Series:
Hood Hamlet (Book 5)
A new family…for Christmas?
All widow Grace Wilcox wants is a fresh start for her and her young son,
Liam. When her truck spins off the icy road, her rescuer turns out to
be the hottest firefighter in Hood Hamlet, and even wary Grace can't say
no to his offer of help!
Bill Paulson has stuck to his no-dating rule so far this Christmas, but
having Grace in his home is testing his chivalrous side to the limit!
Her little boy is melting his heart, even asking for a new daddy from
Santa….
But Grace has already loved and lost one hero. Can she really let herself get close to another?
Very good book with some intense emotions. Grace left Georgia to move to Oregon, looking for a new life for herself and her son. The memories of her husband, killed in the war, were too strong back there. When her truck spins out during a snow storm she ends up on Bill's doorstep. Bill is a ladies' man who doesn't do relationships, especially during Christmas time. Something about Grace and Liam compels him to offer them a place to stay while her truck gets repaired. Spending time with them changes him in ways he never expected.
I really liked Grace. With her husband's frequent deployments she was the one left to do everything at home. She often felt that his job was more important to him than their family. After his death the memories were so painful that she packed up her son to move across country. When she wrecked on the way through Oregon during a snowstorm she only had herself to depend on. Her caution when she ended up at Bill's house was understandable. She was surprised by her son's quick acceptance of Bill which went a long way toward reducing her fears. I loved seeing her start to relax in his company and get to know him. The attraction that she initially felt for him began to change the more time she spent with him. She knew that he wasn't a long term kind of guy, but seeing him with her son made her heart melt even more. Because of his job as a firefighter and in search and rescue she also feared losing her heart to another man with a dangerous job. Her fears made it very hard for her to think of a future with Bill. I loved the way that her fears were relieved - such a cool thing to happen. It reminded me of the end of Miracle on 34th Street!
Bill is a man with a fear of commitment. His father has a job that takes him all over the world and Bill has always felt somewhat resentful of the fact he was never around. This makes him determined that he will not get involved in anything permanent until he's ready to actually settle down. When Grace and Liam show up on his doorstep after their accident, first his rescuer instincts kick in. Once he's sure that they're okay he really starts to notice Grace and her beauty. While it's logical to keep them at his house that night he doesn't understand his compulsion to keep them there as long as he can. I loved seeing him with Grace's son Liam. He has an immediate connection with the little boy and I loved how sweet they were together. His attraction to Grace has him tied up in knots because what he feels for her is different than anything he's felt for another woman. He gets really nervous when he find her creeping into his thoughts at odd times and pictures her as a permanent part of his life. This says it best: "with Grace, he'd found something more, someone who not only understood and accepted him, but also made him want to be a better man." I loved his epiphany on Christmas Day and how he went about making his dream come true.
Series:
Cadence Creek Cowboys (Book 5)
Taylor Shepard has come to Cadence Creek to
organize her brother's Christmas wedding. Organizing such a special
event might be a little bit stressful -- but she can't deny she's swept
away by the town's holiday charm…and by brooding rancher Rhys Bullock.
Loner Rhys has been burned far too many times in the past. He's sure he
has city girl Taylor all figured out -- she'll be hightailing it
straight back to the city in a few days! But as the snow starts to fall,
Rhys and Taylor embark on a tentative winter romance. Could Taylor be
the Christmas present Rhys never even knew he wanted?
Very good book. Taylor has come to town to plan her brother's wedding and she's a bit stressed over it. Dealing with one of the groomsmen adds stress of a different type. Rhys seems to know just what buttons to push to rile her up. But there is also an attraction there that she can't deny.
I liked Taylor. She is very good at event planning and she really wants to do a good job on her brother's wedding. When some minor glitches occur and she starts to stress it's Rhys who tells her what to do to fix them. Taylor is used to being independent and only counting on herself and isn't terribly appreciative at first. Her attraction to him is also throwing her off kilter. Besides just trying to avoid the distraction, she sees no future in it since she's headed back to the city right after Christmas. Once the wedding is over and she can relax a little she finds that spending time with him is changing her priorities. Taylor had also been feeling a bit burnt out from her business and was hoping to get her enthusiasm back. She also feels somewhat unappreciated by her family. Being in Cadence Creek gives her a different perspective. The interactions between Taylor and Rhys were good. I loved the way that she would react to something he'd say and he'd just smile because he knew he'd gotten to her. The more time she spent with him the more she fell for him, but she couldn't figure out how to make it work with her responsibility to her business. I loved the way she figured it out.
Rhys had come back to Cadence Creek after the death of his father to help his mom. After having to close his business he is now working as a hired hand and helped his mom buy the diner where she works. When he meets Taylor he thinks she a bit of a big city snob but he can't resist getting closer to her. He sees her intensity when it comes to her job and it reminds him of himself. He understands what she is going through. His attraction to her is strong and he tries hard to ignore it. I loved the way that he ends up being with her, willing to take whatever time he can get with her. I liked the way that he opened up to her about his past and the effect it had on him. Rhys's own insecurities had him settling for just a short time with Taylor when he really wanted her to stay. I really loved the ending and seeing how ready he was to support Taylor in whatever she wanted to do.
Series:
Gingerbread Girls (Book 2)
When you wish upon a star…
After single dad Rick Jenner and his little daughter stumble upon Andrea
Fleming's toy shop one snowy evening, he can't get Andrea's beautiful
eyes out of his head. But with Christmas coming up, he can't afford any
distractions.
Andrea is no stranger to heartache, and Rick has it written all over his
face. Her head tells her to stay away, but nevertheless she is
irresistibly drawn to this twosome in need of a miracle.
With a few festive sparks, a little girl's yuletide delight and a
toe-curling kiss under the mistletoe…this Christmas, anything could
happen!
Good book. Andrea is still recovering from the death of her husband three weeks after their wedding. Rick and his daughter Tessa come into her toy shop and Andrea is immediately drawn to them. Rick lost his wife and is dealing with being a single dad. He had no plans to get involved with another woman but he couldn't get Andrea out of his mind. Once he accepted his feelings nothing was going to stop him from pursuing her.
When Andrea first sees Rick and his daughter outside her shop she is drawn to him. She is still mourning her husband and doesn't understand how she can be attracted to Rick. When he lets her know he is interested in her she tries to discourage him, but her own actions show that she is just as interested as he is. Andrea is afraid to get too involved because Rick is a firefighter and she fears what would happen to her if she were to lose another man she loved. Andrea also comes to care for Rick's little girl Tessa although they did get off to a bit of a rocky start. Because the accident that killed her husband also injured her, Andrea isn't able to have children. She sees this as a drawback and is sure that no man will be able to love her if she can't have kids with him. I loved seeing Andrea start to open up with Rick and see the possibilities.
Rick had lost his wife to leukemia and is coping as a single dad. For awhile after his wife's death everyone indulged his daughter and she is beginning to be rather spoiled. So when she pitches a fit in the toy shop he isn't exactly happy with Andrea's actions, but he is also attracted to her. He hasn't felt like that in a long time and he isn't sure at first if he wants to be. I liked the way that he decided to risk it and started pursuing Andrea. He was frustrated by her reluctance, but he wasn't going to give up. When she finally confessed her fears about his work he was stunned, especially when she explained that she saw the same kind of fears in his daughter. I loved how he found a way to continue doing what he loved while at the same time relieving their fears.
There was also a concurrent storyline about an arsonist in the area. It was interesting to see how they figured out who was doing it. The connection of the arsonist to Andrea and Rick made for a nice bit of suspense. It also helped move the romance along.
Series:
Marshals of Maverick County (Book 5)
The armed and dangerous woman trespassing on
federal marshal Declan O'Malley's Texas ranch isn't a killer. She's Eden
Gray, and the P.I. is trailing trouble and unfinished business. He's
the last person she wants to visit, but now a vengeful enemy is
targeting them both.
Eden's orders were very clear: kill Declan, or her sisters die. Sworn to
find out who's after her and why, she's forced to team up with the
devastatingly attractive lawman.
As desire flares, a decades-old secret erupts, turning everything Declan
believed into a lie. Everything except the passion driving him and Eden
to fight for a future they might not live to see.
Revenge, jealousy, secrets and passion - this book has them all. Eden has been sent to kill Declan or her sisters will die. She doesn't want to do it, and manages to convince Declan of the danger to them both. As they begin investigating who is trying to kill both of them, the suspect list grows and gets more complicated. Add to that an attraction between the two of them that won't go away and you have a recipe for disaster - or an incredible future.
Eden doesn't want to kill Declan, so she lies in wait for him to warn him what's going on. She doesn't blame him for his initial skepticism, but events soon show him she's telling the truth. Because she has a motive, in that Declan arrested her father for murder, she has to work extra hard to get him to trust her. She is also incredibly attracted to him, but knows that doing anything about it right now would be a very bad idea. I loved the way that she stays an active part of the investigation, even when Declan tries to protect her. She is also pretty quick to learn his moods and is great at defusing some of his more volatile reactions. I liked her loyalty to her father, but that she also had no illusions about what he was like. I loved the way that she was there for Declan as he learned more about his background, not pushing but available when he was ready to talk.
Declan is the youngest of Kirby's boys. He's very good at his job as a marshal and loyal to his family. When he finds Eden waiting for him he isn't inclined to believe her at first, given her relationship to one of the people he's arrested. He can't deny the danger they both are in and finds himself compelled to protect her. He's wary about trusting her at the beginning, but it doesn't take long for his instincts to kick in and tell him that he can. I loved the way that he didn't deny or hide his attraction to her. The more they investigate who is after them, the more it seems to be very personal to both of them. I loved his protectiveness toward Eden and his frustration when she wouldn't do what he said when he tried to keep her safe. Eden's presence was helpful to him as secrets kept by Kirby and Stella about his background rocked his world. I loved the way that he was able to lean on her. I loved his caution at the end and how she reacted to everything he said.
There is still no resolution of the ongoing question of who killed the former director of the children's home where the boys grew up. There were a couple possibilities mentioned in this book, but nothing conclusive. I'm looking forward to the next book which should wrap it all up.
Series:
Coltons of Wyoming (Book 4)
Ranch foreman Gray Stark and heiress Catherine
Colton may live together on Dead River Ranch, but they're from different
worlds. She made that clear when she broke his heart years ago. With
their passionate, complicated past, marriage is not an option. Until he
finds out that she -- and her unborn baby -- are targets.
Making Catherine his wife is the best way to ensure her safety. But as
desire resurfaces, it wars with the danger that hovers close. Is Gray
ready to face his biggest threat yet to keep Catherine safe…and by his
side…forever?
Very good book. After a couple months of relative quiet things are heating up at the ranch again. Catherine is pregnant by a man who only wanted her for her inheritance so she broke it off with him. Now she's a doubly attractive target for kidnapping and ransom. Stepping up to protect her is Gray. As teenagers they were in love with each other until Gray left the ranch without even saying goodbye. Though he's been back for several years they avoid each other whenever possible. Gray can't stand the idea of Catherine being in danger and decides that marrying her would make it possible for him to be with her 24/7. Neither expects their old feelings to resurface.
Catherine had been heartbroken when Gray left without telling her why. She has moved on with her life, and tells herself that she no longer has feelings for him. But when he is the one who rescues her from the first kidnapping attempt she discovers that maybe those old feelings aren't dead after all. She tries to ignore the danger, but after another attempt she realizes that it is real. She doesn't want to endanger her pregnancy so when Gray suggests a temporary marriage so that he can better protect her she says yes. She doesn't expect to start seeing more of the boy she fell in love with in the man he has become. She tries to remind herself that the marriage is only temporary, that when the danger is gone Gray will be also, but she still finds herself dreaming about making it real. I loved seeing the way that they worked together, from the ranch chores they did to their investigation into Dylan's background for him. All of it brought them closer together.
Gray is a great guy who has a few insecurities when it comes to Catherine. He had loved her as a teen, but after hearing part of a conversation thought that she didn't care the same way. Added to his father's assertion that a Colton would never marry a mere ranch hand, Gray decided he needed to leave the ranch. Several years later he returned to take his father's place as foreman, but did his best to avoid Catherine. When he rescues her from a kidnapping attempt he is reminded of the way he used to feel about her. He can't bear the idea of something happening to her so he makes it his job to keep her safe. When another attempt is made from inside the house he suggests that they marry as a way for him to stay by her side. It doesn't take long for him to realize the downside of all that togetherness - his feelings for her are growing again. He still feels that there is no future for them and tries to keep his distance, but it is a losing battle. I was really rooting for him to finally try to fight for her and tell her how he really felt.
The mystery of who is behind the troubles on the ranch is ongoing. There is a glimpse at the end of the person who may be behind it, but they are masked so it's just an impression. My one guess may have already been eliminated, but there are still other options.
Dylan also asked Gray and Catherine to help him find out the truth behind who he is. Some of his (murdered in the first book) mother's information has been called into question and he needs to know the truth. Some of the things they find out create even more questions. Hopefully those will be answered in the next book, which is Dylan's story.
Series:
Bravo Royales (Book 5)
CALABRETTIS marry for DUTY -- but BRAVO-CALABRETTIS marry for LOVE
Alice Bravo-Calabretti was expected to conduct herself like a proper
princess. No more impulsive jaunts to neighboring countries. No more
tabloid escapades. But the hot new stable-hand was a scandal waiting to
happen. His bold blue eyes and come-hither smile could tempt a Bravo
Royale to misbehave. Until Alice discovered her "penniless groom" was an
American tycoon looking for a princess bride.
Alice was everything Noah Cordell wanted in a wife. But his royal
heartthrob refused to say "I do" until he gave up his most carefully
guarded secret. And she wouldn't settle for anything less than
everything he had to give. Only then could they share a true meeting of
minds and hearts -- Bravo-Cordell style.
Very good book. Both Alice and Noah have fears that they must overcome in order to have the love that they need. Alice has decided that it's time to stop being the wild child of the family, so she is trying to curb her impulsive behavior. Being attracted to a good looking stable hand is not the way to do it. And then she discovered that he's no stable hand but an American tycoon looking for a wife. Noah decided it was time to marry and that he wanted a princess. After deciding what he was looking for he settled on Alice and nothing was going to stop him from getting what he wanted, least of all her desire to have it all.
I really liked both Noah and Alice, though Noah was certainly frustrating. Alice had made the decision to change after her latest escapade earned her mother's disappointment. She is afraid of giving in to her impulsive side again. She is trying very hard to be good, to the point where even her family members are worried about her not being herself. When she first sees Noah she is so tempted to indulge herself but talks herself out of it. When she discovers that he was just playing a part she is furious with him for the deception. She accepts his apology but is not inclined to have anything else to do with him. When she finally gives in to seeing him again he makes it clear that he's interested in getting to know her better as he invites her to visit him in California. Once she's there she is stunned to find him proposing marriage, but without any mention of love. The more time she spends with him, the more she comes to care about him, but she is bothered by his excessive control. I really liked the way that, as much as she came to love him, she refused to settle for less than she felt she deserved. I loved the way that she tried so hard to get him to see what she needed while showing him how she felt. I also liked her friendship with Noah's sister Lucy and how she tried to get Noah to see how wrong he was in his overprotectiveness. It was this problem that was the straw that sent her home, wondering if Noah would ever be able to give her what she needed most from him.
Noah is very upfront with Alice about what he wants. He wants her to be his wife. They have a lot in common and their attraction to each other is hot. He admits to her that he made a mistake at the beginning by hiding who he was, but he had done it because his research had indicated that type of thing would appeal to her. He didn't know about her resolve to change her ways. Once he did, he set about trying to win her. When he invited her to California his intent was to propose right away and get married as soon as possible. He was stunned when she turned him down, claiming that until she had all of him there would be no engagement. Noah has never intended love to be part of the equation. When he was a boy he saw his mother give up after his father's death, no longer having the heart to go on without him. After his mother's death his sister had to go to foster care until he was able to care for her. Lucy had heart problems and Noah was the one who made sure that everything was done to get her healthy. Now he still fears losing her and can't let go of his control over her. Even Alice can't make him see that he is driving Lucy to do something desperate. Noah finds that things are changing with Alice and he doesn't know how to deal with those changes. It takes his housekeeper/friend reading him the riot act for him to finally admit his feelings, overcome his fears and go after Alice. I really loved what he did at the end.
Series:
Beartooth Montana (Book 3)
Danger runs high and passions burn hot in Montana's wild country
Big-city detective Bentley Jamison is a long way from home in the
Beartooth wilderness when one of local rancher Maddie Conner's ranch
hands goes missing. Towering mountains and a small, tight community are
as unfamiliar to Jamison as herding sheep, but he's never shied away
from a challenge. As the new deputy sheriff, he's sworn to protect every
inch of this rough terrain -- starting with unraveling a mystery that
has left Maddie a wide-open target.
Maddie's as beautiful -- and untamable -- as the land around them. Like
Jamison, she won't back down from danger. But desire that flares hotter
than their tempers only raises the stakes when a fierce storm traps them
in the high mountains. Caught in a killer's sights, Jamison and Maddie
must trust one another, because now survival…and love…are all that
matter.
Good book with three storylines. There is the developing romance between Jamison and Maddie, the drug runners trying to recover their drugs, and the sheriff's ongoing problems with his ex-wife. The romance was at times intense, but also believable as Jamison and Maddie have to let go of their pasts and learn to trust each other. The drug runners are determined to recover their loot but, not knowing the Montana wilderness, need to get some help without giving away their reasons. And Sheriff Frank Curry has to figure out how to stop his apparently unbalanced ex-wife from attacking him and going after the woman he cares for. There is enough going on that I couldn't put it down until I had finished it.
I liked Jamison and Maddie. Jamison is a former homicide detective from New York City who has come to Montana to get away from his memories back home. He is recently divorced from a wife who ended up not respecting what he chose to do with his career. She left him feeling like he hadn't been good enough for her. Montana is a whole different world and when he is called on to investigate the disappearance of Maddie's sheepherder he is somewhat out of his element. Maddie herself is unlike any woman he had ever known before. He is attracted to her but tries to fight it because of the circumstances. Though he knows nothing of sheep ranching, he has to go with Maddie to the high pastures to investigate. I loved the way that he constantly surprises her with his ability to adapt to his surroundings. Even though he is a "greenhorn" thanks to things in his own past (thank you Boy Scout camp!) he is able to keep up with her and be of real help. Jamison starts to think less about what is back in New York and to appreciate and enjoy the Montana wilderness. By the end he has to decide whether to return to his old life or embrace the possibilities of a new one.
Maddie is very independent and doesn't want to rely on anyone. She lost her husband and son in an avalanche four years earlier and has buried herself in her ranch work ever since, not letting anyone get close. With the disappearance of her sheepherder, she has to accept Jamison's presence as they look for him. She looks down on him quite a bit at first, thinking that there is no way he will be able to do what needs to be done to get to the high pastures where the sheep are and Branch disappeared. She is surprised at how capable he turns out to be. She is also attracted to him, which really surprises her. As they work together she discovers that there is more to him that she thought and the attraction grows stronger. I loved seeing her let go of some of her iron grip on her feelings and lean a little bit on Jamison's strength. By the end she had to decide if she was going to hold on to her grief or move on to a happier future.
The suspense portion of the story, with the disappearance of the sheepherder and its connection to the drug runners kept me turning the pages until the end. As we see more and more of them through the book the danger grows more intense to everyone who comes in contact with them. Their connection to a Beartooth native creates danger for him also as he is pulled unknowlingly into their problems. It was interesting to see the interactions among them, giving new meaning to the phrase "no honor among thieves". There were a couple interesting twists at the end. I'll be interested to see if there is any continuation of the storyline in the next book.
Sheriff Frank Curry is still trying to help his daughter, continuing his story from Redemption. When his ex-wife shows up in Beartooth and attacks him he worries about what she might do to his friend Lynette. Pam is able to avoid any charges and makes it look like she is a victim instead. Frank tries to pull away from Lynette to protect her, but doesn't tell her that's what he's doing. This creates mixed signals to her, creating tension between them. I'll be interested to see how this story progresses.
