Nina CrespoReseñas
Autor de Take Me if You Dare
Reseñas
Breakup Bash series #1. Contemporary romance. Alternating POV’s between hero and heroine, 1st person.
Alexa is recovering from being left at the altar with the help of her friends. They decide on another night at the Breakup Bash, a male stripper / dancer entertainment venue where her bachelorette party was held.
Raphael owns the Breakup Bash. Managing the talent, the bar and all the other details keeps him busy. But he can’t help remembering the beauty that caught his eye six months ago. So much so that he actually kissed her on the lips instead of following club rules. But she’s married by now and he needs to forget her. Until she shows up again at the club, unmarried and still distracting beyond words.
Alexa and Raphael agree to a no strings arrangement based on past bad experiences but soon find that feelings are involved which adds stress and complications to their lives. As the time gets closer for her to leave town permanently, they both have decisions to make.
I loved having both POV’s so you knew how much they liked each other.
Steamy hot scenes, sure, but talking to each other would have really solved some of the missteps.
A romance fantasy for every single person that has been to one of those shows. Heat and lust.
Small Town Secrets #1. Includes characters from the Tillbridge Stables series so best read after that series if order is important to you. Harlequin Special Edition. Diverse.
Philippa and Dominic had a brief relationship early in their careers but ended up walking away from each other. After a number of successful years for both, Dominic is hired for an event at Tillbridge and they learn to work together again, realizing their ideas still mess as does their passion. Can they make it more than just a passing fling?
A bit of angst as the two follow the pattern of romance. They talk to each other which I loved. A bit of outside drama for a richer conflict. Bees and farm to fork planning. Nix the cow.
Overall a great romance
Now, after a varied path of cooking jobs and an unexpected course change, Philippa is head chef at her own restaurant in Maryland. She has good friends, loves her work, and is preparing to cater a high-end film premiere on the property. So she is stunned to arrive at work one day to discover that she's been replaced for the event by a celebrity chef. Adding insult to injury, that chef is Dominic.
Dominic's path had been very different. He went from being a chef in a restaurant to being picked for a reality cooking show. His charisma, charm, and talent made him very popular, leading to his own cooking show, cookbooks, and restaurants. He's looking forward to working with Philippa again and is furious when he finds out that no one has given her a heads up about the change in plans.
Philippa and Dominic are caught between a rock and a hard place. If they don't work together, the rumors won't be good for either one. But if they do work together, they risk stirring up old feelings. I liked their honest conversation about their expectations but laughed at their belief that their past wouldn't matter. It was fun to watch them work together. Their styles are complementary, with each having particular strengths. Neither one is big-headed, and I especially liked Dominic's easy way with all of the kitchen employees. I loved watching him go to bat for them when the publicist tried to take over the cooking demo.
I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of the relationship between Philippa and Dominic. It was clear from the start that the sparks between them were still there, but Philippa was wary of risking her heart again. They spend as much time as they can together, both in the kitchen and out of it. There is a heartwrenching scene where Philippa shares some of what happened after they parted, but it goes a long way toward healing her heart also. I enjoyed the scenes where Dominic involved Philippa in his world, such as her guest appearance on one of his shows.
Though they are honest about their feelings for each other, their lives are very different. The tension builds as the day of the event draws near, and Dominic is called away because of his other commitments. A near-disaster almost derails things the night of the event, but Philippa works her magic, and all ends well. But their plans for Philippa to join him in California hit a snag when she realizes what she'll be giving up. I ached for both of them as choices had to be made. I wanted to shake Dominic for assuming what he did and hurt for them both as it seemed there was no way to fix it. I loved when Dominic was told to take a few days off to get his head together and the effect that being away from the pressure had on him. His solution didn't surprise me, and I loved his big moment at the end.
The setting of the story, involving the chefs of high-end restaurants, plus the reality and cooking show aspects, gave the story an added depth. I loved the behind-the-scenes looks at the kitchen activities and what goes into the shows. I especially enjoyed Dominic's reaction to the sudden appearance of his reality show "girlfriend" and what it meant to him and Philippa.
Collin is an army officer home on leave to care for his terminally ill father. Matters are tense between the two men, and cooking is one way that Collin destresses. Encountering the beautiful Nicole proves to be another. The last thing he expected or wanted was to get involved with a woman in his hometown when he's only there for a short time.
I loved watching the relationship develop between Collin and Nicole. Neither is looking for a relationship. Nicole is too busy with her restaurant, and Collin's experience with long-distance relationships holds him back. I loved how the two of them connected over food. Their lunch together as Collin sampled Nicole's new dish only deepened their connection while exchanging stories about their foodie experiences. Nicole, who has been struggling with her upcoming summer menu, invited Collin to help her develop the recipes. I enjoyed watching them cook together, beautifully matched in skill and enthusiasm.
Collin needs this time away from his dad as they butt heads over Sam's upcoming move to assisted living. I ached for Collin, who wants these weeks with Sam to be a return to the closeness of his youth. It's evident that something deeper bothers Sam, and he takes it out on Collin. I loved seeing Nicole reach out to help Collin deal with his problems with Sam. Her insight goes a long way toward assisting Collin and Sam regain their closeness. I loved the depth of emotion displayed as Collin and Sam find their way back to each other. I loved the sweet reminisces expressed by Sam.
Meanwhile, the attraction between Collin and Nicole continues to grow. Though they know there is an expiration date, eventually, they can no longer resist the pull. Neither one expects the attraction to deepen into more. Both dream of a future together, but neither can see a way to make it happen. I ached for them both as they struggled to find a way to turn "for now" into "forever." I loved Collin's big moment at the end and the epilogue that hinted at their future.
Throughout this series, the Hotel Fortune has struggled with suspicious accidents and other strange happenings that impact the business. In this book, someone sabotaged the hotel's big fundraiser for community charities. They messed with the foods that Nicole worked so hard to provide, making them not only inedible but, in one case, dangerous to consume. I ached for Nicole and the devasting blow this was to her professionally and personally. This was on top of a local diner using questionable tactics to entice patrons and staff away from Roja. I've had my suspicions about the culprit, which strengthened in this book. I look forward to the next book, which should reveal whether I am right.
Her cousin Tristan just got engaged to Chloe an actress working on a film on the stables property. To avoid unwanted paparazzi attention, he and Chloe plan to do a quickie wedding, even though it isn't what they want. Zurie offers to be their wedding planner so that they can marry on the property. She knows she can keep everything quiet until the big day. On the way to a meeting with her sister and the bride and groom, Zurie crashes into Mace. They've known each other since they were kids, but she can't help noticing that he's grown into a sexy man.
Mace has been interested in Zurie for a long time. He had a crush on her when she was his math tutor in high school, and it's only gotten worse since he moved back to town. He works as a deputy and recently finished law school and is in no hurry to take the bar exam. Mace is Tristan's best friend and best man, so he offers to help Zurie with the arrangements. When a local reporter gets too close to the truth, Mace and Zurie pretend that they are the ones getting married.
I loved Mace. He is an all-around nice guy. Because of his feelings for Zurie, he is attuned to her emotions and actions. I liked how he wanted to help her learn to relax and see that there is more to life than work. His demonstration of relaxation techniques while sitting on a park bench was sweet.
Zurie was a bit of a tough nut to crack. She focuses on the business so much that she genuinely believes it is impossible to have a relationship at the same time. A previous relationship reinforced this belief, leaving her occasionally feeling very alone.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Mace and Zurie develop. When they first acknowledged the attraction between them, both agreed they weren't looking for a relationship. Mace knows he plans to leave after he passes the bar exam, and Zurie doesn't do relationships. However, the more time they spend together, the more real that fake engagement feels. I ached for them both because each believed the other didn't share their feelings. It takes a visit with his family and an uncomfortable conversation with his brother for Mace to face the truth about what he wants. The question is whether he can convince Zurie that what he wants is her. I loved the ending and seeing him lay his heart on the line and still give her the space to make her decision without pressure. I loved her comment about what he forgot and its importance.
2nd book in the Tillbridge Stables series. Harlequin Special Edition. Can be read as a stand-alone. Contemporary diverse romance.
Rina Meets Scott when she accidentally walks through a movie set and directly in line with his projected zip-line landing spot. With a quick change correction, the stunt man is able to stop short of crashing into her while saving the pies she’s holding from dropping to the ground in ruins. Scott is instantly attracted and Rina is intrigued.
A slow burn romance with plenty of career related twists and family interaction.
Warm and fuzzy feelings in the satisfying and happy ending.
Rcvd and ARC at no cost to author..(netgalley) Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions
I didn't know what to expect with Forget You, I was expecting some sort of Alpha male and simpering miss book, but what I actually got, was a hot love story, with the focus being more on love, than on sexy, and while the sex is still very much part of the story, it doesn't consume the whole book and I found that refreshing.
When it comes to the characters, Nicolas "King" Kingman is arrogant but has that caring side, that shows through; he is passionate about his business, his brother, and not being like his father, who is vile, in my opinion. Then there is Sophie Jordan, she is a strong woman, who was raised by a strong woman and it shows. But you can tell that while Sophie will put up with Kings nonsense to a point, she is not a doormat.
Now, I'm not going to get into the story, as the synopsis pretty much covers it, but I will say that this book does have it all! Love, sex, corporate spying, amnesia, and stunning jewelry. The story is addictive, and the writing flows perfectly from the page to my mind, and what more can you ask from a book.
I give Forget You 5 stars
It’s been a year since Jasmine Stewart dumped her cheating ex, so when her best friend dares her to have a one-night stand during a business trip to Miami, Jasmine is all in. But just as she hits her cheesy-come-ons limit, a wickedly hot former soldier comes to her rescue.
Security specialist Ethan Worth’s instincts tell him the gorgeous woman at the bar is trouble. After a sexy dance and even sexier kiss, he knows she is. But when their scintillating night leads to more, the possibility of another long distance relationship sends Jasmine running for the door.
Until the unthinkable happens. Jasmine’s company assigns her to Bode-Wynn, the military security firm where Ethan works. Forced back together, the undeniable heat between them flares to life. But sex is all it can ever be, because taking it further goes against everything Jasmine wants…and everything Ethan fears.
The story is quite interesting. Our main characters are:
Celine, a woman who lost her fiance in Afghanistan. A year later, and she is still struggling to move on.
Thane, a super hot time traveling/rock star/secret agent who gave up the chance to live a normal life in order to save the world.
The concept is different, and I really enjoyed it. My only disappointment is that I really hoped it was longer! The plot has so much potential. I'd be interested to know what happened next as it did end up on a cliffhanger.
*This arc was kindly provided by Kensington Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
ARC received from Entangled Publishing in exchange for an honest review.
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Small Town Secrets series #2. Harlequin Special Edition. Contemporary romance. Own-voice, diverse. Forced proximity troupe.
Layla Price has a night of passion after a heroic rescue. It’s so unlike her but she rationalized it as a one-time event. Arriving at the small time to end a family feud, she soon realizes that Bastian won’t be as easy to forget since his family is on the other end of the feud.
🎧 I alternated between formats reading this book. The narrator, Tamika Simone, adds several distinctive voices to keep the story immersive and ear-catching. A little stereotypical. All amusing.
I loved the zombie movie obsession! That was so fun and made the whole encounter so real. And then it figures it’s Bastian again! Kismet? Meant to be? Ok, maybe coincidence on the way to the same location. Additional secrets and family make this small town romance an intriguing read.