All I Need by Linda Winfree

Two years ago, ER physician Savannah Mills lost the love of her life when he was killed.  Savannah was transferred to fix problems in the ER.  She meets her new neighbor and proposes a friends with benefits relationship.  After being shot, Emmett Beck is slowly rebuilding his life and his body.  When Emmett realizes that Savannah is holding back, he puts a hold on their relationship while he figures out what he wants.  Emmett has fallen in love with the woman that doesn't want to love again.  Can he get past her frozen heart and help her live again?

I loved the characters in this novel.  While this was Savannah and Emmett's HEA, characters from previous novels in the series gave it the depth of friends and a community.  I liked Emmett and Savannah was a great heroine.  

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

The Redemption of Julian Price by Victoria Vane

Julian Price is childhood friends with Henrietta Houghton.  His parents died when he was young and he was left in the care of his wastrel uncle.  When he was eighteen, Julian and his best friend, Thomas, enlisted in the army.  Henrietta thought her chance for marriage ended when she received Thomas's marriage proposal three days after receiving news of his death.

Her twin brother, Henry, is getting married and Henrietta wants to get away from the marriage preparation.  She decides to visit her scandalous great aunt in London.  Julian is visiting Henry on his way to London.  His life is changing because his uncle has squandered his inheritance.  On the journey to London, Julian and Henrietta's relationship changes.  She realizes that she has feelings for Julian.  Her great aunt gives her ten thousand pounds for her dowry and Henrietta offers Julian a marriage of convenience.  When she realizes that Julian has a mistress, things change and she no longer wants a loveless marriage.


I enjoyed reading this novel.  I liked the characters and loved how Henrietta got her HEA with Julian.  Victoria Vane does not disappoint.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you.

How to Manage a Marquess by Sally MacKenzie

Anne Davenport wants the independence the Spinster House can give her.  Her father is on the verge of proposing to a widow a year younger than her with two children.  She doesn't want to be displaced in her own house.  Her friend Cat won the draw to be the Spinster.  If she would only marry the Duke of Hart Anne could be the Spinster.

The Marquess of Haywood has spend his life looking out for his cousin the Duke of Hart because of a curse.  When he sees that Anne has caught his cousin and Cat in a secret tryst, he is determined to keep Anne from gossiping about the couple.  As he is thrown with Anne at every turn, he slowly discovers that Anne's destiny isn't the Spinster House but with him.

I was thrilled to get his ARC.  I had read the .5 and the first book in this series and was delighted by this novel.  Anne was a strong character that was afraid of being alone in her own home.  I loved the way her future step-mother's family threw her together with Nate.  It gave Nate that push to realize that Anne was what he wanted.  There is a sexual charge between Nate and Anne that was awesome.

While this is technically the third book in the series, it can be read as a stand-alone because a lot of the previous books are rehashed in the beginning.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you.


…

I Dream of Dragons by Ashlyn Chase

Shifter novels are my guilty pleasure and was thrilled to see this on NetGalley.  I was excited to read it but once I was into the second chapter, I had to stop reading.  There were so many characters introduced in the first two chapters that the book felt crowded.  I wondered if it was the last book a series and was the wrap up.  Nope.  It is listed as the first in this series, though apparently some of the characters are from another book.  I find it hard to read a book that I need to make my own character list.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  

The Billionaire's Intern by Crystal Kaswell

Lizzy Wilder needs an internship to stay in New York City with her sister Kat.  She gets an interview with a hot tech startup, Odessy, to learn AI.  Except, four months ago, she had a one night stand with Nick Marlowe the CEO.

Lizzy can't forget their encounter and keeps pushing Nick until she gets what she wants and what Nick wants - a secret affair and Lizzy's submission.

When Nick's brother threatens to sell the company unless she breaks up with him, can she walk away from the man who has her heart?

I normally don't read contemporary or new adult but I liked the description and thought I would give it a chance.  I really liked this book.  The only thing that would have improved it was if it was in alternating POV so we could understand why Nick changed.

The only thing that I didn't like was Lizzy's age.  She is supposed to be nineteen.  Normally, that is one year out of high school and one year into college.  The way Lizzy acted in the book, she was way older than nineteen.  I had a hard time getting past that and into the novel, but when I did, I enjoyed reading.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you.

Highland Awakening by Jennifer Haymore

Lady Esme Hawkins has a huge secret and she goes to great lengths to protect her family.  She is stunned to see Highland Knight Camden McLeod at a dinner party her brother is giving.  Esme had "met" Cam at a bordello where she was doing research on for her latest book.  Cam hates having to follow his client into a bordello.  But, as a Highland Knight he is bound to protect.  After kissing Esme senseless, he is determined to find out who she is.  When he finds out who she is and she is engaged to a man not worthy, he is determined to have Esme as his own.

This is another wonderful installment in the House of Trent.  I thoroughly enjoyed reading Esme and Cam's story.  As usual, the characters are so well written you become engrossed in the adventures unfolding in the pages.  There was a mystery sub-plot with the murders/injuries to Cam's fellow Highland Knights that added to the novel.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

Stepbrother's Rules by Renee Rose

1954 - LuAnn was caught with boys in her dorm room and got kicked out four weeks before graduating from college.  As her room mates were picked up by their parents, LuAnn became more anxious.  Who was going to pick her up?  Her father and stepmother were in Europe.  Her oldest stepbrother, Brian, was an attorney close to her college, but he was busy with an important case.   When the stepbrother that she had a crush on since his last year of high school picks her up,  LuAnn realizes she can't go home two hours away unchaperoned and still finish her Associate's Degree.  She asks Brad to let her stay with him.

LuAnn brings out the Dominate side of Brad.  It takes him a while to realize that his stepsister is grown up and has desires of her own.

There is a warning on this book for a reason.  It was hot.  I loved the relationship between LuAnn and Brian and how it develops as she lives with him.  The 1950's setting added to the plot.  

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

You Can't Always Get the Marquess You Want by Alexandra Hawkins

This is the second book in the Masters of Seduction series.  In the first book, the Duke of Blackbern and the Marquess of Norgrave are best friends since childhood.  They have a huge falling out over Lady Imogene who Blackbern marries.  In the second novel, Blackbern's son Chance and Norgrave's daughter, Tempest accidentally meet.  There is an instant spark when Tempest sees Chance and his friends skinny dipping.  They have to make a choice between loyalty to family or risk their love.

I HATED the first novel.  When I got the ARC for this one, I was absolutely thrilled with how wonderful it was.  I loved the Romeo and Juliet feel to the romance between Chance and Tempest.  I absolutely can't wait for the next novel in this series.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

His Forbidden Debutante by Anabelle Bryant

When a letter is mistakenly delivered to Lavinia Montgomery's home, she pens a note and returns it to the sender.  That sparks a correspondence with Randolph Caulfield that develops into a romance.    Livie breaks off her budding relationship with Randolph after a carriage accident kills her parents and leaves her unable to walk because she didn't want to burden him with a wife that couldn't walk.

One year later, Livie is looking to find the man that she knows is the one.  She keeps running into the Earl of Penwick and can't explain her attraction to him.

Randolph Caulfield is the new Earl of Penwick.  He longs for his true love but when she broke off their correspondence, he knows he has to marry for his title.  Penwick keeps running into Livie Montgomery and has to fight his attraction to her.  He finally figures out that Livie is his beloved and doesn't want to lose her again.

I absolutely loved this novel!  The characters were wonderful.  The sub-plot of the shoe clips went in a direction that I sort of expected but how it was resolved was a surprise.  I felt bad for Claire.  She was the pawn in her brother's theft.

The one thing that bugged me was how did Penwick become the Earl?  It was mentioned several times that Penwick had the earldom "forced upon him out of necessity" and that it was sudden.  The other "mystery" was the dancing instructor and the charm bracelet.  

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.  Thank you!

Good Dukes Wear Black by Manda Collins

Miss Ophelia Dauntry is a writer for the Ladies Gazette. She watched as her friend and fellow writer, Mrs. Maggie Grayson, was taken to a "Clinic" because she is insane.  The trail leads back to the Lords of Anarchy - Maggie's husband is a member.  Ophelia seeks help from the new leader, Piers Hamilton, the Duke of Trent.

Trent was a soldier in the British Army before he became a Duke.  When Ophelia asks him to help, he tells her to stop digging into the Lords of Anarchy and Maggie's disappearance.  

I put this book on the "DNF" pile.  I just didn't like the characters.  Trent was a pompous ass and Ophelia needed to grow up.  I could have gotten around that until the scene where Maggie Grayson is taken to a "clinic" because her husband signed a document.

I received this ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.