic!!  They really are a major catalyst to everything coming together.  On the downside, the other catalyst is Eden's mother - a woman who is very ill but determined to see her daughter happy and living her own life.

This was a very quick and sweet read.  Lots of romance, lots of great characters and a story that doesn't let you down.

Author Kaylee Baldwin When Kaylee Baldwin isn’t writing, she’s usually chasing after her four children, checking her email, trying to get motivated to train for that race she shouldn’t have signed up for, hanging out with her pretty awesome husband, and reading whatever good book she can find. She graduated from Arizona State with degree in English Lit. Her published books are Meg’s Melody, Six Days of Christmas (part of the All I Want collection) and Silver Linings.

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The Ripple Effect Romance Novella Series Enjoy this exciting new series of clean novellas by six critically-acclaimed authors. "Like a pebble tossed into calm water, a simple act can ripple outward and have a far-reaching effect on those we meet, perhaps setting a life on a different course—one filled with excitement, adventure, and sometimes even love." Book 1: Home Matters by Julie N. Ford Book 2: Silver Linings by Kaylee Baldwin Book 3: Righting A Wrong by Rachael Anderson Book 4: Lost and Found by Karey White Book 5: Second Chances 101 by Donna K. Weaver Book 6: Immersed by Jennifer Griffith

Tour Giveaway

$25 Amazon Gift Card or Paypal Cash Ends 4/14/14

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Review: Rocky Coast Romance by Mia Ross

Title: Rocky Coast Romance
Author: Mia Ross
Source: FirstReads
Genre: Clean Contemporary Romance
Release Date: July 23, 2013
Reviewer: Jasmyn

INSPIRATIONAL ROMANCE

Book 1-Holiday Harbor: Where love is just around the bend...

Journalist Bree Farrell heads to the village of Holiday Harbor to salvage her career. And walks straight into the arms of handsome young mayor Cooper Landry. Cooper's fighting to keep his sleepy Maine community from the clutches of big-city developers. And Bree knows it's a major scoop. But the longer she's in town, the more she's won over by the quirky townsfolk-and the charming Cooper. Will Bree ever follow her heart instead of a story and make Holiday Harbor her permanent byline?

Rocky Coast Romance is a clean romance.  There is no sex, but there is a lot of story and there is plenty of romance.  Bree comes to Holiday Harbor as her last chance.  Her last chance at her journalism career after thoroughly blowing it on a previous assignment.  Her last chance at independence, and her last chance at love (even if she doesn't realize it at first).  Writing a bit of a fluff piece about the small ocean side fishing community to help boost tourism, she discovers that there is more to the story of the struggling town that she thought at first.

At the center of it all is the Mayor, Cooper Landry.  Cooper is hoping Bree's article will boost tourism for the small community so they don't decline any more than they already have.  There is a big time land developer waiting in the wings for the town to flounder so he can come in and buy it up for cheap.  Cooper has been hurt in the past by women, so he is determined not to let Bree effect him, but he finds that more difficult that he thought it would be.

Cooper and Bree bond over the small town's history and culture and she falls in love with the small town before she knows it, but it takes a bit longer for them both to realize just how perfect they are for each other.  With a little bit of conflict thrown in to keep things really interesting, this was a great romance story.

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