Today I am featuring the WILD ROSE SISTERS trilogy by Christine Rimmer. This is a heartfelt small town contemporary romance series with each of three step-sisters finding their HEAs in this Harlequin Special Edition series. The stories can be read individually, but the sisters are very close and their lives intertwine throughout the series, so I enjoyed reading them in order. The third book not only gives the reader the last sister’s HEA, but is also a wonderful holiday story that leaves you with all the holiday warm and fuzzy feelings.
Below you will find book descriptions, my mini book reviews, an about the author section and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Book Description
How do you make up for four years of lost time?
No last names. No promises to meet again. No way for Payton Dahl to find the man who’s the father of her twin boys. Until fate reunites them four years later. Easton Wright now wants to be part of his sons’ lives—with the woman he fell hard for during those seven days and nights of bliss. Payton doesn’t want her sons to grow up fatherless like she did, but can she risk trusting Easton when she’s been burned in the past?
Payton Dahl is the youngest of the three sisters. She is a free spirit and trying to decide what to do with her life besides bartend and help out on her aunt’s farm. Everything changes after a fun and intense week long no-strings attached week with Easton Wright.
Four years later and Payton is a published author with beautiful twin boys when Easton runs into her again. The sexual feelings are still there, but Payton is not ready to just jump into a permanent relationship.
I loved both main characters and felt the story brought up many realistic problems any couple would face in the same situation. A difficult past history and fear can be big emotional hurdles and I feel they were handled well by this author. I liked that when they meet again, Payton is on a more level playing field economically with her best selling novels and the twins are just adorable. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous.
I enjoyed every moment of this story and I am glad it is a trilogy with more to come.
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Book Description
“Will you marry me?”
When Josie LeClaire went into labor alone on her farm, the single almost-mother had no one to turn to but her neighbor, Miles Halstead. Fortunately, the widowed single father was more than up to the task. And as he found himself unable to stay away from the lovely Josie—and her adorable newborn son—he realized he wanted her in his life as more than a friend.
Josie treasured what Miles had already come to mean to her and her baby. So when he uttered those four words, of course she said yes. Even if he couldn’t say the three words she really wanted to hear…
Veterinarian Josie LeClaire is the middle sister of three. Besides being a well respected vet, she also runs Wild Rose farm with the help of her aunt and sisters. She decides that even though she has not met “the one”, she is going to be a mother. When she goes into labor alone on the farm, she goes next door for help from widower and single father Miles Halstead.
They have been next door neighbors all their lives and with their shared birth experience and similar love of farm life, they decide to get married and intertwine their lives and farms. While it is a marriage of respect and caring, Josie soon discovers she wants the three little words that Mike said her could never give.
These two are a wonderful pairing and it is both ironic and realistic that they still have a major hurdle to overcome. I really enjoyed their journey to complete trust. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous. All the secondary characters and pets add to the charm of the story. This romance has the HEA we all want.
I love this addition to the trilogy and am looking forward to the next book with Alex’s story.
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Book Description
“Do it now…”
And change everything!
By the book success story Alexandra Herrera’s got it all mapped out: partner at a law firm, high-powered career. But when her birth father leaves her an unexpected inheritance—prompted by a random fortune cookie—she impulsively walks away from her entire life! And now that she’s snowed in with West Wright, she learns that lightning really can strike twice. So much, in fact, that the sparks between them could melt any ice storm…if only they’d let them!
Attorney Alexandra “Alex” Herrera is the elder of the three sisters and has worked and planned to become a full partner in a law firm since high school. She is on the fast track and a workaholic because she wants to always be able to financially help her aunt or sisters. When the father, who never had time for her dies, she suddenly has a fortune. It is time to reassess and so she goes home to the farm for the holidays.
This is a wonderful contemporary romance with two main characters that never believed they would get their own special someone to love. This book not only has the full story of Alex and Weston falling in love, it also brings together all their families and friends to make it a heartwarming holiday romance full of family and love. The sex scenes are hot and explicit. but not gratuitous.
This is a wonderful wrap-up to an excellent contemporary romance trilogy.
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About the Author
A New York Times and USA-Today bestselling author, Christine Rimmer has written more than 100 contemporary romances for Harlequin Books. A reader favorite, Christine consistently writes love stories that keep readers turning pages, stories that are sweet, sexy, humorous and heartfelt. Her books celebrate life’s most important connections–the powerful bonds between family members, true friends and couples who find their way to a lifetime together.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Book Review for SUDDENLY THIS SUMMER Anthology featuring Susan Mallery, Synithia Williams, and Stefanie London on this HTP Books Romance Blog Tour.
Below you will find a book summary, my mini book reviews, an excerpt from the the book, and the author’s bios and social media links.
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Book Summary
Nothing is sweeter than the first kiss of summer…
SAY YOU’LL STAY by Susan Mallery. Shaye Harper has sworn off men for good. But when she meets army vet Lawson Easley during a pit stop on the road to a fresh start, she’s drawn in by the quirky town—and the handsome stranger she can’t resist. Lawson knows there’s no place better than Wishing Tree. Too bad the woman he’s certain is “the one” is just passing through…unless he can convince her to give him and his hometown a chance at forever.
THIS TIME FOR KEEPS by Synithia Williams. Home to care for her ailing father, Michaela Spears is on a mission: reconcile with the one man she can’t forget. She broke his heart years ago, so when Khalil appears on her parents’ doorstep in his scrubs, she knows it’s her last chance. Khalil Davenport shouldn’t have taken the job as her dad’s home nurse, but he couldn’t resist her. Their timing was never right, but now can he trust that she’s home to stay?
BEST MAN NEXT DOOR by Stefanie London. For Sage Nilsen, coming back to her small Massachusetts hometown for a family wedding feels like high school all over again. Except Jamie Hackett has gone from charming boy next door to handsome best man. And sparks are suddenly flying between the popular guy and the so-called outcast. As the wedding gets closer, Sage finds herself on the edge of something unexpected—a second chance in the town she left behind…with the guy she’s never forgotten.
Authors: Susan Mallery, Synithia Williams, Stefanie London
ISBN: 9781335004871
Publication Date: August 22, 2023
Publisher: Canary Street Press
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My Book Review
RATING: 5 out of 5 Stars
SUDDENLY THIS SUMMER Anthology featuring Susan Mallery, Synithia Williams, and Stefanie London is an enjoyable combination of three contemporary romances that are all great for a quick read and a heartfelt bit of romance. I started these stories and could not stop until I finished all three.
Say You’ll Stay by Susan Mallery is an introduction to the wonderful small-town of Wishing Tree. This story has Shaye Harper just passing through, but Lawson Easley knows she is “the one” and wants her to stay. I have read all the Wishing Tree books and they are just wonderful and always leave me with a smile on my face and a warm feeling in my heart.
This Time for Keeps by Synithia Williams has Michaela Spears returning home when her father gets a kidney transplant determined to convince Khalil Davenport she is home to stay and wants their relationship to be permanent. This is a new to me author who wrote about finding the balance that is important in life and love. This is a spicier romance than the other two.
Best Man Next Door by Stefanie London has Sage Nilsen returning home for her sister’s wedding to the hometown she could not wait to leave. Jamie Hackett is the best man and was the only man Sage had ever wanted but could not have. This wedding may be the second chance both are looking for if they can let go of the past. I loved this romance so much even though it reminded me why I hated high school.
Overall, three well written novella length, delightful contemporary romances that are relatable and satisfying on every level.
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Excerpt
Best Man Next Door by Stefanie London
CHAPTER ONE
Before today, Jamie Hackett had thought he’d already faced death.
Like the time he dove off a cliff on a dare, plunging into the ocean with the speed of a bullet. Or
the time he’d come face-to-face with a territorial goose who’d gone apeshit at him for getting too
close to her goslings. Or when his car skidded across a patch of black ice in the middle of winter
and he’d narrowly missed crash- ing into a big oak tree.
He’d been cool as a cucumber, every single time.
But it turned out he hadn’t really faced death. Now that he’d confronted it for real, he understood
what it felt like.
Jamie glanced around the sterile white hospital hall- way, feeling weirdly disconnected from it
all. If some- one had told him he was floating in the air, watching everything happen from above,
he would have believed it. Giving himself a shake, he reached one hand to his opposite arm and
pinched himself. Hard. He winced from the pain.
Still alive.
But the quicker he was out of here the better.
His mom stood at the administration desk, her shoulders hunched. Exhaustion seeped into her posture and made her look even smaller than usual. When she turned to face him, he noticed her blouse was buttoned wrong and her curly ginger hair was sticking out in all directions like it always did when she didn’t have time to style it.
“Ready to go, hon?” She tried to smile, but her eyes were watery and the dark shadows circling underneath made her look hollowed out.
You did that to her.
He nodded.
“Your dad has gone to get the car so he can meet us out front.” She slipped her arm into his and held him close, her fingernails biting into his skin, as if she was worried he’d float away like a discarded balloon if she didn’t hold on tight enough. “No need to rush—we’ll walk slow.”
“You didn’t have to wait around. I could have gotten a cab,” he said quietly. He kept his gaze averted from the goings-on around him, not wanting to see the people being wheeled about and the elderly folk shuffling along, walking their fluid bags like strange, lifeless pets.
It freaked him out.
He was thirty-two for crying out loud. Thirty-two with his whole life ahead of him. With decades ahead of him.
“Jamie Hackett, if you think I would let my child come home from hospital in a cab then I don’t even know…” Her voice broke as she shook her head, still clutching him tightly. He could hear the tears she was holding back, companions of the ones she’d been shedding ever since she’d arrived at the hospital yesterday. “Of course we were going to take you home.”
There was no point arguing. Patty Hackett was an overprotective mama bear at the best of times, let alone when one of her own was hurt. Although really, aside from a few stitches in the back of his head and some chest pain that felt like a couple of boulders had been propped there, Jamie was walking away from this situation a lot better than he could have.
A lot better than what would have been if his best friend hadn’t saved him.
When they made it outside, Jamie sucked in as much air as his lungs would allow, and even though doing so burned, he had to clear the hospital smells from his nostrils. It was warm and sunny out, with a clear blue sky and not a cloud to be seen. The perfect early summer day.
Perfect like it had been the previous evening when he’d decided to get a good sweaty workout in. Perfect like when he’d jogged across the gym floor, warm sunshine streaming in through the windows and the high-quality shock-absorbent flooring cushioning his feet. Perfect like when his fists had sailed at the heavy punching bag, the repetitive pounding motion better than any form of therapy he’d found to date.
Perfect…until he’d almost died.
Jamie shook the dark thoughts from his head as his father pulled the family SUV up in front of the hospital’s pick-up area. His mom rushed forward to open the passenger side door for him.
“I can open the door myself, okay?” he said. He hated seeing her worry like this. Hated knowing that he caused it. “You don’t need to wait on me.”
“Just get in the car, James,” she sighed and shot him a look that told him there was no point arguing. It was easier to do what he was told. And if she was calling him by his full name, it meant she was a hair away from clipping his ear.
So he climbed into the car without another word.
“Son.” His father looked over to him with a crinkled brow. “Let your mother fuss. She needs it.”
Jamie nodded. “You’re right.”
His father turned to face the road as the back door opened and Patty climbed in, scrambling to hoist her small frame up into the giant SUV like she always did. The ride home was filled with rapid-fire questions from the back seat.
Why didn’t you tell us you were stressed out?
Should you be talking to a professional about your problems?
Is it happening again?
The last one made a weird acidic taste burn in the back of his throat. No matter how many years he put between himself and The Great Breakdown of his early twenties, he was frequently reminded that nobody would ever forget it happened.
Because when you were a world-class athlete, your failures didn’t only become gossip—they became lore.
“The doctor said you need to keep your stress levels down and take a break from work,” his mother relayed. “This could happen again. She said that panic attacks can be triggered by working too much and not getting enough rest, and—”
“I know, Mom. I was there.”
“We care about you, Jamie.” His father’s voice was gruff. “This isn’t about blame or trying to make you feel bad. You know that, right?”
Despite everything that had happened in the past, his parents had never once made him feel like he was to blame for what had happened…even if he himself had felt like a giant failure.
“Yeah,” he said. “I know.”
“And the doctor said we need to keep an eye on you for the next twenty-four hours to make sure there are no complications,” Patty continued. The car rolled smoothly along the highway, other vehicles passing them at a rapid pace thanks to his dad’s careful—read: slow—driving. “I got your sister to set up the spare bedroom at our place. And don’t bother protesting about going home by yourself because I won’t have it.”
Jamie glanced at his father, who simply shrugged as if to say, she’s the boss. Too right. Nobody was under any illusions about who was head of their household, that was for damn sure.
“Wouldn’t dream of it, Mom. But what about—”
“Flash is staying at Clay’s house,” she said without letting him finish. “He said we could leave him there until you were ready to go home.”
Whenever Jamie wasn’t feeling himself, the first thing he wanted to do was to hang out with his dog. They really were man’s best friend. No doubt Jamie’s business partner, Clay Harris, would spoil him rotten with treats and belly scratches, so it wasn’t like he’d be sad having a sleepover.
Jamie watched the scenery roll along outside the window. Soon they were approaching Reflection Bay, the town where he’d spent most of his life—a town that wasn’t even big enough for its own hospital.
He’d driven along this road so many times he’d lost count, watching the silvery blue of the ocean flicker between patches of green and rugged cliff faces, the tourist-favorite red-and-white lighthouse rising up in the distance. It was the same as it had always been and yet…it felt different now.
Everything felt different.
Forty-eight hours after returning home from the hospital, Jamie was “discharged” from the Hackett Family Hospital. But not without needing to pass a rigorous interrogation from his mother. If someone had overheard the conversation, they might mistake Patty Hackett for an actual doctor rather than the elementary school art teacher she was.
But now that Jamie could taste the sweet air of freedom, he was happier than ever to be alive. Especially since he had been reunited with his canine best friend.
“Isn’t it glorious? The sun is shining. The birds are singing.” Jamie glanced down at his dog, Flash, who ambled with the kind of gait that could only be described as “walking under duress.” “Oh, come on, bud. It’s not that bad.”
The chunky fawn-and-white bulldog looked up at him with imploring eyes as if to say, please make it stop. Flash, named in the most ironic fashion, hated working out as much as Jamie loved it. In fact, it was somewhat of a local joke that the two fittest guys in town had adopted the laziest dog ever as the mascot for their gym.
But Jamie loved Flash with everything he had. The dog might not be able to move faster than a drunk snail, but he had a heart of gold. Flash was always happy to see Jamie, never judged him for working too long or for stressing out too much about his business, and loved nothing more than just hanging out. No expectations, no bullshit.
That was love.
The pair ambled along the street. His business, Reflection Fitness, sat right at the end of the main strip, on a corner. It never failed to make pride surge through Jamie’s veins to see what he and Clay had built together. Their goal had been to create a gym that catered to all the people in their small town, leaving no one to feel like they didn’t belong. Reflection Fitness had clients who were training for big goals like marathons and fitness competitions, as well as clients like Jamie’s grandpa—who was combating osteoarthritis with regular, low-intensity workouts—and Jamie’s favorite personal training client—a bubbly woman in her forties who’d decided to try weight lifting after years of thinking cardio was the only option for women. They had a trainer on staff who specialized in pre- and post-natal fitness and another who ran classes for seniors aimed at improving joint mobility. They had built the gym to be accessible for clients with mobility needs. It was important to both Jamie and Clay that everyone who came to the gym felt welcomed and catered to.
“Let’s get you inside where there’s some air-conditioning, huh?” Jamie looked down at Flash, who was taking each plodding step with great effort. To be fair to the dog, it was unseasonably hot for so early in the summer. “We’re almost there.”
Jamie turned the corner to access the gym from the back door, which led directly into the office he and Clay shared. He tried not to take Flash through the front if he could help it, in case anyone working out had asthma or allergies. But when Jamie got to the door and tried to turn the handle, he found it locked.
“Weird,” he muttered.
The back was usually open if Clay was working, which he should be, given the hour. But perhaps he’d stepped out.
Jamie tried unlocking it. Only…the key wouldn’t fit.
“What the heck?” He tried again. No dice.
He stared at the key, wondering if the knock he’d taken to the back of his head had done more damage than he’d realized. But no, it was definitely the right key.
Befuddled, Jamie walked Flash around to the front of the gym, where a sleek set of glass doors opened to a small reception area. The space was light and welcoming, with a big potted plant and a white couch in one corner. An old black-and-white photo hung on the wall, showing Clay and Jamie in their high school days, arms around each other—a tennis racket in Jamie’s hand and a basketball in Clay’s.
“Jamie!” The receptionist, Sara, brightened when she saw him. She wore a blue Reflection Fitness uniform polo shirt and her long, dark brown hair hung over her shoulder in twin braids. “How are you feeling?”
“Never better,” he replied breezily. “And thank you for sending those flowers to Mom’s place. That wasn’t necessary.”
“Everyone was thinking about you.” Her brow wrinkled. “We were all so worried when Clay told us what happened!”
Ugh, Clay. The guy had a big mouth.
“I told him to keep it quiet,” Jamie muttered. “In any case, I appreciate the gesture. Mom commandeered the flowers right away for her living room.”
Sara laughed. “That’s why I picked tulips. I had a feeling she would end up with them.”
Mama Hackett was a favorite among the staff since she often made oatmeal cookies, energy balls and other healthy treats for everyone who worked at Reflection Fitness.
“Is Clay in?” Jamie asked. “I tried the back door, but I think something’s wrong with my key.”
“Uh…” Sara’s expression turned strange, and she reached for the phone on the desk. “Let me call him through.”
“It’s okay, I’ll head in.” Jamie had his swipe pass on hand, like always, and he tapped it against the electronic reader which activated the gate into the gym.
The screen flashed red and made an angry beep sound.
First his key didn’t fit the lock and now his pass wasn’t working. What the—
“Jamie.”
He looked up and saw Clay striding through the gym toward the foyer, a no-nonsense look on his face. At six foot five with shoulders that could bridge two cities, Clay had the perfect build for the sport he’d loved as a child—basketball. He had dark brown skin, warm eyes and close-cropped curly black hair. Usually, Clay would be flashing his signature charming smile—a smile that had won over just about every cheerleader the guy had ever encountered in his high school and college days. A smile that, now, was conspicuously absent.
“You locked me out.” Jamie shook his head in disbelief. “You changed the locks on the office without telling me?”
“Outside, now.” Clay pointed to the front doors as he strode through the gate. “We’re not doing this in front of the clients.”
Sara dropped her head and pretended to bury herself in work, ignoring Jamie’s gaze pleading for support.
He let out an irritated huff. “Fine.”
The two men walked back outside and Jamie felt a pang of guilt as Flash made a noise of protest about returning to the hot summer day. The trio rounded the corner away from the front of the gym so they could have it out.
“This is for your own good, Jamie.” Clay held up his hands, signaling he didn’t want a fight. Despite being strong enough to beat most men in anything physical, Clay was a gentle giant with a big heart.
He was also, however, stubborn as an ox.
“We’re partners, Clay. You can’t lock me out of my own damn business.” Jamie gestured with his free hand toward the building next to them. “That’s…that’s got to be illegal.”
Clay folded his arms across his chest. “I had a feeling you wouldn’t take this seriously. The doctor said you need to rest and your mom told me to keep an eye on you, because she’s worried, too.”
Typical Patty. Jamie made a sound of disbelief. “I rested.”
“For two days.” Clay shook his head. “That’s not enough.”
“Man, it was nothing. You’re overreacting.”
“I am not overreacting. Do you have any idea what it’s like to walk up on your best friend lying unconscious on the floor? I thought you’d had a heart attack or something. I thought you were dead.”
He felt terrible for putting Clay through that, but he was already feeling vulnerable about this whole thing. He couldn’t let his friend see how much it had shaken him.
“So dramatic.” Jamie rolled his eyes.
“See, this—” Clay circled a finger at his face just like his mom used to when they were naughty kids “—is why I know you’re not listening to what the doctor said. You came right here to go back to doin’ exactly what you were doin’ before.”
“Building our business?” he replied, biting back his frustration.
“Running yourself into the ground. Wake up, Jamie.” Clay shook his head. “You might not be so lucky next time.”
“It’s my call to determine whether I’m ready to come back, not yours.”
“It sure is, because I won’t give you a new key until I’m sure you’re actually taking this thing seriously.”
Jamie’s mouth popped open. “You can’t do that!”
“Sure I can. It’s my name on the lease, remember?”
Oh yeah. That. He’d been meaning to get that bit of paperwork updated for almost three years now, but it was one of those things that kept falling off his to-do list in favor of more impactful items. Besides, he’d always thought Clay would never do him dirty, so it didn’t seem like a big deal.
“It’s our business, no matter what the lease says.”
“Jamie, I’m doing this because you’re my best friend. I want you to take care of yourself.” Clay looked genuinely concerned. “Coach always used to say a heart that pumps too fast is no better than one that doesn’t pump at all. Rest is as important as work.”
Jamie let out a groan. “Sitting at a desk isn’t exactly strenuous. I just need to answer some emails—”
“And then you’ll just need to look at some spreadsheets and make some calls and then some new client will come to you with a sob story and you’ll squeeze them in even though you said you weren’t going to take on any more PT clients yourself.” Clay shook his head. “I know your tricks, man. Don’t try to play me.”
“But what about the clients I have—”
“I split them up between the other trainers. It’s already done.”
“You called everyone already?” Jamie scrubbed a hand over his face. “I told you I didn’t want anyone to know.”
“I said you were helping me plan stuff for the wedding. Best man shit.” Clay grinned and Jamie found his anger withering away. It really was hard to hate the guy when he smiled. “You’re loyal like that.”
He let out a strangled noise of frustration. “I’ll call the locksmith myself.”
“Then he’s gonna have to get through me.”
Jamie considered his options. Anyone who didn’t know Clay might be too intimidated to try changing the locks against his wishes and anyone who did know him would be too charmed to want to try. Fact was, his best friend had him over a barrel.
“What am I supposed to do with myself, huh?” Jamie hated the panic in his voice. Who on earth felt panicked at the prospect of time off?
“I don’t know. Play ping-pong with your dad, go up to the Cape, sleep in. You’re a big boy—you’ll figure it out.”
Clay’s hand came down hard on Jamie’s shoulder, earning him a soft grunt. There was no reasoning with the guy, that much was clear.
Maybe Clay and his mom were right and this was serious. Jamie could have died. When he’d woken up in the ambulance, everything had flashed before his eyes—his whole life. His family. Work. His failed professional tennis career. His business. Long hours at his computer after longer days on the gym floor. Chasing the next thing, expanding the business, more clients, more money. Never satisfied. Always restless.
Was that all his life was about?
He’d always been hyper competitive, driven, and ambitious. But what if he had died the other day? What would he have left behind?
Jamie realized then that Clay was looking at him, as if waiting for him to speak. “No sweat. You want me to chill for a bit, fine. I can do that. You’ll see this isn’t a big deal.”
But even as he brushed off the severity of the incident, he knew the earth had shifted beneath his feet. What he’d thought was solid ground was now loose earth and uneven terrain. He needed to find his footing again. He needed to get himself straight. Most of all, he needed to prove to everyone that this was just a one-off. That he could handle pressure—unlike when he was younger.
Because he couldn’t ever go back to being Jamie Can’t-Hackett ever again.
SUSAN MALLERY: Susan Mallery is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of novels about the relationships that define women’s lives—family, friendship, romance. Library Journal says, “Mallery is the master of blending emotionally believable characters in realistic situations,” and readers seem to agree—40 million copies of her books have sold worldwide. Her warm, humorous stories make the world a happier place to live. Susan grew up in California and now lives in Seattle with her husband. She’s passionate about animal welfare, especially that of the ragdoll cat and adorable poodle who think of her as mom. Visit Susan online at www.susanmallery.com.
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SYNITHIA WILLIAMS: Synithia Williams has loved romance novels since reading her first one at the age of 13. It was only natural that she would one day write her own romance. When she isn’t writing, Synithia works on water quality issues in the Midlands of South Carolina while taking care of her supportive husband and two sons. You can learn more about Synithia by visiting her website, www.synithiawilliams.com.
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STEFANIE LONDON: Stefanie London is a USA TODAY bestselling author of contemporary romances and romantic comedies. Her books have been called “genuinely entertaining and memorable” by Booklist and have won multiple industry awards, including the HOLT Medallion and OKRWA National Readers’ Choice Award. Originally from Australia, Stefanie lives in Toronto with her very own hero and is doing her best to travel the world. She frequently indulges in her passions for good coffee, lipstick, romance novels and anything zombie related. Visit Stefanie online at Stefanie-London.com.
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.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Mini Book Reviews for the first four stories in Naima Simone’s Rose Bend series. I have been binge reading all of these fantastic romances and I am happy to still have four more to go.
These romances are multicultural, have characters that break your heart before healing them with their HEAs, and do have some very smokin’ hot sex scenes but they are not gratuitous. This series is set in the small town of Rose Bend which is located in the Berkshires and I really hope there is a place just like it in the real world.
Each book numbered with a 0.5 is novella length and features new side characters from the town and all of the whole number books feature a brother or sister from the Dennison family who you follow throughout the series.
I highly recommend this romance series and I am so glad I found this author because when I am done with this series, she has written more.
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Book Description
Goodbye is never easy…but neither is love.
Cherrie Moore is just passing through, the same way she does every year. Rose Bend’s annual motorcycle rally has been her sanctuary—two solid weeks just for herself, just for a little while; one long, peaceful ride through the Berkshires, then back home to bustling Chicago. In and out, and gone again. No strings, no commitments. Until she meets Maddox Holt.
The man is pure temptation, and he sure has a mouth on him—a redheaded bullet Cherrie knows she’d be smart to dodge. When the mysterious dive bar owner pulls her onto the dance floor that first night in town, her plans for a clean getaway turn muddy. Something’s there between them, sure…but Maddox has roots in quiet Rose Bend, and he’s looking for more than a fling.
Cherrie came here for a break from it all. After the year she’s had, her heart can’t take another hit. But before long, she’ll have to decide—should she risk her freedom for a second chance at love…or just enjoy the ride while it lasts?
My Mini Book Review
SLOW DANCE AT ROSE BEND (A Rose Bend Book #0.5) by Naima Simone is an intense novella length contemporary romance featuring independent jewelry maker Cherrie Moore and Rose Bend bar owner Maddox Holt. This love at first sight novella is packed with more emotion than some full-length books.
Cherrie is once again in Rose Bend for two weeks to attend the annual motorcycle rally, to sell some of her jewelry, and catch up with old friends. When the hot bartender hits on Cherrie, she is at first not interested after just getting out of a difficult relationship, but the sparks are flying around her and Maddox. She agrees to two weeks of fun, but Maddox has other plans.
Explosive chemistry, hot sex, and finding the person who loves you for who you are. Yes, please!
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Book Description
If it was only about her, she might never have come back to Rose Bend.
But it’s not only about her anymore.
Sydney Collins left the small Berkshires town of Rose Bend eight years ago, grieving her sister’s death—and heartbroken over her parents’ rejection. But now the rebel is back—newly divorced and pregnant—ready to face her fears and make a home for her child in the caring community she once knew. The last thing she needs is trouble. But trouble just set her body on fire with one hot, hot smile.
Widower and Rose Bend mayor Coltrane Dennison hasn’t smiled in ages. Until a chance run-in with Sydney Collins, who’s all grown-up and making him want what he knows he can’t have. Grief is his only connection to the wife and son he lost, and he won’t give it up. Not for Sydney, not for her child, not for his heart. But when Sydney’s ex threatens to upend everything she’s rebuilt in Rose Bend, Cole and Sydney may find that a little trouble will take them where they never expected to go.
My Mini Book Review
THE ROAD TO ROSE BEND (A Rose Bend Book #1) by Naima Simone is an emotional contemporary romance that features the return of rebel Sydney Collins to her small hometown in the Berkshires and the widowed mayor of Rose Bend Coltrane “Cole” Dennison. This story brought me to tears in so many scenes and yet it is balanced with happiness and love throughout with an extremely satisfying HEA.
Besides the main romance plot, Sydney is dealing with being pregnant by her ex-husband after their divorce and unresolved issues which lead to her rebellion all through her teen years with her parents after her sister died from cancer when she was younger. Cole is a widower of only two years and besides losing his young wife, he also lost his son. Even with all this angst, Ms. Simone is still able to find moments of joy and love between these two because they really have empathy for each other’s pasts and present problems. The sex scenes are explicit, but not gratuitous.
The entire Denison family is introduced in this book, and they are fully drawn and realistic. I am looking forward to following them in future books in this series.
I love Sydney and Cole, the entire Dennison family, and the small town of Rose Bend. I highly recommend this contemporary romance!
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Book Description
It starts with an unexpected kiss…
Remi Donovan doesn’t know what possessed Declan Howard to sidle up to her desk and ask for a kiss—but she’s not about to turn him down. After all, she’s had a secret crush on the sexy-as-sin wealth manager ever since he set foot in Rose Bend two years ago. Still, why steal a kiss from a small-town librarian when a man like Declan could have any woman he wants?
For Declan, the plan is simple: fake a relationship with Remi to keep his ex off his back and his matchmaking mother happy. As the charade brings them closer, it ignites something real—something neither can ignore. But before they can build a happy future together, they’ll both have to reconcile with the past…
My Mini Book Review
A KISS TO REMEMBER (A Rose Bend Book #1.5) by Naima Simone is a fake relationship contemporary romance novella in the Rose Bend series featuring small town librarian Remi Donovan and wealth manager Declan Howard. What starts with an unexpected offer of a kiss in the library then turns into a declaration of a relationship to family and friends which leads to an emotional journey for both Remi and Declan. Ms. Simone is able to pack so much emotion in such a short novella.
I especially loved and had empathy for Remi in this story. She has learned to love herself and her plus size even with the negativity from some people in town including her own mother. Declan may have started out just trying to make life easier for himself, but he truly appreciates the full bodied and intelligent Remi. I enjoyed their fake to real relationship and their journey to get there.
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Book Description
The holidays have never been her thing. But Christmas in Rose Bend has more than one surprise in store…
Grieving ER nurse Nessa Hunt is on a road trip with her sullen teen half sister, Ivy, and still reeling from her mother’s deathbed confession: Nessa’s dad wasn’t really her dad. Seeking answers, they arrive in Rose Bend to find a small town teeming with the kind of Christmas cheer Nessa usually avoids. But then she meets the innkeeper’s ruggedly sexy son, Wolfgang Dennison.
Wolf’s big, boisterous family is like a picture-perfect holiday card. Nessa has too much weighing on her to feel like she fits—even though the heat between her and Wolf is undeniable. And the merriment bringing an overdue smile to Ivy’s face is almost enough to make Nessa believe in the Christmas spirit. But with all her parental baggage, including lingering questions about her birth father, is there room in Nessa’s life for happy holidays and happily-ever-after?
My Mini Book Review
CHRISTMAS IN ROSE BEND (A Rose Bend Book #2) by Naima Simone is a an emotional holiday contemporary romance featuring ER nurse Nessa Hunt who is visiting Rose Bend with her stepsister and staying at the Dennison’s Family Inn. She is literally knocked off her feet by carpenter Wolfgang ‘Wolf’ Dennison as they wait to check in. The attraction is immediate, but Nessa has been hurt so often by men in her past, she no longer lets anyone completely into her heart.
Nessa no longer celebrates Christmas, but here she is in small town Christmas hell. Both Nessa and Wolf’s histories are heartbreaking and yet Wolf is determined to help Nessa bridge the rift with her stepsister and get her to enjoy the Christmas season again. The realistic dialogue between these two was either making me laugh or cry. Even with their fears, they could not stop their intense physical attraction to each other which led to sex scenes that are explicit, but not gratuitous. The road to the HEA in this romance is rough, but very satisfying.
This romance is full of angst, love, laughter, family, small town life and Christmas cheer. This series can be read as standalone romances, but they are so well written that they pull you in and you will fall in love with the Dennison family and Rose Bend and want to read them all, just like me.
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About the Author
Published since 2009, USA Today Bestselling author Naima Simone loves writing sizzling romances with heart, a touch of humor and snark. Her books have been featured in The Washington Post and Entertainment Weekly, and described as balancing “crackling, electric love scenes with exquisitely rendered characters caught in emotional turmoil.”
She is wife to Superman, or his non-Kryptonian, less bullet proof equivalent, and mother to the most awesome kids ever. They all live in perfect, sometimes domestically-challenged bliss in the southern United States.
’Tis the season for cozy stories of falling in love
Here Comes Trouble by Debbie Macomber
After rival columnist Nolan Adams writes an unflattering piece about rookie journalist Maryanne Simpson, she decides to make some big life changes. She needs to show the tough, streetwise Nolan that she deserves his respect. When they end up as neighbors, Maryanne discovers that she can’t resist Nolan’s gruff charm, and although he doesn’t seem to be an appropriate match for a socialite, Maryanne has other ideas!
Once Upon a Wedding by JoAnn Ross
Desiree Marchand doesn’t have time for any complications ahead of her friend’s wedding—especially not her ex-boyfriend, rock star Bastien Broussard. Unfortunately, the wedding is down a singer…and whether Desiree likes it or not, Bastien is the perfect man for the job.
An Alaskan Christmas Homecoming by Jennifer Snow
The only thing Griffin Geller wants for Christmas is to reconcile with his family, which would take a real miracle. They haven’t spoken to him in the three months he’s been back in Wild River, Alaska. But when Jade Frazier walks into his tattoo shop, determined to decorate the front window, she helps remind Griffin that Christmas can be a season for second chances…in life as well as love.
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Mini Book Reviews
RATING: 4 out of 5 Stars
SNOWFLAKES AND STARLIGHT is a holiday anthology with three charming romances by two authors I always enjoy and one new to me author. I like anthologies during the holidays because the novellas are easier to finish quickly for that holiday romance feeling when I may not have time for a full-length novel.
Here Comes Trouble by Debbie Macomber was what I always expect and receive when I read a Debbie Macomber romance. Great characters and a romance plot that pulls me in and has me cheering for the couple to get it together and find their HEA. Maryanne and Nolan were so economically and socially different and yet their love triumphed. It was cute also, that their love story was told as a story for their daughters on Christmas Eve, so you knew it would all work out somehow.
Once Upon a Wedding by JoAnn Ross was a wonderful novella added to her Honeymoon Harbor series. It was a second chance holiday romance with all the feels. Desiree is a great heroine because she knew what she truly wanted and went for it, even at the cost of her young relationship with Bastien. And then for Bastien to know it was time for him to attempt to re-enter Desiree’s life was swoon worthy. The only problem with this novella was that there were a lot of characters from the series and if you are new to the series, it can be slightly confusing even though each relationship and character are explained.
An Alaskan Christmas Homecoming by Jennifer Snow is by a new to me author and it really packed a punch in a short number of pages. Forgiveness, love, and family. I am looking forward to checking out more of this author’s books.
I recommend this anthology of varying holiday romances. Enjoy!
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About the Author
Debbie Macomber is a #1 New York Times bestselling author and one of today’s most popular writers with more than 200 million copies of her books in print worldwide. In her novels, Macomber brings to life compelling relationships that embrace family and enduring friendships, uplifting her readers with stories of connection and hope. Macomber’s novels have spent over 1,000 weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Fifteen of these novels hit the number one spot.
In 2022, Macomber’s all-new hardcover publications include The Best Is Yet to Come (July) and The Christmas Spirit (October). In addition to fiction, Macomber has also published three bestselling cookbooks, two adult coloring books, numerous inspirational and nonfiction works, and two acclaimed children’s books.
Celebrated as “the official storyteller of Christmas”, Macomber’s annual Christmas books are beloved and six have been crafted into original Hallmark Channel movies. Macomber is also the author of the bestselling Cedar Cove Series which the Hallmark Channel chose as the basis for its first dramatic scripted television series. Debuting in 2013, Debbie Macomber’s Cedar Cove was a ratings favorite for three seasons.
She serves on the Guideposts National Advisory Cabinet, is a YFC National Ambassador, and is World Vision’s international spokesperson for their Knit for Kids charity initiative. A devoted grandmother, Debbie and Wayne live in Port Orchard, Washington, the town which inspired the Cedar Cove series.
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About the Author
I wrote my first story — a tragic romance about two star-crossed Mallard ducks — as a second grade writing assignment. The paper earned a gold star. So I kept writing.
I’ve since written over a hundred novels and have been published in twenty-six countries. Two of my titles have been excerpted in Cosmopolitan magazine and as a New York Times, U.S. Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller, I’m also a member of the Romance Writers of America’s Honor Roll of best-selling authors.
I’m currently writing small town series for HQN set on Washington State’s Olympic Peninsula. Honeymoon Harbor is inspired by a Victorian seaport peninsula town my husband and I fell in love with over thirty years ago and visit often. Readers who enjoyed my Shelter Bay series will feel right at home in Honeymoon Harbor.
I’m also excited to have a women’s fiction novel coming out September 7th. The Inheritance is set in contemporary Oregon wine county and WWII France.
I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband—who proposed to me at the seawall where my Shelter Bay books are set when I was eighteen—and our still active, very vocal senior Siamese cat, Paws. Having joined our family when she was twelve years old, Paws pretty much runs the house.
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About the Author
Jennifer Snow is a USA Today Bestselling Author writing contemporary romance fiction for Grand Central Publishing, Entangled and Harlequin. Her stories range in heat level from sweet to sexy and are set everywhere from big cities to small towns. Her books are light and humorous, but also full of heart, featuring families and communities readers love to visit over and over again.
Originally from Newfoundland, Canada, she now resides in Spain with her husband, son and three mischievous cats.
She currently publishes psychological thrillers under her pen name J.M. Winchester and writes screenplays and TV shows in her ‘spare’ time. Her holiday rom-com, Mistletoe and Molly airs Christmas 2021!
More information can be found on her website at www.jennifersnowauthor.com.
Today I am sharing my Feature Post and Mini Book Reviews for book #2 HighStakes and Book #3 High Ground in the High Mountain Trackers series. These books not only feature two hot alpha heroes but also the two Freling sisters who captured their hearts.
Below you will find the book descriptions, the mini book reviews, the author’s bio and the author’s social media links. Enjoy!
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Book #2 Description
When her sister, Pippa, goes missing, Nella Freling tells her boss she’s taking time off from her job as a research librarian, hops in her sensible van, and heads south of the border to Montana. However, local police don’t seem too concerned about a missing woman living in her motorhome. So Nella will have to look for Pippa by herself, unless she can convince a highly recommended tracker to help her, but sadly the rude and angry cowboy won’t even listen to her at first. But Nella can be persuasive.
The first time High Mountain Tracker, Fletch Boone, laid eyes on Nella, her ass was stuck in his grocery cart. The next time was at the ranch; she was wearing mud, head to toe. But when he catches sight of her a third time, hanging off a cliff, he can’t turn his back again. What Nella lacks in survival skills she makes up for in sheer determination. Unfortunately, neither of those is enough protection when bullets start flying.
Fletch has no choice but to jump in before the woman gets herself killed. And that would be a damn shame.
As Nella and Fletch search for the missing sister, Fletch has his hands full with the head-strong Nella who will do anything to find her sister even as she places herself in danger.
This book is another exciting romantic suspense in the High Mountain Trackers series. Nella and Fletch have a slow burn romance intertwined in a search and rescue and crime suspense plot that is full of twists. I found Nella and Fletch to be believable in their dance from self-protection to trust and love. All the characters from book one are back to watch Mr. Grumpy fall and provide some entertaining dialogue. This is a cast of characters that pull you right into their stories and I cannot wait for more.
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Book #3 Description
Not much has gone according to plan for mechanic, Pippa Freling, recently. With lots of bridges burned behind her, she decides to stick close to her sister and give Montana a try.
Things are looking up when she joins a local group of animal activists, buys an auto shop for a steal, and even tries her luck with the opposite sex. But it doesn’t take long before her hopeful new future is derailed once again. This time permanently.
Maintaining tight control is the stronghold in Sully Eckhart’s life. It served him well during his years in special forces and has kept him out of trouble since. But his self-restraint stretches only so far whenever he finds himself faced with the one woman who has the ability to shake his determination. A woman he’s tried to avoid for months—since the first time she shook his resolve—but who now finds herself in the middle of a serial murder case.
However, when she not only ends up a person of interest to the FBI, but firmly in the crosshairs of a killer, he has no other option but to stick close. And give up all control.
Pippa finds herself being investigated as a person of interest by the FBI in a serial murder case. She has more on her plate than she can handle by herself and when the solitary Sully finds out about the news she has yet to share, he refuses to leave her side. As Pippa and Sully learn to share all aspects of their lives, their future life together is being endangered.
The High Mountain Trackers series of romantic suspense books never disappoint. Pippa and Sully are both so independent and I enjoyed their journey to becoming a couple. I loved the way both had to learn to give and take and how they did what was right for them without worrying what others felt about their choices. There is always crossover between the books in the series, but there is even more in this book due to Nella, Pippa’s sister’s pregnancy and delivery and the entire team assisting in the serial murder case. There are several plotlines in this story, but all are answered by the HEA. The sex scenes are steamy and explicit, but not gratuitous. This series has mature heroes and heroines, and the author deals with their personal problems in an adult manner and does not hesitate to give them mature love lives, also.
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Author Bio
USA Today bestselling author Freya Barker loves writing about ordinary people with extraordinary stories.
Driven to make her books about ‘real’ people; she creates characters who are perhaps less than perfect, each struggling to find their own slice of happy, but just as deserving of romance, thrills and chills in their lives.
Recipient of the ReadFREE.ly 2019 Best Book We’ve Read All Year Award for “Covering Ollie, the 2015 RomCon “Reader’s Choice” Award for Best First Book, “Slim To None”, Finalist for the 2017 Kindle Book Award with “From Dust”, and Finalist for the 2020 Kindle Book Award with “When Hope Ends”, Freya continues to add to her rapidly growing collection of published novels as she spins story after story with an endless supply of bruised and dented characters, vying for attention!
