An Offer She Can’t Refuse by Shoma Narayanan

What starts with a simple job interview, ends with a complicated friends with benefits scenario. Mallika and Darius slip slowly and surely into a relationship, which they both refuse to define as a relationship of any kind.

Mallika is coping with the fact her brother is suffering from agoraphobia, induced by the traumatic and tragic death of their parents.  She has become his parent and carer all rolled into one. Having to more or less babysit him 24/7, despite the fact he is an adult, has a negative impact or her work and her dating life.

Darius accepts all that and more, in fact he is very patient with Mallika. In return she sort of treats him with disdain, because she assumes he is not the family man she is looking for. They are both in for a surprise.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and Mills & Boon.

 

Turning the Good Girl Bad by Avril Tremayne

Tremayne has attempted to throw the spotlight on quite a few serious issues in this short romance.  I think the playful fantasy role-playing, in regards to the infamous book featured in the story, doesn’t balance well with the serious intent.

Sexual harassment is still far too commonplace in our day and age. Both women and men find themselves victims of people, who believe they have the right to overstep intimate boundaries and personal space. Catherine has found herself in a situation like that, and the repercussions of the harassment still influence her daily life.

Catherine pretends to be something she isn’t, a buttoned up and straight-laced prim woman. She hides the fun-loving fashionista behind dull clothes and a bland exterior. Why? Because she believes, and was told by her abuser that she brought it all upon herself for looking too good. Her fault because she dressed in a way that provoked him to attack her.

Of course this is the part of the story where one needs to step lightly. To make sure no victim blaming or shaming occurs in any way shape or form. The character of Catherine leans towards that representation, which isn’t pleasant, but perhaps a true representation of how society makes people in these situations feel, especially women and girls.

Max helps Catherine to move beyond the fear and the misconceptions she has about herself and the men around her. He understands that she needs to heal before the two of them can be together.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and Mills & Boon.

Your Bed or Mine by Joss Wood

Matt understands instinctively how Tori hides her real feelings from her friends. She plays the clown to deflect from her inner pain and torment. He also sees through her bravado to the core of her insecurities. The self-doubt and lack of character judgement when it comes to picking out the men in her life.

Tori tends to pick the rogues, the bad boys and the borderline abusive boyfriends. She puts up with the betrayals, the embarrassment and the odd requests or fetishes that cross her personal boundaries. She lacks self-esteem and suffers from the misconception that sex equals love.

Unfortunately many young people, especially girls, find it hard to distinguish between the two. Far too often love and sex are put on the same pedestal and mistaken for the same thing. Hearts are broken because what is a purely sexual relationship to one half of a couple might be a starry-eyed romance and declaration of love to another.

Matt needs to make Tori wake up and smell the roses in regards to her dysfunctional relationship patterns. Only then will he allow the two of them to get closer. In the meantime Tori is playing hard to get, then come and get me, and confusing the hell out of both of them.

Wood has slid some interesting sub-topics into this wee romance.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and Mills & Boon.

The Party Starts at Midnight by Lucy King

The problem with rules is that they are made to be broken, especially the ‘whatever you do don’t touch the really hot naked guy, who just happens to be in a very deep sleep’ rules. Those type of rules always depend on the situation and the irresistibility of the guy in question.

Leo awakes from his slumber to find Abby in his bedroom eyeing up his crown jewels, and thus begins the comedy of errors between the two of them.

This romance is about letting walls down and emotions in. Leo is the perfect example of someone who has been burned so badly in the past he doesn’t want to ever let another person in.  Abby is the type of person, who chips away at cold walls of emotions without even realising she is doing it. Under her cucumber business exterior lurks the interior of a hot pepper.

Leo and Abby connect, clash and lead each other on a merry chase of emotions in this hot to trot little romance.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and Mills & Boon.

Breaking the Bro Code by Stefanie London

Elise is struggling to keep her dance studio afloat. At this point she needs a miracle to keep things going. She just wasn’t expecting a miracle in the shape of Col Hillam. The same Col, who used to be part of her family and the same person who dumped her like a hot potato many years ago.

Col still struggles with the neglect and abuse he suffered as a child. He is home to bury the person who will always be at the root of his fears and problems. One of those fears is something he needs to overcome quick snap, which is why he has returned to ask Elise for help.

The two of them have to overcome a mountain of obstacles to rekindle their fledgling romance, including clearing up the real reason Col left in the first place. The secret he kept from Elise because he didn’t want to break her heart and destroy the relationship between her and someone close to both of them.

This romance is about trust, family and coming back home to the one person, who makes you feel safe and complete.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and Mills & Boon.

Little Shop of Hopes and Dreams by Fiona Harper

Nicole was a true hardcore romantic when she came up with the great idea to start a Marriage Proposal Planning company. Now after watching one too many enthusiastic couples melt into each others arms she realises she is missing out on something. Something or someone who will make her heart sing like a canary on champagne.

On a night out she meets that certain someone and he not only makes her heart sing, he also makes her limbs weak, her heart pound and her body ache for the horizontal tango. Numbers are exchanged and one would think things are a go, except Nicole chickens out and that’s when things get really complicated.

One year later and the perfect solution to all their business problems has waltzed in the door. The problem with the oh so perfect solution is the unexpected complication called Alex.

Harper knows just how to twist the plot in a way that keeps readers on their toes. A man with trust issues, a gal who doesn’t trust her instincts and a delightfully spontaneous socialite called Saffron to top it all off. This is certainly a romance with more ups and downs than a roller coaster ride.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and Mills & Boon.

Maybe This Christmas by Sarah Morgan

Finally Sarah Morgan brings us the story of the most stubborn and difficult of the O’Neil brothers.Tyler has the reputation of a daredevil playboy, who hops from woman to woman in the blink of an eye. The tabloids were full of his supposed exploits during his time as a ski champion and celebrity.

Unfortunately everyone tends to believe what they read in the media, despite the fact most of the gossip magazines make stuff up as they go along.

Tyler and Brenna have been friends for their entire life. Brenna has been in love with him for a long time, but keeps it hidden from everyone. Well, at least she thinks she is keeping it hidden. The reality is every knows how she feels except for Tyler. He has no clue at all and tries very hard to maintain the strict boundaries of friendship between the two of them.

The women of the O’Neil family conspire to play matchmaker between the Brenna and Tyler. Their sly move rattles the bones and memories of the past. Brenna finally confronts a secret she has kept from everyone, a secret she let determine her life since her teenage years.

The pain and humiliation of being the victim of a bully. Day in and day out Brenna went through hell and didn’t tell a soul. Now the bully is back in town and it is time to deal with her horrible past.

Sarah Morgan brings this delightful series of romances set around the Snow Crystal resort to a surprising and compelling end. In her own very specific and talented way Morgan manages to create a warm-hearted tear-jerker with plenty of laughs and a good ol’ family feeling.

Buy Maybe This Christmas at Amazon Uk or go to Goodreads for any other retailer.

You can connect with Sarah online at her website: www.sarahmorgan.com on Facebook at www.facebook.com/AuthorSarahMorgan or on Twitter @SarahMorgan_

Read The Christmas Sisters, Moonlight Over Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #6), Holiday in the Hamptons (From Manhattan with Love #5) New York Actually (From Manhattan with Love #4), Miracle on 5th Avenue (From Manhattan With Love #3), Sunset in Central Park (From Manhattan with Love #2), Sleepless in Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #1), Christmas Ever After, First Time in Forever, Sleighbells in the Snow, Suddenly Last Summer or The Notting Hill Diaries, all by Sarah Morgan.

Follow @SarahMorgan_, @HQStories and @HarperCollinsUK

The Party Dare by Anne Oliver

Leo is plagued by guilt and a sense of responsibility towards his younger sister. Everything and everyone else becomes secondary to taking care of her. He finds it hard to relinquish the control and treats the young adult as if she were still a child.

Of course his odd habit of dropping all and everything at a moments notice to ensure the safety and well-being of said sister, tends to play havoc with his social life. Not many dates are going to put up with cancellations at last-minute or  a basket full of broken promises.

Breanna isn’t the type to play the wilting wallflower. She takes what she wants when she wants it.  She doesn’t however take kindly to the peculiar on-off-on behaviour Leo exhibits. Acting all hot and bothered one second, then ice-cold and disinterested the next.

Their tug of war is a lengthy one  and their romance is one with very unexpected twists and turns. I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and Mills & Boon.

Sleeping with the Soldier by Charlotte Phillips

Kudos to the author for adding this difficult subject to such a carefree romance. Many men and women are involved in the atrocities of war, even in our day and age. They see and experience things no person should ever be exposed to. Unfortunately this is part and parcel of serving in the military.

There seems to be lack of acknowledgement by the government and military when it comes to the aftermath of being in a war zone. Aside from the physical injuries there is also post-traumatic stress disorder, a psychological burden many soldiers suffer from, despite  the high number of people suffering it seems to often go undiagnosed. What is far worse though is how the military often approaches the subject with an almost blasé type attitude, which can be detrimental the soldier’s health and those around them.

Alex keeps himself awake each night in an attempt to escape the memories and the trauma. The sleep deprivation causes erratic behaviour and mood swings, which makes it hard to connect to people long-term. Relationships are hard to maintain when one part of the couple refuses to deal with such major issues.

Lara does try very hard to get through to Alex, but finds herself at the top of the rejection pile. She initially puts his behaviour down to his wealthy upbringing and his selfish personality traits. When she does manage to get a glimpse inside the real Alex it seems to be too little too late.

This is an arduous romance with a very important yet often overlooked sub-plot.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and Mills & Boon.

 

Dressed to Thrill by Bella Frances

Tara and Michael clash head on like a bull to a red rag, I am just not sure which one is the bull. Both of them have very strong personalities and a need to be in control of every situation. A tug of war for control ensues between them.

The jeering, insults and verbal combat becomes like foreplay to the two of them. They can’t stand each other and at the same time feel drawn to one another.  If they let down their guard long enough they might just find they have quite a few things in common. Life has made them fighters, made them stronger and also made them both think they have to play up to the fake media images they have created, to be more successful.

Living in the public eye plays havoc on the mind. It must be hard to keep the public and private persona from melding into one big mess of personality. I think both Tara and Michael suffer from having difficulty keeping the two things separate. The only way the are going to be able to connect on all levels is if they step away from the fake persona long enough to embrace the real one.

This is a tempestuous romance with a lot of passion and many battles between the two of them, both in private and in public.

I received a copy of this book courtesy of Harlequin UK and Mills & Boon.