Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 315

Review: LOVE ME by Margaret Watson

This is the first book in the series—a short novella that introduces the courageous Donovan family.

After a horrific so-called car accident in her office, Helen, a domestic lawyer, is still trying to get her bearings and get back to her life. The thing is that now she has to re-build the mess in her office. Who would’ve thought that the contractor would end being her one-night stand from a year ago?
Jamie is the only one who’s ever been able to make Helen forget how responsible she has to be, especially when dealing with cases of family abuse. Now she’s working on helping a mother escape her crazy ex and get sole custody of the children. Could the ex-husband have had anything to do with the accident? And will he try again?
Enticing, sexy, and gripping!

My rating: 4 stars

Review: SECOND CHANCES by Laura Ashwood

Story is about a second-chance love. Lindsey is trying to forget about her relationship problems and Logan hadn't seen Lindsey since she was a kid. They never really had a chance at first, but being stuck in a remote cabin might give them the second chance they deserve.
Although the story was well-structured, it was pretty mediocre and kept a consistent lagging pace, even for a short story. This was supposed to be a quickie read, but it just moved so slow for me.
I'd say this was an okay love story; I just wished it would've been quicker.
My rating: 2 stars

Review: TINY PIECES by Stephanie Henry

Aria could not believe her eyes when she saw that Cole was back. Cole: the one person that ruined her for life. It's been 10 years of living without him, and yet seeing him again makes her go completely undone.
"Only love can murder you, yet still keep your heart beating enough to feel every bit of the pain." (17)
Aria spends a little too much time obsessing on Cole and the past. Initially, she wanted nothing to do with him, but then she jumps at the opportunity to meet Cole just to "talk." Of course, nothing could prepare her on the news that Cole was moving back...permanently.
This was a simple love story between two long-time childhood friends. Cole and Aria seemed okay together. I wondered if it was necessary to relive certain moments in their past; I mean, we certainly didn't need to go that deep. As stated, "The past is trying to collide with [the] present and [you] feel more off balance than ever." (41)  That's how this story felt to me―off balance with the past and present. I would've liked more focus on the present. I suppose the author was trying to establish the strong connection between the two main characters, but that could've been done without the constant back-and-forth.
My rating: 2 stars

Review: BIRDSEYE CHRONICLES by L.A. Goldsmith

This is a story about a pack of dogs.  I've always thought the good life was certainly a dog's life. Roaming around, jumping, napping, eating. Sounds like the life, right?
Upon reading this book, my first impression was the monotony of it. The dogs didn't really do much. But I thought I'd give them a chance to do something. Not much was happening though. Additionally, I thought there were too many dogs to keep track of. It was hard to remember who was who. I would've liked the focus to have been on one, maybe two of them. I would've kept it simple.
Although the story might endear some of the younger readers (because this is a tale about dogs, after all,) I just couldn't keep my interest in it.
My rating: 2 stars

Review: CHASING LOVE by Meredith McNeil

How can a child just become paralyzed? A question that Megan nor her parents could figure the answer to.
Story follows the debilitating life of a sick girl. From learning to walk again to needing help to go to the bathroom, the tale is a diary of an innocent girl that feels everything without truly understanding it. "I was broken and the world would always see me that way." (9)
Story was simple. The main character, Megan, was certainly precocious and had the heart of a poet. Her expression were so sensitive and endearing―so full of innocence. She couldn't figure why this happening to her and why she couldn't get better, thus, leading to a secluded existence. The reader follows her shame, angst, and turmoil from childhood to adulthood. Although lagging at times, her story would hit a soft spot with readers.
My rating: 3 stars

Review: THE WITCHES OF WHITE WILLOW by Angela Addams

Before embarking on her "witch" life, Hazel just wanted to spend her one night of freedom with him―her human. Her mother was a strict White Willow witch and raised her daughter according to the laws of their coven. There was no doubt about it: Hazel was the Promised One.
The life of White Willow witches was certainly confusing.
Overall, the story had potential, but it didn't quite get there for me.
My rating: 2 stars

Thanksgiving Day Sale

Here's an eBook sale to help kick start your Black Friday Deals. Available on Amazon.


Image Graphic designed by Sandra Lopez

Review: GABRIELLE, LOST by Lynn Case

Gabrielle Grimaldi, the former party girl from Fear’s Revenge, thought she had finally found the right man, Frank, to settle down with. Her career in the fashion world was beginning to take off.

That is, until she gets the opportunity to do some training in Italy and meets Giada Rosso, a wild Italian, fast-driving, hot-tempered fashion house maverick that would be her trainer. The two women have an instant connection. Then Gabrielle meets Antonio, Gia’s brother, and tensions begin to rise between the three of them. She finds herself reverting to her wilder ways.

Gabrielle soon discovers that her newfound friends have a questionable family business on the dark side of the law. She soon discovers shipments in the family vineyard wine bottles hidden amongst fabrics for the fashion house.

Soon she must decide between her boyfriend in America and her new friends in Italy. Confusion and tension rise as emotions continue to run high as kidnapping and sexual encounters ensue.

Gabrielle then learns the connection between her boyfriend and her new friends in Italy. Will this be the end of her and Frank?




My review: Surprise#1: Gabrielle’s grandmother left her a villa outside of Milan. Surprise#2: Gabrielle is given an opportunity to work with an up-and-coming fashion designer in Italy. What more could a girl ask for?
Having to leave her boyfriend, Gabrielle goes to Italy to advance in her career. She then meets Gia and is immediate captivated by her beauty and boldness. Always the sensual woman, she wondered how she would ever get along without a warm body by her side; then she meets Gia’s brother, Antonio. Somehow she finds herself in the middle between Gia and Antonio, battling attraction to both of them.
A woman lost between passion and curiosity. Will she find her way?
Writing reads almost like a summary (this happens, then that happens,) which was rather mediocre. And, although the Italian sceneries were very descriptive, the story maintained a drawling pace.
My rating: 3 stars

Review: PAYBACK AND A BOTTLE OF MERLOT by Bria Marche

Mia is distanced from her workaholic, controlling husband. Everyone keeps telling her that Jack isn’t right for her, no matter how much Mia defends his careless antics. After all, he wasn’t like this in the beginning. They can get back to the way things were. Right?


Can she stay with Mr. Wrong and be pissed off the rest of her life?


Mia was stuck in a loveless marriage but was still determined to make it work, until she catches him one day with another woman. The bastard wasted 3 years of her life and she wanted payback.


Over glasses of wine, Mia consoles and plans revenge with her best friends, Tina and Vic. Heck, she even gets the ex-wife involved.


I liked the premise of payback and the solidarity of sisterhood, but the story just wasn’t as exciting as I’d hoped. The plotting had a constant lag.


My rating: 3 stars

Review: DELICIOUS TEMPTATIONS by Sabrina Sol

Amara has always been the good girl, which is why she gave up her pastry chef job in Chicago to help out her parents’ bakery in East L.A. Being Mexican, her parents had an “unyielding grip on ‘simple’ and ‘traditional.” Then, one day, a guy she once knew as a kid returns to the old neighborhood. Everyone always said Eric was a troublemaker, a bad boy—one that had no business with a good girl like Amara. But how can being bad feel so good? 

But Amara is tired of being good, always listening to everyone else, so she decides to go after Eric.

Even though the two want to be bad together, they know that it could never lead to anything serious. So they make a pact: no strings attached for the duration of his visit.


Enjoyable and light-hearted. The characters felt real and authentic.


A deliciously sweet tale!
My rating: 4 stars