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Jonetta (Ejaygirl) reviewed a book.

“I’m a fan of Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series and decided that I’d start this book without reading the synopsis. It was selected as the book for group discussion in one of my groups and was highly touted. The book was that much more exciting because I didn’t know what it was about and read...”

“I’m a fan of Harlan Coben’s Myron Bolitar series and decided that I’d start this book without reading the synopsis. It was selected as the book for group discussion in one of my groups and was highly touted. The book was that much more exciting because I didn’t know what it was about and read the prologue with no clue as to where it was going. Here’s what I’ll say about it so you can have a similar experience if you choose.

I had a really tough time putting this book down for interruptions (sleep, errands, meals, etc.) because it was pretty unpredictable, a staple of Coben’s stories. You think you know who the good guys are, only to be disappointed at a later juncture. Even the good guys are presented with moral dilemmas where they make dicey choices and you question your own self as to whether you would have done things differently. Here you have a man whose done nothing but the right things expected of him and in the space of 24 hours is consorting with people and doing things he would never have considered as an option the day before.

The story kept me off balance the entire time and the twist at the end really caught me off guard, just when I believed I had everything sorted out. If you like tension, action, mystery and strange suspense and a little bit of romance, you’ll like this book. I certainly did.
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Jonetta (Ejaygirl) reviewed a book.

“I downloaded this book a few weeks ago when I was in the mood for a sweet contemporary romance after all the murder mystery and serial killer stories I’d been reading at the time. Well, I shifted out of that mode but still had this book to read and was really pleased to discover that this wasn’t...”

“I downloaded this book a few weeks ago when I was in the mood for a sweet contemporary romance after all the murder mystery and serial killer stories I’d been reading at the time. Well, I shifted out of that mode but still had this book to read and was really pleased to discover that this wasn’t the “cute” story I thought it would be. It has a really strong mystery/suspense element underpinning the romance and there’s quite a bit of conflict.

The Set Up
Megan Young dated Adam Waters in college but they went their separate ways when he wasn’t able to sustain a committed relationship because of some serious emotional trauma from his childhood. She’s now a veterinarian with her own practice in their home town of Raven’s Cove, California. About three years ago, he came home for his parents’ funeral and looked to Megan for comfort but left the next day to join the Marines, telling her he couldn’t do this and didn’t leave any contact information, and she hasn’t heard from him since. He suddenly appears at her office doorstep with an injured stray dog asking for help. Megan’s panicked because he doesn’t know that he left her pregnant and they now have a son. Adam is out of the Marines, now owns his own security firm and has returned to sell his parents’ home.

The Conflicts
I really hate when a woman doesn’t tell a man that he’s a father and can rarely accept an excuse for her doing so. It was a major conflict for me (and Adam!), though Meg had some pretty compelling reasons to explain her actions. They made me more sympathetic to her situation and while I still believed she was wrong in not attempting to find him, I at least understood her perspective. Meanwhile, someone is trying to set her up, putting her practice in jeopardy and the potential of her facing jail time. Having this issue in the background while the two of them struggled to come to terms with their feelings for each other, their baggage and Meg’s secret made for a really interesting and compelling story. It wasn’t tough to figure out the mystery but it still added so much tension to the mix that the book was tough to put down.

The Bottom Line
This was a layered story with the two main characters showing up as courageous, tragic and misguided at the same time. Their physical relationship was the one thing that always worked for them but also worked against them in working through the hard issues. It’s not the sweet story I anticipated (the title really doesn’t do this book justice) and believe me, I was really happy about that. What I got was so much more (4.5 stars) and made even sweeter when I discovered this is the first book in a new series. Bring it on. ”

Ursula reviewed a book.

“After her last two plays receives bad reviews Bree leaves Chicago and comes home to Chesapeake Shores to start over. She opens a new flower shop and tries to make amends with the man whose heart she broke. Jake Collins doesn't know what to feel with Bree O'Brien being back home. He wants her to...”

“After her last two plays receives bad reviews Bree leaves Chicago and comes home to Chesapeake Shores to start over. She opens a new flower shop and tries to make amends with the man whose heart she broke. Jake Collins doesn't know what to feel with Bree O'Brien being back home. He wants her to leave but yet he wants her to stay. I really enjoyed this book it was great read and the characters keep getting better and better.”

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Jonetta (Ejaygirl) reviewed a book.

“The Set Up
Chloe Dawson has had a crush on her best friend's brother, Cameron MacKenzie, since she was in junior high school. He's never paid her much attention what with a four-year age difference, and he left home to prove to himself and his family that he could be a success. Cam's a...”

“The Set Up
Chloe Dawson has had a crush on her best friend's brother, Cameron MacKenzie, since she was in junior high school. He's never paid her much attention what with a four-year age difference, and he left home to prove to himself and his family that he could be a success. Cam's a serious brooder so when he returns for his sister's wedding, he finds that Chloe is no longer the irritating young girl who used to moon over him. She's lovely, tempting and still got a thing for him. But, he's not convinced he deserves the town's princess.

The Issues
I thought this was going to be another typical sweet romance and it was anything but. Oh, it has its sweet moments but not before some seriously rough roads. I spent almost half of this book trying to decide if I would ever like Cameron. Yes, I love the "broody" guy but he takes it to a whole new level, at times pretty cruel to his family and Chloe. And, sometimes she appeared to bend too far over backwards in putting up with his bad boy behavior.

The Heart of the Story
It's when Chloe starts getting beneath Cam's prickly veneer that you just start falling for him and understanding Chloe's real strength and charm. What I was seeing as doormat like tendencies turned out to be sensitivity and patience. She knew how to manage getting the best out of Cam and he was able to let his guard down with her, trusting Chloe with his deepest fears and secrets. And, all this in the midst of skeptical friends and family that didn't trust that he'd be in her best interest.

The Bottom Line
In spite of their most intimate moments occurring behind closed doors, the romance was sensual, letting my imagination do the rest. It's really well written and I got my sweet romance with the edginess I typically prefer. Cam's not easy and that made for a more complex and interesting story. I was really glad that I'd misjudged Chloe; she knew her man better than friends, family and apparently me.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley)”

Jonetta (Ejaygirl) rated a book.

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