The Basics:
The Fire Sermon by Francesca Haig
Gallery Books
Post-Apocalyptic, Dystopia
Book One in the Fire Sermon series
Published March 10, 2015
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Why I picked up this book:
I love the cover, it's so striking.
The Basics:
The Professional by Kresley Cole
Gallery Books
Book One in the Game Maker series
Romance, Erotica
Published May 6 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com
Why I picked up this book:
This book was originally eserialized and I was curious about the final product.
The Basics:
Searching for Perfect by Jennifer Probst
Gallery Books
Book Two in the Kinnections series
Romance
Published April 29, 2014
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Amazon.ca Kobo.com
Why I picked up this book:
I reviewed the first book in the series last November and *loved* it.
The Basics:
Searching for Someday by Jennifer Probst
Gallery Books
Romance
Published November 26, 2013
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Blurb:
First in a sizzling new series from Jennifer Probst, the USA Today bestselling author adored for her “fresh, fun, and sexy” (Romancing the Book) storytelling!
In charming Verily, New York, Kate Seymour has a smashing success with Kinnections, the matchmaking service she owns with her two best girlfriends. But Kate’s more than a savvy businesswoman: She’s gifted with a secret power, a jolting touch that signals when love’s magic is at work. It rocked her when she picked up a strange volume of love spells in the town’s used bookstore . . . and it zapped her again when she encountered Slade Montgomery, the hot-tempered—and hot-bodied— divorce lawyer who storms into Kinnections demanding proof that playing Cupid won’t destroy his vulnerable sister, Kate’s newest client. The only way to convince this cynic that she’s no fraud, and that love is no mirage, is for Kate to meet his audacious challenge: find him his dream woman. Can Kate keep their relationship strictly business when her electrifying attraction nearly knocked her off her feet? Or has the matchmaker finally met her match?
What worked for me:
Pretty much the whole book worked for me. I loved Kate and Slade together with their opposing views on love, each formed very reasonably (within context). I liked the little hint of paranormal - just enough to give the story flavour and provide another issue for Kate and Slade.
Kate and Slade are both fully developed characters with baggage that needs to be addressed before they can develop any kind of relationship. I love that Kate works so hard to remain professional, and that Slade does give the Kinnections treatment he receives his best shot, despite his growing desire for Kate.
And what I liked most in this book is that both Kate and Slade make mistakes and then acknowledge and correct them. There's very little skating by in this book, which is nice. And at the same time, while there's ample passion and problems, this book never felt really heavy. It was a fun read even through the couple's rough patches.
The supporting characters at Kinnections - Kate's friends Arilyn and Kennedy - are potential heroines in their own novels, and I'll look forward to their stories or whatever Probst writes next!
What didn't work for me:
There's one scene in which Kate's mom pops by, basically to mess with the relationship between Slade and Kate by telling him things Kate wasn't ready for him to hear. It was really jarring and I think if there'd been a more solid reason for her to visit beyond a poorly timed popover, I might have found it less obviously to mess with them.
Other than that one nitpicky thing, I really enjoyed this book.
Bottom Line:
This was an extremely satisfying read. The romance is balanced with lots of passion. Slade, as an alpha male, isn't over-the-top demanding, and Kate realistically walks the middle ground between standing up for herself, and wanting to give up.
Strongly recommend this for romance fans and I'll be watching for sequels.
5 stars
For fans of romance.
