PtP - Fairest of Them All (9)

[bamaace83]

Completion Post

Week 8
Greater than 2000 Ratings


Chasing Perfect

Rating: 4

Review:

I really forgot how much I enjoy Susan Mallery books. It's been awhile since I've picked one up and now I'm not sure why I waited so long to pick another one up. I decided to read this book because it had been on my list for quite some time, aka 2013. Shrugs, not sure why I never read it. I have read a couple other Fool's Gold books and after last week's book, I realized that I need to start reading some of these series in order from the beginning to really find out what the books are all about.

Chasing Perfect is the first book in the Fool's Gold series. I could write so much about how much I really liked certain parts of the book but I don't want to ruin it for everyone. This book centered around introducing us to the small town of Fool's Gold in California. I like books with small town atmosphere's because they remind me so much about where I grew up. The two main characters in this book were Charity and Josh. Josh is like the good boy everyone wants to date but has a little bit of a seeded past but not too much. Can I just say I would like to sit around and watch him ride bicycles? That's a key part of his past and character. Charity is that girl who is trying to find her place in life and striving to have things that just weren't available in her past. When she starts to work with the city, things just get good. I will say that there are a ton of little secrets that start to unwind in this book. It's fun to see the ups and downs and all the relationships. I can't say too much because it will ruin it but it was really good. I'm planning on reading the next book when I get a chance!

[bamaace83]

I'm going to be spending the day in the infield at the Kentucky Derby so I will do some research either tonight or tomorrow morning on my week 9 book and post it.

[Linda C]

bamaace83 wrote: "I'm going to be spending the day in the infield at the Kentucky Derby so I will do some research either tonight or tomorrow morning on my week 9 book and post it."

Have you got a fancy hat?

[[deleted user]]

Selection Post - Week 9 - Option 1


Behind the Film Star's Smile by Kate Hardy
Pages: 256
How It Qualifies: #54 on the list: Actor and Actresses in Category Romance

[Alexa]

Selection Post

Week #9
Book cover/link:

Midnight Blue
Page Numbers: 359
How it Qualifies: #137 on Hollywood Romance Novels

[Linda C]

Completion Post
Week 8

Book: Magic Breaks
Author: Ilona Andrews
Pages: 357
How it Fits: (>2000 ratings); has 30,414 Ratings
Rating: 5 stars

Review: At a Conclave of Paranormals that Kate attends alone (Curran has been called away) the body of one the leaders of the People is presented with markings showing it was done by a wolf shifter. Hugh d'Ambry, Roland's warlord, gives Kate 24 hours to find the murderer or he will declare war on the Pack. Of course it is a set up but Kate needs to find the murderer and figure out how to avoid war. Hugh creates many stumbling blocks and then refuses to abide by the results and goes after Kate personally. Eventually there is a confrontation with Roland. Excellent as usual.

[bamaace83]

I just wore a red hat but it was fancier. It was also the wettest Derby in history and we were all literally chilled to the bone when we left. It was a really good race though and it was a lot of fun. It was just soo wet. Plus, the weather man said that it was going to be 20 percent chance of rain and high 70s. Well, it was 100 percent chance of rain, rained all day, and we never saw the sun! It was a great time with lots of laughs and met some fun people though. I'm trying to find a good book to read for next week. I'm off the next two days so I'm hoping that I can get my book picked out and read before Wednesday and maybe read a couple other books also.

[bamaace83]

Selection Post

Week 9


Heaven, Texas
Pages: 384
How it qualifies: #5 on Romance with Extra Drama
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/4...

[HeatherMarie]

Selection Post- Week 9

Never Been Ready by J.L. Berg
288 pages
How it qualifies: Hollywood Romance Novels #76

[HeatherMarie]

Completion Post- Week 8

Kiss of Steel by Bec McMaster
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Cute steampunk. Heroine is in hiding in the seedier part of town with two younger siblings. The hero is the warren's local feared leader. Vampires, werewolves, and mechanized people. Interesting lore building of the vampire and werewolves- works a little differently than I've seen previously. Am reading book 2 right now.

[Alexa]

Completion Post

Week #9

Midnight Blue
Rating: 2/5 stars
Review: I have now tried this author twice and just not enjoyed the book both times. The writing isn't bad, but I can't seem to enjoy her characters. Indigo was boring. We get a story why she has to put up with everything but I felt like her character had no real depth. She was just bland. Alex was better developed, but then, I just didn't like him. He was flawed, slightly crazy, and a recovering addict. I would hace liked him, but it just took too long for character growth to occur. I did like the story and plot for the most part. Actually, I enjoyed the story more than the romance. The romance was completely unbelievable. They had chemistry, but the romance dude just didn't feel authentic at all. A lot of people love this author though, so perhaps it is just my personal preferences.

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Completion Post Week Nine: actor or entertainer
Option One
Task 16: Read a book with an actor or entertainer in the storyline.

Skin Deep (#3 O'Hurley Family) Nora Roberts
Pages: 335
How it Fits: #153 Romance with Actors, Actresses, Acting
Review:
Skin Deep is the third novel in the O'Hurley Family series. This early writing from Nora Roberts lacks the sophistication of plot that is apparent in her later romantic suspense novels. (Although, as it was originally published by Harlequin, there would have been page limitations.) It does however bring out, Roberts' unique ability to portray families as complex entities. Chantal is a successful Hollywood actress with a stalker and Quinn is the rough-hewn alpha male hired as her bodyguard. The true character growth is with Quinn as he discovers that Chantal is much more than the Hollywood celebrity stereotype. The romance is believable. It can be read as a standalone but there are some references to previous couples in the series.
Read: May 5
Rating: ★★★★✰

[[deleted user]]

Completion Post
Week 9 - Option #1


Behind the Film Star's Smile by Kate Hardy
Pages: 256
How It Fits: #54 on the list Acot and Actresses in Category Romance
Rating: 3.5 Stars

Review:
This was a really cute story and I enjoyed it a lot. It was about a major London movie star (think Hugh Grant... back in the day) and a woman who has a very sad history after losing her husband and beloved dog in a fatal shooting.

Jess used to be a police woman who trained dogs for the K9 unit, as did her husband. One night after going to arrest drug deals the husband and dog were killed. Jess stepped away from her job and anything involving dogs.

Now she is working on a movie set and the lead actor Luke needs someone to look after his dog while filming.

The story goes from there and while it may seem like a simple premise, both Jess and Luke and great characters and its a sweet romance.

[Linda C]

Week 10
Option 1
11. Read a shorter book with 100-200 pages.
Option 2
Key date: 10 November 2017

[Linda C]

Selection Post - Week 10
Option 1 - Read a shorter book with 100-200 pages.

Desperate Characters - Paula Fox
Pages: 156
How it Fits: 156 is between 100 and 200

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Selection Post Week Ten: A shorter book
Option One
Task 11. Read a shorter book with 100-200 pages.

Edge of Surrender (#2 Alpha Crew) Laura Griffin
Pages: 114
How it Fits: 114 is between 100 and 200

[[deleted user]]

Selection Post - Week 10 - Option 1


Book: Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck by Molly Harper
Pages: 136
How It Fits: Read a shorter book with 100-200 pages (136 pages)

[Alexa]

Selection Post

Week #10
Book cover/link

Love Is Not Lost
Page Numbers: 135
How the book qualifies: page numbers between 100-200

[Linda C]

Completion Post

Week #9 actor or entertainer in the storyline

Book: Her Leading Man - Alice Duncan
Pages: 350
How it Fits: #47 on Romance With Actors/Actresses/Acting list
Read: 5/11/18
Rating: 4 stars

Review: It's 1913 and production is about to start on a silent film on location in the desert of California but representing the desert of Egypt. Beautiful lead Christina Mayhew is accompanied by her grandmother, a crotchety lady with a lethal cane. Christina's goal is to make enough money to pay for medical school. The Mayhews are staunch feminists. Martin Tafft is the director/ producer determined to keep his movie solvent and reputable. Pablo is the sleazy leading man. The story is very humorous, particularly when they are filming and everyone is saying things that do not go with the actions they are portraying. A peaceful suffragette march that goes wrong and a most unfortunate accident on a camel for the leading man are hilarious and change the direction of the plot. Good conclusion to a great series revolving around the early film industry.

[HeatherMarie]

Linda C wrote: "Completion Post

Week #9 actor or entertainer in the storyline

Book: Her Leading Man - Alice Duncan
Pages: 350
How it Fits: #47 on..."

....early film industry...incident with a camel.....adding to the ole TBR ☺️...

[HeatherMarie]

Selection Post - Week 10 - Option 1

A Taste for a Mate by Carrie Ann Ryan
Pages: 136
How It Fits: Read a shorter book with 100-200 pages (136 pages)

[HeatherMarie]

Completion Post- Week 9


Never Been Ready by J.L. Berg
⭐️⭐️⭐️
Nice contemporary between a labor/delivery nurse & an actor/ wanna be director on location in Richmond, VA. I liked that the characters were flawed and strengthened each other through difficulties. There is a good bit of family drama, unimportant past actions becoming very important in the present and some slight person in peril. Wouldn't mind reading some of the other books on the series.

[HeatherMarie]

Hey going to change my week 10 selection.
Selection Week 10-option 1

Take Me Home by Inez Kelley
165 Pages
How It Fits: Read a shorter book with 100-200 pages (165 pgs)

[Alexa]

Completion Post

Week 10
Book Cover/link:

Love Is Not Lost
Rating: 2/5 stars
Review: The story was kind of interesting. But, there was no real development among the characters. This is a story about a girl named Faith who after being orphaned at 13 and shuffling from foster home to foster home, is finally given a chance at a good life right before she turns 17. She meets the neighbor boys and is instantly smitten. Fairly cliche layout, with a kind of interesting twist that connects them all back in their hometown. Like I said, the story was pretty good... but there was absolutely no characters. Boys see Faith and all are smitten. Faith sees boys and despite swearing off dating, falls immediately. For no reason. Complete insta-love. I also felt as if I was missing half of the story. But, that just happens with short books. It did keep me fairly entertained though as I read, so I gave it a 2 star rating. Just nothing special. Writing felt very immature. Like it was a first draft that never went back to add the much needed details.

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Completion Post Week Ten: A shorter book
Option One
Task 11. Read a shorter book with 100-200 pages.

Edge of Surrender (#2 Alpha Crew) Laura Griffin
Pages: 128
How it Fits: 128 is between 100 and 200
Review:
This is part two beginning at the cliffhanger which was so annoying at the end of part one (At the Edge). It begins with a bang and we are shunted directly into the action. Ryan is alpha protective male and Emma is a good match for him as she stands up to him and although she acts impulsively and puts herself in danger her actions are justified.

Because the story is a serial the Insta love is believable as we tend to forget that Ryan and Emma have only known each other a short time. Their initial meeting was in the previous installment of the serial so at the beginning of this part they already feel like a good fit. The ending was believable.
Read: May 14
Rating: ★★★✰✰

[Linda C]

Loriidae,
could you relabel your Completion post (msg 275); it says selection post
thanks

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Linda C wrote: "Loriidae,
could you relabel your Completion post (msg 275); it says selection post
thanks"

Of corse - victim of the copy amd paste gremlin ! :)

[bamaace83]

Completion

Week 9 -

Heaven, Texas
Completion Date: May 8, 2018
Rating: 4 Stars

I really liked this book. To earn five stars in my book, it must be really good. I really liked the story line between Gracie and Bobby Tom. Bobby Tom is a retired football player, who has signed on to be a star in a movie near his hometown. Gracie is the one who is told to bring him to the movie set because he stalls a little bit. One of my favorite parts without giving away too much is when Gracie takes a part of Bobby Tom's car because she was afraid he was going to skip town without her. The one part of the story line that I didn't like was Bobby Tom's mom and the sleezy slime ball older person in town. Wayland was just way too slimy for me and I couldn't get past that. At first I thought Suzy was strong but she was just a little too weak and timid with him. Their story line played a big part in the book so I'll have to let y'all form your own opinions. Back to Gracie and Bobby Tom, it was a really good story line and I'm curious to see when they come back up in later books.

[bamaace83]

Selection Week 10


A Teaspoon of Trouble

198 pages
How it fits: Option 1: Book between 100-200 pages

[Alexa]

Is it this weekend that speed of reading matters?

I can't believe the competition is almost over. I remember feeling as if it was so far away from the end of the school year. Now we are almost to the end, and less than 10 school days until my kids areout for the summer.

[Linda C]

Completion Post - Week 10
Option 1 - Read a shorter book with 100-200 pages.

Desperate Characters - Paula Fox
Pages: 156
How it Fits: 156 is between 100 and 200
Rating: 2 stars
Read: 5/16/18

Review: The lives of an upper-middle class couple are jarred when the wife, Sophie, is bitten by a stray cat at the same time her husband, Otto, and his business partner, Charlie, are breaking up their law firm. The action takes place over a week while Sophie worries about whether to take the necessary medical steps that might lead to painful rabies shots. Otto and Charlie have been so dependent on each other while hating the way the other handles clients. The break is a series of push and pulls. Lots of critics loved this book, but I found little to like in the characters. I literally only finished it to find out about the bite.

[Linda C]

Alexa wrote: "Is it this weekend that speed of reading matters?

I can't believe the competition is almost over. I remember feeling as if it was so far away from the end of the school year. Now we are almost to ..."

Yep, Friday is the start of the last week. At this very moment
We and one other team have 3 reviews outstanding. 1 team has 1 outstanding. 4 teams have 2 outstanding. 1 has 4 reviews outstanding; 1 has 5 and 2 have quite a few outstanding.
So its likely several teams will be up to date by Friday and it will be a race over the weekend.

[[deleted user]]

Completion Post - Week 10
Option 1 - Read a shorter book with 100-200 pages.


Save a Truck, Ride a Redneck by Molly Harper
Pages: 136
How it Fits: 136 is between 100 and 200
Rating: 4.5 stars
Read: 5/17/18

I loved this book a lot more than I thought I would. For a short little novella it was fantastic! Marianne comes back to her small Georgia town for the summer before she heads off to law school and of course runs into her ex-boyfriend when her car breaks down on the side of the road; and of course a second chance romance blossoms.

There wasn't a lot to this story, but it was still fantastic! The main characters and Marianne's family (who own and run a combined Tackle Shop and Funeral Home) and the other people in town all appear to jump off the page at you. Everyone is so well developed and well written.

The story was cute and sweet and actually didn't focus so much on Marianne and Carl's relationship as it did on Marianne deciding what she wanted to do with her life.

My only compliant is that this was only a novella, I would have loved this to have been a full length novel so we could have gotten more into the romance.

[HeatherMarie]

Completion Post- Week 10

Take Me Home by Inez Kelley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Wow she was able to fit a lot of stuff into this little beauty. The plot is that Matt as a kid has his house foreclosed on & his family was kicked off their land in West Virginia. The author did a good job of describing that state's beauty but also did not shy away from it's decline (coal industry downturn). As an adult he works for a logging/forestry firm and the now owner of his family's land decides to use their services to harvest some trees. Kayla, the new owner, out bid him a couple years ago for the land & he expects to hate her. She has an organic farming & spice business that she runs out of her home & needs some capital so therefore selling some wood. They bond over maple syrup harvesting. Also fun factoids.
Was pleasantly surprised by the character development and industry details in such a short book.

[Alexa]

Selection Post - Option 2

Week #11
Book cover/link

Borrowing Blue
Page Number: 282
Who read it: KarenH (team 2) read it on March 17, 2018 and rated it 4 stars

[Jane (PS), Moderator]

Alexa wrote: "Completion Post

Week 310
Book Cover/link:

Love Is Not Lost
Rating: 2/5 stars
Review: The story was kind of interesting. But, there was no real..."

Hi Alexa - just fix up your week # on this post please :)

[HeatherMarie]

Selection Post- Week 11

A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund
363 pgs
How it qualifies:#109 on Farmers in Romance List

[Alexa]

Jane (PS) wrote: "Alexa wrote: "Completion Post

Week 310
Book Cover/link:

Love Is Not Lost
Rating: 2/5 stars
Review: The story was kind of interesting. But, the..."

That's what I get for trying my phone got everything. Sorry Jane. It sound be fixed now.

[Linda C]

Selection Post
Week 11 - Option #1


Courting Miss Hattie - Pamela Morsi
Pages: 292
How it Fits: #6 on the Farmers in Romance list

[[deleted user]]

Selection Post - Week 11 - Option 1


At Wolf Ranch by Jennifer Ryan
Pages: 384
How It Qualifies: #58 on the list: Love On The Range

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Selection Post Week Eleven:
Option Two
Task: Read a book from a member of Group Two's read shelf

Stillhouse Lake (#1 Stillhouse Lake) Rachel Caine
Pages: 286
Who read it: Suzanne (team 2) read it on March 15, 2018 and rated it 4 stars

[HeatherMarie]

Completion Post- Week 11- Option 1

A Noble Groom by Jody Hedlund
⭐️⭐️⭐️
**Preface: I grew up in the Bible Belt. Did not know this was an inspirational romance before starting. I have endured enough bible thumping nonsense for several lifetimes. This book deserves a higher rating, it is well written, but I just don't have it in me to be down with all the religious references. If you don't mind that stuff then this was a pretty solid read.

Late 1800s Michigan, Annalisa is a German immigrant farmer with a small child and weaselly hubby. Her husband is murdered but she needs a man to work the land in order to pay off the farm's loan. Her family writes to their uncle to send a husband from the old country.
Her uncle is a servant to Carl's family, who is about to be executed for a crime he did not commit. So he busts him out & sends Carl to MI, but not as a groom (he's designated someone else for that) just to get away from trouble. Carl shows up & works the farm but is pretty terrible at everything because he is a scholar/aristocrat.

So you know, the usual historical lol. The villain is a bit twirling his mustache, Snidely Whiplashy. More nuance would have been appreciated. Listened to this on audiobook- the German accent is not something I've heard on a lot of romance books so that was kind of novel and cool. The historical details were interesting.

[Alexa]

Completion Post - Option 2

Week: # 11
Book cover/link

Borrowing Blue
Rating: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars)
Review: I've been putting off reading this book forever. I don't know why, I just kept pushing it to the side. Now, I desperately want to read the rest of the books in this series because it was adorable! Absolutely adorable. I loved Tristan and Blue. They were seriously the cutest couple ever. I enjoyed how low-angst the book was. It was a sappy feel good book and just what I needed. I will absolutely be reading more from this author. She may be a new favorite MM author.

[lorii (Loriidae)]

Completion Post Week Eleven:
Option Two
Task: Read a book from a member of Group Two's read shelf

Stillhouse Lake (#1 Stillhouse Lake) Rachel Caine
Pages: 286
Who read it: Suzanne (team 2) read it on March 15, 2018 and rated it 4 stars
Review:
I listened to the audio of this book, as it made the present tense bearable for me. Gina Royal is the ex-wife of a serial killer, a past that she is unable to leave behind. The prologue written in third person was intense and hooked my interest straight away. Then for some unfortunate reason the author decided to switch to first person present tense. The next four very long chapters were so slow. The constant paranoia and repetitiveness of the main character's inner monologues be-came annoying. The pace eventually kicked up at about 55%. I really liked the overall mystery, and that is what kept me listening leaving lots of unanswered questions for book #2. I have the audio for the second so I will continue the series. 3.5 stars.
Read: May 20
Rating: ★★★✰✰

[bamaace83]

Completion Post Week 10:


A Teaspoon of Trouble

Rating: 3 Stars
Read: 5-18-2018

A very fast read but my work week was pretty insane. Carolyn becomes an instant guardian of her niece after a tragic accident and moves back home to step into a life that she wasn't prepared to do. She ends up needing help from an old flame, Matthew. I think I liked the dog, Roscoe, the best! It was a fast read and pretty predictable but I liked it overall. There's not much more to review without giving away the entire book.

[bamaace83]

Selection Post Week 11:


Mackenzie's Mountain

Pages: 256
How it Qualifies: #5 on this list: https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/2...

[bamaace83]

I know it's technically over but I still gotta finish the week. Thanks for letting me join y'alls group in the middle.

[Linda C]

Completion Post
Week 11 - Option #1


Courting Miss Hattie - Pamela Morsi
Pages: 292
How it Fits: #6 on the Farmers in Romance list
Read: 5/20/18
Rating: 4 stars

Review: Reed Tyler has been working Miss Hattie's farm since he was eight. Now at 24, engaged to Bessie Jane, he is within a year of being able to buy Miss Hattie's land and start a rice crop. Then widower Ancil Drayton with seven children decides to court Miss Hattie. At 29, 'Horseface” Hattie has given up on love and marriage. Will this be her only chance? Can she marry this man and mother his children? Does she want to? Suddenly Reed is beginning to feel things about Hattie that aren't right and his fiance is pushing for an earlier wedding than planned. This was well plotted. These people seemed real, their situations believable. There were a few cliches and expected dramas, but all in all a most satisfying historical romance.

[Linda C]

Reading Queens won the game. It was great playing with all of you. I picked up a few titles for my TBR as usual. The pile just never goes down!
Hope to run into you on another challenge.
If Sarah and Anna complete their books, I will post in our updates just to finish things off.

[lorii (Loriidae)]

It's been fun. Thanks for the friendship and of course the extra load on my TBR. :D