ARC REVIEW Texas Reckless by Gerry Bartlett

Lone Star Suspense #3, Only connected through characters each book in this series is a stand alone. Rhett Hall came to Texas to check on his sister and decided to stay a while hoping to find some inspiration for his next book. Unfortunately the tattoo artist he had been seeing breaks it off with him, in a bad mood with a need to just drive to see more of Texas so he rents a car and does just that. But somewhere outside Austin a ways driving way to fast he hits a deer and wrecks his rental and ends up in the middle of a mystery surrounding a ranch and it's beautiful owner.

Sierra MacKenzie has enough issues with her ranch she doesn't need some city slicker coming in and making her feel all gooey inside like Rhett does. She shouldn't be trusting him as easily as she does but something about him is trustworthy and he's proven he can be. Someone has been cutting her fencing, poisoning her cattle, and now they burned down her horse barn. She knows the company who wants to build a huge development on her land so they can have highway access is behind it all she just can't prove it. But after the horse barn she calls in her hot shot attorney brother and between the three of them they can figure out what's going on and who, local, is behind all the incidents and hopefully tie it all to the big developer. Meanwhile the chemistry between Sierra and Rhett runs hot, and they both give into to temptation.

Overall, it was a fantastic read. It was an exciting non stop page turning story that had me hooked from the beginning. I loved the characters and the situation they found themselves in and how they got out of it. I kind of hope Dylan MacKenzie gets a book now.     

ARC REVIEW The Intended Victim by Alexandra Ivy

The Agency #4, A standalone, the main characters in this one is brother to the main character in the previous book but that is where the connection ends. Ash Marcel was a Chicago PD Detective until his partner mysteriously disappeared, with the amount of blood left at the scene they all assumed he was dead, and his relationship to his partner's daughter/fiancee ended, now he's a professor. Five years ago Chicago was plagued by a serial killer the press named The Butcher, but after an unsuccessful attack on Remi Walsh and the disappearance/death of her father the murders stopped. Remi was never the same after that. Now, five years later Ash's brother Chicago PD Detective Jax Marcel walks into this classroom telling him The Butcher is back and Remi is dead, only it's not Remi she just looks almost identical to her.

Ash knows it's only a matter of time before The Butcher goes after Remi again and figures he's the best person to protect her. Not just because she's in danger and she's the daughter of his old partner but because he still loves her. Remi still loves Ash also but she's worried things won't go back to the way they were. As Ash and Remi dig into the old files and try to figure out what they missed all those years ago Jax investigates the recent murders.

Overall, it was a great read. It was an intense and interesting read with a good mystery and a nice second chance romance. I really liked Ash and Remi they are a good pair. I do hope Jax is next to get his own story.     

ARC REVIEW Instacrush by Kate Meader

Rookie Rebels #2, It was kind hard not to have a crush on Super Glutes Theo Kershaw. From his outgoing personality to his comeback career, Theo is a loveable guy. He's the kind of guy who likes making other people smile and he loves to connect with his fans. Elle Butler is pretty much in limbo after getting out of the Army, she's learned to keep people at a distance. Elle loves her family but she doesn't like them very much, except maybe her sister but there are things in her past better left forgotten. Staying with her old Army buddy Levi is just temporary until she figures out what she wants to do, it doesn't help that Levi's neighbor is the incredibly sexy, irritatingly friendly Theo but she can't help but watch his live Instagram posts. As sexy as Theo is Elle still gets annoyed with him, or maybe it's because she finds him so sexy and friendly that pisses her off but over Christmas one thing lead to another and they spend the weekend in bed together.

Theo thinks Elle is special, he has even told his grandmother about her but Elle keeps her distance. Even after they find out she's pregnant with his kid she tries to keep him at arms distance. Theo thinks she's ashamed of him but she's doing it for his own protection, protection from her family. Elle's not the only one with family drama Theo's birth father has been trying to reconnect but Theo is not sure he's worth the effort especially when his father's family paid his mom off. Theo and Elle have a lot to work out between his family and her and their feeling for each other.

Overall, I loved Theo and Elle. Kate Meader has yet to write a book I didn't enjoy. Her style is so much fun to read, with the right amount of angst balanced with humor and romance and some pretty steamy scenes between Theo and Elle it was such a great read. It was nice to catch up of some of the older Rebels and all the hints at the next books and their sexy Rebels.

ARC REVIEW A Valentine Proposal by Viv Royce

Little Shops on Heart Street #2, This standalone story is a cute read, it is a bit of fluff and I don't mind that every now and then. I wish there was just a bit more to the actual story.

Cleo spent most of he life doing what her parents told her to do. Get good grades, go to law school, become a lawyer but Cleo always knew she was missing something. She wanted more from her life than that and while on vacation she found a perfect town with a bookstore that called to her. Cleo has been there ever since, much to her parents dismay. Only now the current owner needs to sell and Cleo can't buy it on her own but the big bookstore, Stephen's, can. Now Cleo is worried that the uniqueness of the shop is going to get gobbled up by corporate cookie cutter store.

Mark works for his Dad as risk assessment, he goes out and evaluates all the future locations for the Stephen's bookstore and sees if the location and the business is worth the risk. When Mark first walks into Cleo's bookstore he notices all the things that are going to have to change, Cleo on the other hand tells him he's wrong. There are some Valentine's Day activities she has planned with the town that she invites him to to prove it's not just about the bottom line but about knowing your customers and neighbors.

Overall, it's short and sweet. The chemistry between them is strong but I still wish there was a bit more to it.   

ARC REVIEW My One and Only Cowboy by A.J. Pine

Meadow Valley Ranch #1, A nice start to the series. A.J. Pine delivers yet another wonderful story. Sam Callahan his younger brother Ben and their friend Colt all chipped in and bought Meadow Valley Ranch a sort of B&B Ranch. Sam and Ben choose Meadow Valley, California because the close proximity to their Dad's care facility. After two years they are still trying to get into the black when Delaney Harper shows up saying her ex-husband forged her signature and sold the ranch without her permission. Delaney wasn't going to leave town until this got figured out but with the whole town being shut down for the festival she was stuck for over a week and then she crashed her car and ended up stranded at the ranch. Sam who was fascinated with her from the start offers that she stay at the ranch, not one to take advantage she offers to work in exchange. No stranger to hard work Delaney starts right in and she offers help with advertising at the festival she was able to give the guys ideas they hadn't thought of yet. Delaney is no stranger to the hospitality business either after growing up in her parents hotel in Las Vegas. Delaney had bigger dreams she went to school to be a vet tech and had originally bought the ranch to open up an animal rescue and saw that dream disappear when she found out the ranch had sold.

Sam and Delaney start off shaky but soon give into their sexual attraction. A steamy romance that also deals with Sam and Ben's relationship with their father and sets up what I hope is Ben's story. With a bit of action thrown into it at the end makes the whole story a nice read. Overall, well written with memorable characters and one very sweet dog.

ARC REVIEW A Lady's Past by A.S. Fenichel

Everton Domestic Society #4, I have enjoyed the entire series so far, they can be read as standalones. The Everton Domestic Society prides itself on finding the right woman for the job needed. Jacques Laurent has seen the proof of the good the employment agency for Ladies does so when he sees a Lady stranded on the side of the road obviously running from something he recommends her going to Everton. Reluctantly Diana goes but only after confiding in Lady Jane the nature of her past that she felt safe enough in staying. Lady Jane even set up a job in Diana's prefered subject, chemistry; with a footman/guard and no one else knowing Diana's true past she started to feel a little safe.

Jacques was deceived once before by his fiancee and it has jaded him, he finds it hard to trust again but in the three weeks since he met Diana she was never far from his thoughts. Imagine his surprise when he goes to his friend/investment, inventor Francis Edgebrook, and finds he has hired an Everton Lady as his assistant, Diana to be exact. There is something about Diana that calls to him, he knows she's in danger but he would rather remove the obstacle than risk never seeing her again. It's a good thing he's got friends in high places. He works hard to earn Diana's trust and her love.

Overall, it was a great read. I love all the characters. You have no idea how long I have waited for a story where the characters are called Jack and Diane, this is the closest I've gotten yet. It's a beautifully written romance with enough intrigue to keep it interesting and humor and angst in all the right places.     

ARC REVIEW My Darling Duke by Stacy Reid

Sinful Wallflowers #1, The Sinful Wallflowers are a group of young ladies on the cusp of becoming "old maids" and they have decided that they are finally going to do something wicked and truly sinful before becoming unmarriageable. First up we have Katherine Danvers, the daughter of a Viscount who five years previously died and left an annual stipend for the family but with a stingy heir the money is running low and since this is going to be her fourth season with no prospects she must do something drastic to help her sisters and her mother even if it means sacrificing her own future. After sending a letter to the gossip columnist stating she is to marry a reclusive Duke who hasn't been seen in almost ten years has made Kitty Danvers the talk of the ton but more importantly it opened certain doors for her and her marriageable sisters.

Even after ten years Alexander Master, Duke of Thornton, is still considered one of the most eligible bachelors but he doesn't concern himself with matters of the ton. After the terrible accident that left him scarred and at times wheelchair bound he has given up any thought to such things and given up hope of ever marrying. Alex never paid attention to the rumors about him until suddenly he has a fiancee, he isn't concerned with it at first but the more he reads the fascinated he becomes and he decides that a trip to London is warranted.

Alex isn't even angry and when he meets Kitty for the first time he knows he needs more. Letting her carry on with the lie and understanding why she did it were easy but he wanted something in return from her time away from London without a chaperone until his fascination with her wanes. Reluctantly she agrees and arranges with her mother to be out in the country taking care of a sick aunt. Her time in Scotland with Alex, his sister and his cousin was eye opening; their feelings grew and soon it was love but Alex is a hard one and his stubbornness might be the end of it.

Overall, it was a great story I'm having a hard time trying to decide 4 or 5 stars. It was wonderfully written and the characters were all well done. I have a feeling the second book is going to run parallel with this one. I really like the Beauty and the Beast similarities, it is kind of a retelling and a nicely done one too. I look forward to the rest of the series.