Carrie's Mail Order Husband by Cia Leah

Carrie's Mail Order Husband by Cia Leah

Publisher: Cia Leah (June 2013)

38 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

After her father dies, Carrie is stuck on their farm with an abusive brother, and decides to advertise for a mail order husband, hoping a good man will come and save her from her problems, and she is happy when Colt accepts the proposal. I was very intrigued by this story line. A nice little twist to the traditional mail order bride scenario, and I really liked the way it was setup. The characters were very likable, though I felt the story was a bit rushed and at times sugar-coated. An enjoyable read!

Caleb's Mail Order Bride by Cia Leah

Caleb's Mail Order Bride by Cia Leah

The Morgans’ Brides, Book 1

Publisher: Cia Leah (May 2013)

40 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 3 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

Looking to please his father who is in bad health, Caleb sends for a mail order bride and ends up married to Sissy, though he still isn't all that excited about the idea of being married at first. This is a sweet, short story that I really enjoyed. I liked the characters and thought the story was very engaging. It did seem to have a fair number of editorial errors, I wish the ending hadn't been quite as rushed, and thought it might have benefited from a bit more development. But, I truly enjoyed it nonetheless. I'm looking forward to reading Breed's Mail Order Bride story, about Caleb's half-brother!

Cross the Ocean by Holly Bush

Cross the Ocean by Holly Bush

Publisher: BookBaby (December 2005)

258 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $3.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

Blake has always been caught up in his existence as the Duke of Wexford, ever striving to meet and exceed society's expectations for him, good and bad, but his wife's elopement with another man and his introduction to an outspoken, seemingly independent American woman will change his life and his priorities forever. Gertrude came off as a bit harsh in the beginning, but as her protective walls came down, I really liked her. Blake's journey to growth as a man was awesome, dragging himself not only across the ocean but through the American wilderness along his way. A great story about coming to realize what is truly important in life, instead of hiding behind ideals and other's expectations. Great Read!

Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Sixteen Brides by Stephanie Grace Whitson

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (March 2010)

354 pages, eBook (got it for Free on the Kindle Store)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: White Heart

Drawn by promises of homesteading free land near town, Caroline, Sally, Ruth, Hettie and Ella set out with a group of women, each for their own reasons, looking to leave their pasts behind and start fresh, but when they arrive in Nebraska they learn there is a long line of prospective husbands waiting for them. Each of the five main characters start out wanting nothing to do with thoughts of another marriage, but Matthew, Pete, Luke, Forrest and Jeb help to persuade them otherwise while fighting demons of their own. This was a great story with engaging characters, and though you were following quite a few separate stories here, I thought it was well-managed and the time spent on each story line never left me feeling unsatisfied with the progress of each. I realized at the outset, being a Christian romance, that this would contain some religious references and bible passages, but at times I felt it was overly preachy and heavy on the references to God. If you can get past that, a great read!

Mail Order Menage by Leota M. Abel and Ella Mansfield

Mail Order Menage by Leota M. Abel and Ella Mansfield

The Wild and Wicked West, Book 1

Publisher: Leota M. Abel & Ella Mansfield (August 2013)

57 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Marina is an extremely naive young woman who hopes the lunches she's spending with her boss at the factory will lead to matrimony, but when she gets an unpleasant dose of reality, her sister is thankfully ready with a back-up plan and has made all the arrangements for Marina to be a mail-order bride in Montana. This isn't a sweet, warm and fuzzy romance. Marina's definitely better off with the three Maddix brothers, then the icky factory boss, but with the exception of Lewis, the Maddix boys aren't exactly tender either, but they did seem very realistic for backwoods men living on their out in the middle of nowhere. Given Marina's virginal status (or near virginal), I was a bit skeptical about her eagerness, given the way things played out for her, but her extreme naiveté seemed to smooth over some of that. Nonetheless, an interesting scenario that I thought was convincingly portrayed. I'd be interested to read how Marina's sister, Jasmine, gets along with the Underwood boys. Will there be a sequel?

One Bride for Seven Brothers by Anne Glynn

One Bride for Seven Brothers by Anne Glynn

Publisher: Blackpool Press (May 2013)

61 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

Desperate for money, Flora's fiancé advertises her as a prospective mail-order bride (unbeknownst to her) and hustles the prospective grooms for cash . . . that is until one of the grooms shows up on their doorstep ready to whisk Flora away. Nice little twist to the mail-order bride type of story, providing a bit of mystery around everyone involved, and their motives and intentions. I'm glad Flora finally saw the light about her fiancé, Clyde, before it was too late. Brody was sweet, though I didn't feel we got to see much of him in this short story. I would be interested to read a follow-up to this story, to find out how Brody's six brothers fair in their courtship of Flora. Enjoyable, light-hearted read.

Lost Love by Harmony Bryce

Lost Love by Harmony Bryce

The Anthony Brothers Series, Book 2

Publisher: Harmony Bryce (August 2013)

59 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

Markus gets back together with Savannah, his high school sweetheart, after seeing her again at his brother's wedding, and it seems everything is perfect, until his workaholic ways take over once again and threaten their newfound bliss. I thought this was an interesting short story exploring the priorities people set between their personal and professional life. Though Markus and Savannah had made some progress by the end of the story, I wasn't sure matters had really been resolved in any kind of satisfying or permanent way, especially given Savannah's surprise announcement at the end, but perhaps it was meant to be left as a work in progress as we continue on with the next brother's story. The next book in this series is Forbidden Love and I look forward to its release!

Accidental Love by Harmony Bryce

Accidental Love by Harmony Bryce

The Anthony Brothers Series, Book 1

Publisher: Harmony Bryce (February 2013)

56 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: White Heart

Having grown up in a loving adoptive family that exemplifies the American melting pot, Jin is up for a challenge in trying to win over his fiancee's traditional chinese father and gain his blessing for Jin's marriage to Mei-Ling. A sweet short story about bringing that someone special home to meet the family and the worries that go along with that. The camaraderie between the five brothers (Markus, Jin, Zack, Jai and Santana), all adopted and of different ethnic backgrounds was awesome and I look forward to reading each of their stories! The next book in this series is Lost Love.

Soyala by T. M. Hobbs

Soyala by T. M. Hobbs

Publisher: Books to Go Now (June 2012)

64 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

While doing her farm chores one early morning, Beth is taken captive by a group of young indian braves, though the one she thinks of as Tender Spirit (Kiyiya) is the one that draws and holds her attention. Interesting story of a white woman being adopted into a native american tribe, and her attempts to fit in and make the best of her circumstances. Kiyiya's revelations at the end about the true reasons for her capture were awesome and it was good to get the full story about what led to her being taken that day, though I wish he could have made his feelings clear sooner, before she had gone through all the heartache. After having gone through all that, she definitely deserved her overly sweet ending. Great characters and an entertaining read!

Born Free by T. M. Hobbs

Born Free by T. M. Hobbs

Publisher: Books to Go Now (April 2011)

19 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

Clarity is stuck in a lonely rut, until a guy on a Harley comes to the diner, seeming different from all the rest and Clarity is inexplicably drawn to him. A sweet little fantasy about a biker sweeping a waitress off her feet and making her happily ever after dreams come true. A little sugar sweet, but I think that was the point. Great little story!

Takoda by T. M. Hobbs

Takoda by T. M. Hobbs

Publisher: Books to Go Now (January 2012)

21 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

After her parents are killed in an indian raid, Sara goes to live with her uncle's family, only to be taken captive by a young brave named Takoda. This short story is told in first person, from Sara's point of view, and I liked the easy flow of the story. It was nice to see the subtle development of the relationship between Sara and Takoda, in view of the background she had related about herself. Though I was pleased by the ending, I thought it a bit unrealistic and sugar-coated.

Voice of the Forest by T. M. Hobbs

Voice of the Forest by T. M. Hobbs

Publisher: Gypsy Shadow Publishing (November 2011)

13 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $2.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: White Heart

Looking to escape a difficult relationship with her stepmother, Elissa seeks solace in the forest and finds Charles, a man that speaks to her from the shadows, and as she continues to go back to him, she begins to find his voice a comfort despite never having seen him. Written in the style of a fairytale, the mystery of it all was entrancing and I really liked the characters. This is a very short story, perhaps a bit rushed at the end, but a good read nonetheless.

Hotshot by Julie Garwood

Hotshot by Julie Garwood

Buchanan-Renard Series, Book 11

Publisher: Dutton Adult (August 2013)

368 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $9.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Peyton was saved from drowning when she was a young girl by the teenage boy from next door, Finn, and when they see each other again, many years later, at his brother's wedding, Finn decides to get involved with a problem she is having with a previous employer. I liked both Peyton and Finn and the story definitely kept my attention. Ronan, Grayson's partner from the previous book in this series, appears a few times, now as Finn's partner. I was a bit disappointed not to revisit any other previous characters from the series, or get any updates on them. I would be interested to read Beck and Ivy's story or Ronan and Collins, and I'm still hoping for Cordie and Aiden, or the three remaining Buchanan siblings (Mike, Sidney and Zack) to get their own stories. It seems like more characters keep getting introduced in this series, without wrapping up the previous loose strings.

Highlander Betrayed by Laurin Wittig

Highlander Betrayed by Laurin Wittig

Guardians of the Targe Trilogy, Book 1

Publisher: Montlake Romance (August 2013)

270 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $3.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Looking to strip the Scots of any advantages, real or imagined, Edward Longshanks sends two of his best spies into the highlands to retrieve a mythical targe that he's heard rumors of and seeks to have for his own, but once Nicholas meets Rowan he begins to question where his loyalties lie. Great story about a man who lost his way, but finally came back home only to realize what he had been missing. I loved Nicholas's immediate connection to Rowan and her paranormal gifts (psychokinesis among other things), and I enjoyed watching them trying to muddle through between them how to control and best use her powers. They had such a great open and honest relationship, despite his initial reason for being there, and I thought there was something comforting about that. I look forward to reading further books in this series!

Rock Chick Revolution by Kristen Ashley

Rock Chick Revolution by Kristen Ashley

Rock Chick Series, Book 8

Publisher: Kristen Ashley (August 2013)

532 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $4.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

Finally, after watching all her girlfriends find fairytale happiness with a man of their own, Ally gets her chance at the same with Ren. This is definitely my favorite book of the series! They got the majority of the drama out of the way at the beginning, so you could enjoy them being together and dealing with all of the other heavy stuff that was going on around them. And though I felt the drama portion of the book was a bit more heavy than in previous Rock Chick books, it was definitely worth it to have it out of the way earlier, and have things a bit more light and airy the rest of the way through. Great to see everyone nicely settled and excited to move on to a new group of people in the coming spin-off series following the men from Mace's security agency in L.A.  Can't wait!

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

To Win Her Heart by Karen Witemeyer

Publisher: Bethany House Publishers (May 2011)

352 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $9.22)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: White Heart

Recently released from prison and determined to make a fresh start, striving to be the man he wished he'd been before his troubles, Levi secures a place in a new town as the blacksmith and finds himself thrown together with the town librarian, Eden, and becomes determined to be a man worthy of her attention. A sweet story about a man struggling with his demons as he tries to get over his past, and a woman who finds her ideals challenged when she finds it takes more than superficial deeds to truly be charitable. I particularly enjoyed the bit about the "rock-toters." This is a Christian Romance and has a liberal dose of bible quotations, as well as references to the characters' faith and relationship with their creator, but I didn't find it overly preachy for the most part, and felt the internal dialogue between the two main characters and God followed quite naturally. Great story!

The Beast of Renald by Amber Dane

The Beast of Renald by Amber Dane

The Northern Knights Series, Book 3

Publisher: Amber Dane (August 2013)

412 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $3.99)

Book Rating: 4 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

As part of his spoils of war, Darc is commanded by the King to not only take possession of the land that was won, but to wed Caroline, the widow of the conquered lord. Due to their pasts, they each have good reason to distrust others and secrets on both sides complicate their relationship from the beginning. Darc and Caroline's relationship was rocky, at best, and it was hard to watch their stubborn determination not to be the one that gave in first in their troubles, not to mention the personal demons that Darc just could not shake, making him a frustrating character to like. However, I felt their problems, given the circumstances, and the portrayal of their relationship were painfully realistic. Both their gradual evolution of character and the growth of their relationship were so wonderfully orchestrated into a gritty, genuine picture of two people with real problems coming together, that in the end it was beautiful to watch. You have to follow them through a lot of hard times to get there, but the ending was awesome! Great series!

Fantasyland by D. J. Starling

Fantasyland by D. J. Starling

Fantasyland Series, Book 1

Publisher: iUniverse (June 2013)

346 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $3.03)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

Three lost, lonely souls (Sandi, Rick and Steve) come together in this story to make each other's dreams come true over the course of many years and it was fun to watch each of their stories evolve and slowly meld together. Much of the story was idyllic, just as you would expect from a story entitled Fantasyland, but all of the characters had their ups and downs at some point or other, and some parts of the story were heart-wrenching indeed. It was a great story about new beginnings, reaching for your dreams no matter how impossible they may seem and the impact pivotal people can make in someone's life. I'm looking forward to reading Michael's story in Till There Was You, and hope to see it out soon!

Deja Vu by D. J. Starling

Deja Vu by D. J. Starling

Fantasyland Series, Book 2

Publisher: iUniverse (March 2013)

234 pages, eBook (provided by the Author for review)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Pink Heart

Deanna and Josh are both caught up in their careers when they have a few chance encounters with each other and feel inexplicably drawn to one another, meanwhile Deanna is suffering from horrible nightmares that only seem to be getting worse in frequency and intensity. Deanna's friend finally persuades her to undergo hypnosis, hoping a past life regression can help alleviate the nightmares that have become so debilitating, but so much more is revealed then anyone imagined would be. A great story of soul mates finding each other, with a slowing evolving intimacy that I thought was sweet and touching. Both Deanna and Josh had such great people to fall back on as a support system throughout their ups and downs, neatly emphasizing the importance of true friendship, and I look forward to getting to know Michael and his world in Fantasyland a bit better, in the next book in this series. Great Read!

Beauty Becomes You by Skye Warren

Beauty Becomes You by Skye Warren

Beauty Series, Book 4

Publisher: Skye Warren (August 2013)

79 pages, eBook (purchased myself for $0.99)

Book Rating: 5 Stars

Sensuality: Red Heart

As the semester draws to a close, Erin and Blake put a bit more distance between them in an effort to be more discreet with their relationship, until the day they are free to be together openly. A great conclusion to the series! Each character slowly coming to terms with the stability of their relationship and I liked that even though they faced obstacles all along the way, they never responded overly dramatically, but kept to the grounded, comfortable way they are with each other, making it in some ways more touching. Loved the ending!