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Quirky fun library book.
Cheyenne Lawyer buys The Poochee Dog Salon sight unseen, and what a dilemma it turns into!
 
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nancynova | Apr 18, 2024 |
Good introduction to the new series. Meyer is the oldest of four half-siblings who have inherited a dilapidated beach house from their famous but absent father. The terms of the will are unusual, and they are all unhappy about it. Meyer left his Air Force career as a pilot behind and moved to Cape Cardinale after his best friend died in an airplane crash, determined to save John's flying business and take care of his family.

Sophie is a local nurse who carries a long-standing grudge against Meyer. She met him when she was twelve, and he was dating her sister. She blames him for Corinne's struggles since then. Unfortunately, she encounters him often since John's widow, Meredith, is her best friend.

Matters become complicated when Meredith goes away for a weekend, leaving her two kids in Sophie and Meyer's care. Thrown together to care for Leda and Granger, Sophie finds herself unwillingly attracted to Meyer. She fights the attraction, feeling as though she's betraying her sister. Meyer is equally drawn to Sophie but has his own reasons for avoiding getting involved.

I ached for Meyer and Sophie. They are both mired in the past, so neither can move forward. As the book progressed, I began to suspect that there was more to Corinne's story than Sophie was aware of, and I looked forward to seeing if I was right. Meyer's guilty feelings have led to other issues that affect his outlook on life. It takes a crisis to bring the secrets, fears, and misunderstandings out into the open, where they can be dealt with. The ending was terrific, and I loved Meyer's surprise for Sophie in the epilogue.

Family is a big part of the book. We have Meyer and his half-siblings and their challenges in claiming their inheritance. I look forward to getting to know each of them in future books. Sophie's worries about Corinne are ongoing, and their encounters are heartbreaking. Finally, Meredith has her two children and a second chance at love if she can let go of the past long enough to grab it.

There was one inaccuracy that pulled me out of the story. Meyer was an Air Force pilot, but the author has him talking about landing on aircraft carriers. Air Force pilots are not trained for carrier landings. Only Navy and Marine pilots do that.

#netgalley
 
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scoutmomskf | Feb 21, 2024 |
Good conclusion to the series. Justine was a secondary character in the previous, frequently hanging out in Kirby's Perks. At the end of that book, she had a strong reaction when the Fortunes mentioned the town of Chatelaine, Texas. I had a feeling she would be important. Justine is a single mother of a seven-month-old baby boy. She doesn't talk about his father until the day Stefan Mendoza shows up in Rambling Rose.

Stefan works with his brothers, doing marketing for the family winery. He has bigger things on his mind and is partnering with a friend and his craft brewery. Stefan enjoys his bachelor life but hasn't been able to forget last New Year's in Miami.

Stefan and Justine met and had a weekend fling, never expecting to see each other again. When Justine found out she was pregnant, she didn't try too hard to find him; she just went on with her life. She left her small town, moved to Rambling Rose (not much bigger), and became a virtual personal assistant while raising Morgan and attending school. Justine was shocked when she encountered Stefan at Kirby's, but that was nothing compared to Stefan's realization that he had a son. I loved that he never hesitated to acknowledge that Morgan was his and that he wanted to be involved in Morgan's life. He did go a tad overboard with his demand that he and Justine get married. She, of course, made it clear that they could co-parent without having to marry.

I ached a bit for Stefan as he tried to get to know his son. Morgan doesn't take to strangers, and it takes a while for him to begin to warm up to Stefan. Justine is wary about getting too close to Stefan, worried about losing her heart to him. When she loses the lease on her apartment, Stefan invites her to move into his house, clearly hoping that proximity will help him win his battle. There is a bit of dancing around each other as they work to hide their feelings and protect their hearts. But living together does bring them closer, both in attraction and feelings. Unfortunately, Stefan gets a little ahead of himself and plans a surprise that doesn't go well. I ached for both because a little honest communication would have prevented several days of heartache. Some heartfelt advice from a friend gave Justine the courage to go after her dream, even if she didn't think Stefan shared her feelings. A stunning revelation at the wedding cleared up the misunderstanding between Stefan and Justine and solved the puzzle of the mysterious gifts.

Following the mystery of the gifts from the first book, I wondered how it would be resolved. Each book had another clue, but no one could figure out how they were connected. I was as surprised as everyone else at the wedding by the secrets that came to light. There was one thread left hanging, and I can't wait to read next year's Fortunes series to see how that works out.
 
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scoutmomskf | Sep 5, 2022 |
 
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Luziadovalongo | 1 weitere Rezension | Jul 14, 2022 |
Terrific conclusion to the Hotel Fortune series. I love the Fortunes of Teas continuity, and this series was excellent. It all started with Her Texas New Year's Wish, as the Hotel Fortune in Rambling Rose, Texas, prepared to open its doors. The hotel got off to a rough start when a balcony collapsed during a party, injuring one of the staff members. The hotel experienced so many glitches and problems for the next several months that people wondered if it would survive.

Arabella Fortune, a cousin to the hotel-owning Fortunes, attended that party in January. She met one of the management trainees, Jay Cross, and couldn't forget him after returning to New York. A few months later, she moved to Rambling Rose, staying with her brother Brady until she earns enough to get her own place. She also hopes to see Jay again, though it doesn't go too well when she does.

Jay Cross, a member of the original training program, has been present in all of the series' books. Now halfway through the year-long program, he has worked in every segment of the hotel. This brings him some unwelcome attention from local law enforcement, who consider him a suspect. Jay, frustrated by yet another interview by the cops, reacts badly when he encounters Bella on the steps of the police station.

I loved watching the relationship develop between Bella and Jay. The sparks were evident when they met in January, and I could feel Bella's frustration at her father's insistence that they leave immediately after the accident. I wasn't surprised by her decision to move to Rambling Rose or her hope of seeing Jay again. She is especially interested in finding out what he'd been about to tell her before they were interrupted that evening - "I think you should know that..." Bella has a fertile imagination and comes up with many different conclusions to that line. She's hurt and angry at his reaction to seeing her that day, and Jay feels guilty about taking his frustration out on her. I enjoyed the way he found to apologize and how it opened up a chance for them to get to know each other.

I loved watching Jay and Bella spend time together. He is sweet and caring, and I liked the simple things that they did together. Bella found him fun to be with and easy to talk to, even sharing her secret hobby with him. The more time they spent with each other, the hotter the sparks between them grew until they couldn't help giving into them. But Jay has a big problem. He has a secret, and the longer he puts off telling Bella, the harder it gets to come clean. And while he waits for the perfect time, Bella stumbles onto the truth herself. Understandably hurt, Bella also feels betrayed and furious with herself for falling for him. I liked the advice Jay received about finding a way to make her listen. What he came up with was perfect in several ways. Not only did he find a way to express his feelings, but he also came up with a plan to help the hotel.

I loved Jay's big moment and the effect it had on Bella. But just when it looked like everything was perfect, disaster struck. Once again, another "accident" came close to destroying everything they hoped to accomplish. I never suspected the person revealed to be responsible, and my heart broke for the story behind it. With the threat to the hotel ended, and the financial troubles over thanks to Jay's plan, the future looks bright for the Hotel Fortune. I loved the epilogue and wonder if the next Fortune series will open with a quintuple wedding...
 
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scoutmomskf | Aug 4, 2021 |
Addie McBride leaves her shopping mall job in Cincinnati, Ohio, and moves to Rust Creek Falls, Montana, for a change. On her first day in Rust Creek Falls she meets a tall, dark, and handsome cowboy Jack Lawson. But after they hit it off Jack suddenly becomes aloof and distant. (He eventually discovers Addie will be working with him and Jack doesn’t want to become involved with a co-worker.) But what will they do about the attraction that is between them?

This was a short (41 pages) and enjoyable romance with a good main couple. I also liked the characters in the community of Rust Creek Falls.

An entertaining and pleasant read.
 
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SandraLynne | 1 weitere Rezension | Mar 14, 2021 |
I am a sucker for waking up in Vegas married without remembering what happened the night before story lines.
This is a very moving story. A good read.
 
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izzied | 2 weitere Rezensionen | Oct 29, 2020 |
I am a sucker for waking up in Vegas married without remembering what happened the night before story lines.
This is a very moving story. A good read.
 
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izzied | 2 weitere Rezensionen | Oct 29, 2020 |
Synopsis:
Jane and Casey have a no strings attached relationship that is all fun and games until Jane announces she wants to have a baby.
Casey tells her he isn't the man for the job and she better find someone else. Unfortunately, as Jane soon discovers, Casey is the only man she wants. However, Casey has a life filled with secrets. After he reveals all to Jane, will there be any hope of a happy life together?

My Rating: 3/5

This book is marketed as a Christmas story and some of it does take place around Christmas but it doesn't have a strong Christmas feel to it. So, I was a bit disappointed because I wanted something with a bit more of a holiday feel.

Another minor complaint about the marketing is the cover. There is a cute dog on the cover (I love dogs) and it basically plays no role in the book. It really has no business being on the cover.
I loved the plot of this story. Two people who love each other but want different things is a plot I can really get invested in especially when that thing is marriage and children. I have been in a similar situation as Jane before and so I was very much invested in the plot.

This book is part of a series and so there are a lot of side characters. For me, who has not read the rest of the series I would say there were too many. I felt like some just were making guest appearances because they had been in previous books. None of the side characters were very well developed and I felt a bit overwhelmed by their numbers and trying to figure out who was who and why they were there in the first place.

I feel like this book didn't read great as a stand alone and I might have liked it better if I'd started at the beginning of the series. So, if you decide to pick it up I think that you should probably read the other books in the series first if all the side characters are going to be an issue for you like they were for me.
Another thing that didn't really work for me, and this is very much a personal preference thing, is that Casey has a job as a sort of spy in a covert organization. This isn't mentioned on the back cover of the book and if it had been I probably wouldn't have picked it up. I don't enjoy hero's who do that type of work and Casey's job interfered with my love of the book a bit.

I did enjoy all the parts of the book with Jane trying to date other guys and just not hitting it off. There were many funny moments in the book and it was fun to read them even though I didn't love Jane as a character. She was okay. Sometimes I felt like she was being unnecessarily cruel to Casey. The book kind of plays it off as a defense mechanism for liking him and feeling like she can't get with him. But, I still was bothered by it.

As for Casey, I loved how much emotional depth he had but I didn't necessarily like how he handled all those emotions.

I did like that the heat level was appropriate for the story. This book wasn't overdone with the bedroom stuff. It was right on target for the characters and the book.
Overall, it was a fun cute read. It wasn't something I wanted to shout from the rooftops about but I did have a fun time reading it and would recommend if you are a contemporary romance reader.
 
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authorjanebnight | Mar 7, 2019 |
What started out as a favor for a skit ends up leaving pretend and becoming reality. An adorably sweet confection of fun characters, hilarious misconceptions and heartwarming moments. I loved it and know that others who read it will fall in love as well. Received an ARC of Fortune's June Bride for an honest review.
 
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Lashea677 | 2 weitere Rezensionen | Feb 16, 2019 |
ARC REVIEW: FORTUNE’S JUNE BRIDE BY ALLISON LEIGH  
 
 
My Review
 
Fortune’s June Bride (The Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country) by Allison Leigh
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
What started out as a favor for a skit ends up leaving pretend and becoming reality.  An adorably sweet confection of fun characters, hilarious misconceptions and heartwarming moments.  I loved it and know that others who read it will fall in love as well.  Received an ARC of Fortune’s June Bride for an honest review.(www.goodreads.com/review/list/25556913-isha-coleman)
 
Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/Fortunes-June-Bride-Texas-Country-ebook/dp/B00R0G0A9I/
 
Barnes and Noble:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fortunes-june-bride-allison-leigh/1120871119?ean=9780373658893
 
Google Play Books:https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Allison_Leigh_Fortune_s_June_Bride?id=RDzABQAAQBAJ&hl=en
 
Harlequin:  http://www.harlequin.com/storeitem.html?iid=59059
 
Kobo:  https://store.kobobooks.com/en-US/ebook/fortune-s-june-bride
 
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Lashea677 | 2 weitere Rezensionen | Feb 16, 2019 |
The Rancher's Dance
2 Stars

After suffering a life altering injury, Prima Ballerina Lucy Buchanan, returns home to the Lazy-B ranch in Wyoming to nurse her wounds and decide on her future. Widower and single father, Beck Ventura, is still grieving for his beloved wife and trying to cope with his painfully shy young daughter. Neither Lucy nor Beck are looking for love, but one look is all it takes for the gorgeous dancer and the gruff and solemn contractor to realize that there might be something special between them. Can they overcome their heartbreak to make a go of it?

The romance has a great deal of potential, unfortunately the book contains two problematic elements. The first is the excessive focus on Beck’s love for his first wife, and the second is the overly descriptive sections detailing couples from previous books.

It is exceedingly difficult to become immersed in a romance novel when the hero is pining for someone other than the heroine. Beck first wife, Harmony, was nothing short of the perfect woman, and he is completely fixated on his grief over her loss. As a result, his attraction to Lucy feels forced and what little chemistry they have is overshadowed by his pain.

Lucy is charming and her relationship with Beck’s daughter, Shelby is sweet and reminiscent of Lisa Kleypas’s Christmas Eve at Friday Harbor. The problem is that Lucy’s patience extends to Beck as well, and she is far too understanding and forgiving of his hot/cold attitude toward her. Either the man wants you or he doesn’t, but standing docilely by while he makes up his mind is nothing short of annoying.

The secondary characters are comprised of Lucy’s extensive family, and far too much page time is dedicated to recapping and updating the numerous romances from earlier installments in the series. Consequently, the pacing of the story slows down significantly as the reader wades through this unnecessary sections.

In sum, a sweet book but not recommended for readers irritated by heroes who are hung up on their deceased wives.
 
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Lauren2013 | May 24, 2018 |
Good second chance story. Kelly and Caleb had been high school sweethearts, but when Caleb went away to college he ended his relationship with Kelly in favor of another pre-med student, breaking Kelly's heart. The book opens several years later. Kelly and Caleb had a brief encounter that didn't end well, and Kelly is pregnant. Her mother, a real piece of work and doesn't know about the encounter, wants Kelly to try to pass the baby off as Caleb's because "those people take care of their own" (meaning her). Kelly isn't about to force a marriage of obligation on Caleb, having suffered her mother's resentment all her life. So she packs up and leaves home, swearing to give her baby a better life.

Six years later she has come home to settle her mother's estate, bringing her son Tyler with her. An unexpected trip to the clinic brings Kelly and Tyler face to face with Caleb, who she did not know was back in Weaver. She is very nervous because she never told him about Tyler. Caleb is pretty oblivious because Kelly's mom put out the story that Kelly had eloped and had a baby after leaving Weaver. However, there are definitely some sparks flying between them, and it isn't all anger.

Kelly and Caleb have a lot to overcome before they can have a future together. Kelly still holds a lot of anger and hurt over the way that Caleb had dumped her all those years ago. She had been waiting at home for Caleb and he had been with another girl. It didn't help that Kelly's mother was always down on her, telling her that she wasn't good enough for him. Now she also feels guilty that she didn't tell him about Tyler. Caleb has his own guilt that he has to deal with. Now that he's older, he realizes what a jerk he had been and how badly he had behaved. His reaction after their truck encounter also left him with another reason to feel guilty.

I did enjoy seeing Kelly and Caleb get to know each other again. Kelly's fears had her trying to keep Caleb at a distance, but Weaver is a small town and they see each other frequently. I loved seeing the connection between Caleb and Tyler (right down to their mutual dislike of carrots), which made it more difficult for Kelly to avoid him. There were some really sweet scenes between Caleb and Tyler. Every time he and Kelly meet, the attraction burns a little hotter. Caleb, especially, remembers the things that drew him to Kelly to begin with, and her new confidence and maturity make her even more attractive to him. I liked those times when Kelly could forget the past and allow herself to enjoy Caleb's company. However, the secret of Tyler's birth began to wear on her and she finally blurted out the truth.

This is where Caleb lost me a bit. I understood his initial shock and anger. That was logical and believable. But then he turned controlling and threatening, not even attempting to look for a compromise. I so wanted to grab him and shake him, especially during the confrontation at the hospital. It was so sweet seeing Tyler stick up for his mommy. I ached for Kelly with the solution that Caleb finally arrived at, because she never wanted to be an obligation, and that's all she could see. But she wanted what she thought was best for Tyler, so she put her own needs aside. There were some sweet scenes with Caleb and Tyler, but I continued to want to pound both of Caleb and Kelly because they constantly believed the worst of each other. I liked Caleb's big moment at the end, when he finally figured out his feelings and what he had to do to make things right with Kelly.
 
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scoutmomskf | Dec 10, 2017 |
Good book. Penny and Quinn were confused when they woke up in bed together. Neither could remember how they got there nor could they remember the circumstances leading up to the marriage certificate they also discovered. Penny desperately wants to believe that it is fake, a joke played on them by someone. Quinn is pretty sure it's real. Penny is desperate to keep the marriage quiet until they can arrange a divorce, but Quinn doesn't seem to be all that worried, as they head back home to Wyoming.

I liked Quinn. He's home on leave, recovering from injuries received during one of his PJ missions and trying to get back into fighting condition. He doesn't want to think about what will happen if he isn't able to go back to the job he loves. Quinn is also getting to know his grandmother, Vivian, a very wealthy and very eccentric woman. I really liked the way that he was so calm compared to Penny's drama. I loved his calm in a crisis personality and his sensitivity to Penny and her issues.

I had a harder time liking Penny. I understood her initial panic, but her constant refusal to acknowledge their marriage began to irritate me. Penny had a lot of issues that influenced her. Her childhood in and out of foster homes, thanks to her mother's alcoholism, made her superconscious of being the subject of gossip. She fell in love with a man who had also been a foster child with her. Unfortunately, he was killed in the war just a week before their wedding, causing her to lock down her emotions. She also had self-esteem issues, believing that it was easy for people to walk away from her.

I liked the development of Penny and Quinn's relationship. They had a history together, though not one that Penny liked to remember. She'd had a crush on him when she was fifteen, and he shot her down when she tried to make advances to him. She didn't know that he had noticed her even back then, but he was an adult, and she was just a kid, so he kept himself under control. Thanks to their unexpected marriage, those old feelings have been stirred back up again. Penny panics because Quinn makes her feel things she hasn't felt since Andy's death. She's afraid to get involved with Quinn because, especially with his job, she can't handle the idea of losing again, so she keeps pushing him away. I liked how Quinn realizes that he'd like to keep Penny in his life. I ached for him the morning after her birthday when her fears got the best of her. I liked his big moment at the end as he made another attempt to show Penny how he felt. His words are so heartfelt and emotional. I loved her surprise and shock when she finally accepted the truth.

Penny's boss and Quinn's grandmother, Vivian, was quite a character. She is blunt and outrageous with some of the things she does, but deep down, I think she just wants to be accepted by her family. I enjoyed her run at politics and attempts to get the incumbent to debate her. I also loved the part with her sons and the paintings - clever! I get the feeling that she has a lot of love to give, she just doesn't know how.
 
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scoutmomskf | 2 weitere Rezensionen | Dec 8, 2017 |
Good book. Ariana is a reporter who has appeared in several earlier books. She is writing articles about the Fortunes, especially the newly discovered ones. She is also planning to write a book about Jerome Fortune/Gerald Robinson. A chance encounter with Gerald's wife Charlotte gives her a lead to more Fortunes. Not one to let grass grow under her feet, she heads for Paseo to see what she can find. What she finds first is a deserted road, no town, and an approaching storm - and one cowboy rescuer. Jayden Fortune, former army and current rancher, can't leave a damsel in distress, so he takes her back to his home. They take refuge in the storm cellar as a storm rages overhead - and in the cellar.

The developing relationship between Ariana and Jayden, as she waits for the repairs to her car, is fun to see. Ariana may be a city girl, but she's also adaptable, and quickly gets involved in the day to day life of the ranch. I loved the part at the Ybarra's ranch, as she sees a community come together to help one of their own, and how it affected her. The heat continues to grow between them as do their feelings. But Ariana hasn't been completely open with Jayden about her plans, and when the truth comes out he feels angry and betrayed. A confrontation with harsh words sends Ariana fleeing back to Austin, while Jayden faces the truth of his feelings for her. A conversation with his mother reveals a not-so-surprising truth and he knows what he has to do. I liked his big moment at the end. He does a bit of groveling, but it's his heart that's on the line and he's nervous about if she'll forgive him. His efforts were pretty sweet and I loved seeing their happy ending.

The truth about whether Jayden and his brothers are Jerome/Gerald's is answered by the end of the book. There is also a scene with the Robinson siblings as they are discussing the search for other siblings. A discovery by Olivia reveals a shocking secret about their mother and may be a lead in for the next series of Fortune books. I hope so, because I still want to know Jerome/Gerald's reasons.
 
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scoutmomskf | Jun 26, 2017 |
Review Posted on HarlequinJunkie.com

A Weaver Vow by Allison Leigh: I will preface my review by mentioning that I had never read any of Ms. Leigh’s Weaver-centric stories. That being said, I am planning to find the books dealing with the Double-C ranch and the Clay family so I can start to make my way through those series’ ASAP! This …Read More
 
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Aleveria | 1 weitere Rezension | Jan 12, 2017 |
"3.5 out of 5 stars, this is a sweet, fun, and charming novel! It's about a young woman protecting her little brother while trying to raise him right, falling for her "dangerous," handsome, and protective neighbor with hopes of a great future for them all."

Read more of this review and two teasers on my blog once (and after) it's posted on August 17, 2013: http://frommetoyouvideophoto.blogspot.com/2013/07/made-grade-return-to-double-c-...
 
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fromjesstoyou | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Mar 21, 2016 |
Great beginning to this year's Fortunes series. In the third book of the previous series Mendoza's Secret Fortune, it was revealed that there may be more Fortunes out there, with more information revealed in the epilogue of Fortune's June Bride. Now the Robinson siblings are dealing with the fact that their father has lied to them their whole lives, and that he is a Fortune. This hits Ben really hard, especially when he discovers that his father has also had multiple affairs and that there may be more siblings out there.

The book begins with Ben confronting the matriarch of the Fortune family with what he knows in the middle of a big party. Though he isn't looking for any part of the Fortune wealth, he does want their acknowledgment. While at the party, Ben meets Ella, with whom he has an instant connection. He hires her to do the research to help him find the truth of the connection and also to help him track down any siblings that he might have.

Ella works various temp jobs to earn the money she needs to complete her accounting degree. She lives at home with her mother and her sixteen year old brother, who has cerebral palsy. She is attracted to Ben from the moment she meets him, but doesn't see any future in it.

Ben is definitely obsessed with his mission, but also finds himself increasingly drawn to Ella. Though he could have taken the final steps in two of the searches by himself, instead he wants Ella with him. He had suffered a devastating blow a few months earlier, but spending time with her has lessened the pain. Their trip to Boston was great. Ben is focused on finding out if their quarry is one of his unknown siblings, but also discovers that Ella is starting to be more than just a research assistant. It was really sweet to see him get into showing her around Boston. He also found himself feeling very possessive of her when another man appeared to be flirting with her. He made a bit of an idiot out of himself, but it was pretty amusing. Ben also makes the effort to get to know her family. I loved her stunned surprise when he showed up at her brother's chess match, and how wonderful he was with her brother.

Ella has also realized that she is in danger of falling for Ben and is sure to get her heart broken. Even though he keeps telling her that he is not a nice person, and that he is selfish to the extreme, she doesn't see him that way. She sees the way that he worries about other people, how he wants to make sure any unknown siblings are okay, and how he looks after her in London, and knows that there is really a good and caring man under the gruff exterior. Giving in to the attraction between them is something she can't resist. But things come crashing down when she overhears him saying something that makes her believe that he doesn't care.

Ben has to face his fears from the past before he can let himself believe that he could have a future with Ella by his side. He fears that he has ruined everything when she stops coming to work. I loved his big moment at the end, as he exposes his vulnerabilities to her and speaks from his heart. It is all very intense and romantic, though there is a bit of comic relief provided by her brother.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the series. Finding out more about why their father walked away from his heritage should be very interesting. I'm also looking forward to seeing what progress is made in the search for more siblings.
 
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scoutmomskf | Jan 16, 2016 |
Fantastic conclusion to this year's Fortunes of Texas series. Galen and Aurora have known each other all their lives. Galen had been her brother's best friend, and her secret crush. Galen has never made a secret of the fact that he's quite happy as a bachelor, so she's never had any expectation of drawing his interest.

Aurora has been working at the new Cowboy Country theme park in their Wild West Wedding show. It gives her the chance to indulge her love of acting at the same time she helps her parents with their ranch. When the actor playing the part of the groom is injured, Aurora begs Galen to fill in until a new actor can be hired. Galen has been working at the park as the person who checks that the authenticity is being properly portrayed. He's no actor, but he can't tell Aurora no. What he doesn't expect is to find himself attracted to his late friend's little sister, and it's freaking him out a little bit.

I loved seeing the two of them together. Galen is just a little bit on the serious side, which makes the whole play acting a bit of a challenge at first. I loved seeing him try to keep things in the friend zone, and how it got harder every day. Aurora really wanted to be more than friends, and her frustration at his actions was obvious. Things got even more complicated when she ran into her college roommate, and ended up giving Roslyn the impression that she and Galen were married. Since she didn't expect to see Roslyn again, she didn't think it would be a problem, until she discovered that Roslyn would be in town for several days. Then she had to confess to Galen and ask for his help.

There were several really funny places where their deception nearly got them into real trouble, especially since none of their family members knew anything about it. Then their deception started feeling all too real. The attraction that they feel for each other keeps getting stronger until they can't resist it any longer. Aurora knows going in that her feelings for Galen aren't just physical, but she's willing to take what she can get for as long as she can have it. Galen keeps trying to convince himself that what they have is just for fun, but it's getting harder to do, especially when he finds himself jealous of her old boyfriend.

Galen succeeds in making something of an idiot of himself when his jealousy gets out of hand. He says some things that are hurtful, and then suffers when he thinks he's driven her completely away. There are some misunderstandings caused by a lack of communication on both sides. But in the end, Galen realizes the truth of his feelings, and his big moment is very well done.

The epilogue was great as all the Fortunes get together for another wedding. The next set of Fortune books is set up as something that was mentioned in the third book, Mendoza's Secret Fortune, is revealed to all.
 
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scoutmomskf | 2 weitere Rezensionen | Oct 4, 2015 |
Good book,with good romance and a bit of mystery added in. Hayley is normally a level headed woman, but after dealing with some family stress she overindulged a bit at a local bar. There she encountered Seth Banyon, a man she's been noticing around town for several months. With the alcohol affecting her judgement, she ended up leaving with him, but ended the encounter hours later with no memory of what did or didn't happen.

Seth is in town, undercover as a security guard, but actually working for a local secret security company. He is among those watching a man suspected of killing his partners on a mission, but who is claiming to have amnesia. Seth isn't buying it, and wants the truth as the two dead men were friends of his. To determine whether the man really has amnesia, he is being treated by a local psychologist - Hayley. He's tempted to get closer to her to see if she'll spill anything about her patient, but knows that could create all kinds of problems. Unfortunately for him, he hasn't been able to get her off his mind. Another encounter with her just reinforces the attraction.

Hayley can't remember what happened that night, and is embarrassed about her behavior. This has caused her to avoid Seth, until they run into each other at a party for mutual friends. She finally faces up to him and resolves the issue, But this still leaves her with the attraction that is sizzling between them.

I loved seeing the relationship as it developed between them. Hayley tends to be a bit awkward around him, often saying things that don't come out quite right. But she really likes him and wants to get to know him better. Seth also wants to get closer to Hayley, and ignores his boss's orders to stay away from her until their prisoner is dealt with. Seth sees himself as a man who isn't truly worthy of Hayley, but he shows himself to be much better than he thinks. He's sweet with her grandmother, and sensitive to the problems that Hayley is having. He is also very protective of her, which is wonderful to see, but gets him in hot water with her and his boss. Hayley's feelings for Seth continue to grow, but she has trouble getting him to accept them. I loved seeing her stand up for what she feels. It takes a conversation with her grandmother for Seth to see that he has to deal with everything in his past before he can hope for a future with Hayley. I loved seeing the results of that and the difference it made to his whole outlook. His reunion with Hayley was really sweet.

I loved the story line with Hayley's grandmother. The old lady was a definite character with some really interesting viewpoints on a variety of subjects. It was really fun to watch her leave her reclusiveness behind, and seeing some of her antics was pretty funny. I loved the bits with the car, especially when she got Seth to drive it. I liked how she owned up to her mistakes and is trying to repair her relationships.

My only disappointment was feeling like the part with the prisoner was left hanging. I'm hoping that he will reappear later, since Hayley's friend seems intrigued by him.
 
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scoutmomskf | Aug 21, 2015 |
rabck box from bookstogive 11/09; Molly is hiding from her abusive, stalking ex. New to town deputy Holt believes Molly is hiding the identity of her boss' murderer, not hiding from a vengeful ex. So, his actions to solve the murder could be placing Molly in danger, so he becomes her bodyguard, putting the two singles into close contact.
 
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nancynova | Jun 20, 2015 |
Short and sweet prequel to the latest Montana Mavericks series. Addie came to Rust Creek Falls to make a new start to her life. She's lived in Cincinnati all her life, but she feels like she's going nowhere fast. Even her dating life is lackluster. So when she hears that Rust Creek Falls is looking for people willing to come help rebuild after the big flood, she signs up. The problem is, she may have exaggerated her construction skills just a bit...

She meets Jack the first day she's there, before she's really had a chance to settle in. She's attracted right away, and he seems to be interested also, until they talk about why she moved there. Suddenly he's putting some distance between them.

Jack was interested, until he found out she'd be working on his construction crew. He refuses to get involved with any woman working for him, as he had seen the disastrous results when his brother did the same. That woman had lied her way to suing his brother for half his business. So Addie has two strikes against her - she's working for him, and he gets the feeling she is hiding something.

I loved Addie's determination to do her absolute best at the construction work. The reactions of Jack and Reg to her efforts were fun to see. I liked that they respected the way she put everything she had into it. The attraction between Jack and Addie stayed strong, even though Jack tried to resist. I really enjoyed the ending - Jack was pretty sweet after all was revealed.
 
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scoutmomskf | 1 weitere Rezension | Jan 15, 2015 |
Fourth in the Stockwell series. Kate's father, on his deathbed, admits that her mother didn't drown. She ran away with her Uncle. Kate teams up with her ex-fiancé, Brett, to track her down. But the sparks are very much alive with these two, especially when they pretend to be newlyweds, so they don't spook her mother in case she doesn't want to be found.
 
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nancynova | Oct 10, 2014 |
3.5 Stars

I really enjoyed reading this sweet love story. It’s a refreshing break from all the angst ridden books I’ve been reading lately. I got into this one right away and it kept my attention until I finished it. It flowed nicely and is well written. I noticed only a few minor editing issues, nothing to take away from the story.

Abby is a strong young woman with a lot of responsibility on her shoulders. She handles it well and knows what she wants. I liked the fact that no matter how much she loved and wanted Sloan she never acted desperate or begged. That’s not to say she didn’t hurt at times, but Abby had enough self-respect to accept the things that happen. Abby does have some self-doubt when it comes to her little brother, in that she worries that she is doing the right things for him.

Sloan is a man with a past and issues with that past. He has to come to terms with some of the things that happened over the last few years. Sloan wanted and loved Abby, even if he wouldn’t admit that love to himself. He would be tender and caring to Abby and then push her away, just as it was starting to get annoying the story moved forward. I’m not sure I liked the way he dealt with his past, it came across a bit selfish, but it felt important to the story. Like it was the only way he knew how or could deal with it.

Overall I loved Abby and really liked Sloan. I recommend this to anyone who is looking for a good love story with a strong heroine.

(Copy received from publisher for an honest review.)

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Darker Passions
 
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Tala2cubs | 4 weitere Rezensionen | Sep 3, 2014 |