Archives for September 8, 2019

* Review * COWBOY TO THE CORE by Maisey Yates

September 8, 2019 Leave a Comment

Cowboy to the Core by Maisey Yates
Series: Gold Valley #6
Published by HQN Books on June 18, 2019
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Gold Valley’s wildest cowboy has finally met his match…

Jamie Dodge is confident she knows everything there is to know about cowboys. She grew up surrounded by them, after all. But somehow her new boss, champion saddle bronc rider Gabe Dalton, and his brand of cowboy charm have her interested in all kinds of things she never has been before.

There are a million reasons Gabe should ignore his attraction to Jamie. He needs her horse-training skills on his family’s ranch…and the Dodge brothers would happily hurt him for touching her. Forget kissing her. He’d be a dead man. But Jamie’s tough-talking attitude masks an innocence that tempts him past the breaking point…and soothes the restlessness that’s dogged Gabe his whole life. Has this cowboy finally found a place he wants to call home?

COWBOY TO THE CORE is book six in the Gold Valley series by Maisey Yates and revolves around a hard as nails cowgirl and a rodeo champ/rancher with a twist on an office romance type of scenario.

For those familiar with the Gold Valley series, you will quickly recognize Jamie from meeting her in the former books centering around Get Out of Dodge ranch. She has left her job at the ranch to go work with Gabe setting up a refuge for older horses, and it doesn’t take her long to realize that for basically the first time in her life, she’s attracted to a cowboy. She’s grown up in the lifestyle and thought she knew them upside down but Gabe brings out feelings in her that she’s not so sure she’s ready for.

Gabe knew Jamie’s horse skills would be beneficial to his set-up at the ranch, but he didn’t realize how much he would be drawn to her as a person. They each have a large part of their past tied to family events and as they work their way through their own hang-ups, they tear down a lot of walls with each other.

I highly recommend this book to anyone wanting a small town romance with tons of emotion and grit. Jamie and Gabe were golden together and even though they kind of tore each other’s hearts out in the midst of it all, the way they slide into that happily ever after is simply magical! This entire series has been great and are all stand-alones, but I highly recommend reading them in order as it brings a much deeper connection to each group of characters to already know the family and background.

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* Review * SNIPER’S PRIDE by Megan Crane

September 8, 2019 Leave a Comment

Sniper's Pride by Megan Crane
Series: Alaska Force #2
Published by Berkley on May 7, 2019
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After Mariah McKenna lands in the hospital with a life-threatening anaphylactic reaction she knows she didn’t cause, she realizes her cheating, vindictive husband would rather have a dead wife than a divorce. Afraid that he will succeed in killing her next time, Mariah goes to Grizzly Harbor to hire one of the Alaska Force special operatives to help her survive long enough to finally live a little.

Griffin Cisneros traded in a comfortable future for boot camp, where he learned the virtue of patience and focus—skills that served him well as a Marine sniper. Few things get to him these days, but something about Mariah’s mix of toughness and vulnerability gets right under his skin. Until it’s clear she’s the one thing in the world that might melt the ice in stoic, reserved Griffin, whether he likes it or not.

If he can just keep her alive...

SNIPER’S PRIDE is Book Two in Megan Crane’s Alaska Force series and centers around a former Marine sniper turned security expert and a former trophy wife in an exciting take on an enemies to lovers story.

Mariah instantly becomes ensnared in a reader’s heart when a second trip to the hospital with Anaphylaxis in a short time period leads her to fear for her life from her high powered estranged husband. We go along for the ride as she flees town and searches out help to keep her alive.

Griffin is a hard nut to crack. He seems cold and unfeeling and even almost mean, but almost immediately upon meeting Mariah you can perceive a connection between the two of them.

I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a happily ever after between an unlikely pair, and who enjoys intrigue along with their romance. I’m looking forward to more to come in the series.

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* Review * HOT TO THE TOUCH by Jaci Burton

September 8, 2019 Leave a Comment

Hot to the Touch by Jaci Burton
Series: Brotherhood by Fire #1
Published by Berkley on May 7, 2019
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Love burns white-hot in this first scorching romance in an all-new trilogy about a family of firefighters from the New York Times bestselling author of the Play-by-Play novels and the Hope series.

Firefighter Jackson Donovan doesn't look back—as a rule. So when his past comes roaring back to life in the form of not-so-damsel-in-distress Becks Benning, the last thing he wants to do is relive old times. No matter how tempting she makes it seem...

Now thanks to his two interfering brothers, Becks is living with them while she looks for a new place and tries to pick up the pieces of her tattoo business that went up in flames. Which means a grown up, smokin' hot Becks is in his house, sharing meals, and digging up old wounds. And despite his better judgement, the more time he spends with this smart, artistic, incredible woman the more he wants her in his bed—and his future.

Becks always had it bad for Jackson. Unfortunately for her, not much has changed--he's still honorable, hard-working, sexy as sin—and closed off. But there's more than one way to get to a man's heart and if Jackson doesn't want to recall old memories, she'll just have to help him make new ones. Because now that she's found Jackson again, she's not letting him go.

HOT TO THE TOUCH is first book in a new Brotherhood by Fire series by Jaci Burton that revolves around a trio of brother firefighters. This book reunites the eldest bro with a blast from his past in a twist on a friends to lovers type story.

Rebecca AKA Becks is quick to catch the reader’s sympathy when she is about to hit rock bottom when her tattoo shop is damaged due to wiring problems left unattended by a no-good landlord and she’s suddenly without a place to earn money, or a place to live. Fate seems to be looking out for her when she’s suddenly reunited with some old friends who offer her a place to crash.

Jackson is sullen and brooding when it comes to dealing with the subject of that past, so he’s less than thrilled to have this person his brother’s are fawning over suddenly interfering with their quiet life. He doesn’t want to reminisce about the old days … he lived them up close and personal and wants to forget it all.

I recommend this book to anyone enjoying a good firefighter hero, along with a close knit family and a drama filled past to delve into as the book plays out. I’m looking forward to more to come in the trilogy.

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* Review * NOTHING BUT TROUBLE by Amy Andrews

September 8, 2019 Leave a Comment

Nothing But Trouble by Amy Andrews
Series: Credence, Colorado #1
Published by Entangled: Amara on April 30, 2019
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For five years, Cecilia Morgan’s entire existence has revolved around playing personal assistant to self-centered former NFL quarterback Wade Carter. But just when she finally gives her notice, his father’s health fails, and Wade whisks her back to his hometown. CC will stay for his dad—for now—even if that means ignoring how sexy her boss is starting to look in his Wranglers.

To say CC’s notice is a bombshell is an insult to bombs. Wade can’t imagine his life without his “left tackle.” She’s the only person who can tell him “no” and strangely, it’s his favorite quality. He’ll do anything to keep her from leaving, even if it means playing dirty and dragging her back to Credence, Colorado, with him.

But now they’re living under the same roof, getting involved in small-town politics, and bickering like an old married couple. Suddenly, five years of fighting is starting to feel a whole lot like foreplay. What’s a quarterback to do when he realizes he might be falling for his “left tackle”? Throw a Hail Mary she’ll never see coming, of course.

NOTHING BUT TROUBLE is the first book in the Creedence, Colorado series by Amy Andrews and it is laugh out loud funny! The story revolves around a former NFL quarterback and his long-time personal assistant in a delightful boss/employee to lovers story.

Cecilia AKA CC is a super fun character. She truly likes Wade as a person, but she’s getting so fed up with being at his beck and call 24/7 that she’s ready to throw in the towel. It just so happens that her investments have paid off and are handing her the opportunity gift-wrapped … she just has to work up the willpower to tell Wade she’s leaving.

Wade is delightful! He’s hot, sexy, kind-hearted and just enough of a spoiled man-child that we have to crack up time and again at some of his antics. I couldn’t have enjoyed this guy more.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys snarky comedy mixed into their romance. If this is any indication of what Creedence, Colorado is going to be like, I’ll be jumping on the future books in the series bandwagon right away!

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* Review * FAKING IT by Stefanie London

September 8, 2019 Leave a Comment

Faking It by Stefanie London
Series: Close Quarters #1
Published by Harlequin Dare on September 1, 2019
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Owen Fletcher is the most irritating man I’ve ever met…and the hottest fantasy I’ve never forgotten. I haven’t seen him since he left the police force to work as a security expert in New York, but now he’s back in Melbourne to help my department break up a ring of jewel thieves. The catch? We’re going undercover as husband and wife.

Getting up close and personal with Owen is messing with my professional focus. I should definitely not be dreaming about running my hands through Owen’s hair and kissing his smart-ass mouth. But there’s a solution: a no-strings affair to get him out of my system. For one night, I’ll take charge of my own pleasure and invite Owen to explore the red-hot chemistry that’s threatening to combust at any moment…

FAKING IT is the first book in Stefanie London’s brand new Close Quarters series in the Harlequin Dare line and it centers around a newly pinned detective and her former co-worker/turned security expert in a sexy frenemies to lovers story!

If you’ve been a fan of Ms. London for awhile now, you will probably quickly recognize Owen as a character we were familiar with in her Harlequin Blaze series The Dangerous Bachelors Club. It was super fun to finally get more of Owen’s story and see him get that happily ever after he so deserved!

Hannah tried to keep up a wall, but it quickly crumbled when she was in close proximity to Owen again. I felt a bit of a disconnect in the whole undercover story line, but the chemistry between these two characters was spot on and carried the book throughout!

I recommend this book to anyone loving a little sass and bickering with your steamy romance! I’m looking forward to more to come in the series.

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* Review * CONSTANT RISK by Janie Crouch

September 8, 2019 Leave a Comment

Constant Risk by Janie Crouch
Series: A Bree and Tanner Thriller #3
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on September 1, 2019
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The hunters

Become the hunted.

Deputy Tanner Dempsey and Bree Daniels are tasked with unraveling a deadly mystery in Dallas—one that involves transmitting live feeds of victims trapped in tanks as they fill with water. Bree’s computer genius is their only hope at solving the crime. Knowing the darkness in Bree’s past, Tanner is determined to make sure she comes out of this emotionally unscathed. Especially once they both become a killer’s next target…

CONTANT RISK is book three in Janie Crouch’s Risk Series featuring Bree and Tanner Thrillers and picks up where we left of in the Bree and Tanner saga. I wasn’t sure the first book that introduced Bree’s terror to us could be topped, but book three is equally unputdownable and kept me on my toes throughout.

Tanner is thinking of the future and is trying to figure out where Bree is with her state of healing from her ordeal when we first get back into their lives, but his attention soon turns elsewhere when they are called in to help with an odd case in Atlanta.

Bree doesn’t hesitate to step in and help when Tanner tells her that her computer skills just might be the break they need to help take down an unsub who is kidnapping women and video taping them on a live feed as their would-be-coffin fills up with water. It’s a race against the clock to save these women, and just when they think they’re home free, a blast from the past shows up to turn it all upside down!

I highly recommend this story to anyone who enjoys intrigue from start to finish with a little back drama built in. This series has been great and with only one more book to come, I’m itching to see how Ms. Crouch will delight us all again. You can’t go wrong with any book in this series!

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* Review * SAFE IN HIS ARMS by Anna J. Stewart

September 8, 2019 Leave a Comment

Safe in His Arms by Anna J. Stewart
Series: Butterfly Harbor Stories #6
Published by Harlequin Heartwarming on September 1, 2019
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She’s pushed everyone away…

…but is he her forever?

Ex-soldier Kendall craves solitude after a heartbreaking accident, and she finds it in the small town of Butterfly Harbor. That’s until handsome writer Hunter MacBride moves into town with his orphaned niece, Phoebe. Their arrival triggers painful memories for Kendall of the family and life she lost—but Hunter also shows her the promise of a life she could still have, if she’s prepared to take the risk…

SAFE IN HIS ARMS is book six in Anna J. Stewart’s Butterfly Harbor series and centers around a photojournalist and a war veteran in a second chance at love story.

Hunter was an easy character to grow fond of because his story is about taking in his orphaned niece and trying to help her forage through the grief of the loss of his sister and brother-in-law. He and Phoebe are well developed and bring a good bit of life to the story line.

Kendall is a familiar face to those following along in the series. She came to Butterfly Harbor because she was basically at the lowest point of her life and her friend Matt convinced her to try the town that brought helped rescue him. Her past is slow to evolve in the story and there are some holes left in it that left me wanting a little more, but overall she was a joy to watch come to life again.

I recommend this book to anyone who loves small town life and rediscovery after loss. Each book in this series brings forth a powerful story line and a great cast of characters that carry forward throughout. Highly recommend the entire series!

Filed Under: Book Reviews