Book Blurb:
Posey Osterhagen can't complain. She owns a successful architectural salvaging company, she's surrounded by her lovable, if off-center, family and she has a boyfriend—sort of. Still, something's missing. Something tall, brooding and criminally good-looking…something like Liam Murphy.

When Posey was sixteen, the bad boy of Bellsford, New Hampshire, broke her heart. But now he's back, sending Posey's traitorous schoolgirl heart into overdrive once again. She should be giving him a wide berth, but it seems fate has other ideas….

In My Own Words:
Living up to her parents expectations is something that Posey hasn't ever been able to quite accomplish.  Living in the shadow of her famous cousin, she has that one down pat.  When her first love comes back to town with a teen age daughter in tow, Posey decides the best thing for her, and her heart, is to ignore him, maybe he will go away.  Unfortunately, her luck can't be that good.  Circumstance after circumstance seems to have them both thrown together.  What she doesn't need is her mother making goo goo eyes at Liam for her traitorous cousin who by the way, has never had anything nice to say about Posey at all.  Will Posey finally stand up to her family and take what she has always wanted, happiness.

Notable Quote:
"Well, I love you, even if you did ruin my life by turning into a teeneager"... (Liam and his daughter disagreeing....again)

Review:
I loved so many things about this book.  Posey was eccentric and sassy, but also kind and faithful.  Liam had his heart broken by losing his wife and trying to raise his daughter alone.  I felt for him a lot during this book.  I think I connected with him before any other characters.  Posey's family....you just can't help but laugh.  Posey has such wonderful friends that aren't afraid to tell her how it is, and put her straight.  I can't think of one thing that I didn't really like about this book.  It was a great comfort contemporary read, and one I would recommend to anyone.

Have You Seen Her? ~ Karen Rose

Book Blurb:
One by one, the girls disappear from their beds at night. Each one is pretty, with long dark hair. And each one is found brutally murdered.

Special Agent Steven Thatcher has sworn to find the serial killer preying on this small town. As the investigation pulls him one way, his family pulls him in another. A widower haunted by loss, he now worries about his son Brad slipping away. But there's a bright light in his life: his son's teacher, Jenna Marshall, has reached out to help. She's beautiful, kind, and considerate--and slowly, tentatively, she and Steven are starting to fall in love. But both have been hurt before--badly. And as the two try to find the courage to bare their souls, a murderer who has slain many looks for the real treasure he craves. He sets his traps. And waits. For Jenna...

In My Own Words:

When Jenna Marshall decided to become a teacher, the last thing she thought she would have to deal with was a football player's family and friends threatening and terrorizing her for failing him, thus keeping him off the field.  When the threats become a bit overwhelming, she turns to the father of another student, Special Agent Steven Thatcher, who has had his own bouts with someone terrorizing his family when his son was taken 6 months prior.  Since that time, little Nicky hasn't been or had much joy in his little life.  When meddling Aunt Helen starts her plan to get Steven married off, the plan couldn't have backfired more when Steven thinks that Jenna is part of the plan.  When the cards are stacked against them, they seem to find their way back to each other, but when the body count starts to rise, even Jenna's friends aren't safe.

Notable Quote:

..."I was going to have icecream for dinner. Want some?"

"You really need to have better nutrition, Jenna."  Seth stood up. "Butter pecan is my favorite."

"It's Rocky Road."

....."Like I said, Rocky Road is my favorite."

Review:

I have to admit, I had a hard time getting in to this particular book in the series.  We met several different people right away, and trying to keep them all straight got a bit trying at times.  I also didn't feel any chemistry with really any of the characters.  After about 1/3 of the way through, I began to piece it together, and I started to feel for Steven, it wasn't until then that I started to enjoy the book.  Several parts of this book stick out in my mind, the relationship between dad and sons.  There are two completely different family dynamics that you witness, and they are polar opposites.  The way that Steven always seemed to be saying "I'm sorry" to Jenna, and seeming to truly mean it.  The meddling Aunt and neighbor were highlights to me.  I did figure out "who done it" before it was revealed, but I had quite a hard time deducing the perp until a few things slipped.  I wasn't put off by knowing who the bad guy actually was, though.  All in all, I would say, this is a good book.  It wasn't one of my favorites, but I enjoyed it eventually, and was pulling for some of the main characters.  I hope Davies gets his own story.  He played a pivotal roll in the investigation and in Steven & Jenna's relationship.

Serendipity - Carly Phillips

Book Blurb:
Faith Harrington was the classic girl of privilege–until her father was convicted of running a Ponzi scheme and then her marriage crashed and burned.

Now Faith is back in her hometown, hoping for a fresh start. But her father’s betrayal has rocked Serendipity – and not everyone is ready to welcome her with open arms. Then she runs into her teenage crush — the dark, brooding Ethan Barron. Ethan, no stranger to scandal himself, never imagined he’d own the mansion on the hill, much less ever again come face to face with Faith–the princess he once kissed senseless. The chance meeting reignites the electric charge between them.

Still, when Ethan hires her to redecorate what was once her childhood home, Faith is sure that getting involved with the town’s notorious bad boy will only lead to trouble. But her heart has other ideas. And so do the townspeople of Serendipity …

In My Own Words:
Classic story of good little rich girl, falls for bad boy on a motorcycle.  But, Serendipity gives us a twist.  In the years since Faith and Ethan's spark charged kiss on the back of his motorcycle, many lives have changed, and not necessarily for the better.  Ethan's parents were killed by a drunk driver on the way to bail Ethan out of jail, thus starting a tailspin affect where Ethan leaves his two younger brothers to try and make it on his own.  While he has amassed lots of fortune and has come back to make things right, neither Nash or Dare are ready to buy what he is selling.  Old wounds cut very deep with these three.

Coming back to her hometown licking her own wounds, Faith stops by the one place that she will always remember as home.  Her mansion on the hill.  After her father is arrested for bilking people out of millions of dollars, to basically keep him in the style he has been accustomed.  When the arrest is made, her husband of convenience (on his part) decided to make it known he himself had a side attraction, to other females.  Coming home seemed the right thing to do, until her visit to her childhood home brought her face to face with Ethan Barron.

Faith and Ethan come to an understanding and start a working relationship while Faith helps him decorate his new mansion and he helps build her new design company.  All seems to be going well, and headed towards great things, until one night he is delivered a gift, by way of a teen with a chip on her shoulder.  Can this teen-goth-hellion be the glue this family so desperately needs?

Notable Quote:
"It's interesting how the mighty have fallen" (Ethan and Faith's first conversation since coming home)

Review:
I really enjoyed Serendipity.  I thought the teen brought a huge element to the book and made Ethan seem more....human.  There were several relationships to the story.  One the friendships that people make throughout their lives, the friendship between Kate and Lissa which are very different, but very dear to Faith.  The relationship between mother and daughter.  It was interesting to see their interaction and watch Faith stand up for herself.  The relationships between brothers.  As Ethan tries to put his family back together after tragedy.  It was almost heartbreaking to read, to know so much pain existed.  The relationship between brothers and sister.  That was an interesting dynamic.  Watching Tess bounce off each and every one of them, and then bonding to tightly with the one everyone swore had no heart.  Finally the relationship with the town.  As much as both Ethan and Faith hated what home represented, they both wound up there to heal.  I am VERY interested in Nash and Kelly's story.  The spark almost made my Nook burn up when she appeared.

Against The Storm - Kat Martin

Book Blurb:
Redheads like Maggie O'Connell are nothing but trouble. But Trace Rawlins, a former army ranger turned private investigator, takes the case anyway. After all, he knows a thing or two about women.

Trace can sense that something is wrong—Maggie isn't telling him everything. If these menacing calls and messages are real, why won't the police help her? And if they aren't real, what is she hiding?

As Trace digs deeper to find the source of Maggie's threats, he discovers a secret that no one was meant to uncover. And the only puzzle left to be solved is whether the danger comes from an unknown stalker…or from the woman he's trying his hardest not to fall for.

In My Own Words:
When Maggie can't ignore all of the weird hang-ups and notes left for her, she decides it is time to take matters in to her own hands and hire the best private investigator she has heard of...Trace Rawlins.  Trace has a sweet spot for redheads, and knows he looses his mind when they are near.  But can't help but take her case when the danger seems all to real.  As Trace begins to dig deeper in to the case, he realizes that Maggie hasn't been 100% honest with him, and he isn't sure what part of her story is real or fake.  As the calls become more frequent, and the danger becomes really close, will Trace bite the bullet and believe Maggie and help, or will Maggie be left to her own devices?

Review:
We met Trace in one of the previous "Against" books, and I loved him since then.  A rugged cowboy type that has a military background and a love for life...and redheads.  I really liked the secondary characters, I enjoyed getting to know them almost as much as the main characters.  Roxanne, the bestfriend....I sincerely hope she gets a story, she seems like she has a lot to say, I think she would be a kick in the pants.  The flow of this story was good, and I didn't ever feel like I was bored, but I also wasn't riveted to the pages like I have been with previous Kat Martin books.  So while this was a good edition to the "Against" series, I guess I look for more action when it comes to this series.  I did like it though, and am looking forward to the next book.