Sandra C. Lopez's Blog, page 348

Review: A PERFECT ANGEL by Morgan Mandel

Angelina Fortunata and Vince Cannizzaro are Italian BFF’s who work at her family’s restaurant. She was just jilted at the altar and he thinks she’s a perfect angel. She just wants to forget about her ex and about being perfect, so she decides to be fancy-free—to be unpredictable and imperfect. The thing is that she’s not like that, and it’s a good thing she has Vince to keep her in check.
The two promise to always be there for each other no matter what—to be friends forever. But what happens when the undeniable attraction can no longer be ignored?
A nice, little romance.

My rating: 4 stars

Review: ONE NIGHT STAND by J.S. and Helen Cooper

After a wild night after a wedding, Liv must face the consequences of her one-night stand, especially when the guy she slept with ended up being her sister’s fiancé. Oh, dear!


Xander is a cocky, annoying bastard, but SO GOOD in bed. And could the sister be pregnant with his child? Oh, that makes it even more complicated, even though the sister is an arrogant snob.


Xander is definitely the kind of guy you love to hate and hate to love. At times, I couldn’t help but wonder why Liv liked Xander so much. It can’t just be because he was so good in bed. Basically he was a jackass. Still, Liv spends the bulk of the story obsessing over Xander—hating him and wanting him at the same time. Readers would end up hating Xander up until ¾ into the book when you suddenly realize that he might not be such a bad guy after all.


A quick, lustful read. The ending was a bit too convenient, but overall this was an okay story.
My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: HOPELESS by Colleen Hoover

Sky is a 17-year old on her way to public school for the very first time. Upon arrival, she’s labeled as a “slut,” even though she doesn’t go that far with the guys, but she doesn’t care and will not cry.  She is a flippant, snarky, and candid character, whose fear suddenly subsides when she befriends Breckin, the “goth freak.”


Then comes Holder, the hot, gorgeous high school drop-out, who sees something familiar in Sky. He’s got a “creepy stalker” thing going. Sky doesn’t want to feel “lust” for Holder, but she does and hates herself for it. I liked that Sky was a straight-forward, smart gal who got annoyed by “peppy, fake girls.” It would seem that Sky is just perfect for Holder. I especially liked how non-complacent they were, not bothering with ego-boosting flattery. However, the relationship—particularly the intimacy—was much too intense for my taste.


Holder was definitely bipolar, rocking the whole Jekyl/Hyde persona. Seriously, what was wrong with him? Still, he had a way with words, knowing exactly the perfect thing to say.


Sky and Holder go through an endearing and turbulent relationship. It’s all emotional. Then when memories start to flood Sky’s mind, a buried past turns out to be more than either of them can handle.


Sprinkled with scenes from the past, this well-written novel is a compelling and heart-felt mystery.
My rating: 4 stars

Review: LET IT SNOW by Melanie Shawn (Book 8)

Tessa is returning to Hope Falls (a new town in this series, similar to Harpers Crossing); Jake hasn’t seen her in 13 years, ever since she left him and town all together without a word.


Tessa came back to finalize her grandma’s will, then discovers the house she inherited is in debt for $30K. Yikes! Guess she has to stay in town until she fixes it up and sells it. Not that it was such a bad thing. I mean, Jake wasn’t 17 anymore—he was a MAN and a firefighter. HOTTIE! Jake was Tessa’s first—first kiss, first time, first love, first proposal. What happened? Why did she leave such sweet man-candy? Ah, she left to see the world. Understandable. But there’s actually more to it than that.


I didn’t blame Jake for being pissed. They both had plans and she just left like a coward. No wonder his heart turned to ice.


Like the Harpers Crossing books, characters all have the same history, childhood, and memories. Everybody knows everybody, each paired off with their significant other, and they are all family. And, like the previous Shawn novels, each couple has their own electric chemistry and compatibility. Jake and Tessa have this special kinship and bond—they were practically made for each other. Once again, Shawn captivates us with heartwarming stories and endearing characters.

My rating: 4 stars

Review: TELL ME NO LIES by Rachel Branton

Tessa is caught in a conundrum that's only bound by rich, spoiled girls: marry a cheating bastard or lose the hefty inheritance from her family. What kind of archaic laws force you into marriage nowadays? But Tessa will NOT be bullied. Even if she has to go to Vegas and marry the first schmuck she sees. And that's when ruggedly handsome Gage steps in, but could he be a murderer? Did he really kill someone in cold blood? No, he's way too nice for that. Plus, he's responsible, protective, and knows how to fight--all attributes that make him SO FREAKING HOT!


Tessa must not only convince family, friends, and jealous exes of her happy marriage, but she also must prove Gage's innocence.


This is a story of lies and sifting through them to reveal the truth in a tantalizing and mysterious murder. Absolutely riveting!
My rating: 4 stars

Review: DOWN ON LOVE by Jayne Denker

One way to get over your ex is to write a blog about it. That’s what Georgiana Down does. Her blog, “Down on Love” (cute play on the title, BTW) dishes out the realities of bad relationships with horror stories of her own past. George is a simple gal with a snarky mouth and quiet beauty.


Her motto: Why start something if it’s going to end badly?
In the blink of an eye, financial woes force her back to Marsden, a quaint NY suburb in the middle of nowhere, where she must contend with a nosy town, a lesbian sister she hasn’t seen in years, and a newborn niece she must care for. Once home, George must mend old wounds and contend with a secret hidden crush. Casey was one hot cookie then and is even hotter now!


I especially liked the comedic snafus that happened throughout like the exploding faucet and dropping a can of beans on a guy’s testicles. Ha, ha! =)
Love the story!



My rating: 5 stars

Review: ACTUALLY LOVE by Melanie Shawn

I’m already familiar with the author’s formula for romantic stories, and this book follows suit to the tee.


Jessie Sloan believes that good sex is a myth perpetuated by society so that the species could continue. She takes care of herself and only herself. Zach is a boxer and tired of girls throwing themselves at him. This hottie ends up having an effect on Jessie.


I could relate to Jessie’s strong, independent, and cynic ways. She’s a hard, diligent worker; she’s proactive, not reactive. Of course, I don’t believe in hot arousal in 60 seconds, which is exactly what happens when she first sees Zach.  And things get even more hot when the two end up being roommates.


The two are definitely the odd couple—a story of opposites attract. Jessie is a control freak in business suits; Zach is a laid-back jock in sweats. I mean, only organized Jessie would propose sex (a one-night stand) as a way of “getting it out of your system.”  But what the two don’t know is that this could be actually love.

My rating: 4 stars

Review: UNDER THE BED (Anthology)

5 authors, 5 chilling tales.
What could be “under the bed?” Socks, shoes, and dust bunnies?  No, something much darker lies beneath, according to these stories. In “House of the Unholy Dead,” two burglars attempt to rob a family of pale, gangly beings—beings with much more sinister intentions than they bargained for.
“Daniel’s Game” is all about a grieving mother who tries to communicate with her dead son, but the reply she gets from the other side is not what she had hoped for.  
Most of these were pretty good, but there were some that weren’t. For instance, “Shout at the Devil” had “spooky” written all over it, but, unfortunately, what was actually written was slow and daunting. I liked the concept of the creepy, haunted house, but I just felt like I was waiting around for the devil to make his appearance.
Well-written for the most part, these stories are a quick, easy fix for the horror fans.


My rating: 3.5 stars

Review: THREE MODERN SHORTS: THE PARK STORIES by K. Kris Loomis

An old woman uses a pair of glasses to see people as equals and bestows compassion and understanding to a young girl with horns; a couple make up stories about people on a Friday afternoon; and a father and daughter unintentionally meet for a chess date—these are all the stories you’ll find in this collection. The common theme: they all take place in the park.
Quick, easy, and relatable. A sure fix that can be enjoyed in 5 minutes.

My rating: 4 stars

Review: THE BACCHANAL AND OTHER HORRIFIC TALES (Anthology)

I’m not sure what a bacchanal is, but I can definitely see the horrific part in these tales. We have a child medium that can talk to the dead, a terminal patient on a mission for revenge, and a group of friends that get lost in the woods, never to be heard from again.  
“Thank you for calling Quickie Caskets, the caskets our customers are just dying to get into.” (67)
In “The Encouragement Specialists,” an aspiring writer learns the mysterious workings of a talent agency with the unwavering credo of “write good or else.”
A babysitting job suddenly becomes eerily sinister with a strange child in “No Experience Necessary.”
In “Art Imitates Death,” an artist re-creates his finest masterpiece of his career: his dead bride.
Stories were witty, well-written, and enjoyable. Readers will get a kick out of most of them.
A must-read for any horror lover!


My rating: 4 stars