It Had To Be You by Jill Shalvis

Why I read it:  I received a review copy from the publisher via NetGalley.  

What it's about: (from Goodreads) Ali Winters is not having a good day. Her boyfriend left her, everyone in town thinks she's a thief, and now she's about to be kicked out of her home. Her only shot at keeping a roof over her head and clearing her name is to beg for help from a police detective who's as sexy as he is stern....

After a high-profile case goes wrong, Luke Hanover returns to his hometown for some peace and quiet. Instead he finds a bombshell brunette in a heap of trouble. As he helps Ali put her world back together, the pieces of Luke's own life finally seem to fall into place. Is this the start of a sizzling fling? Or are Luke and Ali on the brink of something big in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

What worked for me (and what didn't: There is something to be said for a reliably good read. My reading mojo was a little down when I picked this book up but I knew that this would be a fun sexy read.  Jill Shalvis books are always that for me.  Some are more successful than others, but even the "average" ones are good and the comfort I can take in knowing that I'm going to have a good experience when I open a Jill Shalvis book cannot be underestimated.  

August Reads

on Paper/eBook

Men of Smithfield:  Mark & Tony by LB Gregg - B  Originally published by the now defunct Aspen Mountain Press, LB Gregg has found a new home for her Men of Smithfield series at Carina Press.  All 4 books (as well as some new ones yet to be written – yippee!) will be released by Carina and the first is Mark & Tony (originally titled Gobsmacked).

Told from the first person POV of Mark, a surgeon at the Smithfield Hospital, the story details how he comes home unexpectedly to find his live-in lover Jamie bonking the landlord in his bed and the revenge he takes (it involves hitting Jamie with a bible at the Ash Wednesday Mass and taking his things to the rubbish dump), only to find out that Jamie has also stolen all of his savings and appears to be in some serious trouble.   State Trooper and long time crush Tony Gervase becomes involved when Jamie’s desperation leads him to assault and a little B&E.   It turns out that everyone but Mark knew that Jamie was a cheating dickwad and everyone but Mark knows that Tony’s loved Mark since forever.

Because Mark and Tony have been best friends for years, it is easy to accept the speed of the romance in this story, which spans only a few days.  There is a definite HFN with the promise of a HEA but they don’t rush into forever after, which was nice.   

Mark and Tony manage to find time to steam up the bathroom, the sheets and the lounge room, Jamie gets what’s coming to him (more actually) and it’s all wrapped up in LB Gregg’s trademark humour – which is quirky and laugh out loud.    Recommended for who likes a fast-paced funny contemporary M/M romance with some depth. **NB this review first appeared in the August ARRA members newsletter**

August Ice by Dev Bentham - See my full review here.

Forever and A Day by Jill Shalvis

Why I read it:  I picked this up from NetGalley. I'm a fan of Shalvis and Lucky Harbor.

What it's about: (from Goodreads)  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 loveable mutt to caring for his rambunctious kids. 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…

What worked for me (and what didn't): Looking back over this latest three books, I think that At Last was my favourite.  I enjoyed Forever and a Day but some things about Grace bothered me too much for me to really like her.  And Josh was not a good dad or brother for most of the book.  His priority was clearly his patients and his family was suffering.  There are other doctors but only one Toby's dad and Anna's brother.

At Last by Jill Shalvis

Why I read it:  I picked this up from NetGalley.

What it's about: (from Goodreads)  HER LOVE HAS COME ALONG . . .
Amy Michaels loves her new life in Lucky Harbor. A waitress in the local diner, she's looking forward to her first weekend hike through the mountains. But when a wrong turn takes her off the trail, she finds herself up close and personal with forest ranger Matt Bowers. And even though she's tempted to kiss that sexy smile right off his face, she won't make the mistake of getting involved with the town heartthrob.

A former cop whose life went south, Matt doesn't let anyone get too close. But something about the feisty beauty caught his eye the moment he first saw her in the diner. After a hot night under a starry sky, Matt can't deny their attraction-or the fact that for the first time in a long time, he feels the stirrings of something more. Now it's up to Matt to help Amy see that, no matter what is in their past, together they can build a future in Lucky Harbor.

What worked for me (and what didn't): I think I liked this one a little better than Lucky in Love.  While I found the device of Amy's grandmother's journal a bit hokey, I did enjoy the relationship between Amy and Matt very much.  They are both tortured by past mistakes and hurt and each, for their own reasons, believes that they are unworthy of love.  After 6 months of dancing around their attraction, they finally give in and in scratching what they think is only a physical itch (did they ever really think that? Deep down inside?), find that worthy or not, love has found them.

Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis

Why I read it:  I picked this up from NetGalley. I'm a fan of Shalvis and enjoyed the previous Lucky Harbor books.

What it's about: (from Goodreads)  Mallory Quinn has had enough of playing it safe. As a nurse and devoted daughter, she takes care of everyone but herself. And as the local good girl, she's expected to date Mr. Right. But for once, she'd like to take a risk on Mr. Wrong. And who could be more wrong than Ty Garrison? The mysterious new guy in town has made it clear that he's only passing through, which suits Mallory just fine. Besides, his lean, hard body and sexy smile will give her plenty to remember once he's gone . . . 

For the first time in his life, Ty can't bear to leave. Helping this sexy seductress-in-training walk on the wild side is making him desire things he shouldn?t?including leaving the military for good. As their just-for-fun fling becomes something more, Mallory and Ty wonder if they could really be this lucky in love. After all . . . anything can happen in a town called Lucky Harbor.

What worked for me (and what didn't): Instalment 4 of 6 of the Lucky Habor series, this is the first book in the second trilogy.  The first was about the sisters Tara, Maddie and Chloe. This trilogy features the "Chocaholics", three friends, Mallory, Amy and Grace, who bond over chocolate.   It was fun to return to Lucky Harbor, catch up on their Facebook page and some of the other characters (I'm looking at you Lucille).  The girls from the first trilogy don't appear and their men are barely mentioned or only have small parts to play.  You can absolutely start here in the series if you haven't read any of the previous books (although I have enjoyed them all).