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~Book Review~ “Just a Kiss” by Denise Hunter

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Synopsis from Book Look Bloggers:

Riley Callahan’s plans to reveal his secret feelings for his best friend are derailed when his life is drastically altered in Afghanistan.

Watching the love of his life fall for his brother was enough to send Riley straight to boot camp. But over a year later, he’s officially a marine, and Beau and Paige are no longer an item. When Riley’s tour in Afghanistan is up, he intends to confess his feelings to Paige and win his best friend’s heart once and for all.

But all that changes when an IED takes the life of a comrade and leaves Riley an amputee. Now he’s heading home, injured and troubled. His plans to win Paige are a distant dream. She deserves so much more than the man that’s left. All he can do now is put some healthy distance between them. But upon his return he discovers his family has arranged for him to stay with Paige.

Paige is a nurturer at heart and happy to take care of her best buddy. By all appearances Riley is adjusting miraculously well to his disability. But as the days pass, Paige begins to see that the smiles and laughter are just a mask for the pain he’s hiding. To make matters worse, her job is in serious jeopardy. The animal shelter that she’s poured her heart into has lost its funding, and she has three months to come up with the money needed to save it.

As the weeks wear on, Paige’s feelings for Riley begin to shift into uncharted territory. Why is she suddenly noticing his arm muscles and the way his lips curl at the corners? Will she be able to deny her feelings for another Callahan brother? And will Riley let his heart heal so he can let Paige in?

My Review:

This book was another great one! I’ve always liked reading Denise Hunter’s books and this one was no exception. The cover caught my eye and then the story drew me in. i had already read a story about Riley’s brother Zac earlier this year which is what also led me to want to read this story. Being that Riley always had feelings for Paige hits home for me because I have had feelings for someone for a long time and have never acted on it. I wanted to know more about this story and the more I read the more I couldn’t put it down. There were a lot of great moments, a lot of funny moments and even some sad moments throughout this book. Once I got closer to the end, it seemed to lose something that the rest of the book had. It wasn’t drastic so it didn’t make the book bad, but it did disappoint me. I ended up giving this book a 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads.

I received this book in exchange for my review from Book Look Bloggers.

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~Book Review~ “I Said Yes” by Emily Maynard Johnson

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Goodreads Synopsis:

When her high-profile search for romance led Emily Maynard to dead end after dead end, real love finally found her.

Millions know Emily Maynard Johnson from her unprecedented double appearances on The Bachelor and The Bachelorette. Millions also know that neither of the relationships from those shows lasted much longer than a commercial break.

Overcome with embarrassment following her nationally televised failures at romance, Emily finally committed her heart to the only one she knew would never leave her empty and alone. Abandoning her desire to be chosen by men and finding peace in the fact that she was already chosen by God, Emily found the joy she had been looking for in serving God.

In I Said Yes, Emily tells the story of her life before and after reality TV fame, describing the profound new reality she discovered when she forsook fame in favor of the Lord. At the end of a long, fruitless search for a man, this courageous young woman found the truest love of all waiting right in front of her. To that love, Emily said yes.

My Review: 

I have been an avid Bachelor and Bachelorette fan since the very first season of the Bachelor when Alex broke Trista’s heart and then Trista went on to find love with Ryan in the first season of the Bachelorette. I don’t agree with the way that they go to “find love”, but it is great entertainment. Many seasons later, I remember seeing Emily Maynard on the show and her and Ricky stole my heart. The way that Emily and Ricky interacted was so sweet. Her story captured the hearts of many people and this book just helped me understand more about the reasons why she went on the show. The story was heartbreaking and made me cry at times, but it was a great story about overcoming anxiety and fear about falling in love after having heartbreak. It only took me a couple days to read this book because I wanted to know more about this person I had seen on TV. I tend to like to read books about people who were previously on reality TV. This one had writing that was not as developed as I would have liked which one of the few reasons why I gave this book a 4 out of 5 stars and not a 5 out of 5 stars. I received this book from Book Look Bloggers in exchange for my honest review.

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~Book Review~ “Kissed by a Cowboy” by Debra Clopton

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Goodreads Synopsis:

Cassidy was looking for a home and a place to belong . . . not for a cowboy to steal her heart. Having lived through her parents’ endless string of “matrimonial bliss gone wrong,” Cassidy Starr knows when the odds are not in her favor. Divorced and humiliated, her faith on rocky ground, Cassidy is through with love. She’s been bucked off that horse far too many times. Instead, she returns to Wishing Springs, Texas, and the rundown farm she’s inherited from her great aunt Roxie. She’ll reopen the strawberry farm and a bed & breakfast and follow in her aunt’s footsteps, remaining forever-independent, happy . . . and single. Rancher Jarrod Monahan’s hands are full running the ranch, looking after his ailing grandfather, and chasing down a group of rustlers on the loose. He’s pushed his longing for a family to the bottom of his list of priorities. Besides, he was in love once but ran scared and lost his shot at happiness. But suddenly, the biggest regret of his life has moved in next door with a wounded heart, determined to become a spinster . . . and that’s a challenge that Jarrod can’t pass up.

My Review:

This book is so good! I just finished it and decided to go ahead and write my review.

Cassidy Starr is a stubborn red head who doesn’t want to relive her past. Jarrod Monahan is a handsome cowboy who lives next door. Jarrod kissed Cassidy a long time ago and then ran and Cassidy just got through a divorce. These 2 characters were great staples in this wonderful romance novel by Debra Clopton.

What drew me to this book was the cover. A few horses and a handsome cowboy kissing a girl made me want to read this book and I mean, who wouldn’t with a title like “Kissing a Cowboy”! I have always liked books that have to do with Cowboys and horses and this one was no different. While I was reading, it was like I was taken to a different world. I love when a book can take me out of my current situation and transport me to someone else’s story. I want to feel as though it is a movie in my head. This book did that from the first page. I felt as though I could see every laugh, cry, heartache, and lovely moment that happened throughout this book. The story between Jarrod and Cassidy made me root for them as much as if I knew this couple. There were a few twists in the story which made it more fun to read.

I give this book a 5 out of 5 stars. I received this book in exchange for my honest review form Booklook Bloggers.

*image courtesy of Booklook Bloggers*

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~Book Review~ “The Nesting Place” by Myquillyn Smith

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Synopsis on Goodreads:

Perfection is overrated.
Popular blogger and self-taught decorator Myquillyn Smith (The Nester) is all about embracing reality—especially when it comes to decorating a home bursting with boys, pets, and all the unpredictable messes of life.In The Nesting Place, Myquillyn shares the secrets of decorating for real people—and it has nothing to do with creating a flawless look to wow your guests. It has everything to do with embracing the natural imperfection and chaos of daily living.Drawing on her years of experience creating beauty in her 13 different homes, Myquillyn will show you how to think differently about the true purpose of your home and simply and creatively tailor it to reflect you and your unique style—without breaking the bank or stressing over comparisons. Full of easy tips, simple steps, and practical advice, The Nesting Place will give you the courage to take risks with your home and transform it into a place that’s inviting and warm for family and friends.There is beauty in the lived-in and loved-on and just-about-used-up, Myquillyn says, and welcoming that imperfection wholeheartedly just might be the most freeing thing you’ll ever do.

My Review:

This book was a book I chose to review based on the cover. I know that people say to not judge a book by its cover, but the cover had a beautiful white chair perfect for reading which made me want to read the book. At first, when I started reading this book it did not catch my interest, but that was not because of what the book was about but because of the format of the e-book. This put my reading of this book on hold because I just could not get into this book. I recently seen it again when I was checking for what books I need to review and I thought that I would give it another chance. I read this book in about an hour and a half. I really liked Myquillyn’s concept of accepting that everything is not going to be perfect in your home. This really hit me because I would love to have a home like I see in magazines, but I know that it won’t happen because those home’s are not really lived in. They are staged to make them look perfect which people want, but in all reality fatigue from work sets in and no one really wants to hang up the clothes that they just took off to put on their pajamas. This book has many great tips on how to not worry about what is going to be “messed up”, but instead try things out so that you do not wonder about the “what-ifs”. One example she mentioned was the people that always tell you about “good wood” and how if you paint that wooden piece of furniture that it won’t work and it will just ruin that piece of furniture. I knew exactly what she was talking about because this is my Dad’s side of the family. They are always worried about ruining the wood so when she mentioned this it hit home. Myquillyn helps teach in this book about how not to worry about the little stuff and to take risks with that $5 table that has been sitting in the garage for 2 years.

This was a great book and I give it a 5 out of 5 stars. I received this book in exchange for my review from BookLook bloggers.