Robyn GradyRecensioni

Oh why, oh why, oh why did I bother?

I skimmed more than I actually read. It was uninspiring and lacked that something something to immerse me in this family rivalry type of romance. It was all too instant and too dull and boring for my liking. I'll probably forget I even read this by the end of the day.

Well I typically love amnesia stories but this one was only so so. I kind of spent the whole book waiting for the other shoe to fall. And when it did, her reactions didn't make a whole lot of sense. Most of the story was told in the hero's POV so we didn't have a real clear picture of where she was coming from. I did like the hero though. He was very well done.

Robyn Grady first came to my attention last year when I stumbled across Her Mother's Day Miracle for free on Kindle. The story was so realistic and touching that I knew I had to read more. As I researched for more books by this amazing author I realized that I had been reading her for years. Her resume of stories also includes Harlequin Romances and I had no idea. I received a copy of The Complete Holiday Romance Collection by Robyn Grady in exchange for an honest review. This holiday anthology is a wonderful blend of romance, wisdom and holiday cheer all packed into one short neat bundle. The stories range from comical to heartbreaking and every thing in between. With this read Ms. Grady proves simple can be sexy. An enjoyable find.

This was an interesting holiday book. There were five stories, each different in its own way.

In the first one, we find a nurse at Crest Haven Psychiatric hospital. Joanie Russell has been at the hospital for years and, in the story, muses and expresses regret for a myriad of things she has experienced or not experienced in life. In the story, the author introduces the reader to some of the patients: a young woman who found her husband with her best friend, a stripling young man who suffered an accident at work, Laura Beal who blamed herself for a terrible tragedy as a result of a fire and who waited for who some sign, and, a young girl who obviously had wandered away from the children’s area. In addition, the nurse meets an investigative reporter, researching information on the hospital and its patients for an investigative story, and Matron Flynn who rules with an iron grip and sometimes has ideas that seemed foreign and ill-suited to Nurse Russell. The story was okay, but not great. The transition from past musings, which became the current reality in the story, to the present at the end was done very poorly. While reading I had to stop to figure out what exactly was going happening, as it was not very clear to me and happened so suddenly. In addition, as I read I expected more on the other patients mentioned—why else include them and their back stories? However, these stories were left hanging. In a short piece such as this one, it is difficult to write a good plot since the space and timing is so short. Putting extra items into the story only serves to confuse the reader and to make the reader wish the story was longer, in my opinion. Finally, I never really did understand the story well, which did not settle well with me.

The second story finds a young girl in a difficult, if not impossible, situation, trying to escape a malicious step-father and still take care of an ailing mother. The story was, for the most part, a dark one. It had little or nothing to do with Christmas and did little to put me in any holiday or festive mood.

The third story was just weird, in my opinion. I found it difficult to relate to the characters, and the setting was very unique for me. I am not sure I would like to read more about Rodger de Jonge or his family after reading this one.

The fourth story was okay, but also kind of strange. I felt little or no connection to the characters, and I thought there was little development beyond the development of Selena and Dallas, and the ending could have been done much better. I wish the author had developed the character of her father and new body guard better.

The last story was the shortest, but was, in my opinion, a fairly good holiday story. It was the kind of story I expected in this collection.

This may be a good collection of holiday stories for someone looking for something a little bit different. It may also appeal to other readers who look for and can relate to things I normally don’t. I received this from the author through NetGalley to read and review.

5 Stars for 5 Wonderful Stories! No two were alike and all have a message for this Holiday Season!

Silent Night by Robyn Grady is women’s fiction that spans decades. Joanie Russel has been a psych nurse for 20 years and believes her future will not change though she has always dreamed of having a family and all that goes with it. What happens on Christmas Eve in 1966 may just provide the Christmas miracle she hopes for!

Running Out of Time by Sara Hantz is a gritty YA novella that has Nicole looking for a way out for her and her mother. A 17 year old loner never allowed time to be a child while caring for her mother and avoiding her stepfather has created tension and more for Nicole. She contemplates options but her time to make changes seems to have run out. A bit of romance might help or might make things worse for her. Great story that made me think.

The Avoidable Orphan by T. M. Clark is General Fiction that is bittersweet. This one had me in tears a couple of times but they were good tears. The ideas of loss, love, grief, family and more were all explored and though there was sadness there was also hope for the future and a coming together of friends, family and animals to make this one a treasure! It also opened my eyes to issues related to elephants that I was not aware of before.

Selena’s Bodyguard by Mel Teshco was short, steamy and dealt with the issue of trust. Though short it was action packed and interesting.

The Billionaire’s Mistletoe Baby by Tabitha Robbins is a sweet holiday short story that has a new mother asking a wealthy man that she worked for in the past to help her out for a few days. There is a happily ever after for Laurel, her daughter and Nick that made me feel good and provided a great way to end the anthology.

Thank you to Net Galley and Hat Publishing for the ARC to read and review.

Fantastic book, filled with all types of emotion. In previous books of the series, JD Lassiter's death and the terms of his will have split the family apart. Taking advantage of the turmoil, Jack is helping Angie Lassiter attempt a hostile takeover of the family company. He is known for acquiring companies and then tearing them apart for maximum profit. Becca has seen the effects this takeover bid is having on the Lassiter's charity foundation and is determined to do something about it.

Becca is one determined and stubborn woman. From everything she has learned about Jack she believes him to be evil personified. It's obvious to her that he cares absolutely nothing about the harm that his actions cause to others. So she confronts him and challenges him to spend a week with her and let her try to convince him to give up his plans. Her idea is to show him another side of life, one where people need the kind of help her charity provides.

Jack is known for being cold and ruthless in his business dealings. He learned long ago to bury his emotions when dealing with other people. He has no intention of changing his plans, but he's quite happy to spend time in Becca's company. There is something about her that he just can't stay away from. He knows what she thinks of him and if there are some things she doesn't know about him, that's just the way it has to be. He doesn't expect that being with her makes him start to feel again and that actually begins to affect some of his business dealings.

The chemistry between Jack and Becca is hot. Both are strong minded, stubborn people who don't change their minds easily. Jack admits his attraction to Becca quickly, but she really tries to fight it. She can't understand how she can be attracted to someone whose values appear to be the complete opposite of hers. But as she gets him away from the city and his business dealings, she gets the occasional glimpse of a different Jack, one she finds herself liking. Then the old Jack makes a reappearance and she's left feeling confused and betrayed.

I did get a bit frustrated with Becca at times. She seemed a bit too judgmental of him, almost holding herself up as the perfect example of what a good person is supposed to be like. She did have a good heart, and I enjoyed seeing her show Jack a different view from what he was used to. I loved seeing his reaction to the dog and how it worked its magic on Jack. I found it interesting that Jack did have some good parts that he kept hidden from everyone, even Becca. When everything came to a head at the end, both Becca and Jack had to take hard looks at their own attitudes and expectations before they could have a chance at a life together.

There were some very intriguing twists and turns to the plot of this story. There were some cryptic conversations between Jack and the Lassiter lawyer, and between Jack and Angie that had me very confused about what was going on. There was also a secondary story dealing with another one of Jack's business deals that ended up far different than anything Jack had expected.

Fun book, but very emotional too. The night that Wynn and Grace spent together they thought they were complete strangers looking for a few hours of forgetfulness. It was quite a shock to run into each other at the wedding of mutual friends and discover just how far back their connection went. Wynn remembers what a pain Grace had been during that shared family vacation and has a bit of trouble at first putting that memory to rest. Neither can deny the intense attraction they feel and make the decision to enjoy being together for the short time they have.

Grace had been looking for a way to escape memories that night and found it with Wynn. Her last relationship had ended a year ago when the man she was seeing had died in an accident. She carries a lot of guilty feelings about that relationship and is avoiding getting involved with anyone new. The connection she feels with Wynn has given her a chance to move on but she isn't looking for anything permanent. The more time they spend together the more she gets to know him. In spite of their growing relationship Wynn still insists that there is no longer any place in his life for a family of his own. Grace sees how much he loves his family and his little brother and falls for him even more. When she realizes that he won't look at the possibilities of having a future she lets him know she needs more than he's willing to give and breaks things off. I really enjoyed the relationship that the two of them had. There was so much fun in the teasing they did about their childhood conflict. I really liked seeing how being with Wynn started healing her heart. I also liked the close relationship she had with her sisters and how helping her one sister also showed her how to move on from her own failed relationship. It was great to see Grace stand up for her own needs when it came to being with Wynn.

Wynn has a lot going on in his life. He had a breakup with the woman he loved when she decided she didn't want to continue their relationship. This caused him to entirely give up on the idea of having a family. I loved his shock at finding out that the woman he'd had that incredible night with was Grace. He still remembers the trouble she caused him and it creates some interesting conflicts in his mind. He knows that she won't be in New York for long so he persuades her into being with him while she's there. He finds himself having such a good time with her that he asks her to go to Sydney with him for his brother's wedding. Their connection gets stronger but he still refuses to admit that he's falling for her. It isn't until she walks away from him that he can accept his feelings and then he has to figure out how to fix it.

Wynn also has some stresses going on at work. As the head of the publishing branch of the family business he has to deal with the changes in the publishing industry. He has some ideas on what he wants to do but they go against everything his father believes it. This causes a lot of tension between them which is aggravated by an underhanded trick his father pulls. Wynn loses his temper and says something that his dad overhears that makes things even worse. There is also the question of who is trying to hurt or kill his father. There has been some progress on the search for the attempted abductor from earlier in the series, and in this one there is an explosion at the wedding. I have a suspicion now on who it is, but will have to wait until the next book for confirmation.

See comments.

Good book. Dex needs a nanny for his little brother who is coming to visit. He settles on Shelby who is great with kids, but he is also attracted to. Shelby is down on men after a bad experience at home, but she's looking forward to taking care of Tate. Dex is dealing with threats of blackmail and other attacks and wants everyone to be safe.

Dex is basically a nice guy. I really like his closeness with his family and the obvious love he has for his little brother. He wants what is best for his brother and when he meets Shelby discovers that she is great with kids. He is also attracted to her but agrees with her decision to keep things professional between them. When threats start happening he sends his brother to stay with his sister for a few days until he can get a handle on things. Even without his brother Dex wants to keep Shelby close. He likes the way she makes him feel. He also admires her strength of character even as it sometimes frustrates him. I really liked the way he stood up for her against her ex when they visited her hometown. He didn't realize how much he had come to care for her until she left him over a difference in the way they saw the threats against him.

Shelby had fled to LA after what she saw as making a fool of herself back home. She was hesitant to accept Dex's offer of employment because of his reputation as a player. She made it clear to him that, in spite of their attraction, it was hands off. It wasn't long before she discovered that he wasn't as bad as she had thought and that there was a lot about him she could like. She still didn't want to give in to the attraction but it got pretty hard to resist. She liked having Dex and Tate visit her hometown with her as they got to know each other better. She didn't like the way he was dealing with the threats against him and had no trouble telling him so. As she realized that she had fallen in love with him, she felt there was so future because of their lifestyles.

There wasn't really any progress on the question of who is making the threats on their father, but I enjoyed Dex's story. I also liked seeing Cole again and seeing how his comments on his new life have an effect of Dex.

Fast read. Needed something short and totally different from serial killers before I jumped into more serial killers.

It brings me absolutely no joy to say I hated this book. I can't think of any book I wanted to love more than this book. More than anything, I wanted this to be a heartfelt story with a positive portrayal of disability so I could write a glowing review to counteract the ignorant, hateful and all around offensive reviews it received from thoughtless readers.

Unfortunately, it's a horrendously poor portrayal of living with a disability and a shitty book to boot.

The author projected her own revulsion at the thought of living in a disabled woman's body to create a sad, pitiable character in Libby just to provide an opportunity for angst. Libby never gets to define her disability, or her body for that matter, for herself. Everyone else in the book decides that for her. She has no self-esteem, no dignity and no individuality. She's a receptacle for every stereotype able bodied people have about physically disabled people. This isn't a story about a woman with a below the knee prosthesis, this is an able bodied woman's fantasy of being swept off her feet by a wealthy, gorgeous man despite being less than "perfect" herself. Libby's disability is just a prop, a concept the author lazily appropriated as shorthand for vulnerability. It's offensive as hell.

Very good book. I really liked both Daniel and Scarlet. Scarlet has been brought up to be very proper and attentive to the way her actions can affect other people. As a result, she's pretty uptight. When she meets Daniel she immediately notices the attraction between them. She is also very aware of his reputation and does not approve of his playboy ways. I loved the way that her memory loss allowed her to let go of her hangups and just go with her instincts. I loved her ability to have fun and loved her enthusiasm about all the things she was doing. I also loved the way that she was eventually able to confront her memories and make peace with some of the things she remembered. Daniel was a great foil for her. As uptight as she was, he was laid back and happy. I loved the way that he kept trying to do fun things for and with Scarlet. He was obviously very successful but had also discovered how to have some balance in his life. He also had his own issues with the past and dealt with them pretty much by ignoring them. His attitude was that the past was past and had no bearing on the present. He really liked Scarlet and kept picturing her being with him for a long time. But his way of dealing with the past and her way clashed and created its own set of problems. I loved the way that Daniel finally confronted his demons and the ending was terrific. I also enjoyed the parts dealing with the ongoing story of the leaks and hacking, and the relationship between Ariella and her friends. I'm looking forward to seeing more of this story come out and how it finally gets resolved.

LOSING CONTROL is a mixture of boardroom and island romance. It has scorching hot and sensual love scenes as well as emotional connection between Taryn and Cole. Robyn Grady’s latest offering LOSING CONTROL really packs an emotional punch along with some very steamy scenes. And is chock full of sassy dialogue. There is mystery and thrill in this romance which is addictive. Looking forward to more from this miniseries.

MILLIONAIRE PLAYBOY, MAVERICK HEIRESS by Robyn Grady is a Harlequin Desire release.

Elizabeth Milton is a wealthy Texas heiress. She is quite content and happy in her life. Though she is bound by her late parent’s will to Texas and her ranch. But meeting New York architect, Daniel Warren, makes her want to taste just for once, what life could give her!

Will she be satisfied with just a short liaison with Daniel? Whereas, Daniel left the South and made his home in New York. Will he settle in Texas for Elizabeth? After a whirlwind romance they break up as Elizabeth won’t settle for anything less than full commitment. Daniel returns to New York. But when he comes back on a flying visit to Texas, he sees Elizabeth in an accident. Will he leave her and go back to New York now?

MILLIONAIRE PLAYBOY, MAVERICK HEIRESS is a beguiling romance that tugged at my heartstrings and kept me enthralled from the beginning to end.

Author Robyn Grady has written this story with such depths to characters, sensitivity and heart that readers will not be able to resist devouring this outstanding romance in a single sitting! The sensuality and the sizzling love scenes are outstandingly well done.

Fearless Maverick is from Mills and Boon Modern, new series BAD BLOOD and it would also release as Harlequin Presents. There are altogether eight volume in this series which track the lives of a powerful dynasty, where secrets and scandals never sleep, The Notorious Wolfes.

FEARLESS MAVERICK is one brother’s story by the fabulous Robyn Grady.

Dare-Devil, bad boy, Alex Wolfe lives for the thrill and excitement of racing and winning. But unfortunately this is all threatened when he is injured during a race and must take some time off to recuperate. Unwilling to admit defeat Alex will to do anything to get back to the world of racing, even if it means seducing his Physiotherapist Libby Henderson.

Unable to pursue her dreams any longer, Libby has now devoted her career to helping elite athletes get back into shape to pursue theirs.

From the moment Libby walks into Alex’s house, she can’t deny the sparks that fly between them. And the sexy maverick isn’t making things easier for her, as he challenges her attraction to him at every turn.

But will Libby be able abandon her professional veneer and let Alex see the insecurities that lurk within and will Alex be able to stop running from his past and hiding behind his cars long enough to trust Libby?

I would definitely like to read the other stories in this series as the Wolfe Dynasty turned out to be so interesting with hidden pasts and skeletons in their closets!

Robyn Grady has always written books that enthralls her readers. Fearless Maverick is no exception with characters that leap of the page and holds you captivated. FEARLESS MAVERICK is sexy, sensual, filled with tension, heartbreak, secrets, scandals and sizzle. A definite page turner by the ever fabulous Robyn Grady and a wonderful piece to the puzzle, that is the Wolfe Dynasty.

Presents meets chick-lit again. The second one I've read in a month, but this one was actually a bit better than the Susan Stephens I read last month. I was able to bond with Serena and David but it's disappointing to see the Presents line pulling in this deviation from their normal format. Any HP that contains the word s**t definitely doesn't belong in this series. In any other book it would be o.k., four-letter words are the norm in other sub-genres but please Harlequin/Silhouette honchos: don't mess with the Presents line. There are a lot of disgruntled long-time HP readers who are hanging on by a thread already, don't push us much further; we may jump ship.

As I finished reading this book many thoughts came to mind. Dreams, goals, can they be achieved at any cost? I guess it depends on a person’s drive, their past, present and what their goals are for their future. Tonight as I was getting dinner ready I heard a commercial on the TV, the author is unknown but the message is one of the messages I believe Robyn Grady was trying to portray in her book Hired for the Bosses Bed. “When you give up the ability to decide for yourself, you give up you”.

Serena Stevens is a girl we all know maybe even one we recognize. In her youth, she had to overcome some physical obstacles, weight, eyes (coke bottle glasses), and self esteem and now as an adult her father’s negative comments as they relate to her future which just makes her more determined.

Serena is driven to make her goals and a name for herself in the media industry, to travel, and live overseas…..she is determined as she’s worked very hard in furthering her education, making major changes in her life…..her appearance and moving from her home town. She looks back at her accomplished mother who gave up her life for family and still wants the brass ring. Enter a man who will change her life!

David Miles, handsome, talented, millionaire, sexy and owner of the advertising agency Serena works at, gives her an incredible chance and promotion. He is looking for the top award this year in his field and when the person he is counting on injures herself, he gives Serena a chance but at what price? However let’s not forget that this incredible man had to also give up his dreams for family.

David and Serena are immediately attracted to each other, fight it, and act on it and eventually fall deeply. I can’t remember reading a romance where both characters are so equally matched but in the end, at such odds. Be prepared!

Robyn’s Hired for the Bosses Bed…..well I wish it had a different title because it really doesn’t portray the deep meaning the author was trying to deliver to her readers……so many lessons, packed with emotion, light humour, a true lesson in love and what’s important in life! Robyn keep on writing your incredible stories!

This is Robyn Grady’s first novel for Silhouette Desire and what a brilliant debut book……So many layers in each of her characters the handsome and sexy millionaire Armand De Luca and the lovely Tamara Kendle. However, let’s not forget the others…..the dog, the housekeeper, the family friend and corporate attorney and the De Luca and Kendle family dynamics. WOW is the only adjective I can use to describe this wonderful love story.

Tamara’s heart is aching…..she’s not only lost her event planning business, she’s lost her best friend and the father of her baby and she doesn’t know how’s she’s going to make ends meet. Now she has to attend her friend’s funeral and say goodbye to Marc Earle. Tamara knows Marc has a millionaire brother Armand De Luca and when she sees him at the funeral, she’s distracted by his presence.

Think that’s bad enough……Armand arrives at her dilapidated apartment and makes her an offer she can’t refuse. His father’s will stipulates he must have an heir by a certain age and he knows that Tamara is pregnant with his brother’s child and close to being evicted. If he doesn’t produce a legitimate heir then he stands to loose a lot. Being an astute businessman, he proposes to take care of Tamara and the baby but there is a stipulation……they must marry and Armand claim the parentage. So many emotions and when Tamara feels she’s been used, it’s heartbreaking!

Their journey is a full blown rollercoaster ride and issues like family, values, revenge, trust, respect and what’s important. What I found very interesting was Tamara’s upbringing, her mom for the most part was emotionally “unavailable” for Armand, his family was split….he was raised by his father and Marc by his mother and believe me there were scars.

What I so loved about this book was their self discovery; what’s important family and trust being the most important, attraction, business, self worth, and when the walls came tumbling down for Armand when he viewed the ultrasound and he KNEW what was important…..the mother and the baby and his feelings, incredible!!!!

This is a marvellous book is all I can say, it challenges the reader to examine exactly what’s important and yet is so entertaining! Congratulations to Robyn for this very special love story!