Chasing Xaris by Samantha Bennett

DESCRIPTION AS ON AMAZON:

Chandler Bloom starts her day like every other—on her surfboard and away from her smothering grandparents. It’s the only way she’s been able to cope since the hit-and-run that killed her parents two years ago. But when a shark nearly turns Chandler into breakfast, a loner surfer named Ari saves her life. Which is great, except that he also triggers new questions about her parents’ deaths. Before Chandler can ask him more, Ari disappears.

Desperate for answers, Chandler decides to track down Ari with the help of her best friend Jordan, a surfer guy who’s totally in love with her. The search leads to Ari's home—a hidden island that can only be found with a form of light called xaris. But Chandler isn’t the only one searching for the island or the unearthly elements found there. Her parents died protecting it, and if Chandler doesn’t come to grips with what she’s really chasing, she could be next. (YA inspirational urban fantasy)

A little mystery, kind of sci-fi, with a dash of young love. I enjoyed Chandler Bloom's search for the truth about her parents' death and the hunt to prove that shark slayers weren't just a myth. She was strong, inquisitive, brave, and impulsive - a mixture that got her into trouble at times. I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

I was given a copy of this book for free in exchange for an honest review.

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Emerald Eyes by N. Michaels

DESCRIPTION AS ON AMAZON:

After years of fighting the pressure of becoming a neurosurgeon and continuing her family's famous legacy, Katherine Slav's father has had enough of her partying. He cuts her off financially, leaving Katherine to fend for herself. Finding a job is a priority. Finding Eric Miller is a bonus – a bonus that quickly proves to be impossible to resist. How can she have the only man who denies her every step of the way? How can she seduce her boss without losing her job? Struggling to ward off feelings that go beyond professional, Eric tries to keep Katherine at arm’s length, but the more he’s around her, the weaker his resistance becomes. Discovering Eric’s secret and baring her own, she fights for her new-found love with everything she’s got, but will it be enough to banish the darkness in Eric’s life? Is having Eric Miller all she thought it would be? Will Katherine be enough?

I enjoyed some things about this book. The chemistry sizzled, but the whole premise that Katherine was running away from becoming a brain surgeon was too much. Was she smart enough, patient enough, determined enough? Not sure about that. I didn't like her at first. She turned over a new admirable leaf by trying to make it on her own in the world, almost. Eric, the boss, hot and cold, untouchable and then unshakable. I liked the weird relationship between Eric and Eliza, and the secrets that unfolded there. It added a good dose of psycho to the story. I had mixed feelings all the way through. I didn't realize it had the BDSM element, and sometimes it can be off-putting.

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Tame A Wild Bride (Tame Series Book 3) by Cynthia Woolf

Rosie Stanton climbed on a west-bound train to become a mail order bride. She wants to escape her brother and wicked sister-in-law. Tom Harris sent for Rosie, but he doesn't want a real wife. He's been burned by love and only wants someone to care for his two children and cook and clean for him. So, when Rosie wants more children, there's a problem.
Rosie is strong and capable, and doesn't complain. She's also determined to win Tom's heart so that she can have children of her own. I enjoyed the love story between the couple. The scheming kidnapping plot added a different element and helped Tom realize what he stood to lose if her didn't give in to Rosie's wish for a real marriage.
One thing I didn't understand was Rosie's need to be married when she had money of her own, lots of it.
An easy read.

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