Book Review – Comeback Cowboy

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Book Review, Comeback Cowboy, Rocky Mountain Riders series, Sara Richardson

We first met Lucas and Naomi in Hometown Cowboy and I am so excited to share book 2 with you!

*****

Comeback Cowboy

Rocky Mountain Riders, #2

by Sara Richardson

On Sale: June 27, 2017

Publisher: Forever

Mass Market: $7.99 USD

eBook: $5.99 USD

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Blurb:

A WOMAN NEVER FORGETS HER FIRST COWBOY . . .

As a single mother, Naomi Sullivan is used to doing things on her own. She’s finally saved enough from working at the Cortez Ranch to buy a lovely home for her and her little girl. Life is going as planned. But when her high school sweetheart comes riding back to town, this self-sufficient woman feels something she hasn’t felt in years: red-hot, unbridled need for the handsome cowboy who left her behind.

Lucas Cortez doesn’t plan on being in town long. Yet when he sees Naomi again—the gorgeous girl he never stopped loving—he’s tempted to hang up his hat and stay awhile. He’s already charmed his way into her daughter’s heart, but he’ll need more than sweet talk and roses to convince Naomi to give them a second chance-especially when she’s hiding a secret that could change their lives forever…

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*****

Excerpt:

A yellow Volkswagen Beetle blitzed toward Lucas, picking up speed. Yep, he’d know that car anywhere. Naomi.

He watched her draw closer and closer, and just like it always did when Naomi got near, his heart picked up. Would she stop and give him a lift to the ranch? They hadn’t exactly been alone since he’d come back to Topaz Falls. She’d made sure of that.

As the yellow car sped around the curve, he lifted a hand to flag her down, but the car didn’t slow. Maybe she hadn’t seen him. Waving his arms, he stepped onto the shoulder…

Shit! The car was coming right for him! Adrenaline fired through him and sent him rolling into the ditch just as the car’s brakes screeched. The thing skidded and fish tailed, likely taking out half of the tires’ tread.

Breathing in the scent of burnt rubber, Lucas stared up at the sky. Well, that’d been one hell of a close shave.

The car door opened and out Naomi flew, stumbling down the embankment in her polished red heels, to where he lay on the ground.

“God, Lucas. I was so distracted I didn’t even see you.” Her delicate hands covered her face. “My god, I almost hit you.” She staggered a few steps.

That got him off the ground. “Hey.” He hurried over to her, brushing the gravel off his ass. “I’m fine.” He’d been through a hell of a lot worse than a tumble down into a ditch. “See. No blood. I’m good.”

She nodded, but seemed to be on the verge of hyperventilating. Which meant she was in no condition to get behind the wheel of that car.

“Why don’t I drive you back to the ranch?” He slipped an arm around her waist to support her, and he couldn’t resist drawing her close to him, closer than she’d been in ten long years. She still smelled like carefree summer afternoons—a subtle hint of lemon along with the coconut oil she used to use to soften her hands. That scent, the feel of her leaning into his body, roused a sudden overpowering greed. He’d never hungered as desperately for something as he hungered for her. To turn her fully to him. To feel those breasts he used to kiss so intimately against his own chest again. He knew that body, remembered every curve and bend, every fine detail…

“I’m okay,” Naomi whispered, shaking him off. “I can walk.”

Of course she could. But she did hand him the keys before hurrying to climb into the passenger’s seat without his assistance.

Lucas folded himself into the driver’s seat. “All right, then. We’re off.” He started the engine and backed up, then turned carefully out onto the highway.

He stole a glance at Naomi. Her soft lips twitched as he studied her. It wasn’t her full, bright, beautiful smile.

But it was a start.

*****

Review:

Lucas is as sexy a cowboy as you could ask for – strong, honest, caring, and maybe just a touch stubborn 🙂  But Naomi is is a good match for him – just as strong and caring … and just as stubborn.  Thanks to a mistake that was made while he was a teen, Lucas was sent to prison and after his release he felt he couldn’t come back.  Because of that he pushed Naomi away as well (for her own good of course).  Yeah, that goes over as well as you expect.

I get why Lucas did what he did and why he’s stayed away.  And if he even thinks about staying in town he’s going to have to face down a lot of negativity.  But time spent with Naomi and her daughter has him thinking about his future a little differently.  Thinking that maybe coming home is the right thing after all.

Naomi definitely has a reason to not want to give Lucas another chance.  She’s been a single mother for years and she’s got her daughter’s heart to think of too.  She may find herself drawn to Lucas still but the chance that he could leave again means that she’s got a lot to lose.

I think it would be too easy for someone to write off Comeback Cowboy as just another second chance romance, but Richardson delivers a really delightful read.  Her characters have heart (and a boatload of problems) and while the story may be somewhat predictable it is still enticing and hard to put down.

With years of hurt feelings on her part and the disapproval of the town weighing on his shoulders, Naomi and Lucas don’t have it easy.  But with Lucas back in town because of his father’s failing health, being together again may just force the two to face their past and make a decision about their future.

(If you haven’t read Hometown Cowboy you can still enjoy this one.  Richardson does a good job keeping you up to date.)

*****

Author Info:

Sara Richardson grew up chasing adventure in Colorado’s rugged mountains. She’s climbed to the top of a 14,000 foot peak at midnight, swum through Class IV rapids, completed her wilderness first-aid certification, and spent seven days at a time tromping through the wilderness with a thirty-pound backpack strapped to her shoulders.

Eventually Sara did the responsible thing and got an education in writing and journalism. After a brief stint in the corporate writing world, she stopped ignoring the voices in her head and started writing fiction. Now she uses her experience as a mountain adventure guide to write stories that incorporate adventure with romance. Still indulging her adventurous spirit, Sara lives and plays in Colorado with her saint of a husband and two young sons.

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*****

Giveaway:

Ten (10) print copies of COMEBACK COWBOY

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*****

Book Review – Tracking You

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Book Review, Kelly Moran, Redwood Ridge series, Tracking You

We saw Puppy Love earlier this year.  Now it is time for the next O’Grady to take a fall.

*****

TRACKING YOU

Redwood Ridge series

by Kelly Moran

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pub Date: 5/23/17

Blurb:

Love isn’t always loud. Sometimes it’s silent.

Gabby Cosette has always been dubbed the good girl of quaint Redwood Ridge, Oregon, and being permanently put in the friend zone has left her dating life stagnant. With no prospects in sight, she clings to her friends and resolves to not let loneliness drag her under. So when the town Battleaxes set their matchmaking sights on her, she figures it can’t hurt. Yet the guy they think is perfect for her just happens to be not only her boss at the veterinarian clinic, but her best friend. Sure, Flynn O’Grady is attractive and the nicest guy around, but going there with him would topple both of their carefully constructed worlds and there would be no going back. Even if he is starting to make her girly parts zing.

Having been born deaf, Flynn has already felt like an outsider most of his life. Aside from his brothers, Gabby is about the only person who’s gone out of her way to treat him as more than a handicap. Which is exactly why he’s banked his secret attraction for his sweet, beautiful vet tech. Except his meddling family is trying to play Cupid and ruin the best thing to ever happen to him. Without Gabby, his work as a veterinarian, never mind his personal life, wouldn’t flow. Determined to ignore the antics, he’s secure in the knowledge she’s not interested in him romantically. But then a kiss changes everything . . . and he’s wondering if taking the ultimate shot at love might be worth the risk.

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*****

Excerpt:

Gabby Cosette smoothed her hand down the simple baby blue sundress she meticulously picked out for this evening and tried not to look too eager. Or throw up. That wouldn’t do either.

From a back booth, she glanced around the only Italian restaurant in Redwood Ridge, comforted by the fact it was still early yet for the dinner rush. The place was a good choice. Right? Not as casual as Shooters—the bar she and her friends frequented—but not as formal as one of the seafood restaurants that dotted their Oregon coastal town. A step above grabbing coffee or a beer, yet it didn’t scream desperation.

Was a booth in the back too obvious? Had she overdone it with her makeup? Maybe she should’ve put her hair up instead of down?

No, no. She went for light and natural on purpose. The patrons of Redwood Ridge had known her all her life. It wasn’t far out of the realm of ordinary for her to wear a dress and light cosmetics. She was being a basket case.

It’s just… Well, she hadn’t had a date in a year. A year!

To calm her nerves, she drew in a deep breath and focused on the red checkered tablecloth. A votive candle flickered on the windowsill to her right, the flame reflecting off the tinted glass. The parking lot stretched beyond, where her date’s car was not in one of the available spots.

It was silly to get this worked up over a first date, especially with Tom.

She’d gone to elementary and high school with him. His parents still lived down the street from hers. Strange how he’d never shown any interest in her romantically, yet out of the blue, he’d asked her out this week.

Then again, most everyone in town viewed her as the sweet Cosette girl, everyone’s friend. Thus the no date in a year. It was hard to get a guy to think about kissing her, never mind imagining her naked, when she had platonic all but tattooed on her forehead.

The waitress strolled over in her apron, holding a notepad in her hand.

“Are you waiting on someone, sweetie pie?”

“Yes.” She smiled and grabbed her cell on the table. Tom was five minutes late. “He should be here any minute.”

“Ooh. Is it a date?” Mavis planted a hand on her plump waist and grinned, the wrinkles around her eyes growing to crevices. Gabby wasn’t sure how old Mavis was, no one really knew, but she never seemed to age past the state from when Gabby was a child.

Gabby opened her mouth to answer, but Tom strode toward her, weaving around tables and plopping in the seat across the booth.

“Couldn’t find ya at the bar. I wasn’t expecting a table.”

It was still early, and Le Italy didn’t get that crowded even on a Friday night. How hard could it possibly have been to locate her? “Give us a sec,”she told Mavis and waited for her to step away.

Tom had blond hair too short for her preference and a thin mouth. His unremarkable brown eyes darted around the restaurant and back to her. He made no attempt to apologize for being late, and it appeared as if he’d just come from work. His jeans and T-shirt were paint-splattered. The hazard of working for his dad’s commercial painting and roofing company.

“Thanks for meeting me.” He took off his ball cap and scratched his head.

Why did that sound un-date-like? “Um…sure thing. How’s work going?”

Her gaze dipped to his hands, no better off than his clothes. Maybe she should’ve picked Shooters after all.

Something felt very, very off as her belly twisted. Not with nerves this time. Confused, Gabby’s mind scrolled through their conversation from earlier in the week when he’d brought his dog into the vet clinic where she worked. As he was checking out, he’d anxiously spun around to face her and asked if she could meet him.

“Good. Work’s good.” He put his hat back on and glanced outside.

“Getting to be warmer out, so the jobs are picking up.” Perhaps he was just nervous, too. Her tension drained a degree.

Mavis returned and asked for a drink order.

Tom lifted his hand to wave her off. “Nothing for me, thanks. I can’t stay long. Got a poker game with the guys tonight. I need to shower before they show up.”

The forced smile Gabby had plastered on her face began to wilt like her mom’s petunias in August. What did he mean he couldn’t stay long? And why would he ask her out and schedule a card game on the same night?

Plus, he could shower for his friends, but not her?

Mavis divided her gaze between them, a mix of bewilderment and irritation lifting her brows. She tapped her pen to her pad as the silence hung. “Can I get you something?” She focused on Gabby, her tone indicating she should order something.

“I’ll have a sweet tea. Thank you.” When the waitress walked away, Gabby looked at Tom. He’d thrown his arm over the back of the booth and had stretched his legs out. The aroma of Eau de Paint Thinner wafted across the table. “So…?”

“Right, right.” Tom leaned forward and crossed his arms. “I appreciate you letting me do this in person.”

She stilled. “Do what?” Because she was definitely getting the this-is-not-a-date vibe now.

A warring shift in contradiction took over her body. Everything inside grew rapidly chilly while her skin heated in what she hoped wasn’t a blush. Her pale complexion always gave away her emotions and she hated that more than she’d hated freshman algebra. Math was evil.

He let out a tense laugh, which sounded more like a guffaw, and drew several heads from other diners. “Not exactly a conversation you want to have over the phone or somethin’, ya know?”

No. She didn’t know. “Maybe if you just tell me?”

He played with the parmesan shaker, not meeting her gaze. “Well, the whole town’s buzzing about Rachel and Jeff’s split.”

She frowned, not connecting the dots on his crazy pattern. Her older sister had only dated Jeff for a few weeks which, per Rachel standards, might as well have been marriage. Rachel liked to keep her options—and legs—open.

Guilt immediately consumed her for the crass thought, but it didn’t make it any less true. She and Rachel couldn’t be any more different. Rachel was aloof and sexy. Gabby was the girl next door. Men desired Rachel. The only thing they desired from Gabby was a shoulder to cry on after her sister shot them down.

She twirled a strand of hair around her finger to keep from fidgeting. “I don’t understand what Rachel and Jeff have to do with…” Unable to finish the sentence—because she had no idea anymore what “this” was—she waved her hand between them.

“Well,” he said in an aw-shucks kind of way that made her want to grind her teeth, “now that Rachel’s available, I thought maybe you could put in a good word for me?”

*****

Review:

I didn’t read Puppy Love when it came out in May but now I’m wishing I had because if Avery & Cade are half as adorable as Flynn & Gabby then it is definitely a must read.  The deep friendship between them just shines off the pages and had me waiting with them to see if they can figure out how to make something more work.

I really appreciate that Moran is willing to address disabilities in her stories – first she had an autistic daughter and now our hero is deaf.  It isn’t that uncommon to have a child on the spectrum in romances today, but I think that usually it isn’t as severe.  And while we are seeing more amputations (especially in books with military characters) I can’t think of the last one I’d seen with a deaf person as a main character.  I think that it is refreshing to address that the world isn’t made up of 6’+ hunks and willowy women.

Granted Flynn is still sexy but he does have some hang-ups thanks to the way he’s been treated.  Many of them are tied back to his childhood but those scars can be some of the deepest, coming as they do at such an impressionable age.  While it hasn’t stopped him from leading a very full life, it has impacted the way that he approaches his love life.

Gabby has been Flynn’s best friend since Kindergarten and she understands him like no one else, even his brothers.  Her big heart and giving nature makes her a wonderful vet tech and even more so it makes her a great friend.

And that’s the problem.  While they love and value each other, both are a lot scared that any changes in their relationship might ruin their friendship.  And while they are struggling with deepening feelings, that fear is their main driving force.  What they need help seeing is that while they are concentrating on what could happen if it goes bad, they are missing what could be if it goes right.  They are already so important to each other that their relationship could be spectacular if they’d only let it.

Not knowing any one who is deaf (not since middle school) I’m not sure how realistic Moran’s treatment is but it felt like she handled it well.  Flynn’s concerns seem realistic as does the life he’s built for himself.  It’s not easy for him, but if he can finally let go of some of his old baggage he could find out how great life really can be.

*****

Author Info:

Bestselling author Kelly Moran says she gets her ideas from everyone and everything around her and there’s always a book playing out in her head. No one who knows her bats an eyelash when she talks to herself, and no one is safe from becoming her next fictional character. She is a Catherine Award-Winner, Readers Choice Finalist, Holt Medallion Finalist, and earned one of the 10 Best Reads by USA Today’s HEA. She is also a Romance Writers of America member. Her interests include: sappy movies, MLB, NFL, driving others insane, and sleeping when she can. She is a closet caffeine junkie and chocoholic, but don’t tell anyone. She resides in Wisconsin with her husband, three sons, and two dogs. Most of her family lives in the Carolinas, so she spends a lot of time there as well.

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*****

Giveaway:

Print copy of the book

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*****

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Book Review – The Bronte Book Club for Hopeless Romantics

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Book Review, Laura Briggs, The Bronte Book Club for Hopeless Romantics

As an avid reader (obviously) a series centered around a librarian and her book club just tickled me pink!

*****

The Bronte Book Club for Hopeless Romantics

by Laura Briggs

Blurb:

Quaint Lewis Cove is home to the charming three-story Victorian manor known as the Alice Wilshire Lending Library and its plucky librarian Peg Turner:  the current hostess of the weekly Bronte Book Club, better known as the ‘Hopeless Romantics’ of all ages. Nurse Annette has been too busy working for love; mechanic Tim has missed the boat somewhere in his past; art student Sophie comes off as too unique, while tech geek C.J. has fallen—hopelessly—for the too-cool-to-care Llourdes.

With her vacation plans indefinitely on hold for the summer, Peg has decided to transform the ‘Hopeless Romantics’ into hopeful ones. But while she’s trying to help her fellow readers find romance, she’s avoiding her matchmaker friend Caroline’s latest blind date—only to see her best friend Cam, the ruggedly-cute-but-sometimes-curmudgeonly coffee shop owner fixed up instead. And that’s something Peg isn’t sure she likes.

Questions about love and last chances on her mind, and way too many books piled on her desk, will Peg succeed in finding romantic hope for anyone, including herself?

*****

Excerpt:

“Evening everybody!” Caroline breezed into the coffee shop in her usual manner. She pulled off her summer scarf and dropped her shopping bags on the floor as she sat down at our table. “Did you see the repair work they’re doing on the highway? I had to cut across Ocean Lane in Valencia to get here from the city.”

Next to Stacy — and Cam — Caroline was my oldest friend in Lewis Cove. We had known each other in college; now she worked as a realtor with an office closer to the metropolis than town, and believed firmly that one’s social life should never slow down, no matter the time of day or the fatigue one might be feeling.

“Just a cup of black coffee for me, and a low-cal snack,” she said to Cam. “What’s with the book?” Her gaze fell on the copy of Jane Eyre.

“It’s mine,” I said. “I’m trying to recruit new members for the book club.”

“Was that tonight?” said Caroline. “Is that why you said ‘no’ to going out with Greg’s friend tonight?” Greg was Caroline’s current boyfriend — his friend was a blind date setup I had been stealthily avoiding for two weeks.

“A date?” said Cam. “You’re dating again?” He looked at me.

“For the record, I was never not dating,” I clarified. “I just haven’t met anybody with whom the interest is mutual. Not in awhile, anyway.”

“To qualify as ‘dating,’ you have to go out with them,” said Caroline. “Not just say you’re going to do it sometime, then keep giving them excuses for why you’re not available.”

“Those aren’t excuses, Caroline, those are reasons,” I said. “Friday nights, I’m always at the book club. I’m the librarian, I have to be there to unlock the door and let them in.”

“So? Get them to meet somewhere else. They can meet in Cam’s coffee shop. Lots of atmosphere and great beverages.”

“The music will drive them out,” said Cam, placing a low-fat granola bar in front of her. “I’m instituting an ‘all rock and roll, all the time’ policy come Monday.”

I hid my smile for this answer. “Besides, I like the club,” I continued. “I like being part of their meetings.”

“The Hopeless Romantics?” said Caroline. “There’s a reason why it has that nickname, Paige. They’re people who can’t find the right person because they’re too picky, or because they’re too blind to see the right person when it’s right in front of them. You are not hopeless — and you’re definitely not a fully-fledged romantic.”

“I have a romantic streak,” I said. “And it’s mean to call them hopeless just because they have a lot of free time and no romantic ties. They’re just trying to spend an evening with people they have something in common with. That’s the whole point of the club — an exchange of mutual ideas on literature.”

“Will you exchange mutual ideas with Greg’s friend next week?” she asked me.

“Maybe,” I said. “I’ll call him. We’ll find an evening we’re both free.” From behind the counter, Cam coughed noisily. I wondered if he had tried a bite of the low-fat granola bars he kept on hand for calorie-conscious customers.

Caroline leaned forward and lowered her voice. “Speaking of dating,” she said, “I have the perfect person for Cam.” She glanced to the side, making sure he was busy with a new customer.

Did I mention Caroline is an obsessive matchmaker, too?

*****

Review:

This one reminded me of an entertaining comedic drama (dramedy?) on TV.  We get a fun diversion, with a complete storyline, but there is still so much going on that we just have to wait for the next installment.

Paige fits the lead character role well.  She’s got her friend’s best interest at heart while she meddles, perfectly matching up two of them thanks to some insights from their reading habits (she is a librarian so it works).  Unfortunately her own love life is a little lacking and hopefully it’ll play out over the next couple of books as she works to find a HEA for the rest of the book club.

Briggs brings together a cute premise and fun characters to deliver a satisfying quick summer read.  Perfect for a trip to the pool – introducing us to a lot of fun characters and giving the satisfaction of a successful romantic pairing, while also leaving us curious about who will fall next.

*****

Author Info:

Laura Briggs is the author of several women’s fiction and chick lit novels, with themes that range from wedding planning to modern Jane Austen. Even though she tends to write stories with a romance theme, as a reader she has a soft spot for mysteries, including those by Agatha Christie and Mary Roberts Rinehart. She also enjoys books by Jane Austen, Anne Tyler, Amy Tan, and too many others to name. In her free time, she likes to experiment with new recipes and tries to landscape her yard (a never-ending project).

Author Website: http://paperdollwrites.blogspot.com/

Twitter Account: http://bit.ly/1ME9ivJ

Facebook Page: http://on.fb.me/1JjeMoI

Book Review – Her Baby, His Love

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Book Review, Her Baby His Love, Lynn Marshall

Her Baby, His Love

by Lynne Marshall

All Taylor Clark ever wanted was a normal life and a traditional family, but so far she’s had neither. Soon after discovering that her boyfriend was secretly engaged and she moves to Charity, Montana for a fresh start, she realizes she’s pregnant. As her new friendly and sexy landlord helps her settle in, they become friends, although Taylor has to keep reminding herself to keep her distance. The last thing she needs is to start something new.

As an ex-con, Joe Collins knows a little something about fresh starts. Despite his determination to keep his head down, he can’t ignore Taylor’s natural beauty or obvious vulnerability. In short time, a tentative friendship blooms along with something more precious—trust.

When Taylor’s ex comes to town, he threatens everything that Joe and Taylor have built together. Joe steps up to care for and protect her, even though he risks losing more than the woman he loves.

I’m giving this one 3.5 stars … I’m not quite comfortable with giving it 4 but it definitely doesn’t deserve 3.

As you can imagine this story spends a lot of time delving into trust issues.  Taylor has had some really bad luck with men and so she’s pretty much at the point of thinking they are all going to treat her poorly.  Then when she does meet one that seems like he could be different, he turns out to be an ex-con.  Not having known anyone who has gone to jail, she’s pretty much only got stereotypes to go off of.  It’s a slow process as Joe shows Taylor what an up-standing guy he is, regardless of a stupid choice in his youth.

There is a lot of back-and-forth on the romance side of things as they both struggle with timing and their own histories.  I can understand where Taylor comes from on a lot of stuff but Joe really is a good man and he shows it.  There comes a point where I think that some readers might be tired of her attitude but luckily she figures things out.

Book Review – Read, Write, Love at Seaside

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Addison Cole, Book Review, Melissa Foster, Read Write Love at Seaside, Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers series

Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers features a group of fun, flirty, and emotional friends who gather each summer at their Cape Cod cottages. They’re sassy, flawed, and so easy to relate to, you’ll be begging to enter their circle of friends! Start reading FREE with Read, Write, Love at Seaside! 

*****

Read, Write, Love at Seaside

Sweet with Heat: Seaside Summers #1

by Addison Cole

Releasing June 14^th, 2017

World Literary Press

Blurb:

Bestselling author Kurt Remington lives to write. He spends twelve hours a day in front of his computer, rarely leaving the seclusion of his beach-front property, where he’s come to finish his latest thriller — that is, until free-spirited Leanna Bray nearly drowns in the ocean trying to save her dog. Kurt’s best-laid plans are shot to hell when he comes to their rescue. Kurt’s as irritated as he is intrigued by the sexy, hot mess of a woman who lives life on a whim, forgets everything, and doesn’t even know the definition of the word organized.

Leanna’s come to the Cape hoping to find a fulfilling career in the jam-making business, and until she figures out her own life, a man is not on the menu. But Leanna can’t get the six-two, deliciously muscled and tragically neat Kurt out of her mind. She tells herself she’s just stopping by to say thank you, but the heart-warming afternoon sparks an emotional and unexpectedly sweet ride as Kurt and Leanna test the powers of Chemistry 101: Opposites Attract.

*Read, Write, Love at Seaside by Addison Cole is the sweet edition of New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster’s steamy romance novel Read, Write, Love. The stories and characters remain the same, and convey all of the passion you expect between two people in love, without any explicit scenes or harsh language.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34845082-read-write-love-at-seaside

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/203990-sweet-with-heat-seaside-summers

*FREE in ebook format

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*****

Excerpt:

Leanna Bray was wet, cold, and floundering. Literally. She’d been floundering for twenty-eight years, so this was nothing new, but being pummeled by rain, wind, and waves, chasing a dog that never listened? That was new.

“Pepp—” A wave knocked her off her feet and she went under the water, taking a mouthful of saltwater along with her. She tumbled head down beneath the surface.

Now Pepper and I will both drown. Freaking perfect.

Something grabbed her arm, and she reflexively fought against it, sucking in another mouthful of salty water as she broke through the surface, arms flailing, choking, and pushing against the powerful hand that yanked her to her feet.

“You okay?” A deep, annoyed voice carried over the din of the crashing waves.

Cough. Cough. “Yeah. I—” Cough. Cough. “My dog.” She blinked and blinked, trying to clear the saltwater and rain from her eyes. The man’s mop of wet, dark hair came into focus. He held tightly to her arm while scanning the water in the direction of where she’d last seen Pepper. His clothes stuck to his body like a second skin, riding the ripples of his impressive chest and arms as he held her above the surface with one arm around her ribs.

“Come on.” She coughed as he plowed through the pounding surf with her clutched against his side. She slid down his body, and he lifted her easily into his arms, carrying her like he might carry a child, pressing her to his chest as he fought against the waves.

She pushed against his chest, feeling ridiculous and helpless…and maybe a little thankful, but she was ignoring that emotion in order to save Pepper.

“My dog! I need to get my dog!” she hollered.

Mr. Big, Tall, and Stoic didn’t say a word. He set her on the wet sand and tossed her a rain-soaked towel. “It was dry.” He pointed behind her to a wooden staircase. “Go up to the deck.”

She dropped the towel and plowed past him toward the water. “I gotta get my dog.”

He snagged her by the arm and glared at her with the brightest blue eyes she’d ever seen—and a stare so dark she swallowed her voice.

“Go.” He pointed to the stairs again. “I’ll get your dog.” He took a step toward the water, and she pushed past him again.

“You don’t have t—”

He scooped her into his arms again and carried her to the stairs.

*****

Review:

This is the absolutely perfect beach/summer read (even more so since it is set in the Cape … on the Cape?  Whatever – there is sand involved.)  Cole brings the right amount of fun in the sun, humor with heart, and characters that capture your attention.

Kurt is fantastic from the beginning.  He’s a little OCD and likes to be alone while he writes.  And pretty much all he does is write, but when happy-go-lucky Leanna comes crashing into his life she quickly stirs things up.  Like the awesome guy he is, though, he takes it in stride – there is no angst or drama over her bubbliness to his stoicism.  Instead she helps to bring him out of his shell, reminding him that there is more to life than his books, and that he needs to get out to enjoy it.

And he complements her as well.  She’s been drifting for years but she seems to have found a calling in her jam business.  Unfortunately she doesn’t have a clue what it means to really go after this as a career, but with some help from her friends and the support that Kurt gives her she starts to figure things out.

This is a super sweet romance, with just enough heat to keep your attention but without ever getting too explicit.  (I haven’t read this series by Foster, but I’m definitely curious if Kurt was a little less refined in the original  🙂 )  The story is very smooth and moves along at a good pace – very realistic with Kurt and Leanna getting to know each other, figuring out whether they fit together, and (of course) falling in love.  There’s a ton of friends introduced here so it looks like we’ll have plenty of stories to keep us entertained … and I’m looking forward to every one!

*****

Author Info:

Addison Cole is the sweet alter ego of New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author Melissa Foster. She writes humorous and emotional sweet contemporary romance. Her books do not include explicit sex scenes or harsh language. Addison spends her summers on Cape Cod, where she dreams up wonderful love stories in her house overlooking Cape Cod Bay.    

Website: https://addisoncole.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AddisonColeAuthor

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/16711767.Addison_Cole

Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/addison-cole

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Addison_Cole_

Newsletter: www.AddisonCole.com/Newsletter

*****

Giveaway:

Win an Addison Cole Tote Bag Prize Pack

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81311/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour … including a look at Book 2 in the Sweet with Heat Seaside Summers series!

Book Review – Dancing in the Rain

Tags

Book Review, Dancing in the Rain, Kelly Jamieson

Dancing in the Rain

by Kelly Jamieson

Happily ever afters aren’t just for fairy tales. In this heartfelt novel, a retired athlete must become a father to the daughter he never knew—just as he discovers the power of love with a woman who reignites his passions.

Drew Sellers is drowning in broken dreams and empty beer bottles. Hockey was his world, until a bum knee reduced him from superstar to has-been. Then he learns that, thanks to a one-night-stand back in college, he’s the father of a preteen girl with major issues. Her protective aunt sees right through Drew’s BS, but “Auntie P” is no stereotypical spinster. With her slender curves, toned legs, and luscious lips, she has Drew indulging in fantasies that aren’t exactly family-friendly.

At another point in her life, Peyton Watt would have been all over a cocky alpha male who pushes all her buttons like Drew. Right now, though, she needs to focus on taking care of her niece during her sister’s health crisis, all while holding down a job and keeping her own head above water. Besides, Drew’s clearly no father of the year. He’s unemployed. He drinks too much. And he’s living in the past. But after Peyton gets a glimpse of the genuine man behind his tough-guy façade, she’s hooked—and there’s no going back.

Drew is at a crossroads in his life – his hockey career is over and he has no idea where he’s going to go next.  He’s wallowing in self-pity and just treading water.  And then he finds out he has a 12 years old daughter he never knew about and he’s got to decide whether he is ready to part of her life.  It’s not easy for him, especially since her mother is facing a serious health crisis so whatever decision he makes has to be made soon.

Peyton is kinda at a crossroads of her own.  Her job is in NYC but her sister and niece need her in Chicago.  She’s doing the best she can to juggle caring for her sister, helping her niece, and keeping up with her work.  Bringing in a former hockey player with lots of baggage just adds to her load.  Especially when there are sparks between them that are hard to ignore.

This is an emotion packed book – between the health issue, the newly found dad, work problems, life problems, tween problems … there’s a lot going on here but Jamieson keeps it real.  While I doubt a lot of people ever have to worry about a long-lost child appearing, there are all sorts of forks in the road that we have to face.  These are very relatable events and they are delivered in a way that draws you in, keeping your heart engaged & your tear ducts on notice  🙂  These people aren’t perfect and they make mistakes along the way, but they face things head on, do the best they can and work it out.  We should all hope that we have their strength, courage, and heart when we need them.

Book Review – Called Out

Tags

Book Review, Called Out, Calling It series, Jen Doyle

Summer is the perfect time to fall in love with a baseball player  🙂

*****

Called Out

Calling It #3

by Jen Doyle

Releasing May 29, 2017

Carina Press

Blurb:

Jack “Ox” Oxford is used to being alone. Granted, when you screw over your friends, being alone isn’t always a choice. Playing for the Chicago Watchmen is a last-ditch effort to save his career…and right some of his past wrongs. He’s not expecting a warm reception, but he’s also not expecting a flat tire to change everything.

Recovering control freak, single mom and semiprofessional chaos wrangler Lola Deacon McIntire doesn’t need an arrogant ballplayer to swoop in and save her from anything, much less her flat tire. And she definitely doesn’t need her body to betray her and decide this is the guy to wake up her rusty libido. She isn’t about to upset her sons’ lives for any man—much less one who so clearly doesn’t think he’s dad material.

Jack never thought he’d find someone who wanted to build a life with him, but the more time he spends with Lola and her boys, the more it starts to feel permanent. Even tough-as-nails Lola concedes there just might be a future here—the big, beautiful, messy future neither of them was looking for—but only if Jack will accept he deserves it.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34372440-called-out

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/183668-calling-it

Buy Links:    AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO

*****

Excerpt:

The only person who didn’t seem to notice was Jack. She didn’t particularly expect any special treatment, and it was clear he wasn’t interested in a long, happy life together any more than she was. But when he pushed his plate aside and started to say his goodbyes, she did have to turn her back to make sure her face didn’t betray her disappointment.

When he did finally come up behind her to say goodbye, it was without leaning in and whispering in her ear, and he kept his hands far away from her. It was clear that whatever had happened between him and Deke—and Lola could read a room enough to know that something had happened—meant things were about to come to an end.

Lola was okay with that. She hadn’t really expected anything after the other morning anyway. Still, it was an effort to plaster a smile on her face, especially when he nodded his head toward the hallway. “Can I talk to you for a minute?”

Lola sighed. “Cover me?” she said to Mary. And then she turned to move past him and walked straight ahead.

“So,” she said when they got to the back hallway. She didn’t think it counted as breaking up when they weren’t together, but she’d never actually been broken up with before so she wasn’t sure. And although she wasn’t willing to make it easier for him, she wasn’t about to make it hard.

“So,” he said. He was nervous. This was going to be worse than Lola had thought.

Well, it wasn’t going to be worse than having Tuck show up in his police uniform the night of the accident, or spending all those long lonely nights when Dave was deployed wondering whether he was still alive.

“Obviously,” Jack said, “we have two very different lives.”

Yep. Lola nodded for him to go on.

“And we both know I am not by any means a catch.”

It kind of depended on how you defined it, but this wasn’t the time to agree or disagree. She clasped her hands behind her back.

“This is probably a really, really bad idea.” He ran his hands through his hair and Lola tried not to think about how cute he was. How cute it was, to have the big, bad Iceman be so nervous because of her. Even if it was because he was about to tell her that he never wanted to see her again.

“But how would you feel about seeing me tonight after you get off?”

“I’m sorry?” That was not what she’d expected him to say.

He closed his eyes and shook his head. “Not get off. That innuendo was not intentional. I meant after you’re done with your shift.”

Wow. He wasn’t even making double entendre jokes. This was seriously strange. And not how she’d expected this to go.

He started pacing.

“I, uh…” He cleared his throat. “Jules mentioned the babysitter puts your kids to bed and stays over on the nights you work late.”

“She did?” Jules was so much more of a troublemaker than she led anyone to believe.

Jack nodded. “I was thinking maybe I could pick you up and take you to dinner somewhere.”

And now Lola was irritated. Never mind that ten o’clock was too late to have dinner. “Seriously? We’re doing the dating thing?” She may have had her breakdown earlier, but it didn’t change her overall goal. “What part of ‘fuck me against the wall’ did you not understand?” Lola was fairly certain she’d been clear on that.

Jack tensed before straightening up to his full height. Then the Jack she knew was back and in front of her—crowding right up against her, pinning her between him and the wall. This time his grin was natural and easy and entirely carnal—just the way she liked it. “I never said fucking against the wall was off the table. I just thought maybe you’d like to grab a bite first.”

Resisting the impulse to say that she would, actually, like to take a bite out of something first, she set her lips in a grim line. Was this truly what he wanted? Or was it just what he thought she wanted, despite what she’d said? Trying to keep the frustration out of her voice, she said, “I don’t want to go on dates, Jack. I don’t want a boyfriend. I don’t want another thing to add to the list.” She wasn’t pulling punches. Not today.

Although he winced and said, “Ouch, babe. That was harsh,” he didn’t seem overly upset. Especially not as he slid his thigh between her legs, looking entirely as if he were going to eat her up. “I don’t want to go on dates, Lola.” He brought his hand up between them. “And I really don’t want a girlfriend.” Though he seemed utterly calm, she could feel his heart beating as rapidly as hers was. “But I do have a list, and it includes fucking you repeatedly, and not just against the wall.” Then his hand closed over her breast, and he pinched the increasingly sensitive tip, and to her annoyance, she couldn’t hold back her gasp. Right here in the hallway of her family’s restaurant.

“I do, however,” he said, “have higher standards than an unheated, unfinished farmhouse.” Her breath hitched as he rolled her nipple between his thumb and forefinger, twisting just enough for a moan to make its way out of her throat.

“Hey,” she managed to say. “That’s my unheated, unfinished farmhouse you’re talking about. Be careful what you say.”

He smiled but didn’t reply. Unless you counted taking her earlobe between his teeth and giving enough of a tug for her to feel it shoot down to her core.

“Okay.” She needed to work at not being quite so easy. “I suppose that could be added to my list, too.”

“Great.” His voice low and raspy, he didn’t pull back. “So what do you say?”

She let her head fall back against the wall as she closed her eyes. Dorie was right. The date itself didn’t matter. She had no illusions about Jack and she wasn’t looking for a replacement for Dave. But she was a thirty-six-year-old woman who had a whole lot of living left to do. She took a deep breath as she opened her eyes, “Okay.”

In a startlingly gentle way, he brushed her cheek with his thumb as he smiled. “I’ll be back at ten to pick you up.”

Keeping the wall at her back, she nodded. “It’s not a date.”

“Not a date,” he repeated, bending down and touching his lips to hers, giving the slightest of reminders as to what his mouth was truly capable of. Then he backed away, keeping his eyes on her until he disappeared from sight.

*****

Review:

I read the first book, Calling It, and fell in love with Doyle’s writing.  (Don’t ask me how I managed to miss her others.)  She delivers down to earth, regular people who are engaging and interesting but not too full of drama.  Their problems seem normal and relatable, and you finish the book feeling like you just made friends.  In Called Out she once again givers her readers characters that they can fall for and a story that captivates.

If you read Calling It you remember Jack because he was Nate’s best friend … until Jack slept with Nate’s fiancé … and got her pregnant.  If you haven’t read it, don’t worry – Doyle makes sure you know all about it  🙂  But what we didn’t get before were a lot of details and no we get Jack’s side of the story!

And I feel so bad for the guy.  His childhood, while privileged, was awful.  His parents were (and still are) emotionally abusive, so Jack has a hard time truly valuing his worth off the baseball field.  He’s never really let himself get involved, with anyone.  Until Nate.  And he screwed it up, publicly and big time.  Now he’s going to do what he can to at least salvage his career because he doesn’t feel like he can really expect anything more.

Lola is struggling to raise four boys on her own but she has a great support system of friends and family.  And that includes Nate.  So being attracted to the man who treated him so terribly is definitely not something she wants.  But as she spends time with Jack it gets harder and harder to resist him.  Especially when she finds out there is more to the man that the cold demeanor he’s shown the world.

Mouthy, flirty, sexy Jack is so much fun.  And he just loves getting under Lola’s skin, which is such a hoot.  She’s not afraid to give back, though, which is fun as well.  But it’s when Jack’s secrets and fears start coming out that we truly start to understand the man.  That’s when he steals our hearts.

Emotionally-driven but humorous and fun, Doyle delivers a powerhouse romance that’s the perfect summer read.

*****

Author Info:

A big believer in happily ever afters, Jen Doyle decided it was high time she started creating some. She has an M.S. in Library and Information Science and, in addition to her work as a librarian, has worked as a conference and events planner as well as a Communications and Enrollment administrator in both preschool and higher education environments (although some might say that there is very little difference between the two; Jen has no comment regarding whether she is one of the “some”).

Author Links:   WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | GOODREADS

*****

Giveaway:

$25 Amazon Gift Card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81305/

*****

Click on the banner below to check out the rest of the tour

 

Book Review – Run to Ground

Tags

Book Review, Katie Ruggle, Rocky Mountain K9 Unit series, Run to Ground

Run to Ground

Rocky Mountain K9 Unit series

by Katie Ruggle

First in Katie Ruggle’s thrilling new Rocky Mountain K9 Unit series.

He lost his mentor.

He lost his K9 partner.

He almost lost his will to live.

But when a killer obsessed with revenge targets a beautiful woman on the run, Theo and his new K9 companion will do whatever it takes to save Jules before they lose their last chance at a happily ever after…

Theodore Bosco, grieving the death of his partner, is reluctantly fascinated by secretive newcomer Jules. Although his instincts scream that he should avoid her, he can’t seem to stay away. It doesn’t help that Theo’s new K9 companion, Viggy, has fallen head over paws with Jules’s rambunctious family.

Or that when he’s with Jules, Theo finally knows peace.

When Jules kidnapped her siblings, whisking them away from abuse to the quiet anonymity of the Colorado Rockies, she never expected to catch the eye-or the heart-of a cop. All it would take is one wrong move and she’ll lose everything. Yet as Jules attempts to fight her growing attraction to the brooding K9 officer, another deadly threat lurks much closer to home. Someone’s gunning for Theo and Viggy, and they’re willing to take out anything…or anyone…who gets in the way of revenge.

**potentially minor spoilers ahead**

I feels so bad for Jules and her siblings.  While Ruggle never gives you 100% of what her stepmom did to them, you get enough to know it really wasn’t good.  And that she didn’t have a lot of choice but to get them out any way she could.  It’s not an easy choice but she tried to go the normal route and get legal custody but was thwarted time and again.  When you run out of options and you are desperate …

They end up in a little mountain town in Colorado.  And in the sights of a sexy, but super broody, K9 cop.  He’s dealing with some issues of his own, which makes him not the best of company right now.  Throw in a jumpy waitress who has reason to be afraid of the law and it sends his spidey senses tingling  🙂

I’m not sure how realistic it is to think that someone who is on the run would have ANYTHING to do with someone who could easily throw them in jail – and there is a lot of back and forth about it – but Theo does give her reason to trust him.  The fact that he so easily lets her keep her secret also might not be all that realistic but he’s willing to believe his gut that says she’s a good person and see how it plays out.  And since it looks like there is a chance that the rest of this series will be interconnected with Jules, we may get to see how that goes.

So that’s her side, but there is a whole other part of the story about his issues with the death of his partner, trouble with his new K9 partner, plus some baddies that do deadly things around town.  It all meshes well into a romantic suspense story that will have you caught up until the final unmasking … and ready to find out what happens when the next cop finds himself falling for a girl with trouble on her tail.

Book Review – The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband

Tags

A Bridgerton Prequel, Book Review, Julia Quinn, Rokesbys series, The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband

The always delightful Julia Quinn is back again with more about the Bridgerton ancestors.

*****

The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband

Rokesbys #2

by Julia Quinn

Releasing May 30, 2017

Avon

Blurb:

While you were sleeping…

With her brother Thomas injured on the battlefront in the Colonies, orphaned Cecilia Harcourt has two unbearable choices: move in with a maiden aunt or marry a scheming cousin. Instead, she chooses option three and travels across the Atlantic, determined to nurse her brother back to health. But after a week of searching, she finds not her brother but his best friend, the handsome officer Edward Rokesby. He’s unconscious and in desperate need of her care, and Cecilia vows that she will save this soldier’s life, even if staying by his side means telling one little lie…

I told everyone I was your wife

When Edward comes to, he’s more than a little confused. The blow to his head knocked out six months of his memory, but surely he would recall getting married. He knows who Cecilia Harcourt is—even if he does not recall her face—and with everyone calling her his wife, he decides it must be true, even though he’d always assumed he’d marry his neighbor back in England.

If only it were true…

Cecilia risks her entire future by giving herself—completely—to the man she loves. But when the truth comes out, Edward may have a few surprises of his own for the new Mrs. Rokesby.

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/31931722-the-girl-with-the-make-believe-husband

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/165625-rokesbys

Buy Links:      AMAZON | B & N | GOOGLE | ITUNES | KOBO

*****

Excerpt:

Manhattan Island

July 1779

His head hurt.

Correction, his head really hurt.

It was hard to tell, though, just what sort of pain it was. He might have been shot through the head with a musket ball. That seemed plausible, given his current location in New York (or was it Connecticut?) and his current occupation as a captain in His Majesty’s army.

There was a war going on, in case one hadn’t noticed.

But this particular pounding—the one that felt more like someone was bashing his skull with a cannon (not a cannonball, mind you, but an actual cannon) seemed to indicate that he had been attacked with a blunter instrument than a bullet.

An anvil, perhaps. Dropped from a second-story window.

But if one cared to look on the bright side, a pain such as this did seem to indicate that he wasn’t dead, which was also a plausible fate, given all the same facts that had led him to believe he might have been shot.

That war he’d mentioned… people did die.

With alarming regularity.

So he wasn’t dead. That was good. But he also wasn’t sure where he was, precisely. The obvious next step would be to open his eyes, but his eyelids were translucent enough for him to realize that it was the middle of the day, and while he did like to look on the metaphorical bright side, he was fairly certain that the literal one would prove blinding.

So he kept his eyes closed.

But he listened.

He wasn’t alone. He couldn’t make out any actual conversation, but a low buzz of words and activity filtered through the air. People were moving about, setting objects on tables, maybe pulling a chair across the floor.

Someone was moaning in pain.

Most of the voices were male, but there was at least one lady nearby. She was close enough that he could hear her breathing. She made little noises as she went about her business, which he soon realized included tucking blankets around him and touching his forehead with the back of her hand.

He liked these little noises, the tiny little mmms and sighs she probably had no idea she was making. And she smelled nice, a bit like lemons, a bit like soap.

And a bit like hard work.

He knew that smell. He’d worn it himself, albeit usually only briefly until it turned into a full-fledged stink.

On her, though, it was more than pleasant. Perhaps a little earthy. And he wondered who she was, to be tending to him so diligently.

“How is he today?”

Edward held himself still. This male voice was new, and he wasn’t sure he wanted anyone to know he was awake yet.

Although he wasn’t sure why he felt this hesitancy.

“The same,” came the woman’s reply.

“I am concerned. If he doesn’t wake up soon…”

“I know,” the woman said. There was a touch of irritation in her voice, which Edward found curious.

“Have you been able to get him to take broth?”

“Just a few spoonfuls. I was afraid he would choke if I attempted any more than that.”

The man made a vague noise of approval. “Remind me how long he has been like this?”

“A week, sir. Four days before I arrived, and three since.”

A week. Edward thought about this. A week meant it must be… March? April?

No, maybe it was only February. And this was probably New York, not Connecticut.

But that still didn’t explain why his head hurt so bloody much. Clearly he’d been in some sort of an accident. Or had he been attacked?

“There has been no change at all?” the man asked, even though the lady had just said as much.

But she must have had far more patience than Edward, because she replied in a quiet, clear voice, “No, sir. None.”

The man made a noise that wasn’t quite a grunt. Edward found it impossible to interpret.

“Er…” The woman cleared her throat. “Have you any news of my brother?”

Her brother? Who was her brother?

“I am afraid not, Mrs. Rokesby.”

Mrs. Rokesby?

“It has been nearly two months,” she said quietly.

Mrs. Rokesby? Edward really wanted them to get back to that point. There was only one Rokesby in North America as far as he knew, and that was him. So if she was Mrs. Rokesby…

“I think,” the male voice said, “that your energies would be better spent tending to your husband.”

Husband?

“I assure you,” she said, and there was that touch of irritation again, “that I have been caring for him most faithfully.”

Husband? They were calling him her husband? Was he married? He couldn’t be married. How could he be married and not remember it?

Who was this woman?

Edward’s heart began to pound. What the devil was happening to him?

“Did he just make a noise?” the man asked.

“I… I don’t think so.”

She moved then, quickly. Hands touched him, his cheek, then his chest, and even through her obvious concern, there was something soothing in her motions, something undeniably right.

“Edward?” she asked, taking his hand. She stroked it several times, her fingers brushing lightly over his skin. “Can you hear me?”

He ought to respond. She was worried. What kind of gentleman did not act to relieve a lady’s distress?

“I fear he may be lost to us,” the man said, with far less gentleness than Edward thought appropriate.

“He still breathes,” the woman said in a steely voice.

The man said nothing, but his expression must have been one of pity, because she said it again, more loudly this time.

“He still breathes.”

“Mrs. Rokesby…”

Edward felt her hand tighten around his. Then she placed her other on top, her fingers resting lightly on his knuckles. It was the smallest sort of embrace, but Edward felt it down to his soul.

“He still breathes, Colonel,” she said with quiet resolve. “And while he does, I will be here. I may not be able to help Thomas, but—”

Thomas. Thomas Harcourt. That was the connection. This must be his sister. Cecilia. He knew her well.

Or not. He’d never actually met the lady, he felt like he knew her. She wrote to her brother with a diligence that was unmatched in the regiment. Thomas received twice as much mail as Edward, and Edward had four siblings to Thomas’s one.

Cecilia Harcourt. What on earth was she doing in North America? She was supposed to be in Derbyshire, in that little town Thomas had been so eager to leave. The one with the hot springs. Matlock. No, Matlock Bath.

Edward had never been, but he thought it sounded charming. Not the way Thomas described it, of course; he liked the bustle of city life and couldn’t wait to take a commission and depart his village. But Cecilia was different. In her letters, the small Derbyshire town came alive, and Edward almost felt that he would recognize her neighbors if he ever went to visit.

She was witty. Lord, she was witty. Thomas used to laugh so much at her missives that Edward finally made him read them out loud.

Then one day, when Thomas was penning his response, Edward interrupted so many times that Thomas finally shoved out his chair and held forth his quill.

“You write to her,” he’d said.

So he did.

Not on his own, of course. Edward could never have written to her directly. It would have been the worst sort of impropriety, and he would not have insulted her in such a manner. But he took to scribbling a few lines at the end of Thomas’s letters, and whenever she replied, she had a few lines for him.

Thomas carried a miniature of her, and even though he said it was several years old, Edward had found himself staring at it, studying the small portrait of the young woman, wondering if her hair really was that remarkable golden color, or if she really did smile that way, lips closed and mysterious.

Somehow he thought not. She did not strike him as a woman with secrets. Her smile would be sunny and free. Edward had even thought he’d like to meet her once this godforsaken war was over. He’d never said anything to Thomas, though.

That would have been strange.

Now Cecilia was here. In the colonies. Which made absolutely no sense, but then again, what did? Edward’s head was injured, and Thomas seemed to be missing, and…

Edward thought hard.

…and he seemed to have married Cecilia Harcourt.

He opened his eyes and tried to focus on the green-eyed woman peering down at him.

“Cecilia?”

*****

Review:

So I’ll be honest, this one is 4-ISH stars for me.  It definitely wasn’t a 3 star book but I’m not sure it is a solid 4 either and there are a couple of reasons for it.

Cecilia lies … and keeps lying.  It’s totally understandable how she got into the situation and works well for who they are to each other.  (There are cute little tidbits from the letters between Thomas and Cecilia at the start of each chapter that highlight this wonderfully.)  Yes, there are opportunities for her to come clean after Edward wakes up, but Quinn makes her reasoning for keeping her secret believable.  He’s having enough trouble dealing with his memory issues so you totally get why she chooses not to but it definitely makes things difficult for them.  And there are some readers who probably won’t appreciate the continued lying.

It’s also set in American during the Revolutionary War, which is a bit of a change for Quinn readers.  We’re used to lords and ladies causing trouble for each other in London or the English countryside.  While we don’t get a lot of the actual war, Quinn does do a good job of delivering the less pleasant parts for us and it gives the book a gritty feel.

While the beginning is a little slow – with the lying and not remembering – the book definitely picks up as they delve deeper into what happened to Thomas and deal with their deepening relationship.  Of course the truth comes out, causing a bit of havoc for them, but leads to a really great ending  🙂  Quinn writes some of the best historical romances out there and she definitely has some major skills, which are on display here.  The characters are detailed and you totally are there with them as they find themselves in a pretty awkward situation, rooting them on to what surely will be a HEA.

*****

Author Info:

Julia Quinn is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-five novels for Avon Books, and one of only sixteen authors ever to be inducted in the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family.

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

*****

Giveaway:

Win a print copy of BECAUSE OF MISS BRIDGERTON (US Only)

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/521ac4c81301/

*****

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Book Review – Falling For Her Brother’s Best Friend

Tags

Book Review, Falling For Her Brother's Best Friend, Noelle Adams, Tea for Two series

Fifteen years ago, three girls were thrown together because their brothers were best friends. Now they’re all grown up, and their brothers are grown up too. The Tea for Two series tells their stories. Fans of contemporary women’s fiction will become engrossed in this new series by New York Times Bestselling Author, Noelle Adams.

Click the image below to see the trailer video!Add FALLING FOR HER BROTHER’S BEST FRIEND to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get an exclusive excerpt of FALLING FOR HER BROTHER’S BEST FRIEND. Be sure to enter the giveaway for a $15 Amazon gift card! One runner-up will receive their choice eBook from Noelle’s backlist.

*****

Falling For Her Brother’s Best Friend

Tea for Two book #1

by Noelle Adams

Release Date: June 7, 2017

Publisher: Noelle Adams

Word Count: 47K

Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy

Tropes: Brother’s Best Friend

Price: $0.99 preorder; $2.99 regular

Blurb:

After too many bad decisions in romance, Emma is going on a man-fast. For the next six months, she’s fasting from men. No sex. No dating. No soulful gazes. No fond memories of her first crush. She’s going to spend the time focusing on her career, getting in touch with herself, and helping her two best friends with the launch of their new tea room. No men.

And that includes her brother’s best friend, Noah Hart, who has just returned to their hometown.

She doesn’t want Noah anyway. He might be even hotter than he was before, but he’s not a nice guy anymore. He’s made a fortune by acting ruthless in business, and the last thing he’s looking for is small-town domestic life. He doesn’t even want to be in town again, but a sick grandmother guilted him into it. Then he has nerve to not even recognize Emma when he sees her again. Maybe it’s been seven years, but a decent guy would remember his best friend’s little sister.

Noah is not a decent guy. Anyway, Emma is on a man-fast. And she doesn’t want Noah.

At all.

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She waited to see if Noah would complain about her walking home alone at night, but he didn’t. He just said, “I’ll walk with you.”

She started to object—automatically but for no particular reason—but she stopped the words from coming out. There was no reason he couldn’t walk a couple of blocks with her. He would probably insist on it, even if she tried to object.

“Okay,” she said. “Thanks.”

They didn’t speak as they walked down the sidewalk and crossed the street to her building. But she was intensely aware of Noah’s presence beside her. It felt so strong, so masculine, so… man.

Why the hell did she always seem to want him so much?

She should know better by now.

She was feeling strangely shy when they reached the front entrance to her building, and she turned to face him, dropping her eyes. “Thanks again.”

“No problem.” There was that husky note in his voice, the one she really liked.

She didn’t dare to look up at him. “I could have made it on my own, you know.”

“I know that.” God, just the sound of his voice sent shivers up and down her spine.

“No matter what you think, I’m not a little girl anymore.”

She had no idea why she was saying this. She was just rambling, too nervous to think through the words that were coming out of her mouth. And she was seriously having to hold herself back from reaching out toward him, taking hold his shirt and pulling him closer.

He smelled so incredibly good. Not anything as strong as aftershave, but something warm and expensive.

She wanted to smell him even more.

She wanted to feel him.

She wanted to taste him.

She wanted to…

He reached out and tilted up her face so she was looking at him. “I know you’re not a little girl, Emma.”

Emma.

He’d called her Emma.

“You do?” she whispered, the world shuddering in front of her eyes.

“Damn it, Emma,” he rasped thickly, raising his other arm so he was holding her face in both hands. “Surely you know I’m seeing you as anything but a little girl.”

She was trembling now, and there was absolutely no way she could hold herself back. He was holding her face like she was precious, and the look in his eyes…

So filled with heat and hunger. She’d never seen anything like it.

She grabbed onto his shirt like she’d always wanted to and drew him even nearer, and then he was finally, finally kissing her.

Naturally, she was kissing him back.

Excerpt from FALLING FOR HER BROTHER’S BEST FRIEND

Copyright © 2017 Noelle Adams

*****

Review:

(There might be some kinda, minor, maybe spoilers included – but nothing too big.)

I love the friends to lovers and the best friend’s sibling story-lines and Adams does a great job of giving readers a satisfying romance using them.  I love the idea that Emma had a crush on Noah for all these years and that it grows into something even more now that they are grown.  It’s not easy to be such a close knit group of siblings and friends so it isn’t something that they can take lightly.  Any issues will have long reaching consequences.

Which is a lot of the drama of the book.  Noah was devastated by his father’s abandonment as a child and that’s influenced a lot of his life – from his romantic relationships to his career.  When he’s finally tempted to delve into something deeper, but with Emma being his sister’s best friend and Emma’s brother being his best friend … what happens if he screws it up?

**Kinda, sorta spoiler**

And here’s where I have just a little bit of a problem because I just didn’t get the supportive, best friend vibe from the girls.  Noah’s sister brings up his history of running and it causes Noah to have second thoughts.  But then when they are all together as a group a few days later and Emma is going to go home and the only other person leaving is Noah, his sister is all blase about him taking her home.  She knows how they feel about each other and has already caused trouble between them and … she just waves and sends them on their way.  Not the best friend treatment that I would expect.  Plus, she’s his sister but she seems all conflict and no help when it comes to his iissues.  So while they hang out together a lot, I felt the boys were more committed than the girls.

But, while I didn’t feel the friendships like I expected, Adams does delivery well on the romance between Noah and Emma.  I feel where he’s coming from & I enjoyed seeing them get to know each other as adults and start to have real feelings for one another.  The conflict was wrapped up nicely all around, producing a good HEA ending.

*****

Author Info:

Noelle handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different states and currently resides in Virginia, where she reads any book she can get her hands on and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.

She loves travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus on writing contemporary romances.

If you’d like to contact Noelle, please contact her at noelle.s.adams@gmail.com. Or connect with her on Twitter, Facebook, and Goodreads.

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win a $15 Amazon Gift Card! One runner-up will receive their choice eBook from Noelle’s backlist.

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29362/