(While this technically picks up after Finding Our Forever, it really is more of a stand alone story.  Dawson’s story was vaguely brought up in the first book and a few of the characters make another appearance, but No One But You really is self-contained.)

I really enjoyed the bit of mystery and danger that Novak brings into play here.  She’s also a writer of suspense books so you get that darker feel but it is an underplay to the emotions which are so very important. 

Sadie’s got problems with her ex and is trying very hard to find a way to support herself and her son … even if it means working for a man accused of killing his adoptive parents.  But once she meets Dawson she starts to think that things may not be as everyone believes.  His big heart and strength of character calls to her. 

Dawson knows he;s innocent and now that he’s been acquitted by the court he just wants to make a home so he can get his sister back.  He needs help and that help turns out to be Sadie.  She may look like life has gotten the best of her but she’s got so much heart and determination that he has to admire her for it. 

As these two begin to get to know each other, they slowly become friends and each other’s champions.  But with her wily ex and the townsfolk who aren’t so quick to forget what he supposedly did, it won’t be easy.  As their feelings grow into something more they take on more and more for each other, working to find a way to have a future together. 

While there were parts in No One But You that had me holding my breath to find out what happened next, it is the layers of emotion and the people that Novak skillfully develops that keep me coming back for more of her stories. 

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

I have to agree with a review I saw on Goodreads – the title and blurb are a little misleading to what actually happens in the book.  It suggests that the main part of the book is related to their engagmet of convenience but that really doesn’t happen until the last part of the book and the two have already started to develop a relationship.  It doesn’t take away from the book but may disappoint some with what they think they are getting.  If you go into it with that in mind, though, it is really enjoyable.

Kyra made a mistake in falling quickly for a guy at a destination wedding only to realize he was not who she thought he was.  It hasn't been easy but she’s trying to give a good life to her daughter and working for a better future.  Ruby is quite the handful, though, and quickly takes a liking to their new neighbor … whether he wants it or not  :)

Dax is hilarious.  He wants so badly to be a big ol’ grump but he just can’t help his affection for Ruby.  And it shows in a fabulously entertaining way.  The two of them together is just too funny and then you quickly realize that while he wants to be that guy the good man underneath can’t help but come thru.  He’s got a good reason for being irritable – his wife left him and it’s kinda upended his life.  It’s also made him hesitant to date again … then he meets Kyra.

A fun summer read, Suddenly Engaged may be a little different than I expected but it still gave me all the lovely feels that I expected. 

(This is the first of the series I've read but it seemed completely self-contained.)

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

Carmen has always had a bit of itchy feet and thanks to the gossipy nature of small towns she's feeling it even more now.  And that was before she found out that her carny ex was moving to Charmed!  She's always hated being talked about and this is just making things even worse.  It's bad enough that the man shattered her heart, now he's destroying what peace she has.  

Like the first book in the series, Lucky Charmed is told entirely from the heroine's POV ... and I really think that we missed out on some feels because of it.  Sully didn't have the easiest life growing up and, along with the problems of a nomadic life, there has been a lot of family trouble causing him stress.  And while we get a pretty good feel for where he's coming from thanks to his conversations with Carmen, I really wish we'd gotten to see more of what was going on in his mind and heart.  

Lovelace does a great job of blending angst. humor, sizzle and emotion all together to deliver a satisfying read where Sully and Carmen not only get a second chance at love but also the closure of their past, with a healthy look at their future, that they desperately need.  

(Part of a series but can easily stand on its own.)

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

Kauffman’s newest is just as much women’s fiction as it is romance, which works so-very-well.  While Sunny and Sawyer dance around their attraction, there is an entire group of adorable characters who are finding their way in a new family dynamic. 

Shortly after losing her mother and finding herself pretty much alone in the world, Sunny discovers that she actually has a family and inherited a share of an old silk mill.  She’s spent most of her life being a care-giver to her mother and now she’s finally (and guiltily) exploring her freedom.  With the addition of siblings and assorted non-blood family, though, she’s got to decide whether she’s ready to get involved again. 

Sawyer may find himself drawn to Sunny but she’s dealing with so much and her life is a few hours away.  Getting involved can only lead to complications … but he’s finding her hard to resist. 

As appealing as these two are, though, it’s the secondary characters that tend to steal the show.  I love seeing Bailey, Sunny’s half-sister, reveal her too cute middle-aged woman in a little girl’s body personality.  And it’s obvious that both Sawyer’s and Sunny’s delightful best friends are due for their own story (not sure yet if it is together or separate). 

As the start of a new series there is a good amount of description and quite a few characters introduced, which may be a bit much for some.  But those who enjoy stories with small-town romances and family-dynamics will appreciate the world that Kauffman creates and look forward to what comes next.

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

I loved Louisa – she was awkwardly nerdy without being over the top. She has an issue with being around people and is super smart, but she was raised by loving parents and has learned how to overcome it to lead a somewhat good life. It isn’t a typical one but she makes it work for her. Then she meets Six.

Six is your typical bad-*ss SEAL. He’s strong of body and mind, honed by years of training and missions, but he’s also smart and intuitive. He never expected to be as affected by Louisa as he is – the little scientist does something to her that he can’t explain. And when she finds herself in trouble he jumps at the chance to be near her.

Louisa and Six are a great complement to each other. She has him thinking of settling down and dedicating himself to one person, while he helps her address her fears. Unfortunately once she’s officially a client, it’s hands-off … something they find quite difficult to do :)

Cole does an amazing job of creating a suspense element that not only makes sense and keeps you on the edge of your seat, but works well with the emotional and romantic side of the story. It brings mystery and danger to a story that already had me hooked by the characters and emotions. I can’t wait to see what awesome things she has in store for Six’s teammates!

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

Abby is having a little bit of a life crisis.  She’s feeling a little lost after the death of her husband and while she’s happy for her friends it is hard to see them happy with their lives when she’s … well, not.  Accidentally setting fire to her kitchen introduces her to a very sexy fireman - unfortunately he was someone she babysat for as a teen.  While she may be attracted to him, it’s hard for her to see past their age different.  But that definitely isn’t going to slow him down!

Justin’s pursuit of Abby is a ton of fun and, while I really liked the two of them together, but the man really needs to learn that keeping secrets is going to bite you in the butt every time  :)  Osburn makes sure that you understand why he feels like he needs to do the things he does, but as an observer you know that he is going to crash and burn.  It’s a fun journey, though, and they manage to figure things out quickly enough.

With a deft hand at delivering realistic situations involving characters you are drawn to, Osburn is one of the best at small-town contemporary romances.

(Part of a series but easily stands on its own.)

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

This is the third in the series but my first.  And while I got a great feel for Ry and Avery’s romance I do wonder about what I missed.  I know that there is some history with Ry’s mother, as it comes into play here and is obviously not new, but I’m not sure if the twin’s relationship was developed any in the other stories.  There are definitely all sorts of undercurrents and issues that come up.  Plus there are some obvious bits of drama with the dad and something happened with one of the brother’s having a daughter, but they aren’t truly critical to this story. 

Ry is done following his brother around and he’s ready to return home because the life that they’ve been leading isn’t making him happy.  There’s an even bigger positive side to it – being home puts him back in the sphere with his high school crush.  

Avery’s life has changed since Ry went away.  An accident took away her rodeo career but she didn’t let it keep her down.  Unfortunately those around her still tend to baby her and she’s tired of it.  A chance to plan a wedding at the Morgan ranch gives her that chance to get out on her own … but it also puts her near Ry.  And while she had a crush on him too, she’s not that confident girl anymore.  I loved seeing Ry work at proving to Avery that she’s even stronger than she thinks she is.  He’s got such understanding of what she needs and how to support her.  If she’ll let him  :) 

The Morgan family drama is a pretty big piece of the story and provides motivation for a lot of what Ry does.  Once we get all of the details it is pretty heartbreaking but definitely something that the boys all need to face.  There is a tiny bit of a cliffhanger at the end, setting up to where the next book will go, but there is a happy ending for Ry and Avery.

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

I’ve seen a few reviews where people have had a problem with Sutton – I think they feel like she didn’t put as much effort in or that she took advantage of Wyatt.  But relationships aren’t always even.  Sometimes you are having a bad time of it, like Sutton, and need the support.  Wyatt does a fantastic job of being there for her, even when it’s not easy for him, and helping her find her mojo.

You get the feeling she’s never really had anyone push her or challenger her to be the person she wants to be.  Instead she’s just done the expected thing and floated through life.  With the discovery of being cheated on, not just by her fiancé but her best friend, things are turned upside down.  Luckily Wyatt is there to catch her and help her find her place.  He’s just hoping it will be by his side …

Wyatt comfortable in his own skin and has a good idea of who he is.  It’s his family that has a bit of the drama going on.  Ever since his dad died things haven’t been easy for the brothers and it seems to be getting worse.  Having Sutton ask him to be her fake boyfriend, something that he wouldn’t mind making real, is a good diversion from the more difficult things at home.

It’s those problems at home that you know will turn into some great future stories  :)  The closeness among Wyatt’s brothers (or at least most of the brothers) is heart-warming but also got me very curious about what things they are hiding from each other.  Trentham yet again creates an interesting group of people with a lot of potential.

If you love small town charm, quirky characters, and touching love stories, Trentham's Cottonbloom series is a must read - she is definitely making a name for herself as a go-to author of southern contemporary romances.   While this is part of a bigger series, Leave the Night On is the start of a new subsection and can easily stand on its own so those that are new to this little divided town definitely have a great place to start.  And it means that you are all set to enjoy all the delicious goodness that the Abbott brothers are sure to bring!  (But don't blame me if you find yourself adding a whole lot of her backlist to your TBR pile  :) )

BTW, for those that worry about the apparent one-sidedness of their relationship, the epilogue does a good job of showing exactly how well Sutton gets Wyatt.

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

I wasn't sure I was going to like Harper.  When you first meet her she's a little harsh and brittle but Meader makes sure that you understand that most of it is a front.  She's under a lot of stress, with a lot of insecurities from her youth, and being thrown into the same orbit as her half-sisters and the man that she can't have isn't helping.  Before too long I found myself with all sorts of feels for the poor woman.  But you can't feel too bad for her once Remy turns his attention her way!

The youngest with a whole passel of sisters and nieces, Remy was guaranteed to be perfect hero material ... even if he is surrounded by testosterone as a hockey player :)  He's patient and understanding, but also with a streak of charming bad boy in him.  He's the perfect balance of Alpha and sensitive.  He's good for Harper, supportive & caring, and he keeps her life from overtaking her.  

My only trouble was with the ending because it's just hard when Harper has been so adamant about how she is perceived.  But you knew it was going to work out some way and I'm pretty sure that this is the only way it would have been satisfying.  

Definitely an engrossing read and I'm so intrigued by the other sisters & where there stories are going.  Meader did an amazing job of giving this group of people complexity and depth.  You can't help but want to get to know all of their secrets!

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***

There are a few awkward interactions early on (I think to give you a feel for the characters) but once things get going Wells does a great job of making the people relatable and realistic.  It's not an easy thing, making Christian more comfortable with himself, but it's handled really well.  

Josh is a little too perfect, which makes him great book boyfriend material.  He's patient, kind, understanding, and charming.  He knows when to push Christian but also when to back off.  

Christian is hesitant to be seen by anyone because of his appearance.  For years he's hidden himself away, with his only human contact by phone ... and peeping at the hot gardener outside his window.  Things start changing for him when said hot gardener is assigned the task of renovating Christians apartment.  He doesn't realize the two men are the same at first (because of the no face-to-face contact thing he has going on) but Josh's personality alone is enough to have Christian inching his way out of self-imposed exile.  When an accident throws them together ... well, Josh has a certain charm about him :)

I think my favorite part about this book was the lack of drama.  We already get enough of the feels with Christian having to deal with his issues that nothing more is really needed.  Instead, Out of the Shadows is a delightfully low key story where two guys meet, get to know each other, and explore their common attraction, while helping Christian venture out into the world again.  

*** I voluntarily read a Review Copy of this book. All opinions stated are solely my own and no one else’s. ***