Turbulent Desires by Melody Anne
Publication Date: November 8, 2016
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Netgalley (in exchange for an honest review)


Summary (from Amazon):
ER nurse Lindsey Helm used to be strong. Then a late-night attack at the hospital nearly killed her and left two close colleagues dead. Now Lindsey has retreated from the world. She knows she needs to move on, but every hint of danger seems threatening—including a certain sexy flyboy who's determined to show Lindsey what she's missing. But falling for F-18 pilot Maverick Armstrong is a risk she can't afford...

Maverick knows that fear can eat away at the soul, and he won't leave Lindsey to that fate. She needs someone to reach her and to remind her of the exhilaration and unbelievable passion of being touched. He'll help her heal, and then he'll talk away. He has to walk away. Because Maverick swore he would never fall in love and never marry. But this is a rescue operation, and Maverick will stay the course—even if things get hazardous. Eve if saving Lindsey means surrendering his heart in the process...

Review:
After Lindsey gets attacked at the hospital where she works, she begins to realize how unsafe the world really is. Now she's petrified to even leave her house or talk to strangers. Maverick, a pilot, had a one night stand with Lindsey before her attack and it kills him to see Lindsey live in fear of something she can't control. So he tries his best to get under her skin and try to open her up to the wonderful possibilities that life can bring. And although Maverick has always declared he's never going to get married, the more time he spends around Lindsey, the more he aches to put his heart on the line. Will Lindsey be able to move on after her horrific attack and will Maverick be able to open his heart to a relationship he never expected?

This was the first book I read by Melody Anne and I was pleasantly surprised by the cute romance. At times the novel was dark, such as at the beginning of the story when Lindsey was attacked, but I never thought the story was too dark or unrelatable. I actually thought the author did a great job of handling the attack and showing how something so tragic can have a negative impact on someone's life. I thought Lindsey was fully justified in pulling away from everyone and everything and I liked that Maverick wanted to help her overcome her fears. They were perfect for each other, and I enjoyed the second chance romance story line, since they previously had a one night stand. And while I enjoyed reading this story it didn't completely pull me in or make me think about the story or characters days later, which is why I have to give it 4 stars instead of 5.

Overall, I recommend Turbulent Desires to anyone looking for a cute contemporary romance that features the heroine trying to overcome fears.

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What You Do to Me by Barbara Longley
Publication Date: November 1, 2016
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Amazon Link: HERE
Received From: Netgalley (in exchange for an honest review)

Summary (from Amazon):
Whether it's repairing a home or taking care of clients' other needs, Twin Cities handyman Sam Haney is in demand from his mostly female clientele. Despite Sam's lothario reputation, love isn't part of him portfolio. He's built a lot of walls in his time, but the one that's surrounded his heart ever since the death of his parents is his most solid yet.

Haley Cooper has had enough heartache for a lifetime. Her high school sweetheart up and moved to Indonesia—alone—just two weeks before their wedding. Her mother thinks it's time for Haley to move on and contracts Sam to work on Haley's wreck of a house—and anything else, if he's got the notion. 

Sparks fly and passion ignites. But Haley isn't into Sam's love-em-and-leave-em act. She wants something more. Fixing a house is one thing, but for this handyman, building a relationship will need a whole different set of skills. 

Review:
After Haley's fiancee moves to Indonesia before their wedding, Haley's mother thinks she needs a pick-me-up. So she calls Sam Haney, a sexy handyman that also sleeps with his female clients. Haley has no idea who Sam is, so she's more than surprised when he makes a move. Sam is embarrassed that he mistook business for chemistry, and now that Haley questions his work ethic, he needs to show her that he really is one of the best handymen in the Twin Cities. But working with each other in a strictly platonic manner is hard, especially when sparks are flying.

I really liked the idea of this one. I knew from the summary that it wouldn't be an intense or even emotional romance, but a fun read. And although I didn't expect much, I was more than a little disappointed in this one. First of all, I felt the writing wasn't well edited and the writing didn't flow well, which constantly took me out of the story. It was also hard to like Sam as a character, since he was something of a man-whore, who didn't seem to take his job seriously. And although he tried to prove that he could do his job, it was hard to root for him because of his lack of morals, and I continued to question whether he could be faithful to Haley.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend What You Do To Me.

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