I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Reece Winchester is an award winning director and when he spies a woman on a security camera feed, he's immediately drawn to her.

Jessica Jensen loves her sister and when she pops into an art gallery to pitch her sister's work and they agree to set-up a meeting, she is ecstatic. When Jess finds out that her sister's art show might all have been an elaborate plan orchestrated by Reece, she is wary but still drawn to him.

As these two try to build a future, their pasts are creeping in more and more.

“You feel it, too. I know you do,” he growled.

The first in the Hollywood Heat series, I'll Be Watching You, was full of intensity, plot threads, and shadowy characters. The beginning was gripping with Reece having his house burned down with arson suspected. The reader learns early that Reece was a popular childhood actor, along with his siblings. His older sister died from a possible suicide when she was sixteen and his twin brother Rowan and younger brother Raine work in law enforcement and security protection now. There is instantly a feeling of darkness and deep hidden secrets about this family's past. Some details are scattered through in the first half but important information is saved until the end, which I think helped keep the mysterious grim tone but also clogged the story with numerous red-herrings.

While Reece had a powerful enigmatic presence, Jess held her own in the story with her vibrancy. She has her own complicated background with losing both parents young, entering the foster care system, and eventually being adopted by a loving family that gave her a bestfriend and sister. Jess also has an ex-boyfriend that can't handle that they broke up and has been stalking her, more added danger to the story. Jess is in college, as an aspiring screen writer and gets an offer for an internship at Reece's production company. At this point, she has met him, learned of how he orchestrated it all after seeing her on a security camera, and massively distrusts him because of how the whole thing went down. She also has her college professor telling her not to trust Reece at all, which has her wondering why there is bad blood between Reece and the former director and now professor.

Reece Winchester didn't just want to keep her.

He loved her.

If you're keeping track, Jess has a stalker ex-boyfriend and a possible shady professor feeding her lies while Reece has a possible crazed fan that burnt down his house and mystery surrounding his sister's death, now let me add Reece's sister's ex-boyfriend who has possible bad blood with Reece and his brothers and Reece and Jess getting shot at and thinking it might be an employee Reece just fired. There are shady character red-herrings galore, probably too much. I think part of the issue is that this is a first in a series and some of these red-herrings and plot points are going to play out in preceding books that star Reece's brothers; their sister's death is the thread that is going to tie this series together. All of this pushed the romance to the sidelines too much for me. There are great glimpses at Jess and Reece's banter and chemistry but ultimately, their relationship felt more lusty and I didn't completely buy their love. Reece also more than toes the line with being too controlling, Jess calling him on it and Reece giving a pretty good apology for how he set-up their first meeting, saves this toeing a bit.

There are multiple povs that give the reader insight into characters and help add emotion to the atmosphere but there were also times where it felt like there were too many cooks in the kitchen. I couldn't completely believe in this couple's love but the story and writing was engrossing. If you like dirty secrets and revelations held close to the vest, I'll Be Watching You would be a good introduction to a series that looks to be full of such intrigue.

All because of the beautiful stranger he'd spied through a camera. One he would never have seen if not for the fire, pre-dawn flight, and his presence here in the gallery this morning, at the perfect moment.

He couldn't have planned the scene better if he'd tried.

It was as if it were meant to be.

Romantic suspense and Guinness meatballs :)
Happy Sunday, everyone!

I'll Be Watching You by Leslie Kelly pre-order link

Guinness Glazed Meatballs recipe

I actually wasn't a big fan of this glaze, for being Guinness flavored there was something off about the taste :/

A red headed woman jogging in the beach and the entering the gallery caught Reece’s attention. Reece’s Aunt Sharon had no idea who she was Sharon checked with Sid and the girl was trying to help sister have a profession show of her sculptures.. Jessica was the redhead and her adopted sister was Liza. Jess’s mom had died when she was nine and she went into the system and luckily eventually she was adopted by Liza’s family. Sharon looked at the pictures of Liza’s work and thought they were really good. Reese was a famous film director. He had backed Sharon in the gallery and was a silent partner but Sharon had an eye for good work but Reece and his brothers would do anything for their Aunt Sharon. Sharon had helped raise the brothers after their mother had been committed. Liza was the person Jess cared most about in this world. Jess had not dated anyone in a long time as her last relationship hadn’t ended very well.her ex Johnny had been unhinged and stalked Jessica.But it had been quiet for two months. Jess was still in college as she had to go part time at “ Hot buns”   and worked at bar Reece had been in New Mexico when he got a call from his brother Rowan who was a cop that his house had been burnt down and the fire inspector said it was arson. Luckily he had given the Scots who worked for him two weeks off and his brother had his dog. Reece flew back and then Reece wanted to go see his aunt. Reece had abad stalker who had found out where he lived and had been leaving notes for him in his security gate. Reece and Rowan were twins and had a younger brother Raine who owned a security business they protected young stars. Rowan asked Reece if he thought they were charmed and reese said not to say that. The brothers had a rough past and Rowan did a better job moving beyond the dark episodes of the past then Reece. Reece was a man of long vision not the quick immediate scene. Jess’s dream was to be an academy award winning original screenwriter. Then there was the show for Liza at the Gallery Jess could feel someone watching her and it had been Reece. He finally came up behind her and talked to her and offered to show her the piece he had already bought of Liza’s art but it was upstairs. Jess did go upstairs with Reece and the piece was a nude sculpture as that is what Liza did and it was Jess pleasuring herself except Jess would only let her use her from the neck down as her model. But Reece had instantly knew it was Jess. Reece had inspired dreams and fantasies through out Jess’s teen years when she used going to the movies to get away from the foster house she was in until she got adopted by Liza’s family. Being Reece Winchester's unfiltered interest was a feeling unlike any Jess had experienced before. There was something magnetic about this man. Jess had been the object of reese.s object of fascination for two months since seeing her jogging. When Reece and Jess were upstairs close to having sex Sid brought a photographer up but Reece handled it and had Sid fired. Then Jess realized there was a security camera in the room and she had seen Reece look at it, Jess was furious and felt Reece was no better than Sid the pervert. Reece tried to tell Jess he was going to have the camera erased as soon as he could. Jess wouldn’t listen then a shot came through the large glass window Reece covered Jess with his own body and all he cared about  was protecting Jess and her safety.

I absolutely loved this book. It was a great read with everything you could want in it as far as i am concerned. I loved the plot and the pace. I loved how Reece and his brothers were so close and always there for each other no matter what. This caught my interest from the beginning to the end. I loved the drama and mystery and danger in this book. I could find nothing to criticize in this book. I loved Reece and Jess together. .I loved the characters and the twists and turns in this book and I highly recommend.

I have been a fan of the romantic suspense genre since I first discovered it years ago. I love when I find an author who does it well, and Leslie A. Kelly is absolutely a master at her craft. Watching You is the first book in her Hollywood Heat series that centers around the Winchester siblings, with  eldest brother Reece getting his story first. I will put it out there that the mystery of the Winchester siblings will span the series, but the set up is done so well in Watching You, I can't wait to read the next 2 books in the series.

I have to say that initially Reece Winchester worried me a bit when he first saw Jessica Jensen. I honestly expected to see him be more upfront about his attraction rather than having a few stalker-like tendencies. I got with him being Reece Winchester, he had to be extra careful, but it seemed like he was almost trying to direct their first meeting. As Jessica was willing to accept his apology, I was able to let it go as well. I really loved the chemistry between Reece and Jessica, as they were smoking hot together. I found myself loving how protective Reece was of Jessica without being too over the top. 

I loved that Jesica was an aspiring screen writer. I knew as soon as we met her advisor I didn't trust him not to screw her over. I hated her first experience with someone in the Hollywood writing world was so unscrupulous, but was really glad she had Reece in her corner to make sure her ideas and interest were protected. I honestly expected Jessica to be a bit stronger than she appeared based upon past female characters written by Ms. Kelly. I knew based upon her past, she was a very strong person to survive and flourish as she has. I just wanted her to take control a few times rather than let Reece step in.

The suspense elements in Watching You were absolutely perfect. I loved at least part of the mystery will last over the entire series. I will say there was not a cliff hanger feel to the mystery, even though certain aspects were revealed at the end of the book. Ms Kelly kept me on the edge of my seat through much of Watching You. I absolutely can't wait to see where Ms. Kelly takes us in the next 2 books in this series. I already have Wanting You, book 2 in the Hollywood Heat series on my to-be-read list.

Rating: 4.5 Stars (B+)

Review copy provided by publisher

That's Amore! -- anthology
Authors include: Janelle Denison, Tori Carrington, and Leslie Kelly
Book 2 of Santori Stories

Average Rating:  3.1 Stars
(Includes personal rating:  3.0 Stars)

I'm really not a fan of the romantic Valentine's holiday, but I'm also a hopeless romantic and love to love some sweet, fluffy contemporary romances.  What better way to celebrate the holiday than an anthology of contemporary romances called That's Amore! that is based around three wedding novellas.  One of which was written by an author I like!


Meet the Parents by Janelle Denison
Rating:  3.5 Stars

This novella was cute, and I found a lot of the Hawaiian traditions quite interesting as well.  I liked that there wasn't a whole lot of angst in this sweet love story, even if there was a bit of a conflict involving the groom-to-be and his in-laws.  I wish I could say that I found Leila's parents a bit frustrating in their disapproval of her chosen husband... but the truth is, it doesn't surprise me, because I've seen more than my fair share of the same behavior among my own Asian relatives.

It's tiring, and yes, also frustrating.  But something that happens.  But we get a Happily Ever After in this novella, which is what counts.  That's probably more than I can say for other stories I've seen with the same, stubborn types of parental units who are more concerned with tradition than seeing how happy their children are.

A nice little read.  And while I'm a little reluctant to say that it was also a little boring... well, it kind of was.


I Do, Don't I? by Tori Carrington
Rating:  2.5 Stars

This novella was really full of crazy.  And while I loved seeing all the Greek wedding traditions, and reading about the loud, raucous actions of all of Efi's and Nick's relatives, and just overall witnessing a week full of partying and celebration... I couldn't help but feel extremely frustrated with both sides of the family.  This is why a lot of couples end up eloping...

And then maybe I was a bit frustrated with Nick as well.  It probably didn't help that we mostly followed Efi's point of view up until one small scene at the end of the novella.  I honestly would have liked to have seen more of the entire affair from Nick's point of view.  Because without his side of things, the story just felt like Efi was bearing all the stress of the wedding planning and the family crazy... while Nick just skated by and waited to get married.

Nonetheless, this story was a fun one, even if a little over-laden with angst, conflict, and made-for-television antics.

I would have liked to have seen a show down between Efi and Aphrodite, though I suppose it wouldn't really have been in good humor.  I would have liked to see more mature understanding from Nick--the fact that he seemed to be oblivious to everything, including cousin Aphrodite's attempts to seduce him made me cringe a little bit.  The fact that Nick had even entertained thoughts of doing anything with Aphrodite at all made me a little wary of how this marriage will be going forward; especially when Efi's confrontation didn't even seem to get through to his thick, ignorant head.

The fact that Nick has no idea that Efi had dreams of her own that shouldn't have been impeded by wedding vows felt a little immature.  In fact, neither of the two seemed to know what the other wanted, or had been expecting out of this marriage at all.  It got to a point where I was wondering if they were just getting married because it was expected for the two high school sweethearts--that they were in love with the idea of being in love and getting married, more than they were in love with each other.

Anyway... fun as fun was, this story turned out more like a family affair of crazy rather than a sweet romance.  It certainly DOES bring a realistic tone to all the crazy events that usually lead up to a wedding day.  Especially when family and relatives tend to get a little too involved.


There Goes the Groom by Leslie Kelly
Rating:  3.5 Stars

The premise of this novella could have gone in all sorts of bad directions--with an engaged man and his fiancee's dressmaker falling for one another, this could have been a disaster.  Fortunately, our lovely author managed to handle the events quite well, and we simply end up with a case of two people marrying for the wrong reasons.  Our hero sort of works through his own issues with the help of the heroine, as well as his brothers.

Simply put, this novella was a sweet one.

One of the things I DID NOT appreciate were the little comments here and there from our heroine that came off a little judgmental about random people in the story.  Some of those comments, honestly, I felt were uncalled for.

Meanwhile, this story also made me want a pizza...