The Stranger in Her Bed - Janet Chapman (Pocket - Feb 2007)

Series: Knight Family (Book 2)

When Ethan agreed to work at a sawmill his family is purchasing, he didn't foresee getting fired on his first day. He should be mad at the fiercely outspoken female foreman, but something about her seems disconcertingly familiar -- even though Ethan is sure he'd remember meeting a stunning beauty like Anna Segee before.

Anna has never forgotten Ethan -- or the schoolgirl crush she had on him before her father whisked her off to Canada. Now the shy, gangly girl is grown up and back in Oak Grove with a new name, new confidence, and a newly inherited mill of her own. Her superb reputation in a male-dominated industry hasn't come easy, but even harder will be ignoring the sexy man Ethan has become. . . .

Very good follow-on to The Seduction of His Wife. In this book, the Knight family has decided to purchase Loon Cove Mill from its retiring owner. Ethan is tagged with getting a job at the mill to learn the business while the purchase is negotiated. Unfortunately for him, he makes a really stupid mistake the first morning he is there and gets himself fired by the foreman.

Anna has been the foreman for Loon Cove since her return to Oak Grove a few months earlier. She had lived in Oak Grove with her mother until she was eleven when her father took her to live in Canada with him. She never forgot Ethan and how he rescued her one day. That shy girl has grown into a woman with a great reputation in the industry, the confidence to go with it, and a run-down mill inherited from her maternal grandfather.

I loved that first encounter between Ethan and Anna. Ethan's inattention nearly got him flattened, and if Anna hadn't been as good as she is, he would have been dead. As it was, she wrecked the loader she was driving trying to avoid him and was hopping mad when she got out of the damaged vehicle. All Ethan saw was a mad driver in a hard hat and carrying a tire iron, and decked her before he realized she was a woman. He was horrified at what he had done (both parts), but she was in no mood to listen and fired him immediately. They didn't recognize each other, but Anna quickly learned who he was. A few weeks later, they met again, this time with Ethan being one of the new owners. That encounter was good also, especially when Anna realized that it was Ethan who would be renting one of the cottages on her new property. There are definite sparks between the two of them, as Ethan is instantly attracted to Anna, the spitfire, and Anna is still drawn to her childhood crush. Matters get more complicated when Anna's truck slides off the road on the way home and Ethan saves her. It was an intense scene as he raced to get her out before the truck slid down the ravine. It was followed by the fun of seeing Ethan's determination to take care of her, and Anna's equal determination to take care of herself. I also laughed out loud at Ethan's introduction to those who shared her house.

I enjoyed the development of their relationship. The first few days, as Ethan takes care of Anna after her accident, are great fun as they constantly butt heads. Ethan is a bit old-fashioned and isn't used to a woman who is quite so independent. Anna, having spent the last eighteen years with an overprotective father and four equally smothering brothers, is determined to prove herself. As the weeks went on, Anna and Ethan learned to work together, with Ethan gaining a great deal of respect for Anna and her abilities, and Anna separating her girlhood crush from the man he is now. Underneath it all, the chemistry between them continued to build. I loved the heat generated when Anna decides to go after what she wants. The next morning is hilariously complicated by the unexpected arrival of two of Anna's brothers. I enjoyed Ethan's reaction to their treatment of Anna and the insight it gave him to the woman she is. Their feelings for each other grow, but neither is ready to admit to them. When Anna's past comes out, Ethan is there to support her. I loved how he surprised himself by his need to protect her and his realization of just how much he cared. I also liked the way that Anna didn't just go along with his plans but stood up for her own needs. The scene at the end where she went looking for him was an excellent portrayal of the dynamics between them. I loved Anna's description of their relationship to her stepmother: "We are like Oil and Vinegar most of the time. But when you shake us up real good, the combination is heavenly."

There is also a bit of suspense running through the book. Ever since Anna arrived, she has had problems with intruders on her property, as well as persistent attempts by resort developers and the local historical society to buy her property. There's a great scene with Anna going after the intruders and nearly getting Ethan too. I liked the teamwork as Anna and Ethan figured out what the intruders were looking for and why. An intense confrontation at the end brought answers and sadness.

When I first started this series, I was a bit puzzled as to why there were only two books when there were three brothers. That was answered when Paul found his own love during this book. I liked Anna's support of Jane and how she encouraged her to tell Paul the truth and his reaction. The scene when Paul and Jane arrived at Anna's house was great. I loved how Ethan so quickly relieved Jane's fears and welcomed her to the family.

The Seduction of His Wife - Janet Chapman (Pocket - July 2006)

Series: Knight Family (Book 1)

He set out to seduce her for all the wrong reasons -- but found himself falling in love with her for all the right ones.

Alex Knight is dead -- or so everyone thinks. A widowed logger baron with a risk-taking streak, he took on a South American engineering project and was reported dead after a rebel attack. So when he turns up back in Maine very much alive, his grieving family is shocked. But the biggest shock is Alex's, when he discovers he's now married -- to a woman he's never met.

Sarah Banks is ready for a change from running a quiet Bed & Breakfast, and working for the Knight family offers not only a bigger opportunity, but also the family life she yearns for. So she's glad to help secure custody of Alex's orphaned children, whom she's come to love, by marrying their father by proxy before he's legally declared dead. But when Alex returns, the sexy, determined woodsman upends all of Sarah's plans. Because suddenly she's married to a passionate stranger with an easy smile...and tumbling headlong into a fiery dance of seduction.

Another fantastic book by Janet Chapman, full of her trademark humor, heat, and family. Alex has been away in South America working as an engineer. Unfortunately, he was caught in a rebel attack and reported to his family as being killed in the attack. Imagine his surprise when he makes it out of the jungle and home again, to find himself married to a woman he's never met.

Sarah grew up on an isolated island where she ended up running her family's B&B after her parents' deaths. She also married quite young to a bully of a man. After his death and that of her mother-in-law, she was very happy to accept Grady Knight's offer of employment as housekeeper and nanny. Quickly growing to love the family, she was happy to marry the deceased son by proxy to protect the children, gaining the children she's always wanted without the inconvenience of a husband. Alex's surprise resurrection plays havoc with her plans - and her emotions.

The first meeting between Alex and Sarah was funny and a little heartbreaking. Alex's confusion over being confronted by his "wife", and held at bay by gunpoint, had me chuckling, while Sarah's fear at being confronted by a wild-looking and angry man made me ache for her. With the rest of the family away, Alex and Sarah are left to deal with explanations on their own - with the help of some whiskey-laced lemonade and the resulting poor decisions. One romance novel inspired dream results in an alcohol-enhanced passionate encounter, and equally passionate regrets a short time later. Alex makes a first class idiot of himself, shouting wild accusations and kicking Sarah out of the house. I loved his father's reaction when he showed up in the morning and how he made Alex feel like the jerk he was. All Alex has to do is find her and convince her to come back so that they can then figure out what to do. I loved that Sarah didn't make it easy for him,  setting the tone for the development of their relationship.

I liked both Sarah and Alex. Both have been hurt in the past, making each of them reluctant to marry again. Finding themselves married to each other is not what either wants, but they have to let it play out for a little longer. Alex is actually a pretty nice guy, a terrific father, and feels guilty for the way he treated Sarah. He'd really like to change her opinion of him, but he'll have to get her to trust him first. That's going to take a little doing because he has a hard time keeping his hands off her. Sarah doesn't have much in the way of life experience, having been isolated for most of her life. She tends to base her thoughts and actions on the characters in the romance novels she reads, which gets her into trouble when Alex doesn't quite fit that mold. I found it especially amusing that the romance novels that Sarah quotes are other books that Janet Chapman wrote. I laughed out loud at this: "He's not even real," Sarah ground out "He's the figment of some demented woman's imagination."

I thoroughly enjoyed the development of Alex and Sarah's relationship. Both of them get a great deal of enjoyment out of pushing each other's buttons, creating sparks of all kinds. Sarah is determined to resist the attraction she feels for Alex, fearing the loss of her hard-won independence if she gives in to him. Alex quickly realizes that he doesn't want to lose her, and tries to seduce her into staying. I also liked how quickly Alex came to understand Sarah and what made her tick. She was an intriguing mix of naïve and worldly. I ached a bit for her cynicism over the way men treat her and her wish for a romance hero of her own. From driving lessons to ice fishing, so many of their encounters had me laughing out loud because they didn't go the way they expected. But there were also some really sweet times, such as the way that Alex cared for Sarah when she was injured and Sarah insisting that they accept her help when it's needed. An unexpected complication gives them extra motivation to work things out, but even that isn't enough for Sarah if Alex can't convince her that he really cares. I loved the ending, as both of them finally take the risk of confessing their feelings.

There is also a bit of suspense running through the book. Strangers in the woods and vandalized equipment have everyone on edge. I loved Alex's protectiveness toward Sarah when she runs afoul of those strangers. But it is Sarah who saves the day in an intense, though somewhat amusing, rescue mission to keep Alex from walking into a trap.

The secondary characters are terrific, too. Alex's kids, Tucker and Delaney are adorable. Tucker is the little boy who is thrilled to have Sarah as his new mom. Delaney is Alex's eleven-year-old daughter who is smarter and more observant than he realizes. I loved some of the things she said, and the way she helped take care of Sarah. Alex's father, Grady, is something of a schemer. He has multiple plans goings, most of which he keeps to himself until he's ready to spring them on the family. From the sports camp to the mill, he has his reasons. I also liked Alex's brothers, Ethan and Paul. There is plenty of teasing, but the love and support are also evident. There's a bit of a teaser for the next book, with a contentious encounter between Ethan and the mill foreman (forewoman?).