I am happy to share this Feature Post and Book Review for my turn on the blog tour for COWBOY UP (Tangled Up in Texas Book One) by Michelle Beattie.
Below you will find a book description, my book review, buy links, author bio, author social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
This is a good start to a new contemporary cowboy series. And as always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
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Book Description:
When Dallas Granger left his family’s Last Stand, Texas, ranch, he hadn’t planned on returning. But when a medical emergency calls him home and a legal matter affects his business, suddenly his family isn’t the only thing in need of a re-build. Unfortunately his new project involves building a house for a woman who not only awakens his desires, but also his fears. But if he wants to claim her as his own, he’ll have to tear down the walls he’s built around his heart.
Single mom Ashley Anderson knows all about juggling. Between an assortment of part-time jobs and raising her sixteen-year old daughter, she doesn’t need a hunky construction worker with an attitude as a distraction. Even one who steps in to help her when she needs it most. Life has taught Ashley that when the going gets tough, she’s on her own. It’s going to take a man with a Texas-sized heart to show her that this cowboy isn’t going anywhere.
COWBOY UP (Tangles Up in Texas Book One) by Michelle
Beattie is a contemporary cowboy romance that is the start of a new series by a
new-to-me author. This first book focuses on the oldest of five brothers and
the single mom he meets working on a Houses of Hope (similar to Habitat for
Humanity) project.
Dallas Granger loves building beautiful things. From
cabinets to houses, he started his own construction company when he left the family
ranch. As he is trying to take care of a problem one of his employees caused,
he gets tangled up with the law. Then his brother calls to tell him his father
is in the hospital and he is going to need help with the ranch. He does not
know how he will find the time to deal with everything.
When Dallas is assigned to volunteer for Houses of Hope, he
is not happy. He believes the people who receive the homes get them for free (not
true), but he feels he worked to build his company from scratch and everyone
else should work for what they have, too. When he gets to the work-site he is
instantly attracted to the blonde helping with construction. When he finds out the
home is for her, he is surprised and not very gracious.
Ashley Anderson juggles a number of part-time jobs to
support herself and her sixteen-year-old daughter. She pinches every penny and
the last thing she needs to deal with is a cowboy with an attitude problem. She
has worked her whole life to stand on her own since she was a teen mom and does
not need the judgement.
But as Dallas and Ashley get to know each other, they find
they cannot stop their attraction. Dallas has a lot of family baggage to deal
with and a broken engagement has left his heart closed off. Will he break
Ashley’s heart or will he prove he can open his own?
This is a good start to the series, but there is a lot going on which somewhat detracts from adding more depth to the hero and heroine. I could relate to Ashley and her life, but Dallas really had trust issues that I thought were over blown. That said, they were a good couple and I loved when they talked out their issues and Dallas was a romantic. The sex scenes were realistic and romantic. I also, enjoyed Ashley and her daughter, Brittany’s relationship. It was nice to not have to read about a stereotypical problem teen.
I will be looking forward to reading the other brothers’
stories and having the family secret revealed.
International Bestselling Author Michelle Beattie first found her love of romance in romantic comedies such as Romancing the Stone and Valley Girl (yes, she realizes that dates her). It wasn’t until after high school when she worked for a car rental company and had too much time on her hands that she started reading romances. Historicals were her go-to and she raided many bookstores looking for historical western romances.
Eventually she started thinking “what if” and “I’d have done that differently” and quietly started writing her own. More than a dozen books later, Michelle has published in both digital and print platforms and her works have been translated in more than 4 languages.
Michelle is a mother of two very strong, independent daughters. She is a certified member of the Master Bowler’s of Alberta and loves coaching and passing on her love for 5 pin bowling. Besides bowling herself in a weekly league, she also likes to golf in the summer, play games, and read.
Michelle lives in a solar-powered house in Central Alberta with her husband of almost 25 years, youngest daughter, and the cutest dog ever.
I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for Carolyn’s Brown new book THE EMPTY NESTERS. I always enjoy a Carolyn Brown story, but this one is my favorite to date!
Below you will find a message from the author, my book review, a book summary, author bio and social media links and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
I loved all of these characters and can highly recommend this book for a great read. As always, good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway!
***
Jump Into Author
Carolyn Brown’s Empty Nest
Good morning, and thank you for inviting me to
stop by to talk about my new book, The Empty Nesters. I’ll be
giving all y’all a few of my favorite scenes and a little commentary during the
time we get to spend together.
As Ma used to say on Golden Girls,
imagine this—Carmen, Joanie and Diana have just dropped their daughters off at
the recruiter’s office. They’ve managed to keep the tears at bay and put up a
brave front, but now it’s time to let the tears loose.
“For the first time ever, Natalie and I won’t
decorate the house for Halloween together. Nine months of carrying them, then
we basically raised them on our own while our husbands were deployed or got
sent someplace to train other officers. And now they’re gone, and we won’t see
them for Halloween or Thanksgiving. And who even knows about Christmas? It’s
not fair.”
It’s always amazing what comes to mind during a
sad time, isn’t it? Things pop into our heads that seem trivial in the face of
the event, and yet, at the time, the good memories are what keep us sane.
Tootsie, their elderly neighbor, has just lost
her husband, after they’d bought the huge RV and planned a trip to northeast
Texas. She’s trying to convince the women that they need to get away from their
empty nest for a while.
“You need to get away for a little while and
get some perspective,” Tootsie said.
“Let’s pool our money and blow it all on a trip
to Paris. We can shop and have lattes in little bistros,” Diana suggested.
Joanie sighed. “That’s a pipe dream. We
probably don’t have enough money to even get to Paris, Texas, between the three
of us.”
The three of them have known the support of
each other through the past thirteen years, and just because they’re now alone
in their homes, they have no doubt that the love is still there between
them—and that it’s even stronger than blood sisters.
“We’re only half a block and a phone call away.
If any of us feel the world dropping out from under our feet, we can get back
together in less than five minutes.”
I was amazed at how supportive all of them,
including Tootsie, were of each other. They might disagree, but Lord help the
person that tried to come between them, or who had the nerve to say an ugly
word about one of them.
Everything happens for a reason and in the time
that it should happen. I believe that with my whole heart. Diana had gotten her
divorce years before the book opens, but she remembers the pain and anger of it
all. Then she focused all her energy and time on raising her daughter. But now
it’s her time to find a new love, and a new life—maybe with a younger man.
“That many trips into town on those roads would
shake the hell out of their Caddy. And believe me, Aunt Tootsie treats that car
like family.” Luke chuckled. “Age, on a truck or on a person, makes no
difference. It’s how well they’re maintained that matters.”
Why, oh, why, couldn’t he have smooth pickup
lines like other men? Luke asked himself. What he’d just said could be taken as
an insult. She might think that he thought she looked like an old pickup truck
at her age, when in reality she was downright gorgeous. He wouldn’t be a bit
surprised if she still got carded at bars when she ordered a drink.
Thank you again, for inviting me into your
world, and letting me talk about the amazing ladies (and Luke of course),
from The Empty Nesters. Happy reading to each and every one of you!
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
Sometimes if you are lucky, you pick up a book at just the
right time in your life that every emotion written by the author resonates and
you cannot put it down. THE EMPTY NESTERS by Carolyn Brown is that book
for me.
The story starts by introducing us to Tootsie and Smokey
Colbert. Smokey is retired Army and Tootsie is his beloved wife of over 50
years. They never had children of their own, so they are very excited when
three new military couples move into the neighboring homes each with their own
young daughter. The men are in the same unit and the wives are close friends.
Jump ahead thirteen years. Diana, Carmen and Joanie are all
still best friends and about to face an empty nest at home as all three of
their daughters leave for bootcamp after having enlisted in the Army together. Diana
has been divorced and moved on, working and focusing on her daughter Rebecca.
Joanie is still an army wife, waiting for her husband to come home as her
daughter Zoe leaves also. Carmen just said goodbye to her daughter, Natalie and
she receives the emotional punch of receiving unexpected divorce papers in the
mail after 20 years of marriage.
After losing the love of her life, Smokey, one month ago,
Tootsie decides to go on their planned trip to his family’s reunion and take
the girls with her. They have nothing to lose and no one at home, so they begin
their two month long life changing journey as “The Empty Nesters” in a large RV
driven by Smokey’s nephew, Luke. Tootsie faces the memories of her late husband
and hopes to ease her loneliness and broken heart, Joanie receives life
changing news from her husband which will alter the group, Carmen must deal
with the hurt, betrayal and end of her marriage and Diana just may learn to
open her heart to a new relationship and love.
This is my favorite Carolyn Brown book to date. Keep the
tissues handy for not only sad, but happy tears. I read this in one sitting
because I just had to know the resolution of all of “The Empty Nesters”. This
book deals with so many stages of life and love. It also shows each character
dealing with what life dishes out to them and how they cope with the help of
their friendship. I felt the dialogue, the emotions and the trials and triumphs
were realistically written and handled by Ms. Brown. Each of the women as a
character is unique and yet they mesh so well together.
I highly recommend The Empty Nesters!
***
Title: The Empty Nesters
Author: Carolyn Brown
Release Date: August 20, 2019
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary
Dear friends and army
wives Diana, Carmen, and Joanie have been through war, rumors of war, marital
problems, motherhood, fears, joy, and heartache. But none of the women are
prepared when their daughters decide to enlist in the army together. Facing an empty
nest won’t be easy. Especially for Carmen. With emotions already high, she
suffers an even greater blow: divorce papers. Diana understands the fury and
tears. She’s been there.
With nothing to lose and
no one at home, the girlfriends impulsively accept an unexpected offer from
their elderly neighbor. The recently widowed Tootsie has an RV, a handsome
nephew at the wheel, and an aim for tiny Scrap, Texas, to embrace memories of her
late husband. Still grieving, she can use the company as a balm for her broken
heart. So can the empty nesters.
Embarking on a journey of hope, romance, and healing, Diana, Carmen, and Joanie are at a turning point in their lives. And with the open road ahead of them, it’s just the beginning.
***
Author Biography
Carolyn
Brown is a New York Times, USA Today, Publisher’s
Weekly, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and a
RITA finalist with more than ninety published books. Her genres include
romance, history, cowboys and country music, and contemporary mass-market
paperbacks. She and her husband live in the small town of Davis, Oklahoma,
where everyone knows everyone else, knows what they are doing and when . . .
and reads the local newspaper every Wednesday to see who got caught. They have
three grown children and enough grandchildren to keep them young. Visit Carolyn
at www.carolynbrownbooks.com.
I am very excited to share this Feature Post and Book Review for Melissa Foster’s new release CALL HER MINE (Harmony Pointe Book One). This friends-to-lovers contemporary romance has a surprise baby, too. If you love Ms. Foster’s writing as much as I do, you know you are in for an emotional read full of laughter, angst, family, and a wonderful hero and heroine all tied together with LOVE.
Below you will find an interview with the author, an excerpt from the book, my book review, a summary of the book, the author’s bio and social media links, a link to a FREE preview and a Rafflecopter giveaway.
Curl up in your favorite reading spot and enjoy Ben and Aurelia’s story. As always good luck on the Rafflecopter giveaway, too!
***
Melissa Foster Author Interview:
1) ”If a woman can’t find love in the quaint
town of Harmony Pointe, it’s sure to find them…” —this is the tagline for your
newest series Harmony Pointe. Tell us a bit about the town and these women who
are finding love.
I love writing about close-knit small towns, where gossip is ripe, and
embarrassing tales of youthful rascals abound. Harmony Pointe is nestled
between Sweetwater and Port Hudson, New York, not far from the city. It offers
grand views of mountains as far as the eye could see. Cobblestone streets,
brick-front eclectic shops, and old-fashioned street lights add to the small
town’s charm. Readers who are familiar with my Sugar Lake series will recognize
Harmony Pointe as Derek Grant’s hometown.
2) What was the idea that sparked the beginning of the series?
I have been itching to write Ben Dalton and Aurelia Stark’s story since I first
read about them in WILD BOYS AFTER DARK: LOGAN and BAD BOYS AFTER DARK: MICK
(Billionaires After Dark series) and THE REAL THING (Sugar Lake series).
Harmony Pointe is a Sugar Lake spin-off, and in the Sugar Lake series several
of Ben’s siblings find love. It was finally Ben’s turn.
3) For longtime fans, can you tell us what this series has in common with your
previous books? How is the series different from what you have written before?
Avid readers of my Love in Bloom series will have met Ben and Aurelia in
several previous books and series. Their story is filled with humor and sexy
times, and this one wallops the reader with an ugly-cry worthy punch. This
family is very female centric, which is different than most of my other series.
The exception is the Montgomerys, cousins to the Daltons, in which the males
are also outnumbered. #GirlPower (Bradens & Mongtomerys series).
4) Why was it important that Ben and Aurelia launched this series in Call
Her Mine?
Ben and Aurelia were too loud for me to ignore! They were finally ready to
share.
5) There are friends-to-lovers romances and then there is Ben and Aurelia
who are closer-than-close. Seriously, these two just about live in each other’s
heads. What takes them so long to realize that they belong together?
Have you ever had a friend who you love so much that you can’t imagine life
without them? I have. It instills a certain level of fear—what if you risk that
friendship, lay your feelings on the line, and the other person doesn’t feel
the same? True friends, the ones who “get” you, who accept you at your worst,
bitchiest states, and at your best, are hard to come by. Risking the friendship
is terrifying. I think this was the case for Ben and Aurelia—Plus there’s Ben
and his damn planning…
That man made me crazy.
I love him so hard!
6) When romance finally (finally!) is in the cards for these two, they have
one very tiny situation that turns up—Ben’s previously unknown infant daughter.
What was it like to create an insta-family for this pair?
It was so frigging fun I wish I could do it again! I loved every second of
writing this book. I was able to strip Ben and Aurelia down to their most raw
selves and emotions, and then watch as they found their new footings together.
It was glorious.
7) While it is unfair to ask if you have a favorite hero, we’d love to know
what makes Ben so special to you.
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes—arrogant, funny, introverted, brilliant,
average, overly serious, etc. Ben is like the guy you see sitting at the end of
a bar in a fine suit and think he’s probably taken, or at the least too refined
to be fun. And then he opens his mouth and melts you, or makes you laugh, at
every turn. He’s protective, but not in a bullying way. Don’t even get me
started with that man holding a tiny baby, falling in love with her page after
page. I’ve got goosebumps just thinking about it.
***
Excerpt:
“I’ve
got to go.” She tried to pull away, but he dug his fingers into her knotted
muscles, releasing tension and drawing a moan from her traitorous lungs.
“Don’t
run off,” he coaxed. “I wasn’t kidding. You are my best friend. I trust you
with my secrets, and I love who you are.”
Hope
bubbled up inside her, and she closed her eyes, glad he couldn’t see her face.
Had their time finally come? “Really?”
“Of
course,” he said, and she heard the smile in his voice.
That
made her feel all sorts of good, and the truth came easily. “I love who you
are, too.”
He
leaned his chin on her shoulder, his hard chest pressing against her back as he
said, “I especially love who you are when you’re making me breakfast.”
“Ugh!”
She pushed to her feet, but he snagged her wrist, giving her the puppy-dog eyes
she’d never been able to resist. The ones that said, Please don’t leave
me. “Ben,” she warned.
“Relsy,”
he pleaded.
“I
am not making you breakfast. I have to go.” She yanked her hand away and said,
“And I’m busy for the next few weeks. Actually, for a lifetime, so
. . .” She shoved her feet into her red Converse sneakers and grabbed her
purse.
“I
seriously have to make my own breakfast?” Ben pushed to his feet and stretched,
six-plus feet of hotness towering over her five-two frame. “But you make
waffles better than I do.”
“I
do a lot of things better than you. Don’t forget to call Aiden back.” Aiden was
his business partner. He’d called Ben last night while they were watching a
movie and Ben had made her laugh, causing tequila to come out of her nose,
which had sent him into hysterics and rendered him unable to answer the call.
“That’s
right.” He grabbed his phone from the table. “He was supposed to set up a meeting
with our legal team.”
“For
the hotel chain you’re buying?”
“Yeah.
Hey, take my sweatshirt. It’s early. You’ll be cold.”
He
pulled his sweatshirt over his head and tossed it to her, revealing a dusting
of chest hair over muscular pecs and a treasure trail that disappeared beneath
the waist of his low-slung jeans. His sweatshirt hit her in the chest and
landed at her feet, reminding her she was staring.
Ben
laughed. “Nice catch, Rels. Remind me not to pick you for my baseball team.”
“I
don’t want to be on your team. You run the bases too slow,” she mumbled as she
picked up his sweatshirt and tugged it over her head, inhaling his masculine
scent. “I’m out of here.”
“How
about cereal?” he asked with a wink. “I’ll make it.”
“Since
when did you become so needy?”
A
coy grin slid across his face. “I know that once you’re in my kitchen, there’s
no holding back. You won’t let me eat crap when you can make something
delicious.”
“Yeah,
you should see me in the bedroom.” She felt her eyes bug out. She slammed her
mouth closed, unable to believe what she’d said. She stormed through the
hallway and out the door, followed by Ben’s laughter—and almost tripped over a
basket. She leaned back, holding the door open, and hollered, “I think Willow
left you muffins. There’s a basket on your porch.”
“Way
to go, Willow,” he said as he strode down the hall. “Let’s see the goods.”
She
realized she was staring at his bare chest again and snapped, “I’m taking the
biggest muffin,” as if it was his fault he had great pecs and abs she wanted to
lick, and bite, and—
Down,
girl.
He
cocked a grin and said, “Take as many as you’d like, but you’ll pay for them
later.”
In
my dreams.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
CALL HER MINE (Harmony Pointe Book One) by Melissa Foster is
a new friends-to-lovers contemporary romance with a secret baby, too. I have
never been disappointed in a romance written by this author and this book was
no exception.
Ben Dalton is an extremely successful businessman, but when it
comes to his love life, he just never seems to get the timing right to get the
girl he loves. It seems he has loved his sisters’ friend, Aurelia forever, but
the planner in him has never found just the right time to tell her. Just as Ben
decides to make the big move, Aurelia beats him to the punch by literally
moving to the next town.
Aurelia Stark has decided to turn the page and start a new
chapter in her life. She has moved to Harmony Pointe to open her new bookstore “Once
Upon a Time”. She has a great apartment above the store and she is hopefully
just far enough away to avoid constantly running into her commitment-phobic,
unrequited love and best-friend, Ben.
Aurelia cannot believe she gave in and spent the night, as “friends”,
at Ben’s once again. As she goes to leave, she opens the door and finds a baby
on the porch. The attached note says it is Ben’s baby. Aurelia is there for
Ben, though neither knows the first thing about the care of babies. What
follows is a journey into nighttime feedings, lack of sleep, learning, laughter
and love.
I am once again in love with a Melissa Foster romance. Ben,
Aurelia and baby Bea feel like more than just characters in a book. I feel as
if I should be able to meet them in Harmony Pointe. The laughter, tears, fears
and love are all realistically portrayed in the dialogue and each characters
actions. Ben is uber sexy and lovable. The perfect mix of take charge business
man and lover mixed with the vulnerable best-friend and new dad. Aurelia works
to open her dream bookstore even as she helps Ben. She deals with everything
thrown at her and learns that it is not a bad thing to ask for help when she
needs it. The love between Ben, Aurelia and Bea is beautiful to read. As in all
of Ms. Foster’s romances the sex scenes are sexy, hot and explicit. Keep some
tissues handy for the ending; it is emotional.
I absolutely loved this romance and highly recommend it.
***
About The Book:
Title: Call Her Mine
Author: Melissa Foster
Release Date: August 13, 2019
Series: Harmony Pointe, #1
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Summary:
Ben Dalton has always been honest, except where his heart is concerned. He’s been in love with his best friend—saucy, smart-mouthed Aurelia Stark—forever. But Ben’s a planner, and timing has never been on his side. When he finally decides to make his move, Aurelia beats him to the punch with a move of her own—to a different town.
Aurelia loves her new life in the charming town of Harmony Pointe. She has a great apartment and her very own bookstore, and best of all, the sinfully hot, commitment-phobic friend she’s crushed on for years is no longer just around the corner. Maybe she’ll finally be able to leave her unrequited love behind and move on.
But when a baby is left on Ben’s front porch—a baby that is presumably his—Aurelia is there for him. Neither one knows the first thing about babies, but how hard can it be? Ben and Aurelia are catapulted into a world of love, laughter, and tracking down the baby mama, and it might even add up to a very happily ever after… just not one either of them expects.
***
Author Biography
Melissa Foster is a New York Times and USA
Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than eighty books,
including The Real Thing and Only for You (from
her Sugar Lake series). Melissa and her books have been featured in USA
Today, Hagerstown magazine, The Patriot, and more. Her
novel River of Love has been optioned for film by Passionflix.
Melissa also writes sweet romance under the name Addison Cole. When Melissa
isn’t writing up a storm, she’s living her own happily ever after with her
husband and a gaggle of grown children. For more news, information about her
books, and to chat with her, visit Melissa at www.MelissaFoster.com.
I am posting a Feature Blog and Book Review for Book One of a wonderful new romance series featuring sexy professional Savannah Heat hockey players and their HEA heroines.
JUDE’S SWEET FIRE (A Savannah Heat Hockey Romance Book One) by Jessica McBrayer brings the heat. This book features the gorgeous Norwegian team captain and star, Jude Christensen. He is sweet and smokin’ hot.
Below you will find a book blurb, my book review, author info and social media. After reading Jude’s Sweet Fire there is a BONUS free novella download offer. Enjoy!
***
Book Blurb:
What starts as a routine run becomes anything but ordinary for sexy NHL player, Jude Christensen, when he stops to rescue a yowling kitten in distress. He rushes the mauled kitten to Dr. Megan James, the most gorgeous woman he’s ever seen. Even though she seems reluctant to respond to their instant chemistry, Jude is used to working for what he wants.
A new town, a new beginning, and a new life put Megan at a safe distance from the man that nearly killed her. But when her past returns to threaten her once again, the Savannah Heat captain walks a fine line; Megan is suspicious. She is hyper-alert to the dangerous difference between a man’s natural desire to protect his loved ones, and the need to own and dominate. Once fooled is more than enough for Megan. Will Jude be able to make her safe without interfering with Megan’s need to fight her own battles?
Jude’s Sweet Fire is the first book in the Savannah Heat series. Boasting a real hero, a spunky heroine, fun and sassy friends, Southern charm and danger. The passion in this suspenseful romance will leave you breathless with satisfaction.
JUDE’S SWEET FIRE (A Savannah Heat Hockey Romance Book One)
by Jessica McBrayer is the first book in a new series of contemporary romances
by a new to me author featuring Savannah Heat NHL hockey players.
Jude Christensen is the captain of the Savannah Heat NHL
hockey team. On a morning run, he rescues a kitten being attacked by a feral
dog. He runs all the way to the veterinary clinic he passes on his route to see
if the kitten can be saved. He meets Dr. Megan James and asks her to save the
kitten at any cost.
Dr. Megan James is intrigued by the gorgeous man who is willing
to pay for the surgery of a kitten that does not even belong to him. She is
able to save the Maine coon kitten which Jude names “Gordie Howe”. Even though
Megan is not looking for a relationship, fate continues to bring them together.
As the press tries to identify the mystery woman with Jude,
someone else is watching their growing relationship, also. Megan thought she
was done with an abusive ex-boyfriend, but he is not happy that she has found
someone new.
As the danger escalates, Megan refuses to be intimidated and
hide from the life she has built for herself. Jude will do anything to find a
way to protect and save her, but will it be enough?
I loved Jude and Megan together! Jude is so sweet with
Gordie Howe and how can you not love a man who loves animals while also being
considerate, hot and sexy. Megan is a combination of grit, determination and a
loving heart so her father’s nickname of “Sweet Fire” is very appropriate. The
sex scenes are smokin’ hot and explicit, but I never felt they were gratuitous.
Their relationship does move quickly, but that is due to the danger posed by
Megan’s ex.
Ms. McBrayer writes realistic dialogue that had me laughing
out loud and blushing with the characters. The plot escalates in pace along
with the increased suspense. I also, enjoyed that the suspense climax was
resolved before the very end of the book, so the HEA is not quickly written
into the ending.
This is an enjoyable romance read that left me satisfied,
but also interested in reading the next book in the series.
***
Author Bio:
Jessica McBrayer lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her family. She enjoys reading voraciously as well as writing and is often daydreaming about her next book. A die-hard San Jose Sharks fan, you can find her during hockey season wearing her favorite player’s name on the back of her jersey and yelling at the TV. She never wants to find out what the world would be like without hockey in it.
Social Media:
Facebook: @JessicaMcBrayerAuthor
Jessica’s Bookinistas Group on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/568621823624240/
Instagram: @jessica.mcbrayer
Be sure to visit www.jessicamcbrayer.com for info on new releases, bonus material and inside information on characters from Jessica’s books.
LOVELY DIGITS by Jeanine Englert is a historical romantic
suspense that I feel is perfect in every way. The romance and suspense/mystery
were both perfectly balanced and intriguing. This book has a heroine with a
unique occupation, a constable hero trying to right a past wrong while both
work together to solve a series of murders in 1849 Clun, England.
Miss Lucy Wycliffe is a spinster, who has for the last ten
years been Clun’s layer out of the dead. She ignores the gossip from the town
people who feel she is unnatural for she has to support herself and help her
sister who is a widow and her niece since the death of their parents. Lucy takes
pride in the job she does for the dead even as she knows no man will be
interested in her.
John Brodie is the new constable. He is no stranger to Clun
and his acceptance of this position is meant to correct old wrongs and help him
move on in the future. He wishes to help Lucy by paying her to be his assistant
as they work to find the killer of Lucy’s childhood friends. He never thought
he would fall in love with the beautiful and intelligent “Lovely Digits”.
The killer knows secrets from the past and has come back to not
only reveal truths that could end Lucy and John’s relationship, but also their
lives.
I loved this book! This historical romantic suspense focuses
on a small town in England of regular people and there are no princes or dukes
in sight. The clothes, language and interactions are era appropriate. Lucy’s
occupation is unique, but it is also plausible. I love that Lucy is also an
intelligent, strong heroine who is as heroic as John. No sex. Hand holding and a few kisses only.
The murders are investigated with old-fashioned leg work, clues obtained from
the bodies and clues left by the killer.
Set time aside because I know once you start this book you
will not be able to put it down! There is no cliffhanger and the story is
complete, but there does seem to be a possibility of more books following John
and Lucy in the future and I can only say to Ms. Englert, “Yes, please”!
Written for and posted first on The Romance Reviews.
I am happy to bring you this Feature Post and Book Review for Only a GoodMan Will Do (The Good Man Series Book 1) by Dee S. Knight which is the first book in a new contemporary romance series by a new to me author.
Curl up in your favorite reading spot and fall in love with Daniel and Eve just as I did. (And make sure a fan is handy.) You are going to want to start this series right now with book 1. Below you will find a book blurb, buy links, an excerpt from the book, my book review and the author’s bio and information.
Enjoy!
***
Blurb:
Seriously ambitious man seeks woman to
encourage his goals, support his (hopeful) position as Headmaster of Westover
Academy, and be purer than Caesar’s wife. Good luck with that!
Daniel Goodman is a man on a mission. He aims to become headmaster of Westover Academy. For that he needs a particular, special woman to help him set high standards. Into his cut and dried life of moral and upright behavior, comes Eve Star, formerly one of Europe’s foremost exotic dancers. Her life is anything but cut and dried, black and white. Daniel is drawn to her like a kid to chocolate. Nothing good can come of this attraction. Or can it? He is after all, a good man.
Daniel
walked into the parlor of the headmaster’s house Saturday afternoon seeking
first the food table and second, his friend, Stan Baxter. He spotted them both
near the front window.
“You’re
late,” Stan said.
“Lots
of people wanted to chat.” Parents’ Weekend, when teachers sat in their
classrooms to meet their students’ mothers and fathers, meant mandatory tea
afterwards for all professionals at the Academy. Board members and parents
attended at their own discretion, and the boys—the reason the school existed
and they were all there—mostly stayed out of sight and hearing.
“Fortunately
for me, a good many parents now have grabbed their progeny and left campus, so
I have access to the snacks unimpeded,” Daniel said, examining the finger food
on display before making his selections. The challenge was always how to load
his plate while appearing to take a socially acceptable portion. “Did I miss
anything?”
“Only
an angel.” Stan turned toward the window. “Holy Mother! Look at that,” he
muttered.
“What?”
Daniel asked, fitting a cucumber sandwich beside the smoked salmon-topped
cracker on his dessert plate. “Am I missing a table of fare? I swear, every
year the offerings at these teas are more meager than the last.”
Stan
chuckled and answered in the same low voice, “Is your stomach all you think
about? I was talking about another kind of dish. One you can have fun eating in
bed, if you catch my drift. And she just slipped out onto the lawn.”
“Is
your libido all you think about?” Daniel bit a carrot stick in two and
sighed. Only three more hours and he could order a pizza. With all of his
charges gone from the dormitory for Parents’ Weekend, he had a rare, private,
two-day holiday ahead of him. With the tiny plate full, he joined Stan at the
large windows. “Where is this goddess?”
“There.
In the red dress and hat.”
Daniel
saw nothing but the shapely form of a woman walking away. Slender ankles topped
three inch heels. A dress of some kind of lustrous material hit her mid-calf.
The style was soft and feminine, and berry red. Not many women showed up at
Westover in a color sure to make them the focus of attention. Not that most of
them didn’t expect to be the focus—didn’t demand it, in fact—but they
usually weren’t so obvious. The breeze at her back molded the material to the
curves of her hips and ass, and fluttered the dress’s full sleeves. A
wide-brimmed hat hid her hair, but based on what was visible, Daniel easily
imagined a long column of neck designed for kissing.
“If
the rest of her matches the back view, you’ve got reason to be drooling down
the front of your gown.”
Frowning,
Stan glanced down as though to make sure the drool comment was only facetious.
“Can’t afford to drool on this. I had to use my tax refund to pay for the thing
and show off my Master’s chevrons. I don’t know how you afforded to pay for
your Ph.D. paraphernalia.”
“The
new degree looks sharp on you. Now, why are you mooning over a woman you see at
the headmaster’s tea, when you know she’s some student’s mother and off
limits?”
“She
looks young enough to be a sister, so it’s not a given she’s out of bounds.”
At
that moment, a young boy wearing the school uniform and a big grin ran up to
the woman. She bent to catch him in her arms. When she straightened, she
ruffled the boy’s hair. His expression and his wagging finger showed that he
chastised her, but then he laughed and finger-combed the mussed hair back into
place. She took his hand and they walked toward the circle where most of the
parents parked. Looking up at the woman, the boy’s lips moved the whole while,
carrying on a steady monologue.
Something
in her actions captured Daniel’s attention. They were artless, performed
naturally and with unabashed love. The child fairly skipped beside her and the
frequent turns of her head showed she looked at him as though hanging on every
word he spoke.
“How
wonderful,” Daniel murmured, impressed with her total attention to the boy.
“Did you see that?”
“Oh,
yeah. I didn’t think her hips would ever stop swaying, and it’s a crime they
make hemlines so long.”
Daniel
laughed. “You’re such a hedonist.”
“And
proud of it. But you were right. Looks like she’s a student’s mother after all.
Damn the luck.”
For
once, Daniel agreed with his friend. But not just because of the woman’s
obvious good figure. More because she seemed to love her son and didn’t care
who knew it. He normally kept his distance from flashy women, as this one
appeared to be, based on her dress color, but her easy manner with the boy
would be enough to make him ignore his own inclination toward the conservative.
If she weren’t also a patron of the school. Assuming the gods smiled on
him and he became headmaster, he and the woman would be on business terms, and
nothing good ever came from mixing business with pleasure. Pleasure is
what every male instinct in him screamed she would be.
***
My Book Review:
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
ONLY A GOOD MAN WILL DO (The Good Man Series Book 1) by Dee S. Knight is a contemporary romance by a new to me author that had me falling for the hero and heroine, fanning myself during the well written sex scenes and looking forward to the other brothers’ stories.
Daniel, Jonah and Mark Goodman are a set of natural born identical
triplets. Growing up in North Carolina to loving, but eccentric parents, each
brother may look alike, they have gone in very different directions in their
adult lives.
Daniel Goodman loves being an educator. He has worked for
years to achieve his goal to become the Headmaster of Westover Academy.
Westover Academy is one of the most prestigious schools in the country and only
accepts boys. There are stringent rules for both the students and those who
teach them. Daniel wants to become Headmaster to carry on some of the school’s
traditions, but also to make changes that would better serve the students.
Jonah visits Daniel, who has not been home for several years
to ask him to come home for Thanksgiving. Daniel loves his parents and
brothers, but the reason for his visit home could derail his path to the
Headmaster’s office which requires a life of moral and upright behavior.
Enter Eve Star and her son Timmy. Eve is formerly one of
Europe’s foremost exotic dancers. She will do anything to provide her son with
an education at Westover Academy. This includes making up a false background. All
it takes is one night of helping a young man from Westover for the possibility of
her secrets being revealed and her son removed from the school.
Daniel decides to help keep everything he has learned about
Eve to himself, but is it to help his students or is it because he cannot control
his attraction to this beautiful mother? And are Daniel’s years of sacrifice to
achieve his goal more important than one woman?
I sat down and just got lost in this romance. Daniel was a
great hero to follow through his journey in this book. At first, everything was
black-and-white and goal oriented and then… Eve upends his world. I knew from
the glimpses of his childhood remembrances that there had to be a hero under
all of that pomp and circumstance. Eve was a wonderful single mother doing her
best for her son and not letting others define her or her past. Daniel and Eve
challenge each other and their beliefs. The sex scenes in this book are
explicit and smokin’ hot, but not gratuitous. I also fell in love with all the
boys who were secondary characters. I completely agree with Daniel who believed
in rules, but there are also times, as he discussed when you have to let kids
be kids.
I highly recommend this romance and I am looking forward to reading Jonah and Mark’s stories!
