Chantel Rhondeau

In the first McCallister’s Paradise book, massage therapist Larissa Benner can’t believe what her boss’s son just asked her. He’s naked on her massage table and is demanding she give him a happy ending—a hand job—or she’ll lose her job. She’s desperate to keep her job at the island resort for the health benefits, but refuses to have sex with him, no matter how handsome he is.
Quinn McCallister will do anything for his family and the family business. Even though he feels like scum, he propositions the talented therapist his dad wants to hire on full-time in order to test her morals and values. But he didn’t expect her to be so fiery. A rocky friendship builds between them but love soon takes hold.
I really enjoyed this story. Larissa and Quinn have great chemistry, but they’re both troubled, confused people.
Larissa is a breast cancer survivor, but the chance of the cancer returning is high. She’s a sweet, understanding woman who’s been through a terrible time, but I found it hard to connect with her. She’s a strong person when it comes to fighting the cancer, but she’s prudish and judgmental.
Quinn is an unflappable macho hero. He’s so determined to be a manly man, do a good job at work, and make his parents proud that he’s forgotten what life is all about. His stubbornness and foolishness nearly cost him a wonderful relationship, and I loved seeing the high-powered businessman fall at the feet of a woman.
The side characters are great. Quinn’s parents are kind but pushy people. Quinn’s interactions with his sister and brothers are typical of sibling love and rivalry, and were very believable. I especially like his sister, Sydney. She’s one tough cookie.
There were a few typos but nothing took me out of the story. I would definitely like to read more books in the series.
4 Stars
… (plus d'informations)

In the third McCallister’s Paradise book, Sydney McCallister works in New York City where she evaluates foundations and gives out grant money to various charities. Unfortunately, she can’t accept every applicant, which angers a lot of people.
Matt Coleson founded New Beginnings to help drug addicts recover from their addiction and to get homeless people off the street by giving them an education and a job. He desperately needs the McCallister grant but didn’t get it. After he curses Sydney out at her office, he thinks that’s the end of it, until she bursts into his office accusing him of vandalizing hers. A tentative friendship blooms between them, but they come from two different worlds—he’s the homeless street kid who rose above the statistics to do good things with his life, and she’s the rich girl who wants to help others.
Sydney and Matt are awesome characters, and I love that their roles were reversed when compared to most romance novels. They both have alpha tendencies, but he’s more beta than most romantic heroes, which was a breath of fresh air for me. Their arguing did grow frustrating at times, but they meshed wonderfully and had chemistry.
Half the book takes place in New York, and the other half is on the McCallister resort island. I liked both parts of the story equally. Even though I’d already guessed what the “big problem” was going to be for the couple, their pain drew tears to my eyes and I couldn’t stop smiling once Matt and Syd made up.
The McCallister family is back and as wonderful as ever. Though I haven’t read book 2 in the series, this book gave enough information above the previous one so I wasn’t lost. All these books are standalones.
I like the author’s writing style, but there were some awkward sentences, so I had to reread a few passages to understand what was going on. I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more in the series.
4 Stars
… (plus d'informations)

In the fifth McCallister’s Paradise book, single mom Elaina Parson wins an all-expense three-week vacation to the McCalliser’s Paradise resort island and it couldn’t have come at a better time. She’s on the run from her abusive ex-boyfriend who wants to steal her daughter. The island is everything Elaina and her daughter, Kylee, could’ve hoped for, but it gets even more special when she meets the sexy head chef at the resort’s gourmet restaurant.
Shane McCallister is the youngest of the McCallister siblings, and he’s happy with his life as a playboy bachelor. Once he meets Elaina and Kylee, he realizes what he’s been missing. He quickly becomes attached to the ready-made family, and they to him, but a past failed relationship and his womanizing ways holds him back.
This is a great story. Elaina and Shane help each other see their own worth and heal from past hurts. Despite their attraction, they started as friends and got to know each other before they moved to the bedroom. That was really nice. Kylee, the five-year-old girl, is absolutely adorable. It’s no wonder Shane fell head-over-heels for both her and her mom.
The story could use a light edit to add in missing words. Sometimes I had trouble picturing the scenes and would’ve liked more description.
Anyway, I loved seeing all the previous couples return, who are now starting their own families. I haven’t read all the books in this series, but the ones I have read, I’ve enjoyed. I’m sad to see the McCallister sibling romances come to a close. For readers who wants romances set on a tropical island, give this series a try.
4 Stars… (plus d'informations)

A Hearts On Fire Review

"Always & Forever" seems to promise suspenseful romance between an abused, disabled woman on the run with a criminal past and a disenchanted wealthy widower. The story started with elements of some great romantic suspenseful stories starts with and then...the characters were not as promising as the story progressed.

Then the story became disjointed, the dialogue weird. It's billed as a contemporary but the characters sometimes sounded right off the page of a so-so regency.

But leaving the stilted speak out of the equation, the weak characters were another issue for me.

The heroine has a damaged leg from an earlier attack which the hero was not understanding of. The hero was insecure and selfish, the heroine vapid and TSTL (too stupid to live). Both of them were so weak, the hero always acting like a jerk and the heroine was readily willing to forgive in the name of "love".

Please. *eye roll*

There's an easy guessable plot line involved and I'm going to spoil the ending but potential readers need this warning. Because if I'm rooting for the villain's beating of the heroine, you know there is a problem. But don't worry, while the heroine is being beaten, the hero's crying outside of the locked door - he's worried you see. And you know who saves the heroine?

The heroine.

And you know what's the heroine's first thought after being beaten and defeating the bad guy? She's grateful the hero is alright.

Seriously?

I. Just. Can't.

Maybe there are other readers who can forgive this but I can't. I'm all for equal rights and happy endings but this is disappointing.

There was nothing endearing of either character and both deserved each other. Good riddance."… (plus d'informations)