Toughest Cowboy in Texas by Carolyn Brown

Last time Lila Harris was in Happy, Texas, she was actively earning her reputation as the resident wild child. Now, a little older and wiser, she's back to run her mother's café for the summer. Except something about this town has her itching to get a little reckless and rowdy, especially when she sees her old partner-in-crime, Brody Dawson. Their chemistry is just as hot as ever. But he's still the town's golden boy-and she's still the wrong kind of girl.

Brody hasn't had much time lately for anything other than ranching. Running the biggest spread in the county and taking care of his family more than keeps him busy. All that responsibility has him longing for the carefree days of high school-and Lila. She may have grown up, but he still sees that spark of mischief in her eyes. Now he's dreaming about late-night skinny dipping and wondering how he can possibly resist the one woman he can never forget

Series: Happy, Texas #1 | Publisher: Forever |Genre: Contemporary Romance| Source: Publisher | Rating: 4 Cups

I love a good reunion romance. There’s always history, usually a bit hurt that needs to be healed, and a whole lot of love still lingering around. And that’s exactly what’s happening in this one.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Lila, the wild child, has returned to her hometown and now she’s itching to do something wild. And when Brody, the boy that broke her heart, walks into her mom’s café, the feeling to get a little rowdy amps up. Brody knows he messed up when he hurt Lila all those years ago, but now that she’s back, he plans to make things right. He just needs to prove to her he’s not the same guy he was before.

 

It’s been a while since I’ve picked up a Carolyn Brown book so, needless to say, when this one arrive, I did a little happy dance because I know reading one of her books means that I’m in for a good time.

 

I liked Lila, for the most part. In the past, she was a bit wild and now she’s having trouble living that reputation down. She’s grown up and got her act together but the residents of her hometown still see her as a troublemaker. Brody’s a solid and dependable guy. Not only does he take care of the family ranch, he also helps his sister out with her kids. He knows he made a mistake in the past and he regrets it and he’s willing to do anything to prove to Lila he’s not going to hurt her again.

 

The chemistry between them was off the charts. Years have passed, but they are still stuck on each other. There’s a deep history between them also a deep a hurt that needs to be healed. I do understand why Lila was a bit leery of Brody. But the guy was practically giving her his heart and telling her to stay, so I didn’t really get behind Lila leaving the state and making him chase after her.

 

This was book one in her new Happy, Texas series and it was fun getting to know the residents. Like most small towns, they were a bit quirky, totally nosey, and completely lovable.

 

Overall, I couldn’t put this book down. There was sass, sparks, and spirted characters and I can’t wait to get more of this series.

 

 

What’s your favorite romance trope?

 

 

   

One Taste of Angel by Violetta Rand

Eagle

I’ve bled for my club. Taken four bullets. Buried eight brothers in six years. Screwed a hundred women. And only loved one. The one I lost. But there's something about Serafina that reminds me of just exactly what was taken from me. Not just because I can't resist a damsel in distress.

Serafina

To Eagle, I’m dead. Murdered and cremated, my ashes interred at the local cemetery. Part of a past I left long ago to save his life. Seeing him now, touching him again makes me weak, even if he doesn't recognize the woman I've become. Since my escape from Holly Beach five years ago, I’ve lived by my own rules. And no matter how much I love Eagle, he’s not going to break those rules.

 

Series: Iron Norseman #1 | Publisher: SMP Swerve| Genre: Contemporary Romance| Source: Publisher | Rating: 3 Cups

Challenges Read For: Bad Boys of Romance

What happen when the president of a MC falls for the woman he thought was dead?

 

Here’s what’s going on. When Eagle rescues Serafina from a bachelor party, there’s something about her that he’s drawn to and he’s willingly to do anything to protect her. There’s a reason Eagle’s drawn to her, even though he doesn’t realize it. Serafina is Angel, the woman he loved and thought was dead. She fake her death to save them both from her brother’s MC. And now that she’s be found out, the danger is back.

 

The blurb of this one intrigued me. It offered ‘two star-crossed lovers from rival MC's, divided by their families' bloody history’. So basically, they’re supposed to be the Romeo and Juliet of the MC world.

 

And things were going good. The prologue had all the danger and grit I love in a MC romance and the first few chapters had me hooked. Then it started losing that MC feel and started turning into a bit more mainstream. Eventually it did pick up that MC feel again only to lose it after a few pages. That rival MC feel that was promised, was lacking because there was very little club business going on. Sure, it was mentioned from time to time but nothing like what I was expecting.

 

I did like Eagle. He’s been through the ringer. Angel’s ‘death’ not only crushed his soul, it caused his Iron Norseman brothers to die. So, he’s been emotionally gutted  and, at one point, he was ready to give up just to be with her. I didn’t really care for Serafina/Angel. She just seemed selfish, even when she had a chance to confess who she was, she let Eagle believe she was someone else. And what I couldn’t understand is why she faked her death rather than going to the Iron Norseman for help. The club accepted her as one of their own and would do anything to protect her. And Eagle was a big boy, if she would have told him what was going on, he could have handled things.

 

So, the romance was hot and steamy and there was an attraction between them but I couldn’t buy some of the romance, especially once he found out she was Angel.

 

A few things just didn’t make sense to me like how easy it was for Eagle and the rest of the Iron Norseman to accept Angel back into their lives. Her actions caused club members to die and nearly cost them Eagle’s life. Lives were lost and trust was broken so I just don’t see a them accepting her back into the fold. Then there’s this whole ‘we’re one percenters’ thing. Yeah, they’re totally legit, so definitely not one percenters.

 

Overall, the book promised more than it delivered. If it would have just been a modern day Romeo and Juliet story rather than a MC book, it would have made a world of difference and I would have rated it higher. As a MC book, I just couldn’t buy their actions.

 

What’s your favorite MC series?

Do you prefer them gritty or mainstream?

 

 

 

   

Physical Forces by D.D. Ayres

Macayla Burkett is no ordinary private eye. She’s a pet detective, dedicated to tracking down missing dogs and cats. When two famous racing greyhounds disappear and turn up dead, Macayla finds herself in the midst of a much more serious case. And when the thieves target her and threaten her life, she realizes she’s in grave danger—until a ridiculously handsome stranger enters the picture …

Oliver Kelly may look like a male stripper, but his muscles aren’t just for show. The gorgeous Australian is co-owner of a K-9 Search and Rescue service dedicated to saving those in danger. When he and his K-9 partner, an Australian shepherd named Jackeroo, rescue the fiery detective from trouble, the sparks begin to fly. And when they join forces to stop a widespread case of animal theft, it unleashes a torrent of passion that’s impossible to tame…

Series: K-9 Rescue #6| Publisher: St. Martin's Paperbacks | Genre: Romantic Suspense | Source: Publisher | Rating: 3.5 Cups

This one was a bit different from what I normally read but it has a bit of everything and a sexy Aussie.

 

Here’s what’s going on. Macayla’s a pet detective who reunites missing pets with their owners. Normally, the only hazards of her job are scratches and bites. When she discovers that the two missing greyhounds she’s been searching for are dead, her job just got a lot more dangerous. Then Oliver Kelly enters her life. As co-owner of BARKS, a K-9 Search and Rescue unit, it’s his job to save people. So, when he discovers Macayla’s in trouble, he and his dog Jackeroo are determined to do what they can to help her, although, for once, Oliver’s feelings have nothing to do with his profession and more to do with Macayla.

 

I loved how they first met: He thought she was homeless, she thought he was a male stripper in town with the Thunder from Down Under male revue. It was quirky and funny and totally worked to get my attention.

 

So, Oliver was one sexy beast. He’s co-owner of a world renowned search and rescue outfit and he’s dedicated to his work. Up until he met Macayla, he was content with just a bit of casual sex but now it seems he found the one to make him want more. He’s definitely this alpha male type but it comes on cute rather than in-your-face annoying. Macayla was interesting. She’s dedicated to her job and cares about the animals she rescues. She’s a bit naïve but she has moxie. While she’s strong, there’s also this fragile side to her. And it takes her a while to figure out she can lean on Oliver.

 

The romance started out with chemistry and lust but actual development was a bit slow going as the two revealed their secrets and helped each other through them. I really enjoyed these two on the page together. They were a bit quirky, totally snarky, and so much fun.

 

There is a bit of mystery to this one and while I had my suspensions, I was never completely sure until the end. While the main mystery was tied up, a few threads were mentioned and never really addressed. It would have been nice to have had them closed as well.

 

While I enjoyed this one and found it different from what I normally read, a few things kept me from rating it higher. There wasn’t enough of Oliver in the book. Most of the book focused on Macayla, which gave the book an uneven feel. It felt like I was having Macayla overload, but it barely scratched Oliver’s surface. I would have also liked to have seen something from Oliver’s work, given that this is a Search and Rescue book.

 

There’s also this odd little sex scene. The set up was nice and steamy—they’re having sex in the ocean—and she’s worried that she’ll lose her panties, so he puts them on her head. So, while they’re getting down and dirty in the surf, all I can think about is the fact she’s wearing a pair of lacey panties on her head.

 

Overall, everything about this one was new-to-me: author, subject, and character’s professions. And I found that interesting. There were a few hiccups for me and it, occasionally, hit a few slow spots—did we really need the scene where she’s cleaning out a saltwater fish tank? But, for the most part, I enjoyed it and I’m itching to check out the books that came before this one.

 

 

K-9 Rescue Series

Necessary Force (novella)

Irresistible Force

Force of Attraction

Primal Force

Rival Forces

Explosive Forces

Physical Forces

 

 

   

Size Matters by Alison Bliss

Leah Martin has spent her life trying to avoid temptation. But she's sick of low-fat snacks, counting calories, and her hyper-critical mom. Fortunately, her popular new bakery keeps her good and distracted. But there aren't enough éclairs in the world to distract Leah from the hotness that is Sam Cooper - or the fact that he just told her mother that they're engaged . . . which is a big, fat lie.

 

Sam sometime speaks before he thinks. So what started out as defending Leah's date-ability to her judgmental mother soon turned into having a fiancee! Now the plan is to keep up the fake engagement, stay "just friends," and make Leah's family loathe him enough to just call the whole thing off . But Sam has an insatiable sweet tooth, not only for Leah's decadent desserts but her decadent curves. Her full lips. Her bright green eyes. Yep, things aren't going quite according to plan. Now Sam has to convince Leah that he's for real . . . before their little lie turns into one big, sweet disaster.

 

Series: A Perfect Fit #1 | Publisher: Forever |Genre: | Source: Publisher| Rating: 4 Cups

Challenges Read For:  Blogger Shame

I’m such a sucker for the fake mates trope and this delivered all the yumminess. It had humor, heart, emotion, and heat and it hooked me from the start.

 

Here’s what’s going on. To save Leah from her mother’s criticism, Sam announces that they’re engaged. There’s only one little problem: it’s a lie. Leah and Sam barely know each other but now they’re stuck sharing a weekend with her parents and grandparents. To ‘fix’ his mistake, Sam agrees to use the time with her family to make them hate him so it will look real when Leah ends the fake engagement. Although the more Sam tries to make her family dislike him, the more he finds himself falling for Leah and her crazy family.

 

Sam and Leah were great together. . I really enjoyed seeing what they were going to come up with next. He’s a total alpha male, swoon worthy, good with his hands, and has a sweet tooth. Leah’s a baking genius, sweet, funny, and caring but she’s dealing some insecurities thanks to her mother

 

They both have some issues they have to work through before allowing themselves to fall, which added to the romance for me. It felt believable and I was rooting for them to finally get it together.

 

Okay, so I started this one out on audio and Violet Strong (the narrator) just didn’t work for me. Even though I liked the book, if I would have continued with the audio, I would have DNF’d it because she was just so whiney. Thankfully, I remembered I had an e-arc.

 

Overall, this was my first book from Alison Bliss and it was a great introduction to a new-to-me author. It was one of the laugh-out-loud books that also had the feels. I can’t wait to read more from this author.

 

 

A Perfect Fit Series

Size Matters

On the Plus Side

 

 

   

Outlander Series Reading Challenge Check-In Post #4

Hello Lovelies! First off, apologies for the post not showing up last month; I had some blog and personal issues going on.

 

So, we’ve made it to out 4^th check-in and our 5^th month of the Outlander Reading Challenge Check-In! Give yourselves a pat on the back and a dram of whatever strikes your fancy.

 

I want to say ‘thank you’ to those who have joined in! As of today, we’re up to 169 members in the Facebook group. If you haven’t joined the Facebook group, please do so. It’s great place to interact with others joining in.

 

 

A few people have had questions about what counts in this challenge, so here’s a quick list.

 

 

Ø Books must be read in 2017

 

Ø Re-reads count

 

Ø All formats (print, digital, or audio) count

 

Ø Any Outlander-related book counts (the big ones, the shorts, the additional material such as the companion books, graphic novel, behind-the-scenes book, and the cookbook)

 

Ø Yes, the Lord John books count.

 

I’m still plowing through volume one of the Outlander Companion. It truly is a brick of a book but it’s full of interesting information and is great if you need to recall a character but don’t want to search through the books to figure out who he/she is. I’m still playing around with the Outlander Kitchen and I’ve found a few new recipes I want to try out. I’ve been trying to listening to Outlander on audio and, well, it’s going a bit slow. I’m just not so sure Davina Porter is my cuppa tea.

 

So, Lovelies, what are you reading? If you’re rereading, are you discovering new things? Have you tried a different format of the book? Newbies, what do you think? Do you have a favorite character other than Jamie and Claire?  

May DNF Roundup: The Ladies’ Man by Susan Mallery

She'd resolved to "act more sophisticated" and "get out more". But the rumpled bedding, the coffee brewed by other hands, and The Note reminded Rachel Harper that she'd done something completely out of character. She'd brought a man home from a bar.

 

And apparently made a baby.

 

She'd been nervous to tell Carter Brockett the news. Oh, she felt strangely safe with him despite his dangerous looks. Worse, she liked him. But what must he think of the naïve schoolteacher who'd lost control and gotten herself knocked up? After all, the man had a legion of exes who'd been unable to snare a commitment, and here she had a forever-binding one!

 

Then she remembered. He'd lost control, too.

 

I’m usually a fan of Susan Mallery so I was excited when Harlequin reached out and asked if I was interested in reviewing the audiobook of Ladies’ Man when the title was re-released at the start of the year.

 

It sounded intriguing: Rachel’s a good girl who wants to get a bit wild and live a little, Carter’s an undercover cop not ready to settle down. There’s a one-night stand and consequences from that. So, it sounded like it was going to be my cuppa tea. Sadly, this was the type of tea I’d born straight down the drain.

 

Here’s where it started going wrong, so wrong.

 

Carter’s upset because Rachel didn’t call and he accuses her of using him.(I’m totally fine with that part.) What irked me was Rachel’s reply that, ‘I’m the woman, I can’t use you.’ Seriously, Rachel? Seriously?!  Strike One.

 

Then when Rachel tells Carter there are ramifications of their night together, his mind automatically assumes STD, then he goes on a tirade about how can the heroine have unprotected sex with a stranger and then he gets irate that she’s not on the pill. So Carter says, “You let yourself have sex with me without protection or birth control?”  Okay, Carter, it takes two and you decided to go bareback. So, most definitely Strike Two.

 

And to top it off, she asks him to sign away his rights. Strike Three. I’m done.
 

Then throw in Carter’s ex-girlfriend stick her nose into Carter and Rachel’s private business and revealing it to his family, who happens to be the world’s most meddling family.

 

I just couldn’t take any more of the madness and turned this one off for good.

It happens. The dreaded DNF. You know you’ve had one or two, or ten. Rather than posting them individually, I decided to do a monthly roundup of the books I’ve DNF’d. 

 

 

   

Lucas by Delores Fossen

A Texas Lawman will do anything to protect his son—even if it includes reuniting with the boy's on-the-run mother…

Lucas Ryland always had a way with the ladies—until Hailey Darrow dropped him after a shared night of passion. Then he discovered her unconscious body in a wrecked car, with a fake ID and enough cash to disappear. Unbeknownst to him, the one who got away was leaving town with his baby…

Now Hailey is out of her coma and still in danger. But hiding her at his Silver Creek ranch ignites old passions…and introduces new dangers. Lucas must use every protective instinct in his arsenal to keep Hailey and their infant son safe. And keep his body from remembering how good it felt to hold her in his arms…

Series: Lawmen of Silver Creek Ranch #13| Publisher: Harlequin Intrigue | Genre: Romantic Suspense | Source:  Publisher| Rating: 1 Cup

You know things aren’t going to end well when you’re only a few pages in and the heroine already has you going, ‘don’t be an idiot’.  Seriously. Don’t. Be. An. Idiot.

 

Here’s what’s going on: Hailey’s been in a coma for three months, although she was pretending the last week of it. Apparently, she’s superwoman because while she was pretending to be in a coma, she was getting out of her hospital bed and exercising her legs while no one was watching. *Insert Eye-rolling here* She knows she needs to make a run for before the hitman catches up with her, so she attempts to hijack her ex’s SUV. When he catches her, he ends up taking her back to his family’s ranch so all his law enforcement family members can protect her and their son. 

 

The blurb sounded intriguing and I’m always up for a solid romantic suspense, but this one just didn’t do it for me. And, if I would have realized that this one was part of the Lawmen of Silver Creek Ranch series, I would have passed. I think I’ve DNF’d most of the books I received from this series, with the expectation of Kade and it only received a 2 Cup rating.

 

Normally, I’m a fan of Delores Fossen, but every book in this series is basically the same. A TSTL heroine is rescued by a Ryland, who happens to be their ex, generally a baby/child is involved, murderers are after them, the heroe’s angry, and there’s little romance and a whole lot of inappropriate lusting/loving when people’s being shot at.

 

 

Overall, this series just isn’t for me.

   

The Lawmen of Silver Creek Ranch

Grayson

Dade

Nate

Kade

Gage

Mason

Josh

Sawyer

Landon

Holden

Drury

Lucas 

           

Dare to Stay by Jen McLaughlin

Bruised and bloodied on Boston's mean streets, Chris O'Brien is reeling from the loss of his childhood best friend. But after barely escaping a hit placed on his head, Chris is desperate to live. A chance encounter leads him to the perfect safe haven - the home of a girl from his childhood, Molly Lachlan. Before he has fully considered what it would mean to involve her in his mess, he lets her take him home.

For Molly, letting Chris into her house means also letting him into her life. Danger and desperation are coming off of him like steam, and yet she can't bring herself to turn him away. His bad-boy charm always had a hold on her, but now there's a soulfulness and sorrow in him that she's never seen before. And despite the heart-stopping risk of helping him, she hopes against all reason that he'll stay....

Series: Sons of Steel Row Series #2| Publisher: Tantor Audio | Narrators: Joe Arden, Maxine Mitchell  Makena  | Length: 10 hrs and 38 mins | Genre: Contemporary Romance | Source: Won | Ratings: 4 Cup

Challenges Read For: Bad Boys of Romance Challenge

Okay, not going to lie, I went into this book expecting to hate Chris. I was 90% sure I was going to DNF this one before I even started it because I just couldn’t see how Chris was going to redeem himself given what he did in the first book. Then, something unexpected happened; I fell in love with Chris. I kid you not; the guy I hated ended up melting my heart.

 

Here’s what’s going on. After betraying his best friend/blood brother, Chris has hit rock bottom. So, when Molly, the girl next door, finds him battered and bleeding in a drugstore and offers to take him home and mend his wounds, he lets her. It’s the perfect place to hide out but he knows he’s putting her in danger. Molly knows exactly what gang life can cost a person, yet she’s always been drawn to Chris and will do whatever she can to help him. Even if that means letting him into her heart

 

So this one wasn’t as gritty as the first one because most of it takes place in the safety of Molly’s world. There’s a few times when the danger and violence of Chris’s world bleeds through, but the majority of the time it has a mainstream feel and I was okay with that.

 

What pulled me into the story was Chris. He had so much anguish and regret inside him over what he did and he knows he’ll never be able to make amends but he’ll do this best to try. I could feel the constant war he was waging within himself and, sometimes, his actions surprised me. What I enjoyed about Chris was how layered he was and it was fun watching him reveal who he really was.

 

Molly really wasn’t my cuppa tea. She was too naïve for my liking and some of her actions were just plain stupid. Honestly, I’m surprised she wasn’t carjacked and murdered. And she definitely fit that TSTL category.

 

While there was an attraction from the start, the actual romance was slow building and I enjoyed that. They totally had the bad-boy/good-girl thing going on and they had to figure out how they were going to fit in each other’s lives.

 

Once again, this was a dual narration and it worked. Joe Arden’s narration of Chris was spot on. He had that sexy dangerous sound that had me eager for more. Maxine Mitchell Makena’s narration made Molly sound more interesting than she really so and it made her parts easier to listen to.

 

Overall, this was a nice continuation to the series. Apparently, the heroes are the stronger characters and the ones I seem to like more than the heroines in this series.

 

Series Alert: While each book could be a standalone, I strongly advise you to read the series from the start. To fully understand Chris, the first book must be read.

Sons of Steel Row Series

Dare to Run

Dare to Stay

Dare to Lie