Showing posts with label Kristen Proby. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Kristen Proby. Show all posts

Monday, October 6, 2014

Kari's 4 Star Review of Breathe With Me by Kristen Proby




Kari's 4 Star Review of Breathe With Me 
by Kristen Proby


Summary 

Sometimes you meet the right person at the wrong time… 

Mark Williams has loved Meredith since he was seventeen. A successful man with a strong family, he’s worked hard to move on from Meredith breaking his heart all those years ago. When his path crosses with the only woman he’s ever loved again years later, Mark knows there is nothing he won’t do to keep her in his life. But when the going gets tough, will Meredith stick around or will he lose her again? 

…But true love has a way of finding its way back. 

Meredith Summers is a dancer. One of the first things she learned in following her dreams is that timing is everything. She has spent the past ten years following her dream touring with mega-stars while trying to forget the high school sweetheart she left behind. Now she’s back in Seattle, running a successful dance studio with her best friend Jax and determined to move on from her gypsy past. Until the day she sees Mark Williams and time stands still. It’s as if no time has passed at all when Meredith finds herself in Mark’s arms again. The chemistry, the bonds and the love are as strong as ever and hearing Mark whisper breathe with me in her ear is a balm to her wounded soul. But will she grab onto this second chance at love, or is the timing all wrong for them again? 

“There were days that I would have exchanged a year of my life just to touch you one more time.” –Mark Williams 

What I loved:
This series has been one of my favorites. I always enjoy when a book can be read as a standalone, but have characters cross-over from the previous books and show up. This book did not disappoint. I also love second chance romances.

Mark, construction worker extraordinaire, has loved Meredith for as long as he can remember. They were high school sweethearts, but life got in the way as it usually tends to do and demons that Meredith carries with her take her away from Mark. 

Meredith, a dancer, has loved Mark for as long as she can remember and knowing she loses those she loves, she pushes Mark away and goes to NYC to be a dancer after high school. 

Years later, life happens again, but this time it brings them together again. Neither of them have loved anyone the way they have loved each other. Can they navigate through a relationship now that so much time has passed and they aren’t who they were in high school? 

What I didn’t Love:
Ok, this is nit-picking and I don’t usually nit-pick, but this book took me a while to get into.  At like 60% in I was asking myself, “Where is the do-I-or-don’t-I moments that I am accustomed to with Kristen Proby’s work?” It happened, just a bit later then usual.  All in all, that was really all I didn’t like about the story. 

Overall:

The next book in the series, Forever With Me, will be the last and I am sad to see this one end. I love the families and the dynamics they all bring to the table.  Ms. Proby took me into Mark and Meredith’s life and I loved every minute of it.  There were some LOL moments that I will never forget too.  Thanks you for this series and I hope the final installment hurries up!! 

Friday, February 7, 2014

Kari's Review of Loving Cara (Love Under the Big Sky #1) by Kristen Proby





If you love quick-paced cowboy romance, you will love this book!!! 


Summary/Blurb:

In this new Love Under the Big Sky series, Cara agrees to tutor her former classmate's nephew—and learns some lessons in love!

Josh King is an expert at running his family’s multi-million dollar ranch in Montana. (And all that outside manual labor has done wonders for sculpting his six-foot-three body, too.) But as sure footed as he is when it comes to the ranch, Josh doesn’t know anything about how to deal with an adolescent boy—so when his twelve-year-old nephew, Seth, is dropped off on his doorstep, looking scared and acting surly as hell, Josh knows he needs help in straightening him out.

Cara Donovan loves her quiet life as a teacher in her sleepy hometown, so she jumps at the chance to make a little money over the summer as a tutor. But when she learns she’ll be teaching Josh King’s nephew, Cara’s sweet summer job gets a little bit hotter. Cara tries to focus all her attention on tutoring Seth, but Josh proves to be a delicious distraction, while Josh’s memories of the shy girl he once teased in high school are nothing like the beautiful woman he’s facing now. Can he persuade her that there’s more between them than a summer fling?


What I loved:
The pace.  The story unfolded quickly and the relationship between Josh and Cara developed fast.  I usually don’t like such a quick pace, but it worked in this book.  It also didn’t take anything away from the storyline.  Seth, Josh’s nephew and Cara’s student for the summer, brings a great story to the book as well.  His mom, Josh’s twin brother’s ex-wife, drops him with Josh because she isn’t the mother type.  He has an attitude but he has reason to.  His dad, Zack, was away in the armed services and his mom filled his head with lies so now he is withdrawn and difficult.  Cara, gets to Seth and is able to connect with him. 
Cara and Josh went to school together.  Josh would tease her by pulling her hair when she was near him o walking by him.  I adored this, mainly because I had a similar experience in school with a boy who would always pull my ponytail.  I didn’t end up with him, but it was still fantastic to remember that memory!!  
Also, what’s better then twins!!! YUM!!!  Can’t wait to see where Zack’s story goes!!

What I didn’t love:
This is going to be more a rant then something I didn’t love about the book.  I loathe woman who use their children as pawns in a relationship gone bad.  So needless to say, I didn’t like Seth’s mom at all!!  For me, what she did, was unforgivable.  A man who serves his country is defending our rights so that we can all live free.  Especially his child.  There is no way, from my experience with family being in the military, that he would choose to be away from his family.  Zack, didn’t deserve to come home and face that his son was told this.  It wasn’t fair and completely deplorable.  OK rant done.  


Overall:
Sweet, charming and sexy, this story was quick but good.  There is just something about a man who can ride a horse.  Its sexy.  I was so glad that the heroine wasn’t whiney and down on herself.  Sure there were doubts about the relationship just being a fling, but it wasn’t annoying or repetitive.  If you want a quick read that will warm you soul, pick this book up.  You will not be disappointed.  



Favorite quotes/lines:

“Girls are dumb.  You shouldn’t look at him like that.  He’s a jerk.” -Seth

“It seems that anywhere you are is my happy place these days, Cara.” -Josh


My eyes are glued to his lips and I’m mortified to realize that I want him to kiss me.  And not just a sweet thank-you-for-teaching-my-nephew-kiss, but a long, slow kiss that lasts forever and I can’t even remember to breathe. -Cara