September 2018 Book Reviews
HISTORICAL ROMANCE
Scottish Devil by Tammy Andresen
One family united by loss, driven to find love…
Known as the devil, Stone Sinclair, Earl of Alban, is carved of rock, hard and uncompromising. He bends for no man. A fiery lass with golden hair and a will as strong as his own? Surrender has never sounded sweeter.
Eliza McLaren detests all lairds. They are selfish, self-serving, arrogant men who only care for themselves and build their fortunes on the backs of their people. And Lord Stone Alban is the worst of the lot. When her father attempts to make a match between them, Eliza pledges to never give herself to a man like Stone, no matter how tempting his lips or how strong his arms. He isn’t the only one carved of stone.
After the death of their parents, six siblings unite around their eldest brother, Stone. They consider blood a binding oath and vow to protect one another. They all must face their own demons as they find love and their places in the world.
https://comfychairbooks.com/2018/09/07/release-blitz-w-review-scottish-devil-by-tammy-andresen/
Home of Her Heart by Shanna Hatfield
All he needed was a bride. . .
Who said anything about falling in love?
Orphaned at birth and a loner all his life, the last thing Sergeant Klayne Campbell needs is for feisty Delaney Danvers to entangle his thoughts. Bravely volunteering for a top-secret mission almost certain to get him killed, Klayne can’t bear the thought of dying utterly alone. All he wants is to face death knowing his life meant something to at least one person. Offering Delaney a marriage of convenience, he plans to leave behind a war bride as his beneficiary. After just one night as her husband, Klayne realizes he’ll do anything to survive and return to her.
The moment she met handsome Sergeant Campbell at a holiday party, Delaney’s whole world shifted off kilter. Full of fun with an unquenchable zest for life, she isn’t afraid to go after what she wants. And what she wants is Klayne. When he prepares to join a hazardous mission, she seizes the opportunity to give him a reason to fight his way back home – to her heart.
A tender, sweet romance rich with history and enduring love, Home of Her Heart captures the era and emotions prevalent during America’s entry into World War II.
https://comfychairbooks.com/2018/09/11/book-review-home-of-her-heart-by-shanna-hatfield/
Earl of Davenport by Maggie Dallen
The Devil of Davenport is in need of a bride. Everyone knows the wicked earl is looking to wed, but only his childhood friend, Anne, knows his secret. Despite what society believes, he’s not a devil–not really. Not at all. Of course, he’s no saint either. He’s a man. One she hopes will solve all her family’s financial woes by marrying her eldest sister, the only sibling not tainted by scandal.
But the earl has other plans. While Anne’s sister is the safe choice, she’s not the one who makes his pulse race. There’s only one who can tame his wicked ways, but choosing Anne will thrust her into the type of scandal she’s tried so hard to avoid. Can a devil like him ever win an angel?
https://comfychairbooks.com/2018/09/21/book-review-earl-of-davenport-by-maggie-dallen/
Earl of Basingstoke by Aileen Fish
Lady Phoebe Woodson dreams of being a writer, and practices daily in her secret diary. The hero in all of her tales is one Nathan Carruthers, Earl of Basingstoke. The rumors surrounding his wicked assignations are beyond anything she could dream of, and once enhanced by her wild imaginings, she’s created a lover no man could live up to.
Basingstoke has ignored the rumors about his romantic scandals for the most part, accepting them as part of being a single gentleman with a title. In one way, it’s kept the marriage-minded mothers from thrusting their daughters into his reach. Although a staunch member of the Wicked Earls’ Club and enjoying his carefree ways, he admits he’s reached an age when he would like to marry. Luckily, those supposed scandals aren’t keeping away the woman he’s grown to love–Lady Phoebe.
When Basingstoke discovers Lady Phoebe’s diary, he blames her for creating the rumors. Hurt to the bone, he wants nothing more to do with her. Heartbroken, she goes in search of the real rumormonger. Can she prove her innocence and regain Basingstoke’s love?
https://comfychairbooks.com/2018/09/24/book-review-earl-of-basingstoke-by-aileen-fish/
ROMANTIC SUSPENSE
Into the Darkest Night by Cassandra Giovanni
I was born a child of the Elite; destined to live a life of privilege in Sun City.
With one decision I gave it all up.
Ana Jacobs knows the Elite and their depravity all too well. She was one of them once. Her father was a member of the Inner Circle and head of the Trinity funding the corruption of Sun City. When he learned she knew the names of those he’d hidden so well, he turned his back on her; had her kidnapped and tortured to protect his secrets.
When she escapes the island and learns of her father’s death at the hands of a knife-wielding vigilante called the Nightwatchman, she returns to Sun City, vowing to use her knowledge to protect the city. As a city cop, she blends into the background, and no one suspects her real motives.
Levi Bennett knows where Ana’s been. He’s also an Elite, but where Ana was sent to the island, he ended up there by accident. While Ana buries herself in her work and stopping the flow of illegal drugs and weapons into the poverty-stricken Blue District, Levi covers his pain by partying and spending his trust fund on buying bars and restaurants.
Thrown together by Levi’s constant pressing of the limits, the two can’t deny the connection they share through their dark pasts.
Their demons are one in the same, but some demons can’t be tamed.
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE/EROTICA
Trials and Tribulations by Louisa Masters
Friends with benefits never looked so tempting…
Samantha Hasting is a woman sick of living in a rut. Her whole life revolves around her work and her best friends. Wanting to meet new people—including a man who makes her heart beat faster—she signs up for online dating.
As Sam embarks on her dating adventures, her best friend—and friend with benefits—Levi is her constant, a shoulder to cry on and buddy to laugh with. It’s only after she meets and starts dating Jack that she realizes maybe Levi means more to her than she’d thought. Maybe the man who makes her heart beat faster was right there all along.
https://comfychairbooks.com/2018/09/20/book-review-trials-and-tribulations-by-louisa-masters/
REVERSE HAREM/ROMANCE
Royally Screwed by Sienna Blake
Prince Grayson.
Heir to the British throne.
Sexiest man I’ve ever laid eyes on.
For some strange reason, he wants me. ..
I can see the red-hot lust flaring in his eyes when I near. Can feel the thick, long evidence of it when he presses up against me. ..
And I want him. I want him so bad it hurts. ..
One week.
No strings.
Just unbridled, wild passion with a future king. ..
Except he’s got one condition. ..
One that has me thinking I might be in over my head…
He won’t give me what I want unless his two bodyguards join in.
***Warning: This is a sexy-as-sin, reverse harem romance. Can you handle three huge alpha men focused on her pleasure and taking it all the way?
https://comfychairbooks.com/2018/09/04/book-review-royally-screwed-by-sienna-blake/
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
My Kind of Christmas by Janet Dailey
Sometimes the best surprises are right at home . . .
Returning to Branding Iron, Texas, is Travis Morgan’s last resort, and the abandoned ranch he inherited isn’t much more welcoming than the prison cell where he spent the last three years doing time for a tragic accident. Completely without funds or family, Travis finds celebrating Christmas is the last thing on his mind, but there’s no escaping the holiday spirit in this close-knit little town—not with Branding Iron’s longtime Santa retiring, and sweetly stubborn Mayor Maggie Delaney determined to find a replacement. When her no-nonsense façade slips to reveal the sensual, vulnerable woman beneath it, Travis realizes Maggie just might be as lonely as he is—and that this holiday season, love could be the gift that heals them both.
The Christmas Wishing Tree by Emily March
Sometimes life’s most magical journeys bring you back to where it all began…From USA Today bestselling author Emily March comes The Christmas Wishing Tree, an enchanting account of the magic and miracle of Christmas.
A man who loves adventure and the open sea, Devin Murphy returns for a short Christmas trip to his small hometown of Eternity Springs. Immersed in the joy and magic of the holiday season all around him, he doesn’t hesitate to play along when a young boy phones Santa to ask for a very special wish. Devin never guesses that a wrong number has the potential to make everything in his life so right.
Jenna Stockton adopted Reilly when he needed a mother and she intends to keep him safe. A small town across the country called Eternity Springs seems like a good place to hide from their past without any complications —until sexy Santa himself discovers her secrets. When Devin proposes a daring plan to face down the danger together and defeat it once and for all, she is tempted. Maybe Devin really is capable of making wishes come true? Perhaps in a Christmas wish they’ll both find the miracle they’ve been looking for all along…
MYSTERY, THRILLER, & SUSPENSE
Field of Bones by J.A. Jance
Sheriff Joanna Brady’s best intentions to stay on maternity leave take a hit when a serial homicide case rocks Cochise County, dragging her into a far-reaching investigation to bring down a relentless killer in this chilling tale of suspense from New York Times bestselling author J. A. Jance.
This time Sheriff Joanna Brady may expect to see her maternity leave through to completion, but the world has other plans when a serial homicide case surfaces in her beloved Cochise County. Rather than staying home with her newborn and losing herself in the cold cases to be found in her father’s long unread diaries, Joanna instead finds herself overseeing a complex investigation involving multiple jurisdictions.
Filled with the beloved characters, small town charm, vivid history, intriguing mystery, and the scenic Arizona desert backdrop that have made the Joanna Brady series perennial bestsellers, this latest entry featuring the popular sheriff is sure to please J. A. Jance’s legion of fans.
https://comfychairbooks.com/2018/09/10/book-review-field-of-bones-by-j-a-jance/
FICTION
The Last Weekend of the Summer by Peter Murphy
They have been coming to their grandmother Gloria’s lake cottage since they were babies. Now Johnnie and Buddy have families of their own and C.C. has a life full of adult drama and adventure. And this trip – the only stated purpose of which is to bring the family together for the last weekend of the summer – seems full of portent. Gloria has been hinting that there’s more on the agenda than grilling and swimming, and when the three siblings learn that their estranged father will also be in attendance, it becomes clear that this weekend will have implications that last far beyond the final days of the season.
A touching, incisive view into the dynamics of a family on the verge of change and filled with characters both distinctive and utterly relatable, THE LAST WEEKEND OF THE SUMMER is a rich, lyrical reading experience that will resonate in your heart.
COOKBOOKS
Easy Baking from Scratch by Eileen Gray
Make everything you bake personal with the simplest scratch recipes and tutorials from Easy Baking from Scratch.
You don’t need to be a top pastry chef to make baked goods from scratch. Easy Baking from Scratch offers the easiest recipes, time-saving tips, and quick tutorials so that anyone can bake homemade treats.
From basic kitchen prep to time-saving tricks, this baking cookbook helps you develop essential baking skills with step-by-step baking techniques and tutorials. With over 100 simple baking recipes for classic baked goods, Easy Baking from Scratch is your go-to reference to cook from scratch without scratching a single batch.
Cookies, cakes, pastries, tarts, biscuits, breads, pizza dough—Easy Baking from Scratch serves up all of this and more, with:
- Kitchen basics that outline essential tools, appliances, and ingredients to keep on hand while baking
- Tutorials and tips that accompany each chapter to teach you basic techniques and helpful hacks to make baking easy
- 100 classic baking recipes for sweet and savory baked goods that use staple ingredients, and feature quick prep and clean up
Everything tastes better when you add the personal touch of baking from scratch. For bakers of all levels, Easy Baking from Scratch offers the easiest recipes and techniques to whip up classic, sweet and savory treats that you can proudly say you made.
https://comfychairbooks.com/2018/09/06/book-review-easy-baking-from-scratch-by-eileen-gray/
EDUCATIONAL/REFERENCE
The English Grammar Workbook by Lauralee Moss
Teach and reinforce grammatical skills with over 125 simple exercises in The English Grammar Workbook for Grades 6, 7, and 8.
Grammar is an essential part of the sixth, seventh, and eighth grade curriculum. With The English Grammar Workbook for Grades 6, 7, and 8 students will build a strong foundation for understanding the concepts of grammar and using them effectively when reading, writing, or speaking.
The English Grammar Workbook for Grades 6, 7, and 8 offers students the flexibility to learn at their own pace while providing the structure they need to successfully retain essential grammar rules, such as parts of speech, sentence structure, phrases and clauses, active and passive voice, mood, punctuation, writing style, and more.
Inside the pages of The English Grammar Workbook for Grades 6, 7, and 8 you’ll find:
- Lessons that move from basic concepts to more difficult ones allowing students to build their knowledge as they go
- Consistent review sections that reinforce learning and skill retention after every three lessons
- Engaging quizzes and separate answer keys to prepare students for real-world grammar usage
With its clear organization, single-page lessons, and full-color design, The English Grammar Workbook for Grades 6, 7, and 8 is the ideal companion for teaching the fundamental concepts of grammar in the classroom and at home.
https://comfychairbooks.com/2018/09/19/book-review-the-english-grammar-workbook-by-lauralee-moss/
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