Date with a Billionaire
by Sydney Lawrence
Rating: 3.5 of 5

When Elana Prescott realizes her life is boring and unchanging, she tells her best friend that she is going to change her life and make it more exciting. When her best friend enters her into a contest to win a date with a billionaire and Elana is chosen the winner, Elana is furious but decides try to have fun and give it a chance.

Brant Harrison has worked hard all his life to earn everything he’s accomplished. When he started dating supermodels and found them wanting, he decided he wanted to stay away from the attention-grabbing females. When he is manipulated into taking a charity’s contest winner on a date, he becomes intrigued by his gorgeous date, Elana. Has he finally found someone who shies away from the spotlight and just wants to get to know him as a man and not a wallet?

Sounds like a great (if not predictable) story premise, right? I really wanted to like the book since I love its ending message, but unfortunately, it was just okay for me. I quickly read the entire book in a couple hours. It’s definitely a quick, fun read for the summer. There was just something about the writing that felt off to me; maybe a little forced? I honestly don’t know how to describe it but something felt like it was missing from the story. The story was what drew me to the book initially but I feel like I never had a chance to get fully invested in the characters (which may have been due to its short length). I did enjoy the book but I think it would have benefited from the author fleshing out the story some more.

I really enjoyed the message behind the story and how faith is woven into it but even that part could have felt more authentic. I could definitely see where the author was trying to go and I enjoyed all the twists and turns in the story, but unfortunately, I did not enjoy the book as much as I hoped to.

I received this book for free from the author in exchange for an honest review.

Her One and Only
by Becky Wade
Rating: 5 of 5
Book 4 of the Porter Family series
Bethany House – Fiction | Contemporary Romance

When Dru Porter, former marine, gets assigned as one of the bodyguards for Gray Fowler, star NFL tight end, Gray is not convinced she can do the job but soon finds she is a force to be reckoned with. Dru is determined to find out who is stalking Gray and even poses as his girlfriend in an effort to discover the truth.

What fun characters! I really enjoyed the relationship between Dru and Gray. The dialogue and the humor was perfect. Many characters from the other books in the series show up, so I would suggest reading the other books first but it’s not entirely necessary. I loved the added mystery and suspense surrounding the story but also loved the incorporation of faith and trials that the main characters had to go through.

I highly recommend this book (and the series) to anyone who enjoys a fun and exciting read for the summer!

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Deadlock
by DiAnn Mills
Rating: 5 of 5
Book 3 of FBI: Houston series
Tyndale House – Fiction | Romantic Suspense

Two suspicious murders leave Special Agent Thatcher Graves certain that a serial killer is on the loose in Houston. His new parter in the violent crimes unit, Special Agent Bethany Sanchez, is not so sure and wants to do everything by-the-book when Thatcher is someone who goes by his gut instinct.

Can they work together to solve the murders that keep occurring? Can they put aside their differences and work together despite the fact that Thatcher is one of the people that Bethany’s family hates since he once arrested her brother? Will Bethany ever feel like she isn’t betraying her family by doing her job?

I found this story to be one of the most interesting I’ve ever read because it wasn’t a typical suspense mystery. The story brought light to some of the aspects of Hispanic culture that I was not familiar with. I really enjoyed the added layer which really gave authenticity to the story. I really liked getting to know Bethany and Thatcher while following them on the hunt for a possible serial killer. Their characters were interesting and easily relatable. Although I didn’t grow up as Bethany did, I could feel her frustration and struggle to do what she believed to be right despite how unjustly her family treated her.

I would highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romantic suspense.

I received this book for free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.