contemporary

One Perfect Night by Bella Andre

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

One Perfect Night
Grade-C
Hotness Level-Ember
Kink Level-No Kink
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay

Love at first sight. That is what this novella is all about. Noah and Colbie have a chance meeting at a ski resort. Noah rescues her from a fall and teaches her how to snow ski better. Then Colbie, who has had her heart broken before, gets frightened over what she’s feeling toward a man she’s just met. She ends up running away from him. Both characters hire a private detective to find the other when they get back to the city. Oddly, enough they hired the same one, who is a family friend.

This was just okay for me. I mean the premise is one I’m a sucker for. Love at first sight. I liked the characters but never felt the connection between the two. And the love scenes were almost off page and I hate that. I normally like Bella Andre a lot but this one again, was just okay.

Redneck Romeo by Lorelei James

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Redneck Romeo (Rough Riders, #15)
Grade-A
Hotness Level-Inferno
Kink Level-None
Series-Rough Riders #15
Genre-Contemporary
Reviewed by Kay
388 pages

Dalton McKay is the last single male in his generation. He also just moved back to his hometown after a three year absence. He had to leave his family to find out who he was, aside from a drinkin’, fightin’, ranchin’, whorin’ Mckay. Now that he knows who he is, he has to get the girl he’s always wanted.

Aurora “Rory” Wetzler has grown up in Sundance. She and Dalton McKay have been friends since childhood, until they weren’t. When they weren’t friends, they were kind of more. Being kind of more and it imploding has left her emotionally scarred. Now, she’s a more mature, confident woman. She is not gonna fall for the McKay charm again.

They are a lot of different plots going on this book. I won’t give any of them away but they are majors plots. I started this book with a lot of doubt. I mean, I wasn’t a huge Dalton fan, he seemed judgemental and kind of a beta male in the previous books. Also, this took place three years in the future from the last full length novel in the series. I don’t know why but that left me a little off kilter before I started reading. I’m so very glad I kept going. I ended up enjoying this book immensely. I also ended up liking Dalton and understanding him better.

Kudos to Lorelei James for keeping a very long series fresh and exciting. I hate that it seems to be winding down. According to her website there should be one more book, but who will it be about?
The only possible McKay of marrying age is Sierra at twenty-one. Hopefully, she will continue writing about the Wests. There are seven of them I think.

Making It Last by Ruthie Knox

Posted on by Dirty Girl Anne

Grade: A+
Hotness Level: Blaze
Kink Level: No Kink
Genre: Contemporary
Series: Camelot #4
Reviewed by Anne
104 pages
I have always dreamed of reading a story like this! One that looks into a marriage and shows the work and the romance of it. This story brought tears to my eyes and I LOVED it. I hate crying while reading, yet I loved this book. It was so incredibly good and incredibly painful, yet sweet and romantic.

This is the fourth story in the Camelot series, and it’s a continuation of Tony and Amber, whose “how they met” story was told in the first Camelot book, How to Misbehave.  I really enjoyed that one, too, but I don’t think you’d have to read it to appreciate this one.  Making It Last takes place 13 or so years after How to Misbehave.

Tony and Amber have 3 rambunctious boys, a big mortgage, and a general busy-ness that leaves them with very little time alone.  Tony works long, long hours to make ends meet.  Amber has just seen her youngest child off to school and is feeling a little lost.  There are so many things pulling them apart, and they aren’t even sure what’s wrong or how to fix it. That doesn’t sound like much, but it’s gripping.  I was never bored, and even though I knew it had to be an HEA, I found myself wondering how in the world they’d work things out.  Yet when they did – it was believable.

The reality of the story makes it shine.  And then there’s humor that relieves some of the tension and makes me grin through watery eyes.  Amber and Tony are great flirts when they get the chance to finally be alone together!

Ruthie Knox is a rising star. I haven’t read all her books yet, but now I’m determined to! I so appreciate that she wrote a story like this one. It hit so close to home for me. It’s so real, and I’m so grateful I got to read it. It’s going on my best of the year list.

So, how about you?  Do you like reading a romance within an established marriage story?  Do you have any good ones to recommend?