Three Little Words by Maggie Wells

Jo Masters and Gregory Stark




Three Little Words

By Maggie Wells

Book Blurb:
It’s never too late to make the best impulsive decision of your life.

Jo Masters isn’t the party girl she used to be, but now that she’s a woman without obligations, she’s ready to recapture a little of her misspent youth. Her niece’s wedding, with its open bar and dark dance floor, proves to be the perfect opportunity to let loose.

Gregory Stark is just trying to make it through his son’s wedding day… and make some time with the gorgeous brunette on the bride’s side of the aisle. His kid’s wedding probably isn’t the best occasion to put the moves on the sexy woman, who introduces herself only as ‘Josie’, but his best friend is closing in on her too and he has to act fast. With a couple of tequila shots under his belt, Greg propositions Josie -- and neither wants to refuse.

Hot damn that Maggie Wells can write! Her erotic books are a wonderful mixture of heat and excellent dialogue. Check out the thought process of the mature main protagonist, Jo.

"The days of playing the unattainable woman of mystery were long behind her. She had the cards she'd been dealt. Damned if she'd give in and fold just because life was playing with a marked deck."

How refreshing it is to read an erotic book where the main characters are not twenty something hardbodies. Jo and Greg are in their early 50's and they are just as vibrant as ever. Thank goodness there are talented writers out there that are brave enough to write about attraction and hot sex for a mature audience. Oh and hot it was!

Three Little Words is not a full length novel but by no means did that take away from the story. I felt as though I knew the characters and related to each of their circumstances. 

Greg's friend, Will doubled as the comic relief in addition to the tension. A creative way to sneak him into the story. 

Teasers: Men's bathroom, missing shoe, second chance, you can never have too many condoms

Hey You Guys!!

WOW WOW WOW WOW!

 There is a major sale that I have to share. Maggie Wells, one of my all time favourite erotic authors, is featured and there is an awesome sale on her entire St. Blaise series. 

HOT NIGHTS IN ST. BLAISE by Maggie Wells

The Complete Calendar Collection - January - December

Welcome to St. Blaise

Home of the Men and Women of St. Blaise Regional Medical Center

When the St. Blaise Regional Medical Center Board of Directors hired hometown girl, Beth Watkins, to jump-start their public relations, they never imagined she’d be stripping their most prominent doctors, nurses, and support staff down to their birthday suits in order to beef up the hospital’s bank account.

Six men and six women were chosen to represent the best and brightest of this little town nestled in the heart of the Mark Twain National Forest. They also happened to be the hottest tickets in town. Soon the fundraising calendar is spiking temperatures throughout the Show Me state, and the men and women of St. Blaise are setting their small-town nights on fire.

Release date: November 25, 2014
Category: Fiction > Romance > Contemporary > Erotic Romance
Heat Level: Erotic Romance
Series: Hot Nights in St. Blaise (collection, anthology)
ISBN: 978-1-62237-355-0

Ebook Price: $2.99
Digital Download: EPUB, MOBI, LIT, PDF

More from Maggie Wells

IBOOKS | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | SMASHWORDS | ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS

Worth The Fall by Claudia Connor

Matt and Abby's book




Worth The Fall

by Claudia Connor

Book Blurb:
They meet on a beach. . . . Abby Davis isn’t wearing a skimpy bikini or sipping umbrella drinks, not when she’s busy chasing around four little ones. And Matt McKinney isn’t looking for fun—he’s a Navy SEAL, a grown man with a long list of missions . . . and fallen brothers.
 
They only have a week. . . . Abby has brought her children to this beach to start over, to give them the enjoyable memories they deserve. Matt’s been sidelined by a combat injury, and haunted by the best friend he lost and the promise he made: to remain a SEAL—focused and dedicated. This leaves no time for what he’s always wanted: a family.
 
But a week is all it takes. . . . Matt opens her heart while Abby soothes his soul. And though they plan to say good-bye when the week is over, something magical happens on that beach, something neither can forget. Something utterly, completely worth falling for.

I really didn't like Worth the Fall. It was so far out there that it bordered on fantasy. I love my contemporary romances to be as real as possible and the plot in Worth the Fall was far reaching. 

The author would have you believe that a pregnant widow along with her four little children vacationing on a beach would be attractive to a hot, studly young Navy Seal. At five months pregnant, wearing a swimsuit and looking after young children including a toddler, Abby would be not be a prime target for a hot dude on a beach. Sorry, no amount of convincing would say otherwise. Now if he was already with Abby and it was his family, for sure she would be appear attractive to him. I'm not saying that pregnant women are not attractive. No! I'm not saying that at all. I am just saying that he would not even notice her. 

Events kept happening that would make my eyes roll. For instance, Abby was at the beach with her horde of kids and she talked on the phone with a girl friend. One of the first things the girl friend asks is if she met someone. Who would think to ask that question? Abby,with her belly showing and all her kids on vacation and the first thing a friend asks is if she has met someone? As if! How would Abby meet someone? Make her toddlers babysit themselves in front of the TV and she'd wade up to the swim bar? Just dumb. Not to mention that Abby's husband had just passed away 6 months ago. 

It seemed like all the secondary characters were jerks or villains. Even Abby's dead husband was a jerk but that didn't stop her from making 5 kids with him. I don't understand why the author kept making everyone mean. 

Then the one person that I did expect to not be accepting of Abby and her kids hooking up with Matt was his mom. I mean what mom would be pleased that her single son takes up with a pregnant woman and her kids? Matt's mother was hestitant for maybe one day and then she was completely accepting. I didn't buy it. Even if Abby's mom decided she liked Abby and her family, there would still be a part of her that would want differently. Especially in under one week. I am sure after a length of time Matt's mom would change but not this quickly. No way. 

As cute as Abby's children were, they were too perfect. They were never cranky or tired and they didn't fight with their siblings. They never had temper tantrums and were just cute 100% of the time. A complete fable. Also perfect was Matt. There was not one thing wrong with him. He said all the right things. He didn't have one flaw and the one mistake he do was unbelievable. (There's this new invention called a telephone people) Humans like Matt just don't exist except in an author's fantasy world maybe. 

I only finished Worth the Fall because my friend read it and really wanted to discuss it with me. Otherwise I would have chucked it to the side. 

The Best Man by Kristan Higgins

Faith Holland and Levi Cooper




The Best Man (Blue Heron book 1)

by Kristan Higgins

Book Blurb:
Sometimes
The Best Man
Is The One
You Least Expect...

Faith Holland left her hometown after being jilted at the altar. Now a little older and wiser, she’s ready to return to the Blue Heron Winery, her family’s vineyard, to confront the ghosts of her past, and maybe enjoy a glass of red. After all, there’s some great scenery there....

Like Levi Cooper, the local police chief - and best friend of her former fiancé. There’s a lot about Levi that Faith never noticed, and it’s not just those deep green eyes. The only catch is she’s having a hard time forgetting that he helped ruin her wedding all those years ago. If she can find a minute amidst all her family drama to stop and smell the rosé, she just might find a reason to stay at Blue Heron, and finish that walk down the aisle.

My very first Kristan Higgins book. 

I just loved it. Unlike her scores of fans, I can't compare The Best Man to her other books. It is interesting that some of my other friends who devour Kristan Higgins' books didn't care for The Best Man. For me this news is fabulous because if I loved The Best Man as much as I did, I must be in for a real treat when I read her other books. Oh yes I most definitely am going to read her other books. 

I am a book heroine lover. Faith had me in stitches. Her personality gave me constant chuckles. The situations that she found herself in and the way she handled them were so relatable to me. I will share a small spoiler that the bathroom scene in the restaurant had me laughing so hard, I lost my breath. I was dying people. Dying!!

Faith was left at the alter by her long time boyfriend, Jeremy. I loved how Kristan Higgins didn't make Jeremy out to the be the villain when he came out of the closet. In fact, the entire handling of the situation was stellar. Faith earned a lot of respect from me on how well she handled the news about him being gay. She was still wearing her wedding gown at the church. It broke my heart. You can always deal with another woman but there is nothing you can do about him being gay. 

I also really liked how Kristan Higgins continued to make Jeremy a likeable character throughout the story. There was no reason to needlessly make him out to the bad guy. Major points from me on this plot direction.  

Levi was Jeremy's best man and his best friend. Levi is the strong silent type. Like really silent. He didn't have many lines or at least it didn't seem like it. As a reader you end up judging Levi more on  his actions rather than his conversation. I liked him even though he was hard to read.

The dog Blue was an excellent secondary character and he acted exactly the way a golden retriever acts. Blue had me missing my own golden that passed away years ago. 

The Holland family seemed like a great bunch and their dinner time conversations also had me giggling. A big bustling family with all of them having something to say. The dynamics of Faith's grandparents was very interesting. I actually thought they had the most believable long term marriage that I have ever read about. 65 years is a very long time to be married. Its not always sunshine and roses and in fact 65 years is a long time to also build up resentments. Another set of major points from me for being so realistic. 

I will not hesitate to move on to the next book. In fact, just getting ready to start it next. 

Teasers: child-sucking toilets, nicely incorporated epilepsy as part of a main character's life, heart shaped rock, Dad dating lessons

The Last First Date by Maggie Wells

The Last First Date

By Maggie Wells

Book Blurb:
First date number forty-eight comes to a screeching halt for detective Langley Sheppard when his date lifts a pack of gum from the local convenience store. But things start looking up when he encounters spunky damsel in distress Jessica Vickers, who's stranded in the store parking lot. Now Lang is about to discover that on a night when everything goes wrong, falling for Jessica feels spectacularly right.

Yay! My favourite naughty author, Maggie Wells had a newly published story, The Last First Date. 

Have you ever just dashed to the store wearing your old yoga pants, no makeup, perhaps even a hat to cover your messy hair and then worry you may run into an old boyfriend or someone you know? Well that's what happened to Jessica except she was wearing track pants and a puffy hot pink coat with a broken zipper. Just a quick jaunt to the store for your chip fix and presto there is a heartthrob, Langley. Of course Langley is wearing a suit and dress shoes and looks good enough to lick. I felt for Jessica. The last person you'd want to run into is a hottie like Langley when you feel you look your worst and miserable sleety weather is blowing all around . To top it all off, Jessica just discovered that her car is broken down. Regardless, the chemistry between the pair was still there. 

I loved how the story moved forward from their first encounter. A series of entertaining events finally gets them inside Jessica's house where the freezing New Year's Eve temp outside is quickly forgotten. 

Langley is a stand up guy and Jessica is highly likeable. Erotic authors like Maggie Wells impress me with their ability to write steamy sex scenes when a couple barely knows each other. I mean, does that happen in real life? (Well, not in my circle anyhow) Yet, Langley and Jessica having hot lustful sex comes across as totally believable. They connected. They aren't slutty. In fact, they seem very ordinary with Langley loving his grandma and Jessica was wearing shoes with holes in them. 

One of the things that draws me to Maggie Wells' stories is how she writes the couple's banter and their conversations. There is always underlying humour but not laugh out loud forced humour. Even during sex there is conversation. Her protagonists are so likeable. I was once again treated to this banter in The Last First Date. 

I wish it didn't end so quickly for Lang and Jessica. I'd love to read more about their story and future. As usual, I just want more of Maggie Wells' story. 

Teasers: premixed margaritas and nacho cheese flavoured chips,  scarf on doorknob, officer interruption

Chesapeake Blue Series by Nora Roberts

 Chesapeake Bay Saga 

by Nora Roberts

Books 1-4

I was really looking for a short series that I could sink my teeth into. I didn't want a long drawn out series and I also was looking to enjoy some contemporary romances. Let me tell you, the Chesapeake Bay Saga hit the nail on the head. 

I was at my local used book store and found these gems for a mere $15 for the set. It was the trade paperback style so they were light and the font was a perfect size. 

Sea Swept is the first book and it was Cam and Anna's story. 

Sea Swept

Cameron Quinn is coming home to say goodbye to the only father he ever loved. And he’ll have to put his fast-paced life on hold to care for the last lost boy Ray Quinn hoped to save… 

Book 2, Rising Tides is the story of Ethan and Grace's story

Rising Tides

Though not born to the tradition of a waterman, Ethan Quinn has embraced the life. But now, he must face his own dark past to accept not only who he is but what he hopes to become…

Books 3 continues to deliver with Phillip and Sybil

Inner Harbor

As Phillip Quinn struggles to draw his new brother into his life, he must deal with a beautiful woman who has secrets that will affect them all—a woman who needs both his trust and his heart…

And the finale is Seth and Dru's tale

Chesapeake Blue

When world-renowned artist Seth Quinn returns to his home on Maryland’s eastern shore, he finds the woman of his dreams. But someone from his past is determined to destroy his newfound happiness… 

These books are much more than romance stories. There is a deeply embedded family theme going on and what a special family the Quinn's are. Due to the sad and untimely deaths of the family patriarch, Ray and the matriarch, Stella,  the readers don't get the privilege of reading about their family interactions with their adult sons. Well that is to say, you do get a wee glimpse through their son's memories and a few sweet apparitional visits. The light paranormal spin is not over done. Just a slight extension for the great story. 

Stella and Ray did such a phenomenal job raising their adopted troubled boys.  You know and understand what kind people they were. 

The camaraderie between the brothers felt so real. They bickered, rough housed, made fun of each other but more than anything, they were fiercely loyal to one another. It was a pleasure to read about each of their different personalites and how they found love. 
Real life love.  

Excellent series. 

Unbeloved by Madeline Sheehan

Dorothy and Hawk's story with a side story of Jase 
NOT a threesome story



Unbeloved (Undeniable book 4)

By Madeline Sheehan

Book Blurb:
Dorothy Kelley is a born romantic, searching for her prince. Instead she finds herself pregnant at fifteen, and in a loveless marriage by the tender age of eighteen. 

Then hope comes riding into her life on a motorcycle and within weeks, Jason “Jase” Brady, a member of the Hell’s Horsemen Motorcycle Club, sweeps Dorothy off her feet.

But nothing is ever simple for Dorothy. Jase is married with children. And as Dorothy patiently waits for Jase to give her the happily-ever-after she’s been dreaming about, James “Hawk” Young, a member of the Hell’s Horsemen with secrets of his own, sees an opening into Dorothy’s life and takes it.

Carrying on two secret affairs is no easy feat. As Dorothy tries to dig herself out of the mess she’s created, covering one mistake with another, tragedy strikes, nearly costing Dorothy her life and that of her unborn son.

What follows is a long and painful journey of self-discovery and forgiveness, as Dorothy comes to realize that home was exactly where she’d left it, and the love she’d forever craved had always been within her reach.

This is the story of Dorothy, Jase, and Hawk.

We are all born pure; it is our journey that burdens us and leads us astray. Our mistakes that beat us down and cover us in guilt and shame, burying us a little more with each passing hardship. It is up to us to dig ourselves out, to come to terms with our faults, to embrace not only our imperfections but those of the ones we love, and to once again find the path we strayed from. 

Not a stand alone book. You need to read the series from the start. 

I really wasn't sure what to expect from Unbeloved. In my mind there was no way this trio of Hawke, Dorothy and Jase would not be a triade love affair. The author never leaned toward that sort of arrangement so I pretty much figured someone would come out the loser here. I did not read other reviews because lets face it, if you have started this Undeniable series, you're sticking with it. You don't really care what others are going to say about it because you are dedicated. Having said that, I won't waste much of your time with a long, drawn-out review. 

Unbeloved takes you a journey. You experience their pains. You get frustrated with their biker brotherhood "system" and you get mad at circumstances that are beyond anyone's control. Some stuff in life is not fair and there is a lot of that in Unbeloved. I was so spitting mad at times. Not mad like I was planning on stopping the novel. NO! Mad at the circumstances that were to come to be. Life is too short. I aged right alongside the Horsemen and their families. My heart broke for Dorothy for all the wrongs she has had to bear and continued to bear. 

As for the heat level, Unbeloved was quite a bit more mellow compared to the previous books but probably considered very steamy in comparisons to the genre at whole. The sex in Unbeloved was relevant to the situation in every spot. Not just thrown in for shock or the erotic factor. 

All in all, the story was beautifully told by the amazing writing of Madeline Sheehan. That author can write!!! 

Now about the ending and the book that will come to be regarding ZZ's story; I haven't a clue what Madeline Sheehan is going to do there.  As it stands now, there is very little that could redeem ZZ to me. There is a line where I think a character crosses before I can forgive and that line has been crossed ZZ.  I don't can if he had the worst bringing up ever, the dude is lost to me and way past redemption. I hope he gets his due. As Deuce would say, "ZZ has to go to ground."

Wallbanger by Alice Clayton

Caroline and Simon





Wallbanger

By Alice Clayton

Book Blurb:
The first night after Caroline moves into her fantastic new San Francisco apartment, she realizes she's gaining an intimate knowledge of her new neighbor's nocturnal adventures. Thanks to paper-thin walls and the guy's athletic prowess, she can hear not just his bed banging against the wall but the ecstatic response of what seems (as loud night after loud night goes by) like an endless parade of women. And since Caroline is currently on a self-imposed dating hiatus, and her neighbor is clearly lethally attractive to women, she finds her fantasies keep her awake even longer than the noise. So when the wallbanging threatens to literally bounce her out of bed, Caroline, clad in sexual frustration and a pink baby-doll nightie, confronts Simon Parker, her heard-but-never-seen neighbor. The tension between them is as thick as the walls are thin, and the results just as mixed. Suddenly, Caroline is finding she may have discovered a whole new definition of neighborly...

In a delicious mix of silly and steamy, Alice Clayton dishes out a hot and hilarious tale of exasperation at first sight...

Wallbanger was not what I thought it was going to be at all. I was pretty sure by the name and the sexy cover that it was going to be an all out erotic novel. It wasn't at all! 


What a fun read. I stayed up late two nights in a row reading this Wallbanger novel. I loved it! Caroline had such a fun personality and she could turn around any situation and add a bit of humour to it. I loved her attitude. Even when she was emotionally hurting she only took a short breather to give herself a pep talk and turn it around positively. She is someone you would want in your life so it is no wonder Simon fell for her. 

Caroline had a disadvantage and an advantage with Simon. I couldn't imagine having to listen to his bedroom activities through their joined wall and then start to date him. She certainly knew what she was getting into with him. Well sexually speaking I mean. 

Their slow courtship was simmering goodness. That is how I knew Simon really liked her. He didn't try to rush a sexual relationship with her and they had so much fun just hanging out. I relished with a big smile on my face reading about the pair hanging out together.  The sexual tension and flirtations were a riot. I especially liked a certain baking scene. *grins*


Teasers: nook sleeping, head under an afghan watching The Exorcist, Clive the cat

Top Secret Twenty One by Janet Evanovich

Top Secret Twenty-One

by Janet Evanovich

Book Blurb:
Trenton, New Jersey’s favorite used-car dealer, Jimmy Poletti, was caught selling a lot more than used cars out of his dealerships. Now he’s out on bail and has missed his date in court, and bounty hunter Stephanie Plum is looking to bring him in. Leads are quickly turning into dead ends, and all too frequently into dead bodies. Even Joe Morelli, the city’s hottest cop, is struggling to find a clue to the suspected killer’s whereabouts. These are desperate times, and they call for desperate measures. So Stephanie is going to have to do something she really doesn’t want to do: protect former hospital security guard and general pain in her behind Randy Briggs. Briggs was picking up quick cash as Poletti’s bookkeeper and knows all his boss’s dirty secrets. Now Briggs is next on Poletti’s list of people to put six feet under.

To top things off, Ranger—resident security expert and Stephanie’s greatest temptation—has been the target of an assassination plot. He’s dodged the bullet this time, but if Ranger wants to survive the next attempt on his life, he’ll have to enlist Stephanie’s help and reveal a bit more of his mysterious past.

Death threats, highly trained assassins, highly untrained assassins, and Stark Street being overrun by a pack of feral Chihuahuas are all in a day’s work for Stephanie Plum. The real challenge is dealing with her Grandma Mazur’s wild bucket list. A boob job and getting revenge on Joe Morelli’s Grandma Bella can barely hold a candle to what’s number one on the list—but that’s top secret.

Guess what? I actually liked Top Secret Twenty-One. I loved that it wasn't as whimsical or quirky and there was actually a bit of mystery this time. Oh yes, Ranger was in Top Secret Twenty-One a lot more too so that was a total bonus. 

Yes there was the very exact same formula in every other previous book. Stephanie's mom continues to relieve her stress by ironing, lots of explosions, lots of pizza and donuts and Stephanie's grandma is hilarious.

I did find the writing style a bit different this book though. The plot seemed to actually have a mystery behind it which is something I have missed when Janet Evanovich's previous books hit the midteens. I don't think I have rated her books a 5 star since Twelve Sharp and Top Secret Twenty One won't be getting one either. However, I did enjoy it a lot and it was great reading. There are the guaranteed laugh out loud moments and for sure the great big smiles. I read the majority of the book in the waiting room at the hospital and people kept looking over at me every time I giggled. That happened a lot so that was a good sign. 

I will continue to purchase these feel good books because they serve their purpose with me. I smile. I laugh. I giggle. Worth the money. 

Teasers: minions,  war of the grandmas, Stephanie's best 3 seconds, Russian terrorist

A Knight in Shining Armor by Jude Deveraux

Dougless Montgomery and Nichols Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck






A Knight in Shining Armor

By Jude Deveraux

Book Blurb:
Dougless Montgomery couldn't believe it. She had tried to be the very essence of the modern American woman -- competent yet sexy, financially independent yet ready to love and be loved. She had planned this holiday tour with special care, wanting everything to be perfect for Robert, the man she hoped one day to marry. Yet here she was, after a stupid quarrel, abandoned in a church in the midst of rural England. Abandoned, with no luggage, no money, no credit cards, while Robert drove off without so much as a backward glance. 

As Dougless lay upon a cold tombstone, crying in fury and frustration, she longed for a knight in shining armor to save her from this abysmal mess. Suddenly, as if in answer to her prayers, the most extraordinary man stood before her.... He was Nicholas Stafford, Earl of Thornwyck, who accodring to his tombstone had died in 1564. Tall, broad-shouldered, attired in gleaming silver and gold, he was magnificent. He stood in the dim light of the church, thunderstruck, drinking her in: her strange costume, the uncased hair that flowed to her shoulders, her long, lovely, BARE legs. He could scarce keep his wits about him, but of one thing he was certain -- she was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. Drawn to his side by a bond so sudden and compelling it overshadowed reason, Dougless knew that Nicholas was nothing less than a miracle: a man who would not seek to change her, who found her perfect, fascinating, just as she was. Yet she could not imagine how strong were the chains that tied them to the past... or the grand adventure that lay before them.…

Okay are you ready for this statement? A Knight in Shining Armor is my very first Jude Deveraux book. Like, ever. 


A Knight in Shining Armor has been on my TBR list for years. Years and years I'm telling you. I was finally motivated to read it because I really wanted to read an exceptional historical romance and something that was a "sure thing" as a great read. I've often heard that A Knight in Shining Armor is some people's all time favourite historical romance so I pretty much figured that with an exclusive label like that, I certainly would be bound to like it. 

And I did. I loved it. I admit to being a little iffy at the beginning because Dougless certainly seemed as close to a doormat as possible but she definitely redeems herself throughout the book.  

A Knight in Shining Armor also wasn't what I had expected. Half the book takes place in modern times (in this case the 1980's) and the other half of the book takes place in the 1560's. It was a really good plot and it was a page turner for me. There wasn't any cliffhangers or anything like that and I really liked that is was not as predictable as some romance novels can be. I liked that. I liked that the story didn't allow their romance to come easy and smooth. There were a lot of bumps along the way and much conflict to overcome. I liked that a lot too. 

It has been a few days since I finished and I still find myself thinking about the characters and the ending. I think that is a pretty good sign of how much I enjoyed reading it. 

Teasers: Time travel, Arabella's table, changing history, the true meaning of soul mates