From the Shelf: Gabriel's Redemption

Title: Gabriel's Redemption
Author: Sylvain Reynard
Genre: Romance, Adult Fiction
Date read: April 2-5, 2014
Dawn Rates: ★★★★ (4/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

Professor Gabriel Emerson has left his position at the University of Toronto to embark on a new life with his beloved Julianne. Together, he’s confident that they can face any challenge. And he’s eager to become a father.

But Julianne’s graduate program threatens Gabriel’s plans, as the pressures of being a student become all consuming. When she is given the honor of presenting an academic lecture at Oxford, Gabriel is forced to confront her about the subject of her presentation – research that conflicts with his own. And in Oxford, several individuals from their past appear, including an old nemesis intent on humiliating Julia and exposing one of Gabriel’s darkest secrets.

In an effort to confront his remaining demons, Gabriel begins a quest to discover more about his biological parents, beginning a chain of events that has startling repercussions for himself, Julianne, and his hope of having a family.

 My Review: (also in goodreads)

Lookback: Gabriel's Inferno, Gabriel's Rapture

It wasn't a secret that the author intended to end Gabriel and Julianne's journey at the second book. Readers can not read this third installment but readers, like me, who was entranced by the professor should definitely end the journey with Julianne and Gabriel. This book is a culmination of all the closures that book 2 should have, Paulina's forgiveness, Simon and Natalie's karma, Richard's serenity and so on. Everything was slowly coming together and of course there is also those Dante references.

Till the next read...

From the Shelf: The Plan

Title: The Plan
Author: Qwen Salsbury
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick-Lit
Date read: March 31 - April 2, 2014
Dawn Rates: ★★★ (3/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

Day of Employment: 359

11:05 a.m.

Location: Cubicles outside Canon’s office.
Co-workers: Betting on how long Canon’s new PA will last.
Me: No doubts. Ms. Gum-smacker won’t last the day. I need to place my bet.
Manolo Blahnik’s New Fall Shoes: Mine. As soon as Madeline hands over my winnings.

Emma Baker has never spoken a word to Alaric Canon, nor has he to her. But she’s studied him every day across the office tundra for almost a year. Canon is hard and fierce, terrifying and beautiful. He’s also the most stern, unforgiving person Emma has ever seen. Emma’s co-workers run a betting pool for Personal Assistant terminations. There’s a separate pot for the day one leaves without crying. Not likely…Canon made a former Navy SEAL cry.

He has high standards and low tolerance. Everyone knows it. Everyone stays away. Everyone who can, that is. Except Emma. She can’t look away. Alaric Canon is the single most attractive man she’s ever seen. Bar none.

Canon has never noticed her. Not once in almost a year. She’s not even a blip on his radar. But she will be. His radar will be blipless no more.

It is a goal. Emma has a plan.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

Aside from the fact that Emma is kind of creepy and stalker-ish, I guess this book is quite funny. And because the genre is chick-lit fiction, expect the guy to be perfect. And when I mean perfect, everyone's dream and rich at that too. At first I had the impression that the writer portrays Emma as a nerd, with her use of sentences (yes, it is in her POV) and the way she sees Alaric Canon. All in all, I did enjoy it.

Till the next read...

From the Shelf: Seeing Red

Title: Blue Flame
Author: Jill Shalvis
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick-Lit
Date read: March 26-28, 2014
Dawn Rates: ★★★★ (4/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

Summer Abrams nearly died trying to save her father from a warehouse fire that, in the end, took his life. Consumed by guilt, she never set foot back in the town where her world fell apart. But now, twelve years later, another fire has ripped through that very warehouse, drawing Summer back to Ocean Beach--and to the man who was once her best friend...and is now a wildly sexy fire marshal who ignites her deepest desires.

Joe Walker has spent most of his life keeping people at bay. Summer was the only person he'd ever let in, but she'd broken his heart--and then took off without a word. After all these years, she's back--and she won't leave until they track down the arsonist responsible for this latest fire. Now Walker, who swore he'd never fall for Summer again, discovers he can't resist the scorching heat between them--and suddenly he's wondering if all these hot nights could become something more lasting...

My Review: (also in goodreads)

For some reason I felt bad in judging this firefighter series based on my review of the free book: Blue Flame. When I saw the plot for this novel, I was interested. Yes, I am originally biased to stories that involve childhood friends separated for a long time and reconnecting once again. That feeling of familiarity is soothing and somewhat calming. I like how Summer and Joe resolved their differences and sorted out their feelings. One thing that caught me off guard is the real culprit of all the fires happening. I guessed and all were wrong not until the later part of the story. That was good.

Till the next read...

From the Shelf: Blue Flame

Title: Blue Flame
Author: Jill Shalvis
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick-Lit
Date read: March 22-26, 2014
Dawn Rates: ★★ (2/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

After San Diego firefighter Jake Rawlins is injured in a heroic, high-profile rescue, he decides to hide from the media and recover in solitude. So he retreats to the Blue Flame, the Arizona guest ranch he inherited from his father. The remote oasis under a clear azure sky might seem like a bit of heaven, but Jake finds himself longing to return to the city, where he can be lost in a crowd instead of alone with his thoughts--or-his spread's tempestuous manager.

Callie Hayes has put into the Blue Flame her heart and soul--both of which are shaken when her wildly sexy employer returns, rekindling memories of the stormy past they shared. But Jake's a different man, and soon he's setting off sparks that could lead to a love hot enough to change both their lives.

My Review: (also in goodreads)

This was a free book at the end of Lucky Harbor #7 'It Had To Be You' and naturally I would be curious. This was the author's way of thanking the readers I guess. This was one of those firefighter novels. A romance novel situated in a farm called Blue Flame given to Jake by his estranged father? Interesting. His means of escape from all the city life drama? Okay. A woman managing the farm that he has chemistry with? Okay. A brother he used to have a connection with? Okay. But I guess this story for me was dragging. I finished this for the sake of finishing a novel. Overall, it was just okay.

Till the next read...

From the Shelf: Once In A Lifetime (Lucky Harbor #9)

Title: Once In A Lifetime (Lucky Harbor #9)
Author: Jill Shalvis
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick-Lit
Date read: March 21-22, 2014
Dawn Rates: ★★★★☆ (4.5/5)

Summary (cr: goodreads)

SOMETIMES WRONG IS OH-SO-RIGHT

After a wrenching loss, Ben McDaniel tried to escape his grief by working in dangerous, war-torn places like Africa and the Middle East. Now he's back in his hometown and face-to-face with Aubrey Wellington, the hot-as-hell woman who is trouble with a capital T. Family and friends insist she's not the one to ease his pain, but Aubrey sparks an intense desire that gives Ben hope for the future.

Determined to right the wrongs of her past, Aubrey is working hard to make amends. But by far, the toughest challenge to her plan is sexy, brooding Ben - even though he has absolutely no idea what she's done . . .

Can this unlikely couple defy the odds and win over the little town of Lucky Harbor?

My Review: (also in goodreads)

Lookback: Traeger Sisters: Simply Irresistible, The Sweetest Thing, Head Over Heels
               Chocoholics: Lucky in Love, At Last, Forever and A Day
               Short story (Traeger Sisters): Under the Mistletoe
               Downtown Business: It Had To Be You, Always On My Mind

The last book of the 3rd Lucky Harbor trilogy goes to Aubrey, the owner of the bookstore beside Leah's bakery and Ali's flowershop. Well, she has seen her friends discover love while she is trying her best to right her wrongs. At the same time she is trying her best to restore the bookstore just in time for the grand opening day. And by then her uncle hired Ben to help her restore. Ben is Jack's cousin and the third musketeer in their group (Luke, Ben and Jack) and who is also still devastated by his wife's death 5 years ago. Just like Jack and Leah there is that history between these two. I feel for Aubrey though, everyone misunderstands her and she is too tired to right what they think of her. Honestly, I couldn't pick between 'Always on my Mind' and this book. But the general winner here: In the third trilogy of the Lucky Harbor series, this has been my favorite book.

Till the next read...