Dune Drive - Contemporary Romance Review

Goodreads:  Dune Drive (Chesapeake Diaries #12) by Mariah Stewart

Rating: Very Good

Source:  Publisher 

Description:   Always believing she was an ugly duckling, Chrissy Jenkins thought she had finally turned into a swan when her real-life Prince Charming swept her off her feet. But as his true character began to crack his perfect facade, Chrissy realized that not only was she better off without him, but that she was the only one who had the power to transform her life.

Returning to her ancestral home on Cannonball Island for a family wedding, Chrissy is reintroduced to a legacy she’d all but forgotten. In choosing to stay on the island, she reboots her life, successfully reinventing herself as a sous chef at the Inn at Sinclair’s Point just over the bridge in St. Dennis. But despite her newfound self-confidence, she still doesn’t trust her taste in men. So when she meets Jared Chandler, a handsome ship salvager staying at the inn while he conducts a nearby recovery operation, Chrissy’s certain she can keep him as a friend—even though he’s everything any woman would want in a man. As fellow newcomers, together they discover the charm of the historic bayside town and explore the idyllic island.

But when Chrissy agrees to be Jared’s date for his father’s wedding, they embark on a weekend that will find them each seeing the other in a completely different light, one that will change their lives forever.

Genre: Romance - Contemporary

Why I Picked This Book:  I've been a big fan of Mariah Stewart since back in the days when she was writing lots of romantic suspense.  I haven't found this to be the most consistent series but I can never resist a new entry.  

 
My Impression:  I've said many times that I find this series to be inconsistent (including right above this) but I must say - this is one of the good ones.  One of the ones that reminds me just why it is that I keep reading this series.  

First off I really loved Chrissy.  She's in recovery from a really terrible relationship and is just getting ready to find happiness for herself again.  I liked that there was some delay between her leaving an abusive situation and even the possibility of a new relationship.  While I love a getting back on your feet kind of story sometimes the healing/recovery process feels a bit too fast.  Her relationship with her great-grandmother Ruby was so sweet (or as sweet as Ruby allows - she doesn't put up with getting sentimental) and I really believed her growth and her relationship with Jared.

I liked Jared too.  His reasons for not wanting to settle down are a combination of baggage and practicality (his job requires a lot of travel) and actually made some sense.  He's a good guy who is smart and funny.  He loves his friends and his family.  How can you not want him to have a happy ending?

This is really character driven.  The bulk of the plot is the characters just going about their day to day lives and interacting with the people around them which was a really nice read.  I love the community feel of this series (which may be why I can never resist the new one in the series) and this really brought that into focus.  There were a lot of truly sweet moments that never got too sugary but really increased my enjoyment of the book.  If you love a character driven romance with really likable characters in a wonderful community I think you'll really enjoy this book!

Would I Read More of this Series/Author?   Absolutely!  I enjoyed this one and I've really been liking her Hudson Sisters trilogy as well.  

Would I Recommend this Book?  If you enjoy contemporary romance that's more about the connection than the spice I think you'll like this one.  While it is book 12 in the series you can start here with no issue.

Top Ten Tuesday - Popular Books that Lived Up to the Hype

This week's Top Ten Tuesday topic hosted by That Artsy Reader Girl is Top Ten Popular Books that Lived Up to the Hype.  There's nothing more disappointing than a book that you just know you're going to love falling absolutely flat.  On the flip side it's so amazing when a book absolutely lives up to expectations.  Here are 10 that really worked for me!

1.  Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty - It took me forever to get around to reading this book (or any book by Moriarty) but when my library got this in audio I decided it was time and I'm so glad I did!  

2.  Me Before You by Jojo Moyes - I had no plans to read this one because it seemed like a guaranteed ugly cry and I'm not a fan of that.  But (and I'm slightly embarrassed to admit this) I loved the movie previews so much I had to read the book.

3.  Garden Spells by Sarah Addison Allen - I really wasn't very interested in reading this but I picked up another book by this author on a whim and absolutely loved it so I knew I had to read this one and it was gorgeous!

4.  Still Life by Louise Penny - I didn't discover Louise Penny until I started blogging but everyone who loves mysteries seemed to adore this series so I knew I had to try this one!

5.  As You Wish by Cary Elwes - Before picking this one up I had seem nothing but glowing reviews and after listening to it I became one of them.  If you love the movie Princess Bride than you must read/listen to this book and I highly recommend going the audio riyte.

6.  A Curious Beginning by Deanna Raybourn - I really enjoyed other books by Deanna Raybourn but this first in a new series really seemed to be everywhere for awhile.  When (several years later) I read it I could see why.  It was so good!

7.  The Kitchen Counter Cooking School by Kathleen Flinn - Everyone I knew who had read this book told me to read it and it came up frequently as a favorite or recommendation on the What Should I Read Next podcast from Anne Bogel.  It made me want to make chicken stock and really learn the basics!

8.  Matilda by Roald Dahl - Somehow I missed Roald Dahl completely as a child but Matilda always seemed to be on the list of most loved childhood books.  I ended up reading it as an adult and adored it.

9.  Before the Fall by Noah Hawley - I really had no intention of reading this.   I don't like disaster books and I don't like any book where children are in peril and this had a little bit of both but for some reason I picked it up and I loved it!  It definitely kept me reading and I couldn't wait to see what was going to happen.

10. My Name is Lucy Barton by Elizabeth Strout - This was another one I had no interest in reading but I saw some really good reviews and then my library got in audio so I figured that was a sign.  I was surprised how much I enjoyed this quiet little novel.  It was definitely worth the read!

What hyped books lived up to your expectations? 

Rancher's Dream - Contemporary Romance Review

Goodreads:  Rancher's Dream (Montana Cahills #6) by B.J. Daniels

Rating:

Source: Blog Tour

Description:  Tragedy sent Deidre “Drey” Hunter running from rancher Hawk Cahill and into the arms of a sleek businessman who promised her a new life. But dreams of Manhattan days and cosmopolitan nights shatter when he brings her back to an ultramodern paradise in her hometown of Gilt Edge—and vanishes on their wedding night.

Taunted by seclusion and silence, Drey starts to doubt everything…including her sanity. Only Hawk, the stubborn cowboy from her school days, believes the threats are real and that someone is ready to kill. But is he willing to forgive the past if it means ending her nightmare?

Genre: Romance - Contemporary

Why I Picked This Book:  I've really been enjoying this series about the Cahill family so I couldn't pass this one up.

My Impression:  I've really been enjoying this series about the Cahill family and was super excited to see Hawk's story.  In the previous books Hawk has always seen a bit unknown and really focused on the ranch.  But wow!  Turns out he had quite a lot going on behind that quiet façade.  This was a read that pulled me in from the beginning.  I liked Drey though I did question her judgement a bit for marrying a man that was so obviously sinister despite the pretty window dressing but even that didn't go quite as I expected.  The suspense is well done and kept me turning pages and I loved the characters.  B.J. Daniels is an author that has become in the last year or two and she always delivers!  If you're looking for a romantic suspense with a touch of cowboy-ness you really must try this book and then give the rest of the series a try!  While this is the 6th book in the series you can easily jump in here!  Rating:  Very Good

Purchase Links

Amazon | Books-A-Million | Barnes & Noble

Connect with B. J. Daniels

Website | Facebook | Twitter

This Week in Reading - July 29

It's Sunday Post time!  This is hosted by the awesome Caffeinated Book Reviewer and gives us all a chance to recap our week.

What I Got:

A Christmas Revelation by Anne Perry - I have a bit of a mixed history with Anne Perry.  I loved the look of her books when they were first coming out years and years ago and bought them all.  Then when I went to read them it turned out I didn't really enjoy them.  This cover looks so nice and Christmas-y that I thought I'd give her another try.  (NetGalley)

Sail Away with Me by Susan Fox - I really liked the blurb on this contemporary romance and I thought the cover was pretty as well so I thought I'd give this author a try.  (NetGalley)

Bells, Spells and Murders by Carol J. Perry - I've really enjoyed this cozy mystery series so I had to grab the latest book!  (NetGalley)

The Guests on South Battery by Karen White - I've been wanting to read the first book in the series for ages and when I was offered this reprint of a later book I jumped at the chance.  I'm really looking forward to it!  (Publisher)

Currently:

Reading:  Dune Drive by Mariah Stewart (for a review Wednesday - running a bit late!) and Fade to Black by Heather Graham

Listening:  I'm finishing up Sea of Monsters by Rick Riordan and am about to get back to Because of Miss Bridgerton by Julia Quinn

Watching:  We're still watching Longmire and are really enjoying them though I don't love the plot about Walt's wife's murder.

Off the Blog:

We met the Tornado's teachers this week and I really like them.  I hope he's going to have a great year!

I'm writing this in a bit of a rush because we decided very last minute that we were going to go on a vacation for a long weekend.  We're not really spontaneous people and normally when we go somewhere I've been planning for a few weeks and know the hours and cost of pretty much everything we want to do (we're not even going to talk about the Disney notebook) so I'm scrambling a bit but I'm really excited.  We figured we'd get one last little vacation in before school starts next week!

On the Blog:

What Happened:

Monday: What I've DNF'd So Far This Year

Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Books With Sensory Reading Memories

Wednesday:  On Her Majesty's Frightfully Secret Service - Cozy Mystery Review

Thursday:  Books from the Backlog - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Friday:  Friday Linkups - Beach Town 

Saturday:  Who Moved My Goat Cheese + Killer Green Tomatoes - Mini Cozy Reviews

What's Coming Up:

Monday:  Rancher's Dream - Contemporary Romance Review

Tuesday:  Top Ten Tuesday - Ten Popular Books that Lived Up to the Hype

Wednesday:  Dune Drive - Contemporary Romance Review

Thursday:  Reviews from the Children's Section - Sea of Monsters

Friday:  Friday Linkups with Current Book

Saturday:  She Was the Quiet One - Mystery Review

Have a great week and happy reading!

Who Moved My Goat Cheese + Killer Green Tomatoes - Mini Cozy Reviews

Goodreads:  Who Moved My Goat Cheese (Farm-to-Fork Mystery #1) by Lynn Cahoon

Blurb:  With three weeks until opening night for their restaurant, the County Seat, Angie and her best friend and business partner Felicia are scrambling to line up local vendors—from the farmer's market to the goat dairy farm of Old Man Moss. Fortunately, the cantankerous Moss takes a shine to Angie, as does his kid goat Precious. So when Angie hears the bloodcurdling news of foul play at the dairy farm, she jumps in to mind the man's livestock and help solve the murder. One thing's for sure, there's no whey Angie's going to let some killer get her goat . . .

My Thoughts:  I love Lynn Cahoon and I love foodie books so I was really excited to start this series.  I liked reading about Angie setting up her new restaurant and all the complications that happen - especially when dealing with small vendors. The murder occurs pretty near the beginning and the plot really got moving.  I enjoyed the community Cahoon created and Angie especially is a character I'm looking forward to seeing again.  While I did enjoy this read it wasn't my favorite book from Cahoon.  I'm not sure if this series just doesn't click with me as much as her South Cove series or if this book just suffered a bit from first book setup issues.  This aside, I'm definitely looking forward to continuing the series.  Rating:  Good

Goodreads:  Killer Green Tomatoes (Farm to Fork Mysteries #2) by Lynn Cahoon

Blurb:  To Angie, nothing tastes more like summer than her Nona's fried green tomatoes. Eager to add the recipe to the menu at the County Seat, she's found the perfect produce supplier—her sous chef Estebe’s cousin, Javier. Just one problem: ladies’ man Javier’s current hot tomato Heather has turned up dead, and he’s the prime suspect. Somehow, between managing her restaurant and navigating a romantic triangle between Estebe and Ian, the owner/manager of the farmer's market, Angie needs to produce evidence to clear Javier—before this green tomato farmer gets fried . . .

My Thoughts: Normally I have some time in between books in a series but that was not the case here.   As soon as I finished the first book I dove into this one and I really enjoyed staying in Angie's world.  I forgot to mention when talking about the first book how much I enjoyed the giant puppy, Dom.  I love a big goofy dog in a book and Dom is the biggest and goofiest which is a lot of fun.  There are some scenes that aren't related to the mystery but more to Angie's life in general.  I really enjoy this in a cozy because what pulls me to a series is the characters and the setting so I like getting to know both.  The mystery was good and the pacing kept me entertained which is expected in a Lynn Cahoon mystery.  This doesn't replace the South Cove series as my absolute favorite but I am excited to see where it goes and the first two mysteries have been very solid and enjoyable.  Rating:  Good

Friday Linkups - Beach Town

It's Friday linkup time!  I'm linking up with the Book Blogger Hop hosted by Coffee Addicted Writer, Book Beginnings of Fridays hosted by Rose City Reader, and the Friday 56 hosted by Freda's Voice

This Week's Book Blogger Hop Question:
Do you agree or disagree with this statement:  A blogger's first name should be in a prominent place on his/her blog?

My Answer:
I probably slightly agree but it isn't a deal breaker.  I do prefer to have a name to associate with a blog/blogger but if there isn't one I can make do with a nickname!  My first name isn't really featured prominently but it's scattered about so hopefully that'll do!

I've been feeling a bit meh with what I'm reading so I thought I'd change it up a bit and do some true beach reading with Beach Town by Mary Kay Andrews.  I've been wanting to read Andrews for ages and this book has been sitting on my shelf for years!  I've just started this one but so far I'm enjoying it.

The Beginning:  
Greer Hennessy needed palm trees.

My Thoughts: 
I'm not really a big beach person.  We went a lot when I was a kid so maybe I got it out of my system or that it's simply just not my style of vacation but I know plenty of people that get a bit jumpy if they go to long without seeing palm trees.

The 56:
"You can't file for the request for the variance.  It has to be the landowner."

My Thoughts:  
Filing requests for variances does not sound like it's going to be fun and hassle free - especially if multiple people need to be involved.

So what do you think?  Keep reading?  What genre are you in the mood for right now?

Books from the Backlog - A Tree Grows in Brooklyn

Today I'm linking up with Carole from Carole's Random Life of Books for Books from the Backlog.  I really enjoy the chance to feature a book that's been hiding in the piles of books for far too long!  Today's book is A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith.

Blurb:  The beloved American classic about a young girl's coming-of-age at the turn of the century, Betty Smith's A Tree Grows in Brooklyn is a poignant and moving tale filled with compassion and cruelty, laughter and heartache, crowded with life and people and incident. The story of young, sensitive, and idealistic Francie Nolan and her bittersweet formative years in the slums of Williamsburg has enchanted and inspired millions of readers for more than sixty years. By turns overwhelming, sublime, heartbreaking, and uplifting, the daily experiences of the unforgettable Nolans are raw with honesty and tenderly threaded with family connectedness -- in a work of literary art that brilliantly captures a unique time and place as well as incredibly rich moments of universal experience.

Why It Needs to Get Off the Backlog:  This is such a classic and I know so many people who absolutely adore it.  Not only have I never read it but I really don't even know that much about it.  A few years ago I decided it was time to read it and bought a really pretty copy.  Have I read it?  Of course not!  But I really feel like I should.

Have you read this one?  What classic do you have on your shelf that you know you should read but just haven't managed it yet?