BOOK REVIEW ~ ONCE IN A LIFETIME BY JILL SHALVIS

Title: Once In A Lifetime (Lucky Harbor, Book Nine)
Author: Jill Shalvis
Publisher: Grand Central
Release Date: February 18, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance

ARC provided by NetGalley 








Book Blurb

After a wrenching loss, Ben McDaniel tried to escape his grief by working in dangerous, war-torn places like Africa and the Middle East. Now he's back in his hometown and face-to-face with Aubrey Wellington, the hot-as-hell woman who is trouble with a capital T. Family and friends insist she's not the one to ease his pain, but Aubrey sparks an intense desire that gives Ben hope for the future.

Determined to right the wrongs of her past, Aubrey is working hard to make amends. But by far, the toughest challenge to her plan is sexy, brooding Ben - even though he has absolutely no idea what she's done . . .

Can this unlikely couple defy the odds and win over the little town of Lucky Harbor?

Book Review

Jill Shalvis ALWAYS writes engaging characters and fills her stories with sweet/spicy romance--and ONCE IN A LIFETIME is a prime example of just how great Shalvis is at creating feel-good romances.

Ben McDaniel is a quiet man who keeps to himself, when he's not hanging around his buddies (Jack, Luke, and the sometimes-present Sam Brody). He's already experienced that "once in a lifetime" kind of love with his high-school sweetheart, Hannah, who died in a fatal car accident. After working several years away from home, Ben is back in Lucky Harbor, trying to figure out what's next in his life.

Aubrey Wellington finds "herself"--literally--in the middle of an AA meeting. After hearing other people admit to their past mistakes, but who are determined to find redemption in order to move on toward the future, Aubrey makes her own list of past mistakes.

And Ben McDaniel is on her list.

Ben cannot deny the spark between him and Aubrey, but he knows it can't go anywhere. She is the opposite of everything he had with Hannah. Where Hannah was quiet and reserved, Aubrey is fearless and outspoken.

But when Ben starts to see a different side to the otherwise fierce woman, he finds himself wanting to spend more time with her.

Aubrey cannot let her emotions take control when it comes to Ben. She has had a crush on him since high school. And if Ben ever finds out that she is responsible for breaking Hannah and Ben up their senior year, he will never forgive her. But her heart quickly becomes involved when Ben lets down his guard and she realizes just how much she could fall for this sexy engineer.

Once In A Lifetime is like returning home. Visiting with the people o Lucky Harbor is a treat and a joy to read. Shalvis tickles your funny bone with her quirky characters and humor as well as heat up the pages with her delicious men that reside in the small town of Lucky Harbor.

ARC BOOK REVIEW ~ ALWAYS ON MY MIND BY JILL SHALVIS

Title: Always On My Mind (Lucky Harbor, Book 8)
Author: Jill Shalvis
Release Date: September 24, 2013

ARC provided by NetGalley

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?

Book Review

Best friends Jack and Leah have always stood by each other. But Leah tests the boundaries of their friendship when she tells Jack's mother they are involved.

Leah always felt the pressure to be perfect. Her verbally abusive father told her, If you can't be the best, Leah, don't bother being anything at all....words that still ring inside her head, causing her to never finish anything. Her only escape from her father's scathing words were in the arms of her best friend and neighbor, Jack. 

At what could be the turning point of their relationship, Leah runs away from Lucky Harbor and the beautiful possibilities she could have had with Jack. 

Now, Leah returns to Lucky Harbor to help out her grandmother run her bakery, while she waits for her world to crash around her. Leah has been on the reality t.v. show, Sweet Wars, and contractual obligations prevent her from telling anyone whether she won the jackpot or not. And Leah plans to leave Lucky Harbor...again...before her friends and family can find out she has failed...again.

Not one to stick around long enough to form any real attachments  Jack is glad to have his friend, Leah, back in town. And it's obvious Leah doesn't care as much as he did all those years ago...right? 
But one tiny lie tangles up the lives of Jack and Leah, having them pretend a relationship that doesn't really exist. 

But who is or isn't really pretending? 

Jill Shalvis has done it again with Always On My Mind. It is a sexy and sweet read that makes the reader wish a town such as Lucky Harbor truly existed. One filled with such quirky oddities like Lucille  a gossipy senior citizen who has a penchant for stirring up trouble. Kevin, an adorable Great Dane who will eat anything, and loves to nuzzle any female crotch--really, he doesn't discriminate, folks. And a great supporting cast of secondary characters that make you feel right at home. 

BOOK REVIEW ~ IT HAD TO BE YOU (LUCKY HARBOR SERIES) BY JILL SHALVIS

Title: It Had To Be You ( Lucky Harbor, Book Seven) 

Author: Jill Shalvis

Release Date: May 28, 2013

ARC provided by NetGalley

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?

Book Review

I truly love and adore Jill Shalvis. She has never disappointed me with her books and her style. She writes such humorous, sweet, romance with great characters that are full of life and passion.

And I hope she never stops writing about Lucky Harbor. 

Ali has moved to the town of Lucky Harbor and works in the local florist shop. And she has a beau, Teddy, who is the talk of the town. He's charming, good looking, with a future bright as the sun. 

And he is also a two timing...make that four timing bastard. 

On the night of the town's big fundraiser, she finds her boyfriend boffing someone else in his office. Devastated, she flees the scene and wakes up the next day to a break-up via text and to find out she no longer has a place to live. The beach house she had leased with Teddy has expired. 

With her life basically in the crapper, you would think her life couldn't get worse, right? 

Well,the owner of the beach house shows up wanting an escape from his own life. Luke Hanover, a police officer from San Francisco, took a leave of absence from his job to wallow in his own guilt. After a case went sour and the police department's actions are called into question, Luke needs a little R and R. But his beach home is now housing a half-naked and very sexy stranger: Ali Winters.

And then Teddy, the turd, shows up, accusing Ali of stealing $50,000 that he left in his desk after the fundraiser. 

Ali is shaken and stunned when rumors fly in the small town that she is a possible suspect in the crime. She may have called him as ass on a post it, but she didn't steal the money. 

Luke is determined not to get involved with Ali. She has picket fences and commitment dancing in her eyes. He would do nothing but hurt her already very fragile heart. 

However, the sexual connection between the two are strong. And when living together, things between them grow intimate. Luke knows his visit to Lucky Harbor is only temporary, but the small town and Ali may be just what he needs to soothe is own bruised heart. 

Shalvis creates very believable characters with a home town feel. Her Lucky Harbor series is like coming home again with every book. 

BOOK REVIEW ~ UNDER THE MISTLETOE BY JILL SHALVIS

Title: Under The Mistletoe (Lucky Harbor, Book 6.5)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Release Date: December 4, 2012

ARC provided by NetGalley

JUST ONE MORE KISS

There's no place like home for the holidays. And the Lucky Harbor Bed & Breakfast is bursting with festive lights and good cheer. But for Mia, Christmas is turning out to be anything other than merry and bright. Her recent break-up with her boyfriend Nick has made her return bittersweet. But then a surprise arrives, when Nick follows her to town bearing gifts-and asking for forgiveness.

Nick grew up without a family of his own so he's overwhelmed by the love that Mia receives from all her relatives, gathered together to celebrate the season. Under their watchful eyes, Nick finds earning back her trust the hardest thing he's ever had to do. If he succeeds, he will receive the greatest gift of all, Mia's love for a lifetime.

Book Review

Jill Shalvis is my go-to author for a sweet romance filled with addictive characters, heart-warming plot, and a dash of sexy sprinkled in for good measure.

Under the Mistletoe is a novella that takes place during the holidays and is the story of Mia, Ford and Tara's daughter, who comes home during the Christmas holidays for Chloe and Sawyer's wedding. 

She has had a somewhat serious relationship with the handsome, yet commitment-phobe Nick. Their relationship is at the cusp where it can either move forward or dissolve into nothing but a fond memory. 

Mia wants the entire package--family, love, and someone to choose her. But when Nick fails to make that commitment, she flies back home to Lucky Harbor, alone. 

Can Nick convince her that he is what she needs or will Mia turn him away, stating too little, too late? 

Under the Mistletoe is a sweet, fast read to put you in the holiday spirit and definitely in the mood for love. 

ARC REVIEW ~ FOREVER AND A DAY BY JILL SHALVIS

Title: Forever And A Day (Lucky Harbor Series, Book Six)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Grand Central

Expected Release Date: July 31, 2012

Genre: Contemporary Romance

ARC Copy provided by NetGalley

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…
 
Author Links:
 
Website / Blog / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook
 
Pre-order Links:
 
Amazon / B&N

Click here for excerpt from Forever And A Day from author's website.

Book Review

We interrupt this scheduled ARC review with a bit of fantastic news. I have just read via Jill's Blog that she is continuing on in her immensely popular Lucky Harbor Series.  **Doing Happy Dance across carpet.

And her first hero is something else...(yes, I stole this from Jill's site, cause it was just too damn delish to pass up).   I will only say this--Click here for more info (like his name) about the yummy half-nekked man below:

BTW--if you have never hopped over to Jill's blog, please do so. Not only can this woman pop out amazing novels left and right-- her blogs have me splitting a side every time I read them. I would so love to be a fly on the wall in the Shalvis household.

Now, back to the review :)

The last of the gals, Grace, is still jobless-well, sort of-- and has no intention of acting on her attraction with her new boss, the sexy ER Doc, Josh. Nope. No sirree. No matter how delish he appears in those sexy hospital scrubs or how his kisses do really, REALLY, nice things to her lady bits south of the border.

He is just not what she is looking for. He is not...fun.

Josh is instantly attracted to Grace as she stands there, shivering, and very wet in her sundress as she tries to explain how she has lost his ugly pug, Tank somewhere in the Pacific. Unfortunately, Tank has not committed puppy-cide and thrown himself into the waves. After a very comical meeting, Grace somehow manages to keep her new job as dog walker.  Maybe it's her clothes she wore for the job interview? Hah!

Forever And A Day provides snarky humor and we get to see a moment or two of the boys interact:

"I think you have a case of being a little girl. Maybe you should prescribe yourself a heavy dose of man-the-fuck-up."

I simply cannot get enough of the hilarious, sweet, and sexy romances that Shalvis writes. She is spot on with a sexiness filled with emotion and tender moments and her characters are rich--however deeply flawed they may be--and down to earth. After reading this amazing series, you'll wish Lucky Harbor really existed, just so you could move there.

 

 



 

BOOK REVIEW ~ HEAD OVER HEELS BY JILL SHALVIS

Title:  Head Over Heels (Book 3, Lucky Harbor Series)

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Forever

Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages

Release Date:  December 1, 2011

ARC copy provided by Net Galley

Book Blurb

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?

Click here for Book Excerpt



I so enjoy reading Shalvis--she entertains me to no end and writes such great characters and stories. 

Head Over Heels takes place in Lucky Harbor, where three women come together after the death of their mother. They are sisters but each has had a different father...sounds like a really bad soap opera plot, but Shalvis rocks it with her ususal quirky style.

Chloe is the free spirit of the three women--riding her Vespa wherever the desire takes her, never wanting to settle anywhere or have any kinds of roots or responsibilities. Nope, not her. She lives in the moment. And she doesn't do "I love you's".

Despire her resolve to remain seperate from those in Lucky Harbor, she finds herself growing attached to her lovable sisters and sexually attracted to the Sheriff of Lucky Harbor--one sexy cop who scowls at Chloe when has to 'rescue' her from one reckless incident after another. Mr. Tight Ass slowly becomes Mr. Sexy Ass and the chemistry is combustible.

The usual calm and unruffled Sheriff finds it difficult to remain that way whenever he's around Chloe and it makes from some sexually tense moments. But Chloe's severe asthma makes spontaneous sex a no-go. One would think that with romance books, how in the hell could an author work his or her way around that? Who wants to read a well choreographed and planned out sex scene?

Shalvis does it-and heart warmingly so without reducing the heat factor. It becomes something more--a deeper connection that had me swooning in parts.

And Jill brought tears to my eyes (dammit, LOL) with the secondary story of Lance, Chloe's dear friend who suffers from Cystic Fibrosis. His zeal of life and all it has to offer is just as strong and addictive as Chloe's and I wanted for him to have his on HEA. Thank you Jill!

Although you could enjoy Head Over Heels without reading the first two books of the series, I highly suggest you don't...it's a great journey to savor and enjoy in order.  And Jill whets your appetite for more with each book.