"Before We Kiss" by Susan Mallery is laugh out loud funny and an awesome romance!

************Thank you NetGalley for a review copy of this book*****************
Description:

Former pro-football kicker Sam Ridge has notoriously bad luck with women—from cheaters to fame chasers. Still, the gorgeous brunette at the bar in Fool's Gold looks harmless—until she takes him home and he discovers a room devoted to securing a man, for life. 

Dellina Hopkins never guessed that storing gowns from a friend's bridal boutique would chase away her first and only fling. After her parents died, she skipped her "wild youth" to raise her sisters. She doesn't want forever from Sam, but one night—all night—would've been nice. 

His clean getaway gets messy when his firm hires Dellina to plan an event. As long hours lead to late nights, the two succumb to temptation again. Has Sam's luck finally changed? Or this time, will Dellina be the one to run?

As much as I loved "When We Met", this one was just as awesome. I laughed so hard.  Sam and Dellina had a one night stand on Valentine's Day, but when he took a wrong turn out of the bedroom and found himself in his worst nightmare... A room full of bridal dresses and a "how to get him to propose" list, he took off. He has avoided Dellina like the plague until now. He needs her.

Dellina figured out pretty quick why Sam took off that night, but she doesn't make an effort to try to explain. Its his job to come to her for that. But, Sam needs Dellina. She is a party planner, and Sam's company Score is throwing a huge party for their clients. Only four weeks until the big weekend, and Sam must enlist Dellina's help in planning the party or it will be a bust.

Dellina, of course, agrees, and starts the process. Food, activities, and a lecture are all in the works. Sam is eager to help, especially after Dellina explains about the creepy room in her house. The dressed are being stored for the local wedding dress shop that is expanding, and the list is Dellina's sister's.  Sam feels kinda stupid, but he jumps on board helping Dellina with the party. And all that time spent with Dellina shows that she may be just a bit different than the previous women in his life.

The absolute best part of this book is when Dellina books an author who is going to be in Fool's Gold for a book signing to do the lecture during the party weekend. The woman is sort of like a sex therapist. What Dellina doesn't know is that she is Sam's mother.. and she's also not afraid of a little demonstration or showing a video during her lectures. Sam is mortified and wants to run to Mexico to avoid his mother. Dellina thinks he is over exaggerating.. Til she has dinner with Sam and his parents. Now she too is scared to death what the woman will do during the lecture!

Oh My Gosh. I laughed so hard!! It was absolutely fabulous! Everyone, go forth and read!  Im off for now, I know sometimes I ramble too much!

Toni Blake's new Coral Cove series starts with All I Want Is You

*******************Thank you Edelweiss for an advanced galley of this title*************

 Christy Knight grew up in Destiny, Ohio, but lately she feels that her future lies elsewhere. Her parents are gone and the beautiful jewelry she creates doesn't pay the bills. Maybe it's time for Christy to grow up and find a guy who's smart, sexy, and solvent. Her rugged handyman neighbor fits the first two categories, but he's all wrong for her. If only he didn't have such captivating blue eyes.

Wary of trusting others, Jack DuVall hasn't been entirely honest with Christy. He's not really a handyman. He's not really broke. And sharing the long drive to visit her beloved grandpa isn't just about gallantry—he finds gorgeous, feisty Christy completely irresistible.

When secrets are exposed, Jack and Christy struggle to find their way back to one another, but the quirky seaside town of Coral Cove could prove the perfect place to find a red-hot destiny of their own.

When I first read Ms Blake's Destiny, OH series, I was in love with it. I followed her religiously for several years.. But then with the last two novels I sort of lost interest. I have to admit I never finished them, although I started them both. Not sure why, maybe it was a tough time, maybe it was I was sucked into the paranormal phase, who knows. But I picked up this new novel that is sort of a spin off, as the main character Christie was born and raised in Destiny and we do run into a couple of characters from there, and I really adored this book.

Christie's parents died in a house fire and left her virtually penniless. No insurance on the house to help pay for funerals or other debt. Christie works her tail of while in her meager spare time makes jewelry from old family jewelry and what she can pick up at thrift shops.  Her passion is her jewelry making but her life doesn't allow much of it.

She gets a phone call from her grandfather in Coral Cove, Florida where he resides in an nursing home. His savings are dwindling and he only has months to stay in the facility before he is booted for no funds. Christie believes it is her job to take care of him. Her roommate Bethany convinces her that what she needs is a rich man. Christie isnt so sure, she's never been good at dating, never had the time for it, but she decides to give it a shot. She hangs out where rich men would and soon gets a date.

The day of the date is a disaster. She gets home late but cant get into her apartment. The landlord finally installed a new lock but hadn't left a key! Enter Jack, the hunky guy who lives a few doors down. Christie begs him to kick in her door, desperate to get ready for her date. He does, but in the end the date doesnt happen and Christie is lost at what to do. She and Jack hang out a bit, he fixes her door and a few other things in her apartment that the landlord doesnt get done.  

Christie lets Jack in on her secret that she needs a rich man so she can help her grandpa out. Seeing she needs a man for his money, Jack keeps quiet that he is, in fact, quite loaded.

In need of a vacation, Jack and Christie set out for Coral Cove for a few days of relaxation and so Christie can spend some time with her Grandpa. Grandpa convinces her to set up her jewelry for sale in the town flea market type of place. Christie and Jack of course fall in love, but can he trust her to not go after him for his money and can Christie get past his lying to her?

I loved it. It was a very sweet, somewhat down to earth story.. Although dont we all wish we could stumble upon a rich man who loves us for who we are and dont want us to change? It was a great, sit down winter's read. I will definitely look for the next one.. and go back and read the last two Destiny OH books!

Hunky vampires and sultry warrior women.. Kerrelyn Sparks hits the nail on the head!

**************Thank you Edelweiss for an Advanced copy of this book***********

Vampire Zoltan Czakvar is on the hunt for the truth about his father's death. He's been searching for a very long time—since 1241, in fact. And he is not about to give up, even when he's attacked by a woman with striking blue eyes and a hell of a right hook!

Neona is also on the hunt. She's looking for a mate, and she thinks muscled Zoltan will work just fine. After all, men are good for only one thing. Soon, though, she realizes there's more to this handsome vampire than just sexual prowess. But she's keeping a secret from Zoltan, something so big that it will rock the vampire world.

Can their newfound love survive . . . even if their passion means the destruction of her world?

 An  Amazon warrior type of women hide in a hidden valley in the Himalayan mountains for centuries protecting a secret. No men are allowed because the original three founders were so abused by men. They go out and find warrior men, bed them, and return home to have their children.  Male children are sent away.

Zoltan has searched for 800 years for his father's murderer. All he has to go by is the unique arrow that killed his father, and for all those years he has kept it. When Russell, a lone wolf vampire, returns to Zoltan's home to get supplies (Zoltan has been supplying him for months) he has a similar arrow. He was finally able to figure out where it came from by following Russell's tracks. What a surprise to find Neona.

Neona has been troubled since her sister's death two weeks previously in a fight against Master Han's troops. Five of their eleven women died in the battle. Neona's sister had a male child seven years previously that she desperately wants to bring home, but males are not allowed in the valley. Neona stumbles upon Zoltan and decides he can father a child for her.. 

But he brings hope as well. Hope for change. They secretly meet until one day they are discovered. Zoltan wants nothing more than to have Neona in his life and to help her friends and family defeat the troops and protect their valley and their secrets.  Neona's mother, the queen, certainly does not agree.

Wow, did I just actually describe a book? Woaaaaah. Well, I loved it.  Neona and Zoltan are sooo sweet! yay! So, be prepared to love it as much as I did!  I have been reading Kerrelyn Sparks every since the first book in the series came out, and I will continue to read for as long as she deems us worthy to write for us! 

Susan Mallery lives up to her reputation with "When We Met"

*******************Thank You NetGalley for an Advanced copy of this book*********

Description:

Angel Whittaker earned his scars the hard way, but the scars that can't be seen are the ones that haunt him the most. Since he moved to Fool's Gold, California, he's cobbled together a life for himself as a bodyguard trainer. If he's not exactly happy, at least his heart is safe. 

Working with pro-football superstars taught tough-talking PR woman Taryn Crawford one thing—she can go toe-to-toe with any man. But then dark, dangerous former Special Ops Angel targets her for seduction…and challenges her to resist his tempting kisses. 

Even in four-inch heels, Taryn never backs down. Unless, somehow, Angel can convince her that surrender might feel even better than victory.

Another Fool's Gold novel hits the shelves on April 29th, and my, oh my, Ms Mallery has given us another fantastic book! I have never said a bad word about the Fool's Gold series and I doubt I will. These books are just feel good stuff. This one gave me butterflies in my belly and made me smile, as do all of her books.

Taryn wasn't particularly thrilled when her football player counterparts in the sports agency she partners in move to tiny Fool's Gold. Everyone is so friendly. Maybe too friendly. Taryn has a very tough exterior. As a child she was abandoned by her mother and abused by her father, she ran away as a teenager and managed to make it on her own through college. After a very brief marriage to one of the football players, Jack fronts her the money to start up her own PR firm and after the boys retire from football, the get on board.

Angel's family is killed in a car accident when he is away on a job, and he still believes if he had been home, the accident wouldn't have happened and his wife and son would be alive. Angel works at the bodyguard school in Fool's Gold and knows immediately that Taryn is the one he wants, even with all her city ways and her sky high heels. 

When Angel gets roped into volunteering for girl scout like group, he brings Taryn on board to help him with his group of seven year old girls. 

This book was absolutely fabulous. I can't say how much I loved it. I say that about everything she writes, don't I? But anyone who reads her, understands! Taryn and Angel are a perfect match. I laugh all the time when Taryn's wardrobe is mentioned, mostly because besides work, I am the yoga pants wearing Larissa all the way! There are not a pair of heels in my shoe closet (which is limited to one of each basic type of shoe!).  

Taryn's past has her so leary of pretty much any type of relationship, whether it be friendly or romantic, that the small town of Fool's Gold and how everyone knows everyone (and each other's business) is unusual and somewhat frightening to her. Angel gets under her skin. 

I'm not sure what else to say about this book. Susan Mallery is an absolutely fantastic author of feel good stories. Each book always makes me smile, which is awesome when I am going through a tough spot. I can always rely on a Susan Mallery book to perk me up. Thank you so much for all your wonderful work!