Molly's Mr. Wrong by Jeannie Watt

I request an awful lot of NetGalley books that sound just terrific when I see them, and then they sit on my kindle unread. Part of the problem is that I can't quickly scan the book description from my Kindle and so I just overlook ones that the titles don't remind me. It seems I hate to read a book without having an idea of where it's going (sorry, Trish!)  But after October's dismal showing of books read, I decided to just pick one and dive in. So here we are.

They're both learning from scratch

Molly Adamson has moved back to the place that made her happiest: Eagle Valley, Montana. Teaching college English classes is also a fresh start…even if he's one of her students. Finn Culver. Athlete, heartthrob, homecoming date. After that disastrous night all those years ago, Molly never wanted to see Finn, now a handsome military veteran, again. But as she gets to know him through his writing, helping him conquer an undiagnosed learning disability, Molly sees much more than the swaggering charmer. Both teacher and student will learn a lot about love, and each other, if they can let the past go…

So first off, the cover is really accurate! I love that. This is exactly how I pictured Molly. She's a reformed nerd who went off to college, met the wrong guy, built up her self-confidence ("this guy loves me??") and then suffered through a horrible crash and burn. She's back to her hometown now, and has somewhat rebuilt her confidence and is determined not to let it go again. She has a new job teaching at the community college, and now Finn is back in her life. She doesn't believe he could ever be right for her and is certain she'd rather have no relationship than one she can't trust.

Finn is much more likable than Molly, frankly. He's a war veteran who has come back home to his old job (at a feed store) and his old life, and finds that neither gives him satisfaction. He's developed a new plan to return to school and find a career he does love, and ends up in Molly's class. He's shocked to discover that English doesn't come easily to him-- he passed high school after all!- and since he has a disastrous past with Molly, tension is high. She informally diagnoses him with a learning disability and convinces him to stay in school.

Finn is one of the most interesting characters that I've read in a romance in a long time. He has a desire to move on and do more with his life, and is absolutely shocked to discover that college isn't easy. He sailed through high school with Cs without even trying! He's a military veteran, and it's not a major point (this is not a man in uniform romance) except to explain how he left his life and came back to discover he didn't enjoy it any longer. He finds himself falling for Molly and very gently pursues her. He's not an alpha take charge guy, which is not to say he can't lose his temper, but that he doesn't need to fix everything for everyone, and he has weaknesses and vulnerabilities. Plus, he finds a kitten in the rain! I loved him.

The romance is not easy. Molly fights and fights it. There wasn't enough of the falling in love for me, and way too many subplots with his grandfather and her sister, but it was a pretty good overall read. It tackles some issues that you rarely see in a romance (learning disabilities, high school football players, helicopter parents, education) and I thought those parts were well done. Molly is never going to be a favorite of mine, but she's easily balanced out by the rest. Overall, a solid book.

Molly's Mr. Wrong will be out on January 1st.

Lauren Layne's Wedding Bells series

Anyone who's been around here for a while knows how much I enjoyed Lauren Layne's New York's Finest series last winter. When I saw that she was writing a series that was about wedding planners, set in NYC, I couldn't snatch them up quick enough. But then I had them all on my Kindle, and they titles are so similar that I couldn't keep straight what order they were supposed to be read in, and I'm way too lazy to look it up, so I just read other stuff. A couple weeks ago I decided that I'd just read them out of order, but I needed to dive in, and I did.

First up is a little novella called From This Day Forward, which I really didn't like at all. This one is about two wedding photographers, who have a history (which is a plus in a novella) but the entire story was about sex between two childish people who couldn't just use their words. This really didn't leave me wanting to move on, but I reassured myself that it was just the novella length and kept going.

The first full length book in the series is To Have and To Hold and it is definitely better than the novella. Brooke Baldwin is a rock star wedding planner on the West Coast, who has just planned the wedding of the decade-- her own-- when she is horrified to find out that he fiancee is a con man. She flees to New York and joins the Wedding Belles, where her first job is the plan the wedding of rich heiress Maya Tyler.  Maya's older brother, Seth, is certain that there's something fishy going on with the groom, and attempts to enlist Brooke's help in uncovering it. But how do you convince a wedding planner to sabotage the wedding she's planning?

One thing that Lauren Layne does really well is sexual tension and this book is no exception. Seth and Brooke are on fire from the first moment they see each other. I love seeing them deal with this, in the middle of client negotiations and planning that thwarts each other. Seth is impossibly wealthy and accustomed to getting this way in all things, and occasionally  pouts badly when he doesn't get what he wants, but his love for both Maya and Brooke shines through very clearly. It's hard to pin down the time line, so it doesn't feel rushed, but at the same time the book is lacking the falling in love that I enjoy so much. This one goes right for the physical, which to be honest is also a good book, but it doesn't really make me close the book with the same type of satisfaction that a good love story does.

The second book in the series is For Better or Worse, and features the assistant wedding planner and her sexy next door neighbor. Heather has never really been in love and believes it's not for her. She's from small town Michigan and her entire life's goal has been to be a wedding planner in New York City. She doesn't have time to fool around or look away from her goal. Josh has recently overcome a bout with cancer, and can't take life seriously-- he knows how short it can be and refuses to add anyone else to the list of people who would be devastated by his death.

This one hit almost all of my sweet spots. The dialogue is truly excellent, the plot is believable, Josh is terrific. I believed that these two could fall in the love, and the romance itself is much better than in the previous book. The ending isn't tied with a pretty bow- Josh IS a cancer survivor- but so realistically handled that you can believe that these are real people and you close the book with complete satisfaction. (If you can ignore Josh's extraordinary wealth, but hey, everyone needs a superpower.)

The last book in the series,To Love and to Cherish, has SO much potential. Alexis, owner of the Belles, is a bit of an ice queen. I never really liked her through the whole series, so I was hoping that all would come to light in her book.  Her hero is Logan, who is the Belles accountant. Logan has been madly in love with Alexis since the moment he laid eyes on her, eight years ago. Eight years is a long time to patiently wait, and Logan is ready to make his move.

This one is really hot, and the plot outline is equally good, but both Logan and Alexis were misses for me. Alexis has a standoff personality, that could have been good but I didn't feel was very well written. Logan would be my ideal beta hero turned alpha, but he "knows what Alexis really wants" way way too often. He's not abusive, but very high handed and not always in a sexy way.  Plus, his sudden ability to BE an alpha at all, after years of being the polite accountant, isn't really believable.While I didn't dislike this one, and it doesn't finish the series nicely, I would not recommend it.

Overall, it's very hard not to compare the series to Nora Robert's Bride Quartet. Both feature a cast of women planners, and while this one doesn't break it down the same way, both feature a complete badass-in-control leader (Alexis here, and Parker for Roberts). Unfortunately, Roberts does it much better. I'm still a fan of Layne, but the New York's Finest series beats this one hands down.

To Love and To Cherish will be out on October 18th.

Darkest Journey by Heather Graham

So,  Darkest Journey by Heather Graham.

Here's the summary, from Amazon:

They say it's about the journey, not the destination…

Charlene "Charlie" Moreau is back in St. Francisville, Louisiana, to work on a movie. One night, she stumbles across the body of a Civil War reenactor, the second murdered in two days. Charlie is shocked to learn that her father—a guide on the Journey, a historic paddle wheeler that's sponsoring the reenactment—is a suspect.

Meanwhile, Ethan Delaney, new to the FBI's Krewe of Hunters, is brought in on the case. He and Charlie have a history of their own, dating back to when he rescued her from a graveyard—led there by a Confederate ghost!

I know. I've been threatening to do this forever, but... this is it. I can't read more of these. While I quite appreciated the first couple I read, and I still enjoy the ease and lack of required thought for these, I just can't with the phoned in plot any longer. There's either so many plot holes you could drown in them, or there's just zero hints or signs and the killer turns out to be out of the blue. Red herrings abound and then are explained away needlessly. If the romance were strong, I'd probably keep going with the series, but the romances are always insta-love. They feel a connection to each other because they can both see ghosts, so it must be love? I don't feel like any of the characters are any different from any other title in the series, and eh, this is why I stopped reading Fool's Gold too.

Now let's see if I can actually resist when I see the next one pop up...

Darkest Journey comes out on September 27th.

Fearless by Kimberly Kincaid

Don't you hate it when you read a book you enjoy, but then fail to write the review until you start to forget details and then you just feel guilty about it?  Yeah. That.

Here's the summary, from Amazon.

Firefighter Cole Everett's life revolves around the firehouse. Committed to saving lives--and to the guys who always have his back in the most dangerous moments on the job--Cole's focus is a coveted spot on the Fairview Rescue Squad. When his captain asks him to mentor a rookie firefighter, he jumps at the chance, hoping it will help to prove his skill. But the new "guy" is none other than Savannah Nelson, a female firefighter as stubbornly determined as Cole is, and a whole lot curvier in all the right places . . .

Savannah won't let anyone extinguish her dream of fulfilling her family legacy and becoming a top notch firefighter--and she's happily surprised when strong-willed, sexy Cole is willing to give her the chance she deserves. Concentrating on the job isn't always easy when the heat between them flares higher every day, but Savannah won't give up--not even when one of Station Eight's veterans seems bent on trashing her reputation. To stop a string of possible arsons, Savannah and Cole will need to eliminate every distraction--but can they let their love go up in flames?

I read the previous book, Reckless, back in the winter, and while I didn't find it to be a winner, I was still looking forward to the rest of the crew. Unlike Katherine, I wasn't really drawn to Cole at all, and didn't really remember him, so it was all pretty fresh. Happily, I turned out to like Cole and Savannah quite a bit and found them both believable. Savannah desperately wants to be a firefighter, and on her own merit. She comes from a family of male firefighters and knows that if she doesn't move away from home she'll never be able to believe if it's her, or her family that leads her to success. She works hard to pull her own weight and doesn't let being a woman limit her at all. Unfortunately for her, not everyone in the firehouse is on the same page.

Cole is given the position of training Savannah to take his place in the rotation after he is promoted to a coveted squad position.  This requires quite the balancing act, he can't delude himself into thinking she is ready, if she isn't, but he's also eager to move into his new role. Cole never hesitates or holds back based on her gender and Savannah never fails to meet expectations. I loved seeing her be a badass in a physical way in a demanding job.

The chemistry between them is certainly there, and their first encounter/kiss ends in a potentially awkward situation, but Kincaid pulls us through. I did find it a bit unbelievable that they could leave all of that heat outside the fire station, so that no one knew. It is strictly forbidden to date within the house, and this becomes a major plot point late in the book. I'm not entirely sure that I'm convinced in the ultimate resolution of the side story with the arsons, but I did believe in the romance, which is what I read it for. While this series isn't one of my go to favorites, I would still recommend it to anyone who is already a fan of this type of setting.

Fearless came out on July 26th.

Two quick romance reviews

Sleepless in Manhattan by Sarah Morgan

I am a complete Sarah Morgan fangirl, but this one, oh it tested me. It's a friends to lovers story, which I love, and for the vast majority of the book I was all in.  Jake had some commitment issues, but he was willing to admit (to himself) that this relationship was a good thing. He wanted it out in the open even. He just didn't want love. Well anyone who has ever read a romance knows what's gonna happen, right?  Even that was fine, because of course that was the point, but immediately after the big showdown there is this scene that is so absolutely mortifying (to them, and moreso to ME) that I put the book aside. For weeks. I just could. not. imagine. seeing how that was gonna play out. Then my NetGalley Guilt (TM) got the best of me and I picked it back up, and shockingly, it was just fine. Because of course it was.  I have the next one in the series locked and loaded on my Kindle, and as soon as I have a quiet moment we're on.

Hold Your Breath by Katie Ruggle

Now this one I LOVED. I can't wait to read the next one in the series. In fact, as soon as I finished I ran right to my NetGalley account to see if I couldn't pick up the next book, only to discover that I had missed out on book 2, but could still grab book 3.   Lou is a bit annoying at first, but she settles down a bit as the book progresses, and I loved her interactions with Callum.  Cal is s take charge, alpha leader, but isn't overly loud or obnoxious about it, as heroes can often be. I loved seeing them fall for each other, and thought the ultimate resolution to this book was excellent. However, there is an overarching story line involving the dead body that isn't cleared up and is obviously going to be the thread that ties the series together, so if you're interested, know that there is a completely unresolved plot point.

One Night Charmer by Maisey Yates

Maisey Yate? Yes, please!

From Amazon:
Copper Ridge, Oregon's favorite bachelor is about to meet his match

If the devil wore flannel, he'd look like Ace Thompson. He's gruff. Opinionated. Infernally hot. The last person that Sierra West wants to ask for a bartending job—not that she has a choice. Ever since discovering that her "perfect" family is built on a lie, Sierra has been determined to make it on her own. Resisting her new boss should be easy when they're always bickering. Until one night, the squabbling stops…and something far more dangerous takes over.

Ace has a personal policy against messing around with staff—or with spoiled rich girls. But there's a steel backbone beneath Sierra's silver-spoon upbringing. She's tougher than he thought, and so much more tempting. Enough to make him want to break all his rules, even if it means risking his heart…

So it looks like Maisey Yates is going to follow the plan laid out by Shalvis' Lucky Harbor and Mallery's Fool's Gold and run an extended small town series focus around small groups of three, a series within a series. This is a setup I enjoy, and of course now I'll be keeping my eye out looking for potential matchups.

As it turns out, this one is a bit hard to talk about without spoilers, as a major event happens early on in the book. This was shocking to me, something you rarely see in novels published this decade, and I immediately worried that it would fall flat.  The unfolding is well done tho, with the reader clearly in the loop from the first moment and instead of playing off as completely corny, the expectation from the reader is built up nicely.  I thought it was handled really well. However, I suspect some readers will hate it. (Sorry to be vague, but spoilers!)

Ace is charming and hot and from his appearance in the first three Copper Ridge books I thought I knew who he was. As it turns out, Ave hides a lot behind his role as the helpful bartender, and his life is empty and lonely. Ace knows everyone and likes everyone but feels like he's messed up so much of his life outside of Copper Ridge and can't really ever recover.  Fortunately for him, Sierra comes along and demands that he face his past (it's really not optional, at all) and while he struggles a bit with it he ultimately pulls it together.

Sierra is a bit of a contradiction. She is a spoiled rich kid, absolutely, but she's also smart and capable. She might have worked at daddy's ranch, but she was good at it. She struggles to find her place when she leaves the ranch, because of course everyone thinks she only got the job because she's family, when really she's a hard worker and completely able to handle what's thrown her way.  I did have a hard time with her stubbornness, and was grateful when she acknowledged that even she wasn't consistent (for example, she keeps driving the truck her dad paid for, after cutting ties.)

In the end, I did enjoy this a good bit. I wasn't expecting to, after the big secret is revealed, but it ended on a good note and I would not hesitate to request another.

One Night Charmer is released on April 19th.

Nobody but You by Jill Shalvis (Cedar Ridge #3)

When a Jill Shalvis comes up on NetGalley I can't hit "Request" fast enough. Sadly, Nobody but You didn't begin to compare to the previous book in the series, My Kind of Wonderful.

SOMETIMES YOU CAN GO HOME AGAIN . . .
After an overseas mission goes wrong, Army Special Forces officer Jacob Kincaid knows where he must go to make things right: back home to the tiny town of Cedar Ridge, Colorado. All he needs to scrub away his painful past is fresh mountain air, a lakeside cabin, and quiet solitude. But what he discovers is a gorgeous woman living on a boat at his dock.


Sophie Marren has nowhere else to go. She's broke, intermittently seasick, and fighting a serious attraction to the brooding, dishy, I'm-too-sexy-for-myself guy who's now claiming her dock. Something about Jacob's dark intensity makes her want to tease-and tempt-him beyond measure. Neither one wants to give any ground . . . until they realize the only true home they have is with each other.

I was SO excited for Jacob's book. I was certain that his would be the fourth, and last, in the series, with the younger sister coming next and then wrapping the series up with Jacob's return home from overseas. So when I realized that Jacob would be next I got all excited and couldn't wait to see how Shalvis was going to bring him home. I even read the preview at the end of the previous book, which I never, ever do!  I did ultimately love Jacob and Sophie, and felt like his homecoming was well done, but I didn't love the way the series itself wrapped up. It seems as though the sister, Kendra, won't be getting her own book, and the precarious position the resort is in is wrapped up in a pretty bow.

But about the love story! Jacob is everything I wanted.  He's wounded from war, and finds it impossible to believe that his family wants him back. His heart leaps at every slight bit of hope from his brothers, especially Hudson. I  could feel just how much he wanted them to want him. Parallel to this, he meets and befriends Sophie and while there is a ton of sexual tension there, he also really just wants to be around her. She's not part of his family or his past and he can really relax and be accepted for himself.  I can't say that I loved his behavior surrounding him mom during his absence- it's meant to paint him in a good light, but I feel like it made him a bit of an ass to his siblings.

Sophie is a hot mess. A hot mess who made a rash decision that ends her living in the most miserable place ever. She's a hard worker, and determined to get out of her mess, but it's hard to believe she's as hard up as presented. First of all, she has no housing payment, how is she always scraping up the $20 to moor her boat? I loved the way she turned her work experience into a steady job by the end, but it seemed like too much too fast and I didn't completely buy it.

Did I believe in the relationship? Actually I did. Jacob really needed the outsider, a place where he felt relaxed and accepted, and for-god's-sake Sophie needed someone to ground her a bit. They both get a bit stubborn by the end, and some things are just a step outside of believable, but I did ultimately like them together.

My biggest complaint of the book is that the last 25% seems to squeeze in all the other resolutions- the sister, whose story I REALLY wanted, and that of how they fix the resort's problems. It's possible that she'll write a fourth book, I guess, but it seems like she's already tied up all the ends. Despite this, I'll keep reading everything Shalvis writes, and keep hitting that Request button without even reading the description.

If you're interested in reading the entire Cedar Ridge Series, there's a Rafflecopter giveaway <--right here="" p="">

About Jill Shalvis

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Jill’s Social Media:

Website: JillShalvis.com

FB: Facebook.com/jillshalvis

GR: https://www.goodreads.com/JillShalvis

T: @jillshalvis

IG: @jillshalvis

P: https://www.pinterest.com/jillshalvis/

Buy Links

Amazon: amzn.to/1nJOatw 

B&N: bit.ly/250OcyR 

IndieBound: bit.ly/22gObop 

iTunes: apple.co/1TJDOYH 

GooglePlay: bit.ly/1RKiLPz 

Kobo: bit.ly/1QTy644 

Reckless by Kimberly Kincaid

I'm way behind the draw on this one, completely misplaced the release date in my head!

Here's the summary, from Amazon:

Zoe Westin may be a fire captain's daughter, but feeding the people in her hometown of Fairview is her number one priority. Running a soup kitchen is also the perfect way to prove to her dad that helping people doesn't always mean risking life and limb. But when she's saddled with a gorgeous firefighter doing community service after yet another daredevil stunt, the kitchen has never been so hot.

Alex Donovan thrives on adrenaline, and stirring a pot of soup doesn't exactly qualify. He's not an expert at following the rules either, not even when they come from the stubborn, sexy daughter of the man who's not only his boss, but his mentor. Determined to show Zoe that not every risk ends in catastrophe, Alex challenges her both in the kitchen and out. One reckless step leads to another, but will falling for each other be a risk worth taking, or will it just get them burned?

Ok, so we know how much I enjoyed the Pine Mountain series, and this one is a spin off of that one, in the form of an interesting, fairly unlikable, firefighter- Alex Donovan.  We last saw him near the end of All Wrapped Up pretty much taunting poor Brennan.  Thankfully, that situation is resolved to bring everyone around again, but as Reckless opens Alex is once again showing his brash, unmanageable side. This lands him in a stint of community service with the captain's daughter, Zoe.

To be honest, I can't say that I ever really loved Zoe OR Alex. Alex is reckless and daring, lives every day to it's fullest, and while Kincaid does her best to draw the line between foolhardy and controlled recklessness, I can't say as I'm very attracted to people who do all the Dangerous Things. I did really love how he came around at the end, and how willing he was to be open and honest about his feelings. Mainly it was his hobbies I found off-putting.

I didn't ever warm up to Zoe.  I can't relate at all to her career choices, and didn't ever feel like she really believed it in her heart, it was all wallpaper for me. And then when she's cared to take a risk and complete a grant application and freaks out? Seriously? Where is the risk in that? Even I, who has never worked in a non-profit, knows that it's all about the grants. You just DO them, right? Then the story line with the need for security at the soup kitchen went no where at all, even tho it seemed that a) Alex would have a history here and b) a big deal! I always find the trope of either "my mom was married to a firefighter (or cop)  so I definitely can't risk it!" OR it's opposite "My mom was married to a firefighter (or cop) and no way I'd put anyone else through that!" both to be lazy.

In the end, this one wasn't a winner, but that doesn't mean I'm not looking forward to the rest of the series. For once there wasn't a preview at the end, so I have no idea who comes next.

Some Kind of Wonderful by Sarah Morgan

Some Kind of Wonderful is book two in the Puffin Island series. I read the first book, First Time in Forever, this summer so of course I wanted to read this one too.

Here's the summary, from Amazon:

Her whole life, Brittany Forrest has dreamed of adventure. And at the age of eighteen, she thought she'd found it when she married bad boy Zachary Flynn. But after just ten days, their whirlwind marriage went up in smoke. Now, the daredevil pilot is back on Puffin Island. The sparks between them are as powerful as ever, but can Brittany risk the life she's built for a second chance with Zach?

First of all, my copy from NetGalley did not include the Susan Mallery title, but the Sarah Morgan is a full length novel and not a novella tacked onto the end.

Alright, so what did I think of Brittany and Zach? Individually they are both fairly well done, tho I thought Brittany might have some tendencies toward being sheltered, despite her globe trotting career and history.  After her 10 day marriage to Zach as a teenager, Brittany runs away from Puffin Island to become an archaeologist. She travels the world and absolutely loves her job. She's more or less forced back to Puffin Island for the summer and has to spend the summer mostly idle. She finds work to occupy her time at a local camp, the same one that Zach first came to Puffin Island to attend as a teen. She seems pretty ok with stepping away from her career for the summer, despite not expressing any dislike of it prior to this.

Zach first came to the island as a troubled teen. He has a giant chip on his shoulder, for good reason, and the camp is more something he has to do than wants to do. He comes back home off and on over the years, and subconsciously considers it his home. He doesn't want to admit to his relationship with the camp director as his adopted family, and he doesn't want to admit how much the camp means to him. He wants to think of himself as this outsider, this troublemaker that the island can't trust. And, to some extent, this is true. The island doesn't trust him. I found this completely ridiculous that they would hold this crazy grudge for a decade.

So did the romance work for me?  It's not great. While I did ultimately believe they were right for each other, it felt really unbalanced. Brittany was almost a non-entity in the romance, as she tried incredibly hard to put no pressure on Zach at all. She didn't want to spook him or scare him, even as she realized she still loved him, and so she completely rolled over and let him call the shots. I didn't really like that. I wanted her to tell him what she wanted and needed and how she felt, and that really didn't happen. I suppose Morgan had reasons for writing it this way (reasons that she clearly explains within the novel, but that I didn't buy) but I wish she'd gone a different direction with it. I still enjoyed the book a good bit, and have to admit that I'm REALLY interested in the final book in the series, whenever it comes out.

My Kind of Wonderful by Jill Shalvis

So this has been a tiring week. My kids still don't sleep and now I've sabotaged myself TWICE in one week with romance novels. The first was a Julie James title, and last night was My Kind of Wonderful by Jill Shalvis. (Er, last night as I'm writing this, but I'll be scheduling this post for the release date. Hopefully when you read this I won't be as tired. HAHAHA, riiiiiight.)

Here's the summary:
UNEXPECTED AND UNDENIABLE . . .

Bailey Moore has an agenda: skiing in the Rockies, exploring castles in Europe, ballroom dancing in Argentina. Now that she has a second lease on life, she's determined not to miss a thing. What she doesn't realize is that item #1 comes with a six-foot-one ski god hot enough to melt a polar ice cap. She doesn't want to miss out on him either, but Hudson Kincaid isn't the type of guy to love and let go. And as gorgeous as Cedar Ridge is, she's not planning to stick around.

As head of ski patrol at his family's resort, Hud thinks he's seen it all. But never has he run into someone like Bailey. She might look delicate, but her attitude is all firecracker. And her infectious joy touches something deep within him that he's been missing far too long. Now he'll just have to convince Bailey to take a chance on her biggest adventure yet . . . something rare and all kinds of wonderful.

Oh Hudson. I love you. I wish you were a bit less stubborn, but I love you.  When I read Aidan's story I thought that he was going to be the brother who always had to be in control of everything, but nope, turns out it's Hudson. (Meanwhile Gray, the older brother who you'd think would be the in control one can only think about getting it on with his wife, which frankly got a little old.) Hudson blames himself for everything that goes wrong, for reasons that are at time fairly unclear. He takes the blame for his twin disappearing after high school and believes he doesn't have the right to be happy until he gets Jacob back. This is ridiculous, and everyone but him knows it, but that's his main stumbling block in a happy relationship.

Meanwhile Bailey has really just starting living after spending much of her life too sick to dream and while she believes that Hudson is just one more check mark on her list of living life fully, she's quickly coming to realize that what she suggested is not what she wants. Bailey really has no reservations, once she figures herself out. While she's stubborn and it takes a bit for her to get over Hud's stubbornness, she always does. She's easy going and understanding and possibly makes things a bit too easy for Hudson.

The attraction is clearly there, and the intimate moments are well done. I love that Hudson firmly believes Bailey when she tells him she's ok, and doesn't ever treat her like a fragile flower who can't DO things just because she was sick before. The one thing that doesn't stop him at all is her health and her future health- she tells him she can handle it, that she's ok, and he accepts what she says without coddling her. Like I said, I stayed up WAY too late to finish this one up and read the entire book, start to finish, last night. This hasn't happened in a very, very long time.  I am so happy to have a great Shalvis series after the end of Lucky Harbor, and I'm enjoying this new cast of characters. I can not wait for Jacob's story, which turns out to be next (I really thought they'd save him for last, but it looks like we're going in age order of the siblings.)

My Kind of Wonderful comes out today.

All Wrapped Up by Kimberly Kincaid

I read the first four Pine Mountain novels, so All Wrapped Up was a no brainer.

Here's the summary from Amazon:

Talk about a hot lead…
Christmas is coming to Pine Mountain—and it has a way of stirring up memories, good and bad. Nick Brennan may manage the Double Shot bar smooth as good whiskey, but his past is a hot mess. When he runs into a burning building to save a little boy, some people start thinking there’s more to his heroism than holiday spirit. And then the local reporter assigned to the story turns out to be gorgeous Ava Mancuso, the girl who got away.

Ava knows what it’s like to have a past. But the changes she’s seen in Nick since she knew him do more than set off her natural curiosity—his warm eyes and gruff charm have her instincts fired up. Still, all the chemistry in the world doesn’t erase history, even when Nick invites her to his little sister’s mistletoe wedding. Does he have a heart under all those secrets? Or is this going to be just another Christmas past?

I've been waiting for quite a while as Brennan was one of my favorites from the other novels, so I started reading this one pretty much the day I got it. Which probably makes you wonder why I'm just writing this review 6 weeks after it was released, huh? Well, it got tense for me. See, Brennan is trying hard to keep his life quiet. He has a tragedy in his past that he desperately wants to keep hidden. He suffers from it both physically and emotionally, but Ava's job is pretty much requiring her to figure it out and reveal it, or she loses her job.  I spent much of the book wondering how the job could possibly mean that much to her, and why didn't she just grow a backbone and stand up for herself already? It was a sucky job, and the potential she sees (that I don't) would be miserable too. So I dragged and dragged and dragged through the major parts of that. I just couldn't bear to see her hurt him for this crappy job. Fortunately, that was eventually resolved in a way I could live with, and the ultimate coming together was satisfying.  Did I end up loving Brennan/Nick as much as I thought I would? Yeah, pretty much. As it often happens, the hero carries the story for me far more often than the heroine.  Would I continue to read Kincaid? Yes- in fact, even more now that she got me through this potentially awful situation.

Christmas at Evergreen Inn by Donna Alward

Ok, so I thought I was getting a jump on things by reading Christmas at Evergreen Inn this weekend. I mean, it's a Christmas book, it won't be out until this month at least, right? Nope. Came out October 13th. Whoops. Hey, it's still before Christmas, right?

Here's the summary, from NetGalley:

Welcome back to Jewell Cove, where this holiday season, there happens to be no room at the inn...

When a December Nor'easter roars up the eastern seaboard, Jewell Cove cop Todd Ricker spends his day off being a Good Samaritan to stranded holiday travelers. But when the roads close and Todd can't make his way home, he discovers that the Evergreen Inn is full up. Until another Good Samaritan opens her doors and offers him a place to stay...

Lainey Price is not looking forward to Christmas, but just because she's not filled with the holiday spirit doesn't mean she's going to turn Todd out into the stormy night. Even if it means offering the handsome police officer the couch in her tiny cottage. But when the weather takes a turn for the worse, the two are snowed in for a wintry evening by the fire. With Christmas only a few days away, can Todd convince Lainey to open her heart to the season...and love?

It is probably not a good sign that I just read this over the weekend, and already forgot the characters' names. So let's start with them. First, Todd. Todd has no personality. I don't mean he's a "loser"- I mean he has NO personality. I JUST read this, and all I can remember is that a) he's a cop and b) he has the hots for Lainey and c) he shoveled the snow. That's it. He really didn't do anything at all to stand out in my mind. Now granted, this is a novella and there isn't a lot of time for character development, but I expected more than "he's single, she thinks he's a player, but he just never got around to asking her out."  Lainey has a bit more going for her. She has a little bit of a history, and some dread around the Christmas season. She has an interesting job (innkeeper) and a bit of family history. This doesn't mean I felt she was particularly well fleshed out either, but there were more facets to her than to Todd.

Then the romance. Guys, this book is basically one long makeout session. They make out, she resists because Reasons, they make out again. There was really no real conflict debate or outside anything. I know that I typically like the romance of a story more than the other details, but if nothing else this one has shown me how very necessary the other plot lines are to my enjoyment. Was this a bad book? No, not really, but it's very forgettable. Will I continue to read Alward? Yes, of course,  I very much enjoy her full length novels.

Heartsong Cottage by Emily March

I can't stop myself from requesting all the small town romances on NetGalley. It's like I'm not even aware I'm doing it, and yet, there's another one on my Kindle!  Heartsong Cottage is by a new-to-me author, though from reading the book it is apparent that she is far from a debut author. This is a well established series.

Here's your summary, from Amazon.com:

Two weary strangers are about to rest their burdens in Eternity Springs, where there's hope for every broken heart.

Haunted by the loss of his wife and son, Daniel Garrett left the police force to devote his life to finding missing children. But he still hasn't found a way to mend the wounds of his past-until he attends a wedding in the small mountain town of Eternity Springs...and meets a beautiful, intriguing woman who offers a glimpse of something Daniel thought he'd never have again.

Sometimes life gives us
a second chance at love.

Shannon O'Toole isn't looking for romance. Ever since her fiancé's death, she created a quiet life for herself restoring Victorian cottages. Still, she can't deny her attraction to the handsome, broad-shouldered stranger. Daniel makes her feel things she's hasn't felt in years-including the desire to share her secrets. But can Shannon trust a detective when doing so could bring danger to her cottage door? In Eternity Springs, anything-and everything-is possible...

Ok, so this summary, while not misleading, is far from complete. I don't mean that in a bad way, just that there is a lot more going on here than you'd think from the summary!   The story starts in an unusual place for a romance novel, with Daniel and his first wife. The writing also has a certain stilted quality to it that made me question how much I was going to enjoy the novel, but either it goes away after the first couple chapters or I got used to it. It's clearly part of an established series- Amazon tells me it's the 9th book- and frankly there are a lot (A LOT) of side characters, but I found that if you just didn't care who they were it didn't really effect the story. Additionally, there's a contrast between how early we learn Daniel's horribly tragic backstory, and how slowly Shannon's past and present secrets are revealed.

I really hesitate to say anything else about the plot, as I saw a particular spoiler when I was about half done, and while it didn't ultimately ruin the book for me, it did make me hesitate to pick it back up for a few days. I'm rarely affected by spoilers (I knew the Gone Girl twist going in, for example) but this one I found personally distasteful.  In the end, I think the was mostly resolved in a way I was ok with it, but I wish I hadn't known. (Hi TRISH!)  Would I read more from this author? Yes, I would. Would I recommend this particular book? I'm not sure. There is an element of the book that may be off-putting for some romance readers. I am, however, happy to broaden my circle of small towns and will certainly watch for the next book.

My Year of Running DangerouslyL A Dad, a Daughter and a Ridiculous Plan by Tom Foreman

I'm going to go ahead and admit that it's probably a good thing for our friendship that none of you actually see me in person or are on my frequent text list (Sorry, Trish, love you!) because it is embarrassing, even to me, how often I bring running up in a conversation.  I am slightly obsessed. I think about it nearly as much as I think about books. Which naturally means I must read books about it too, right?  I got this one (My Year of Running Dangerously) from NetGalley without even catching the part about the author being a CNN news anchor.

Here's the summary from Goodreads:

CNN correspondent Tom Foreman's remarkable journey from half-hearted couch potato to ultra-marathon runner, with four half-marathons, three marathons, and 2,000 miles of training in between; a poignant and warm-hearted tale of parenting, overcoming the challenges of age, and quiet triumph.

As a journalist whose career spans three decades, CNN correspondent Tom Foreman has reported from the heart of war zones, riots, and natural disasters. He has interviewed serial killers and been in the line of fire. But the most terrifying moment of his life didn't occur on the job--it occurred at home, when his 18-year old daughter asked, "How would you feel about running a marathon with me?"

At the time, Foreman was approaching 51 years old, and his last marathon was almost 30 years behind him. The race was just sixteen weeks away, but Foreman reluctantly agreed. Training with his daughter, who had just started college, would be a great bonding experience, albeit a long and painful one.

My Year of Running Dangerously is Foreman's journey through four half-marathons, three marathons, and one 55-mile race. What started as an innocent request from his daughter quickly turned into a rekindled passion for long-distance running--for the training, the camaraderie, the defeats, and the victories. Told with honesty and humor, Foreman's account captures the universal fears of aging and failure alongside the hard-won moments of triumph, tenacity, and going further than you ever thought possible.

Before Mike and I started running last year, I really had no idea that a marathon (26.2 miles) wasn't really the longest race for non-professional runners. I mean seriously, who would ever WANT to run more than that?? For that matter, who'd want to run 26.2? But the more I (we) run, the more into we get. I don't see myself ever considering a run longer than a marathon, and at a current long run record of 10 miles, 26.2 seems a long long ways off, but it was still incredibly interesting to see how Foreman handled the training.

The book opens with Foreman's college age daughter asking him to run a marathon with her. He goes from zero to marathon in 16 weeks and assume that was it. Training was hard and took up all of his spare time. (Sounds familiar!) But once that one was over, there was this other marathon that looked fun. And then a coworker mentioned ultra marathons, so he read up on them. He circles this decision for a while, and then ultimately commits to a 50 mile run.  The training for this is insane. Training runs for an ultra are longer than full marathons. His life became narrowed down to eat, sleep, work, run. He questions himself, repeatedly. This is crazy, what am I doing? What human would choose to run this far?? This training is at times dangerous to his heath. He's out in the dark, in the cold, and in remote places where injury is likely.

Foreman is not alone. Ultra running has become a big deal in running worlds. Scott Jurek recently broke the record for the Appalachian Trail and Mike and I followed it along daily on Facebook. Matthew McConaughey has signed on (requested even!) to play a role in a book to movie adaptation of the ultra running book Born to Run. (Mike and I both read it, but apparently it never occurred to me to blog about it.)  My Year of Running Dangerously fits neatly into this category. If you want to read a running account that is easily accessible to runners and non-runners, or you just enjoy this type of stunt memoir, I can easily recommend this one.

Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis

Shall I just skip this first part and remind everyone that I just always read all the Shalvis? I don't need to repeat how I automatically request all her titles, do I?  Ok, good. Moving on!

Here's your summary, from Goodreads:

Cedar Ridge, Colorado, is famous for crisp mountain air, clear blue skies, and pine-scented breezes. And it's the last place Lily Danville wants to be. But she needs a job, and there's an opening at the hottest resort in her hometown. What has her concerned is the other hot property in Cedar Ridge: Aidan Kincaid-firefighter, rescue worker, and heartbreaker. She never could resist that devastating smile . . .

The Kincaid brothers are as rough and rugged as the Rocky Mountains they call home. Aidan has always done things his own way, by his own rules. And never has he regretted anything more than letting Lily walk out of his life ten years ago. If anyone has ever been in need of rescuing, she has. What she needs more than anything are long hikes, slow dances, and sizzling kisses. But that can only happen if he can get her to give Cedar Ridge-and this bad boy-a second chance . . .

Second Chance Summer is the start of a brand new series from Shalvis now that her Lucky Harbor series has ended. This one starts with the Kincaid family, who own a struggling resort.  Ten years ago Lily left town after a series of devastating accidents, for which she blames herself, but now she's forced to return home in search of a new start.

Sadly, Second Chance Summer did not hit it out of the park for me. It was still enjoyable, and hit all the trademark Shalvis notes, but I never really connected with or enjoyed Lily at all, which made the book less than enjoyable. I understood where she was coming from and why she blamed herself for the past, but I just didn't like her. Aiden is all in from the beginning. He never expresses any hesitation about falling for Lily.  So for me it turned into a really great guy falling instantly for an unlikable girl, and wasn't a winner.  This doesn't mean that I'm not completely in on the next book in the series, and I can't wait to see what Shalvis does to salvage the resort.

Second Chance Summer was published on June 30th.

Bad News Cowboy by Maisey Yates

I love love loved the first two Maisey Yates Copper Ridge cowboy books- Part Time Cowboy and Brokedown Cowboy- so of course I requested Bad News Cowboy the instant I saw it.

Here's the summary from Amazon:

Can the bad boy of Copper Ridge, Oregon, make good—and win the rodeo girl of his dreams?

Kate Garrett keeps life simple—working hard, riding her beloved horses, playing cards with her brothers. Lately, though, she feels a bit restless, especially when family friend Jack Monaghan is around. Sexy and shameless, Jack is the kind of trouble you don't tangle with unless you want your heart broken. Still, Kate could always use his help in learning how to lasso someone a little less high risk…

Jack can't pinpoint the moment the Garrett brothers' little sister suddenly stopped seeming so…little. Now here he is, giving flirting tips to the one woman who needs zero help turning him on. Love's a game he's never wanted to play. But he'll have to hurry up and learn how before the best thing that ever entered his life rides right back out again…

Right up my romance loving alley, right? Guys, I struggled so hard with this one. I never really liked Kate at all (in this book, I liked her quite a bit in Part Time Cowboy.) Jack falls hard for her and while she's willing to admit that she really likes him, she's really scared of making a commitment, and more generally, becoming an adult. She has a messed up past, with a mother that abandoned her and a father who drunk himself to death and she desperately wants to remain solo and unattached so that she can't screw up her own life too. By the end of the book I did understand this, but as it's happening Kate is just so unlikable. It's not explained well, even when Kate's internal monologue is explaining it, and if I'm being honest I put the book down for a month before guilt got the best of me.

That said, Jack is so great. He has issues unrelated to Kate that he grows up and resolves in this one. And when it comes time for honesty and loyalty, he never waivers, even when he knows Kate's brothers are going to come after him. In fairness, Kate does recognize these things when no one else does, which makes it all the worse when she ignores it for her own fear.

A few days after the publication date my feelings of guilt got the best of me. I knew I was around 65% and I told myself I was going to dedicate myself to this book and get it down. I sat down to read and imagine my shock when the book ended around 70%  and the rest was a novella! I knew it seemed off to be having this big climatic scene at 65%... score one for a paper book, I guess. (Tho I've been fooled by paper too!)

Overall, not a great entry to the series, but I'm still going to keep Yates on my "must read" list.

Bad News Cowboy came out on July 28.

The Silenced by Heather Graham

Earlier this year I read The Dead Played On and Phantom Evil by Heather Graham, and while I didn't outright love either one they did convince me to keep reading her. I particularly liked the latter, and it's New Orleans setting, so when I saw more Krewe books popping up on NetGalley I had to request them. The Silenced is book 15 in the Krewe of Hunters series. This would mean reading the series out of order, which I am loathe to do, but I still did it.  As it turns out, it doesn't affect the reading at all.

 

Where is Lara Mayhew?

Lara, a congressman's media assistant, suddenly quits her job—and disappears on the way to her Washington, DC, apartment.

Novice FBI agent Meg Murray, a childhood friend of Lara's, gets a message from her that same night, a message that says she's disillusioned and "going home." To Richmond, Virginia. Meg discovers that she never got there. And bodies fitting Lara's description are showing up in nearby rivers… Could she be the victim of a serial killer?

Meg is assigned to work with special agent Matt Bosworth, a hard-nosed pro in the FBI's unit of paranormal investigators—the Krewe of Hunters. They trace the route Meg and Lara took more than once in the past, visiting battlefields and graveyards from Harpers Ferry to Gettysburg. Places where the dead share their secrets with those who can hear… As Meg and Matt pursue the possibility of a serial killer, they find themselves in the middle of a political conspiracy. Is there a connection? If so, has Lara been silenced for good? And whom—besides each other—can they trust?

So first, the mystery.  I don't read a ton of mystery or suspense books (though I'm starting to think I should!), so I don't have a lot of compare this to. I'd think that anyone who regularly does would have no problems guessing the identify of the serial killer in this one, but for me it was just enough of a mystery that I didn't really figure it out (not that I was actually trying to.)  Thinking about it now, if there were clues I still don't see them, beyond the fact that it's (always) someone you know.

The romance was really very quick. Meg and Matt fall in love within a week. It's very easily explained by the fact that they both have something "more" than average (ie, their special abilities that put them on the Krewe) and so it's always been hard to fall in love with someone who didn't understand.  Meg really dislikes Matt from the beginning tho, and I was hard pressed to understand their falling in love. I didn't really see any special attraction between them. Meg is very insecure about being the new girl, and her constant repeating of her qualifications got a little old, even if presented as a joke. I liked Matt quite a bit in general, despite my feeling iffy on the romance.

The biggest disappointment for me was that it's not set in New Orleans. Apparently the Krewe travels. I suppose the description of the book should have clued me in on that one but I kind of missed it. History buffs will love this, because it delves pretty deeply into Civil War history and the Underground Railroad, and while that was interesting, I felt that near the end it ruined the suspense aspect of the book. Graham kept throwing in a little more and a little more and a little more history. It's hard to maintain an elevated level of tension if you have to break for a couple pages to talk about the Civil War. ( I should remind you here that I was a history major, and that even I kept thinking "ok, let's get on with the story!")

All that said though, I am really enjoying the series as a whole and look forward to the next books (The Forgotten) as well as eventually going back to read the ones I skipped. It's a nice easy read with a bit of romance, a bit of history, a bit of "other", and some suspense. The ones I've read have fit that spot where you want something quick and fun that doesn't require much concentration- perfect summer reading!

The Silenced comes out today.

Better Than Before by Gretchen Rubin

I am WAY late in reading and reviewing this one. I've had it from NetGalley since late 2014, but I wasn't overly interested until the last month of so. As I've mentioned before, I've recently become obsessed with the idea of a morning routine and productivity habits. I listen to Rubin's podcast, and she's been mentioned quite a few times on other podcasts, so I finally had a reason to pull it out.

The author of the blockbuster New York Times bestsellers, The Happiness Project and Happier at Home, tackles the critical question: How do we change? 

Gretchen Rubin's answer: through habits. Habits are the invisible architecture of everyday life. It takes work to make a habit, but once that habit is set, we can harness the energy of habits to build happier, stronger, more productive lives.

So if habits are a key to change, then what we really need to know is: How do we change our habits?

Better than Before answers that question. It presents a practical, concrete framework to allow readers to understand their habits—and to change them for good. Infused with Rubin’s compelling voice, rigorous research, and easy humor, and packed with vivid stories of lives transformed, Better than Before explains the (sometimes counter-intuitive) core principles of habit formation.

Along the way, Rubin uses herself as guinea pig, tests her theories on family and friends, and answers readers’ most pressing questions—oddly, questions that other writers and researchers tend to ignore:

• Why do I find it tough to create a habit for something I love to do?
• Sometimes I can change a habit overnight, and sometimes I can’t change a habit, no matter how hard I try. Why?
• How quickly can I change a habit?
• What can I do to make sure I stick to a new habit?
• How can I help someone else change a habit?
• Why can I keep habits that benefit others, but can’t make habits that are just for me?

Whether readers want to get more sleep, stop checking their devices, maintain a healthy weight, or finish an important project, habits make change possible. Reading just a few chapters of Better Than Before will make readers eager to start work on their own habits—even before they’ve finished the book. 


So I admit, I didn't really read the description before getting started.  I thought this was going to be a lot more like the other book I read by her- The Happiness Project- and was quite surprised to find this one to be a lot more meta. There's a lot about the thought process of habits, and the reasoning why some habits stick and some don't, and not a lot of actual advice or examples.  That said I thought this would be a nice intro to The Power of Habit by Charles Duhigg and I was (am) really interested in the topic. It starts strong and I highlighted several passages and texted Trish a few times but by about halfway I was done with it. Even tho the actual content from chapter to chapter varies, the tone and the writing gets very very monotonous and I found Rubin's need to Name everything tedious and cutsy. (The Strategy of Distraction, a Questioner, a Rebel, A Tendency. A Something Capitalized.)

Overall, I am happy that I read this, as it fits in nicely with my study of habits and ritual and success, but if I'd just picked it up on a whim I probably would have set it aside unfinished and forgotten about it.

All Points Patchwork by Diane Gilleland

As you all know, I'm completely obsessed with English Paper Piecing. I've been steadily working on my daughter's full size hexagon quilt for going on 3 years now. Naturally, when a title about EPP popped up on NetGalley, I had to grab it.

All Points Patchwork by Diane Gilleland is a lovely book, even in e-book format. She covers many different shapes and details how you might baste them different based on size and angles and curves. There are sections on supplies and how to make or buy your templates. She talks about the importance of paying attention to directional prints (which I'd read that a year or two ago!)  There are diagrams of the best way to assemble them into different patterns and layouts. Like all quilting books, there are sample projects you can make- pillows, table runners, etc.. If you were new to EPP, or if you didn't have internet access this would be a terrific starter. Or maybe you like to sit and read an actual book? Then this is for you.  This would also make a lovely gift if you were trying to get a friend hooked- this book and some papers and fabric would bundle up nicely. Perhaps you know someone who disdains technology and would enjoy it? 

The cons: as with all quilting books, I can't quite see the point of many of the projects. I have no desire to applique a hexagon to a dish towel. And quite like with cookbooks, I found there wasn't much here that I couldn't find with a Pinterest search. I freely admit that I'm an oddball in that I love books, but I can't see owning many of them.

Overall, a lovely book if you want to sit and hold a pretty book about quilting, but nothing particularly groundbreaking. All Points Patchwork will be released on June 2.

Part Time Cowboy by Maisey Yates

So we all know how Lisa can't resist a cowboy romance. This makes no sense at all, because I have been to the rodeo and at least half of them wear their pants so tight you can't believe they can sit, let alone ride a horse.  Despite this, I can't resist so of course I requested Part Time Cowboy.

Here's your summary:

A onetime bad girl comes home to small-town Oregon in the first in a sexy, heartfelt new series from USA TODAY bestselling author Maisey Yates 

Sadie Miller isn't expecting any welcome-home parades on her return to Copper Ridge. Least of all from part-time rancher, full-time lawman Eli Garrett. The straitlaced, impossibly hot deputy sheriff glares at her as if she's the same teenage hoodlum who fled town ten years ago. But running from her demons has brought Sadie full circle, ready to make a commitment at last. Not to a man, but to a bed-and-breakfast. On Garrett land. Okay, so her plan has a tiny flaw… 

Eli works too hard to let a blonde ball of trouble mess up his town. But keeping an eye on Sadie makes it tough to keep his hands off her. And if she's so wrong for him, why does being with her feel so right?

Guys. This book is HOT. A lot of romances (but not all, let's not go to that stereotype, k?) contain s-e-x. Honestly, most of the time it's not exciting and I skim it for dialogue or internal dialogue. It's not that it's bad, or purple prose (at least not any more) but it's just not what I care about. THIS book tho? It's believable and hot and the tension is delicious.

Eli is going down (that's what she said!) as one of my favorite heroes. He is straight as an arrow and feels responsible for the entire world. He carefully maintains control of every detail of every aspect of his life, and attempts to control everyone else's. His youth was not happy, and while he logically knows the problems and situation weren't of his making, he can't shake the idea that if he can only control everything that nothing bad will happen again. Of course we can all see how this could turn out badly, right? Sadie is something he absolutely can not control, not the person and not his intense reaction to her. Only around her can he forget about everyone else for any time at all. Most people would revel in this bit of release from responsibility, but Eli sees it as abandoning his duty. These two things ultimately clash at the end, and it's just beautiful.

Sadie isn't really as wild as the summary, and Eli, believe. She too has a a serious history in this town, a secret history of heartbreak, and she's back to try and face that. Eli was a central figure in the events leading to her disappearance ten years ago and Sadie has to face up to the fact that he wasn't actually to blame. I hate that I can't say more without giving it away, but trust me when I say that her exploration of what really happened and his need for ultimate control, always, come together in a fairly heartbreaking manner.  They are so perfect together and you really just want to cheer for them. No one steps out of character and the resolution comes from both of them. I believe in them.

The dialogue is both witty and brutal without getting overly dramatic or hokey. The scenes with the siblings play out just as well as the ones between Eli and Sadie. The cast of secondary characters really round out the book. I've already got the second book, about Eli's brother Connor, on my Kindle and can't wait to dive in. I can't see at all how Yates is going to dig him out of the grief he feels for his dead wife.  Even Lydia, who also wants Eli's attention, is terrific. It looks like there are three potential books here (Eli, Connor, their sister Kate), plus a little novella, but I'd love to see the whole town get some action (Lydia, the bartender Ace, Alison.)

With Part Time Cowboy, Maisey Yates and jumped right onto my list of "grab every title you see" and I am seriously hopeful that she stays there.