Books Lists Life

Deck the Halls by Donna Alward

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 03 Oct 2017 16:35:00 +0000

I'm a big fan of Donna Alward, and particularly liked her Darling, VT series, so when I saw this one, I immediately requested it. I was not so impressed.

Here's the summary:

With shades of It’s a Wonderful Life, one man must face his past to find his future this Christmas.

In the last year, George's life has drastically changed. The formerly homeless veteran now has a job he likes, a family in the residents of Darling, VT, and for the first time in years, a home. But while his present is good, he's still haunted by the past, a past that appears shortly before Christmas when the older sister of his brother-in-arms hunts him down and finds him in Darling, working at the Ladybug Garden Center.

Amy’s looking for closure for her family after her brother's death in the Middle East, but the serious man she finds working in Vermont doesn’t resemble the soldier she remembers from years before. This man is hardened and yet somehow fragile, too, and in her desire to find out what really happened to her brother, she learns more about George than she ever expected.

With a little Christmas magic and the whole town supporting them, can these two bruised hearts make a future together?

So, here's the thing. This book isn't NEARLY long enough to address the issues. George is a homeless veteran. He's only been off the streets for six months. He could barely LOOK at other people nine months ago. Deck the Halls takes place in TWO WEEKS. oh. hell. no. I loved George in the previous books, and when I saw he was the hero of this one I had my doubts, but was still pretty excited for him to find love. It is in no way realistic and not even a little bit believable. At the beginning of the book he's still hiding from customers in the greenery and by the end of two weeks he's happily in love?

Secondly, while I see that Alward was trying to make their earlier connection a strong one, I found everything Amy did presumptuous and high handed. Yes, George needs help. But you don't just arraign that for someone and spring it on the intervention style. He's not a drunk. It's not rehab. And then to pay for it the way it's done? No.

I really wanted to love this one, and none of it worked for me, at all.

Maybe I Do by Nicole McLaughlin

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 05 Sep 2017 13:58:00 +0000

Maybe I Do was my first book by Nicole McLaughlin and I readily admit that it was the gorgeous cover that drew my attention. I am a sucker for a wedding dress. I was hopeful that the book (and eventually the series) would turn out to be much like Nora Robert's wedding planner series, and yet I am happy to report that it's really not. I love that it's surrounding the MEN at the wedding location, and all of them are quite appealing.

Here's the summary from Amazon:

She doesn’t believe in fairy tales. He’s married to his job. Maybe whiskey is the secret ingredient that will bring them together―and give true love a shot?

Wedding photographer Charlotte Linley loves her work―even though she hates weddings. Sure, she still holds a grudge after being left at the altar by her high-school sweetheart. But today Charlotte is just happy to have complete control over her career, which is flourishing. Especially since she joined forces with one of the three gorgeous owners of The Stag, a boutique distillery that has become Kansas City’s hottest wedding venue.

Dean Troyer, bitter after the end of his own marriage, knows that Charlotte is the real deal―beautiful, talented, and successful. He may flirt with her every time she comes to The Stag but Dean is determined to keep his professional distance. . .particularly now that she’s helping him with his own sister’s wedding. The only problem? The more time Dean spends with Charlotte, the deeper their connection grows. Is this a rom-com cliché or could it be that these two jaded souls in the wedding business have finally found their real-life happily ever after?

This was a really charming story. I love the wedding setting (or really any work setting- restaurant, wedding planners, hotel, etc.) Charlotte and Dean have been flirting for ages, and both assume the other isn't really interested. They have a 12 year age difference, and while this bothers Charlotte not one tiny bit, it bothers Dean quite a lot. They address this issue head on, along with the surrounding issues to being a decade older, and I feel like it is resolved really well. The tension between them (always my favorite part) is outstanding, and that alone makes me want to read the next in the series. There's a lot of stuff going on in the plot- Charlotte's ex, Dean's sister's upcoming wedding, a co-worker with pregnancy complications- and somehow none of it feels awkward. I admit, I stopped reading for a while about 3/4 through when I could see a big horrible thing playing out, something that many authors handle poorly, and was very pleased to see it handled like mature adults.

If you're looking for a new author, with a strong sexy story, I think you won't go wrong here.

5 Things I Love Right Now

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Fri, 04 Aug 2017 13:32:00 +0000

1. Leftovers. There's nothing better than going home for lunch and having leftovers waiting.

2. Sitting on my new porch every available moment. Mike and I built a large porch in place of our dinky useless one this spring and I spend time out there looking at the river every single day. I'm already shopping for an outdoor heater for fall.

3. Le Tote. Trish had told me about it, and then Mike heard about it and thought I'd love it, and turns out he was right. I LOVE having new clothes all the time and it's definitely turning me into a snob about quality.

4. Blue Raspberry Spark. I am trying to find some kind of afternoon snack that keeps me out of the bucket of jelly beans in the office kitchen. I'm the kind of person who can eat the same thing for days on end, so I'm looking for an easy drink mix (so it's more interesting than the water I drink all day) and a smallish food item. I haven't figured out the food yet, but Blue Raspberry Spark is looking like the drink winner. For the record, I don't like the other flavors so much, so I was surprised to like this one.

5. France. Or rather, Lauren's obsession with Paris, France and the Eiffel Tower. We are going to redo her bedroom for her birthday this month (her 7th, can you believe it???) in a Paris theme.

The No Meat Athlete Cookbook by Matt Frazier and Stepfanie Romine

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 16 May 2017 13:00:00 +0000

My running has recently taken a turn for the serious (gulp!) and part of that includes being aware of my diet and not just eating everything that sounds good. This popped up on NetGalley and I thought I'd at least take a look. I have no interest in being vegetarian, but wouldn't mind cutting out about half the meat I currently eat.

Here's the description, from Amazon:

A Sports Illustrated Best Health and Wellness Book of 2017

From the founder of No Meat Athlete: plant-based recipes packed with nutrition to help athletes perform better and recover faster

A fast-growing global movement, No Meat Athlete (NMA) is inspiring everyone from weekend joggers to world-class competitors to be healthier and fitter and perform better on whole plant foods. Written by NMA founder Matt Frazier and longtime health coach, yoga teacher, and nutrition writer Stepfanie Romine, The No Meat Athlete Cookbook features 150 whole food, vegan recipes that are affordable and quick to get on the table, even on busy nights. Here are:
Breakfasts to power you up (Almond Butter–Banana Pancakes), mains that aid recovery (Beet Bourguignon), and natural sports drinks, portables, energy bites, and bars (V9, Umeboshi Electrolyte Drink, Calorie Bomb Cookies) to take you further and help you get the most from every workout
Minimal gluten, soy, and sweeteners, plus oil-free options throughout (ideal for followers of the Forks Over Knives diet)
Meal-planning guidelines, nutritional info, adaptable “blueprint” recipes—and more!

I had to download this one as a .pdf, which was in itself a pain in the rear, but once I had it found it to be great cookbook. I made a few notes in my bullet journal, as well as jotting down a couple recipes to try later. (That darn time limit on NetGalley .pdfs practically guarantees the book will be gone by the time I am ready to try the recipe!) My notes are in bullet form, as they are below.

The pictures are really pretty, and actually make me want to try the food. It's not just one plate of greens after another!
All the recipes contain a vegan option, but the book is very clear that the way to get there is slowly. Cut out one product at a time, going cold turkey on all animal products is hard. This is totally a non-preachy style intro to vegetarian meals. I hate the cookbooks that lecture me first.
Most recipes do have a lot of ingredients, which is a turn off for me. That said, almost all of look like something I'd be willing to eat, and not nearly as "weird" as most vegetarian books are.
I loved the "Blueprint Meals" which are more of a general guideline than an actual recipe. For example "A grain, a green and a bean" following by examples of potential combinations.
There is an entire chapter devoted to fuel and recovery from workouts. I loved that.

I wrote down three recipes to try: Caribbean Coconut Collards & Sweet Potatoes (I can't resist coconut or sweet potatoes), Smoky Potato Salad (no mayo!) and Cucumber- Lime Electrolyte Drink. I'm hoping that I'll try them out sooner rather than later, and I'll let you know what I think.

The No Meat Athlete comes out on May 16, and while I haven't seen a print copy, I have no problems recommending it.

Almost Wordless Wednesday

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 03 May 2017 13:27:00 +0000

Wow, I've been gone a while. I've been otherwise occupied in my free time.

Five more running things I'd really like

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 03 May 2017 09:00:00 +0000

These Brooks Chaser shorts. I prefer shorts that will hold my phone and I'd love to try these. That price tag tho!

A pair of Oofos sandals. They are ugly, but word is they are the best, and my feet need the best after these long runs.

A new Spibelt. I have a Flipbelt, which I love, but it doesn't always play well with my hydration belt. Some runs I need more pockets!

Yet another pair of bluetooth earbuds. The ones I have work fine and sound fine, but the controls are really heavy and pull the speaker on that side out of my ear every step.

A second pair of these arm warmers. I have the purple ones and wear them all the time. Sometimes the purple clashes badly with everything else. I highly recommend these for days that the run starts around 40F, much better than a long sleeved shirt over your tank.

Are you a runner? What gear are you wanting?

Seduce Me, Cowboy by Maisey Yates

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Mon, 13 Mar 2017 14:35:00 +0000

My reading ruts are nearly paved they are so predictable. Maisey Yates? Yes, please.

From Amazon:

When a rebellious rancher meets the pastor's daughter, it's a match made in…Copper Ridge! From New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates!

Sheltered from her own desires for so long, Hayley Thompson wants to experience life. A new job at Gray Bear Construction is a start. The work she can handle. It's her boss—reclusive, sexy Jonathan Bear—who's scrambling her mind and her hormones…

No matter how successful he becomes, Jonathan's reputation will always precede him. And his type of woman is usually nothing like prim, innocent Hayley. Yet he can't resist unleashing the fire beneath her pent-up facade—even if seduction means losing his heart…

Ok, tbh, this one wasn't a winner. I loved Jonathan. He's proud and strong and not at all ashamed of who he is- a man who is self-made, rich, and loves his stuff. He knows he's an ass and he still can't help wanting Haley, who is all allll ALLLLLLL wrong for him. Haley is innocent, sweet, pure- all those words that just don't happen in 2017. She's played it safe and sheltered as the pastor's daughter. She's pretty unbelievable. I didn't dislike Haley, but her character would be much better pre-internet days. (That said, I do know a 22 year old woman who has many of these qualities. She wraps herself in her innocence like a martyr and holds it in front of her like an excuse. "I'd rather never have a date than date boys like that!" Riiiiight.)

What I didn't buy, and what ultimately weakened the book for me tho, was the speed at which Jonathan went from "Jerk of the top most level who will never love" to "madly in love with the virginal heroine". We're talking hours. Minutes. I got whiplash. I feel like the proportion of people in Copper Ridge who were abused/abandoned/orphaned as kids is WAY above the national average, but I'm too lazy to go back and count. That said, I go back to Maisey Yates and Copper Ridge over and over, even with a few serious duds, because even when the plots are flawed, the writing is strong and the characters are interesting, but this one isn't her best.

Seduce Me, Cowboy came out on March 7th.

The Last Five Things I Bought. (More or Less)

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Fri, 10 Mar 2017 14:42:00 +0000

This has been a bad week for my credit card.

Brooks Launch 3. I need to start working my current pair out of rotation, and I'm itching to try something lighter (and potentially faster.) I love ordering from Brooks directly- free shipping both ways, and 90 days to run in them to see if they work for you, yes, even outside on trails!

Stridebox. Because I love ipsy and I love running even more. The first box came this week.

A couple Momentum Motivate wraps- one for me and one for a friend. Not telling what they say because it's a surprise.

An iPhone 7. Because my 6 died in a tragic drowning accident last summer and I finally paid it off. I was so ready to be done with the loaner iPhone 5!

Too many of these. And these. I have no willpower.

What have you bought yourself recently?

Someone to Love by Donna Alward

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 07 Mar 2017 16:02:00 +0000

Am I the only one who gets confused by series titles that are incredibly similar? The book before Someone to Love is Somebody Like You. I can't keep them straight. It really doesn't matter though, as the minute I finished the first, I requested the second, and read it the next day.

Here's the summary, from Amazon:

SOME WISHES DO COME TRUE

Ethan Gallagher is a firefighter in Darling, Vermont, who followed tradition and pledged his love on the Kissing Bridge to ensure lifelong happiness. A few years later, he’s a widower with two rambunctious boys who no longer believes in magic. But even he has to admit that free-spirited Willow Dunaway fills him with wonder…and an attraction he cannot deny.

Willow’s come back to Darling a different girl than the one who left after high school. Overcoming her past and owning her own business has made her into a strong, independent woman. Single dad Ethan appeals to her in a way she didn’t expect, even though settling down is the last thing on her mind. But after fire destroys the local food bank, the town rallies, and a fling between Ethan and Willow leads to unintended consequences. Can they find a way out of their heartbreak to make a home in each other’s hearts?

"Unintended consequences" sounds like so much drama! Phrases like this pop up in summaries all the time and then when you read the book you think "well that's putting it too strongly, no?" but in this case, it's accurate. This is one of those books (and authors) who you know what to expect. You have an idea of the level of drama/scandal/real issues. I wasn't expecting this one to take the turn it did. That said, I'm all for variety, and even tho it directly touches on a touchy (and political) subject, I felt it was well done and handled with respect and empathy. I expect there are people who will hate it. (Sorry to be vague, but it's a pretty big spoiler.)

Willow has come back to Darling after time away. She's been through a lot and she's found inner peace. She's pretty stereotypical on the surface, with her yoga and meditation and organic food, but she has to work to maintain the zen. She's the best explanation of yoga practice that I've heard. She's prone to working too hard and taking on too much, but she's rarely annoying or in your face with it. Ethan is a grumpy jerk. His wife died a couple years ago and he's struggling as much now as ever. His grief has dissipated but he's not sure who he is without his wife or the constant grief. He's ready to move on and feels out of place. He takes this out on Willow, at first, because she's so settled and calm. I love seeing him overcome that inclination to lash out. That said, he's not perfect and not even perfect in his imperfectness, if you follow.

Their romance is fairly slow, even if the attraction is sudden. It felt natural, but never easy. Willow and Ethan both have reasons to resist and they do. I'm not certain that the resolution is one that people will love, but I felt it was handled very realistically, as opposed to in a fairy tale (Ethan is not the brother to rescue Willow when the crisis finally happens and he's not suddenly by her side as a white knight.) I was happy with the resolution and the resulting happily ever after, even if I was surprised by the route it took. I'm very happy that I have the next book waiting on my Kindle.

Someone to Love is out today, March 7th.

Five Pictures from Last Weekend

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 14:16:00 +0000

Last weekend we took a mini-mini vacation- an overnight trip to Watiki Waterpark to let off a little winter cabin fever. We managed to con our favorite family into coming with us, and brought Lauren's BFF MK. The kids are finally old enough to swim without my worrying too much about drowning and the waterpark had beer and pizza. Good times were had by all.

Somebody Like You: A Darling, VT Novel by Donna Alward

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 01 Feb 2017 15:53:00 +0000

I've been a Donna Alward fan for a while now, but when I saw the plot summary of the first book in her new series, Somebody Like You, I hesitated. Plots like this never work, but I took a chance and I wasn't disappointed.

Here's the summary, from Amazon:

A kiss to last a lifetime

Aiden Gallagher was only five years old when he appeared in a photograph on the Kissing Bridge. The town of Darling, Vermont, has used Aiden’s image on the famed bridge―local legend has it that a kiss there results in everlasting love―as part of its tourism campaign. Now, twenty years later, Aiden is asked to recreate the moment with the woman he once kissed: Laurel Stone.

Recently divorced, there’s nothing Laurel wants less than to pretend happily-ever-after with Aiden. As teenagers, their romance was no fairy tale―and Laurel has never quite forgiven Aiden for breaking her heart. But now that she is back in her hometown, and keeps bumping into police officer Aiden, Laurel can’t deny that there’s still a strong flicker between her and her old flame. Could it be that the Kissing Bridge is working its magic on Laurel and Aiden―and that all true love ever needed was a second chance?

See? Cheesy, right? I mean come on, how is that even logical unless they grew up to be a couple? Of course Laurel refuses and who could blame her?

Laurel has recently come off a shocking divorce. Her faith in love and men and in her future are completely smashed. She's gone back home to heal and start over and is the subject of a good bit of gossip. She's prickly and hurt and yet still can't put herself first. She's so conscious of appearances and of never hurting another person that she puts herself in situations that destroy her. She has a history with Aiden, and not just the kiss on the bridge as children. She knows people are talking, plus she's mad about how that ended. And honestly, she's justified in all of it.

Aiden tho, he's the best. He screwed up in high school, but he admits it, and boy did he grow up nice. He's a small town cop with the desire to really help people. He's smart and caring and a bit of a prankster with his brother, and he really really loves Laurel. He clearly always has.

There's a little bit of outside drama here, enough to make the plot interesting, but the main conflict is within Laurel herself. Aiden never questions what he feels, even though he's outright terrified. The scene at the end is so adorable (and unrealistic) and if I weren't already half in love with him, this would have done it for me. This isn't perfect, but it's sweet and romantic and before I even turned off my Kindle I was back at NetGalley requesting the next in the series. The book as a whole won't go down in my top ten of all time, but Aiden's emotion in the final scenes will, and I suspect I'll go back to reread that part more than once.

The Next 5 Non-fiction books on my list.

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Fri, 27 Jan 2017 12:00:00 +0000

I can never decide if I prefer non-fiction or fiction, here are the next five non-fiction books on my list:

1. Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow. I LOVED his Alexander Hamilton biography. I wish he'd do one for all the presidents.

2. How Bad Do You Want It? by Matt Fitzgerald. I have big goals this year.

3. Tools of the Titans by Tim Ferris. I love his podcast. I imagine I'll love this book too, though I wish it weren't quite 700 pages long.

4. Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. After Hillbilly Elegy, this seems appropriate.

5. The Sports Gene: Inside the Science of Extraordinary Athletic Performance by David Epstein. I had already bought the book, and then heard him tell a story on This American Life, which sealed the deal.

What non-fiction are you reading next?

Ready Set Rogue by Manda Collins

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Sun, 15 Jan 2017 14:34:00 +0000

I started 2017 with the best of intentions. I was going to read more and blog more and run more and do more. I signed up for a couple of blog tours as motivation to get back into it more regularly, and then I missed my post date for Ready Set Rogue by Manda Collins! But better late than never...

WHO WILL WRITE THE BOOK OF LOVE?

When scholarly Miss Ivy Wareham receives word that she’s one of four young ladies who have inherited Lady Celeste Beauchamp’s estate with a magnificent private library, she packs her trunks straightaway. Unfortunately, Lady Celeste’s nephew, the rakish Quill Beauchamp, Marquess of Kerr, is determined to interrupt her studies one way or another...

Bequeathing Beauchamp House to four bluestockings—no matter how lovely they are to look at—is a travesty, and Quill simply won’t have it. But Lady Celeste’s death is not quite as straightforward as it first seemed…and if Quill hopes to solve the mystery behind her demise, he’ll need Ivy’s help. Along the way, he is surprised to learn that bookish Ivy stirs a passion and longing that he has never known. This rogue believes he’s finally met his match—but can Quill convince clever, skeptical Ivy that his love is no fiction?

Don't miss Ready Set Rogue, the first in Manda Collins' new series set in Regency England!

The plot of this is right up my alley. It's also almost commonplace these days, as every historical has a bluestocking or two. It almost makes me miss the headstrong beauties! That said, when the request came in, I was pretty excited to give it a go. As the story opens, Quill is decidedly against the ladies inheriting his aunt's house. He is rude, arrogant, and unlikable. I really questioned if he would ever be able to turn it around, and to be honest, it takes a while. Ivy is less intimidating from the beginning, but she's also less interesting to me. She's a language scholar, and while that should be interesting it almost feels like a tacked on quirk than something ingrained as part of her. This is one of my pet peeve- the quirky quality- and Collins narrowly skirts it here. The mystery progresses nicely, if a bit openly for a secret, and the I was happy with the plotting of the book. My biggest complaint with the book is the dialogue. It can't seem to settle on proper conversation for the time period, and awkward flirting. Collins does a poor job of integrating the tension with the characters natural personalities, and I found that it drew my attention to the fact that I was reading, instead of letting me sink into the book. It didn't make the tension seem real and I was always aware that I was reading a book. I wouldn't mind finding out what happens in the rest of the series though, and will likely continue reading.

Molly's Mr. Wrong by Jeannie Watt

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 21 Dec 2016 15:08:00 +0000

I request an awful lot of NetGalley books that sound just terrific when I see them, and then they sit on my kindle unread. Part of the problem is that I can't quickly scan the book description from my Kindle and so I just overlook ones that the titles don't remind me. It seems I hate to read a book without having an idea of where it's going (sorry, Trish!) But after October's dismal showing of books read, I decided to just pick one and dive in. So here we are.

They're both learning from scratch

Molly Adamson has moved back to the place that made her happiest: Eagle Valley, Montana. Teaching college English classes is also a fresh start…even if he's one of her students. Finn Culver. Athlete, heartthrob, homecoming date. After that disastrous night all those years ago, Molly never wanted to see Finn, now a handsome military veteran, again. But as she gets to know him through his writing, helping him conquer an undiagnosed learning disability, Molly sees much more than the swaggering charmer. Both teacher and student will learn a lot about love, and each other, if they can let the past go…

So first off, the cover is really accurate! I love that. This is exactly how I pictured Molly. She's a reformed nerd who went off to college, met the wrong guy, built up her self-confidence ("this guy loves me??") and then suffered through a horrible crash and burn. She's back to her hometown now, and has somewhat rebuilt her confidence and is determined not to let it go again. She has a new job teaching at the community college, and now Finn is back in her life. She doesn't believe he could ever be right for her and is certain she'd rather have no relationship than one she can't trust.

Finn is much more likable than Molly, frankly. He's a war veteran who has come back home to his old job (at a feed store) and his old life, and finds that neither gives him satisfaction. He's developed a new plan to return to school and find a career he does love, and ends up in Molly's class. He's shocked to discover that English doesn't come easily to him-- he passed high school after all!- and since he has a disastrous past with Molly, tension is high. She informally diagnoses him with a learning disability and convinces him to stay in school.

Finn is one of the most interesting characters that I've read in a romance in a long time. He has a desire to move on and do more with his life, and is absolutely shocked to discover that college isn't easy. He sailed through high school with Cs without even trying! He's a military veteran, and it's not a major point (this is not a man in uniform romance) except to explain how he left his life and came back to discover he didn't enjoy it any longer. He finds himself falling for Molly and very gently pursues her. He's not an alpha take charge guy, which is not to say he can't lose his temper, but that he doesn't need to fix everything for everyone, and he has weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Plus, he finds a kitten in the rain! I loved him.

The romance is not easy. Molly fights and fights it. There wasn't enough of the falling in love for me, and way too many subplots with his grandfather and her sister, but it was a pretty good overall read. It tackles some issues that you rarely see in a romance (learning disabilities, high school football players, helicopter parents, education) and I thought those parts were well done. Molly is never going to be a favorite of mine, but she's easily balanced out by the rest. Overall, a solid book.

Molly's Mr. Wrong will be out on January 1st.

Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 29 Nov 2016 10:00:00 +0000

Miracle on 5th Avenue is the 3rd and final book in Sarah Morgan's From Manhattan with Love series. As I mentioned in my review of Sunset in Central Park, I found the first book to be a bit mediocre but the second book picked it up. Happily, the series finishes strong and my love for all books Sarah Morgan continues.

Here's your summary, from Amazon:

It will take a Christmas miracle for two very different souls to find each other in this perfectly festive fairy tale of New York!

Hopeless romantic Eva Jordan loves everything about Christmas. She might be spending the holidays alone this year, but when she's given an opportunity to house-sit a spectacular penthouse on Fifth Avenue, she leaps at the chance. What better place to celebrate than in snow-kissed Manhattan? What she didn't expect was to find the penthouse still occupied by its gorgeous—and mysterious—owner.

Bestselling crime writer Lucas Blade is having the nightmare before Christmas. With a deadline and the anniversary of his wife's death looming, he's isolated himself in his penthouse with only his grief for company. He wants no interruptions, no decorations and he certainly doesn't appreciate being distracted by his beautiful, bubbly new housekeeper. But when the blizzard of the century leaves Eva snowbound in his apartment, Lucas starts to open up to the magic she brings…This Christmas, is Lucas finally ready to trust that happily-ever-afters do exist?

This is a rare series that I think is a bit strengthened by reading in order. While starting here wouldn't really hurt your appreciation for the romance, you'd have a much fuller picture of Eva if you'd read all three in order. Eva is a romantic to the bone and was raised to believe in a happily ever after, as well as to always be the happy one, the cheerful one. She was always taught to hide her feelings if they might be depressing to someone else, and so when Eva is sad and lonely following the loss of her grandmother she keeps that bottled up. When her job sends her to an empty apartment away from her friends during the holidays she leaps at the chance to cry in peace. Unfortunately for Eva, the apartment turns out not to be empty at all.

Lucas Blade is also holing up for the holidays. He has told his family that he's off to a writers' retreat in Vermont so that they will leave him alone while he struggles with the third anniversary of his wife's unexpected death. He's suffering from a severe case of writer's block and his very near to missing his deadline with nary a word written. When Eva shows up at his apartment to transform it into a picture of holiday cheer, he wants no part. Eva has the upper hand though, because if he sends her away she will report back to his grandmother that Lucas is hiding in the apartment. A sudden blizzard means that the decision is taken out of their hands, and they are thrown together for a few days without a choice. During the storm, Lucas finds inspiration in Eva and his writer's block is lifted and he becomes fairly desperate to keep her around.

This is one of those romances that happen really quickly, with the entire book taking place during the holiday season between Thanksgiving and Christmas. You might need to suspend disbelief that two people with so many fairly major issues can overcome these things to be together so quickly. While Eva is ripe to fall in love, and does so easily and quickly, Lucas has much darker things to overcome, and as expected it does not come easily. Eva has to admit how hard the holidays are and how lonely she is, and weigh this against her feelings for Lucas to be sure it's real and not just a placebo and Lucas will need to really examine his relationship with his wife and her sudden death. It is a bit rushed but the story still works. The romance is both sweet and hot, with several over the top scenes worthy of a romantic movie (as fitting when one of your main characters is a gazillionaire author.) This is really a perfect Christmas romance with a highly romantic setting full of balls, snowflakes, snowmen, happy puppies, and of course, Tiffany's.

Hold Me, Cowboy by Maisey Yates

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 11:00:00 +0000

Hold Me, Cowboy is the continuation of the Copper Ridge series. The series seem to circle around a couple groups of people, so I'm not clear on if this is the end or not. Sadly, I missed the one before this, and it's the one I'd most like to know the story on! I started Hold Me, Cowboy several weeks ago, and through no fault of the book, set it aside and forgot about it. Occasionally, I like to go through and finish up anything I've started, and swept this one up again.

Here's the summary:
Oil and water have nothing on Sam McCormack and Madison West. The wealthy rancher has never met a haughtier—or more appealing—woman in his life. And when they're snowed in, he's forced to admit this ice queen can scorch him with one touch…

Madison had plans for the weekend! Instead she's stranded with a man who drives her wild. A night of no-strings fun leaves both of them wanting more when they return to Copper Ridge. His proposal: twelve days of hot sex before Christmas! But will it ever be enough?

So I didn't really like Madison in the previous books, and the other book with Sam (his brother's book) is the one book in the series that I DNF, so going into this my expectations were not high. Madison is just a total bitch, and she knows it. Amazingly, Yates is able to take her from a bitch to someone you can understand, who is a bitch for good reason. Madison learns early that men can't be trusted and that even if they were equally complicit in scandal that the blame will be unevenly places (very Scarlet Letter.) She's ready to start enjoying life again after a decade of playing the ice queen, and the first man she finds is Sam.

Sam doesn't like Maddy, because he buys into her persona. Sam doesn't like to admit that he has emotion, and as an artist he's completely blocked without admitting he is feeling things. He's determined to fight his way through artist's block without thinking about the things he's pushed down. When he starts this 12 day affair with Maddy it forces him to realize that by ignoring what he feels, he'll be in the same place looking in forever. I liked Sam quite a bit. He's bluntly honest about everyone's life but his own, and doesn't take anything from Maddy.

Is the romance believable? It is very fast (WHAT IS WITH FAST IN EVERY BOOK???) and the climatic ending is fairly anti-climatic. It is true that they have known each other for a long time, and the 12 days are very emotionally intense so I suppose it is entirely possible. Is it a satisfactory ending to the Copper Ridge series? No, I really need to see Daddy West get his, but as everyone pairs up and has babies it seems that the end is nigh without that bit of resolution. Would I recommend the series as a whole? Yes-- but only to someone who has already developed a love for a small intertwined town. I would not recommend this one to a new reader as it is very hit or miss.

Hold Me, Cowboy comes out on November 8th.

Pile on the Miles in November.

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 02 Nov 2016 09:00:00 +0000

I have failed miserably at working out lately, so when Trish asked me if I wanted to go for 4 days a week in November I reluctantly agreed. Then when I saw this November challenge, I decided that maybe being accountable in TWO places would help...

So let's do this, November.

October Reading Update 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 01 Nov 2016 13:46:00 +0000

It's a good thing I did so well in September, but October was awful for both new books and getting things read.

What I read in October:

Hillbilly Elegy by J.D. Vance. This was good, but not as good as I expected. I saw a lot of my relatives in it though, which was eye opening.

Do you Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare. This was so so good.

The Underground Culinary Tour: How the New Metrics of Today's Top Restaurants are Transforming how American Eats by Damian Mogavero. I'm at 63%. It feels pointless.

And uh, that's it. Which makes this next bit even worse....

New to My Kindle:

Hillbilly Elegy by JD Vance, from a daily deal, and I read it immediately!

Do You Want to Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare. FULL PRICE on Kindle, but also read immediately.

Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon. (Kindle)

Strong Poison by Dorothy L. Sayers. (Kindle)

Washington: A Life by Ron Chernow (Kindle) And no, I haven't read Hamilton yet.

All Our Wrong Todays by Elan Mastain (NetGalley)

Molly's Mr. Wrong by Jeannie Watt (NetGalley)

Tempting the Best Man by Tanya Michaels (NetGalley)

A Circle of Quiet by Madeleine L'Engle (NetGalley)

Princess in Black Takes a Vacation by Shannon and Dean Hale (NetGalley)

Let it Snow by Jeanete Grey (NetGalley)

Lauren Layne's Wedding Bells series

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 18 Oct 2016 09:00:00 +0000

Anyone who's been around here for a while knows how much I enjoyed Lauren Layne's New York's Finest series last winter. When I saw that she was writing a series that was about wedding planners, set in NYC, I couldn't snatch them up quick enough. But then I had them all on my Kindle, and they titles are so similar that I couldn't keep straight what order they were supposed to be read in, and I'm way too lazy to look it up, so I just read other stuff. A couple weeks ago I decided that I'd just read them out of order, but I needed to dive in, and I did.

First up is a little novella called From This Day Forward, which I really didn't like at all. This one is about two wedding photographers, who have a history (which is a plus in a novella) but the entire story was about sex between two childish people who couldn't just use their words. This really didn't leave me wanting to move on, but I reassured myself that it was just the novella length and kept going.

The first full length book in the series is To Have and To Hold and it is definitely better than the novella. Brooke Baldwin is a rock star wedding planner on the West Coast, who has just planned the wedding of the decade-- her own-- when she is horrified to find out that he fiancee is a con man. She flees to New York and joins the Wedding Belles, where her first job is the plan the wedding of rich heiress Maya Tyler. Maya's older brother, Seth, is certain that there's something fishy going on with the groom, and attempts to enlist Brooke's help in uncovering it. But how do you convince a wedding planner to sabotage the wedding she's planning?

One thing that Lauren Layne does really well is sexual tension and this book is no exception. Seth and Brooke are on fire from the first moment they see each other. I love seeing them deal with this, in the middle of client negotiations and planning that thwarts each other. Seth is impossibly wealthy and accustomed to getting this way in all things, and occasionally pouts badly when he doesn't get what he wants, but his love for both Maya and Brooke shines through very clearly. It's hard to pin down the time line, so it doesn't feel rushed, but at the same time the book is lacking the falling in love that I enjoy so much. This one goes right for the physical, which to be honest is also a good book, but it doesn't really make me close the book with the same type of satisfaction that a good love story does.

The second book in the series is For Better or Worse, and features the assistant wedding planner and her sexy next door neighbor. Heather has never really been in love and believes it's not for her. She's from small town Michigan and her entire life's goal has been to be a wedding planner in New York City. She doesn't have time to fool around or look away from her goal. Josh has recently overcome a bout with cancer, and can't take life seriously-- he knows how short it can be and refuses to add anyone else to the list of people who would be devastated by his death.

This one hit almost all of my sweet spots. The dialogue is truly excellent, the plot is believable, Josh is terrific. I believed that these two could fall in the love, and the romance itself is much better than in the previous book. The ending isn't tied with a pretty bow- Josh IS a cancer survivor- but so realistically handled that you can believe that these are real people and you close the book with complete satisfaction. (If you can ignore Josh's extraordinary wealth, but hey, everyone needs a superpower.)

The last book in the series,To Love and to Cherish, has SO much potential. Alexis, owner of the Belles, is a bit of an ice queen. I never really liked her through the whole series, so I was hoping that all would come to light in her book. Her hero is Logan, who is the Belles accountant. Logan has been madly in love with Alexis since the moment he laid eyes on her, eight years ago. Eight years is a long time to patiently wait, and Logan is ready to make his move.

This one is really hot, and the plot outline is equally good, but both Logan and Alexis were misses for me. Alexis has a standoff personality, that could have been good but I didn't feel was very well written. Logan would be my ideal beta hero turned alpha, but he "knows what Alexis really wants" way way too often. He's not abusive, but very high handed and not always in a sexy way. Plus, his sudden ability to BE an alpha at all, after years of being the polite accountant, isn't really believable.While I didn't dislike this one, and it doesn't finish the series nicely, I would not recommend it.

Overall, it's very hard not to compare the series to Nora Robert's Bride Quartet. Both feature a cast of women planners, and while this one doesn't break it down the same way, both feature a complete badass-in-control leader (Alexis here, and Parker for Roberts). Unfortunately, Roberts does it much better. I'm still a fan of Layne, but the New York's Finest series beats this one hands down.

To Love and To Cherish will be out on October 18th.

Crazy Horse, One Year Later

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Wed, 12 Oct 2016 14:14:00 +0000

So remember last year when I ran my first half marathon- the Crazy Horse Half Marathon? I'd hoped to run it again this year, but training mostly got away from me, and while I had run up to about ten miles, I knew I wasn't strong enough for a good showing. However, my BRF (best running friend) Jennifer WAS running Crazy Horse, and while I didn't do ALL her long runs with her, I did run quite a few of them, and I wanted to be supportive... so I ran my own private half marathon at home this weekend.

You got this!

I plotted out a route that I expected to be right at 13.1 and decided that if I were hurting at any point after ten that I would walk. I got to the gates leading out to one of the islands on our trail, which I expected to be at 5 miles, and it was dead on 5 miles. This is what running all over all summer will do- it will build a perfect map of your frequent mileage in your head.

After hitting the island my pace slowed down a good bit. I realize around mile 7 that I was not going to be well fueled and I let myself take a couple of walk breaks. I could not have asked for better running weather, and it was beautiful out in the woods alone. There were very few other runners and only a handful of dog walkers. I hit the gates to leave the island at 8.2, and knowing I had 5 miles to go made me happy. Such good math!

I struggled a bit until around 9.5 where I ate my second and last Gu, and then perked up at about mile ten. Ten miles down, only a 5K to go! At mile 12 our theme song come on, and I stopped to take this picture of me in "Beast Mode" (wow, this is incredibly cheesy to tell non-runners!) and then kept on running. My last three miles were nearly as fast as my first three miles, and this made me really happy.

I learned that running your own private half marathon is really hard. There's no one around to cheer you on, and the miles feel fairly endless. I thought it would kill me to have this internal map of just how far I had to go, since I was running in familiar trails, but in the end it was nice to be able to not wonder at all. I bought myself a new running watch this week, and it's fairly big compared to my old one. I thought it might be hard to learn to use it, but turns out it was excellent, and I LOVE being about to change music tracks from my watch and review texts I don't need to reply to immediately.

My time ended up being slower than Crazy Horse (2:36) but faster than the River Rat Half in April (2:52). I suspect that if I'd done Crazy Horse that the crowded energy would have brought me a nice PR, but not nearly as well as Jennifer, who ran an amazing 2:17!!

NEXT YEAR IT'S ON, CRAZY HORSE.

September Reading Update

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Mon, 10 Oct 2016 13:09:00 +0000

Ok, technically through October 4th, but who's counting?

I read a LOT in September. I'm not really sure how.

Lord of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. I started this one in August, and finished it up fairly quickly. Everyone is right, it is excellent.

Head in the Cloud: Why Knowing Things Still Matters When Facts are so Easy to Look Up by William Poundstone. Still only at 20%. Interesting, but feels a bit political.

Hold Me, Cowboy by Maisey Yates. This one turned out pretty good, if a bit fast.

From This Day Forward by Lauren Layne

For Better or Worse by Lauren Layne

To Have and to Hold by Lauren Layne

To Love and to Cherish by Lauren Layne. (I see a series.) It was good, not excellent. Book 3 is by far the best. Review of the entire series to come.

Walkable City: How Downtown Can Save America, One Step at a Time by Jeff Speck. I started this one on the plane to Philadelphia and while it is interesting, it was wasn't what I was in the mood to read.

Hamilton: The Revolution. Yes, I've succumbed. This is beautiful, a must for any fan. More on Hamilton later.

The Viscount Who Loved Me by Julia Quinn. Reread.

New On My Kindle, for once this list is shorter!!

Christmas with the Sheriff by Victoria James.

Completely Yours by Erin Nichols

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. I can't help it.

The Five Books that I really want to Buy. Right Now.

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Fri, 07 Oct 2016 13:22:00 +0000

You know how sometimes there aren't a lot of new (newish) releases that just beg you to buy them, and sometimes there are a ton at once? (Or maybe just a lot that your library doesn't get as an ebook, and who reads paper these days anyway?) These five are open in windows on my phone, just waiting until I can't resist any longer.

Do You Want To Start a Scandal by Tessa Dare. Book 5 of Spindle Cove, which I LOVED, and really, how great is this description??

Tools of the Titans: The Tactics, Routines and Habits of Billionaires, Icons and World-Class Performers by Timothy Ferriss. This is a pre-order, so it's not killing me, but I don't want to forget either. I love his blog and would like to read his books.

Sweet Little Lies and The Trouble with Mistletoe by Jill Shalvis. Apparently Shalvis isn't doing NetGalley with this series, and I keep seeing terrific little snippets of both books. Gonna have to buy.

Alexander Hamilton by Ron Chernow. I finally got Mike hooked on Hamilton, and after our trip to Philly (more on that later) he was itching to read this. Full disclosure, he bought it last weekend so it doesn't really fit this list, but *I* haven't started it yet.

What books are on YOUR radar right now?

Darkest Journey by Heather Graham

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Tue, 27 Sep 2016 16:52:00 +0000

So, Darkest Journey by Heather Graham.

Here's the summary, from Amazon:

They say it's about the journey, not the destination…

Charlene "Charlie" Moreau is back in St. Francisville, Louisiana, to work on a movie. One night, she stumbles across the body of a Civil War reenactor, the second murdered in two days. Charlie is shocked to learn that her father—a guide on the Journey, a historic paddle wheeler that's sponsoring the reenactment—is a suspect.

Meanwhile, Ethan Delaney, new to the FBI's Krewe of Hunters, is brought in on the case. He and Charlie have a history of their own, dating back to when he rescued her from a graveyard—led there by a Confederate ghost!

I know. I've been threatening to do this forever, but... this is it. I can't read more of these. While I quite appreciated the first couple I read, and I still enjoy the ease and lack of required thought for these, I just can't with the phoned in plot any longer. There's either so many plot holes you could drown in them, or there's just zero hints or signs and the killer turns out to be out of the blue. Red herrings abound and then are explained away needlessly. If the romance were strong, I'd probably keep going with the series, but the romances are always insta-love. They feel a connection to each other because they can both see ghosts, so it must be love? I don't feel like any of the characters are any different from any other title in the series, and eh, this is why I stopped reading Fool's Gold too.

Now let's see if I can actually resist when I see the next one pop up...

Darkest Journey comes out on September 27th.

Fearless by Kimberly Kincaid

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Thu, 15 Sep 2016 14:35:00 +0000

Don't you hate it when you read a book you enjoy, but then fail to write the review until you start to forget details and then you just feel guilty about it? Yeah. That.

Here's the summary, from Amazon.

Firefighter Cole Everett's life revolves around the firehouse. Committed to saving lives--and to the guys who always have his back in the most dangerous moments on the job--Cole's focus is a coveted spot on the Fairview Rescue Squad. When his captain asks him to mentor a rookie firefighter, he jumps at the chance, hoping it will help to prove his skill. But the new "guy" is none other than Savannah Nelson, a female firefighter as stubbornly determined as Cole is, and a whole lot curvier in all the right places . . .

Savannah won't let anyone extinguish her dream of fulfilling her family legacy and becoming a top notch firefighter--and she's happily surprised when strong-willed, sexy Cole is willing to give her the chance she deserves. Concentrating on the job isn't always easy when the heat between them flares higher every day, but Savannah won't give up--not even when one of Station Eight's veterans seems bent on trashing her reputation. To stop a string of possible arsons, Savannah and Cole will need to eliminate every distraction--but can they let their love go up in flames?

I read the previous book, Reckless, back in the winter, and while I didn't find it to be a winner, I was still looking forward to the rest of the crew. Unlike Katherine, I wasn't really drawn to Cole at all, and didn't really remember him, so it was all pretty fresh. Happily, I turned out to like Cole and Savannah quite a bit and found them both believable. Savannah desperately wants to be a firefighter, and on her own merit. She comes from a family of male firefighters and knows that if she doesn't move away from home she'll never be able to believe if it's her, or her family that leads her to success. She works hard to pull her own weight and doesn't let being a woman limit her at all. Unfortunately for her, not everyone in the firehouse is on the same page.

Cole is given the position of training Savannah to take his place in the rotation after he is promoted to a coveted squad position. This requires quite the balancing act, he can't delude himself into thinking she is ready, if she isn't, but he's also eager to move into his new role. Cole never hesitates or holds back based on her gender and Savannah never fails to meet expectations. I loved seeing her be a badass in a physical way in a demanding job.

The chemistry between them is certainly there, and their first encounter/kiss ends in a potentially awkward situation, but Kincaid pulls us through. I did find it a bit unbelievable that they could leave all of that heat outside the fire station, so that no one knew. It is strictly forbidden to date within the house, and this becomes a major plot point late in the book. I'm not entirely sure that I'm convinced in the ultimate resolution of the side story with the arsons, but I did believe in the romance, which is what I read it for. While this series isn't one of my go to favorites, I would still recommend it to anyone who is already a fan of this type of setting.

Fearless came out on July 26th.

Reading Update: July and August 2016

noreply@blogger.com (Lisa) — Mon, 05 Sep 2016 15:07:00 +0000

About halfway through the month of August I realized that I had never posted an update for July. Rather than be completely off track, I decided to just combine the two months. That makes this pretty long, and I am way too lazy to post pictures and links of every book. You all know how to use Goodreads/Amazon/Google, right?

What I Read:

Duke of My Heart by Kelly Bowen. I completely LOVED this, and have failed in writing a review for so long that I won't do it justice.

Mamaleh Knows Best by Marjorie Ingall. Full Disclosure, I know the author, but it's funny and smart, and probably equally appealing to parents and non-parents.

Miracle on 5th Avenue by Sarah Morgan. I like this one quite a bit, but it's not out until end of November so you'll have to wait a bit for the review.

Fearless by Kimberly Kincaid. Katherine assured me that I'd make it past the scene I was stuck on, and she was right. This one finished strong.

Gone Too Deep by Katie Ruggle. I pretty much flew through this one and jumped right into the next in the series.

In Safe Hands by Katie Ruggle. This one is a bit more tense that the last two, and to be honest I'm not in love with the set up, but still reading.

Head in the Cloud:Why Knowing Things Still Matters When Facts are So Easy To Look Up by William Poundstone. This is really accessible and interesting, but I've barely started.

Lord Of Scoundrels by Loretta Chase. I listened to part of a podcast about this one that called it the "Perfect Romance". I decided I would splurge and buy it, only to discover that I bought it in 2011. So guilt made me start reading, a 20% I'm quite enjoying it. This is my first Chase and the writing style is a bit formal, but I'm getting used to it.

New to my Kindle:

From NetGalley:
Mamaleh Knows Best by Marjorie Ingall
True-Blue Cowboy Christmas by Nicole Helm
In Safe Hands by Katie Ruggle
IQ by Joe Ide
For Better or Worse by Lauren Layne
The Underground Culinary Tour byDamian Mogavero, Joseph D'Agnese
Forks Over Knives Family by Alona Pulde, Matthew Lederman
A Sure Thing by Marie Harte
Hold Me, Cowboy by Maisey Yates
Head in the Cloud by William Poundstone

From Amazon:
The Devil In Winter by Lisa Kleypas. Yes, I've read this, but it was on sale!
Falling in bed With a Duke by Lorraine Heath.
All's Fair in Love and Scandal by Caroline Linden
Chance of a Lifetime by Marissa Clarke. I have zero memory of this one?
The Checklist Manifesto: How to Get Things Right by Atul Gawande