Matched by Masala - Mona Shroff (HSE #2919 - July 2022)

Series: Once Upon a Wedding (Book 2)

He cooks for their customers
…but he'd rather cater to her heart!
 
One impetuous, slightly drunken kiss has turned up the heat on chef Amar Virani's feelings for Divya Shah. He's been in love with the sexy pastry chef -- his sister's best friend! -- since they were teenagers, but a painful tragedy in his past keeps Amar from revealing his true emotions. As they work side by side in Divya's tiny food truck, she realizes there's more than just business simmering between them. For the first time, she's tempted to step outside her comfort zone and take a chance on Amar -- even if it means risking more than her heart.
 
A terrific friends-to-lovers story complicated by being best-friend's-brother/sister's-best-friend, too. Divya and Amar have been friends since they were kids and had crushes on each other in high school but never said anything because of Anita. Now they are all grown up but still holding out on each other.
 
Divya is a talented pastry chef. She also tends to be impulsive and adventurous. She survived a bout of cancer in high school and now lives each day like it could be her last, worried that cancer could return. She's never met a challenge that she's turned away from.
 
Amar is also a talented chef. He was fired from his last job because he took a chance on improving the head chef's dish. He now runs his catering business out of the kitchen of his family home. That kitchen is falling apart, but he won't renovate it for fear of losing the memories he associates with it, including some guilt and regret. Amar is organized and methodical in his work and his life.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Divya and Amar. When Divya buys an old school bus and turns it into a food truck, she invites Amar to join her in forming a catering business. There are conflicts as Divya's "anything goes" approach clashes with Amar's more conventional methods. I loved the cooking scenes as they learned the art of compromise and cooperation. I loved how they poked at each other, but never in a mean way. They quickly become an in-demand duo, and their teamwork is impressive. I loved how they were there for each other during crises and how they encouraged each other to follow their dreams.
 
When Amar's sister, Anita, forces the issue of the kitchen renovation, Divya invites Amar to stay with her across the street and share her kitchen. Now that they are working and living together, the constant proximity makes it impossible to ignore the sparks between them. Complicating matters is the drink-induced kiss they shared several months earlier that neither can forget. Besides the whole sister thing, Amar hesitates to get involved with Divya because of baggage from his past trauma. Just as she seems to break through his walls, trouble from her past rears its ugly head. The emotional ending had me in tears, while the epilogue made it all worth it.
 
Besides the romance of the story, I loved the culinary theme. I'm not familiar with Indian food and found myself googling almost everything. My mouth watered throughout the book, and I look forward to trying some of these dishes in the future. I also enjoyed the family theme. Besides the characters' closeness to their immediate families, I enjoyed the intertwined connections with those whom Amar and Divya cooked for. I also liked seeing Anita and Nikhil from The Five-Day Reunion again.

Sheriff in the Saddle - Delores Fossen (HI #2079 - July 2022)

Series: Law in Lubbock County (Book 1)

To uphold the law…will she take down her ex?
 
The town wants her to arrest her former boyfriend for a murder on his ranch­ -- but Sheriff Leigh Mercer refuses. The newly elected law enforcer doesn't have evidence against bad boy Cullen Brodie. In fact, the search for the killer draws them passionately close again…and into relentless danger. Not only could Leigh lose her job for not collaring Brodie…but they could both lose their lives.
 
Terrific blend of suspense and second-chance romance. Leigh and Cullen were high school sweethearts pulled apart by a family feud. They are brought together by a murder on his ranch.
 
Leigh was recently elected sheriff, replacing her retired father. But Jeb has trouble letting go and constantly sticks his nose into what is no longer his business. She also has problems with one of her deputies, who thinks he should be sheriff. When she's called to Cullen's ranch because of a murder, she faces her biggest challenge so far - solving the murder and resisting her attraction to Cullen.
 
Despite the presence of an ex-girlfriend's body in his home, Cullen remained outwardly cool and calm. The tension increases when Leigh arrives. He knows it looks suspicious to have Alexa's body there. He can't deny his attraction to Leigh, but he can't do anything about it until the murderer is caught.
 
The suspense kept me hooked from the beginning. There's a dead body and an injured ranch hand, and Cullen is the most logical suspect. But Leigh doesn't fall for the obvious, and instinct tells her that Cullen is innocent. The action starts immediately when they are attacked on the road back to town, and the assailant gets away. Delving deeper into Alexa's actions before her death leads them to some unexpected suspects. Whenever I thought I had figured out whodunit, something would happen to make me question my decision. I didn't figure it out until right before the final confrontation. It was a nail-biter and kept me glued to the pages until it was over.
 
I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Leigh and Cullen develop. They are older and less inclined to be influenced by their fathers' feud. That feud is evident when Cullen's father, Bowen, accuses Leigh of planning to railroad his son for the murder. Then Leigh's father harangues her for not arresting Cullen on the spot. I liked that Leigh stood up to them and made up her own mind. Part of that is her instinct telling her that Cullen is innocent, though she worries slightly that her attraction to him might affect her judgment. Instead, she recruits Cullen to help her get to the truth.
 
I liked seeing Leigh and Cullen work together. That time allowed them to get to know each other as adults and build the trust they needed to survive. The sparks of attraction are evident, as are their growing feelings. I liked that Cullen respected Leigh's abilities as sheriff, while at the same time, his protectiveness was unmistakable. I liked that because the book spans just a few days, there's no rush to a marriage proposal, just a request for a first (then second, third, and fourth) date. I laughed at the two fathers' comments and their effect on Cullen and Leigh.

I'm looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

 

All of Me - Jennifer Bernard (Avon - June 2015)

Series: Love Between the Bases (Book 1)

Playing for the Kilby Catfish is hotshot pitcher Caleb Hart's last chance to salvage his career after a major league meltdown. But the day of his opener with the minor league team, Caleb strikes out with the gorgeous woman who is delivering a petition to run the unruly Catfish out of town. Now, to stay in the lineup, Caleb will need to score big with the feisty brunette he can't keep out of his thoughts.
 
After the nasty lies Sadie Merritt's rich ex-boyfriend spread about her all over town, she's lucky to have a job at all. She can't afford to screw it up by falling for the player who is supposed to be helping her change the image of the fun-loving Catfish. But that's easier said than done when Caleb's voice alone is enough to make her pulse race. And when he surprises her with a mind-blowing kiss, she knows there's no turning back.
 
This one has been sitting on my TBR for a long time, so it jumped to the top of the pile when I needed to read a sports-related romance. I enjoyed the quirky small town, the misfit-filled baseball team, and the importance of family to the main characters. The story was a lot of fun, the characters felt realistic, and many of the situations were believable.
 
Caleb is a baseball pitcher who had a shot at the big leagues and blew it. He's back in the minor leagues, playing for the Kilby Catfish. He knows he must get his act together, but he has family issues that complicate his concentration. Caleb is a good man. We learn what he has given up for his family and why it was needed. He has a great relationship with his younger brothers and his sister. He is also sexy and charming and protective of those he cares for. He also has trust issues and a deep-seated dislike of being surprised/blindsided.
 
Sadie is a young woman who hasn't had an easy life. Her father abandoned the family, and her mother shuts down whenever life gets stressful. Sadie dated the town's golden boy, Hamilton Wade, for a while but broke things off when she got tired of him cheating on her. Hamilton takes his revenge by trashing her reputation via social media, including sharing a video he made of a private moment between them. But with the Wade family owning the town, Sadie finds it difficult to get her life back on track.
 
Sadie and Caleb meet when she delivers a petition from the town to the team owner, calling for the team to clean up their act. The players can be very rowdy, which doesn't sit well with some more conservative townspeople. Management assigns Caleb to work with Sadie to find a way to reconcile the differences (Sluggers for Slugs?!!).  The sparks between Sadie and Caleb are immediately apparent, but neither needs the complications a relationship would cause.
 
I loved watching their relationship develop. They first try to fight it because each has their own goals to focus on. But the more time they spend together, the deeper their connection grows. They start by enjoying the here and now, realizing it may not last. But it isn't long until they've gotten past each other's walls. I liked watching them fight to make their relationship work, which isn't easy when one person is frequently away. But both hold back a little, reluctant to share their deepest secrets. When those secrets collide with their fears, both Sadie and Caleb must face those fears. I loved seeing Sadie meet hers to help Caleb - and an incredible sight that was! Unfortunately, outside interference causes some crossed communication, and Caleb makes a total idiot and jerk out of himself. He has his work cut out to fix things, and I loved that Sadie didn't make it easy for him.
 
The secondary characters were terrific, each adding something special to the story. Sadie's mother showed us why Sadie has some of her trust issues. Her best friend Donna is a great foil and a tremendous source of support. Caleb's best friend, Mike, is a source of support for him. Sparks between Mike and Donna bode well for the next book. Caleb's father, Bingo, is the source of many of Caleb's issues. The strained relationship between them contributes to some of the drama in this book. I mostly liked the mayor, who hired Sadie and gave her a chance to move on from her past trauma. I liked the Catfishs' owner, Crush Taylor, a Kilby native and former pitcher. He tends to be as wild as the men on his team, which causes some interesting tension between him and the mayor. But Crush also backs up his players when they need it, and there is a terrific scene near the end of the book when he is there for his player's girl, Sadie. 

Their Barcelona Baby Bombshell - Traci Douglass (HMED #1256 - July 2022)

Series: Night Shift in Barcelona (Book 2)

One hot encounter…
One shocking consequence!
 
Paramedic Isabella Rivas doesn't do commitment and entanglement. She had enough of that raising her five siblings after their mother died. But one red-hot night with a sexy stranger doesn't count, right? Except that single passionate encounter results in an unexpected pregnancy! And when she meets Carlos Martinez's familiar guarded eyes over a patient in the ER, she realizes that life has just got a whole lot more complicated…
 
This was an emotional story about two people with deep-seated family issues that kept them from wanting committed relationships. As the oldest in her family, Isabella ended up caring for her four younger siblings when first her mother, then her father, passed away. Once the last one moved out, she was free to live her life as she wanted. But with that freedom came some hard feelings because it felt like her brothers and sisters couldn't wait to get away from her. So she was a bit of a mess regarding family relationships.
 
Carlos grew up in Cuba as the son of a single mother. He never knew his father and resented that he abandoned her when she needed him. He spent his childhood fending off bullies and haters because of his illegitimacy, leaving him determined never to put a child through the same thing. After his mother's death, Carlos discovered that he had an uncle living in Barcelona, so he moved there to get to know the only family he had left.
 
Isabella and Carlos are both medical professionals. Isabella is an EMT, and Carlos works as an ER nurse. They met on the beach when both came to the rescue of a tourist in distress. They work together as if they'd been partners for years, and when the crisis is over, they decide to spend a little more time together. Drinks turn into more, and they part ways the next morning, not expecting to see each other again. They are shocked when they meet again two months later, as Isabella delivers a patient to the ER. Isabella plans to maintain her distance but, in an ironic series of circumstances, discovers she's pregnant with Carlos's baby.
 
I felt for Isabella and her shock and dismay. A baby had never been in her plans for her future. Now that it is, she gears herself up to handle things on her own, just as she always has. I liked that she didn't keep the news from Carlos even though she expected nothing from him. Carlos was shocked, but he immediately let Isabella know he was there for her, no matter what she needed. He won't put a mother and child through what he experienced.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Isabella and Carlos. He is determined to get to know her better though Isabella tries to keep some distance between them. It doesn't take long for Carlos's easy-going nature to get past her defenses, and a sweet friendship grows between them. Because of their work schedules, their time together is limited, so they cram a lot in when they get together. I loved seeing how well they got along and how much they had in common. They have so much fun together, from sightseeing to dancing. The more time they spend together, the more their feelings for each other grow, but their fears keep them from saying anything.
 
Those fears take center stage when Isabella panics over something Carlos says and pulls away, saying some hurtful things and breaking off their growing relationship. I ached for Carlos, who wants Isabella and their child in his life. Turning to his uncle for comfort and advice opens up a new set of shocking revelations that leave him reeling. Carlos is left with a lot to think about and apply to what he's always believed. I liked seeing him use what he's learned in the situation with him and Isabella.
 
Meanwhile, Isabella has an eye-opening conversation with one of her brothers. They are shocked to discover that they have entirely misinterpreted each other's actions and attitudes since the family has grown and gone their separate ways. I loved seeing Isabella and Diego take the first steps toward reuniting the family. I liked Diego's advice to her and that she wastes no time following it. Their big moment at the end was sweet and romantic, and the epilogue was terrific.
 
One of my favorite things about the book was seeing Barcelona through the eyes of Isabella and Carlos. As a native of the city, Isabella loves showing it off to Carlos, and I loved being part of the tour. With a trip planned to Barcelona over the holidays this year, I found many things to add to my "must-see" list. I will certainly make reservations for the restaurant they went to - it looks fantastic! The fountain reminds me of Las Vegas's Bellagio fountain, and I'm looking forward to the Sagrada Familia. I will definitely read the rest of the series and see if any other sights jump out at me. 

Canyon Crime Scene - Carol Ericson (HI #2084 - July 2022)

Series: Lost Girls (Book 1)

His sister is missing and only one person can help
 
Cade Larson needs LAPD fingerprint expert Lori Del Valle to help track down his troubled missing sister. But he can't deny the sparks still between them…nor the secret Lori is keeping. When fingerprints link Cade's sister to another missing woman -- and a potentially nefarious treatment center -- Lori volunteers to go undercover. Will their dangerous plan bring a predator to justice or tragically end their reunion?
 
Good mix of second chance romance and suspense. Lori works for the LAPD as a fingerprint specialist. One day she's startled to find her high school boyfriend there to report his younger sister missing. Cade is told it is too soon to report an adult missing, and his frustration is evident. When Lori suggests that she and Cade check Summer's house for clues, she discovers a disturbing similarity to a crime scene she recently worked.
 
Dissatisfied with the police response to the things they found, Lori and Cade begin investigating on their own. I was hooked when Lori decided to go undercover to investigate the questionable drug rehab center that linked the two women. The tension ramped up as Lori risked discovery by searching for the missing women, and Cade met with one of Lori's police friends about the drugs they found. The final confrontation had me glued to the pages as they uncovered the truth about the rehab center and its owner. The underground scene was a nail-biter with a close call for Lori and Cade and a just-in-the-nick-of-time rescue. The epilogue filled in some blanks for a satisfying ending.
 
I liked the rekindling of the relationship between Lori and Cade. They had been high school sweethearts, Cade from a wealthy family and Lori from a poor one. It didn't matter to them, but Cade's family disapproved. When Cade left for college, Lori broke things off, telling him he needed to be free to experience everything. There was another reason also that came out later in the book. When they meet again, it's clear that the sparks between them are still there. I enjoyed seeing them reconnect and realize that the old feelings are still there. Though he respected Lori's abilities, he still felt protective when danger threatened. Lori felt the same protectiveness toward Cade, which led to some of her past choices. There is some angst when she shares her secret, but understanding and forgiveness follow quickly. If they are going to move forward together, Cade has some decisions to make. Those decisions didn't surprise me, as they were hinted at earlier in the book. The epilogue was terrific.
 
I liked seeing some of the characters from the previous series make appearances in this one. Lori made a brief appearance in that series, and Kyra and Jake appear in this book. I'd like to see more of Jake's partner Billy and his search for his sister.

The Debutante's Secret - Sophia James (HH #1659 - July 2022)

Seeking a sensible husband
Tempted by a dissolute rogue…
 
Debutante of the season Esther Barrington-Hall is looking for a steadfast, responsible husband after her dreadful childhood with her destitute mother. Aristocrat Oliver Moreland is a notorious rake and Esther knows it would be wrong to give up her newfound life of safety for a man like him. But he is exciting and undeniably attractive. And dangerous, too. Because he is the one man in society who knows about her past…
 
The story opens on a snowy night in London, as Oliver discovers a woman and young girl huddling in a doorway. Something compels him to offer his help, and he drives them to a town an hour away. They are clearly well-bred but poor, and the woman looks like she's been on the receiving end of trouble. However, the expression in the girl's eyes stayed with him and made him think about his life.
 
Six years later, that young girl, Esther, is about to make her debut. After a difficult childhood and her mother's death, her aunt and uncle took her in. After the things she experienced, Esther intends to find a steady, responsible man to marry. Lord Alberton seems the perfect candidate - young, handsome, and well-versed in Society's rules. So why is she drawn to Oliver Moreland, a man known for disdaining those same rules?
 
Esther immediately recognizes Oliver as the man who had rescued her and her mother. He's older and harder, and she knows she should avoid him. Oliver is also drawn to Esther but does not immediately recognize her. He knows she is familiar, but why? I enjoyed their brief encounter at the ball and their forthright conversation. They part ways, with Esther returning to the ballroom and spending more time with Lord Alberton. Oliver leaves the ball, unable to put Esther out of his mind, and finally places her.
 
I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Esther and Oliver develop. The sparks fly with each encounter, but both try to resist. Esther is determined to stick to her plan, pushed along toward Lord Alberton by her aunt. Oliver knows that a man with his reputation isn't what Esther needs, so he tries to stay away from her. Their connection won't be denied, and I liked how they spoke honestly to each other. Then Lord Alberton shows his true colors during a house party at his home, leaving Esther questioning her decision.
 
Esther and Oliver spend a fair amount of time thinking about why they can't be together. I ached for Oliver, who could only see the worst of himself. In the years since he rescued Esther and her mother, he made significant changes in his life but kept those under wraps. We get a look at Oliver's family life and get an idea of the impact it had on who he became, with some interesting developments at the end. Esther frequently frustrated me with how wrapped up she was with the rules and how they kept her from being herself. When Esther's past becomes public, who comes through for her - the rake or the gentleman? I liked the ending and seeing how being honest with each other brings them more than they dreamed of. 

 

The Spy Switch - Karen Whiddon (HRS #2188 - July 2022)

Her undercover husband is temporary
But her feelings are very real
 
Schoolteacher Jennifer Glass's ordinary life screeches to a halt when a criminal targets her. Moreover, she's mistaken for an identical twin she never knew existed! Now she's drawn to her sibling’s partner, ATF agent Micah Spokane. Micah needs Jennifer to play the part of his undercover wife to bust a gun-smuggling ring. He promises to protect her every step of the dangerous way, but they might not be able to resist the "fake" passion growing between them…
 
I enjoyed this book once I got past the fantasy that an experienced ATF agent would recruit a civilian for a vital undercover op just because she looks like the partner who has worked the situation with him for two years. A few other things made me roll my eyes, but I chalked them up to the fantasy and moved on.
 
Jennifer is an elementary school teacher who is out shopping when she's accosted by a man claiming to be a federal agent who tells her to "play along." Then a creepy guy starts talking to her like he knows her and her "partner." After the man, Igor, leaves, Micah explains that he's an undercover ATF agent and that Igor mistook her for his partner, Laney. Laney happens to be the twin sister Jennifer didn't know about because they were adopted separately. Jennifer is stunned to find out about Laney and wants to meet her, which Micah agrees to - IF Jennifer will fill in for Laney for a couple of weeks while they wrap up the operation.
 
I didn't much care for Micah's emotional blackmailing of Jennifer. He admits that Laney and his bosses would be furious with him for involving her, but he does it anyway. I understood they were at the point where any change could torpedo the entire investigation, but Jennifer has NO experience with undercover work. So many things could go wrong and mess it up and get them killed.
 
Leaving those quibbles behind, I went along for the ride. Thanks to some acting experience in college, Jennifer pulls off a credible Laney in her first outing. As the days go on, a bunch of twists and turns make the run-up to the finale extra complicated. Each change ramped up the tension that nearly leaped off the page. The two main villains, Igor and Carmen, were especially vile, and it was easy to root for their downfall. The final confrontation was intense and kept me hooked until it was done.
 
I enjoyed the development of Micah and Jennifer's relationship. The attraction between them is instant though they try to ignore it. They know they don't need the distraction with the stakes so high. Micah is surprised by his attraction to Jennifer because he feels nothing like it for Laney. Because they are together 24/7, they have the opportunity to get to know each other. The attraction between them grows, and so do the feelings that go with it. They struggle to keep them buried while working and long for a chance to see where they will go. I liked the ending, though I would like to have gotten more of the meeting between Jennifer and Laney.