Always Will by Melanie Jacobson

Synopsis:

Handsome twenty-eight-year-old Will Hallerman has finally had enough of the dating world—he’s ready to find a wife and settle down. This announcement is catastrophic in Hannah Becker’s world. After knowing Will her entire life and adoring him from afar since junior high school, she realizes her chance at love with him is in grave danger. Hannah’s problem? To Will, she will never be more than his best friend’s little sister. Determined to open his eyes to her charms, Hannah sets out to sabotage Will’s wife hunt by placing nightmare dates in his path and taking his search on a wild goose chase. Her plan is risky, but she’s willing to take a chance to catch the eye of her soul mate. Despite her crazy schemes, nothing seems to be working. Hannah can’t help but wonder if it’s time to set aside this childhood crush—to move on and settle down herself. She’s ready for a fresh start with a great guy. If only Will weren’t suddenly changing the rules of the game . . . And how can Hannah move on when Will just won’t let her forget?

My Review: 4 Stars

Hannah has been in love with her brother's best friend, Will, for over a decade. When she was seventeen she told him about her crush and he in turn crushed her heart by laughing at her. From that point on she loved him from afar. She refused to let him see her true feelings because her poor heart couldn't take rejection a second time. 

But when Will announces that it's time for him to settle down and find a wife, Hannah freaks out and decides that she must stall him in finding a wife. She needs time to show him that she is no longer the kid sister.. that she is all grown-up and she is the perfect girl for him.  

Commence derailment of Operation Find a Bride. Hannah comes up with all these off the wall ideas to sabotage Will's dates and some how makes them seem logical to him. He ends up going along with whatever she suggests. After a few disastrous dates he decides it's time to take back the dating reins. But in doing so, Hannah decides that she is going to do some dating of her own. 

With Hannah's best friend Sophie and a hunky guy named Jay at her side, Hannah is able to do some self evaluation and decides that it is time to make some changes in her life. One of those changes is confessing to Will that she is still in love him but in order for her to move on, she needs space and time. Now that Will knows this, the question is, is he going to give her what she wants?

Can I just tell you that these two drove me NUTS at times?! Holy crow Batman! I caught myself growling on several occasions and wishing I could just Gibbs slap the both of them! Lol. But the journey was definitely worth it! Just be prepared for a roller coaster ride! ;)

And I just have to throw this out there... I would love to see Jay get his own book! Oh! And Sophie too! Those two made the journey that much better for me! :)

Melanie Jacobson never disappoints! She is another author that can suck me in from the beginning and not let me go until the end! And we all know how much I love that! :)

*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*

This casting was a bit tough for me since there wasn't much description but this is my Will and Hannah... :)         

The Resilient One by Cami Checketts

Synopsis:

Alyssa Armsworth, a world-renowned photographer, has no intentions of honoring the Billionaire Bride Pact she made at girl’s camp to avoid getting whipped cream smeared on her face while she slept. Marriage is the last thing on her to-do list and when her father forces his wealthy friends on her, she runs to Maui.

Her plan to jog on the beach, take some great pictures, and avoid men works—until Beckham Taylor arrives. Spending days on the white sand with the handsome ex-NHL star is ideal, but Alyssa's guilt for past transgressions begins to consume her. She doesn’t think Beckham could ever forgive what she’s done to him and his family. Before she can confess her misdeeds are thrust onto the front cover of the tabloids. Now, Alyssa must face her past or lose her future.

My Review: 5 Stars

Alyssa is a famous photographer and has zero plans of ever getting married. She is known by the other girls from camp as the dark side of the Billionaire Bride Pact. She has had a very troubled upbringing and does not trust men at all. When her controlling, sleazy father tries to marry her off to the highest bidder, she runs away to Maui.

Beck is an ex-NHL star that took over the family business after his parents passed away. When he hears that the famous but elusive A.A. is meeting with fans in Maui, he heads out there to try and convince him to work with Beck's charity, Jordan's Buds. He knows that A.A. is just what he needs to bring more awareness to his charity and the needs of others all over the world. 

When Beck runs into Alyssa for the first time they are both swept off their feet... literally. But she takes off before he can even introduce himself. Fate is on his side when he checks into the same bed and breakfast that she is staying at. When it comes to getting to know Beck and spending more time with him, Alyssa is a little apprehensive at first. But slowly she starts feeling more comfortable around him. Now if she can just find the courage to confess what she did years ago and hope that he doesn't end up hating her. 

I absolutely loved Beck and Alyssa! Both are scarred physically and emotionally and both have some trust issues. But these are two of the things that bring them together. They can lean on each other and help the other in a way that no one has ever been able to do before. These two are seriously perfect for each other! And let's not forget their chemistry... *swoon* Holy Hannah! These two! *dreamy sigh* I really did not want the book to end! 

And I just have to give a shout out to Granny! I absolutely loved her as well! She was such an amazing addition to this awesome book! I loved her spunk and spirit! She had me busting out laughing more times than I could count! She almost stole the show... almost... ;) Hehe. I would love to be that kind of granny some day! 

I am really enjoying this series and I can't wait for the next book to be released! This series is already a definite must buy for me! :)

And can we just take a moment to enjoy this casting?! I don't know what it is but I am seriously in love with these two! *dreamy sigh*

The Passionate One by Jeanette Lewis

Synopsis:

As the creator of the Billionaire Bride Pact, Erin Parker is determined to see it through. And now that wealthy, gorgeous Brennan Avery has been cast as her costar in a play destined for Broadway, things couldn’t be better. But Erin’s best friend, Matt Walters, isn’t ready to give up on her. He has a plan to escape the friend zone and prove to Erin that there are more important things than money and fame.

My Review: 4 Stars

"I, Erin Marie Parker, do solemnly swear, that someday I'll marry a billionaire...

OR I will have to sing the Camp Wallakee song (with bird calls) at my wedding."

Erin is a struggling actress who knows what she wants out of life and will not settle for anything less! She is the brains behind The Billionaire Bride Pact and has no intention of singing the camp song at her wedding. She WILL marry a billionaire! 

Matt is Erin's best friend and has been in love with her for years. He knows all about the pact and is bound and determined to show her that money isn't the key to finding her HEA. But when rich, handsome Brennan Avery shows up as Erin's new costar, Matt knows that he really has his work cut out for him if he's ever going to win the girl he loves. 

I. Absolutely. Loved. Matt! Seriously! I loved this guy! He is the one that saved the book for me whenever Erin was frustrating me beyond belief! (Which was often! Lol.) It didn't matter what he was doing, where he was, if she needed him, he was there for her.

I think one of my favorite parts of the book was when Matt laid it all out for Erin and opened her eyes as to how she had been treating him. She had been so caught up in everything going on around her and looking out for #1, that she really hadn't thought about exactly what she had been doing and how much she had hurt him. From that point on, she did some soul searching and realized what truly was important and who she was meant to be with. I ended up loving the new Erin. 

The Passionate One brought out so many emotions in me! I laughed, got teary eyed, got extremely frustrated, giggled and even found myself letting out little dreamy sighs! The only thing that could have made this book better for me would've been an epilogue.. even if it was just one paragraph at their wedding reception.. ;) Hehe.  

This is my very first book by Jeanette Lewis and I can tell you it won't be my last! I am excited to meet and get to know all the other Camp Wallakee girls and see them get their HEA!

And can I just say that I LOVE this casting! *dreamy sigh*  

2015 Swoony Award Winners!!

We are pleased to announce the winners of the 2015 Swoony Awards! The Swoony Awards were created to recognize excellence in clean fiction. We wanted a reference for all those out there looking for a clean swoony romance. We also wanted to recognize and show our appreciation to all these great authors who write the kinds of books we love. We couldn't be more pleased with all the participation and great book nominations we received. I know I've found a lot of great books on this list and even found some new authors to try! So, without further ado, here are the winners...

Best Novel of the Year

My Fairly Dangerous Godmother by Janette Rallison

Best Contemporary Romance
Professional Boundaries by Jennifer Peel

Best YA Contemporary Romance

The Fill-In Boyfriend by Kasie West

Best Novella

My Pride, His Prejudice by Jenni James

Best New Adult Novel

Royal Date by Sariah Wilson

Best Paranormal Romance

Undeniable Chosen by Shelly Crane

Best Regency Romance

A Heart Revealed by Josi S Kilpack

Best Western Romance

The Romancing of Evangaline Ipswich by Marcia Lynn McClure

Best Medieval Romance

  The Lady and the Minstrel by Joyce DiPastena

Best High Fantasy

Rumpelstiltskin by KM Shea

Best Dystopian

The Heir by Kiera Cass

Best Mystery

Web of Deceit by Susan Sleeman

Best Christmas Romance

Cookie Girl Christmas by Christene Houston

Kathy's Choice Award

Royal Date by Sariah Wilson

It was super hard narrowing down my number one pick this year. I guess that's a good problem to have. I ended up choosing Royal Date, because I just really loved this book. The writing and characters grabbed me, I loved the setting and just everything about it. It's one of those books where you get a reader's high, you get sucked in and don't want the story to end. I read Sariah's YA novel awhile ago and when I heard she had a new book coming out I couldn't wait to read it. I am so happy she has more great books like this in store for us.

Check out Kathy's review on her blog by clicking here!

Kathy Jo's Choice Award

Jessie Belle by Jennifer Peel

There were so many amazing books published in 2015 that narrowing down my choices was just a tad bit difficult. After re-reading all my reviews there was one book that just stood out among the rest... Jessie Belle by Jennifer Peel. This book was seriously AMAZING! I had a very hard time putting it down! Jennifer has an amazing ability to suck you in from the very beginning and refuses to let you go until the very end. Her writing has me feeling like I am right there with the characters, living their lives right along with them. Jessie Belle is filled with unconditional love, second chances, courage, strength, hope and even a bit of humor. And of course we can't forget about the Swoonworthy moments throughout the book. I found myself letting out little dreamy sighs along the way. I loved every minute of it! <3 

Check out Kathy Jo's review on her blog by clicking here!

Katie's Choice Award

The Kiss that Launched 1000 GIFs by Sheralyn Pratt

I chose The Kiss That Launched 1000 GIFs by Sheralyn Pratt because I loved the cleverly written story and the characters! Grace and Ashton have personality galore and they are strong, yet perfectly imperfect. I adored the supporting characters as well--especially Esme, Grace's best friend, and Megan, Ashton's niece. Both say it like it is and are totally sassy spitfires. I felt like I was watching this story unfold on social media, right along with the rest of the world--the book world, that is (sometimes I forget these people and places aren't real). I love a good, clean romance and this one had that with an added dash of spice, which made it even better.

Check out Katie's review on her blog by clicking here!

 

Heidi's Choice Award

Free Fallin' by Shannon Guymon

So many good books...so little time! I had a hard time trying to choose just one amazing book for 2015! After going over everything I read that was published this last year, I finally decided on the book that made me "feel" the most. Free Fallin' by Shannon Guymon had me laughing and crying more than any book has in a very long time. Not only was it incredibly moving, it was beautifully written and full of heart. I honestly enjoyed every page, even the heart breaking ones. This book is book 2 in the Love and Weddings trilogy and is actually part of the 4th of the Fir Crest trilogy's. I highly recommend you read them ALL, and that you read them in order so that you can fully enjoy the world of Fir Crest that Shannon has created. If you love good, fun, uplifting, clean romance, these are wonderful "go to" books! Enjoy!

Check out Heidi's review on Goodreads by clicking here!

We are looking forward to the 2016 Swoony Awards and hope that you will be joining us again this year! Please feel free to join our groups (Goodreads and Facebook) and follow us on Twitter (@swoonyawards)! Help us spread the word about good, clean, swoony romance books!

Happy New Year and Happy Reading!

Twelve Days in December by Michele Paige Holmes

Synopsis: 

Five months isn’t enough time to grieve the death of her husband and marry again, but when the unexpected opportunity to take her sister’s place as the bride of wealthy New York businessman, William Vancer, presents itself, twenty-four year-old Charlotte Holbrook agrees. Their marriage of convenience will provide a secure future for her son, while William will be able to claim the inheritance he needs to expand his company westward.

To begin their perfect and perfectly safe arrangement, William allots the last twelve days in December to become acquainted with his new family—a task more easily accomplished than he had imagined. For in Charlotte he finds a tender heart and companion, while stepping into the role of father to her son, brings William a great measure of joy as well. Before the twelve days have passed, he finds himself wishing their marriage of convenience could be something much more.

For Charlotte, every day with William is one of overwhelming gratitude, as he anticipates and provides for her needs, as well as the fondest desires of her heart. More than material comforts, William offers friendship as well, and a loving concern that Charlotte has gone too long without. Guilt ridden, she struggles with her growing attraction and wonders how she can ever remain loyal to her first husband, while allowing herself to love William as he deserves.

My Review: 4 Stars

Charlotte has lost her husband and finds herself in a horrible situation trying to provide for herself and her 15 month old son, Alec. When she unexpectedly becomes the bride to the wealthy William Vancer, her life will be changed forever. While she is grateful for everything he has done for her and her son, she struggles with her feelings for him. Is it possible to love again after such a short period of time? 

William is in need of a wife in order to receive his large inheritance. He thought this marriage of convenience would be the best thing for all involved. What he wasn't expecting was to fall in love with Charlotte and her son. How can he help her to see that loving him in return doesn't mean that she is betraying her first husband and that she has enough love for the both of them? 

I loved seeing Charlotte and William's relationship grow from friendship into love. William was so patient with Charlotte and seemed to understand just what she needed. Their relationship was so sweet and I found myself letting out little dreamy sighs on several occasions. 

I would say the only thing I didn't like about Twelve Days in December was it just ended! I wanted just a little bit more! An epilogue would have been amazing! Even if it was just a few months down the road. I guess what they say is true... when a book is good, you always find it too short! ;) 

This was my very first book by Michele Paige Holmes and I can tell you that it definitely will not be my last! I love finding new authors to read! It really makes me happy! :) 

And yes... even though this was a novella, I still did a casting.. ;) Hehe. 

Favorite Books of 2015!!

2015 was an amazing year for books! I laughed.. I cried.. I got so angry I wanted to throw my kindle across the room.. I let out more dreamy sighs than I ever have before.. and I loved every minute of it! I found new authors that I absolutely adore and wait with great anticipation for their next book baby to be released! I was able to read over 100 books! Some of these books were just SO good that I had to read them twice! Yes, I said TWICE.. that is how much I LOVED them!

Before I look ahead to the New Year and new books, I thought I would pay tribute to some of these favorites that I fell in love with in 2015. I think I will do my top 15 favorites! ;)

I will tell you that my list is not in any particular order. I absolutely LOVED all these books and there is NO WAY I'll be able to choose a ranking for them! It just is NOT possible! So don't even ask! ;) Lol.

So... without further adieu... here are my TOP 15 of 2015!!

My One and Only by Shannon Guymon

Free Fallin' by Shannon Guymon

At Last by Shannon Guymon

Trouble in Loveland by Jennifer Peel

Jessie Belle by Jennifer Peel

Other Side of the Wall by Jennifer Peel

The Girl in Seat 24B by Jennifer Peel

House Divided by Jennifer Peel

Professional Boundaries by Jennifer Peel

The Academic Bride by Lucy McConnell

The Country Bride by Lucy McConnell

Undeniably Chosen by Shelly Crane

Cookie Girl Christmas by Christene Houston

A Cliché Christmas by Nicole Deese

Catching Caytie by Cindy Roland Anderson

A lot of these books are up for a Swoony Award this year! If you have read any of these books or any of the others on the 2015 Swoony Award list then make sure you VOTE! Click here and it will take you directly to the voting page! You still have time to vote for your favorites! 

I am really looking forward to 2016! I just know it will be filled with lots of love, family, friendships, treasured memories and of course BOOKS!

Wishing all you book lovers out there a very safe, healthy and Happy New Year! Let's make 2016 the BESTEST year yet! <3