For a Good Time, Call... (Bluewater Bay #17) [Nate & Seth] by Anne Tenino & E.J. Russell

I thought I could do this but apparently not.. It's been almost 4 years since I more of less abandoned this series (more explanations bellow). But I DID want to read this one by Anne as I've enjoyed so many of her books before and also I LOVE slow burn and this one was sure to deliver (with one of our MCs being "Grace"). Sadly though I liked both Nate and Seth the plot and basically everything that brought them together was, well, boring. 

Seth Larson have been living in Bluewater Bay his whole life, more than that his family is one of the founding families. Not that it makes him feel anything positive about them.. Mostly estranged to them besides his grandmother whom he lives with and helps maintain the family mansion. She actually had enough and she wants to sell, but no one else beside her would agree and since she doesn't have a true hold on her estate or money she isn't sure how to go about it. Seth would do anything to help her, and getting to know Nate proofs to be handy on that account (and a lot more..).

No Small Parts (Bluewater Bay #16) [Nat & Rafael] by Ally Blue

The struggle was real unfortunately.. I gave this one my best shot, I read through all of it, yeah from round the middle I DID skim a little but I tried and failed to connect to either Nat and Rafael. While Nat's life situation is heartbreaking, Rafael's life is nearly perfect (just needs to kickstart his directing career which he achieved throughout the story). He was too damn nosey but I guess it's what made Nat open up to him in the end. The story felt flat for me, even though it was dealing with difficult stuff - Nat's father addicted to pills, struggling with depression and Nat having to deal with all of it by himself with no help from anyone. Yet there were very few instances where I truly FELT Nat and ached for him. Which was a huge part of the problem..

Bluewater Blues (Bluewater Bay #15) [Jack & Mark] by G.B. Gordon

I'm stunned speechless. If I could give this book a higher rating than 5 stars I would. It was incredible and unique in a way I've never ever read before. The way the book, and mostly Jack, dealt with Margaret his autistic sister and Mark diagnosed with Asperger (or what used to be called that, now it's called differently) was beautiful beyond words. His whole relationship with his sister, and how much they meant for one another, how they communicated was simply inspiring. It's no wonder he connected with Mark right from the start. He could see his quirkiness but it didn't really phase him. He accepted him the way he is without resenting him even for a second for what he couldn't do or couldn't give (or be..). 

All the Wrong Places (Bluewater Bay #14) [Brennan & Zafir] by Ann Gallagher

Another book I'm not sure how to review.. Thing is the whole topic of Asexual was new to me and I enjoyed seeing a different relationship, and yeah, there was something even refreshing about a relationship being based on friendship closeness and trust with lust having NOTHING to do with anything. That being said, the story just didn't "grab" me. I liked both Brennan and Zafir, I could get both their difficulties with being together, but I wasn't that patient with them. I was tired of hearing redundant thoughts about life, definitions and insecurities. I wanted to SEE it, not hear about it. Also there was very little actually "going on" besides them forming a friendship, hanging with one another. Sometimes it works for me when it's just the couple, here I felt MORE would have been better than just being inside these guys heads and seeing them become more than just good friends. 

Selfie (Bluewater Bay #13) [Connor & Noah] by Amy Lane

~ sigh ~ I can't do this. I simply can't. I've read many reviews of this book, especially since they were either A-Mazing or bashing the hell out of the author and frankly, all I felt while reading this book is CONFUSED. It was SO depressing, we only got Connor's POV who was tormented about his lover's death, a lover he couldn't acknowledge since they were both in the closet. Connor's thoughts were just ALL OVER THE PLACE. At times I was simply lost, I didn't know what he was talking about, or understood his strange humor. Noah was a GOD SEND but I wish I got to hear HIM instead of the broken guy who wasn't even sure who he is anymore. This was NOT what I was expecting. I expected it to be heart breaking in the worst yet best kind of a way. I mean, it's the one thing repeated in all those raving reviews. The other reviews? the ones saying Amy was being disrespectful to POC I didn't see AT ALL in the 51% I DID read. Noah was portrayed beautifully, I liked his character and appreciated how sweet and caring he was toward Connor, how gentle and understanding. He was almost perfect.  

How the Cookie Crumbles (Bluewater Bay #12) [Blaire & Frederic] by Jaime Samms

I'm not sure how to review this book. I liked it, I did enjoy it, but I somehow had too many misgivings about it. I considered DNFing it about half way in, but decided I SHOULD give it a better chance because I liked the idea behind the story and WAS interested in seeing how things would work out between Blaire and Frederic.

Blaire and  Frederic have history, and not a positive one.. while participating in a Reality TV Show about baking, Frederic falls for Blaire who not only deceives him, but chooses someone else, not only for his bed, but for winning the big prize (since he was one of the producers). Even though Frederic was compensated for what happened it basically screwed with his big plans.. He needed more than money, he needed the equipment because having money means his father will be at his door asking for more and more to buy alcohol. While for the most part Frederic's father was a HORRIBLE dad, Frederic is incapable of pushing him away though he deserves it for sure. He also can't leave his grandmother with the liability which is his father - her son, so he does what he can, and even what he can't really and works himself almost literally to death in the bakery he opened in Bluewater Bay. 

Stuck Landing (Bluewater Bay, #11) [Anna & Natalya] by Lauren Gallagher

This is my very first F/F romance novel. I've read once a short scene (not even a novella) but my issues with it (actually like this one..) weren't AT ALL about the fact there are two women involved. This book was just.. well.. boring. Like the previous one, we only get Anna's POV in first person and THIS is what ruined this book for me. It was just a sort of repeat in her mind of the same issues over and over again plus repeating those ideas to her bodyguard - Jeremy and her best friend - Levi. I just couldn't take it anymore. 

Rain Shadow (Bluewater Bay #10) [Jeremy & Scott] by L.A. Witt

I liked this book but I can't say I loved it. I think I needed to get more than just Jeremy's POV, or maybe I needed more "happy moments" and for them not to be just about having sex with Scott.. I was thinking this book is "depressing" but how can I say that after reading "The Deep of the Sound" (the 8th installment)? Here it's different, the issues Jeremy is dealing with mostly has to do with his dysfunctioning family, the one he left and expected to "solve itself" while he is far away. Yeah, it wasn't working.. 

When to Hold Them (Bluewater Bay #9) [Doran & Xavier] by G.B. Gordon

This book just isn't "working" for me. First off, I was worried about the relationship between the two MC being a D/s which I really have to be in a certain mood to read, but then, as the story progressed, I realized it's more of me not connecting with either character. I don't "get" either of them. They don't feel genuine. Something about them is just off. 

The Deep of the Sound (Bluewater Bay #8) [Cal & Avery] by Amy Lane

This one was totally different from the previous installments, but after reading "Nascha" (the short novella in the 6th installment - "Lights, Camera, Cupid") you kinda expect this one to be a difficult heart clenching read. Actually, "Nascha" also gives this one a sort of hope to how everything can be resolved yet it doesn't truly feel like a spoiler, I guess, a sort of "relief" because the first 20% of the book, everything that happens is basically either bad or getting there. 

Wedding Favors (Bluewater Bay #7) [Lucas & Gabe] by Anne Tenino

I LOVED this one! We got the background story to this one in the previous installment in the short novella "Helping Hand" which was a sweet "coming of age" story. This one takes place 12 years later, when Lucas returns home to his best friends' wedding. It was hinted that Audrey might have an interest in Zach (Lucas' older brother) and so when SHE returns home about a year before they rekindle their interest in one another. Lucas isn't sure about returning home, and anyhow, he doesn't intend to stay after the wedding.. he just has to figure out where to live after he and his boyfriend broke up. 

Lights, Camera, Cupid (Bluewater Bay #6) by S.E. Jakes, Amy Lane, Z.A. Maxfield, Anne Tenino & L.A. Witt

I stared this series two months ago and while I DID enjoy it, due to lack of reading time that month had to postpone the continuation of the series for other books I was excited to read and so here I am returning to this fun series with an Anthology half of which are about couples we already met in the previous installments and all of written by authors I've already read and enjoyed. 

I'm reviewing each novella on it's own and then adding my overall thoughts and rating for this Anthology at the very end. 

The Burnt Toast B&B (Bluewater Bay #5) [Ginsberg & Derrick] By Heidi Belleau & Rachel Haimowitz

When I started this one I really enjoyed it, I could see how fun this one would be even from the synopsis yet something somehow went wrong for me. I think it was too slow to develop or maybe too much of an inner dialogue, one I would almost predict for each of them. The story was sweet, I enjoyed seeing Derrick change and grow as a person, enabling to become more accepting of himself and through that accepting of others. I liked the fact Ginsberg was a trans, it added more dimension to the story, to Ginsberg insecurities or rather his lack of patience to anyone who can't accept him for who he is and how he is. Strangely enough, Derrick didn't mind that much he was actually wonderful about it,  it was everything else he was a jerk about.. 

Lone Wolf (Bluewater Bay #4) / Moonstruck [Hunter & Kevin] By Aleksandr Voinov & L.A. Witt

I had high hopes for this one..  I added this series initially because I loved the collaboration I've read of L.A. Witt with Aleksandr Voinov. I thought the other books in the series would be a nice bonus so when I started this book and almost from the start couldn't connect with either Hunter or Kevin I didn't know in which unknown parallel universe I'm at.. I know this book will appeal to certain people, but I'm not one of them :( I tried giving this book enough of a chance but at the 25% point I decided to finally let it go. 

This book is a sort of the total wet dream of people who are into FanFic and SURELY for anyone who've wrote any. I have never read FanFic before and don't actually feel like reading any. I do appreciate the whole idea behind it, and I think new authors can start there and grow with a known universe at first, before jumping into writing their own fiction, but generally speaking, it never drew me in. I love many authors, I wish I could meet them but it doesn't seem likely (being across an ocean and a sea..) but I don't think I've ever read a series I was THAT obsessed about to truly participate in group discussions. I do follow some authors' groups but I'm not really active. It's just great getting the updates and such and naturally meeting more people who are into the genres I read. But the authors? Yeah they're great but I don't idolize them. I appreciate them, I respect the hell out of them. But it stays there.. which is why (I think..) this book passed right by me without making an impact 

Hell on Wheels (Bluewater Bay #3) [Nash & Spencer] By Z.A. Maxfield

What a sweet sweet story! I loved everything about it! It was an easy read, wasn't angsty and yet there was enough emotion and the relationship buildup, much like the first one, it was about friendship before it was about love. Nash and Spenser were sweet together, they had so much in common but also they had so much to give one another, teach each other without even realizing the great lesson in life their short friendship brought to both of them.

There's Something About Ari (Bluewater Bay #2) [Buck & Ari] By L.B. Gregg

This novella was absolutely beautiful! I enjoyed every minute of it! This is my first (and won't be the last!) from L.B. Gregg, honestly it's been a while since I've read a book by an author I don't know, I just somehow got stuck on reading full book lists of my favorites and so I'm happy I've read this one and got acquainted with someone new to "hunt" ;) This story was solely told from Buck's POV which was perfect. Yeah getting both POVs is always nice but I think the full impact of their relationship and emotions was done beautifully through Buck's eyes and mostly his mind since he is a man of few words (unlike Ari..)

Starstruck (Bluewater Bay #1) [Levi & Carter] by L.A. Witt

This was a nice start to the series. It felt honest and sweet from both Levi and Carter's POV. It took me a while to get through this one even though it's not long, when I think about it, it's me having hard time concentrating and so reading less, but also though I really did enjoy Levi and Carter, the story was somehow missing. I'm not sure what really, because I really enjoyed the writing and the way Levi and Carter started and the way the relationship progressed.