Back to You #1

Hard Crush

HARD CRUSH                                    MIRA  LYN KELLY

                                  

A jaded billionaire.
The girl who got away.
A second chance has never been so sexy.

ABBY
Technology has it out for me. And I’m not talking about my ever-ailing phone or the temperamental Smart Board in my classroom. I’m talking about the internationally hailed “Tech Genius” formerly known as the boy I used to love.

It was bad enough seeing that cocky smile staring back at me from my newsfeeds, the gossip sites, and—fine—the scorchingly hot men’s fitness magazine I bought in a moment of weakness. But now he’s back home, teasing me with the memories I’ve tried to leave behind, crowding into my space and taunting me with the kiss I can’t resist. I know it’s only a matter of time before I lose him again. He’s already told me he isn’t staying, warned me he’s changed. I know better than to let him get too close, so why can’t I push him away?

HANK
They call me a visionary. An innovator. Hell, last week a headline touted me as the billion-dollar geek keeping Silicon Valley’s panties wet. Try living that down. Strip away the media BS, and I’m just a tech-minded guy with my eyes on the future and no time for a past I can't change. So what am I doing following the sweet sound of its laugh back to the woman who passed on our chance at forever?

I tell myself all I want is to say hello. To see her smile. Just a few minutes to pretend we’re still the “us” I thought would never end. But once I've had a taste of the too tempting woman she's become, a few minutes isn’t enough.

The man I am today is used to getting what he wants, and I want her.
The problem? She wants the guy I used to be.

Ten years later, all that’s changed is… everything.

                                                                      CHAR'S  REVEIW

Abby Mitchel never really left her hometown. Once she found her forever home. The one she had with Dale and Lauren, she knew her days of moving around were over. It took Abby a long time to trust her parents, not to toss her back into the system again. No one understands the loneliness, abandonment, and mistrust issues children in the system have to face. It is a long hard struggle of change and no stability. It ate away at Abby.

When she met, Hank Wagner she told him that there was no sense in them becoming friends, because she’d be moving on soon. To her surprise, she didn't. She and, Hank dated for four years. The week before their breakup she was heartbroken over the hardest decision of her life. She had decided to tell, Hank about their dream of them being promised to each other, a house with a red door, a two chairs on the porch. And her being a teacher. Aren’t meant to be.

Well, being a teacher, is a sure thing. Everything else is a no. Abby had decided, she couldn't be that girl waiting around, for her man to come back for her. Which was a good, thing because it took him ten years to come, back to town. This tumbleweed may have physically moved from, the East Coast to, the Midwest of, Chicago closer to home. However, Hank kept blowing from one hotel in one country or another.

So, when they do reconnect a dinner date is not granted. Her fears are on full tilt. But, when he sees a guy hanging around, Abby he doesn't like what feelings that stirs up. Wilson is not a threat just, Abby’s colleague. This is such a good book. You see both make such a huge metamorphosis change by the end of the book that it's not until my husband and I are discussing it that I realize the impact of their changes and why, hit me. It causes waterworks for me.

                                                                           

Fireman's Forbidden Flame: An Enemies to Lovers, Brother's Best Friend Romance

Jennifer Rivers

FIREMAN' FOREBIDDEN FLAME

                                                          

  Forced to work with the hottest firefighter in town... Awesome right? Wrong! He's my brother's best friend and strictly off-limits! My hometown has been hit with a string of arson cases and my brother is the prime suspect. I’m back to report on the case and clear his name. But that means being forced to work alongside the last person I want to see …… Matt Reid! My brother's best friend and eternal jerk! But seeing him again. I had forgot how good he looks........ Forgotten how his t-shirt hugs his tattooed biceps...... Forgotten how he looks at me with hunger in those piercing blue eyes. Although I didn't want his help, I’m seeing a softer side of him I didn’t know he had, but Matt has a secret he’s been hiding. And he's not the only one! With the danger mounting, and the truth exposed, everything is going to be put to the test!

                             CHAR'S REVEIW

Kate received the worst call any family member ever wants to receive, that their loved one has been injured, especially when it takes hopping a plane to get to them. The worst part for sure getting the call from her brother’s best friend, Matt, the same one since grade school. When she arrives she is a little in awe at seeing him look more like a man, than an adult teen she left behind.

When she left she did hear from, Matt after one amazing college winter break. With her calls from her brother becoming fewer and fewer, she found it easier to slide right into her reporter's job and stay in New York. However, to hear Matt tell it, it was amazing. He never wanted her to leave. He gave her the final kiss but she left. Then she never responded to his text. So, now they are back together for the sack of Derek and who is behind the frame-up job.

Now, it will take all their attention to detail, and more to catch the people behind this horrible arson trail of blaze, the people are leaving. Meanwhile, someone made her brother the perfect scapegoat, when he was injured in the fire. Although she would like nothing more than to sit by Derek’s side until he wakes, the doctor says there is nothing that can be done at this time. His body needs to mend itself and meds take time to work.

Then, is when she knows what she has to do. After, getting all the information she can from, Matt she tells him the best thing she can do for her brother is her job. He can either work with her or he can stay out of her way. He knew every stubborn hair on her head but he made a promise to her brother by his bedside. He would keep her safe and find his attempted killers. Matt knows she is fantastic at her job, he has been an ongoing fan. He tells her he’s in and will share his files.

Such a good story with a sizzling atmosphere, for their second chance. This story grabs you at the beginning and holds you until past, The end.

                                                     

Alondra Valley #1

Feels Like Love

FEELS LIKE LOVE                                   JENNA HARTLEY

                                 

I'm secretly in love with my best friend's little sister.
 
So, I do what any good friend would—avoid her.
At least, until my house floods, and my best friend suggests I move in with Wren.
 
Resisting her has never been easy.
But when Wren convinces me to be her dating coach, it’s impossible.
 
The more we "practice," the harder I fall for her and her amazing son.
The more I start to believe what we have is real.
 
It feels like love, but is it worth risking my friendship with Wren and her brother to know if she feels the same?  

           CHAR'S  REVEIW

This is a very good story with a great cast of characters. Little River is a hoot.

Asher, Tristan, and Liam are all three of, Bennett Nash’s best friends. This book starts, with Liam’s sister, Wren having set her sights on, dating again. If we consider how she became the wonderful mother of, River without ever dating, you can almost understand, her brother’s craziness. Wren was eighteen, naive, and, Kade at the time, Liam’s friend he took advantage. Then, skips town. Knowing she had a crush. However, the trauma of River’s birth and the complications afterward they almost lost her. Justifying, Liam’s battle cry, “I AM HER BIG BROTHER AND I NEED TO PROTECTOR FROM ALL GUYS.”

Meanwhile, River is much older, and not only is, Liam important in his life so is, Bennett. Since Tristan had a wife and kids and, Asher was always baking, Bennett and, Liam hung out the most. Although, all four have a standard night, not they meet for drinks. It's then that, Liam finds out, that Wren has a date with a guy their age (6 years older,) that very night. Liam told the guys his mom needed him to check on something at the, shop because Wren had a date. Liam was, having none of that. Bennett was beyond uncomfortable hearing that, and he wanted to crush her date's head. Then, looking at his phone he sees who she was going to be going out with, and says no at least a half dozen times. Making Bennett nervous.

He asks, why? He’s too old, he’s thirty-two. Bennett thinks hey, I’m thirty-two. Exactly, he knows the bad things he did back in the day. Bennett tells him, he passed the bar, don't you think he’s, ok. Wait. Why was, Bennett endorsing this guy? They are meeting at, Larkspur for a date? What do you think you’re going to do to stop it? “Have a little chat with, Lucas.” Bennet didn't like, Wren dating either because in his heart for years he had been in love with her.

“You’re crossing the line. And if Wren ever finds out…” She’s not going to find out, he points at him and you are not going to tell her. Are you? Bennet says, “Liam, I’m telling you that it's wrong.” Bennett is concerned for, Wren. How would Wren feel? Would she see it as a rejection? That, Lucas stood her up for no apparent reason? In his head, he is protecting his sister by scaring off ALL her dates. What he doesn't understand is that he is chipping away at her as a woman by questioning her self-confidence, self-esteem, worthiness, and pride.

Things take an interesting turn when Bennett’s house gets flooded and he needs a place to stay. Liam calls Wren to see if, Bennett can stay there. She says, of course. What Liam doesn't know won’t hurt him, because she has had a crush on, Bennett for years. Not to mention, River and, Bennett love each other, and he will make a good role model to have around River. It's when Wren gets on a dating app things get weird.

Expect it to get hot under the sheets, tears, and a lot of laughter.

                                                                      

Alondra Valley #2

Love Like No Other

LOVE LIKE NO OTHER                    JENNA HEARTLEY

                                           

She came to my small town to get married and to be closer to her idol—her fellow romance author, Meghan Hart.

But when Penny’s fiancé left her at the altar, she needed an escape. One I was more than willing to provide.

It was supposed to be for one night, but it turned into something more.

The problem?

I’m Meghan Hart.

Now I have to decide whether to trust Penny with my secret or let her go for good.

                    CHAR'S REVEIW

Meghan Hart-for the past year Liam had taken on her persona full-time as his profession. You see no one, but, Tristan knows his identity, as a romance writer. That is because, Tristan’s wife, Tessa had been his beta reader. In lies the problem, she passed away out of the blue, devastating everyone beyond belief. Tessa was part of the core four, and not because she was married to, Tristan, nope. It's because back in the day she went on every adventure, with the boys. She was their ride-or-die girl.

That being said, Liam had to put out his next book, and his first book without, Tessa. Still dealing with her loss, leaving him grieving, and feeling vulnerable. Unfortunately, it showed in his writing. The readers were saying, his writing was lacking his spark, and the sex scenes were unoriginal. So, the volume doesn't matter, creativity does. Got it. He knew one book wouldn’t make or break his career. At least that’s what he keeps trying to tell himself anyway. He’s had twenty good books he has to be positive. He has nobody to talk to about his writing anymore, or kick hit but when he hits a slump.

He understands the air of mystery was part of the allure of his success and readers. However, he knows that’s not the reason he is still hiding his identity. The real reason is, that his grandfather the Mayor, and the man whom he had always looked up to, had told him that he was ashamed of him. That he wasn’t a real man because he, wrote p-rn for a living. Crushing Liam's heart but making him even more determined to succeed. At thirty-two he was feeling so alone. One friend passed, one friend grieving her madly, one married his sister, and the other is baking his heart out.

He and, Asher are going to have dinner in the bar at the winery where Asher, is working late. Everyone in town seems to be preparing, for the biggest wedding ever to happen in, Alondra Valley. No expenses were spared. What would you expect, from a billionaire and an author? That's right, one like him, a romance writer, Penelope Glass who is obsessed with him, Meghan Hart. As they're waiting for the check there is a flash of a woman in white with flowing material going past him.

Her scent of peppermint and eucalyptus hung in the air as her hair was bouncing and swaying. He was so mesmerized by her for a moment no one else existed. He can only say it was like the fire inside him that buns when he has a new idea for a book and he just has to sit and write down all the ideas that are bursting out. That is until the door to the kitchen, for staff hits him.

She asks him to hide her, and he does. They go into the tasting room and lock themselves in. They order food, drink wine, and as they say, wink, wink play piano. Both their lives actually begin when they, turn in their “E-ticket.” Before then they were looking at life through a peephole. Not as funny as book one, but still good.

                            NOT SEEKING MR. RIGHT

NOT SEEKING MR. RIGHT                         NATASHA MOORE

Ginny Colburn can’t believe she’s been dumped by her wedding date at the reception.

And everybody knows it.

So when a cute, younger man serving champagne to the guests flirts with her, she decides to really give the guests something to talk about and flirts back.

But the incredible one-night stand gives her more than great memories.

A few weeks later, she’s got a positive pregnancy test and the task of having to tell a guy half her age, “Congratulations, you’re a dad.”

Only he doesn’t react the way she thinks he will at all...

                                                              PAT'S REVIEW

I really liked this story, the characters were funny at times and also serious. The story has Ginny, a forty-year-old woman arriving at a wedding shower not wanting to go in but noticing a naked guy dressing in the parking lot. Getting her attention right away she goes towards him and once he finishes dressing they introduce themselves, she helps with his tie and yet they each find the other attractive.
Though Josh is working the event he continues to look for Ginny and when they are free he finds her to dance. When he finds out about her ex they agree to one stand in order for her to wipe away her ex. Weeks later though she finds herself pregnant after telling Josh and saying no to his proposal the story still has many fine moments between the two of them with her learning to cook from him and going to yoga which she never thought she would do. Though he is still in love with her after the third proposal and yet another rejection, he leaves once again. She, of course, being older than his twenty-five years feels like he would be giving up his dream and she wants him to go, not realizing that maybe she and the baby are his dreams now. This book will keep you going from page to page once you start it and with all of the characters in the book you have enough to like and dislike as you go along. A very good story about life and very much worth the read.

                          Branded

(Joe Noose #3)                           

BRANDED                                                    ERIC RED

A new kind of evil has come to the Old West. A killer as cold and hard as the Wyoming winter. He wanders from town to town. Slaughters entire families along the way. With grotesque glee, he brands the letter Q in his victims' flesh. Joe Noose knows the killer's identity. He recognizes the killer's brand. He bears the same scar from his childhood--and he's determined to stop this madman once and for all. Two U.S. Marshals have agreed to help Joe. But they've never hunted a killer like this before. A sadist who kills for pleasure--and scars you for life... 

PAT'S REVIEW

For me, this was the time I read this author and I enjoyed the book and the characters. Joe Noose knows the killer because he carries the brand “Q” from him from when he was a kid. Now along with two U.S. Marshals are tracking the killer down.
I Like the character Bess Sugarfoot, a Marshal, and daughter of a Marshal who was killed. You feel that there is something that could happen between her and Joe but Joe does not want to do anything about his feelings. The story moves along at a good pace and will keep you entertained all the way through. Good characters as well. I received this book from Netgalley.com

 THE CRIMSON TRAIL                       ERIC RED 

Joe Noose knows what fear looks like. He sees it in the eyes of his new friends--a dozen trail-hardened cattlemen who don't scare easily. It's not the 500-mile trek across treacherous Montana territory that's got them spooked. It's not the 3,000 heads of cattle they've got to wrangle either. They're afraid that someone on this drive--one of their own team--is a serial killer. Five wranglers are already dead. Every man is a suspect. And the woman rancher in charge is paying Joe Noose to root out the evil on this cursed cattle drive--by riding alongside the killer... 

PAT'S REVIEW

This book really has two stories going one is Joe staying for a cattle drive that he and Marshall Bess came upon at the end of the last book. They part ways but you hope they met up again. Joe is trying to find the killer of the rustlers of the herd he is with because there is a man from Texas that does not want the female owner to make it to market. There is also someone else on her team that wants them dead as well. This part of the story is full of action and keeps you going throughout the book.
The other part of the story happens with Bess and what is happening back in her town and with some of the wives who have left their husbands because they were being beaten. This part of the story is really interesting and only adds to the whole book and makes up for some moments on the cattle drive that might not be so interesting. Between both, you have a very good book with wonderful characters. Very much worth the read. I received this book from Netgalley.com