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Three Reasons You Should Read This Small Town Contemporary Romance:
Accidentally Perfect by Marissa Clarke is a great story with happy endings all over the place in just the right ways. Even the characters I never expected to see get one.
Lillian is more than a workaholic – she eats, breaths, and sleeps her job. And watching her learn there’s more to life (and work won’t completely collapse without her) was a lot of fun.
The handful of houses that make up Blink, Maine are charming (but on the verge of running down), and you can see the spark come back to the place as the chapters go on.
Workaholic Lillian Mahoney has given everything to her job. The hugely popular lifestyle show she helped create monopolizes her time, energy, creativity, and anything remotely resembling a life. But all it takes is the show’s womanizing, egomaniac star throwing a massive hissy on live TV to utterly implode Lillian’s career in a New York minute.
Now Lillian’s hiding out in the gorgeous and completely unknown seaside village of Blink, Maine. Out of gas. A stolen wallet. A broken heel. And worse, she’s somehow managed to completely piss off the town’s resident hunk, Caleb Wright. She’ll show that hot, grumpy single father exactly what she’s made of.
But Blink isn’t quite what Lillian expects—and neither is Caleb…or his feisty teen daughter she can’t help but love. And while her entire life and career are in shreds, Lillian might just discover what happens when she gives her bad first impression a second chance…
The characters in Accidentally Perfect by Marissa Clarke had me from the very beginning. Even the annoying co-worker that screws up everything – ya, I loved him too. He was the unexpected star of the book. But not so much of a star that he takes away from Lillian and Caleb’s romance.
Lillian’s introduction to Blink, Maine, was not the best. And it set up the one conflict I just didn’t quite believe. Caleb instantly dislikes Lillian, and even though the author tried to explain why – it just didn’t add up to me. It set up the whole “I can never trust a person like that” trope, but the mistrust seemed very misplaced. I just didn’t get it.
The residents of Blink were a good mix of people. A few that you would expect to see in a small-town romance, but there were also a few fresh personalities and family histories. They were a diverse mix and seemed to genuinely care for and look out for each other. And they welcome Lillian into their community, and she finds her way to contribute and help make Blink a better place.
As a person that reads both open and closed-door romances, it didn’t even occur to me that this was closed-door until it was all over. There is so much passion and so many sparks flying between these two, that I don’t think anyone will be disappointed. This was a fantastic story, with lots of great characters and plots that I really enjoyed.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure for more details.
Three Reasons You Should Read This Dragon-Shifter Paranormal Romance:
The Rogue King by Abigail Owen is a very exciting adventure into a land of dragon wars and intrigue with some magic to keep things interesting.
Kasia is a bit of a mystery at first, but her strong personality and unique outlook on like made her a favorite from the very beginning.
Brand is all things dark and broody that you would expect from a dragon, but he has an altruistic side that really balanced out his character – also, he’s pretty smoking in several ways.
Kasia Amon is a master at hiding. Who—and what—she is makes her a mark for the entire supernatural world. Especially dragon shifters. To them, she’s treasure to be taken and claimed. A golden ticket to their highest throne. But she can’t stop bursting into flames, and there’s a sexy dragon shifter in town hunting for her…
As a rogue dragon, Brand Astarot has spent his life in the dark, shunned by his own kind, concealing his true identity. Only his dangerous reputation ensures his survival. Delivering a phoenix to the feared Blood King will bring him one step closer to the revenge he’s waited centuries to take. No way is he letting the feisty beauty get away.
But when Kasia sparks a white-hot need in him that’s impossible to ignore, Brand begins to form a new plan: claim her for himself…and take back his birthright.
The Rogue King by Abigail Owen reads as equal parts fantasy/adventure as paranormal romance. There are some classic fantasy characters, but they feel a little unique in the way they interact and in the history they have lived. Brand especially has quite the back story, and it is revealed through the pages as Kasia learns more about him. And it is very interesting. He has lived a life different than most dragons, and his past has really shaped who he is now.
Kasia also has a bit of a past. I guess when dealing with near-immortal creatures you’re bound to have some crazy stories to tell. Her story is of a fight to survive and stay hidden from the world. She trusts no one, and Brand will need to work very hard to prove himself to her. I didn’t quite understand why she was so willing to go on this trip to marry a strange dragon-king that she has never met. It seemed a little out of character to me, but it made for a good reason to keep Brand and Kasia together in close quarters.
The last third of the book is extremely exciting, full of battle, betrayal, and epic decisions. Everything is so chaotic, but it comes together gradually in a way that just seems to fit for everyone – or almost everyone. There are some big wins and victories, but the bigger battle isn’t quite over yet. My fantasy-loving heart loves the epic feel of this series starter, and I hope it continues to grow into a bigger story in future books.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
As an affiliate at retail sites, I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases. See my disclosure for more details.
Three Reasons You Should Read This Christian Fiction:
Beneath the Willow Tree by Anny Burrus is a quick and insightful read that really demonstrates trust and grace.
The fantasy world and characters do not detract from the message, but it is also told in a way that non-Christians would enjoy as a quick fantasy read.
The physical representation of hate and fear they way to remove and overcome this was well thought out and very tangible.
At least, that’s what Nova thought until she met him.
Her world is painful, her only solace a lone willow tree on the bank of a lake that she goes and sits under at the end of the day. Trust is a word to be laughed at and mocked, not encouraged or actually done. The Mark has made it that way.
But then, she meets a man without a Mark. And he says he can do the impossible, the unheard of, what she has longed for. He says he can free her. But in order for him to do it, she must trust him, something she is sure she cannot do.
Beneath the Willow Tree is a standalone Christian fantasy short story, but can be read and enjoyed by non-Christians.
Beneath the Willow Tree by Abby Burrus was a quick, thoughtful, and entertaining short story. I enjoy short stories since they are great for a quick start to finish in an hour or less type of book. However, I think this one could have used a little more length. I wanted to know more about the land and how the marks appeared. I think that as a fantasy reader, I expect a little more world-building and details to my stories, but as an inspirational or Christian reader, I don’t always expect that. Beneath the Willow Tree straddles those worlds for me so I keep going back and forth on whether or not I wanted to be longer.
I really enjoyed how the message is obvious, but not preachy. (I really dislike preachy books.) There is no missing it, but it’s woven in as such an integral part of the story that you just absorb it along with all the rest and it just fits very well.
**I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book**
