Review: SPARE CHANGE by Aubrey Mace

I hope you guys aren't getting sick of romantic comedy reviews! I'm sure not, and there's definitely more to come! (But don't worry, I did take a brief time out to read BAND OF SISTERS by Annette Lyon, so that's coming up soon.) I discovered Aubrey among the TIMELESS ROMANCE authors in the latest edition for spring. I knew right away I'd like her writing, so I searched Amazon pretty much the minute I finished with the SPRING VACATION anthology of TIMELESS ROMANCE.

From Amazon: Twenty-three and single, Riley thinks resolutions should be fun, not hard. Just before midnight, she vows to make the easiest resolution ever: save her pennies and at the end of the year, buy something nice for herself. Easy! ...Or is it?
Working at a cancer treatment center can change one's perspective, and before long Riley decides to donate her extra money to cancer research rather than reward herself. At first her resolution is her own secret, but all too soon the nurses figure out her plan, and then things really begin to get out of hand!
As people through the hospital, and then the town, begin to get involved, Riley finds herself at the front of the fund-raising campaign. She also finds herself face-to-face with Paul, the grouchy but cute bank teller. But can she overcome the memory of a failed relationship - and can he do the same? And who is the secret admirer who keeps leaving pennies and notes for her to find?

Audience: Adult (Clean)

Genre: Romantic Comedy 

Length: 201

Rating: ***+

Review: I love the premise of this book and how Riley's resolution really snowballs. There's lots of fun characters, and right off when I met Paul, I knew he'd be someone Riley needed to keep an eye on. I love the way their relationship slowly develops and also the flashbacks that show how much "change" means to Riley. Her ex-fiance seems to pop up out of nowhere and the setup until we meet her true love interest (we're introduced to a guy named James first) seem to lag and can get confusing. Still, Aubrey is an author I will come back to and read more from.

Disclaimer: Nothing.

Blog Tour Review: THE MARLOWE GIRLS series by Beth Fred

Tour Schedule

The Fate of a Marlowe Girl

When twenty-four-year-old Tiffany escapes her sister Kammy's too wild Cancun bachelorette party, she finds herself in a bar with the unwanted attention of a gorgeous local named Luke. Luke may be charming but Tiffany is leaving in two days and doesn't need any complications. But complications are exactly what she gets when the cops show up to raid Kammy's party. When Kammy is arrested, Tiffany agrees to have dinner with Luke, so he'll help her get Kammy out of jail. Kammy's arrest forces her to spend an extra day in Cancun, meaning she'll miss a crucial meeting, and as an accountant in tax season, she is already drowning in work. Not to mention, every second she spends with Luke makes it harder to leave. With Luke, Tiffany is almost ready to forget about work. Will the airport be their final goodbye?

Review: TWITTERPATED by Melanie Jacobson

Have I ever mentioned how glad I am I discovered Melanie? Some day I'm going to catch up to her books and have to wait for each one to come out -- like the current agony I endure waiting to buy them ... or for Sarah Eden's books. :)

From Deseret Book: Jessie Taylor is furious when her roommate secretly posts her picture on the dating website LDS Lookup — furious, that is, until she spends all night instant messaging Ben Bratton, a man whose wit and warmth just might make Jessie forget the train wreck of her last romantic relationship. Their first date is a smashing success (literally), but Ben’s overall awesomeness can’t save Jessie from having to deal with Craig, her competitive coworker whose baiting behavior sets new standards for obnoxiousness. Determined to beat Craig at his own game, Jessie spends long office hours finishing projects and putting out fires, but while her performance wows her boss, it only makes Ben skittish— after a failed engagement to an up-and-coming lawyer, he’s not about to pair up with someone who’s married to her job. Will Jessie figure out how to be true to herself and take her big chance at love before it’s gone with a click of the mouse?

Audience: Adult
Genre: LDS Romantic Comedy
Length: 247 pages

Rating: ****

Review: There are lots of things I love about this book. One, the witty banter between Jessie and her roommate Sandy. I love the clear opening I see for Sandy's story. (SMART MOVE, can't wait to get it!) The new twist Melanie puts on her trademark theme of online dating. Ben's take charge attitude and **SPOILERS** ultimatum. (Although, I think Jessie should have had to go chase after him with the way she acted...) So I mentioned in one of my recent reviews that romance heroines that are too stubborn for their own good are kind of a pet peeve of mine. (This is why I don't like many of J-Lo's rom-com movies...) Jessie is the same way, much like the other two of Melanie's heroines. Here's why I don't care and why I'll always keep reading Melanie's books, even if their stuffed full of them. 1) They always have a believable and legitimate back stories for acting the way they do. (Even if I don't agree, haha!) 2) Melanie has a captivating, witty way of writing that, even if I despised the story, I'd still read. I love the way I giggle and sigh and race through her books, which brings me to 3) Clearly I don't care enough about this pet peeve to put her books down, because I usually finish them in days if not hours. :) Plus, Jessie doesn't like Jane Eyre, and that's a girl I can get behind.

Disclaimer: None.

He Said/She Said: Okay, so I know I need to limit myself here, but you should all go get the book because there are SO MANY great lines in this one.
Sandy/Jessie -
[Sandy] glared at me. "Yeah, you know my type so well. A guy in a sheet in the middle of winter made a style statement I couldn't resist." 
"Was the statement, 'I can't afford pants'?"

Describing the first kiss - "There's not much to say." Sandy's face fell. "Except it was kind of awesome."

There are so many, I could go on and on, but then you wouldn't need to buy the book and Melanie might get kind of mad at me for that.

Buy at Deseret Book.

Try this: Love witty writing? Try THE ACTOR AND THE HOUSEWIFE by Shannon Hale.

Review: HEART OF THE OCEAN by Heather B. Moore

This is one of the books I had on my "go and buy as soon as I have book money" lists and I'm so glad. Victorian. Romance. Mystery. Love. :)


From Amazon: In Heather B. Moore’s enthralling 1840’s historical romance, Heart of the Ocean, Eliza Robinson has turned down the very pretentious Mr. Thomas Beesley’s marriage proposal. As a business partner of Eliza’s father, Thomas quickly discredits the family and brings disgrace to the Robinson name.


While her father scrambles to restore his good name in New York City, Eliza flees to the remote Puritan town of Maybrook to stay with her Aunt Maeve. Although relieved to be away from all- things-male and unforgiving gossip columns, odd things start to happen to Eliza, and she is plagued by a ghostly voice. Her aunt’s explanation? That Eliza is being haunted by a woman who died of a broken heart twenty years ago.


After Aunt Maeve is tragically killed, Eliza's life is put in danger as she tries to uncover the mystery of her aunt's death. She encounters Jonathan Porter in Maybrook, whose presence in the town seems suspicious, yet she finds herself drawn to him. When she discovers that Jonathan’s dark secrets may be the link between the dead woman who haunts her and her aunt’s murderer, Eliza realizes that Jonathan is the one man she should never trust.

Audience: Adult (Clean)
Genre: Historical Romance, Mystery
Length: 288 pages

Rating: ***+

Review: Although I've read a ton of Regency romance books, I'll be honest, I like Victorian stuff more. It spans so much time and change and I just like the dresses better. (Empire waist would have never flattered these hips. Seriously.) So HEART OF THE OCEAN appealed to me immediately. I love Jon as the hero and the legitimate reasons he has for staying with his fiancee, Apryl. I love the mystery that unfolds as the story goes on. I love the change we see in Eliza and her family and the way they work together. I love how deep Jon, Eliza, and Apryl are as characters -- there's so much to explore about them and their lives. For me the story slowed a bit in the middle and I wondered why at one point Eliza had told Jon that she was not engaged to Nathaniel, yet he still believed it.

He Said/She said: A description of the two love interests in Jon's life from his point of view, that I just LOVED. "Eliza was like an innocent spring day compared to Apryl's full summer flirtatious ways." Perfect. I could see it so clearly.

Disclaimer: Some mild sensuality.

Try this: Do you like Romance mysteries/thrillers? Try THE GUY NEXT DOOR by Kate Palmer or THE ALIAS by Mandi Tucker Slack.

Buy HEART OF THE OCEAN on Amazon.

Review: A TIMELESS ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY SPRING VACATION COLLECTION

I've started a new TBR list. Actually more than one. It consists of books I will buy and books I can request from my library. TMA Spring Vacation Collection was right at the top of my "buy" list and as soon as my work was done the other day, I sat right down and bought it and read it in two days. Mmmmm.

From the TMA blog: Six Award-Winning Authors have contributed new stories to A Timeless Romance Anthology: Spring Vacation Collection. Readers will love this collection of six sweet contemporary romance novellas, centered on a Spring Vacation, all with one thing in common: Romance.