Best wishes Monday to all that may be feeling the pinch and stress. Sinking into this book and a delicious meal to boost the spirits.
Wild taste combos but delicious!
Monday, March 16, 2020
Wednesday, March 11, 2020
Reading Update: 20%
A cowboy and some cookie pie for those mid-week blues.
Happy hump day, everyone!
Happy hump day, everyone!
Very rich filling but the best cookie crust I’ve ever made.
Tuesday, March 10, 2020
Review: Claimed By a Scottish Lord
Claimed By a Scottish Lord by Melody ThomasMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
| 3.5 stars I was pleasantly surprised with how sweet the hero was in this, pretty gone for the heroine once meeting and getting to know her. Had some magical elements trying to tie in Arthurian legends but was ignored for most of the middle of the book. Some other mystery murder, hidden villain threads that were too loose to make a lot of sense and care about. The last 15%ish was about wrapping those up and I felt it killed the HEA good feelings a bit. Wish this had focused on the couple more because they were so very sweet and good together. There was a scene towards the end where the hero arrived home after weeks of being away that nailed the emotion and heat perfectly. Definitively worth a read if you can find it |
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Sunday, March 8, 2020
Reading Update: 30%
And just that fast in the cold, dark cavernous dining hall with the world asleep around them, they were two people quite different from what the world saw.
Saturday, March 7, 2020
Review: Starting Over at Blueberry Creek / Bonus Novella: Sealed With a Kiss
Starting Over at Blueberry Creek / Bonus Novella: Sealed With a Kiss by Annie RainsMy rating: 2 of 5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
After Brenna's parents were killed in car accident, she gave up college and lost her fiance to take care of her younger sister. Running her mother's bakery has made her a nice living but it is not her dream. After her sister moves out and starts her dream job, Brenna can't help but think it is time for her to get a second chance at her dreams.
Luke is new to Sweetwater Springs but he's already acting fire chief, finding himself in the middle of a sister fight, and falling for his neighbor.
Brenna and Luke think they know what they want in life but they're going to find out what they need.
“So we agree. Neither of us is kissing the other,” he said.
New to the Sweetwater Springs series, others could start comfortably here, like I did, and not feel lost in the series. I enjoyed the easy pace and lead in to this small town and Brenna and Luke's lives. These two have been neighbors for a couple months but Luke has been a bit standoffish because of a relationship that went sour that he had with his previous neighbor in a different town. I thought there could have been more background on this relationship as I didn't really grasp the emotional importance of it and why it made it so Luke didn't want to even become friends with Brenna. His reservations don't last very long though and he finds himself with Brenna pretty soon.
They were taking things slow but his racing heart had somehow missed the message.
Brenna's character had a quiet composure, even when she snaps a bit and throws banana pieces at her sister. She came off solid as she stepped up to take care of Eve, her sister, even while Eve acts immature and bratty to her. I would have liked to have more scenes with her aunt and friends to draw her character personality out more. Brenna and Luke were pleasant together, this was a kissing but bedroom door closed story, so their friendship on the road to love was highlighted more than their physical relationship. They have some hurdles to get over, Brenna thinking a long distance relationship would never work and Luke not wanting to open up about the burns on his back that he received in a fire that killed his brother, but for some ending quick dramatic fighting, they were a pretty relaxed couple.
He leaned toward her, pinning her with his gaze. “So what is it you want in this moment, Brenna?”
“You,” she said simply.
I thought the story could have benefited from utilizing of the setting, involving the town and townspeople more, the most shown secondary character was Eve and she was more irritating with her immaturity than young growing pains. The fire station scenes didn't provide a lot for Luke's character as most involved Eve and another firefighter who disrespected Luke, to the point that they mouth-off when Luke catches them about to make-out at work, the scenarios lacked a feeling of professionalism, thus realness. The characters also seemed to jump from point A to point B, without a connecting thread between. Brenna was at work then home, Luke was at work then home, the writing flow was fine but substance that makes a story fulfilling was missing for me.
The bedroom door closed and more low-key story and couple could be elements others would enjoy. If you're a reader of the Sweetwater Springs series then you'd probably enjoy revisiting the town and residents more than a new to the series reader like me.
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Reading Update: 50%
Good morning! Starting the day off with this combo of blueberries.
Homemade whip creams melts fast, y'all :/
Hope your Saturday is starting off just as fantastic!
These were delicious, I added the blueberries to stay on theme :)
Friday, March 6, 2020
Review: Highland Sword
Highland Sword by May McGoldrickMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Uprooted from her home after her
father's murder, Morrigan has fled to the Highlands. There, with her
step-mother, step-sister, and their husbands, they continue to fight
to get out from under the yoke of the English.
Aidan has soldiered for England
and now as a barrister, he fights to bring justice to his fellow
Highlanders. With his brother at his side, he works to establish rule
of law in this turbulent time.
Politics, entrapment, spying,
blackmail, and love come alive in the highlands.
Her
insides burned with sadness, and rage.
Highland
Sword is third in the Royal
Highland series and would work best read after the first two. The
connecting thread in the series is Cinaed Mackintosh (Highland
Crown), he is the secret son of Queen Caroline and looked upon by
rebel Scots as to be the true king and savior of Scotland against the
harsh treatment of England. In book one, Cinaed marries Morrigan's
step-mother and thus begins her connection to the plot thread. The
beginning of this and a lot of the story focuses on the turmoil of
Scotland at the time. Morrigan's father was killed in a raid where
rebels were thought to be meeting. The authors center the misdeeds of
the English on the character Sir Rupert Burney to help draw a clear
picture of what was happening at the time. Sir Rupert appears in all
three books and works as a spy master for the Home Office and abuses
his power by blackmailing and orchestrating entrapments.
Her
feelings for Aidan Grant were beginning to confuse her. She wanted
some distance from him, but at the same time she enjoyed having him
near. She was attracted and yet still afraid. Not afraid. Cautious.
Our hero comes into the picture
as he is chasing down a man he thinks has worked for the Home Office
and Sir Rupert and can give testimony against them, therefore saving
his current clients from the noose. The man, Robert Sparrow, ends up
being Morrigan's uncle and the source of a childhood trauma, he raped
her when she was twelve years old. After a scuffle in an alleyway,
Aidan and Morrigan meet and Aidan is intrigued by this woman who gave
him a black eye. When Sparrow is moved to the castle Morrigan is
staying at, he's dying of cancer, she is forced to confront her past.
The political climate and
historical setting is done very well, you're going to have to enjoy
stories leaning heavier on the historical part of historical romance.
I loved the character of Aidan and how calm, strong, and easy he was
with Morrigan. Unfortunately, we don't get a lot of him and the
political threads did steal away from their romance; they just didn't
spend enough time together for me. Aidan was constantly on the move
trying to build his case for his clients and Morrigan was stretched
thin herself. While Aidan was working to defeat Sir Rupert in the
courts, Morrigan finds allies and turns a blackmail situation against
her to her favor.
With
one sweep of his hand, he cleared the desk. Books and papers crashed
fluttered to the floor. He lifted her onto the edge.
The emotions between the two
were felt, even though their time on page was too fleeting and left
me wanting more. Morrigan's struggle with facing her past was dealt
well in that it wasn't the center point of her character, it shaped
her but didn't define her and I wish such villains were done more in
this way. Her thoughts and feelings regarding not wanting to burden
her family with knowledge of her pain and not be a detriment to
Aidan's budding political career provided some deep emotional
moments. There was a lot being said in this series, governments
utilizing the law and courts in underhanded ways was the main message
in this one, and I appreciated the historical details and weaving of
real people, places, and events. This had an exceptional hero who I
wish had more time to shine with the heroine as their relationship
was sweet and flaring at times. If looking for a historical series
that will give you plenty to go off and learn about on your own,
Royal Highland does that, along with compelling and loving heroes and
heroines.
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Thursday, March 5, 2020
50%
His entire body became aware of her awareness. He'd thought her beautiful from the first moment he saw her in Inverness. But she had an aloofness that made her mysterious, an untamed fierceness that he found fascinating. Being near her was like standing by a loch at the onset of a summer storm. He wanted to be swept away.
Monday, March 2, 2020
Reading Update: Page 1
Welcoming March in with a green cover and Guinness dessert
The icing packs quite the punch! This was delicious and left just enough Guinness leftover to wet my whistle :)
Sunday, March 1, 2020
Top Three, err, Five Reads of February
Bliss was the standout but I had 4 books tie in ratings. Feb. was a great reading month for me :)
What were your fav reads of the month?
What were your fav reads of the month?
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