Book review: Secrets From Her Past (Scandalous #2) by Jules Bennett

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Wishful thinking never fixed anything…but it’s better than facing the truth.

Scandalous, Book 2

Cori’s automatic response to trouble has always been to run in the opposite direction. The last time she left her hometown of Pebble Cove, it was to escape the kind of heartbreak no sixteen-year-old should have to endure.

Now she’s back, mostly to help out with a family crisis. But partly to escape a scandal that the unrelenting eye of the media has blown out of all proportion, and wait for the dust to settle.

People have disappointed Dylan nearly his whole life, but he’s a big boy; he’s learned to move on. Except when it comes to the love of his life, the now-famous, one-name supermodel Corinne. Despite what she put him through—abandoning him when he needed her most—to him she’ll always be just Cori.

When a series of events throws them together, they fall back into old patterns—and into each other’s arms. But even as love rekindles, Cori fights the rising urge to run…before the truth of the night she ran away shatters both their hearts beyond repair.

Product Warnings
Contains a flight-risk heroine who must learn to stand her ground, and the man whose love still burns bright enough to guide her home

This is a quick and intense read.  Cori and Dylan have a past. First loves when they were teens. First everythings. It all fell apart over night. His parents killed in a hit and run car accident and Cori just gone. He was devastated. Ten years later she's back to care for her ailing mother. The feelings are still there no matter how hard each tries to deny it. It's one step forward and one step back for the pair. Cori has a few secrets locked up inside and in telling them she thinks will kill any hope of a life with Dylan. Their love is strong though and Dylan keeps at her and just when you think they will make it again it all falls apart. Wow! Like i said this was intense. Lots of emotions. Your heart goes out to both Dylan and Cori. Both were hurt very bad by secrets and events in their lives but both show how strong they are in character by fighting to keep going. Some of the conclusions were a bit rushed but that is to be expected in a book this length. If you like a fast read with a quick pace and exciting story this book fits the bill perfectly. 4 out of 5 stars for Secrets From her Past by Jules Bennet.

Find out more about Jules Bennett here on her website. www.julesbennett.com

Book review: Barefoot in the Sun (Barefoot Bay #3) by Roxanne St. Claire

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When running is all you've ever known . . . 

Caught between fight and flight, Zoe Tamarin has always picked flight. Since she was rescued from a nightmare childhood by her great-aunt Pasha, they've been on the move, never staying in one place long enough to risk exposing their precarious past. But now that they've reached the sun-baked shores of Barefoot Bay, Zoe may have to stay and fight--for her aunt's life . . . and for a love she ran from years before.

Sometimes the bravest act of all is to stand still.

Oliver Bradbury came to Florida to start over, as both a doctor and a father to his eight-year-old son. He never expected life to hand him a second chance with the woman he lost years ago--but one look at Zoe Tamarin and he knows he'll do whatever it takes to prove that this time, he can be the man she needs. But when demands of family and friendship threaten to shatter their rekindled passion, Oliver must heal Zoe's lifelong wounds with more than hot kisses . . . but will that be enough to keep her from flying off with his heart?

I really miss Roxanne St Claire's romantic suspense novels. That's where i fell in love with this author. That's where i fell in love with romantic suspense. I was a little upset when she moved on to contemporary romance. Wasn't sure i could love those books like i did her romantic suspense. Then the first Barefoot Bay book came out. I had to read it of course. Curiosity and resignation whirled inside my head and heart. I felt a loyalty to Rocki and her romantic suspense but also hope that she would knock it out of the park with her new venture into contemporary.  I started with book one " Barefoot in the Sand" last year and enjoyed it so much.  Barefoot in the Sun in the 3rd in this series and wow what a "knock it out of the park" book it turned out for me.  Secrets! So many secrets in this story. It's a twisted tale where you think you know what the heck is going on and then there it is... another twist.  I just love the characters of the series but Oliver really got to me in this book.  It takes a special kind of man to stick with Zoe and love her while she's trying to constantly run away. He has a few bad moments but never really gives up on her. I found myself tensing up the more and more i read the second half of this book. I knew there would be a happy ending but for the life of me could not figure out how it was going to get there. It was a hard journey for Oliver and Zoe to get there, but Roxanne St Claire makes you feel that trip. You take it with them as a spectator really. A front row seat.  It's not all a serious, trouble tale though. Zoe is quite funny and bring that out in Oliver who is quite a serious guy most of the time. One of my favorite lines from Oliver to Zoe is this one. "Well cover your headlights instead so i can stop staring and eat".   One more " Of course she wanted to plow over the tough stuff with sex. And as much as he wanted to drive that plow, refused."  Barefoot in the Sun has it all. A well balanced book with everything need to make it a hit! 5 out of 5 stars!

To find out more about this series and all things Roxanne St Claire check out her website here.www.roxannestclaire.com

Book review: All he Ever Desired (Kowalski series book 5) by Shannon Stacey

All He Ever Desired

Contemporary romance
Book 5 in the Kowalski series

A second shot at first love

After college, Ryan Kowalski decided to leave Whitford, Maine, rather than watch Lauren Carpenter marry another man. Now his siblings need his help to refurbish the family-owned Northern Star Lodge and he’s forced to face the past sooner rather than later when he collars a vandal—and learns the boy is Lauren’s son…

The last person Lauren needs back in her life is Ryan Kowalski. With a bitter ex-husband and a moody teenage son, she has enough man trouble already. But her son needs to learn a few lessons about right and wrong, even if Lauren has to escort him to Ryan’s door every day to work off his crime.

With all this close contact, Ryan and Lauren can’t deny the chemistry between them is as powerful as ever. But can a few searing kisses erase their past and pave the way for a second chance at true love?

This is book 5 in the fabulous Kowalski family series by Shannon Stacey. I think i have all these books but i think i am short on reading at least one. Need to fix that. Thing is you don't need to read these in order to like them. In book 5 Ryan Kowalski steps up front and center. It's his turn to bring his skills home to help the family. Being in construction he is the go to guy to fix up the Inn. This bring him in contact eventually with Lauren Carpenter whom he loved years ago and made a fool of himself in front  of before leaving town. Lauren is divorced from Ryan's best friend and has a 16 yr old son to think about. Once they finally reconnect the spark is still there and so they reluctantly begin a relationship. Problem is Ryan lives 400 miles away in another state. He's back to help fix up the Inn for a month but he's got a successful business to run and need to be there to keep it going. That's just one kink in the relationship but a big one still. I love how the relationship unfolds for Ryan and Lauren. Both are likable characters. They get thrown together more or less when Nick Lauren's son gets into trouble and has to work for Ryan. They have to figure out if after all these years this time they can make it work. Ryan doesn't want to have to walk away again. It's fun to see all the Kowalksi's together too for Paige and Mitch's wedding. A whole lot of Kowalski's packed into this book. 5 out of 5 stars for All He Ever Desired by Shannon Stacey . Any of the books in this series is a great read. Just start reading and you can't go wrong.

Find out more and read chapter one on Shannon Stacey's website www.shannonstacey.com