Cold Spell by Mia London and Susan Sheehey | Review

Cold Spell (Sweet Escapes #3) by Mia London and Susan Sheehey
Publisher: Amepphire Press
Publication Date: October 3, 2018
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 147
Source: eARC from InkSlinger PR
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Goodreads Description

She can't stand him. He thinks she's never more adorable than when she's angry at him. 

Liddy Drake would rather gamble on double black diamond runs than take a chance on love. Escaping dreary San Francisco for a Colorado mountain resort with her besties is just what the doctor ordered. But an injury on the first day lands her in the lap of a loud-mouthed ski instructor who knows exactly how to get under her skin. She doesn't have time to waste on a playboy with a too-easy laugh and gorgeous blue eyes.

Luke Sawyer left New York ten years ago for the ski runs of Colorado, concealing his identity as a Rothchild heir. He'd seen money change too many people, never for good. Scrappy, sassy, and oh-so-sexy Liddy doesn't fall for the mask of his over-the-top charm. He accepts the challenge to show her his true self.

Their chemistry is enough to melt snow-capped mountains, until she finds out the truth. There's no way her humble background could compete with America's royalty. How can he melt the ice around her heart and convince her that Mr. Wrong is actually Mr. Right, who loves her just the way she is?

My Thoughts

Cold Spell is the third and final book in the Sweet Escapes series. As soon as I realized Hot Spell would be following Jordan I was curious to see how Liddy's love story would play out. At the start of this book Liddy had a pretty tough year after going through a break up and getting drugged on their last vacation. This time around the three friends decide to go to a ski resort right before Thanksgiving. Due to an unexpected injury Liddy has to sit out most of the trip and as a result spends a lot of time with Luke.

I was on the fence about Luke for a while. When he was mentioned I had a feeling he would be the love interest. He seemed a bit obnoxious but not in a terrible way. There was a scene pretty early on where Luke accidentally sees Liddy naked. The scene and Luke's actions in them didn't feel right considering the two main characters didn't know each other. While the situation was funny, Luke's actions were inappropriate. I appreciate that Luke immediately called himself out and thought what he did was wrong, however he never apologized to Liddy or at least talked to her about how he crossed a line. After that scene Luke started to grow on me and I felt like he would be a good match for Liddy.  They had amazing chemistry and in between their intimate moments they talked!

I have mentioned this in reviews of the previous two books but I absolutely love the friendship between Sam, Jordan, and Liddy. They are always supportive of each other but always call one another out when one isn't thinking clearly. I was sad we didn't get to see them together as much in Cold Spell but I still love them. I was also a little disappointed we didn't get a Sam and Chase wedding. Overall I think this was a satisfying conclusion. If you want to read about an amazing friend group, stunning vacations, and swoon worthy men make sure to check out the Sweet Escapes series.

Hot Spell by Mia London and Susan Sheehey | Review

Hot Spell (Sweet Escapes #2) by Mia London and Susan Sheehey
Publisher: Amepphire Press
Publication Date: September 5, 2018
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 123
Source: eARC from InkSlinger PR
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Goodreads Description

She never trusted unconditional love. He never believed he'd be worthy. 

Almost-Olympian gymnast Jordan Beck has coordinated an emergency vacation getaway in Puerto Vallarta for her broken-hearted bestie. Nightly parties, exotic drinks, and sandy beaches are just what she has in mind for her and her friends. She strives for perfection in everything she does and believes she's found it in the emerald-eyed bartender who doesn't back down from her challenge.

Zac Durant learned early on that life is a gift and he's determined to live his to the fullest. Scuba, surfing, tending bar by the ocean, his abuelita's tamales. He's content--until a Latina beauty struts across his pool patio and orders his best drink. Zac isn't the kind to hook up with the resort guests but Jordan changes his mind.

Zac and Jordan know this sensual interlude in paradise is a vacation fling but when sparks turn to fireworks, they are tempted to believe in something real. The illusion of perfection vanishes and Jordan panics, erecting walls around her cautious heart, sabotaging their chance at happily ever after. It is up to Zac to prove that unconditional love is worth a shot at the gold.

My Thoughts

Hot Spell is the second book in the Sweet Escapes companion series. This book follows Jordan as she finds love when the girls take a vacation in Mexico to help Liddy get over her recent breakup. I was so excited going into this sequel/companion because I had so much fun while reading Dry Spell. Sadly I didn't have that same giddy feeling as I did reading the previous book.

If you've read my review of Dry Spell you'll remember I mentioned being concerned that the length of the book wouldn't leave enough room for the story to fully develop. While I didn't feel like it was a problem in that book I think Hot Spell could've benefited from being longer. There was quite a bit going on in the story and there wasn't enough time for each of these aspects to shine.

With that being said, I still think Hot Spell was an enjoyable read. Just like in Dry Spell my favorite part was the characters. I love the friendship between Sam, Jordan, and Liddy! They are always supportive but are never afraid to call each other out when they believe another is making a mistake. I also fell in love with Zac and his grandmother. This was a quick, fun read and I'm looking forward to seeing how things are rounded out in Cold Spell.

Dry Spell by Mia London and Susan Sheehey | ARC Review

Dry Spell (Sweet Escapes #1) by Mia London and Susan Sheehey
Publisher: Amepphire Press
Publication: August 1, 2018
Genre: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 187
Source: eARC from InkSlinger PR
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Goodreads Description

Samantha Callahan fights hard to succeed in a man’s world. At the top of her game with a promotion nearly in her grasp, nothing can stand in her way, not even greedy competitors or a crashed laptop. So, an overdue and well-deserved vacation to the beach with the girls shouldn’t put her on edge. But perhaps Sam’s head has been down in the trenches for so long, she’s forgotten how to enjoy life. 

Chase Bradshaw is the classic hottie next door—a nice man who happens to surf as well as he sizzles in the bedroom. He ditched corporate America for the stress-free salt life, and to follow his dreams. When Sam walks onto his beach, he can practically see the uptight personality oozing from her pores. The woman looks like she could use something other than work to keep her up at night. 

Lucky for her, Chase is just the man to coax the conservative right out of her. 

My Thoughts

Dry Spell was a pleasant surprise for me. Usually I try to go into a book feeling neutral however I was a little concerned when I realized this book was listed as only being 187 pages. I worried that since there wasn't a lot of time work through a story line everything would feel rushed. Once I started reading I grew even more concerned after seeing that the story was told in third person POV. I'll be the first to admit sometimes I find it hard for me to get into stories told in third person and I really don't like it in romance novels. As you can see from my rating none of those things were an issue when it came to this story.

The POV did take me a little time to adjust to but what I love was that it didn't keep me from connecting with the characters. I acknowledge that this story took place over a short amount of time, and there were moments I felt the main characters were moving fast, but I never questioned their feelings for each other. The authors made me believe anything is possible with the right person. One of my favorite parts about Chase and Sam's relationship was that they were able to have an emotional connection in between the steamy bits. Those moments helped make me feel like their feelings were more than surface level. I also really loved Sam's friends and the relationship between them.

I've never read anything by Mia London or Susan Sheehey so I have no personal experience with their writing. In this story they managed to come together and blend their writing seamlessly. With less than 200 pages they we're able to make me fall in love with the characters and experience each emotion right along with them. Without a doubt I will be continuing the series. I definitely recommend supporting Mia and Susan by picking up Dry Spell!