The Vampire's Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter

Welcome to Nocturne Falls, the town where Halloween is celebrated 365 days a year. The tourists think it's all a show: the vampires, the werewolves, the witches, the occasional gargoyle flying through the sky. But the supernaturals populating the town know better. Living in Nocturne Falls means being yourself. Fangs and all.

After seeing her maybe-mobster boss murder a guy, Delaney James assumes a new identity and pretends to be a mail order bride. What she doesn't know is her groom to be is a 400-year-old vampire.

Hugh Ellingham has only agreed to the set up to make his overbearing grandmother happy. His past means love is no longer an option. Except he never counted on Delaney and falling in love for real. Too bad both of them are keeping some mighty big secrets...

Book: The Vampire's Mail Order Bride by Kristen Painter
Published: June 1, 2015
Pages: 370
Genres: Romance, Paranormal, Vampires, Freebie On Amazon
Format: Kindle
Date Read: June 15-28, 2016
Rating: 3 Potatoes 🥔🥔🥔

This was a cute, fun read. There was very little angst (which I LOVED) and the story moved right along. It moved at a perfect pace and everything was tied up nicely in the end.

I truly enjoyed reading this story but I finished it and felt like it just needed more. More story? More character development? I'm not sure what it needed but I felt like this was a novella rather than a novel. It was a good story, nothing was wrong with it but I just wanted MORE.

Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes (Rose Gardner Mystery #1) by Denise Grover Swank

For Rose Gardner, working at the DMV on a Friday afternoon is bad even before she sees a vision of herself dead. She’s had plenty of visions, usually boring ones like someone’s toilet’s overflowed, but she’s never seen one of herself before. When her overbearing momma winds up murdered on her sofa instead, two things are certain: There isn't enough hydrogen peroxide in the state of Arkansas to get that stain out, and Rose is the prime suspect.

Rose realizes she’s wasted twenty-four years of living and makes a list on the back of a Wal-Mart receipt: twenty-eight things she wants to accomplish before her vision comes true. She’s well on her way with the help of her next door neighbor Joe, who has no trouble teaching Rose the rules of drinking, but won’t help with number fifteen-- do more with a man. Joe’s new to town, but it doesn’t take a vision for Rose to realize he’s got plenty of secrets of his own.

Somebody thinks Rose has something they want and they’ll do anything to get it. Her house is broken into, someone else she knows is murdered, and suddenly, dying a virgin in the Fenton County jail isn’t her biggest worry after all.

Book: Twenty-Eight and a Half Wishes (Rose Gardner Mystery #1) by Denise Grover Swank
Published: December 19th, 2013
Pages: 374
Genres: Romance, Mystery, Freebie On Amazon
Format: Kindle
Date Read: June 13-15, 2016
Rating: 4 Potatoes 🥔🥔🥔🥔

It was so hard to put this book down! I just wanted to keep reading and reading - it completely captivated me from the start!

I absolutely loved the character of Rose. She was so funny, witty and REAL. Violet was okay, I like that she truly loved her sister but she was a secondary character for me.

Joe was a mystery to me for the entire book. I found myself wanting to believe what he was saying but not completely trusting him. Even after finishing the book I'm still not sure what to make of him - he truly is a man of mystery!

Great read, I highly recommend it! I can't wait to read some of the authors other works!

Rebel (Rebel Wheels #1) by Elle Casey

Teagan Cross, college senior, rebel, and wiseass extraordinaire, goes from princess to pauper in a single phone call. Overnight, her life of privilege becomes one of survival, and no matter where she turns, it seems like the world is out to get her. She's not going to fall apart, though. She's a rebel and she's strong … determined to live life on her own terms … and nothing's going to stop her from getting things done and making things right. But when a twist of fate brings her to the doorstep of a different kind of Rebel, she's forced to figure out when something's worth fighting for and when something's worth letting go.

Book: Rebel (Rebel Wheels #1) by Elle Casey
Published: October 29th, 2013
Pages: 294
Genres: Romance, New Adult, Freebie On Amazon
Format: Kindle
Date Read: June 10-13, 2016
Rating: 3 Potatoes 🥔🥔🥔

Rebel is one sexy hunk of a man!

I truly enjoyed this book and didn't want to put it down; such a good read! But, I felt like there were so many things that weren't explained - Rebel's back story could have been much more explained. I felt like some parts were just randomly added in, they didn't "fit" with the storyline. Maybe it's just me who felt that way, maybe not.

Another reason I'm not giving this book the 4 stars I feel it could deserve is because it just ENDED. Nothing was wrapped up, there were so many questions! Something big happens, we feel like Teagan is finally getting to the bottom of stuff and the books ENDS. Not cool, not cool at all. I understand wanting to leave the book open for the next one and for getting readers to want to purchase the next one but it still wasn't nice.

Anyway...

All in all, good story, it has likeable characters (some not so much) and it definitely makes you want to read the next book.

Because You're Mine (MINE #1) by K. Langston

Madison Waters knew exactly what she wanted to do with her life. She was already working for one of the most prestigious law firms in Boston as a research assistant, and in a few short months, she would finally graduate from Harvard and collect her law degree. Everything she had worked so hard for was well within her reach.

But when Madison had to take an unexpected trip back home, she was blindsided by the one thing she never planned on.

Desperate to escape his wicked past, Holden Brooks moved to Madison's hometown five years ago. It’s was a struggle at first, but he eventually overcame the demons that almost destroyed him back in Texas. Holden was in a good place in his life and love was the last thing on his mind.

Everything changes the moment these two paths collide and they soon find out, fate has a plan of its own.

You never know when or where love will come along and change everything.

Book: Because You're Mine (MINE #1) by K. Langston
Published: September 17th, 2013
Pages: 211
Genres: Romance, Cowboy, Freebie On Amazon
Format: Kindle
Date Read: June 8-10, 2016
Rating: 3.5 Potatoes 🥔🥔🥔

This was a short, cute and fun read. I liked the idea of the storyline, even though its been done so many times before. I love the idea of pretty much love at first sight and just knowing that someone is the right person for you - it intrigues me.

I wish the book would have been longer and more fleshed out; it would have been much better had it been an extra 100 pages. I would have liked to have read more of Madison and Holden's backstory's and delving more into why they think and act the way they do about certain things. I also would have liked to have learned more about Madison's parents and what was going on with her father. She came home because he was in the hospital and after she comes home there is barely any mention of her parents. However, the book was still good as it is and I did enjoy it.

3.5 Stars!

Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia

He counts her smiles every day and night at the train station. And morning and evening, the beautiful commuter acknowledges him—just like she does everyone else on the platform. But Blake Hartt is not like the others . . . he’s homeless. Memories of a broken childhood have robbed him of peace and twisted delusions into his soul. He stays secluded from the sun, sure the world would run from him in the harsh light of day.

Each day, Livia McHugh smiles politely and acknowledges her fellow commuters as she waits for the train to the city. She dismisses this kindness as nothing special, just like her. She’s the same as a million other girls—certainly no one to be cherished. But special or not, she smiles every day, never imagining that someone would rely on the simple gesture as if it were air to breathe.

When the moment comes that Livia must do more than smile, without hesitation she steps into the fray to defend the homeless man. And she's surprised to discover an inexplicable connection with her new friend. After danger subsides, their smiles become conversation. Their words usher in a friendship, which awakens something in each of them. But it’s not long before their bond must prove its strength. Entanglements from the past challenge both their love and their lives.

Blake’s heart beats for Livia’s, even if her hands have to keep its rhythm. Love is patient. Love is kind. Love never fails. Love never fails, right?

Book: Poughkeepsie by Debra Anastasia
Published: November 21st, 2011
Pages: 525
Genres: Romance, Tattoos
Format: Kindle
Date Read: May 31-June 7, 2016
Rating: 3 Potatoes 🥔🥔🥔

I'm not sure how I feel about this book. It was good, I loved the idea for the storyline, but I felt like it wasn't great. The book was a bit long for a story like this and there were too many loose ends. I don't like feeling like I have too many questions at the end of a novel and that a book isn't complete.

I loved all of the characters, each and every one - they were flawed and perfect all at the same time. I especially loved Mouse and would have loved to learn even more about him.

I feel terrible for even bringing this subject up since I clearly knew what the story was about but I don't know that I could just jump into a relationship with a homeless man, I really don't. Maybe if things were more built up in the story I would have had an easier time accepting it? It was too quick for me - Blake and Livia started talking and then bam they were an instant couple. The rest of the book was them facing challenges as a couple and from the summary I thought the book was more about them becoming a couple...

Regardless, the author is very talented and I have read some of her other works and thoroughly enjoyed them. This book was good, in its own way, I just thought it was a little bit too long for my liking.