Sunday, February 2, 2014

Series Review: Twice Tempted & Third Time's A Charm (Holland Springs #2 - #3) by Marquita Valentine

Genre: Contemporary romance
Age Group: Adult
Publication Date: July 9th 2012
Series: Holland Springs #2
Pages: 264
Format: Mobi/Kindle
Source: Provided by author cuz she loves me




Born into wealth and power, Christian Romanov is Hollywood’s favorite bad boy with a golden touch…until the day his agent receives pictures of the movie star celebrating his birthday in a not-so-legal way. Now he’s been ordered to find a small-town girl to be seen with in order to improve his partying image. He agrees, but for an entirely different reason-to protect the reputation of an organization that helps get teens off the street and back into the school. Not only is he the anonymous donor that's been solely supporting the organization since its inception, he's slated to be their newest spokesman. Zoe Ambrose is a hopeless romantic masquerading as a realist. But she’s also a successful novelist, trying to fit herself into a staid life when what she craves is the adventure she found one night in the arms of a playboy who never knew her name. When her successful crime series is optioned by a major studio, she travels to Las Vegas to find that the prince of her fantasies and single night of pleasure is the main contender for the male lead. But for four years Zoe has been publicly eviscerating the man who left her stranded that night—he’s the villain in her series! Now the movie star doesn't recognize her, and Zoe is determined to protect her heart this time. When Christian braves the small town of Holland Springs and Zoe’s overprotective family to win the girl of his dreams, he finds that his Hollywood skills might not cut it—and learns a shocking truth he never imagined. Can he can tempt her again and finally give her the epic love story she has refused to write for herself?



My Review:

I was looking forward to the story of Zoe Ambrose and Christian Romanov so much after reading Seduction of The Billionaire. After their sexy encounter at a Hollywood party and the way they parted I couldn't wait to see how their story turned out. A Hunky Hollywood heartthrob and a sweet southern belle with a secret? Hmm... juicy indeed! 

It's been four years since Zoe has seen Christian after running away from him when his dismissal left her crushed. Things have changed for her since their time together. She's now a successful novelist and is thrown back together with Christian again for contract negotiations when one of her novels is being made into a movie and he's snagged for the lead role. He feels a connection with her instantly but can't put his finger on where he knows her from or why she hates him so much. Christian has been a bad boy and his past is littered with less than savory things that could ruin his career if it gets out and at the request of everyone close to him he has to head off the threat and give the public something else to focus on. Zoe would be great for his imagine if he could just get her to like him even just a little bit. 

I really wanted to hate Christian's character after the cruel way he dismissed Zoe, even though he didn't know exactly who she was. He really wasn't as bad of a guy as I first thought though and I loved how charming he was. His story broke my heart. Being the son of an already wealthy man instead of joining the family business he followed his heart into acting. I admired him for doing something he loved instead of succumbing to the pressures of his father. Who by the way was mean and hateful. Poor Christian had a rough childhood despite the money and notoriety. I didn't like how he tried to use Zoe to help keep his image squeaky clean after some pictures of him leaked in a compromising position but it brought them together so I wasn't complaining. 

I love Zoe Ambrose. Not only because she stood up for her best friend Melanie when she needed it but because she was feisty and didn't give Christian an inch of slack...at first. I was upset that she kept her identity a secret for so long and wished she would have felt better about herself but I enjoyed watching her guard fall piece by piece. I could understand how she felt seeing as how Christian was her first but she could have saved herself some heartache early on. What made me extremely happy with how things worked out for her was after being hurt by Christian she picked herself up and also followed her dream. Becoming a writer and fueling her pain into her words has brought her work to the forefront after being bought for movie rights. To me Zoe's character felt sort of Lucille Ball-ish in her attempt to hide the fact that Christian was the main inspiration for her book villain. She had some Splainin' to do!

These two characters had a lot to overcome to be together. Dealing with past heartaches, new betrayals and circumstances working against them to keep them apart. I love a good couple who not only fight to be together but fights the chemistry between them and Zoe and Christian had it in spades! I absolutely loved the surprise twist in their relationship that threw me for a loop. A bonus to the story was getting to see what the other characters had been up to after their story ended. Seeing Melanie and Carter again made me a happy girl. 



Quotes:

"I'd stop the world from spinning if gravity was causing you pain. There is nothing I wouldn't do. Not a damn thing." Mobi/Kindle 45%

"Only you could take a children's fairy tale and make it lascivious." "Only you could say the word lascivious and make me want to bend you over the dining room table." His hands slid lower, cupping her bottom. "Have I told you how lovely your ass looks when I'm taking you from behind?" She elbowed him in the stomach and he grunted, his hands falling away. "Not while my niece is here." Mobie/Kindle 77%






Genre: Contemporary romance
Age Group: Adult
Publication Date: September 5th 2012
Series: Holland Springs #3
Pages: 2678
Format: Mobi/Kindle
Source: Provided by author cuz I'm her favorite



To the world, Alexander "Sasha" Romanov is a sexy, globe-trotting playboy that parties with the very rich and famous. But behind the façade exists a ruthless man willing and able to destroy anyone and anything standing in the way of his ultimate goal ...until he meets Rose Holland. Twenty-three year old Rose Holland is perfectly content with her role as Holland Springs' most notorious woman. Despite her less than stellar reputation, the men and women of her small town can't help but shop in her store and ask for love advice. It's tradition, after all. Then Sasha Romanov appears in town, with his heated looks and charming smiles that seem to be for Rose only. A series of unfortunate events leads to close quarters for Rose and Sasha. Extremely close. And neither can stop themselves from giving into their secret desires. But when the real reason Sasha is in Holland Springs comes to light, Rose's world comes crashing down. Can these two enemies-to-lovers and then back-to-enemies again come together to save one another?


My Review:

Third Time's A Charm takes the Holland Springs series off in an entirely new direction in a supernatural twist that reminded me of the movie Practical Magic. Rose Holland is the shy quiet one working in her boutique and raising her sister Summer's daughter Ivy. You would never know she silently deals with hurt and humiliation after a bad date left her miffed. When she finds Sasha Romanov in the middle of a field near death being circled by vultures her life is turned upside down. 

This couple was my favorite of the series. Rose was quiet, shy and sweet. She reminded me of Sandra Bullock in Practical Magic with her intensity and willingness to help the people of their town with her concoctions. She loved helping people find love but it seemed to evade her until Sasha came into the picture. He was this supposed playboy and a bit of a trouble maker we find out in Twice Tempted. Doing the bidding of his uncle Vladimir, Christian's father, makes him seem like the worst person you could imagine. Until we find out his reasons behind why he does what he does. I was desperately crushed when I saw how Sasha was a that the mercy of this wicked man. I knew I loved him from the beginning and seeing him as a man at the end of his rope was needed to understand him better. I loved how dedicated he was to Rose and how sweet they were together. 

You wouldn't be able to tell judging by the covers but these books have an unassumingly steamy quality to them with each set of characters. Sasha and Rose had such bond that I felt throughout. He was the yin to her yang. Where he was sexually experienced in ways Rose wasn't she was the quiet passionate lover that lit a fire in him. I loved how playful and cheeky Sasha was with Rose. She allowed him to let his guard down and just be himself. Without all the threats looming over him he was amazing. Plus it didn't hurt that he was a freaking stud with pierced nipples and hot moves that drove Rose and ME, crazy!

One of the main things I really enjoyed about this particular addition to the series was the actual spring named after the Holland family. The way it brought couples together and solidified the true love between them all felt like the spring was an actual character. This book had a magical essence wrapped inside the drama and romance that made me fall in love several times while reading. It was an emotionally sweet and romantic story of redemption and healing. Third Time's A Charm is a prime example of why you should get Hooked On Holland Springs as soon as possible!


Quotes:

The heat in his eyes made her legs tremble. "I want to lock you in my bedroom with me and not let you out until, until..." She licked her lips. "Until when?" she prompted. A small part of her reveled in this, his torture. She wanted him to hurt. To feel something. he laughed, but it was mirthless. "Never, I never want to let you out." Mobi/Kindle 53%

This was his penance, he thought. For every bad deed, thought or look. Hell wasn't fires burning bright, melting your flesh while you lived through the torment. No, hell was two consenting adults, bare skin, soapy palms and hot water while being forbidden to touch the woman of your dreams in the way you wanted. Mobi/Kindle 80%




About The Author:

New York Times Bestselling Author, MARQUITA VALENTINE, writes small town romances that are anything but small. She met her husband aka Hot Builder at Sonic when they were in high school. She suggests this location to all of her single friends in search of a good man -- and if that doesn't work, they can console themselves with cheesy tater tots. She lives in North Carolina in a very, very small town with Hot Builder and their two children.

Links:
Both Seduction Of The Billionaire and Drive Me Crazy are currently FREE on Amazon!!

     












2 comments:

  1. I love your reviews and the quotes you've shared. Awesome job, babe!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Erin liked Twice Tempted. I really need to read these.

    ReplyDelete

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