Do Me a Favor by Cathy Yardley [Review]

Do Me a Favor by Cathy Yardley
Format: ebook
Source: provided through NetGalley
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: May 17, 2024

Purchase Links: Paperback | Kindle

Cathy Yardley
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Willa Lieu-Endicott moved from California to the Pacific Northwest to start over. Since her husband’s death, she’s been struggling to get back her old career as a cookbook ghostwriter. Unfortunately, her latest project—ghostwriting for a viral cooking sensation known more for his washboard abs than his meals—has her stuck.

Until she meets her new neighbor.

Hudson Clark, the handyman next door, lives on a farm with his parents and two adult children. He’s the opposite of everything she’s ever known. His happily chaotic life includes biker barbecues, an escape artist dog, and adorably menacing goats. He’s also got a sinfully sexy smile and a rumbling bass voice that makes her shiver. He inspires her.

From their first meeting, the two fall into an escalating cycle of favors, paybacks…and attraction, even though Willa’s trying to keep her distance.

They both have their own pasts to deal with. Now, they just have to figure out if they have a future.

Thoughts on Do Me a Favor: Oh, this was a sweet (and sexy) romance. Willia is coming off of being a caretaker for her now-deceased husband and is trying to find her footing with being a widow while coping with how she's going to pay bills. The house her aunt left her gives her a little breathing room as far as a place to live, but she's struggling with finding herself after the emotional drain full-time caretaking left on her. She's quiet and reserved and she tries very hard to do everything herself. Which is admirable, but not always the best path to take.

Hudson is intrigued by Willa the first time he meets her. She's careful and reserved and he can't stop thinking about her. He's also reached the point where the hookups he's used don't have the shine they used to have. Ans, again, Willa intrigues him. Soon they're exploring a cautious friendship and forging something that's getting closer to what Hudson is looking for in a relationship. It takes time and patience and some breaking down of walls, but it's heading in the right direction.

Speaking of breaking down walls, some of the biggest are Willa's desire to depend on only herself. But then, she's had to do just that for so long that letting people in is hard. And I do mean "people", not just Hudson. She had friends she pulled away from when her husband died. Her family is...let's just say they're complicated. They approach things from s different perspective than Willa does and it takes a some hard communication before Willa sees that.

A dog who loves to make an escape, a family with a lot of heart, a man who's stifled his dreams for long enough, and a lady who needs to learn how to lean on others and accept their help. *thumbs up*

Twins for the Wild Orc by Michele Mills [Review]

Twins for the Wild Orc (Sweet Monster Treats) by Michele Mills
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: November 15, 2023

Sweet Monster Treats
Cookies For My Orc Neighbor
Candy For My Orc Boss
Cupcakes For My Orc Enemy
The Single Mom and the Orc
Single Orc Dad
Twins for the Wild Orc - Kindle

Michele Mills
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

A drunken, one-night stand with a wild orc turns into a life-long commitment.

Because I’ve given birth to his twin babies. And now I can’t find the green, horned father of my children, which is really my own fault. He came on strong, calling me his “Bride” and I got scared at the idea of marrying a ferocious orc. After he passed out next to me, snoring loudly (because he’d finished for the seventeenth time) I slipped out of the hotel bed and sprinted off into the night.

A year later, our babies are three months old and it’s nearly impossible, caring for the needs of orc twins all on my own.

My babies need their daddy. And maybe…I need him too?

After hiring a private investigator, I’ve found the exact commune he lives on in the wilds of Maine.

And I’m bringing him two sweet treats for Halloween—his twin sons.

Thoughts on Twins for the Wild Orc: I'm kind of torn on how I feel about this book. I think a lot of the issues between Drew and Whelan stemmed from basic cultural misunderstandings (like how Drew didn't know she'd end up pregnant after one night with her dude [which orcs are fully aware of, but Whelan didn't realize Drew didn't know] and how she didn't know orcs weren't allowed to go after their special someone and how that left both of them feeling like they'd been abandoned [more so on Whelan's part, but still]) and then these two started talking and, I don't know, every single issue was resolved because they were super self-aware. I don't know if that makes sense, but I'm not a fan of when cultural issues aren't explained to the new-to-the-culture party and I'm also not a fan of characters being so self aware they know exactly what their issues are without any soul-searching.

I guess I'm trying to say I wanted these two to talk before jumping to conclusions, but when they did start talking I wanted them to figure things out together instead of just KNOWING what their issues were.

Like I said, kind of torn.

Anywho. Drew is struggling with her twins, Whelan's in a funk because he thinks his Bride just used him to get knocked up and isn't interested in a relationship. Both of them have abandonment issues, but when Drew moves herself and her kiddos into Whelan's house everything is pretty much smooth sailing. (Sure, I'm glossing over some of the bumps, but Drew really wasn't afraid to move full steam ahead with a potential relationship even though Whelan was on the fence after dealing with a year of abandonment. Oh, wait. That was one of said bumps. There you go.)

Single Orc Dad by Ava Ross [Review]

Single Orc Dad (Sweet Monster Treats) by Ava Ross
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 24, 2023

Sweet Monster Treats
Cookies For My Orc Neighbor
Candy For My Orc Boss
Cupcakes For My Orc Enemy
The Single Mom and the Orc
Single Orc Dad - Paperback | Kindle
Twins for the Wild Orc

Ava Ross
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Will my roller coaster romance with my hunky orc neighbor fly off the rails or ignite our hearts forever?

After inheriting my estranged dad's defunct kiddie amusement park, I turn in my corporate badge and return to my old hometown. Despite the issues I had with my dad, I rediscover the fun I missed out on while I lived ten years in the city. I'm determined to turn Quirky Kingdom into the showpiece it used to be. Problem is—more than just the rides need fixing. It’s way more than I can handle on my own.

I tap my new neighbor to help—Rexin, a hunky orc handyman who’s also a single dad extraordinaire. Since it’s summer, he brings his twelve-year-old son to the job with him.
As we grease wheels on the purple turtle ride and get the elephant carriages running again, sparks ignite between us. I begin to believe moving home was the right idea.

But my past makes me gun shy, and I’m not sure if what we’ve started will make me want to live in this town forever. His son playing matchmaker is cute, but it sure isn’t helping.

Only time can tell if our rollercoaster relationship will clickety-click its way to something special or veer off track forever.

Thoughts on Single Orc Dad: No lie, I have a thing for run-down amusement parks, so this one kind of hit the spot. Sure, it was more a run-down amusement park fix-up, but I'll take it. Plus, the hunky orc and sassy human lady could NOT keep their hands off one another once they let go of their inhibitions.

But before we get to them...Rexin's son was ADORABLE. His super not-subtle attempts at matchmaking were great. Just...perfect. Fake phone calls to set up lunch dates, giving them time alone to get to know one another. Brear was a sweetheart from the start and I am all for his outstanding matchmaking.

As for Rexin and Adelaide, they might not have needed Brear's matchmaking attempts, but they were appreciated all the same. From the first time they meet, these two are attracted. A lot. They may have tried to hide it in the beginning, but it didn't take long before these two were getting frisky whenever the mood took them (provided little eyes and ears weren't around).

A little drama, a lot of elbow grease, a dip in the falls that has a very satisfying ending, an orc who knows what he wants when he sees it, and a lady who falls in love with an amusement park (and comes to terms with the issues she had with her dad) all over again. Good stuff.

The Single Mom and the Orc by Honey Phillips [Review]

The Single Mom and the Orc (Sweet Monster Treats, Fairhaven Falls) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 11, 2023

Sweet Monster Treats
Cookies For My Orc Neighbor
Candy For My Orc Boss
Cupcakes For My Orc Enemy
The Single Mom and the Orc - Paperback | Kindle
Single Orc Dad
Twins for the Wild Orc

Related Series:
(find all the books in the series on the 1st book review)
Fairhaven Falls
1. Trouble for My Troll

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Her grumpy orc is going to hammer his way into her heart!

When Pippa finds herself in Fairhaven Falls with empty pockets and a brand new baby, she’s thrilled when a sweet - and slightly scary - old lady offers her a job and a place to live. Their new home isn’t much, but it offers a desperately needed shelter.

Then her grumpy orc neighbor comes charging into their lives. She should be wary of the huge male, but when she watches him handling his hammer, fear is the last thing she feels. And when he cradles her daughter so tenderly against that big muscular chest? Her heart isn't the only thing melting!

Trogar likes his own company just fine, thank you very much. When his grandmother insists he help out his new neighbor, he reluctantly agrees. But the more time he spends with the curvy human and her adorable daughter, the more he wants to claim them both as his own.

When Pippa’s past catches up with her, can Trogar keep her and her daughter safe? And when the dust settles, will he have a new family - or the solitary life he no longer wants?

Thoughts on The Single Mom and the Orc: We're back in Fairhaven Falls and Flora is working her matchmaking magic again. (I'm not even going to clarify that it might not be magic because the lady has an uncanny ability to show up and have the right thing happen at the right time and she somehow gets everyone where they need to be.) This time around, she has a single mom on the run and her loner of a grandson in her sights and YESSSSSS.

So. Pippa initially thinks she's only passing through Fairhaven Falls as she tries to find someplace safe for her and her daughter to hunker down. Flora, however, has other ideas. Soon Pippa's set up in a cottage that needs a little TLC with a grumpy orc neighbor who keeps finding reasons to stop by. Poor Trogar is also a little terrified of all the care a baby needs, but he suck sit up and soon he's changing diapers like a pro.

No lie, Trogar is an utter sweetheart. He might not know much about babies, but he's fierce and protective and willing to learn. He's also a little smitten by Pippa and her sweetness. Soon the two of them (plus Daisy) are spending time together and getting their hearts tangled up.

A little danger, a lot of elbow grease, a baby who is quick to wrap one burly orc around her finger, a brotherly reunion, an orc with a penchant for organization and a willingness to learn, and a lady who found the place she didn't know she was looking for. GOOD STUFF!

My Fair Alien by Honey Phillips [Review]

My Fair Alien (Cosmic Cinema #1) by Honey Phillips
Format: ebook
Source: borrowed through Kindle Unlimited
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 30, 2023

Cosmic Cinema
1. My Fair Alien - Paperback | Kindle
2. The Alien King and I

Honey Phillips
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

Can an alien professor decode the language of love?

Professor Harak H’gin leads a peaceful life studying linguistics on his native planet of Plumeria. Until the day he stumbles across a bedraggled, beautiful human female. Dared by a colleague to transform the pitiful creature into a true member of their society, Harak takes on the challenge.

Forced to eke out a meager living selling flowers, Liza is desperate to improve her situation. When a chance meeting offers the opportunity to become something more than a menial worker, she doesn’t hesitate - even though it means moving in with the arrogant, handsome alien.

But somewhere along the way, the lines between teacher and student, human and Plumerian, begin to blur. Can Harak resist her newly discovered charms? And can Liza give her heart to an alien who only seems to think of her as an experiment?

Thoughts on My Fair Alien: A down-on-her-luck human and the professor who sees something potentially wonderful in her are up and Liza and Harak and more than a few speedbumps along the way. Does that stop them from catching feelings? IT SURE DOESN'T!

So. Liza. She doesn't quite feel like she fits in with the other human refugees, but life keeps throwing roadblocks in her way to keep her from changing her circumstances. Harak's idea to teach her the nuances of Plumerian society is a chance for her to break out of the rut she's in, but it comes with a downside - she has to spend time with the arrogant professor. As it turns out, that's not all bad since soon the two are making eyes at one another.

On Harak's end, he's drawn to Liza, but he tries to keep things professional. Which doesn't work all that well when his protective instincts flare up and he starts getting a little irritated by anyone and everyone flocking to her.

A lady who wants to make more of herself, a man who sees potential where others don't, a whole lot of steamy looks, a little instinctive claw-baring, and a happily ever after that grabs both of them hard. GOOD TIMES.

Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper [Review]

Better Homes and Hauntings by Molly Harper
Format: ebook
Source: purchased
Disclaimer: As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Date read: October 28, 2023

Purchase Links: Paperback | Kindle

Molly Harper
| Website | Amazon |

Synopsis (Goodreads):

When Nina Linden is hired to landscape a private island off the New England coast, she sees it as her chance to rebuild her failing business after being cheated by her unscrupulous ex. She never expects that her new client, software mogul Deacon Whitney, would see more in her than just a talented gardener. Deacon has paid top dollar to the crews he’s hired to renovate the desolate Whitney estate—he had to, because the bumps, thumps, and unexplained sightings of ghostly figures in nineteenth-century dress are driving workers away faster than he can say “Boo.”

But Nina shows no signs of being scared away, even as she experiences some unnerving apparitions herself. And as the two of them work closely together to restore the mansion’s faded glory, Deacon realizes that he’s found someone who doesn’t seem to like his fortune more than himself—while Nina may have finally found the one man she can trust with her bruised and battered heart.

But something on the island doesn’t believe in true love…and if Nina and Deacon can’t figure out how to put these angry spirits to rest, their own love doesn’t stand a ghost of a chance.

Thoughts on Better Homes and Hauntings: My love for run-down places on isolated islands (although, to be fair, it could be a run-down place anywhere and I'd probably be all over it) holds true! The decaying estate Deacon has hired Nina and the others to bring back to life is a sweet, sweet locale. Sure, it's not sweet to the group when they're dealing with unexplained occurrences and visions and other odd situations, but I'm in!

So. As part of his plan to bring the moldering family estate out of it's, uhh, moldering phase, Deacon has hired Nina (the landscaper), Cindy (organizer extraordinaire), and Jake (architect and family friend) to get the place into tip-top shape. They're joined by Deacon's cousin Dotty before long and soon it isn't just Nina experiencing odd things. Deacon doesn't necessarily disbelieve the experiences of the others, but he tends to look for logical solutions. Even when he starts getting in on the experiencing action.

Throw in a TERRIBLE interior designer who has her eye on Deacon (and his fortune), Nina's ex who is exhibiting STRONG stalker-esque tendencies, some fabulous lady-friendships (or at least the start of them), the mystery of what happened to the lady of the manor in its heyday, and some truly terrifying memories/visions and this group has a lot going on. Did I like? INDEED I DID!

RtP's Week in Review (07/21/24)

Reading the Paranormal's Week in Review

• Grave Wars by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe [Review] - Jane is BACK!
• Grave New World by Gena Showalter and Jill Monroe [Review] - MORE JANE!
• The Gargoyle from General Management by Kate Prior [Review] - Monster love!
• Harvest Moon Misfortune by London Lovett [Review] - Back on Frostfall!
• Star-Crossed by Kerrigan Byrne and Cynthia St. Aubin [Review] - Townsend Harbor!
• Night Magic by Karen Robards [Review] - Old-school romance!

Bookish Delights

• Books added to the pile
• Romancing Rem'eb (Ice Planet Clones #3) by Ruby Dixon
• Golden Touch by Sarina Bowen
• The Body in the Backyard (Riley Thorn #4) by Lucy Score
• Currently reading 
• The Body in the Backyard by Lucy Score