LaQuette

Vanessa Jared is trying to move on after her divorce from her abusive husband, Karl. She attends a support group for divorced women over 40 where she makes friends with Janae Sanders and Cree Brenan. Two years after her divorce, Vanessa is approached by Sheriff Michael Park who is concerned about his sister's engagement to her ex-husband. Initially, Vanessa wants nothing to do with her ex-husband until she sees a newspaper article of his engagement and her grandmother's ring on the woman's hand! She is livid that he stole her grandmother's ring that she agrees to help Michael help separate the couple. Will they be successful in breaking them up? Will Vanessa be able to get her grandmother's ring back? A refreshing story about starting over and finding love after 40 and divorced.

Thank you NetGalley and St Martin's Press for sending this book for review
consideration. All opinions are my own.… (mehr)

*3.5 stars*

The cover drew me in, and I am so glad I did! Vanessa Jared’s got a man is a fun, fast paced romance with GROWN folks! I repeat, Grown folks! My kingdom for reading HOT romances between fully grown people, God bless the author. LOL.

We have Vanessa a divorcee who has rebuilt herself after her snake of a ex husband emotionally abused her, and by fate she gets to meet Michael who desperately wants to prevent his sister from suffering the same at hands of same man. They meet, sparks flyy, one beautiful small town location, 2 sets of amazing besties, and they get their happy ending.

I enjoyed this very much.

A huge thanks to St Martin’s press and NetGalley for the ARC.
… (mehr)

Good Cinderella story. Zanai is a respected psychologist who works with neurodivergent kids from the poorer part of Royal, Texas. She has always been introverted, preferring her books to people, and since her family's moved to Royal from Brooklyn when she was a teen, she's never felt like she fits in. She has one very good friend, Morgan, who sees her for the beautiful, intelligent, and compassionate woman she is. As the book opens, we see Morgan talking Zanai into going to the masquerade ball.

Like Cinderella, Zanai can't believe the difference a makeover has made in her looks and attitude. With her face hidden behind a mask, Zanai is free of her inhibitions, making it easier to dance and flirt with rancher/playboy Jayden Lattimore. Jayden is intrigued by the woman he calls the Red Queen, and when she disappears shortly after their dance, he is determined to find her.

Jayden is a man with a reputation as a player. Lately, he's become bored with the society women who all seem the same and the social events where he sees the same people repeatedly. He wants more, even if he isn't sure what that is. After the ball, he becomes obsessed with finding the woman who captivated him from the moment he saw her.

It was surprisingly easy for Jayden to find her, thanks to some luck. I could feel Zanai's shock at his determination to spend time with her. Between the people who don't bother to get to know her and the emotional abuse heaped on her by her father, Zanai has no belief in her appeal. Though she and Jayden have been acquainted for years, it takes the ball for them to actually see each other. After seeing Zanai at the ball, and then as her usual self, Jayden is determined to make her see that the Red Queen is part of who she is.

I enjoyed the time they spent together. Watching Jayden give Zanai the kind of attention she's never experienced was so sweet. I loved seeing him constantly show her that she's a beautiful, intelligent, and caring person. He is surprised at his growing feelings for her because she's so different from the women he's dated. Zanai is just as drawn to Jayden but wary of giving in to her feelings. It's difficult to believe that he won't get tired of her, just like everyone else in her life. The chemistry between them intensifies as they get to know each other. I love the protectiveness that becomes apparent when Jayden has a run-in with Zanai's father and his heartwarming actions when he tells Zanai about it. I loved how that belief in her changed Zanai's entire outlook and gave her the strength to take charge of her future. The ending was excellent, and I look forward to seeing more of them in future books.

There was a short mention of the ongoing oil rights dispute plaguing the Lattimore and Grandin families. The only new information raises more questions that need answers.… (mehr)

Good book about two seemingly opposites who have more in common than they expect. I enjoyed this city girl meets country boy story.

Keely was born and raised in the Brooklyn projects. She took the drive and ambition she learned from her parents and applied it to her dream of a career in fashion. Her business is everything to her, and she puts it first in her life. After years of hard work, she will take her business to the next level with her custom-designed wedding dress for movie starlet Ariana. When the power goes out in her hotel and most of the town of Royal, Ariana finds a new place to stay.

Jacob is a rancher and horse trainer who is married to his work. He has no time to make nice with some city woman but agrees to let Keely stay in his guest cabin. He plans to ignore her, but that idea disappears when he meets her.

The sparks flew between Keely and Jacob from the moment they met. Some of those sparks were antagonism, but most were attraction. Fighting it doesn't work, and since neither is interested in a relationship, they decide to go for a short-term friends-with-benefits arrangement. Two or three weeks should be enough time to get it out of their systems.

I liked Keely. She knows what she wants and doesn't beat around the bush when going after it. She's confident in who she is, and her backstory adds depth to how she got there. I loved her focus, determination, and creativity evident in her collaborations with the other vendors.

I also liked Jacob. His goal of being a top-rated trainer is within reach, and nothing will get in the way of making it happen. He's driven but not obnoxious about it. He has a good relationship with the people who work for him, and it's obvious that they respect him.

I enjoyed seeing the development of their relationship. Keely and Jacob go into their affair with the clear understanding that their work comes first, and they aren't interested in anything permanent. Though they see themselves as opposites because of the city vs. country thing, they have more in common than they realize. I enjoyed some of their time together as they shared meals, rides, life stories, and fantastic chemistry. As they spend more time together, each realizes they want more than they agreed to.

A dinner engagement with a significant potential customer brings out Jacob's nerves, and he talks Keely into coming along for moral support. But that dinner opens their eyes to their growing feelings, which sends Keely scrambling to put distance between them. I ached for Jacob, who had no idea what had happened, and I liked how he called her out on it, leaving her to do some soul-searching. The ending was good as they realized that loving each other wasn't the hindrance they feared but a chance for their dreams to come true.

#netgalley… (mehr)