Review - - The Summer of Lost and Found

The Summer of Lost and Found

by Toni Blake

Publisher: Montlake

Release Date: February 17, 2026

Reviewed by PJ

Recovering from cancer, Cincinnati news anchor Jessica Fox has no choice but to take a summer leave. Her boss’s proposal: for Jessica to take it easy and recharge at his late grandmother Mabel’s cottage in the Kentucky mountains.

The town of Lost and Found lives up to its name. Resistant at first, Jessica grows to appreciate the slower pace, the spectacular sunsets, the affable locals, and even Matt Cordray, the laid-back, too-friendly police chief next door. Most engaging of all is Mabel, who left behind a treasure map that leads Jessica to a collection of lost items―mementos and love letters―people have mailed to the town over the years. Jessica needs something to help pass the time, and she finds it in reuniting these precious things with the distant strangers who lost them.

Lost and in flux herself, Jessica has no idea just how connected to life this town will make her feel again or, by summer’s end, how transformative a season it will be.

PJ's Thoughts:

Transformative is a good word to describe this book. Written with the perspective of someone who lived her own cancer journey, Blake's complex, heart-tugging, and, ultimately, hopeful story gives readers an intimate view into the life of someone who has emerged from  treatment with a good health prognosis but, unbeknownst to her, has yet to begin the process of emotional healing. 

Not only did I get to tag along with Jessica during her transformative, life-changing summer, reading this book was a visceral experience in itself, one that reminded me of the importance of slowing down, taking a breath, and giving myself grace when a life-altering obstacle appears in my path. 

I'm a fast reader who typically finishes a book in one day. This book encouraged me to take my time and savor each small step of Jessica's journey along the way, whether that's the blooming of a long-awaited flower, the majesty of a painted sky at sunset, the joy of human connection, the burst of flavor on the tongue from fresh-picked, summer-warmed fruit, the fear of being vulnerable, the artistry of life's lines in an aging face, or the opening of one's heart to love. Each felt like a small celebration in the evolving trajectory of Jessica's life. 

Jessica's journey showcased the complexity of her gradual emotional healing over one unexpected summer. On a personal note, while I don't purport to understand the emotions of one who has received a cancer diagnosis, and each of those people surely lives a unique experience, Blake, through her own personal experience, has given us a main character, and surrounded her with characters, who through their feelings, insights, and shared experiences, have taught me how to better understand, support and lift up someone who has. That, in itself, is a gift to be treasured. 

The Summer of Lost and Found is an engaging, thought-provoking, hopeful, emotional celebration of life in all its messy, complex, painful, and joyful moments. It reminds us that, as Matt says in the book, "Sometimes life has to force on us the gifts we wouldn't have gotten any other way." For Jessica, that gift is a forced summer in a small mountain town that brings life-changing discoveries about herself, her surroundings, and her future path in life. For me, it's what, in my opinion, is Toni Blake's best book - a beautifully written story with realistically, and lovingly, depicted characters who will continue to live in my heart long after the final page. Don't miss this one. It's a keeper. 

Review - - The Valentine Box

The Valentine Box

by Toni Blake

The Box Books - Book 3

Publisher: Oliver Heber Books

Release Date: January 28, 2025

Reviewed by PJ

 

It started with a box for collecting heart wishes…

Among the constants in Taylor Mulvaney’s life are the heart-shaped box made by her father, the mysterious hearts she sometimes sees, and her longtime crush on Luke Montgomery. The valentine box has a way of connecting her and Luke time and again – and even after Luke breaks her heart before leaving their hometown of Sweetwater, Kentucky for good, she never gets completely over him.

The box brings them back together when they least expect it.

Fifteen years later, Taylor still sees hearts. And now she even makes them, baking heart-shaped treats at the Sweetheart Bake Shop. After a rough start in life, she’s found her way. Until, that is, Luke comes home for his father’s funeral, bringing a deluge of old feelings flooding back. Before she knows it, a note dropped in her still-beloved valentine box has Taylor swept up in helping him save his family’s horse farm – and trying not to fall back in love with the guy who once left her shattered.

How will it end?

Could Luke really want Taylor the way she’s always wanted him? Can she trust in the future to turn out better than the past? The valentine box is still working its magic to draw them together all these years later, but can Taylor set her fears aside long enough to believe in a second chance at love?

PJ's Thoughts:

What a lovely story. This one really pulls at the heartstrings. I love the history of Luke and Taylor, the shared memories of their childhood, both good and bad. I like the ebb and flow of their individual growth through the years from childhood to high school, college and adulthood, the evolution of their friendship, their reunion after a fifteen-year separation, and eventually the romance that's always been just out of reach. 

I enjoy a journey that peels back the layers of a character, allowing us to go along for the ride as they sort their way through life. Blake gives us that, not only with Taylor and Luke but, to a lesser degree, with peripheral characters as well. She gives us two main characters who are realistically flawed, but with essential goodness at their core, and carrying relatable emotional baggage. It was easy to become attached to them, cheer for them, hurt with them, and be invested in their happiness and success.

There's also a bit of a mystical thread throughout this book that touched my heart, a few times even bringing me to tears. I firmly believe in signs from loved ones who no longer walk the Earth. The hearts - and horse - that bring warmth, clarity, and love to Taylor and Luke are reminiscent of experiences in my own life, adding an additional dimension to my reading pleasure. 

If you're looking for a feel-good contemporary romance with low sizzle (but deep emotion), strong community ties, complicated family dynamics, individual growth, and a second-chance, friends-to-lovers romance, check out Toni Blake's The Valentine Box. I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

 

Review - - The One Who Stays

The One Who Stays
by Toni Blake
A Summer Island Novel - Book 1
Publisher: HQN
Release Date: July 30, 2019
Reviewed by PJ
    

Summer Island has always been home to Meg Sloan. She runs the Summerbrook Inn, like her grandmother did, and she loves the laid-back pace of life and the close-knit community the island offers. Meg also loves Zack Sheppard, but what she doesn’t love is Zack’s refusal to commit to an exclusive relationship.

Seth Darden arrives on Summer Island in search of summer work, but also in search of something else—his past. There are secrets buried at the Summerbrook Inn, secrets that forged the path of Seth’s life. But he wasn’t counting on falling for the lovely innkeeper, Meg.

When Meg meets Seth, she can’t ignore the sparks that fly between them, even though she feels like her heart has been torn in half. But if Zack won’t commit, should she take the leap with Seth? And can she even have a future with him if he can’t reckon with his past?

My thoughts:

Toni Blake is an author whose books I've enjoyed over the years. More than a few sit on my keeper shelves so I was excited to hear that she was embarking upon a new contemporary romance series. The One Who Stays, a slow-paced, small-town story launches her A Summer Island series and left me with mixed feelings. I'm not sure if this book is intended to be a contemporary romance or a women's fiction story so I'll approach it from both perspectives.

As a romance, the story left me wanting more. I knew pretty early on which of the two men in Meg's life I preferred but I was never convinced that Meg's ultimate decision came from a place of deep, genuine, "I can't live without him" love. They have a solid friendship but I wanted more romantic development, more emotional depth between them. I like them both and I'm hopeful that their relationship will continue to evolve throughout the series and that I'll have that certainty by the end.

As a coming of age, women's fiction novel, I enjoyed it very much. Because, even though Meg is almost forty, because of past events that impacted her life, this is in many ways her coming of age. She's just now beginning to figure out what she wants from life, and gathering the courage to go after it. Zack and Seth are both on journeys of their own, and both play critical roles in Meg's journey, as do Meg's close friends on the island, but her main source of guidance comes from the diary that appears during the renovation of her inn. Giving her unexpected insights into her beloved grandmother's life as a young woman, her diary provides both a link to the woman who was so instrumental in Meg's life and a blueprint to aid Meg in figuring out her own life. 

Blake does a good job of creating the laid-back environment of Northern Michigan's islands and the close-knit community of individuals who live there year-round. The supporting cast is interesting, with color provided by quirky islanders, and intriguing newcomers with past baggage, and a few secrets, that will undoubtedly be unraveled in the books to come. 

Book two in the series, The Giving Heart, is scheduled to be released October 29 and features Meg's sister, Lila and real estate developer, Beck in a Christmas romance. I already have it on pre-order. But the book I'm most intrigued by is The Love We Keep, third in the series and scheduled for release January 28, 2020. I have a suspicion that one will be overflowing with all the "feels." 


On which side of the book fence do you fall: Women's Fiction or Contemporary Romance? Or do you enjoy both?

Have you ever read Toni Blake?

How do you feel about love triangles?

One person who comments before 11:00 PM, August 25, will receive a signed, print copy of The One Who Stays. (U.S. addresses only)

Beach Bag Bonanza Reviews & Giveaway

PJ here!  As I write this, my skin is gently caressed by sweet ocean breezes, my ears are serenaded by the music of waves lapping at the shore and my toes wiggle happily in warm sand. I'm in my happy place and all I need to complete the picture is a beach bag filled with good books.  Luckily for me, that's exactly what I have!  As I prepare to immerse myself in the first of many good stories I plan to read this week, let me share with all of you some recently read books that I recommend for your summer reading list.  

ALL I WANT IS YOU
A Coral Cove Novel
By Toni Blake
Publisher:  Avon
Release Date: May 27, 2014


After losing her parents in a devastating house fire, Christy Knight is starting over with nothing - no insurance money, no childhood memories, barely enough income to make it from paycheck to paycheck and her dream of supporting herself with her jewelry designs seemingly out of reach.  But she's hanging on until she learns her beloved grandfather is about to be kicked out of his nursing home in Coral Cove, Florida for lack of money to pay their high fees.  He's her only remaining relative and she's not about to let him go down without a fight. Her roomie suggests Christy find herself a rich husband to solve all her problems. Unfortunately for Christy, none of her rich dates measure up to Jack DuVall, her sexy handyman neighbor, a man with the potential to fulfill all her needs except one: money.  Jack's had his heart broken by a woman in search of a rich husband before and isn't about to go down that road again.  He initially pegs Christy as a gold digger and even though he changes his mind as he gradually gets to know her he still protects his heart by letting her think he's a low-income handyman.  A road trip from Ohio to Coral Cove to visit Christy's grandfather changes everything and teaches both Christy and Jack what's really important in life.  But just as they begin to trust in each other and what they have between them, Jack's secret comes to light and that betrayal of trust threatens to tear them apart.  Forever.

This first book in Toni Blake's new Coral Cove series is a winner.  She's created a lovely, laid-back beach town in Coral Cove that I want to visit and has populated it with quirky, heartwarming characters that I want to meet.  Christy's Grandpa Charlie would be first on the list!  Full of wit and wisdom, Charlie is in his twilight years but very important to this story.  Blake gives Charlie his own story-within-a-story by reflecting on a time in his life when he chose to do the "responsible thing" over following his heart, a choice he has regretted his entire life and it's this life experience that enables him to help Christy with her own love vs responsibility struggles.  We also meet other characters who fill in the Coral Cove landscape and I hope will make more appearances in future books.  When you pick up this Toni Blake book you can expect realistic and fully developed characters, a richly told emotional journey and laughs, sighs and cheers along the way. Add this one to your summer beach bag.  You won't be sorry.

WHAT A WOMAN NEEDS
By Judi Fennell
A Manley Maids Novel
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date:  June 3, 2014

Movie star Bryan Manley is used to swarming paparazzi and swooning fans. Surprisingly, he's also used to dusting, sweeping and cleaning toilets.  The grandmother who raised him and his siblings saw to that so when he loses a bet with his sister that has him spending six weeks in his hometown as a Manley Maid for her cleaning service, he isn't worried about being able to do the job.  Then he meets the client, widow Beth Hamilton and her five children.  Suddenly, four weeks in the Hamilton household takes on a whole new meaning.

After the traumatizing media circus surrounding her late husband's headline-making death, the last thing over-worked and over-stressed Beth Hamilton and her children need is any kind of connection to handsome, sexy, media darling Bryan Manley.  But then the man arrives at her house in that ridiculous Manley Maids uniform and he's so gorgeous, so sexy, so nice.  And he cleans!  Four weeks with the actor who stars in the dreams of women world-wide.  What could go wrong?

I loved this book!  It's sweet, sexy, flirtatious and heartwarming.  My recipe for a no-fail summer read? Take one worn-out mom, one surly teen son, one teen daughter in the throes of puppy love, twin sons who rival an F5 tornado and an adorable little girl sure to win everyone's heart.  Toss in a sexy, charming, too-good-to-be-true movie star with the ability to send a woman's libido into orbit while corralling her children, cleaning her house and winning all of their hearts in the process. Relax.  Read.  Enjoy!

STORMY PERSUASION
A Malory Novel
By Johanna Lindsey
Publisher: Gallery Books
Release Date: June 10, 2014

Johanna Lindsey's Malory family captured my heart in our first meeting which happened to be in the first book of the series.  There have been highs and lows over the course of eleven books and I admit to being a bit disappointed with the last few books but I'm happy to say that Stormy Persuasion has our love affair back on the right course.

While cousins Jacqueline "Jack" and Judith Malory, daughters of James and Tony, may have different life goals - marriage and motherhood for Judith while Jack yearns to sail the seas like her former pirate father - they've been best friends since the cradle.  So, of course, when the girls turn eighteen and Jack has to travel to America for her debut to satisfy a promise her father made to her mother's American brothers she isn't about to go without Judith beside her.  Setting sail in the company of their fathers, Jack's mother, an aunt and uncle and a newly discovered cousin, the girls look forward to fun and adventure before returning to England where Judith's mother is busy narrowing the field of Scottish marital prospects for her daughter. Neither girl has any idea that the trip will be life-changing in ways they could not possibly have foreseen.

Masquerading as a deck hand on the ship, Nathan Tremayne is actually a ship captain and smuggler carrying out a secret mission for the British government in exchange for a full pardon and the chance to reclaim his stolen ship. The last thing he needs is a pampered society miss mucking up the works but he can't seem to resist the lovely Judith and it appears the feeling is mutual.  Just when he begins to entertain ideas of a future with her though, an event aboard ship changes everything and leaves Nathan disappearing into the night and Judith heartbroken.  But fate isn't quite finished with this pair.  When Jack's life is put at risk, only Nathan has the means to rescue her but will he be able to put his pride aside and offer assistance?  And, more importantly, will Judith and her family be able to accept his assistance with the strings that are attached?

Stormy Persuasion is a fast-paced, high seas romance of the very best kind.  Fans of the Malory series will delight in seeing the girls all grown up and watching their former rakehell fathers deal with all the ramifications of having respectable - and not so respectable - gentlemen sniffing around their skirts.  Loved it!  For readers who have not read the series, not to worry.  This book stands well on it's own.  Though, after reading it, you will most likely start searching out the rest of the books in the series, especially Tony and James' stories (Tender Rebel #2 and Gentle Rogue #3).  My favorite couple, Amy (Malory) and Warren Anderson also make an appearance in this story.  Their book is The Magic of You, #4 in the series.

I do hope Lindsey is planning a book for Jack.  I can't wait to see what she does with her.  Whatever it is, it's sure to be fun.  She truly is her father's daughter!  :)

FAIR PLAY
By Deeanne Gist
Publisher: Howard Books
Release Date: May 6, 2014


In 1893, the world descends upon the city by the lake for the World's Columbian Exhibition, otherwise known as the 1893 Chicago World's Fair. One of those working at the fair is Dr. Billy Jack Tate, a woman ahead of her time.  She loves the city, is dedicated to her profession and is working toward her goal of establishing her own successful medical practice.  Hunter Scott, a Texas Ranger, traditionalist and country boy through and through is one of the elite Columbian Guards hired for the duration of the fair.  He thrives on wide open spaces and can't wait to get back to Texas.  He also believes a woman should be a homemaker, not a wage earner. You know from the minute of their unconventional first meeting that these two are going to be fun!

When Hunter finds an abandoned baby and takes him to Billy Jack, the baby eventually leads them to the slums of Chicago's Nineteenth Ward and the mass of downtrodden children living there.  Determined to do something to brighten the lives of those children, they team up to build a playground, a decision that eventually spawns a playground movement that spreads across the country.  In the process of working together to help the children, Billy Jack and Hunter grow closer and eventually fall in love but in order to have a happy ending will one of them have to sacrifice their dream?  

I grew up close to Chicago and was fascinated by family stories of ancestors who lived there.  In fact, my multi-great grandfather emigrated from Canada to Chicago to take a job building the "White City" that was the 1893 World's Fair so this story had special meaning for me.  As I read Gist's book, it was as if I was actually there, experiencing all that Billy Jack, Hunter and my ancestors had as they walked the grounds of the fair and ventured into the garbage-strewn, poverty-stricken areas of the city.  Gist's descriptions are spot-on and her characters realistic and true to the times, bringing 1893 Chicago vividly to life.  She does an excellent job of weaving real characters into the fabric of her story as well, to the point that it's difficult to differentiate between real and fictional.  They all seemed real to me.  The romance between Billy Jack and Hunter is sweet and emotional but not explicit. Again, Gist does a good job of keeping the heat factor (mild) true to the characters without sacrificing any of the emotion or sexual tension.  Readers may notice that this book is published by an inspirational imprint but I would not classify it as such. In fact, I believe it signals Gist's move from inspirational romance to more mainstream stories. 

If you enjoy rich, historical Americana with a heartwarming romance then I suggest you tuck this book into your beach bag this summer.  In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I may just tuck it into mine and go back for a second visit! 

~PJ


Now it's your turn!  Tell me what books are on your beach bag list this summer.  Or tell me what book(s) you've read lately that I need to add to mine.  I'm cleaning out my bookshelves and have two boxes and three packages of books to give away today.  My apologies to our international readers but shipping costs require me to limit this giveaway to U.S. addresses only.  

Let's Dish!

Avon Rocks the House

Andrea and I attended the Avon RWA cocktail party Friday night.  What a fantastic time we had!  Avon always puts on a wonderful party and this one was no exception.  They had delectable food, delicious drinks, flashing-light party favors and a rockin' photo booth!  Thanks to our friends at Avon Books for the invitation.  We had a great time!





Good friend, Nicki Salcedo from Georgia Romance Writers.  We're sisters of the heart.  Love this woman!

Andrea and RITA winner, Sarah MacLean.













PJ with Carey Baldwin, author of terrific medical thrillers. Happy to hear we have more books coming from this talented author!

Wonderful authors, great friends and really nice people:  Julie Anne Long and Toni Blake!










PJ with the sweet, smart, funny and incredibly talented Tessa Dare.

Sandwiched between two amazing women, Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Cathy Maxwell.

Romance star Lorraine Heath and rising star Jennifer McQuiston!

Nicki Salcedo and PJ with the Super Librarian, Wendy Crutcher.









We rocked the photo booth!  Here are some random shots (the ones fit to print).  ::grin::

Andrea and PJ

Andrea, PJ, Cathy Maxwell

PJ with the GRW crew...and friends!

Tessa Dare and PJ making mischief.

What's your favorite kind of party?

Have you ever rocked the photo booth?  What's your style?  Funny or serious?

Who are your favorite Avon authors?

We have signed Avon books and conference swag for three randomly chosen people leaving a comment.  (U.S. and Canadian addresses only)

~PJ

Toni Blake Winners

Thanks to everyone who stopped by to check out Toni's Fun Facts about Half Moon Hill.  The winners of a copy of Half Moon Hill are:

LeighAnnR

and

Karen Triolo

Congratulations, ladies!  Please send your full name and mailing address to us at

theromancedish (at) gmail (dot) com

What You Didn't Know About Half Moon Hill

I love visiting Destiny, Ohio, the fictional location of Toni Blake's sexy and heartwarming small-town contemporary romance series.  The sixth book in the series, Half Moon Hill will be released April 30th and features two fascinating main characters:  Anna Romo, a woman kidnapped at the age of five who has recently discovered her real family and Duke Dawson, ex-biker and best friend of Anna's biological older brother, who is dealing with the emotional aftermath of a tragic accident. Here are a few interesting facts from the author about Half Moon Hill.
~PJ








TONI BLAKE'S FUN FACTS ABOUT 
HALF MOON HILL:



Tessa's brother, Jeremy, was originally supposed to be the hero.  I started planning that as early as Destiny Book 3,  Whisper Falls.  But as the time to write it grew closer, something about it didn't feel right.  I didn't know Jeremy very well, after all. But I did know Duke.  Readers had started writing to me and asking me to give Duke his own book.  You ask.  I listen.  Duke just seemed like a much better match for Anna in my mind - even if only because I knew instantly how much Anna's brother Mike would dislike this.  I loved fleshing out both Anna and Duke as characters as I wrote this story, and I couldn't be happier with the decision to make Duke her hero.  

I adore the cover of this book!  But the fun act is - on the original version, the title was hot pink.  Rather gorgeous, I must say! But sadly, I noticed in thumbnail version on my computer screen, it was really difficult to read.  

The swing on the cover came before the swing in the story.  I had the cover long before I'd actually written the book, but that gave me the opportunity to add a swing to the story, and I couldn't be more pleased with how that part worked out.  

I'm a big fan of butterflies.  In the summer, I spend quite a bit of time stalking and photographing them.  So when I first saw the butterflies on this cover, I was ecstatic.  Then they decided to add more butterflies.  On the original cover, there were only two or three and now I count upwards of a dozen.  I love having a cover with one of my favorite things on it!

I really, truly am very proud of this book.  I love the way both characters developed, I loved revisiting everyone in Destiny and moving their life stories forward as well, and I loved the depth of emotions I got to explore in this story.  

~Toni Blake


Are you a fan of Toni Blake's Destiny series?  Which Destiny couple is your favorite?  Are you looking forward to a story for Duke as much as I am?  Toni is delighted with the butterflies on the cover of Half Moon Hill.  If you were designing a cover, what favorite thing would you want featured on it?  

HarperCollins has graciously offered a copy of Half Moon Hill to two randomly chosen people leaving a comment.  (U.S. addresses only, please)    

You never know what destiny has in store . . .

A rugged loner and ex-biker-gang member, Duke Dawson is looking for some peace and quiet while recovering from an accident. But when Anna Romo comes wandering through his woods and into his cabin, she completely rocks his world. The last thing he expected or wanted was to find himself hungering after a woman whose eyes held hurt even deeper than his own . . .

Running from a troubled past, Anna is building a new life in Destiny. When she first meets Duke, she's terrified—but something about him calls to her very soul. The hard-bodied rebel is soon helping her turn her new home into a bed and breakfast, and close quarters quickly lead them into her bed. Their passion is palpable, but can she convince a man who has turned his back on life to take the biggest leap of faith of all and fall in love?

Review - - Holly Lane

Holly Lane
Destiny Series - Book #4
By Toni Blake
Publisher:  Avon Books
Relase Date:  October 25, 2011

Sue Ann Simpkins had the perfect marriage...or so she thought.  She and Jeff had been sweethearts since high school and their happy marriage was the kind all of their friends aspired to, until Jeff blindsided her with the news that he was in love with someone else and wanted a divorce.  Now, six months later, Sue Ann is still reeling from the betrayal while trying to hold things together for her seven year old daughter, Sophie as they face their first Christmas without Jeff.  She needs a break from the stress and lets her friends talk her into renting a cottage at the lake for a quiet weekend alone.

Adam Becker has known Sue Ann for most of their lives.  He and Jeff have been best friends since school, he was best man at their wedding and is Sophie's godfather.  The divorced dad of twin boys is not looking forward to the holidays.  The fact that his sons are spending the month of December in Colorado with their grandparents has him feeling decidedly Scrooge-like and when he arrives at the cabin he's rented for the weekend he only wants to be alone.  The last thing he expects is to discover that his cabin has been mistakenly rented to Sue Ann and there are no other vacancies.  To make matters worse, a blizzard has closed the roads, forcing Adam and Sue Ann to share the cabin and suddenly, with no warning, his eyes - and other body parts - are viewing the woman who has always been his friend - only his friend - in a whole new light.

I love the friends to lovers trope, especially when that flare of sexual attraction comes with no warning, as it does with Sue Ann and Adam. A storm may be raging outside their cabin but inside, these two sizzle.  By morning, Sue Ann knows three things:  she's never felt so desired, never had sex that good and never been so scared.  She's clearly ready for some good lovin' but, as a woman whose trust was blown to smithereens by her ex-husband, a new relationship is a whole other story.   As these two gradually get to know one another on a new level, will they discover the magic of Christmas in each other's arms?  Or will Sue Ann's fears and a revealed secret from Adam's past derail their romance before it has a chance to begin?

With each visit I make to Toni Blake's Destiny, Ohio, I can count on a richly emotional story with likable characters, appealing humor and sizzling sensuality.  HOLLY LANE is no exception.  Sue Ann and Adam are both good people who have been given a second chance at love at the most magical time of year.  Each has an individual journey to make as, together, they grow as a couple.  I especially like how Blake moves Adam along his pathway through the use of dreams past, present and future ala Dickens' A Christmas Carol.  A very sweet and endearing part of this story is the relationship between Adam and Sophie, Sue Ann's daughter, and a Christmas morning promise that had me in tears.  If I hadn't already been in love with him, that scene would have sealed the deal.

As a fan of series, one of my favorite parts of reading a third or fourth book is catching up with previously introduced characters.  In HOLLY LANE, Blake has included a heartwarming secondary story featuring Mick and Jenny, hero and heroine from ONE RECKLESS SUMMER, the first book in this series.  Other characters are featured as well although Blake does a good job of keeping the focus on the main couple throughout. 

Pick up a copy of HOLLY LANE and kick off the holiday season with another sexy, heartwarming story from Toni Blake.


~PJ

Stock Up Saturday Reviews

Baby, it's cold outside! Here in the U.S., we've been battling snow, ice and freezing temperatures. Perfect weather for curling up on the couch with a warm blanket and a good book. Here are a few that we recommend.

Animal Magnetism
By Jill Shalvis
Publisher: Berkley
Release Date: February 1, 2011


Brady Miller’s ideal Saturday was pretty simple---sleep in, be woken by a hot, naked woman for sex, followed by a breakfast that he didn’t have to cook.

With that first sentence---which made me chuckle---I was hooked. Brady Miller is prior military (Army Special Forces), a pilot-for-hire, and photographer. Oh, and he’s also tall, dark, and handsome. He returns to Sunshine, Idaho to visit his foster brothers, Adam and Dell. Brady doesn’t plan on staying long, which is how he likes to live his life. Free, simple, and no complications. But all that changes when he has a run in with the local kennel owner.

Lilah Young is the co-owner of the only kennel in the small, charming town of Sunshine. Perpetually broke, but dedicated to the animals she cares for, Lilah gives new meaning to the phrase “burning the candle at both ends.” And now she runs into the back of a truck parked at the local convenience store. Even worse, the owner of the truck sees it all happen in living color. But when Lilah meets Brady Miller, owner of said truck, she forgets all about how bad she feels, because he makes her feel something else entirely...all hot and bothered.

This is the start of a new contemporary series by Jill Shalvis, who writes some of the hottest, wittiest books out there. I told my husband how much I loved this book, and he said, “I could tell. You kept laughing out loud.” Very true. Brady and Lilah are such “real” characters that I couldn’t help but fall in love with both of them. Lilah is someone I could definitely picture being friends with. She’s loyal, loving, and independent, but she can’t help falling for Brady. I know how she feels. Big, tough, no-strings-attached Brady falls hard for Lilah and her menagerie of animals. How are you supposed to resist a man like that?

Pick up a copy of Animal Magnetism and treat yourself to a few hours of laughter, sizzling sex, and happily-ever-after romance.

~ Gannon

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

How to Marry a Duke
By Vicky Dreiling
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: January 4, 2011

After thirteen years of working hard to put the family’s coffers to rights, Tristan Gatewick, Duke of Shelbourne, realizes it is time that he marry and produce the required heir. At almost thirty-one, the dukedom has been at risk for too long. Yet he doesn’t want any of the giggling misses who constantly drop their handkerchiefs, fans, and gloves whenever he passes. He wants a woman of substance. One who is an angel in the ballroom and a temptress in private. And love is not necessary. So, he acquires the help of matchmaker, Tessa Mansfield. She has successfully paired several couples, including the most recent match of her dear friend and a marquess. When the duke approaches Tessa in regards to finding him a bride, she can’t refuse as this match would absolutely make her career. She assembles 24 eligible ladies for him to narrow down and settle on one. During the process, Tessa and Tristan spend a lot of time together . . . which leads to more than just an employer/employee relationship. Tristan is stuck between a rock and a hard place with keeping his promise (which, if broken would bring scandal to his family) and his growing feelings for Tessa. Tessa, on the other hand, is struggling with doing what is right for the duke, her own feelings for him, and a secret from her past that could destroy everything.

Touted as The Bachelor in Regency England, How to Marry a Duke is Vicky Dreiling’s debut and I found it to be quite entertaining. Tessa and Tristan were engaging and had me rooting for them and their relationship. The secondary characters (of which I’m sure the next book is about) were a great addition to the story. If you are a stickler for historical facts and accurateness, you may find fault with this story, but for me, this one was pure enjoyment.

~Andrea

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Whisper Falls
Destiny Series - Book 3
By Toni Blake
Publisher: Avon
Release Date: December 28, 2010

When Tessa Sheridan's mysterious illness caused her to lose her dream job in the city she had no choice but to come home to Destiny and her mother's care. But she's beginning to learn to live with her now diagnosed Crohn's disease and is ready to stop being coddled by everyone and start living again. She moves into a house in the woods, starts her own interior design business (though no clients have shown up yet) and is contemplating taking a walk on the wild side by trying skydiving when the "wild side" moves in next door in the body of a long-haired, heavily muscled, tattooed and very sexy biker who has Tessa's internal engine ready to roar even while he scares the heck out of her, especially when she realizes who he is!

Lucky Romo has lived a rough life and done bad things since turning his back on Destiny almost twenty years ago - things that shame him, haunt him and almost certainly make him unfit to consider any kind of relationship with sweet, shy and oh-so-sexy Tessa Sheridan. But he can't seem to stop himself from flirting with her, and when she flirts back...let's just say the sparks are hot enough to set the forest on fire!

As they grow closer, Tessa begins to realize that there lies a good heart within the bad-boy biker. This is especially evident when we see his reaction when Tessa suffers an attack of her disease. (That's when he won my heart too.) Lucky's keeping secrets though: about why he's back in Destiny, what he did during all those years he was gone, why he hasn't spoken to his parents or brother (the hero of Sugar Creek) in all that time and why the past, if it catches up to him, could put Tessa and everyone else he cares about in danger. When all is finally revealed, will it be too much for a good girl to handle? Or will Tessa, his family and the people of Destiny be willing to give Lucky Romo a second chance?

Whisper Falls is a wonderful addition to Toni Blake's Destiny series. I have to admit, I was blown away by the first book in the series, One Reckless Summer and had serious doubts that Blake would be able to top that one but she's done it with Whisper Falls. I read it from cover to cover in one day. Could not put it down. Lucky and Tessa were so compelling, so complex; both emotionally wounded by the circumstances of their lives but survivors. I liked them, cheered for them, cried with them, yelled at them (hey, they deserved it!) and - finally - laughed, danced and sighed with delight over an absolutely perfect ending.

If you haven't read Toni Blake yet, now's the time to get started. I highly recommend this book and the previous two in the Destiny series: One Reckless Summer and Sugar Creek.

~PJ


What have you been reading lately? Any good books you'd recommend? We have an ARC of Animal Magnetism and a published copy of Whisper Falls to share today. Leave a comment on the blog and we'll use random.org to choose two winners!


Note: Please remember that ARCs (advanced reader copies) are not to be sold.

Review - - Sugar Creek

Sugar Creek
Destiny - Book #2
By Toni Blake
Publisher:  Avon
Release Date:  May 25, 2010

In Sugar Creek, the second book in her contemporary Destiny series, Toni Blake brings us a sexy, sassy and heartwarming story about two people from feuding families who discover everything they never knew they wanted…with the least likely person.

Rachel Farris is not thrilled to be returning to the small hometown she left years ago. She’s a city girl now, with a good career in Chicago- a career she’s trying to save. Her company is downsizing and there’s a chance that Rachel might lose her hard-won position. Now is not the time to be leaving town but her grandmother needs help with the fall harvest at the family’s apple orchard (though, privately, Rachel thinks the older woman is just lonely) and Rachel has never learned how to say “no” to her family. Besides, it’s only for a few weeks. How bad could it be?

Mike Romo is all business when it comes to keeping his small town safe from reckless drivers.  The sexy cop may have women falling at his feet but, while he's all for fun and games, he has neither the time nor the inclination for a relationship, especially with a spoiled city girl who flaunts the law by speeding in his town and whose last name is Farris. The Farris-Romo feud is legendary in the small town of Destiny and everybody (at least, everybody in the Romo family) knows it all started when Rachel’s grandmother, Edna stole the Romo’s apple orchard from Mike’s grandfather fifty-some years ago.

Mike and Rachel have three strikes against them before they even meet: (1) She’s “city” through and through while he’s settled firmly in Destiny, (2) their families have been enemies since before they were born and (3) Mike wants to buy (“steal” in Rachel’s mind) the Farris (formerly Romo) apple orchard. Add to that the fact that she thinks he’s a jerk and he thinks she’s a snob and it’s a wonder that they can even speak to one another without resorting to violence but overshadowing all those strikes is an intense physical attraction that just won’t go away and it’s only a matter of time before they do something about it.

“Just because I’m a good cop,” he said, “doesn’t mean I’m not a bad boy.”

“Ohhh,” she moaned as the sensation dug deeper into her, and she heard herself rasp, “I think you’re on the verge of making me a bad girl.”

(Okay, this is where I admit that I've always been attracted to bad boys and Mike is a very bad boy...in a very good way!)  Even though Mike and Rachel succumb to the physical desire between them, that doesn’t mean the road to “happily-ever-after” is without its share of potholes.

They kissed some more and Rachel forgot the rest of the world existed though when Mike reached for the buttons on her jeans, it brought home for her once more exactly what was about to happen here. She pulled back and said, breathily, “I want to be clear, though – this doesn’t mean I like you.” 

His answer came just as raspy. “Good – it doesn’t mean I like you, either. Now shut up and kiss me.”

I really enjoyed these two characters.  Their desire sizzles off the pages while the snappy banter between them kept me flipping those same pages, eagerly anticipating what was to come next. There's deep emotion as well, as these are two people with solid barriers protecting their vulnerable hearts and layers that are slowly and expertly revealed to the reader and to each other as the story progresses.  There are secrets - and, in Mike’s case, a tragic, heartwrenching event - in their pasts that have shaped the people they have become and opening themselves enough to trust and love will not come easily.  I appreciated that Blake did not treat their fears and vulnerabilities lightly but, instead, used them to create a deeper, more complex and realistic relationship which, in turn, created a richer, more meaningful reading experience for me. 

The secondary characters are intriguing and appealing, especially Rachel’s grandmother, Edna.  She had me in stitches at times and in tears at others while reminding me throughout the story of just how much I miss my own grandma.  In a parallel story that blends seamlessly into the present-day journey, Edna finally reveals to Rachel the events that led to her owning the apple orchard that was once the property of the Romo family and, without revealing any spoilers, let me just say that there's more to Granny than meets the eye! We also catch up with Mick and Jenny from One Reckless Summer and meet other friends who I’m hoping will one day have their own stories told.  I can't wait to find out which characters will take center stage next. 

Toni Blake's fictional town of Destiny, Ohio is rapidly becoming my favorite summer vacation destination!

~PJ