Goodreads Challenge 2019, Part Seven

It’s once again time for me to share my Goodreads reviews! Two are new releases, but the other three have been on my digital bookshelf for quite some time.

Flying Finish by Vivian Roycroft
This is a fun short story about a young female jockey and her unfortunate devotion to a rival jockey. Shane and his father need a win to keep their racing stable afloat, but Dixie has the better horse. Will their relationship survive if Dixie wins? Or will Dixie throw the race to help the boy she loves? I read this on my phone during a recent plane trip, and I kept the pages turning through announcements and airplane turbulence! It’s a short read, but well worth your time. Vivian Roycroft does her research, and it shows in the details.

 

Their Second First Kiss by Julia Keanini
Heathcliff Family Romances Book 7
The Heathcliff family saga continues with Elia’s story. We first met Elia in book 6, which followed his twin Luca. Unlike his brother the surfer, Elia deals with his heartbreak by working day and night for the family business. He knows he’s responsible for the awful way he and Lucy parted ways, but he doesn’t expect to ever see the New Yorker again – until she shows up at his Maui resort. Sparks fly again, but Lucy is afraid to trust him. Will she listen to and understand his reasons for hurting her? As with all of Julia’s books, the story is solid and well-told.

Nowhere for Christmas by Heather Gray
I’ve had this book on my Kindle app for years and finally pulled it out to read on a hot summer week. I got so involved in the story that I took out my phone and read while hubby had some dental work done.  I’m sure my chuckles made the others in the dentist’s waiting room wonder about my sanity. This is about a busy single mom, her reticent teenage son, and a crusty photographer. The newspaper sends them all on a Christmas Eve trip during which anything that COULD go wrong, DID. The only thing that did go right was the love story. The epilogue provided more smiles, as the trio traveled to my part of the country. Great storytelling.

Will o’ the Wisp by Lucy Naylor Kubash
Lucy is a member of my local chapter of Romance Writers of America. She’s one of the most supportive people I know, so when she announced her new release, I had to get it and read it right away. In Will o’ the Wisp, Lucy combines her love of nature and animals, and makes it work in a southwest Michigan setting. Allison has been raising her daughter alone by boarding and training horses on the farm she inherited from her grandparents. When the local veterinarian becomes ill, his replacement brings back some bitter memories for her. But Shane had his reasons for leaving her all those years ago, and now he’s determined to regain her trust. This book had me engaged from beginning to end!

Under His Spell by Kathy Lyons
This is a 2010 release from Harlequin, and I hadn’t gotten around to reading it until Kathy came to speak at our local writers group’s workshop. After reading, I came to understand why her workshops on characterization are so well attended. It’s because she creates characters who seem like people we know, but when they engage in things that seem unusual, we can still relate to them. Nicky Taylor is a junior executive, driven to succeed. She has some dark fantasies. Jimmy Ray has loved her since he was a nerdy high school student. He’s now a successful engineer who does magic tricks on the side. This is an extremely spicy book, but there was enough of a story to keep me reading.