Book Review: All I Want for Halloween by Marie Harte

Author: Marie Harte

Title: All I Want for Halloween

Series: Marie Harte Seattle Contemporary Romance #12

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Chick Lit

Format: ebook

Pages: 354

Published: September 1, 2017

Where I Got It: Borrowed from library

Summary: 

When Sadie Liberato is cajoled by her brother to attend a costume party a month before Halloween, she had no idea she'd fall for a handsome devil in a mask. Or that she'd have one hellishly fine encounter in the dark. But when her masked devil turns out to be Gear Blackstone, fallen TV reality star of the super popular show, Motorcycle Madnezz, she wonders if this is a match made in heaven or hell...

Review:

Picked this up from the library. 1) that cover!! 2) it fits in with a reading challenge I am a part of and 3) Halloween month baby!!!!

Here we follow Sadie and Gear. Sadie is cajoled by her brother to attend a costume party which is a month before Halloween. Little did she know she would fall for a handsome devil in a mask. However, it turns out her masked devil is Gear. Gear is a fallen TV reality star from a popular show called Motorcycle Madnezz. How could this ever work?

Sooooooo technically this is part of a series. I think this is #12? Had no idea and didn't even know when reading the book. I only realized this when I was working on this review. This for sure does well as a standalone. I'm sure there are past characters who made a quick appearance or know these two, but I didn't feel like I was missing anything and I didn't catch any references I was confused about...so that is good. 

I liked Sadie. She is a little rough around the edges, but she is a sweetie at the heart of it all. 

Gear is seen as a total ass because of the show. They made his "character" a huge jerk. He does have jerk-y moments in the real life, but at the end of the day, he is a sweetie too. Poor thing. 

Grrrr Gear's ex-bff and ex-gifriend are asshats!!!!!! Gear is better off without them.

I think my main issue was the smexy scenes. Don't get me wrong...they are fun...but the bed banter was cring-y for me. It was a little TOO much. I can't tell you the number of times I rolled my eyes. 

Other than that I did find this fun. The characters are rough on the outside, but huge softies on the inside. It was cute seeing them fall in love. I loved their banter except for their bed banter...a hair too much for me. Why on Earth do we not have more romances set during Halloween time? In the end, I'll give this 3 stars. 

Challenge(s):

- #24 for Romance Reading Challenge - Holiday Setting (Not Xmas)

 

Blodeuedd's Monday Review: Just the Thing by Marie Harte

Gavin Donnigan left the Marine Corps a shell of a man, hounded by guilt for deaths he couldn't prevent. But teaching a self-defense class at the local gym brings some stability to his life-along with a gorgeous leggy blonde who won't give him the time of day. Zoe York lost her twin sister to a freak car accident a few months ago. She's been struggling to bury her grief, but it isn't until she signs up for a self-defense class with its distractingly hot instructor that she begins to come out of her shell again. With the memory of her sister telling her to live a little, Zoe decides a fling with buns-of-steel Gavin Donnigan might be just the thing. Soon they're sparring both in and out of the gym. And for the first time in a long time, each is looking forward to tomorrow.

My thoughts:

I have read about heroes with issues but Gavin sure suffered. He had PTSD and he cried. He cried! Those issues guys have a chip on their shoulders but they never cry. This felt real. He felt broken. He had spent 14 years in the marines and now he worked as a trainer. He tried to keep a smile on his face, but the guy was yes, broken.

Zoe is broken too. But not near as much. She is dealing with the loss of her sister. And this thing does bring them together. They both lost loved ones. They both grieve.

And there was a lot of smexy times. Like a lot. Like a bit too many for my taste as you know I skim things. But hey that does not bother me, I just go past it and get to the grieving, issues and romance stuff. But for those of you who like it, well there is plenty to go around.

I liked Gavin because he was so vulnerable. Zoe was the stronger one here and I liked to see them get closer and really have to work for it.

Conclusion:
A good book

Narrator: CJ Bloom

She did a good job, but her men sure sounds macho. But then they are macho so that makes sense.

All in all a good narration.

Audio CD, 10 h
Published July 4th 2017 by Tantor Audio
The Donnigans #2
Contemporary romance
For review