Top Ten Tuesday: Most Anticipated Book Releases | Second Half of 2022
The Sunday Post #293 | July 3, 2022
Review: Just One Night by Carly Phillips
Linc Kingston doesn’t accept anything less than
perfection. Not in his billion-dollar business or in his personal life. He has
it all. Except one thing. His personal assistant and best friend in his bed,
moaning his name. No matter how much Linc wants her, she’s completely
off-limits.
Jordan Greene grew up the daughter of the housekeeper at the Kingston estate,
where she met and bonded with Linc at a young age, despite their economic
differences. But no matter how close they are now or how much their attraction
simmers beneath the surface, they’re still from two different worlds. Besides,
Jordan isn’t about to risk losing her best friend for one sensual night.
Jordan might be the only woman who can handle Linc and his domineering, bossy
attitude, but beneath that gruff exterior is a vulnerable man who, despite his
wealth, has had a less-than-charmed life. And when Linc’s father dies, she’s
there for him—unwavering in her friendship.
Until one night of passion and a positive pregnancy test changes everything.
Carly Phillips is an author who had been on my radar for a long time. Since her Kingston Family series was offered on audio on Hoopla, I decided to give it a try.
Linc and Jordan had been friends since childhood. His family had mega-money and social status, while Jordan’s mother worked as the family’s domestic help. Even so, their bond was strong and years later, when Linc was at the helm of his late father’s company, Jordan was by his side as his personal assistant. When Linc learned some shocking news, he wanted Jordan by his side, as both his assistant and his trusted best friend. A fleeting encounter led to some life changing news, and both Linc and Jordan had to navigate new waters.
I’m a big fan of the friends to lovers trope so already this had that going for it. Linc and Jordan both had some more-than-friendship feelings happening but neither one would say anything or make a move for fear of compromising their friendship. After an out of town hookup, Jordan insisted they put it behind them and move on, even though Linc was (privately) willing to see where things went.
Even though I wasn’t super invested, I did enjoy this one. Linc and Jordan were so obviously good together, so it was easy to pull for them. I did wish that Jordan had shared the pregnancy news with Linc long before she did. Based on her history, I could kind of understand it, but I still wished she had talked to him sooner. (Side note: I feel like a lot of books I’ve read lately have employed the surprise pregnancy trope. It’s not something that bothers me, but I know some readers like to steer clear. So, heads up that it’s definitely used here.) There was some typical rich mean girl drama, a side plot concerning Linc’s business that I enjoyed, and a likable cast of characters. Overall, a solid read and I’m sure at some point I’ll continue the series. ⭐⭐⭐.75
Have you read anything by Carly Phillips?
Review: One Way Back to Me by Carrie Ann Ryan
The Wilder brothers have retired from the military and as
they’re forced to learn a new life, things get interesting fast in this kickoff
to a brand new steamy, contemporary romance series from NYT Bestselling Author
Carrie Ann Ryan.
One dance at a stranger’s wedding. That’s all it took for me to fall for
Alexis. And then? Disaster. Another man—her boyfriend—gets down on one knee and
proposes to her. I never thought I’d see her again.
Years later, I’m in desperate need of a wedding planner—not for myself, but for
my company.
My five brothers and I need to get our new Wilder Resort off the ground, and
Alexis is the only one savvy enough to help us.
But there’s the little matter that I still have it bad for her. Alexis has
changed since the night we met. She’s gun shy. But there’s a spark between us
that will not die. We both fight it, until we don’t.
Until history repeats itself. The same guy who took her away from me is back to
do more damage. But this time he’ll have to go through me to get her.
Other than the prequel to this book (A Night for Us), this was my first by Carrie Ann Ryan. I was hopeful that I would be wowed and have a new must-read author. But for the most part I was underwhelmed. Nothing was inherently wrong, but I wasn't bowled over and my thoughts after finishing were more along the lines of: well, that was okay.
Eli and his brothers have gone in together and bought an inn and winery. After being separated due to military service for most of their lives, Eli wanted something that would keep them together. When he needs to hire a wedding planner for the resort, the most qualified candidate happens to be a woman he had a brief encounter with a few years previously. The attraction is still there, on both sides, and after much push and pull, they start a relationship. But there is drama with a nearby competitor and drama with Alexis’s ex to contend with.
My random thoughts:
• Six brothers all with "E" names meant that it took way longer than necessary to keep everyone straight and remember who was who.
• It was repetitive. Evan constantly “growled”. Everything was described as “gorgeous”. And Eli and Alexis seemed to have the same conversations over and over. ("We really shouldn't be in a relationship. But I really want you." Repeat, repeat, repeat.)
• It was sometimes hard to distinguish between the main character's POV's. There wasn't a lot of distinction in the voices of Eli and Alexis. I often had to flip back to the beginning of a chapter to determine whose POV I was reading.
• When it came to the villain(s), the writing was pretty heavy handed. It was almost over the top with the way their actions were screaming: take notice, I am the bad guy!
That being said, based on the plethora of 5-star ratings on Goodreads, it looks like my issues are very much a 'me thing', so take my rating/review with a grain of salt. :) Because I'm definitely in the minority here. ⭐⭐⭐.25
Have you read anything by Carrie Ann Ryan?
Review: Keep Me Close by J.H. Croix

It was supposed to be simple. One night with no strings. I had just gotten the worst news of my life and wanted to forget everything.
A tall, dark and broody firefighter was perfect. Our night together was so hot, I forgot everything but the rules.
I never expected to get pregnant. It was supposed to be impossible.
All I knew was his name and the small town where I found him.
Chase & Hallie’s story is perfect for readers who love small town romance, sassy heroines, surprise/accidental pregnancy, slow burn, emotional romance with a dash of angst, oozing with swoon, and protective heroes who’ll do anything for the woman they love.
Hallie received some devastating news and, in an effort to step away from her real life and forget everything, she headed out of town and indulged in a one night stand. There was no denying the attraction and connection between she and Chase, but she was firm about the rules: no last names, no phone numbers, and the next morning they said goodbye. But that one night had some long-lasting consequences, namely an unplanned pregnancy. That meant returning to the small town of Willow Brook and finding Chase - and breaking the news that he was going to be a father.
Keep Me Close is the fifth entry in Croix's Light My Fire series, but it was easy to step into this world and appreciate Hallie and Chase's story as a stand-alone. There was an ease to their relationship, despite the circumstances they were dealing with, and although neither planned to be where they were at, they both acted like mature adults and talked things through. Chase stepped up immediately and made sure Hallie knew he wanted to be involved in every aspect. I loved the level of support he offered Hallie. He was dealing with his own issues, having recently learned of the half-siblings he'd never knew he had, but he was still present and supportive and wanted a future with Hallie.
While the story felt a bit repetitive at times - Hallie and Chase would have the same conversations over and over, as well as certain words/phrases being overused - Keep Me Close was a sweet and sexy romance that wasn't marred by an abundance of drama. I appreciated the lack of angst and melodrama and instead sat back and enjoyed this story of two people who came together with no expectations, but instead found their forever.
Note: I received a complimentary advance copy of this book for review. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
MEET J.H. CROIX
Croix writes steamy contemporary romance with sassy women and rugged alpha men who aren't afraid to show some emotion. Her love for quirky small-towns and the characters that inhabit them shines through in her writing.