These are the books that have made an impression me. Yes, all eighteen of them! The books that made me feel something, the books that are memorable. Some are books from authors I know and love and some are books from new authors that have now moved over to my favorites list. 2017 was a good year.
I'd like to thank all the authors who have entertained me with their stories in 2017. Your words have made me laugh, made me cry and made me smile!
Thank you to the publishers and publicists that I've worked with this year who have given me the opportunity to read and review.
So without further ado, here are my most memorable books of 2017!
I'm going to start out with my top two favs from 2017. It wasn't an easy decision!
My Most Memorable
Good Boy (Wags #1) by Sarina Bowen and Elle Kennedy
Oh yes, Blake Riley makes me smiley! You'll be saying "Cheesus" by the end of the book. I loved this book so much, I lost count of how many times I've read it! Humor, romance, and a good man with a heart of gold and a good woman who knows just what he needs.
From my review...
"I love that these two just don't fall back into bed with each other. Blake really has to woo Jess back into his life and bed, and that's a huge part of the fun in this book. Blake's personality is effusive -- he's apt to get under your nerves at times and make you want to hug him until he calls "uncle" at others. But underneath all of that personality is a man who is keeping a secret and nursing a betrayal that all comes to head near the end of the book."
Half Past by Victoria Helen Stone
Hannah's search for her past really spoke to me. I loved this creative story and the bit of mystery that went along with it. It was a fresh and page-turning reading experience for me.
From my review...
"I thought the writing in this book was lovely. Everything flowed for me, and the touch of humor and sarcasm spoke to me. I really liked Hannah and applauded her willingness to find herself, no matter what she found out. I may have had to wipe my eyes a little bit toward the end. It was all good for me -- a great reading experience. Half Past is definitely on my favorites of 2017 list."
And the rest of my list...
A Rancher's Heart (Heart Falls #1) by Vivian Arend
Great start to a new series from Vivian Arend! I love her outdoorsy family stories. Here's a snippet from my review:
"The first tip-off that there's a boatload of sexual tension coming -- Tamara and Caleb begin their first day of work naked and wet after intimately meeting Heart Falls.From the very start, there's attraction between these two, but both have a great sense of honor and responsibility to their jobs that they try to ignore it, hide it, forget it. Only problem is that with each honorable turn, they fall harder for each other."
Read my full review
Bountiful (True North #4) by Sarina Bowen
I just love the True North series from Sarina Bowen and Bountiful was no exception! 2017 saw many surprise pregnancy tales, and this was one of the best! Here's a snippet from my review:
"The True North series is one of my top recommendations for contemporary romance. The writing is excellent and the stories are unique and engaging. Bountiful is no exception! (Can I claim Dave for myself? Please?) Another winner from Sarina Bowen. This is a fabulous book from a terrific series."
Read my full review.
This was the year I discovered the wonderful writing of Roan Parrish. Her words slay me and her characters are so interesting I can't put her books down.
From my review:
"I read around 3-4 romance titles a week, and it's been a while since I've been "wowed." Small Change wowed me. The hangover from this book is real and big. Needless to say, I will be reading more of this author's work."
Read my full review.
Barking Up the Wrong Tree (Sex and Sweet Tea #3) by Juliette Poe
This is another series I turn to when I want something easy and sweet. The town of Whynot, NC is full of quirky characters and does a good job of representing all the "small-town-people-in-your-business" sorts of situations.
From my review:
"Barking Up The Wrong Tree is a low conflict romance that celebrates life in a small town and the compromises the people who live there must make to get their happy ending. I've enjoyed every book in this series, and this is no exception. It even gives us the dog's point of view on everything, and the image of Jake and Miss Goatikins just had me smiling every single time."
Read my full review.
Retreat (The Getaway Series #1) by Jay Crownover
I loved this romantic suspense story from Jay Crownover and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that she'll write more in this genre. Here's what I had to say about Retreat:
From my review:
"I also thought Cyrus was yummy, and I'm looking forward to his brother's stories. Not everything turns out "fine" and I liked that about Retreat. There was no magic that made everything better -- the characters had to learn to live with the cards they were dealt and that made for a very satisfying conclusion to the story (nope, not gonna tell).
I definitely recommend grabbing a copy of Retreat -- it's a very exciting and super steamy romantic suspense that puts Retreat on my favorites of 2017 list."
Most of All You by Mia Sheridan
This was another book that wowed me. It's a story of healing, but it does take a while to get there.
From my review:
"I loved the emotions in this story. Yes, it's dark. Yes, it made me get teary eyed. Every page held my interest and I just couldn't put this down. The story is told in dual POV and I really liked that about it. I loved Gabriel and all he represented to Crystal. It takes a while for these two to work through their broken pieces and see a future this isn't full of the ugliness of the past, but that just made it more satisfying."
Pipe Dreams (The Brooklyn Bruisers #3) by Sarina Bowen
I love me a sports romance that has both sports and romance and Sarina Bowen never disappoints. As a matter of fact, you've probably noticed that Sarina's books appear more than once on this list. If you aren't reading her, you really should check out her books. There's something for everyone.
From my review:
"This might have been my favorite book in the series. Both Mike and Lauren were more seasoned characters that understood that life didn't always go the way they had planned, but they still managed to keep a positive spin on things, and I liked that about them.
I loved the hockey in this book too. Sarina Bowen captures the excitement that is having your team in the playoffs very well, and I was totally caught up in the Bruisers bid for the title. *sigh*"
Rebel (Renegades #3) by Rebecca Yarros
Rebecca Yarros delivers with an action-packed series full of young love with the Renegades and Rebel is my favorite book in the series. What a fun (and very steamy ) ride and I loved it. It had just the right amount of everything! I'll just leave you with a snippet from my review.
"The stunts were awesome and Penelope's journey back to her bike was a great story line. I think I really liked this part of the book as much as the romance. What makes the thrill seeker tick and how injuries mess up an athlete were very interesting parts of Penelope's recovery."
Read my full review.
Raw Rythm (Found in Oblivion #6) by Cari Quinn & Taryn Elliott
Cari Quinn and Taryn Elliott amaze me. They are also a comfort read for me. Hot rock stars with problems and the women that love them. And those women are also in the band, and that was a very cool thing about this series. It's a great escape.
"I've been waiting for Mal's story since the beginning of the series, and Raw Rhythm did not disappoint! Yes, Mal is a bit of a "junkyard dog" (one of my favorite quotes from the title), but we finally get to see his heart and the depth of his feelings for Elle. It's really quite beautiful in a rough-around-the-edges sort of way, which complements Elle very nicely. Not only do they connect physically (wow!) but also are great together outside the bedroom (or shower). I loved these two together."
Rebel Without a Claus ( (Movie Club Mysteries #5) by Zara Keane
Zara Keane's Movie Club Mysteries series is another action packed, quirky small town story of more murders than you ever knew could happen in one little town. It's full of humor and the mysteries are well crafted.
"Zara Keane does a great job in this series of crafting an engaging mystery and crime for Maggie to solve. I've loved the progression in this series from Maggie coming back to Ireland after her failed marriage to building a business for herself. She's a strong character and I just love her. There's always a nice touch of humor too that always has me finding a place for Zara Keane's stories in my busy reading schedule."
Blood Guard: A Mission Novel by Megan Erickson
I loved this paranormal offering from Megan Erickson. This is an intriguing world she has created and there's plenty of action, suspense and romance! I hope there will be more!From my review:
"Blood Guard is an action packed paranormal with a great romance between Athan and Tendra. I could feel their growing passion as I read the book and I worried about the fact that Athan was supposed to deliver Tendra to his brother Idris who is supposed to take the throne with the Sanguivita as his wife. The action and romance come in equal amounts and I loved that about this book."
House of Cards (Porthkennack #4) by Garrett Leigh
Welcome to Porthkennack, a charming Cornish seaside town with a long and sometimes sinister history. That's the setup for this series, and I've been enamored with these very emotional stories.
From my review:
"Both Calum and Brix are learning to live after the circumstances that have brought them to Porthkennack. This is very much of a book about experiencing those hard life-lessons and what happens in the aftermath. I loved both of these characters. Calum's tendency to get depressed and down on himself was a natural outcome of what he'd been through in his London relationship. Brix's penchant for helping the less fortunate fit well with his character and background as well. It all made for a very emotionally realistic romance between Calum and Brix that I loved because it's about learning to live and love again after life kicks you around."
Read my full review.
Tru Flame (Ember Peak #3) by Edie Danford
I've been a fan of this series from the start! Tru and Jones are such an interesting couple because of their differences. I really liked the pairing of an older, accomplished business man with a younger free spirit. They really work together.
"What I liked in this book was what I liked in all three books of the series -- the dynamic between Tru and Jones is interesting and engaging for me. Tru Flame was such a sweet conclusion to their story. It just left me feeling happy and that's why I read romance!"
Eyes on You (A Blasphemy Novella) by Laura Kaye
This book had everything I love about erotic romance -- great characters, steamy scenes and no shame! I just love this series! Here's what I had to say about Eyes On You.
"These two not only heat up the pages, there is a very sweet "falling in love" story going on her too that made Eyes on You so romantic! The pages flew by for me and I found myself at the end of the story wanting more.
There is some drama here when Wolf takes Liv to Blasphemy, which she loves. She fits in with the other Dom's partners at the club and finds not only sexual expression but some friends there. It all gets threatened one night. It's a good thing the other master's are there to help her out."
Read my full review.
Beyond Forever (O'Kane for Life #2) by Kit Rocha
I've read all the Beyond books because I just love these characters and the world that Donna and Bree have created. Dallas and Lex have always been a favorite pairing for me, so this was a no-brainer. It's great to get a view of their beginnings. Here's what I had to say about Beyond Forever:
"I've
always had a hard time understanding Lex -- sometimes I got her and
sometimes I didn't and Beyond Forever helped me see a different side of
her. I got her.
Beyond
Forever is the story of the beginnings of the O'Kane legend, if you
will, and the early days of Dallas and Lex. I loved every minute of
this story, especially the glimpses of the early days... and well, you
should read it instead of me telling you about it because it's terrific."
The Red by Tiffany Reisz
I adored this gothic tale from Tiffany Reisz. I love how she crafts her stories, how she reveals things bit by bit. Here's what I had to say about The Red...
"This is Tiffany Reisz, so I expected kink and a level of eroticism unlike other books I've read and I was right about that. The erotic scenes are all done so very well and the heart of the story regarding saving the art gallery isn't diminished or overshadowed in the least by the erotic nature of the tale. So be prepared for scenes that may stretch the limits of your imagination and that works well with the overall story."
Read my full review.
Whew! So many favorites! That's all for 2017 ... now on to the 2018 reading list. I've already have one favorite this year!
Happy 2018 everyone!
May you find the best escape in a book!
Love, Tradermare
