• Home
  • Book Review
  • Contest
  • Blog Tour
  • Sneak Peek
  • About

Romantic Reads and Such

~ thoughts on romances

Romantic Reads and Such

Tag Archives: Debbie Mason

Book Review – Sugarplum Way

02 Thursday Nov 2017

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

Book Review, Debbie Mason, Harmony Harbor series, Sugarplum Way

I love this time of year – holiday reads are all around us!!

*****

Sugarplum Way

Harmony Harbor series

by Debbie Mason

Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: Forever (October 31, 2017)

Blurb:

“Heartfelt and delightful!” -RaeAnne Thayne, New York Times bestselling author

Romance writer Julia Landon knows how to write a happily-ever-after. Creating one for herself is a whole different story. But after a surprising–and surprisingly passionate–kiss under the mistletoe at Harmony Harbor’s holiday party last year, Julia thought she might have finally found her very own chance at true love. Until she learns her Mr. Tall, Dark, and Broodingly Handsome has sworn off relationships. Well, if she can’t have him in real life, Julia knows just how to get the next best thing…

Aidan’s only priority is to be the best single dad ever. And this year, he plans to make the holidays magical for his little girl, Ella Rose. But visions of stolen kisses under the mistletoe keep dancing in his head, and when he finds out Julia has written him into her latest novel, he can’t help imagining the possibilities of a future together. Little does he know, though, Julia has been keeping a secret that threatens all their dreams. Luckily, ’tis the season for a little Christmas magic.

Goodreads

Amazon

Books-A-Million

Barnes & Noble

*****

Review:

It’s not going to surprise anyone who knows me that this is the first in this series that I’ve read … and unfortunately I think that this is one of the times that it kinda bit me a little.  Not as much as with some books but just enough to leave me just a tiny bit dissatisfied.  There is a lot of history with Julia and the people of Harmony Harbor, and more importantly here with Aidan.  I will give Mason props for doing a really good job of keeping me engaged and informed of the important bits that I might have missed but there were little things that I didn’t have a clue about that came into play a few times.  I still loved Aidan and Julia and I was rooting for them to figure things out from the very first page, but it just made me feel a little … left out because I wasn’t there from the beginning of the series.

Now, having said that, I really enjoyed both the story and Mason’s writing.  The plot was very well done and kept me engaged all the way through.  The characters (both primary and secondary) felt real and I was involved in their lives right away.  The pacing was spot on – never seemed to drag and I was sad when we got to the end because it was over too soon.  And you can’t beat the Christmas season for adding to the romance and fun.  Overall, a really wonderful read.  Which would have probably been perfect if I’d discovered this series a few books ago  🙂

With lots of Christmas charm and delightfully likable characters, Sugarplum Way brings the holiday feels and then some.  Returning readers are sure to be thrilled … new readers might want to consider checking out the backlist.  If they are anything like this one, you will have lots of great reads to get you through the next few months.  (Or weeks if you are a super fast reader like me!)

*****

Author Info:

Debbie Mason is the USA Today bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado and Harmony Harbor series. Her books have been praised for their “likable characters, clever dialogue and juicy plots” (RT Book Reviews). When she isn’t writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, three wonderful children, two adorable grandbabies, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella in Ontario, Canada.

Website | Facebook | Twitter

*****

Giveaway:

One winner will receive a Sugarplum Way gift packet including:

LIFE Magazines’s special BEAUTY AND THE BEAST edition

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST light and sound Hallmark ornament

LIVE LIKE SANTA’S NOT WATCHING mug

signed ARC of SUGARPLUM WAY

A picture frame

…all packaged in a WHAT’S NEXT box.

https://app.viralsweep.com/view_widget/4d3076-25872

*****

Visit TLC Book Tours to check out the rest of the tour

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Book Review – Happy Ever After in Christmas

27 Monday Jun 2016

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Christmas Colorado series, Debbie Mason, Happy Ever After in Christmas

Y’all, I loved this story and I’ve seriously gotta figure out how I keep missing books in this series!

*****

Mason_HappyEverAfterinChristmas_MMHappy Ever After in Christmas

Christmas, Colorado #7

by Debbie Mason

On Sale: June 28, 2016

Formats: Mass Market & eBook

Price: $5.99 USD

Add to Goodreads

Blurb:

It’s beginning to look a lot like love . . .

As her thirtieth birthday approaches, deputy Jill Flaherty decides it’s time to live a little. When she walks into Sawyer Anderson’s bar in her sexiest dress, she’s not thinking that he’s her brother’s best friend or about the many women he dated during his years as a pro hockey player. All she’s thinking is that it’s finally time to confess to her longtime crush how she truly feels.

Sawyer is done being a player on and off the ice. Yet no one in the small town of Christmas seems to believe he’s ready to settle down, not Jill, and certainly not Jack, who is determined to keep Sawyer from breaking his little sister’s heart. But as Sawyer and Jill’s relationship heats up, can he prove that he’s her happy ever after?

Walmart (Special Edition) | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Books-A-Million | Google Play | iBooks | Indiebound | Kobo

Christmas Colorado Series Banner

THE FULL SERIES

The Trouble With Christmas, #1

Christmas in July, #2

It Happened at Christmas, #3

Wedding Bells at Christmas, #4

Snowbound at Christmas, #5

Kiss Me In Christmas, #6

Happy Ever After in Christmas, #7

Series Page on Goodreads

*****

Excerpt:

Deputy Jill Flaherty sat at her desk wrapping her brother’s birthday present for his surprise party tonight. The yellow helium balloons she’d ordered were currently bouncing in front of her face. She lifted her hand to bat them way, ripping the paper off the present in the process. A present that she’d been painstakingly wrapping for the last ten minutes. Frustrated, she swore under her breath while shaking her fingers to free them of the tape and brightly-colored tissue paper.

“You’re stuck,” Suze announced in an authoritative voice from behind her computer.

“Thank you for your insightful observation,” Jill grumbled at the forty-something woman sitting at the dispatcher’s desk across the room as she bent her head to pull the tape off her fingers with her teeth.

Suze leaned around her computer and grinned. “I didn’t mean literally. I mean you’re stuck, stuck. That’s why you’ve been so bitchy lately. You have the pre-30 birthday blues.”

“It’s my fingers that are stuck, not me. And I’m not. . . ” Jill sighed. “Okay, so maybe I have been a little bitchy. But it’s because of all the overtime I’ve been putting in the past couple of weeks. I’m tired.”

She ignored the reference to her thirtieth birthday. She wouldn’t admit to Suze that she was partially right. Like an ominous black cloud, the big 3-0 loomed large in Jill’s mind. It always had. Her mother died two days before her thirtieth. Preparations for Jack’s thirty-seventh birthday had served to remind Jill that her thirtieth was only five months away.

“Because you don’t have a life.”

Jill lifted a hand still covered in tape and paper in an are-you-kidding-me gesture. “I do so. I have–”

“Yeah, yeah, I know. You have friends and family and a job you love. Still doesn’t mean you have a life. You put yours on hold when Jack was MIA. I had a front row seat so I know what I’m talking about.”

“I have a life,” Jill reiterated without elaborating. Suze had stolen her ammunition. If having friends, family, and a job she loved didn’t count, Jill didn’t know what else to say.

A chair scraped noisily on the tile floor and Suze took a seat across from her. “Okay, so tell me, when was the last time you hid the salami?” she asked.

Jill frowned. “What . . .”

Suze rolled her brown eyes as she peeled the last of the tape and tissue paper from Jill’s fingers. “Bumped uglies. . . Did the horizontal mumbo?”

“I have no idea what you’re–”

“Oh for godsakes, when was the last time you got laid?”

Since the answer didn’t immediately pop into her head, Jill hedged, “What does that have to do with anything?”

“And there’s your problem. You can’t remember, can you?” Suze said as she rolled the paper and tape into a ball.

“Yes, I can. Seven months ago,” she said, taking a guess. Then realizing the number of months might unwittingly validate Suze’s no-life pronouncement, Jill added, “Before you say anything, I’ve been busy.”

Suze pursed her lips and tossed the ball into the garbage can. “Don’t buy two-sided tape again. And it was eight months ago with that accountant from Logan County.”

“Really? Huh. I could have sworn . . . ” She took in the I-told-you-so look on Suze’s lightly freckled face. “Oh, come on, that doesn’t mean anything.”

“Yeah, it does. It says it all. You have unmemorable sex with unmemorable men. And do you know why you do?”

“No, but I’m sure you’re going to enlighten me,” Jill said, carefully working the rest of the paper off Jack’s present with a pair of scissors.

“Fear,” Suze said, taking the scissors from Jill’s hand and looking her in the eyes. “You’re afraid to get your heart broken. That’s why you spend your time fantasizing about the man and life you want and not doing anything about it.”

“I do not fantasize about Sawyer,” Jill blurted without thinking. She caught the triumphant look in Suze’s eyes and quickly added, “Or any other man in town.”

*****

Review:

Jill isn’t the most girly of girls but just because she can kick butt while in uniform doesn’t mean that she doesn’t want the same happy ending that everyone else does.  Unfortunately her dream guy is also her brother’s best friend and someone who doesn’t see her as girlfriend material.  Growing up together definitely makes it hard for him to see her as anything else and you can’t help but feel bad for everything that she goes through.  She’s never felt quite good enough and to have someone she’s loved forever not want her back is definitely a heart breaker.  There’s a lot of back and forth between these two, but once she sets her mind to turning his head things definitely get crazy fast and Mason makes sure that it is a heck of a ride.

I love the fact that while Sawyer gets a lot of things right – kind, caring and helpful – when he screws up he does it big time 🙂  I can definitely get why somehow these two never quite make it onto the same page – they get close but somehow just keep missing it.  It makes for heart-squeezing moments, but also fun times, as the two of them try to figure out where they stand with one another.

(When I read Kiss Me in Christmas, the book before this one in this series, I felt like you needed to have at least read the story before that one to truly be able to keep up and enjoy.  But here, I don’t think it is a problem.  Previous couples do make an appearance and you’d be more likely to pick up on all the nuances if you’d read their story too, but not to the degree as before.  I think this time, Happy Ever After in Christmas can easily stand on its own.  Although if you read, Christmas in July – which I did and loved, although I don’t know how I keep missing other books in the series – then you’d get a smidge better understanding of the interplay with Sawyer, Jill, Jack and Grace although I think that Mason does a great job of giving you the important parts.  It’s been a long time since I read it and I kept up just fine 🙂 )

*****

Debbie Mason CREDIT Debbie MazzuraAuthor Info:

Debbie Mason is the bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado series. Her books have been praised for their “likable characters, clever dialogue and juicy plots” (RT Book Reviews). She also writes historical paranormals as Debbie Mazzuca. Her MacLeod series has received several nominations for best paranormal as well as a Holt Medallion Award of Merit. When she isn’t writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, their four wonderful children, an adorable grandbaby, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella.

Author Website | Facebook | Twitter

FOLLOW FOREVER ONLINE

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

Win your own copy of Happy Ever After in Christmas

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2333/

*****

Happy Ever After in Christmas Blitz Banner

Tour Info:

I Love Romance

6/21/2016

Excerpt

Bitten by Romance

6/21/2016

Excerpt

Okie Dreams Book Reviews

6/21/2016

Excerpt

Rusticating in the Tropics

6/22/2016

Spotlight

The Romance Dish

6/22/2016

Excerpt

A bluestocking’s Place

6/22/2016

Excerpt

The Diary of a Bibliophile

6/23/2016

Author Top 5 List

Pretty Sassy Cool

6/23/2016

Author Top 5 List

Moments

6/24/2016

Excerpt

JustaBooklovinJunkie

6/24/2016

Excerpt

Mary Gramlich (The Reading Reviewer)

6/24/2016

Spotlight

Diana’s Book Reviews

6/24/2016

Excerpt

A Bookaholic Blog

6/27/2016

Excerpt

Romantic Reads and Such

6/27/2016

Excerpt

EskieMama Reads

6/28/2016

Spotlight

herding cats & burning soup

6/28/2016

Spotlight

Becky on Books

6/29/2016

Author Top 5 List

Ramblings From This Chick

6/30/2016

Excerpt

Romance Junkies

6/30/2016

Spotlight

Buried Under Romance

6/30/2016

Excerpt

BookWorm221

7/1/2016

Excerpt

Mom with a Reading Problem

7/1/2016

Spotlight

LibriAmoriMiei

7/2/2016

Author Top 5 List

Wisconsin Cheesehead Bookreviews

7/2/2016

Spotlight

Hott Books

7/2/2016

Excerpt

Thoughts in Progress

7/5/2016

Excerpt

Written Love Reviews

7/5/2016

Excerpt

books are love

7/5/2016

Spotlight

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Spotlight – Holiday Hookup

28 Monday Sep 2015

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Blog Tour, Contest, Sneak Peek

≈ 3 Comments

Tags

A Bad Boy For Christmas, Debbie Mason, Jessica Lemmon, Katie Lane, Snowbound at Christmas, Unwrapped

I know it is a LITTLE early … but who doesn’t love a good Christmas romance?  Today we get three!

*****

Mason_Snowbound at Christmas_MMSNOWBOUND AT CHRISTMAS

by Debbie Mason

Ex-cop Cat O’Connor is bored working for her sister, Chloe, as a personal assistant on the set of her soap opera. Until Chloe gets an opportunity to audition for the role of a lifetime and asks her identical twin to substitute for her on the soap with no one the wiser. It’s a perfect switch-until Cat attracts the attention of the mysterious Mr. Tall, Dark, and Way-too-handsome leading man.

Grayson Alexander never thought being snowbound in the charming town of Christmas, Colorado, for the holiday would get so hot. But between working with sexy, tough Cat on set and keeping his real reason for being there under wraps, he’s definitely feeling the heat. And if there’s one thing they’ll learn as they bring out the mistletoe, it’s that in this town, true love is always in season.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1ika5pa

B&N: http://bit.ly/1i4O6Sy

iBooks: http://apple.co/1VSnTFP

GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/1UIRHY8

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1ETgKkn

BAM: http://bit.ly/1UMFb4A

*****

Excerpt:

“We don’t have time to talk about it,” the older woman said as she helped Cat out of the fur coat. “We have just been presented with the perfect opportunity to put our plan into action.”

Great, Estelle and Chloe had a plan. Cat tugged the sweater’s neckline higher. Her sister may like to show off her girls, but Cat’s were going undercover. And since she didn’t want Estelle to blow her cover, she hoped the older woman enlightened her about their plan.

They were a few feet from the table where Harry stood looking deliciously edible when Nell waved a gingerbread man in the air. “Get a kiss with your cookies, ladies. Two dollars for a kiss and a cookie.”

A horde of women stampeded in their direction.

“Make it count, my dear,” Estelle murmured, shoving Cat at the table.

The push caused Cat to wobble on her heels. If not for Harry reaching across the table, encircling her biceps with his strong hands, she would have fallen on her face. Something her sister would never do. So it was imperative that Cat put on a believable performance. She fluffed her hair, did a flirty head tilt, and batted her fake eyelashes.

“I’ll take two, Harry.” She puckered her lips.

His mouth flattened, a muscle ticking in his clenched jaw. Then he leaned toward her. It’s possible he said bloody hell under his breath as he lowered his head, but she couldn’t be sure because everything went a little fuzzy the moment his warm, firm lips touched hers. She tasted mint, smelled his expensive cologne, and drew closer, placing her hands on his shoulders to avoid toppling over. Okay, so it was an excuse, but she was sure her sister would have taken advantage of the situation in exactly the same way.

Her mouth softened, her fingers tightening on his broad shoulders as her lips parted. She was just getting into the kiss, and it was some kiss, when his mouth left hers. He took what appeared to be a startled step back. She understood the reaction—the kiss had rocked her world, too.

“Hang on, I need a picture for the Chronicle,” Nell said, putting down the cookie to pick up her cell phone. “Okay, go for it.”

In the background, she heard George saying something to Phil about breaking his promise. Harry looked over her head, then back at her. An emotion she couldn’t read darkened his blue eyes, then he brought his hands to the sides of her face and did as Nell suggested. He went for it.

Gently tilting her head so his lips slanted over hers at a precise angle, he gave her a deep, passionate kiss. It was long and lush, and breath-stealingly perfect. Her eyes were still closed, her head tipped up, when she realized she was kissing air. Blinking her eyes open, she stared at him. Acting as though he was completely unaffected, as if he hadn’t felt the same emotional rush of desire, he handed her two cookies.

If that was a kiss from an uninterested man, she’d eat . . .

“That will be four dollars, Chloe.” His words were cool and clipped, his back ramrod straight.

And her heart, that seconds ago had been dancing to a happy beat, froze. It wasn’t her he was kissing. It was her sister.

*****

Author Info:

Debbie Mason is the bestselling author of the Christmas, Colorado series. Her books have been praised for their “likable characters, clever dialogue and juicy plots” (RT Book Reviews). She also writes historical paranormals as Debbie Mazzuca. Her MacLeod series has received several nominations for best paranormal as well as a Holt Medallion Award of Merit. When she isn’t writing or reading, Debbie enjoys spending time with her very own real-life hero, their four wonderful children, an adorable grandbaby, and a yappy Yorkie named Bella.

http://www.authordebbiemason.com/

https://twitter.com/AuthorDebMason

https://www.facebook.com/Debbie-Mason-492150187499546/timeline/

*****

Lemmon_A Bad Boy for Christmas_MMA BAD BOY FOR CHRISTMAS

by Jessica Lemmon

Connor McClain knows what he wants. And after four harrowing years in Afghanistan, that’s a quiet life in the lakeside town of Evergreen Cove. But coming home has land mines of its own-the most dangerous of them being long-legged bombshell Faith Garrett. Now getting her into his arms this holiday is going to require more than mistletoe . . .

With a cheating ex behind her, all Faith wants is a relaxing holiday free from man drama. And even though every moment with gorgeous Connor is a sweet temptation, Faith is determined not to give in. But Jack Frost has other plans, and soon Faith and Connor are snowbound in a winter wonderland with only the sparks flying between them to keep them warm. As one hot kiss leads to another, they’ll have to decide if they’re ready to give each other the best gift of all-love.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1OHkIwe

B&N: http://bit.ly/1KJ6zkN

iBooks: http://apple.co/1K2C2e1

GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/1QtdsWe

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1M2fVoT

BAM: http://bit.ly/1J3fTII

*****

Excerpt:

She came to a halt at the threshold of the kitchen, her breath clogging in her throat.

Part of it was shock over the fact that Connor was leaning over the countertop inhaling one of her cupcakes. The other part, and the part she was having trouble reconciling, was the fact that there was a tear beneath one of the pockets of his jeans, and the slash of skin she was currently staring at was his bare ass.

He stood, chewing and smiling with his lips closed. She knew because she hastily redirected her gaze to his face. The way he licked the frosting off the corner of his mouth and lifted his brow suggested he may have caught her eyeballing something she shouldn’t.

“Tore them on a nail on the fence this morning.” He turned to look over his shoulder, splitting the tear with his fingers to show her a faint red scratch on one chiseled butt cheek. “Hurt like a bitch.” His eyes found hers and he gave her a sly smile. “Don’t suppose you’d be willing to patch me up.”

She choked on her laughter, shaking her head for effect. “I don’t think so,” she said, trying to sound disgusted and not turned on.

His smile erased as his brow went down like she’d hurt his feelings. “You would deny me medical care in my moment of need?”

Flustered, she stepped past him and snatched the small white box off the counter, determined to change the subject. “I hope you know you owe me a cupcake.”

“Cupcake, I took that in payment for the kiss you never gave me.”

So he didn’t forget.

“You’d rather have a carrot cupcake than a kiss?” Her pulse pounded against her neck. She knew which one she would prefer, and hoped she was doing a good job hiding it.

“Hmm…” He made a show of craning his neck to look at the remaining cupcake in the bottom of the box. “It was a pretty good cupcake.”

Her mouth opened in argument, but the argument never came. And the reason it never came was because Connor covered her lips with his, launching his tongue into her mouth. She tasted sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg from the frosting, and his mouth, which tasted wonderful because it tasted like him. The smell of lavender filled her senses, that earthy, spicy smell mingling in her nostrils and making her lean into him. Cupping the back of his neck, she tilted her chin, continuing their sparring session with fervor.

Noses bumped, his unshaven chin scraped her jaw, and his hands—his big, manly, rough hands—grasped her at the waist and pulled her flush against him.

This went on until finally, she had to pull back to inhale or suffocate. Not a bad way to go, she’d admit. Now she was panting and trying to recalibrate her brain cells, which had apparently oozed right out of her ears since Connor put his mouth on hers.

He looked as dazed as she did for a second before his smile snapped into place. “Nope. That was much better than the cupcake.”

*****

Author Info:

Jessica Lemmon has always been a dreamer. At some point, she decided head-in-the-clouds thinking was childish, went out, and got herself a job . . . and then she got another one because that one was lousy. And when that one stopped being fulfilling, she went out and got another . . . and another. Soon it became apparent she’d only be truly happy doing what she loved. And since “eating potato chips” isn’t a viable career, she opted to become a writer. With fire in her heart, she dusted off a book she’d started years prior, finished it, and submitted it. It may have been the worst book ever, but it didn’t stop her from writing another one. Now she has several books finished, several more started, and even more marinating in her brain (which currently resides in the clouds, thankyouverymuch), and she couldn’t be happier. She firmly believes God gifts us with talents for a purpose, and with His help, you can create the life you want. (While eating potato chips.)

http://www.jessicalemmon.com/

https://twitter.com/lemmony

https://www.facebook.com/AuthorJessicaLemmon?fref=ts

*****

Lane_Unwrapped_MMUNWRAPPED

by Katie Lane

Jacqueline Maguire has a problem tying the knot. After fleeing the altar (again), the runaway bride drives off with no particular destination in mind. Which is how Jac finds herself stranded in a snowstorm with a hot, hard-bodied stranger who treats her to the naughtiest night of her life . . . but come morning, he’s long gone.

Contractor Patrick McPherson is deeply committed to his bachelor lifestyle. No strings, no rings. As the Christmas season approaches, however, Patrick still can’t quite forget his curvalicious one-night stand. Then Jac shows up unexpectedly, and all holiday hell breaks loose. Because this year, Patrick is getting the biggest Christmas surprise of his life.

Amazon: http://amzn.to/1KvF2Oc

B&N: http://bit.ly/1JlEnx7

iTunes: http://apple.co/1KvF88q

Kobo: http://bit.ly/1KvF7Bp

*****

Excerpt:

“Am I a vampire?”

He chuckled at the joke and smoothed the damp hair off her forehead.  “No.  I don’t change my victims . . . I just snack on them.”  She didn’t crack a smile, but her shoulders relaxed, bringing his attention back to the welt.  “How badly are you hurt?”

Her hand went to the marks on her neck.  “Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt as much as I thought it would.”

Patrick felt his face heat with embarrassment.  “I’m sorry.  I forgot about the fangs.”

Her gaze flickered to his mouth, and damned if he didn’t get hard again.  “Well, I guess since you didn’t . . . umm . . . overindulge, it’s not a big deal.”

Overindulge?  Oh, he wanted to overindulge.  Especially with those phenomenal breasts just a reach away.  But he wasn’t that big of a jerk.  “So can you tell me what happened?  Are there any other victims?”

“No.  No one else was in the car with me when Big Foot—I mean, a deer jumped out in front of the car.  I would’ve been okay if my brakes had worked properly.  It was almost like someone had tampered with—” She paused, and her eyes widened.  “Mr. Darby.”  She glanced at the door.  “And he’s probably the one who flattened your tire.”

Patrick started to wonder if she wasn’t suffering from a concussion.  She seemed to be talking in circles.  Of course, most women talked in circles.  “I thought you said no one was in the car with you.  Who is Mr. Darby?”

“No one was in the car with me.  Mr. Darby is the guy who’s trying to k—” She stopped and cleared her throat.  “Never mind.  It’s not important.  So you were saying?”

His brow knotted.  Why couldn’t women be as easy to read as a blueprint?  He released his breath in a sigh.  “I was wondering how badly you were injured.”

“I’m fine now.  I was just a little lightheaded before.”  She sat up to prove it, bringing her full pouting lips inches from his.  He might not be able to read her, but he sure as hell desired her.  He had never wanted to kiss a woman so badly in his life.  It was like her lips were magnetized and he was solid metal.  But before he could kiss her, she got to her feet and started picking up the items that had spilled out of her purse.  Since there was a lot of crap, he knelt down to help her.

“So what are you doing up here?” he asked as he lifted her wallet and handed it to her.  “I’m assuming by the costume that you were coming back from a party.”

There was a slight hesitation before she nodded.  “And I got lost.”  She leaned over to reach the tube of lipstick that had slid under the coffee table, and her breasts swelled forth in twin mounds of bodacious beauty.  “So if you can’t take me back to Denver, do you think you could get me to a working phone?”

It took her grabbing the lipstick and straightening before he could talk.  “I could if I didn’t have a flat tire.”  Now that his temper had cooled, he realized that she wouldn’t have had time to flatten his tire.  He probably ran over a nail at one of the jobsites, and it had been slowly leaking air all day.

“Don’t you know how to fix it?” she asked.

“Yes, but I’m not going to do it in a blizzard.”  He picked up her phone and tried it.  There was still no reception so he tapped the screen closed.  A screensaver picture of two people popped up.  Patrick didn’t know why he was more interested in the skinny guy than the pretty, dark-haired woman.  Or maybe he knew why, but just wasn’t willing to admit it.

“Are you married?” he asked.

“Not yet.  I’m still working on it.”  Before he could figure out what that meant, she got up and took the phone and her purse from him.  “So if you’re not going to fix the tire, just what am I supposed to do?”

In heels, or at least in one heel, she was only a few inches shorter than he was and sturdily built.  He realized that he liked that about her.  He was tired of petite women he had to worry about breaking.  This woman looked like she could handle a man who liked things a little rough.  And since she wasn’t married, was in no way connected to his aunt’s schemes, and was here . . .

Patrick smiled.  “You’re going to spend the night with me.”

“What?” she squeaked.  “I can’t spend the entire night with a . . .”

“Patrick.”  He held out his hand.  “And you are?”

She swallowed hard before answering.  “In big trouble.”

 

*****

Author Info:

Katie Lane is the USA Today bestselling author of the Deep in the Heart of Texas and Hunk for the Holidays series. Katie lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and when she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, traveling, and cuddling with her high school sweetheart and cairn terrier Roo.

http://www.katielanebooks.com/

https://twitter.com/ktlane3

https://www.facebook.com/katielaneauthor

*****

*****

Giveaway:

5 Holiday Hookup Gift Sets!

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/26635ce2250/

*****

Holiday-Hookup-Blitz

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Book Review – Christmas in July

25 Thursday Dec 2014

Posted by romanticreadsandsuch in Book Review

≈ Leave a comment

Tags

Book Review, Christmas Colorado series, Christmas in July, Debbie Mason

cover41034-mediumGrace Flaherty had given up hope of ever seeing her husband again. After all, it’d been over a year since he went missing in combat. So when he strides through the door of her bakery in downtown Christmas one sunny afternoon, she can hardly believe her eyes. But her happily-ever-after is going to take some effort – because Jack has no memory of his family.

All Jack Flaherty remembers about Christmas is that he couldn’t wait to leave town. Now he’s a local hero with a wife and son he doesn’t know. Even as he struggles to rekindle the romance with his wife, he knows in his heart what he wants: a second chance at love.

If you’ve been reading my reviews for a while I’m sure you are going to know what I’m going to say next – once again I’ve joined a series in the middle, but luckily once again it doesn’t matter.  Which is a good thing and a bad thing.  This story was so great and I didn’t feel like I missed anything by not having read the first one.  BUT the story was so great I’ve now got another story to add to my TBR pile because I’m dying to get my hands on the first book 🙂

The characters grabbed me right away – the first two chapters just knocked me off my feet and kept me going until the very end.  I was quite impressed with Mason because she could have easily made their issues overpowering or repetitive but she manages to keep it fresh and engaging page after page.  Together Jack and Grace are funny, sweet and sexy.  I love seeing their relationship and how they complement each other so well. 

The secondary characters are just as real and entertaining as the main couple.  Mason captures that small town feel so well – loving and supporting each other, occasionally fighting, but most importantly being there when needed.  And my favorite part … a town full of eccentric characters means that a ton of material to keep the good reads coming. 

With a fantastic group of people and an emotionally charged story, Christmas in July is an extremely addictive and enjoyable read.  Mason is going to be one of my go-to authors for a long time to come. 

Share this:

  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • Email
  • Pinterest

Like this:

Like Loading...

Recent Posts

  • Spotlight – Deep River Promise
  • Spotlight – Twin Games in Music City
  • Spotlight – Summertime Guests
  • Spotlight – Warm Nights in Magnolia Bay
  • Spotlight – My True Love
  • Spotlight – Give Love a Chai
  • Spotlight – Mad About Ewe
  • Spotlight – The Bookstore on the Beach

 

 

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Follow Romantic Reads and Such on WordPress.com

Facebook

Facebook

Twitter

Follow @romanticread

Email me

romanticread@gmail.com

Goodreads

 

 

Deep River Promise

Twin Games in Music City

Summertime Guests

Warm Nights in Magnolia Bay

My True Love

Give Love a Chai

Mad About Ewe

The Bookstore on the Beach

Always

The Trouble with Picket Fences

Weights of Wrath

Under Pressure

The Path to Sunshine Cove

Someone to Trust

The Setup

Heart Smart

Street Smart

Meant to Be

Summer by the River

Mr Right Across the Street

The One That I Want

Yes & I Love You

Stalked by Secrets

Eye Candy

Dewey Belong Together

To Catch a Dream

Four Weddings And A Swamp Boat Tour

The Surprise Bollywood Baby

Tru Blue

Archives

  • April 2021 (7)
  • March 2021 (21)
  • February 2021 (11)
  • January 2021 (14)
  • December 2020 (13)
  • November 2020 (13)
  • October 2020 (13)
  • September 2020 (5)
  • August 2020 (10)
  • July 2020 (4)
  • June 2020 (13)
  • May 2020 (11)
  • April 2020 (12)
  • March 2020 (14)
  • February 2020 (11)
  • January 2020 (10)
  • December 2019 (5)
  • November 2019 (10)
  • October 2019 (12)
  • September 2019 (14)
  • August 2019 (6)
  • July 2019 (13)
  • June 2019 (18)
  • May 2019 (13)
  • April 2019 (16)
  • March 2019 (20)
  • February 2019 (19)
  • January 2019 (14)
  • December 2018 (12)
  • November 2018 (18)
  • October 2018 (22)
  • September 2018 (20)
  • August 2018 (17)
  • July 2018 (15)
  • June 2018 (21)
  • May 2018 (16)
  • April 2018 (21)
  • March 2018 (20)
  • February 2018 (21)
  • January 2018 (22)
  • December 2017 (21)
  • November 2017 (19)
  • October 2017 (25)
  • September 2017 (22)
  • August 2017 (21)
  • July 2017 (21)
  • June 2017 (29)
  • May 2017 (29)
  • April 2017 (23)
  • March 2017 (25)
  • February 2017 (23)
  • January 2017 (22)
  • December 2016 (22)
  • November 2016 (27)
  • October 2016 (28)
  • September 2016 (20)
  • August 2016 (23)
  • July 2016 (21)
  • June 2016 (24)
  • May 2016 (26)
  • April 2016 (25)
  • March 2016 (24)
  • February 2016 (39)
  • January 2016 (24)
  • December 2015 (25)
  • November 2015 (27)
  • October 2015 (27)
  • September 2015 (27)
  • August 2015 (36)
  • July 2015 (31)
  • June 2015 (21)
  • May 2015 (24)
  • April 2015 (30)
  • March 2015 (30)
  • February 2015 (26)
  • January 2015 (22)
  • December 2014 (21)
  • November 2014 (32)
  • October 2014 (34)
  • September 2014 (28)
  • August 2014 (34)
  • July 2014 (45)
  • June 2014 (44)
  • May 2014 (44)
  • April 2014 (38)
  • March 2014 (42)
  • February 2014 (38)
  • January 2014 (36)
  • December 2013 (32)
  • November 2013 (35)
  • October 2013 (33)
  • September 2013 (24)
  • August 2013 (19)
  • July 2013 (20)
  • June 2013 (18)
  • May 2013 (19)
  • April 2013 (19)
  • March 2013 (22)
  • February 2013 (14)
  • January 2013 (17)
  • December 2012 (8)
  • November 2012 (16)
  • October 2012 (12)
  • September 2012 (11)
  • August 2012 (13)
  • July 2012 (3)

 

 

NetGalley Professional Reader

Professional Reader

NetGalley Top Reviewer

Reviews Published

NetGalley 80% Feedback

80%

NetGalley Frequently Auto-Approved

Frequently Auto-Approved

NetGalley 500 Book Reviews

500 Book Reviews

NetGalley Challenge 2016

2016 NetGalley Challenge

NetGalley Challenge 2015

Challenge Participant

 

 

sign up to have great new reads sent right to your email

Pump Up Your Book
Book Unleashed

Featured Book Reviewer

FTC Disclaimer

I have received ARCs of books free from BookTrib.com to review but the majority of the stories are either bought by me or provided for free from the publisher. The opinions I share are my own and in no way are influenced by an author or publisher. There is no promise of a positive review by any party and there is no additional compensation. Unless otherwise noted, I am not affliated with any contest or other event mentioned on this blog and I do not receive a paid endorsement for any posts.

Blog at WordPress.com.

Cancel

 
Loading Comments...
Comment
    ×
    loading Cancel
    Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
    Email check failed, please try again
    Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.
    Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
    To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
    <span>%d</span> bloggers like this: