[Review] *Blog Tour* Change of Heart by TJ Kline

Change of Heart
Healing Harts #5

By: T.J. Kline

Releasing May 10, 2016
Avon Impulse

Synopsis

Leah McCarran has never had anything but bad luck in her life, with the exception of her dream job, working as a therapist for at-risk youth at Heart Fire Ranch. But when her car breaks down on the side of the road and she finds herself stranded, the playboy who shows up to help, seems like the last person she can count on.

Gage Granger has risen above the circumstances of his youth, enough that people believe he has the Midas touch, especially in business. But when one costly mistake could send his reputation and his company into ruin, he needs some time to get his head on straight before he makes a decision that could affect hundreds of lives and heads to see his brother, near Heart Fire. The last thing he expected to find was a feisty therapist who needs his help, even if she won’t admit it.

Leah doesn’t want friends. There was only one person she let close - her high school counselor and the mentor who not only took her in but changed her life, and then she died. Leah doesn’t want that kind of hurt again so it’s easier to remain distant. But Gage is making it difficult. And finding out that he staying next door at Heart Fire Ranch isn’t making it any easier to avoid the kind man who is worming his way into her heart.

Gage sees the pain Leah’s trying so adamantly to hide but neither can help the attraction that begins to develop as they rescue two abandoned kittens and find they have far more in common than they believed. Gage helps her to move past her nightmarish past and she helps him realize that one mistake doesn’t define his worth.

Link to Follow Tour:  

http://www.tastybooktours.com/2016/04/change-of-heart-healing-harts-5-by-tj.html

Goodreads Link: 

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26206382-change-of-heart

Goodreads Series Link: 

https://www.goodreads.com/series/146550-healing-harts

Buy Links:   
Amazon | B & N | Google Play | iTunes | Kobo  

My Review

I received a free copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review. 

I read the first book in this series, Heart's Desire, a while ago and I really liked it, so I was excited that I had the opportunity to read this one. Leah has had a really rough childhood and grew up in the foster system. She becomes a therapist to help other kids like herself, and hopefully change their lives. Gage also had a rough childhood, but he is now a successful businessman. When he meets Leah at Heart Fire Ranch, they learn that they have more in common that they originally thought. But both are a little worried about getting too close to each other, afraid they will mess it up. 

This is a really great romance story. Not only does it have the steamy romance, but the characters have deeper issues as well. It's definitely not just a fluff romance (not that there's anything wrong with those either!) I really enjoy Kline's writing and I think she does a great job of developing the characters and keeping you really involved in the story. I didn't want to stop reading because I wanted to know what happened next! I'm definitely a fan of this series and I can't wait to read more. I didn't read these in order (I think I missed the middle 3) but that doesn't take away from the story line at all. You can definitely read these as standalone, even though the characters appear throughout the series. 

About the Author 

T. J. Kline was raised competing in rodeos and Rodeo Queen competitions since the age of 14 and has thorough knowledge of the sport as well as the culture involved. She writes contemporary western romance for Avon Romance, including the Rodeo series and the Healing Harts series. She has published a nonfiction health book and two inspirational fiction titles under the name Tina Klinesmith. In her very limited spare time, T.J. can be found laughing hysterically with her husband, children, and their menagerie of pets in Northern California.

Author Links: Website | Facebook| Twitter | GoodReads 

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[Review] Interference by Sophia Henry

Interference by Sophia Henry
Series: Pilot's Hockey, #3
Publisher: Flirt
Publishing Date: June 7, 2016
Format: ARC, ebook
216 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis 

Linden Meadows doesn’t back down from anyone, especially if her family’s involved. So when her little brother’s new hockey coach benches him in the middle of a game, Linden lets him have it. She also notices that the coach is way hotter than she expects, but Linden won’t let herself get burned by another athlete. Been there, done that—and had a kid at seventeen to show for it.

When Jason Taylor isn’t taking abuse from hockey moms, he’s patrolling the streets as a member of the Bridgeland PD. After Jason pulls Linden over for speeding, he begins to see that there’s more to her than a big mouth . . . or a lead foot. Their chemistry leads to good company, intense conversation, and an intimacy that pushes beyond the boundaries of friendship. And yet Linden’s decision to keep her now three-year-old son, Holden, is a painful reminder to Jason that his own mother gave him up for adoption.

Linden’s sure she’s found the man to round out their family. But when Holden’s deadbeat dad forces his way back into the picture, Jason starts to back off. He needs time—to heal, to grow, and to love with all his heart. 

My Review

I received a free copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

This is the third book in the Pilot's Hockey series by Sophia Henry. I've read the other two and enjoyed those, so I really wanted to read this one. I'm also a big hockey fan and love stories that incorporate this sport into the story. This was a cute, short book by Henry that I enjoyed reading. It wasn't my favorite book, and the others in the series are better, but I still liked this one. I wish hockey had more of a role in this one and I feel like it's not really part of the Pilot's series since they're barely mentioned in here. I also wish the characters were developed a little more. We learned some interesting things about them, but they didn't capture me like some of her other characters have.

Despite all of this, I still thought this was a cute read and I'm glad I read it. I love romance stories and sometimes a quick read is exactly what I'm looking for. I do think people should read the others in this series first because they were better, but this is still a good read. 

[Review] We Were Liars by E. Lockhart

We Were Liars by E. Lockhart
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publishing Date: May 13, 2014
Format: hardcover, library
227 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis 

A beautiful and distinguished family.

A private island.

A brilliant, damaged girl; a passionate, political boy.

A group of four friends—the Liars—whose friendship turns destructive.

A revolution. An accident. A secret.

Lies upon lies.

True love.

The truth.

We Were Liars is a modern, sophisticated suspense novel from National Book Award finalist and Printz Award honoree E. Lockhart. 

Read it.

And if anyone asks you how it ends, just LIE. 

My Review

I know that what I'm about to write is not the view of most people who have read this book, but I'm going to say it anyways. I didn't like this book. There, I said it. I felt the beginning was really slow and I couldn't get into the authors writing style. But I wanted to keep going because I've heard such good things about it. Once I found out what the secret was, I didn't feel any differently towards this book. It still didn't click with me and I wasn't overly excited to keep reading. I did finish it, but I felt like this book had so much more potential. Just not a fit for me. 

[Review] Friction by Sandra Brown

Friction by Sandra Brown
Publisher: Grand Central
Publishing Date:
Format: hardcover
Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N
Goodreads rating: 5 stars

Synopsis 

Crawford Hunt wants his daughter back. Following the death of his wife four years ago, Crawford, a Texas Ranger, fell into a downward spiral that left him relegated to deskwork and with his five-year-old daughter Georgia in the custody of her grandparents. But Crawford has cleaned up his act, met all the court imposed requirements, and now the fate of his family lies with Judge Holly Spencer.

Holly, ambitious and confident, temporarily occupies the bench of her recently deceased mentor. With an election upcoming, she must prove herself worthy of making her judgeship permanent. Every decision is high-stakes. Despite Crawford's obvious love for his child and his commitment to being an ideal parent, Holly is wary of his checkered past. Her opinion of him is radically changed when a masked gunman barges into the courtroom during the custody hearing. Crawford reacts instinctually, saving Holly from a bullet. 

But his heroism soon takes on the taint of recklessness. The cloud over him grows even darker after he uncovers a horrifying truth about the courtroom gunman and realizes that the unknown person behind the shooting remains at large . . .and a threat. 

Catching the real culprit becomes a personal fight for Crawford. But pursuing the killer in his customary diehard fashion will jeopardize his chances of gaining custody of his daughter, and further compromise Judge Holly Spencer, who needs protection not only from an assassin, but from Crawford himself and the forbidden attraction between them. 

FRICTION will keep you on the edge of your seat with breathtaking plot twists and the unforgettable characters that make Sandra Brown one of the world's best-loved authors. It is an extraordinary novel about the powerful ties that bind us to the ones we love and the secrets we keep to protect them.

My Review

OMG. I loved this book! I read it in two days and it was so hard to put down to go to bed! It kept me hooked from the very first sentence. Sandra Brown is one of those authors whose books I must buy when they come out. She never disappoints and her romantic suspense novels are my absolute favorite. Crawford is a really sympathetic character. He's been through a really hard time over the last few years after his wife died and he lost custody of his daughter. There's just something about him that is really intriguing. I also really liked Holly and she takes her job very seriously. But really, Joe? I hated him! I may have hated him more than some of the other more obvious characters in this book, and Neal came in a close second. But, Joe? Ugh. He made me want to throw the book across the room! Now Conrad on the other hand, Crawford's dad, I really liked as well. He's clearly got a few problems of his own, but he straightens out a little. 

Throughout this whole book, my emotions were up and down. I wanted to cry so many times because of the struggles Crawford was going through. I practiced as an attorney in family law for a while, so I definitely understood and empathized with his situation and the difficult time he had with the court system. My heart was broken for him as he tried to get his daughter back. 

As the events unfolded, I was really stunned! Like usual, there were a few things that I could pick up on, but there were a lot of surprises! I remember yelling, "WHAT?!" during a certain part of this that I really can't hint at! 

Seriously. Pick up this book. Read all of her books (especially the romantic suspense ones). They're so good! 

[Review] When I'm Gone by Emily Bleeker

When I'm Gone by Emily Bleeker
Publisher: Lake Union Publishing
Publishing Date: March 15, 2016
Format: ebook, ARC
366 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis

Dear Luke, First let me say—I love you… I didn’t want to leave you…

Luke Richardson has returned home after burying Natalie, his beloved wife of sixteen years, ready to face the hard job of raising their three children alone. But there’s something he’s not prepared for—a blue envelope with his name scrawled across the front in Natalie’s handwriting, waiting for him on the floor of their suburban Michigan home.

The letter inside, written on the first day of Natalie’s cancer treatment a year ago, turns out to be the first of many. Luke is convinced they’re genuine, but who is delivering them? As his obsession with the letters grows, Luke uncovers long-buried secrets that make him question everything he knew about his wife and their family. But the revelations also point the way toward a future where love goes on—in written words, in memories, and in the promises it’s never too late to keep.

My Review

I received a free copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

All I can say right now is wow. I just finished reading this book and I have a feeling it's going to stick with me for a while. I really couldn't believe some of the things that happened in here! Luke's wife Natalie passes away after battling cancer, leaving him with three children to raise on his own. Her best friend, Annie, is there to help, along with a student Natalie went to college with, Jessie. Right after Natalie's funeral, Luke starts receiving letters from Natalie, written during her last few months of life. Throughout these letters, Luke learns that his wife had secrets, and he's not sure how he feels about that. The more the letters reveal, the more Luke feels like he didn't really know his wife and he goes on a search to find the truth. 

When I first started reading this book, I honestly thought it was going to be like P.S. I Love You. And while I liked that movie (I'll admit, I didn't read the book), I didn't want to read something else exactly like it. But I gave it a few more chapters and realized that it wasn't anything like it, other than letters coming from your spouse who passed. There were a few things in here that I had a slight idea about, but I was genuinely surprised about a lot of this! I found my self yelling out loud, "WHAT?!" and "Seriously?!" Good thing my husband wasn't home to think I'm crazy! Ha! But honestly, I was really surprised by some of the events in here and I really liked how this book was written. Luke was really easy to connect with and Annie and Jessie were great supporting characters. There were so many things going on in this story that it was easy to stay hooked the entire time. I would highly recommend this one! I haven't read Bleeker's other book yet, Wreckage, but I plan to now! 

[Review] Just a Girl by Ellie Cahill

Just a Girl by Ellie Cahill

Publisher: Loveswept

Publishing Date: June 21, 2016

Format: ebook, ARC

224 Pages

Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N 

Synopsis 

After getting kicked out of her own band—by her own boyfriend—Presley Mason finds herself back in Wisconsin, helping her parents run their renowned music store. Instead of belting out powerhouse vocals to sold-out crowds in L.A., she’s stocking shelves and inspecting rental violins. But the shop isn’t all bad: When she’s vacuuming up late one night, she bumps into the guitar teacher with the smoldering amber eyes and the killer tattoo. And that’s when things take an interesting turn.

Presley soon finds that Paul Kellerman is as good in bed as he is on guitar. So why isn’t he stoked to share his band, Jukebox Bleu, with her? Turns out Paul has crippling stage fright, which he’s been self-medicating without much success. But when Jukebox Bleu’s lead singer gets called for military service, the other members beg Presley to front them. Even though she swore never to mix men with music again, the temptation to perform is almost as intense as her chemistry with Paul. Now Presley must decide what’s more important: a second chance at love . . . or rock stardom.

My Review

I received a free copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Cute, cute book! I requested this one from Netgalley because I previously read Call Me, Maybe by Cahill (review here) and I really enjoyed it. Plus I've heard great things about When Joss Met Matt, so I really wanted to read this! Plus, this book takes place in a city only about an hour from where I live in Wisconsin! Not too many books are set in Wisconsin, so this was really fun for me. 

I honestly haven't read too many books about singers or rock bands, so this was a little new for me. But still really fun. I was actually jealous with how well these characters can play musical instruments. I'm always envious of people who can play because I can't at all. Presley is a talented musician whose been kicked out of her band and dumped by her boyfriend. She goes back to working at her parents music store and meets one of the instructors, Paul. They develop a really steamy attraction and Presley learns he's in a band. Throughout the story, they really complement each other well and support each other. It's a really cute new adult novel and I'm definitely a fan of Cahill's writing. She creates really fun, cute stories that I love to read. I can't wait to read more of what she has written and will write in the future. 

[Review] Just Say Maybe by Tracy March

Just Say Maybe by Tracy March
Series: Thistle Bend, #2
Publisher: Loveswept
Publishing date: May 3, 2016
Format: ebook, ARC
240 Pages
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N

Synopsis 

Real estate lawyer Holly Birdsong’s hike in the Rockies takes an unexpected turn when a smokin’-hot stranger tumbles off his bike and into her path. Turns out he’s purchasing the abandoned Lodge at Wild Rose Ridge, and Holly agrees to take him on as a client—despite her family’s traumatic history with the previous owner, who shamelessly abused the town’s goodwill at every turn. But when their professional relationship turns personal, Holly must reconcile the past with her hopes for the future.

Adding the rustic lodge to his portfolio of adventure properties isn’t just a business decision for Bryce Bennett. The rugged mountains also offer a killer setting for his extreme-sports camps for at-risk teens. What’s not in the blueprints is finding a kindred spirit in his irresistible lawyer, even if she seems apprehensive about getting involved in the deal. Bryce’s plan to ease her mind just might work, as long as no one discovers his secret. Yet he can’t stand hiding the truth from the woman who makes him want to build something permanent: a happily ever after.

My Review

I received a free copy of this ebook from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. 

This was a really cute, quick read. I haven't read anything else by March, including the first book in this series. But I don't think that took away from the experience. It seems that the books are standalone within the series, and you can read later ones without first reading the early ones. Holly is an attorney working in her home town of Thistle Bend when Bryce comes along. He hires her to become his attorney for a real estate purchase, which causes a lot of problems and brings up bad memories in the small town. Bryce has his own reasons for wanting to buy and renovate the lodge, but he doesn't know the entire story. 

I thought this story was pretty good and original but I wasn't super interested in the the lodge issues. I'm not sure why, but I didn't connect with the problems or feelings the townspeople had towards it. Unfortunately, that takes away a little of the romance side of the story, but not enough for me not to enjoy it. It was still really cute and fun to read. I really liked Holly (it doesn't hurt that we're both attorneys!) and Bryce was very adventurous. I'm very interested in reading more by March, so this won't be my last!