Romance Readers Reading Challenges discussion
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    PtP - A Team of Smarties (7)
    
  
  
      Week 7 Option 1 - Female AuthorBut For You
242 pages/GR
Qualifies: Written by female author - Mary Calmes
      COMPLETION POSTWeek 7 Option 1 - Female Author
But For You
242 pages/GR
5 stars
Re-read 10/22/17: Love Jory and Sam. Always. This is one of those stories that is just so easy for me to re-read and fall into their lives once again.
      Week 7 ~ Option 1 Female Author
[*book:Old Loves Die Hard|11243538]
Lauren Carr242 pgs
Fits: Author is female
Finished 10/22/17
Rating 4 ★'s
Book two in the series that I'm really enjoying. We met Mac Faraday last book after his divorce and then finding out he had a famous author for a mother who has left her estate to him. He gets to retire from homicide detective to 'life of leisure' only to find out his half brother is with the police department,. Mac is unable to keep his nose out of investigations. this time around see's his ex wife and her 2nd husband found dead in Mac's Inn and Mac found them the next morning. Mac is on the hunt for the killer and to clear his name. We get to see more of Gnarly's antics along the way as well (Mac's inherited German Shepherd)
      
  
Week 6 ~ Option 1: Archangel's Viper
10/23/17
2.5 stars
Ehhh... I think this series is losing steam for me. I've had a hard time with the last 2 books. I liked Holly and Viper in the beginning of story, with all their snark. But once it got to the romance, they kind of lost all that. I'm not sure I'll be continuing this series.
      
  
Week 7 ~ Option 1: The Goal
10/26/17
4.5 stars
Gah! I totally love this series. It's funny, hot, and filled with amazing characters. Tuck was simply the sweetest. While Sabrina's decisions bothered me at times, I understood them. I hope there's more to come with this series!
      Breann wrote: "
Week 6 ~ Option 1: Archangel's Viper
10/23/17
2.5 stars
Ehhh... I think this series is losing steam for me. I've had a hard time with the la..."
ACK!!!!!! LALALALALALALALA - I don't hear you
*whispers* I'm sad now
      Early call and a NON List call :) Week 8
Option 1
13. The Molasses Swamp - sounds pretty dark?
Read a book with a dark cover - black, brown, grey. No more than 30% of the cover should have white or a pale colour.
Option 2
Key date: 28 April 2017
Please ensure you follow the format shown in msg 3 of your team threads. when you post your selection and completion posts.
      Week 8 Selection PostOption 2 - Lisa's Shelves - read 9/29/17 4 stars given
[*book:Fish Out of Water|30813756]
 by Amy Lane270 pgs
      ~Melissa~ wrote: "Breann wrote: "
Week 6 ~ Option 1: Archangel's Viper
10/23/17
2.5 stars
Ehhh... I think this series is losing steam for me. I've had a hard t..."
Don't be sad! This series is far from my favorite... I've been ready to give up on it for the past couple books.
      Week 8 ~ Option 2: Trust with a Chaser 255 pgs/GRBook 2 read by Lisa on 10/11/17, rated 4 stars https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
      Week 8 Completion PostOption 2 - Lisa's Shelves - read 9/29/17 4 stars given
 by Amy Lane270 pgs
Finished 10/29/17
Rating: 4★'s
Review: this was fabulous. Loved the MC's, loved the snark. The mystery element was pretty good - seems all I'm reading lately are mysteries, lol. Nice change of pace for more story than romance/sex in a book. Loved loved loved Ellery's mom - she cracked me up along with Jackson's name for her - Lucy Satan lmao! Looking forward to book 2.
      Week 8 - Option 1By The Numbers
188 pages/GR
3 stars
Read Oct 28 2017
Cute story about a fireman who saves a pregnant dog who ends up in a relationship with the dog's owner. I do like that the story had a natural progression, without them having an immediate connection, and becoming acquaintances first, however, there was just something missing for me in the relationship.
      Week 7
Date read: 10/31/17
Rated 3 stars
I am not really sure about this book. It took me 10 days to read, which in itself says something. I guess I wasn't really invester in Skylar and Xander. I felt the book was overly long and could have been shortened without losing the story.
Also I really don't get the concept of Asexual. Skylar really confused me.He wasn't gay but wanted a man to touch him. Did this carry on after they married?
Not the best book Ive read lately.
      
  
Week 8 ~ Option 2: Trust with a Chaser
10/28/17
4.5 stars
Gah! Annabeth Albert can do no wrong! She always delivers all the goods. Mason and Nash had amazing chemistry and I loved their realistic romance. I'll definitely be reading the next book.
      Leisha only has another couple of hours to post her week 8 book :(And you too Lisa! Just noticed yours isn't up yet...
      Week 8Option 2
Read by Wax. 8/27/17 rated 5 stars
Filled in the post on the first page but forgot the post with details.
      Week 9Option 1
14. Time to work together to get to King Kandy first!
The team needs to spell out 'Candy Land' as much as they can by reading a book whose title starts with one of those letters. You cannot use the same letter. However for the letters that are found twice (A, N and D), two members may use the same letter.
(Obviously some letters won't be used since there are a total of nine letters and only 5/6 team members.)
Captains, please set out this week's post with the letters in the order of their spelling for each of the books read.
Option 2
Key date: 5 May 2017
       Week 9 Selection Post - Option 1Spell Out CandyLand
I would like letter D
Dirty Deeds by S.E. Jakes 104 pgs
      Hi everyone - I've had to remove Julia (Leisha) from the challenge. Her week 8 selection is still outstanding and she is behind by more than 2 books :( With the end approaching quickly, I am watching this more closely.Good luck team!
      Lisa wrote: "Filled in the post on the first page but forgot the post with details."Thought this was strange...
      Week 9 Completion Post - Option 1Spell Out CandyLand
Letter D
Dirty Deeds by S.E. Jakes
104 pgs
11/4/17
4 stars
Review: wow - loved it. It's been a long while since I've been in Ms Jakes world but I fell right back in without a hitch. Kind of surprised me how much I enjoyed it as I never really liked Cillian when he 'played' with Prophet. Him and Mal though were a totally different story! However, it appears Ms Jakes has fallen off the earth with no clue when new books will come out and no 'current' update to her site. Bummer!!!
      Week 9 Option 1Letter L
Life Lessons
276 pages/GR
5 stars
11/5/17
Despite the length, I finished this book in barely a day. There is just something about Kaje Harper's writing that really takes you into the story. I got so consumed into the murder mystery that I found myself blinking at the inevitable end.
Tony Hart is a high school English teacher. One night, he literally bumps into a fellow teacher who has just been fatally stabbed. He is then drawn into the police investigation as one of the prime suspects. At the crime scene he meets Detective Jared MacLean, who is deeply in the closet, but attracted to the plucky schoolteacher. Luckily, evidence is quickly found to dispel any concern that Tony might be involved. And despite his best intentions, Mac can't seem to leave Tony alone. He looks for ways to meet him, and takes care of him when he is injured.
I loved both of these characters except for one thing. I just have a hard time with a closeted character. Now, I understand the reasoning behind it: he's a police officer, and his deeply religious cousin is caring for his daughter. However, I tend to see it from Tony's side. If they enter a relationship, Tony has no rights, and he wouldn't be informed if anything had happened to Mac. So I saw the end as not really a HEA, and barely a HFN. I was excited to see that there were multiple sequels as well as a few shorts, so hopefully that all gets resolved in future books, thus the rounding up of the rating.
      Week 8
date read 10/31/17
4 stars
Nice to be back with the boys. Jackson must be the most unluckiest man going. He always seems to be where the trouble is and ends up in hospital. One day his 9 lives are going to run out.
By the way the book ended, I guess we might be gearing up for a third book in the series.
I also think its odd how the law firm allow Ellery and Jackson to go off on their own investigations, I know its good PR but still.
      Week 9
Date read: 11/8/17
4 stars
The 'nervous' of the title is Julian, a St Paul native who is called to NY by his boss.
Where somehow, and I always fin d this remarkable the boss knows that Jules just happen to have submissive traits.
If anything, I though Jules fell into the relationship a little to quickly and easily. Although tagged as BDSM the BDSM is very light in this book. A few spankings and some tying up.
There is a huge twist, which thinking about it I did see coming as something was said earlier.
I am not sure how I feel about the twist. I didn't know it going into the book, and I wont spoil it for other readers who have not read reviews.
Would I read another book like it, probably not by choice.
Anyway, different.
      Link to post with links to the lists ...hopefully that made sense :)https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
Week 10
Option 1
6. Players need to find King Kandy, the lost King of Candy Land.
Read a book with Royalty or Nobility in the storyline.
Royalty in Romance
Gay Romance Featuring Royalty Nobility
Gay Characters Who Belong to a Royal Family
Princess in Disguise
Modern Royal Romances
These are compulsory lists. Your selected book MUST come from one of these lists. You must link to the list and note which page/which number it is on that list.
Option 2
Key date: 12 May 2017
      Pretty sure I'm going to be going for option 2 this week. I may peek at the lists but I'm not 'feeling' doing any royalty at the moment, lol
    
      
  
Week 10 ~ Option 2: Smitty's Sheriff
11/10/17
3 stars
Classic Cardeno C... but a little too much, if you know what I mean. A little too mushy, sweet and perfect. Todd and Richard were super cute together, but I thought conflict was kind of silly and resolved easily.
      Leisha wrote: "Hi everyone,Just wanted to quickly pop in and apologise for going off the grid. As I already told Jane, a lot of things happened at once over the past few weeks and some things had to give. I'm n..."
Hope everything gets better for you soon!!
      Week 10 ~ Option 2Completion Post
Lisa's shelf read date 11/8/17 - rated 4 stars
Nervous by S.M. Johnson
219 pgs
Finished 11/11/17
Rating 4 ♥'s
Review - wow Julian was such a pile of nerves from the start of the book and somehow Avery knew just what he needed. From the blurb and the tags along with some comments about the other books in the series (which I haven't read) I guess I was expecting something much different. This was very light bdsm, very low angst and low drama which I was definitely in the mood for. I liked how both characters talked about what was going on. Especially for Jules who hasn't done anything with anybody due to his anxiety about almost everything. You learn more about both of them along the way and I figured out the twist pretty early on. I would be interested in another book about them to see how they are doing in the future. I want to learn more about Doc and Tris, too - maybe they have a book or will have a book.
      Leisha wrote: "Hi everyone,Just wanted to quickly pop in and apologise for going off the grid. As I already told Jane, a lot of things happened at once over the past few weeks and some things had to give. I'm n..."
No worries! Hope everything is well :)
      
  
Week 9: Cronin's Key
11/13/17
2.5 stars
I just can't believe I'm giving NR Walker 2.5 stars! Like.. what??? I wasn't feeling the chemistry between Cronin and Alec. The story line was ok... the world building was ok... the relationship was ok... everything was just meh. I have mixed feelings about the narration, too. I was impressed with the narrators range of voices, but he was borderline cheesy a lot of the times. I probably won't continue the series
      Ill have my book finished today.Wax Do you have your week 10 book chosen yet?
I am easy either way but if we want to try to win this round we will need everything finished and posted before the last call on Friday night. Remember that option 2 won't come from our teams shelves but another team.
      Week 10 - Option 2Lisa's shelf - Read date May 31 2017 - Rated 4 stars
Bodyguard To A Sex God
132 pages/GR
      Week 10
3 stars
Date Read: 11/15/17
Max is employed to protect Luke, a prince, following threats which were received through the mail.
He moves in with him and attends his swim training.
I did think it was strange that Max was allowed to swim in competition, dont you have to be college studentsto do that.
There wasn't a lot of story really here.
The mystery was solved with an Aha moment.
OK for a quick read.
      Week 10 - Option 2Lisa's shelf - Read date May 31 2017 - Rated 4 stars
Bodyguard To A Sex God
132 pages/GR
Read 11/15/17
3 stars
Sweet, fairly low-angst story about a bodyguard (Adam) who is set to guard actor (Logan) at a London convention. Adam is out, while Logan is in the closet. Logan's recently received several death threats, so he needs a bodyguard. The story was definitely hampered by the length, but there was a nice epilogue.
Books mentioned in this topic
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Sam Dorsey and His Sixteen Candles (other topics)
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Authors mentioned in this topic
Perie Wolford (other topics)Perie Wolford (other topics)
S.M. Johnson (other topics)
S.M. Johnson (other topics)
S.E. Jakes (other topics)
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Female Author
[*book:Old Loves Die Hard|11243538]
242 pgs
Fits: Author is female