Risky Play by Rachel Van Dyken

Synopsis:
What else can a virgin do when she’s ditched at the altar? Seattle heiress Mackenzie Dupont is treating herself to a single-girl honeymoon in Mexico and a desire to relinquish her innocence to a gorgeous one-night stand. Fake names. True pleasure. But when she wakes up alone, Mackenzie realizes just how much anger is left in her broken heart.

Suffering a tragic personal loss, pro soccer player Slade Rodriguez has his reasons for vanishing without a goodbye. Right or wrong, he’s blaming the beautiful and infuriating stranger he never wants to see again. They’re both in for a shock when Mackenzie shows up as his new personal assistant. And they both have a lot to learn about each other. Because they share more than they could possibly know, including a common enemy who’s playing his own games. And he’s not afraid to get dirty.

Now there’s only one way Mackenzie and Slade can win: to trust in each other and to stop hiding from the lies they’ve told, the secrets they’ve kept, the mistakes they’ve made, and the attraction that still burns between them.
(Synopsis from Goodreads).

My Thoughts:
This year, I have made it a goal of mine to catch up on my favorite romance author's books. I used to read a lot of romance, but have barely touched the genre in the past couple years or so until this year. Rachel Van Dyken is one of those authors. I decided to continue my reading binge of her books by reading one of her newer releases, Risky Play. I'm glad I did. I really enjoyed it.

Typically, I'm not a big fan of instalove stories. However, Risky Play drew me in and wouldn't let me go. Just something about Slade and Mackenzie's chemistry made it feel like it was practically rolling off the page. I enjoyed their witty sarcastic banter together. They had me constantly cracking up, seeing who could be more petty. Speaking of cracking up laughing, I also enjoyed Slade's dog. There were quite a few scenes with him that I loved, but a scene in general that had me losing it laughing that happened after the dog had an altercation with a bird. I couldn't stop chuckling for a good five minutes after I read it.

Rachel Van Dyken handles a mix of her character's emotions very well. Even though the book was hilarious, it got serious at times as well. I think she found the perfect balance between the two. What happens to Slade at the beginning of the book is really tragic. I could feel his emotions when I was reading, which I think is a sign that the author is doing her job very well. I went through what he was going through a couple years ago, so I felt for him. I know how hard that can be to go through, and the author portrayed those emotions very accurately.

I really enjoyed Risky Play. It's definitely one of my favorite Rachel Van Dyken books I've read out of the ones I've read the past month or two. Heck, it might just be one of my favorites in general. I have an advanced copy of the next book in the series, Kickin' It. I intend to start it as soon as I'm done typing this review. I hope I love it as much as Risky Play, if not more. I definitely can't wait to continue my Rachel Van Dyken binge reading session. 

I give Risky Play: 4/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://rachelvandykenauthor.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/RachelVanDyken/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachVD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachvd/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4882127.Rachel_Van_Dyken

I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

DNF Review: Twist of Faith by Ellen J. Green

Synopsis:
When family secrets are unearthed, a woman’s past can become a dangerous place to hide…

After the death of her adoptive mother, Ava Saunders comes upon a peculiar photograph, sealed and hidden away in a crawl space. The photo shows a shuttered, ramshackle house on top of a steep hill. On the back, a puzzling inscription: Destiny calls us.

Ava is certain that it’s a clue to her elusive past. Twenty-three years ago, she’d been found wrapped in a yellow blanket in the narthex of the Holy Saviour Catholic Church—and rescued—or so she’d been told. Her mother claimed there was no more to the story, so the questions of her abandonment were left unanswered. For Ava, now is the time to find the roots of her mother’s lies. It begins with the house itself—once the scene of a brutal double murder.

When Ava enlists the help of the two people closest to her, a police detective and her best friend, she fears that investigating her past could be a fatal mistake. Someone is following them there. And what’s been buried in Ava’s nightmares isn’t just a crime. It’s a holy conspiracy.
(Synopsis from Goodreads).

My Thoughts:
I've really been into reading mystery/thrillers lately. One of my favorite things to do lately has been to pop on my headphones, and listen to audiobooks of them while I do dishes, or generally clean around my apartment. I had heard great things about Twist of Faith, so I decided to pick it up. Unfortunately, I really disliked it. I ended up DNF'ing the book at 45%.

I had such high expectations for Twist of Faith. It's almost always on Amazon's Movers and Shakers list. I had also heard great things about it from some Goodreads reviewers. Unfortunately, it just wasn't for me. I tried listening to the audiobook, and reading the ebook. Either way I chose to consume the story, I was incredibly bored. It felt like nothing of great importance was happening, and the writing style had me wanting to start skimming the book. I also didn't care about any of the characters, which is very unusual for me. Usually in a book, I can make a connection to at least one of the characters, even if they're minor. At a little before 45%, something very important happens in the story line, although next to no detail is given about it. When that didn't shock me, or make me feel again, I knew it was time to give up and move on to a different book.

It makes me so sad that I didn't enjoy Twist of Faith at all. I know a lot of people did, but it's apparently just not my thing. I wanted to like it so much. Unfortunately, I just ended up finding it boring, and couldn't connect with any of the characters. I'm not sure I will try any more of this author's books in the future due to how much I disliked this one. 

I give Twist of Faith: 1/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6433471.Ellen_J_Green

I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

The Sheriff's Secret by Susan Meier

Synopsis:
Can a feisty four-legged matchmaker help four best friends find the romance of their dreams?

Marney's 9-1-1 emergency help arrives in the form of a rugged, blue-eyed cop. Now she has the perfect bodyguard to keep her safe during those dark, steamy nights...
(Synopsis from Goodreads)

My Thoughts:
Lately, I've been on a mission to read as many books off of my TBR as possible. My TBR has gotten incredibly overwhelming, and due to a few recent things that have been going on, my reading has slowed down a lot so far this spring when compared to winter. Therefore, I wanted to read a few small books to get them off my TBR. I decided to start with The Sheriff's Secret. It was an okay book.

The Sheriff's Secret was my favorite book so far in these interconnected novellas. There was just something that I really liked about the male love interest, Dell. I can't exactly pinpoint what that something was. I think he's because, in the end, he doesn't let his past get to him. He learns to trust, despite everything he's been through. I also loved that we got more of Charlie. I think he is the cutest dog ever, and love how he matches all four of these women with their soulmates.

However, there were also quite a few things I didn't like about The Sheriff's Secret. Like all of the other novellas in this series, it was over the top cheesy. There were several scenes that had me rolling my eyes. They were ridiculous, and completely unrealistic. My other main complaint is that I didn't like the female main character's actions. Marney drove me crazy. She really needed to talk to Dell about something important. However, as soon as she saw him, she didn't stand her ground and talk about it. Instead, she just kept pushing things aside, which only created more problems. It drove me insane.

All in all, I thought The Sheriff's Secret was just an okay book. I did definitely like it a lot more than the other books in this series. I think I would have liked it a lot more though had it had a stronger female lead. I only have one more book left in the series. Even though I haven't loved this series, the books are so short that I'll definitely be reading the final one.

I give The Sheriff's Secret: 3/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: https://www.susanmeier.com/
Blog: http://susanmeier.blogspot.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Susan-Meiers-Books-120647777954747/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/susanmeier1
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/296471.Susan_Meier

I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Stained by Cheryl Rainfield

Synopsis:
An intensely powerful account of a teen, bullied for her port-wine stain, who must summon her personal strength to survive abduction and horrific abuse at the hands of a deranged killer.

Sixteen-year-old Sarah Meadows longs for "normal." Born with a port wine stain covering half her face, all her life she's been plagued by stares, giggles, bullying, and disgust. But when she's abducted on the way home from school, Sarah is forced to uncover the courage she never knew she had, become a hero rather than a victim, and learn to look beyond her face to find the beauty and strength she has inside. It's that-or succumb to a killer.
(Synopsis from Goodreads). 

My Thoughts:
Close to ten years ago, I read Scars by Cheryl Rainfield. At the time, I really enjoyed it. It had a huge emotional impact on me. I've had the audiobook for another one of her books, Stained, for a while. I recently decided to start listening to it. I'm glad I did. It also had a huge emotional impact on me.

I enjoyed listening to Stained, if enjoyed is a word that can be used in this situation. The subject matter made it incredibly difficult to listen to at times. The author puts so much detail into what Sarah goes through. At times, it gave me a lot of anxiety, and I had to step back from the audiobook, take a break, and go listen to some cheerful music to get my head out of that mindset. That's not a bad thing though. That means that the author did a great job of writing a character and situation that the reader is able to connect to very well.

I think Stained is a book that everyone should read, as long as they can handle the subject matter. It brings awareness to a subject that most people don't think about. Sometimes as a society, we see missing girls on the news, and think "oh, that's tragic", and move on with our day. Maybe if more people read this book, they would be more willing to help with search efforts, or just go out of their way to show support for the family. In this book, the author details not only what Sarah goes through, but what the family goes through as well. I couldn't even imagine going through a hell like that. It will definitely make me think twice about what I can do to help the next time I see a case like Sarah's on the news. No amount of help is too small when something like this happens.

I found Stained to be an impactful book. Even after finishing it, I can't stop thinking about it. I have a feeling it will be one of those books that stays with me for years after I read it. My only complaint was that I thought the money situation that happened was wrapped up in a way that was too convenient and slightly took some believability out of the story, and that's a very minor complaint. Otherwise, I thought this book was incredible. I definitely recommend reading it if you can handle the harsh subject matter. Just do some research on the trigger warnings before going into it just in case, and, as Cheryl Rainfield taught me, remember you can always take a break if it gets to be too much. 

I give Stained: 4/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://www.cherylrainfield.com/
Blog:  http://cherylrainfield.com/blog/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/cheryl.rainfield.fan.page
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CherylRainfield
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/BvourdtHwyK/
Pintrest: https://www.pinterest.com/cherylrainfield/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3305514.Cheryl_Rainfield

Cheater's Regret by Rachel Van Dyken

Synopsis:

Austin Rogers’s dreams of domestic bliss involved watching Netflix and eating hot dogs with the love of her life. But then he cheated on her. And dumped her—as if the whole thing was her fault. To maintain her pride and restore her sanity, she decides to get revenge. It feels immensely satisfying to plot her ex’s downfall—but so does kissing him.

Thatch Holloway, a plastic surgeon straight out of residency, knows he ruined the best thing that ever happened to him. But not all cheaters are created equal. He got himself into this messed-up situation—true—but he has his reasons for what happened, and he’d do it all again to protect Austin.

He’s not over her. And she’s not over him.

Austin wants closure, but since Thatch refuses to give it to her, she takes matters into her own hands. She needs to write a human-interest piece for her MBA, so she demands the full plastic-surgery experience. Sparks fly as they’re forced to work together. But Thatch isn’t afraid to play dirty in return. And he’s still hiding something—something that has the power to destroy not only Austin but their second chance at finding forever…
(Synopsis from Goodreads).

My Thoughts:
Earlier this week, I read Cheater by Rachel Van Dyken. I wasn't a big fan of the book, but I decided I wanted to read the next book in the duology, Cheater's Regret. I was more interested in the couple that's featured in Cheater's Regret, and wanted to know why Thatch did the things he did in Cheater. I'm glad I decided to pick up Cheater's Regret. I enjoyed it a lot more than Cheater.

There were still a couple of issues that I had with Cheater's Regret. Although the abusive behavior wasn't as prevalent in this book, it still happened a couple of times that made me uncomfortable. Austin displayed abusive tendencies toward Thatch during the first half of the book. I don't want to get into too much detail because I don't want to spoil the book for those that haven't read it. However, during one part of the book, she slits his tires. I understand being mad at someone, but there's no excuse for that level of payback. Another part of the book, she slaps him so hard that he loses his balance and staggers. And we won't even talk about the whole soy thing. He treats both instances as if she's being cute. To me, that's abusive behavior, and shouldn't be encouraged. As I've previously stated in my review of Cheater, women abusing men is a real thing, and most people just brush it off. That's one of my biggest pet peeves. I feel it should be acknowledged for what it is, not encouraged.

In Cheater's Regret, it almost seemed like Austin was two different characters. In the beginning of the book, I had to keep reminding myself that she was an adult in college because of her actions. She still lived with her parents. She also talked a lot about the classes she was going through, and needing to get good grades. The last thing that made her feel so much younger than what she is was her behavior. She was incredibly immature, so much so that it pulled me out of the storyline. I can't believe someone her age would act that way in real life. However, something happened around the fifty percent mark. All of a sudden, I was really starting to like her. It was almost like she became a completely different person. She stopped treating Thatch in an incredibly jerkish, abusive way. She became a lot more mature. The book started to focus less on her parents, and school, and more on her relationship with Thatch. Instead of being so selfish, she started helping those around her. Her and Thatch started to have a lot of chemistry, even though I still feel weird about their relationship based on her previous abusive behavior. From that point on, I really started to get into the book and enjoy it until the last sentence.

Even though it had a rocky start, I really did enjoy Cheater's Regret. I had a lot more fun reading it than I did reading the first book in the series, Cheater. I especially loved the last half of the book. Between the two books in this duology, I think that this was just an okay series for me. Without the problematic issues, I probably would have loved it. I will definitely continue to read Rachel Van Dyken's books though because I've loved most of her other books that I've read. She will always be one of my favorite authors. 

I give Cheater's Regret: 3.5/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://rachelvandykenauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelVanDyken/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachVD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachvd/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4882127.Rachel_Van_Dyken

I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

Cheater by Rachel Van Dyken

Synopsis:

Lucas Thorn wasn’t born a cheater. All it took was a single moment—say, a certain disastrous incident on the night before his wedding—and boom. Reputation destroyed forever and always. So now he owns it. He has a lady friend for every night of the week (except Sundays—God’s day and all), and his rules are simple: No commitments. No exceptions.

But a certain smart-mouthed, strawberry blonde vixen is about to blow that all to hell.

Avery Black has never forgiven Lucas for cheating on her sister. And suddenly being forced to work with him is pretty much a nightmare on steroids. Of course, it does afford her the opportunity to make his life as difficult as possible. But no good revenge scheme comes without payback. Because he didn’t become the Lucas Thorn without learning a few things about women.

Now Avery’s lust for vengeance has turned into, well, lust. And if Lucas stops cheating, it’s definitely not because he’s falling in love…
(Synopsis from Goodreads).

My Thoughts:
Rachel Van Dyken is one of my favorite authors. I'm making it a goal of mine this year to catch up on all of her books (and a few other of my favorite authors) that I've missed out on over the last few years. For some reason, I really fell behind on reading my favorite authors' books. I decided to start listening to the first book in the Curious Liaison's duology, Cheater. After finishing the book, I have mixed emotions.

I don't read other reviews until I finish typing mine, so I'm not sure if I'm in the minority on this, but I found Cheater to be very problematic. I didn't really have an issue with the "cheating" because in a round about way, it wasn't cheating. There were a few things that I did have an issue with. First and foremost, there was a lot of the female main character, Avery, hitting and slapping, the male main character, Lucas very hard. Instead of being addressed as abusive behavior, it was just brushed off, or Lucas chuckled about it. Men being abused by women is a real thing that happens everyday, and the way the author treated the slapping and hitting in this book almost like it was cute was not okay with me.

The other thing that I found to be problematic in Cheater was a specific scene in the wine cellar. I don't want to get into to much detail because I don't want to spoil things for those that want to read the book, but there's a scene of dubious consent that really made me cringe. Lucas kisses Avery without her permission. She is obviously very upset about this, and Lucas just laughs off the fact that she's upset like it's no big deal.I know it's just kissing, but consent is consent, and I think he should have dealt with her feelings in a better way instead of just brushing them off like it didn't matter. It really upset me that the author chose to handle the situation that way.

Usually I love Rachel Van Dyken's books, but I found Cheater to be very problematic. There were parts that I enjoyed. I did like the humor that was throughout the book, especially the scene at the gynecologist's office. I also liked the side characters, Austin and Thatch, a lot. I am excited to read their book. However, for me, this book was more cringe worthy than enjoyable. Hopefully the second book, Cheater's Regret, fixes those issues so it can be a more enjoyable read. 

I give Cheater: 3/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: http://rachelvandykenauthor.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RachelVanDyken/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/RachVD
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rachvd/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4882127.Rachel_Van_Dyken

I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.

What the Wind Knows by Amy Harmon

Synopsis:
In an unforgettable love story, a woman’s impossible journey through the ages could change everything…

Anne Gallagher grew up enchanted by her grandfather’s stories of Ireland. Heartbroken at his death, she travels to his childhood home to spread his ashes. There, overcome with memories of the man she adored and consumed by a history she never knew, she is pulled into another time.

The Ireland of 1921, teetering on the edge of war, is a dangerous place in which to awaken. But there Anne finds herself, hurt, disoriented, and under the care of Dr. Thomas Smith, guardian to a young boy who is oddly familiar. Mistaken for the boy’s long-missing mother, Anne adopts her identity, convinced the woman’s disappearance is connected to her own.

As tensions rise, Thomas joins the struggle for Ireland’s independence and Anne is drawn into the conflict beside him. Caught between history and her heart, she must decide whether she’s willing to let go of the life she knew for a love she never thought she’d find. But in the end, is the choice actually hers to make?
(Synopsis from Goodreads). 

My Thoughts:
Amy Harmon is one of my favorite authors. I've read all of her books, and loved most of them. Recently, I noticed that she had a new release that I hadn't had the chance to read yet, What the Wind Knows, so I decided to pick it up. It was just an okay book for me.

I was disappointed that I didn't love What the Wind Knows as much as Amy Harmon's previous books. I don't know if it was the characters, the setting, or the plot, but it just felt different from her other books. It dragged on a lot, especially in the beginning. Throughout the first half, it was hard to hold my interest. I found myself being bored, and my mind wandering while reading. Then I would have to go back, and re-read what I just read because I wasn't absorbing any of the information. It made for a very tedious reading process, and definitely took away from my enjoyment of the book.

There are two things that saved What the Wind Knows from being a DNF for me. The first one was that about halfway through the book, I switched to the audiobook. That helped immensely. Hearing the accents and everything pulled me into the story a lot more. It also made it seem like the plot picked up, and things got more exciting and action packed. Not sure if that's because of the audiobook, or because the plot actually did have a lot more action. The second thing that saved the book from being a DNF is that in my mind, it reminded me a lot of Outlander in terms of the plot, which is my favorite book of all time. I kept drawing comparisons between Anne's story in What the Wind Knows, and Claire's story in Outlander. There were quite a few. I kept listening, hoping to find more and more, and I did.

Although Amy Harmon will always be one of my favorite authors, I didn't like What the Wind Knows as much as I had hoped that I would. I found it to be boring, and hard to hold my attention. There were a few parts that I loved, and I really enjoyed the ending. If someone wants to read an Amy Harmon book for the first time, I recommend starting with one of her other books, such as Making Faces, or The Law of Moses. Both of those are two of my favorites. If you do want to read What the Wind Knows, I highly recommend the audiobook. 

I give What the Wind Knows: 3/5.

Want to know more about the author?
Website: https://www.authoramyharmon.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authoramyharmon
Twitter: https://twitter.com/aharmon_author
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/amy.harmon2/
Pintrest:  https://www.pinterest.com/authoramyharmon/
BookBub:  https://www.bookbub.com/authors/amy-harmon
YouTube:  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbxWykpRGYyQOzwhNgtH-QA
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/5829056.Amy_Harmon

I received this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review. I was in no way compensated for this review.