Sweet Whispers by Jeanette Lewis

Synopsis:

A thousand dreams sparked through her, memories of late nights and sweet whispers when they’d dreamed of their future together. A family where he was Dad, and she would be Mom. But it hadn’t happened.

As the executor of her grandfather’s estate, Melanie Bowers is returning to Indigo Bay for the first time in years. Her goal is to be in and out before anyone in town knows she’s there – especially Penn, the high school sweetheart who broke her heart by joining the military and leaving her alone, with no promise for their future together.

Penn Westover was anxious to complete his tour of duty, then spend the rest of his life with Melanie. But his dream shattered when she married someone else. He reluctantly moved on with his life, but he never forgot.

When Melanie and Penn reconnect in Indigo Bay and realize they’re both single again, their chemistry comes roaring back. The sparks are still there, but can they move beyond their painful memories and forgive, or are they better off leaving the past alone?

My Review: 5 Stars

I have always been a fan of second chance love stories and this one did not disappoint! Once I started Sweet Whispers, I had a hard time putting it down. In fact, I stayed curled up in bed all morning reading. I refused to leave Indigo Bay until Melanie and Penn finally got their HEA. 

Oh my heart! Their journey had all the feels I have come to love about second chance love stories. My heart broke for our sweet Melanie. With a troubled upbringing, it's no wonder she was scared to take another leap with Penn. But Penn... *dreamy sigh* He was the perfect hero for Melanie. He knew from the beginning that they were meant to be together. He didn't know what happened all those years ago but he knew this was fate's way of giving them another chance. He refused to give Melanie up again without a fight. 

I absolutely loved the twist in the story at the end! And that epilogue! *dreamy sigh* You guys! It was absolutely perfect! I couldn't have asked for a better ending! 

Ms. Lewis has definitely become a favorite of mine. I can always count on her books capturing me and transporting me to various locations that I never want to leave. Her books are always a great break from reality. I can't wait to see where she takes us next! 

And of course we can't forget my casting. I am in love with these two! They are perfect in my opinion. What do you think? 

27 Ways to Find a Boyfriend by Shari L. Tapscott

Synopsis:

If at first you don't succeed, keep going down the list...

Addison:
I need you to know I’m not pathetic. A little desperate, sure. But not pathetic. And mostly I agreed to Jessa’s insane boyfriend-finding list idea because Carter was looking at me like it was the stupidest idea known to man, and I wanted to irk him.

Carter:
Jessa’s guy-finding list is the stupidest idea known to man. The only reason Addison doesn’t have a boyfriend is because she’s the boss’s daughter, and none of the guys in our shop want to be fired.

Addison:
Maybe if he hadn’t kissed me last weekend, I wouldn’t be thinking about him constantly. See there? This is his fault. If I need to use a list to find someone who will get him out of my head, then so be it.

Carter:
Maybe if I hadn’t kissed her last weekend, the list wouldn’t bother me so much, but now I can’t get her out of my head. So I’m going to do the only thing a sane guy would do in my position. I’m going to sabotage the experiment…

My Review: 5 Stars

Holy wowzers! Can I just tell you how much I adored this book?! Once I started it, I had an extremely hard time putting it down. I may or may not have been irrationally angry when I had to go to work instead of staying home and reading all day. I love when a book captivates me like this one did. 

I absolutely loved Addison and Carter! The chemistry between these two was sizzling and I couldn't help shipping them from the very beginning. They had a lot of obstacles that most couples wouldn't have, but once they realized what they wanted, they weren't going to let anyone stop them from being happy.

The feels were definitely real my friends. I found myself laughing out loud, holding my breathe in anticipation, growling in frustration and letting out little dreamy sighs throughout the book. I honestly did not want the book to end!

I really enjoyed all the side characters as well. Jessa was hilarious and an amazing best friend. Some of the scenes with Gio and Heath were pretty funny albeit a little awkward for our sweet Addison. Have a mentioned that I laughed out loud several times? But can I just tell you how much Addison's dad got on my nerves?! Ugh! Men! Haha. 

This was a great start to a new fun series! I am definitely looking forward to the next book in the series being released. I have already preordered it without even reading the synopsis. I'm choosing to be adventurous! (Do you see what I did there?! 😉 Hehe.)

This is my very first book by Ms. Tapscott and I'll be checking out more of her books. Any author who can grab and keep my attention from the very first page is a for sure winner in my book.

And can we take just a minute to admire these two?! I think they make the perfect Addison and Carter! What do you think?

An American Duchess by Caroline Fyffe

Synopsis:

In Kent, England, the arrival of Beranger Northcott, Duke of Brightshire, causes a stir. Because with the duke comes his new American bride, who isn’t quite what anyone expects. By accepting the hand of her beloved, Emma Brinkman went from hardworking Colorado rancher to duchess. Now she’s expected to comport herself as nobility. Overnight. For Emma—stifled, homesick, and unable to shake the feeling she’s being watched—the metamorphosis is a challenge. And if Emma’s suspicions are correct, perhaps even a dangerous one.

Fortunately, Emma has found a trusted friend in the orphaned Charlotte, Brightshire’s scullery maid. Charlotte longs to experience—if only for a moment—the luxuries and gentry romance that come with a titled life. When one of the duke’s handsome cousins takes notice of Charlotte, the castle kitchen is set abuzz with speculation.

In navigating their two different stations, both servant and duchess alike will discover all they have in common—from secret fantasies to daring hearts to upending the rules of society. And that finding their places in the world—and love—is a dream that can come true—no matter the risks.

My Review: 3 Stars

Beranger Northcutt and his American wife Emma have returned to England so he can take his rightful place as the Duke of Brightshire. To say that Emma is nervous would be an understatement. She doesn't know how to be a Duchess and the last thing she wants to do is bring shame and embarrassment to her husband. But she's determined to do her best. 

What she didn't expect was to be undermined by her new in-laws at every turn. Sure, they seem nice and helpful when Beranger is around. But the moment he's not? All bets are off. She finds herself seeking solace and strength from not only her husband, but her new friends as well.

But when Beranger suddenly falls ill, Emma not only finds her voice, but her determination as well. She will get to the bottom of what's going on and no one will get in her way. She plans to live a long and happy life with Beranger in their new home in England. 

I really enjoyed watching Emma and Beranger get acclimated to their new surroundings. It definitely wasn't easy for them, but they pushed through and refused to let anyone bring them down. I enjoyed the mystery that was woven into the story. I found myself trying to figure out what in the world was going on and who was behind it. Sadly, I felt like there were some things that were left undone in the end. The resolution to the mystery fell a little flat for me. I wanted a just a little bit more. 

I have to admit, when I read a book with multiple POV's, I'm used to it only being the hero and heroine. But this book follows two heroes, two heroines, and a couple other POV's thrown into the mix. This is not something I would typically read and had to keep switching from person to person in my head. I've discovered that I'm not a fan of this many POV's. 

All in all, I enjoyed An American Duchess and thought it was cute. I'm looking forward to checking out more of Ms. Fyffe's books. 

*I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are solely my own.*

The Princess Companion by Melanie Cellier

Synopsis:

One dark and stormy night, lost and alone, Alyssa finds herself knocking on the door of a castle.

After a lifetime spent in the deep forest, Alyssa has no idea what to expect on the other side.

What she finds is two unruly young princesses and one very handsome prince. When Alyssa accepts the job of Princess Companion she knows her life will change. What she doesn’t know is that the royal family is about to be swept up in unexpected danger and intrigue and that she just might be the only thing standing between her kingdom and destruction.

This retelling of the classic fairy tale, The Princess and the Pea, reimagines the risks and rewards that come when one royal family goes searching for a true princess.

Danger and romance await a woodcutter’s daughter in a royal palace.

My Review: 4 Stars

For those of you who know me, you know I am not a fan of YA romance. I used to read it all the time but over the last few years, I just can’t.

So, imagine my surprise when I’m a good way into the book and realize that the heroine is 17 almost 18 years old. Confession. I did not read the synopsis at all. I downloaded the book on a recommendation from a book buddy. By this point I was already invested in the book, so I just kept reading.

The Princess Companion was a fun break from reality and I enjoyed it. For me, it didn’t have the typical YA feel to the book, which was a definite plus. I thought Alyssa, our heroine, was a bit older than 18. She was mature and seemed to know a lot about various situations.

While I enjoyed the book, I did have a hard time believing the relationships between Alyssa and the Royal family. It seemed too casual to me. A lot of the things that Alyssa was involved in, in all honesty, just wouldn’t happen.

The other thing that disappointed me was the ending. I hate that it just ended. I know there are 3 other books in the series and I probably haven’t seen the last of Alyssa and Max, but I wanted just a little bit more in their book.

The other Princesses that made an appearance in this book have me intrigued and I’ll definitely continue on with this series… even though it’s YA… 😉