World Literary Press | October 28, 2015 | Contemporary Romance
Love in Bloom, book 29; Ryders, book 1
★★★★1/2
SOURCE: TASTY BOOK TOURS
You fell in love with Blue Ryder and Lizzie Barber in Seaside Summers, now follow their journey to find true love in SEIZED BY LOVE, the first book in the Ryder series.
Lizzie Barber runs a successful flower shop by day and secretly hosts the Naked Baker webcast at night to help pay for her younger sister’s education. To keep friends and family from finding out about her sexy secret, she’s put her social life on hold until her sister’s education is paid off and she can stop filming the webcast.
Blue Ryder fell hard for Lizzie Barber when he met her a year ago, and he hasn’t been able to get her off his mind since. Everything about the feisty little brunette, from her tight bod to her seductive smile, cuts straight to his heart. Though Lizzie has turned down every invitation he’s extended—Blue is not about to give up trying.
Renovating Lizzie’s kitchen brings Blue further into Lizzie’s life, and the oven is not the only thing heating up. One night and one powerful kiss changes everything. But when Lizzie’s secret is revealed and the safe bubble she’s hidden in shatters, true love may not be enough to put the pieces back together.
THE RYDERS are the newest addition to the LOVE IN BLOOM series by New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. This 5-book hot contemporary romance series features alpha male heroes and sexy, empowered women. They’re flawed, funny, passionate, and relatable to readers who enjoy new adult romance, contemporary romance, and women’s fiction.
{ about melissa foster } .
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.
Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.
Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the World Literary Café and Fostering Success. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine. Melissa hosts an Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.
Visit Melissa on social media. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.
{ review } .
In Melissa Foster's newest LOVE IN BLOOM story, we're introduced to the new RYDERs series -- but we already know a few of the Ryders. We recently met/re-met Blue in his best friend, Sky's book, SEASIDE NIGHTS -- and I was thrilled to learn he was getting his own story. I have to say, though, Melissa threw me for a loop with Blue's heroine...
My first impression of Blue in SEASIDE NIGHTS was how sure of himself he was -- I knew he'd prove himself to be a great HEA guy. He's a confident man but a friendly one -- so it was lovely to finally get in his head. While previously I loved his relationships with his friends, seeing him with his family and then also with Lizzie... I truly loved that side of him.
Lizzie is, in a word, embarrassed by the second-life she's had to lead in order to make it through life debt free. What started as a way to get through college, then paid for her shop and is now helping her sister through school. She's counting down the days until she can be finished with it, but until then, she keeps the Naked Baker and Lizzie Barber extremely separate.
Blue's been burned in the past by a woman he was close to, so I was sitting on pins and needles to see his reaction when her secret comes out. I have to say, with the way Blue is written throughout the different books he's shown up in, I had an expectation...
As I've said in the past, Melissa's writing style is flawless in the contemporary genre. I love her headstrong heroines and protective heroes. While their story wasn't the flashiest she's written, it did feel the most real to me. What I loved the most, I have to say, is that their big "BOOM" moment is more toward the middle of the book, giving Melissa ample time to allow the characters to work through it. In most books, the timeline gives the big fall-out toward the end, and only gives the characters a chapter or two to figure out if and how they're going to work it out and often at that point, the conclusion feels rushed. That is not the case here, as we watch Blue and Lizzie work through some decently tough situations, and with it, we see a bond form that allows the reader to feel that when they get past this hurdle, they'll make it through any others that come their way.
Again, Blue isn't the first Ryder sibling to fall, but he's the first of this sub-series. While I'm definitely way ahead of the game, I feel like Blue may be my favorite... but there are other books to read before I make that call!
My first impression of Blue in SEASIDE NIGHTS was how sure of himself he was -- I knew he'd prove himself to be a great HEA guy. He's a confident man but a friendly one -- so it was lovely to finally get in his head. While previously I loved his relationships with his friends, seeing him with his family and then also with Lizzie... I truly loved that side of him.
Lizzie is, in a word, embarrassed by the second-life she's had to lead in order to make it through life debt free. What started as a way to get through college, then paid for her shop and is now helping her sister through school. She's counting down the days until she can be finished with it, but until then, she keeps the Naked Baker and Lizzie Barber extremely separate.
Blue's been burned in the past by a woman he was close to, so I was sitting on pins and needles to see his reaction when her secret comes out. I have to say, with the way Blue is written throughout the different books he's shown up in, I had an expectation...
As I've said in the past, Melissa's writing style is flawless in the contemporary genre. I love her headstrong heroines and protective heroes. While their story wasn't the flashiest she's written, it did feel the most real to me. What I loved the most, I have to say, is that their big "BOOM" moment is more toward the middle of the book, giving Melissa ample time to allow the characters to work through it. In most books, the timeline gives the big fall-out toward the end, and only gives the characters a chapter or two to figure out if and how they're going to work it out and often at that point, the conclusion feels rushed. That is not the case here, as we watch Blue and Lizzie work through some decently tough situations, and with it, we see a bond form that allows the reader to feel that when they get past this hurdle, they'll make it through any others that come their way.
Again, Blue isn't the first Ryder sibling to fall, but he's the first of this sub-series. While I'm definitely way ahead of the game, I feel like Blue may be my favorite... but there are other books to read before I make that call!
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ReplyDeleteCrystal, Tasty Book Tours
Hooray! Another favorite! I can't tell you how happy it makes me to hear about my readers' appreciation for the characters and families. I'm so happy you loved the book so much--wonderful review! XOXO
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