Review Briefs: Heroes Are My Weakness, Her Backup Boyfriend, & The Marriage Match

Heroes Are My WeaknessHeroes Are My Weakness
by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Adult Contemporary Romance, Suspense
Hardcover384 Pages
August 26th 2014 by William Morrow

Summary

The dead of winter.

An isolated island off the coast of Maine.

A man.

A woman.

A sinister house looming over the sea ...

He's a reclusive writer whose macabre imagination creates chilling horror novels. She's a down-on-her-luck actress reduced to staging kids' puppet shows. He knows a dozen ways to kill with his bare hands. She knows a dozen ways to kill with laughs.

But she's not laughing now. When she was a teenager, he terrified her. Now they're trapped together on a snowy island off the coast of Maine. Is he the villain she remembers or has he changed? Her head says no. Her heart says yes.

It's going to be a long, hot winter.

My Review

I don't read too many general romance books because of all the mature content. You will also rarely see them reviewed here, on my blog. I do have one weakness (no pun intended, well, maybe a little), and that would be this author. Phillips' writing, characters, and dialogue are always fabulous. Heroes Are My Weakness does not disappoint. It contains her trademark intriguing characters with wit and charm, some humor, and a plot full of tension and romance.

What threw me a little with this one was the suspense element, which I wasn't expecting to be quite as strong. It took me a little longer to be comfortable with the story. There also seemed to be less humor and ridiculous, laugh-out-loud moments that I've come to expect and love about this author's books. Those things made this not my favorite of her books, but it was still an enjoyable read. For those who love the genre, Phillips' Heroes Are My Weakness is a can't-miss read.

Content: (Highlight to show.) Detailed sex, innuendo, language, some violence.

Source: From the publisher through Edelweiss, which did not affect my review in any way.

Her Backup BoyfriendHer Backup Boyfriend
(The Sorensen Family #1)
by Ashlee Mallory
Adult Contemporary Romance
Ebook215 Pages
January 19th 2015 by Entangled: Bliss

Summary

One little white lie leads to more than she planned…

Straight-laced lawyer Kate Matthews always plays by the rules. But when her ex gets engaged and a big promotion is on the line at work, she blurts out that she has a new boyfriend. And now that she's proved she “has a life” outside of work, everything is perfect. Except for one teeny little detail―there is no boyfriend. And now Kate's liable for her little white lie...

Dominic Sorensen is hot, charming, and very definitely not Kate's type. But not only does Dominic want to help Kate renovate her home, he's also willing to play “boyfriend.” All he wants in return is a little pro bono work for his sister. Now instead of Mr. Right, Kate has a delectable Mr. Fix-It-Right―and some unbelievable sexual chemistry. And if falling for Dominic is a breach of contract, Kate is guilty as charged...

My Review

Entangled's Bliss line provides some romance that is a little on the cleaner side, as in closed-door scenes instead of detailed ones. I've been giving their books a try when I'm on a romance kick and have found them to be light, generally sweet, and enjoyable. Her Backup Boyfriend met my expectations and cracked me up in several places as well.

I really liked these characters and the attraction, humor, and banter between them. I also liked the plot and how Kate and Dominic end up playing the part of a couple. I loved Dominic's family! They were fun and added a lot to the story. Overall, this was an enjoyable and fun read. I could have done with it being a little cleaner, but for the genre it would be considered fairly clean.

Content:
 Innuendo, closed-door scene, mild and brief swearing.
Source: From the publisher through NetGalley, which did not affect my review in any way.

The Marriage Match (Suddenly Smitten, #3)The Marriage Match
(Suddenly Smitten #3)
by Tracy March
Adult Contemporary Romance
Ebook, 180 Pages
January 19th 2015 by Entangled: Bliss

Summary


Hot bachelor seeks bride…

Resort tycoon Trent Hawthorne is looking for a wife. His all-business, no-nonsense grandmother (and the matriarch of the small town of Maple Creek) has selected three potential brides―all beautiful and approved. Each “fantasy date” will take place in a lush Caribbean setting, filmed like a reality show to promote the Hawthorne family’s chain of resorts. All of Trent's hopes for love combined with a clever marketing gimmick…what could possibly go wrong?

As it turns out, all it takes is a kiss. A sizzling, sweet-as-sin kiss. But Cynthia Sawyer isn't one of the bachelorettes, and she's definitely not supposed to be making out with her boss's sexy grandson. Not to mention it's strictly against company policy. But Cynthia has her own reasons for hooking Trent up with a bride who isn’t her as soon as possible. And losing her heart is a price that she's willing to pay…

My Review

Again, Entangled's Bliss line provides some romance that is a little on the cleaner side, as in closed-door scenes instead of detailed ones. I've been giving their books a try when I'm on a romance kick and have found them to be light, generally sweet, and enjoyable. 

The Marriage Match was a cute read. I loved the exotic locations and the friendship between Cynthia and Trent. There was some great dialogue and I liked how they acted when they were together. They really complimented each other. I really liked them individually as well. This is the third book in the series, so you have cameos from the prior books. I think I would have enjoyed this more if I had read the other books in the series, but it did work as a standalone as well. 

Content: Innuendo, closed-door scene, mild and brief swearing.

SourceFrom the publisher through NetGalley, which did not affect my review in any way.


Do you read romance? Have you read any of these or do you plan to?

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