Jasmyn's Reviews

Loves reunited is one of my favorite tropes, and this one did a great job in that area. Maricel and Ramon were high school sweethearts when Maricel's family left Puerto Rico for United States, separating them. Both lived their separate lives for over twenty years, but Maricel is drawn back to Puerto Rico for a few reasons, and talking to Ramon is one of them.

I liked Maricel, and I didn't like Maricel. She kept her secret far too long. I can only imagine how difficult it would be to tell Ramon a secret like this, but there were so many opportunities that she let just pass her by. Once or twice I think I would have understood, but it was just too many times, and I was never a fan of secrets.

Ramon is just as guilty with his secret, the one he tries to keep from the entire world. But all secrets eventually come out, and when his does it just makes him seem a little silly and overly prideful. They did make an amazing couple together, and the ending was incredibly sweet and just what the story needed.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Well, the first thing I have to say about this one is that Craig is an a-hole. A big one. You're set up to dislike him, and it just keeps getting worse. He treats our star, Amelia, like she's five years old and needs to be taken care of in every way, incapable of making her own decision. But, Amelia isn't having any of it.

In fact, she's determined to get a boyfriend and have an amazing date. But of course we have complications. That complication comes in the form of her brother's best friend, Lucas. Who also happens to be the man she's had a crush on her entire life.

Thins sort of steamroll on Amelia, and I continue to wonder if her brother had anything to do with it. It seems like she just can't catch a break - it's actually a little too much. Instead of waiting for her and Lucas to get together, I started wondering what was going to wrong next.

The ending was quite abrupt. It seemed like it hit an HEA brick wall and suddenly it was over. I prefer to see a little bit more of a wind down, myself.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

This book had a great concept - but wasn't put together very well. The beginning of the story covers a lot of time in just a couple chapters - but it isn't very clear about the time that's being covered. So I was a little surprised at some of the jumps.

Elizabeth was also a little too confusing for me. She did several things that she knew were wrong, but she did them anyway so she could keep an eye on things. I just didn't buy it. What she did made me not like her - even though she wasn't always directly involved with it every step of the way.

The romance between Elizabeth and Martin was cute, but somewhat predictable as well. Martin was the saving grace of the story. His reactions to things were so genuine and real that I really felt connected to him.

I love a good long ending - where we get to see our couple together and see how they're doing. But this ending was too long - even for me. Instead of giving me that one last look, it just dragged on a little much.

This was just a ton of fun. I loved it so much! Violet is a great driven character, willing to work her butt off to get where she wants to be. She isn't going to let anyone get in her way. But, as smart and intelligent as she is, she has a few big moments that just made me shake my head. I just didn't believe that she wouldn't ask for help - or at least be honest about what she was going through. It didn't really fit with her character.

Ben was another great character. Thrown together with Violet in a famous bakery, he quickly finds himself in over his head. Not just with the inner workings of the bakery, but with the cute production manager that he can't stop thinking about.

There are a few big conflicts and a few little ones. Both have major (and I mean major) ex issues that just keep popping up at the worst time. Violet's was especially creepy. Plus, they work together, and dating a co-worker is a big no-no.

They manage to navigate the waters in a fun and exciting way that really kept me turning the pages. I will have to check out more from this author.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

So much fun! This was such a great, light-hearted, historical romance with just a enough of a hit of classic fairy tale. Dair is a wonder beast - haunted by tragedies in his past that he blames on himself, he haunts Carraig Brigh with his nightmares and terrors. When it is foretold that only a virgin can save him, everyone loses hope (apparently there aren't many in the area). But when Dair's father visits the lands of the Fearsome McLeods, he finds a couple that just might work.

Fia was a breath of fresh air. She was a helper and a healer. Satisfied with her place in life and the knowledge that she would be there for the rest of her days - until Dair. Once she meets Dair her dreams change, and she finds that her presence and voice offer a comfort to him that none have been able to provide. She may really be able to magically vanquish his crazed side.

But there are rumors of a witch, and Fia will find herself caught up in the superstition. Her life will be at risk, and along with it, the very sanity that allows Dair to be laird of the land. A great mix of suspense and daring, love, and a bit of fairy tale magic (but no actual magic) brings this story together in a way that I just loved.

This was a very intense edition to the Sanctuary, Texas series. I learned a lot about the House of Lamidae, not all of it very good. There are a few people that I look at quite differently after seeing a more 'anything for the greater good' side to them, willing to sacrifice the feelings of one in a grand attempt to move closer to their goals.

Gretchen was a bit of an enigma. She was different than the rest of the House of Lamidae, and it made her intriguing and a little frustrating at the same time. She wants to break the mold and be something different that the rest of her sisters. She wants to find love. But her search causes all sorts of problems.

This is a bit of a dark story. Not everything ends up ice cream and roses. I lost faith in some characters, and I just completely lost others. I will warn you that the ending isn't as hopeful as ones in the previous books. But the tenacity and determination of the citizens of Sanctuary really shine through.

I really enjoyed this book while I was reading it. But for some reason, the story didn't really stick with me. I can't put my finger on why exactly. The storyline was one that I had seen before, but it did have a few twists with the characters to make it a little different. Both Jeremey and Kayla were more of a rough around the edges type - which I thought was unusual to see in both characters.

It just wasn't memorable enough to stand out from the field of Christmas romances out there this time of year.

**I voluntarily read a review copy of this book**

The final book in the story of Chardonia is a sad one. Bethany has been captured, tarnished, and finds herself in a very very very very (I can't say enough very's here) bad place. But she's also in a good place to try and help the resistance from within the heart of Chardonia. But a lot of lives will be placed on the line because of it.

Unfortunately, the editing errors in this one were really bad. There were times I think she mixed up the two countries of Chardonia and Envado, because otherwise parts just wouldn't make sense. The ending was also a little off. It seemed to just "poof" wrap up with a nice bow. Yes, there was a lot leading up to it, but once we got to the top, it just all dropped off really fast.

I really enjoyed this series. It leans more towards a fantasy than a romance, but each story had a nice little romance that weaves through it and really made a different set of characters stand out in a nice way.

This series takes a very dark turn in Mine to Fear. Things are not going well, and I'll warn you, the story arc does not end well. We do have a fairly decent HEA for the romance side, but the realm Chardonia is in chaos and it only gets worse.

The people of Envado are trying desperately to change things, and they are losing the battle. The Grand Chancellor is taking the country in hand by making drastic and severe changes that puts the lives of many at risk. It's scary, very scary, and you don't see much light at the end of the tunnel.

Waverly finds herself caught up in the war as she tries to free her friends from the tyranny of the Grand Chancellor and his friends that are determined to keep women and magic under the control of a very select male population. There's a lot to  read between the lines here, and it was done very well.

My biggest complaint, and Mine to Fear may have gotten 5 stars without this, is the editing. There were some areas that were quite poorly done and it really did take away from my ability to just read the story. But it is one hell of a story.

This was a super sweet romance. Two broken souls coming together over the holidays to find love and happiness. It might have been just a tad too sweet for me to really fall in love with the story.

Christie has a "thing" in her past that is horrible and she's basically run away to start over again - and I think that was the right thing to do. This "thing" is mentioned many times but we don't know what it is until near the end. I had a hard time relating to her feelings on this without knowing what it was.

Luke was in a crappy marriage and he's afraid to be hurt, and he's afraid to have his son hurt again. His protective instincts are amazing. I like the back and forth he has mentally over this - with his son firmly in the "go for it" camp. This was a very real struggle for him, and I imagine many readers would understand his hesitation and doubts.

In the end, there was a huge misunderstanding and a  huge reconciliation. It was sweet and sappy, but a little much at times. I still enjoyed the story, just from the side of Luke more than Christie.

*I voluntarily read a review copy of this book*