Wolf Eye Sly (Wolf Eye Lighthouse Series Book 1) byTerri Lyndie

Annie Matthews didn't have a lot of fond memories about her home town where she grew up living with her grandfather - the lighthouse keeper. She learned to see it and the mix of quirky small-town characters in a new way when she was called back to settle her grandfather's affairs. She was sucked into a charade posing as fiance to Jamie Lord- heir to the woman who made her grandfather the town laughing stock- in order to save the historic lighthouse building and the cemetery where her grandfather was buried. Jamie Lord had just what it took to exasperate, infuriate, and captivate Annie, but she didn't know if she could trust him.
I enjoyed this sweet romance and the other characters of the town were pretty unique. The sham of a wedding provided the right amount of tension between the main characters, funny moments made me laugh out loud, and there are some mystery elements revealed along the way. Maybe Annie's grandfather wasn't as crazy as people believed. I look forward to having more of the story revealed in the next installment.

Tales of the Dragonfly Book I: In Tandem by Tamara Ferguson

Fifteen years earlier, Jake Loughlin and Danielle Reardon were separated.
Dragonfly Pointe's unsolved brutal assault and murder of a six-year old girl over twenty years before has remained unsolved. Jake is a special investigator for the FBI and a successful businessman. As new owner of the Dragonfly Pointe Inn, Jake has returned to restore and renovate the abandoned property - and secretly investigate the tragic death. He has a theory there is a human trafficking ring operating nearby and there could be a connection to the death of the little girl at Dragonfly Pointe twenty-two years earlier.
Danielle's grandmother has passed away, and she has returned to Crystal Rock after being a model, and a vocalist for a band, Danielle's boyfriend died of a drug overdose and she decided to leave the life of a celebrity behind. She obtained a degree in horticulture and started a successful landscaping business in New York.
Jake and Danielle meet again, and the spark is still there after all the time apart. He knows he has always loved her. The sparks fly between them as his investigation picks up. A local girl and friend of Danielle's falls victim to kidnapping. Jake has to confess some secrets to Danielle about his job and they have to work together quickly to save the girl and stop the crime ring.
I enjoyed this story very much - the romance and the mystery, and some nail-biting moments of suspense. I recommend it!

"The Devil's Cradle" by Darcy Daniel

It bothered me how Nina, the main character could have been a captive sex slave and servant to her husband and brother-in-law. However, her husband had money, political power, and a brother who had authority in the police department. So, maybe.... maybe it could happen. Other than that, the characters were dark and twisted - of the 'make your skin crawl' variety, the suspense was consistent, and the hope for Nina's escape became the focus. Nina suffered brutal attacks, and they were depicted with graphic detail - be warned: it is disturbing - but necessary to portray the gravity of her situation. It built level upon level of contempt for certain cast members. I enjoyed the story and was disquieted by the horrific brothers. This book kept me interested and wanting a happy ending. Did she get one? Read it for yourself and find out.

"Once Upon Another Time" by Rosary McQuestion

Rosary McQuestion delivered in this haunting romance. Aubrey grieves over her lost husband so intensely, she evokes his image, or is he there in ghost form to lead her down a path to happiness? This book contains so many questions about life and death, and what happens to a person when they die, it's compelling. Add that to the quirky characters, addicting plot, and budding new romance, and you have a winner. Aubrey has to decide between the past and future or figure out how they mesh and make sense. She's given another shot at monumental romance, and I walked away from the book feeling good about the possibility of a second chance when happily ever after is cut short. I teared up. I laughed out loud at a couple of scenes with her son, and at the 'sissified dog.' I strongly recommend this book.

"Marketing Exec's Widow" by Tina Gayle

Four women came together to share their burden of grief. Their husbands, all executives of the same company, died in a tragic accident. They formed the Executive Wives Club and met once a week. I got to know a little bit about all of them, but this story focuses on Jen, who is ready to move on with her life and stop mourning. She has secrets about her marriage to Craig. Sometimes, what goes on behind closed doors is shockingly different than what the world sees. She meets Hagan through her real estate job and is so attracted to him she could melt on the spot. She has a dysfunctional family of in-laws and an adorably loveable dog. The story is so engaging and leads right into the next book. I immediately downloaded the following book in the series because I liked it so much!

'Yours Completely' by Krista Lakes

It's okay

A cute twist on the Cinderella story. Wicked stepmother, check. A sympathetic and still annoying stepsister, okay. Poor Ella worked herself to the bone and tolerated being a virtual slave to hold on to her father's legacy. She met the handsome billionaire, snag #1: he may or may not have been the groom. Ah, I need to see what happens... or maybe not. It took forever to straighten out that little glitch. As much as I liked the idea, the book was stretched to the limit. Superfluous description of thoughts and telling of feelings had me skipping to the next verbal statement or scene of action. I prefer to make up my mind about how a character thinks and feels based on what they do and how they react to what others do, not by what the author tells me they feel. Distracting typos and mistakes grew in number as the book progressed. It wasn't a "bad" story, but in my humble opinion, improvements would develop if shortened and tightened it up.

"An Early Frost" by Jenna Brooks

When reading "An Early Frost," I realized I had not read book number one. It didn't impede my understanding of the story. However, I can't find anything more than lack-luster adjectives to describe how I felt when turning the pages. 'It was okay, oh, that was nice.' I can't remember reading a book where a character requested another character "tell me what happened, what you're thinking, how do you feel," so many times. Is he the boyfriend or the therapist? There were interesting elements of the book, but the romance didn't work for me. I found the underlying story more compelling than the main characters.

"Behind the Glass" by Kristen Morgen

Behind The Glass described a woman damaged by the divorce of her parents and the abandonment of her father. A delicate issue, yes, but Rebecca's emotional problems bordered on annoying. Michael and Rebecca's personal restraint while in each other's company was impressive. Their moral fortitude was uncommon and refreshing. I felt sorry for Rebecca, but I was frustrated by the fact that she chose to stay with Brett even though she loved Michael. Scratch my head; she didn't seem to love Brett at all (even though she later claimed she loved both men.) And why did Leo set her up with Brett? He should have known better. The build-up to the sexual relationship took so long. By the time it got to that point, I wasn't even interested in it, and the act of making love seemed to take forever. Get it over with already, I thought. Frequently, I found myself distracted and easily putting the book down. I was bored.

"TEN DAYS IN PARADISE" by Linda Abbott

Paradise? Don't Let the cover fool you. No one is free from worries here....

A beautiful setting. Intricately woven relationships. Some brazenly real family dynamics. Sinners. Yes, sinners(arent' we all?). It seemed nearly every character battled a demon, an ethical dilemma, or a life-changing decision. Interesting and hateable, with their infidelity and secrets, I found it hard to sympathize with the two main characters, and I didn't want to relate to them. I didn't want to believe it's that simple to trip and fall into a moral quagmire. People don't just run off on vacation alone and fall into the arms of a stranger when their marriage is rocky, do they? Men don't fall in love with another woman within days of meeting her while on a family vacation with their wife and children, right? Well, maybe they do. That makes me uncomfortable. You might find it troublesome, too. Sometimes a book brings you out of your comfort zone and makes you ask, 'why?' It's not your everyday love story with the expected happily ever after. The book shows different types of love between father/daughter, brother/sister, and even love of faith and humanity. At certain points, I found myself in tears. It's gritty darkness and flawed characters camouflaged with an island paradise backdrop. It's a tender fifty-year love story enmeshed in the tragedies of its offspring. What is unique about this book is that I was rooting for the main characters NOT to get together the whole time. I wanted a revelation, a change of mind and heart. I wanted them to be better people, but they weren't. They were human. So, even though I couldn't condone their actions or want them to be together, I was still hoping for them to find an acceptable happily ever after in their separate lives. The story left me with a lot of questions. I have to wonder if there is a sequel in the works to sew up lives interrupted and give some closure. I would read it. I want to know if these characters changed, grew, became less selfish, gained internal peace, or found happiness. 

"Will Work for Love" by Amie Denman

When Whitney Oliver arrives at St. Thomas, she expects to enjoy a two-week vacation while tying up loose ends for her best friend, Taylor's wedding to occur at the family estate. She first bumps into Chris Maxwell ( fan yourself with your hand kind of leading man) while trying to get her luggage through a revolving door, and there is a mutual attraction. She discovers her vacation isn't going to be as relaxed as she'd planned, and the heat gets turned up between her and Chris when he volunteers to help her get the place ready for a perfect Christmas Eve destination wedding. But he's left out a few crucial details about his identity, and even though they fall for one another, it's going to be rough sailing. An enjoyable romance; a light, and easy beach read. I enjoyed Whitney and Chris's journey. I would recommend it.

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'Georgia on her Mind' by Rachel Hauck

Blurb:

On a sunny Monday morning, Macy Moore was on the fast track to success. By noon, all of her dreams were derailed. 

Macy Moore skedaddled from her hometown of Beauty, Georgia to Florida in order to make her own way in the world. Successful and happy, she couldn’t be more proud of her corporate executive job, her just-perfect boyfriend, and her beachside condo. But it all falls apart when she reads the first email of the day. She’s demoted to the lowest rung on the corporate ladder . . . and dumped! She goes from being “someone” to being “nobody,” all on the eve of returning home to emcee her high school reunion. 

Thank goodness for the “Single Saved Sisters.” With loyal friends Lucy, Adriane, and Tamara by her side, Macy retreats to the House of Joe for coffee, consolation and heart-to-heart consultation. Can they help her put her life back together? Yet it's when her former heartthrob, Dylan, shows up on her doorstep, that Macy begins to realize that leaving Beauty, Georgia took her away from everything in life she really loved.

I enjoyed the story and respected Macy's ability to take the high road in almost any situation. The supporting cast of characters kept me interested; they were comical and entertaining. The camaraderie of the 'Single Saved Sisters' was enviable, and Macy and Dylan's romance held promise (I wished it was more of the meat in the book.) Prayer accounted for a major portion of the tale. Overall, I found it uplifting, but it moved slowly.