REVIEW: Chill Out by Jana Richards #Romance

Renata Cabral needs to hide for the weekend. Her cousin’s Valentine’s Day wedding means she’ll face embarrassing questions from her large, extended family. Questions like “Why aren’t you married yet?” Since the breakup of her last relationship, she’s not ready to answer that question. She invents a work-related excuse and escapes to a friend’s lakeside cottage. 

Noah Brownlee has been hiding for two years. But now he’s ready to come home and mend his broken relationship with his brother. When a friend offers the use of his lakeside cottage, Noah arrives in the middle of a blizzard with his English Mastiff, only to find the place is already occupied. With her big brown eyes and quirky sense of humor, Renata stirs feelings he thought long dead. 

As the blizzard rages, the candy hearts predict love. Can Valentine’s Day work its magic between them?

Purchase Links: 
http://www.amazon.com/Chill-Out-Candy-Hearts-Romance-ebook/dp/B018L29ZUY

REVIEW:

RATING: 4 Stars 

Two single, somewhat lonely people, accountant Renata Cabral and Dr. Noah Brownlee find themselves accidentally sharing the same lakeside cottage, thanks first to friends who neglected to communicate with each other before recommending the cottage as a refuge, and then to a Canadian blizzard that rules out either of them going elsewhere.  Making things even more interesting is Spike, Noah’s English Mastiff, who loves sleeping on his person’s bed – and already, on the first night both people are in the cottage, Spike decides to choose Renata’s bed.

‘Chill Out’ uses a familiar basis for starting a romance – two strangers forced by circumstances beyond their control to share living quarters for a time.  The romance in this story progresses nicely, with two interesting characters trying to escape and also resolve painful past experiences.  Both Renata and Noah frequently have brief recollections about those experiences, and then have to once again face their present circumstances.  Through it all, Spike moves between them, serving as a friend, a topic of conversation, a justification for some of their actions; he becomes a common ground, something to share and to care about.

As readers, we learn about those painful past experiences, and how they have affected the present, as Renata and Noah remember them, think about them, and come to exchange those recollections.  The relationship they begin to share with each other builds upon these exchanges, and, again as a reader, I found it easy to sympathize with them, and ultimately to hope for a mutual happy ending – one that will be happy for Spike as well.  And a reader can’t forget those interesting candy hearts popping up occasionally, with their oddly appropriate sayings.

There were no big surprises, no startling twists, no hidden terrors popping up to change the story’s direction.  This is simply a fun, interesting, easy-to-read romance about two nice people, and I can recommend it to most romance fans.  I rate ‘Chill Out’ as worth 4 stars, and I am grateful for the reviewer’s copy I was sent.

Reviewed by: Roberta

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REVIEW: Christmas at the Rekindle Inn by Lori Waters

Mary Walker has a habit of giving in when it comes to her mother, but this time her mom went too far. At first glance, the gift seems innocent. Seven days at a lovely Vermont inn in mid-December is Mary’s idea of the perfect Christmas present—that is until she discovers her traveling companion’s identity. 

The Rekindle Inn is the last place J.T. Walker wants to spend his Christmas vacation, much less in the company with the woman who’d recently ripped his heart to shreds. A challenge of wills, and the need to show Mary he no longer cares, has him on the plane to Santaville faster than the time it takes to unwrap a candy cane. 

The Rekindle Inn specializes in mending relationships, but when the Walkers check in, it will take more than a little Christmas magic to bring these two broken hearts back together. More like a Christmas miracle.

Purchase Links: 
http://www.amazon.com/Christmas-Rekindle-Inn-Lori-Waters-ebook/dp/B017OC6T9W

REVIEW:

RATING: 3.5 Stars 

As Christmas approaches, J.T. and Mary Walker are within days of finalizing their divorce.  She thinks he’s more attached to work, and possibly his boss’s daughter, than to her.  He thinks she just ran away from him, rather than listening to him and believing what he tells her.  But their mothers still hope the marriage is salvageable, so they each them a very special Christmas present: a holiday vacation, at a special resort in Vermont.  The only catch is – they both have to go, together, because the Rekindle Inn specializes in fixing troubled marriages.

Mary’s first thought is that she can’t disappoint her mother, so she plans on going.  J.T. really doesn’t want to go, but he feels that she’s challenging him, and he doesn’t want her to think she won, so he decides to go to, too.  After all, how hard can one week be? 

What this couple isn’t prepared for, is the very special atmosphere surrounding the inn, and the village where it’s located.  They find themselves surrounded by Christmas, welcomed by Mr. and Mrs. Klaus, the resort’s owners, who put them together in a wonderful suite, and then proceed to give them a strict schedule of daily activities.  It’s all very strange, and despite their reluctance, they end up following most of that schedule, with Christmas pulling at them all the while.

‘Christmas at the Rekindle Inn’ is an amusing, rather predictable but still enjoyable love story, concerning a couple who most likely gave up on their marriage too easily, for the wrong reasons.  Mary and J.T. are both interesting characters that most readers can sympathize and identify with, and the magical setting of ‘Santaville’ and the Rekindle Inn present a very fun setting, exercising your imaginations as well as those of this likable couple.  The only problem I found, was an over-emphasis on the possibilities of what this inn is, and where it’s located, which was somewhat fun, until one incident puts it all into question.  Still, I did enjoy it; this is a very fun read, inventive and relaxing, and I recommend it to any romance reader looking for some smiles, giggles, and a few nice “Aaawwwwww” moments.

I give ‘Christmas at the Rekindle Inn’ 3.5 stars.

I am grateful for the reviewer’s copy I was sent.

Reviewed by: Roberta

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REVIEW: Midwinter Night's Dream by Whitley Gray

Two years ago, Joe Blake lost his secret lover, firefighter Bryce Marshall. Grieving, Joe left his job as a fireman and paramedic to become the spokesmodel for undergarment company Escalade. They lured him into the limelight and drove him deeper into the closet. Modeling doesn't provide fulfillment; Joe wants privacy and to feel useful again. A holiday at his mountain cabin outside Denver is the perfect escape. The last thing he anticipated, or wanted, was sharing his retreat with another man.

Last Christmas, actor Errol Lockhart discovered boyfriend Carson had stolen a play. Carson accused Errol and then blackballed him in the theater community. Some Christmas that was. Now Errol has to take whatever work he can to survive. Delivering a singing telegram during a blizzard isn't wise, but it pays double and rent is overdue. He's got dreams, not of a white Christmas, but of getting a shot at Hollywood. He's determined to make it, if he survives this storm.

As Joe and Errol ride out the blizzard, more than marshmallows get toasty in front of the fire. When Errol discovers Joe's identity, he's sure he's found his way in, his big break. But Joe won't sacrifice Errol to the Hollywood sharks. Unless they can forge a compromise, they're going to wake from their midwinter night's dream to lumps of coal in their stockings.

Purchase from: 

Loose ID | All Romance eBooks

REVIEW: 

Midwinter Night's Dream, felt more like a quick day dream than an actual dream. I give this M/M romance a 3 star rating. I feel as if over all Ms. Gray had a wonderful story in mind but I just didn't feel hooked in. It felt rushed and flat. The intimate parts didn't feel sensual. I felt that there were things missing aside from the visual attraction-it just felt like I was looking at these two men who were supposed to be finding passion but read more like a Hallmark card. I googled Ms. Gray and a friend passed along High Concept and I really thought it was exceptional. Midwinter Night's Dream was a nice read-even a lovely read but it didn't start any fires or hook me in.

 

On a positive note, I thought the idea of two men finding romance and passion in a cabin in the woods not to mention one is a hunky firefighter was great.

Reviewed by: Nikki

 

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