Lone Star Blues - Delores Fossen (HQN - Apr 2018)

Series: Wrangler's Creek (Book 5)

Wrangler’s Creek’s most eligible bad boy has just become its most eligible single dad

Dylan Granger could always count on his rebellious-cowboy charm to get his way -- until the day his wife, Jordan, left him and joined the military. The realization that during a wild night he got her cousin pregnant is shocking enough. But the news that Jordan has come home to Texas to help raise the baby is the last thing he expects.

Raising a baby with Dylan in Wrangler’s Creek is a life Jordan might’ve had years ago, but she doesn’t want regrets. She wants what’s best for the child -- and to find out if there’s something deeper between her and her ex than blazing-hot chemistry. Getting closer means letting down her guard to Dylan again, but will he be able to accept the emotional scars on her heart?

This is a second chance story with as many ups and downs, twists and turns as a premium rollercoaster. Dylan and Jordan had been married for a brief time fourteen years earlier. It didn't work out, and Jordan left to join the military, and Dylan stayed to work the ranch. Since that time, Dylan has cut a swath through the female population but never spending long with anyone. The book opens with him waking under circumstances he doesn't remember and finding out about a taking a very public vow of celibacy. About that time, a social worker arrived, bringing a toddler to him that she says is his son. His mother is in jail and has given him custody - a mother who is also his ex-wife's cousin.

Meanwhile, Jordan is on her way back to the US after a harrowing experience on duty. She suffers from nightmares and flashbacks and has been transferred to San Antonio where she can get some help. She is stunned to get a message from Adele about Corbin because Adele had never told her about the boy. She heads to Wrangler's Creek to confront Dylan because she feels he's not capable of being what Corbin needs.
I really liked both Dylan and Jordan. In previous books, Dylan has been the charming playboy, always ready for some shenanigans. When faced with possible fatherhood, after the initial stunned disbelief, he steps up to the job. I loved his immediate connection with little Corbin, and his determination to prove everybody wrong. Jordan is trying to get her life back on an even keel after what she'd been through. She is strong and loving but also has some insecurities. 

I liked the development of Dylan and Jordan's relationship. After fourteen years, they are surprised to discover that the attraction between them is just as strong as ever. Both try to resist it because the issues that tore them apart before are still there. Dylan is rooted in Wrangler's Creek, and Jordan is still a wanderer, but they will work together to give Corbin what he needs. Unfortunately for them, the attraction between them flares hot every time they are together and continues to grow.  I liked watching them grow closer as they supported each other through the mayhem caused by Adele. As they did, it became clear that each of them had matured and changed in the years since their divorce. Events continued to push them toward each other, but Jordan's fears especially keep her from believing that they can have a future together. Dylan's solution was unique and an interesting way of approaching the issue. I'm looking forward to the next book to see if there are any changes.

The issue of Corbin's paternity and custody is the central theme of the book. Dylan settles right in to fatherhood, but there are others who may have an equal claim. The ups and downs are highly emotional, and I ached for Dylan as it all happened. It was interesting to see Dylan's mom, who wasn't a very good mother to her own kids, get so deeply involved in this situation. Jordan also feels that she should have custody, but her work situation works against her. I liked seeing the three of them become a team in caring for Corbin. Some interesting dynamics were going on, but they made it work. There were several unexpected twists before someone finally made the right choice.

The secondary characters added plenty of drama on their own. Various ex-girlfriends of Dylan's did their best to cement relationships, get into his bed, or just stir the pot. The local judge, who has an ax to grind on behalf of his daughters, makes threats regarding the custody battle, and also eggs on Regina. Then there is Jordan's fellow officer, Theo. He was involved in Jordan's rescue and seems intent on making sure that she doesn't forget her ordeal or his part in it, all under the guise of being concerned about her. He also wants to take their relationship to the next level, while Jordan seems more interested in stepping back. There were some pretty funny scenes where she really lets him have it, especially when he's pulled some rather questionable stunts. I still think he was actually involved in the press fiasco at the rodeo. Last but not least is Dylan's brother Lucian. He is a grumpy, cynical, pain in the neck who seems to think it is his right to interfere in anything regarding his family. He definitely oversteps his bounds several times, gets confronted, then continues to do as he wants. His assistant Kaylee is Jordan's best friend and keeps Lucian's life and business running smoothly. She is also in love with him. He has no clue, and I am looking forward to the next book and seeing her bring him to his knees.

One Good Cowboy - Delores Fossen (HQN - Feb 2017)

Series: Wrangler's Creek (Book 1.5)

The most honorable cowboy in Wrangler's Creek is about to get an offer he can't refuse…

Carson Rowley expects Granger Ranch office manager Evie Martin to do any number of things when he breaks the news that her “on again, off again” boyfriend has eloped with a stripper. Cry, maybe. Curse, probably. Kiss him senseless? Nope…didn't predict that. Now that Evie's offering what he secretly craves, there's only one question: Just how bad should a good cowboy be?

Evie's nowhere near as heartbroken over her unreliable ex as everyone in Wrangler's Creek expects. Especially once it's clear that her long-simmering crush on Carson is mutual. Carson's not the casual type, and inviting him into her bed means inviting him into her heart. But once he's there, she may never want him to leave…

Short, face paced and fun story. The story opens with the aftermath of a bachelor party, with good guy Carson passed out on the bar with a pair of red panties laying on him. Not what Evie expected to find when she stopped by her father's bar on the way to work. Even less did she expect to hear that her sort-of boyfriend had run off to Vegas with a stripper. Carson was cautious giving her the news, as he wasn't sure how she would take it. He certainly didn't expect her to smile, then haul off and kiss him.

Evie is sick and tired of everyone pushing her at Bennie. Their mothers had been doing it since they were kids, and nothing Evie says will convince them she isn't interested. She also hates the way everyone treats her with kid gloves just because she'd had cancer. She's well now and determined to live her life the way she wants to. And what she wants is Carson.

I completely understood Evie's frustration with the fact that nobody listens to what she says. I loved how she took action and made her interest in Carson known to him - and anyone else who would listen. Carson was stunned, but wary, as he thought maybe it was just reaction to what had happened. It was fun to see Evie's attempts at convincing him, and his final acceptance of the truth. The dinner that wasn't was terrific, and the heat between them was intense. The scene afterward, as Bennie, Gigi, and the two mothers converge on Evie's house had me laughing out loud. Bennie was a bit of an idiot, but I think Gigi will be the making of him. Seeing Carson and Evie try to get through to their mothers was hilarious as they finally saw the truth.

Cowboy Dreaming - Delores Fossen (HQN - Dec 2017)

Series: Wrangler's Creek (Book 3.5)

How to lead a Texas cowboy into temptation…

Despite his parents’ pressure to be a doctor, ranch hand Josh Whitlock has everything under control. That is, until Hope Applewood—his boss—trades in her dusty jeans for a sexy little red dress. Now Josh’s self-control has gone up in smoke…taking his common sense with it. That must be why he’s agreed to fake a relationship so they can prove something to both their families.

Sure, there’s always been a bit of a simmer between them. Now the simmer is up to full boil as their new “relationship” sets the tongues of Wrangler’s Creek wagging. Even as their little scam works its magic, Josh knows he’s just opened Pandora’s box—filled with feelings he’s been hiding since meeting Hope. But when a cowboy makes a deal, he always sees it through…

Quick little read as friends and partners discover that there's much more between them. Both Josh and Hope are happy with their work on the ranch, in spite of their parents' unrelenting nagging that there's something better that they should be doing. In Josh's case, they wanted him to be a doctor, even though he has no interest or calling for it. Hope's parents would prefer that she join them in their business and marry someone in their social class. Each of them has become pretty good at avoiding their parents for sanity's sake.

That is, until the day of the Granger's holiday party. Hope has to go because she's meeting a business contact there, which means she also has to dress up. Seeing her in the little red dress blows Josh's mind, and helping her zip it up fuels the heat he's always felt for her. The steam between the two of them boils over in a hot-blooded kiss.

I loved seeing the two of them commiserate over their parental troubles. Hope tries to get Josh to go with her to the party as her date to head her parents off. He declines, since he doesn't want to deal with his own parents at the party - until they show up there at the ranch. Their attitude pushes him right into Hope's arms and he and Hope pretend that they are together. This continues as they attend the party together and fend off the matchmaking attempts of both set of parents, while setting off the local gossips.

It was fun to see them deal with the feelings that had been stirred up. Josh seemed a bit reluctant to believe that it was anything more than lust at first. In a pretty funny comparison to silencing the alarm on fast food French fries, they try to see if giving in will make it go away or make it stronger. I laughed as their afterglow was interrupted and how they handled it. I loved seeing them admit what is between them and look to their future together.  

Texas-Sized Trouble – Delores Fossen (HQN – Jan 2018)

Series: Wrangler's Creek (Book 4)

A local girl comes home to face the cowboy from her past—and finally claim her future…

Lawson Granger loved Eve Cooper once, but her dreams were grander than anything his Texas-cowboy destiny could provide. Letting her walk out of his life and into television stardom was a mistake he made eighteen years ago. Now everything’s changed. Eve is back—pregnant and desperate for someplace to hide. And their desire is just as stubborn as they are.

Escaping to the comforts of home is Eve’s one shot at giving her baby a safe life. Earning Lawson’s trust is her one chance at making amends for the past. But the long-buried secrets and unintentional damage she fled from aren’t far behind. When the truth finds her, she stands to lose the man she loves and the only place she’s ever called home…this time forever.

Good second chance story. Lawson and Eve had been high school sweethearts until they were driven apart by the death of a friend and Eve’s departure for Hollywood. He hasn’t seen her in eighteen years. Then he finds out that Eve has moved back to Wrangler’s Creek.

Eve has been having a bad year. She’s pregnant from a one night stand with her former costar. Her adopted daughter isn’t speaking to her. She just wants a place where she can get her life back on track, and when she’s offered the house in Wrangler’s Creek, she jumps at it.

The book started with a bang and just kept going. Lawson was confronted by local fortune-teller and resident nutcase, Vita, and informed that he had a bunch of curses on him. He blows her off, but soon has reason to regret it, as he’s told about Eve’s presence on the ranch. He comes face to face with her just in time to deliver her baby, in a vastly amusing scene. It’s also quite clear that the sparks between them aren’t dead. Lawson copes by leaving town for as long as he can get away with it. Eve was grateful for his help, but she’s glad he’s gone. It gives her a chance to figure out what she is going to say to him.

I liked both Lawson and Eve. Lawson is a good man. He loves his family, even though they frequently irritate him. He works hard on the ranch. He’s very careful not to lead women on during those occasions when he cuts loose. He is also racked with guilt over the death of his friend Brett, and blames himself for what happened.  Having Eve around is a double-edged sword – she reminds him of that loss, but he’s also still attracted to her.

Eve has worked hard to be a good mother to Tessie, keeping her out of the Hollywood spotlight. But Eve has also kept a huge secret from her – a secret that caused a big rift with Tessie when it was discovered. Eve also feels guilty about Brett’s death, feeling that she could have done something to prevent it. Eve is a good person who made the choices that she believed were best at the time, but they are now creating more problems for her. But no matter what happens, she faces up to the consequences.

I liked the rekindling of Lawson and Eve’s relationship. Delivering her baby adds a layer of intimacy to their new reality. Lawson also discovers that he is unexpectedly protective of both Eve and little Aidan, a situation that is very disturbing to him at the beginning. He wants to keep his distance to protect his heart, but he just can’t do it. Eve is equally drawn to the man that Lawson has become, but the secrets she is keeping make that attraction hard to accept. It was fun to see how they fought their feelings, especially when everyone else could see that they belonged together. I especially enjoyed the identical housewarming gifts that Dylan gave to both Lawson and Eve.

I loved seeing Lawson get more involved in Eve’s life. It took him a while to realize how strong his feelings for her were. Those feelings took quite a hit when he discovered the secret she had been keeping. I understood his anger, and I also liked when he accepted that she had done what she thought was best. I did get a bit frustrated with Eve as she kept putting off the talk she had to have with Lawson, afraid that it would ruin their healing relationship. But whatever else was going on, I loved that they worked together to weather the crisis involving Tessie. Eve still had some obstacles to face, thanks to her former costar. Thankfully, with Lawson’s support, she finally saw that she and Lawson belonged together. I liked Lawson’s big moment at the end, even though it didn’t go quite the way he planned.

The secondary characters were terrific. Vita’s involvement with Lawson’s “curses” was pretty funny, especially the scene with the chicken. Cassidy was a terrific friend and had no problem telling Eve when she was being an idiot, but also backing her up anyway. Kellan was the character who was the biggest influence on the story. His total involvement in his own wants and activities, regardless of anyone else, made him especially irritating. I loved seeing Eve push back, getting blunter as the book went on. I loved seeing her finally get her point across. There was a terrific scene at the end, with Lawson, Tessie, and one of the show fans, that was especially heartwarming.

Branded as Trouble – Delores Fossen (HQN – July 2017)

Series: Wrangler's Creek (Book 3)

Every town needs a bad boy, and Wrangler's Creek's has been gone far too long

Getting his high school girlfriend pregnant was just one square in Roman Granger's checkered past, but it changed him forever. When his son's mother skipped town after the birth, Roman decided to do the same, baby Tate in tow, hoping for a fresh start.

Now Roman fears his teenage son is following in his wayward footsteps, so he returns home to Wrangler's Creek, aiming to set him straight. It's there he encounters Tate's aunt, Mila Banchini, the good-girl opposite of Roman who's had a crush on him since childhood. The old spark between them undeniably never died, though Roman worries it'll only lead to heartache. But if falling for Mila is such a bad idea, why does everything about holding her feel so right?

Good book. Roman is the third of the Grangers and the one who is actually the owner of the ranch, even though he wants nothing to do with it. Instead, he concentrates on his own rodeo business and takes care of his son. Things aren’t going smoothly on that front, and Roman came home from a business trip to find that Tate was in trouble at school.  The only thing to do is pack up and finish out the school year in Wrangler’s Creek, the very last place he wants to go.

Tate’s aunt Mila has stayed in Wrangler’s Creek, where she is the good girl to Roman’s bad boy. She’s had it bad for Roman for years and no other man has been able to compete. Though she knows there’s no chance of a future, maybe she can finally fulfill one of her dreams.

I liked both Roman and Mila. Roman is a good man who has been burned one too many times, causing him to do what he must to protect his heart. There was his first love, Valerie, who deserted him and Tate and still can hurt them both with her selfish behavior. Then there’s the contentious relationship he has with his mother. In this book, we finally learn what is behind it, and the betrayal he felt by her actions was completely understandable. Roman protects himself by avoiding any commitment – “three and done” is his motto and way of preventing any woman from getting ideas. However, he does have a deep love for his family, and I enjoyed seeing him spend more time with them. I also loved his determination to be a better father to Tate than his was to him. I ached for his feelings of helplessness as he tried to help Tate through his issues.

Mila is another one who has a love of family. She has a close relationship with Tate and is sympathetic to his problems with his mother. She has spent her whole life dealing with her mother, who is quite the piece of work. Mila is stunned by a secret that Vita reveals and which causes Mila to question things she thought she knew about herself. I liked the way that she faced it and made plans to deal with it, without turning it into a majorly dramatic situation.

I liked the development of the relationship between Roman and Mila. The sparks are there and intense, and Mila is ready to take advantage of them. Roman is a good man who believes that he can’t give her what she needs but finds it increasingly hard to resist her.  I liked seeing Mila wear him down, though he certainly fought hard. Roman was definitely not happy to find himself thinking about Mila and about spending more time with her, even after their agreed upon encounters were over.  I liked the way that Mila gets past Roman’s walls and helps him make peace with his past, just as Roman supports Mila in her search for her father. But Roman’s fears are still there, holding him back. The proverbial smack upside the head came from an unexpected source, and I loved how it happened. Roman’s big moment at the end was pretty sweet, with a side of sexy.

There was also a sweet side story with Tate and a girl from school. I liked the way that Arwen wanted to help him, having been through something similar herself. I felt bad for her with her home situation and loved the way that Roman and Mila stood up for her.

Diary of a War Bride – Lauri Robinson (HH #1386 – July 2018)

The land girl and the US officer

July 1942

Dear diary, despite the war raging around me, I find I can’t stop thinking about the American officer, Sergeant Dale Johnson. I’ve never known anyone as brave, kind and handsome! But I promised myself I wouldn’t care this much about a man again, especially when he could be transferred at any time. Yet that only makes me want to relish our time together. Now fighting my heart feels like the biggest battle…

Sweet romance between an American GI and an English woman during WW2. Kathryn is a young woman who was sent out of London by her parents to keep her safe. She has been helping with the evacuated children and anything else that is needed. The Americans have just built an airbase nearby, which disturbs her very much. She is afraid that the base will draw German attention, putting everyone in danger.

Dale is a young man who joined the war effort shortly after his older brother did. The family hasn’t heard from Ralph since he left and they are worried. Dale plans to use his spare time to search for his brother. He is a mechanic who works on the planes and is also a flight engineer who sometimes participates in missions.

I liked both Kathryn and Dale. Kathryn grew up in an upper-class family and had little to worry about. At the beginning of the war, she fell for a man who was only using her to get to her Brigadier father, leaving her determined to stay away from men. Since her arrival in the countryside, she has matured a great deal and learned the pleasures of independence. She also has a bit of a blind spot regarding Americans, thanks to a family scandal and her mother’s reaction to it. I liked how good Kathryn was with the children and how much she cared about the people around her. 

Dale is a kindhearted and honorable man. He watches out for the men under his command and does his best to do the right thing. He’s moved by circumstances of the evacuated children and wants to do something to make their lives better. He is also determined to find out what has happened to his brother to bring peace of mind to his mother.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Dale and Kathryn. They met under difficult circumstances when a pilot did a low-level buzz on Dale and a friend as a joke, but it also frightened Kathryn. I liked how Dale tried to make amends, even though Kathryn was pretty rude to him. Her stubbornness only increased his determination. I loved the solution he came up with and the way it led to a growing friendship between Dale and Kathryn. 

The more time they spent together, the closer they grew. Dale was conflicted because he really liked her, but the Americans were also discouraged from forming relationships with the locals. A run-in with one of his superiors emphasized this and caused him to pull back. Kathryn was also wary because she knew that Dale could be transferred at any time, or lose his life during one of the missions. I ached for them both when that separation came and the truth of their feelings became obvious to each of them. I loved Kathryn’s decision to step outside her comfort zone and the determination with which she pursued her goal. There was a great scene involving Dale and Kathryn’s father that emphasized Dale’s sense of honor and also showed the depth of his feelings for her.

There were some heart-pounding moments during one of Dale’s missions that kept me on the edge of my seat. I loved Kathryn’s determination to join him after he was transferred. There were a lot of twists and turns involved in making that happen, including some surprising actions by Kathryn’s father. I loved the ending and Dale’s reaction to everything he found. I would have liked an epilogue from a couple of years into their lives to see how they are doing.

A theme throughout the book was Dale’s search for his brother. I really liked how it showed the love that Dale had for his family. I loved how Kathryn used the search for Ralph as a way to feel closer to Dale during his absence. The resolution of that search was fun and showed the ripples caused by one small action. I enjoyed the way that Kathryn found Ralph and the effect it had on her actions. The ending was terrific and made me smile and cry at the same time.

I loved the World War Two setting, which is rarely seen in historical romances. There was a realistic look at what life was like, especially regarding Kathryn’s initial fears. I ached for the children who had been evacuated for their safety and loved seeing the various ways that Dale and Kathryn tried to make their lives easier. I also liked the glimpses of Dale’s activities, from his downtime to the intensity of his missions.

Invitation to Ruin - Bronwen Evans (Brava - Feb 2011)

Series: Invitation to (Book 1)

One Good Lady Is About to Go Bad...

The only thing Miss Melissa Goodly has ever wanted out of a marriage is love. But any hope of that dissolves one wild night, when she loses herself in the arms of the most irresistible -- and unobtainable -- man in all of England. For when they are discovered in a position as compromising as it is pleasurable, she has no choice but to accept his proposal.

Avowed bachelor Anthony Craven, Earl of Wickham, never meant to seduce an innocent like Melissa. Yet now that the damage is done, it does seem like she'd make a very convenient wife. After all, she is so naive he won't have to worry about ever being tempted. Or so he thinks, until the vows are spoken and they are left alone -- and his new bride reveals a streak just as brazen and unrestrained as his own...

Good book with some deeply emotional scenes. Anthony is a well-known rake who has made it clear that he will never marry. His reputation has earned him the name Lord of Wicked. When we first see him, he is making a bet with his brother as to which of them will sleep with a particular woman first. Even more disturbing is his intention to "stir the pot" by dancing with the woman's innocent cousin.

Melissa wants nothing more than to find a husband she can love and who will love her. But her wastrel brother is determined to sell her off to the highest bidder for his own benefit. Though she knows that Anthony is not the man for her, she can't deny her attraction to him. Her dance with him leaves her flustered and even more enamored of him.

Thanks to interference and a bit of trickery, Anthony ends up in Melissa's bed instead of Cassandra's, which he doesn't realize until it's too late. Anthony may be a rake, but he is also an honorable man and proposes marriage. He's a little surprised when she resists, but he prevails. The dilemma he faces is how to resist his attraction to her.

Overall, I liked both Melissa and Anthony, though Anthony took a while to win me over. He comes across as very cold and manipulative at the beginning, as he deceives Melissa about his plans for their marriage. I began to soften toward him as more of his background was revealed, and how the horrors he experienced made him fear treating his own child the way he was treated. Avoiding the prospect altogether seemed his only option. Melissa was a terrific heroine. She is feisty and independent, determined to get the outcome she wants. She is also a kind and caring woman, as shown by the type of charity work she does. I liked the way she doesn't just sit back and accept others' decisions but stands up for her own needs.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Anthony and Melissa. The sparks between them are strong from the beginning. Anthony is determined to keep Melissa at a distance, but she doesn't make it easy on him, to the point where he uses some truly cruel methods to drive her away from him. I loved that Melissa isn't quite so easy to drive away. It takes her a few days, but she realizes that while his words say one thing, his body says something entirely different. I loved the way she used her intellect to learn the ways of love to win him over. It was great fun to see Anthony tormented by his desire for his wife, to the point of being unable to carry on the way he had planned.

There were several misunderstandings between them, brought about by their differing outlooks on life. Melissa tends to see the good in people first and foremost, and acts accordingly, while Anthony always sees the worst. The first major misunderstanding, regarding the London slave market, ended up showing that they had more in common than they knew. Sometimes their misunderstandings caused them to behave badly toward the other, but eventually, they would learn the truth and find ways to make amends.

One of the things I loved best about Melissa was her refusal to give up on Anthony. The more she learned about his past, the more she admired the way that he had overcome it, even if he didn't think so. I was in tears for her as he pushed her away in ways that did his best to destroy her dreams and make her hate him. Even though it broke her heart, she still couldn't stop loving him. I ached for Anthony, who was so consumed by guilt over things in his past that he couldn't see the things that he did right. He really wanted to be the husband that Melissa deserved, but believed that he was unredeemable. I loved that it was his friends Samantha and Freddie who finally broke through his walls, and how they showed him that he would never be like his father. Having seen the light, Anthony has to find a way to win back Melissa. I loved seeing him expose his vulnerability to her. Even more, I loved how she was able to make him see that it wasn't her forgiveness he needed. I loved the epilogue and seeing the huge difference in Anthony and the happiness that radiates from them both.

One of the most unusual things about this book is that it deals with a subject rarely seen in Regency romances - slavery. I don't think I've ever read a book that talked about the selling of black slaves in England during that time period. I loved that both Melissa and Anthony were involved in fighting it, though in vastly different ways. There was an element of suspense in the book also, as Anthony's fight became far more personal than he ever expected. My heart was in my throat as Melissa became the focal point of Anthony's greatest enemy. The final confrontation was intense with several twists before the ultimate resolution.

I thoroughly enjoyed Anthony's friends and relations and their determination to save him. Though Richard and his mother's methods were underhanded, they were effective. I liked Richard's obvious love for his brother and his efforts to help Anthony and Melissa after their marriage. Rufus intrigues me and I look forward to reading his book, as well as Richard's.