Hot Property Book Review

I was excited to get to the fourth book in the series, Hot Property (Hot Zone) by Carly Phillips.  Since we talked about all three sisters, I couldn't wait to see who this book was going to talk about.  I read the copy from the library which after looking at Amazon seems to be the out of date version (Hot Property (The Hot Zone) by Carly Phillips) so feel free to check out which ever version you can find.

Just one short season ago, major league center fielder John Roper had it all: the looks—and personal life—of a sports hero and the public's adoration. But this hot property's lucky streak has run out. After a World Series disaster, fans diss him, shock jocks mock him and his dysfunctional family hassles him for money he really can't spare.

Now it's up to him, and Hot Zone publicist Amy Stone, to get his life back on track.  Amy finds it's easier said than done. What with the constant intrusions of his nutty family, a crazed fan playing stalker, and Roper's refusal to put his own needs first, she's starting to think that life in the fast lane isn't all it's cracked up to be. But when the two retreat to a secluded lodge, the sexy center fielder throws Amy a curveball—one she never saw coming.…

John Roper is a client of Hot Zone and also long time friend with the sisters.  He was mentioned in many of the other books and it was great to finally get to know more about him.  He was a sports hero and loved by many for his baseball career.  However, this turned quickly when he has a disasterous World Series.  Many fans are angry and sending hate mail and packages to him.  He is being constantly mentioned on the radio for his bad performance.  In addition, he hurt his arm and needs physical therapy to get back to playing condition.  John is having a horrible time making all of this happen because his family is pulling him down with all of their drama.  He seems to be the glue that holds his family together but it is ripping apart his professional life and Amy steps in to help.  She is the newest face of Hot Zone as the niece of Spenser who recently moved up from Florida.  Amy has to trick John into going away because he can't get the radio, fans and his family to stop making this about them so that he can focus on his own recovery.  He is upset at first but then quickly learns that it might be the best thing that every happened to him.  You have to pick up the book to follow these crazy ups and downs because his family is crazy and nothing they do surprises me.  This might have been my favorite but it is always hard to tell because I always say that when it is the last book that I have read.  I thought it was a great end to a cute series.  I hope that you check it out for yourself and enjoy the whole series as much as I have.

Hot Item Book Review

Hot Item (Hot Zone) by Carly Phillips is the third in the series about the Hot Zone sports agency.  Each book in the series is about one of the sisters so you can get to know the whole family.  It is super fun to follow along with some people you already know from the other books and new ones that you haven't met.  The Hot Zone sports agency helps with PR and more for sports celebrities.

He'll push all her boundaries and make her realize rules are made to be broken…

Cool, collected Sophie Jordan loves her daily routine running her family's top sports management agency, as long as she gets to stay behind the scenes. But with big sister on maternity leave and little sis on her honeymoon, she's forced to step up to the plate. And a recent media crisis surrounding the disappearance of superagent Spenser Atkins is not going to make the job any easier.

Enter star quarterback and notorious bad boy Riley Nash who, for reasons of his own, needs to track down Atkins. Up until now, Sophie has kept a strict no-dating-clients policy, but each day with Riley makes her rule near impossible to follow. With her job and her heart on the line, Sophie will need to make the toughest choice of her life! *This book previously released in 2004. Updated for content and modernized.

Sophie is the quietest of the sisters and prefers to be behind the scenes but she doesn't have that chance for long with her big sister on maternity leave and her little sister on her honeymoon.  Sophie has to be the one to take the reigns and take care of things while her uncle and business partner are both gone.  Riley Nash is a quarterback that they have taken care of for awhile but he needs some extra help when he finds out some things that might change his life.  She spends some time with Riley and she is quickly rethinking her no dating clients policy.  They are fighting against things even after by saying that it will be a one time thing but while helping him take care of his personal life, Sophie learns a lot about him that makes him irresistible.  I hope that you check out this book and the rest of the great series and enjoy for yourself.

One Snowy Night Book Review

I was glad to get this holiday book to enjoy with the cold weather starting and the holidays upon us.  One Snowy Night: A Heartbreaker Bay Christmas Novella by Jill Shalvis was the next book in my pile and I didn't realize that it was just a little fast read but I super enjoyed getting the chance to meet these characters that were mentioned in other books but get to know so much more in this book.

It’s Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to the family she hasn’t seen in years. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, and his big, goofy, lovable dog Carl.  Hours stuck in a truck with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history… and Max is the only one who knows why it went south.  They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past… and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.

Rory works for Willa taking care of animals and she is going home for Christmas for the first time in years.  She promised her step father that she would pick up her mom's present for him and bring it.  Her boss, Willa, arranges for Max to drive her home since he is going to the same place.  No one knew their past but they actually went to high school together and have a long and complicated history together.  Rory doesn't feel great about getting a ride with Max but she loves his dog Carl so she knows that she is going to be the best out of a bad situation because she needs to get home and doesn't have the money to get there any other way.  They are drawn to each other as soon as they see each other and then they have to get into the car and spend hours on the road driving.  They work out some of their past issues and move forward with their issues although the weather doesn't have them moving forward for long.  There are accidents, road closures and more.  They eventually need to take a detour to get a hotel for the night.  You have to pick up the book to see if they get over themselves and their past to move forward and if they ever make it home for Christmas.  It was a great story and a great addition to the series.  I can't wait to read another in this series!!

The Brides of the Big Valley Book Review

I saw this on the new release section so it came home with me in the hopes that it wasn't just three stories that I already read.  I was excited to find that it was three brand new stories in The Brides of the Big Valley: 3 Romances from a Unique Pennsylvania Amish Community by Wanda E. Brunstetter.  The first was Deanna's Determination by Wanda Brunstetter.  The second was Rose Mary's Resolve by Jean Brunstetter.  The third was Leila's Longing by Richelle Brunstetter.

3 Short Stories of Love in a Unique Amish Community--Now a #1 Publishers Weekly Bestseller!

In an area of Pennsylvania called The Big Valley, a uniquely blended Amish community thrives in which 3 distinct groups of Amish identify themselves by the colors of their buggy’s top—white, black, or yellow. Join New York Times Bestselling Author Wanda E. Brunstetter, her daughter-in-law, and granddaughter in experiencing the stories of three young women who search for faith and love within this special place. Deanna is a widow who sees her second chance of love slipping away. Rose Mary is at a point in life where she must choose the path of her faith and the right man to walk with her on it. Leila is burdened with family responsibilities and wonders when she will ever start a family of her own.

The three stories couldn't be more different but more intertwined if they tried.  IT was interesting because it talked about the three different groups of Amish communities that were all different because it includes different beliefs and different color tops on their buggies.  Each of the store follow different groups so that you look into the differences in the groups.  The first story was about Denna who is a widow with a young son with downs syndrome.  Denna is working to find love after she lost her first love but her new man wants to leave her after he starts to go blind because he doesn't want to be a burden.  Denna is heart broken with all of the loss in her life but you have to read her story to see how it turns out.  The second story was about Rose Mary who was dealing with the fact that she is falling for someone inside her church that wants to become English but she makes the hard decision that they shouldn't date.  After moving on, she finds herself attracted to an English person who isn't even Amish.  She wants to stay in the church and with her family but she feels a great pull towards her new beau.  You have to pick up the book to find out what she chooses to do. The third story was about Leila who is trying to deal with everything at home and feels that means that she is going to have to give up her chance to have her own family.  She is quiet and shy and doesn't get out until her family forces her to go to a singing where she quickly meets someone.  She is drawn to someone who isn't in the same church community and she isn't sure if she should retreat to her family where she feels more comfortable or try figuring out if they have a future together.  Make sure you pick up this book and see how all three stories end because I promise that you will be drawn in and have trouble putting down this different book about the differences in the Amish cultures.

Menu Plan Monday 12/23

Pasta with garlic bread and sauce
Chinese with Family
Steak, Twice Baked Potatoes, Rolls and Apple Tarts
Pasta with meatballs or Lasagna and garlic bread
Rosemary Chicken with potatoes or egg noodles
Leftovers
Holiday Party with Family

Last week was a blur but we had all the meals on the plan and even though I was exhausted, I made it happen.  Sunday night we actually had two guests come and stay for dinner who were friends of my son so it was a larger meal then I thought was happening.  This week is a little more relaxed since we are off of school.  We have company coming so we have more for dinner but I think that we are going to have enough in the house that I am not going out to get anything special but milk at the store.  Fingers crossed there aren't lots more trips to the store!!

Playing for Keeps Book Review

I was excited to get back to this series even though there was wait list for many of the other newer books in the series.  Playing for Keeps: A Heartbreaker Bay Novel by Jill Shalvis is the 7th book in the series.  It was a little wait since I finished all the books that I had from the library but this one came in pretty quickly so I picked it up after finishing my last book that I was reading.

If you’re planning on falling in love…When it comes to the confident, charismatic Caleb Parker, Sadie Lane feels the spark—the kind that comes from rubbing each other the wrong way. She’s a tattoo artist, he’s a straight-laced mogul. But after they accidentally co-rescue an abandoned dog from a storm, Sadie sees a vulnerable side to the seemingly invincible hottie.
you’d better be sure…Caleb doesn’t do emotions. Growing up the underdog, he’s learned the hard way to build up an impenetrable wall. Perfect for business. Disastrous for relationships. He’s never worried about it before—not until he finally gets behind Sadie’s armor and begins to fall.
… someone is there to catch you. Both guarded and vulnerable, Sadie and Caleb are complete opposites. Or are they? Shocked at their undeniable connection, can they ever admit to wanting more? That all depends on what they’re each willing to risk.

I have enjoyed the mentions of Caleb Parker in other books because he is friend and business partner to Spencer.  I have also really enjoyed the mentions of Sadie because she calls him suits and works in the tattoo shop and the day spa.  It was interesting knowing both of the people at the beginning of the book but just finding out way more history.  Caleb is always wearing suits and taking care of business so Sadie thinks he is out of her league but Caleb has always been interested in Sadie.  They end up getting closer when they rescue a dog together.  Caleb found the dog in the rain and since he thinks he is allergic, Sadie takes the dog home with her.  They are both strong and resilent and have gotten over a lot from their pasts which brings them together even more.  They decide to share custody of the dog and they end up trading off every day which means that they get to see each other almost every day.  The friendship grows into even more but you have to pick up the book to find out what happens that changes things.  I hope that you check out this book and the rest of the series and enjoy it as much as I have.

Noel Street Book Review

I put this book on reserve a long time ago when I saw it was in the new release section online.  I didn't check until after reading it that it was in a series of books and I luckily read the one before it... but maybe not the first one in the series.  Noel Street (The Noel Collection) by Richard Paul Evans was the third book in this great Christmas series.

In this new offering from “the king of Christmas fiction” (The New York Times), #1 bestselling author Richard Paul Evans shares a story of heart, loyalty, and hope as he explores the deeper meaning of the holiday season and asks what it truly means to love and forgive.

The year is 1975. Elle Sheen—a single mother who is supporting herself and her six-year-old, African-American son, Dylan, as a waitress at the Noel Street Diner—isn’t sure what to make of William Smith when his appearance creates a stir in the small town of Mistletoe, Utah. As their lives unexpectedly entwine, Elle learns that William, a recently returned Vietnam POW, is not only fighting demons from his past, but may also have the answer to her own secret pain—a revelation that culminates in a remarkable act of love and forgiveness.

Although this book is set in 1975, it makes you feel like it could be happening at anytime.  Elle Sheen is trying to do the best that she can for herself and her young son, Dylan while waitressing in the small town diner.  The worst part is that the more money they need for things the more that she has to work which means that there is less time to spend with her son.  It is hard to get ahead with breaking down car, rent past due and more.  She takes her car into the shop to find out that it needs expensive service that she really can't afford in addition to the other bills but they can't be without a car.  William Smith is a Vietnam veteran who was a prisoner of war and comes to the small town to make a new life.  He is working in the car repair shop when he meets Elle and Dylan.  William fixed Elle's car by himself on his own time but ended up really sick.  William is all by himself and fighting a nasty cold so Elle stayed and helped him through it with tea, soup and medicine.  They become friends and you have to pick up the book to find out how the friendship grows.  I thought that this was a great quick read that I had trouble putting down.  I read most of it in one night and then picked it up and finished most of it the next morning and then put it in my bag to read the last chapter.  I thought it was a great story that had me wanting to know that was going to happen next.  I hope that you check out this book and the rest of the great series for yourself.  It is a heart warming story that really brings the holiday feelings like all the books by this author.