This was a very cute Christmas romance with just about everything I wanted in it. Allison is a great person that just doesn't seem to see her worth many times. A social worker that takes care of her mouthy teen-age sister who suddenly finds herself homeless. The shelter she works at make be getting sold to a real estate tycoon and Christmas just seems like it's not going to be a very good one.

Ethan is in love with Allison - but she keeps turning him down. She's afraid to risk their friendship by trying something more. But when she is forced to turn to him for help she discovers new sides to Ethan that make it hard to resist him. I love how Ethan struggled with the wishes of his family versus his conscience and what Allison has asked him to help with. He's willing to put everything aside to try and help her and the shelter she loves so much. I especially liked his little bout of jealousy when they meet Allison's ex-boyfriend.

Ethan will need to get used to having not just a teen-ager around, but a strange little one-eyed dog that doesn't have a lot of manners - but he is incredibly cute. There is plenty of holiday cheer to find in this story and lots of great romantic scenes that are more than just gestures. I loved it!

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

I really loved both of these characters - they had real life issues that rang true, and they were just good people that you enjoyed cheering for. But some of the aspects of their relationship just didn't ring as true as the characters themselves did. And I never quite understand the accidental pregnancy story these days. People - use a condom - have the conversation - it just makes it that more believable.

Kate is gun shy with ALL men. After a horrible experience in college where she was humiliated, she has sworn off dating completely. While I get that a little bit, you would think eventually she would find someone she couldn't resist - and maybe that time has come in the form of Aleksei and just not sooner. I loved her honesty with herself. She didn't always like what she thought, but she acknowledged it and tried to deal with it. She was a fun spirit that liked to take reasonable risks and have a good time without going crazy.

Aleksei is a nut you just want to crack. He's got this super tough business persona, but we see a softer side with his family and with Kate. You just know there's something going on and when you finally find out, you'll just love him even more. His family is amazing, and I loved how we got to get to know them a bit so they weren't just names on a page.

This was a fun romance, with some great characters, just the beginning concept threw me off a bit.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

I have a problem with lies - especially from my main characters. But I get this one!!! It did not bother me at all. His lie was not an attempt to trick the girl into thinking something else, but a way to stay under the radar while he was on vacation. But of course, one thing lead to another and now how do you tell her who you really are??? Nic was a pretty good guy. A little too caught up in work - but it seems like that's what makes a man rich. I loved his passion for art. It was something a little different than what I see in a lot of characters.

Gia was a little less likable for me. She had some self-esteem issues that just didn't fit in with the rest of her out going personality. She just didn't believe in herself as an artist. Nic sees her talent immediately though (and that leads to another lie that I wasn't as forgiving of) and tries to help her with an art show.

There's a lot of on again off again in this story. Some of it was believable and some of it wasn't. What really drew me into the story was Gia's traditional family and their expectations of her. The setting was also amazingly beautiful. I really want to go to Tuscany now - take in the sites, eat some food, and meet a millionaire.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

I fell in love with Helen the first paragraph I met her. She had spunk, wouldn't back down from what she wanted, and was willing to totally embarrass herself to get it. This company is her baby and there's no way she's going to let some corporate pirate steal it from her - or so she thinks. What she doesn't expect is a near-naked first encounter with a guy she could dream about for ages.

But Simon doesn't care about her company - although her tactics make her quite interesting and he agrees to a second meeting. Well, each time they meet more sparks seem to fly. But they Helen has some serious issues she's trying to deal with. I have to say that Simon's reaction and "therapy" for these issues was brilliant and I loved him all the more for it.

I loved that Simon stays true to his ruthless business self throughout the whole story. There's no huge change of personality or lifestyle, just subtle alterations that make him a bit more reasonable. These were two of the most believable characters I've seen in awhile. Well, at least as believable as any billionaire romance can be.

*This book was received in exchange for an honest review*

Books out now for your reading pleasure.  Just to help you out and make your TBR piles burst!  Summer can be a lot of sitting around... or you can enjoy these goodies!