Tag Archives: Book Review

Book Review – Hidden Hearts

20 Monday Nov 2017

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Hidden Hearts

by Olivia Dade

AN ADMIRER WITH A SECRET . . .

Mary Higgs could be the poster girl for the buttoned-up librarian. She follows the rules. Stays ʼtil closing. Her kindness and dedication to her patrons is legendary. But those patrons have no idea what she’s typing to the mysterious shut-in who emailed the library needing a library card three months ago . . .

When the elusive Miles O’Connor shows up, he’s no invalid. A year ago, he was the gleaming, ab-sational star of the small screen. Then came the accident. Now he’s a wounded recluse with a pizza habit and fears so unshakable that only the thought of losing Mary to an online date could lure him out of his cabin.

Soon their email rapport has turned into weekends on the couch, watching tearjerkers and driving each other insane with red-hot makeout sessions. But as the desire grows and their horizons expand, the life that brought them together might not be enough for either of them . . .

“Love is never out of reach for the librarians of the Nice County Library System . . . Sarah’s charm and humor are perfectly suited to a beach read.” —Publishers Weekly on Ready to Fall

I absolutely LOVE the way that Dade handles Miles and his issues.  There’s a lot of understanding there for what he is going thru, has gone thru, and will face in his future.  She gave me a lot to think about and I think that is always a sign of a well-done book.  I also think that she gave Mary and her problems a fair shake as well.  Her’s may not have been as dramatic as Miles’s but they are just as impactful and she needs to address them before she can make a life she truly enjoys.

The romance between the two is super sweet and relatively low key.  There’s very little angst there, instead it is humorous and touching and expands slowly as they two get to know each other.  My only complaint, and it is because I really enjoyed these two so much, is that the ending was a little abrupt.  I would really have liked to have an epilogue or one more chapter just so I could have gotten a touch more of their HEA 🙂

Book Review – So Bad It Must Be Good

17 Friday Nov 2017

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So Bad It Must Be Good

by Nicole Helm

Wrong guy. Wrong situation. Might be right.

Free of her overbearing family and their dreams, not hers, Kayla Gallagher is living for herself instead of for her clan’s successful restaurant. Step One: finally make her move on Aiden Patrick, the bad-boy son of Gallagher’s long-time repairman. Too bad Aidan’s taciturn older brother shows up instead . . .

As the “responsible Patrick,” Liam has always made a conscious choice to do the right thing. He likes fixing things for people—whether it be a broken appliance or a bad situation. Which means he can’t just brush off the quiet Gallagher. Clearly, she needs a shoulder to lean on. But suddenly a shoulder becomes so much more, and Kayla isn’t the quiet little girl she used to be. She’s a vivid, down-for-anything woman showing Liam several sizzling ways to put passion first . . .

As things heat up between them, Liam’s family threatens to come apart for good. The only way Liam can set things right means giving up Kayla. But she’s not about to take no for an answer—or let their chance for something sweeter than desire crash-and burn without a fight.

I think that some readers may have a problem with Kayla.  She’s at a crossroads in her life and she seems to have spent quite a bit of time moping about it instead of actually doing anything constructive.  Doesn’t even seem like she’s done any real soul searching.  Instead she seems to be waiting for things to come to her and push her where she needs to be.  Lucky for her she runs into Liam.

Liam has always lost any coolness he might have when he’s around Kayla.  As they spends some time together, though, things start to change and their attraction begins to grow.  He shows himself to be an awesomely sexy closet alpha that is just looking for the right woman to complete his life.  Unfortunately his role as the family fixer may throw their romance a few curve balls.

It’s not easy juggling everything for everyone but Liam has a need to try and it just happens to conflict with Kayla’s issues stemming from her relationship with her own family.  I’m not saying that there isn’t a problem with the Patrick family dynamic, just that unfortunately it crosses uncomfortably with the Gallagher’s.  It’s not a good situation for either of them but luckily they work through it well and quickly.

Book Review – Summer Return

16 Thursday Nov 2017

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Summer Return

by Elise K. Ackers

He’ll never come back to stay, unless someone asks him to…

Funerals can bring people together who are best kept apart. Ethan Foster, home to mourn his sister-in-law, finds himself as unwelcome as ever in the town that once meant the world to him. For more than a decade he’s been saddled with a bad reputation – a drunk, a deserter – and he’s lived with it, will keep living with it, because the only way to clear his name is to share his secrets. But the secrets are not his to tell and their telling would destroy the family he loves and the woman he’s never forgiven himself for leaving behind.

Samantha O’Hara once loved freely, but now she doesn’t. Now she leaves before she’s left and keeps her vulnerabilities tucked away. But when Ethan Foster walks back into town, finally looking at her the way she always wanted him to, she finds her hard-won armour developing chinks. She can’t – won’t – have anything to do with any reinvention Ethan is going through. But maybe this isn’t a new Ethan… Maybe he’s the same Ethan she fell in love with all those years ago.

And maybe, just maybe, this time their love will be strong enough to make him stay.

*Originally published as Ask Me To Stay. Expanded and revised edition.

There’s a lot of 3 star (or lower) reviews for this book and I’m not sure they are all deserved.  I think part of the problem is that this was marketed as a romance but it is really more of a women’s fiction story … although, can you say that if the main character who does the growing is a man?  Ethen does a lot evaluating through the story – his life and relationships – and has to decide what he wants his future to look like.

Unfortunately all of this reflecting comes because of the death of his sister-in-law.  Home for her funeral he doesn’t head out of town right away like he normally does.  Instead he finds himself spending time with his brother, niece & nephew, and the only woman he’s ever loved.  And it’s causing him to really think.  He has his reasons for staying away but it’s getting harder and harder to remember why they were so important.

I feel bad for all of the people involved but especially how much Ethan felt like he had to isolate himself from those he loved.  There are misunderstandings, miscommunications, and hard feelings that they just feel like they can’t talk about.  It’s been hard for all of them and luckily they finally reach a point where they have to do something to make things right again.

Book Review – Chasing Christmas

14 Tuesday Nov 2017

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We saw this book last week and I promised to get a review to you as soon as I could … well, here it is  🙂

*****

Chasing Christmas

Rodeo Romance #5

by Shanna Hatfield

 

He certainly didn’t ask Santa for a bride. . .

Professional bull rider Chase Jarrett has the world on a string. The only blight in his idyllic existence is his nosy cousin’s nonstop nagging about his need for more publicity. Tired of listening to her suggestions, he gives her free rein when she hatches a plan to skyrocket his popularity. All he has to do is show up for a phony wedding in Las Vegas. Then Chase discovers the wedding was real, the surprise bride is beautiful, and his sponsors are demanding he remain married.

Shy and introverted, the last thing Jessie Pierce wants is to find herself in the spotlight. But thanks to a meddling so-called best friend, that’s exactly where she’s at. The promise of an all-expenses paid vacation to Las Vegas lures her on an adventure that ends with her unexpectedly married to a hunky bull rider who would draw her out of her shell if she’d let him.

A business proposal leaves the two of them committed to a year of marriage. How hard could it be to remain wed in name only?

Wrap yourself up in the joy of holidays and falling in love in this sweet, lighthearted romance from USA Today Bestselling author Shanna Hatfield.

So, once I got past the whole accidentally married thing (because really, how is that even possible?) I really enjoyed watching these two dance around each other.  Granted I think a little communication and a little less hiding by either one of them could have fixed things a lot faster but then again where’s the fun in that?!? 🙂

Both Chase and Jessie have a few issues they are still carrying from their childhoods.  Their parents did a good job of ignoring both of them but they somehow managed to make it through pretty well.  Neither seems very confident in people’s staying power and that does make it difficult for them to commit to others.  Which definitely leads to some shenanigans when they suddenly find themselves husband and wife.

We spend basically a year with these two, although a good chunk of it is spent apart.  Hatfield pretty much ignores those times but does a great job of showing the two of them fighting their developing feelings when they are together.  They do such a great job of dancing around their feelings, though, that it might get a little old for some toward the end but the payout is definitely worth it!  Once they finally get to a point that they have to do something or lose each other forever, they manage to step up beautifully.

This is my first time to read one of this author’s books but I really enjoyed the down home, country feel and salt of the earth characters.  With a good dose of humor and fun, she delivered a wonderfully sweet read that will have me keeping an eye out for her other books.

Book Review – Sugarplum Way

02 Thursday Nov 2017

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

*****

Sugarplum Way

Harmony Harbor series

by Debbie Mason

Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages

Publisher: Forever (October 31, 2017)

Blurb:

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

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

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

Goodreads

Amazon

Books-A-Million

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*****

Review:

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

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

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

*****

Author Info:

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

Website | Facebook | Twitter

*****

Giveaway:

One winner will receive a Sugarplum Way gift packet including:

LIFE Magazines’s special BEAUTY AND THE BEAST edition

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST light and sound Hallmark ornament

LIVE LIKE SANTA’S NOT WATCHING mug

signed ARC of SUGARPLUM WAY

A picture frame

…all packaged in a WHAT’S NEXT box.

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

*****

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Book Review – Back in the Game

31 Tuesday Oct 2017

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For Halloween I have a definite treat, no tricks!

Winner Take All was a fantastic start to this series and Kern once again brings the awesome!

*****

Back in the Game

A Champion Valley Novel

by Erin Kern

Release Date: October 31, 2017 by Forever

Mass Market: $7.99 | eBook: $6.99

ISBN: 9781455536009

Goodreads

Blurb:

Stella Davenport wasn’t made for small-town life. Sure, teaching ballet in Blanco Valley, Colorado, is great, but she longs for the chance to perform in a big city. Stella swore she’d never let anything get in the way of her dream-until sexy, broad-shouldered Brandon West walks back into her life. Stella is determined to resist him, even if arguing with Brandon is sexier than any foreplay.

For Brandon, it’s always been just him and his son, Matt. Knowing that love only leads to heartbreak, he isn’t looking to expand his family any time soon. Stella, with her long, gorgeous legs and infectious laugh, is a breath of fresh air he didn’t even know he’d been missing. But when she’s offered her dream job in Chicago, will he be willing to put his heart on the line?

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2iEE2G0

Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/2uMVYP5

Kobo: http://bit.ly/2vWUztx

iBooks: http://apple.co/2hQSM3x

Google Play: http://bit.ly/2vpGIuS

Books-a-Million: http://bit.ly/2iClw0O

IndieBound: http://bit.ly/2vX6NSI

Add SERIES to your shelf on Goodreads: http://bit.ly/championvalleyGR

*****

Excerpt:

Was it just her, or had their almost-kiss a few months ago not been this hot? This intense? She didn’t remember her panties almost going up in flames or her desire threatening to choke her.

“A kiss doesn’t equal a relationship,” Brandon told her.

Stella nuzzled her nose against his. “But we’re not kissing.”

“Keep telling yourself that, Stella.” Before she could respond, before she could even exhale the breath she’d been holding, his mouth was there. Fitting over hers, exerting a gentle pressure that had her fingers digging into the flesh on the back of his shoulder.

When her eyes dropped closed, her other senses took over and magnified the virile man who was so much bigger and harder than she was. His arm enclosed her waist, tugging her closer, inch by slow inch until she was flush against him. Chest to chest. Feet to feet. Leg inserting between hers so that his muscled thigh was nestled perfectly in between her softer flesh.

Best. Kiss. Ever.

Brandon West could use his mouth as a lethal weapon to bring women to their knees. Because if he hadn’t been holding her to him with such firmness, she would have sank the second his mouth touched hers. And then she didn’t have time to think about all the other things she wanted him to do to her, because his tongue smoothed over her lips in gentle, yet not-so-subtle invitation to open the hell up.

He didn’t have to ask her twice. Without thinking about where they were, or the cars and people hovering around outside, even her looming anxiety, Stella obliged and parted her lips. With a hesitation that was sweet, yet longing, his tongue slowly pursued hers, touching just the tip before retreating again.

Since it wasn’t enough, since the minimal contact had opened an emptiness she’d been living with for a long time, Stella did her own pursuing. Her tongue chased his, testing the warmth of his mouth. When he groaned against her and tightened his hand on the back of her head, the heat was kicked up a notch. The passion she’d once possessed but that had gone dormant from lack of use awakened with an explosive burst of fireworks. She returned his groan with one of her own when he tilted her head to change the angle of the kiss, allowing him to dive deeper.

And she let him, because Brandon West was an overpowering man who held her passion and trust in the palms of his hands. The question was, what would he do with it?

Their tongues continued to dance and weave around each other until someone opened the front door of her studio, and the outside sounds of cars and people intruded on their moment of intimacy.

“Oh!” the startled voice announced, ripping her and Brandon away from each other like two teenagers who’d been caught necking by the principal.

Her mother stood by the door, her eyes wide to match the smile on her face, as though to say, Score one for the team, honey.

Only Gloria Davenport.

She held her hands up and backed toward the door.

“Don’t mind me,” she told them. Then offered Stella two thumbs up. For Pete’s sake. “But good job, honey. Way to take my advice.”

And then she was gone, blowing back out the door as quickly as she had interrupted them, taking Stella’s dignity with her.

One of Brandon’s dark brows lifted, showing nothing of the passion he’d exhibited just a second ago. “Advice?” he repeated.

“Ah . . . ,” she began, not sure how to explain Gloria Davenport to someone who didn’t know her. “Just ignore her. She obviously hasn’t taken her medication today.”

The slight curl of his mouth widened. “You look like her.”

Please God, don’t say that. “Okay.”

His brown eyes narrowed, scrutinizing way too much. “Is this another thing you don’t want to talk about?”

Right on. She lifted a shoulder and pretended her heart wasn’t still pounding from their kiss. “I have no issues with my mom.” At least none that she was willing to share.

Brandon nodded. “You know, one of these days all those walls you’ve thrown up are going to come crashing down.”

As Stella watched Brandon saunter out of her studio as though he hadn’t just knocked her socks off with his mouth, all she could think of was how right he was.

*****

Review:

Brandon and Stella are so absolutely adorable together.  They have the steam and the sass and all the feels that you could want!

Brandon found himself a single dad at way too young and while he is a fabulous dad his past has left him with some trust issues when it comes to women.  He can’t handle being left again and with Stella’s plans to go to Chicago that’s exactly what will happen if he lets himself get involved.  Unfortunately (or fortunately) the two can’t fight their attraction and he starts to fall, regardless of how hard he fights it.

Stella has her own trust issues thanks to her nomadic upbringing and the revolving door of men in her mother’s life (especially one in particular).  She’s trying just as hard as Brandon is to resist the pull between them but the man is just about perfect.  How can you turn away from someone with that much patience, that much understanding, and that much sexiness?!?

Kern does a wonderful job of addressing both Brandon and Stella’s issues with the consideration that they deserve.  She never glosses over their feelings and reactions, giving readers great back and forth between the two without getting overly dramatic.

She so great at drawing you in with the heartwarming emotions, entertaining you with the perfect amount of humor, and keeping you turning pages with characters that you can’t help but love.  I am SO looking forward to what she has lined up next!

*****

Author Info:

Erin Kern lives in north Texas with her husband, two kids and their dog. She loves BBQ, Texas sunsets, antiquing and high school football games. The Champion Valley series was inspired by Erin’s love of Texas football, small towns and happy endings. When she’s not at the computer working on her next tale, she can be found spending time with her kids or curled up with a good book.

Facebook: http://bit.ly/2iBuziw

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Amazon: http://amzn.to/2uvziHA

*****

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#ReadForever

*****

Giveaway:

Win 1 of 10 paperback copies of BACK IN THE GAME by Erin Kern.

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*****

Book Review – Appetite of Envy

23 Monday Oct 2017

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

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A little klutzy and a tad awkward, Lia wiggled her way into my heart.

*****

Appetite of Envy

by Amabel Daniels

Romantic Suspense

Published July 8, 2016

Blurb:

You can’t always get what you want.

Shy and sweet Lia Gardella has only wished to make her father proud. Dropping plates, spilling drinks, and missing orders, she’s never fit in at the family business. And after nearly incinerating the whole building, she ran from the stressful environment.

Want not.

As head chef of one of the city’s best eateries, Finn Newland seems to have it all. He enjoyed a youthful career in the MMA. Women worship him. After years of hard work, he finally has an opportunity to take over the restaurant he’s always considered his own.

Be careful what you wish for.

When Lia’s father summons her to supervise Gardella’s, instead of handing the reins to Finn, no one is happy. They don’t know how to collaborate on running the restaurant. Nor are they confident they can continue to deny their attraction to one another. But before they can attempt a partnership of any kind, they’ll need to find the culprit behind a trend of spiteful sabotage aimed at Gardella’s.

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Appetite-Envy-Amabel-Daniels-ebook/dp/B01HY9E6PO

Barnes and Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/appetite-of-envy-amabel-daniels/1124061386?ean=2940158207006

Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/appetite-of-envy

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1131044444

 

*****

Excerpt:

Finn nodded. “See. She knows she can’t handle it.” He held his hand up in a truce. “Give me a chance, Rico. Take some time off and let’s see how I handle it. All right? There’s no need to be rash. I already run the cook’s line. I’ll step up and watch over the servers on the floor. I’ll contract a bookkeeper. I told you I’d work extra. I’ll handle it all.”

“You can’t handle yourself! You can’t stop whoring around enough to even think about this place no more!” Enrico flared up in his face.

Working his jaw, Finn eyed the little man. That damn critic. “Maybe I’ll just sleep with Lia and have her give it to me, huh, Rico?” He smirked. “What’s one more woman in my way?” It was a dirty hit, but Rico’s decision was ridiculous.

Enrico waved. “Ha! Not with her.” He grunted. “Won’t work.”

Finn crossed his arms, enjoying the blush on Lia’s cheeks. “I think it could.”

She slapped him.

Are you kidding me? His glared at her. Well, he deserved it, but hell, he was just joking. He’d never seriously—

“I’m not a, a pawn!”

“See?” Rico ceased his chuckle. “She doesn’t fawn over pretty boys like you.”

Finn rubbed his cheek and faced his boss. “Rico, she’s got no business being here. I do. I’ve worked for this, Rico. I’ve been here for years. She’s never even bothered to come back here. Not even once!”

Enrico hardly batted an eye. Actually, he smiled. “I never asked her to.”

“Why are you asking me now?” she said.

“Because I am.”

*****

Review:

I really enjoyed the suspense element of this story.  Daniels does a really good job of keeping you guessing who is behind all of the “accidents” and mishaps at the restaurant.  She gives just enough hings to have your brain working as you work to figure out what is malicious, what is bad luck, and what might be something really dangerous.  I was surprised at the ending (which is always a bonus) but it worked really well with the rest of the story.

I also enjoyed Finn and Lia working their way into a HEA.  They are absolutely HORRIBLE about communicating and both do a lot of jumping to conclusions but they eventually figure things out.  They’ve got a lot of history and assumptions to overcome but Daniels does a good job of getting them there.

I was all that much of a fan of the rest of the characters.  They seemed like the cast of a really bad (fake) reality show.  They are awful to Lea, disrespectful to those in authority, and snipe among themselves when they aren’t trying to get in each other’s pants.  There is not a single redeeming one in the group, except for the dishwasher who keeps his head down and stays out of the way.  Even he has a moment though – although I totally get where he is coming from.

The writing style is also a bit awkward, but if you push through it (and the horrid people) you end up with a enjoyable romance and a good mystery to keep you turning pages.  Daniels is a pretty new author so I’m looking forward to seeing her talent blossom and will be on the lookout for new stories from her.

*****

Author Info:

Amabel Daniels lives in Northwest Ohio with her patient husband, adventurous toddlers, smiley baby, and a collection of too many cats and dogs. Although she holds a Master’s degree in Ecology, her true love is finding a good book. When she isn’t spending time outdoors, or wondering how to negotiate with her mightily independent two-year-old daughter, she’s busy brewing up her next novel, usually as she lets her mind run off with the addictive words of “what if…”

Website: www.amabeldaniels.com

Facebook: www.facebook.com/AmabelDaniels

Twitter: https://twitter.com/amabel_daniels

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/30902615-appetite-of-envy

*****

Giveaway:

$20 Amazon egift card

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/40826401702/

*****

 

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Book Review – Finding Peace

21 Saturday Oct 2017

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Ooh, let’s celebrate the weekend with a sexy, former marine with a heart of gold … it’s gonna be hard to not fall in love with big, bad, gruff Brogan!

*****

Finding Peace

Baytown Boys Book 4

by Maryann Jordan

Release Date October 27, 2017

Blurb:

The Baytown Boys Mysteries

Military duty called them away to war zones, but after tours overseas, the group of friends found their way back home as men, seeking the peaceful little seaside town. Now, the band of brothers, together once more, work to provide a place for less fortunate veterans to call home.

Brogan MacFarlane, a former Marine, filled his days with hard work at the family bar and his nights running along the shore to rid himself of the war memories he would rather forget. But there was one thing in town that provided a distraction…the pretty cop with the haunted eyes.

Ginny Spencer loved the small, shore town and her job, as long as she could keep people at arm’s length. Former Army Military Police, she carried her own battle scars deep inside and that was just where she planned on keeping them. If only the surly bartender with the Irish blue eyes did not make her long for more.

When reports of a Peeping Tom in town escalate to a man accosting women, Ginny and the Baytown police work to find the culprit, but for her, it opens wounds she would rather forget. Brogan, seeing her pain, steps in, no longer willing to sit on the sidelines. And in doing so, allows her to soothe his nightmares as well.

When two scarred souls come together, their love allows them to find the peace they’ve been seeking.

Due to scenes of an explicit sexual nature and language that some consider crude, please be warned – for 18+ only! If you do not like alphas with heart who fall instantly in love with strong female characters while dealing with real life issues…again be warned!!

Amazon Kindle

*****

Excerpt:

“You want to tell me what happened last night?”

Brogan looked over at Aiden, standing at the bar with a dishtowel slung over his shoulder. “What do you mean?”

“Ginny,” Aiden replied, rolling his eyes. “Who else?” Still staring, he added, “And I saw you high-tail it after her when she left suddenly.”

“She wasn’t feeling well, so I wanted to make sure she got home okay.” Brogan lifted a heavy crate of alcohol and moved it to the bar, where he opened it and began to sort the liquor. Not hearing anything from Aiden, he dared to glance up, not surprised to see his inquisitive brother still staring. “You got something to say?” he growled.

“Yeah, I do,” Aiden said, tossing the rag down onto the bar with a slap. “You never were Mr. Talkative, so I don’t expect that. But after you got outta the Marines, you sure as shit came home different.” Jerking his hand up, he said, “I know. I know. We all came back changed, some just older and wiser. But you…you’re different, Bro. It’s like you’ve dug a hole, buried yourself, and have been content to stay there.”

Grimacing, Brogan remained silent, wanting to refute Aiden’s description but not willing to lie.

“At least until recently.”

At those words from Aiden, Brogan looked up, his brow knitted in question. “Recently?” he asked.

Nodding, Aiden placed his forearms on the bar as he leaned forward. “Yeah. The first couple of years we were back, we threw ourselves into taking over Finn’s. You worked harder than anybody, but we all just figured you needed the work to keep focused—”

“We?”

Aiden rolled his eyes. “Are you shittin’ me, Brogan? Of course, we. Hell, you think in this family, anything is hidden from Pops, Mom, Dad? Sure-as-shit not Katelyn.”

Silence acknowledged Aiden’s words, so he kept going. “You grew your hair…so did I. Mom hated it but we both had that finally out of the militaryrebellion thing going on.” Seeing Brogan about to speak, he added, “Okay, that’s what I had. What you had going on was an I don’t give a fuck what Ilook like.”

Brogan’s lips twitched, knowing Aiden hit the nail on the head. He really had not given a fuck what anyone thought since getting out.

“Then suddenly Ms. Spencer shows up in town as the new cop, and a pretty one at that, and we all see you’re interested. Oh, I know you tried to hide it, but hell, Brogan, you’d have to be dead not to get a walking hard-on when she’s around.”

At that, Brogan growled, stepping forward, his fist at the ready. Laughing, Aiden danced back from the bar, now safely out of reach.

“Sorry, Bro. I just had to get that in there to see what your reaction would be.

*****

Review:

This is the first in this series for me but it didn’t matter from a story perspective (this one can easily stand on its own).  I think that returning readers may have been a bit more amp’d for this one, though, because it looks like Brogan and Ginny’s story has been a long time coming 🙂

So there is two main parts of the story – the romance and the peeping tom mystery.  I’m gonna start with the love story, which I really enjoyed.  Both Brogan and Ginny have some things in their past that they need to address, with a professional and with each other, to be able to build a solid relationship.  I think that my favorite thing that Jordan does is make sure that these military vets get help from a therapist and have a chance to talk about their pasts & work on their issues.  It is such a hot topic today and one that I think she handles really well.

And working through their troubles help bring Brogan and Ginny closer.  They’ve apparently been doing this dance for a long time 🙂 so they don’t need a lot of build up but their finally getting together is handled very realistically.  (The writing style isn’t the smoothest, especially at the beginning, but once I carried through the early rough parts things started working for me.)  Their’s is a wonderful slow-burn romance that is finally seeing it’s HEA ending and it’s a sweet ride, especially for those who have been there from the beginning.

The other piece of the story, though it is a bit less important, is the peeping tom case.  I’m not sure how well the suspense portion of the other stories were done, but it wasn’t the strongest part here.  There are a lot of red herrings and not a lot of hints to who actually did it.   Instead you get attitude from lots of people, without explanation in some cases, so readers are busy looking in a lot of different directions but with clear clues lacking it seemed a little like the bad guy came out of nowhere.

BUUUUT to me this part of the story was really a catalyst for Ginny to address her feelings and for the two of them to work on some potential trigger points for their relationship.  It’s not as vital to the story as it could have been so I easily let it go in favor of a satisfying coupling. 

And Ginny & Brogan getting together definitely made me happy!

*****

Author Info:

As an Award Winning, Amazon International Bestselling and All-Star author, Kobo, and Barnes & Noble Best Selling Author, I have always been an avid reader. In 2013 I started a blog to showcase wonderful writers. In 2014, I finally gave in to the characters in my head pleading for their story to be told. Thus, Emma’s Home was created.

My first novel, Emma’s Home became an Amazon Best Seller in 3 categories within the first month of publishing. Its success was followed by the rest of the Fairfield Series and then led into the Love’s Series. Soon, other spin-off series came along and 8 of my books have made Amazon top 100 Bestselling books.

Gabe, from the Alvarez Security Series won Silver Medal and 5 Star Review by the 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards.

Honor Love was an award winning novel from the 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards.

Serial Love was an award finalist novel from the 2016 Reader’s Choice Awards.

Coming Home was awarded the 5 Star Review by the 2017 Reader’s Choice Awards.

My books are filled with sweet romance and hot sex; mystery, suspense, real life characters and situations. My heroes are alphas, take charge men who love the strong, independent women they fall in love with.

I worked as a counselor in a high school and have been involved in education for the past 30 years. I have just retired and look forward to more time with family and writing!

I have been married to a wonderfully patient man for 36 years and have 2 adult, very supportive daughters.

When writing, my dog or one of my cats will usually be found in my lap!

I love to hear from readers, so please email me!

Website  Newsletter  Goodreads  Amazon  Facebook  Twitter  Instagram

*****

Book Review – Storming the Castle

29 Friday Sep 2017

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Storming the Castle

by Arianna Hart

Sam Castleton has fame, houses all over the world, and one really big problem—he’s got an album due and he can’t write. All he wants is a quiet place to get his head straight. Dale, Georgia, seems like the perfect quiet spot to try to hear the music again and get some lyrics down on paper.

With her daughter’s paternal grandparents making a sudden appearance and the difficulties of running her own lodge and being a single mom, Faith Adams doesn’t have the time to worry about the mysterious stranger staying in one of her cottages, no matter how sexy he is.

Her newest guest may be surly, but his money is good, so she’s willing to overlook his surly nature. If only she could ignore the way he awakens a searing hunger in her…

Sam really needed some time to himself to recharge and evaluate his life.  His rocker lifestyle has started to take a toll and he’s moving ever closer to being a horrible cliché.   A cabin in the middle of nowhere, isolation, and a chance to get his head on straight is all he wants.  But he doesn’t count on his sexy landlord.

Faith leads a very quiet life and is happy that way.  Her newest tenant may have some strange requests (and come across as a grump) but she could use the money.  Especially as things get a little heated with her in-laws.  But a she gets to know Sam a little better she realizes that there is more to him than she thought … and she’s interested in finding out even more.

There’re troubles for both but things are relatively drama free between the two of them.  Sam is very supportive and gives of himself once he gets involved.  Faith has some problems thanks to her past but she does her best to handle them and look forward to the future.  Especially a future that includes Sam.  Storming the Castle is a lovely read of people getting to each other, taking stock of their lives, and deciding the direction they want to go.

Book Review – Kisses Sweeter Than Wine

27 Wednesday Sep 2017

Posted by in Blog Tour, Book Review, Contest

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Who’s ready to fall in love with a troubled, but sexy (of course), soldier?

*****

Kisses Sweeter Than Wine

Oregon Wine Country #3

by Heather Heyford

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Pub Date: 8/29/2017

Blurb:

When the town of Clarkston, Oregon, welcomes Captain Sam Owens home from the service, Sophia “Red” McDonald is first in line. The sassy psychotherapist has known Sam since they were kids, and the grown-up Sam is darned near irresistible. With his abs of steel and those gorgeous hazel eyes, he could have any woman he wanted. Naturally, Red is thrilled when he takes her hand . . .

She’s a modern woman, happy to canoodle with the sexy soldier, no strings attached—until her heart changes the rules. Suddenly, after months of casual hookups, Red finds she wants more. She longs to possess Sam body and soul. But his warrior’s heart was wounded long before he joined the service. As a therapist, Red has ways of making him talk. Only if Sam opens up and spills his secrets can they finally have everything their hearts desire . . .

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*****

Review:

(So who is surprised that this is the first of this series that I’ve read … no one?)

I have to admit, I’m not sure that I actually found Red to be that good of a therapist.  Unfortunately she lets her personal feelings take over and influence her interactions with Sam and, while he isn’t her patient, she should know better.  She recognizes it at one point but I think she didn’t take his feelings into consideration as much as she should have, as even just a normal person would.  And definitely not for a trained professional.

But I also felt really bad for her with the way her friends treated her a couple of times.  I don’t know if the author intended for us to pick up on a personality trait of her’s instead but I felt like she was the injured party.  There is one part where she’s helping a friend try on a wedding dress and gets cut off in the middle of a statement.  It just seemed rude and awful from someone who was supposed to be her great friend.  She does make some good strides by the end of the story.  While she still has some issues to work out and I really hope she continues to work on things – for her sake and for Sam’s.

Sam, though, absolutely stole the story for me – he’s so conflicted and for so many reasons.  From the very beginning his troubles just grabbed onto my heart and didn’t let go.   Between his up-bringing and his time in the military the poor man never had a chance of being all that well-adjusted.  Luckily he’s finally reached a stage in his life, and found a person he wants to commit to, that he’s willing to look his demons in the eye and come out the other side.

A complex story with thorny personal issues, Kisses Sweeter Than Wine isn’t an easy read but seeing Sam finally face his troubles makes it all worth while.  Maybe if I’d read the previous stories I’d have been even more involved in this couple, I don’t know, but I can definitely say that he won me over.

*****

Author Info:

Heather Heyford is the author of contemporary romances set in the wine country.

See what inspires her writing on her many Pinterest boards, read more about her on HeatherHeyford.com, and connect with her on Facebook and Instagram.

Website * Facebook * Twitter * Pinterest * Amazon * Goodreads

*****

Giveaway:

Win your own copy of Kisses Sweeter Than Wine

http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/23d974a9376/

*****

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