A Night, A Consequence, A Vow - Angela B... 3.5 stars

review to follow

Surrendering to the Vengeful Italian - A... 4.75 stars

Angela Bissell knocked it out the park with this story. Its multi layers kept me engrossed from page one. I enjoy second chance at love romances, and Surrendering to the Vengeful Italian delivered on so many levels. A touching exploration of the pain and guilt after the loss of a child, as well as the desperate need to keep a dysfunctional family safe, I could not put my Kindle down.

After Leo takes over her father's business, Helena is forced to beg him for a favor. Leo isn't too keen on listening to her, though; seven years ago she heartlessly broke off their relationship, and he hasn't forgiven her. He also holds a grudge against her father for destroying a business deal Leo needed to succeed so he could take care of his own family. He doesn't trust Helena, but circumstances force him to allow her father a short grace period before he sells off the company and its interests.

Helena has never gotten over Leo, but she left him for his own good. Her father is a violent, bitter man who doesn't hesitate to use physical force to get his own way. After watching him victimize her mother, and after being on the receiving end of his rage, she has one goal. She needs to convince her mother to leave before she comes to harm. Helena thinks that if Leo will give her a little time, she can convince her mother that she deserves better than being a punching bag for a hateful man.

Wow. I really loved this story. Helena and Leo have trust issues sabotaging their reunion, as well as Helena's guilt over the painful secret she has kept from Leo for seven years. Both protagonists have matured since their breakup, and they needed that growth to set the groundwork for a successful relationship. Helena has become independent, having been cut off completely by her father, and she's become a stronger person for it. Though the past has subdued her exuberance for life, being with Leo again brings back some of the joy that she thought she no longer deserved. And Leo, after losing his parents, and almost losing his sister, realizes that he can't control everything, and that sometimes, things just happen, that nobody is at fault.

Highly recommended

Defying Her Billionaire Protector - Ange... 3.75 stars

Another stalker story! There was never a confrontation with the stalker, and the suspense elements were almost non-existent, so I never felt that uncomfortable surge of anxiety that the heroine would be deadly danger, so all was good. The stalker sub-plot was used as a convenient excuse to whisk Marietta away to Nico's private secluded island. While a touch too convenient, I could roll with it. Who doesn't want to spend a week on a beautiful island with a devastating attractive man?

After a foolish decision as a teenager, Marietta has spent the past twelve years in a wheelchair. She has struggled for her independence and a sense of self-worth. When a stalker begins sending her flowers, as well as dubious notes, her brother is justifiably alarmed. Enter Nico, security expert and Leo's best friend. The two decide that it will be safest for Marietta to spend a week at Nico's until the stalker can be apprehended.

At first infuriated that they won't take no for an answer, Marietta decides that there are worse things than taking an unexpected vacation in paradise. After her stalker breaks into her home, she is alarmed for her safety and thinks that the time on the island might do her some good. She can paint and lounge in the sun. Not a bad deal by any stretch of the imagination. The only drawback? Being in close quarters with Nico. A physically superb specimen of manhood, he is so far out of Marietta's league that she's afraid of embarrassing herself by letting him know how attracted she is to him.

The romance progressed predictably, with an appropriate amount of chemistry between the protagonists. Nico's tragic past puts the brakes on their relationship, as he refuses to allow himself to get emotionally involved with anyone again. Because Marietta doesn't feel that it's fair to saddle herself on a man because of her disabilities, an affair with Nico with no strings attached is just what she wants. The sex with no commitment trope is beginning to annoy me because it is so overused in series romance, so I wasn't totally engaged in the story after they started sleeping with each other. I did find the ending satisfying, and thought they both grew up by the last page. Epilogues can be tedious, but I enjoyed this one. I did believe in their HEA, so this was a win for me. Angela Bissell is a new to me author; I won't hesitate to read more of her books.

The Room is a low-budget film released in 2003 and is considered one of the worst movies ever made. I watched the movie once, back when Adult Swim aired it the first time for their annual April Fools prank. And that once was enough for me. I'm not a fan of the movie, so that's not why I read this book.

I was interested in the behind the scenes of the movie. In all honesty, I was just wondering how the movie even got made.

It was interesting to read about and frustrating at the same time. I have to give respect to Greg and everyone else who worked on the movie. It seems, Tommy was extremely difficult to work with. And I'm really not sure what to think of Tommy Wiseau. There were at times from Greg recounting different memories that Tommy didn't seem so bad. He was very odd but kind and supportive.

Later, though, it seems Tommy got weirder and to me, very creepy. And whether the story he told Greg about his life is true, he is still a very strange person.

I know I won't watch the movie again, but this book was very good. It was an interesting look into Greg's life as well as Tommy's and how The Room was made.