Contemp Review: Always on My Mind (A Lucky Harbor Novel) Mass Market Paperback

I've finished "Always on My Mind the 8th book in her Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shavis.

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING

After dropping out of pastry school and messing up her big break on a reality cooking show, Leah Sullivan needs to accomplish something in her life. But when she returns home to Lucky Harbor, she finds herself distracted by her best friend, Jack Harper. In an effort to cheer up Jack's ailing mother, Dee, Leah tells a little fib - that she and Jack are more than just friends. Soon pretending to be hot - and - heavy with this hunky firefighter feels too real to handle.

No-strings attachments suit Jack just fine - perfect for keeping the risk of heartbreak away. But as Jack and Leah break every one of their "just friends" rules, he longs to turn their pretend relationship into something permanent. Do best friends know too much about each other to risk falling in love? Or will Jack and Leah discover something new about each other in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

Product Details
Series: A Lucky Harbor Novel (Book 8)
Mass Market Paperback: 352 pages
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing (September 24, 2013)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1455521108
ISBN-13: 978-1455521104

My Review:

Leah Sullivan and Jack Harper are childhood best friend and were each others support when they were growing up.  Leah left town which broke Jack's heart when things started heating up between them.   Now Leah is back in town to help run her grandmother's bakery after dropping out of pastry school and messing up and opportunity on a cooking show.  She finds herself distracted by Jack and to cheer up his mother she tells a little lie that she and Jack are seeing each other.  As they interact more she finds it hard to just pretend they are involved.

Jack is hiding a whole lot of pain but hides it under a charming personality.  He has been pushing himself into something that he is not because he has grown up under the shadow of his firefighter father who died in the line of duty.

I really enjoyed the chemistry between Leah and Jack because it was shimmering under the surface ready to explode.  When they finally got together it was hot and steamy and they both really enjoyed it.

4/5

Thanks Hachette Book Group Canada for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

Contemp Review: Forever and a Day (Lucky Harbor) [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Forever and a Day" the 6th book in her Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shavis.

Product Description


LOVE CAN HAPPEN IN A HEARTBEAT

Grace never thought she'd be starting her life over from scratch. Losing everything has landed her in Lucky Harbor, working as a dog walker for overwhelmed ER doctor Josh Scott. But the day his nanny fails to show up, Grace goes from caring for Josh's lovable mutt to caring for his rambunctious son. Soon Grace is playing house with the sexy single dad . . .

With so many people depending on him, Josh has no time for anything outside of his clinic and family - until Grace arrives in town. Now this brainy blonde is turning his life inside out and giving a whole new meaning to the phrase "good bedside manner." Josh and Grace don't know if what they have can last. But in a town like Lucky Harbor, a lifetime of love starts with just one day . . .


About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

You can learn more at:

JillShalvis.com
Twitter @jillshalvis
Facebook.com/jillshalvis


Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever (July 31, 2012)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 145550369X
ISBN-13: 978-1455503698

My Review:

Grace Brooks has landed in Lucky Harbor after a job prospect boomed because the boss expected her to sleep with him to get the job.  She has become great friends with Mallory Quinn and Amy Michaels and they have started a club called Chocoholics where they meet once every week to have something chocolate (ex: cupcakes, chocolate cake, etc.).  She has taken some part-time jobs (ex: model) when she gets a call for a dog walking job.  She is suppose to take care of a puppy but she's not sure who the person is.  She agrees but when she arrives at the house she finds out the puppy is rambunctious more than she can handle.  He makes a mess in the house and when they go to the beach he plunges into the water and disappears.  Grace gets worried and phones the number back and then realizes it's Dr. Josh Scott (she's embarrassed because he's good friends with Ty and Matt the fiances of Mallory and Amy).  She plunges into the water but almost gets pushed out into the ocean when Josh rescues her.

Josh hires her to dog walk his son's puppy and to babysit his son when his current babysitter just quits on him.  Josh is ER doctor who works long hours and volunteers his services at other places.  Since he was 28 years old he had to deal with the death of his parents by a drunk driver, raising a baby and a 16 year old wheel-chair bound teenager sister at the time but is now 21 years old (who has anger problems and not listening to him). 

Grace has two job prospects that are very promising but it's not really what she wants to do (it will please her parents) and her parents think she has a great job.  Then people in Lucky Harbor start asking her to help them with their bookkeeping and she agrees.  She is extremely attracted to Josh but thinks they aren't really suited for each other and she wasn't planning on staying in Lucky Harbor for long.  She is also wary because she doesn't want people to control or think for her.

Josh is extremely attracted to Grace but he's very wary of getting involved with her because he's really busy with his business and has a son and younger sister to take care of.  The mother of his child decided that life wasn't for her so she left him with Josh and took off.  When Josh and Grace finally get together wow were the scenes very hot and steamy.  Grace thinks their time is for fun but she falls in love with Josh and he with her.

It was hilarious to read all the predicaments that Grace found herself in!

4/5

Thanks Hachette Book Group for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

Contemp Review: Head Over Heels (A Lucky Harbor Novel) [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Head Over Heels" the 3rd book in her Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shavis.

Product Description


Breaking rules and breaking hearts

Free-spirited Chloe lives life on the edge. Unlike her soon-to-be married sisters, she isn't ready to settle into a quiet life running their family's newly renovated inn. But soon her love of trouble -- and trouble with love - draws the attention of the very stern, very sexy sheriff who'd like nothing better than to tame her wild ways.

Suddenly Chloe can't take a misstep without the sheriff hot on her heels. His rugged swagger and his enigmatic smile are enough to make a girl beg to be handcuffed. For the first time, instead of avoiding the law, Chloe dreams of surrender. Can this rebel find a way to keep the peace with the straitlaced sheriff? Or will Chloe's colorful past keep her from a love that lasts . . . and the safe haven she truly wants in a town called Lucky Harbor?

About the Author

New York Times bestselling author JILL SHALVIS lives in a small town in the Sierras also run by quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books are, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website at www.jillshalvis.com for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountain adventures.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Forever; Original edition (December 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446571636
ISBN-13: 978-0446571630

My Review:

It's been a year since free spirited Chloe arrived in town and saw her two older half-sisters meet and fall in love with two of the best looking guys there Jax and Ford.  She's yearning to have a love like that and to have place to belong to and help her sisters with the inn that they inherited from their mother.  She has severe asthma which limits her physical activities and she creates beauty products for spa treatments.

Sawyer was a delinquent in his youth by hanging around the wrong crowd, drank to much and involved in a car accident which changed his life around.  He feels guilty and tries to atone for it by being a straight-laced by the book sheriff and becoming a better man.

Chloe and Sawyer have never like each other from the very first and always have clashed whenever they were in the same vicinity of each other.  They has always been an attraction between the two though just simmering under the surface until it explodes into a multitude of fireworks.

I loved how there is an antagonizing attraction between Chloe and Sawyer and it was a delight to see what witty comments they would say to each other in every scene they were in.  When they finally gave into their attraction boy was it hot and steamy (ex: the outside shower stall) or the scene with the paint (loved reading about the crotch part).

Also enjoyed reading about how Maggie and Tara finally admit that they believe Chloe wants to settle down and they agree she can have spa treatments at the inn.  Glad that Tara actually apologized to Chloe.

4/5

Other Books in Series:


1. Simply Irresistible
2. The Sweetest Thing
3. Christmas in Lucky Harbor (Simply Irresistible and The Sweet Thing)

Thanks Hachette Book Group for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

The Sweetest Thing (A Lucky Harbor Novel) [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "The Sweetest Thing" the 2nd book in her Lucky Harbor trilogy series by Jill Shavis.

Product Description

Two Men Are One Too Many . . .

Tara has a thousand good reasons not to return to the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. Yet with her life doing a major crash-and-burn, anywhere away from her unfulfilled dreams and sexy ex-husband will do. As Tara helps her two sisters get their newly renovated inn up and running, she finally has a chance to get things under control and come up with a new plan for her life.

But a certain tanned, green-eyed sailor has his own ideas, such as keeping Tara hot, bothered . . . and in his bed. And when her ex wants Tara back, three is a crowd she can't control - especially when her deepest secret reappears out of the blue. Now Tara must confront her past and discover what she really wants. If she's lucky, she might just find that everything her heart desires is right here in Lucky Harbor.

Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
Publisher: Forever (March 29, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446571628
ISBN-13: 978-0446571623

My Review:
 
I really loved the bickering between the three sisters and you can really see that they all love each other.  There were some great moments and lines which made me laugh and smile.
 
Ford was one hot and sexy man who oozes sex appeal.  It was great how Ford is the fun loving man who is paired with Tara also known as The Steel Magnolia because she's stubborn, bossy, uptight and in control all the time.  They have a history together which resulted in big heartbreak among other things.  Loved the way Logan the ex-husband was brought into the mix.
 
It was really funny how Tara tried to pretend that she didn't melt everytime Ford touched or looked at her.  
 
Also loved how the town got involved in their relationship and how there was a poll on who Tara would end up with on Facebook and Twitter.
 
Can't wait to read Chloe and Sawyer's book!
 
4/5
 
Thanks Brianne from Hachette Book Groups for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

Simply Irresistible (A Lucky Harbor Novel) [Mass Market Paperback]

I've finished "Simply Irrestible" the 1st book in her Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shavis.

Product Description

Maddie Moore's whole life needs a makeover.

In one fell swoop, Maddie loses her boyfriend (her decision) and her job (so not her decision). But rather than drowning her sorrows in bags of potato chips, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim the inheritance left by her free-spirited mother-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington.

Starting over won't be easy. Yet Maddie sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if only she can convince her two half-sisters to join her in the adventure. But convincing Tara and Chloe will be difficult because the inn needs a big makeover too.

The contractor Maddie hires is a tall, dark-haired hottie whose eyes-and mouth-are making it hard for her to remember that she's sworn off men. Even harder will be Maddie's struggles to overcome the past, though she's about to discover that there's no better place to call home than Lucky Harbor.

About the Author

USA Today bestselling author JILL SHALVIS lives in a small town in the Sierras also run by quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books are, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website at www.jillshalvis.com for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountain adventures.
 
Product Details
Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Forever; 1 Original edition (October 1, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 044657161X
ISBN-13: 978-0446571616

My Review:
 
This was a very enjoyable and fun read.
 
Maddy Moore has lost her job (movie industry) and dumped her ex-boyfriend who was abusive!  She has inherited the Lucky Harbor Resort along with her two half-sisters Tara and Chloe from their dead free spirited mother.  While on the way to Lucky Harbor, Washington she almost hits a hunky motorcycle guy with her car.  The hot motorcycle guy is fine and since Maddy has sworn off guys she goes on her way.  When she arrives at the resort which includes a bed and breakfast inn, marina and owner's cottage it's in such bad shape that it will take alot of money and renovations to be in tip top shape.  She has to convince her older sister Steel Magnolia" older sister Tara and "Wild Child" younger sister Chloe.  Both Tara and Chloe both don't won't too and say it will will cost to much to run (all of them have different fathers and weren't brought up together).  They give Maddy a month to get it up and running before selling it.  Maddy finds herself at the local bar that night and finds her hot motorcycle guy who introduces himself as Jax Cullen.  Even though there is extreme chemistry between them she is determined to stay far far away!  She needs a carpenter so she calls a number and can you guess who it is?

Whenever I saw Maddy's name I would think Mandy Moore!

4/5

Thanks Anna from Hachette Books for sending me this book to review, greatly appreciated!

Slow Heat (Berkley Sensation) [Paperback]

I've finished "Slow Heat" the 2nd book in her baseball series by Jill Shavis.

Product Description

A great catch-from the USA Today bestselling author of Double Play

Baseball player Wade O'Riley's bad-boy image is about to be cleaned up by publicist Samantha McNead. But the sexual tension between them is about to drive Wade to his knees.

Product Details
Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Berkley; Original edition (February 2, 2010)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0425233669
ISBN-13: 978-0425233665

My Review:

I did like Wade because he wants Samantha and hasn't forgotten their one night of passion!

I didn't like Samantha that much because she's so stand-offish and I wish she would loosen up!

3/5