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Book Review – Atticus

15 Friday Jun 2018

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This naughty dog stole my heart and I don’t ever want it back.

*****

Atticus: A Woman’s Journey with the World’s Worst Behaved Dog

Sawyer Bennett writing as S. Bennett

Release Date: June 12, 2018

Blurb:

A heart-warming and deliciously funny story about the world’s worst behaved dog and how he trained his human how to love herself again.

Through the haze of vodka and self-loathing, Hazel Roundtree saw the poor creature lying in a ditch.

One brown eye. One blue.  Covered in mud and crying from pain, the puppy was desperately trying to free itself from a hopeless situation.

She almost kept walking by. She had her own problems and besides… no one had ever stopped to help her.

Who we’re ultimately meant to be is a journey without end, but there’s always a defined start…

Hazel had no idea the dog would be her beginning, her second chance, the miracle she never saw coming. She named him Atticus. He grew up to be a very bad—and completely awesome—dog. He took Hazel on a life-changing journey filled with mischievous adventure and painful heartbreak. In the end, Hazel grew up to be completely awesome, too.

Goodreads Link: http://bit.ly/Atticus_GR

Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Google Play | Kobo | Paperback | Audible

*****

Review:

This one isn’t technically a romance, although there is a HEA at the end.  Instead readers get more of a journey piece as Hazel, with the help of her absolutely adorable troublemaking dog & a handful of good friends, picks herself up and makes herself over into a woman that she can be proud of.

I didn’t think I was going to like Hazel much at the very beginning.  She’s a little too old not to have figured things out and even though she’d recently had a bit of bad luck she really hadn’t done much over the last decade or so to even attempt at adulting.  But I got over it pretty quickly as she showed that at her heart she was a person that was lost and needing someone to help her want to grow up.  Thankfully Atticus came at the right time, bringing the right people and the right motivation into her life.

While Atticus’s antics bring a good bit of humor to the story, it’s the small family that he helps Hazel create that really touches the heart.  While blood doesn’t bond them, love and understanding cements their relationship into a motley crew that is going to be there in the good times and the bad.

Atticus is an emotion filled book about love and loss and growth.  Full of ups & downs, tears & laughter, and all sorts of things that will make your heart sing.  Grab your box of tissues, glass of wine, and get ready to fall in love with a furry goofball and those he calls his.

*****

Author Info:

S. Bennett is the pen name for New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author Sawyer Bennett.

Under the name S. Bennett, Sawyer writes general, young adult and women’s fiction stories that deal with the realities we face on a daily basis such as love, loss, personal growth and all things in between. She tackles difficult issues with grace, while adding her signature humor along the way. Because Sawyer is a romance writer at heart, you’re likely to find a love story within each of her books, though it’s not always a guarantee.

When she isn’t writing as S. Bennett, she’s writing contemporary romance as Sawyer Bennett, and sweet romance under the name Juliette Poe.

Connect with Sawyer:

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

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Book+Main Bites: https://bookandmainbites.com/sawyerbennett

Sign up for Sawyer’s newsletter:

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*****

Book Review- Must Love Babies

11 Monday Jun 2018

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Cute baby, hot but clueless uncle, absolute adorableness!

*****

Must Love Babies

Must Love Babies #1

by Lynnette Austin

Blurb:

This baby’s not the only one in need of a cuddle…

Brant Wylder is a bachelor and loving it! He’s in Misty Bottoms, Georgia, property-hunting for his vintage car repair shop when he gets the call. His sister’s been in an accident, and Brant has to drop everything and take care of his five-month-old nephew. That’s the end of the bachelor lifestyle.

Bridal boutique owner Molly Stiles is all business all the time, until she sees that Brant’s in trouble. In this Southern town, nobody ever has to go it alone. And besides, how can she resist that beautiful baby in the arms of a beautiful man…?

Amazon:              https://amzn.to/2s7qHqK

B&N:                     http://bit.ly/2IFBK5u

iBooks:                 https://apple.co/2s41VaI

*****

Excerpt:

Molly stood beneath a magnolia tree, her face tipped to catch the moonlight. The breath caught in his throat, and for one fanciful second, Brant imagined a mythical princess or fairy.

He shook his head. The woman was real, and he wanted a dance, wanted to hold her in his arms. A little flirting? Harmless.

Stepping out of the shadows, he made his way to her.

“Beautiful night, huh?”

“Perfect.” Slowly, she turned, a smile on her face.

“How about a dance?”

She hesitated.

“I’m not asking for a lifelong commitment, sugar. Just a single dance under the stars. The night’s made for dancing.”

“It is, isn’t it?”

He caught her hand in his, amazed at its softness against his work-roughened one. “In the interest of full disclosure, I’m not the world’s greatest dancer, but you shouldn’t lose any toes.” He glanced at her sequined stilettos, showcased by her cocktail-length dress. “Don’t know how you even walk in those, let alone put on the miles you do, but I have to say that all mankind is grateful.”

Smiling, Molly peeked at her shoes. “They’re awesome, aren’t they?”

He nodded. “You can dance in them?”

“I could run a marathon in these.”

“Okay, then.” The moon shone through Spanish moss that dripped from the live oaks, forming a lacy pattern on the dewy grass.

Kelly Clarkson’s “A Moment Like This” played over the sound system. Reaching the dance floor, Brant slid an arm around her waist and drew her in, breathed in her scent. He swung her out and brought her back in one smooth motion, felt her quick laugh in the pit of his stomach. The music slowed when the band segued into John Legend’s “All of Me,” and he drew her close.

Molly fit perfectly in his arms. She lived in Georgia and he in Tennessee, and that made her safe. And if the plans he and his brothers were working on panned out? Still nothing to worry about since she lived in Savannah. When she rested her head against his chest, he wondered if she could hear the rapid thump of his heart. Ms. Molly was hot, hot, hot.

His hand slid a little lower, and without missing a beat, she relocated it to her waist.

Molly smelled of a midnight garden with just a touch of naughty. His body responded, and he willed himself to think about something else. “How’s the city?”

“Savannah?” She shrugged. “I live in Misty Bottoms now. I opened a bridal boutique. Today’s bride was my first.” She grinned, dimples creasing her cheeks.

The dance ended, and he reluctantly released Molly. “I’m driving back to Tennessee tomorrow.”

“Speaking of driving, thanks for taxiing the last of the rehearsal dinner’s partiers home last night. I heard they celebrated pretty hard at Duffy’s.”

“No problem.”

“I need to stop at my car before I go back inside. I left the little silver heart I attach to the bridal gown’s garment bag in my glove box.”

Brant walked beside her in the soft night air, a hand at her elbow, while the band played Blake Shelton’s “God Gave Me You.”

He lowered his head. “Before we call it a night, I’d love to see the rose garden our friend Cole salvaged.”

“What a mess, but after a lot of hard work it’s incredible again.”

The scent of roses surrounding them, they strolled through the yard. In the silver light of the moon, the flowers glowed and took on an almost magical, fairy-tale illusion. The house shimmered and welcomed, like the true Southern lady she was. Interlacing his fingers with Molly’s, peace enveloped Brant.

They wandered across the expanse of lawn and through the blooms in comfortable silence.

From the parking area, he heard the sound of engines starting, of tires crunching on the long drive. “Looks like it’s about time for lights-out. We’d better head back so you can finish up.”

A slight breeze caused Molly to shiver, and happy for the excuse, Brant wrapped an arm around her and pulled her a little closer, surprised when she didn’t pull away.

Reaching her yellow-and-white Mini Countryman, he made to open her door, then changed his mind, leaned in and gave her a quick kiss, one that should have been impersonal. Friendly. Instead, fire shot through him.

He pulled back, unsure whether he should be relieved or horrified that the expression on her face mirrored his own stampeding feelings. Clearing his throat, he said, “I’m taking care of a few loose ends in the morning, then heading back to Tennessee. And I already said that, didn’t I?”

“Yes, you did. The kiss was nice, thanks, but you don’t need to worry. I won’t show up naked at your hotel door.”

His breath caught.

She grinned, and he understood she knew exactly the effect she was having on him.

“I—” His phone vibrated. “Whoops. Sorry, but I’d better take this. My brothers probably forgot something. Organization isn’t their strong suit. If you’ll excuse me.”

“Sure.”

“Hello? Dad?” As he spoke, he made his way to a gnarly old oak. His father’s voice was gruff, almost as if he’d been crying. Panic grabbed Brant by the throat. “What’s wrong?

*****

Review:

While this is a new series, it technically is a continuation of the Magnolia Brides series and will likely make some readers frustrated.  I’m kinda used to joining these kinds of things in the middle and I’ve figured out how to push through it but there are a lot of references to Brant and Molly’s friends & their romances/connection to one another.  I’m sure that returning readers will be thrilled but newbies will need to be willing to wait it out – eventually you do get a pretty good feel for context.

Brant and little Jax are by far the highlight of the book.  As the family fixer, Brant takes on caring for his sister’s baby while she’s in the hospital and later rehab.  Unfortunately (and adorably) he’s clueless about babies but he does figure it out, leading to quite a few “awww” moments along the way.  As if that isn’t enough, the family is also looking at moving their business to a new state and there’s his attraction to a pretty boutique owner that is proving a bit hard to resist.  All of it adding up to complications that he didn’t necessarily plan on.

Molly has her own plans and they don’t include a guy for another couple of years.  A light flirtation at a wedding isn’t really going to change that … until the guy ends up staying in town – charmingly clueless but determined to be a good uncle.  With baby in tow and all his appeal on display, Brant is making it hard to remember why she isn’t getting involved.

There’s also some daddy issues on Molly’s side that only exacerbates her attachment to her timeline.  The list she’s pretty set to live by does create a push/pull between her and Brant that put quite a few reviewers off, but I found that he’s appealing enough to help me through those moments.  While not my favorite type of plotline, Austin does a pretty good job of giving readers good characters and engaging interactions that help move past some of the more difficult bits.

*****

Giveaway:

5 copies of Picture Perfect Wedding

https://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/54ca7af7654/

*****

Book Review – The First Time At Firelight Falls

08 Friday Jun 2018

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“Julie Anne Long’s writing glows with emotional intensity.” —New York Times Bestselling Author Jayne Anne Krentz

*****

The First Time At Firelight Falls

Hellcat Canyon Series

by Julie Anne Long

Genre Adult Contemporary Romance

Publisher Avon Books

Publication Date May 29, 2018

Blurb:

Single mom Eden Harwood has a lively daughter, a blooming business—and a juicy secret she’s hung on to for ten years. She doesn’t mind a bit that there’s no room for romance in her whirlwind life . . . until six-foot-infinity, smoldery-eyed, bass-voiced Gabe Caldera reminds her of what she might be missing.

The principal of Hellcat Elementary is usually knee-deep in fawning PTA moms, but Gabe only has eyes for the fiery, funny, skittish redhead who barely knows he’s alive. But this ex-Navy SEAL never fails to get what he wants. And what he wants is to fan those sparks between him and Eden into the kind of bonfire you can see two counties away.

The passion is explosive . . . and the tenderness has them thinking about forever. But when Eden’s past waltzes into town for a reckoning, her secret blows them apart. Still, Gabe will never back down from a fight . . . especially if the ultimate prize is Eden’s heart.

Amazon https://amzn.to/2rfDN4Q

Avon Romance https://goo.gl/Lf6MKk

Barnes & Noble https://goo.gl/m4YeKJ

Google Play https://goo.gl/uSPjez

iBooks https://apple.co/2rfo3i9

*****

Excerpt:

She was a devil woman.

“I’ll kiss anything you want me to.” He made it sound like a blood vow.

She gasped when he slid his hand up through her hair and held her fast. This time he went in for a take-no-prisoners kiss, designed to melt bones, stop time, erase the memories of all kisses that had come before, what-the-fuck-did-they-have-to-lose kind of kiss. Molten, savage, skillful. They were on

the clock.

He was a guy who knew how to make a point,  and he never half-assed anything. Clearly, neither did she. Silk, heat, tongue, lips—the taste of her roared through his bloodstream, tightened all his muscles.

He  curled  one hand  into the edge  of his desk, a reflex against floating up to the ceiling, because suddenly whatever boundaries he’d once had melted away. And damn, she gave as good as she got. It was a hot, deep, dangerous tangle of tongues,  the slide of lips. When she moaned softly, low in the back of her throat, guttural, helpless pleasure, he slipped his hand from her hair and sank backward into his chair.

One second before the bell rang.

*****

Review:

These characters are definitely some of my favorites – ever – and Long had me hooked from the first page when she introduced the inner-workings of Gabe’s fabulous mind (his take on parental politics is a hoot).  Overall, I loved this book … like 85% of the time.

I was a little confused by Eden’s reason for not dating.  I get that she’s a single mom AND a business owner in a profession that is periodically demanding of her time.  But she has a great support system in her family and if she really wanted to she could totally do it.  It does lead to some of the most entertaining courting I’ve ever seen, though, as she and Gabe fit it in in five minute increments that are interrupted and sometimes take weeks to pick up again.  It’s endearing and I got a little smile on my face every time it happened.

Gabe is patient, kind, fabulous with kids, and quite charming.  He makes for an awesome hero … until trouble comes to town.  I kinda get where he’s coming from but he was such a better person up to the point and didn’t seem to have any issues that would lead to him behaving poorly.  He definitely redeems himself but it was a bit out of character for the person we’d come to know.

The fact that it was a beyond delightful read once the main characters started getting their flirt on and the ending got me going all “awww”, I think I can overlook a small bump or two along the way 🙂

*****

Author Info:

USA Today bestselling author JULIE ANNE LONG originally set out to be a rock star when she grew up (and she has the guitars and fringed clothing stuffed in the back of her closet to prove it), but writing was always her first love. Since hanging up her guitar for the computer keyboard, her books frequently top reader and critic polls and have been nominated for numerous awards, including the Rita, Romantic Times Reviewer’s Choice, and The Quills, and reviewers have been known to use words like “dazzling,” “brilliant,” and “impossible to put down” when describing them. Julie lives in Northern California.

Website http://www.julieannelong.com/
Facebook http://www.facebook.com/AuthorJulieAnneLong
Twitter http://www.twitter.com/julieannelong
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/julieannelongauthor/
Goodreads https://goo.gl/oZrpBG
Amazon https://amzn.to/2w6h28P

*****

Giveaway:

Five (5) winners will each receive a paperback copy of HOT IN HELLCAT CANYON by Julie Anne Long.

https://goo.gl/rgqtgL

Open to US shipping addresses only. This giveaway is administered by Pure Textuality PR on behalf of Avon Romance.  Giveaway ends 6/10/2018 @ 11:59pm EST. Avon Romance will send the winning copies out to the winner directly. Limit one entry per reader and mailing address. Duplicates will be deleted.

*****

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Book Review – Hooked On You

01 Friday Jun 2018

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I’m so happy to finally get this story but so VERY sad to have this series end!

*****

Hooked On You

The Chicago Rebels series, Book 4

by Kate Meader

Mass Market Paperback • Price: $9.99 • ISBN: 9781501168574

eBook • Price: $5.99 • ISBN: 9781501180903

Blurb:

Violet Vasquez never met her biological father, so learning he left his beloved hockey franchise—the Chicago Rebels—to her is, well, unexpected. Flat broke and close to homeless, Violet is determined to make the most of this sudden opportunity. Except dear old dad set conditions that require she takes part in actually running the team with the half-sisters she barely knows. Working with these two strangers and overseeing a band of hockey-playing lugs is not on her agenda…until she lays eyes on the Rebels captain and knows she has to have him.

Bren St. James has been labeled a lot of things: the Puck Prince, Lord of the Ice, Hell’s Highlander…but it’s the latest tag that’s making headlines: washed-up alcoholic has-been. This season, getting his life back on track and winning the Cup are his only goals. With no time for relationships—except the fractured ones he needs to rebuild with his beautiful daughters—he’s finding it increasingly hard to ignore sexy, all-up-in-his-beard Violet Vasquez. And when he finds himself in need of a nanny just as the playoffs are starting, he’s faced with a temptation he could so easily get hooked on.

For two lost souls, there’s more on the line than just making the best of a bad situation… there might also be a shot at the biggest prize of all: love.

*****

Excerpt:

She blew out a breath that was half growl, picked up a can of Italian wedding soup, and examined the ingredient list like she was studying for a test. Why wasn’t she taking this opportunity to get under his skin using those taunts that tripped off her tongue like sensual ninja knives?

“Have I offended you in some way, Violet?”

Keeping her chin dipped, she shook her head, but it was a shake of disbelief, not of disagreement with his question.

“Violet, look at me.”

Glittering eyes snapped to his, in them a flash of something—a visceral response to his demand—but it was gone so quickly that even the rewind called him a liar.

“Has something happened?”

“Look, St. James, you and I have never meshed, so we don’t need to pretend to get along. We just ran into each other at the store and you ‘saved’ me from the unseemly interest of a fellow shopper. ¡Maravilloso! ¡Gracias! Now you can take your steel buns and your sexy scowl off in the opposite direction.”

Color flagged her cheeks, making her olive skin glow. She was furious, and he still didn’t know why. He was also furious, and he had a better idea of the reason.

She’d changed the social contract. They’d been moseying along with her teasing and taunting and flirting, and him acting like it was the worst thing ever to happen to him. Like Violet’s attention was a fresh slice of hell, because in a way it was. She reminded him of everything he couldn’t have. She reminded him of the man he used to be. His body came alive around her, and alive was dangerous. Alive was the opposite of numb, and numb was his best defense against the demons whispering in his ear.

One drink won’t hurt. Thirst like yours can’t be quenched with anything but whiskey.

If he allowed himself to want her, it was a slippery slope to succumbing to the demons at the door. Of course he couldn’t tell her this, so instead he latched on to her words.

“Steel buns?” There was also “sexy scowl,” but he figured he’d start with the ass stuff.

She rolled her eyes, then coasted those same eyes down his body, half hidden by the grocery cart. “As if you don’t know.”

“That I have an ass you could bounce a puck off of?” He twisted to check himself out. “S’pose I do, lass.”

She burst out laughing and muttered something in Spanish.

“What’s that?”

“Not for your ears, Scot.”

One day she’d tell him. One day, he’d get it out of her, preferably while her body arched into his and his body drove into hers.

*****

Review:

I tend to turn away from books that have a heroine who is that free-spirited, wild child kinda character but I’d been drawn in by the other books and already started to fall for Bren … and Violet too, I admit.  She’s not one of those in your face, “I gotta be me” kind of people.  Instead she’s a glorious mix of daddy issues and seize the day mentality.  Having faced cancer at a very early age she’s pretty set on living life to the fullest and you gotta admire that!  If doing that also involves teasing a broody, sexy Scot … well, that just makes for even better reading 🙂

While Bren has his reasons for being so broody (he did fall into the bottle pretty darn far), he’s working hard to get his life back on track.  It’s been almost a year but he’s serious about being the man his daughters, his team, and at some point a partner deserves.  He’s still a little unsteady on his feet so he’s trying to avoid anything too tempting – and Violet is oh-so-tempting.

Returning readers will have enjoyed seeing bits and pieces of their dance over the last few books but it is so very satisfying to get it in full detail.  Meader has never failed to deliver the feels and she does it again here in spades.  And not just with Bren and Violet.  While I loved how she made sure that readers understood where those two were coming from every step of the way, I think I might have loved the relationship Bren has with his team just as much as finally getting this particular HEA 🙂

*****

Author Info:

Originally from Ireland, Kate Meader cut her romance reader teeth on Maeve Binchy and Jilly Cooper novels, with some Harlequins thrown in for variety. Give her tales about brooding mill owners, oversexed equestrians, and men who can rock an apron, a fire hose, or a hockey stick, and she’s there. Now based in Chicago, she writes sexy contemporary romance with alpha heroes and strong heroines (and heroes) who can match their men quip for quip. Visit her at KateMeader.com.

*****

Book Review – You Send Me

31 Thursday May 2018

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The fabulous Jeannie Moon is back again!

*****

You Send Me

Compass Cove series

by Jeannie Moon

Genre: Women’s Fiction

Release Date: May 29, 2018

Publisher: Tule Publishing Group

Format: Digital/Print

AISN: B07CGJGDPZ

Blurb:

In YOU SEND ME, Jordan and Nick must let go or their separate pasts in order to seize their future together in this charming fake engagement romance.  Fans of Susan Wiggs and RaeAnne Thayne have fallen in love with the Compass Cove series from International Bestselling Author, Jeannie Moon.

Jordan Velsor didn’t want to need anyone. After dumping her cheating fiancé, caring for her sick dad, and nearly being crushed along with her car during a violent storm, she’s pretty much at her breaking point. If anyone needs some luck, it’s Jordan, but the last thing she wants is gorgeous Nick Rinaldi, her landlord’s grandson, hovering over her while she nurses a bad cold. The wounded Navy doctor seems too good to be true… which means he probably is.

Nick Rinaldi left the Navy broken and adrift, wondering if he would ever practice medicine again. When his grandparents’ tenant is almost killed by a falling tree during a storm, he discovers Jordan is not only in shock, but suffering from pneumonia. Not one to miss an opportunity to play white knight, Nick arrives at her cottage to take care of her during the storm… But the lovely teacher has a fierce independent streak, and as he learns more about her, he wants to do more than merely help.

Can Jordan and Nick let go of their separate pasts and seize their future together?

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2HzVSES

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2vpQ6ki

iBooks: https://apple.co/2IVOqof

*****

Download YOU SEND ME or add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads! Then keep reading to get a sneak peek and enter the giveaway for a $25 Amazon gift card or books from Jeannie Moon!

Also in the Compass Cove series

THEN CAME YOU

Amazon   Barnes & Noble | Kobo | iBooks

*****

Excerpt:

       The deep rattling cough woke her from a restless sleep. This cold was kicking her ass, but even though all she wanted to do was burrow under the covers, she was out of tissues, and the dog needed to go outside.

       Glancing out her window, the weather had worsened. She almost would have been content putting out a pad for Gertie to go inside, but her tissues and cough medicine were in the back seat of her car. She had to go out regardless.

       “Come on, Gertie, time to pee.”

       With a whimper and a moan from her spot at the other end of the couch, her little rescue buried her face in the corner. Gertie was no dummy.

       “Look, if I have to go out, so do you. Your bladder is the size of a thimble, and it’s going to get even worse later.”

       The dog sighed—sighed her annoyance at Jordan. A dog with an attitude. Didn’t it figure? Gertie practically rolled off the plush cushion and settled on her back on the blue patterned rug. Her short little legs were straight up in the air, feigning death.

       Jordan felt pretty dead herself, but they still had to go outside.

      The wind howled, and all the windows in the cottage shook like it was going to lift up and fly away. Gust after gust provided a not-so-subtle reminder that the nor’easter currently blowing across Long Island was going to make all their lives miserable. This storm was brutal. It had been wreaking havoc for the last twelve hours and based on the latest weather report it had slowed down to a crawl, meaning it was going to stick around for a while.

       Grabbing the dog’s leash, Jordan gently nudged the little furry blob on the floor. Nothing. She didn’t budge. “Gertie! Come on!”

       Ninety-nine percent of the time, she loved the little mutt. This moment definitely fell into the one percent.

       After she broke her engagement, Jordan had the sudden urge to have a pet. A lot of people told her it would pass, but she knew that wasn’t the case. Jordan needed unconditional love in her home, so she kept her eyes open for the right opportunity. She couldn’t handle a puppy or a kitten, so when she wandered around a rescue fair one Sunday this past September, she found herself completely enamored with Gertie. A stubby-legged little mutt, Gertie was a tube of golden fur with a pointy snout and big, soulful brown eyes. She was about five years old, and her owner had just died, leaving the little dog all alone.

       Jordan felt a kinship with the pooch, and took her home that day.

       Lina Rinaldi, who usually frowned on her cottage tenants having pets, took to the dog right away, and Gertie loved the older woman right back.

       As Jordan stared at the lump still upside down on the floor, she was about ready to offer Mrs. Rinaldi full custody. Then a deep, rasping cough shook Jordan to the core. It racked her body violently, and pain shot around her chest. God, she felt awful.

       “Come on,” she said firmly to the pooch. “We’ll skip the leash this time. Out and in. Let’s get this over with.”

       Gertie rolled over and trotted to the front door, giving Jordan the side eye as she waited. Donning her parka and a pair of lined wellies that she pulled over her pajama pants, Jordan grabbed the remote and unlocked her car. When she opened the front door, she was hit by a blast of wind, rain, and sleet that stung her cheeks and chilled her to the bone. “Lord, it’s miserable.” Looking down at Gertie, she nodded. “Okay, let’s make this quick.”

       The two of them bolted outside, with Gertie heading for her favorite patch of grass and Jordan heading for her car. She stopped when she coughed so hard she could barely breathe. It hurt. She’d never had a chest cold that hurt so much. Finally, yanking open the door, she heard her pooch barking from the small covered porch. Jordan grabbed the bag that was filled with some basic food provisions, juice, tea, tissues, and a selection of over-the-counter cold remedies. She slammed the car door shut, and on her way back inside she noticed the whitecaps on Jennings Bay. The wind was forcing massive amounts of water into the coves and harbors around town, and she hoped the it didn’t breach the seawall surrounding the property. Jordan’s cottage was closer to Cove Road, but the Rinaldis’ big house was at risk.

       Without any further delay, Jordan made it back to the porch, feeling chilled and soaked to the bone despite all the foul weather gear she’d put on. Gertie was barking frantically, having positioned herself under the old wooden swing, and Jordan was starting to lose her patience.

       “Gertie, what the hell is the problem?”

       That’s when she heard the groan and crack. Jordan looked up just as a large section of an old oak tree, about fifty feet from the house, gave way. Throwing her body against the wall to avoid any debris, Jordan watched as the massive tree split in half and came crashing down, crushing her car in the process.

       If she had waited ten more seconds to head outside, Jordan would have been killed.

       Frozen in place for—she didn’t know how long—Jordan startled when a large, strong arm wrapped around her.

       She looked away from the wreckage in the front yard and into the gorgeous face of Nick Rinaldi.

       “Damn. Are you alright?”

       Was she? She wasn’t sure. Jordan tried to answer, but she had trouble catching her breath. Sucking in air, he kept her steady when they walked into the house.

       Waiting for the dog before he closed the door, Nick sat her on the bench in the entryway. Glancing in the canvas tote from the market, his brow furrowed.

       “You’re sick? What’s wrong?”

       With a low rattling cough that had him pressing the back of his hand to her forehead, she muttered, “Chest cold.”

       Shaking his head, he helped her off with her boots and jacket. “Let’s get you settled in bed, and I’ll go get my bag. You’ve got a lot more than a chest cold.”

       “My car…”

       “We can’t do anything about your car until the storm passes, so put it out of your head. It’s the last thing you need to worry about.”

       “Are you kidding? Not worry about it?” How was she supposed to get to work or see her dad? How was she supposed to do anything if she didn’t have a car? The pain in her chest wasn’t just from her cough at that moment, but at the wave of dread—helplessness—that rushed through her.

       “One thing at a time.” Nick, a former Navy doctor, was single minded. And as much as Jordan didn’t want to admit it, he was right. In this weather, there was nothing she could do.

       “Come on,” he said. “Lead the way.”

       “I’ll be fine,” she said, stopping in her tracks. Those few words taxed her already strained system. She coughed painfully into her arm while Nick guided her into her room. The coughing spell was so violent, ripping at her tender lungs, she couldn’t even object as he tucked her into bed.

       Sick as she was, Jordan wasn’t blind. Nick Rinaldi had been on her radar since he landed back in Compass Cove the previous fall. The guy was gorgeous, smart, and a gentleman to the core. But he’d settled back in with his grandparents almost six months ago, and other than a token hello, or a polite smile, he rarely spoke to her.

       Still, with his lean frame, dark hair, and kind eyes, he checked a lot of boxes.

       She thought she heard him mutter something about being stubborn, but her lack of breath didn’t allow a response. If anyone was stubborn, he was. The man of mystery was a well-known do-gooder, and obviously she was his next project. There was only one problem with that. She didn’t want his help. Needing people was a slippery slope, and Jordan had no intention of heading down that way again.

Copyright © 2018 Jeannie Moon

*****

Review:

So there are some people who are not going to like this story (that sounds bad but keep reading!).  It’s pretty angst free, so there isn’t a lot of drama to move the plot.  Instead it is all about the people – their interactions, developing feelings, and growth as they come to terms with their issues in order to move forward.  And because that growth is a pretty big deal, there is a bit of time spent in their own heads.  It’s their own issues they have to overcome, not an outside force, so there is a lot thinking and feeling.

Which also means there is a lot of back and forth, internally and between the two of them.  Both feel the connection but they are scared to get involved for different reasons.  Unfortunately the pull is strong enough that they can’t stay away either so there is a lot of yes/no…yes on getting together.  That growth helps take care of it, and gives a pretty darn good HEA, although it takes some time and I know that sometimes I’m in the mood for that push/pull but a lot of times I’m just not.

Hopefully you’re still with me because I don’t want to scare anyone off, since  I really enjoyed the book (I just know that it isn’t for everyone) and like other Moon books the characters make for a feel-good read.  Nick is an honorable man with a big heart, which is what leads to a lot of his troubles.  He takes things a little too seriously and struggles with some things that happened while he was in the military.  Jordan also has a big heart but her failed engagement has her hesitant to trust in men again.  Especially one who is obviously keeping something from her.  It’s just so hard to resist someone who is ALWAYS there when you need them, doing exactly the right thing … drat that man for being too awesome!

Both Jordan and Nick have their reasons for feeling the way that they do but it is only together, with good communication, openness, and trust, that they have any hope of having a future (sounds pretty spot-on, eh?).  You Send Me is a slow-burn romance with all the feels that you could ask for … and a hero that you’ll find yourself head-over-heels for in no time!

(You don’t have to have read Then Came You to enjoy this book.  While there are returning characters there’s not really a lot of carry-over other than the friendship between them.)

*****

Author Info:

Jeannie Moon, author of fifteen novels, has always been a romantic. When she’s not spinning tales of her own, Jeannie works as a school librarian, thankful she has a job that allows her to immerse herself in books and call it work. Married to her high school sweetheart, Jeannie has three kids, three lovable dogs and a mischievous cat and lives in her hometown on Long Island, NY. If she’s more than ten miles away from salt water for any longer than a week, she gets twitchy.

Connect with Jeannie at: Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | Pinterest

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to WIN a $25 Amazon Gift Card or one of 12 print books of THEN CAME YOU or one of 5 print books of YOU SEND ME!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29525/

*****

Book Review – Save Me

28 Monday May 2018

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Save Me

An O’Brien Family Novel

by Cecy Robson

Three weddings. No date. What’s a hot stud to do when all the women on his speed dial are either serving dinner to their families or serving time?

Out of all the O’Briens, Seamus is the best-looking, most creative, and, did I mention, best-looking? Single at almost forty wasn’t a big deal until every sibling in his large and loud Irish family found “the one.” Now, he’s desperate for a wedding date, one he doesn’t have to worry will make out with the limo driver or rob the bride and groom blind.

Allie Mendes is the good daughter, who’s spent her life living in her perfect sister’s shadow. But when her sister steals the man Allie was supposed to marry, that shadow she’s lived in threatens to swallow her whole. Allie wants to believe a bright future awaits. But when she begs God to save her from this disastrous twist of fate, the last person she expects Him to send her is Seamus O’Brien.

Allie needs a stand-in boyfriend to avoid appearing as lonely as she feels. Seamus needs a decent woman without an ankle bracelet or a rap sheet as long as his muscular arms. The two make a deal to pose as each other’s perfect date. But weddings mean romance and a chance at forever neither had planned.

This is the first of this series that I’ve read and I have to admit that I didn’t think I was going to like Seamus.  He’s brash, cocky, mouthy, and more often than not inappropriate.  But he’s also caring and fun and he does everything he can to bring Allie out of her shell.  I easily found myself falling under his spell right along with her.

Allie’s family is pretty much awful, especially her sister and she really needed to find a champion in Seamus.  It helps, of course, that he’s sexy is all get out.  His confidence (and, surprisingly, his lack of filter) helps her find her own mojo and the confidence to stand up for herself.

I liked that, while these two definitely needed to work on sharing their feelings, things were pretty much drama-free.  At least between the two of them – Allie’s sister brought more than enough drama for everyone.  Even when they finally reach the point that they have to come clean about falling in love, Robson handles it with care.  It’s a sweet ending and definitely in line with the couple we’d gotten to know.

Book Review – Changing the Rules

17 Thursday May 2018

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Changing the Rules

A Champion Valley Novel

by Erin Kern

The next standalone novel in Erin Kern’s Champion Valley series!

This alpha athlete is about to meet his match…

Cameron Shaw knows exactly what he’s doing when it comes to coaching high school boys on the football field, but caring for a six-year-old girl is a whole different ballgame. When a gorgeous, highly opinionated woman shows up with his niece in tow and claims he’s Piper’s new guardian, Cameron’s first response is “hell no.” But he can’t abandon a little girl who just lost her mother….

Audrey Bennett wasn’t planning to stick around town, but Piper’s gruff, way-too-good-looking-for-his-own-ego uncle clearly needs help. The longer she stays-watching Cameron teach Piper to make pancakes and tie her sparkly pink shoelaces-the harder it is to leave. Especially when he stops arguing and gives Audrey the most toe-curling kiss of her life. But just as she thinks he might be the one, a secret he’s been keeping threatens to tear apart their happy little family.

“Smoldering and sexy and genuinely touching.” -RT Book Reviews on Along Came Trouble

While there were a couple of things that I feel like weren’t resolved, they weren’t related to the romance between Cam & Audrey so I let it go.  I’m OK ignoring little things if I get a great, realistic love story 🙂  And that’s definitely what I liked about Changing the Rules.  Everything felt normal – the slow burn of these two getting to know each other, falling in love, and learning to trust not only the other but themselves.

Both Cam & Audrey had things that happened in their lives that have left them a little burned when it comes to commitment.   With the death of Piper’s mom (Cam’s estranged half-sister) they have to come together to do the right thing for the little girl.  Time and proximity has them getting to know each other and liking what they see.  They still are hesitant, but not so much so that it brings on too much drama.  Instead they just have to learn to listen to their hearts.

Full of cute moments and feelings being explored, I was very pleased with how smoothly Kern brings these two together and has them working their way to being a family.

Book Review – HOT SEAL Redemption

16 Wednesday May 2018

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HOT SEAL Redemption

HOT SEAL Team #5

By Lynn Raye Harris

Bailey Jones doesn’t know jack about babies, but she knows how much it sucks to have a deadbeat father. So when her sister drops off her newborn baby and then disappears, Bailey is ready and willing to confront anyone, including a six-foot-two, sexier-than-sin Navy SEAL sniper, and make him do his duty.

Alexei “Camel” Kamarov is not the sort of man to carelessly father a kid, but as the oldest of six, he does know a thing or two about babies. The firebrand on his doorstep might have mistakenly tagged him as the baby daddy, but Bailey is cute, and Alexei is more than willing to give her a hands-on class in Baby 101.

When a ruthless criminal comes looking for the missing sister–putting Bailey and the baby in danger–the situation escalates. Bringing them under his roof and enlisting his HOT teammates to help find Bailey’s sister are easy. But as Alexei and Bailey draw closer, passions erupt and feelings tangle.

That’s nothing compared to the danger lurking in the shadows–and the test that awaits them both. Bailey will need to give everything she’s got to redeem Alexei’s faith in love. And he’ll have to move heaven and earth to save her–before someone takes her away from him for good…

I’ve read quite a few of the HOT series but this is my first of the HOT SEAL off-shoots and I can honestly say it didn’t make a difference.  I stopped because I fell behind by a book or two and there seemed to be enough flow from book to book (mostly with the bad guy) that I didn’t feel comfortable picking up again in the middle.  I was assured this was a good place to start back up, though, and I’m sure glad I listened!

Based on the stories I’d read before I knew I’d get action and emotion, with strong women and take charge men, and this one didn’t disappoint.  From the first page I was hooked!  After her sister left her in charge of her niece, Bailey goes barreling over to Alexei’s to confront the man who she thought was the baby’s dad.  From her banging on his door and yelling her *ahem* “high” opinion about him to Alexei bringing her into his home to help her take care of Ana, it’s fun and sassy and a great meet-cute.

Of course, bad things come calling when Bailey gets threatened at work by someone looking for her sister.  With the brains and brawn that populate the HOT team, Bailey has a lot of help at her disposal.  But it’s going to take some time which keeps her in Alexei’s orbit just that much longer … lucky girl!

Neither of them were looking to get involved, but the heart rarely plays fair and I really enjoyed watching both Bailey and Alexei fall in love.  They struggle with it a bit and have a few moments where being a little more up front about their changing feelings would have saved them both some heartache, but overall it was pretty drama free (which I appreciate).  Instead, we get two people who thought they wanted one thing slowly figuring out that maybe they want something so much different after all.

With a large dose of sizzle between the main characters, a little bit of danger thrown in to spice things up, Alexei and Bailey’s romance if a ton of fun to read.  I’m looking forward to enjoying more of the HOT guys … maybe I’ll go back and get the ones I’ve missed!

Book Review – Lennon Reborn

11 Friday May 2018

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I so love those Preload boys!

*****

Lennon Reborn

Preload #4

by Scarlett Cole

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Release Date: May 1, 2018

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press SWERVE

Format: Digital and Paperback

Blurb:

Lennon McCartney is not a broken man. Because being broken implies being whole once. When a horrific accident deprives him of the one thing he loves—his talent as a fierce and explosive drummer—Lennon is left with a life chained by an abusive mother, by crushing guilt over a tragic past. A life he doesn’t want.

Dr. Georgia Starr is a legend. She’s one of the most successful neurosurgeons in the world, coming from a long-line of respected New York doctors. Her life is built around solving complex medical cases in order to bring relief and hope to sick children. But the one problem she can’t solve is how to live her life. How to shake loose the burden of being her elitist, arrogant father’s daughter. How to be free.

Can a man who despises his life and a woman who desperately needs to live find the answers, and love, with each other?

Buy Now: Amazon US | Amazon UK | B&N | iBooks | Chapters Indigo

*****

Excerpt:

“Will you tell me about the band? Dred said you were brothers? You told me about Adam. But Dred, Elliott, the others.”

Lennon swallowed hard. He should have expected the question at some point. “Nik’s the oldest. He’s the glue that kept us together as a family. Our social worker, Maisey, always said that seeing as biological families don’t get to choose their families yet somehow make it work, so should we. And Nik’s past . . . well, I guess he took it to heart and became the patriarch. Dred is the brains of the band, and the one most passionate about our music and careers.”

Lennon swallowed hard, hoping to avoid a hint of emotion in his words. “Elliott is the mom of the group. Maisey says he has a way with broken kids. Guess Jordan and I would agree with that. Jordan is the soul.”

“So what are you?” she asked, letting go of his hand and rolling close so she was on her side, her head on his shoulder.

“The annoying little brother,” he said. Georgia smacked him playfully across the stomach. He automatically went for her hand to hold it against him but couldn’t reach. Fuck.

“I don’t believe it for a second,” she said as she gripped his chin and turned him to face her. “They’re expressing too much love and concern for someone who is simply an annoying little brother. You did let them know you are okay, right?”

“I did. Wanna check my phone?” he asked, then sighed heavily. “I’m sorry, Gia. I have this habit . . . of pushing people away.”

“Why?” Georgia asked, moving to her knees in front of him.

He couldn’t help but look up at her.

“You are lucky that people worry about you, Lennon. They love you, like genuinely, with their whole hearts. If anything happened to me, my father would care only about the implications for his neurosurgery legacy and who I would leave this place to in my will.”

The words bounced around in his brain. He wanted to ignore them, wanted to let them fall into the cracks between the two of them, but he couldn’t. Because they came from her, he felt compelled to hear them. And because he was listening, like actually paying attention to every word that fell from those pretty lips of hers, he heard the hurt. Heard the loss behind the boldly spoken statement.

She was lost, like him.

“I’m going to hire a physical therapist to start coming to the condo every day and a personal trainer to kick my ass into gear,” he said suddenly. Perhaps if he jump-started his own life, she’d copy him and jump-start her own. “But I’m only going to do it if you agree to make some changes in yours.”

“Lennon,” she said, those pretty eyes studying his intently, “you have to do this for yourself, not because of me.”

“I know,” he replied. “But what’s wrong with a little motivation between friends? You need to stop more often, let more into your life than being a superstar neurosurgeon. I know you thrive on it, I know you love it. Happiness can come from so many different places, I think we both need to learn that. And I don’t want you to do it for me. Don’t you want it for yourself?”

Georgia sighed. “I do,” she whispered, the weight of those two simple words hitting him squarely in the chest. Because in another life, in another time, he could imagine her saying them to him in a completely different setting.

Copyright © 2018 Scarlett Cole

*****

Review:

I hate to say it (and I think it was because of all the build-up I saw around this book’s release) but I didn’t find Lennon Reborn to be THAT heart-wrenching.  I felt for the guy so very much and I was so happy to finally find out why he is the way he is … but I kinda was waiting for even more of an emotional punch.  Don’t get me wrong, there are a TON of feels here and I relished every one, but they didn’t grab hold of my heart and squeeze like I expected them to.

The opening is definitely nerve-wracking and when you find out exactly how much it costs Lennon you can’t help but get choked up.  He’s done a good job of hiding his troubles behind the jerk mask he wears, but life has not been kind to this man (I cannot imagine how he managed to survive his childhood) and the only thing that kept him together was his music and his band mates … now he’s losing one of those and his deepest fear is that he’ll lose it all.  Lucky for him, he has his own savior in Dr. Georgia Starr.

Georgia usually deals with pediatric patients but when she’s right there at Lennon’s accident she does everything she can to help.  When she finds herself thinking about Lennon afterward, it doesn’t take her long before she finds herself in his room.  And the hurt she senses in him (and their obvious attraction) has her going out of her way to get him back on his feet.  She’s just not fully aware of what that is going to mean for them both.

I loved these two together.  Lennon is struggling but he senses something in Georgia, something that speaks to his damaged side.  While he’s given himself up as a lost cause, he thinks that she needs someone to help her get more out of life and he’s decided to help her.  As for Georgia, she’s not going to let Lennon wallow.  Her blunt, up-front personality is so refreshing and it definitely keeps him on his toes, making him think about more than what he’s lost (not just today but always).

Together Lennon and Georgia manage to work through their demons and figure out a way to enjoy life again.  Steamy, sexy, and full of all sorts of emotions, Lennon Reborn is another wonderful entry into a fabulous series about men dealing with their pasts and the women who love them enough to help them through it.

*****

Author Info:

The tattoo across my right hip says it all really. A Life Less Ordinary. Inked by the amazingly talented Luke Wessman at the Wooster Street Social Club (a.k.a. New York Ink). Why is it important? Well, it sums up my view on life. That we should all aspire to live a life that is less boring, less predictable. Be bold, and do something amazing. I’ve made some crazy choices. I’ve been a car maker, a consultant, and even a senior executive at a large retailer running strategy. Born in England, spent time in the U.S. and Japan, before ending up in Canada were I met my own, personal hero – all six and a half feet of him. Both of us are scorpios! Yeah, I know! Should have checked the astrological signs earlier, but somehow it works for us. We have two amazing kids, who I either could never part with or could easily be convinced to sell on e-bay.

I’ve wanted to be a writer for a really long time. Check through my office cupboards or my computer and you’ll find half written stories and character descriptions everywhere. Now I’m getting the chance to follow that dream.

Connect with Scarlett: Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter

*****

Giveaway:

Enter to win the Complete Preload Signed Paperback Series eBooks!

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b050ef29515/

*****

Book Review – Royal Treatment

27 Friday Apr 2018

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Who’s in the mood for another of His Royal Hotnesses …

*****

Royal Treatment

A His Royal Hotness Novel

by Tracy Wolff

Blurb:

Once upon a time I was being groomed to sit on the throne of Wildemar. Now I’m lucky they let me into the palace through the front door. After I was kidnapped and tortured by extremists, my reward upon my release is that nobody trusts me enough to let me be king. And since my twin brother, Kian, has assumed all my responsibilities, I figure why not take over as the black sheep?

But after breaking things off with my betrothed—we never had much chemistry, anyway—and giving the jetsetting playboy lifestyle a try, I’m starting to wonder if I’m cut out for this s***. Then I meet Lola Barnes, a drop-dead gorgeous entrepreneur from the States who’s as refreshing as she is feisty.

It’s supposed to be a one-night-stand—until the press catches wind of my “new American sweetheart.” Trouble is, Lola’s no sweetheart. But the more I see our names together in the headlines, the more I find myself craving another taste. . . .

Ballantine Group; Loveswept | On Sale: April 24, 2018 | ISBN: 9781101884898| Pages 285 | Price: $4.99

*****

Excerpt:

“My flight leaves in a little over three hours, Garrett, and I am going to be on it.”

“Don’t you understand? No one will believe a woman in the first stages of a relationship goes running off to another city.”

“Maybe not in your rarified world where half of everyone’s job is learning how to manipulate the press and the public. But in the real world where I live, nearly everyone will believe it. People have relationships and manage to go to work all over the world.”

I think of the months of being chained up, of sleeping sitting up with my arms above my head while my body screamed from pain and exhaustion. “My world’s not that rarified.”

“Dude, your world is as rarified as it gets. And you’ve got three security guards sitting outside to make sure it stays that way.” Lola swings her suitcase off the bed with a roll of her eyes. “And I get it. I understand that you were raised to believe the sun rises and sets on you, and that every time you so much as breathe it’s national news. But really. You aren’t that special.”

Things are getting tense between us and I know I’ve got two choices. Continue down the road to a full-blown fight that will get me nothing or try to defuse the situation.

I settle for the latter as I raise my brows at her. “That’s not what you were saying an hour ago.”

Surprise flickers in her eyes, then is gone as quickly as it came. “An hour ago I was under duress,” she answers with a sniff.

I waggle my brows at her. “And here I thought you were under me.”

She snort-laughs, then slaps a hand over her mouth like she wants to pull the sound back in. But it’s so unexpected that I kind of love it. The same way I love that she talks in her sleep and has a star-shaped cluster of freckles on her left hip. The same way—

And fuck. Just fuck. I really am falling for this woman and, apparently, there’s not a damn thing I can do to keep her from walking away in three hours. It shouldn’t matter, but it does.

I just wish I knew how I got here. Lola was supposed to be a distraction, a fun means to the ends I’ve been working toward my entire life. She sure as hell wasn’t supposed to be something more for me to care about. Something more for me to lose.

What the hell am I supposed to do now?

*****

Review:

After reading Royal Pain I was so anxious to get Garrett’s book – he was bound to be dealing with a lot after his kidnapping and Wolff delivered.

Although I was a little surprised that Garrett’s dad didn’t show up more.  We get some conversations about him and a couple with him but he never actually appears.  And with how much of an a** he is to his kids, creating a LOT of issues along the way, I would have expected more.  Not that his actions don’t have consequences that are in play here – they are and often – but I wanted more like we got with Kian’s book.

Instead, Garrett is mostly (and totally understandably) dealing with the fallout from his months spent being tortured and his recovery afterward.  He’s been struggling and it takes meeting an in-your-face rule breaker to throw him off his game and out of his head.  As a bit of her free spirit rubs off on him, Garrett starts to really feel again … which also opens him up to the possibilities of finally coming to terms with what has happened to him in the last year.  It won’t be pretty but it is definitely needed.

I found Lola to be fun and sassy.  She’s got a big personality but she’s not overwhelming and I never found her to be overdone.  Instead she’s brash, but caring.  And totally not intimidated by Garrett’s title.  She definitely doesn’t let him get away with too much and instead helps him find his way back to the land of the living.

I will say that I got annoyed at the both a couple of times as they spent too much time beating themselves up for the exact same thing.  Something would happen and they’d both start taking responsibility and offering verbose apologies.  Before kissing and making up of course.  It wasn’t horrible but I would find myself thinking “ugh, get over yourself” a time or two 🙂

While I don’t think the daddy issues (for either of them) were properly resolved, I am pleased with the way Wolff handled Garrett’s issues.  He’s good at bottling things up and hiding behind his princely mask, but he was never going to get better until he finally opened up about his feelings.  It took someone coming in from the outside who could give him the care & understanding he needed and I’m glad Wolff gave him Lola for that.

*****

Author Info:

New York Times bestselling author Tracy Wolff lives in Texas and teaches writing at her local community college. She is married and the mother of three young sons.

*****