Crush on you by Christie Ridgway

****4stars
My guilty pleasure. I love these and Carly Phillips books, as well as a few other authors. They are light and have a wonderful love story. I can usually chew through one of these books within a day or so. I especially liked this one. I believe it is going to be a beginning of a new series. Ridgeway has several another series as well that I liked. This one focused on the youngest sister, Alessandra. She was to wed her high school sweetheart, but it never came to be. Now with years behind the messy incident she is living celibate and dedicating her life to restoring her families winery into the black. She is a very likeable character as is Penn. I can't wait to read the second one in this edition when released. I hope that it focuses on her oldest sister Jules.

Book Jacket Summary:
The Baci Sisters are on a mission to save Tanti Baci - the winery that's been in their family for generations - by transforming it into the perfect wedding destination.
If only they didn't need the help of the Bennett brothers next door.....

Alessandra Baci is determined to make sure the winery's first wedding goes off without a hitch. Unfortunately, the "Nun of Napa," as she's affectionately known, has had some bad luck when it comes to nuptials, starting with her own wedding day five years before, when her fiance didn't arrive at the altar. Still, she'll do anything to keep her promise to her late father- even if it means enlisting the help of the sexy Penn Bennett...
Straight out of Holywood, where he's the handsome star of prime time's hottest home renovation show, Penn is Alessandra's only hope for restoring the crown jewel of the Baci estate. Too bad the Bennett men, who own the winery next door and are the sister's greatest rivals, are off-limits. Because Penn would like nothing more than to teach the sinless "Nun of Napa" an unholy, hands-on lesson....

Miss Invisible by Laura Jensen Walker

****4 stars
This wasn't your normal chick lit book. Freddie is an overweight baker, that has the wallflower personality, that she must blend in all occasions and is usually overlooked. After meeting Deborah, her normal bland behavior begins to spice up, which helps her branch out and take some chances. This book had me feeling many emotions, you will laugh out loud.

Book Jacket Summary:
Convinced that her larger size regulates her to wallflower status, Freddie Heinz hides behind the wedding cakes she creates as a professional baker. But life is about to change for Miss Invisible.
First of all, Freddie's found a new friend who encourages her to come out of her shell. Then Hal, the cute veterinarian, starts showing interest in the woman behind the delightful cakes. And when Freddie decides to break every rule in the "big girl's" book and find out who she really is, life gets even more exciting - and hilarious.
Cinderella, look out Miss Invisible is becoming the belle of the ball - and having a ball in the process. Because when you finally find God's call for your life, any size is the right size - and love can see what the rest of the world passes by.

About Time by Niamh Shaw

***2 stars
I saw this book and thought the synopsis sounded good. I unfortunately read some reviews before reading. I really thought the book was fresh in her character concepts but found it lacking toward the end. Lara is an adult and beginning a new chapter in her life. She is moving across the country to New York, with her boyfriend Leo. In all the packing and rushing she begins to look back. In her diary, we are introduced to Conn, and so it begins the story of her first love. Much of the book is told in the past tense, which is needed to see the relationships she has had and how she has gotten to where she is. Conn was different as the male lead, which I really liked. You will have to read to understand. I guess my big hang up was when we came back to the present tense the book was ending. It felt as though you were almost left empty. I did however enjoy the book, just don't think it would be one I push off to my friends.

Book Jacket Summary:
"Starting again is never easy"
But why is Lara so nervous about moving to New York with boyfriend Leonard? It's not like it's the first time she's had to make a fresh start. Of course, there is the small matter of forgetting about socially inept super-geek Conn, who has an annoting habit of making repeat appearances in her love life. From first kiss at school to first love at university to unexpected encounter in Dubai, he just keeps on cropping up! So could New York be the new start Lara needs? It's about time she put the past behind her: Although that's easier said than done....

Good Huband Material by Trisha Ashley

*****5 stars
This book title grabbed me and I ordered it at Amazon used. It came and was large print. I had a hard time with that in the beginning, which I found odd. I have to say though that after this book I am a true Trisha Ashley fan. I loved her characters. Tish is a happily married woman, until she finally starts realizing her dreams. After moving to the country, which her and her husband had often dreamed of, things begin to fall apart, or were they becoming clearer. Tish is finally having to take a long look at her husband and the perspective that she has held him in, she is left wondering. I loved all the characters and my only complaint would be that I was hoping that the suspense wasn't as drawn out. I did hate to see it end. Great book. Something wonderful to get caught up in.

Book Jacket Summary:
James is everything Trish has ever wanted in a husband - even her mother approves of him. She's convinced that James has "Good Husband Material" stamped through him like a stick of Blackpool Rock. He's handsome, dependable, and will make an excellent father - unlike Fergal, Tish's first love. Her teenage sweetheart abandoned her for a music career and now lives a typical celebrity lifestyle. (Sex, drugs, rock, and roll and , in one notable exploit, six nuns in a fountain!) Fergal broke her heart - James helped mend it. So why is marriage to Mr. Right making her long for Mr. Wrong?

Perfect on Paper The (mis)adventures of Waveryly Bryson by Maria Murnane

*****5 stars
I can't tell you how funny this book was. I am not sure how I ran across it, but what a great read. I loved all the horror stories of first dates. It kept me smiling when I wasn't laughing out loud. Waverly, who is turning 30 has recently been jilted two weeks before getting married. We hear about her previous dating disasters as well as her ones on the road to healing. It is a great book about self-discovery with the strength of friends to keep you focused. I would suggest this to any of my friends between the hilarious date scenarios, laugh out loud clumsiness of Waverly and 80's Chick flick and song references, you are sure to love it as well.

Book Jacket Summary:
Waverly Bryson is a successful businesswoman in her late 20's who almost has it all: a dream job in sports PR, two best friends, and a bar where everybody knows her name. What she doesn't have is a ring on her finger. And after being ditched at the altar, she is in no hurry to get one. Besides, plenty of other issues keep her busy, including her wayward father, a new rival at work, and an ever-nagging fear that her life is not turning out as she thought it would.....or should. To stay sane, Waverly makes a habit of jotting down "Honey Notes," self-deprecating bits of a single-girl humor that she hopes to one day develop into a line of greeting cards.

Can't face the dating scene after a bad relationship?
Honey, hit the bar and hit it hard. Beer goggles are the lonely girl's Cupid.

As Waverly stumbles back into the dating scene (no stalkers or jean shorts, please), her personal and professional lives threaten to collide. Perfect on Paper reminds readers that everyone has had a bad date (or twelve), and that everyone needs a best friend to tell them, "Honey, you are not alone."

Lucky Break by Carly Philips

*** 3 stars
This is the third and last book in this series. You can always depend on Carly Phillips for an easy romance read. I like to pick one up from time to time, in between heavier reads. After just finishing the Twilight saga, I felt this was the much needed break and found I was right. Many of her books have the same outline running, but it doesn't take away from the romance and suspense of her books. A nice quick, light read!

Book Jacket Summary:
Long ago a witch proclaimed an eternal curse that every Corwin male who married for love would be destined to lose his woman and his fortune....

Jason Corwin knows he should resist his attraction to Lauren Perkins. After all, it was one of her ancestors who came up with the curse that had haunted every Corwin male since. But after one night of mind-blowing sex with his supposed - and very seductive-enemy, he can't bring himself to stay away.

All Lauren wants is to sell her late grandmother's old house and leave the past behind forever. But that;s not an easy thing to do with the gorgeous contractor Jason Corwin whispering sweet, sexy somethings in her ear. About staying. then a saboteur and the promise of hidden treasure change everything, and one lucky break that just might put an end to the Corwin curse.

Breaking Dawn by Stephanie Meyer

*****5 Stars
I LOVED this book and what a great ending to a wonderful series. My friends all laughed and said that I seemed like I was depressed and in essence, I was sad that they had to end.

Eclipse by Stephanie Meyer

*****5 stars
This and Breaking Dawn are my two favorite books of the series. I love Eclipse as it has the tension of a love triangle, along with the suspense of danger looming.

New Moon by Stephanie Meyer

*****5 stars
As I said with my Twilight review this is the 3rd time I have read these books, and I will be reading them more. I found that New Moon was a good book, but gave alot of the set up for the future books. It kept a great pace, even though at times it had a heavier plot.

Twilight by Stepanie Meyer

***** 5 stars
Yes, I absolutely loved this book. I just finished rereading the entire series for the 3rd time, in preparation for the movie that is due to release at the end of the month.
I feel that this book is a book that can be read by any age group. I originally bought it and read it to allow my 11 year old daughter to read them. I was instantly hooked. I had to go out and immediately buy the following books to finish the series. It was as if time stood still. I usually have a book close by, but I literally was enveloped in this book until it's last page.
Twilight took a little longer to get into than the following books. As a reader you should give it about 100 pages and then it will begin to really grab you. I think that the combination of suspense, romance and mystery is what keeps you so enthralled. Also, for those of you that feel you are too old. As you are reading this you know that the people are high schoolers, but they are old souls and you tend to forget the whole high school scenario as the story unfold. It is a MUST READ!

A Reluctant Cinderella by Allison Bond

*****5 stars
This is my first book by Allison Bond and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had a little bit of everything. It wasn't your average chick lit. There was mystery, romance and a great characters. I really liked the main character Samantha, a strong woman who worked and was relentless til she had built her life the way she wanted and when knocked down, got right back up fighting.

Book Jacket Summary:
Samantha Sharp turned seventeen, left her old life behind and moved to London, determines to make her fortune. Ten Years later and she's a super-agent to the stars, with her name in the paper, millions in the bank and one success after another. Love has taken a back seat because her pas has put her off relationships for good.
Everyone's got a histpry but Samantha's is particularly murky. What's more, she hasn't got to the top of her game without collecting a few enemies along the way. So when she meets a man who might be a little dangerous, someone she's finally close to loving, is there anyone to tell her what a terrible mistake she's making?
Will Samantha find her happy ever after? And if her carefully hidden past comes into the light, will her fairy-tale coach turn back into a pumpkin?