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Review: The Marriage Auction (Marriage Auction #4) by Audrey Carlan

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Title: Marriage Auction
Author: Audrey Carlan
Publisher/Year:  Blue Box Press 1.24.23
Length:  354 pages
Series: Marriage Auction #4

Overview

Four young women enter into a clandestine auction to be married to the highest bidders. For no less than a million dollars a year, for three years, each woman will do what it takes to secure her future. Entangled in a high-stakes game of money, lust, power, and the hope for absolution, this group of women becomes a sisterhood unlike any other.

Once chosen by a man she’s never met and agrees to marry sight unseen…there is no going back. Hidden secrets, wicked desires, fiery couplings and intense family drama are all part of the deal when you willingly enter into The Marriage Auction.

You may now kiss the bride…

My Thoughts

Again with the same summary as always but a culmination of events from each one of the stories. We know that they were all heading off various cliffs from the end of book 3, so we knew that we were due for even more excitement in this finale.

Dakota and Sutton were trying to forge ahead with getting ownership of the ranch so that Kota could get out from under her father, who had lied to her and abused her her entire life. What we learn though is that there’s so much more to the story, and that while he’s a horrible man, he wasn’t necessarily the one behind all the nonsense recently. The arson was not the father and when we learn who it was, it’s both a surprise and not. The other bit to their story is the notion of growing their family – and quickly. Something that Sutton is thrilled with the prospect of and something that terrifies Kota. I guess we have to see how that one plays out. but they may continue on this blissful life for a bit longer!

Next with Savannah and Erik. We know how well their story has been going in Norway and they are on their path to a happy ending. The turmoil back in Montana is enough stress for a lifetime, and they just want to get moving with their happily ever after. Jack, Eriks best friend is even on board now with Savannah and the notion of this marriage – so things all seem to be going in the right direction, even with the nonsense from Jarod. Their story takes us back to Montana though as that’s where Savannah always dreamed about getting married, and what they find there is insanity. After witnessing confrontation at gunpoint between their father, Jarod and another farm hand, we quicklyh learn that all is not what it seems and that means that we are now on our toes for the foreseeable future since Savannah is not safe. Where this story goes is an expected and yet unexpected direction, but one that really gives us what we were hoping for.

Next is Ruby and Nile. She’s made her choice and has decided that she wants to marry Nile and we start to see the man that’s under the prickly prim facade. He’s the perfect man for her and they are a lovely couple. They’re continuing to explore on another and learn more about each other’s lives – and all this while they plan ahead for their wedding in a week’s time. What they don’t know though is that Noah is truly a sore loser and has taken it upon himself to have this plan to get Opal to marry him first so that he can get the inheritance and have control over the family business. There’s so much that’s bound to end poorly about this as Ruby has made all these sacrifices for Opal over the years and now Opal is not even discussing her future with her sister. There’s going to be relationships broken i’m sure, and you can sure as heck expect 2 new surprises.

Last but not least are Faith and Joel. I had to leave them for last as they are by far the most move theater dramatic. What I mean by this is that we’ve already had shootouts, kidnappings, and torture with this couple but now we have it to the nth degree. We know that Aidan has kidnapped Faith’s sister and that Faith goes to try to trade herself for her sisters. freedom, but what we don’t expect is that there’s so much that will be revealed when Faith tries to do what’s right and the consequences that come out of that are insane! We knew that there was a secret that Faith was keeping, and one that i’m sure all the readers knew, but the way that it comes out and how it resolves is going to be an interesting one.

So, what we have is the closure of a really good series of stories, watching how all these couples came together in an unorthodox way and how for some reason the way that they were supposed to work out is exactly how they were meant to. Not everything is easy and happy for everyone, but what we see are stronger relationships, passion and a future in whatever form that takes for each. I can’t wait to see who’s in the auction next time around – so after I finish another book, i’ll be off to read this series. Enjoy!

Review: The Marriage Auction 1 (Marriage Auction #3) by Audrey Carlan

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Title: Marriage Auction
Author: Audrey Carlan
Publisher/Year:  Blue Box Press 1.24.23
Length:  354 pages
Series: Marriage Auction #3

Overview

Four young women enter into a clandestine auction to be married to the highest bidders. For no less than a million dollars a year, for three years, each woman will do what it takes to secure her future. Entangled in a high-stakes game of money, lust, power, and the hope for absolution, this group of women becomes a sisterhood unlike any other.

Once chosen by a man she’s never met and agrees to marry sight unseen…there is no going back. Hidden secrets, wicked desires, fiery couplings and intense family drama are all part of the deal when you willingly enter into The Marriage Auction.

You may now kiss the bride…

My Thoughts

Again, no new summary, but for you guys – i’ll share that we get the continuation of the stories of our couples. We see that they are starting to settle into their new dynamics and even with that, life is going on around them and not always in the best of ways.

Sutton and Kota are still going strong in Montana, and it’s truly enjoyable to watch how they grow together. For two people who have known each other their whole lives, it’s so interesting to see how one sided things are with knowledge about life and history. It makes you feel really bad for what Savannah and Dakota had to go through and the information that was shared with them as it wasn’t the truth. Kota asks Sutton to share what he knows about the family history and when she learns things that she doesn’t want to hear and believe, it’s an eye opening situation to uncover the truths. It’s a true Hatfields and McCoys or whatever that old timey reference is on families feuding. They have a few additional rollercoasters to. deal with in this installment – they need to catch Dakota’s father as he’s a menace and when we see him, he’s up to no good. there’s attempted murder, arson and who knows what else he’s capable of. There’s also one more curveball thrown at this couple at the end of this book that I won ‘t share but you should read that gives us a glimpse into just how complicated things are about to get for them.

Then there’s Erik and Savannah. They are enjoying all that life can give them in Norway – his family has taken to her with open arms, and even when Jarad gets more into the mix with a call and whatnot, we see how well Erik handles things and how it’s clear that Savannah is happy with the choice that she’s made. These two are in such a good place that they decide to move ahead quickly with all the wedding plans, and that takes them back to Montana, where they are faced with the unexpected. Not all of it good!

Next we can go to Faith and Joel – we know that this one is going to continue to be incredibly messy and that it is. Just when life seem to be settling for them in Vegas – they have a nice blended family and Faith is truly learning what it’s like to be with someone that you can trust, she learns that Aiden, her ex, has done the unimaginable. He’s burned down her father’s restaurant and if that wasn’t enough, we find that her father is then kidnapped. Of course this means that they have to do an immediate trip to Vegas to figure out how to get Aiden under control (if not worse) and get life back to how it needs to be. When plans go into action, there are mass casualties, and still the problem isn’t solved. What results is a wedding – as Faith wants to ensure that Eden is cared for, then there’s a hint from her father (who was rescued) at another secret (which I think we can all figure out) and the desire for blood – as Aiden has Faith’s sister now. She goes against Joel’s wishes, and now we’re at a cliffhanger of danger.

Last but not least, we have Ruby and Nile (and Noah). We know that Ruby made her choice and frankly I think it’s the right one. The dynamic between the two is so much better, more authentic and I think that they suit each other well. There’s a lack of maturity that we see in Noah throughout this book that really makes me not like him so much. They forge ahead with the plans for their wedding In just over a week’s time and plan out what their life will look like. Parallel to that though, we have Noah and Opal. Opal is not aligned to living in the UK and they are working to set her up in school so that she can finish her degree per their plan. There’s another plan though that Noah devises which I frankly don’t care for and has the wrong motivations and I have a feeling with blow up in eveyone’s face. So if for nothing else, it’ll make for some entertaining reading.

So, we know that there’s a lot going on and a lot that still needs to resolve in book 4. We get a lot more passion and heat in this book now that the couples are not so new to one another, and that also helps speed up the progression of the stories and the speed of reading them too. I’m excited to see how it plays out and what’s nice about these stories is that we’re seeing more of Madame Alana throughout, and we’re getting a tease into what the next ‘season’ of this series will bring with Jack Erik’s friend) and potentially Memphis. So, on that note, I need to quickly dive into the last book to see if there’s a thing as a happy ending, ad will leave you all to enjoy!

Review: The Marriage Auction 1 (Marriage Auction S1B2) by Audrey Carlan

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Title: Marriage Auction
Author: Audrey Carlan
Publisher/Year:  Blue Box Press 1.24.23
Length:  324 pages
Series: Marriage Auction #2

Overview

Four young women enter into a clandestine auction to be married to the highest bidders. For no less than a million dollars a year, for three years, each woman will do what it takes to secure her future. Entangled in a high-stakes game of money, lust, power, and the hope for absolution, this group of women becomes a sisterhood unlike any other.

Once chosen by a man she’s never met and agrees to marry sight unseen…there is no going back. Hidden secrets, wicked desires, fiery couplings and intense family drama are all part of the deal when you willingly enter into The Marriage Auction.

You may now kiss the bride…

My Thoughts

The summary only gives you an idea of what book 1 was about – not book 2 – so this is where I get to step in. We met all of our main characters in the first book and now it’s time for us to enjoy seeing how their stories continue.

The sense you get from the auction in book 1 is that you are hoping that these men and women will find a partner that gives them what they were expecting to get out of the auction – no one really expects love – but instead a partner that will be an ends to a means for a least the 3 years of the terms. We saw through the varying dynamics of the relationships that some were far more complicated than others and in this book we get to see what that was.

Let’s start with Dakota and Sutton. These two have a history that was completely from left field – they are enemy families from Montana, and ironically – Sutton has been in love with Kota since he first met her. So what we get to see is how they go from ice, to fire, to ice and hopefully back to fire all in this next chapter of their story. What we learn throughout this book is that their family history is more intertwined and mis-communicated than ever expected and it’s an enjoyable time watching how it all unfolds.

Next we can stay with the family and go to Savannah and Erik. They are now back in Norway where Erik is from, and we get to see a bit more into the fast of Erik and what has made him into the man that he is now. The fist book hinted at something that happened years ago, and now we get to see the layers of the onion peel away as Savannah gets him to let his guard down. At the same time, we know that Savannah left someone at home – Jarrod – someone who she’s cared for quite a bit and who she broke up with to help out Kota, and he’s not going to take this new situation sitting down at all. He makes an appearance through both Kota’s story and this one, and the way that it unfolds in book three will be quite telling.

Next we can go to England where we have Ruby, Niles, and Noah. If you’ll recall, the twins went to the auction because there was a stipulation in their grandfather’s will that they had to marry for 2 years to get the majority shares of the family business. Ruby was given the chance to choose between the brothers, with rules in place to how they can woo her. What we see is one brother make a poor choice in their first date with the other coming to sort of save the day and smooth things over. This leads us to a decision being made sooner than we expected and then an interesting turn of events. Back home, we learn that Opal, Ruby’s sister has been attacked by their mother, with their mother stealing everything that Opal had. So Ruby sends one of the brothers to convince Opal to come back to England to be with her and where the story goes from there we can guess, but will have to wait and see.

Next we have Faith and Joel – they have had quite the rollercoaster. We knew that Faith was running from someone in her pas back in Vegas and we saw that Joel was a man who was able to protect her in the right moments that mattered. After Faith’s father was attacked and Eden, Faith’s niece was kidnapped, Joel was able to get the child back, get them all to safety and put plans into motion to make them all safe. They head off to Greece where Faith and Eden are welcomed with open arms by Joel’s family and even his daughter. They become a fast family but not one without their own stresses – we see how there are fears of what this blended family could be and there’s hesitation from Faith on the plans that Joel has for the future of the family as well (I.e. he wants more kids and I get the sense that she does not). We see that the kidnapping isn’t the end of what Aiden, the man from Faith’s past is able to do and he doesn’t stop there – arson and fear is still the name of the game and we have to wonder what’s going to be next.

What we have not quite gotten to in these stories are the weddings for most of the couples, so it’ll be telling to see how those net out – if they happen, what cold feet there are and what obstacles they will face. We get the sense in a lot of the relationships that there’s something potentially real there but who knows what real is given the circumstances. There are introductions of passion and chemistry across the board and i’m keen to see how it all plays out. So on that note- i’m off to find the next book so you guys please – Enjoy!

Review: Marriage Auction (Marriage Auction #1) by Audrey Carlan

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Title: Marriage Auction
Author: Audrey Carlan
Publisher/Year:  Blue Box Press 1.24.23
Length:  324 pages
Series: Marriage Auction #1

Overview

What would you do for three million dollars?

Four young women enter into a clandestine auction to be married to the highest bidders. For no less than a million dollars a year, for three years, each woman will do what it takes to secure her future. Entangled in a high-stakes game of money, lust, power, and the hope for absolution, this group of women becomes a sisterhood unlike any other.

Once chosen by a man she’s never met and agrees to marry sight unseen…there is no going back. Hidden secrets, wicked desires, fiery couplings and intense family drama are all part of the deal when you willingly enter into The Marriage Auction.

You may now kiss the bride…

My Thoughts

One never knows what to expect in a series like this but I think the snackable bites that we have throughout each of the chapters gives us a good sense of what we’re about to get ourselves into. What I almost wish though as i read through this first book of the series is that the chapters or episodes were really enabling us to get full stories for each of the couples. Alas that doesn’t happen but we get a good story regardless.

First there’s Ruby – a woman who’s from Mississippi, and needs to provide a better life for herself and her sister as they have basically nothing, and Ruby wants the world for Opal. She goes into the auction with the hopes of getting enough money to get her sister through college and then making a life for themselves somewhere amazing.

Next there’s Faith – a woman who we quickly learn has a past that is scary and one that’s forced her on the run. She’s returned to Vegas in the hopes of getting the money to support her father and her niece as they need a lot more than what life has given them. We learn though that her past is one that’s haunted and that perhaps her fiance is going to get more than he bargained for.

Last we have sisters Dakota and Savannah. Their family is one of stature in Montana – owning a large farm, but their family history is a bit muddled through the choices of their father – who’s run the farm into the ground. There’s another family in town that’s looking to buy them out – trying to take over and of course there’s a dynamic in town with these two families pitted against one another that manifests in an interesting way later in the story. But, Dakota planned to go to the auction to get money to save the farm, and her sister learned of the plans so she went as well. Shocking surprise but it appears that things will take the path that they are supposed to.

There are 2 others that we were introduced in the beginning of the story – Jade and Memphis who don’t make it through the auction but i’m sure we’ve not heard the last of them.

Onto the men – as they are just as important.

We meet Noah and Nile – two English brothers who go to the auction in order to fulfill a clause that their grandfather had on their inheritance. They were to meet and marry a woman in order to get an extra 2% share of the family business which essentially gives them the majority control of the company portfolio. They’re competitive at heart of course and this is a way to play that out while getting what they need from their family.

Next is Joel – a Greek businessman, hotelier who’s had his share of heartbreak. He was married to a woman called Alexandra who passed away, leaving him to raise their infant daughter alone. He’s got a missing piece in his life that he’s not sure how to fill especially since he’s not sure that he’ll ever be able to love someone in the way that he loved his wife and daughter. He’s only at the auction through the prodding of ‘friends’ and comes out with something that he didn’t expect.

Then we meet Sutton – he’s from a well established family in Montana – (interesting situation there right?) and he’s at the auction for a singular purpose after learning about the nature of this thing. We know that he’s a romantic at the core and it would be ironic if the marriage auction was a way for that to manifest.

Last but not least we have Erik – our viking so to speak – a man from Norway who doesn’t seem to have any bad. qualities of his own. We meet him in the tone of this golden angel of sorts but it appears that his past few years haven’t been the best. There were hints of an accident that has changed his life and who he is – bringing in what sounds like a depression, so this auction is an opportunity for him to find some happiness if he were to find the right woman.

I won’t tell you who ends up with whom in this story – but I will tell you the dynamics and the story lines are starting to heat up just as this book ends. We see kidnappings, trauma and violence and a hint of heartbreak in the form of something being uttered subconsciously that all makes for a good cliffhanger as we look towards book 2. So on that note, I have no choice but to get it and start reading again! Enjoy!

Review: Calendar Girl: December (Calendar Girl Series #12) by Audrey Carlan

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Title:  Calendar Girl:  December
Author: Audrey Carlan
Publisher/Year:  Waterhouse Press 8/3/15
Length:  110 pages
Series:  Calendar Girl Series #12

Overview

Mountains, miracles, and marriage.

I had no idea what to expect when the producers of Dr. Hoffman sent me to the pristine white mountains of Aspen, Colorado. As the town of Aspen is known for being a winter haven for uber-rich Americans, I knew this desert cactus was going to be way out of her element. The ace up my sleeve however, was a high-class movie-making surfer whose family owned a cabin in those snowy hills. With him by my side, I’d make the most out of the experience.

The job was assigned under unusual circumstances. An anonymous mountain man paid a hefty fee to persuade the producers of my show to send me out for a segment on local artisans. Suited up in my parka and Ugg boots, I put the warmth of the California sun in the rearview mirror and headed to a winter wonderland.

With my newfound family in tow, I was prepared to celebrate the best month the year had to offer…until the one woman who drastically changed my life all those years ago appeared like a shadow out of pure frosted air, shattering my soul all over again.

***
In the twelfth and final book in the Calendar Girl serial, Mia is off to Aspen, Colorado to film a segment on local artists. Prepare to be wowed as Mia’s journey merges into the ending everyone has been waiting for.

My Thoughts

Well, we all knew that this was going to come to an end, and it’s really a shame as it was a nice series, with all of the character’s stories woven into one another.  In this final installment, we get much of what was to be expected, resolutions for most, introductions for some, and a realization of what you actually wanted in life from others.

We see this last month taking Mia and crew to Aspen to work on segments for her new role on the Dr Hoffman show.  It’s of course under the guise of Mia NEEDING to go becuase an artist pays her a lot of money to be there, but when she arrives, she deems ti to be under different circumstances and is about to leave.  Ironically, it’s day one when they set foot in town that Mia feels like she sees a woman that she recognizes – as her mother.  then the woman disappears, and the story begins to unfold.

We learn that YES it’s her mother, and well, that means that Max and Maddy are en route much faster than expected to get to the bottom of things.  It’s also interesting to me to see how the siblings embrace (or not) this new information.  there’s a split house, one who’s more than happy to get the story, one who’s willing to be ok with it and one who wants NOTHING to do with her.

Well, of course it’s Mia who’s got the anger, and it’s served well since she’s the one that actually had the longest time with her mom, and now that’s all gone.  So the journey that we go on in this story is one of finally finding family, and deciding if you want it, and then getting closer with your NEW family, the one that you actually want.  I think that the mix of how this all plays out is really nice – especially with the undercurrent of the holidays and what that should mean.

Add to that, we have the wedding planning for Mia and Wes which actually seems to be going ok, once Wes gets past his recent bouts of jealousy and the idea that some of her past clients are going to come.  Then we also get to see how Gin’s story plays out too.  She’s certainly got her hands full with Tao – Tai’s brother – but what does that really mean since he’s a Hawaii guy and she’s not.

We have a nice closure to the story – with the appropriate levels of passion and heat that we’ve come to appreciate throughout the series.  There are often times when Mia reflects on whether they will always share that same level of interest in each other, and i think that it’s safe to say that YES they will.

In addition to the epilogue (which is from Wes’s perspective) we get a ‘far far future’ glimpse of all of the other folks that we’ve met throughout the series.  It’s nice to see where they all end up, even for some of the characters that we cared less for.  At least there are no strings hanging after all this.  although i would have been ok with the idea of a spin off series.  So…now i’m left to wonder what to read next since this took up a nice 2 weeks of my time to read.  have a good night (or morning) all!!!

Review: Calendar Girl: November (Calendar Girl Series #11) by Audrey Carlan

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Title:  Calendar Girl:  November
Author: Audrey Carlan
Publisher/Year:  Waterhouse Press 8/3/15
Length:  111 pages
Series:  Calendar Girl Series #11

Overview

Life, Love, Laughter.

Three things I never expected to experience in the month of giving thanks, but that is just what I received. Wes had survived Hell on Earth, and was back where he was meant to be…in my arms and my bed. For good. There would be no breaking us apart after the trauma we experienced up to this point.

My new job with Century Production sent me to the big apple to interview celebrities for a special segment on being thankful. What is a girl to do when she has an entire host of celebrity friends from her past year of travels? You better believe I called up my friends Mason Murphy, all-star pitcher for the Red Sox, and Anton Santiago, the Latin Lov-ah, to participate. They were all too happy to oblige, only my guy’s feathers were a bit ruffled by the ease with which they came running.

Add in my new family and you’ve got a fairytale Thanksgiving. Except for one tiny detail…the single seat at the table, left open by the hole in my heart that only one person could fill.
***
In the eleventh book of the Calendar Girl serial, Mia is off to New York City to film a segment for her new job. Now that her debt has been paid, and the threat from her ex is gone, she no longer has to live life as an escort. Only life has thrown her some new challenges to round out her year.

My Thoughts

Well, we’re in the final bits of the series, and i think that everything is starting to get fully resolved and finalized.  It’s sad to see this series come to a close, but i guess that it had to happen sometime right?

In this November installment, we see the family going out to Texas for Thanksgiving, which we learn was Mia and Maddy’s FIRST thanksgiving.  Real on that is.  Before that though, we get to see Mia doing what she loves – working on segments for her show in NYC – where she gets to really involve regular people and do something nice for them, while also getting to see Anton and Mason again.  Two friends that she’s come to have a really true affection for.

What happens in NYC though with Wes is quite interesting, and not all that unexpected.  Throughout the past story or 2, we’ve seen that he’s having a lot of trouble coping with what he went through, night terrors and the sort.  and while Mia has taken on the responsibility of helping him get grounded again, it’s truly taking it’s toll.  Another symptom that’s been coming up a lot too is that he’s become incredibly jealous and out of no where with people that he knows already that aren’t a threat to his relationship.  Mia’s about at her breaking point at several different moments, and it’s going to be a fight i think to get them back to a good place.

At least things begin to settle down once they are in Texas, and i have to say that the strength of this family bond is something that makes you really jealous if you have a family that isn’t quite as supportive.  It makes me wish that mine sometimes were more like how Max is – i have brothers, but none of them care for and protect me like he seems to do for his new sisters.  It’s sad, but very happy for the story line.

Anyway, we see that there’s an urgent call for the girls to go back to Vegas, something to do with their father, and i guess that we’ve just got one more month to see how all that will play out.  Will they have their father back, and if so, in what capacity?  Will they all get their happily ever after?  And, what’s the request that’s sending them to Aspen?  it seems like a big deal, but with no real information.  (i’m guessing Alec or something, but that’s just me).

Sadly, just one more month to go and then it’ll all be wrapped up.  So…i’m onto December.

Review: Calendar Girl: October (Calendar Girl Series #10) by Audrey Carlan

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Title:  Calendar Girl:  October
Author: Audrey Carlan
Publisher/Year:  Waterhouse Press 8/3/15
Length:  120 pages
Series:  Calendar Girl Series #10

Overview

Silicone, surgery, and Hollywood starlets.

The land of the stars was beckoning and I answered its call. Now that I was free, well, as free as anyone could be, I decided to pursue something for me. To grab life by the horns and ride that sucker until I found my place within it. That decision brought me back home to Malibu, California, where I awaited the beginning of this next phase in my journey.

The job? Create a segment surrounding Living Beautiful for celebrity doctor and daytime television guru, Dr. Hoffman. The man was known for his cunning wit, good looks, and no nonsense lifestyle. In a city that was filled with plastic Barbie dolls, and nothing you touched was real, I set out to find beauty. And in doing so, I found a lot more that, for me, for the man I loved, and for the rest of the nation.

***
In the tenth book of the Calendar Girl serial, Mia is settled in her new home in Malibu, California. Now that her debt has been paid, and the threat from her ex is gone, she no longer has to live life as an escort. Only life has thrown her some new challenges to round out her year.

My Thoughts

Well, this series is going in a different direction than we started, and while it’s not bad, part of me wishes that we would get to continue on the monthly journey that we saw before, since it was really quite interesting to see all the different men and scenarios that Mia got herself into.  The good thing though, is that they ALL continue to intertwine and weave throughout the series – so there’s never someone that you’ll miss for long.

In this 10th installment, Mia is back ‘on the job’ but it’s not at all the type of job that she’s had before.  she’s working on a segment to a talk show and it’s nice to see that she finally gets to do something that was in her realm of expertise before all this began.

While that’s going well, and presents a lot of interesting opportunities for Mia in California, there’s still the issue of what happened to Wes and Gina and the crew that they are coping with.  or not as it seems in many cases.  The two i mentioned have PTSD in a way that’s really hard to get on with their lives as normal, and it forces Mia to be stronger than she’s ever had to be, and while she’s happy to do it, it’s still a position that she shouldn’t have been put in.

The good thing for her though is that she’s been able to find an opportunity to bring Ginelle out to Cali so that she could have her rock, her best friend with her, and that’s exactly what she needs at this point in time.  I can’t wait to see the shenanigans that they get into.

The nice thing that we continue to get from Ms Carlan though, is some really heated sex.  I mean, it was clear from the very first moment that Mia and Wes have amazing chemistry, but the fact that we continue to see that evolve and get really steamy and heated each time they come together, well there’s something special there.

I’m kind of sad to see that the series and year are winding down, especially since i’m so fascinated by all of these characters and stories – and i hope that the closure that we get is fitting for the story itself.  At least we’ve got 2 months left right?  Have a good night all!

Review: Calendar Girl: September (Calendar Girl Series #9) by Audrey Carlan

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Title:  Calendar Girl:  September
Author: Audrey Carlan
Publisher/Year:  Waterhouse Press 8/3/15
Length:  122 pages
Series:  Calendar Girl Series #9

Overview

Vegas, Vicious Exes, and Ventilators.

My life felt like a fast ride on a too short highway. Coming home should be roses and rainbows, but nothing that comes out of the desert blooms free. I was most certainly not free. I’d missed my payment to Blaine, owed the last client a hundred grand I didn’t have, and my father was on his deathbed. To make matters worse, Wes was missing in action. As in, no one had seen or heard from him in three weeks. Devastation didn’t begin to explain where my mental state was at.

Like anything life had thrown my way, I pulled on my big girl panties, not the sexy lacy ones I enjoyed teasing my guy with, but the kind that said, “This ass means business.”

I had no choice but to make the decision I made.

My ex, the man that ruined the concept of love for me, put my father in the hospital, was about to get everything he ever wanted…at least that’s what I led him to believe.
***
In the ninth book of the Calendar Girl serial, Mia rushes back home to Las Vegas, Nevada. Things have taken a turn for her father, putting her into debt up to her eyeballs.

My Thoughts

Well, we finally get to find out what happens when Mia’s world comes crashing down on her.  She’s back in Vegas after she found that her father had taken a turn for the worse, and if that weren’t enough, it means that she’s not able to work for the month – she missed getting to her next client, and she owes him the $100k that she would have made.  This also means that she’s deeper in the hole with Blaine, and we all know that he’s not willing to make compromises.  She’s forced to strike a deal with him that’s not at all something that’s good for her.

On top of that, she’s been apart from Wes for too long and that’s wearing on her.  It’s after a few weeks of silence that she truly begins to worry, and when she learns what’s happened, well, that takes her stress level from a 9 to a 90.  There’s little information to go off on where he is, and she’s relying on past contacts (i.e. Warren Shipley) to see what he can do.

Add to all that the fact that both she and Maddy are building their family with Max, well, i think that he’s really stepped up in this installment, and we get to see him for the man he really is which is really really nice.  I think that it’s something that Mia and Maddy really needed in life and it’s great that they finally get it now.

So all that being said, there’s very little heat or passion in a real sense here.  A few kidnappings, beatings, and a lot of blackmail and fear.  There’s also still too much uncertainty of what this will all mean to Mia at the end of the year – but we know that it’s more about the journey to her than anything else now that some of her pain points are being taken care of.

Very different from the last installments, but that’s really good since i think that we need such diversity in this series that’s based on 12 installments.  On that note, happy valentines day, and i hope that you guys have a nice sunday!

Review: Calendar Girl: August (Calendar Girl Series #8) by Audrey Carlan

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No-Brainer

Title:  Calendar Girl:  August
Author: Audrey Carlan
Publisher/Year:  Waterhouse Press 8/3/15
Length:  122 pages
Series:  Calendar Girl Series #8

Overview

Pretending. I’ve always been good at pretending.
Being someone else is easy, and that ability has served me well these last seven months.

This time, I’ve been hired to be the long lost sister of oil tycoon, and down to earth cowboy, Maxwell Cunningham. Recently, Maxwell’s father passed away and in his last Will and Testament he dropped a bomb no one saw coming.

One of the richest men in the world, left forty-nine percent of his company to a sister my client never knew he had. A woman named Mia Saunders.

Maxwell has a year to find this sister or he loses almost half of his empire to a greedy board of investors. Somehow, he found me and here I am.

Sharing in family dinners, pretending to be someone I’m not and fooling bigwigs left and right. Only I’m finding myself falling in love with a family I can never have. One that will hurt to leave.

Stetsons, soul-searching, and sisterly duty all come into a sharp tangle with twists and turns I never saw coming.

***

In the eight book of the Calendar Girl serial, Mia is sent to Dallas, Texas. Still on her mission to save her father, she is hired to be the long lost sister of Maxwell Cunningham, one of the newly richest men in America.

My Thoughts

Well, if things were weird before, this next installment is VERY weird.  As the summary tells us, Mia has been hired to play the long lost sister of an oil tycoon, and well, things begin to be stranger and stranger.

The nice thing to the beginning of this next book is that we spend a lot of time in Malibu with Wes.  I think that the way that their relationship is progressing is something quite special.  they’ve opened themselves up to something more, and assuming that they can put aside what it is that Mia actually does for the next few months – well hopefully that means that things will blossom as needed.

On top of all that, the sex is AMAZING between them.  I mean, there’s something to be said about constantly going back to the same character with new moves, and that’s what our author gives us.

Then back to Dallas, we see that Max is going through this process since his father left 49% of the company to this missing sister, and well, Max has secrets of his own about this.  We get the full story throughout this interesting bit, and i think the twist at the end is even more interesting – there’s so much more to the past that anyone knew and that means that there’s so much more to learn about everyone.

Add in the issue of her father being in a home and having his own medical emergencies, well i think that we’re about to see things get even more complicated.  so onto September – can’t wait to see what the fall brings us!

Review: Calendar Girl: July (Calendar Girl Series #7) by Audrey Carlan

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No-Brainer

Title:  Calendar Girl:  July
Author: Audrey Carlan
Publisher/Year:  Waterhouse Press 8/3/15
Length:  122 pages
Series:  Calendar Girl Series #7

Overview

Hip-hop, Miami heat, and the Latin Lov-ah.

The second half to this year-long journey has taken me to Magic City…Miami. I’ve been hired by the nation’s top hip-hop artist, Anton Santiago. His name is as sexy as he is, and it rolls off the tongue the same way his muscled form rolls to his music. He goes by the name Latin Lov-ah, and boy does he work that title from his rock-hard body, Latin hip-hop fusion dance moves, to the way he beds his women.

He’s raw, dirty, and one hundred percent player…and I want to wrap my naked body all over him and forget about everything.

Every word that comes out of his mouth is a siren’s song.

Every thrust of his hips draws me closer.

Every breath against my neck sends me into a tailspin of need and desire.

After what happened in June, I need to rip the bandage off. Move on. Anton could be just the thing I need to get my groove back.

I was hired to play the part of a seductress in Anton’s new music video, but, in the end, I’m the one being seduced.

***
In the seventh book of the Calendar Girl serial, Mia is sent to Miami, Florida. Still on her mission to save her father, she is hired to be in a hot new music video where her unique look and recent popularity will prove invaluable.

My Thoughts

Well, if you thought things were going to get better for Mia after her run in with the senator in the last installment, well, that’s not the case.  Mia’s next job takes her to Miami where she’s to be the ‘hot girl in the video’ of a hip hop artist, and while that’s all nice and great, she’s having issues with flashbacks and fears because of what Aaron did to her.  I think that why i said the last book was ‘darker’ – this one is trying to take us to another place entirely.

Throughout this story, we are seeing what Mia has to cope with in her head because of what he did, and then we see the internal struggle that she has because of Wes and the lack of clarity that she has on what that is and what it’s to be.  Lucky for her, Gin, her best friend involves herself and we see Wes step up to come and take her back to that hot steamy place that she loves.

The other nice thing that our author continues to give us is the sub-story and relationship of the other characters.  her ‘Latin Lov’ah’ and his PA have an interesting dynamic.  Clearly it’s not one of a sexual sort – Heather, the PA made that abundantly clear at the onset.  What we do see is that they have communication issues which we spend much of the story dealing with.  It’s nice to see that there’s something going on here that doesn’t end in happily ever after loving relationship romantically since that’s been the MO of the series so far.  Instead, they come to a mutual understanding of sorts and then go from there.

I think that the biggest question that comes up is what’s in the future for Mia and Wes.  We see that they keep going back to one another, but i don’t know that Wes is really ok with what Mia does and i don’t know that Mia’s able to settle down.  there’s a passage in this story where she tries to define ‘Player’ and she realizes that it’s her since she’s got no inkling towards marriage, just to be with other ppl.

All that being said, we are now off to Dallas to be in a mysteriously set up story.  There’s something weird going on, Aunt Millie thinks so and i think so.  So i guess that means that we’re going to see what happens. So onto August!