Katie O'Sullivan ~ Read, Write, Repeat: Cait Jarrod

Thursday, February 4, 2016

Candy Hearts Romance review: FIND ME by Cait Jarrod

About the Book:

In Heather Ridge, Virginia, myth has it the lucky recipients of the two FIND ME candy hearts distributed each year are soul mates.

Too afraid of seeing her one-time trusted friend, good-hearted Lyse Haynes refuses to go to her high school class reunion. But when she receives a second invitation containing the elusive candy heart, she takes an overdue vacation to pursue the dream of finally finding her soul mate.

Ice cream creator Cooper Schmidt plans to take his product nationwide. His marketing team proposes the perfect destination for his next store. Unfortunately, it belongs to the father of the woman he’s harbored feelings for since high school. He uses her belief in myths and mails her the candy heart to entice her to Heather Ridge, in hopes she will convince her father to sell.

There’s just one problem. After ten years, his old feelings tumble forward, stronger than ever, and Lyse has a decision to make—discover who has the candy heart companion or follow her heart.

My Take:

This is a sweet story with a dash of sexy, giving two people a second chance at the love they threw away before ever realizing what they had together.

Lyse and Coop were best friends growing up in West Virginia. They may not have had a lot of money, but they had each other all through high school until that fateful Valentines dance when she went with another boy because he promised to buy her dinner first. Coop said go, so she did, and they never spoke again. Now their ten year reunion forces them back together, but Coop has an ulterior motive. Or he did, until he actually sees Lyse, and all the old feelings come rushing back.

I love stories of second chances, and Cait Jarrod tells a very satisfying tale, despite some of the less believable aspects. But really, isn't this is how every single woman dreams her high school reunion will turn out? With a really great happily ever after! 4.5 candy hearts for making me smile! (But I'm still not going to my next high school reunion, lol!)

Monday, June 2, 2014

#New Release and #Review: ENTANGLED LOVE by Cait Jarrod

Entangled Love by Cait Jarrod
Romantic Suspense, Published May 30, 2014 by The Wild Rose Press

About the Book:

Emma James is on a mission to rebuild her life after the loss of her husband. When her childhood friend offers an innocent getaway to Santa Monica, she accepts thinking fun in the sun will be a great way to start fresh.

Retired professional skateboarder, Ryan Cross is a gorgeous, lovable, ladies’ man. With two skateboard parks and a fat bank account, he’s on top of his game. What could make him happier?

The love of his childhood friend.

Chaos and life-threatening obstacles have Ryan investigating Emma’s husband’s death. When he discovers handwritten notes made by her late husband, he learns some friends can’t be trusted. They will stop at nothing to get what they want, including putting Emma’s life in danger.

MY TAKE:

Cait Jarrod has created a complicated world of secrets and intrigue that will keep the reader glued to the page. As each secret reveals, the story gets more complex instead of less until everything intertwines and wraps together at the end for a satisfying conclusion.

Emma James has been widowed for a year. At the urging of her friends, she is trying to get her life back to a semblance of normality. Her best friend from childhood, the sexy retired skateboard guru Ryan Cross, might have an ulterior motive in that he's been in love with Emma since grade school but never acted on his feelings. Until now.

Nothing is straightforward, and much is not quite as it seems in this romantic suspense. I admit that at times I had to go back and reread a page because I had missed something in my haste to figure out the various questions swirling around the main characters. I loved the secondary character of Ryan's butler, with his snark and sardonic sense of humor, although I disliked the character of Warren Lewis, one of the bad guys, who came off as sniveling instead of darkly threatening, but maybe that was the author's point.

This makes for a fun beach read, keeping you guessing and invested in the characters.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review, and I'd be happy to read more of this author's work in the future.

AND THERE'S A GIVEAWAY!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Cait says: "As a child, I entertained myself for hours playing pretend, but not with dolls and such. I created stories and pictured them in my mind, sometimes even acted them out, my well preserved secret until now. I spent years after leaving school trying to figure out my niche. Not being a literary enthusiast, I never thought my childhood pastime would lead in this direction.

In life, one door closes and another opens, so I’m told. This was true for me. I lost my mother, my best friend, to cancer. After a year without her, I picked up her favorite hobby…reading. After one book, a romantic suspense, I was hooked. In the past, I’d fall asleep after a few minutes of reading. Now, books rank up there with a good red wine. It didn’t take long for my childhood muse to come back in adult version urging me to put the scenes in my head on paper.

Why do I write romantic suspense? I love writing and creating the meet-cue (the point where the hero and heroine meet) to the blossoming of the romance. Add a suspenseful plot or a good mystery to the equation and the perfect book is born to curl up to and lose yourself in, taking you away from reality, troubles.

I hope I have provided you with the escape similar to the ones I conjured in childhood and rediscovered as an adult, and I hope you enjoy reading my books as much as I have loved creating them."

Cait’s debut novel, Kidnapped Hearts, won awards in the categories of Best Happily Ever After and Best Suspense.

Cait lives in Virginia with her husband and three daughters.