Rainy Day Ramblings

The Sunday Post 344th Edition

The Sunday Post is a weekly post hosted by The Caffeinated Book Reviewer. It is a chance to share all the news and highlights on your blog for the past and upcoming weeks. Head over to Kimberly's for details and to link up!

We made it through another week! As a reward, I have earned a three day holiday weekend! Yeah! I am looking forward to sleeping in relaxing and getting caught up on a few things. I am over the cold I caught, but now my son has had it this past week, so I have been treated to listening to him hack and cough. Yuck! It is going around so wash your hands! Hopefully you are all staying well out there.

I am still blogging by the seat of my pants, I keep thinking I will catch up, but then I don't. Oh well. I am doing what I can.

Anyway, this is what I posted last week:

Monday: Review: Tweet Cute by Emma Lord

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Romantic Reads Recommendations

Wednesday: The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett

Thursday: Review: Born to Be a Cowboy by R.C. Ryan

Friday: Friday Forecast

Received for review:

Next up: 

Monday: Review: A Heart So Fierce and Broken by Brigid Kemmerer

Tuesday: Tell Me Something Tuesday: Who are some of the recent debut/ new to me authors that impressed you?

Wednesday: Review: One Of Us Is Next by Karen McManus

Thursday: Review: Cowboy Courage by Carolyn Brown

Friday: Friday Forecast

That's it, have a lovely weekend!

Friday Forecast February 16th-22nd

It's finally Friday! We survived another week. It's also Valentine's Day. Hopefully, you have something picked out for the special person(s) in your life. If not, consider a book? Also, if you don't happen to have a Valentine this year, no worries, be kind and treat yourself. You deserve it! I have some books suggestions for you all with this week's upcoming preview of books bound for a bookstore shelf near you. See what grabs your eyes this week! (Click on covers for details).

Forecast February 16th-22nd

 

A little of this, a little of that! What do you like? 

Have a great weekend!

 

Review: Born to Be a Cowboy(Montana Strong #3) by R.C. Ryan

 

 

After running wild in his youth, Finn Monroe is now on the other side of the law as the local attorney. Between his practice and working at his family’s ranch, his days aren’t as exciting as they used to be–until Jessica Blair steps into his office. Gorgeous and determined, Jessie has a hunch her aunt is in trouble, and Finn is her last hope. As someone who relies on facts rather than feelings, Finn is skeptical. But it can’t hurt to do a little digging.

Jessie knows her aunt, and there is no way she would disappear on an “extended honeymoon” after hastily marrying a smooth-talking cowboy. Something is wrong, and Jessie is going to find out what. As soon as she and Finn start poking around, it becomes clear someone is willing to go to great lengths to keep them from the truth. But as the danger grows, so does their attraction. With both their lives on the line, Finn will discover just how far he’ll go to keep Jessie safe.

Includes Cowboy to the Rescue, a bonus novella by A.J. Pine!
Kindle Edition, 1st edition, 464 pages
Published November 26th 2019 by Forever
Source: Publisher

 

 

Two stars: A book that starts out with a strong mystery but quickly falters with stupid decisions. 

 

Finn is happy that he survived childhood, thanks to his adoptive father, Mac. Now days, Finn is small town lawyer as well as a rancher. He enjoys being close to his brothers and Mac. Finn’s world is suddenly turned upside down when a pretty young woman walks into his office with a big problem. Jessie’s beloved aunt is missing after a sudden whirlwind marriage to a man Jessie never met. Now Nola is nowhere to be found, and Jessie can’t convince the local law enforcement to help. Then the private investigator Jessie hired mysteriously dies before he can impart the information he uncovered to Jessie. Desperate, Jessie appeals to Finn for help. Finn finds himself pulled into the strange case, but the two quickly learn that someone is willing to go to great lengths to prevent them from learning the truth. Will they find Aunt Nola in time?

What I Liked:

• Born to Be a Cowboy is a book that starts out with a small town, cowboys and a suspenseful case. I was immediately drawn in by the mystery of what happened to Aunt Nola, plus I wanted to learn more about Finn and his troubled past. 
• It isn’t often that I find cowboy romances with a suspenseful story line. I was pleased to find that this one had a strong mystery. The more Finn and Jessie poked around, the more dangerous things became. I was eager to learn the truth behind the case. 
• I loved the strong family bonds in this one. I hadn’t read the two previous novels in this series so I wasn’t familiar with Finn and his brothers. The book opens with a heart wrenching scene as young, belligerent Finn tries to prove to his new adoptive father that he can do everything on his own, until he can’t. My heart immediately went out to Finn and his brothers, I wanted to know more. I liked that the brothers found a home with Mac, and I especially loved that they all were a tight knit family. I especially enjoyed the cozy scenes at the ranch when the family gathered for meals. It was delightful to see how the brothers were always there for each other. 
• This is the third book in the series, but it reads as a stand alone. I had no trouble jumping in. I only wished that I knew more about the other two brothers and the stories behind their relationships. 
• The book ends in a good spot. All the major questions are answered and the story concludes with a nice happy moment which is a relief after a bunch of ridiculous drama. 

And The Not So Much:

• I thought the romance was too hurried. It felt way too much like insta love. I wanted more buildup and chemistry. I didn’t enjoy it. In my opinion it didn’t feel genuine. Finn is supposed to be this rough, tough man with a troubled past, but that doesn’t come through. Instead his character felt like a man written by a woman, if that makes sense. 
• The mystery was interesting until the final third. Then things got ridiculous. I was so frustrated by Jessie and her stupidity. It was absolutely foolish the way she dropped everything and practically ran into the arms of the villain. Her common sense and intelligence went right out the window. I was disgusted. Things went downhill from there. I could barely skim the final portion I was so irritated by the dumbass decisions. 
• After the silliness of the mystery is concluded, the reader is treated to another frustrating mess. The author throws in a pathetic romantic stumble. I don’t know why she decided to make a further mess of the story by adding this pitiful excuse for why they supposedly can’t be together. Ugh!

Born to Be a Cowboy is a book I wanted to like, as I was drawn in by Finn’s troubled past and the mystery and suspense. Unfortunately, the insta love romance was not for me. Then the book falls off the train track during the final portion when Jessie decides to act like a complete imbecile. The final chapters are ridiculous. This is a book I can’t recommend as I was irritated by too many things. Skip it. 

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review. 

Review: The Lady Rogue by Jenn Bennett

 

Some legends never die…

Traveling with her treasure-hunting father has always been a dream for Theodora. She’s read every book in his library, has an impressive knowledge of the world’s most sought-after relics, and has all the ambition in the world. What she doesn’t have is her father’s permission. That honor goes to her father’s nineteen-year-old protégé—and once-upon-a-time love of Theodora’s life—Huck Gallagher, while Theodora is left to sit alone in her hotel in Istanbul.

Until Huck returns from an expedition without her father and enlists Theodora’s help in rescuing him. Armed with her father’s travel journal, the reluctant duo learns that her father had been digging up information on a legendary and magical ring that once belonged to Vlad the Impaler—more widely known as Dracula—and that it just might be the key to finding him.

Journeying into Romania, Theodora and Huck embark on a captivating adventure through Gothic villages and dark castles in the misty Carpathian Mountains to recover the notorious ring. But they aren’t the only ones who are searching for it. A secretive and dangerous occult society with a powerful link to Vlad the Impaler himself is hunting for it, too. And they will go to any lengths—including murder—to possess it. 
Audiobook
Published September 3rd 2019 by Simon Schuster Audio
Source: Publisher

 

Three and a half stars: An exciting historical mystery with magic and legends, but the romance a fizzle and the authenticity was lacking for the time period.

Theodora is dismayed when her traveling companion deserts her spur of the moment leaving her in a bit of a bind. Even worse, she absconds with all of the cash left to Theodora by her father. How is Theodora going to get herself out of this mess? Luckily for her, Huck, her lost love, shows up completely out of the blue to help her out. Unfortunately, Huck comes bearing bad news. Theodora’s treasure hunting father has gone missing under suspicious circumstances. It seems that Theodora’s father was desperately trying to locate a mythical ring, one tied to the infamous Vlad the Impaler. The two set out to find Theodora’s father and the ring, only to discover that they aren’t the only ones after the ring. Will they find Theodora’s father in time?

What I Liked:

• Lady Rogue is a book that pulled me in with its interesting characters and exciting mystery. This book starts out with a bang. Prepare for mystery, mayhem, magic and romance. 
• Theodora and Huck are a delight. The two have a long history together. They met at a young age, both reeling from tragedy. They bonded over their mutual sadness, becoming friends and pseudo siblings. Later, their relationship turned romantic with disastrous consequences, ending in their separation. Months later, they are reunited, but the issues of the past are left simmering beneath the surface. Neither wants to talk about them, thus the reader is treated to constant bantering and bickering which is delightful. I loved the humorous dialogue between the two as well as the sexual innuendos. So much fun. 
• The book takes place in the 1930s, in Europe. I liked traversing through Turkey and Romania. There was even a train ride on the famous Orient Express. Once the duo lands in Romania, a strange mystery awaits them, one with roots in the legend of Vlad the Impaler. 
• I enjoyed the hints of magic and fantasy, it added to the mystery of the book. 
• The book builds and builds to a thrilling and dramatic climax, and then settles with a quiet ending. After the dust settles, things bode well for the characters and new adventures are lined up in the wings. 

And The Not So Much:

• Sigh... I am not sure where this one went wrong for me. I was immediately sucked in, but somewhere around the three quarter mark, the story began to falter. I think because when the whole legend of Dracula story came into play, it felt too much like a been there done that for me. It was reminiscent of many other stories I have read in this vein. I lost interest fast. 
• Even though I liked Hugh and Theodora together, I never felt the chemistry of their romance. The banter was so much fun, but there was this certain situation hanging over them. I kept thinking with each chapter they would get it all out in the open and fix their issues, but no.... it dragged on and on and on, and then when they do finally talk, the heat and chemistry wasn’t there. It was a big fizzle for me after all the lead up. I wanted so much more. 
• This is a personal niggle, but I was annoyed with Hugh’s nickname for Theodora. He called her Banshee because she wailed and cried over her dead mother as a young girl. Not a very nice nickname, in my opinion. Plus I got tired  of him calling her that the entire book. 
• Even though the ending was dramatic and exciting, it was way too much. I didn’t care for the grand gestures of magic. 
• The book supposedly takes place in the 1930s, but it didn’t feel like it. The characters back and forth dialogue felt modern. I don’t think Ms. Bennett captured the era well at all. 

Lady Rogue is a book that pulled me in with its exciting mystery and engaging characters. I loved traversing through Europe on the hunt for the legendary Vlad the Impaler. Unfortunately, the book lost steam around the three quarters mark. I wasn’t a fan of the chaotic ending, or the romance. This book had a lot of potential, but knowing what Ms. Bennett is capable of, I expected way better. Here’s hoping book two is better. 

I received a copy of this book in exchange for and honest review. All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for this review. 

Tell Me Something Tuesday #222: Romantic Read Recommendations

Tell Me Something Tuesday is a weekly discussion post here on Rainy Day Ramblings where I discuss a wide range of topics from books to blogging. Weigh in and join the conversation by adding your thoughts in the comments. If you want to do your own post, grab the question and answer it on your blog. Feel free to leave your links in the comments if you are participating.

 

This week’s post is all about romance:

Romantic Reads Recommendations

This coming Friday is Valentine’s Day, so what better time to check out some romantic reads. 

Unfortunately, I have been in a reading slump lately and some of the romantic reads I picked up hoping would perk me up ended up being fails for me, while others liked them. 

I went back over the last four months and pulled a few romance books that I enjoyed. Here are the reads that tugged on my heartstrings:

Tweet Cute by Emma Lord: This is a cute contemporary romance that borrows from You’ve Got Mail. I loved the relationship between Jack and Pepper, in real life and online. This was an adorable little read.

 

The Bromance Book Club: The Bromance Book Club isn’t your run of the mill romance. I liked that this was a second chance romance all about repairing a broken marriage. This was a story about reflection, change and righting some wrongs with a little help from the Bromance Book Club. I enjoyed the heartfelt moments as well as the hilarious parts too. This is a fun, flirty read perfect for anyone who wants something different in the romance genre. 

Heidi’s Guide To Four Letter Words by Tara Sivec and Andi Arndt: Heidi’s Guide to Four Letter Words is a book that should be made into a rom com. This is a hilarious story about a former Kindergarten teacher who inadvertently lands a job that exposes her to erotica. Prepare for lots of laughs and plenty of misadventures as Heidi learns a thing or two about life, romance and how to say four letter erotic words without blushing. If you want a laugh out loud read, this is one to grab. 

 

Stationery Shop by Marjan Karmal: The Stationery Shop is a star crossed lovers tale that will haunt you. I appreciated that the author brought a story set in 1953 during a turbulent time in Iran. It isn’t often you get stories featuring characters from Iran. This book is not only educational but entertaining as well. This is a memorable story that centers on love, family, friendship, heartbreak, betrayal and political upheaval. Prepare for a great romance laced with heartbreak and destiny. 

 

Things You Save in a Fire by Katherine Center: Things You Save in a Fire was a profound and heartfelt read. There was so much to love about this one. I adored the characters, I loved learning about the inner workings of a firehouse, and I especially liked that this one was all about life, love, forgiveness and finding yourself after trauma. This was a lovely read. I hope you will try it!

 

These are the romantic reads that I loved over the last few months. What about you?

Next week’s question: 

Who are some of the recent debut/ new to me authors that impressed you?