Reviewed By Samantha March for Readers' Favorite

LOL! I really don’t know how else to start off this review, because what a fun and humorous concept for a novel. Laura Kenyon brings us Desperately Ever After, which is book one in the Desperately Ever After Trilogy. Our main characters are Belle, Cinderella, Rapunzel, Snow White, Dawn and Penelopea – yes, our beloved Disney princesses. But this is the real world for the princesses – albeit some magical aspects, of course – but the ladies deal with turning thirty, cheating husbands, and the quest to find true love. And let’s not forget those pesky mothers-in-law either! It’s life after happily ever after…

I loved the concept for Desperately Ever After. I’m such a fan of Disney princesses – Belle and Jasmine being my top two, personally – so this was such a hoot to read. Of course, I would have hoped the ladies had better luck than the majority of the characters in here, but I guess that’s reality, huh? The story lines were serious yet humorous, magical yet real, and overall I had a pretty fun time reading book one. I will say that sometimes I actually got the characters mixed up – Penelopea and Rapunzel in particular – because there is definitely is a lot happening and all at once. The middle slowed down just slightly for me, but I was happy to see the ending pick it back up again and hold my interest. This is the first book in a trilogy and I would definitely read the other two as well!

Reviewed By Trudi LoPreto for Readers' Favorite

As Jess and Todd are returning home, they are on a dark and untraveled road. It is a cold, snowy, icy night; the car tumbles down a cliff and becomes wedged between two trees. The rest of the story is spent in the freezing car with them. Together they talk about how they met, fell in love, lived their lives so far, and their dreams and hopes for the future. Todd’s leg is hurt and he is in great pain. Jess must be the one to leave the car and try to find a way to survive. As the days pass, their spirits fall and they lovingly say their goodbyes to each other, knowing they have little time and hope of lasting another day. As each moment passes and they get closer and closer to their deaths, all they have left and could hope for was the miracle of being rescued.

Remember When by Lindsay Detwiler is like no book I have read before. It pulled at every single emotion possible. I felt as though I was in the back seat and even though I was in a 95 degree heat wave, I was cold and scared. I could not help but think ‘what if’ my husband and I were in the car; what would our memories be; what would we be saying to each other after over 40 years of marriage? Lindsay Detwiler is a brilliant author who has written a book that cannot help but speak to each and every reader. This is a must-read that will have you crying, laughing and unable to stop reading.

Reviewed By Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

The Magic of Cape Disappointment is a contemporary fiction novel written by Julie Manthey. Kay Baker had escaped Cape Disappointment and the expectations that her family lineage had placed upon her. Yes, she was the great-great-great-granddaughter of Kehlok, the daughter of adventurer Meriwether Lewis and Tamahna, a local native medicine woman. Kay had gone to medical school as her mother had wished, even as she co-majored in art, her true love and passion, and she had finished med school before abandoning that professional goal and turning to art full-time. She loved living in Manhattan and was thrilled to have her own studio there. It was a far cry from the small town life of Ilwaco, Washington where she grew up. When she got a call informing her that her parents had both died in a car crash, however, she dropped everything and rushed home to be there. She would be the only support for her Gran, who was ninety-seven and apt to forget where she was in time, until her brother Lou came to help. Kay’s mom’s last request to her was that she would not put Gran in a nursing home, and Kay was determined to abide by that. Suddenly, New York and her life as she knew it was in the past, and she was back in Ilwaco.

Julie Manthey’s contemporary fiction novel, The Magic of Cape Disappointment, is an intriguing and powerful blend of modern-day life, history and mysticism. I loved learning more about the Cascadia range and Cape Disappointment, and found the author’s treatment of the Clatsup history and legends to be fascinating. Manthey also addresses an issue of concern about elderly care, especially for those with Alzheimer’s or other dementia issues, and the resulting stresses that fall upon the relative who somehow finds themselves in the role of caretaker. I could feel for Kay as she loses everything she had built up for her own life’s goals, even as I loved the synchronicity that had her literally visualizing her future path while still in Manhattan. Manthey’s characters are marvelous; her story rocks on so many levels, and her writing is fluid and a joy to read. The Magic of Cape Disappointment is most highly recommended.

Reviewed By Grant Leishman for Readers' Favorite

A fun frolic down Fantasy Lane is the best way I think I could possibly describe The Royal Treatment by Melanie Summers. This is an out and out funny, chick-lit read with no pretensions of being anything else. Tessa Sharpe, a twenty-eight-year-old former journalist, has adopted the role of Royal Watchdog for the Kingdom of Avonia. Her blogs on the Royal Family and their excesses are grist to the mill of the group of Avonian citizens who consider the royals to be an outdated and unnecessary institution in the twenty-first century. Facing a potential referendum to strip the royals of their powers, Crown Prince Arthur invites Tessa to spend two months at the palace, to live with the royals and to see what it is they really do to help the people of Avonia. What follows is a hilarious romp filled with palace intrigue and, of course, the never-ending question (will they do it?).

I have read so many books over the years that focus on the very worst of the human condition, so it is wonderful, from time to time, to come across a story so frivolous and so much fun as The Royal Treatment. There are few books that can make me chuckle, let alone belly laugh, and yet Summers managed to draw that out of me in this fun tale. It is genuinely funny and yet still has something important to say, on a higher level. Obviously Avonia is a mythical kingdom, but the comparisons can well be made to other European countries still supporting a monarchy, even if that monarchy is merely ceremonial. Many of the issues faced by the Avonian monarchy, and indeed the perception of that monarchy to the citizens, can draw a direct parallel to other monarchies, such as the British. I really enjoyed this book and congratulate Summers on a fine effort. The Royal Treatment is a wonderful distraction from a world where there is much too much angst and seriousness.

Reviewed By Divine Zape for Readers' Favorite

Seeds of Intention by Andrea Thome is a well-crafted contemporary romance with great characters and a beautiful setting. After his boss and owner of one of the famous resorts in the country suffers a stroke, Garrett Oliver finds himself being groomed to become the master gardener. Things just seem to fall into place for him and taking his long-distance relationship with his college sweetheart to the next level seems possible now. Heartbroken, Willow Armstrong has just returned to Knoxville to take care of her ailing father when she lands the job at the resort. She would be Garrett’s boss. These two souls are bound together by their work, but as they work together an undeniable attraction begins to develop between them. The reader watches them as the intensity in their attraction for each other grows. The question is: can Garrett forget the love of his life for his boss?

Realistic and intelligently plotted, Seeds of Intention takes the reader on a ride into the inner workings of the hearts of the characters. The setting is colorful, captured in vivid prose and powerful descriptions, from the interior décor of the resort to the surrounding beauty of the Smoky Mountains. Readers will marvel at the natural beauty of Walland, Tennessee, and at the images the author offers them. The narrative voice is strong and it grabs the reader’s interest from the very beginning. Andrea Thome has a great gift for character and even though I never read the first book in the series, it wasn’t hard for me to connect with the characters and to feel like part of their world. Great pacing, compelling characters, and masterly handling of themes!

Reviewed By Lisa McCombs for Readers' Favorite

Upon the death of George Briggs, Meghan’s plans to attend Grady College of Journalism and fulfill her dream of becoming a writer are hastily set aside so she can take over her father’s business of running the Snip 'N' Save Magazine. Just one year. Meghan decides to postpone her college plans in order to keep her father’s magazine up and running. But, when push comes to shove, she cannot leave the magazine unattended. Especially with the drama of younger sister Tracy’s renegade romance with the dark and irresponsible Dominic. Tracy’s devotion to her lover puts Meghan in the precarious position of playing buffer between mother and daughter. As her plight serves to intensify the loss of her father, Meghan realizes that she is where she needs to be: daughter, big sister, and strong role model in the lives of all she loves.

The Summer of New Beginnings: The Magnolia Grove Series, Book One by Bette Lee Crosby contains a realistic amount of family conflict with just the right amount of drama to place this novel in the genre of clean romance and wholesome family plot format. Bette Lee Crosby, USA Today bestselling author of eighteen novels, enchants the reader with her latest installment of a story of hope. The tasteful dialogue and moral lessons presented in The Summer of New Beginnings leave the reader wanting more. I particularly liked the addition of first person character insights in the insertion of character thoughts and reactions to the story plot line. I really enjoyed this novel.

Reviewed By Marta Tandori for Readers' Favorite

Gorgeous Eddy is reeling from a recent split with the no-good Andreas, who made a career out of being unfaithful during their entire relationship. She has kicked him to the curb and sold their apartment in Stockholm and has made the decision to move back to New York. Bookish lawyer, Henrik, split with his two-timing fiancée a year ago and hates coming home to an empty apartment, despite the fact that he now knows he hadn’t really been in love with her in the first place. He has rented the beach house on Niva Bay for the entire summer, the same rental he had the year before, and looks forward to celebrating Sankthansaften with his cousin and best buddy, Mads, his fiancée, Laney, and their baby daughter at the beach house. Shortly before they’re about to leave, Mads calls Henrik and asks if it’s okay that Laney has invited her cousin, Eddy, to come with them. Henrik remembers meeting Eddy briefly during the crisis that ensued during the birth of Mads’s baby and remembers thinking how beautiful – and how out of his league – she had been. He agrees to Eddy joining them, but when she arrives at the beach house, Henrik is once again bowled over by her looks and her easy-going demeanor. After countless shots of schnapps, and some innocent flirting between the two of them, the situation becomes charged with electricity when a half-drunk Eddy runs over to the edge of the beach, strips off her clothes and invites Henrik to join her. Abandoning all vestiges of common sense, he quickly takes off his clothes and jumps in after her. Needless to say, one thing leads to another, which inevitably leads to some incredible, explosive sex. However, the sex was the easy part. What follows afterwards is a lot more complicated…

Maybe Tomorrow is another sizzling romance in the Maybe series by Kim Golden. It has plenty of conflict and substance to keep even the most jaded of romance lovers rooting for the requisite Happily Ever After. Honest yet complicated is the best way to describe the romance between Eddy and Henrik. Golden’s protagonists are today’s modern couple. Both are somewhat jaded about the concept of love, thanks to bad experiences that have left them more than a little burned. Add to that the fact that Eddy is set to be going back to New York and you’ve got the makings of a modern-day relationship between two people who are clearly attracted to each other, like each other, and yet have to figure out how to make what seems to be an impossible relationship work. Golden does a great job building the sexual tension which, in turn, keeps the reader glued to the story as she puts both of her protagonists through their paces. Her prose is fluid, her dialogue natural, and she has a wonderful ability to perfectly capture the nuances that give a relationship life and substance. Long distance relationships require a lot of work as well as compromise by one of the parties involved. And let’s be real here. One doesn’t necessarily agree with all of Eddy's or Henrik’s choices throughout the book. Far from it. However, it’s this push and pull, this give and take, as well as the hurt or be hurt mentality that give the story its meat. Maybe Tomorrow teaches its readers that sex is easy – the relationship, the trust and the love require incredible amounts of work and commitment if there’s to be a Happily Ever After. If you’re looking for a realistic romance with substance, look no further.

Reviewed By Jack Magnus for Readers' Favorite

Vegas to Varanasi: Fortytude Series, Book 1 is a contemporary romantic chick lit novel written by Shelly Hickman. Anna's first and major love had been Luke. They were best friends who went the next step, fell in love and got married. Anna, who had never been intimate with a man before, had no real reason to suppose that the perfunctory and slightly impersonal lovemaking they occasionally indulged in was anything really out of the ordinary. After their second child, however, she realized, without him saying a word, that Luke was gay. She avoided any real relationships with men after their amicable divorce, not wanting to subject their two kids to a boyfriend until they were older. Then Anna met David, a client at the physical therapy center where she worked, and their relationship grew to the point that David came to live with Anna and her now grownup children. But David, a tenured professor and aspiring novelist, became increasingly reticent and reclusive, and was finishing off a significant amount of booze while writing his great novel. Their parting seemed almost a relief to the two of them. Then there was Kiran. Impossibly lovely to look at, and still holding tight to a crush he had had on her from when they were briefly in school together years before. Too good to be true? Anna's optimism has taken a few too many bumps and bruises along the way, but Kiran is quite enticing.

Shelly Hickman's contemporary romance novel, Vegas to Varanasi: Fortytude Series, Book 1 is a heartwarming and humorous look at life after forty. There's the worries Anna has about her kids and their prospective partners, and her own fears about growing old on her own, but Hickman's Anna is more than simply a woman going through a midlife crisis. She's a genuinely likable and compassionate soul, and the reader can't help but hope that she and Kiran will get to live happily ever after. Along the way, Kiran invites Anna to travel with him to India to visit his ailing grandmother and his aunt. Anna's always dreamed of going to India and surprises herself by assenting. Reading about their experiences in India is marvelous! Hickman makes every crowded street in Varanasi and holy ceremony by the Ganges come alive with the flowing and detailed descriptions one would usually expect from a travel writer. Vegas to Varanasi is a quirky, warm, and entertaining novel that is most highly recommended.

Reviewed By Elizabeth Butts for Readers' Favorite

Made For Me by Kathryn R. Biel follows Michele, an aspiring designer (who unceremoniously flunked out of design school) without clear direction. She is from a large, loud family, who loves her and has her back, all the while meddling in her non-existent love life. She has an on-again/off-again 'friend with benefits' who, at the start of the book, was off-again. She is disappointed with life, but has no idea what to do about it, until her job disappears overnight and she has to make a decision.

Made for Me is laugh out loud funny. Seriously. I read this book at every opportunity. Eating cereal in the morning, on the treadmill at work, before bed. Any time I had a spare second, I immersed myself in the world of reality TV, flowing materials, pins, and cutthroat competition. Kathryn R. Biel created characters you will enjoy. Even the antagonists will be fun for you, I promise. This is an easy read, one that will keep you captivated. You will find yourself imagining yourself in Michele's creations, which is so impressive considering you are only getting a verbal description of them. Seriously, though, maybe she could come and be my designer! You will enjoy this book. This is what I think of when I think 'Chick Lit.' Light, easy, fun, funny, and something I smile about every time I think of it. It will leave you wanting just a little bit more. I highly recommend Made For Me.

Reviewed By Rosie Malezer for Readers' Favorite

Summer At Sea is a romance novel written by Beth Labonte. Afraid to break her mother’s heart, Summer Eve Hartwell still lives at home with her parents. At 26 years of age, Summer is determined to get married, enabling her to leave home and escape being under her mother’s thumb. When her brother, Eric, buys luxury cruise tickets for the family, thanks to the fortune he’d made inventing a Fart App, Summer pins her hopes that Mr. Right will be found on the luxury liner. At the last minute, however, Eric cancels his own ticket, sending his fortune-from-flatulence business partner, Graham Blenderman, in his place. Graham’s objective in going on the cruise is to try to make Summer’s parents lighten up a little (or, rather, a whole lot), whilst simultaneously trying to help Summer stand up for herself and gain some self-confidence. Being aboard a cruise ship means that the likelihood of Summer running into her parents while on the hunt for her future husband is high, whether she is poolside, at a bar or on the dance floor. The events which take place during the cruise rattle Summer quite a bit, as her parents seem set out to embarrass her at every turn. Throughout all of the hilarity and the drama, whether real or imagined by Summer’s parents, one thing’s for certain: this is a cruise that none of them will ever forget.

Caution: Do not read this book in public where noise is forbidden, as laughing out loud is inevitable. Beth Labonte’s tale of a young librarian who is desperate to be liberated from her parents’ strict rules is one of the funniest books I have read to date. With Summer’s parents being more than 40 years her senior, they are very old fashioned and set in their ways. Unwilling to permit their daughter to leave home until she is married, Mr. and Mrs. Hartwell give the reader many-a-cause for an eye-roll or three. If you are having a bad day, Summer At Sea is just the therapy you need. Not only does it show how utterly humiliating two parents can be, but it also sends shock waves through your funny bone, causing those around you to stare as you giggle uncontrollably. I can personally say that the images left in my head of what can possibly happen during a relaxing massage have shaken me and are impossible to erase... I couldn’t be more thrilled! While there are a few darker moments in the book, showing how underhanded people can be when they think you have a lot of money, each dark event fits perfectly in place within the story line, teaching the reader a lesson or two at the same time. I cannot express enough how much I enjoyed Summer At Sea, and recommend it to readers over the age of 15 years who like romance, suspense, drama and hilarity, all wrapped into one small, perfect package.