Turn Me Loose

Book Review of Turn Me Loose (Paradise Idaho  series)

Title: Turn Me loose 

Series: Paradise Idaho

Author: Rosalind James

Date Published: May 17th 2016

Date Read:    May 15th 2016

The Blurb:

Rochelle Marks is working hard to build a name for herself that has nothing to do with her pinup-girl curves. She’s made mistakes in the past, and now she’s trying to stop her little sister, Stacy, from making worse ones. Rochelle’s done with being nothing more than someone’s good time. Even if that someone is the one-night stand who turned her life upside down before vanishing—and who’s just arrived in Paradise, Idaho, looking to pick up where they left off.

Tech mogul Travis Cochran’s hard-won new priorities have brought him to town as a university lecturer, but he’s come for something else, too: the smart, sassy, gorgeous woman who’s been in his head for months. When Stacy’s choices draw her big sister into a web of down-home crime and cold-blooded murder, Travis’s mission gets a whole lot more urgent. Now convincing Rochelle to trust him isn’t just about winning her back. It may be the only way to keep her alive.

My Review

3 Taking It Slow Stars

May have mild spoilers

Turn Me Loose was a little bit slower for me then the first two books in this series. The first two books I loved so much but this book at times slowed down so much it tapped dance on the fault line of boring. I would find myself getting up from reading and doing other things like cleaning. Both MCs Rochelle and Travis were likable. They had a good connection and the passion factor was there. There was some sexy moments and some really sweet ones too. But at times there was nothing really happening and I think if those parts were edited out it would have flowed nicer and not slowed down so much. I did enjoy seeing our past two couples although I would have liked a bit more of them. I also liked Rochelle family. I know this is going to sound crazy but I liked Rochelle's ex Lake. I think he really redeemed himself at the end and I kinda wanna see him get his own HEA. The only thing I really didn't like in this book was the end. It just ended so abrupt. No epilogue and I live for epilogues. It felt not finished and left me with questions like do they have kids? What happens to Stacey? Etc Etc..... Overall an okay read that would have been tons better with an epilogue. I still love this series and recommend it. It would be awesome if Lake got his own book just sayin'....Hint....Hint!!

Carry Me Home

Book Review of Carry Me Home (Paradise, Idaho Series)

Title: Carry Me Home

Series: Paradise, Idaho Series

Author: Rosalind James

Date Published:June 16th 2015

Date Read:  December 12, 2015

The Blurb:

Paradise, Idaho, may not be the largest town, but for newly minted professor Zoe Santangelo, it’s the first step on the path to her big break. After teaching in a small Idaho school, her next stop is the Ivy League, and no one is going to stand in her way. She’ll do what it takes to move up, to protect her students from a creepy campus stalker—and to protect her heart from Cal Jackson, the hot, hunky cowboy who keeps coming to her rescue.

After a career-ending injury, Cal has left professional football behind and come home to work the family farm. He’s determined not to get mixed up with any more city girls who don’t want to settle down with a country boy. But after he rescues sassy geologist Zoe from a snowy ditch, he can’t stop thinking about her. Can Cal keep Zoe safe from whoever is targeting her—and can he show her that having ambition doesn’t mean she has to sacrifice love?

My Review

4 This was life. This was living Stars.  "But I wasn't counting on this place. I wasn't counting on you. Who knew I'd be such a sucker for a take-charge guy with a kind heart?"-Zoe "Now, don't drop anything in my beer while I'm gone, Professor," he told Zoe. "I know you want my body, but control yourself. I'll do most things if I'm asked nicely."-Cal Okay so I actually read this series out of order and read the 2nd book first. I got the 2nd book, Luke's story from Netgalley, loved it so much that I had to go back and buy the first one so I could get some yummy Cal. And Cal did not disappoint. I loved Cal, loved his sense of humor. My God the things he said. He had me laughing all through the book. I thought he was sexy, sweet, and playful. Cal had a heart of gold. I really liked Zoe too, but she drove me nuts at times. Zoe had some daddy issues. I could understand why she had the issues she had, and why she was so driven. But I love Cal and felt super protective of him so it annoyed me when she kept him at arms length hurting him, even if I liked her and could understand her.  "Go on," he said. "Make me ridiculous. You can even win. I'll give you the trophy and tell you that you won. But I've been straight-up here. You're the one with a hidden agenda, and you can't even see it. You've been so busy assuming that you can't trust men, that you can't trust me, you've gone and done the exact same thing to me you're always worrying about. You telling me you don't see that?"-Cal "Well, I guess I haven't found that out yet. If I'm ever going to. I've worked for this all my life. I've planned for it. I want to be with you. I don't want to break up." If that was begging, too bad. She was begging. "But I can't just give up my dream, can't you see that?"-Zoe I loved Cal's parents and of course I loved all the Luke I got in this book. Mmmm the yummy Jackson brothers. I would like for Rochelle, Zoe's best friend to get a book. The plot was great. I had no clue who the bad guy was. I thought it was one guy for almost the whole book, and was shocked when it was someone else. I really enjoyed this book, just not as much as the 2nd one. I really like Rosalind James writing style. I am so glad I found her book Hold Me Close on Netgalley, now I have new beloved author to stalk, and more awesome books of hers to discover. "Okay," he said, "I won't. I won't tell you that I've got this real dirty little fantasy about sitting right here in this chair, putting you over my knee, flipping up that pretty blue sweater dress of yours, and giving you the spanking of your life while you wriggle under my hand. I'll just keep that one right off the table. So to speak. Because the desk might figure into it again, too. I'd have to look at what I did, wouldn't I? While I did.....everything else."-Cal

Hold Me Close

Book Review of Hold Me Close (Paradise Idaho Series)

Title: Hold Me Close

Series:Paradise Idaho  Series

Author: Rosalind James

Date Published:December 8th 2015

Date Read:  December 4, 2015

The Blurb:

Kayla Chambers knows what love is—and what it isn’t. When her boyfriend turns abusive, she and her son escape to a new life in a place where he’ll never find them. The idyllic town of Paradise, Idaho, has everything she needs to get back on her feet. Survival is her only goal, and the last thing she wants is another man in her life.

But Kayla’s new neighbor, high school principal Luke Jackson, is determined to change her mind. Luke usually takes the fast lane with women, but he can see that Kayla and her son need help, and he wants to earn her trust—even if that means taking things slow. He strikes up a friendship that soon simmers into something passionate and real. But when Kayla’s past catches up with her, Luke knows he has to find a way to keep her safe…or risk losing her forever. 

My Review

                5 Worth The Wait Stars

"If I ever do get married, I'm not going to hit my wife." The guilt was an icy shard straight to her heart. "No. You aren't, because you aren't that kind of person. And I'm sorry." She hadn't said it before, but it was time to do it. "I'm sorry that I took you into Alan's house. I'm sorry that you had to see everything you did. I'm sorry I didn't take better care of you. But it's over now. We got away. We're gone, and we'll never be with anybody who hits either of us again, I promise. I forgot about being optimistic for a little while there. I thought I didn't have a choice. I thought things couldn't get better. But here we are, and we've made them better, and we're both going to be optimistic now, OK?"-Eli and Kayla

Wow what an emotional and touching read. I truly loved this book from start to finish. I didn't stop reading to even eat. I just shoveled food into my mouth with one hand and held my kindle with my other. This is my first time reading Rosalind James, but it won't be my last. Her writing style was great it flowed so nicely. The story and all of the characters captivated me from page one.

"You still scared?" Luke asked her quietly. "You remember that?" "Sure I do. That you were scared, and that you did it anyway. You were a brave little thing, weren't you?"-Luke and Kayla

What this book is about

Kayla Chambers has had a hard life. After losing her husband, then her job and home, she thought she found a hero to save her and her son in Alan. But she was wrong. It didn't take long after moving in with her that she learn he had a dark side. Having had enough of living through his abuse and afriad for her and her sons life, Kayla does the only thing she can think of , and with the help of the domestic violence hotline, she runs! Paradise, Idaho sounds like a good place to start over. Kayla is trying hard to put her life back together. She knows Alan is going to try to find her and try to kill her. She also has to find a way to make ends meet and provide for her son. Then she meet her handsome neighbor, Luke the high school principal. It is obvious that Luke is attracted to her, but she doesn't want any man. She can't trust men, after all Alan seemed normal at first too. Can Luke get Kayla to trust him and give him a chance? And what will happen when Alan finds them?

"And then, before he could stop himself, he was lifting her hand, brushing his lips over the back of it, and saying "Thank you." The voice came before she could answer. "Wow. He totally kissed her hand. Did you see that?" "That is so romantic. How come you never kiss my hand, Wesley?" "Because I don't want to look like a total dork, maybe?" Kayla smiled, her hand still in his. "You've just lost all your street cred." "And, see," he said, smiling right back at her, "I don't even care."-Some of Luke's students, Kayla and Luke

"Yep. There sure are. And you know what? I don't want a single one of them, because none of them's you. I know that might scare you. I've known it all along. That's why I haven't said it. But if we're putting it out there- there it is. I want to keep you safe; you're right about that, too. I want to...." He breathed in, breathed out. "I want his name, and I want to kill him. And I want to, yeah. Sweep you up and take you home with me and keep you safe. You and Eli. If that's a rescue, sue me. But that's not all I want. I want things that have nothing at all to do with any rescue. Nothing at all to do with taking care of you."-Luke

I really liked Kayla's character. I felt her personality truly represented that of a battered woman, but she still gave hope. She was brave, and even when everything felt hopeless and most would just give up she kept going. I really liked her honesty. She told her feelings, needs, and said sorry when she was wrong. But as much as I liked Kayla , I fell that much more in love with Luke. OMG he was such a sweet, sexy, and patience man. He wanted Kayla, but he understood her needs and respected her. Gave her space when she needed, supported her when she needed, and waited for her. He let her lead and took things at her pace. Oh and he is a dirty talking country boy. Hot Dayum!!!! Some of the things he said *swoon* I think I'm in love. Eli, Kayla son, melted my heart. 

"You don't. When I-if I get you in my bed, it's not going to be a trade. It's going to be because you can't stand to wait any longer, just like I can't. When you can't go another minute without touching me, or another day without having me inside you. That's what I want, and that's what I'm holding out for. But I'm a grown man who can make his choices and take his chances, and I'm taking a chance on you. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I'm sticking around all the same, and I'm going to be just as patient as I can be. Because you're worth the chance."-Luke

"Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for saving my life, and Eli's life. Thank you for everything. You're my hero. You're my knight in shining armor."-Kayla

Luke and Kayla's relationship was just beautiful. So many tender moments, so much chemistry between the two MCs that I couldn't help but feel connected to them. I enjoyed their relationship so much, they gave me the warm fuzzies. There are some really moving family moments with Eli, Kayla, and Luke. I loved Luke's whole family especially his brother Cal. Cal's story is the first book, which I have bought and plan on reading. I thought it was so funny what happens to Alan in the end a little Karma I think. I am so happy that I got this book, it really was a joy to read.