“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.
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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