Book Reviews – Page 2

* Review * ENDANGERED HEIRESS by Barb Han

April 17, 2018 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * ENDANGERED HEIRESS by Barb Han

Endangered Heiress by Barb Han
Series: Crisis: Cattle Barge #2
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on May 1, 2018
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A shocking inheritance makes her a Texas-sized target

When a wealthy Texas oilman is murdered, the tiny community of Cattle Barge, Texas, is turned upside down. And rancher Hudson Dale’s former cop instincts are on high alert. Especially when lovely Madelyn Kensington crashes into his life claiming she’s an heiress of the deceased. And someone wants her dead! The sexy cowboy offers his help and protection. Now, Madelyn must trust a complete stranger with her life. But would she trade her inheritance for his love?

A whirlwind of danger is no match for their instant infatuation! With the second book in the Crisis: Cattle Barge series, we follow up on the murder of a wealthy oilman that we learned about in the first book in the series and we are introduced to a possible child that the family didn’t know about! We’re drawn into the action quickly and left chasing leads throughout to see who is terrorizing her, and whether she really is a Butler! The story was a quick read with enough excitement to keep us invested throughout. Really enjoyed it!

Former cop Hudson Dale isn’t sure what to make of the situation when he’s suddenly faced with an unfamiliar woman who looks in dire need of help. He’s quick to secure the scene and get her out of danger, but he’s left with a lot of questions and the worry that someone will be back on her tail soon.

Reporter Madelyn Kensington never expected to be chased down by a madman, but she’s thanking her lucky stars that Hudson was in the right place at the right time to help her. She’s only in town to find out the truth about her past, and with all of the suspicious behavior going on around her, she’s not so sure who she can trust … if anyone!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * FROM FLING TO WEDDING RING by Karin Baine

April 17, 2018 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * FROM FLING TO WEDDING RING by Karin Baine

From Fling to Wedding Ring by Karin Baine
Published by Harlequin Medical Romances on May 1, 2018
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She thinks she wants no strings…

Can sexy surgeon Ben change her mind?

Nurse Mollie Forrester has a reputation as an ice queen, and the scars from a childhood accident have convinced her no man could love her. When she’s paired with handsome surgeon Ben Sheridan in a dance competition, Mollie discovers he’s not the playboy everyone thinks he is. She finds passion in his arms—but can Ben persuade Mollie she’s worthy of love?

A touching story of healing oneself from the inside out! The heroine of the story has a bit of a chip on her shoulder, which we quickly understand when we learn what she’s been through, but we also start to hope that Ben will be able to chip away at it. He seems like such a nice guy and she’s practically throwing a golden opportunity away. The story is fairly fast moving, and the added drama of family issues makes for an interesting dilemma. A pleasantly fulfilling read!

Nurse Mollie Forrester still carries a lot of scars around with her after a childhood trauma … both physical and mental. She believes that no one could truly love her because she is flawed, so she goes out of her way to keep people from getting too close to her. When she finds herself with no choice but to get up close and personal with a sexy doc, she doesn’t know how she will remain her usual cold and off-putting self!

Dr. Ben Sheridan couldn’t be happier to be partnered with Mollie in a dance competition fundraiser. He’s always liked her no-nonsense approach on the job and respects her a lot. Spending time with her leads him to see another side to her that he really enjoys and wants to get to know more .. but she isn’t so sure about this more than temporary thing that he’s proposing!

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* Review * HIRED TO WEAR THE SHEIKH’S RING by Rachael Thomas

April 17, 2018 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * HIRED TO WEAR THE SHEIKH’S RING by Rachael Thomas

Hired to Wear the Sheikh's Ring by Rachael Thomas
Published by Harlequin Presents on May 1, 2018
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“I want to hire you—as my bride.”

Until she makes him want more…

Tiffany is the perfect candidate to be Jafar Al-Shehri’s temporary wife. In return for meeting him at the altar, he’ll clear her sister’s debt. Yet this convenient arrangement to secure his crown soon leads to unbridled passion! But Jafar’s throne is still at stake—is their craving for each other enough to make Tiffany more than just the sheikh’s hired bride…?

A fast-paced, whimsical take on a modern-day marriage of convenience! We’re captivated by the rugged broodiness of the hero from the first page of this book, and watching him quickly connect with the woman who is only supposed to be a glorified business arrangement is a lot of fun. She’s quite taken with him, though she knows she shouldn’t be, and when they decide to allow themselves to give in to temptation during their short-lived marriage, she falls hook, line and sinker. It was a tad fast moving with a lack of depth to the overall plot, but the dialogue and character personas made it easy to enjoy none-the-less!

Sheikh Jafar Al-Shehri knows within a few minutes in the presence of Tiffany Chapelle that she’s the answer to all of his problems! He needs a temporary bride to make sure he secure’s his crown from interlopers, and she has a debt that desperately needs paid. It’s a win-win situation … but they weren’t supposed to enjoy each other’s company and find it so hard to resist the temptation right in front of them!

Tiffany knows it’s a short-lived marriage, but she finds herself wishing for those happy ever afters that every woman dreams of … too bad he’s keeping secrets that could come back to bite him!

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* Review * BURNED by Christina Phillips

April 17, 2018 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

Burned by Christina Phillips
Series: Viking Bastards MC #3
Published by Entangled: Scorched on April 16, 2018
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Ty...

Ten years ago I offered her everything, and she threw it back in my face. When she walked, I vowed no other woman would ever screw with my head the way she did. I moved on. Now I'm the V.P. of the Bastards, run my own nightclub, and nameless sex keeps me sane. No commitment or ties, just the way I like it.

Now she's back, for one week only, gorgeous, successful, and I can't keep away. She offers a long goodbye, a way to heal our fractured past. She burned me so bad––there's no way I should even want to be near her. But the more she gives, the more I need. Until I discover the real reason she left, and my whole damn world implodes...

An emotionally raw explosion of passion! With the third book in her Viking Bastards MC series, Christina Phillips does not disappoint when she brings us Ty’s story! It’s a reunion neither expected, but the second they lay eyes on each other, it’s like no time has passed. They still ache with desire for only the person in front of them even though their relationship had a toxic ending. This entire series, while a milder version of a motorcycle club, has introduced us to powerful, dominant men who know what they want when they see it and let nothing get in their way … and watching them fall for the one woman they can’t turn away from has been pretty magical! Really enjoyed Jas & Ty’s story!

Years ago, teenage Tyson Jenson offered his girlfriend Jasmine O’Brien the world, and thought she was in it for the long haul with him … until suddenly she blindsided him with the news that she was leaving. Now VP of his motorcycle club, Ty lives life hard and has no other use for a woman than to warm his bed for one night and then be on their way while the next one lines up! He doesn’t need the pain of falling for someone to just have them rip his heart out like Jas did.

Jasmine O’Brien finds herself back in town for one week … back to the memories of the love she shared with Ty. Running into him shouldn’t affect her after all of these years, but it’s impossible not to feel the connection between them the second their eyes meet again. She knows he hates her for leaving, and she has unresolved feelings about it all too … so she offers up a one more go-round goodbye to get each other out of their systems once and for all. Only neither can walk away after only one night, so they agree to the week … but secrets have a magically way of becoming unraveled and when Ty learns the true reason she left, the world as he knew it will never be the same again!

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* Review * FALLING FOR THE BROTHER by Tara Taylor Quinn

April 17, 2018 Leave a Comment

Falling for the Brother by Tara Taylor Quinn
Series: Where Secrets are Safe
Published by Harlequin Superromance on March 1, 2018
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A brother’s secrets, a brother’s love

Head of security Harper Davidson is shocked when her ex’s grandmother becomes the newest resident at The Lemonade Stand shelter. The suspected abuser? The woman’s own grandson, Harper’s ex-husband. None of this makes any sense. And yet she knows his brother, Mason Thomas, would not make these accusations lightly. For her daughter’s sake, Harper agrees to help Mason uncover the truth.

Clouding the investigation is the attraction that still lingers between her and Mason—a temptation Harper won’t give in to again. Harper’s loyalty and emotions are divided once more. And when past secrets come to light, she’s not sure who to trust…

An exciting addition to the Where Secrets Are Safe series! With her signature style of writing, Tara Taylor Quinn always enchants her reader with an in depth characterization that has us quickly hooked into the story line. This book is no different. The first chapter reveals the clincher of what the book is about and throughout various ups and downs, we follow along trying to figure out if he’s truly guilty or not. The romance wasn’t the key aspect of this book, but the mystery kept me hooked. I enjoyed it!

Head of security at The Lemonade Stand, Harper Davidson never expected someone she knew to come through the doors as their newest victim, much less that the accused would be her ex-husband! When Harper gets the info that her ex’s grandmother was admitted overnight and that his brother has listed her ex as the person that injured her, she can’t believe it. She’s never known that side of Bruce … but she also knows that Mason is a stand-up guy and would never accuse him if he didn’t truly think it was true. She’s not sure what to think!

Mason Thomas will do anything to protect his grandmother, even if it’s his own brother who is hurting her! He hasn’t seen Harper in several years, but he knows she will help him get to the bottom of keeping his grandmother safe while he investigates to find out what truly happened. Along the way, the feelings they have both kept hidden over the years come back to the surface and make for an interesting situation!

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* Review * THE SHADOW by Sarah M. Anderson

April 16, 2018 Leave a Comment

The Shadow by Sarah M. Anderson
Series: Men of the White Sandy #3
on March 8, 2014
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Nobody Bodine is a nobody who came from a nobody and will always be a nobody.

He disappears into the shadows—no one sees him if he doesn’t want them to. He exists in neither the white man’s world nor the tribe’s, dispensing vigilante justice when he sees fit. There’s no other place for a man like him in this world.

Until Melonie Mitchell shows up on the rez. From the first moment he lays eyes on her, he can tell there’s something different about her. For starters, she’s not afraid of him. She asks where his scars came from, and why he has so many. But more than that, she sees him. For the first time in his life, Nobody feels like a somebody in her eyes.

Melonie has come west to run the new day care on the White Sandy Reservation. She’s intrigued by this strange man and his tattered skin, and when she discovers that he’s a self-appointed guardian angel for the boy in her care, she realizes that there’s more to Nobody than meets the eyes. But how far will he go to keep the boy safe? And will she be able to draw him into the light?

This book was previously published as Nobody.

Heart-wrenching, powerful and a super sweet love story! I knew there was something special about Nobody from encounters with him in the previous books in the series, but getting to know his past and seeing the true person he is inside was really special. I think he might just be my favorite hero in the series so far! The characters were quick to draw me into their story, and I hoped against hope that she was going to be able to convince him to take a chance on her. Loved their special connection and their story!

Melanie Mitchell has just arrived on the White Sandy Reservation to stay with her sister, Dr. Madeline Mitchell and to start up a day care center adjacent to the clinic. She doesn’t know what to make of the strange visitor that comes around to visit her sister’s husband Rebel, but she’s intrigued. He’s silent, strong and scarred and she thinks there’s a lot more to his story than he tells.

Nobody Bodine lives in the shadows letting life pass him by. He isn’t much for this world and thinks no one could want a man like him, but Melonie soon shows him different when she takes an interest in him. When they find themselves on the same side helping out a troubled young boy, it takes their relationship to a whole new level, but when Nobody endangers their future, can she find a way to calm him like no other?

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* Review * MASTER COLE by Marie Tuhart

April 16, 2018 Leave a Comment

Master Cole by Marie Tuhart
Published by Trifecta Publishing House on February 19, 2018
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Janie Murphy’s glimpse inside of lifelong friend Cole Daniels’ special playroom has her intrigued, even if she has no physical experience with such wild pleasures. She only knows she’s been attracted to him for years and yearns for a relationship between them – and she’s not afraid to try a little kink.

Dominant Cole Daniels never imagined he’d find himself in the position of dragging a very grown-up and very attractive Janie out of a BDSM club. And when she challenges him to be the one to teach her the joys of the wilder side of intimacy or allow someone else the sheer pleasure of initiating her, he can’t resist.

As Janie begins to fall in love, witnessing a true power exchange causes her the painful realization that touching Cole’s heart is beyond her dreams.

When Janie leaves him, can Cole open his heart to the woman he truly loves? And will she be willing to handle all of Cole?

Friends to more in the blink of an eye! The friendship and familiarity of the main characters makes this a more personal feeling book than you might often get right off the bat. I loved their connection, and I felt for each of them as they felt their way through where this was all going to lead for them. It’s a pretty mild read in the world of BDSM, but the close-knit relationship made it special.

Janie Murphy has been curious about the BDSM lifestyle for years now, ever since she got a glimpse of her life-long friend Cole’s masterful playroom! She’s living back in town now and just so happens to be staying with Cole, and she’s determined she’s going to get him to open his eyes to the woman in front of him even if she has to play with someone else to prove her point!

Cole Daniels is furious when he has to go and drag Janie out of a BDSM club. Yes, she’s a grown woman and can make her own choices, but he’s not going to let any other man touch her! He won’t admit his feelings about her, but he makes a deal to teach her the things she wants to know in a loving way. Something happened in his past that made him close off a part of his heart, and even now when things are so good with Janie, he can’t release his feelings and give her the love that she wants. It breaks her heart, but she’s willing to walk away if she has to!

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* Review * EDGE OF DARKNESS by Karen Rose

April 15, 2018 Leave a Comment

Edge of Darkness by Karen Rose
Series: The Cincinnati Series
Published by Berkley on February 6, 2018
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Homicide detective Adam Kimble is no stranger to battling demons. But Meredith Fallon is a different kind of weakness: one that could actually be good for him, if only he would let himself depend on her. Meredith has loved Adam for a year, and seeing how hard he's worked to deal with his PTSD makes her feelings only stronger, but she respects his needs. Her work keeps her busy anyway: she counsels sexually abused women like Mallory Martin to help them reintegrate into the world.

But someone doesn't want Meredith helping women like Mallory, and Meredith finds herself in the crosshairs of a very determined killer. Adam would risk anything for her, but they'll soon find out she isn't the only target...

Captivatingly addictive with a shocking outcome! From the very start of this book I was drawn into the mystery of who was secretly pulling the strings of all of the goings ons around the area, and why. Here and there it would lead us to suspect one person, then a little later we might think it’s someone else. A very thrilling read with in depth characters, a well developed plot and an eery uneasiness as we came into contact with yet another person around each corner that could be involved in the mystery. I really enjoyed it!

Homicide detective Adam Kimble might have distanced himself from the woman he dearly wants in his life, but he’s only doing so until he gets stable and healthy enough to be the man he thinks she deserves to have in her life. He’s holding on by a thread as he tries to be patient until enough time has passed, but when he hears that she’s at the scene of major danger, he doesn’t hesitate to run to her side!

Psychologist Meredith Fallon doesn’t understand why Adam has pushed her away for the last several months, but she’s thrilled to have him arrive and try to pinpoint what in the world just happened right in front of her. She counsels traumatized and at risk youth, and for some reason someone seems to be targeting her … and maybe even some of her young clients!

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* Blog Tour / Review * THE SOLDIER’S HOMECOMING by Patricia Potter

April 13, 2018 5 Comments

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Blog Tour / Review * THE SOLDIER’S HOMECOMING by Patricia Potter

The Soldier's Homecoming by Patricia Potter
Series: Home to Covenant Falls
Published by Harlequin Superromance on April 1, 2018
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He’s looking for roots. She won’t be tied down.

Army ranger Travis Hammond needs to heal physical and emotional wounds. A job in Covenant Falls checking out equine therapy programs for veterans is a start, but it’s only temporary. And he doesn’t need a partner, especially some reporter with the persistence of a terrier and irresistible green eyes. Like Travis, Jenny Talbot’s just passing through town. Unlike Travis, Jenny knows exactly where she’s going next—back to the Middle East, as soon as she recovers from her own war injury. But there’s a bend in the road for both of them.

An emotionally riveting read! Two lost souls find a friend to believe in as they each recover from their own traumas and find their way into each other’s hearts. The story was very easy to get hooked into and the characters felt real. This town seems to have a healing power on veterans who return home from fighting for their country and then find themselves floundering to return to life and daily living. It’s very humbling to see so many different sides of what they have gone through and continue to live through as they heal. Great series!

Major Travis Hammond is trying to figure out which path to take in his life now that an injury has side-lined him. When a friend reaches out to him to be a consultant in setting up the equine therapy program in Covenant Falls, it seems like a great program to take his mind off of his troubles for the time he needs to make up his mind about his future.

Reporter Jenny Talbot was wounded doing a story in the Middle East, and is now passing time while she heals and waits to go back. When she hears about this town that seems to call to veterans, she knows she just has to visit and do a story on them. When she gets there and meets Travis and feels the tension the town feels about spotlighting the people who want privacy most, she agrees to center on the program and not on the people. She knows this story is going to be powerful and she wants to get it just right.

On Tour with Prism Book Tours

The Soldier’s Homecoming
(Home to Covenant Falls #5)
by Patricia Potter
Contemporary Romance
Paperback & ebook, 384 pages
April 1st 2018 by Harlequin Superromance

He’s looking for roots. She won’t be tied down.

Army ranger Travis Hammond needs to heal physical and emotional wounds. A job in Covenant Falls checking out equine therapy programs for veterans is a start, but it’s only temporary. And he doesn’t need a partner, especially some reporter with the persistence of a terrier and irresistible green eyes. Like Travis, Jenny Talbot’s just passing through town. Unlike Travis, Jenny knows exactly where she’s going next—back to the Middle East, as soon as she recovers from her own war injury. But there’s a bend in the road for both of them.

Goodreads│Amazon│Barnes & Noble│Harlequin

Other Books in the Series

About the Author

Patricia Potter is the USA Today Bestselling Author of more than fifty books. She has received numerous writing awards, including RT Storyteller of the Year, its Career Achievement Award for Western Historical Romance and its Best Hero of the Year Award. She is a seven-time RITA finalist and three-time Maggie Award winner. She has served as president of Romance Writers of America.The Soldier’s Homecoming is her fifteenth book for Harlequin.

Prior to writing fiction, she was a reporter for the Atlanta Journal and president of a public relations firm.

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Tour Schedule

April 9th:
Launch
It’s All About the Romance
Simply Kelina
underneath the covers
April 10th:
Colorimetry
Deal Sharing Aunt
Locks, Hooks and Books
Harlequin Junkie
April 11th:
Mello & June, It’s a Book Thang!
Nicole’s Book Musings
Inside The Mind of an Avid Reader
E-Romance News
April 12th:
Wishful Endings
Two Points of Interest
Hearts & Scribbles
April 13th:
SilverWoodSketches
Thoughts of a Blonde
Teatime and Books
April 14th: Grand Finale

Tour Giveaway

– 1 winner will receive a $25 Amazon eGift Card (open internationally
– 1 winner will receive signed print copies of of THE SOLDIER’S PROMISE, TEMPTED BY THE SOLDIER, A SOLDIER’S JOURNEY, and THE SEAL’S RETURN (US only)
– Ends April 18th

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Reviews

* Blog Tour / Review * EXPECTING A SCANDAL by Joanne Rock

April 12, 2018 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Blog Tour / Review * EXPECTING A SCANDAL by Joanne Rock

Expecting a Scandal by Joanne Rock
Series: Texas Cattleman's Club: The Impostor
Published by Harlequin Desire on April 1, 2018
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Five months pregnant and on her own. Even so, she can’t resist this rugged rancher…

Solely responsible for her unborn child, Abigail Stewart is desperate for the art commission at Royal Memorial Hospital. Winning over the sexy Texan on the board seems impossible, but Vaughn surprises her with his response. And his attention. And a sizzling connection that defies all logic. But even if he can accept her baby, will Vaughn’s dark past tear them apart?

Instant attraction brings the pages to life! As we delve deeper into the Texas Cattleman’s Club: The Imposter series, Joanne Rock brings us the story of a taken advantage of woman and a weary doctor who find an instant connection and set out to enjoy the ride while it lasts! The characters were easy to connect with, the story was a fast paced, easy read and the plot while having the underlying connection to an on-going mystery, had it’s own story as well that drew me in quickly. I really enjoyed it!

Abigail Stewart never expected to find herself pregnant and alone at this point in her life. She’s a talented artist and really needs this new commission at Royal Memorial Hospital … only problem is, the handsome doctor that is throwing up roadblocks!

Vaughn Chambers is from a wealthy family, and became a surgeon because he wanted to, not out of need for a prestigious career. He’s recently back from a medical deployment in the Army and isn’t handling the things he saw very well. His brusque attitude is the first thing Abigail notices about him, but she also notices what a kind and gentle soul rests behind the demons weighing him down!

Five months pregnant and on her own. Even so, she can’t resist this rugged rancher…

Solely responsible for her unborn child, Abigail Stewart is desperate for the art commission at Royal Memorial Hospital. Winning over the sexy Texan on the board seems impossible, but Vaughn surprises her with his response. And his attention. And a sizzling connection that defies all logic. But even if he can accept her baby, will Vaughn’s dark past tear them apart?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B076B16TG4/ref=nav_timeline_asin?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/expecting-a-scandal-joanne-rock/1127202013?ean=9781488091926

iBooks: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/expecting-a-scandal/id1294225791?mt=11

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/expecting-a-scandal

GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Joanne_Rock_Expecting_a_Scandal?id=oxM5DwAAQBAJ

Excerpt from Expecting a Scandal by Joanne Rock

April 2018

“Detaching isn’t a problem for me,” Vaughn admitted, unwilling to confess how deeply he wrestled with the fallout from that skill. “Sometimes that makes me far too abrupt, as you witnessed firsthand in today’s committee meeting.”

He watched Abigail’s face, locking on her expression before he continued. “Were you venting negative emotions about that when you drew the picture of me?”

Perhaps she’d been expecting the question, or maybe she’d simply been more prepared to revisit the topic after her initial embarrassment about the sketch. She lifted a brow, her gaze wary, but she didn’t flush with discomfort this time.

“You noticed that and didn’t say anything?” She shook her head with a rueful laugh and leaned up against a built-in counter with cabinets below and shelves overhead. Paintbrushes in every size imaginable hung on a rack over the shelves. “I guess you are good at detaching. If I saw someone had made a picture of me, I would have been quick to ask a hundred questions about it.”

His gaze traveled her body, where her position drew all the more attention to her curves.

“I was curious.” He shoved his hands in his pockets to combat the urge to touch her. “I just didn’t think it was the right moment to ask.”

“Truthfully, yes, I felt frustrated about the meeting when I returned to the studio. I didn’t have any preconceived idea of what I would draw. I just sat down to blurt out anything that came to mind.” She met his eyes directly. Openly. “I was surprised when I saw you take shape on the paper.”

He wanted to think he’d ended up there because they had a connection. An undeniable spark.

Because the longer he lingered in Abigail’s sunny studio, the more he felt his normal boundaries crumbling. And while he wanted that—craved following up on the attraction simmering between them—he wasn’t sure how he would handle anything beyond simple lust. The realization made him edgy.

She filled the silence that followed with a sudden question. “Would you like me to finish the drawing?”

His throat went dry. The question had gotten complicated in the space of a moment as he started to recognize that Abigail wasn’t going to be the kind of woman who would be open to a purely physical relationship.

“I wouldn’t want to keep you from your work.” He couldn’t think of a more eloquent retreat with Abigail moving toward him. Touching him again.

“Not at all.” She took his hand briefly to lead him toward a chair near her painting spot, her touch fanning the flame inside him, making him think about so much more. “Have a seat and I’ll finish up. You can see what it’s like to watch an artist at work.”

In the space of five minutes, Vaughn realized he’d somehow used up all his emotional reserves today. All of his ability to detach. Because that simple touch from Abigail sent all the wrong messages to his brain. He hadn’t given himself the outlet of a sexual relationship since he’d returned from Afghanistan. And now, the consequences of that had him on sensory overload, when he’d already battled the aftermath of a hellish surgery this morning.

A perfect storm of too many emotions without enough time to process them. He should have taken the time to go home and pick up Ruby before he came here. Having his dog beside him would have helped.

But he was already sitting in the seat Abigail had shown him when she returned with a heavy pencil in one hand and her half-made sketch in the other. She set both on a low table nearby, then moved closer to him, her gaze all over him. Studying him.

Seeing inside him somehow.

“Do you mind if I position you just a little?” she asked, already setting aside the folder he’d been carrying.

He wasn’t sure if he’d agreed or not. His forehead broke out in a sweat. Warning heat blasted up his back. He wanted her.

“Here.” Abigail set her hands on his shoulders and gently shifted them toward her.

She stood close, her knee brushing his thigh as she moved him, her breasts at eye level. She smelled like cinnamon and oranges, a spicy, tangy fragrance that would be burned into his memory forever. Sunlight kissed her face as she lifted his chin with one palm, her eyes taking a critical assessment of his features while he battled lust and a whole knot of other things he couldn’t come close to naming. Hunger for her gnawed at him. Hot. Persistent.

“I’ve got to go.” He clamped a hand on her wrist. Too hard at first. But then, realizing his responses were all out of whack, he gentled his hand. Released her. “I’m sorry, Abigail. I forgot that I said I would—” He rose from the chair. Sidestepped her. “Upload my notes on a critical care patient after some—” His brain worked to come up with something vaguely believable before he did something stupid. Like kiss her until they were both breathless. Senseless. “Technical difficulties at the hospital.”

His voice rasped drily as he grappled for control.

“Of course.” She nodded even though she appeared as perplexed as he felt. “I’m sure I’ll see you at the hospital when I start work on site.”

“Right.” He didn’t reiterate his offer for her to come by his ranch. He needed to get his head on straight first. “I’m sure you will.”

Backing out of the door, he lifted a hand in a quick wave.

“Thank you for coming by. I couldn’t be more excited about the project,” she called after him.

But Vaughn didn’t answer. He was down the steps and seated in his truck in no time, slamming the door behind him while he turned over the engine and blasted the air-conditioning on his overheated body.

He didn’t know what the hell he’d been thinking, pursuing this sudden attraction he was clearly not ready to handle. Maybe some other day, when he wasn’t already depleted from a surgery that had brought back too many memories. But for right now, he needed to put some distance between him and a woman who stirred a surplus of emotions. No matter how much he thought he had mastered detachment, Abigail Stewart made him realize he’d only succeeded in getting damn good at lying to himself.

About Joanne Rock:

Four-time RITA nominee Joanne Rock has never met a romance sub-genre she didn’t like. The author of over eighty books enjoys writing a wide range of stories, most recently focusing on sexy contemporaries and small town family sagas. An optimist by nature and perpetual seeker of silver linings, Joanne finds romance fits her life outlook perfectly–love is worth fighting for. A frequent speaker at regional and national writing conferences she enjoys giving back to the writing community that nurtured and inspired her early career. She has a Masters degree in Literature from the University of Louisville but credits her fiction writing skills to her intensive study with friend and fellow author Catherine Mann. When she’s not writing, Joanne enjoys travel, especially to see her favorite sports teams play with her former sports editor husband and three athletic-minded sons.

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