ARC Review: A Barker Family Christmas by Juliana Stone

A Barker Family Christmas is a great catch-up for fans of the Barker Triplets series from Juliana Stone. This novella gives the reader a glimpse into the HEAs of each of the "Twins" and takes place at Christmas time as well as the surprise wedding of Betty Jo and Beau. Things start off with Bobbi and Shane facing some difficulties in their relationship. Billie and Logan are adjusting to life with a small child and little alone time for themselves. While Betty Jo and Beau prepare for their wedding, something has been off with Betty Jo and everyone is beginning to notice. Will everything come together in time for the wedding?

I really enjoyed seeing each of these couples deal with everything that they had going on. Shane and Bobbi were struggling, and the worst part is that Bobbi was hiding from Shane. They needed to just talk and get everything out in the open, and I was so glad when Shane refused to let Bobbi to continue to hide. She needed to hear that he loved her always and that they were supposed to be together no matter what. Logan and Billie were in desperate need of some alone time together, and it was clear that these two had a lot to make up for. They love their family, but sometimes a couple just needs to be able to have a night out. Their evening was far from what they planned, but it ended up working out and being exactly what each of them needed. I really enjoyed seeing Betty Jo and Beau as their wedding approached. I loved her surprise for Beau and I could tell right away what was going on. But I also really enjoyed seeing her friendship with Matt. It was a great part of the story, and really got me interested in seeing what the future holds for him.

Overall, this quick holiday novella was good and I enjoyed spending a little bit of time with the Barkers and their guys. I liked seeing all the secondary characters as well, and thought that this was a great catch'up to this series. I am intrigued by some of these characters and hope that each of them will get their HEAs as well. If you are a fan of this series, you definitely will not want to miss this story. I look forward to reading more from Juliana Stone in the future.

**ARC Provided by Author**

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Crazy Hijinks...with Emily Greenwood and Giveaway

Crazy Hijinks on Christmas Eve - Emily Greenwood

Emily Greenwood worked for a number of years as a writer, crafting newsletters and fundraising brochures, but she far prefers writing playful love stories set in Regency England, and she thinks romance novels are the chocolate of literature. A Golden Heart finalist, she lives in Maryland with her husband and two daughters.

Find Emily at:

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ARC Review: Vivian by Bernadette Marie

Vivian the conclusion of the trilogy wraps up all the loose ends and explains why Adam did everything he did. In Penelope they met the new High School teacher with two daughters of his own, Clayton North. Vivian and Clayton start off rocky. Vivian thinks Clayton is still married because he hasn’t taken off his wedding ring. Clayton loved his wife and lost her in a school shooting and is now raising his two girls by himself. He moved his two girls here away from family because he couldn’t get past the memories and the sympathetic looks of everyone. Starting over in a new town and meeting Vivian helps him move past the pain he still feels. Vivian finally accepting it wasn’t her fault or Adam’s she moves on in her life and into Clayton's life.

All the while the old house Adam’s father gave the girls to use as their daycare center keeps getting broken into and Adam’s psycho mother has gone missing, only to turn up murdered and later his father is also murdered. It has a very exciting and happy conclusion for the book and the series.

Overall I loved this series with its continuing story arc throughout the books it keeps you wanting more to find out what why. Amelia is the strong one with the heart of gold Penelope is the sweet one that everyone wants to protect and Vivian is the bitter one who probably lost the most. Adam Monroe at first seems like a douche bag with three wives but with each book a little more is revealed to change your perspective of him. Our three heroes prove their value to each of their counter parts and prove that they are perfect for them. Bernadette Marie has a smooth style that is easy to follow and easy to love.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Penelope by Bernadette Marie

Penelope is the third and the youngest of The Three Mrs. Monroe widows. When she turned up in Oklahoma for Adam’s funeral a couple of months pregnant she went from being alone and pregnant to having two of the best friends and a job in the making. She is quite content with how things are going with her life. Then Brock Romero shows up on the doorstep of the soon to be Daycare looking for Penelope. Adam Monroe died in the arms of Brock and spoke of Penelope, and how he wanted Brock to look after his young pregnant wife for him. Brock shows up with a box of Adam’s things that raises a bunch of questions for Vivian. Brock has been half in love with Penelope since before Adam died but Penelope is understandably a little hesitant after her disastrous hasty farce of a marriage to Adam. Brock is not like anyone she has ever known and she has no idea why he would love a woman who is pregnant with another man’s baby. But Brock doesn’t care and his big family is ready to welcome her with open arms too.

Along with Brock and Penelope falling in love, the mystery of why Adam had three wives just keeps building, a little is revealed only to reveal more questions. In the attic they found stashed letters bunches of letters from Adam to Vivian. It turns out Adam’s mother hated Vivian so much she kept things from her and lied to Adam about her. Penelope is a sweet story and it was a great read.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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Alone with a Rogue...with Lily Dalton and Giveaway

Alone with a Rogue on Christmas Eve - Lily Dalton

Lily lives in Texas where she writes looking out over a garden tended by her handsome, big-hearted Tex-Czech husband. She suffers endless (fun and always welcome!) interruptions by her two children. And like many authors, she writes with a cat—or two—wrapped around her legs.

Places to find Lily:

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ARC Review: Shattered by Love by C.A. Harms

I have been waiting for this book since Max was first introduced. I have loved getting to know the characters of the Scarred by Love series, but there has always just been something about Max. C.A. Harms definitely did not disappoint with this installment in the series, and I honestly loved it. Max was everything I had been waiting for and more. This book was definitely my favorite so far in the series, even though I have really enjoyed each book.

Max has always been cocky and arrogant. He took what he wanted with little regard for anyone but himself. Though he liked Bree, he never committed himself to her and didn't treat her the way she deserved. Finally deciding that enough is enough, Bree sets out to move past what she had with Max. Though she loves him, she wants and deserves more and is tired of hoping for him to return her feelings. But when things suddenly change after a devastating night on the job for Max, he realizes just how badly he has screwed up. Max sets out to win back Bree, knowing that he must do anything he can to prove to her he has changed. But will it be too little too late?

I loved Max! He was a cocky jerk that didn't think of others and had been so used to getting what he wanted. He was horrible to Bree and she was pretty much a hookup that he thought little of. But then you get to know him in this book and start to see that he had been pushing her away and denying his feelings. He was beating himself up so badly through this book because of everything, and you could really see just how awful he felt. He knew that he screwed up and that he had a lot of making up to do, and I think that was what won me over fully for him. He wasn't afraid to lay it all on the line and admit not only his faults but also his feelings. Bree had been through so much and at first glance she kind of came off as a bit of a doormat. She let Max get away with a ton, but as the story went on you got to see that she really was standing up for herself and making him work for it. Her feelings for Max were so strong, and she loved him faults and all. So it was really easy for me to see why she kept hoping that things between them would change, even after everything he had put her through. I am so glad that she gave him more than one chance, because these two were so great together. They were super hot and you could really feel the chemistry between them, but the love these two shared was undeniable.

Overall, I really enjoyed this installment. Max and Bree are my favorite characters from this series so far, although I love them all. Something about Max and Bree really spoke to me though, and I felt more connected to these two than I have with the others. They are both fighters and would do anything for those they loved, and I think that is a lot of why I just couldn't get enough of these two. I definitely recommend this series, and each book can be read as a standalone story. But I really like this series and would suggest starting at the beginning. You get so much more out of each story knowing what the characters have been through and seeing the progress each of them has made. I loved how C.A. Harms set up Tanner's story next, and I am really looking forward to seeing him work for it like Max did. Tanner might have even more ground to make up when it comes to winning Lil over and I can't wait to see how hard he falls.

**ARC Provided by HEA Bookshelf Tours**

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ARC Review: The Shape of My Heart by Ann Aguirre

The Shape of My Heart is the third book in the 2B Trilogy by Ann Aguirre. I have really enjoyed this series so far, and I couldn't wait to get Max's story. This one was really good, and it might even be my favorite. I really liked Max and Courtney together, and this book was really sweet. I definitely recommend this series if you are a NA fan.

Courtney lost the boy she loved when she was seventeen, and since then she has just started to put her life back together. After going to rehab for taking pills just to cope, she is finally doing better and is focused on school. When her best friend and roommate Max asks her to go with him to his grandfather's funeral, she agrees knowing that things between them are about to change. Courtney and Max grow even closer while on the road and out of town, and soon they are both thinking of each other as more than just friends. Though they don't want to risk their friendship, they decide to take the risk and see where things go. Things between them are almost perfect until the real world starts to get in their way. Can Courtney and Max find a way to keep others and life out of their relationship, or will there be too many obstacles between them?

I really liked Max and Courtney. They had both been hurt and weren't the best with relationships. Max had a horrible upbringing and was forced to take care of himself at a very young age. He thought that his family blamed him for a horrible accident and was used to others not caring about him. Courtney had lost her boyfriend and struggled with how to cope and move on. But in each other they found not only friendship but the love that they both craved. I liked how real these two were. They were both just normal people that had been hurt looking for someone to care about them. I thought that they were perfect for one another, and their connection was so deep. These two truly belonged together, and I loved the chemistry and bond between them.

Overall, I loved how this book wrapped things up. Courtney and Max's relationship was probably my favorite of the three books, but I really enjoyed seeing all the characters and how things turned out for them. They were each so different, but yet they were able to build such lasting friendships and relationships. Courtney and Max's story wasn't always easy, and I thought that each of them handled things poorly on more than one occasion. But I really loved seeing these two fall in love and figure out how to support and encourage one another when things got tough. I look forward to more from Ann Aguirre in the future.

**ARC Provided by Harlequin**

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A foiled spy mission...with Tracey Devlyn and Giveaway

A foiled spy mission on Christmas Eve - Tracey Devlyn

Tracey Devlyn is an award-winning author who writes historical romantic thrillers (translation: a slightly more grievous journey toward the heroine’s happy ending). She’s a co-founder of Romance University, a group blog dedicated to readers and writers of romance, and Lady Jane’s Salon-Naperville, Chicagoland’s exciting new reading salon devoted to romantic fiction.

An Illinois native, Tracey spends her evenings harassing her once-in-a-lifetime husband and her weekends torturing her characters. For more information on Tracey, including her Internet haunts, contest updates, and details on her upcoming novels, please visit her website.

Find Tracey at:

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ARC Review: Falling for the Enemy by Samanthe Beck

Falling for the Enemy is the third book in the Private Pleasures series by Samanthe Beck, but each book can be read as a standalone with interconnected characters. I really enjoyed this book, and it has everything that I look for in a good romance! This one was hot and sexy, while being witty and fun as well. I had a great time reading this one, and it definitely brought the heat.

Tired of the way things are going in her small town, salon owner Virginia Boca decides to run for mayor of Bluelick. She has taken a vow of celibacy during the election to continue her plan of playing the good girl. But when she is almost run over by the town idiot, she is rescued by a scruffy stranger. Ginny offers to give him a haircut and a shave in order to thank him for saving her, and soon the haircut turns into hot sex that neither of them can forget. But when Ginny finds out that her sexy stranger Shaun is actually her opponent's son, she knows that it can never happen again. But Shaun and Ginny find themselves unable to stay away from each other, and decide to keep their sexy times a secret until the election is over. But in a town as small as Bluelick, nothing stays a secret for long.

I really loved Shaun and all his Wolverine hotness! He was sexy and strong, and he kept Ginny on her toes. I loved seeing these two interact, and their witty banter was awesome. These two had so much passion and intensity between them, and every time they were around each other you could practically see the sparks between them. Ginny was fun to read about, because she was so real. She was intelligent and fun, and I loved that she spoke her mind. She wasn't afraid to go against the grain, and I was rooting for her the entire time. Ginny and Shaun had fantastic chemistry and were so hot together, but I also really enjoyed seeing them get to know one another and fall for each other beyond just physically.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was sexy and fun, and I was drawn into the story right away. I finished this story pretty quickly because I was having such a great time reading about Ginny and Shaun. I really enjoyed the secondary characters as well, and it was great to see what the other couples from the series were up to as well. I definitely recommend this story, and I think that romance readers will really enjoy this one as much as I did. If you are looking for some seriously sexy scenes, look no further. I can't wait to read more from Samanthe Beck in the future.

**ARC Provided by Entangled Publishing**

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ARC Review: Amelia by Bernadette Marie

The series The Three Mrs. Monroes is a three part story about the women who were unbeknownst to them all married to the same man. These books are a wonderful example of Bernadette Marie's writings; full of emotion, humor and romance. Amelia is a quick and lovely read.

The first book of The Three Mrs. Monroes starts with a funeral. Amelia shows up in a Podunk Oklahoma town for the funeral of her husband, Adam Monroe, who died in combat. She is not all that torn up about it because she had asked him for a divorce after she found out she was already married. She originally hadn’t planned to come to the funeral because his first wife and two kids would undoubtedly be there, but Adam’s lawyer had called her and asked her to come to the reading of the will. To her surprise a third wife shows up too. Amelia is immediately taken with Samuel Jackson, Adam’s lawyer. Amelia is a strong woman and isn’t shy to show what she wants and for some reason the bookish lawyer draws her attention. Penelope wife three is a young thing that Amelia feels the need to protect and it turns out that she’s pregnant with Adam’s child. At the reading of the will they learn the truth of why they all were called there, apparently the only legal marriage out of the three was Amelia’s and Adam left everything to her. Amelia doesn’t want it but with Sam’s help she devises a plan to benefit everyone.

The three Mrs. Monroe’s bind together and form an unlikely friendship after getting past their anger at each other and the insecurities that Amelia is going to take off with the money and a natural disaster, they become more like sister. The generosity of Adam’s father helps them even more with their goal to opening a daycare center by giving them his mother's old Victorian house he was renting out. Sam and Amelia fall in love, big surprise. I really liked this it was a great introduction to each of the characters and the situation they found themselves in.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: One Night: Denied by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Denied is the second book in the One Night Trilogy by Jodi Ellen Malpas. This book is not a standalone and should only be read after Promised. I am really loving this series, and I think that Jodi is a fantastic writer. I would definitely recommend this series, and I already cannot wait for the next book.

Denied picks up right after the events of Promised. Livy and Miller are not in a good place after everything that Livy has found out, but she can't help but want him in a way that she has never wanted anyone before. Despite everything that has happened, Livy is determined to show Miller that she can be his light in the darkness. But the more that Miller and Livy try to make things work between them, the more others seem to want to tear them apart. Livy and Miller must find a way to make it through Miller's past, his present, and most importantly Miller himself. Can they find a way to get over everything that has happened and move forward together? Or will there be too many forces trying to keep them apart for them to overcome?

I loved getting to know more about Miller in this book. We were left wondering so many things after Promised, so it was really nice to see some of his past and what had made him the man he was today. While not all the questions were answered, we definitely got a better idea of what he had been through and why he had certain issues. Miller had been through so much, and his dedication to Livy seemed to be the main reason that he was doing as well as he was. He was struggling with a lot, but you could really see her influence over him in the short amount of time they had known each other. He was able to loosen up a bit with her, even if it went against everything that he knew and felt comfortable with. He was really trying to do what was best for her, while also trying to be the man she deserved. Livy really impressed me in this book. Her loyalty to Miller through everything was something that really showed me the true depth of her feelings. Her love for Miller was unwavering in the face of so many obstacles, and honestly it made me really admire her character. I know that not everyone will understand her, but she is a fighter and I loved how determined she was.

Livy and Miller continued to have the passion and chemistry between them from the first book, but I really felt like their emotional bond grew a ton in Denied. These two are really starting to see how well they fit together, and that they just don't fit in the world they find themselves in. There is still so much more to this story, and I know that they have a long way to go. But I really believe that these characters are so right for each other, that there is no other option than for things to work out for them. I will say that there is a lot of push and pull in this book, and it does kind of feel as though they are going in circles. But the fact that they were able to go through everything that they did and were still so committed to one another was what made it bearable. I have loved these two characters and their story so far, and I am so ready for the next book in this series. I highly recommend this one, and I look forward to more from Jodi Ellen Malpas in the future.

**ARC Provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing)**

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A Celebration with Friends...with Susanna Ives and Giveaway

A Celebration with Friends on Christmas Eve - Susanna Ives

Susanna Ives grew up in the rural South, where she spent most of her youth at the local theater, acting in productions, working in the lighting booth, and building sets. Eventually she left her small town for the city lights of Atlanta, where she attended college and worked in corporations as a multimedia developer. These days she chases after her two curious, energetic children, designs web pages, and writes.

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ARC Review: Merry Christmas, Baby by Jill Shalvis

Fans of the Lucky Harbor series won't want to miss this one! Such a cute and quick read that I admit left me in happy tears. Reading this was just bittersweet. I'm a huge fan of the Lucky Harbor series and Chloe and Sawyer are not only my favorite couple of the series but one of my all-time favorite couples, so it was fun to see them again and be part of the next chapter in their lives.

Chloe and Sawyer are two of my favorite characters and to be able to see that together again five years later and still so much in love was great. Who does want to see sexy Sheriff Sawyer and wildcat Chloe become parents for the first time? These two share some cute and tender moments that will left with a smile on my face and tears in my eyes.

I won't lie I do wish there was a bit more but that is only because I don't want the series to be done. I will say that Merry Christmas, Baby was extremely satisfying. It was fun to not only get to see Sawyer and Chloe, but a few of the other characters that we've all come to know and love from the series. A fantastic ending to a superb series and I couldn't ask for more.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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