Arizona Forever by Jaclyn M. Hawks, One Last Summer by Jo Noelle, & Storm of Attraction by Lily Black (Review Briefs)

Review briefs are just like they sound, a briefer review (and usually for more
than one book) than my norm for books that I want or need to share about.
It's also a play off of legal briefs, which include just what you need to know...

Arizona Forever
by Jaclyn M. Hawks
LDS Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 345 Pages
March 10th 2017 by Spirit Dance Books LLC

Summary

Dr. Jessie Benn has everything—except Mr. Right. There’s only one problem. The one guy who intrigues her is completely wrong. 

She’s a veterinarian specializing in horses with a thriving practice nestled between her family’s Arizona ranches, looking for a nice, dependable guy who can take her to the eternities. 

He’s a visiting Australian business tycoon who’s just a touch bitter, a touch wild, and way more than a touch fascinating. 

What’s a girl to do?

(Affiliate links included, meaning I receive a small kickback when you make a purchase using my links.)

My Review

ARIZONA FOREVER is a fun story with romance, humor, a slight inspirational aspect, some Australian charm, and a strong family dynamic. The characters are lovable from the start with plenty of family teasing and romantic banter. An enjoyable read!

I adored these characters and Jessie's whole family!! They were so fun! I loved how close Jessie's family is and how they are there for each other, but don't mind taking any opportunity to rib each other and have a good time. They work hard side by side when it's called for and are each successful in what they do. I loved how Jessie is confident in her profession and quite talented, but also had a very sweet side. 

Then there was the instant chemistry and romance aspect of the book. I enjoyed that the romance didn't overwhelm the story. There is the immediate attraction but they don't act on it. They slowly get to know each other and then become very good friends before anything more develops between them. Even then, it wasn't a guarantee and they had a few things to work out to get to their happily-ever-after. I love these types of slow-burn romances!

Inspirational stories where a character may or may not become converted to a new faith are always hit and miss with me. This one did fairly well although some parts came off a little forced when I wanted everything to feel natural. Otherwise, this aspect of the story worked.

In the end, was it what I wished for? Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was easy to sink into and stay there until the very sweet ending.


Content: Clean

Source: I received a complimentary copy through ebooksforreview.com, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.

One Last Summer
by Jo Noelle
Adult Contemporary Romance, Novella
ebook, 109 Pages
February 14th 2017

Summary

Jenna Brennan doesn’t believe in love. She doesn’t believe in marriage, and she’s learned to only count on herself. At her Uncle Walter’s insistence, and a little emotional blackmail, she returns to Misty Harbor Cottages to help him for one last summer in a place that's really the only home she’s ever known.

Cole Zamora has worked at Misty Harbor for more than half of his twenty-three years, and imagined someday owning the place. He met Jenna when they were ten-years-old, and his young heart fell hard for her, relishing every summer she came back. That is, until two years ago, when she broke his heart and never returned.

Uncle Walter proposes a challenge between the two, with the winner becoming the new owner of Misty Harbor. Now, there’s a real chance Cole could lose his heart and his home. Jenna isn’t sure which worries her more—a summer of rivalry or romance?

One Last Summer is a 100-page novella in the clean & wholesome romance category.

(Affiliate links included, meaning I receive a small kickback when you make a purchase using my links.)
Currently FREE!

My Review


ONE LAST SUMMER is a sweet and short story with a small-town feel and family dynamic. If you're looking for a light romance that you can read in one sitting, you may enjoy this one.

I have come to expect quite a bit from this author (or co-authors) and I wanted more from this one. It felt rather jumpy with some rough transitions and characters who were kind of all over the place emotionally. Hot and then cold and settled and then not. Having said that, I still enjoyed this one. It was a quick read that was sweet from beginning to end.

In the end, was it what I wished for? Enjoyable, but needed more development.

Content: Clean

Source: I received notification to grab a free copy from Amazon for review through ebooksforreview.com, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.

Storm of Attraction
(Willowdale #1)
by Lily Black
Adult Romantic Suspense
Paperback & ebook, 250 Pages
February 13th 2017 by Red Adept Publishing, LLC

Summary

Love is worth fighting for.

Alexa Wolving has just one rule: never give a guy a second chance. That works just fine in the safe life she’s built. In the charming town of Willowdale, her day job as a librarian balances perfectly with her evening job as a black belt instructor. But when she attracts the attention of a stalker, Alexa’s carefully built world begins to crumble.

Drew Cosimo knows he broke Alexa’s heart five years ago when he took his first Ranger assignment and disappeared from her life. Now that he’s out of the army, he’s moving back home to Willowdale. He’s not looking for a fight, but making peace would be easier if Alexa hadn’t told the entire town he was a money-grubbing jerk. Despite the tension between them, Drew is quick to offer his protection when a stalker forces Alexa from her home.

As the stalker’s attacks escalate, Alexa and Drew are forced to face their painful past and the simmering attraction between them. They must fight to save each other before everything they care about goes up in flames.

(Affiliate links included, meaning I receive a small kickback when you make a purchase using my links.)

My Review


STORM OF ATTRACTION is a suspenseful romance on the lighter side with some fun characters set in a small town. Those who enjoy reading in this genre may enjoy this one.

Let me start with what I did like... I liked the characters, both the two main ones as well as some of the side characters. They were interesting and easily pulled me into the story. I also liked the small-town setting. There was a slight underlying feel of tension, both on the suspense side and on the romance side, the whole way through the book.

Then there were a few things that didn't work for me... I was a little thrown by Alexa's vehemence towards Drew. It was really strong for her supposedly dating him years previously. It also made her come off as a little unhinged. I would have liked the issues with the stalker to be a little more mysterious and the characters to slowly come to conclusions instead of things almost just being stated and the reader having to accept that. The suspense could have been worked through the story better. On that note, the ending didn't work for me. For being who Drew is and who Alexa is... Yeah. Things wouldn't have played out as they did.

In the end, was it what I wished for? Parts of this were great! The romantic tension and the banter was really sweet, but other areas of the story needed more development.

Content: Innuendo, descriptive making out, references to love scenes, some mild language.

Source: I received a complimentary copy from the author, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.


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