His Sacrifice For Love: Clean Read Interracial Billionaire Romance
Love’s Abandon Book 1)
By C.D. Samuda
5 of 5 stars
Marissa Marchan’s review January 16, 2017
Format: eBook

I RECEIVED A COMPLIMENTARY COPY OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW. THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE READ A BOOK FROM C. D. SAMUDA. I LOVE ANYTHING ROMANCE AND THE STORY OF CHASE AND MAGGIE DELIVERED OVER AND BEYOND MY EXPECTATIONS. LOVE TRULY CONQUERS ALL. THERE WERE A LOT OF TWISTS AND TURNS, ENOUGH TO KEEP ME ENTERTAINED THE WHOLE TIME. A MUST READ!

The Devaney Brothers: Ryan and Sean: Ryan's Place\Sean's Reckoning
 by Sherryl Woods
 5 of 5 stars
 Read in June, 2015
 Format: Paperback

I had the unfortunate experience of reading the last of the Devaney Brothers: Daniel. It was a good story so I decided that I need to read the first two books as well to comprehend the logic of abandonment and neglect theory. After all, that’s how these five brothers got separated in the first place.

The Devaney Brothers: Ryan and Sean is the first book in the series about five brothers separated from one another at a young age when their parents ‘disappeared’ from their apartment one day and abandoned the oldest three children, taking only with them their two-year-old twin brothers. Moving on from one foster parent to another, it is a story of how the first two brothers struggled to find their identity, shutting off their hearts to find true love as they grew up, blaming themselves for being ‘bad’ as a kid as they thought that was the reason why their parents left them, and how they found each other and determined to find their third brother.

As the brothers grew, Ryan, the oldest of the boys lives a somewhat solitary life running his Irish pub in Boston while Sean was a fireman. Unbeknownst to both of them, they were living just a few miles away from each other. The women in their lives helped them find each other and learned to healed their wounds and accept one another as brothers.

There are two stories in the book. I liked the story about Ryan and Maggie and found myself drawn to their characters, their romantic and funny moments. I connected to them quickly. Unfortunately, not so much with Sean and Deanna’s story; I had a hard time grasping with their love story. Like the characters didn’t really connect; like something was missing from their relationship. Don’t get me wrong. They had great stories to tell, but I fell asleep a few times when I was reading their story. Unlike with Maggie and Ryan: I even brought the book with me to work and every chance I got, I secretly glanced at a few pages as I can’t wait to read the next chapter.

Because of Ryan and Maggie, I truly enjoyed reading this book. Two thumbs up!

Until There Was You
 by Kristan Higgins
 Marissa Marchan's review June 12, 2015
 rating 2 of 5 stars
 Format: Paperback

I really don’t know how to describe my feelings about this book, Until There Was You. I had mixed feelings about it, hate it or love it? I was having trouble focusing on the characters or was it the dialog? I don’t know; maybe because it was already late at night. So this morning, I decided to give it another try only to abandon it half-way through. I am sure it is a great read, but unfortunately, the story just didn’t grab me. Sorry!

The Devaney Brothers: Daniel
 by Sherryl Woods
 Marissa Marchan's review Jun 11, 2015
 rating 3 of 5 stars
 Format: Paperback

I found the story a bit slow to start. Of course, I didn’t realize that this was the last of The Devaney Brothers. I wish there was some indication that this was part of a series. I picked up another book to read and when I finished reading it, I went back to this book again and to my surprise, the story picked up its pace about a third of the way.

Unfortunately, half of the story focused on finding out why a thirteen-year-old girl ran away from home and in my opinion the reason was a little bit lame. I wish there were more romantic moments between Daniel and Molly. That would be a lot of fun to read. I was also a little bit disappointed when I anxiously waited to find out why three little children were abandoned by their parents. I guess the reason behind it was very unrealistic or poor storyline maybe? I understand that they couldn't afford to keep them, but why didn't they apply for welfare or State Assistance instead of just abandoning them? I don't know exactly how to describe it. At least it was a happy ending for the family.

Because It's Christmas by Kathryn Shay
 Marissa Marchan's review Jun 07, 2015
 rating 5 of 5 stars
 Format: Paperback

High School Principal, Seth Taylor of Bayview Heights was the center of a controversy and hate, well at least for Phillip. He blamed the principal from negligence that he claimed the principal bestowed on his grandson, Kevin, some eight years ago when he was attending his school before he was sent to prison. His grandson had a history of violence, but Phillip blamed Seth that he became that way because of how he handled him and the situation.

Lacey Cartwright, took over her grandfather’s newspaper and she also had a personal vendetta towards Seth for putting her younger brother, Kevin, to prison. She bashed him on her newspaper, but he invited her instead to sit in one of their school meetings to observe.
 And as the details unfolded, seeing Seth in action as Lacey became part of a Task Force involving, students, teachers and the community that Seth developed to help find a solution to deal with violence at school, she and Seth fell in love in the midst of their differences.

This story is not just about falling in love, but it also dealt with problems at school, foster care, revenge, forgiveness and finding that love truly will conquer it all.

Five star all the way from beginning to end.

Maybe This Time
 by Jennifer Crusie
 Marissa Marchan's review May 10, 15
 rating 5 of 5 stars
 Format: Paperback

Andy Miller, is ready to move on with her life. She and her first husband, North, divorced ten years ago. Now, she wants to marry her fiance, Will, so she visits North to finally have closure and no ties with him for good. But she gets a different proposal from him; to take care of two children that he was awarded custody for a month living in a strange 'castle' and encourage the children to move in with North. In return he would pay her $10,000.

This is a story of hate, love, romance and of course, supernatural. From beginning to end, I enjoyed reading it. I couldn't put it down and although I had to work early in the morning, I was up until 2 am. I finished reading it in one seating. It is that good!

On the Prowl by Christine Warren
 On the Prowl (The Others, #6)
 Marissa Marchan's review May 18, 15
 rating 5 of 5 stars
 Format: Paperback

This is the first book I've read of Christine Warren. I had to go back a few pages to make sure that I read it right; feline, tigress, vampires. I didn't realize that the Others were a series. Once I decipher it, it was easy to understand the story filled with excitement and danger not to mention super hot, sizzling novel despite being it an arranged marriage.

This is a story of power, love and passion. The ending was a total surprise but great with excitement. Love it!

Man, Woman, and Child by Erich Segal
 Marissa Marchan's review May 18, 2015
 rating 3 of 5 stars
 Format: Paperback

This is a story of a husband and wife, with a perfect marriage, exciting careers and two lovely daughters. They were a perfect American family. But what Sheila, the wife, didn't know was that her husband had a one night stand 10 years prior on a business trip to France. Bob, the husband, didn't know that on that one night of passion produced a child and their marriage was put to the test. Would she forgive him? Can she trust him again? It didn't help when their children wasn't that forgiving. But because of their love for each other, and at the end they forgave Bob and they became whole again. True love always prevail.

The story started slow, but picked up the pace in the middle. It was a good story, but I guess I wasn't that excited about the ending. It could have been better.