Out of the Blue, by P. Dangelico

Synopsis: Blue Baldwin takes no horse crap from anybody. Well, actually, that’s not entirely true. She does take horse crap. Piles of it. The real kind that is––not the metaphorical one. It kind of goes with the job description when you run a large animal rescue. What she does not take, however, is crap from an entitled movie star who needs to reform his rotten image.

Unfortunately, the farm she manages is in trouble and if she doesn’t raise the cash to save it she’ll be homeless along with the precious animals who depend on her. So she’ll grin and bear the King of Hollywood Screw-Ups, and the assistant, and the overprotective brother he brings along. I mean, she takes care of large animals for a living. Isn’t that basically the same thing?

Rating: 4.5 stars

Review: In the four or five books I've read by this author, I've learned that I can count on certain things. First, her storylines will be something vastly different than the typical tropes of this genre, and that diversity in plot is so refreshing. Second, I will experience a range of emotions. In most cases, that means I want to throat punch the hero at some point because I've become so emotionally attached to the damaged heroines (and there's nothing as great as a damaged, unfairly misjudged heroine and that moment of reveal when the hero learns the truth). I'm not a huge fan of angst in the books I read, with the exception of this author it seems. I just can't seem to stay away from her. I guess it's because even though I know there will be angst, I also know I can trust her to work it out in a way that is acceptable, meaning that the appropriate amount of groveling will take place to atone for whatever has happened to cause the angst in the first place. I do not want to read about doormat heroes or heroines, and you will find no doormats here. Yes, as others have mentioned, this is a slow burn. In fact, it's slow period. But I never once felt the need to stop reading, and I consider myself an impatient reader. The pace of this story is intentional, I think, and aligns quite well with the plot itself. This is just an all-around great read.

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The Secret Hook-Up, by Pippa Grant

Synopsis: You’d think nearly dying trying to get out of a too-tight gown in a dressing room and being saved by a strong, competent man was a good thing. Not so much, though, when that strong, competent man is your ex. Your secret ex. And the reason you need a gown is because you’re part of a charity auction. The charity auction where he gets into a bidding war to win you. And now, because you’re one of few female coaches in professional baseball, and he’s the captain of the local professional hockey team, and he paid a ridiculous sum of money for you…The entire city is shipping you. You can’t leave your apartment without getting a knowing wink from strangers. Your bosses want to use the publicity to have you jointly launch a new community outreach program. That’s bad enough. It truly is. But even worse? Duncan Lavoie, the green-eyed, curly-haired, dimple-cheeked, hot-as-lava hockey player wants a second chance. And he’ll play dirty to get it. The Secret Hook-Up is a laugh-out-loud rom...

Webster's defines resting book face as follows: (a) the look a person gets when someone interrupts them while they're reading a really good book; and (b) the vacant stare of a reader who is mentally lost in their book world when reading isn't possible. Okay, fine. It's not in Webster's. But it should be.

The Body in the Backyard, by Lucy Score

Synopsis: Her self-absorbed news anchor ex-husband careening back into her life was not on this amateur psychic detective’s bingo card. Not only does Griffin Gentry show up unexpectedly at Riley Thorn’s door—the real shock is that he’s begging her for help. Riley’s hot private investigator boyfriend Nick Santiago refusing to take the job is…well, less of a surprise. Too bad for Nick that his octogenarian business partner overrules him and takes the lead on Griffin’s case. But when a dead body makes it clear someone really is out to get Riley’s ex, the mile-long suspect list means all hands on deck at Santiago Investigations. Even the wrinkly, retired ones. It’s only a matter of time before Griffin brings the danger directly to their doorstep. And with Riley and Nick busy interviewing suspects, that leaves their elderly roommates to wreak havoc in the surveillance department. Can Riley block out the chaos to focus her psychic visions long enough to narrow down the list of suspects? Or ...

Resting Book Face

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