Book Reviews – Page 213

* Review * CLAIMING HIS SECRET HEIR by Joanne Rock

December 31, 2017 2 Comments

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * CLAIMING HIS SECRET HEIR by Joanne Rock

Claiming His Secret Heir by Joanne Rock
Series: The McNeill Magnates
Published by Harlequin Desire on January 1, 2018
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Can he win back his wife?

When Caroline McNeill shows up outside her husband’s mansion, she claims to have no memory of the past year…or their passion-filled honeymoon. But faking amnesia is the only way Caroline can find out if Damon was behind her abduction. She needs to trust him—a man she craves but still barely knows—before she can tell him about their infant son. Did the Silicon Valley mogul merely marry to claim an inheritance then dispose of her? Or is what they share real and forever?

A bittersweet reunion leads to the uncovering of secrets and lies as Joanne Rock brings the next of the McNeill Magnates to life! The plot is exciting as we wait to see who is behind the dastardly deeds and if their love can survive the deception. We didn’t see as much of the family in this book as we have been in previous ones in the series, but the legwork was there with occasional mentions of the back story. Quite an enjoyable read!

Unsure who to trust after she suffered an abduction, Caroline Degraff McNeill makes her way home to her husband Damon. She decides to play a ruse and pretend to still be suffering a deeper amnesia than she actually is to see if she can decipher whether he was in on her kidnapping or not. She has to know whether she can trust him with the news she has to share with him … that she delivered him a son a few weeks ago!

Damon McNeill has been living a nightmare since his wife disappeared just after their honeymoon. He’s finally come home to the family after searching the world over, and suddenly there she is … on the sidewalk in front of their house! Where has she been? Was this all some type of game to her or was she truly taken against her will? He’ll stop at nothing to get to the bottom of what happened to his wife!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Blog Tour / Review * Harlequin December Tour – ALWAYS A LAWMAN by Delores Fossen

December 29, 2017 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Blog Tour / Review * Harlequin December Tour – ALWAYS A LAWMAN by Delores Fossen

Always a Lawman by Delores Fossen
Series: Blue River Ranch
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on December 1, 2017
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Ten years ago, Sheriff Gabriel Beckett helped convict the man who murdered his parents in a shocking crime that still haunts his small Texas town. Now the terror has returned and the woman who escaped the attack is a target again.

Jodi Canton loved Gabriel—until that love shattered with his parents’ murder and her father’s conviction. Taunted with threats, she’s determined to bait the real killer out of hiding. Drawing out a criminal puts her life on the line, but Gabriel’s protection puts her heart in danger. Even if they survive a predator, can they risk everything to heal each other?

Danger lurks around every corner in the first installment of Delores Fossen’s Blue River Ranch series! The intrigue kicks off from page one and only grows more and more sinister as more suspects come to light in the threats against Jodi. The backstory of the plot is well laid out, the characters are interesting and well-developed and the overall story is really easy to get drawn into. Looking forward to more in the series!

Ten years ago Jodi Canton’s life was shattered. She was attacked and left for dead after being rejected by the man her young heart was sure she was in love with. On the eve of the anniversary of that tragic night, threats have started arriving to all of the key players in the small Texas town it happened in.

Sheriff Gabriel Beckett hasn’t forgiven himself for letting Jodi flee his house and straight into danger the night his parents were brutally murdered. He worked hard to put away the man found to be guilty of the crime … Jodi’s own father. Can these new threats possibly mean the wrong man is in prison?

Title: Always A Lawman

Author: Delores Fossen

Genre: Western Romance

Harlequin Imprint: Intrigue

Hosted by: Lady Amber’s PR

Blurb:
A sheriff’s heart-wrenching past threatens to destroy his future in USA TODAY bestselling author Delores Fossen’s brand-new Blue River Ranch miniseries…

Ten years ago, Sheriff Gabriel Beckett helped convict the man who murdered his parents in a shocking crime that still haunts his small Texas town. Now the terror has returned and the woman who escaped the attack is a target again.

Jodi Canton loved Gabriel—until that love shattered with his parents’ murder and her father’s conviction. Taunted with threats, she’s determined to bait the real killer out of hiding. Drawing out a criminal puts her life on the line, but Gabriel’s protection puts her heart in danger. Even if they survive a predator, can they risk everything to heal each other?

USA Today bestselling author, Delores Fossen, is an Air Force veteran who has sold over 100 novels. She’s received the Booksellers’ Best Award for romantic suspense, the Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice Award and was a finalist for the prestigious Rita ®. Her books have been featured in Woman’s Day and Woman’s World. In addition, she’s had nearly a hundred short stories and articles published in national magazines. You can contact the author through her webpage at: www.deloresfossen.com

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2Ap5BcS

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/always-a-lawman

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/always-a-lawman-delores-fossen/1126358013?ean=9781335721372#/

ITunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/always-a-lawman/id1234116243?mt=11

Title: A Christmas Bride for the King

Author: Abby Green

Genre: Holiday Romance

Harlequin Imprint: Presents

Blurb:

Reluctant ruler Sheikh Salim Al-Noury would rather abdicate than taint his realm with his dark secrets. Until one exquisitely beautiful diplomat is hired to persuade him to reconsider the throne… Christmas means heartbreak to Charlotte McQuillan, so working abroad over the festive season is the perfect getaway. But Salim proves to be her most challenging client yet as his rugged masculinity awakens untouched Charlotte to unimaginable pleasures! Soon Salim accepts that he alone can bear the weight of the crown. And his first proclamation will be to make Charlotte his Christmas queen!!

Abby Green has been hooked on romantic stories ever since she was a little thing, lying in bed, making her aunt tell her (over and over again) about a Prince and a scary forest and the Princess he was rescuing.

Thankfully (for her aunt), she learned to read and discovered the wonderful worlds of authors like Judy Blume, Jackie Collins, Jilly Cooper and Barbara Taylor Bradford to mention but a tiny few, as well as the great lexicon of Harlequin Mills and Boon romances.

A career in Film and TV as a 2nd Assistant Director was thrilling and exciting for many years, but Abby always had that other side of her that wanted to write and make up stories about Princesses rescuing Princes from scary forests – because we all know that’s how it really pans out, right?

After submitting to Mills and Boon in London and receiving a rejection letter, albeit with notes, she stuck her foot firmly in the door so it wouldn’t close, and about a year later, an author was born.

She was nominated in 2011 for the prestigious RITA© Award for her book ‘Breaking The Sheikh’s Rules.’

She lives in Dublin, Ireland and you can find out more about her and her books here: www.abby-green.com

Buy Links:

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

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-christmas-bride-for-the-king-abby-green/1126270976?ean=9781459293441#/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-christmas-bride-for-the-king

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/a-christmas-bride-for-the-king/id1229625073?mt=11

Title: His Secret Son

Author: Brenda Jackson

Genre: Romance

Harlequin Imprint: Desire

Blurb:

Three nights with a Texan…and one pregnancy surprise! Only from New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson! The Texas rancher and navy SEAL who fathered Bristol Lockett’s son died a hero’s death…or so she was told. Yet when Laramie “Coop” Cooper strolls into her exhibit at an art gallery three years later, he’s very much alive—and still making her pulse zing. The all-consuming chemistry between them is as undeniable now as it was then, but Bristol won’t risk her heart—or their son’s. Little does Bristol know he’s determined to win over his unexpected family at any cost!

Brenda Jackson, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author of over 100 novels and novellas, was born in Jacksonville, Florida. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from Jacksonville University. She married her high school sweetheart, Gerald, and they have two sons, Gerald Jr. and Brandon, ages thirty-six and thirty-four, respectively. She is an active member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. Her professional writing career began in 1995 with the release of her first book, Tonight and Forever. Since then she has written over 100 titles, which includes a made-for-television movie by BET, One Special Moment as well as the movie, Truly Everlasting. She was a 2012 NAACP Image Award Nominee for Outstanding Literary Fiction for her book, A Silken Thread; and was named Romance Writers of America’s Nora Robert’s Lifetime Achievement Award recipient for 2012.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://amzn.to/2As4mrp

B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/his-secret-son-brenda-jackson/1126482230?ean=9781488011993#/

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/his-secret-son-7

iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/his-secret-son/id1236538374?mt=11

Filed Under: Blog Tour, Book Reviews

* Review * SNOWED IN WITH THE RELUCTANT TYCOON by Nina Singh

December 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

Snowed in with the Reluctant Tycoon by Nina Singh
Series: The Men Who Make Christmas
Published by Harlequin Romance on December 1, 2017
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The spirit of Christmas…

Justin Hammond might be heir to a family business that thrives on Christmas, but for him the festive season holds only bad memories. Being drafted to make some tough financial decisions should be straightforward—until he meets feisty executive Carli Tynan.

With her zest for Christmas and determination to save her favorite Hammond’s store, Carli vows to remind brooding Justin of the holiday’s magic—starting with a kiss in the snow! Can Carli show this reluctant tycoon just how special Christmas can be?

A holiday to remember! With the second book starring the family surrounding Hammond’s Toy Store, Nina Singh brings us Justin’s story. We met his brother and learned a bit about their childhood trauma in the first book in this duet, but in this one we get to hear Justin’s take on it. The characters are really fun to get to know and the plot of the story is heartwarming. We get to see more of the past settled for the family in general, but the one surprising thing to me was that we didn’t get to see the brother’s meet up and reconnect as part of either book … that was disappointing, but overall the story was really easy to connect with and very enjoyable … and the future tidbits we got to see in the epilogue was sweet!

Justin Hammond finds himself being finagled by his long lost father into getting his foot into the family business, Hammond’s Toy Store by doing some consulting. When he suggests closing a severely underperforming store in the company fold, he finds himself meeting resistance in an unlikely place!

Project Manager Carli Tynan has been thriving working under his father, Jackson Hammond, and she dearly loves her job. When she hears the store in her hometown and the one she herself worked in as a teenager is under threat of being closed, she’s heartbroken! She has to find a way to prove to Justin how meaningful that location is … even if it means taking him along on a trip home to let him see it in action himself!

Filed Under: Book Reviews

* Review * THE BILLIONAIRES: THE STEPBROTHERS by Calista Fox

December 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

The Billionaires: The Stepbrothers by Calista Fox
Series: A Lover's Triangle Novel
Published by St. Martin's Griffin on December 26, 2017
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This pair of stepbrothers have their sights set on just one woman…

Scarlet Drake is an insurance fraud investigator hot on the heels of the thief who stole a multimillion-dollar art collection from tycoon Michael Vandenberg’s Hamptons estate. Unfortunately, the sexy Wolf of Wall Street is also her prime suspect—along with his equally mouthwatering stepbrother, Montana rancher Sam Reed. Scarlet quickly finds herself tangled up in the two devilishly handsome men, and ensnared in a web of family lies.

Michael is used to getting what he wants—and he wants Scarlet in his bed. Sam had no intention of getting emotionally or romantically involved with a woman again, but he can’t deny the sizzling chemistry with Scarlet. And when the three of them cave to one sinfully delicious night of sheer decadence, their sexy ménage becomes a fiery affair of the heart. But they don’t stand a chance at a happily ever after unless all of the absolute truths are finally revealed…

This is a standalone ménage romance with an HEA.

A sizzling connection takes us on a decadent ride in Calista Fox’s latest Lover’s Triangle installment! We’ve previously met Scarlet in her two best friend’s stories, so we’re not surprised to see her tough persona as an insurance fraud investigator. We get to enjoy her surprise at meeting not one, but TWO men who get her motor running with almost instantaneous combustion! The characters each have an interesting story all on their own that makes the plot thick with intrigue, and watching them all interact is super sexy! Really enjoyed the 3rd book in the series!

Scarlet Drake is dotting her i’s and crossing her t’s as she follows up on a decade old insurance payout in a stolen art case. She isn’t taking no for an answer when it comes to re-interviewing all of the key players involved, she just doesn’t expect to feel an instant attraction to not one, but two of the suspects!

Step-brothers Michael Vandenberg and Sam Reed don’t want any part of talking to an investigator and they both are dead set on ignoring her until she makes it impossible by showing up directly in front of each of them and making them tell their side. She ends up believing them … and gives in to mouth-watering desire to share in an unforgettable night of menage in their bed! When secrets are exposed will they be able to forgive the part she plays in ruining their fairytale family?

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* Review * BEST MAN UNDER THE MISTLETOE by Jules Bennett

December 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

Best Man Under the Mistletoe by Jules Bennett
Series: Best Man Under the Mistletoe
Published by Harlequin Desire on December 1, 2017
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Christmas wedding bells are ringing!

Everyone in Royal, Texas, now knows former special agent Gabe Walsh’s connection to the blackmailer terrorizing the town. And Gabe’s suddenly guilty by association. Worst thing is, Chelsea Hunt blames him for the compromising photos of her that everyone’s talking about. But since he and Chelsea are planning the Christmas wedding of their best friends, Gabe has many opportunities to show the sexy cowgirl just what a good guy he really is. And apparently he’s pretty convincing, because she soon winds up in his bed! But is this just a holiday fling or the real thing?

The blackmailer might have been caught, but the fallout is still wounding many! Jules Bennet takes us along for the ride as she writes the next riveting story in the Texas Cattleman’s Club: Blackmail series. We know who the culprit was now, but do we know everyone that had a hand in helping him? We’re going to find out! We recognize many of the familiar faces from previous books in the series and get to share in events from past couples as Gabe and Chelsea fight their attraction to each as long as they can before giving into temptation and taking us along on their sexy love affair!

Security specialist Gabe Walsh knows he’s guilty simply by association by a lot of folks in Royal, Texas as it comes to light that his uncle was the blackmailer known as Maverick who has been terrorizing members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club for months now. He can’t believe his own family was up to such shenanigans, but he didn’t have anything to do with it! He only hopes he can use his upcoming time planning his friend’s wedding to make Chelsea see that he’s innocent!

Chelsea Hunt was one of the most damaged of all in his uncle’s scheme, and she’s convinced he was the accomplice the police are still searching for that helped with taking and leaking the nude pics of her. Being thrown together with him in the planning of this wedding is not making her happy … because the more time she spends with him, the more she has to admit that he’s actually a really nice guy … and she no longer believes he could be guilty!

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* Review * CHRISTMAS WITH HER MILLIONAIRE BOSS by Barbara Wallace

December 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

Christmas with Her Millionaire Boss by Barbara Wallace
Series: The Men Who Make Christmas
Published by Harlequin Romance on November 1, 2017
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The magic of Christmas…

Abandoned by his mother on Christmas Day, James Hammond wishes he could simply erase the date. So when his company buys a new toy store devoted to Christmas, he wants to seal the deal and get home. Until he finds himself injured and under the care of employee Noelle!

Nobody loves Christmas more than young widow Noelle Fryberg! But could she be the one to change his mind and melt the millionaire's guarded heart?

A sweet Christmas romance! A disconnected workaholic meets his match when he meets a kindhearted woman who’s willing to look past his cold exterior to see his true self deep inside. Their love story is fun to read and left me pulling for their happy ending throughout! Well developed characters, a heartwarming setting and a rocky road leading to a well-deserved happily-ever-after!

Noelle Fryberg adores Christmas and working at the toy store she married into. She’s devoted to helping her mother-in-law make this last Christmas the best that it can be since she has sold out to a big conglomerate. When James Hammond shows up from Hammond Toy Stores to get the lay of the land and make recommendations about changes they will want to make, she can’t help but call him what he is … a big ol’ Scrooge!

James doesn’t have the best memories of Christmas since that’s the day his mother walked out on him all those years ago, so he’s not going to let Noelle’s sentimentality over traditions at the toy store change his plans for streamlining the most profitable location as possible. Only problem is, she starts to get to him … the young widow isn’t just a whirlwind at work, she’s also a sweet woman with a heart of gold who he finds himself falling for without even blinking an eye!

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* Review * MARTINEZ’S PREGNANT WIFE by Rachael Thomas

December 28, 2017 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * MARTINEZ’S PREGNANT WIFE by Rachael Thomas

Martinez's Pregnant Wife by Rachael Thomas
Series: Convenient Christmas Brides
Published by Harlequin Presents on January 1, 2018
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Expecting her husband’s baby

When Lisa Martinez last saw her estranged husband, Maximiliano, she was walking out on their relationship for good. Her heart and dignity in tatters after once more giving in to the temptation of Max’s seduction, she knew divorce was her only option. Except Lisa’s heartbreaking plans are halted by unexpected nine-month consequences!

Max never wanted a family, so Lisa is appalled when he refuses to relinquish his child and demands she return to their marriage bed! For their unborn baby’s sake, Lisa agrees. Dare she hope to find more than mindless pleasure in her husband’s arms?

Will they … or won’t they? The big question as we dash into this holiday romance is whether Max and Lisa will be able to salvage their marriage. He doesn’t want to risk his heart, she has already fallen hard for him and only wants to be loved in return. Will they be able to find a common ground to build on or will they walk away? The characters are intriguing and I enjoyed their connection and learning about the past that made him who he is today. The one thing that I thought would have added more to the plot was to actually bring their jobs more into the mix of daily life. They were supposed to be working together, yet we never really saw that interaction.

Maximiliano Martinez has a family past that leads him to close himself off from the world. He never planned to marry, but he was so taken with Lisa in the beginning that he thought he could make it work when they rushed into a wedding. He broke her heart when he told her he couldn’t love her and thought they should end their marriage.

Lisa Martinez fell hard for Max and even though he hurt her tremendously, she still fell into his arms again a couple of months ago when they were working late one night. She mistakenly thought it meant more than it did, but he rectified her thinking on that as soon as the morning came! Their marriage is close to being over … she’s just waiting on him to sign the papers … only now she’s added a little something to the pot that he just might not be able to walk away from so easily … an heir!

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* Review * RANGER PROTECTOR by Angi Morgan

December 28, 2017 1 Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * RANGER PROTECTOR by Angi Morgan

Ranger Protector by Angi Morgan
Series: Texas Brothers of Company B #1
Published by Harlequin Intrigue on January 1, 2018
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USA TODAY bestselling author Angi Morgan kicks off her new series with a spellbinding tale of crime and passion—Texas Ranger style!

All Texas Ranger Jack MacKinnon has to do is keep Megan Harper alive while they hunt down whoever’s framing her for a fatal shooting. But the gorgeous intelligence analyst is too independent for her own good—and Jack’s peace of mind.

With a false murder rap and hit men gunning for her, Megan has no choice but to trust the cowboy-handsome lawman. She isn’t used to playing it safe. Yet how can she let Jack put his career and life on the line? And how can they ignore the desire ratcheting up the stakes, tempting them to take one last risk before a killer erases their future?

Captivating from the first page! With her unique style of spinning a tale, author Angi Morgan brings us another set of Texas Rangers to fall for! This kick off to a new series is fresh and appealing as we meet the cast of characters and start our first case with them leading us into danger. The characters were fairly well developed, and the plot held my attention. Looking forward to more in the series.

Texas Ranger Jack MacKinnon doesn’t know what he’s walking into when he blindly takes his partners cryptic message to heart for the fact that someone needs his help. He can’t reach him back, and he has no further intel to go on, but he knows that he has to get Megan Harper to safety.

Megan isn’t used to depending on anyone. She’s tough and independent and enjoys solving her own set of crimes in her line of work, but when strange things start happening around her, she’s willing to listen to what Jack has to say when he rescues her from danger. When they realize she’s being framed for murder, they set out to find out what’s really going on … and why!

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* Review * THE RANCHER by Sarah M. Anderson

December 23, 2017 Leave a Comment

The Rancher by Sarah M. Anderson
Series: Men of the White Sandy #2
on November 30, 2017
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Mary Beth is the kind of woman who wishes she had a five-second delay on her mouth. The swath of verbal destruction she leaves is why she goes west to start over. But any resolve to hold her tongue is lost immediately when she meets Jacob, a Lakota cowboy who says next to nothing – especially about the black leather mask that covers half his face.

Jacob’s silence is his armor in a white man’s world, but even that isn’t enough to protect him – or the mute girl he guards – from forces he can’t control. Fascinated by the masked cowboy and drawn to defend the girl, Mary Beth finds herself in the middle of a decades-old power struggle that only she could talk her way out of.

Note: This book was previously published as Masked Cowboy in 2013

A connection when you least expect it! Veterinarian Mary Beth Hofstetter never expected to find love when she moved her practice out west to Faith Ridge, South Dakota, but it seems to be knocking at her door regardless of whether she wants it or not! The characters are quick to snag our attention. He’s a quiet, inexperienced in the ways of life Lakota cowboy, she’s an outspoken, go for what you want woman of the world … they don’t fit, but yet they do! A passion filled story with a soft and gentle side as he tries to protect the little girl that means so much to him from the danger that lurks nearby.

Mary Beth really can’t figure out what is up with the cowboy she deals with on almost a daily basis. In the evening he seems to almost flirt with her, but during the day he’s serious and almost surly. She can’t deny she’s attracted to him … even though half of his face is injured and covered in a mask, he brings new meaning to the term hunk!

Jacob Plenty Holes has worked hard to protect those close to him, but the dangers lurking around in the shadows still taunt him. He doesn’t know who was behind his injury and the death of his best friend a few years ago, but he’ll do anything in his power to protect the little girl he hides away. Mary Beth is a complication … she’s kind and good-hearted and sexy as all get out … but giving in to a relationship with her will bring danger in her direction as well. Can he keep resisting her?

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* Review * THE SURGEON KING’S SECRET BABY by Amy Ruttan

December 21, 2017 Leave a Comment

I voluntarily read an early copy of this book.

* Review * THE SURGEON KING’S SECRET BABY by Amy Ruttan

The Surgeon King's Secret Baby by Amy Ruttan
Published by Harlequin Medical Romances on January 1, 2018
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A family by New Year’s Eve?

Reagan Cote left war-torn Hermosa thinking the gorgeous surgeon she’d shared a brief affair with was lost on the front line. So she clung to the child she was carrying.

While Kainan Laskaris’s voice is damaged, he’s alive. And when he finds Reagan in Toronto and discovers he’s dad to their sick baby boy, he asks her to marry him. Now he’s king of Hermosa, he needs a queen and heir, but before she’ll accept, Kainan must prove that marrying Reagan means more than claiming his kingdom.

Unexpectedly reunited! Thrilled to see each other again after mis-truths are revealed and secrets start unravelling, Regan and Kainan try to forge through the obstacles surrounding them to see whether they can share a future together. The characters are fairly diverse and the plot is interesting. It might have lifted the interest a bit more to have lived more of the backstory as part of the current plot, but overall an enjoyable read.

The night before she shipped back home, trauma surgeon Regan Cote had one night of passion with her fellow surgeon Kainan Laskaris in war-torn Hermosa. She was devastated to hear that her friend and lover was killed right after he left their camp, and when she later discovered she was pregnant, she cherished the thought of having a piece of him live on.

Believed dead Kainan was actually only injured, but was left unable to speak/communicate properly. Imagine both of their surprises when they wind up working at the same hospital again. When Kainan, now secretly the King of Hermosa learns of their son, he immediately wants to make her his Queen, but she’s not so easily convinced that they fit into each other’s worlds!

Filed Under: Book Reviews