Knox - Christie Ridgway (Christie Ridgway - Nov 2016)

Series: 7 Brides for 7 Brothers (Book 4)

When super-wealthy father of seven Colin Brannigan dies and leaves each of his sons a bequest, Knox Brannigan believes he scored big and best with his legacy—a vintage Indian motorcycle. He’s made a life out of rebelling against his father’s focus on high-powered business and high-powered people, but this time Knox follows the old man’s edict and takes it for a spin up the Pacific coast. When the machine breaks down he brings it to the shop listed in the owner’s manual—the closest place in California that can find the right part and repair the bike. It means three days of loafing at a rundown surfside motel, but that means three nights of getting under the skin—and with hopes, the clothes—of the lovely but disapproving owner of the yoga studio next door.

Erin Cassidy practices yoga to discipline her heart, mind, and body. But all three go wild in the presence of confident, charming, and much-too-handsome Knox Brannigan. She knows his type. He claims to be a part-time bartender but Erin’s sure that’s code for fun, flings, and never settling down. After being burned before, she set strict guidelines about the men she lets into her life. Knox, with his sexy smiles and laid-back attitude breaks every one of them. It’s only three days, she tells herself. If only they weren’t followed by those three steamy nights…

Knox has always been a man who takes his pleasures where and when he can find them and to hell with the rules. Yet when it comes to his feelings for Erin, he discovers he’s much more traditional than he ever imagined. It won’t take deep breathing or mindful meditation but only being in her arms to turn the rebel into a lover.

Good book with lots of humor mixed in with the romance. Knox is the fourth of the Brannigan brothers to accept his inheritance from his father and try to figure out what it means. The story opens on New Year's Eve, a few months after Knox's father died. Knox is known as the carefree, fun-loving Brannigan, but lately, he hasn't felt like himself. After a New Year's Day conversation with his brother Max, Knox finally checks out his legacy and is stunned to discover a vintage motorcycle. There's only one thing to do - hit the road and see if he can lose the dark feelings and resurrect his happy self. He stops for a break at a local bar/café, where he meets Erin.

Erin and her two (married) best friends are at the bar celebrating Erin's birthday. They are fussing at her over her lack of a social life. Erin was burned pretty badly by a previous relationship which has left her with some pretty big trust issues. It was fun to see them teasing and pushing her to put herself back out there. Their efforts take a pretty hilarious turn when her pregnant friend really gets into the act, sending Erin to try talking to the hot guy who just sat at the bar - Knox.

The first meeting between Knox and Erin was hilarious. The attraction between them was instant and strong, which flustered Erin. Erin's first words to Knox are taken as a pick-up line, which flusters her even more and amuses Knox. What follows is a very funny exchange about cheesy pick-up lines, and moves on to an evening spent in fun conversation. The sparks between them also flustered Knox, who is a bit surprised at the strength of the attraction. After a superhot kiss, they parted ways, not expecting to see each other again. However, Fate had different plans for them. When his bike breaks down, Knox shows up at Erin's yoga studio, in another very amusing scene, looking for help contacting the repair shop. In an unexpected twist, the owner of that shop is Erin's dad.  With the discovery that the bike needs a part that will take a few days to arrive, Knox is stuck in town, and in a perfect position to explore whatever it is that has flared between them.

I really enjoyed the development of the relationship between Knox and Erin. The attraction was instant and strong, which surprised both of them. One of the things I liked best was that neither one tried to deny it was there. Erin is wary, knowing that Knox is not interested in anything permanent and she's had enough of people walking out on her. But as she spends time with him, she realizes that there is more to Knox than his good-time, party animal reputation. I loved how she saw that he was still grieving for his father, even though he couldn't see it himself, and that she helped him see it and deal with it. Knox is continually surprised by how deeply Erin has gotten under his skin. It was sweet to see his patience as he waits for Erin to overcome her fears of getting involved with him. He also senses her insecurities about herself, and his actions when she talked about her mother were great. I loved how he realized the depth of his feelings for her, but in typical man style, he isn't so good about sharing those feelings. She's still trying to protect her heart when his bike is fixed, and can't bring herself to believe that he really wants her. I loved his big moment at the end, and how he enlisted her friends to help him pull it off.

I liked Erin's friends and their husbands and the way that they all connected so easily with Knox. It was pretty easy to see the wheels turning in Knox's head as he got to know them. I loved how he got so involved in helping Erin when her friend when into labor. His natural charm and kindness really came through. I also liked the scenes between Knox and his various brothers as they all deal with their father's death. I love how they grow closer with each book, being there to support and encourage each other.

Hunter - Melody Anne (Eternal Dreams - Nov 2016)

Series: 7 Brides for 7 Brothers (Book 3)

When Hunter Brannigan loses his father and is sent a map, he doesn’t know what to think. Is it a joke? Was the old man going senile at the end? The attorney sending the map assures him the piece of paper was definitely from his father and he must follow the clues to find himself.

Hunter has been running from anything even remotely resembling responsibility for a very long time. He’s a world renowned Photo Journalist, traveling the seven continents in pursuit of the next great shot. He’s been in the heart of the trauma during war time, natural disasters, and life-altering moments, always on the other side of the lens, never getting emotionally involved. His father’s last wish for him is to put himself within the pictures he’s famous for.

Deciding to humor his father’s last request, he stumbles upon Rebekah Kingsley III, an uptight History Professor who desperately needs to let her hair down. Though he has his doubts she can get dirty long enough to help him, something about her won’t let him walk so easily this time. Will she be enough to make him settle down, or will he leave her with nothing but a picture of what could have been.

The third book in the series, and another second chance story. In this book, Hunter, who is Gabe's twin brother, receives a treasure map as his inheritance from his father. He's not sure what to make of it, or the instruction to seek the assistance of a college history professor to solve the clues on the map. Hunter is shocked to discover that the history professor is none other than Bekka, the girl he'd had a summer romance with ten years earlier. Bekka had fallen hard for Hunter during that summer and had been heartbroken when he left without looking back. She moved on with her life, following her detailed one-, five-, and ten-year plans, and was not too happy to have Hunter burst back into her life.

Hunter and Bekka were interesting people. Hunter is just as much of an adrenaline junkie as his brother Luke, with no situation too dangerous for him to go into looking for the perfect photograph. He's constantly on the move, never getting too deeply involved with anyone or anything. Thanks to his father's withdrawal after his mom's death, Hunter doesn't trust anyone, except maybe his brothers. Bekka is very intelligent and had been raised by her mother not to trust emotions, encouraged to pursue academics. She had one brief summer of rebellion, where she allowed adventure into her life, falling in love with Hunter as they shared those adventures. But when he broke her heart, she locked adventure out of her life.

The development of the relationship between Hunter and Bekka was interesting. The attraction between them was still as strong as ever. Hunter was more than willing to give in to it and see what happened. He made no secret of that to Bekka, showing her at every chance how much he wanted her. Bekka was far more interested in protecting her heart. She knew it would be way too easy to fall for him again, and she wasn't sure she could survive another heartache. As they followed the various clues on the map, they couldn't help but grow closer. Hunter found himself more and more willing to put off his next photography jaunt if he could spend the time with Bekka. This made him both happy and scared to death. I liked how he could see under her buttoned up exterior to the girl he used to know, and how much he enjoyed bringing that girl back to the surface. I also liked the way he showed how much he cared, even though he wouldn't admit it to himself. The scenes following the snake bite were awesome at showing the depth of his caring. Bekka spent a fair amount of time fighting against the attraction she still felt for Hunter. She's afraid to trust that, if she gives in to him, he won't walk away and break her heart again. It was interesting to see her slowly loosen up and begin to enjoy life again, including giving in to the heat. But she also had trouble holding back the hope that this time it would be different. I ached for her when they came to the final clue, and what Hunter found sent him running again. I thought he deserved every bit of the misery he felt, and was thoroughly delighted by the advice he got from his brother. He redeemed himself quite nicely with his big moment at the end.

I loved seeing more of Luke and Lizzie, and Gabe and Josie in this book. It was great to see how they have both changed for the better since falling in love, without losing who they are. I also enjoyed seeing how the brothers have gotten closer since their father's death, and how they are there for each other. Their interactions are fun, especially when they get a little snarky. 

Gabe - Ruth Cardello (Smashwords - Nov 2016)

Series: 7 Brides for 7 Brothers (Book 2)

Gabe Brannigan is a Californian real estate mogul who is used to seeing property in terms of dollar signs. When his father dies unexpectedly and leaves him the family ranch, he’s annoyed rather than grateful. The conditions of his inheritance include living on the ranch for six months before being able to sell it.

He’s ready to walk away from the deal until he meets the sexy, motorcycle-riding ranch caretaker. She’s brash and outspoken, rough around the edges. Definitely not his style, but that doesn’t stop him from wanting her.

Craving her.

Throwing all caution aside and deciding to have her.

Josephine Ashby has found the perfect place to hide until Mr. Sexy Eyes shows up and announces he is moving in.

A man who doesn’t believe in anything, finds himself believing in her.

But will it be enough?

Good book with a nice blend of romance and intrigue. Gabe and his brothers recently lost their father. Gabe has inherited the family ranch, a property that he has no intention of keeping. However, before he can sell it, he is required to live on it for one month. He's ready to walk away from it until his aunt coerces him into spending a weekend at the ranch. There he meets Josie, who acts as the ranch caretaker while the regular one is away.

Josie is hiding out on the ranch after her father's death. She believes that he was murdered and the company he worked for has covered it up by accusing him of stealing and embezzlement. Now she believes that they are after her. She is determined to finish her father's work and clear his name. Having Gabe underfoot is not in her plans.

I liked both Gabe and Josie. She is a brilliant woman, feisty, independent, and determined. Her father was her parent and her best friend, and without him, she is a little bit lost. She doesn't trust easily. Gabe is equally determined, focused on his business, and avoids relationships. After the death of their mother, Gabe's father buried his grief in work, leaving his sons in the care of nannies. As a result, the boys grew apart from their father and each other.

From the moment they met, there were sparks between Gabe and Josie. I laughed out loud at their first meeting, with Gabe distracted by his attraction to her, and Josie taking him down and holding him at gunpoint. Gabe is determined to get her into his bed, but it isn't long before the woman herself fascinates him. He also realizes that she's keeping secrets and is determined to uncover them. Josie is equally attracted to Gabe but doesn't want him to get caught up in her troubles. I enjoyed seeing them dance around each other at first, then give in to what was happening to them. It was fun to see the business-only Gabe making time to spend with Josie. And I love how Josie helped Gabe remember the good times on the ranch and look at his father through new eyes. I loved it when Josie got to the point where she trusted Gabe enough to tell him the truth, and the way that Gabe discovered unexpected feelings of protectiveness. There are a couple of hiccups due to communication and trust issues, but in the end, Gabe and Josie realize that they belong together. Gabe loved Josie just the way she was, and Josie was the piece of Gabe he didn't know was missing. The last chapter was sweet, romantic and heartwarming.

The intrigue of the story was good. I loved the project that Josie was working on and her determination to finish it and clear her father. I also understood her wariness around Gabe and his about her. I liked how he took her concerns seriously once he believed. I liked seeing him take steps to protect her, though his take-charge attitude did create a few problems. I hurt for Josie when she thought he'd betrayed her, and loved that she didn't just wallow in her pain. The scene on the ranch with Josie and the security guys was hilarious. I loved Gabe's part in the resolution.

I am looking forward to reading the other books in the series.

 

One Snowy Night - Jill Shalvis (HarperCollins - Nov 2016)

Series: Heartbreaker Bay (Book 2.5)

It’s Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to the family she hasn’t seen in years. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, and his big, goofy, lovable dog Carl.

Hours stuck in a truck with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history… and Max is the only one who knows why it went south.

They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past… and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.

Short, sweet, and a little bit sexy, this is the story of  Rory and Max. Rory works for Willa (see The Trouble with Mistletoe), who rescued Rory from a bad situation. She has made a good life for herself in San Francisco, but the things she did as a teenager dampen her pride in who she is now. She was the target of a witch of a girl in high school and still ended up being the one in trouble when she fought back. She ran away from home at seventeen and hasn't been back since. Now Rory has finally gathered the courage to go home for Christmas, and her only way to get there is to ride with Max - her high school crush.

Max knew Rory in high school but has resented her for something she did that threw his plans into turmoil. Now he works for a security firm in the same building. He has a crush on her that is unaffected by their past. He uses his dog Carl as a bridge and takes him to the groomer's shop every week so that he can see Rory. He leaps at the chance to give Rory a ride home for Christmas.

I liked seeing the relationship between Rory and Max. The beginning of the trip is really awkward, with Max still carrying a grudge over what happened in high school, and Rory feeling the tension but not knowing why. Plus, she still has this overpowering attraction to him. Though normally the trip to Tahoe is pretty short, the weather has turned nasty and progress is slow. Trapped in the truck together, along with lovable dog Carl, Rory and Max finally have a chance to clear the air between them. Both of them discover that there was more to the story of what happened, which changes the way they look at each other.  

It was fun to see them each dance around their attraction to each other until they had to take refuge in a motel for the night. I loved seeing Rory take matters into her own hands. It was also sweet to see Max hold off until he was sure that it was what Rory wanted. The heat between them was really intense, and I loved how it brought them even closer together.

I ached for Rory and her nervousness about going home. She was especially nervous because they had been delayed. I wanted to smack her stepfather at first because of his attitude toward her. It was awesome to see Max's protective side come out and show how great she was. He also stepped up and told her how he felt, which helped Rory admit her own feelings. I would have liked a little more of the reunion, but overall it was okay. I hope that we get to see more of Max and Rory in later books.

Letters to Love - Soraya Lane (Montlake Romance - Nov 2015)

When her sister Lila and brother-in-law Gray are killed in a tragic accident, Bella is named as guardian to her two young nephews. Then she discovers that she’s expected to co-parent with Gray’s best friend, and grief turns to shock. Noah has always driven her crazy, and Bella’s sure the arrogant, handsome Navy SEAL is the last person she wants to share a life with.

Just as it seems they’ll never see eye to eye, letters from Lila start to arrive -- letters she wrote in case they ever ended up in this situation. And so the reluctant couple follows her instructions, spending ever more time together as part of their unexpected, unconventional family.

Forced into an impossible situation, will these letters from the past bring them together? "Life as We Know It" meets "P.S. I Love You" in this heartwarming story of loss, grief, family and love.

Fantastic book that had me laughing and crying all through it. The story opens as Bella's sister and brother-in-law are killed in a car accident, leaving Bella as guardian to her two nephews. A second shock follows as she learns that Gray's best friend Noah has been named as co-guardian. He is the last person that she wants to share a house and a life with.

Bella and Noah have rubbed each other the wrong way since the moment they met. Bella sees the handsome Navy SEAL as an arrogant, too charming for his own good playboy, and Noah thinks that Bella is rigid and uptight. Though I ended up loving both characters, at the beginning I didn't like either of them very much. Bella is downright bitchy to Noah, and he seems to delight in doing whatever he can to set her off. But as I got to know them my opinion changed.

Noah has a very tough exterior that he has built up over a long time and it only seems to soften around Will and Cooper. I loved the way that he stood up to Bella and insisted on being part of the boys' lives. He knows that his job will make it difficult, but he's determined to do the best he can. His past has caused him to lock his emotions up tight, and avoid commitments of any kind. The only exception is the depth of his friendship with Gray and Lila and his commitment to his brothers in arms.

Bella is independent, and a bit on the controlling side. She has dealt with her sister's death by devoting herself to her nephews - selling her own home, putting her business on hold, and trying to create a routine for the boys. A bad past relationship has caused Bella to have some issues that she will need to overcome.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Noah and Bella. The sparks fly from the start as Bella's insistence on routine runs up against Noah's more laid back methods. But beneath the surface arguments on parenting styles is an attraction that neither can deny and neither is happy about. They maintain their animosity until they start receiving letters written to both by Bella's sister Lila before her death. Because she and Gray were both military, she always knew there was a chance that something could happen. Well aware of Noah and Bella's attitudes toward each other, Lila used these letters to encourage them to get to know each other and gave them guidance on how to do it. I loved her creativity and how well she obviously knew them both.

Over the next few weeks, with Lila's beyond-the-grave guidance, Noah and Bella learned to look past the surface and see the people behind the masks. I loved how Bella began to see that Noah had a big heart and so much love to share, but that he didn't know how to show it. She saw the man whose commitment to his teammates and his country were a huge part of who he was. I loved how Noah saw that Bella's need to plan and keep to routine stemmed from times when she couldn't control her life. Their attraction continued to grow and became something that pulled them together but also pushed them apart. Bella could feel herself beginning to care for Noah, to depend on him and to need him, which scares her to death. She doesn't want to love a man who could be taken from her at any time. Noah is torn by his passion for his work and his desire to be the man that Bella and the boys need. He also has a bone-deep belief that he isn't good enough for a woman like Bella.

Things come to a head when Noah has to go back to work and Bella's fears come boiling back to the surface. I ached for her as she pushed Noah away, afraid to believe in what could be. I hurt for Noah, who was grappling with some hard decisions and wasn't able to share the load with anyone. I loved seeing each of them finally confront their fears and realize what was holding them back. I loved the ending and that it was realistic enough to show that there will still be challenges to overcome.

There were some terrific moments scattered throughout the book. I loved Noah's reaction to having the boys to himself all day, and the respect for Bella that came with it. I adored the realism of Bella's exhaustion from being a working mother, and that sometimes she just wanted to chuck it. There were outpourings of grief from the boys, Bella, and Noah as they all came to terms with their loss that had me in tears also. There were also good times when the grief faded and life was good. There was also an unexpected twist that explained so many actions and reactions. The epilogue was sweet and a wonderful wrapup to their story.

I also loved how important family was in this story. The closeness of Bella and Lila was heartwarming and heartwrenching at the same time. I loved the letters that Lila wrote and the obvious love and respect she had for both Bella and Noah. I also loved how close Bella's family was and the support that was always there, not just for Bella but for Noah also. Learning more about Noah and how he came to be part of Gray's family was another one of those tearjerker episodes. Best of all was seeing Bella, Noah, Will, and Cooper become a brand new family without forgetting the old.