Book Review: My Quickie Wedding (Heartbreak Hotel #3) by Christie Ridgway

My Quickie Wedding

by Christie Ridgway

Amazon / B&N

Instant. Attraction.

It heats the blood, causes the heart to race, and messes with the making of rational decisions. A person, may, for example, find themselves saying “I do” to a near-stranger on an impulsive overnight in Sin City.

The next morning, an aghast Connor Montgomery and Jojo Thatcher stare at each other over the tangled bed sheets. How had this happened? Neither is eager to acknowledge they followed a reckless urge and got hitched. Surely, it’s a bad nightmare.

Or maybe, just maybe, the beginning of a dream come true.

My Quickie Wedding is book three in the Heartbreak Hotel series and is a STANDALONE NOVELLA.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

That aghast expression would make any man take off, even as he’d briefly hoped—like an idiot—that the previous hours had all been a teenage-style wet dream followed by the kind of nightmare where you had to take a test buck naked in a language you’d never studied.

I’m your time and place, Jojo. I’m your person to share things with, sad and happy and all that’s in between.

  

My Review:

  

This installment was fast-paced, scorching the sheets sexy, a quick and easy read, and such a pleasant way to spend the part of the afternoon.  I enjoyed Jojo and Connor as a couple, the instalove trope worked for them as they had more natural chemistry than they knew what to do with.  Their story moved along at a brisk pace yet even had time for brief glimpses of the previous pairings from books one and two.  The Heartbreak Hotel’s reputation for love connections remains safe and well merited. 

  

Empress DJ

About the Author

Goodreads   Amazon

Christie Ridgway is the author of over 60 novels of contemporary romance. All her books are both sexy and emotional and tell about heroes and heroines who learn to believe in the power of love. A USA Today bestseller, Christie is a six-time RITA finalist and has won best contemporary romance of the year and career achievement awards from Romantic Times Book Reviews.

A native of California, Christie now resides in the southern part of the state with her family. Inspired by the beaches, mountains, and cities that surround her, she writes tales of sunny days and steamy nights.

Book Review: Me and Mr. Jones (Heartbreak Hotel Book 2) by Christie Ridgway

Me and Mr. Jones

(Heartbreak Hotel Book 2)

by Christie Ridgway

Goodreads
Amazon / B&N

Welcome to the famed resort, The Hathaway at Dragonfly Beach, where newlyweds come to honeymoon, where anniversary couples celebrate milestones, and where broken hearts find a place to heal.

Jilted bride Audra Montgomery wants to reset her life at the famed resort, The Hathaway at Dragonfly Beach. A good girl for far too long, Audra has penned a list of must-do experiences she’s sure will change her. When the hotel’s maintenance guy, a “Mr. Jones,” knocks on her door, she wonders if the sexy handyman might just come in handy when enacting some of the spicier items on her agenda.

Kane Hathaway, general manager of the resort, didn’t set out to deceive his guest when he performed a minor repair. But it’s freeing to imagine life without the responsibilities of the family business. Then there’s the whole “Heartbreak Hotel” designation—cynical Kane doesn’t believe for a minute that a stay on site can heal the wounds left by bad romance. But every moment in Audra’s company sparkles with magic—can this be love?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

Jessie’s expression fell, looking as if he’d broken her favorite toy and stolen the last of her Halloween candy.

I have a cat. A white cat… Hildr, after a famous Viking shieldmaiden. She killed her enemies in battle and wore their dried penises on a belt around her waist.

He ordered them each beers from the female bartender who wore a Harley-Davidson tank top and jeans so tight they seemed to split her in two from behind.

“Married a jerk,” she said matter-of-factly. “Promised me the moon and gave me green cheese instead.”

My Review:

I’m enjoying this light and entertaining series featuring couples who have no interest in being a part of any couple, but by the end of the book, they have become one none the less.  The premise and storylines were entertaining and easy to follow with an even balance of angst, sizzle, and humor.  Although initially despondent after being abandoned hours before her elaborate wedding, Audra began to rejoin the land of the living before growing excessively crusty and devised two separate bucket list types of activities after taking stock of her Goody-Two-Shoes personality and “pleaser gene” tendencies.  I enjoyed Audra attempting to locate and embrace her more daring feisty side with the assistance of a sexy hotelier.  

Empress DJ

About the Author

Goodreads   Amazon

Christie Ridgway is the author of over 60 novels of contemporary romance. All her books are both sexy and emotional and tell about heroes and heroines who learn to believe in the power of love. A USA Today bestseller, Christie is a six-time RITA finalist and has won best contemporary romance of the year and career achievement awards from Romantic Times Book Reviews.

A native of California, Christie now resides in the southern part of the state with her family. Inspired by the beaches, mountains, and cities that surround her, she writes tales of sunny days and steamy nights.

Book Review: Our Last First Kiss (Heartbreak Hotel Book 1) by Christie Ridgway

Our Last First Kiss

(Heartbreak Hotel Book 1)

by Christie Ridgway 

Goodreads

Amazon

B&N

Welcome to the famed resort, The Hathaway at Dragonfly Beach, where newlyweds come to honeymoon, where anniversary couples celebrate milestones, and where broken hearts find a place to heal. 

After her best friend is jilted at the altar, maid of honor Lilly Durand whisks the bride to Dragonfly Beach and its legendary hotel, determined to help her overcome her misery. Lilly won’t admit it, but she’s hurting too. During the few days of pre-wedding festivities, a powerful attraction had grown between her and the handsome and confident best man, Alec Thatcher. Now she’ll never see him again, but she’s decided to consider that a good thing. This way her inconvenient crush can’t turn into something so dangerous as love. But then, to her dismay, she discovers Alec is just a room key away at what some call the Heartbreak Hotel.

Alec Thatcher doesn’t have the time or inclination for long-term romance. Serial dating has suited his confirmed-bachelor status just fine—until he meets Lilly Durand and his world turns on its axis. She claims to be as relationship-averse as he, but when the two of them are together he can’t recall his own reasons against commitment. Though Lilly touches his heart and soul, she’s as cautious as she is sexy. With a stubborn streak a mile long, Alec will have to exert all his powers of persuasion to give Lilly her last first kiss...

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

No expert on male attractiveness, Alec had to take his sister’s word for it that Jacob was what she termed a “California dime.” Jojo used a bunch of weird-ass lingo possibly understood only by herself, but he was told it meant a ten on the apparently higher, California scale of handsomeness.

Alec attended every one of Barbie’s funerals I ever organized, after Simon declared them lost causes post-surgery… Well, except for that time Simon pronounced Ken hadn’t survived an appendectomy. Alec said he refused to even pretend-mourn for a guy who came into the world without a dick... Simon said that’s why he hadn’t attempted any heroic measures to save the doll. Dick-less, he informed us, meant an automatic do not resuscitate.

I think you should let me be something to you. I want you to be something to me.

…they swayed together to some old tune that made her think of black-and-white movies and the kind of love that survived wartime separation and bouts of tap-dancing.

My Review:

I enjoyed this wittily amusing book as I have other Christy Ridgway book, I adore her clever humor and entertaining storylines that always manage to squeeze my heart in one paragraph then incite a smirk or a smile in the next.  I was drawn to all the characters as well as the featured couple.  Lilly and Alec had both known tragedy and were endearingly flawed and appealing characters to root for.  I enjoyed their romance and look forward to more adventures at the lovely resort that had earned the myth of being the Heartbreak Hotel. 

Empress DJ

About the Author

Goodreads   Amazon

Christie Ridgway is the author of over 60 novels of contemporary romance. All her books are both sexy and emotional and tell about heroes and heroines who learn to believe in the power of love. A USA Today bestseller, Christie is a six-time RITA finalist and has won best contemporary romance of the year and career achievement awards from Romantic Times Book Reviews.

A native of California, Christie now resides in the southern part of the state with her family. Inspired by the beaches, mountains, and cities that surround her, she writes tales of sunny days and steamy nights.

Book Review: Almost Paradise by Christie Ridgway

Almost Paradise 

by Christie Ridgway

Goodreads

Amazon

B&N

Return to beautiful Crescent Cove in the fourth installment in this sexy, tender series…

Photojournalist and die-hard wanderer Gage Lowell plans a little R & R in Crescent Cove, the place of idyllic childhood summers. Beach House No. 9 seems like a great place to relax after his latest harrowing adventure and he plans to surprise old friend and current pen pal, Skye Alexander, who manages the beachside properties. Though the last time they’d met in person they’d been kids, her communications over the years have kept him in touch…and sometimes saved him from his dark demons. But upon arrival, Skye doesn’t seem all that happy to make his re-acquaintance…

Skye knows it’s nuts not to be eager to spend time with the hard-bodied, ultra-sexy Gage. But it’s clear he sees her as just a friend and she might be thinking of him in a little more…uh, intimate terms. And then there’s the subject of secrets. Clearly he’s holding one back and she has them of her own. But the way he smiles at her…then the way he kisses her…can she open herself up to him in order to discover just how close to Paradise the two of them might come?

**This is a previously published STANDALONE romance.

Get the whole series! 

Almost Wonderful 

Almost Always 

Almost Everything 

Almost Paradise 

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

‘I hate that word,’ Polly said, suddenly looking as if she’d swallowed something sour. ‘Cute. I think it’s preventing me from having a fulfilling love life.’ ‘I thought it was the word perky that was to blame. At least that’s what you told me last week.’

And by the way, if you insult Jane in any way, shape or form, I’ll kick your ass. And then she’ll do it all over again, only harder. And with sexier shoes.

He was glad he stopped himself from saying that, too, because she was staring at him as if she was trying to remember where she’d left her favorite butcher knife.

His niece, Rebecca, had apparently left childhood for adolescence like a small-town girl heading for the big city—on speedy transport and with little luggage…

He’s actually Stunning Sex Man… A superhero. A yet-undiscovered one. I may take up writing comic books just to chronicle his greatness for the world’s appreciation.

My Review:

This installment in the ongoing series featured two couples.  One couple consisted of best platonic friends, although one was secretly pining for the other, and the other couple had been childhood friends that spent summers together and later became adult pen pals as he traveled the world as a serious photojournalist and she stayed at her beloved cove tending to tourists and her family business.  All four hid dark and traumatic events/secrets/stressors.  The characters were enticing and the storylines were intriguing and interesting although slowly paced and heavy with angst.  I looked forward to and reveled in the welcomed infusions of humor and gasp-worthy steamy bits as their statuses shifted from friends to lovers territory.  

Empress DJ

About the Author

Goodreads   Amazon

Christie Ridgway is the author of over 60 novels of contemporary romance. All her books are both sexy and emotional and tell about heroes and heroines who learn to believe in the power of love. A USA Today bestseller, Christie is a six-time RITA finalist and has won best contemporary romance of the year and career achievement awards from Romantic Times Book Reviews.

A native of California, Christie now resides in the southern part of the state with her family. Inspired by the beaches, mountains, and cities that surround her, she writes tales of sunny days and steamy nights.