Chance Encounters Scarlett Hopper Book Review

Book 2 of the Encounters Series--

I will definitely buy the first book in this series and the remainder of the Encounters Series. 

Winona Clark has been traveling the world for the past four years with James a fellow traveler. She hasn't heard from her best friend since she was 16--Eleanor called Winona back home. Eleanor left Winona heartbroken, but she was able to put herself back together with the help of her first love Nick. Nick like Eleanor left Winona, but Nick shattered Winona's heart. Everywhere she went reminded her of Nick and their love, thus she left for a country wide road trip where she met James. The two of them traveled around the world together for four years. Winona's love of photography continued even after she came back for Eleanor and her cousin Vivian. A few days after Winona returns Eleanor and Vivian invite Winona and James to a party at Eleanor and Vivian's boyfriends' house (the boyfriends have five roommates). 

Nick Wilder has been taking care of his little brother Max and his father since his mother passed away shortly after Nick turned 18. Nick's father talked Nick into spending a year with his aunt before going to college. Nick wouldn't never imagined that he would find the love of his life there or that he would have to leave her in order to take care of his little brother due to his father's heavy drinking. Nick's father didn't drink before his mother's death. His father is beside himself with grief and depression after his beloved wife dies. Nick certainly never imagined that the one woman who has haunted him and still holds his heart would be standing in his living room with his roommates' girlfriends. Or that she would slap him. 

Winona hates that Nick is in the circle of friends with Eleanor and Viv. If she wants to spend time with her oldest and closest friends she has to figure out a way to tolerate the man she loathes, loves, hates--ugh..she is so confused about what she feels for Nick. The more time goes by...the more she remembers and sees her Nick under his tough exterior. The more she is falling for him ...again. But she holds a secret that may obliterate the new relationship they are building together. She is scared to tell him even after he reveals that someone she loves has hidden truths from her about their previous relationship. 

Can the two of them rebuild their love or will their secrets and past further destroy them?

Maybe For You Nicole McLaughlin

Book 3 of Wiskey and Wedding Series

Even though this is book three of the series, it didn't really feel like it. To be honest, I didn't realize that it was part of a series until I went to the author's website.
To say that Alexis Parker had a bad year is an understatement--she lost her fiance to a helicopter accident just months before their wedding. Both her and her fiance are in the military. Alex in the Army and Nate is--was in the Air Force. The plan was to have a short leave where the two could get married in Alex's hometown before spending a year long joint deployment in Italy.

Instead, Alex is heading to Italy alone. The only saving grace is Italy does have any memories of Nate. She went to visit all of the places they planned to go. Any time she was emotional, she messaged Jake, her brother's business partner and company playboy. The entire year Alex was in Italy, she was messaging Jake through Facebook Messenger. They didn't go more than three day without communicating to each other. Jake was Alex's rock--her sounding board. But now her deployment is over, she's coming home. For how long? Who knows? Ok, she does but no one else does. She has already interviewed and accepted a position in the CIA in Arlington Virginia. Halfway across the country from her brother who has raised her since her mother and father died.
Jake is picking Alex up from the airport. He has never been so nervous in his life. He keeps rubbing his hands across his jeans. Most of their conversations have been superficial on his end but he listens to Alex's feelings and emotions. He knows that she still loves her dead fiance. But that doesn't stop him from dreaming about her. Wondering what she's doing. Now, she's in the same town. It's awkward. Jake wants more from Alex. He wants what his best friends have--a stable relationship. Ha! That's funny from the resident playboy. The next promotional tour for their whiskey label is about to begin. Jake is grateful. He needs to get away. Jake feels underappreciated and sometimes stupid. All he does is marketing and social media while Dean runs distribution and TJ does the finances. Alex suggests that she tags along with Jake. She wants to travel more and get out of Dean's house more. Dean being in the happy-couple all over the house with his fiancee.
The more time Jake spends with Alex, the more he's falling for her. He doesn't turn Alex down when she asks for a fling during the tour. But Jake gets more than he bargained for. Alex is almost scared away from a revelation. How can Alex have a relationship with Jake when she still loves Nate. Will Nate's ghost ever leave her alone?

Sugary Sweets A.M. Willard

Sugary Sweets

A.M. Willard

A Taste of Love Series--book 2

Zara has always been a free spirit. How did she end up with a house in the burbs, a hot as hell husband, and a bun in the oven? Zara has no idea how to deal with her new life--a life that most people would kill for, but gives Zara anxiety. To top it all off, her best friend--Frankie decides to up and move to New York City. Zara still has her new business partner, Morgan--the bakery that Morgan started and has added Zara as part owner. And she also has savy, no-holds-bar Natasha. But Frankie has been Zara's best friend since college. Oh, yeah she also has her husband, Hatcher--who would do anything for her. 

It takes a severe car accident and time for Zara to come to terms with her new life and the pathway for herself and her new family. 

The last few chapters give insights into the next novel in the series with Frankie and Brody. 

Frosted Sweets A.M. Willard

Frosted Sweets 

A Taste of Love Series: Book 1

A.M. Willard

Jayden Rivers knows the moment he accidently bumps into a sweet Morgan carrying her wedding dress that there is something special about her. When he realizes that she ownes the bakery that the studio orders food from--he thinks fate is intervening. But Morgan begins dating Nick, Jayden's boss. Jayden steps away since Jayden believes that Morgan is engaged or newly married to Nick since Morgan ran into the bakery wearing her wedding dress. He stays with her after the company Christmas party when she eats a bite of Chocolate icing (which she is allergic to milk chocolate). Jayden knows this but not Nick. Jayden remains with her for the remainder of the night at the hospital and the next morning. He loves to watch her bake something Simon couldn't tolerate. Simon wanted her to sell her bakery. Jayden encouraged her baking creativity and informed that she tastes like the sweet treats that she creates. 

Morgan Lewis is the owner of The Polka Dot Cafe and Bakery. Just days away from her dream wedding, she finds out that her fiance, Simon cheated on her. Simon doesn't take the hint after she breaks up with him. He interrupts her date with Nick and shows up at her bakery. He also doesn't cancel the wedding when she tells him to. Simon Kensington isn't use to being dumped. 

What's a girl to do? She bakes. She finds herself through her baking. 

romance dwendling

Christina, my best friend since i was 14 and my sister in law is having marriage problems. I am ashamed to say.....I knew it was coming since the day they began dating. I am even more ashamed that I almost feel happy about it. Happy because I have always believed they were not right for each other. My favorite picture of her she was a gorgeous happy 16 year with very few worries. A year later, she lost her boyfriend to a tragic car accident and within a few months, she is married to Rex pregnant with Jada. I have felt that she was robbed of some of her teen years by marrying Rex. Part of me understands why she did--she was grieving for her boyfriend. In a way, it was like Rex took advantage of her grieving. After Chris found out she was pregnant, he wanted her to sever ties with Eric's family and made her return all of Eric's stuff to his parents. I could be bias because I didn't like Rex from the start but he treated her good even though they were always struggling for money. There has always been one thing about him that I always hated. It still bothers me.....he treats her as if she is his possession. She is his. Nobody belongs to another person. That statement just burns me up. It makes me want to smack the shit out of him while telling him this is 2009--not 1950! No woman is a man's possession.
But at the same time, she's my friend--my sister. She's hurting. I want so badly to just take all the pain away to make things better. I wish I could just fix it. She told me she was broken and can't be fixed. I wish I could just piece everything back together for her. But I know only she can do that. She has to fix herself. She has to fix her family whether it's with or without Rex.

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stress and laundry

Why does everything seem worse when there is a boatload of laundry to do? Do the two really have a connection? Though I seriously doubt it.....it does occur quite often for me. Instead of stressing about the big things that I really should be upset about I stress about the damn laundry. There's too much of in the bedroom....my hamper is overflowing. Why is it that no one....and I mean no one can actually put clothes in the hamper instead of in front of, beside, behind the hamper? Is it embedded in the Y chromosome to not put clothes in the hamper? A friend told me no though I am not sure I believe him. Honestly, what's it matter whether or not all the clothes in the bathroom are washed or if the boys' hamper is absolutely empty but the floor is unseen. In the big picture of it all.....it doesn't matter. As long as the whole family has clean clothes does it matter if ALL the clothes are clean? No. But then if I don't obsesses about something as small and minuscule as the laundry then what? The dishes? Or the dust on the dragons? The laundry is a distraction from the important things....like money, schoolwork, work issues, friend issues, Tim's issues and/or problems, ect.

Other people's stupidity

I am mad, frustrated at other people. First off, I am extremely disappointed with a co-worker of mine for his lack of responsibility and leadership. Part of me just wants to yell at him and ask him what the hell was he thinking? Why didn't he do anything about the situation and why in the hell didn't he step up? But I can not do any of this ....why? Because of the way I found this information. Well, sorda. It's a little complicated but part of the info was told to me while at work thus anything I hear, see, or otherwise is confidential thus one of the reasons why I can not speak to him about it although, I did have one friend call me on the cell to tell me her story of it. I'm sure this is all very confusing to readers and thus I apologize for that but part of me really wants to get this off my chest....even if its in pieces. Because of this incident, I am worried about this co-worker. I'm worried that he will get into a lot of trouble. Although, if the stories are true in whole or part---he deserves to be punished in some way or other. I have mixed feeling about that. If he is punished, I know the first thing my boss will do....take away a project I have been pushing my co-working into doing. The whole situation is very disappointing. I can't say I'm entirely surprised by some of the incidences by certain people. I am disappointed in my co-worker. Now, I am thinking back to other things my co-worker has done.....I really shouldn't be surprised. something similiar happened before though not as extreme. I believe what really got to me is when my boss told me he would have to consult the Dean of Students and the Vice-Chancellor about this incident and order an investigation. Even if parts of what was told to me are untrue.....it doesn't sound good. Part of me is mad because yes he should have stepped up taken the leadership role, but he wouldn't had to if others had been mature enough to act like adults instead of childish inbaseals. I want to scram and cry all at the same time. Orginally, I couldn't figure out why I was so emotional about it all then I realized its because my co-worker is a friend and pretty alright guy thus I don't want anything bad to happen to him. When someone hurts my friends, I take it very personally.