There is so much going against Gracie and Jake - they battle online about one of his plays, only to find out that they have a battle of a different kind. Forced to live together because of a custody stipulation their attraction to each other may be more than they can resist. Except that Gracie’s secret is a doozie and could affect a lot of people Jake knows.

Gracie doesn’t let Jake get away with anything, although sometimes that isn’t all that easy. There’s plenty of snark and humor, fun and flirtation, but when one of the sexiest men in football turns on the charm who wouldn’t go weak in the knees? While I really liked these two together, my favorite part has to be watching Jake fall for his sisters. He originally only agrees to be there because he knows it would be more bad press he doesn’t need, then it’s a chance to be closer to Gracie, but once he gets to know those two little girls things change … and it is so very sweet. Plus there are Jake’s teammates. I’m really hoping that Crowne has some big plans for these guys because a few of them definitely need to be brought down a peg or two and a good woman to be the one to do it :) 

With hilarious dialogue, outrageous situations, touching moments, and all of the sexy you could ask for, To Win Her Love is a definite romantic touchdown.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

From the very first letter Maddie wrote her fake beau I was hooked. She has a sense of humor that just slays me and I couldn’t wait to see how much of a hole she ended up digging for herself. I wanted to put in an example of something that tickled me so very much but I realized that so much of it was context and delivery, which means that you have to get your own copy to find out :)

Maddie has to be one of my favorite heroines. While she suffers from a debilitating case of social anxiety, in her element she is smart, sassy, and caring but a little bit of an odd duck (and that’s just fine). She looks out for those she holds dear and she has a grand interest in nature. Her only issue is that darn, fake fiancé … the one that is now back from the dead. And too sexy for her own good!

I love how much Maddie’s letters came to mean to Logan while he was fighting - and how hard he’s trying to not show it. He had a bad childhood that bled straight into war. He’s never had a soft moment, a truly caring person in his life, and the only bright spot is the men in his command. The men that now have no home or family of their own and for whom Logan is going to do everything he can to make them happy. And that’s where Maddie and her deception come in.

These two together are a hoot and a half. They have so much going against them, and are an absolute riot when they clash, but as they get to know each other they realize that they could make something real out of a whole lot of fiction. The question is if they are willing to expose themselves and give their heart & trust to another. (I’ll let you in on a secret – they do, because this is a romance :))

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

I somehow missed Book Two in this series (surprised?) but I did get to read the first one, What Goes On Tour, and at the time I said I hoped there would be another because I wanted to see more of George. And boy did Boston delivery.

George is great. He’s amazingly understanding and cares a lot about people. He’s a great fit as a band manager and some of the traits that work for that also work well in his personal relationships. He’s good at paying attention, about helping out when needed, and he’s a fixer … the only problem is that Elle doesn’t want any help. At all. She’s just gotten out of an abusive relationship with a controlling man and having someone step in to direct her life immediately causes issues. Good thing that George is a fast learner and patient. He makes a few mistakes along the way, a lot of that because Elle is still skittish, but he figures things out and proves to be great hero material.

There isn’t a lot of suspense or danger, although Elle’s ex does make a few appearances, causing trouble - mainly we focus on the growth of Elle & George’s relationship. They work their way thru the relationship minefield that her past (and his personality) have created and it’s done very well. In real life I think that Elle might have needed a little more time, but the interactions between the two are believable. It’s a journey of steps for them and readers will be happy to be there for every single one.

(If you haven’t read the rest of The Texan Quartet, you’ll be fine. I was a little afraid that missing Book 2 would be an issue for me but Boston does a great job of keeping you in the loop – telling you who’s who and the important parts of their stories. And now I’m so curious about Imogen’s story that I’m adding it to my TBR pile. And I’ll definitely keep my eye out for Book 4.)

Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

Just like all of the other books in the Lock and Key series, I really enjoyed Officer on Duty. It had just that right amount of suspense to offset a sexy love story.

The romance portion was sweet, well developed and realistic. My only complaint is that I didn’t completely understand why Jeremy didn’t think that he was relationship material. I get that his wife left him and their newborn daughter when he was quite young but I would have thought he would have gotten over that in the dozen years since then. I don’t know if there was more to their story that we weren’t given or maybe it was a little too subtle for me (I can be a little oblivious to undercurrents – which is one of the reasons I hated dissecting stories in English class). If he’d had a few more bad experiences or there was more info on his marriage maybe it wouldn’t have bothered me. As it was, he would start in and I thought “whatever, Jeremy, you are a hottie in your uniform with a big heart and smarts to boot. Who wouldn’t want a guy like that?”

Besides being sexy, caring and intelligent, he also has a deep feeling of responsibility for his community and those in his life. It’s a great thing to have not only in a police officer but also in the man in your life. Which means that once he got over himself he turned into a great boyfriend :) And Lucia was great. She’s fun, caring, and recognized a good thing when she saw it – she’s patient and willing to wait for Jeremy to get his act together … which is good because that man is HOT in his uniform, and out of it.

I really enjoyed the slow build for the mystery. We were given the first part of it pretty much right away and then got glimpses into the killer as we move thru the story. It made for a compelling, albeit quite cracked, bad guy. You don’t like her but you kinda understood where she was coming from (in a crazy pants kind of way) – why she was the way she was and how she came to this point in her life, which is important to a good story. And her actions reached into Jeremy and Lucia’s lives, leaving a big impact.

When I finished Officer in Pursuit, I was excited to see what Rose would do for Jeremy and she doesn’t disappoint. She gave our true-hearted deputy a touch of danger and a good women to help him. I’m very sorry to see the series end but I’m ready for whatever Rose has in store for us next. Looks like she’s got something in the works with the first book in her South Island PD series debuting this fall. I’m sure it too will be full of sexy guys, strong women, intrigue, heat and heart.

(Oh for those that are new to the series, you can start here. The characters from earlier stories make and appearance and there are some references to previous plots but it isn't a big deal.)

Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review.

I can’t believe how much I enjoyed this story. It seemed pretty straightforward – a mixture of tropes that I like (PTSD, returning hero son, childhood crush, popular boy/unpopular girl, a mystery) – but Hart brought great emotion and depth to the story. Some people might get a little tired of Grant’s hot and cold attitude, but it definitely makes sense and works well with the man and the relationship. I have a pretty low threshold for that kind of thing but I think it worked well here.

I really liked Ellie. She’s so caring and smart and out of her element with the oh-so-sexy Grant. When she lets herself go for it though … perfecto! The fact that she’s had a crush on him for years just adds that bit of extra umph to her issues. Grant is great too. He’s dealing with a lot – the loss of his leg and his marriage, not being a SEAL and moving home again. It’s a lot to take but when he discovers a sexy, smart, somewhat complicated woman living in his parents’ garage … things just got more interesting. The two of them together are a riot! I also loved Grant’s parents and their friends. They aren’t overly quirky like you sometimes get in small town Southern towns but there is a great mix of personalities that make you just want to move to Dale so you can call them friends.

There’s also some intrigue about what is going on at the family store, which adds a little extra drama to the story and helps Grant find a sense of purpose he needs in coming home. It also gives him a reason to hang out more with Ellie, which he takes full advantage of – he’s no dummy!

I will say that even though I don’t think it is a requirement to have read Son of a Preacher Man there are enough references to the characters and events from it that I think it might help give readers some additional depth to the story. If you are like me and joining here, you’ll be fine but you’ll probably be like me and add the other book to your TBR pile :)

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

I absolutely LOVED these two. Dane is a good modern day rake – enjoying himself as he moves fast through life (and women), until he meets that special someone. Once he sees Bell though he’s a new man. He’s already going to have to change his life and his accident just makes it even more real, but the change didn’t feel quite as right until he found a woman to settle down with. He’s going to have to show a lot of patience and understanding though to win this one over … good thing that he’s a strong, upstanding man under all that fast living.

Bell had an unusual upbringing to say the least. Her family was ashamed of her and hid her from everyone, so much so that no one knew she lived with her grandmother. Add being beyond brilliant to the mix, enough that she graduated college at an age most kids are graduating high school, and she’s got a lot of catching up to do socially. Meeting gorgeous and socially hyperactive playboy Dane, just makes her feel all the more unsure of herself and has her resisting his advances.

Bell’s awkwardness makes Dane have to fight for her but it does ensure that he has plenty of time to make sure that she’s what he wants. The ups and downs that these two experience will help make them have a solid future … as long as they make it out the other side. Because Ryan also throws a little danger into the mix, which just amps things up a bit and keeps you biting your nails (both from terror and emotional overload).

With her fantastic writing style, addictive characters and awesome pacing, I found myself speeding through the pages. I kept telling myself I’d just read a little more, which turned into a little more and then a little more, because each time I promised myself I’d quit at the next good stopping point I’d just find myself even more engrossed.

If the rest of the Montana Men stories are anything like this then I’m moving them to the top of my TBR pile because this one packed about as much punch as that big ol’ bull that Dane goes round and round with.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

Most of the time, I’ll tell you that you don’t need to have read the previous stories in a series to enjoy a book, but unfortunately this time I think it makes a difference. We met Gabi in Seduced by Sunday and a lot of her history from that story impacts this one and I’m afraid you might be missing out on a lot by not having that information. But really, these stories are so good that it shouldn’t be a hardship :)

Every time I read one of these I think that I’ve met the couple that I love the most …. then I read the next book. I already knew I’d love Gabi based on Sunday (and just by the fact that she is one of Bybee’s brides) but Hunter turned out to be great too. He does change his tune pretty quickly after meeting Gabi but I don’t think he’s had someone with quite as much sass in his life before. He’s also going thru a lot of other things, hence his need for a “bride”, which probably helped him want to take a good look at himself as well. I liked him right off, regardless of how big a jerk he could be, and watching him fall for Gabi was a lot of fun.

Gabi was dealt a HUGE hit in Sunday so it was great to see her finding a spark inside and be willing to stand up to Hunter. He needed someone to give him a little grief and she’s got it in her to be that person. I laughed and huffed and smiled and shook my head at the two of them as they dance around each other on their way to a relationship.

The suspense portion was fantastic. (I’m not sure how these people keep getting themselves into these situations …) But Gabi’s related back to Sunday and gave a nice book end to her story. Although you knew everything was going to turn out well for them in the end, there were a couple of moments that had me holding my breath.

The ending, both with the bad guy and Gabi & Hunter’s relationship, was perfect. She showed how far she’d come and he’s wonderful coming to the rescue. I have to say I fell even more for him in the last chapter but you’re just going to have to read it to find out why :)

Y’all have no idea how sad I am to see this series end, although I was thrilled to have all of my favorites show back up and give us updates on their lives. And a little good news, Bybee hints at a new series coming and I’m sure it is going to be great!

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

Once again we have a series that I joined after it started, but luckily it’s one of those times where it doesn’t matter. Two Family Home was a great chance to be introduced to this world and get to know the characters a little better. Lindsey is new to the area so that helps because she’s getting to know everyone just like us.

Walker is great – he’s moody and standoffish and all Heathcliffy. But he’s also a brilliant artist, a good friend to Myron, and has a soft heart under his gruff exterior. Lindsey is one of those people who sees the good in everyone and wants to help, which is why she makes a great nurse. With shared walls and an adorable puppy, it doesn’t take long for Lindsey’s happy attitude (and sexy legs) to get to Walker.

A lot of people comment on how much they like the fact that the dog’s point of view is included in the story, which is actually quite cute, but it was getting both Walker and Lindsey’s that I liked the most. I always enjoy seeing the romance bloom from both points of view and I think that it added a lot to this story. I definitely think we needed to see his changes from Walker’s POV and getting Lindsey’s voice added just so much pep to an already cute story.

Even though this is my first Southern Comfort story, it definitely won’t be my last. I can’t wait to meet everyone else and watch them fall in love.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

Luc and Rose are fantastic together. The idea that she’s had this crush on him for years, and that he’s been denying the attraction for just as long, is sweet and a little heartbreaking. They have such a supportive and close relationship but it has to be horrible to have to hide (and repress) those feelings. But this summer things have changed and their control may not be enough to keep them apart.

Luc is your typical big bad athlete – strong, confident, sexy and a magnet for women. He had an alcoholic mom, giving him a few emotional scars and leaving him with the feeling that he’s not good relationship material. Especially not for someone he cares so much about and who is as sweet as Rose. Rose has had to watch Luc’s antics with his model girlfriend in the tabloids. Now that he’s single again, it is her last opportunity to get him to see her as something other than just a friend.

I love the friends to lovers story-line and this one is wonderfully done. Because they were friends for so long, the back and forth between these two (and the inevitable fallout when Luc screws up because you just know he’s going to) makes for a fantastic read. Denault does an amazing job of capturing the highs and lows of their changing relationship and you feel every rise and dip with them as they try to find their way to a HEA.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

Hold on Tight is fantastically written – the perfect balance of emotions, with Jake learning to live again and Mira learning to stand on her own two feet. Plus both have to deal with the fact that they made a child together and now have to decide what that means for them going forward. But Bell does a great job of not letting things get too bogged down. Instead she manages to keep all of her characters steadily moving forward to something better and that HEA that we want so badly for them.

(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)

Full review available at https://romanticreadsandsuch.wordpress.com/2015/09/18/book-review-hold-on-tight/