Closed! Back To the Books Hop: Beach Rental Giveaway

Well, school time is here again!  It's time to say good-bye to sunny days, vacations, and (if you're lucky) the beach for another year.  For this giveaway I am excited to announce one last "beach book" to hold you over until next year.  Beach Rental is a great read and one you don't want to miss.  Author Grace Greene is generously offering a *signed* paperback copy of her wonderful book.

For my summary and review, please click here.

How do you enter?  Easy!

Please write a separate comment per entry. 

Please include your email address or have it visible on your blogger profile so I can contact you if you win.  

This is open to US mailing addresses only!

Mandatory Entry: (Must be done first)
- Tell me what you look forward to this school year! (1 entry)

Optional Entries: (Please write a separate entry for each)
- Follow me via GFC.  Tell me what name you used (1 entry)
- "Like" Clean Romance Reviews on Facebook.  Tell me what name you used (1 entry)

That's it - 3 chances to win!  The giveaway ends on Sept 7, 2011 at 11:59 CST.  The winner will be notified via email.  The winner will have 48 hours to respond, or another winner will be chosen.  

Don't forget to check out the other great giveaways in this hop and have a great new school year!

Five is Enough

Dawn Stewardson
Contemporary Romance

"Sully was back to hating her again - which made her feel worse than she'd have imagined."


Lauren is the new director of her family's charitable foundation - her very rich family.  However, the board has just cut funding to Sully's boy's home, a fact that Sully is less than pleased about.  But when he meets up with Ms Van Slyke, she's not the dried up old prune he had imagined.  In fact, she's beautiful.  When his "boys" create a scheme to try to get the funding back, Lauren and Sully are thrown together, forced to come to grips that despite their yawning differences, love could have a chance.  But not if Sully let's her bank account get in the way.  Meanwhile, a plot may be underway to take what little he has away from him.

My Opinion: This was a light read, perhaps a bit too light.  It had a lot of potential dealing with differences in class, past histories as well as two criminal plots.  But in the end it kind of flopped for me.  There wasn't enough struggle or suspense to really build off the potential there.  Lauren was a bit old to be so under her father's thumb, but she was feisty with everyone else.  Sully isn't explained very well, but he's a man with a heart of gold.  I'm still concerned at the concept of an ex-con being able to create a foster home for multiple pre-teen boys, but oh well.  There is some action to the story and it is fun - it just left me wishing it had taken more advantage of the possibilities.

I received a free copy of this book to review.  No other compensation was given.  The summary and review are 100% my own.

Kiss Me I'm Irish

Bella Street
Time Travel Romance
Book 1 Time for Love Series

"But for the first time, his transient existence lacked the arguably thin veneer of romantic hipness."



Emily is in disgrace.  Her penchant for Irish men has led her into trouble one too many times for Regency England's strict social requirements.  But she didn't realize that her attempts to escape a life in a convent would take her forward two hundred years in the future.  Landing in a world that is strange and unfamiliar, Emily finds herself caught up in the life of Liam and his sister Tinker.  Liam has his own problems from the past, though they seem to drive his struggling music career.  Liam refuses to believe that Emily is really a time traveler - more likely she is either crazy or lying.  But somehow he can't seem to leave her along - even if it would be for the best.  Perhaps what these two need is a little magic to help bring them together.

My Opinion: This was a good book with a realistic basis for time travel.  Emily is a good character, though a little redundant at times.  Liam is a bit self-absorbed, but mostly a great person and character.  Tinker is a fabulous side character.  Though you may feel in the dark until some of the mysteries are revealed, it's still an enjoyable read as you discover the characters learning to adjust to new circumstances and dealing with new feelings for each other.  Plausibly created and thought out, this book keeps you smiling and turning the page.  Definitely a good read and one I'd recommend.

I received a free copy of this book for review.  No other compensation was given.  The summary and opinion are 100% my own.

The Mercenary's Marriage

Rachel Rossano
Fantasy Romance
Medieval Romance

"You are man and wife before God, king, and man.  May it be a blessing and never a curse."





Darius is a mercenary soldier, loyal to his king.  After siege he makes an impulsive decision - claiming a remaining slave as his wife.  But he will find that it isn't easy winning her trust - and that he wants to more than he realized.  Brice has no reason to trust men - and certainly not this warrior who just attacked her home.  But he seems safe, for now - which is more than she can say about her other options.  But marriage could prove just as dangerous as they follow the king's army to uncover a rebellion and root out traitors trying to usurp the kingdom.  Can Brice learn to trust the man who saved her?  Or will he turn out to be just like the other men she has known?

My Opinion: This was a really good read.  Despite there being so many characters and events in a shorter book it was wonderfully written and gives a full story.  It really sucks you in and brings you along on an adventurous ride.  Brice is a sweet character with courage and a tender heart.  Darius is a noble man, though definitely a warrior.  Their sweet romance is tender and realistic.  The adventure of treason and mystery is exciting and keeps you turning the pages for more.  I really enjoyed this one and hope to read more by this author.

Just to disclaim, this is much like a medieval romance, except that it is not set in an actual historical place or time and therein lays the fantasy part.  There are no normal mythical scenarios that you would encounter in most fantasy books.

I was given a free copy of this book to review.  No other compensation was given.  The summary and opinion are 100% my own.

Closed! Giveaway!!! Crow's Row

Well, we have another fabulous giveaway for you!  Today's giveaway is for the book Crow's Row by Julie Hockley.  This is an exciting book and I am so happy to be hosting a giveaway.  Julie has generously offered a paperback version of this book to FOUR winners!  How awesome is that?

To read my summary and review, please click here.  

This is book one of the series, so be sure to get your copy before book two is released!

How to enter:  Please do the mandatory entry first.  I will verify all entries and erase any that are invalid.  Any comment without an email address (written in or found via google profile) will be erased since I will have no way of contacting you if you win.  Please note that you must have a US mailing address to win this giveaway. 

PLEASE WRITE A SEPARATE COMMENT PER ENTRY.  DO NOT WRITE ALL ENTRIES INTO ONE COMMENT.

Mandatory Entry:

- Tell me why you want to read this book. Or if it is for someone else, why you think they would like it. (1 entry)

Optional Entries:

- Follow this blog publicly via GFC.  (1 entry)

- "Like" Clean Romance Reviews on Facebook  (1 entry)

- Tell me another book that I have reviewed that you would like to read. (1 entry)

- Subscribe to my emails - must verify.  Make sure I know what email address you're using.  (1 entry)

- Add my button to your blog/website.  Leave me a link. (2 entries)

Good luck and have fun!

Rules:  Entrants must be 18 years or older and have a US mailing address.  This contest will end at 11:59 CST on Sept 6, 2011.  All entries must be submitted before then.  The winner will be chosen by Random.org's random sequence generator.  The winner will be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond.  If there is no response, a new winner will be chosen.

Home at Blackberry Hill

Roxanne Rustand
Contemporary Romance

"Arguing with his persistent ten-year-old son was eerily similar to arguing with his ex-wife."



Abby Cahill has every intention of spending the summer in Wisconsin before starting her new teaching job in California in the fall.  The local hospital needs a director for the summer so it seems a perfect fit.  But when she volunteers to watch a young boy while his father is sent off for surgery she may get more than she bargained for.  Especially when a newly adopted dog leaves her homeless.  Ethan Matthews is a stubborn man who lives out in the middle of nowhere.  A sudden injury leaves him less than able to provide a fun summer for his son.  Giving in to his sons pleas to invite Abby to stay with them may placate the boy, but may cause more problems for Ethan.

My Opinion: This book was fun though a bit sporadic.  It went in a few directions that I hadn't expected it to go.  The plot was nice and fun, but didn't get very deeply into backgrounds or emotions. I think there was just so much plot that were wasn't as much room for depth.  Abby is a fun, independent woman.  Ethan is a great dad and a sweet man once you get past his gruff exterior.  I enjoyed this book, though it was a much lighter read, focusing more on the adventure of the outdoors and cruelty to/protection of animals than the actual romance.

I received a free copy of this book to review.  No other compensation was given.  The summary and opinion are 100% my own.

Coexist: Keegan's Chronicles

Julia Crane
Fantasy Romance
Young Adult
E-Book

"Growing up knowing that one's other half was out there waiting brought a sense of comfort to Rourk."


Keegan lives in a world of magic and myth.  She is an elf.  However, the time is near for the fate of all elves to be decided - the great war is coming.  With her family deeply involved there is no way she can avoid it.  But all teenage Keegan is really worried about is meeting her chosen mate - though she is supposed to have two more years before they are allowed to know each other.  Rourk has been training as a warrior all of his life.  And now that the time is near for the most important battle of his life, he will find himself struggling to concentrate when he can hear every time Keegan thinks about him. He longs to meet her - and realizes that if they don't win, all elves will be destroyed and they may never meet.

My Opinion:  This was an interesting read, though a bit rushed to fit all of the many events in.  The author creates an entire fantasy world of elves and other mythical creatures, but it takes a while to really feel settled into the new world with new rules.  I felt a little lost at first.  There are several characters that are hard to keep straight, but the main five are really good.  The romance is sweet and realistic and a nice read.  Roark is a sweet character and well developed.  Although I felt like the book could have been more enjoyable if it had been twice as long and flushed out more, it was still a fun quick read.  There is definitely promise for more.

I received a free copy of this book for review.  No other compensation was given.  The summary and opinion are 100%

Closed! GIVEAWAY!!! Harlequin Heartwarming July Release Book!

Well, it's back - the Harlequin Heartwarming Collection giveaway.  Aren't these fabulous books?  Harlequin has once again offered a copy of one of their July release books to one lucky winner!  Here are the title for this month.

   

   

For my reviews, please click below:

Luke's Wish by Teresa Hill
The Wedding Promise by Judy Christenberry
Picture Perfect by Sherry Lewis
What Matters Most by Jillian Hart

How to enter:  Please do the mandatory entry first.  I will verify all entries and erase any that are invalid.  Any comment without an email address (written in or found via google profile) will be erased since I will have no way of contacting you if you win.  

PLEASE WRITE A SEPARATE COMMENT PER ENTRY.  DO NOT WRITE ALL ENTRIES INTO ONE COMMENT.


Mandatory Entry:
- Which book would you like to win? (1 entry) 

Optional Entries:
- Follow this blog publicly via GFC.  Please leave the name you follow with. (1 entry)
- "Like" Clean Romance Reviews on Facebook  Leave the name you used (abbreviated if you'd prefer) (1 entry)
- Tell me another book that I have reviewed that you would like to read. (1 entry)
- Subscribe to my emails - must verify.  (1 entry)
- Add me to your blog roll or RSS feed on your blog/website.  Leave me a link.  (2 entries)
- Add my button to your blog/website.  Leave me a link. (2 entries)


Good luck and have fun!

Rules:  Entrants must be 18 years or older and have a US mailing address.  This contest will end at 11:59 CST on Aug 23, 2011.  All entries must be submitted before then.  Winners will be chosen by Random.org's random sequence generator.  Winners will be notified via email and have 48 hours to respond.  If there is no response, a new winner will be chosen.

Crow's Row

Julie Hockley
Contemporary Romance

"It took every inch of my being to keep my heart from doing somersaults; in the end I resigned to - at least - reprimand myself after failing miserably."



Emily Sheppard is just an ordinary college student.  Well, not ordinary.  She is going to a cheap school and living in a crappy apartment when her parents have more than enough money.  But she's tired of doing things their way.  At least this way she lived near her brother's gravesite.  But on one of her jogs she meets a man that will change her life.  After witnessing a brutal murder she is kidnapped, taken by a young crime boss, Cameron - the same man she met the other day.  But what will she do when there isn't even anyone that will notice her missing?  And what happens when she's no longer sure she wants to be rescued?  But can she really survive in this world of crime?

My Opinion: This was a fabulously written book.  The author weaves her world of drug dealers and almost gangster-like organization with precision.  Emily is a wonderful character with strong emotion and an interesting dynamic.  Cameron is almost noble despite his profession and his almost dual persona is expertly written.  The other characters are very rich and full.  This book is incredibly enthralling and pulls you into a world most of us never want to see, but is still an enjoyable read.  I totally got caught up emotionally in this one as my heartbeat rose and tears nearly fell.  I am very anxious to read the next book in the series.  Awesome read and I would recommend it.

I received a free copy of this book to review.  No other compensation was given.  The summary and review are 100% my own.

The Wrong Path

Vivian Marie Aubin de Paris
Contemporary Romance
Young Adult
E-Book

"She wanted to tell them she would be willing to trade places with them for the evening in exchange for their cheeseburgers."

Annabelle likes her life.  She is popular, has a large group of friends and Trevor is finally noticing her.  Okay, it could be better, but it's pretty close to perfect.  That is, until Will, Trevor's brother, starts popping up in her life.  At first it's nice to have someone to help out when her friends are less than reliable.  But then he keeps appearing and finding his way into her thoughts.  As they spend more and more time together will she find out that he's a bad kid like everyone says?  Or is there more to Will?  And if so, could be show her that there is more to her too?

My Opinion: This book was a fascinating glimpse into the insecure world of a teenage girl trying to fit it.  It reminded me a bit of Mean Girls, but more intense and emotion filled.  Annabelle is a bit naive and innocent about the world - trusting her friends too much and putting a lot of importance on popularity.  I'll admit there were times I wanted to shake some sense into her - but I feel that way about real-life teenagers too, so I'll attribute that to great writing.  :)  Will is a deeper, rebellious type but still a great guy.  Side characters were good and paint a full picture of high school life - though a bit overly divided into clicks.  I do have to say though, that although it is young adult, there is a decent amount of teen drinking and drug use - so I would keep that in mind when suggesting it to an actual teenager.

I was given a free copy of this book to review.  No other compensation was given.  The summary and opinion are 10% my own.

Count Down to Love

Julie N Ford
Contemporary Romance

"Digging around the bottom of my purse, I pulled out a plastic fork - thought about how appalled my mother would be if she knew I had a random fork rattling around in the bottom of my purse - and relieved the cake of a sizable chunk."


Kelly is about to have a perfect wedding.  Trevor has been the love of her life since high school and is her manager for her country music career.  Everything should be perfect today -so why doesn't she recognize the girl in the mirror?  When Trevor never shows up, Kelly is crushed and confused.  Doing a favor for her cousin, she agrees to fill in on a "bachelor-esque" game show.  She desperately needs the money after an elaborate non-wedding, and besides, at least she can get away from it all for a while.  But what will she find on the show?  Surely one can't really find true love on a game show, especially when her heart is too battered to love again - right?

My Opinion: This was a great, fun, romantic read.  This is what you always hope is really happening on those "Bachelor-esqe" type shows but never does in real life.  It's all the romance and fun of it with less of the unrealistic side of it - making you believe that such silly shows just might work sometimes.  Kelly is witty, realistic and has a great sense of humor.  This book kept me smiling and laughing with commentary I loved.  Dillon was a sweet and loving character - the classic perfect man.  Side characters brought it all to life and made you really feel like you were watching it on tv (with more insights).  The writing was very well done and was a pleasure to read.  All in all it was a good book and a fun read.

I received a free copy of this book to review.  No other compensation was given.  The summary and opinion are 100% my own.

I was Interviewed!

It's so much fun to get interviewed and I had a chance to do it for my friend Joyce DiPastena.  Check it out at: http://jdp-news.blogspot.com/2011/08/get-to-know-reviewer-english-rose-of.html  And check out her books too - Loyalty's Web and Illuminations of the Heart.

Beach Rental

Grace Greene
Contemporary Romance
Christian Romance
Love

"A server leaving mid-party with an unsteady guest was bound to give a bad impression."


Juli Cooke is falling ever farther behind just trying to get by.  With several jobs and little to her name there is no where to go and no improvement in sight.  That is, until she meets Ben Bradshaw.  Ben is kind, sweet and successful - and sick.  He is also suggesting a short, friendly marriage in exchange for a healthy settlement.  He seems like a nice guy, what does she really have to lose?  But the marriage is more than she bargained for as she gets closer to her new husband and their time starts running out.  Luke Winters has never trusted the woman his cousin married so quickly.  Surely she was just after Ben's money and would end up hurting him.  But not if Luke could help it.  But all the stakes change after Ben is gone - and who knows just how many gifts he would leave behind for the two people most important to him.

My Opinion: Contrary to what I thought when I picked it up, this is not "light beach reading" - at least not by my definition.  This book is full of heavy subjects and complicated emotions.  Ben is a simply fantastic character who is so sad and yet full of faith and optimism.  Juli is a confused but strong character who grows in so many wonderful ways.  Luke is a little shallower in depth, but still a really really good character.  All together it was a good book with unexpected plot twists and a deep understanding of love and faith.  The Christian feeling is there, but not overpowering or obsessive.  Juli's lessons on different kinds of love and what unexpected blessings you can receive is a great, uplifting story despite some of the other sadder aspects of the  tale.  This book is very well written, pulling you in and never letting go.  You'll want some tissues for this one, but it's one I'd recommend!

I was given a free copy of this book for review.  No other compensation was given.  The summary and opinion are 100% my own.

What Matters Most

Jillian Hart
Contemporary Romance

"After all, lost hopes weren't fatal."




Ben McKaslin is home, injured from his high-risk position in the military.  Aside from a few visits, it's been fifteen years since he's been back in Montana.  The memories buried here are almost as painful as his leg.  Thankfully he's only here for a few weeks - surely he'll survive it for that long.  Or so he thinks until he meets up with Cadence Chapman once again - the only woman he ever loved.  Cadence can't believe that Ben is back.  So much has happened - to both of them.  They aren't the teenagers looking for fame and freedom anymore.  But can someone reclaim what they once gave up?  Or are they doomed to re-break their hearts once again?

My Opinion: I felt that this book was, in a word, boring.  And not because of the emotions and feelings which were good.  It's just that...nothing happened.  I could count on one hand the number of events that occurred.  It seemed to just revolve over their regret for the past and their continued connection.  There was no work for forgiveness, reflection on if they should have done something different, no working towards falling in love again.  Just reflection on their lonely but decent lives since they were apart.  Don't get me wrong, but the emotions are all there and pretty well conveyed, but I couldn't get into it without more events.

I received a free copy of this book to review.  Not other compensation was given.  The summary and opinion are 100% my own.

New Sponsors!!

Hello everyone!  In case you haven't noticed I have two new sponsors!!  Check them out on the top right of the sidebar.  I am so excited about this and wanted to tell you a little bit about these wonderful authors.

The first is Bonnie Blythe.  She has written 7 clean Christian romance novels that have won many awards.  Her titles include: Milagro for Miranda, Claire's No-So-Gothic Romance, How Sweet It Is, Restorations, Texas Whirlwind, Dearly Loved and Melody's Knight.  They are all available in print and e-book versions!  They all sound wonderful!  Click on her link to check out all of her books available on Amazon.

The second is GG Vandagriff.  She has written three clean romance novels and a few books in other genres.  Her clean romances are: The Last Waltz, a historical novel that takes places in Austria between 1923-1938.  Next is Foggy With a Chance of Murder, a contemporary romantic mystery.  And lastly is her newest novel, The Only Way to Paradise, a chick-lit romance about 4 women who travel to Italy to discover answers and romance.  Click on her link and check out her site and all of her books!

I'd like to thank them both for being my wonderful sponsors!  If you are interested in becoming a sponsor, send me an email!  It's only $5 a month!