Silently Loved by Annie Lee

• Paperback: 200 pages
• Publisher: Tobias Books
• ISBN-13: 978-0615536859 

After a four-year failed marriage to Dane Weathers, an unplanned pregnancy, and a terrible beating that led to a miscarriage,  Hailey promised herself she would never depend on another man again. That is, until she meets her deaf and nearly blind landlord. As Hailey attempts to move on with her life as the Sign Language teacher at a local high school, she is faced with budding emotions towards her landlord and threats from a dangerous ex-husband who won't let her go. - Quoted from the back of the book.

First I would like to thank Annie Lee for asking me to review her book. I am so happy that I said yes. This was a very good book that grabbed me from the beginning. There was just a little of Hailey's background at the start that left me wanting more and I got just that. As Hailey and Noah get to know each other and as Hailey and her best friend Reese reconnect you find out more about Hailey's failed marriage. I liked how Noah and Hailey became close and fell in love. There are ups and downs in this book. I found myself smiling, crying and sitting on the edge of my seat. Annie's writing is so good that she pulls you in to the point that you feel like the characters are alive and you don't want to put the book down. Now I want to read Annie's first book. I think she will be on the bestseller list in no time. 5 stars.

FTC DISCLOSURE:I received this book from the author in return for a fair and honest review.

Playing the Game by Barbara Taylor Bradford

• Hardcover: 400 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Press
• ISBN-10: 0312578083

Annette Remmington, a London art consultant and private dealer, is at the top of her game. She is considered a rising star in the international world of art, and has a roster of wealthy clients who trust her judgment and her business acumen. Her success reaches new heights when a rare and long lost Rembrandt finds its way into her hands, which she restores and sells for top dollar. Called the auction of the year, Annette becomes the most talked about art dealer in the world.
Annette is married to her mentor and personal champion, the much older Marius Remmington. For twenty years, Marius has groomed her into the international art star that she has become, not to mention saving her from a dark and gritty past. She is his pride and joy, and as her best advisor, it’s with great care that he hand picks only the best journalist possible to do a profile on his beloved wife in a popular London Sunday newspaper. Jack Chalmers is a bit of a celebrity himself, becoming one of the top journalists of his time. Marius believes only he will be able to capture the true brilliance of his lovely wife. But Marius never intends to put his marriage in jeopardy. How could he have known that the connection between Jack and Annette would ignite so many secrets? And how could he know that Jack would uncover a scandal that could ultimately destroy them all? - quoted from Amazon.com 


This was my first audio book that I have ever listened to. I picked this one to be my first because I really like Barbara Taylor Bradford's Emma Harte series. I really enjoyed this book. I liked getting to know Annette. From the beginning I knew there was something in the past that was a problem but could not put my finger on it. As the book went on it got more and more interesting until I did not want to stop listening. I liked how the mystery of the forged art work kind of tied in with Annette's past at the end. I thought the ending of the book was perfect, but I won't give away any details - just that it was the perfect ending. I thought the narrator did a good job - I could listen to someone with an English accent talk all day long. So in ending this was the perfect audio book for me to start with. 5 Stars.

The Manning Grooms by Debbie Macomber

 

• Mass Market Paperback: 528 pages
• Publisher: Mira
• ISBN-13: 978-0778326021

 Jason Manning is content with his life as a bachelor, a slob and a sports fan. Then a precocious girl named Carrie Weston decides to play matchmaker, introducing him to her mother Charlotte. To his relief, Charlotte is as averse to marriage as he is. But Jason's feelings start to change once he gets to know his Bride on the Loose.

James Wilkens as almost a Manning groom - because he almost married one of the Manning sisters. With that broken engagement behind him, he spends New Year's Eve in Las Vegas... where he meets Summer Lawton. She's just suffered a painful betrayal, and James promises her that in a year, she'll be over it. To prove his point, he makes a date to meet her in Vegas Same, Next Year. Except it turns out to be more than a date - it's a wedding! - quoted from the back cover of the book. 

I am going to review each story of the book separately.  

The Bride on the Loose - I liked this story but it was not one of my favorites of Debbie's. I enjoyed reading about Charlotte and Jason, although for some reason I was not fond of Charlotte. I did like Jason though. I thought it was cute now Carrie was trying to find a man for her mom so she could be happier. The ending was good but then again if it did not have a happy ending we would not like it right?

Same Time, Next Year - At first I really did not like this story and thought it very unreal to me. Then it kept growing on me until the last section then I really liked it and even had a lump in my throat reading some of it. The last part of the book was more the way that I like how Debbie has written her other books I have read. I want to know what happens next with Summer and James.

I give this book 3 stars - it was a good great but now outstanding to me.

Dangerous to Know by Tasha Alexander - Lady Emily Series Book 5

• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: Minotaur Books
• ISBN-13: 978-0312383794 

Returning from her honeymoon with Colin Hargreaves and a near brush with death in Constantinople, Lady Emily convalesces at her mother-in-law's beautiful estate in Normandy. But the calm she so desperately seeks is shattered when, out horseback riding, she comes upon the body of a young woman who has been brutally murdered. The girl's wounds are identical to those inflicted on the victims of Jack the Ripper, who has wreaked havoc across the channel in London. Emily feels a connection to the young woman and is determined to bring the killer to justice.


Pursuing a trail of clues and victims to the beautiful medieval city of Rouen and a crumbling chateau in the country, Emily begins to worry about her own sanity: she hears the cries of a little girl she cannot find and discovers blue ribbons left in the child's wake.  As Emily is forced to match wits with a brilliant and manipulative killer, only her courage, keen instincts, and formidable will to win can help her escape becoming his next victim. - quoted from the cover of the book.

My review of this book is going to be short and sweet as I don't want to give too much away. I thought this book was a good addition to the Lady Emily series. The way that Emily's tragedy from the last book was used to lure her in this story was kind of interesting. I also enjoyed that Sebastian was a little more out in the open this time. All in all another great book. 5 Stars