Review: Betting the Rainbow by Jodi Thomas

Hi everyone!

Hope you had a great week-end. Mine was pretty good :) Now that curling is over, I finally had a chance to clean my messy room. It wasn't spring cleaning, but almost LOL.

One of my favorites author is Jodi Thomas. She had a new release last month in her Harmony series. Here's my review. Enjoy!


***Warning: This review contains spoilers for this book and previous installments. Read at your own risk*** 

Betting the Rainbow by Jodi Thomas
published by Berkley in April 2014

Sisters Abby and Dusti Delaney have spent their entire lives on Rainbow Lane, but they dream of something bigger. So when a poker tournament comes to town, Dusti is determined to win enough money to leave. Enlisting expert Kieran O’Brian to teach her the game, sparks begin to fly as they play their hands. But Kieran refuses to stand in the way of her dream, even if it means losing her forever...

After a year of traveling, Ronny Logan is settling into a home on Rainbow Lane, but that’s all the settling she’ll be doing. Ronny refuses to fall for anyone, regardless of the chemistry she has with her neighbor Austin Hawk. Yet something undeniable begins to grow between the two loners—if only they can let their barriers fall and open their hearts...

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Harmony, Book #7

The Story: There are actually three storylines going on in Betting the Rainbow. The first one is about Ronny who comes back to Harmony after a year of traveling. She settles into a cabin on Rainbow Lane where she'll figure out her future. Her neighbor, Austin Hawk, is also in want of solitude. He came to his grandfather's cabin on Rainbow Lane to recover from his injuries. Both have suffered losses and are numb inside... but strangely, they seem to come alive in each other's presence.

The second storyline is about Dusti Delaney. She and her sister live on the family pecan farm on Rainbow Lane. Both had to give up their dreams to come home and take care of their parents and the farm. With money being so tight, it seems they'll never be able to pursue their dreams - Dusti's photography and Abby becoming a nurse... until Dusti hears of the poker tournament taking place in Harmony. The winner of this tournament will have the opportunity to participate to another one in Las Vegas where the rewards will be bigger and sweeter. The only problem is Dusti doesn't know how to play... and that's why she enlists Kieran O'Brian's help. Kieran used to spend his summer at Rainbow Lane with his grandmother when he was a boy. He's always had a crush on Dusti... He's willing to teach poker to Dusti if she is willing to go on a date with him.

The last story that is not mentioned in the blurb involves Reagan Thurman. She's once again waiting for her high school sweetheart Noah who's been on the rodeo tour. She knows that Noah loves her, but she wonders when he will come back home to her for good. When will he stop chasing the big money, when will it be enough. Also, lately, she's noticed that Noah has been more distant, not coming home nor calling her as often... and she finds out why when a woman shows up on her doorstep, leaving a package for Noah...

My Opinion: By now, you all know how much I love and enjoy  Ms Thomas' writing as well as the town and characters she has created. As such, I'm going to skip the gushing - except to say that Betting the Rainbow continues in the same vein :) - and jumps straight to my thoughts on the stories.

I'll be honest and say I was a bit disappointed when I read the blurb of the book. I've been waiting for Ronny's story for such a long time. I really enjoyed her storyline in The Comforts of Home, witnessing her growth and her first love with Marty... and my heart broke along hers in Can't Stop Believing. Sigh. So I was really happy to get her story in Betting the Rainbow, but was disappointed that she had to share the attention with another storyline. Of course, I should have been expecting it though since this has been Ms Thomas' pattern... but really, if I could have had a book focusing solely on Ronny, I would have been happier ^_^; Anyway, complaint aside, Ronny's story was nice and enjoyable. After Marty's death, I was wondering what kind of man would provide Ronny's HEA ending... and I have to say, I really liked Austin. I thought he matched Ronny well. Despite becoming more independent and friendlier, there's always been this lonely side to Ronny. Perhaps it stems from having been an observer for too long instead of being a participant and Austin seems to share this trait. He seemed to be a man of few words and enjoyed the solitude at his cabin. Despite not being very social, it was shown that he cherished the friendships he had and was very loyal and that was very similar to Ronny. Also, I felt Austin and Ronny were on a more equal footing, that they had more of a partnership and understanding between them than Ronny and Marty. Oh don't get me wrong, I loved Ronny and Marty together and wouldn't have minded if things had gone differently and they had ended up together... However, their relationship always leaned more towards mentor-mentoree, even in their romance, than two equals together. It wasn't bad, but what Ronny discovered with Austin was different in a good way. I'm glad that Austin and Ronny really had a connection, making each other feel alive after their losses. As you can see, I did really enjoy Austin and Ronny's romance :) The one thing I would have liked was a bit more development on Austin, a bit more background to understand him better.

I was taken by surprise when I discovered Reagan and Noah had a part in Betting the Rainbow and I have to say, I wasn't too crazy about reading the latest in their saga. I love the two characters, especially Reagan, since she's been so central to the series... but unfortunately, I have to say Reagan and Noah's romance has been a bit redundant. You know they love each other, but they just can't seem to stay together, to make it work. Throw in the latest twist and you really wonder if they will ever :( To make matter worst, it has been hard to watch the man Noah has grown into. Gone is the cheerful and friendly teenager :( It's not that Noah is a bad man, but he's definitively not the same. He's more deluded and despite his success on the rodeo tour, it never seems enough. And it's been hard to see him taking Reagan for granted and making her wait for him. So yes, I wasn't excited to read their storyline... but at the end of it, I was hopeful. Hopeful that they'll finally get their HEA ending, that this time, it'll be the right one. And I'm so glad that Noah seems to finally grow up and become the man that Reagan has been waiting for and deserves. And I'm glad that Reagan put her foot down this time around.

Finally, Dusti and Kieran's storyline. I didn't know what to expect about this one and unfortunately, I didn't really connect with it. Although I think it has more to do with me being too invested with Ronny, Reagan and Noah than Dusti and Kieran's characters and storyline ^_^; I think it wasn't fair that Dusti and Kieran had to play second fiddles to already known and beloved characters... Anyway, Dusti and Kieran were likable characters and they had a good chemistry together and made a cute couple. However, I just never got pull into their storyline. Aside from my attention being focused elsewhere, another problem was that this storyline is that it was a bit unbelievable. I mean, the whole idea that Dusti has never played poker, but plans to enter one and win it to make her and her sister's dreams come true is just too Disney-ish :( Perhaps if the players have been restricted to Harmony's townies, but with people coming from neighboring town... Even if Dusti turns out to be an amazing player, it still seems a bit too far-fetched. Luckily though, Ms Thomas pulled back the reins a bit and didn't make the result over the top. It's too bad because I liked the idea of Harmony hosting a poker tournament to raise funds :) It was actually really something I could see happening in Harmony :)

My Grade: B. Betting the Rainbow had some flaws, but at the end of the day, it was still a very solid installment and it made me happy to be back in Harmony :) Ms Thomas' next book will be how Harmony came to be and that should be very interesting... Looking forward to it :)

New Releases - May 2014

Hi everyone!

It's May 1st today and as usual, Ames and I have our post of new releases up over at Breezing Through. Click here to check it out and let us know if we missed anything!

Review: No Sunshine When She's Gone by Kate Angell

Disclaimer: I've received No Sunshine When She's Gone as an eARC from Netgalley


No Sunshine When She's Gone by Kate Angell
published by Kensington in April 2014

Life's a Beach

Though his family owns the charming beachside town of Barefoot William, Aidan Cates is as down-to-earth as the locals. He's also practical to a fault and doesn't believe some psychic on the boardwalk can predict his future.

Jillie Mac is as free as an ocean breeze, so when the hot stranger and his date mistake her for a fortune teller, she's ready to have some fun. But one devastating secret told, one mistaken identity revealed, and numerous long summer nights later, it's Jillie and Aidan who discover that sometimes love comes with a simple twist of fate.

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series: Barefoot William, Book #3

The Story: I think the blurb for No Sunshine When She's Gone was a bit misleading. Here are some of the details that were left out...

Jillian Mac and her best friend, Carrie Waters, both work for the Community Affairs department of the baseball team, the Richmond Rogues. With the new Richmond Rogues Spring Training Facility being built in the Gulf Coast, they have been sent to Barefoot William and Saunders Shore to connect with the locals and drum up interest for the new spring-training facility. In order to do so, she will be working closely with the Cates family who own Barefoot William, and more particularly, Aidan Cates whose construction company has been hired to build the spring-training facility. However, she never expected to meet him when he and his date mistake her for a psychic and ask for a reading!

From their first meeting, Aidan is attracted to and intrigued by Jillian. He wants her and for more than a fling... However, Jillian doesn't have the best track record with relationship and therefore avoids them. How to convince her?

My Opinion: From my reading experience and reviews on blogland, Ms Angell has a writing style that either works for you or doesn't. It has to do with the fluffiness of her writing, the lack of research sometimes and the secondary characters and romance taking too much pages. I have to admit that the third factor has been a constant complaint of mine with her books and it's no different with No Sunshine When She's Gone ^_^; Despite that flaw, I like her writing style and books and this time was no exception, I enjoyed No Sunshine When She's Gone immensely :)

Funnily enough, it's not the usual elements that stood out in No Sunshine When She's Gone for me ^_^; Sure, Aidan and Jillie Mac were nice characters and their romance started out quite strong. I liked how they didn't fall into bed right away, it just increased the sexual tension between them which was great! It's unfortunate that once they got together though, the romance kind of fizzled out ^_^; Mainly because Jillie Mac had the weird notion that a relationship wouldn't work out. It was too bad because I would have enjoyed scenes of Aidan and Jillian together as a couple, settling into a routine. Oh well. What I did like was Aidan's attitude. He didn't beg Jillian to give it a try, didn't trick or manipulate her into a relationship. Instead, he left her alone to figure it out... and she did :) Had she not, I'm sure he would have gone after her eventually... but I have to say, I liked that he gave her space.

As usual, there was a secondary romance in No Sunshine When She's Gone. This one was between Carrie and Aidan's friend and second-in-command in the construction company, Mike Burke... And no, it didn't outshine Aidan and Jillian's romance. Carrie and Mike's romance was okay. Mike had an interesting back story, but his attitude made it hard to sympathize with him. On one hand though, I liked that he was who he was and didn't apologize for it... On the other hand, I wonder if he was always like that or his injury changed him. I wished Ms Angell had developed his character a bit more and the romance as well. This one was quite rapid and hard to believe in because of how fast it happened. Especially since Mike and Carrie didn't seem to have much in common.

All right, so what stood out for me if it weren't the characters and the romances? First, the setting. Ms Angell really makes Barefoot William and Saunders Shores come alive and oh, how I wish I was there. You can almost feel the sun shining, the sand between your toes, the salty air, the carnival sounds. LOL. Secondly, there was also the tie-in between this series and Ms Angell's previous one, the Richmond Rogues series. It was nice to see some old characters... and there was a nice twist involving Psycho. Also, the baseball atmosphere fit right in the series :) Last and not least, Olive the parrot just stole the spotlight in No Sunshine When She's Gone :) She was first introduced in No Tan Lines and makes a comeback in here. She was so much fun! LOL. Makes me almost want a parrot :P

There's not much that scream more summer than beach and baseball... and as a result, it made No Sunshine When She's Gone a great summer read :) Especially after the long and rough winter we've had! Seriously, this book just cheered me up and that's why I am willing to overlook some of its flaws.

My Grade: B.

April = curling!

Hi everyone!

Wassup? Sorry I've been absent ^_^; I didn't mean it, but April just turned out so busy with curling. There was the end of our regular play as well as two in-club tournaments. Anyway, I was running on very little sleep and when you added in work, the burglary  and so on, I just wasn't in shape to string more than a few sentences together. Definitively a month to forget blogging-wise ^_^;

However, now that the curling season is over, I'm going to focus on the blog :) Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up on some of the reviews I wanted to write!

Otherwise, how is everyone doing? Has spring arrived where you live? What good books have you read?!

TBR Challenge 2014: Sea Glass Winter by JoAnn Ross

Yay, I made it!! Okay, this was close one! LOL. With everything that happened in the past month, I didn't Sea Glass Winter by Ms Ross. I read Castaway Cove not long ago and it reminded me Sea Glass Winter has been on my radar, so I decided this was it. So read on to find out what I thought of it :)
think I would make it. Especially since I had so much difficulty choosing what to read :( It's crazy to have such a big TBR pile and not know what to read. The worst is that this month's theme was easy! I'm a huge fan of contemporary romance, have tons of them and yet... Curious to know what I picked in the end?


Sea Glass Winter by JoAnn Ross
published by New American Library (Signet) in December 2012

He was used to getting what he wanted. And what he wanted was her.

As an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist, Dillon Slater had one of the most dangerous jobs in the military. Now, he’s enjoying the pace of life in Shelter Bay, where he teaches high school physics. He still gets to blow things up, but as the school basketball coach he also gets to impart leadership skills. His latest minefield: fifteen-year-old Matt Templeton—and Matt’s irresistible mother…

Claire Templeton moved her troubled teenage son to the small town of Shelter Bay to escape the bad influences at his school in L.A. But when his attitude earns her a visit from the handsome basketball coach, she wonders if this role model might be too much of a temptation—for her. Because though she isn’t looking for a relationship, she can’t seem to resist Dillon’s playful charm. But what she doesn’t realize is that Dillon isn’t playing games—he’s playing for keeps…

Genre: Contemporary romance
Series; Shelter Bay, Book #5

The Story: Basically, the blurb has it right. Claire Templeton is a jewelry designer and single mother who's had a difficult year during which she lost her mother and her teenage son started hanging with the wrong crowd. She hoped moving from L.A. to Shelter Bay would give her son Matt a better environment for a fresh start. A basketball star, Matt is not thrilled at the move to this quiet little town, especially given the basketball team's losing record... and not everyone in the team is happy to get a savior.

Dillon Slater used to be an Explosive Ordnance Disposal Specialist. Now, he's a physics high school teacher as well as the new basketball coach at Shelter Bay. He's a bit wary at Matt's arrival because he doesn't want a savior. He never expected to change the tide in one year, what he had planned was to teach his players leadership skills as well as teamwork spirit which a star as talented as Matt still lacks. He also didn't expect to find Matt's mother so attractive...

In Sea Glass Winter, we also catch up with past couples; in particular Ethan and Paige and Sax and Kara who are expecting babies.

My Opinion: I've read this series on and off, mainly because all the heroes used to be military men and I'm just way past military men turned civilians whether it's in contemporary romance or romantic suspense ^_^; I don't know, they just don't do it for me anymore :( I'm tired of the same issues being brought up and approached the same way, the alpha-ness and the fact they are "more" because they used to be military men. I understand that all this is a reality, but to read it books after books, heroes after heroes... It just takes away something :( Anyway, all this to say I haven't read all the books in the Shelter Bay series; however, I was interested in Sea Glass Winter because of the positive reviews and the storyline. I liked that the hero was the basketball coach and was hoping for some good mentor-trainee moments.

All in all, Sea Glass Winter wasn't a bad book... However, it didn't have anything to really make it stand out. The writing was good as usual- it made for a nice read, and I liked the small town that Ms Ross has created, mainly because it wasn't too stereotypical. I also thought the story had potential... but it felt to me it lacked focus. I would have been really happy if Sea Glass Winter had only been about Claire/Dillon and Matt/Aimee. Given that the heroine had a teenage son, I expected him to have a storyline, even wanted  it... and it looked promising. I liked the insights he had about his new life, his friendship with Aimee. I actually would have loved to read more about Aimee, she sounded like a cool girl :) It would also have been interesting to see more of his growth, the basketball team coming together, etc. Unfortunately, everything was cut short to give more time to the secondary characters and their storylines. Perhaps it's because I didn't read Ethan and Paige's book, so I didn't particularly care about the new development in their relationship. Honestly though, I thought it was superfluous, especially given the way it was solved. Seriously, it's no use to introduce a problem if it's going to become a non-problem!! That seems to be the new trend lately in books... but I digress. There was also a big part of the book towards the end that was about Paige and Kara both giving birth during a storm and really, I could have done without it. I wished that part instead would have been dedicated to Claire and Dillon's romance which was developed a bit too fast to my taste. I mean, Claire and Dillon were attracted to each other at first sight and they are thrown together a few times because of Matt. Then, the first chance they get to be alone, they jump on it and on each other and the next thing you know, they are a couple and Dillon is asking Matt's permission to marry his mother. It's not that I wanted more conflicts, but I wished I was shown more interactions between all the main characters.

From this review, it sounds like I didn't enjoy Sea Glass Winter and that's not true . I'm just frustrated because the whole story got side-tracked by the secondary characters. As a result, it feels unfinished. It seems there were a lot of issues brought up only to be forgotten with two romances that didn't get enough developments :(

My Grade: C-. Sea Glass Winter did have its moments, but not enough to make up for the lack of focus on the H/H and their romance, turning this into an okay read only.

Review: Third Degree by Julie Cross

Hi everyone!

Things have finally calmed down and gone back to normal :) Hopefully, that means I'll have more time for books and reviews :) To start things with, I have a buddy review up over at Breezing Through. Ames and I are discussing one of my new auto-buy author's latest release, Ms Cross' Third Degree. Click here to find out what we thought of Third Degree :)

Let's hope this review will kick my mojo into gear!


Third Degree by Julie Cross
published by Random House Publishing (Flirt) in March 2014

I used to be “Isabel Jenkins, child prodigy.” As lame as that sounds, at least it was an identity. But now I’m not sure what I am. I just failed the most important exam of my life—the emotional readiness test required to get into a medical residency program—and it turns out my parents can’t stand each other. Now I’m trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces of my life, and that means re-enrolling as a college freshman, but this time I’m shutting the books and majoring in being eighteen.

But so far, my roommate hates me and I’m not into the party scene. The only good thing about school has been getting to know my insanely hot RA. Marshall Collins makes me wonder about everything I missed while I was growing up too fast. Pretty soon we’re hanging out constantly, but for the first time, I find myself wanting more than a no-strings-attached physical relationship. And the lesson I really need is one Marsh definitely can’t teach me: love. Because I’m going to be alone forever if I don’t learn fast.

Genre: New Adult, Contemporary
Series: None

All well, but tired...

Hi  everyone :)

How are you doing? Once again, I apologized for the lack of posts :( The past week have been quite grueling. Long story short, we got robbed two Fridays ago and since then, we've been dealing with cops, insurance and everything and anything that can make our house feel more secured and safer. I don't want to go into too much details, but the most important is that we're all safe :)

Aside from that, well there's been a lot of curling. The season is winding down... I only have one more regular game this week and then, it'll be the club closing tournament the last week of April. On one hand, I'm glad because the season has been quite long... but at the same time, I know once it's over, I'm going to miss it. And really, it's too bad because I've really been playing quite well...

Other than that, there's the election campaign going on. I've taken the habit to listening to the radio on the way to work, just to stay current with what's happening. I don't like politics, but it's good to know a bit about it. Have to say though this year's campaign, I really didn't care. Listening to the candidates bicker like kids was just tiring. Sigh.

Finally, I'm in a bit of a reading slump. Hopefully, I'll get out of it soon.

So yes, I'm well, but just tired. What about you? Better than I'm doing I hope :)