A Weaver Beginning - Allison Leigh (HSE #2288 - Oct 2013)

Series: Return to the Double C (Book 8)

Small town deputy Sloan McCray was making amends for his past. They called him a hero but only he had to live with the difficult choices he'd made. And he certainly wasn't prepared to fall in love again, not even with his beautiful -- and innocent -- new neighbor, whose very presence was a balm to his troubled soul.

There was no doubt in Abby Marcum's mind that Sloan was the guy for her. Though she'd moved to Weaver, Wyoming, to make a better life for her little brother, she saw her future with Sloan. Now she had to convince the man who felt unworthy of love that she, and her heart, were his for the asking…. 

Good book.  Abby has come to Weaver to be the new school nurse.  It also gives her a chance to make a better life for herself and her seven year old brother.  As she is moving in to her new house she meets next door neighbor Sloan who comes over to shovel her driveway.  She's wary of him at first but also very attracted to him.  Sloan is drawn to her also, but tries to resist.  

I really liked Abby.  She hasn't had things easy in her life.  She was raised by her grandparents when her mom dumped her with them and split.  A few years ago mom showed up again and dumped Abby's half brother Dillon with them.  Her grandfather passed away two years ago and her grandmother has Alzheimer's and had to be put in a care facility. Now she is sole caretaker of her little brother and worries that she's not up to the job.  She has taken the school nurse job in Weaver so that she is on the same schedule he is.  When she meets Sloan she is nervous at first until she finds out who he is.  Then she relaxes as she considers him to be a hero.  She also notices an intense attraction to him.  Even though his kisses are fantastic, he tells her that he's no good for her and can't make any promises.  She sees how good he is with Dillon and how much he loves his sister and knows that there is more good in him than he thinks there is.  I really loved the way that Abby knows that Sloan is the man for her and is willing to be patient.  There is one scene where she is the one providing comfort to him that shows just how much she cares.  Her patience is tested at one point as he fights the demons of his past and she doesn't know if she'll ever see him again.

Sloan spent years deep undercover with a gang when he was with the ATF.  During that time he did things and saw things that haunt him, including losing someone he cared about.  When he left the ATF he moved to Weaver to be near his sister, but didn't know if he could handle staying in one place.  He's working as a deputy sheriff and enjoying the work but still dealing with his memories.  When he met Abby her sweetness calmed some of the misery he felt, but his attraction to her worried him.  Because of his past he feels that he's not worthy of anyone's love, much less someone like her.  He had a bad habit of giving in to his growing feelings and then pulling back, but it was getting harder for him to do so.  I also loved how good he was with Dillon.  Some of the things he did showed how great he would be as a father if he would just let himself care.  His hero status only went up with Abby and Dillon when he rescued them from an angry parent.  When his past calls him away from Weaver he realizes he has some choices to make.

I also loved some of the secondary characters.  Abby's brother Dillon was well done ax a seven year old.  He acted very much in character for his age.  I loved the way he would say some things that were true but inappropriate at the time.  I also loved seeing characters from other books and the impact they have, especially on Sloan.

The Mighty Quinns: Rourke - Kate Hoffmann (HB #768 - Oct 2013)

Series: Mighty Quinns (Book 24)

Her hero. Her savior. And her undoing. Rourke Quinn found her on the storm-tossed shores of Cape Breton. The woman in his arms was unconscious and bleeding. And Rourke knew her. Annie MacIntosh was the town outcast--a wild thing. And as untamed and beautiful as the Atlantic itself. This storm was just the thing to keep Rourke as close to her as he dared.... 


Annie grew up fiercely independent. She was a survivor, needing no one and nothing. She cut herself off from the town and society, relying only on her raw need for survival. But Rourke unleashes a hunger she never knew existed. This man--this stranger--satiates an appetite she hardly dared imagine. It's more exciting and more turbulent than that storm that rages outside. And Rourke has only one chance with the wild girl he can't live without...before losing her to a world he can never be part of...

Good book.  Rourke has been on the island to fix up a house he inherited from his uncle.  He isn't sure whether he'll keep it or sell it yet.  On the day he's ready to leave he sees Annie, a woman he knew when they were younger.  She lives alone near a lighthouse and he worries that she's not ready for the storm that's coming in.  When he goes to check on her he finds her on the shore, unconscious and carries her to safety.  When she comes to, they discover they have an intense attraction to each other.  Annie is very independent and refuses to depend on anyone but she's also ready to indulge herself with Rourke.

Annie had grown up on the island.  As a girl she had a terrible stutter that made her a target for bullies.  One day a visiting Rourke saved her from their tormenting, making him a hero in her eyes.  Over the years he stayed there in her fantasies.  Now she is very much a loner, living in her cottage without electricity or any modern conveniences.  She avoids the townspeople feeling that they look down on her because of her parents (mom was bipolar and committed suicide, father may have also).  When Rourke rescues her again she is surprised by the strength of her attraction to him.  She invites him to spend a couple nights with her, figuring that would be enough to scratch the itch.  But she finds herself opening herself up to him emotionally, something she's never done with any other man.  She also starts doing things that she's never done before such as going out in public with him and selling her work at an art show.  She worries that she's getting too dependent on having him around and that she will be hurt when he leaves, since she doesn't expect him to leave his city life behind.  She also fears getting too close because she doesn't want to take a chance on putting him through dealing with her if she ends up with her mother's disease.  I really enjoyed seeing Annie's simple life and the way that she was content with it the way it was.  I also liked how she got Rourke to slow down and enjoy things her way.  It took a lot of courage for her to make the changes she did at the end.

Rourke had left his job in the city when he had a difference of philosophies with the other partners.  He has spent the last three months working on his uncle's house and trying to decide what to do next.  I loved his reaction to Annie the first time he saw her again, and how he was so blown away by her beauty.  He also worried about her being alone with the storm coming and went to check on her.  His timing was perfect as he was able to rescue her from her fall.  He was surprised by her proposition to him that they spend a couple days enjoying each other.  He was fine with that idea at first but quickly found himself wanting more.  I really enjoyed seeing him start to relax and enjoy the peace of living Annie's simple life.  It gave him the chance to actually think about his dreams and hopes.  I loved his worry about Annie's emotional isolation and the way he tried to help her overcome it.  It was hard for him to be patient and not push but it paid off in the end.  I also enjoyed seeing his surprise at the contact from his great-aunt and what the inheritance means to him and his plans with Annie.

An English Bride in Scotland - Lynsay Sands (Avon - June 2013)

Series: Highlands (Book 1)

She never expected to marry
Annabel was about to take the veil to become a nun, when her mother suddenly arrived at the abbey to take her home... so that she can marry the Scottish laird who is betrothed to her runaway sister! She knows nothing about being a wife, nothing about how to run a household, and definitely nothing about the marriage bed.

He never expected to fall in love
From the moment Ross MacKay sets eyes on Annabel, he is taken with his shy, sweet bride...and the fact that she's blessed with lush curves only makes him utter his own prayers of thanks. But when an enemy endangers her life, he'll move the Highlands themselves to save her. For though Annabel's not the bride he planned for, she's the only woman he desires...

A very fun book.  Lynsay Sands always has a great deal of humor in her books.  The interactions among the characters have some really funny moments.  Annabel had been dumped at a convent when she was seven years old with the expectation she would become a nun.  Fourteen years later her mother shows up and pulls her out before she can take her vows.  It seems her older sister has run off with the stable boy and Annabel is needed to take her place in an arranged marriage.  She's used to obeying orders, so she does what she's told.  Ross has finally showed up to claim his bride after taking a few years to cement his position as laird.  He's not thrilled about having an English bride and is ready to walk away until he sees her.  It's her looks that capture him first, but it's her sweet but sassy personality that keeps him hooked.  When she's attacked he'll do whatever he must to keep her safe.

I loved Annabel.  She's been at the convent for fourteen years but hasn't taken vows yet.  It seems that no matter what she does she's always in trouble.  She has trouble following their rules and just doesn't have the personality to be a nun.  When her mother shows up and takes her from the convent, Annabel doesn't know why and her mother isn't talking about it yet.  Once they get home, Annabel is stunned to find out she's going to be married off to her sister's fiance.  She's worried about it because she has no training suitable for that job.  She's also been put down because she's not the rail thin type of woman, but one with definite curves.  The wedding ceremony is rushed and then she's alone with Ross.  The wedding night is pretty funny.  Once they're on the road back to MacKay lands, Annabel's joy at being away from the convent comes out as she chatters and asks questions.  Even being attacked doesn't slow her down.  I really liked her resilience and the way she is able to make the best out of anything.  Her introduction to the people was when she took over when a merchant was hurt.  She had no problem giving orders and doing what needed to be done.  But even with that, she is very insecure about her abilities.  Her sweetness goes a long way toward winning over the people.  Another thing I loved was her growing relationship with Ross.  Although she started out very nervous around him, the attraction she felt went a long way toward making her happier around him.  The love scenes were fantastic as she learned that sex was not the horrible thing that she heard about in the convent but a fun and satisfying activity.  She also learned that Ross is a man who takes care of his own.  She did make some stupid moves, circumventing the protection Ross tried to give her, resulting in more injuries to her and Ross.  Those could have been worse though if not for her own ingenuity and strength.  There are problems when her sister Kate shows up and she is shown as the spoiled brat she is.  Annabel gets down on herself at first, but soon grows the backbone to realize that she's got what her husband wants and is loved by her people.  Loved the solution they came up with for Kate at the end.

Ross turned out to be a really nice guy.  He's a bit wary about this wedding, not knowing what to expect.  When he finds out he's getting a substitute bride he's ready to walk out on the whole thing until he sees Annabel.  It's her looks that hook him first, but her sweetness is what lands him.  He sees that she's not treated well by her parents and rushes her away after an aborted wedding night.  On the journey to his home he is enchanted by Annabel's joy in everything she sees.  He is also really attracted to her but holds off so they can be intimate in better surroundings.  His protectiveness kicks in when she's attacked on the road.  When it happens again at home he believes that the attacks are related and takes steps to find out who is behind it.  I enjoyed his surprise at the way she took charge when the merchant was injured.  Some of the best parts of the book are when he is trying to figure out how to get her into bed with him.  There's a lot made of the church's ban on "bedding" on Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays.  So Ross has a great time circumventing the restrictions by simply avoiding beds and doing the deed outdoors instead.  He gets really frustrated with her when she keeps avoiding his protections, but neglects to tell her why he's doing things.  I really liked the way that he made sure Annabel knew that he had no interest in Kate and that she was the only woman for him.  I did love the ending.

I really enjoyed some of the other characters also.  The maid Soenag was a great helper to Annabel and often gave Annabel the information she needed to get things accomplished.  Ross's sister Giorsal was just what Annabel needed to see.  She was another woman with a strong will and the abilities to get things done in a manner that is not always appreciated.

Single Dad's Christmas Miracle - Susan Meier (HR #4395 - Oct 2013)

Clark Beaumont desperately needs a helping hand…

Having recently lost his wife, Clark Beaumont is trying to make it through the holidays for the sake of his kids. But with his son failing at school and his little girl talking only in whispers, he needs nothing short of a miracle….

…and then one arrives on his doorstep!

Althea Johnson is only meant to tutor Clark's son. Not to form any emotional bonds -- especially with her boss. But with her help the Beaumont family begins to come alive again, and against the odds Althea hopes that when Christmas morning arrives there will be four stockings hanging over the fireplace….

This was a sweet holiday romance.   Clark is having a rough time with his kids right now.  His twelve year old son is having problems with school and his three year old daughter won't talk above a whisper.  Since his wife's death three years earlier he is getting by as best he can.  He hires Althea to tutor his son and get him back on track.  He is surprised to feel a tug of attraction to her and tries to ignore it.  Althea, looking as an outsider, can see what the trouble is right away.  She makes it her goal to help the family heal, and maybe she'll find some healing of her own.

I really liked Althea.  The story started out with her getting knocked over by the family dog and it didn't seem to bother her at all.  She's a little unsure about the job at first, but as soon as she meets the kids she knows she is meant to be there.  I really enjoyed seeing her connect with the kids.  I loved the way that she stayed so calm when Clark panicked over her taking the kids to town to shop.  That same calmness helped him tell her what was behind the panic.  Once she knew what the problem was Althea had a plan for helping Clark and the kids get their lives back on track.  As she comes up with ideas for Clark and the children to do together she falls more and more for Clark.  Althea really loved being part of the holiday with them.  Her childhood had been pretty bad with a drunk, abusive father.  She has only recently been in contact with her sister Missy again (A Father for Her Triplets).  Life with Clark and his kids exposes her to a family life she had only been able to dream of.  She fantasizes about becoming part of their family until she has a run in with her father.  That makes her fear that she would bring her troubles to them and she couldn't bear that.  Her fears send her running away.  I loved the ending and how it all worked out.

Clark lost his wife in an accident three years earlier.  At the funeral he discovered that she had been unfaithful to him, causing him to question the paternity of the daughter he loves.  Fearing how the gossip from that day would affect his kids, he keeps them at home.  They don't go much of anywhere and even his twelve year old son is taught at home.  Jack is failing his classes which leads Clark to hire a teacher to live with them and tutor Jack until he catches up.  He's in for a surprise when he meets Althea because he's attracted to her even though he'd vowed he wouldn't risk himself again that way.  When he heads to work that first day he doesn't tell Althea that the kids don't go to town, so when he doesn't find them at home he panics and calls the cops.  He's rightfully embarrassed when they are safe.  After they get home he explains things to Althea, thinking that will be the end of it.  It isn't long before she lets him know just what effect his overprotectiveness is having on his family.  I loved the way that she came up with things to do that required his participation.  This exposed him even more to her cheerfulness.  I loved the way that he was first dismayed by being attracted to her and then "Oh no. He liked her too."  It didn't take long for him to accept his growing feelings but he was having some trouble getting her to accept them.  I loved the gentleness of the way he treated her at first, not wanting to push her, and then the way that he went after her at the end.

A Cowboy's Temptation - Barbara Dunlop (HD #2261 - Oct 2013)

Series: Colorado Cattle Barons (Book 5)

Mayor Seth Jacobs has plans, and he won't let do-gooder Darby Carroll ruin them. Her need for peace and quiet is standing in the way of a crucial railroad project. Now he must put his cowboy charms to good use and persuade Darby to see things his way. But seduction is a two-way street, and Seth soon realizes he underestimated his opponent. Now that he's caught in his own trap, his desire for this woman could be his downfall….

I really enjoyed this one.  Seth is trying to get a railroad built through his town.  It would help the ranchers, create jobs for the people and eventually bring more business in.  Darby is running a retreat for women in stressful jobs, such as military and law enforcement.  She needs the atmosphere to be peaceful and not broken by loud noises such as train whistles.  As the two of them face off in a fight to win their issues, on a personal side fighting is the last thing on their minds.

I really liked Darby.  After several years as a military psychologist she left to start a project where she felt she could make a bigger impact.  After inheriting a nice piece of land in Colorado she has started the Sierra Hotel, a place where women can come to relax, away from their stressful occupations.  She gets a lot of military and law enforcement women and other government types who treasure the peace and quiet she has to offer.  Because of the identities of some of her guests, Darby doesn't advertise just who the hotel caters to, just calls it a women's retreat.  When Seth, as mayor, brings the railway project to the town, Darby knows she has to fight it.  If she can't provide what is needed her business will have to close and the women will lose out.  Darby and her coworker do everything they can to get the railroad project up for a vote, including fudging a petition drive just a little bit.  When Seth confronts her about that they discover a simmering attraction between them.  Darby fights the attraction for awhile, knowing that starting a relationship while they are on two sides of a contentious issue is not a good idea.  I loved Darby's project and how determined she was to make it work.  She had the intelligence to run a great campaign against the railroad and it was making a difference.  Unfortunately it was a volatile enough issue that both sides got pretty heated and started going too far.  I loved Darby's speech to one of the teens who participated in the noise attack on her hotel.  Her psychology degree really showed in that.  With Seth, neither of them was able to resist their attraction for long.  Darby also realized that, outside of the railroad project, she and Seth have a lot in common and her feelings for him start to change.  When the end came and she was feeling betrayed by him, I loved her display of pride - she wasn't going to let him see her crumble.  The end was pretty emotional.

Seth was a guy who really wanted to do what was best for his town.  He was convinced that the railway project was crucial to its economic health.  He wasn't going to let Darby and her ladies' hotel stand in his way.  He knows he has the ability to charm her into seeing things his way.  He didn't expect to feel a real attraction to her.  He also discovered that she had just as much of a chance of distracting him.  I loved seeing them try to convince each other of the rightness of their own positions and how they would get sidetracked.  Seth worried about her as the issue got heated between the two sides and people resorted to physical acts of violence.  He tried to keep their relationship separate from their conflict but there were things he did that seemed pretty underhanded.  The final battle put an end to the issue but left Seth feeling that he had really screwed up, especially when he learned just what kind of hotel Darby was running.  When he discovered what Darby's plans for the future were he knew that he couldn't let her go.  I really liked his final solution and the way he went about showing her.  

The Runaway Countess - Amanda McCabe (HH #1154 - Sept 2013)

Series: Bancrofts of Barton Park (Book 1)

Wed to wickedness

In Society's eyes, Hayden Fitzwalter, Earl of Ramsay and Jane Bancroft have the perfect marriage. But what can't be seen are the secrets hidden behind closed doors. Believing Hayden will never renounce his dissolute ways, Jane flees to her family's dilapidated estate in the country.

Years later, Hayden now longs to win back the only woman who has ever touched his heart. But first he has to convince her that this rogue is ready to be tamed…. 

Pretty good book.  Hayden and Jane had married very young.  Once they were in London they got caught up in London society and the problems started.  After awhile they grew apart and Jane became more and more unhappy.  Unable to get Hayden to listen to her concerns she packed up and moved to her childhood home.  Three years later Jane has written to Hayden, offering him a divorce if he wants one, so that he can move on with his life.  He realizes that all he wants is Jane back and decides to convince her.

Jane had fallen hard for Hayden when she first met him.  He was young and handsome and fun.  Even after they married everything was great, until they returned to London after their honeymoon.  Then Jane realized that she was a countess and there were things that were expected of her, things she had no idea of how to do.  She had grown up in the country and had no experience with this kind of lifestyle and she felt completely overwhelmed.  And once they were back, Hayden was rarely with her, even when they attended things together.  When she became pregnant and miscarried three times the gulf between them got even worse, with Jane feeling like a failure.  Finally she told him that she needed to get away for awhile and returned to her childhood home.  Three years later, having had no contact with him at all, she wrote to him offering a divorce so he could remarry and get an heir.  She didn't expect him to show up at her home a few days later, to let her know there would be no divorce.  She realizes that her attraction to him is still there and that she never stopped loving him.  She also doesn't want to risk getting caught up in that life again.  She doesn't trust that he won't disappear and go back to being the same old Hayden.  But the longer he stays the more he becomes like the man she fell in love with.  I realize that she has a great deal of trouble trusting him again, but I thought she spent a bit too much time remembering the way he had been and not enough time looking at the ways he had changed.  I did like the fact that she had had the strength of will to get out of the bad situation to start with, but I thought she could have been a little more open to seeing the possibilities.  I thought for sure she was going to fade back into the background when his friends showed up unexpectedly, and was thrilled when she finally showed the backbone she had developed over the last three years.  It took a near disaster for her to realize that not all of the fault had been his.

Hayden had been drawn to Jane the first time he saw her.  He was accustomed to getting pretty much anything he wanted and he pursued her as hard as he could.  Being with her made him feel things he had never felt before.  His parents had been quite cold to him, with his father having unrealistic expectations and his mother being a party animal.  He had never been exposed to what a loving marriage was like.  While it was just the two of them everything was fine, but when they returned to London he ended up caving in to peer pressure.  He could see that things were going badly but he had no idea how to fix it.  He was devastated when she left, but not knowing what to do he simply buried himself in activity.  When he got Jane's letter he got angry that she would ask for a divorce and rode off to see her.  After getting tossed from his horse in a storm and getting hurt, he had to stay with Jane until he was healed.  This gave him the opportunity to try to convince her to come back to him.  He realized immediately that she was much happier now that she had been before she left him.  He was confused as to why since he had only wanted to make her happy before and had given her everything he thought she might like.  It took a hard look at what she had in her life now for him to realize that she had never been interested in the things he could give her, that she had wanted him.  Now he had to try to show her that he could change.  He was doing very well until his friends showed up, and then he started to backslide.  Fortunately he had begun to see what he was doing but it was almost too late.  He did come through when Jane's sister needed him.  My biggest problem with Hayden was how much time he spent beating himself up about how he had treated Jane.  It seemed like every single chapter had some variant on that theme.  I was glad they both realized they had been at fault and had matured enough to know that they had to work at it to make their marriage work.

Mountain Heiress - Cassie Miles (HI #1454 - Oct 2013)

Since quitting the rodeo circuit, Zach Sheffield hadn't much time for people, never mind city folk. A stranger had inherited a famous ranch in their Colorado town, and worse than not knowing one end of a horse from the other, he pegged Gabby Rousseau as a mustang, for sure.

Local legend said that Gabby's estate hid the Frenchman's treasure, making it a frequent target for thieves. After the first break-in, Zach knew Gabby would need protection, but the beauty from the big city was putting up a fight. He knew he was better off tending to his horses than praying for a breakthrough…but then again, Zach had never met a mustang he couldn't tame. 

Good book.  Gabby has inherited a ranch and isn't quite sure what to do about it.  She's a city girl who grew up in Brooklyn, but with her business gone she heads west.  After a wild beginning she settles in and plans to make the ranch her home.  But somebody wants her gone and has no problem making sure of it.  Zach is her closest neighbor and has made it his goal to make sure she is safe.  He knows he should stay away from her, but he just can't do it.

I loved Gabby.  She was so far out of her comfort zone when she arrived but she was determined to make it work.  She had a rough start when the girl who had been staying with Gabby's aunt started shooting at her, thinking she was a thief, and then running out into the rain to escape.  She was found by Zach who took her back to his house until things got straightened out.  Gabby was attracted to him right away.  Once she found out the terms of the will Gabby knew that she'd stay for the required three years, but someone was trying to chase her off.  She and Zach teamed up to find out who was behind the attacks.  I loved the chemistry that the two had and the influence they had on each other.  Gabby was getting more involved in the Western life style and Zach was becoming less of a loner.  I loved the way that Gabby decided to put her fashion training to use doing custom shirts.  I also enjoyed seeing the difference she made to Charlotte.

Zach wasn't sure what to make of Gabby at first.  He hadn't been looking forward to having a city girl moving in next door.  He also assumed that she was just there for the inheritance, that she hadn't actually cared about her aunt.  He soon learned otherwise and was impressed by her determination.  He was also attracted to her but fighting it. I liked the way that he came to trust her enough to tell her about his past.  When the attacks on her escalated Zach made sure that she was safe.  I liked his protectiveness when they were out doing their investigating.  He had a good eye for seeing when something wasn't right.  I loved the way that he came to her rescue at the end and also how they found the right compromise for the ranch.

The suspense itself was pretty mild.  It was pretty obvious from the beginning who was behind the trouble and why.  The only holdup was getting the proof.