Review: Romeantically Challenged by Marina Adair

Book description:

Growing up the lone Asian in a community of WASPs, Annie has always felt out of place. Her solution? Start a family of her own. Not easy when every man she’s dated, including her ex-fiancée, finds “his person” right after breaking up with Annie. Even worse than canceling the wedding eight weeks beforehand? Learning the “other woman” plans to walk down the aisle wearing her wedding gown. New plan—find a fresh, man-free start. Too bad her exit strategy unexpectedly lands her working at a hospital in Rome, Rhode Island, rather than Rome, Italy, and sharing a cabin with a big, brooding, and annoyingly hot male roommate.

Home on medical leave after covering a literally explosive story in China, investigative photojournalist Emmitt embarks on his most important assignment—cementing his place in his daughter’s life. Three men and a baby might work in the movies, but with a stepdad and devoted uncle competing for Paisley’s attention, Emmitt has lost his place at the family table. Then there’s the adorably sexy squatter in his cabin, who poses another problem, one he’d very much like to solve up close and personal. But he can’t win—Annie has sworn off men, Paisley’s gone boy crazy, and Emmitt’s estranged father reappears with a secret that changes everything.

Annie and Emmitt are about to discover love comes in many forms, and sometimes the best families are the ones we make.

My review: 

          I love enemies to lovers stories and after reading the firstlook I really thought this book would be the perfect romcom read. Unfortunately the story seemed to drag for me. I mean everything seemed fine in theory, but the execution of it just left me bored! I had to keep forcing myself to read to get through this one and even had to take breaks to read other books to try to refresh. No matter how optimistic I would be going back into the story, it just never hit home with me. It also really annoyed me that Emmitt knew and even talked about how Anh hates being called Annie and only does it to make other people happy, YET he turns around and calls her Annie over half of the time himself. I mean seriously, why? I hate that I didn't like this one more. It had great potential. 

** I received this book through bookishfirst and this is my honest and voluntary review. **

        

Review: Rambling Star Ranch by Diane J. Reed

About the Book

Tempest Wright has become a local celebrity with the tough love advice she dishes out on her popular radio show in the small western town of Bandits Hollow. She’s got all the answers for kicking two-timing husbands, freeloaders, and other losers to the curb. That is, until her son’s unruly Angus nearly gets him thrown out of 4-H. Not even Tempest’s shock jock one-liners can get through to this little bull, and what she needs most is an expert cowboy to put the animal through his paces. Little does she know that handsome steer wrestler Dixon Ramsey has a few sexy and surprising paces of his own. And with a bit of magical help from Granny Tinker, Dixon shows Tempest a whole new world where love is real on the range, second chances are worth fighting for, and only the toughest cowboys survive–because they know how to stay.

My review:

Rambling Star Ranch is a fun and captivating romance with just the right touch of magical realism. Tempest is a strong yet vulnerable woman and a wonderful mother. Exactly the type of character I love to read about! She has been hurt in her past and basically made a job out of protecting others from the same fate. She's built the walls around her heart so tall and strong she's even earned the nickname Tempest the Terminator. Don't let her fool you though. I knew right away when she met Dixon (a.k.a. accidentally groped his chest lol) that she was going to fall head over heels for the handsome cowboy. He's definitely a charmer and I loved how he cared for not only her, but also her son. Dixon is confident, handsome, a gentleman, and a cowboy... How could she possibly resist?!! Their chemistry is great and their easy banter kept a smile on my face. The entire setting of the story with the fair and the competition is just such fun and I was completely immersed in the story. The magical realism is always part of the wonderful charm from this author and I love that she included my favorite mystical character Granny Tinker. It just wouldn't be the same without her meddling! So if you're like me and handsome cowboys, witty banter, mischievous old ladies, and a bit of magic are your thing then this book is for you!

** I received a copy of this book from the author. This is my honest and voluntary review. **