Triple The Fun (Kings of California series)

This book was read as an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) provided for free by the publisher with the knowledge that I would provide an unbiased and honest review/feedback on the work.

Book: Triple the Fun (Kings of California series - Book #16)

Author: Maureen Child

Publish Date: May 5, 2015

Rating: M (for Mature)

Bookshelves: California, multiple babies, dead parents, hidden baby/ies, alpha male

Begun: April 6, 2015

Finished: April 7, 2015

Media Type: Kindle

Setting: California

Characters: Connor King, Dina Cortez, Colton King, Sadie King, Sage King, Sam King, Jackie Francis (deceased), Elena Cortez (deceased)

Synopsis: Upon the death of her older sister, Elena, and her wife, Jackie, Dina Cortez became the proud auntie/mama of a set of triplets (Sadie (girl), Sam (boy), and Sage (boy)). She was under the impression that the triplets father was out of the picture because he wanted to be. After all, the couple had gotten pregnant via fertilization so they must have struck a bargain with Jackie’s best friend, Connor, when he donated the sperm right?

Wrong. Connor King had no idea that he was a father. And he doesn't discover this until Dina sues him for child support for the triplets. Connor hadn't spoken to Jackie in quiet a long time. The couple had asked him for a sperm donation but had told him after the first implantation that it hadn't worked. Then they disappeared. He can’t understand how they could have lied to him but now that he know about his babies, he will be a part of their lives. And if that means Dina will be a part of his … so be it.

Review: The plot of this novel was over used and not thought out well. It seems to be the send in a series of books about two twin brothers. The first brother (in the first book (Double The Trouble) - it has to be assumed) finds out that he has fathered twins with an estranged wife. Lo and behold, in the second book, the other twin has sired triplets that he doesn't know about.

I couldn't get into this book. I couldn't care any less for the female and male leads. It was terrible! It’s trite and boring and the characters were so flat and boring. I had no real emotions for them. I liked the cover art and I was really hoping to like the plot etc.

In my opinion, this book gets:

The Stranger (Just One Night series #1)

This book was read as an Advance Reading Copy (ARC) provided for free by the publisher and NetGalley.com

Book: The Stranger (Just One Night series #1)

Author: Kyra Davis

Rating: X (explicit sexual content)

Bookshelves: 2012, ARC, California, cheating, erotica, fiction, Las Vegas, romance

Begun: December 18, 2012

Finished: December 18, 2012

Media Type: eBook (read on Kindle app on Nexus 7)

Setting: Las Vegas, Nevada and California

Characters: Kasie Fitzgerald

Synopsis: Kasie is about to enter into a boring, bland, and vanilla marriage with a man who hasn’t even asked her to marry him yet. But, he’s discussed the feasibility of finding the perfect diamond for the perfect girlfriend who will, undoubtedly, make him the perfect wife, too. But the problem is Kasie has been dragged off to Vegas but her adventurous friend who wants her to go out and flirt with men and drink with a stranger. Until she starts playing the tables and a gorgeous hunk of a man invites her back up to his room. How can she say “no?” When she gets back to California, what will happen when she finds out her mystery man is a new client at her firm?

Review: I’m not a huge fan of “cheating” stories, even when the cheating is justified away. Kasie is so wishy washy. I completely forgot that her name was something as different as Kasie. Kasie’s should be exciting and vibrant but this Kasie was just as vanilla as her horrible sounding boyfriend. And she can never make up her mind. Sometimes I found myself flipping back in the pages because I felt like I missed something. Details that seemed like they would be important were glossed over and forgotten.

Davis’s writing was good but not extraordinary. And the novella just seemed to … end. There was really no good conclusion and instead of it seeming like a cliff hanger, it was more like a door slamming in your face.

I’m not sure if I would read a second book in this series if I didn’t get it for free or from the library.

In my opinion, this book gets:

Just ... ok.

Virgin River (Virgin River series #1)

Book: Virgin River (Virgin River series #1)

Author: Robyn Carr

Rating: M for mature (no explicit sexual scenes - well within the realm of romance literature)

Bookshelves: 2012, fiction, California, Virgin River Series, Robyn Carr, romance, alpha male, widow/widower, USA, Marines

Begun: August 31, 2012

Finished: September 4, 2012

Media Type: Book (library copy)

Setting: Virgin River, California (USA)

Characters: Melinda “Mel” Monroe, Jack Sheridan, John “Preacher” Middleton, Doc, Ricky, Cheryl Creighton

Review:  Virgin River is the first book in a long (we’re talking 20 books as of September 2012) series. As a reader of this series, you can tell you’re going to get to know the ENTIRE town … and that’s not a bad thing.

Melinda “Mel” Monroe is fleeing Los Angeles, months after the death of her husband, a former ER surgeon who was shot and killed in a robbery at a convenience store that he just happened to walk into. Mel is emotionally battered and devastated but after talking to Mrs. McCrea of Virgin River, California, she’s hoping that she can detox from all the adrenaline she has been mainlining as a physician’s assistant working in maternity in the same hospital as her husband.

Mel needs this change of locations and jobs but her older sister, Joey, thinks that the same town of a little over 600 is crazy. When Mel pulls into Virgin River and sees her “accommodations” for the next year, she baulks and decided that maybe living with Joey in Colorado for a while is a good idea.

The Virgin River in Zion National Park

Mel had been lured to Virgin River with the promise of a quaint cabin as lodging and a Doctor who desperately needed (and wanted her help). Problem is … the cabin is falling apart, the Doc doesn’t want any city girl following her around and Mel’s Cole Haan boots are already starting to scuff. Is there any way this fancy highlight having, Prada wearing, BMW driving girl could stay in Virgin River where the deer outnumber the population?

Mel doesn’t think so, at least until she stops into the only bar and grille in Virgin River and finds a bright spot, fantastic food served up by … well, one of the hottest men Mel has seen in years. Rugged and just a bit … older, former Marine Jack Sheridan came to Virgin River to start over and settle down to a life of peace and quiet. Then, this hot little number with bouncy blonde hair with a behind in a pair of jeans that should be illegal walks into his bar … oh boy. Jack doesn’t know who she is but he really wants her to stick around.

On her way out of town, Mel is suddenly needed. Someone has abandoned a baby on the front porch of Doc’s clinic. No way is Mel going to let a newborn baby stay with that crotchety old man. She’s just stay in Virgin River until Child Protective Services can be contacted … just till then …

Personal Review: This was a fantastic start to the Virgin River Series. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the vivid portrait that Robyn Carr drew of all her characters (and not just the “main” ones). You get a real sense that you know everyone with the depth and detail that she uses in her writing. I found myself looking at the summaries on the backs of the coming novels to see who else I get to meet and wondering about the other back stories that I’m getting woven in. (I really can’t wait to find out more about Ricky and how his life turns out.)

Overall, a fantastic read. I would recommend it to all romance readers that they give the Virgin River series a try!

Recommended by:  VictoriaMichaels

Recommend to:  Jennifer Crusie fans, Nora Roberts fans, romance genre fans

In my opinion, this book gets

4 out of 5 stars (almost perfect)

You Suck (A Love Story series #2) by Christopher Moore

Book: You Suck (A Love Story series #2)

Author: Christopher Moore

Bookshelves: 2011, California, fiction, paranormal romance, romance, San Francisco, vampires

Begun: August 8, 2011

Finished: August 13, 2011

Media Type: book on CD (copied onto iPod Touch) (library copy)

Setting: San Francisco, California (present day)

Characters: Jody Stroud, C. Thomas Flood, The Emperor of San Francisco, Bummer (a dog), Lazarus (a dog), Abby Normal, and the Animals (a group of Tommy’s coworkers at the Safeway)

Review: Tommy and Jody are back after their first adventure with the living dead. After having her turned into a metal plated statue (along with her maker), Tommy “releases” Jody from her prison and she turns him into a vampire too. Now, to be able to function during the daytime hours, the pair has to find a minion.

Into their lives walks Abby. Abby Normal. Well, that’s not her real name but she’s decided to change it because she likes it better. Slightly nutty … ok bat-frickin’-crazy, Abby helps Jody and Tommy move from their loft to a new apartment, which isn’t too far from the first one.

Then, the Animals show up. In the weekend since they defeated Jody’s maker and then fenced all his artwork, they have spent their share of close to $1 million they earned. Of course, they spent it all on liquor, drugs and a blue hooker.

Blue, the hooker, wants more money so she can retire from the oldest profession on earth. Her eyes set on Tommy, she takes him prisoner and starts to “torture” him. As a new vampire, Tommy gets pissed at this impromptu session and kills Blue, who, the gang later finds out, becomes a vampire after the attack.

Now Blue’s going around changing and/or killing the Animals and Jody and Tommy are still dealing with Jody’s maker. What’s a vampire to do?

I don’t think You Suck was as good as Blood Sucking Fiends but it wasn’t bad. This series is more urban fantasy than paranormal romance.

Awards: none

Recommended by: Milli

Recommend to: Fans of Christopher Moore, paranormal romance fans, urban fantasy fans

Bloodsucking Fiend (A Love Story series #1) by Christopher Moore

Book: Bloodsucking Fiends (A Love Story series #1)

Author: Christopher Moore

Bookshelves: 2011, comedy, fiction, San Francisco, romance, vampires

Begun: August 8, 2011

Finished: August 10, 2011

Media Type: book on CD (copied onto iPod Touch) (library copy)

Setting: San Francisco, California, USA

Characters: Jody Stroud, C. Thomas Flood, The Emperor of San Francisco, Bummer (a dog), Lazarus (a dog) and the Animals (a group of Tommy’s coworkers at the Safeway)

Review: I picked up Bloodsucking Fiends after finishing Lamb (The Gospel According to Biff: Christ’s Childhood Pal), which was hilarious, incidentally. I do have a soft spot for vampires and paranormal romance in general. Throw in comedy … and I’m totally sold on it!!!

Poor Jody Stroud. Walking home for work, late one night in San Francisco, she is jumped by some random person who then decided to kill her. Low and behold, Jody wakes up the next day UNDER a dumpster with a blackened and burnt arm. Going back to her boyfriend’s apartment, she gets into a huge fight with him. She’s been missing for an entire day and the bf is pissed at her for that! After cracking his head with a plant pot, Jody starts to lick at the blood … and that’s when it hits her.

Jody’s a vampire.

Time for some help. After checking into a motel for the night … errr … day … Jody goes out to find a “minion” to help her during the day and rent her an apartment (since she broke up with her boyfriend and decided to move out). That’s when she runs into C. Thomas Flood, otherwise known as Tommy, an aspiring writer from Incontinence, Indiana who just came to San Francisco to get some life experience and brood a bit.

Tommy’s car gave out in the middle of the street just as he was pulling into San Francisco and now he’s living with 5 Chinese guys in a boarding house. Flowers show up every morning and Tommy has no idea who they are from but someone has taken a fancy to him.

After getting a job as the head stocker at the Safeway, Tommy meets his stocking crew known as the Animals. Half insane and mostly pharmaceutical-ed up or drunk, the Animals take an instant liking to Tommy (one of them even going so far as to help Tommy figure out who is leaving the flowers at the boarding house – the five Chinese men were smuggled over to the US in a Chinese steamer and found out that if you marry an American, you can stay in America legally. And then, they learned that in San Francisco, men got together with men. So their next logical thought was that Tommy should be their bride … all FIVE OF THEM!!!).

Needless to say, when Tommy first meets the gorgeous red-headed Jody, he falls in lust with her and decides right away that he will help her out. I mean who doesn’t love an older woman (that part kind of weirded me out a little. Jody is 26 and Tommy is 19 … yeah five years isn’t that big of a deal … but Tommy’s still technically a teenager – whatever).

It’s a great book that mixes humor, mythology, crime, and romance into one. I can’t wait to read the next book in this series, You Suck.

Awards: none

Recommended by: Milli

Recommend to: anyone who likes vampires, comedy, romance, crime or San Francisco

Book: Hot & Heavy (Viking II series #5)

Hot & Heavy by Sandra Hill

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I've gotta say. I think that this book, so far, is my absolute favorite of Sandra Hill's books. It reads fast and beautifully. The emotion, the love, the sex, are all there and in the perfect quantity. The plot is believable and well executed.

Ian MacLean is as hardassed as they come. Leader of a SEAL team, Ian takes it in spades when something dangerous has to be done, like entering a cave in enemy territory. But what he finds there will knock his socks off.

Madrene Ogladottir is the last of her family alive. Alone he defended her homestead of Norsestead until Steinhold took her prisoner and threatened to kill off all of her holders. He sells her into the harems of the Arab lands when she refuses to wed him. One day, two years later, she finds herself in a horrible sandstorm one minute and a cave shelter the next.


Ian wanders upon a woman, smelling to high heaven and looking like Phyllis Dyller. What is she doing in the middle of the desert? And why does Ian feel like he knows her already?

View all my reviews.