Counterfeit Courtship - Sinithia Williams (HSE #2952 - Dec 2022)

Series: Heart & Soul (Book 3)
 
Their romance has an expiration date.
 
When a kiss at a reality TV wedding is caught on camera, there's only one way to save his reputation and her career. Now paranormal promoter Tyrone Livingston and makeup artist Kiera Fox are officially dating. But their fake romance can't go on forever. Is Tyrone the "love 'em and leave 'em" player portrayed by the media? Or can a relationship with an agreed-upon end date turn into a real and lasting love?
 
Good conclusion to the series. Tyrone is the youngest Livingston brother and the one who was most interested in taking their ghost hunters show to the next level. He is outgoing and charming and has quite a reputation as a ladies' man. Because a family-oriented channel picked up their show, Tyrone has been careful to dial back his activities. When an impulsive kiss with makeup artist Kiera is caught on camera, Tyrone has to think fast or watch his career crash and burn. He quickly claims that they are dating.
 
Kiera is a makeup artist who has earned a reputation for quality work. She'd like to add a few more clients to her portfolio to increase her income and prove to her family that she can earn a good living doing what she loves. The last thing she needs is a scandal involving the notorious Tyrone.
 
I enjoyed watching this relationship develop. Both Tyrone and Kiera have some confidence issues dating from their teen years. Tyrone battles his feelings of being the "screw-up" little brother who created problems for his oldest brother and his need for Dion's approval. Kiera was a bullying victim, leaving her with the need to use makeup as armor against those who looked down on her. When Tyrone came up with the idea of the fake relationship, he pitched it to Kiera as being good for both of their careers. Tyrone kept the show from being canceled, and Kiera was hired to do the brothers' makeup. Neither expected the show's producer to make their relationship, and those of his brothers, part of the show.
 
In the beginning, neither is interested in a real relationship. Tyrone isn't ready to settle down, and a cheating boyfriend recently burned Kiera. But as they get to know each other, they realize they also like each other. I liked seeing Tyrone's surprise as he discovered that other women no longer caught his attention. It freaks him out initially, but he starts thinking about making their relationship real. Kiera is a harder nut to crack. She fights her growing feelings for Tyrone, unable to make herself believe she is enough to keep his attention from eventually wandering. I ached for them both when Kiera turned down his suggestion that they keep going. With Tyrone's reluctance to commit and Kiera's fears, both had some self-evaluation and growing to do. I loved that Tyrone gave Kiera the space she needed, though it took a kick in the pants from his brothers to boot him out of his self-pity. Meanwhile, Kiera had an enlightening conversation with her mom that helped put her fears to rest. I loved the ending with a fun reconciliation scene.
 
Throughout the series, I enjoyed the brothers' ghost-hunting experiences. Each showed their sensitivity to the homeowners and the subjects doing the hauntings. This book had an especially disturbing haunting that left the brothers shaken. I liked how their significant others were attuned to the effects on their men and took steps to help them. I would have liked an epilogue to show them a few months or years in the future.

The Spirit of Second Chances - Synithia Williams (HSE #2932 - Sept 2022)

Series: Heart & Soul (Book 2)

Who says you can't go home again?
 
Single mom Cierra Greene is determined to achieve success in real estate to support herself and her young daughter. Too bad her most lucrative property for sale is…haunted? Reluctantly, she seeks out her one-time crush, Wesley Livingston, for help. Now the cohost of a popular paranormal-investigation show, he is as appealing as ever. Cierra and Wesley try to ignore their unfinished business, but when old feelings resurface, things get complicated…
 
Good second chance romance between two people whose high school crushes on each other never went anywhere because of outside interference. Cierra is a recently divorced single mom trying to make a go of her real estate business. She leaps at the chance to sell the DeWalt property - and then finds out it may be haunted. Her only option is to contact Wesley, her high school crush and current co-host of a ghost hunter show, and ask for help.
 
Wesley is surprised to hear from Cierra. Though he and his brothers have had their dream come true with their television show, Wesley has a little trouble adjusting to the accompanying fame and change in circumstances. Older brother Dion (Summoning Up Love) has moved away to be with his girlfriend and his younger brother, Tyrone, is constantly on the road promoting the show. This leaves Wesley taking care of the family home by himself and feeling left behind.
 
A lot is going on in this book. First and foremost is the developing relationship between Wesley and Cierra. They get off to a rough start because of unresolved feelings over the end of their high school friendship. However, the attraction between their adult selves is undeniable, and I enjoyed seeing their relationship grow. Cierra is hesitant to get involved with Wesley as she is still recovering from her unhappy marriage and messy divorce. But in the course of solving the mystery behind the haunting, the time they spend together allows them to get to know each other again. Some sweet scenes include Wesley showing up at Cierra's house with home-baked treats and Wesley's care of her after her first experience with a ghost. There are some steamy scenes as the attraction builds between them. And there are rough spots when remarks by others stir up insecurities and make them doubt each other and themselves. I liked that their dark moment didn't last long and that common sense and communication made for a happy ending.
 
There are complicating issues for Wesley and Cierra. Wesley spent years serving as the peacemaker between his two brothers and feels unappreciated. A suggestion from a neighbor that Wesley sell the house since no one lives there any longer motivates Wesley to talk to Cierra about it. But it doesn't go well when he broaches the subject with Dion and Tyrone. However, it finally gives Wesley the chance to make his brothers understand how he feels, and the resulting scene does much to clear the air between them.
 
At the same time, Cierra is dealing with a PITA ex-husband. Even after three years, Troy still harps on how Cierra's reactions to his actions were unreasonable and that her place is back with him. He uses passive-aggressive methods to make his point, which frustrates Cierra. Troy is selfish, narcissistic, and manipulative, and I enjoyed seeing Cierra shut him down. A terrific scene late in the book is when Wesley calls Troy out on his attitude. Her years with Troy made Cierra reluctant to get involved with Wesley, but his caring and supportive attitude went a long way toward easing her fears.
 
A fascinating part of this book was the investigation into the haunting of the DeWalt manor. I got goosebumps when I read the description of Wesley and Cierra's experiences in the house's kitchen. I was intrigued by the heartbreaking information they uncovered and loved how it was handled. I especially enjoyed Cierra's solution about the sale of the house.
 
The supporting characters added extra depth to the story. Wesley's brothers came across as clueless and unthinking at the beginning, and it took Wesley losing his temper to open their eyes. But once that happened, the brothers' closeness was re-established and strengthened. I look forward to Tyrone's story. Cierra's mother loved her, but her constant support of Troy rather than Cierra ticked me off. Then for her to suddenly latch on to Wesley because of his "celebrity" status made her look shallow, topped off by her insinuations that Cierra was using him for her business. My favorite of the secondary characters was Cierra's daughter Aria. She was adorable, and I loved how she connected with Wesley immediately. Her "Hi, Mr. Wesley!" always made him feel good.

The Beginning - Jess Mastorakos (Jess Mastorakos - Apr 2022)

Series: Brides of Beaufort (Book .5)

Asking the gorgeous and alluring florist to be my plus-one to tonight’s wedding should have been weird, but instead, it was as natural as breathing. And to my shock, she said yes.
 
But I can't get my hopes up that it will go anywhere. Hattie has no interest in dating a Marine. She’s trying to save her family’s struggling flower shop, and she knows I’m only a temporary fixture in this town.
 
So, we only have tonight. After that, we’ll go our separate ways, each of us thankful for a fun evening.
 
It shouldn’t be too hard. After all, we don’t even know each other. It should be no problem to walk away and pretend my heart hadn’t recognized hers the moment we’d met. Besides, love at first sight is just for the movies, right?
 
Sweet story. The cover of this one caught my eye because of the Marine. I have a soft spot for Marines, having been married to mine for thirty-nine years. This book had me hooked right from the beginning.
 
I loved how Thatcher and Hattie met. Thatcher is being a good son and helping his mom deliver some stuff to a friend's wedding (which they are invited to attend). Thatcher is a bit bummed because his date for the wedding bailed on him. While helping his mom, the florist arrives with the wedding flowers. Thatcher is rendered nearly speechless by her beauty and her smile but pulls himself together enough to offer to help her. Thatcher is shy and frequently stumbles over his words, and I loved seeing him try to ask Hattie to go to the wedding with him.
 
Hattie is sweet, beautiful, and devoted to her parents and their florist business. That business is struggling, and the long hours she spends there have scuttled several relationships. I liked how well she and Thatcher connected while doing the flowers. She was surprised by his invitation to attend the wedding with him but looked forward to it. Something changed later that evening when she found out he was a Marine. She doesn't date Marines because they leave after a couple of years, and she can't/won't go with them. She doesn't want to invest in a relationship and end up alone again.
 
Thatcher is naturally bummed when he finds out but doesn't want to give her up. Instead, he proposes that they be friends. As a firefighter on the Marine base, Thatcher's schedule is irregular. So on his days off, he shows up at the flower shop and offers to help. This gives him lots of time to spend with Hattie. After several weeks of this, it's evident that there is more there than friendship. But the knowledge that he will eventually be transferred and that Hattie won't leave her parents is a stumbling block to their future.
 
I loved how a chance conversation during a flower delivery gave Thatcher an option he'd never considered before meeting Hattie. He doesn't make quick decisions but takes the time to talk to people and consider the ramifications. I ached for him when he presented the idea to Hattie, and she didn't react the way he'd hoped. I understood her fears but felt like she didn't give Thatcher enough credit for knowing his own mind. The discussion with her parents was realistic and honest and gave her a new perspective. The ending was sweet, and the thirty-years-later epilogue was fantastic.
 
I enjoyed this story so much that I have added this author to my "must-read" list.

Summoning Up Love - Synithia Williams (HSE #2905 - May 2022)

Series: Heart & Soul (Book 1)

A fraud?
Or the find of her lifetime?
 
Vanessa Steele retreats to her grandmother’s beach house to heal after she loses her job and her fiancé. When she finds that Grandma’s enlisted hunky Dion Livingston and his brothers to investigate suspicious paranormal activity, the intrepid reporter’s skeptical of their motives. But her own investigation discovers that Dion’s the real deal. And any supernatural energy? Pales compared to the electricity that erupts when the two of them are together…
 
A good book about two people who are at crossroads in their lives. When Vanessa loses her job as a morning show host in Atlanta and her fiancé dumps her the same day, Vanessa heads to Sunshine Beach and her grandmother. She'll stay in one of Arletha's rental cottages while investigating her options and regrouping. Her reporter suspicions kick in when she hears Grandma hired a trio of ghost hunters.
 
Dion and his two brothers help people identify paranormal activity in their homes. They've developed an excellent reputation and even have a producer interested in filming their work. Dion is the natural leader of their group. When their parents died, Dion gave up his college scholarship to stay home and raise his two younger brothers. He took a job with the city public works department, where he's been for seventeen years.
 
I had a little trouble liking Vanessa at first. I understand that she was protecting her grandmother, but she was flat-out rude in her first conversation with Dion. I felt as though she could have handled things without being so confrontational. On the other hand, I loved Dion. He understands her protectiveness and responds calmly.
 
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Dion and Vanessa. Underneath Vanessa's antagonism were sparks of attraction that she tried to resist. Dion felt the same and wanted to get to know her better. I loved his idea to have her tag along on one of their investigations, giving her a chance to know him and see what they do. She made me angry with her disrespectful attitude in front of his clients, and I wouldn't have blamed him if he'd dropped her right there. He's persistent, though, and eventually gets through to her, and she lightens up a bit.
 
There are some terrific scenes of them together as they get to know each other. Vanessa's independent streak gets her in trouble at one point, and Dion comes to her rescue. When their attraction becomes too much to resist, each knows there is an end date but believes they can keep their hearts intact. But as time goes on, those feelings grow deeper. However, both have issues that keep them from believing they can have a future together. Vanessa is actively looking for a new job and knows that it won't likely be close to Sunshine Beach.  She doesn't have much confidence in long-distance relationships. Dion has some significant insecurities. His last relationship ended when the woman left, claiming he was too boring and looked down on him because of his job, but he wants a home and family of his own.
 
Vanessa and Dion's path to a happy future faces a few hurdles. When Vanessa gets hired at a new job and a new town, do they attempt a long-distance relationship or call it quits? When Dion faces disappointment at work, does he stay where it's safe or spread his wings? I ached for Vanessa and Dion when her attempt at encouragement ran against his insecurities, and they exchanged harsh words. I liked that they didn't allow them to fester but confronted the misunderstanding quickly. I loved the surprise that Dion had for Vanessa on Valentine's Day.
 
The ghost hunting aspect of the book was fascinating. I liked the pragmatic approach, using research and science rather than sensationalism to get to the root of the hauntings. Even though it isn't his dream, I liked how Dion supports his two brothers in pursuing the TV show. I loved the section where the trio gets to work on Arletha's house, accompanied by the tv crew. I was glued to the pages as they went step-by-step through the process. The conclusion was terrific and made me cheer for Arletha and the brothers.