Diane J. Reed

I received a free copy of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Robin in the Hood is book one of the Robbins Hearts series; a wonderful young adult story of a teenage girl, Robin, being tossed from the lap of luxury into a life of poverty and crime. Robin McArthur is accustomed to her wealthy father's guilt gifts from neglecting their relationship. But when he suffers a heart attack, and his wife runs off with her lover, Robin's world gets turned upside down. Robin decides to run off with her father to Turtle Shores, where she's heard anyone that wants to disappear does. With the aid of the handsome teen Creek, Robin soon learns there's more to life than money, and that her father really did love her.

This was a brilliantly written novel. It's fast paced, had me thoroughly engrossed, and had lots of humor. The characters were all quick witted, funny, and each very unique. Although there were some serious moments with Robin coming to terms with her true identity, there were equally hilarious moments. This was quite a fun, quick read about lost love, family, and most importantly, forgiveness.… (mehr)

What begins as a matter of pride becomes the most haunting of romances. Turquoise Mountain is a tale of honor, legacy and long withheld truths. Dillon has pride, heart and an affinity with nature's bountiful beauty. Tessa has a knack for stirring up trouble with her inquisitive nature and mischievous spirit. The descriptive dialogue gives readers a taste of a scenery that is beautiful, yet mysterious. There is always another secret to uncover and another issue to fight through. However, Diane Reed blends the courage of the human spirit with a romance that is as intriguing as it dangerous and delivers an ethereal tale that is not easily forgotten and not to be missed.… (mehr)

Barrett has seen some dark places. His job brought him face with the ugliness in the world. Danger is his playground. So when he finds himself on a set in tinsel town working a new assignment, he's less than thrilled. Until a face from his not so distant past shows him a glimpse into his future. Lainey Neil is a scrapper. She's survived a life that has not always been kind and become a stronger woman for it. When the boy that gave her hope in her darkest moments reenters her sphere, can she let go the boy she remembers and accept the man he's become? Skystone Canyon is as treachous as any rock formation, yet the depth of the connection between Reed and her characters makes for an inspiringly haunting tale.… (mehr)

Cowboy Homecoming by Cindi Myers

After years in the city Kate Randolph has come home to take care of her ailing father, only to find local cowboy Jace Carpenter in charge of her father’s ranch. Jace isn’t sure what to make of Kate, but he’s dealing with big changes in his own life since his family ranch was sold. Can a prodigal daughter and a restless cowboy turn the bad hand life has dealt them into a winning combination?

Good story about starting over. Kate's need to go home to take care of her father came at a good time. A recent breakup with her boyfriend also resulted in the loss of her business. Not certain what to do next, taking care of her dad gives Kate a chance to regroup and make some decisions. She's surprised to find Jace living on the ranch and running things, and not quite sure how she feels about it.

Jace had to do his own starting over. He leased Kate's dad's ranch after his parents sold theirs to a developer. All he wants to do is the ranching work that he loves and hopefully get a ranch of his own someday.

The first meeting between Jace and Kate was a little rough, as she didn't know about Jace's presence on the ranch. There was a bit of resentment in her actions, as Jace was comfortable with her dad and she felt guilty for being away. There was also a spark of attraction between them, which Kate tries to resist. She's still recovering from her breakup and not keen to put herself out there again. I liked the way they grew closer the longer that Kate stayed. However, each of them had issues that had to be overcome. Kate had to decide if she was going to go back to the city or stay on the ranch. Jace has to overcome his worry about what his future holds. When tragedy strikes, they have to decide if what they have is worth fighting for. I liked the way that they worked things out.

I liked both Kate and Jace. Kate hadn't hesitated to come back when her sister called. I liked how she was able to control her temper around Veronica's snippy attitude. It was satisfying to see her find something she liked to occupy her time and watch as it gave her the idea for a new start. I liked Jace's kindness to Kate's dad, and how he kept the older man involved in the ranch workings. I understood his fears about his future.

The secondary characters of Veronica and Chas added depth to the story and the relationship growing between Jace and Kate. I had a hard time liking Veronica at first. She seemed to be a bit on the selfish side when she was talking about the ranch. I also didn't like the way that she talked to Kate. However, she did redeem herself in the end. I didn't like Chas at all. He was a slick, used car salesman kind of guy, who always had an eye on what would benefit him.

Loving You From Afar by RaeAnne Hadley

Ariana thought her life was over when she lost her husband. But through a strange twist of events that brought a stranger into her and her children’s lives, she was starting to believe that maybe it was just the beginning.

Ariana and her daughters are still dealing with the grief of losing husband and father. In an effort to break out of the pattern, they went to the town New Year's party, where they met a man named Reese, a newcomer to the town. He was told about the party by a new friend.

I loved the way that Ariana and Reese connected right away. Though still grieving for her husband, she also realizes that she is lonely. She's a little hesitant at first, but Reese is easy to talk to. He also isn't fazed by her older daughter's hostile attitude. When Ariana is involved in a car accident on the way home and Dove is injured, Reese is there to provide whatever kind of support she needs. Though she has a momentary freakout over how quickly she begins to care for him, Ariana likes having him to lean on when she needs it. I loved Reese's way of finding little ways to make things easier on Ariana. He is also very understanding of her wariness.

Throughout the story, there are some interesting things that happen to move Ariana through her grief. Her conversations with her dead husband are a great comfort to her, especially the unexpected advice. When Dove comes out of her coma, she has had a change of attitude thanks to a heart-to-heart conversation. All becomes clear as the girls show Reese their photo albums later on.

My Forever Cowboy by Diane J. Reed

Just when you least expect it, love finds you forever.
Photographer Avery Smart refuses to believe in “forever cowboys” after her father died in a tragic rodeo accident, until professional bull rider Grant Hollow decides to shed new light into the darkroom of her heart.

Avery has a very cynical attitude when it comes to cowboys - she believes that forever is not in their vocabulary. It started with the death of her father in a rodeo accident and continued with men who only seem to want a good time and then move on. She also has to deal with her mother, who has never been quite right after her father's death. Pearl spends a lot of time talking to her husband's photograph as though the man were still alive.

Avery has a photography business and has just been hired to provide pictures of cowboys for a calendar. The only rodeo going on that weekend is in her hometown, so off she goes with her assistant. I loved Shae's unabashed fascination with the cowboys and her enthusiastic pursuit of anyone she thought would work for the calendar. Avery, on the other hand, takes a very different approach to acquiring a photo of a particular cowboy. The poker game was hilarious, as was the conversation afterward.

Grant is a professional bull rider who isn't too happy about being tricked, but he'll honor his word. He is also a kinder-hearted man than he first appears, as is shown when he encounters Avery's mom. I loved how he was so understanding with her, and also that he made a point of showing Avery that she didn't need to keep Pearl confined. I loved how he invited Pearl to the rodeo, and also to dinner at his grandmother's.

The dinner with his grandmother and Granny T was an eyeopening experience for Avery. The two old ladies definitely had a plan, and it was fun to see them carry it out. I loved the visit to the spring and what it did for Pearl. There was also a bit of magic in store for Grant and Avery.

Say Nothing by Autumn Piper

The best medicine doesn’t always come in pill form, but who knew it could be a scruffy, cranky cowboy?

After escaping from the psycho who held her prisoner for months, Brooke often suffers panic attacks when she tries to speak. When her cousin invites her to recuperate at his friends’ ranch in Colorado and help them care for their twin toddlers, she accepts. She’s got nothing holding her in Nebraska; her boyfriend went dark when she returned from captivity damaged.

For years since his engagement went belly-up, lead ranch-hand Rowdy has been non-relationship material. He feels a connection with Brooke, though, and she’s able to confide things in him she doesn’t trust her therapist with. He’s probably too old for her, and he’s sure once she recovers she’ll find someone better than him, but he’s content to take the time they have and help her until then.

When her successful ex rides back into the picture, Rowdy will have to decide: fight for Brooke, or give her the financially stable future she deserves.

Very good story. After being held captive for five months, Brooke has spent the last two months trying to recover. Between her panic attacks when she tries to speak and dealing with her family and friends, she desperately needs to get away. When her cousin Nate gets her a job as a nanny with his friends in Colorado, she can't get there fast enough.

Rowdy is one of the ranch hands, a quiet, gruff kind of guy. His last relationship was years ago, and he's in no hurry to risk his heart again. But there is something about Brooke that speaks to his soul, and he's ready to give her whatever she needs.

I loved the development of Brooke and Rowdy's relationship. From the moment they met there was a connection between them. I loved how Rowdy made his interest plain right from the start without being pushy or obnoxious about it. He was very sensitive to her difficulties and had the patience to let her take things at her own pace. I loved how Brooke was immediately comfortable with him. It was awesome that she was able to tell him things that she hadn't been able to tell anyone else. The more time that they spent together, the faster her healing progressed. His offer to support her when she had to go back for some testimony was just what she needed. But Rowdy has some self-worth issues, and the attitudes of her mom and brother played right into his fears. I ached for him but also wanted to shake him for being an idiot. I hurt for Brooke also, especially when she had to deal with her ex-boyfriend and then face what happened to her without Rowdy's support. She was a lot stronger than she thought. I loved her trip back to Colorado and the head of steam she was building up for when she got there. The ending was fantastic.

Peyton’s Kiss by Ann Anders

No one ever promised Stella Fairchild that life would be fair. If it was, then her best friend wouldn’t be dying. A little girl wouldn’t be losing her mother. And a lonely cowboy would be ready for love. Under the blue skies of Colorado, however, fate has its own ideas. And maybe, just maybe, silver linings could be found hiding in the storm.

Sad but heartwarming story. When Stella finds out that her best friend, Corinne, has cancer, she drops everything to help her. She doesn't expect to run into resistance from Corinne's big brother, Peyton.

The last thing Peyton wants to deal with is some city chick who will be more hindrance than help. He has enough on his plate taking care of the ranch and now worrying about his sister.

The first encounter between Peyton and Stella is pretty tough. First on the phone, where Peyton's impatience and attitude about her arrival are plain to hear. When they meet face-to-face, Peyton is first hit by an immediate attraction to her, but also takes one look and gives her a hard time about everything from her car to her clothes. Stella is bitten by the attraction, too. She also stands up to his criticism and reminds him that she's there for Corinne and Misty.

I liked that Peyton realized that he was being a jerk and got past it pretty quickly. It didn't take long before he realized that there was more to Stella than he had thought. I really liked the way that they connected so quickly over their desire to make things easier for Corinne. The riding scene was both beautiful and heartbreaking with its painful conclusion. I loved how sensitive to his pain Stella was. I ached for Peyton when they were at the hospital, but also wanted to shake him for what he did. The confrontation between him and Stella back at the ranch felt real, as both had to deal with what was happening. It was also no surprise what came out of it.

I loved the next morning at the hospital when they went to get Corinne. She was pretty funny in what she said to Stella. Stella's shock was hilarious, especially since I had suspected that all along. The epilogue was sweet.

Midnight Ride by D’Ann Lindun

Can they escape peril and fall in love?
When Brynn Lockwood and her five-year-old daughter Brooke decide to camp in the Colorado Mountains the last thing they expect is to be taken hostage by a gunman. After suffering a devastating shooting, Sawyer Bennet moves to Black Mountain, Colorado, to recover. As a Sheriff’s Posse member, he is called out to find a dangerous criminal, but loses his heart instead.

Good story with some very intense suspense. Brynn and her young daughter took an end of summer trail ride that ended up being more than they expected. I loved the close relationship between the two of them as shown by how much fun they had together. But their peaceful evening was interrupted by an unexpected visitor that gave them both the creeps. They were relieved when he moved on, but it left Brynn with a feeling of impending doom. Those feelings proved accurate the next day, when the man, an escaped murderer, took them hostage as "security."

I loved how both Brynn and Brooke maintained their cool under the circumstances. Brynn's biggest concern was protecting her daughter. She was able to take advantage of an unexpected opportunity to evade her captor, but they weren't safe yet.

Sawyer is a new member of the Sheriff's Posse and is among those called on to search the mountains for the escapee and warn anyone who was out there. Sawyer came to the area for a new start after losing his career as a veterinary surgeon thanks to a shooting. He's a little bitter about that and the fact that his girlfriend left him while he was still in the hospital. Being out on the mountain is soothing, even for such a reason.

When Sawyer came across Brynn's campsite, he had a gut feeling that something was wrong. I liked the way that he listened to his instincts, so was there when the horses came back without her and Brooke. I was on the edge of my seat until he found them.

There were definite sparks between Brynn and Sawyer from the moment they met, even in the midst of the trouble they were in. I really liked seeing the super-independent Brynn give in and allow herself to lean on Sawyer. I also loved how Brooke and Brynn quickly worked their way into the heart of the lonely Sawyer. I liked how they worked together to care for Brooke, and again when they made their nervewracking escape. I ached for Sawyer, who believed that he didn't have anything to offer, but tried anyway. Brynn had her moments of doubt also but stood up for herself when it counted. I loved Sawyer's big moment at the end, especially the way that he included Brooke.… (mehr)