contemporary

Fighting Love by Abby Niles

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Fighting Love (Love to the Extreme, #2)
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Love to the Extreme #2
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
352 pages

To say Tommy Sparks is down on his luck would be an understatement. He’s lost his MMA title, his self respect and his house. When he was at the top of his sport, he had it all. Money, women popularity and his best friend, Julie. Due to some of his issues, he lost it all. All of it except Julie. Now he has to move in with her until the insurance pays for the losses due to his house catching on fire.

Julie has loved Tommy since she was ten years old. He was her savior then and her very best friend since. They used to sneak into each other’s room at night, when their home lives became too much. She has watched an endless parade of friends and women come through Tommy’s life. And still, she loves him. She so desperately wants Tommy to see her as a woman and not his “sister”. When she offers him a place to stay she knows she has to be careful with her heart and feelings.

This was a great story and more emotional than I thought it would be. I felt bad for Tommy because he never thought that with his past, he’d be good enough for Julie. I really liked both characters up until the end. I thought Julie became kind of a shrew. I know she always felt second place to Tommy’s fame but seriously, Julie! Calm your ass down! I will not hesitate to read the first book in this series or any others that follow. I just hope that the heroines aren’t shrews.

Desperately Seeking Fireman by Jennifer Bernard

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Desperately Seeking Fireman (The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel, #4.5)
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel #4.5
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
100 pages

Jeb Stone is the captain of the San Gabriel fire department for shift C. He was married for several years but got divorced. He has an eighteen year old daughter who wants him to date and get on with his life. He meets Nita Moreno at his friend’s wedding. He’s instantly attracted to her and kind of flirts with her. He is still married at this time and this was a little off-putting for me. There’s a reason behind Jeb and his wife’s marriage but that’s for you to read.

The story moves ahead a few years and Melissa, his friend’s wife is coming to get an exclusive interview with a Senator. The Senator that Nita works for. This interview takes place in San Lucia and Jeb gets bamboozled into shadowing Melissa because she’s hugely pregnant. He’s surprised to see Nita and that his attraction to her hasn’t waned.

I hate to admit it but this is one of those series that I have fallen behind on. It’s a good series and I hope to catch up on it now. My main complaint in saying that is that her books aren’t on Kindle through my library. I love to support the authors I read but sometimes I can’t justify the money at the time I want to read it. Then I tend to forget because of the amount of books I have to read.

This is a novella and its just sweet. About two people who have lost and still keep trying to pull it all together. The story is witty, engaging and sexy. If you want a story that is just precious, this is it.

The Summer He Came Home by Juliana Stone

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

The Summer He Came Home (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake, #1)
Grade-B
Hotness Level-Blaze
Kink Level-No Kink
Series-Bad Boys of Crystal Lake #1
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
384 pages

Cain Black was one of the Bad Boys of Crystal Lake. He left town ten years ago to chase his music dream. He’s back now for his friend’s funeral. His future looks pretty good considering his band is about to make it big. He recently got out of a disastrous marriage and was just looking to pay his respects to his deceased friend, then he was moving on. At the funeral reception he sees Maggie and it was love at first sight.

Maggie is a single mother with a young son, Michael. They don’t have much money but she does have a BIG secret. A dangerous secret. She makes her bills by cleaning houses. She lives in a little bungalow that’s perfect for her and her son. She sees Cain and at first she’s frightened but also attracted. She has no time for a relationship with a rock star that will soon be leaving town. She has a son to protect, she tells herself.

I read the second book in this series first and LOVED it. I truly enjoyed this one except for one thing. She’s married. Granted, she’s on the run from her abusive ex but I don’t like to read about adultery. At all. Honestly, it changed how I rated the book. I’m telling you this as a warning if adultery is a hard limit for you as a reader.

Otherwise, this was a great and very sweet book. Their relationship building was fun to read. There’s humor, suspense, sadness and some steamy sex in this story. I would recommend this series to anyone who believes in the healing power of love and I’m eagerly awaiting the next book.