Taming the Takeover Tycoon - Robyn Grady (HD #2318 - Aug 2014)

Series: Dynasties: The Lassiters (Book 5)

Jack Reed spells trouble. But has trouble met its match?

The business world trembles at the mere mention of Jack Reed, but Becca Stevens has no such fear. Her pleas for him to end his hostile takeover of Lassiter Media should be laughable. Yet there's such sincerity in her eyes, such a light his own life seriously lacks. Becca wants to show him just what his ruthless quest is costing others. And he goes along with her plan, seeing it as the perfect opportunity to woo her into his bed. But is he walking right into her trap -- one that neither of them will want to escape?

Fantastic book, filled with all types of emotion. In previous books of the series, JD Lassiter's death and the terms of his will have split the family apart. Taking advantage of the turmoil, Jack is helping Angie Lassiter attempt a hostile takeover of the family company. He is known for acquiring companies and then tearing them apart for maximum profit. Becca has seen the effects this takeover bid is having on the Lassiter's charity foundation and is determined to do something about it.

Becca is one determined and stubborn woman. From everything she has learned about Jack she believes him to be evil personified. It's obvious to her that he cares absolutely nothing about the harm that his actions cause to others. So she confronts him and challenges him to spend a week with her and let her try to convince him to give up his plans. Her idea is to show him another side of life, one where people need the kind of help her charity provides. 

Jack is known for being cold and ruthless in his business dealings. He learned long ago to bury his emotions when dealing with other people. He has no intention of changing his plans, but he's quite happy to spend time in Becca's company. There is something about her that he just can't stay away from.  He knows what she thinks of him and if there are some things she doesn't know about him, that's just the way it has to be. He doesn't expect that being with her makes him start to feel again and that actually begins to affect some of his business dealings. 

The chemistry between Jack and Becca is hot. Both are strong minded, stubborn people who don't change their minds easily. Jack admits his attraction to Becca quickly, but she really tries to fight it.  She can't understand how she can be attracted to someone whose values appear to be the complete opposite of hers. But as she gets him away from the city and his business dealings, she gets the occasional glimpse of a different Jack, one she finds herself liking. Then the old Jack makes a reappearance and she's left feeling confused and betrayed.

I did get a bit frustrated with Becca at times. She seemed a bit too judgmental of him, almost holding herself up as the perfect example of what a good person is supposed to be like. She did have a good heart, and I enjoyed seeing her show Jack a different view from what he was used to. I loved seeing his reaction to the dog and how it worked its magic on Jack. I found it interesting that Jack did have some good parts that he kept hidden from everyone, even Becca. When everything came to a head at the end, both Becca and Jack had to take hard looks at their own attitudes and expectations before they could have a chance at a life together.

There were some very intriguing twists and turns to the plot of this story. There were some cryptic conversations between Jack and the Lassiter lawyer, and between Jack and Angie that had me very confused about what was going on. There was also a secondary story dealing with another one of Jack's business deals that ended up far different than anything Jack had expected. 

Lured by the Rich Rancher - Kathie DeNosky (HD #2312 - July 2014)

Series: Dynasties: The Lassiters (Book 4)

If you want to truly know a cowboy…saddle up real close

Chance Lassiter is comfortable on a horse, not in front of a camera. But public relations expert Felicity Sinclair thinks he'd be the perfect spokesman to restore the Lassiters' tarnished image. There isn't much the wealthy rancher wouldn't do for his family, so he welcomes the sexy consultant to his ranch, wondering if she'll sink or swim on his territory. Soon he's the one drowning -- in passion. This city girl sure knows how to handle herself. But when it comes to handling him? It's time for Chance to show Felicity what a real cowboy is all about.

Very good book. Chance saw Fee at his sister's wedding and was immediately attracted to her. Fee noticed him also, and not just as a gorgeous man who appeals to the woman in her. As a PR expert, she thinks he'd be perfect as the new face of the Lassiters, someone who can get people remembering that they're a family oriented business. The problem is that Chance has no interest in being in the public eye.

Fee wants the opportunity to convince him, and Chance just wants to get to know her better, so he invites her to come stay on the ranch with him. Chance figures he can show her that he's a working cowboy, not someone suited for the limelight and Fee is equally convinced she can convince him that it's not as bad as he thinks.

Fee and Chance are about as different from each other as they could get. Fee is all city girl, used to bright lights, fancy clothes and sports cars. Chance is all country. He dislikes the crowds, loves his open spaces and taking care of the ranch. They do have one thing in common. Both of them have let a parent's actions influence the way they live their lives. 

Chance was surprised by the discovery that his father had had an affair, fathering a child by the woman. He had idolized his dad and that knowledge has him questioning his own tendencies. If his father had cheated on his mother, certainly that means that he could end up doing the same thing. He hates the idea of putting a woman through what his mom went through and has decided he won't marry at all. At the same time, Fee is determined that she will never let a relationship with a man influence her career. Her mom had left a successful career to marry her dad, and when he left them her mom fell apart and never went back to her career.

Chance and Fee can't deny the attraction they feel for each other. Since neither wants a long term relationship, they agree to enjoy each others' company with no expectations. Those intentions fade fast the more time they spend together. I loved seeing Fee become a part of the ranch so quickly. Her introduction to the horses and riding was so much fun to read. She also found that she was enjoying her time there far more than she expected.  Her job was beginning to feel less important than the way she felt about Chance and that scared her. Chance went from looking at a no strings encounter to trying to find a way to make Fee want to stay. It took him awhile to admit to himself that what he felt was love. He planned a "go big" moment that blew up in his face, and it took a talk with his sister for him to realize where he had gone wrong. The ending was terrific.

Expecting the CEO's Child - Yvonne Lindsay (HD #2306 - June 2014)

Series: Dynasties: The Lassiters (Book 3)

No woman says no to a Lassiter

Months after their passionate tryst, Dylan Lassiter can't get Jenna Montgomery out of his mind. Maybe being named CEO of his adoptive father's restaurant empire is making the onetime playboy think about settling down. Or maybe it's because Dylan just found out Jenna's having his baby….

When the petite florist flat-out refuses to marry him, the celebrity chef kicks his seduce/woo/wed scheme into high gear. But just as he's gaining ground, the media unearths a shocking secret from the mother-to-be's past. Now Dylan could lose the woman -- and family -- he wants more than anything….

My favorite of the series so far. Dylan and Jenna had a short but passionate encounter at his sister's rehearsal dinner, and he hasn't been able to forget about her. When business brings him back to Cheyenne he just has to see her again, and gets the surprise of his life. Jenna is pregnant with his baby and hasn't gotten around to telling him yet.

Dylan immediately wants Jenna to marry him, but she refuses. She is very independent and confident in her ability to raise her child on her own. She has no issue with Dylan being part of the baby's life, she just doesn't want to be part of his. She had a very bad experience with the media in her past and because of who he is, Dylan is frequently in the spotlight. She doesn't want that for herself.

Dylan is determined to convince her. He realizes it won't be easy and plans to take things slowly. His natural protectiveness comes out from the start and he begins by doing little things for her. He fixes meals for her (he's a chef, after all), takes her to work and picks her up, does things to help her relax. The one thing he has trouble with is getting her to talk much about her life growing up, but expects that to happen eventually. He also tries to keep his desire under control, but that's pretty much a losing battle.

Jenna starts out very determined to keep her life separate from Dylan's. She's very certain that she can raise the baby on her own, though she knows it won't be easy. She lives her life quietly, content with the security she has built for herself. She is very wary of getting involved with Dylan, but he is very good at wearing her down. She sees how much the baby means to him. She also gets a good look at his family and how close they are, and begins to think it may be possible.

I loved seeing the way that Dylan and Jenna start to care for each other. Dylan can see what her independence means to her and tries to reassure her that she can be independent and still accept help. I loved seeing him draw her into the circle of his family. Jenna starts to see that Dylan really does care for her, that he wants to be a real father to their baby. Things are going great until the night of the restaurant opening.

I couldn't believe that Dylan went from being such a great guy to such a horrible jerk. He was blindsided by what Sage told him (don't get me started on what I thought of Sage at that point), but he should have shown a little faith in the woman he claimed to love. Instead he allowed his hurt and anger full rein and said some horrible things to her. Jenna had known she should tell him, but she was afraid of his reaction so she kept putting it off. When the story came out, all her fears were realized. This was so emotional as the two had to find their way back to each other. Dylan had an interesting mix of grovelling and bossiness at the end.

There was one part where Sage and Angelica really made me made. Both seem to be trying to talk Dylan our of marrying Jenna. I can understand Angelica, because she is still dealing with the fallout from her father's will and her ex-fiance. But Sage is now happily married (see The Black Sheep's Inheritance) so I expected him to be a lot more supportive of his brother.

From Single Mom to Secret Heiress - Kristi Gold (HD #2300 - May 2014)

Series: Dynasties: The Lassiters (Book 2)

Where there's a will, there's a secret…

When Hannah Armstrong opens the door to find a cowboy on her porch, her jaw drops -- and not just because he's beyond handsome. Apparently she's heir to the Lassiter fortune. If Logan Whittaker, cowboy-turned-attorney, can help her uncover the truth about her biological father, why say no -- at least for her daughter Cassie's sake?

With Hannah tucked away at his ranch house, Logan longs to turn their business affairs into something more personal. Except Hannah has enough dark family secrets to cope with -- and Logan's own past could spell trouble just as things are really heating up….

Single mom, emotionally wounded man. Hannah hasn't had an easy life. She was the illegitimate daughter of a man who was never in her life. Her mother was a bitter woman who never had anything good to say about him and who frequently didn't seem to even like her own daughter. Hannah had a happy marriage with a man who loved her, but he died shortly before their daughter was born. She was determined that her daughter have a better childhood than she did and made sure that Cassie heard plenty of stories about her daddy. But things were still rough financially, until the day that Logan showed up at her door.

Logan is one of the lawyers working for the Lassiter estate and came to tell Hannah that she had inherited some money. There are some conditions, one of which is that she can't tell anyone of her connection to the family. Hannah is more interested in learning about her father than in taking the money and turns him down. Logan doesn't want her to lose out without knowing all the facts, and invites her to come to stay with him while she investigates.

There is an immediate and strong attraction between Hannah and Logan, but any number of reasons they should avoid it. Hannah wants to protect her daughter from being hurt by a man who wouldn't stay in their lives and her own heart from falling for another man. Logan has spent the eight years since his divorce hiding from risking his own emotions. There are things in his past that make him reluctant to get deeply involved with anyone, especially a woman with a child. 

I really liked the way that Hannah was more interested in finding the truth about her father than in having the money. She's felt the lack her whole life and now that she has the chance she's going to take it. She's nervous about staying with Logan, but she's also tempted. Logan waffles back and forth between being glad Hannah is there so that he can get to know her better, and being terrified by his growing feelings for her. I got a bit frustrated with the way he would avoid her when his feelings got to be too much. I was glad when he finally found the courage to tell her his story, but he's still fighting his feelings. His guilt and fears were so strong that he couldn't see any way for him to be happy. I did like his big moment at the end.

Hannah finally gets her questions about her father answered. I loved seeing her get to know the various Lassiters on her journey. There was quite an interesting twist to the story by the end. It was nice to see Hannah get the type of family she'd always wanted.

The Black Sheep's Inheritance - Maureen Child (HD #2294 - Apr 2014)

Series: Dynasties: The Lassiters (Book 1)

Follow the money…into bed!

Estranged from his adoptive father, Sage Lassiter earned his own billions. But when J.D. Lassiter leaves a fortune to his private nurse in his will and cheats his own daughter of her rightful inheritance…Sage is enraged, to say the least. He's sure nurse Colleen Falkner isn't the innocent she appears. And he's willing to go to any lengths to expose her…even seduction.

But using sex -- crazed, incredible sex -- to find out what she knows could backfire. Because Colleen is not what Sage expected. And like it or not, she's about to demolish all the barriers he's carefully constructed around his heart.

Great start to the series, after the prequel of Beauty and the Best Man set things up. JD Lassiter is dead and the reading of his will has shaken up the entire family. Sage isn't expecting anything, having been estranged from his father for awhile, but he's furious when his sister isn't left what everyone expected her to get. To make matters worse, his father's nurse is given three million dollars. Sage is sure that Colleen manipulated his father somehow and is determined to find out the truth, even if that means sleeping with her.

Colleen wasn't expecting anything, but the money will give her the chance to fulfill her dream of becoming a nurse practitioner in the isolated areas near Cheyenne. She's upset by Sage's accusations, but feels she's alleviated his fears when he starts to spend time with her.

There's an intense attraction between Colleen and Sage that they try to resist. Sage was burned by a woman when he was younger and has spent the years since not trusting them. He'll sleep with them, but he doesn't allow his emotions to get involved. He'd rather keep to himself and protect his heart. But he finds that Colleen isn't anything like what he thought she was. The way she cares for others is something he hasn't seen in the women he usually dates. He also gets very protective of her when he finds out what her plans are. But his fears for her safety and his lack of control around her have him running scared. He doesn't want to admit to himself that he actually cares about her.

Colleen has been a little in love with Sage since she would listen to JD talk about him. The attraction took off the first time she met him, but she doesn't think he'd be interested in her. She's got a pretty low opinion of her looks, especially compared to the women he usually is with. His accusations about her inheritance make her mad, but she's willing to talk to him about his father and show him that he's wrong. Before long they're spending more time together and she's falling deeper in love with him. She knows that he has trust issues, but feels like she's making some progress in showing him that family and love are what's most important in life.

When things blow up in Sage's face, he has to decide if his fears are worth hanging on to or if it's finally time to let them go. I thought that Colleen handled things better than he did. She was hurt by what she heard, but she had the strength to stand up to Sage and tell him that she deserved better than what she had gotten from him. I loved the ending and seeing what a huge difference Colleen made in Sage once he finally let her in.

Beauty and the Best Man - Maureen Child (HD - Apr 2014)

Series: Dynasties: The Lassiters (Book .5)

May the Best Man Win…the Maid of Honor?

Lassiter Media millionaire Matt Hollis never let a woman stand between him and his career. But now Matt's best friend is marrying the Lassiter heiress -- and her insufferable maid of honor has stolen Matt's heart. Kayla Prince is way more than this skilled negotiator bargained for.

But Kayla's conflicted. The man left her in the lurch for his L.A. gig; now he wants her back? Fool her once, shame on Matt, fool her twice…well, actually, this second chance feels like the real thing. But a fateful night is about to put that feeling to the ultimate test….

Good story, but I would have liked it to be a little longer with more development of the characters.  Matt and Kayla had met nine months ago when their best friends got engaged. They struck sparks off each other immediately, spending most of their encounters arguing.  Then one night those sparks turned to flames and they had an incredible night together.  But the next day, Matt left without a word and hasn't contacted Kayla since.  Now that he's back for the wedding, Matt needs to talk to her, but Kayla doesn't want to take the risk again.

I liked Matt and Kayla, though I certainly understood her frustration with him.  Kayla was furious and hurt that Matt had left without a word and not contacted her since he left.  She hasn't been able to forget him or that night.  Having him back in town is putting a strain on her ability protect herself.  I really liked the way that she didn't just give in when he started laying on the charm again.  Seeing her call him on his actions was very satisfying.  Being forced to spend time together again brought all her feelings back to the surface and when they gave in again she was mad at herself.  She also got really confused when he went back to spending time with her but not trying to get back in her bed.  It gave them time to get to know each other better and she began to see more of the man he was.  When tragedy happens and it looks like he'll be leaving again, Kayla has to decide if she's ready to fight for what she wants.

Matt bugged me a bit at first.  First he slept with her and then left without talking to her or contacting her again.  Then when he came back he seemed to want to just pick up where they left off.  But as the story went on I saw that he had been overwhelmed by his reaction to Kayla.  He's always been the type of guy to be totally in control of his emotions and not allowing a woman to interfere with his professional goals.  When he was offered the job in LA it gave him the perfect excuse to get away from Kayla and try to get himself back on track.  He didn't expect miss her the way that he did and to be constantly thinking about her.  He panicked over the fact that she made him feel things he'd never felt before.  I liked seeing him a bit nervous when he saw her again, even though he tried to hide it.  He knew he wanted her back in his life and he tried to make a plan to show her how he felt and what he thought she should do.  When tragedy made those plans fall apart he finally realized that plans mean nothing if the feelings aren't there.  I loved seeing him finally show her the truth of how he felt.  His nervousness and rambling were kind of cute as he tried to explain to her why he had done the things he had done.  

I'm looking forward to the rest of the series and seeing the changes that will be coming to the Lassiter family.