Review: Barefoot in the Sun by Roxanne St. Claire

When she was ten, Zoe Tamarin was rescued from a nightmare childhood by her great-aunt Pasha. They've been running ever since, never staying in one place long enough to grow roots or form attachments. The only exceptions are Zoe's three best friends in Barefoot Bay, and the one man she had to let go. Dr. Oliver Bradbury never got over the day Zoe walked out on him without a word. Now she was back, wanting him to risk everything to save Pasha, the woman who took Zoe from him in the first place. This may just be the second chance he's waited nine years for, but he needs to get Zoe to understand that when running is all she's ever known, sometimes the bravest act is standing still.

These books are part of the Barefoot Bay series, with Barefoot in the Sand & Barefoot in the Rain coming before, and Barefoot by the Sea coming in October 2013.

These Barefoot Bay books are addictive. Ideal, beautiful setting, a close cluster of eccentric friends, and finding love... one by one by one. Admittedly, Zoe's story interested me the least. Until I read it and found out why she was always running. I got to see a deeper side to the flighty woman and completely understand. And wow, Oliver? Hawt. The new secondary characters in this book, like Oliver's son, Evan, were just a delight and moved the plot. I loved that we got to see inside Pasha's head too. This third book was full of humor, heart, and grief. Not to be missed. I cannot wait for Tessa's story.

Review: Head Over Heels by Cindy Procter-King

Magee Sinclair is a bit of a klutz, but nothing tops losing two big clients from her family's advertising company. She needs to keep their client, Justin Kane, happy to stay in the black. So when Justin claims he wants Magee to stand in as his girlfriend to seal the deal for his chain of bike stores to get bigger distribution, well, what choice is there? Except nothing is going as planned, but through the chaos, Magee and Justin are falling head over heels.

Cindy and I have been connected through many social media sites for a number of years, but I've yet to have the privilege of reading one of her books. Big mistake. I fully plan on checking out her backlist. She writes with humor and wit and underlying emotion that's hard to translate. I fell in love with Justin and Magee from the start, and nothing is better than a true-to-life bumbling heroine. The setting was beautiful in its detail, putting me right there, and the secondary characters propelled the plot. My only two quirks were the premise, (a common one), but Cindy put a fresh spin on things, and I never felt bored. And the story lacked a deep conflict, but again, she pulled it off. Recommended.

Review: Skin in the Game, by Jackie Barbosa

Math teacher and high school football coach Angela Peterson grew up the shy kid in small town Harper Falls, Minnesota. Her crush on the quarterback long forgotten, Angela grew up and loves her quiet life. That is until said quarterback returns to become the interim head coach of her football team and tries to steal her job. Injured NFL quarterback Cade Reynolds was only in town to recover and help out an old friend in the process. What he found was a wild night with a woman he can't get out of his head. Or heart. Now they both find themselves playing a game neither wants to lose.

This was a relatively short read, and in saying that some elements felt rushed and concluded a tad too easily. However, I like sports romances, though you don't find many anymore, and this was as hot and wicked as it was sweet and funny. The setting and secondary characters added nicely, as did the antagonists. Solid conflict as well. Barbosa has a knack for clever dialog, which enhanced the story and kept me riveted. Recommended!

Review: Hold On My Heart, by Tracy Brogan

When Chicago event planner Libby Hamilton loses her job and her fair-weather boyfriend in the same day, she's forced to move back home where her eccentric father just bought an old schoolhouse he wants to convert into an ice cream parlor. Things begin to look up, though, when widowed restoration specialist Tom Murphy shows up to help. Tom is sexy and quiet and tough, but can Libby break through his exterior and show him love is worth trying again?

I was amazed by how much I loved this book. This was a fabulous mix of hilarity and heart. Tom had me from the first time we saw him, and Libby's internal dialog had me rolling. The setting was sweet, the secondary characters added nicely to the story, and the romance was realistic and hot. Widows are always tough to work in, but Brogan did a great job. I love endings that you can both sigh at and find rationality. A book not to be missed!

Review: Anything But Sweet, by Candis Terry

As the lead design host for a TV makeover show and growing up a military kid, Charli Brooks is used to traveling. But what she really wants is home. When her crew pulls into Sweet, Texas, the cute little town is excited. Everyone except sexy Reno Wilder, that is. Reno has seen enough loss in his lifetime, and he doesn't want his town to change. But the persistent and attractive Charli may just win him over.

This had me hooked from page one. I love small town romances, especially quirky and sweet ones. The hero and heroine were relatable, the secondary characters added depth, and the setting was superbly illustrated and researched. This didn't have a tidy bow at the end, and the conflict resolved nicely. The romance was hot, and I rooted for them all the way. Candis Terry has a way with dialog, both internal and external, that had me blown away. Highly recommended!

Review: The Love Shack by Christie Ridgway

Photojournalist Gabe Lowell spent his childhood summers in Crescent Cove with his twin and local girl, Skye Alexander. While deployed overseas, he got through that hell by reading Skye's letters and imagining himself back there on the beach. But the image in his head didn't come close to the real woman. Skye has been harboring a secret crush on Gage for years. She hadn't seen him in so long, she figured her heart was safe, until he returns for one month on her Cove, and stirs up more than just lust.

The first book (Beach House No 9) was a great read. I loved the main characters even though the secondary fell flat. The second book (Bungalow Nights) had a great secondary romance while the main was just so-so. This book... This book nailed it. I couldn't wait to get to Skye's story, wondering what secret put her in her shell, and couldn't wait to see Gage get her out. This was a fantastic summer read: sexy romance, beautiful setting, and closure for the characters we love. Did I mention Teague and Polly finally get their story? Well, they do. Recommended.

Review: Bungalow Nights by Christie Ridgway

While trying to aid a fallen officer, combat medic Vance Smith made a promise: show the dying man's young daughter an idyllic vacation at Crescent Cove. Honored by his promise, Vance is shocked to find a full grown and beautiful woman, not a girl. Layla Parker hasn't known a sense of home or consistency. In her mind, nothing in life is permanent. But lazy days and warm nights on the Cove with a sexy man is starting to make her want those things.

In book one (Beach House No 9), I loved the primary characters but felt the secondary fell flat. In this second book, I loved the secondary characters, Addy and Baxter, but felt just so-so on the main ones. I feel like this stemmed from a minor lack in conflict and stretching the ending. In saying that, I've loved Ridgway's style for years, and have never been able to put down her books. She writes with underlying emotion mixed with wit which makes for an enriching overall read. The setting for this series is amazing, and oh, how I wish I was there. This book also has a great lead in for the next story, which is the one I'm dying to get to (The Love Shack).

Review: Summer in Napa, by Marina Adair

When Lexi Moreau's husband is caught cheating with his sous-chef, Lexi runs all the way home to St. Vineyard. There she plans to turn her grandmother's bakery into a bistro. But her ex has other plans impeding that dream, and his best friend Marco DeLuca is helping. Growing up, Lexi has always been off-limits for Marco, since she was the best friend's girl. Except now she's unattached and he finds her just as irresistible as ever. Plus, he's starting to realize his best friend may not be the best person to side with.

I read the ARC of Kissing Under the Mistletoe and loved it. I was excited to receive Summer in Napa as part of the St. Helena Vineyard series. As much as I liked Mistletoe, Napa outshined. Full of quirk, humor, and steam, this was impossible to put down and hard to forget. The characters were relatable, the romance hot, the setting ideal, and the secondary characters delightful. A sweet and funny small town romance worth the read.