Title: Hot Summer Nights Anthology; Hope Smolders, Perfect Strangers, Legend of Jane, Ice Princess
Series: Hope .05; Serendipity bk4.5;
Authors: Jaci Burton, Carly Phillips, Erin McCarthy, Jessica Clare
Genre: Contemporary
In Jaci Burton’s “Hope Smolders,” struggling divorcee Jane has put her personal life on hold to raise her kids—until she runs into Luke, her ex’s former best friend, who convinces her it’s time to start having fun again.
Carly Phillips takes you back to the town of Serendipity, where overworked Alexa has an instant connection with a sinfully sexy football star on the dance floor. A one-night stand evolves into multiple nights when Luke decides to teach the good doctor about his own brand of fun. But when it’s time for him to leave town, will these “Perfect Strangers” be able to say goodbye for good?
In Jessica Clare’s “Legend of Jane,” an intrepid Bloggess catches the eye of local law enforcement when she gets caught trespassing. Luckily, Luanne wouldn’t mind getting handcuffed by Officer Hotness…
Single girl Chelsea is tired of feeling like the fifth wheel on her weekend jaunt to Lake Placid, until she gets stuck out in the cold and finds a muscular knight in shining armor to warm her up—in Erin McCarthy’s “Ice Princess.”
I love anthologies because it gives you a chance to test drive other authors and see whether you would like them or not. I have found some of my favorite authors this way. With this anthology however I’d already read each of the authors two of whom are on my auto-buy list. Because it is an anthology I will review each book individually and grade it then give the book as a whole a combined grade. (Yes that is the teacher in me coming out 🙂 )
Perfect Stranger: Ok I’m going to admit I thought for sure Alexa’s hero was going to be Sam Marsden, and I was looking forward to some out of this world fights and smexy times. When Carly said Sam wasn’t Alexa’s I was a little bummed, but also curious as to who her hero could be. I wasn’t expecting Luke.
Luke is one of those heroes who is ready to settle down. He’s not actively looking, but he’s also not going to ignore an instant connection with a woman who intrigues him, and Alexa intrigues him. I loved how he got Alexa and knew what she needed. When it’s time for him to leave he asks Alexa to come with him, knowing she will probably say no, but needing to put his feelings out there.
This is one of those sweet love stories that made me fall in love with romance in the first place.
Grade: A
Ice Princess: By the time I got to this story I was reading in bed and was told to either put the book away or go read in the living room as I was laughing so hard at the antics of Chelsea and her misadventures in Lake Placid. From her first meeting with Ben, to her attempts at learning how to snow board. I loved every minute of this story, and went back and read it again as soon as I was finished reading it.
Grade: A
Legend of Jane: Having never read a Jessica Clare book I wasn’t sure what to expect from her. While I enjoyed this story I wasn’t as invested in the characters I should have been. In fact by the time I’d finished the entire book I’d completely forgotten all about them.
Grade: B
Hope Smolders: I’m a huge Jaci fan so I was excited to read the opening novella for her new series. However three chapters in and I didn’t care what happened in the story. Jane came across as a bitter divorced woman who lumped all men in the same category as her ex. I loved the hero Luke however, and thought he could have done so much better then Jane. I was so irritated with the way she treated him I have to admit this book became a DNF for me. I’m hoping the next book in the series is much better.
Overall Grade: B+
