Category Archives: St Martin’s Griffin

June 30, 2022 · 12:01 am

Review: Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley

Title: Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 328 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A reality star and a cupcake-baking football player pretend to be a couple in order to save his bakery in this sweet and sexy romance from Jamie Wesley, Fake It Till You Bake It.

Jada Townsend-Matthews is the most reviled woman in America after turning down a proposal on a reality dating show. When she comes home to lick her wounds, Jada finds herself working at San Diego’s newest cupcake bakery, Sugar Blitz, alongside the uptight owner and professional football player Donovan Dell.

When a reporter mistakenly believes Jada and Donovan are an item, they realize they can use the misunderstanding to their advantage to help the struggling bakery and rehabilitate Jada’s image. Faking a relationship should be simple, but sometimes love is the most unexpected ingredient.

Fake it Till You Bake It is a sweet confection of a novel, the perfect story to curl up with and enjoy with a cupcake on the side.

Review:

Fake It Till You Bake It by Jamie Wesley is a delightfully cute romance.

Football player Donovan Dell co-owns a cupcake shop with his two teammates, Nicholas Connors and August Hodges. After a great opening, business has dropped off and with football training season approaching, they are trying to figure out how to regain their momentum.  When Donovan hears a customer’s uncomplimentary remarks about Sugar Blitz, he cannot resist trying to change her mind. They definitely start off on the wrong foot which makes it extremely uncomfortable when that customer turns out to be Jada Townsend-Matthews and she is his newest employee.

Jada has not quite figured out what she wants to do with her life. When things do not  turn out as planned with the reality show, she heads home to San Diego to lie low and decide what to do next. Jada is a bit of a disappointment to her über successful parents and she struggles with her self-esteem. She is not certain how working with Donovan will help her (or him) but she turns out to be an asset to Sugar Blitz.

Donovan is not just playing at being a business owner. He knows his football career has an end date and he is planning for his future. Donovan is not exactly thrilled that Jada is working at Sugar Blitz but he also cannot stay away from her. While she has surprisingly good ideas for bringing customers to the bakery, Donovan is also drawn to the vivacious beauty.

Fake It Till You Bake It is a heartwarming romance with a great cast of characters. Donovan and Jada are wonderfully drawn with realistic flaws. The storyline is engaging but it is slow for the first half of the story. While they both undergo personal growth, it is Jada who grows and matures as she finds her career niche.  Jada and Donovan’s fake relationship has plenty of sparks which makes it pretty inevitable that they try to turn their romance into a real one.  Less certain is if their relationship has staying power but never fear,  Jamie Wesley brings this charming romance to a very happy conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Fake It Till You Bake It, Jamie Wesley, Rated B, Review, Romance, St Martin's Griffin

December 20, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath

Title: Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath
The Merriwell Sisters Series Book One
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Historical, Romance
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: C

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

The first in a new historical rom-com series, a handsome earl hires a fake fiancée to keep his matchmaking mother at bay, but hilarity ensues when love threatens to complicate everything.

The last thing Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, ever wants is a wife. Unfortunately for him, his mother is determined to find him one, even from across the other side of the ocean. So Hugh invents a fake fiancée to keep his mother’s matchmaking ways at bay. But when Hugh learns his interfering mother is on a ship bound for England, he realizes his complicated, convoluted but convenient ruse is about to implode. Until he collides with a beautiful woman, who might just be the miracle he needs.

Minerva Merriwell has had to struggle to support herself and her two younger sisters ever since their feckless father abandoned them. Work as a woodcut engraver is few and far between, and the Merriwell sisters are nearly penniless. So when Hugh asks Minerva to pose as his fiancée while his mother is visiting, she knows that while the scheme sounds ludicrous, the offer is too good to pass up.

Once Minerva and her sisters arrive at Hugh’s estate, of course nothing goes according to his meticulous plan. As hilarity and miscommunication ensue while everyone tries to keep their tangled stories straight, Hugh and Minerva’s fake engagement starts to turn into a real romance. But can they trust each other when their relationship started with a lie? The first book in the Merriwell Sisters series, Never Fall for Your Fiancée is a hilarious, sparkling historical romantic comedy from Virginia Heath.

Review:

Never Fall for Your Fiancée by Virginia Heath is a lovely historical romance.

Hugh Standish, Earl of Fareham, evades his mother’s matchmaking by fabricating a romance with the mythical Minerva. He is able to keep the fake romance going only because she lives in America with her second husband. Hugh is charming and easygoing, but he does not reveal much about himself even to his best friend, Giles Sinclair. When Hugh receives a letter from his mother announcing she is coming for a visit, he is in a panic about finding someone to play his fake fiancée. A chance encounter with Minerva Merriwell is an unexpected gift if only he can convince her to take him up on his offer.

Minerva has sole responsibility of her two younger sisters, Diana and Vee. They are barely making ends meet but she is initially reluctant to become involved in Hugh’s scheme. Although she eventually agrees, Minerva is uncertain she made the right choice. She is a sensible young woman with a strong moral compass and it does not feel right to carry out such a charade. Additionally, her sisters are not exactly fully on board with her decision.

Minerva, Diana and Vee are fish out of water once they arrive at Hugh’s estate. But Minerva is committed to following through with her agreement so she gamely readies herself for Hugh’s mother’s arrival. Minerva and Hugh are unexpectedly attracted to each other, but there is no future for them. But as they spend weeks together, will their growing feelings for one another turn their fake engagement into a real one?

Never Fall for Your Fiancée is an engaging historical romance with great cast of characters. Hugh and Minerva are a marvelous couple. Diana and Vee are a bit annoying but the secondary cast of characters more than make up for their irritating tendencies. The storyline is interesting but predictable and relies on miscommunication for the conflict between Hugh and Minerva.  The pacing is a little uneven due to some long, meandering passages. Virginia Heath brings this first installment in The Merriwell Sisters series to a heartwarming conclusion.

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Filed under Historical, Never Fall for Your Fiancée, Rated C, Review, Romance, St Martin's Griffin, Virginia Heath

October 19, 2021 · 12:01 am

Review: When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting

Title: When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Charming, hilarious, and emotional…When Sparks Fly is Helena Hunting at her very best!

Avery Spark is living her best life. Between her friends, her sisters, and Spark House, the event hotel her family owns, she doesn’t have much time for anything else, especially relationships. She’d rather hang out with her best friend and roommate, Declan McCormick, than deal with the dating scene. But everything changes when she is in a car accident and needs someone to care for her as she heals.

Declan avoids relationships, giving him a playboy reputation that he lives up to when he puts a one-night stand ahead of a promise he made to Avery. While he may not have been the one driving the car, he feels responsible for Avery’s injuries and is determined to make it up to her by stepping into the role of caretaker.

Little did they know that the more time they spend in compromising positions, the attraction they’ve been refusing to acknowledge becomes impossible to ignore. When they finally give in to the spark between them, neither is prepared for the consequences. Their love is fragile and all it will take is a blow from the past to shatter it all.

Review:

When Sparks Fly by Helena Hunting is a sizzling friends to lovers romance.

Twenty-eight-year-old Avery Sparks loves sports and lives with her best friend from college Declan McCormick.  Her only long-term romance occurred in college and resulted in heartbreak so is not in the market for a relationship. She works alongside her two younger sisters, London and Harley, at their family-owned events hotel. Looking to expand their clientele, Avery is involved in a serious car accident when she is on her way to a college game and meeting with the alumni association. Her recovery period is long and Declan volunteers to help her at home because of his guilt over not driving to the event with her as planned. Their close proximity brings their long-repressed mutual attraction out in the open and they begin a heated relationship that turns into a romance. But will Declan’s trust issues ruin their chance at happiness?

Avery is low maintenance and high energy with plenty of enthusiasm for planning events for their hotel.  She is happy with her life and enjoys hanging out with her sisters, Declan and their friends Jerome and Mark.  Avery does not want to take a chance on ruining their friendship, so she ignores her attraction to Declan and puts him firmly in the friend zone. But during her recovery from the car accident, Avery’s very close contact with Declan leaves her fighting her desire for him. She also is well aware that he is not boyfriend material but will she change her mind as their relationship begins to venture into relationship territory?

Declan is very charming but his parents’ dysfunctional marriage leaves him with a serious inability to commit to anyone. He feels incredibly guilty over his role in Avery’s accident and he will do anything for her during her recovery. Despite his unease, their relationship turns intimate and Declan realizes his feelings for her have always run deeper than friendship. But having never dealt with the emotional baggage from his parents’ marriage, is there any chance for a future between him and Avery?

When Sparks Fly is an amusing and sometimes poignant romance with redeemable characters. Avery has her own issues but they are nowhere as deeply rooted as Declan’s. Their friendship is extremely close and serves as a solid foundation for their transition to romance. The conflict late in the story is not exactly unexpected but it provides an opportunity for realistic character growth. Avery’s sisters, Harley and London are a wonderful characters so hopefully Helena Hunting will revisit them in the future works.

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Filed under Contemporary, Helena Hunting, Rated B+, Review, Romance, St Martin's Griffin, When Sparks Fly

August 19, 2021 · 12:02 am

Review: The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee

Title: The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee
A Sweet Mess Series
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: C+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

With witty characters and heartrending romance, Jayci Lee, author of A Sweet Mess, returns with The Dating Dare—where two people might just find out how hard it is to resist falling in love with the right person.

No serious relationships. This is the one rule Tara Park made for herself and it has been working swimmingly, thank you very much. The occasional fling is fine, especially since she’s busy with Weldon Brewery. But when Seth Kim, temptation personified and her best friend’s new brother-in-law walks into her life, Tara might be willing to bend her golden rule…but only for four dates—the four dates she agreed to after a few good rounds of beer and a game of truth or dare. It’ll be fun. No biggie.

Seth Kim can’t believe Tara agreed to his dating dare. He’s leaving for a new job in Paris in a month and a no-strings attached fling seemed like a nice little distraction for both… But their secret dates, while sweet and sexy, always hit roadblocks straight out of a romantic comedy. Thankfully, their non-dates and chance meetings are smoother, frequent, and heated. However, the more Seth sees of Tara, the less willing he is to let her go—and what was supposed to be a fun little game turns into something that neither of them are ready for.

But sometimes, the best things in life are the ones we never see coming.

Review:

The Dating Dare by Jayci Lee is a steamy romance with a cute premise. Although this newest latest release is the second book in the A Sweet Mess series it can be read as a standalone.

Tara Park is the maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding when she and the groom’s brother and best man Seth Kim decide to get to know each other better. Both are attracted to one another so a drunken game of truth or dare leads to an interesting proposition. Seth challenges Tara to four dates before he leaves for a new job in Paris. She agrees on the condition they keep things casual between them. As Tara and Seth grow closer, will they keep to their no strings agreement?

Seth and Tara’s dates are initially fun outings that are laced with sexual tension. Both have agreed to keep their dare a secret so they come up with interesting reasons to spend time together. Their plans are sometimes thwarted by circumstances out of their control. No matter how frustrated they are by the interruptions, these unexpected situations reveal endearing facets about their personalities. Seth has a surprisingly romantic streak that  delights Tara. With Seth’s departure fast approaching, will they discuss their growing feelings for each other?

The Dating Dare is a light read with plenty of heat and low angst. Tara and Seth are interesting characters whose past relationships leave them with plenty of emotional baggage. While their outings are charming, the storyline is predictable.  The secondary cast of characters is delightful and leave readers wanting to know more about them. The late in the story conflict that arises between Tara and Seth is not unexpected but it is still a little disappointing. Although their romance has an instalove vibe, it is easy to root for Seth and Tara to resolve their differences.  Jayci Lee brings this engaging romance to a sigh-worthy conclusion.

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Filed under A Sweet Mess Series, Contemporary, Jayci Lee, Rated C+, Review, Romance, St Martin's Griffin, The Dating Dare

December 14, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: Truth, Lies, and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson

Title: Truth, Lies, and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Genre: Contemporary, Romantic Comedy, Mystery
Length: 288 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is a sweet and sassy contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author MaryJanice Davidson.

Captain Ava Capp has been flying from her past for a decade. She’d much rather leave it, and her home state, behind forever. But when she finds herself back in Minnesota, against her better judgment, everything goes sideways in a way she never expected it to.

M.E. Dr. Tom Baker has never forgotten Ava and the cold case she ran away from. When she shows up unexpectedly in town, in spite of himself, sparks fly. Which is terrible because he can’t stop his growing attraction to her. Can these two Type-A’s let their guards down and work together to put Ava’s tragic past behind her for good? And keep their hands off each other at the same time?

Review:

Buckle up! Truth, Lies, and Second Dates by MaryJanice Davidson is a rollicking, fun-filled read.

Airline pilot Captain Ava Capp unexpectedly gets roped into attending the ten year memorial marking the still unsolved murder of her best friend, Danielle Monahan. After running into Danielle’s twin brother Dennis and his girlfriend, Xenia, her stay in Minnesota brings up old memories Ava would much rather forget. But when all kinds of trouble ensue, Ava ends up staying in town much longer than she is comfortable with. However, her recent acquaintance, Medical Examiner Dr. Tom Baker, just happens to know all about Danielle’s case. Ava and Tom team up to try to figure out who is causing problems for her and hopefully, unmask a killer.

Ava and Tom are a bit quirky with wicked funny senses of humor. Ava does not plan on becoming romantically involved with Tom but the clumsy, super intelligent ME proves to be too irresistible to resist.  He is a kind, compassionate and all around great guy who is dedicated to the people he loves. Ava, on the other hand, has plenty of emotional walls in place but she cares about the people around her more than she lets on.

Despite their very mutual attraction, Ava and Tom want to discover who is behind the recent issues in her  life. Tom is quick to realize these events must be related to Danielle’s murder. They also astutely deduce she must have made the killer uneasy by attending her friend’s memorial. With a plethora of suspects, but no motive, will Ava and Tom zero in on the murderer before she becomes the next victim?

Truth, Lies, and Second Dates is a hilarious novel with just a dash of suspense. The cast of characters are somewhat eccentric yet very endearing. The storyline is full of zany adventures that are laugh out loud funny. The search for Danielle’s killer is intriguing and MaryJanice Davidson keeps readers guessing whodunit right until the novel’s dramatic conclusion.  I truly enjoyed and highly recommend this amusing novel to fans of romantic comedies.

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Filed under Contemporary, MaryJanice Davidson, Mystery, Rated B, Review, Romantic Comedy, St Martin's Griffin, Truth Lies and Second Dates

September 13, 2020 · 11:58 pm

Review: Don’t Look for Me by Wendy Walker

Title: Don’t Look for Me by Wendy Walker
Publisher: St. Martin’s Press
Genre: Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Suspense, Thriller
Length: 345 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

In Wendy Walker’s thrilling novel Don’t Look for Me, the greatest risk isn’t running away. It’s running out of time.

One night, Molly Clarke walked away from her life.

She doesn’t want to be found.

Or at least, that’s the story.

The car abandoned miles from home.

The note found at a nearby hotel.

The shattered family that couldn’t be put back together.

They called it a “walk away.”

It happens all the time.

Women disappear, desperate to leave their lives behind and start over.

But is that what really happened to Molly Clarke?

Review:

Don’t Look for Me by Wendy Walker  is an absolutely riveting domestic mystery.

When Molly Clarke runs out of gas in the middle of a storm, she is ready to give up. Five years after a tragedy, her family is farther apart than ever. The gulf between her and her husband John seems insurmountable. Their  twenty-one year old daughter Nicole (Nic) spends her nights in bars and makes choices she regrets in the morning. Their sixteen year old son Evan is away at school and he wants nothing to do with her when she goes to his football games twice a month. As Molly walks along the road in Hastings, CT, she vanishes without a trace.  John and Nic join the police in their search for her, but after a note from Molly is found in a local casino, the local police and her family believe her disappearance is voluntary. But two weeks later, Nic is contacted by a woman with information about her mom. She returns to Hastings with hopes this new lead with help solve the case once and for all.

Nic is disappointed Police Chief Charles Watkins is not more enthusiastic that a new witness has come forward. Despite his caution that this woman might just be after the reward money, he does assign Officer Jared Reyes to go with her to the meeting the next day. Molly checks into the deserted inn owned by Roger Booth who is bit of eccentric. She also faces the mistakes she made on her last visit when she forces herself to talk to bartender Kurt Kent.  Nic is determined to concentrate on keeping a clear head, but her demons sometime get the best of her.

Although her father wants her to return home, Nic cannot leave without searching for her mother. She feels terribly guilty over their last encounter on the morning her mother went missing. She is growing certain her mom did not just walk away from their family.  And when she discovers another woman disappeared without trace ten years earlier, Nic begins to believe there might be a connection to her mom’s case. With assistance from both Kent and Officer Reyes, will Nic learn the truth about what happened to Molly?

Don’t Look for Me is an edge of the seat thriller that is full of suspense. The characters are vibrantly developed with relatable flaws and strengths. The storyline is engrossing and the tension ratchets up with each chapter. With stunning twists and diabolical turns, Wendy Walker  brings this chilling mystery to a  dramatic conclusion.  HIGHLY recommend to readers who enjoy psychological thrillers.

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Filed under Contemporary, Domestic Mystery, Don't Look for Me, Mystery, Rated B+, Review, St Martin's Griffin, Suspense, Thriller, Wendy Walker