Beth Ciotta

Sugar, Spice and All Things Nice
5 stars

This is the first book I’ve read by Beth Ciotta but it will definitely be the first of many. From the very first page I just fell in love with the story and the characters.

Chloe is in Sugar Creek to get over an ex and get her life back on track. While she’s a tad flighty and artistic - her huge heart and wonderful personality made me love her instantly and want the best for her.

And then there was Devlin. I’m pretty sure Ms Ciotta went right into show more my brain and pulled out everything I love about a leading man. He’s grumpy, gorgeous, thinks his way is the best way and is just so intrigued - and infuriated - by the way Chloe breezes into his world and knocks his socks off. And Devlin is also one of my favourite names for book boyfriends. Perfection all round.

As I said, Devlin and Chloe infuriate and spark up against each other from the very second they meet. There’s a lot of sexual tension and you’ll likely get that delicious jump in your tummy each time their passion runs away with them. There’s some sexy times thrown in for good measures. I do enjoy the sexy times.

I also have to give a special mention for Daisy the naughty grandma. She was absolutely the coolest and I loved it her and her craziness and meddling.

Alongside the main love story between Dev and Chloe, we also get a bit of background into Rocky’s love life and some of her history with Dev’s best friend, Jayce. This is a teaser for the next book in the series, The Trouble with Love.

At the end of the book you also get a few cupcake recipes which is a nice bonus. I love my cupcakes almost as much as the sexy times. While a few ‘recipes’ are bake a boxed cake mix and add a pre-bought frosting, I suppose that’s not the main reason for the book so I shouldn’t complain and this won’t affect my rating of the book - just the cupcakes themselves!

I genuinely adored every moment of this story. I fell hard for Chloe and Devlin and their delightful romance. But I also fell in love with Daisy, Rocky, Monica, Luke, Sam and the whole Cupcake Lovers crew. And don’t forget Sugar Creek. I want to move to this (fictional, dammit) Vermont town and live there with the whole colourful, messy bunch. And I cannot wait to get my greedy little paws on the rest of the Cupcake Lovers series and visit with everyone in Sugar Creek all over again. 5 well-deserved stars. show less

So as a nanny in my real life, I am always eager to read a nanny romance and even though the female lead in this story is not a nanny, it is still a delightful story.

Georgie Poppins had a rough childhood, where her Mom bounced from Husband to boyfriend to husband again and again. But thankfully Georgie managed to have a great network of friends and and her ex-step brother Ryan…oh and Ryan's best friend Bryce "The Bullet" Morgan, the man with whom she has been in love with for years! But show more today Bryce is marrying another women and she has lost her chance. So she enlists the help of an agency to help her find a "insta-family" but 4 months later she is still left waiting.

But in a calamity of events happen and Bryce and Georgie end up in a married and friends with benefits. But when embarrassments from the past to haunt them, can they keep their relationship together?

This is such a sweet story that makes me laugh, cry and full in love with this couple and the calamity that Georgie gets herself into. The writing, plot and the characters were great, it did get a little confusing for me with the texting and journal writing, but it didn't spoil my enjoyment of the book.

I give Marry Poppins 4 stars! show less

Despite the terrible title, this wasn't half bad! The cover was what drew me at first -- show me steampunk and SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY -- and the description decent enough, so despite constant teasing from El Husbando over the title, it was worth the read. The premise is that the daughter of an eccentric inventor heads out on a quest to restore her family's fortune and reputation after her father dies, secretly joining a competition to find an invention of historical importance for the show more Queen Victoria's Golden Jubilee.

I should mention that this is paranormal romance, so expect some sex scenes (not too many, and they're not too involved, considering the time period the book is set in). Thankfully the story took center stage over the sexual relationship, which I appreciated, and the character development is surprisingly thorough for the genre. While on the one hand, the relationship development happens quickly, the circumstances surrounding Amelia's decision to get involved with someone make sense, consider the trauma she has just gone through.

As for the steampunk aspect, it was certainly relied on throughout the novel, and didn't just become a prop of insignificance (as it tends to do in some bandwagon-jumping steampunk novels). I thought the author's reasoning for technology in Victorian England made sense, added an extra layer of intriguing, and was a little different than how I'd seen it introduced before.

Unfortunately, because this is paranormal romance, it means we won't be following these same characters in the next book, but moving on to someone else in Amelia's family. I do hope we get back to her eventually, but regardless, I do think I'll continue reading these so long as the plot & tech continues to play a pivotal role in the storytelling. show less

Reviewed for queuemyreview.com; book release Mar09

Beth Ciotta knows how to keep a reader entertained and “Evie Ever After” is no exception. I enjoy Ciotta’s trademark humor, her skill with love scenes, and most of all, her characters. The lessons they learn and their unique ways of dealing with life stick with you long after the book is finished. Although this is the third and final book in the ‘Chameleon Chronicles’, readers of the series will be thrilled for Evie and the choices show more she makes. It’s the story of Evie coming into her own and accepting herself for what she is…and isn’t.

When 40 hits and Evie finds herself losing roles to the younger crowd and being replaced by a younger wife, instead of spiraling down into depression she takes a step which turns her life into a new direction. Now she’s a bona fide agent for Chameleon, a special government agency that uses conmen (and women) to beat the scammers at their own game. She’s also a woman torn between two men…one the logical choice and the other, apparently the choice of her heart. While trying to grapple with her personal issues, she and the rest of the Chameleon team are also on the trail of the biggest case in their careers. Their beloved boss Milo is being framed by their CIA boss! Taking down the dirty agent and his secrets may just mean the end of their team…if they live through it!

I love the whole idea of conning the conmen. It’s a situation that easily lends itself to humor and Ciotta takes full advantage with witty dialogue and snappy exchanges between all the characters involved. I would caution readers who begin with this last book to brush up on their ‘con’ slang or they just might find themselves resorting to an online dictionary to keep up! Each of the characters is so fully developed and their attitudes are portrayed so well in their respective manners of speech that I didn’t have any problems with the first person perspective, even as it zigzagged back and forth. That’s quite an accomplishment!

But what I really loved about this whole series is reading about Evie’s life, loves, and troubles. Evie’s journey was a painful one in many ways. Her career and her marriage pretty much hit the skids at the beginning of the first book and this whole series was about Evie beginning again after 40. In “Evie Ever After” Beth Ciotta showcases the ‘new’ Evie—and she’s better than ever. She’s what I want to be once I eventually grow up…happy with herself, accepting of the choices she’s made, and celebrating her relationships with friends and family. If there’s anything more uplifting than that…I surely don’t know what it would be. Now if she would just write more quickly... show less