Under a Raging Moon (River City Crime Novel)
by Frank Zafiro (Goodreads Author)

Dec 25, 2014  

3 of 5 stars

A violent robber is loose in River City. Meet the cops that must take him down.

Stefan Kopriva, a young hotshot. Katie MacLeod, a woman in what is still mostly a man’s world. Karl Winter, about to retire but with one more good bust left in him. And Thomas Chisolm, a former Green Beret who knows how dangerous a man like the Scarface Robber can be.

These are the patrol officers of River City – that mythical thin blue line between society and anarchy. They must stop the robber, all the while juggling divorces, love affairs, internal politics, a hostile media, vengeful gang members and a civilian population that isn’t always understanding or even grateful.

Review:

This book was ok. I thought there would be more action and twists in it but it wasn't enough for me. I found the characters to be confusing as to who was who. Also I found the book to be choppy. It kept going back and forth between the crime and the personal lives of the police officers. I wish it held more of my attention. I read the Kindle version of the book.

Moonlight Road (Virgin River, #11)
by Robyn Carr (Goodreads Author)

Dec 13,  20 14 

4 of 5 stars

 

Read in December, 2014

WITH HER BELOVED YOUNGER SIBLINGS SETTLED AND HAPPY, ERIN FOLEY HAS EMPTY NEST SYNDROME. AT AGE THIRTY-FIVE.

So she's hitting the pause button on her life and holing up in a secluded (but totally upgraded --- she's not into roughing it!) cabin near Virgin River. Erin is planning on getting to know herself ... not the shaggy-haired mountain man she meets.

In fact, beneath his faded fatigues and bushy beard, Aiden Riordan is a doctor, recharging for a summer after leaving the navy. He's intrigued by the pretty, slightly snooty refugee from the rat race --- her meditating and journaling are definitely keeping him at arm's length. He'd love to get closer ... if his scruffy exterior and crazy ex-wife don't hold him back.

But maybe it's something in the water --- unlikely romances seem to take root in Virgin River ... helped along by some well-intentioned meddling, of course

My review:

I like the VR series but I did not find this book to be as engaging as the other books in the series. I liked reading about Erin and Aiden's relationship however, I didn't need to read about their love making escapades. It seems like all books with some romance become too graphic and don't add to the plot. They get old after awhile. I usually quickly scan over these parts.

I did like the last 100 pages or so because of the suspense and figuring out what the outcome of the story would be and I was pleased with the outcome. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

Angel's Peak (Virgin River, #10)
by Robyn Carr (Goodreads Author)

Nov 28, 2014

4 of 5 stars

FOUR YEARS AGO, AIR FORCE SWEETHEARTS FRANCI DUNCAN AND SEAN RIORDAN REACHED AN IMPASSE. SHE WANTED MARRIAGE AND A FAMILY. HE DIDN'T. BUT A CHANCE MEETING PROVES THAT THE BITTER BREAKUP HASN'T COOLED THEIR SIZZLING CHEMISTRY.

Sean has settled down in spite of himself --- he's not the cocky young fighter pilot he was when Franci left, and he wants them to try again. After all, they have a history ... but that's not all they share.

Franci's secret reason for walking away when Sean refused to commit is now three and a half: a redheaded cherub named Rosie who shares her daddy's emerald-green eyes. Sean is stunned --- and furious with Franci for the deception.

News travels fast in Virgin River, and soon the whole town is taking sides. Rebuilding their trust could take a small miracle --- and the kind of love that can move mountains

My Review:

I liked this book which is book 10 of the Virgin River Series. By this point I feel like the characters are my friends. I am half way through the series. I have been leaving too many long time gaps in reading of The Virgin River books. When I pick up another book in the series, I have to try to remember who the characters are and how they fit into the books. There are so many different characters. Usually the author does a pretty good job in bringing you back to what happened in the previous books. In this book, I don't feel she did as great a job. Maybe I just let too much time go before I picked this book up. I need to have more continuity as I go through the books. Anyhow, I liked finding out more about the lives of the citizens of Virgin River. Each book focuses on some of the characters who live in VR. As I read these books,I often wonder if there is any place just like VR. There is such closeness between the families. I don't know if that is good or bad but they are always there for one another. It's like one big happy family. I was surprised about some of the events of this book. One such case is the relationship between Maureen and George. It happened way too quickly and I felt it was too unrealistic. It should be interesting to see what happens next in the lives of the citizens of VR.

Rating 3* out of 5*

The Beach House (The Beach House #1)

Georgia Bockoven aims straight for the heart in a tale as timeless as waves beating against the shore. The beach house is a peaceful summer heaven, a place to escape mundane troubles. Here, four families find their feelings intensified and their lives transformed. With equal measures of heartbreak and happiness, this unforgettable story tells of the beauty of life and the power of love, and speaks to every woman who has ever clung to a child or loved a man.

When thirty-year-old Julia, mourning the death of her husband, decides to sell the Santa Cruz beach house they owned together, she changes the lives of all the families who rent it year after year. Teenaged Chris discovers the bittersweet joy of first love. Maggie and Joe, married sixty-five years, courageously face a separation that even their devotion cannot prevent. The married woman Peter yearns for suddenly comes within his reach. And Julia ultimately finds the strength to rebuild her life--something she once thought impossible.

My Review:
This book was the first book I read by this author.  I read it as an E-book.  Since I love the beach , I thought I would enjoy the story.  I enjoyed reading about some of the people ,who rented the beach house, and their   troubled lives and relationships.  I was getting confused about who was who because of all the characters.  The book was ok but I wish it held my attention  better.

My rating:

*** stars

One Last Dance

The Seagrave sisters were about to come home to celebrate the fortieth anniversary of their parents' marriage. Instead, they are attending their father's funeral -- and their mother's trial for his murder...With more than three million copies of her novels sold, Eileen Goudge is already renowned for her rich, compelling sagas of women's lives. Now, with One Last Dance, she reaches a new level of drama, suspense, and passion -- and new heights of bestsellerdom!

My Review:
I thought the book was good but not as engaging as I would have liked it to be. .  It does tell a tale of the  secret   lives of the characters.  It was interesting to figure out their secrets and to finally find out what they were.  The book just didn't grab me.

The Promise (Thunder Point, #5)
by Robyn Carr (Goodreads Author)

Oct 25, 2014  

4 of 5 stars

Read in October, 2014

Scott Grant has a bustling family practice in the small Oregon community of Thunder Point. The town and its people have embraced the widowed doctor and father of two, his children are thriving, and Scott knows it's time to move on from his loss. But as the town's only doctor, the dating scene is awkward. That is, until a stunning physician's assistant applies for a job at his clinic.

Peyton Lacoumette considers herself entirely out of the dating scene. She's already been burned by a man with kids, and she's come to Thunder Point determined not to repeat past mistakes. When Scott offers her a job, at a much lower salary than she's used to, Peyton is surprisingly eager to accept…at least for now. She's willing to stay for a three-month trial period while she explores other options.

Scott and Peyton know the arrangement is temporary—it isn't enough time to build a real relationship, never mind anything with lasting commitment. But love can blossom faster than you think when the timing is right, and this short visit just might hold the promise of forever.

This is the 5th book to the Thunder Point Series. I enjoyed this book as well as the others. It involved real life situations which made it realistic. Peyton and Scott (the main characters) were able to help each other overcome their past relationships and eventually fall in love with one another. It was a very touching story.

Mending Fences
by Sherryl Woods

Oct 06, 2014  

4 of 5 stars

Read in October, 2014

Two families--bound by friendship-- devastated by secrets for ten years Emily Dobbs and Marcie Carter have been the closest of friends. They've raised their kids together, shared joy and heartache, exchanged neighborhood gossip over tea. But when Marcie's son, now a college freshman sports star, is arrested for date rape, the bond between the families could be shattered forever.

As the Carters try to deal with the unthinkable, Emily discovers her daughter has been hiding a terrible secret--a secret that threatens the futures of both families. Recently divorced, Emily struggles to keep it all together--to support her terrified daughter, to maintain her friendship with Evan's mother and to have faith in the detective who could change all of their lives.

When things seem darkest, both she and Marcie discover that sometimes the first step toward a better future is mending fences with the past.

My review:
I liked this book. First of all, I was familiar with the setting since my daughter lived in the area. So when I was reading the description of the setting, I could relate to it and say to myself, I know where that is.

This is an intense story that includes date rape, divorce, friendship, mental and verbal abuse to name just a few. The characters are strongly developed and you are made to feel like an observer in the room instead of a reader. Even the subject matter was tough to read about, it made me think of what I would do if I was in a similar situation. Thank goodness I never had to deal with them.