The Blonde Diaries

WWW Wednesday is hosted by Miz B each week. Click above to join in the fun!

To play along, just answer the following three (3) questions…

• What are you currently reading?
• What did you recently finish reading?
• What do you think you’ll read next?

What are you currently reading?

I am still reading Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier as schedule and I also started reading Don’t Stop Me Now by Jeremy Clarkson.  So a little early 1900s mixed with British humour and luxury sports cars.

What did you recently finish reading?

I finished Kissing Kelli by Kathy Carmichael Monday night. Not really something I’d recommend even at 99 cents. (review to come Monday)

What do you think you’ll read next?

I can’t decide! I’m trying to make an inventory of my books and organize them into collections via Calibre so I can figure it out.  I know I need to plan this out for vacation in a couple of weeks!

From our hostess: It’s Monday! What Are You Reading is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between! This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

I missed posting last week so I’m going to include the past 2 weeks

Books I finished:
1. Wedding Cake to Turin by Lynda Renham

Right when Charlotte didn’t think things could get any worse something else pops up. At the Our Celebs Christmas party Charlotte is sprung with an unplanned trip to Turin for 2 weeks. Her quest is to deliver a wedding cake for an actor’s wedding in the Alps without getting a single knick in the cake or icing. Her flight is scheduled for Christmas Eve so she will be spending the holidays alone.

On the airplane she meets a handsome stranger and her feelings begin to tear over trying to still love her cheating boyfriend Nigel and the mysterious Michael. Along to finding where her heart lies, she has a run in with the Italian police, visits a psychic, and makes friends with the Italian Mafia. Just when she thinks she is ready to go home, she is reeled back in and stays a little longer to clean at the local art gallery and figure out if the one she loves does indeed love her back or if it is all part of a bigger scheme and just how far will she go in the name of love.

3 out of 5 stars

2. Touchdowns and Potions by Markee Anderson
Jenna Steele has graduated with a master’s degree in social work but has not been able to find the right job. In the meantime she is working as a real estate agent during the day and a legal secretary at night. Jenna is assigned to sell to sell football player Andy’s home and an elderly lady named Edna’s home. This is when Jenna’s life begins to turn upside down.

First, she must deal with Andy’s professed love at first sight and then she must deal with the Love Potion Edna has put on her wrists that will last a week. All Jenna wants to do is sell their homes and find her social worker job so she can pay for her younger sister’s college education. Along the way she realizes that family, love, trust, and honesty are all that matters and she should let people control their own destiny rather than Jenna.

So we are left with what happens between Andy, Jenna, and that darn love potion!

~ Not recommended for people who want a realistic fiction book as this one is totally over the top.

4 out of 5 stars

3. Perhaps…Perhaps by LA Dale (I need to work on this review LOL)
I enjoyed watching Flora grow from a push-over and wallflower to an independent woman willing to speak her mind. I thought Luke was more than a little swarmy and that he needed to start thinking for himself. I’m glad everything worked out in the end. Good read, would probably reread down the road.

3 out of 5 stars

4. Not Low Maintenance by Barbara Morganroth
I really really wanted to love this book. It had a great idea but at the end it just fell flat. It was like in the last 20 pages the author realized they were ending the book but didn’t clear anything up so they made a nice tidy ending. Also the development of the characters and their relationships seemed to be missing something. I just couldn’t figure out how Aviva and Joel fell in love when they went on like 2 dates. It just felt forced and not very natural. For 99 cents it is a good buy on Amazon but I wouldn’t pay more than that.

2 out of 5 stars

Just finished 13 Little Blue Envelopes – review to follow soon.

If you are on Goodreads.com friend me! http://www.goodreads.com/user/show/2814165-cate

Books I’m currently reading:
1. Kissing Kelli by Kathy Carmichael
From Amazon

Rodeo champion and wealthy rancher, Bobby Gray Nelson, is used to women setting out to lasso him. But when he meets feisty Kelli Palmer, she refuses him on every count. He’s always up for a challenge and is determined to woo this beautiful veterinarian who he thinks could be his soul mate. Kelli Palmer doesn’t believe love is in the chute for her. She’s devoted herself to the animals she cares for and the family she adores. So when her sister claims dibs on the handsome cowboy, Kelli reins in her attraction and tells him to skedaddle.

Losing is not an option for this gorgeous cowboy. He comes up with a 5-step plan to place his brand on Kelli’s heart. The problem is, he can’t even make it to the first step. Never fear, though. He’s got a Plan B. Can Kelli stand her ground — even after his toe-curling kiss?

Up Next
1. Rebecca by Daphne du Maurier

What are you reading??

From our hostess: It’s Monday!  What Are You Reading is where we share what we read this past week, what we hope to read this week…. and anything in between!  This is a great way to plan out your reading week and see what others are currently reading as well… you never know where that next “must read” book will come from!

So last week I read 3 romance novels about hockey players. The books don’t really focus on hockey itself but for the sports fan there is a little hockey along the way.

1.  Any Man of Mine by Rachel Gibson

What happens in Vegas . . . doesn’t always stay there.

Autumn Haven’s Las Vegas “to-do” list said to catch a show and play the slots—not wake up married to a sexy jerk like Sam LeClaire. The first moment she saw him eyeing her like a luscious piece of the dessert buffet, her usually responsible self told her to run. And she did—right into the wildest fantasy weekend of her life. But Monday morning jolted her back to reality, and before she could say “pass the coffee,” Sam was gone.

Now a successful wedding planner, Autumn hasn’t clapped eyes on the heartbreaking hockey superstar for over two years . . . until she organizes his teammate’s “Special Day,” where Sam makes a big play to pick up where he left off! But she has vowed any man of hers plays for keeps. Is Sam the man for her or does she banish him to the sin bin forever?

2.  Body Check by Deidre Martin

Janna MacNeil is a publicist with a tough assignment: transform the hard-drinking, hooker-soliciting, Stanley Cup-misusing New York Blades hockey team into family-friendly cash cows for Corporate. Her prime adversary is the competitive, gorgeous, brusque team captain Ty Gallagher, to whom public relations means dating a different model each weekend. Ty’s stubborn refusal to do anything resembling a United Way commercial collides with Janna’s professional persistence, so of course they despise each other, until they end up discovering each other’s hidden virtues and making out on the kitchen floor. Tentative romance ensues, as do hockey-themed double entendres: “Don’t come crying to me,” says Janna’s roommate, “when you find out he’s shooting his puck into some other woman’s net.” Whether Janna and Ty’s love can survive the playoffs depends on how well they can overcome stubborn gender cliches, and how well readers can weather the infrequency of board-crashing, Zamboni-shaking sex scenes. A lively plot keeps things interesting, however, and Ro-bear, Janna’s poetic poseur ex, are downright hysterical. Martin’s debut may not melt the ice, but it is heartwarming.

3.  Fair Play by Deidre Martin

Michael Dante is a veteran professional hockey player who knows that his playing days are numbered, so, also co-owner of his family’s restaurant, he decides to take that to the next level. This involves hiring a PR firm whose co-owner is the lovely Theresa Falconetti whom he’s had his eye on since meeting her at his coach’s wedding two years ago. He can’t get her out of his mind and has high hopes. Theresa, though, has changed due to a traumatic event, and has sworn off players of all sports, especially hockey. In addition, she has made every effort to squelch her Italian American roots and has no desire to date Italian men. Her edicts knock Michael’s plans right out of the box. Can Michael bring Theresa around? Witnessing their “courtship” is a pleasure in Martin’s fun and witty story. But there’s so much more. The depth of the characterizations and the unexpectedly moving passages make this an exceptional romance and a must-read for all fans of the genre.

Currently Reading:

1.  Viva Las Vegas by Gemma Halliday

The Queen of Hearts: Mary Halligan can’t get over her ex-fiance’, can’t get a date to her sister’s wedding, and can’t help being faced with happily ever after everyday at the wedding chapel where she works for an Elvis impersonating reverend.

The Full House: Ella Campbell is a former showgirl turned minivan driving mom who can’t quite figure out how it happened that she and her perfect husband are sleeping in separate rooms.

The Ace of Clubs: Kit (just Kit) is a magician’s assistant who wishes she could make her attraction for her married boss disappear.

The Straight Flush: David Shepard is a flamboyant showboy with only one thing hotter than his dancing career – his lover’s jealous temper.

Four friends. Four different points of view. One story of love, loss and lust in the most decadent place on earth. The only question is, what are the odds of finding true love in the city of sin?

I had a lazy week last week with regards to reading. I had a few late nights and then a weekend were I napped off and on all weekend (fabulous!). So I’m hoping this week shapes up a tad better.

Books completed last week:

1. Sweet Sixteen Princess ~ Meg Cabot

Books I am currently reading:

1. Undead and Unwed ~ MaryJanice Davidson

Up Next:

1. Undead and Unemployed ~ MaryJanice Davidson (book 2 of the Queen Betsy series)
2. Princess on the Brink ~ Meg Cabot

Well, I took a short blogging break during the month of March and some of April and totally missed out on my weekly book posting. Now I don’t even remember what I have read this year and in which month. I am going to have to be better about that in May. After reading a bunch on the cruise ship, I slacked off last week. I have my nightstand loaded up and ready to go so hopefully this will be a good week.

Books completed last week:

1. Party Princess (A Princess Diaries Book) by Meg Cabot

Books I am currently reading:

1. Sweet Sixteen Princess ~ Meg Cabot

Up Next:

1. Undead and Unwed ~ MaryJanice Davidson  (book 1 of the Queen Betsy series)
2. Undead and Unemployed ~ MaryJanice Davidson  (book 2 of the Queen Betsy series)
3. Princess on the Brink ~ Meg Cabot