Feature Post and Mini Book Reviews: The McKenzies of Ridge Trail Series by Lori Foster

Hi, everyone!

Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Mini Book Reviews for THE McKENZIES OF RIDGE TRAIL series by Lori Foster. Three exciting romantic suspense books featuring a tight knit family of vigilantes working to stop human trafficking in their area of Colorado.

The McKenzies of Ridge Trail

Book 1: No Holding Back
Book 2: Stronger Than You Know
Book 3: Watching Over You

Below you will find book descriptions, my mini book reviews, and the author’s bio and social media links. Enjoy!

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Book Description

Trucker Sterling (Star) Parson is no stranger to the challenges a woman faces, both in her industry and in life. But she can take care of herself. She’s never needed—or wanted—a man around…until she meets Cade McKenzie. The take-charge bar owner sets off all kinds of alarm bells for Sterling, but he also sets her heart racing.

Cade’s lived in Ridge Trail long enough to know trouble when he sees it, and the moment Sterling—Star—walks into his bar, he knows trouble’s come to call. Secrets run deep in the small town and Cade can tell Star’s got as many as he does, leaving him itching to uncover every last one. But finding common ground will mean trusting one another, further feeding an intense attraction that’s growing impossible to resist.

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My Mini Book Review

NO HOLDING BACK (The McKenzies of Ridge Trail Book #1) by Lori Foster is a thrilling, fast paced romantic suspense which introduces the McKenzie family and their unique family business. This first book in the series features the eldest son, Cade McKenzie and the unique woman who captures first his interest and then his heart.

Cade and Sterling “Star” have both had to deal with the emotional devastation of human trafficking in their lives. Cade was an Army Ranger until he returned home with a medical discharge and became involved in his family’s fight. Star escaped and survived her trafficking, with major trust issues, but she refuses to be broken and works on her own to help others escape from traffickers while seeking revenge.

I love these two together and how Cade took the necessary time to gain Star’s trust while both danced around how much they were willing to reveal to each other. I always love a strong heroine and Star more than fits the bill, physically and in the way she stands up to Cade’s alpha tendencies and his father’s domineering attitude. All the members of the McKenzie family are fully fleshed. The plot is full of suspense and danger but is also interspersed with humor and smokin’ hot sex scenes that are explicit, but not gratuitous. The discussions of human trafficking are handled realistically and do include scenes of violence.

I highly recommend this emotional romantic suspense!

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Book Description

Kennedy Brooks has spent years learning how to protect herself, and empowering other women to do the same. Still, there are some hazards that can’t be predicted. That includes Reyes McKenzie, who owns her local gym. Strong, capable, and watchful, he seems like the one man who might understand her past. For once, Kennedy is tempted to let her guard down—something she’s vowed never to do.

The moment petite, fiercely determined Kennedy walked into his gym, Reyes knew that she carried secrets. What he didn’t expect was that she could tell the same about him. When trouble tracks her down, she turns to Reyes, unleashing a maelstrom of protective instinct and mutual desire. But will her need for him end when the danger does, or will they take the ultimate risk—on each other?

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Mini Book Review

STRONGER THAN YOU KNOW (The McKenzies of Ridge Trail book #2) by Lori Foster is another exciting romantic suspense in the McKenzies of Ridge Trail series. This story features the second McKenzie son, Reyes who has been trained his entire life to fight against human traffickers with his family and the woman who has turned her experience of being trafficked into empowering other women.

Reyes McKenzie runs a gym in the seedier part of town to gather intel on human trafficking activity that he and his family can act against. Kennedy Brooks uses Reyes’s gym to work on her self-defense skills and even though she is intrigued by Reyes, she wants nothing to do with him until she returns from a conference and finds her apartment building on fire and two men lurking by her Uber. Reyes’ protective instincts kick in and Kennedy will be staying with him until they can discover who is after her.

Reyes is a wonderful hero with his protectiveness of Kennedy, and I loved his continual wise-cracking and needling of others. Kennedy is a strong heroine, not so much physically, but with her strength and caring for others which makes the inclusion of Jodi, another trafficking survivor, a great example of her caring. The romance in this story is a slow burn with Reyes not believing he would ever find true love, but once they get together, hot, hot, hot. The suspense plot moves at a fast pace and does have realistic descriptions of violence against women. I liked catching up with Cade and Star’s relationship and I also enjoyed learning more about Reyes’s father and Bernard in this book.

Another wonderful addition to the series and I highly recommend this exciting romantic suspense!

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Book Description

While investigating a criminal network, Detective Crosby Albertson keeps crossing paths with members of the highly trained, suspiciously well-informed McKenzie family. They’re always one step ahead of him—especially their alarmingly attractive intel specialist, Madison. And Crosby needs to find out why.

Madison McKenzie is the tech and surveillance whiz of her family’s operation. A recent case introduced her to Detective Albertson. She finds herself irresistibly drawn to the sexy and mysterious cop. There’s just one problem. He’s a detective and her family’s work is secret. When Crosby starts digging for information about the McKenzies, Madison’s got to get him off the scent…while keeping him at a safe distance.

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My Mini Book Review

WATCHING OVER YOU (The McKenzies of Ridge Trail Book #3) by Lori Foster is the third gripping romantic suspense in the McKenzies of Ridge Trail series. This story features the youngest and only female McKenzie, Madison and her continuing interest in the local detective who suspects the McKenzie’s are involved in more than strictly legal activities in their dealings with human traffickers.

Madison McKenzie is a tech prodigy and assists her father and brothers in their fight against human traffickers. Her infatuation and frank back and forth with Crosby Albertson is entertaining and leads to an intense build-up of sexual tension. Crosby Albertson, no longer a detective, is now working for Madison’s father. Madison and Crosby must decide if all the family secrets can be overcome. When a secret from his private life is uncovered and endangered, he finds he is more in line with McKenzie family justice than worrying about the legal system.

This is my favorite romance story of the three McKenzie siblings. Madison is a great heroine who is talented, physically strong, forthright, and yet vulnerable. Crosby is an alpha hero who is struggling with his law-and-order beliefs versus the McKensie vigilante beliefs. His love of Madison, family, and any he considers family makes the crossing of the line a decision he must make as they are threatened. It is great when the family comes together, not only to defeat human traffickers, but in leisure at the family mansion to catch up with all the character’s current lives. This suspense plot is as fast paced as the others, but this book has a bit more romance with not only Madison and Crosby coming together, but also Parrish, Madison’s father, and Silver. This is the last book in this series, and I am sorry to see it end.

I highly recommend this final romantic suspense in this series!

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Author Bio

 Lori Foster is a New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestselling author with over 10 million books sold. She received the Career Achievement Award from RT Book Reviews and her books have been chosen as editors picks by Amazon multiple times. Foster is actively involved in charity work, and all of the author proceeds from her anthologies have gone to various organizations, such as the Animal Adoption Foundation, the Conductive Learning Center, and One Way Farm. She lives in Ohio with her high school sweetheart.

Social Media Links

Author Website

Twitter: @LoriLFoster

Facebook: Lori Foster

Instagram: @lorilfoster

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Hot Shot Series by Lisa Childs

Book Descriptions and Elise’s Thoughts

The Hot Shot Series” by Lisa Childs is a two for one. There are two mysteries in each book. A threat against the hero and heroine involving their personal life, and an overriding arc that has someone sabotaging the team. Although the books are in a series, there is sufficient information given in each book that allows each to be read as a standalone. The novels have great banter, murder, deception, and some romance. There is non-stop action with one threat after another.

The latest book, Hotshot Hero in Disguise, starts out with a bang as a stove explodes setting fire to Hotshot Ethan Sommerly’s beard and hair. He is injured and taken to the hospital, where he finds out that his long hair and bushy beard have protected his face from severe burns, but now he must trim and shave them because of the burns. He goes to the beauty salon owned by Tammy Ingles who realizes after completing her work that he has been hiding his identity. Not only does the attraction between them heat up but also the threats. There are several prime candidates, and the tension ramps up as Ethan and the others try to figure out who is involved.

The book before this one, Hotshot Heroes Under Threat, has another team member being threatened, Patrick (Trick) McRooney.  He was assigned to go undercover and investigate why all these “accidents” were happening to the team.  No one knows if the threats are against him or the team. One of the firefighters, Henrietta (Hank) Rowlins is also being threatened.  People are wondering if the assailant wants Hank dead, Trick dead, or the team dead?  It seems every time Hank and trick are together, their lives are threatened.  Even though there is a major attraction between them each tries to stay apart to prevent the other from being hurt, literally and figuratively. What makes the stories heartfelt is how each member of the team eventually has each other’s back. The suspense of the story will have readers turning the pages, wondering how the danger will be stopped.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the series?

Lisa Childs: While in college my husband worked for the US Forest Department. He had gone out to fight wildfires.  When I started the series, my editor told me to make the heroes “hot shot firefighters.”  I went from there. It started as four books, but there will be twelve total books in the series.

EC:  The last two Hotshot books have similar relationships?

LC:  Yes, both heroes tried to have a hands-off attitude toward the heroines because they did not want to endanger her. They are protectors, a part of their personality to save and help people.

EC:  In your latest Hotshot book, Hero in Disguise, how would you describe Ethan Sommerly?

LC: He is mysterious, very quiet, and hides behind his big beard and bushy hair. He is a loner with big secrets.

EC:  What about the heroine, Tammy Ingles?

LC:  She is everybody’s friend, loved by everyone.  She is very supportive, blunt, funny, quick-witted, and likes to be in control of her own life.

EC:  What about the relationship?

LC:  Although Tammy is not looking for love, she is intrigued with Ethan. She enjoys flirting and teasing Ethan to see him get flustered.  There has always been an attraction between them.

EC:  Is the heroine in the book before this one, Hotshot Heroes Under Threat, Henrietta (Hank) Rowlins, like Tammy?

LC:  No, she is very much different. She has flourished in a male dominated career, especially as a Hotshot.  She is very tough, physical, and brave. 

EC:  What about the hero in Under Threat, Patrick (trick) McRooney?

LC: At first, he is resented by the rest of the team since he took the place of their beloved Hotshot teammate who died.  Plus, he is also the boss’s brother-in-law, so people feel there was nepotism involved. He needs to prove himself, that he deserves to be there. Trick also has abandonment issues because his mother took off when he was young.

EC:  What about the relationship between Hank and Trick?

LC: Hank is vulnerable and mistrusting. They dance around their attraction, partly because of the rule there can be no fraternization among teammates.

EC:  Next books?

LC:  Book 9 of this series comes out in December and is titled, Hotshot Heroes for the Holiday and is Trent Miles story with a new heroine, a detective from Detroit.

Book 10 comes out in May 2024 with the hero Rory Van Dam and the heroine, reporter Brittany Townsend.

Book 11 comes out in July 2024 with heroine Hotshot Michaela Momber and the hero, the owner of the bar. This is my 100th book for Harlequin Publishers.

Book 12 comes out in October 2024 with heroine trooper Wyonna Wells.

I also write a bunch of different series, “Bachelor Cowboys” and “Bachelor Bodyguards.” A Cowboys Justice is a Cold Case Suspense novel coming out this April, and the next Bachelor Cowboy book comes out in June, Firefighters Family Secret.

Baby Rescue Mission comes out in September with the heroine a Child Protective Services investigator. 

The “Bane Island Series” is with a different publisher, Kensington. It is a thriller. A former psychiatric hospital has been converted to a posh spa, but bodies start piling up. The final one in the series is out this October. There is a rivalry between the local sheriff and the guy who owns the spa. There is a lot of conflict

THANK YOU!!

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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Book Review: Because of You by Jessica Scott

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

BECAUSE OF YOU (Coming Home Book #1) by Jessica Scott is an emotional contemporary romance and the first in the Coming Home series featuring a badly wounded military Sergeant coming home from Iraq and the nurse who cares for him but has scars of her own. I cannot believe I have not read any of these books previously because they are so well written with everything I want in a romance and the lives of the military personnel are so realistically portrayed.

Sergeant First Class Shane Garrison takes the care, training, and safety of his men very seriously. Four months into the surge in Iraq, he is seriously injured by an IED and shipped back home to the hospital at Ft. Hood. With one arm in a cast and both legs in pin traction, he is afraid he will never get back to his men.

Jen St. James is a nurse at Ft. Hood’s hospital and has taken care of many soldiers returning home. When she sees Shane in the hospital there is still an attraction that was there when they met at a deployment party before he shipped out. Jen pushes Shane to fight not only to heal physically, but to find how to move forward. But Jen is hiding scars from a battle of her own and needs to learn to move on, also.

I could not put this book down! Shane and Jen were both compelling main characters that kept me on their emotional roller coaster from their first meeting until the end of the book. The secondary characters are just as vividly drawn and believable. I was pulled into the lives of them all. The author shines a realistic light on many of the daily problems facing military personnel and their family members. The dialogue was stark and graphic on some difficult topics, but also had moments of humor. The romance progressed at a believable pace with the emotional trust that had to be achieved with eventual sex scenes that were explicit, but not gratuitous.

I highly recommend this contemporary military romance! One good thing about finding this series now is that I have several more books already available to read in the series.

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About the Author

Jessica Scott is the USA Today bestselling author of novels set in the heart of America’s Army. She is an active duty army officer, a veteran of the Iraq war, is the mother of two daughters, a small zoo consisting of too many cats, dogs and the occasional domesticated rodent, and wife to a retired NCO.

Her stories are centered on soldiers returning from the nation’s wars and their struggles and triumphs and come from her personal experiences as a soldier, a mother and a military wife. She and her family are currently wherever the army has sent her.

She’s also written for the New York Times At War Blog, PBS Point of View Regarding War, and IAVA. She deployed to Iraq in 2009 as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF)/New Dawn and has had the honor of serving as a company commander at Fort Hood, Texas twice.

She holds a Ph.D. in Sociology and she’s been featured as one of Esquire Magazine’s Americans of the Year for 2012.

Social Media Links

Website: www.jessicascott.net

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/JessicaScottAuthor

Twitter: https://twitter.com/JessicaScott09

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicadscott09/

Feature Post and Book Review: Beginning of Forever by Catherine Bybee

Book Description

Tasting wine is not enough: sommelier Giovanni D’Angelo wants to create it. To put his family first, he’s always deferred his dreams—a vineyard to run, a woman to marry. But a three-week vineyard tour in Italy could set him back on track.

For Emma Rutledge, wine is in her blood. Intent to run the family wine business one day, she finds that the men in her family are only intent to push her out of it. But that’s fine—she’s got a plan.

When Gio and Emma meet on a wine tour in Tuscany, their shared aspirations fuel an undeniable chemistry. Returning home to California, they work toward setting up Emma’s vineyard and a label of their own. But when Emma receives a life-altering diagnosis, she worries it’s all been for nothing.

As Emma works to cement her family legacy while dealing with this unexpected challenge, Gio tries to convince her that their future isn’t just wine.

It’s each other.

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/63345340-beginning-of-forever

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

BEGINNING OF FOREVER (The D’Angelos Book #3) by Catherine Bybee is another perfectly wonderful contemporary romance addition to The D’Angelo family series. This story features Giovanni D’Angelo and his discovery of that one true love traveling from the vineyards of Italy and back to California. This romance can be read as a standalone, but there are family member connections throughout tying to the first two books in the series.

Giovanni “Gio” D’Angelo has always loved everything connected to wine since his first visit with his grandfather in Italy. He has become a sommelier and works in his family’s restaurant, but his dream has always been to own a small vineyard of his own. For his thirtieth birthday, his family sends him on a three-week tour of Italian vineyards.

Emma Rutledge was born into a prominent Napa wine family and has worked hard for her place in the family business, but her father never sees her as an asset. For her thirtieth birthday her mother sends Emma and her best friend, Natalie, on a wine tour to take a break, but Emma is already making new plans for her future.

Gio has a house full of strong women in his family and the feisty, redheaded Emma catches his attention. Their shared love of wine and dreams of having their own vines connects them and only adds to the growing chemistry, but Emma is not looking for forever. When they return to California, Gio continues to show Emma he is a partner with suggestions, but never wants to make her decisions for her. When Emma receives a medical diagnosis that changes her life, Gio proves he is at her side for everything and anything, forever.

I love Emma and Gio’s journey to love and HEA! Every one of the stories in this series has been an absolute delight! Ms. Bybee knows how to bring a romance together even with all the messy things in life that can interfere. With the D’Angelos, like in many big Italian families, difficulties can be overcome with the help and love of family, friends and food and the comparisons between the D’Angelo and Rutledge families leave me with an easy decision of which I would rather belong to. I enjoyed catching up with all the other family member’s relationships and wish I could go to Little Italy and meet them all.

I highly recommend this delightful and heart-warming contemporary romance! The entire D’Angelos series is worth the read.

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About the Author

Catherine is a #1 Wall Street Journal, Amazon, and Indie Reader bestselling author. In addition, her books have also graced The New York Times and USA Today bestsellers lists. In total she has written thirty-six beloved books that have collectively sold more than 10 million copies and have been translated into more than twenty languages.

Raised in Washington State, Bybee moved to Southern California in the hope of becoming a movie star. After growing bored with waiting tables, she returned to school and became a registered nurse, spending most of her career in urban
emergency rooms. She now writes full time and has penned the Not Quite series, The Weekday Brides series, the Most Likely To series, and the First Wives series. Learn more about Catherine and her books at www.catherinebybee.com

Social Media Links

Website: http://www.catherinebybee.com 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorCatherineBybee 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/catherinebybee 

Friday Feature Author Interview with Elise Cooper: The Dangerous One by Lori Foster

Book Description

Being alone is what he wanted… All he needed was her.

Hunter Osborn left his family, his friends and his job as a park ranger after uncovering a disturbing crime scene. Haunted by nightmares and harrowing memories, Hunter relocated to an isolated property near Triple Creek, Colorado, where he lives alone and keeps his interactions with people to a minimum.

Still, Hunter can spot trouble from a mile away, and when he encounters Jodi Bentley, he knows she’s trouble of the most tempting kind—even more tempting when she moves into the run-down cabin next door. Jodi is tough as nails, sexy as hell—and clearly struggles with her own traumatic past. Hunter tries to keep his distance, but when Jodi’s life is threatened, he can’t help being drawn out of his own darkness and into hers.

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Elise’s Thoughts

The Dangerous One by Lori Foster is a spin-off of the McKenzies of Ridge Trail trilogy. The story has everything a reader would wish for: suspense, secrets, lies, power, control, manipulation, security, protection, acceptance, and love. 

The hero and heroine both are fighting demons of their past.  Jodie Bentley was abused and is trying to overcome the terrors, while former park ranger Hunter Osborn is trying to stop the nightmares after seeing a terrible crime scene.  They both are now in a small Colorado mountain town to escape a troubled past, enjoying the isolation and solitude.

After Jodi moves next door, Hunter becomes intrigued by her personality. She can be a spitfire, cocky, independent, and strong, but she is also vulnerable, petite, and wants to be a survivor with a normal life.

But after she is threatened, Hunter and his dog Turbo, become protective of her.  Sometimes she gets annoyed, but Jodi allows them into her life. What ensues is the budding romance and relationship between Jodi and Hunter, and the potential fall-out as Jodi finds herself hunted by a powerful man. They join forces as they build trust in each other and allow the walls built over time to fall.

The secondary characters helped to make the story even more interesting. They are very colorful and include Hunter’s brother Memphis, his dog Turbo, and Jodi’s non-blood related family. All the characters in this book will tug at the reader’s emotions as they will connect with them and form bonds.

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Author Interview

Elise Cooper: How did you get the idea for the story of The Dangerous One?

Lori Foster: Jodi, the female protagonist of this book, first appeared as a slight secondary character in another series, “The McKenzies of Ridge Trail.” But as sometimes happens, she stuck with me. Even when I’d be thinking about a different story, writing a separate plot or character, Jodi would sneak into my thoughts. Sometimes characters take over and they have a story to tell and I’m just the one putting their words on paper. That’s how it was with Jodi. She told me she’d need a special kind of guy, told me her life had been harsh and it wouldn’t be easy to move forward, but that she could do it with the right person at her side. Turns out she was right.

EC: How would you describe Hunter?

LF: Hunter is, above all, honorable and loyal. He’s an alpha through and through, the kind of man who can’t ignore injustice, even when standing up for others he can bring peril to himself. It’s in his DNA to help where and how he can. Sometimes, as in the case with Jodi, that basic nature is inconvenient as hell.

EC: How would you describe Jodi?

LF: Jodi is a wounded soul with a backbone of steel. If hurt, she comes out swinging, fearlessly and with everything she’s got. She’s extremely aware, especially now that she has personal experience with just how evil people can be. Distrust is her constant shadow.

Like Hunter, she’s a natural born protector, but because of her size and lack of physical strength, she utilizes a lot of attitude. Part of her learned response is to react first and ask questions later; yet she has great instincts, and she knows to trust them, especially where Hunter is concerned.

EC: Do you think the men in the story underestimated Jodi considering she used weapons as equalizers, used her banter for intimidation, yet they only saw her as a petite woman unable to stand up for herself while they were bigger, badder, and more superior?

LF: The less astute men did, but Hunter recognized her dangerous edge right off. He didn’t fully trust her capability at first, but he did trust her – so when necessary, he didn’t mind being her backup. Hunter is confident enough that he doesn’t have to take the lead every time.

EC: What about the relationship between Hunter and Jodi?

LF: Jodi always fell back on the wounded woman she once was, so it was easy for her to misconstrue concern with pity, or to think that Hunter’s concern was a lack of faith in her ability. Jodi hadn’t had many people in her life to teach her about love, so it takes her a little while to figure it out.

For Hunter’s part, he was a very reluctant neighbor. He didn’t want to care for Jodi. He didn’t want to worry about her. As always, though, that basic nature of his made it impossible to ignore her.

EC: What was the role of the dog Turbo?

LF: Turbo was also a wounded soul! Hunter saved him, despite his broken barker and an affinity to chew on things. To me, it was one more way to show Hunter as a nurturer as well as a powerful defender. I don’t think the comparison was lost on Jodi. Seeing how someone treats a pet can give us great insight into their character. Never, ever trust someone who mistreats animals.

EC: Can you explain Jodi’s motto: “Everyday life for an everyday woman.”

LF: Jodi really wanted to reach the status of a mundane middleclass existence. She’d healed from a pretty awful situation. She’d found her footing and was able to put her energy into helping other women. But just as she encouraged those women to find a happy life, she wanted to do the same. First on the agenda for her was complete independence – even from a family who had helped her to survive. It wasn’t easy for her to separate help given freely from love (from her pseudo family) from help given out of desperate need (what she’d first required to survive). It helped that Hunter had come from an amazing family of his own – a family willing to give him the time and distance he needed to overcome his own traumatic experience. He was able to share that insight with Jodi, and to point out the true meaning of family.

EC: Do you believe there is a need for vigilantes because in a sense that was what Jodi and Hunter were?

LF: I’ll get vilified for this, but most definitely. We have vigilantes – those hired privately by our government and other governments, as well as mercenaries for hire when situations are dire and legal avenues are too slow.

I have the utmost respect for law enforcement. To me, the majority of police are heroes, but still everyday men and women, who sometimes find themselves in untenable life or death situations – either their own life or someone else’s. Mistakes can happen.

 In my “perfect world” (which, of course, doesn’t exist) evil would always end. Permanently.

EC: Both Jodi and Hunter tried to isolate themselves living in a remote area: they built up walls to lock others out, yet felt it was defeating.  Did both their families help to break down the walls along with each other?

LF: Jodi didn’t have any ties to her biological family, yet she had grown close with the family that saved her. For her, it often felt like pity and for a person with her internal strength that was difficult to bear.

Hunter, on the other hand, never had a doubt about the love and support of his family – his mom, dad and brother. They did their best to understand his need for isolation, but his brother had already grown impatient, and he loved Jodi for busting through Hunter’s emotional walls much like the Kool-Aid man. Since Jodi didn’t even realize she was doing it, it was extra fun to write. I often see my books like a movie playing out before me.

EC: Next book(s)?

LF: Hunter’s brother, Memphis, is a hero in the book, The Fearless One, out December 26th. I loved Memphis the moment he showed up on the page. Memphis has opened an RV resort (known for shady business) near the area where his brother, Hunter, now lives. His plan is to stop trouble before it happens, but in walks Jedidiah, hauling her own turbulent trouble along, and his plans get turned upside down in a big way. Love often does that to people.

April 25th, I have a reissue, Meant to Be, published digitally. The story ties in with my Visitation series, but also stands alone, based around two people who grew up together and yet begin seeing each other in a whole new way when the female lead considers moving away.

May 9th, I have The Little Flower Shop, which is set in the same small, quirky town as a previous book, The Honeymoon Cottage. It’s about a 40 something woman who decides to try to fit a little romance into her hectic life, and somehow becomes a hashtag on the town’s local social media. #theflowerlady I had loads of fun writing it!

June 1st is my next “benefit book,” Bray. Each year I write a novella where the advance and all royalties go directly to a no-kill animal shelter. Readers met Bray as a young boy in Fighting Dirty, one of the books from my Ultimate series. He’s an MMA fighter with a rough background, which makes it easy for him to recognize when someone else is going through trouble. He knows Karen is hiding something, and he not only wants to help her, he just plain wants her – in every way. When the past catches up to her, she turns to Bray, and together they’re able to meet the trouble head on, as well as build a promising future.

August 22nd, one of my reader favorites, Too Much Temptation, is being reissued with a new cover. It’s one of my sexier books featuring a voluptuous woman who doesn’t recognize her own appeal, and a man who loves her body but truly falls for her heart.

THANK YOU!!

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BIO: Elise Cooper has written book reviews and interviewed best-selling authors since 2009. Her reviews have covered several different genres, including thrillers, mysteries, women’s fiction, romance and cozy mysteries. An avid reader, she engages authors to discuss their works, and to focus on the descriptions of their characters and the plot. While not writing reviews, Elise loves to watch baseball and visit the ocean in Southern California, with her dog and husband.

Feature Post and Book Review: Georgie, All Along by Kate Clayborn

Book Description

Longtime personal assistant Georgie Mulcahy has made a career out of putting others before herself. When an unexpected upheaval sends her away from her hectic job in L.A. and back to her hometown, Georgie must confront an uncomfortable truth: her own wants and needs have always been a disconcertingly blank page.  

But then Georgie comes across a forgotten artifact—a “friendfic” diary she wrote as a teenager, filled with possibilities she once imagined. To an overwhelmed Georgie, the diary’s simple, small-scale ideas are a lifeline—a guidebook for getting started on a new path.  

Georgie’s plans hit a snag when she comes face to face with an unexpected roommate—Levi Fanning, onetime town troublemaker and current town hermit. But this quiet, grouchy man is more than just his reputation, and he offers to help Georgie with her quest. As the two make their way through her wishlist, Georgie begins to realize that what she truly wants might not be in the pages of her diary after all, but right by her side—if only they can both find a way to let go of the pasts that hold them back. 

Honest and deeply emotional, Georgie, All Along is a smart, tender must-read for everyone who’s ever wondered about the life that got away . . .

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/60604190-georgie-all-along?ac=1&from_search=true&qid=GlZFpKS3du&rank=1
 

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My Book Review

RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars

GEORGIE, ALL ALONG by Kate Clayborn is a beautiful journey of self-discovery and finding where you belong along with quirky hippy parents, a best friend who seems to always have it all together, and a one-time town troublemaker and his dog. This is a standalone women’s fiction/romance and the first, but will not be the last, book I have read by this author.

Georgie Mulcahy has made a living from putting other people first. When Georgie’s current Tinsel Town client decides to retire, she does not know what she wants to do, but her best friend is pregnant and asking for her help, so she returns to her hometown. She returns to her parents’ home to find they have also allowed Levi to stay while his house is being remodeled. Levi is basically a hermit after being a troublemaker in his youth and opposite the open Georgie.

Georgie finds an old “friend-fic” while helping her friend and decides this just might be the guidebook she needs to start a new path. As Georgie and Levi spend more time together, Levi wants to help Georgie with her old to-do list, and they discover they both have pasts they need to accept before they can move forward.

This is a deeply emotional attempt to go back to find your future. Georgie is a giver and fixer who feels empty personally and as you read along you find you are yelling at the book, trying to tell Georgie she is perfect just the way she is. Levi is a wonderful grump who proves to be so much more and is a wonderful counterpoint to Georgie’s openness and caring. The parents of both Georgie and Levi could not have been more different and I know which I prefer. Levi and Georgie are wonderful together and I was happy with the family reconciliations in this story and glad that others were not forced to make a resolution. The story would have felt false to me otherwise. Being a pitbull owner myself, all Hank’s traits made me smile and I know the difficulties are real that Levi faced at times with others.

I highly recommend this wonderfully uplifting women’s fiction/romance and I am looking forward to checking out other books by this author.

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About the Author

Kate Clayborn is the critically acclaimed author of six novels. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, Oprah Magazine, Entertainment Weekly, Bookpage, and more. By day she works in education, and by night (and sometimes, by very early morning) she writes contemporary romances about smart, strong, modern heroines who face the world alongside true friends and complicated families. She resides in Virginia with her husband and their dig.

Social Media Link

Website: https://www.kateclayborn.com/