Review & Giveaway - - Designs on You

Designs on You

by Jaci Burton

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: December 3, 2024

Reviewed by PJ

Natalie Parker is in her mid-thirties, divorced, and firmly focused on her newly resurrected career and her two children. When her sister asks her to help design the backyard in the new home she shares with her boyfriend, Linc, Natalie’s more than happy to take on the project. What she isn’t prepared for is Linc’s younger brother, video game designer Eugene Kennedy. He’s smart, incredibly good-looking, and constantly flirts with Natalie. He’s also too young for her, which makes him totally off-limits.

Eugene is intrigued by Natalie’s beauty, smarts, and especially her sarcastic wit. When he teases her, she throws it right back at him. Besides that, they have an instant chemistry, but she keeps trying to get rid of him despite the sparks that fly between them. And Eugene never backs down from a challenge. 

Natalie is running out of reasons to think being with Eugene is a bad thing. Her kids adore him, her sister loves him, and even her always negative mother does, too. The only person holding her back is...her. Maybe it’s time she take that leap and design herself a love for the ages. After all, if she can create the perfect home, she sure as hell can design a happily ever after.

PJ's Thoughts:

I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoyed Linc and Hazel's book, Housebroke and was curious about what the author had planned for Linc's brother, Eugene. At the time I had no idea that plan included Hazel's (then married) sister, Natalie. However, once Natalie and Eugene hit the page in Designs on You and their chemistry was obvious, I was totally on board. Eugene was a sweetheart and Natalie deserved a happy, fulfilling relationship on equal footing after exiting her toxic marriage. 

One of the traits that I most enjoyed about Eugene was his respect and support of Natalie in all facets of her life. I loved how he lifted her up time after time, how he respected her design opinions and her parenting decisions, and especially how determined he was to do special things just for her. So different from her ex-husband. I also loved Eugene's relationship with her children. His scenes with them were among my favorites in the book.

Natalie had a more significant growth arc. Her ex did a real number on her self esteem and some of the emotional baggage that exited her marriage with her spilled over onto her relationship with Eugene. I cheered her on as she continued to pursue the career she was denied during her marriage. I appreciated how hard she worked to ensure her children were happy and had a healthy, loving relationship with their father, even if she wasn't his biggest fan. But she had a lot of growing to do when it came to a healthy work/family/relationship balance in her life. She continued to evolve and eventually reached a point where I felt like she and Eugene could finally meet on equal footing and create a happy, loving, and long-lasting family together.

One of the facets of this story that didn't work for me was the emphasis on the age difference between Natalie and Eugene, in particular from Natalie's perspective. It's used as justification for a number of her opinions/decisions throughout the book. So how big is this huge age gap that has an almost 34-year-old woman treating a successful, financially-secure, sexy, committed man like a teenager who doesn't know his own mind? Three years. Three. Years. I understand the need for conflict, and if Eugene had been, say, ten years younger it would have made sense but the almost non-stop emphasis on three years being insurmountable threw me out of the story more than it drew me in. 

While there were a couple issues that detracted from my overall enjoyment of Designs on You, for the most part it was a satisfying read with multi-faceted characters I could root for, endearing kids, adorable dogs, relatable family dynamics, and a hard-won happy ending. It can stand on its own but for a better understanding of all characters and their backgrounds, I would recommend reading Housebroke first. 

~~~~~~~~~

Have you read Jaci Burton?

How many years constitutes a significant age gap for you?

One person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, December 6 will receive a print copy of Designs on You. 

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review & Giveaway - - Housebroke

Housebroke

by Jaci Burton

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: December 12, 2023

Reviewed by PJ

After her ex took all their money and bailed, Hazel Bristow is left broke and homeless. A kind friend whose home is on the market lets Hazel and her foster dogs stay there until it sells. It’s the perfect setup, until her friend forgets to tell Hazel she’s sold the house.

Linc Kennedy is shocked to find Hazel and her pups squatting in the house he just bought, but after some negotiating—she offers to cook amazing meals for him in return for a paycheck—he agrees to let her remain while he’s renovating the place. Linc tells Hazel he’s an investor who renovates homes for fun—he just leaves out the part about being wealthy.

Hazel’s intrigued by Linc. He’s funny, sweet, ridiculously hot, and loves dogs almost as much as she does. But her track record with men? Not great. She worries her trust meter isn’t in working order.

Linc’s never met anyone like the quirky beauty who puts everyone’s needs—human and canine—before her own. He didn’t tell her about his wealth because he’s been burned by women who only wanted him for his money. But with Hazel, he’s never felt more like himself. Now he has to figure out how to tell her the truth without losing her. Because Linc realizes what he feels for her isn't puppy love—it's true love.

PJ's Thoughts:

This sweet and steamy story kept me happily entertained from beginning to end. Burton gave me a tale that had me laughing at some points, tearing up at others, and cheering on our lead couple while they worked through issues on their way to happy endings. The overall story had a fun, upbeat vibe without sacrificing depth of emotion.

Trust (or lack thereof) was a key component of this story. Both Linc and Hazel had good reason to hold trust in reserve. I appreciated the time the author gave them to work through issues, allowing their relationship to slowly develop. Hazel, in particular, needed that time. Joyful bedroom gymnastics were one thing but after her ex's betrayal, leaving her with nothing, including her self esteem, she needed that time to find her footing before being able to move forward. Yes, there were missteps along the way but I liked that they didn't go on for too long and that clear communication, understanding, and compromise (on both sides) were used to resolve them. The strong family dynamics - on both sides - added an additional layer to the story as well as to the growth of the characters. You can tell a lot about a man by the way he treats not only his mom but also yours. And then there were the dogs...

To say Hazel's foster dogs were important characters in this book would be a massive understatement. Not only did they provide important insight into both Hazel and Linc, they stole every scene they were in and pretty much the whole darn book. Hazel adored them. Linc adored them. I adored them! I loved how Burton made each of the five dogs a unique, fully-developed character in his/her own right. Their individual personalities, quirks, and actions were vividly depicted, bringing them to life on the page. I wanted to cuddle them, play with them, and adopt the whole bunch. 

Reading Housebroke was a fun way to spend an afternoon. I'm wondering if Jaci Burton plans to return to this locale for another book, say a story for Linc's younger brother? I'd be down for that!

Have you read Jaci Burton?

Do you enjoy dogs (or pets of any kind) in books?

Tell me about the furry creatures in your life.

One randomly chosen person who posts a comment before 11:00 PM, December 15 will receive a print copy of Housebroke.

*U.S. only

*Must be 18

Review - - The Engagement Arrangement

The Engagement Arrangement

by Jaci Burton

Boots & Bouquets - Book 2

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: June 29, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

Brenna Bellini will never get married again. She plans to live out her days as a happy, successful, single woman. When she's chosen to be a bridesmaid in her friend's wedding at the Bellini family vineyard, she's thrilled. That is, until she realizes who else is in the wedding party. Brenna's going to have to spend four days in the company of not only her ex-husband, but also her high school nemesis. She just knows the fact that she's single and alone is going to be rubbed in her face all weekend long. Well, not if Brenna can help it. She's going to find herself a fake fiancé.

Finn Nolan is thrilled to be offered the job. He's had it bad for Brenna ever since he came over from Ireland to live at the vineyard. After falling for Brenna from afar for years, this Irish cowboy is determined to show the woman of his dreams that he is her Mr. Right. 

So what does a confirmed never-getting-married-again woman do when the man of her dreams unexpectedly lands right in front of her? Because for the first time, she might not be able to walk away. This time it might be forever.

PJ's Thoughts:

I enjoy a good friends-to-lovers/fake engagement story and after reading book one, The Best Man Plan, was curious to see how this one would play out. It was obvious Finn had it bad for Brenna. It was equally obvious that not only was Brenna completely oblivious to his feelings, she had no interest in reciprocating them...not with him or anyone else. This was not going to be an easy road to love.

I'm enjoying getting to know the Bellini family and learning the inner workings of their vineyard, winery, and event planning business. Burton brings it all to life with her vivid descriptions and details. She also brings authenticity to this close-knit family, including the loving but sometimes complicated relationships among the three Bellini sisters, each with a unique personality and place within the family and the family business. There are definitely flaws in these characters that keep things real...and keep me turning pages.

It was fun to learn more about Finn, how he came to live with the Bellini family, his vision for expanding the business, and his long-held feelings for Brenna. I liked him a lot, loved his dog, and was firmly in his corner. Brenna, on the other hand, took a long time to warm up to. There's a whole slew of emotional baggage for her to sort through and a prickly personality that's hard to crack. She has her moments but it wasn't until the final chapter of the book that she convinced me she was the right person for Finn. This was the first book in a while where I wanted to see major groveling from the heroine. ;-)

There's one more Bellini sister waiting for a happily ever after and I'm eager for her story, especially if my guess about her hero turns out to be correct. 

Review - - All Consuming

All Consuming

by Jaci Burton

Brotherhood by Fire - Book 3

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: March 2, 2021

Reviewed by PJ

When firefighter Kal Donovan transfers to the Tactical Rescue Team, he's determined to succeed by giving work one hundred percent of his attention. This proves more difficult at his ten-year high school reunion when he runs into Hannah Clark, his first love. She's still the smart, funny, beautiful girl he loved in high school, but everything has changed. She's divorced, has a son, and has zero interest in exploring an old romance.
 
Hannah has moved back home after a disastrous end to a marriage that never should have been. Now her only focus is getting her hair salon up and running, and making sure her son is happy. She doesn't have time for love—especially not with Kal. She intends to look forward, not backward, and Kal is most definitely part of her past.
 
However as Hannah and Kal start spending time together, Hannah realizes that what she's feeling for him isn't nostalgia, but red-hot attraction. Kal's intent on showing her what it's like to be cared for, romanced, and consumed with passion—and Hannah loves it. But she wonders if she has the courage to risk her heart again, even as Kal vows not to lose her a second time.

PJ's Thoughts:

I seem to be reading a lot of second-chance romances lately and All Consuming is another good one. I enjoyed Kal and Hannah together. Their teenage relationship ended ten years ago and when they reunite at their high school reunion it's with no lingering guilt or hard feelings regarding the end of that young romance. They're adults now, with life experience under their belts, moving forward into a potential new relationship but with a foundation of friendship at its core. I enjoyed their banter, the spark of attraction between them, and the steam they generate when they finally act upon it. I especially enjoyed the fun they have together, in and out of the bedroom. There's such an ease between them that comes from that foundation of friendship. I also enjoyed the attention that was given to each of their careers, giving readers glimpses into their daily lives away from one another. I like learning new things and also gaining a more complete understanding of the individual characters.

Something Jaci Burton excels at is creating families I want to know better and there are some good ones in this book. It was fun to meet and get to know Hannah's young son, Oliver (I loved the relationship Kal forms with him), Hannah's mom (she's a hoot), and Kal's parents, his brothers, and their significant others. They all add an additional richness to the story. I hadn't read books one and two before beginning this one. All Consuming stands fine on its own but by the time I finished, I was so enamored with the Donovan family that I immediately downloaded both Hot to the Touch and Ignite on Contact.  

If you enjoy heart-tugging, second-chance, contemporary romance with likeable characters, a bit of steam, feel-good fun, and smile-inducing happy endings, give this one a try. 

Review - - The Best Man Plan

The Best Man Plan
by Jaci Burton
Boots & Bouquets - Book 1
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: July 7, 2020
Reviewed by PJ

Three days before Erin Bellini's wedding, her fiancé breaks up with her--in an email! Hurt and embarrassed, she decides to have a fling with veterinarian Jason Callum, who's both the best man and the hottest guy she knows. But Jason wants a lot more than just a one-night stand with the woman he's cared about for years. So he's taking things slow. And hot. And showing Erin what real love can look like.

Suddenly Erin finds herself spending a lot more time with Jason than she intended.  Feelings she never planned on having again are wrapping around her heart, refusing to let go. Erin isn't sure she can trust her instincts, though. After all, she made a terrible choice with her ex-fiancé. But Jason intends to convince her that he's the best man for her, and that what they have together is a real love that will last forever.



PJ's Thoughts:

If that adorable cover hadn't convinced me to give this book a try, the blurb would have. Best friends to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes but Burton takes it a step further in this first book of her new Boots & Bouquets contemporary romance series. Not only do we have best friends to lovers, we also have a jilted bride, and a bit of a love triangle. With the three main characters (jilted bride, jilting groom, and best man) all being best friends since childhood, it has the potential for a whole lot of emotion, chaos, and hurt feelings. Burton manages to avoid expected pitfalls, keeping things realistic while also creating a fun, sexy, and heartwarming romance that, in the end, secures a happy ending for two of the friends, without permanently alienating the third. And even making me forgive, and hope for a happy ending, for a character that I spent most of the book actively disliking. 

I adored Jason and was in his corner from the beginning. I loved his staunch support of Erin and his determination to not take advantage of her. He's such a good guy, a good friend, a great puppy dad, and sexy as all get out. And he cooks! My feelings for Erin evolved along with her character. I appreciated the time she was given to work through her emotions concerning both Jason and Owen. I liked her and while I didn't always agree with her actions, I understood them. I loved Erin and Jason together, enjoying both the sweet and the sexy times as their friendship slowly transitioned to new territory. By the end of the book, I was fully confident in the love between them that had been tested and emerged strong and sure. 

I love the Bellini's Italian-Irish family dynamic and am looking forward to getting to know all of them better, especially Erin's sisters. I have hopes for a match between one of the sisters and a certain Irishman and am curious to see if my thoughts about the other sister also pan out. 

I'm not sure when book two will be released but after finishing this one I did some searching and discovered a novella, The Matchmaker's Mistletoe Mission, that introduces this series with the story of Clay and Alice, two of my favorite secondary characters from The Best Man Plan. I've already downloaded it and am ready to dive in while I wait for the next Red Moss Vineyard couple to take center stage. 

Review -- Melting the Ice

Melting the Ice

Play-By-Play—Book 7

By: Jaci Burton

Publisher: Berkley

Release Date: February 3, 2014

Jaci Burton’s Play-By-Play books have quickly become one of my favorite contemporary series. They feature gorgeous, sports-playing heroes and strong, self-reliant heroines who enjoy lots of hot lovemaking. And let’s face it; these books have some of the best covers in romance! But they are more than just drool-worthy covers...they have a lot of heart.

Carolina Preston and Drew Hogan share a past—the two had a hot one-night stand in college. Carolina finally got up the nerve to act on her long-time crush on her brother’s best friend at the time of his graduation...and then she didn’t hear from Drew for a very long time. Feeling hurt and embarrassed, Carolina held a grudge for years. Now, she is about to embark on her life-long dream of launching her own design company. She enlists the help of her brother, Gray (One Sweet Ride), a top-rated race car driver and owner of Preston Racing, to model some of her designs for the upcoming Fashion Week. Naturally, Gray agrees and suggests she recruit Drew, too. Because of their history, Carolina is reluctant to ask Drew but is desperate to make her budding company a success. Ultimately, desperation wins out over reluctance.

Drew Hogan does not hesitate when Gray and Carolina ask him to help. Despite what Carolina thinks of him, Drew had not forgotten that long ago night they shared in college. At the time, he wasn’t ready for anything serious. He wasn’t ready to deal with the strong feelings she evoked in him. He had a promising hockey career ahead of him and had to concentrate on that. But now that he has stability in his life and is a successful pro hockey player, he is ready to try to win Carolina’s heart. She proves to be difficult in that respect but Drew is nothing if not persistent.

I love Melting the Ice! I adore stories where the hero is in love with his best friend’s sister (and vice versa) and Drew and Carolina are so likable, so engaging, and so perfect for each other. They both work hard in their respective vocations (I would even go as far as calling Carolina a workaholic), so it’s no surprise that they work hard to overcome their rocky history and take a second chance at love. This passage from when they visit Carolina’s family during Christmas and attend church on Christmas Day sums it up wonderfully.

...they listened to the minister talk about new beginnings.

A lot like Carolina and him. Their relationship had started out as a disaster, and she’s harbored a grudge for a long time. But the ice between then had slowly been melting. So maybe this was a new beginning for them.

Fans of the series will love catching up with Gray and Evelyn, and if the excerpt from the next book (Straddling the Line) is any indication, we will be in for a treat with Trevor’s story! It releases in July and promises to be an emotional one. Melting the Ice is a great addition to Burton’s Play-By-Play series and a super spicy contemporary that I highly recommend!

~Andrea

Review -- Playing to Win

Playing to Win

Play-By-Play—Book 4

By Jaci Burton

Publisher: Berkley Heat

Release Date: September 4, 2012

Football star Cole Riley is thrilled to finally be playing for his hometown team, the St. Louis Traders. He’s played with other teams and was eventually let go mostly due to his frequent altercations with the media. He has since been labeled as wild and a hot head. If he wasn’t such a great player, one would wonder why St. Louis would take a chance on him. Because he is such a terrific wide receiver, the team and his agent, Liz Darnell (heroine of Changing the Game), hire an image consultant to help with Cole’s off-field behavior. Naturally, Cole is not happy about it or about having someone tell him what to do and how to act. He believes the problem lies solely with the interfering media. However, once Cole gets a look at the woman charged with helping him, he is more open to the idea.

Savannah Brooks has worked hard to get to where she is, including never mixing business with pleasure. Despite her initial attraction to Cole, she takes on the task of attempting to tame the wild sports star. Her first few interactions with him leave her confused as he acts like a gentleman. But later when the media shows up, he handles himself poorly and doesn’t know how to deal with them. Cole desperately wants to keep his public life completely separate from his private life and won’t even talk to Savannah about his family. She works hard to help him but in order to do that she needs to get to know the man behind the mask—to see what makes him tick. When she is finally able to crack that wall, her outlook begins to change...and her feelings begin to grow. 

Playing to Win is a great addition to Jaci Burton’s popular Play-By-Play series. At first you believe Cole is nothing but a cocky jock—and he is—but he begins to come to terms with some of his issues. He never let himself get involved with other teams he played for so that if/when he left, he wouldn’t get hurt or be upset. He took things the media said personally and Savannah helps him to handle them in a positive way and not allowing them get under his skin. Savannah has her own baggage that she has suppressed that comes to light when she sees similarities between her and Cole. 

It was like listening to a version of herself. Only Cole was a lot more honest in how he felt, something she’d never allowed herself to be. He was saying all the things she felt inside but had never given voice to. 

“How does it feel?” she asked. 

“How does what feel?” 

“To be that open and honest with someone.” 

He shrugged. “I’ve never done it before. I’ve never said those things to anyone but you.” 

Her heart squeezed. “Why me?” 

“I guess I just wanted to say it—to someone. Or maybe you needed to hear it. I don’t know.” 

Throughout the book, they both grow and Cole ends up helping Savannah as much as she helps him. I must say, it was quite enjoyable to watch the tough jock fall for the sweet Southern belle. But don’t let that fool you, because these two positively heat up the pages! Fans of the series get to visit previous characters and meet new ones as Cole’s sister, Alicia, is the heroine of the next book in the series. I’m especially looking forward to it because Alicia is a sports medicine specialist and that’s what I wanted to be once upon a time. J 

Playing to Win not only has a great cover (hawt!), but it is a wonderful contemporary erotic romance that I recommend!

 

~Andrea

Stock Up Saturday

Taking a Shot
Play-by-Play—Book 3
By Jaci Burton
Publisher: Berkley Heat
Release Date: March 6, 2012


Jenna Riley is surrounded by sports. One of her brothers is a quarterback in the NFL (Mick Riley, The Perfect Play) and her other brother plays major league baseball (Gavin Riley, Changing the Game), so naturally her entire family loves any and all sports. On top of that, she owns and runs Riley’s, the family’s sports bar where local players and fans come to have a good time. One of those players is Ty Anderson, who plays for the St. Louis Ice, the local NHL team. Ty has been coming in a lot lately and Jenna has noticed his interest. Because her life is so full of sports, she certainly does not want to date anyone involved in sports. But there’s something alluring about the perceptive hockey star that Jenna can’t seem to resist.

Ty Anderson is good at reading people and he gets the impression that there is something more to Jenna Riley that what she shows in public. While she doesn’t resemble the type of girl he normally dates—with her short black hair tipped with purple, multiple piercings and tattoos—Ty wants to know her better. Despite Jenna saying no several times, Ty doesn’t give up...and one night it finally pays off. But Ty may be in for more than he bargained for when he discovers the real Jenna and learns of her hidden dream. Now, all he wants is to help her achieve that dream; and despite her objection to dating sports jocks, maybe find more along the way.

Taking a Shot is the third book in Jaci Burton’s popular Play-by-Play series, which has some of the best covers out there. I love this series featuring hot sexy athletes and strong, independent women...and you don’t have to be a fan of sports to enjoy them. Jenna was introduced in the first book of the series (The Perfect Play) and it was evident to me that there was much more to her character. She is not your typical-looking heroine and I like that about her. And I’m so glad that she got her own story. I was pleasantly surprised by her secret and adored Ty because he was adamant about helping Jenna realize her dream. To me, that is super sexy and makes him an unforgettable hero. The loves scenes are plenty and extremely HOT! I enjoyed visiting the previous couples, Mick and Tara, and Gavin and Liz, and also meeting the hero of the next book in the series, their cousin Cole. If you like super hot contemporary romance, pick up Taking a Shot!

~Andrea

Review -- Changing the Game

Changing the Game
Play-By-Play – Book 2
By Jaci Burton
Publisher: Berkley Heat
Release Date: August 2, 2011

Sports agent Elizabeth Darnell is fully aware that she works in a male-dominated industry, but doesn’t let that deter her from being exceptional at what she does. So when she messed with her biggest client’s (Mick Riley from The Perfect Play) love life, Liz knows that she screwed up, and she paid the ultimate price—she lost an important client and dear friend. She naturally assumes that Mick’s brother Gavin (who is a star Major League Baseball player and also her client) will follow in Mick’s footsteps and fire her as well. Since the “incident”, Liz has done her best to avoid Gavin so he can’t do just that. When Gavin corners her at a team party and says he needs to talk to her, she thinks this is it. He drives them to his beach house to talk and Liz is surprised when he doesn’t fire her—he just wants to know why she’s been avoiding him. Even when he gives her a seductive look, she simply can’t tell him the truth.

She always kept her distance from him, usually met him in crowds and at public events where she’d be safe.

And she had a damn good reason for it.

One, she was four years older than him. She didn’t date younger guys. Ever.

Two, she was in love with him and had been for years.

Three, he was totally, utterly, and completely oblivious to it, and she intended to keep it that way.

Gavin knows that Liz made a huge mistake, but she apologized and made up for it so he’s good with it. Her detachment prompted him to look at her in a different light and he can’t stop thinking about her. When their “talk” leads to a blazing hot night of sex, Gavin wants more. He asks Liz to stay at his place through spring training and she agrees. During this time, he gets to know the real Liz underneath the cold-hearted façade she shows most people. Liz begins to wonder if she and Gavin can keep their professional and personal relationship separate. Or do they have to?

I really enjoyed Changing the Game! Liz was the “villain” who made a huge mistake in the previous book and while she did make amends, I was super curious how Jaci Burton would handle her as a heroine. Well, she certainly convinced me. I came to care for Liz every bit as much as Gavin. And I can totally see why she’s held a torch for Gavin for years when he says things like:

“Honey, I am that good. I know what you want, and I can give it to you. Anytime you want it. Anytime I want it. That’s why you want to be here with me.”

Yes, Gavin is that good. He’s a macho alpha who takes on a woman who likes to be in control all the time. This of course led to some serious sparks between the two. And even though he did something that made me want to strangle him, I chocked it up to him being a man...and he more than made up for it. *g* I love this series because even though they are erotic romance, they’re more than just sex. These stories are full of heart and real, multi-layered characters that I truly care about. I just adore the whole Riley family. After reading the excerpt in the back of this one, I am extremely eager for their sister Jenna’s story, Taking a Shot, coming in February of 2012. Until then, I definitely recommend both The Perfect Play and Changing the Game!

~Andrea


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