Healed With a Kiss - Gina Wilkins (HSE #2332 - May 2014)

Series: Bride Mountain (Book 3)

Meeting the right person changes everything…

Handsome. Intense. Arrogant. There are many words people use to describe Logan Carmichael, but romantic is not one of them. Even he can see the irony that he has become co-owner of the Bride Mountain Inn! Years of sorry experience have convinced him that he is not cut out for love or marriage. Until he falls -- hard -- for the one woman who is determined to stay just out of his reach…

Alexis Mosley might be the only wedding planner in the world who doesn't truly believe in happily-ever-after. Not when she's seen how quickly and easily love can fade. She tells herself that she and Logan can just be "friends with benefits" -- and nothing more. But as she surrenders herself to his embrace each night, she begins to wonder if there might be a fairy-tale ending in store for her after all…

Wonderful conclusion to the Bride Mountain trilogy, this time it's Logan's turn to find love. Logan is the gruff, blunt groundskeeper of the inn that he and his sisters own. He's the one that has to execute some of the crazy ideas that bride's come up with. While he agrees that lasting love is possible for some people, thanks to his own experiences he's sure it isn't in his own future. He has been secretly spending a lot of time with Alexis, the event planner who frequently works with his sisters. Alexis also doesn't believe in happily ever after, so she's more than happy to have her quiet fling with Logan. They keep their semi-relationship quiet, not wanting to deal with expectations and pressure from other people.

I liked both Logan and Alexis, and found their attempts to keep their relationship quiet amusing. They started out just going for a physical relationship, but over time it began to evolve. They seemed to be unaware of those changes for the first part of the book. Then, as they did start to notice, the fears crept in. Alexis invited Logan to join her in Seattle when she went for a conference, then panicked because she was afraid he was starting to mean too much to her. Alexis is the product of a marriage that went through a very messy divorce, then saw both parents and her brother continue the pattern of bad marriages. Added to a bad breakup of her own, she has lost her ability to believe that love can last. I loved seeing her slowly let Logan in, admitting to herself that she looked forward to seeing him and missed him when she didn't see him for awhile. Logan has been a loner since college. He discovered then that family were the only people he could truly count on to be there for him, and it was reinforced when his business partner betrayed him. Now he has the inn, his sisters and his dog, plus his occasional visits with Alexis. He is surprised by her invitation to Seattle and spends quite a bit of time trying to make up his mind whether to go.

Their time in Seattle was a big step as they got to know more about each other. I loved seeing them have fun with their sightseeing, but also delve more deeply into what has made them who they are. Both of them had uneasy moments when they realized that things were changing, but each one tried to shove those thoughts aside and go back to their old way of doing things. The strain of that started to show as both started having thoughts of the future. I loved how it was Logan's encounter with a groom that got him really thinking, when the man said "I figure I've been given a second chance. I'm not going to mess it up."

The resolution of their differences and overcoming of their fears made this a very satisfying story to read. I also loved the parts that her cat and his dog played throughout, and especially the dog's part at the end. That critter was a lot smarter than his people!

Home to Seaview Key - Sherryl Woods (Mira - Feb 2014)

Series: Seaview Key (Book 2)

Falling for a handsome stranger on the very morning they meet is hardly what recently divorced Abby Miller planned for her return to Seaview Key. Hoping to mend an old friendship and to give back to the community she loves, Abby's definitely not looking for love.

For ex-soldier Seth Landry, Seaview Key seems like the perfect place to heal a broken heart…eventually. And when he rescues a beautiful woman on the beach, his nightmares about the past are eclipsed by daydreams about the future.

Neither Abby nor Seth are looking for forever, but powerful love has its own timetable. And taking a chance on the future will test their courage in ways neither of them could possibly have anticipated.

Terrific story of love, family and friendship. Abby has come back to Seaview Key, looking for a fresh start. She is recently divorced from a marriage that ended up being emotionally barren. She has come home to see if she can find the woman she used to be. She also has a plan to build some homes on her family's land as a way to give back to the community. She would also like to renew her friendship with her high school best friend Hannah. She has enough on her plate and has no plan to get involved with a man. 

Seth came to Seaview Key with his own need to heal. As a former military medic he's haunted by the memories of those he couldn't save, including the woman he loved. He's happy working with his old friend Luke, the island's doctor, and serving the community as its paramedic. When he rescues Abby one morning on the beach he's surprised by the attraction he feels for her.

I really liked the romance between Seth and Abby. It started out as attraction, but one that they didn't give in to right away. Each is self aware enough to know that they may not be ready for a serious relationship. They begin by working together on a fundraiser to buy a rescue boat for the island and use the time to get to know each other. Abby is cautious about getting too serious as she tries to overcome the damage her ex-husband did to her self esteem. But there is something about Seth that she just can't resist. Seth's issues are a bit harder for him to overcome. He is extra cautious about risking his heart again, having barely survived the death of his girlfriend and the guilt he feels for not being there. He also has trouble dealing with the fact that Abby has significantly more money than he does. His parents spent a lot of time pursuing wealth and after their deaths it has caused major problems between his two sisters. All he can focus on is the trouble it can cause. In spite of these negatives, being with Abby makes him happy. I liked the fact that both Seth and Abby are interested in pursuing the possibilities, but that they are determined to take things slowly. I loved the banter between them, the teasing and the way they liked to push the envelope a little. I also liked the fact that when they ran into something that bothered them they would talk it out like the adults they are. They developed enough closeness that they could see when something was bothering the other one and tried to help, whether it was just listening or actually doing something. It did get to the point where they were being almost too cautious, and it was fun to see some of the other islanders get involved in pushing them along. I loved the ending, and the happy little twist that came with it.

Besides the romance between Seth and Abby, there were some other things that arrived on the island with her. Abby had been friends with Luke and Hannah in high school, and their senior year she was Luke's girlfriend. This was hard on Hannah because she loved him too. They all went their separate ways when they went off to college. Now Luke and Hannah are married, but Hannah still suffers from some significant insecurities. Thanks to her bout with breast cancer, she has problems believing in her own beauty. She is afraid that Abby's return will cause Luke to regret marrying her. These fears aren't helped at the beginning by her grandmother's vocal fears about the same thing, and her own daughter's similar interference. I gave Abby full credit for working very hard to show Hannah that her fears are unneeded and all she wants is to be friends again. Luke also does his best to show his wife that she is the only one for him.

The other thing that brought Abby back is her desire to develop her family's land. I loved her reasoning that she wants to give back to the community. I also loved the plans that she had to make them environmentally friendly. She came in with such confidence it was so hard to see her run up against the opposition that came from the mayor. I loved the fact that she didn't give up. It was great to see her get Grandma Jenny and some of the others on her side and then work to find a way to win over the mayor. I loved seeing the way that Seth helped and supported her.

Love a Little Sideways - Shannon Stacey (Carina Press - Dec 2013)

Series: Kowalski (Book 7)

Liz Kowalski is heading home to Whitford, Maine -- this time for good. Eager for her family, a fresh start and some fun, she doesn't count on being rescued by the chief of police her very first night back in town. Drew is everything she's not looking for…so why is she still so attracted to him?

After a brief, forbidden rendezvous at her brother's wedding, Drew Miller expects Liz to return to New Mexico and stay there. He's searching for someone to settle down with, not a casual fling with his best friend's sister. But when they're stuck together on the annual Kowalski camping trip, things start going a little sideways. Keeping their hands off each other proves just as impossible as keeping their secret from becoming public knowledge.

Amid family, mud and melted marshmallow, Liz and Drew try to fight what's growing between them. But a little time alone, a lot of chemistry and too many opinions might be just what it takes to bring together two people so determined not to fall in love.

Very good book.  I was happy to see Liz get her story since she's been the invisible Kowalski through the other books. She and Drew had that brief encounter at Mitch's wedding, but then she went back to New Mexico. We got a little bit more of her at the end of the last book when Josh stopped to see her on his trip. At that point I was really hoping she'd come home and get together again with Drew.

Liz has finally dumped her lazy boyfriend and realizes she really misses her family. So she leaves everything behind and comes home to start over. The problem is, she's not really sure what she wants. She looks at her brothers and feels like she should be doing something more than she is. They are all successful and happy and she's still waiting tables. She doesn't expect to run into Drew on her way into town, and discover that the sparks between them are as hot as they were before.

On the other hand, Drew knows exactly what he wants. He and his wife had divorced when she confessed to him that she didn't want kids and never had. Now he's looking for a woman who wants the same things he does. But it's a little hard to look for that woman when he can't get Liz off his mind. He's got a couple problems with that fascination. He knows she's not in the same place he is. Plus, she's his best friend's little sister and there are rules about that. So he does his best to resist the attraction, but it isn't easy.

Then comes the Kowalski family reunion camping trip. With his dad now with Rose, that makes Drew part of the family too. Being in close proximity all day every day puts a strain on their resistance, and it isn't long before their secret is out. Now that they're able to spend time together openly, each of them has to decide just what they want out of their relationship.

I really liked both Drew and Liz, though I did get a little frustrated with both. I thought Drew was a little too focused on his desire for a family, to the point where he almost lost Liz completely. I also got a little ticked at the way he was trying to keep the relationship from Mitch. He should have manned up and talked to him from the beginning. As he admitted to himself that Liz was the one he wanted, he made the mistake of moving too fast, and he knew that he was moving too fast. But he can also be wonderfully sweet and romantic. On the other hand, Liz seemed to be stuck in neutral. She was enjoying being with Drew, but she didn't want to think too far in the future. She knows what he wants, but she's still trying to figure out what she wants to do. She's moving in the direction that Drew wants, but she's afraid he's moving too fast and she's not quite ready for the commitment that he's looking for. She also wants to be wanted for herself first and foremost, not her ability to give Drew the family he wants. Both of them had to face up to their mistakes before they could get to the future they both wanted. I liked seeing Mitch be there for Drew, even though it was a little awkward for him.

One of my favorite parts of the book was the camping trip. I loved seeing all the Kowalskis together and the fun that they all had together. All the activities OF DOOM were great and showed what a wonderfully close family they were. I got a real kick out of the Scrabble game and the commentary from the guys as they listened to all the laughter coming from the women. I loved seeing Drew and Liz try to keep a lid on their feelings, but that just increased the pressure they were under. As much as the confrontation with Mitch sucked, there were parts of it that were pretty funny. I loved Liz and the spoon, and the way she tried to make Mitch see sense. I was happy to see everything finally out in the open.

All He Ever Dreamed - Shannon Stacey (HQN - May 2013)

Series: Kowalski (Book 6)

Josh Kowalski is tired of holding down the fort -- better known as the Northern Star Lodge -- while his siblings are off living their dreams. Now that his oldest brother has returned to Whitford, Maine, for good, Josh is free to chase some dreams of his own.

As the daughter of the lodge's longtime housekeeper, Katie Davis grew up alongside the Kowalski brothers. Though she's always been "one of the guys," her feelings for Josh are anything but sisterly. And after a hot late-night encounter in the kitchen, it's clear Josh finally sees her as the woman she is.

Katie's been waiting years for Josh to notice her, but now that he has, she's afraid it's too late. Giving her heart to a man who can't wait to leave town is a sure way to have it broken. But could it be that everything Josh has ever wanted is closer than he could have imagined?

I loved this book. Josh has been one of my favorite characters from this side of the family and I was so happy when he finally got his story. Josh got stuck with running the family lodge by default when his father died and his siblings already had their own lives away from Whitford.  He has dreams of his own that don't include the lodge. The only thing that has made life bearable for him is hanging out with his best friend Katie. But when she moves into the lodge to help out her mom, Rosie, something changes. Josh runs into her in the kitchen late one night when she's wearing somewhat skimpy pajamas. Suddenly he realizes that Katie isn't just his best buddy, she's also a woman and a pretty hot one at that.

With her mom being the housekeeper and surrogate mom to the Kowalskis, Katie has been around them all her life. She's been in love with Josh for years and frustrated by his "best buddy" attitude. Now that he's actually seeing her as a woman, she couldn't be happier - except that he still plans to leave as soon as he can.

This was so much fun to read. Everyone in town can see that Katie and Josh belong together. Josh's obliviousness is amazing to see. He spent so long resenting being stuck running the lodge that now that the end is in sight he can't see anything else. I loved their late night encounter and the way that Josh is so completely blindsided by his sudden attraction to Katie. His internal dialog is absolutely hysterical as he tries to cope with these new feelings. As they are thrown together to help Katie's mom, Josh continues to fight his feelings, fearing that getting involved with Katie will ruin their friendship and also cause him to give up his dreams. I loved seeing him finally give in. Instead of damaging their friendship, it seems to make it stronger as their feelings give it new dimension. I loved seeing the way that being with Katie settles his feelings somewhat, but his need to leave is still there. When he's given the opportunity to go, he is so conflicted. There's a lot of heartache for him as he realizes his two greatest desires are incompatible. I loved seeing his journey as he follows his dreams and learns what is most important to his heart.

Katie was great. She is comfortable with herself as she is, but fears that Josh will never see her as more than his friend. I loved her reaction to their kitchen encounter, and his actions the next day. She sees his reactions but his fighting of it really frustrates her. Her decision to shake things up was great, and I loved seeing what she did on Christmas Eve that pushed things over the edge. But now that they have made that jump, Katie is afraid that things are going to change for the worse. She can see that he is still not completely happy and that he still needs to leave Whitford. She wants him to stay but thinks he will begin to resent her for keeping him from his dreams. I ached for her as she let him go, but was so happy that she loved him that much. I loved seeing her keep their friendship alive during his journey and what a difference it made to them at the end.

There was so much fun to Josh and Katie's romance, as they deal with reconciling their romance with their long friendship. The banter between them was great, from their bet about Max's job to their attempts to keep their new relationship secret. I loved seeing various other characters get involved, from helping Katie with her Christmas Eve plans to ragging on Josh about not seeing what was in front of him the whole time. I loved Katie's ability to see what Josh needed and put her own dreams on hold to make his come true.

I loved Katie's mom Rosie and her vital part throughout the books. She was such a great mom figure to them all. It was fun to see her behind the scenes work to get Josh and Katie together. I also loved seeing her with Andy and how she goes from hating him in the first book to love in this one. Andy's patient devotion to her was terrific. I also loved his part in making Josh's dreams possible.

How to Tame a Wild Fireman - Jennifer Bernard (Avon - Sept 2013)

Series: Bachelor Firemen (Book 4)

The Bachelor Firemen of San Gabriel have a rebel among them, and there's only one woman who can put his flames out.

Firefighter Patrick "Psycho" Callahan earns his nickname every day. Fast, fit, and a furious worker, he thrives on the danger which helps him forget a near-tragedy that changed his life forever. But when his off-duty carousing gets out of hand, Patrick is sent back to Loveless, Nevada, where the wildfire threatening his hometown has nothing on sizzling Dr. Lara Nelson.

Lara would rather be thought of as the physician who returned to Loveless than as the misfit brought up at a hippie New Age commune. But right now she's focused on the job at hand, patching up injured firemen . . . until the past hits her in the hard-muscled, blue-eyed form of Patrick Callahan. Now, the embers of their decade-old attraction have ignited into a full-on inferno, as the bad-boy firefighter and the good doctor take a walk on the wild side they'll never forget.

Loved it.  Patrick is one of the Bachelor Firemen who is also one of the most intense.  He works hard and he plays hard. But when some of his off-duty antics tick off his boss, he gets sent to Nevada to help fight the wildfires there. Back in his hometown, he has no intention of getting in touch with his family, who kicked him out ten years ago. He is stunned to see Lara Nelson, his brother's best friend, who he'd been attracted to back then. Lara had returned to Loveless to decide what to do with the property she'd inherited. As a doctor, she's been roped into helping treat injured firefighters. She never expected to see Patrick there or feel an out of control attraction to him.

I loved both Patrick and Lara.  Patrick has earned his nickname of "Psycho" because of the risks he takes both on and off the job.  While he appears to simply enjoy the rush, it's really a way for him to escape his memories.  Ten years earlier he and his younger brother, who is deaf and mildly autistic, were involved in an accident that Patrick feels he was responsible for. His father felt the same and kicked Patrick out of the house and the family. Patrick's years as a firefighter have been one way that he attempts to atone for his mistakes. Helping with the wildfires in Loveless is another way. He doesn't plan to contact his family at all, but that ends when he is spotted by both Lara and his younger sister. I loved seeing the different sides to Patrick that come out in this book. He is the protective older brother, who wants to help his little sister. He is also still fighting the guilty feelings over the accident that injured his brother. That brother has left home and Patrick is desperate to find him and talk to him. There is also the son who cares about his parents, in spite of how they treated him, and how he takes his own time to make their home fire safe. I loved the sweet side of him that came out with his rescue of the llama and how the critter loves him so much. And then there's the sexy firefighter who is so attracted to Lara that he can hardly see straight. What was really fun was seeing him get to know Lara the woman and realize that she was more than just a woman to sleep with. He has his moments of male idiocy, but he also has times when he is very sensitive to her needs. I loved seeing him begin to think of a future with her and trying to figure out how to make it happen. I also loved the way that Lara makes him think about things that happened in the past and start to look at them from a different angle. I also loved his reunion with his brother and his acceptance of all the changes they have both endured.

Lara had spent her teen years in Loveless, taken in by her aunt after her parents' deaths. She spent those years feeling ashamed of the place, embarrassed by the purpose of her aunt's business. She endured a lot of teasing and prejudice from her classmates, her only friend being Patrick's brother Liam. She never understood his family's actions after the accident, but put it mostly out of her mind after she left to go to college.  She avoided going back to Loveless, wanting to put that whole time behind her. When her aunt died and left the property to her, she planned to go back, sell it, and return to California. When she arrived in Loveless she ended up putting her medical knowledge to use helping to treat the firefighters. She also discovered that selling the property wouldn't be easy, and that she cared too much about her aunt's friends to just kick them out. She was surprised to see Patrick back in Loveless and discovered that the faint attraction she had felt as a teenager has become as big a fire as the one the firefighters are battling. She's never felt anything like it before and had assumed that she was one of those people who just never got into the whole passion thing. I loved seeing the effect that Patrick had on her. She also got to know him better and saw how he used his reputation to run from his feelings about the accident. I loved the way that she made him take a fresh look at the events of that night. She also doesn't just sit back and put up with the things that he says or does and has no problem letting him have it when she's mad at him. She has a tendency to say some mean things when she's mad, but has the heart to apologize when she calms down. I liked seeing her start to take a look at her own life and choices and see where she wants her life to go. I loved her support of her friend Liam in his current choices, and the way that she brought about his reunion with Patrick.

The romance between Patrick and Lara had some interesting ups and downs. They went from being just in it for the physical, knowing that they would only be in Loveless for a short time, to trying to figure out a way for them to be together more. Patrick slowly came to realize that he is capable of a real relationship with Lara, but had trouble trying to put his feelings into words. Lara's evolving from a rather passionless scientific type to the wild woman she is around Patrick was fun to see. She had to make the jump to trusting her feelings and following her heart. I loved seeing them get to know each other as they are now. The final resolution of their lives together was great.

The secondary story of Patrick's family and the things they were going through was really good. It gave an excellent insight to how Patrick ended up where he did and why. It also showed Patrick in a good light as he made sure his parents' house was safe, in spite of the way his father was acting. There was a lot of maturing on Patrick's part, as he went from his old way of trying to anger his dad to actually trying to get along with him and protect him.

I also really enjoyed the part that the "Goddesses" played. It started out with them seeming like really odd hippie-type people, but got a lot more grounded the more I saw of them. Their love for Lara was obvious in the way they had tried to take care of her as a teen, and how they want her to do what's right for her now. I enjoyed all their comments about the firefighters as they were helping out at the command center, and later when Vader came to help Patrick with the repairs. It was fun to see them help Lara see herself differently.

Willow Springs - Toni Blake (Avon - July 2012)

Series: Destiny (Book 5)

THIS LOVESICK MATCHMAKER HAS FINALLY MET HER MATCH...

Amy Bright might be the best matchmaker in Destiny, Ohio, but she's desperately shy when it comes to her own love life -- and helpless when it comes to Logan Whitaker, with whom she's head-over-heels in love. So Amy decides to become Logan's secret admirer, sending him sensual love letters steamy enough to unseal their own envelopes.

After a tragedy on the job, firefighter Logan is battling demons. Thank goodness Amy is there for him. But when a woman from Logan's past resurfaces right as some anonymous letters send Logan's pulse hammering, suddenly he doesn't know what he needs. One smoking-hot kiss could change everything . . . but will it ruin a one-of-a-kind friendship, or show Logan and Amy that they've already found everything they need, right here in Destiny?

Very good book.  Logan and Amy have been friends all their lives.  When Logan loses two friends during a fire he starts to question everything about his life.  He's in the middle of terrible depression, not caring about anything, when Amy shows up to try to snap him out of it.  When she gives him a hug of comfort, he kisses her, and suddenly nothing is the way it was before.

Amy has been known as the town matchmaker, having an amazing ability to see when two people belong together.  Unfortunately, she doesn't seem to be able to do the same for herself.  She's gone on a few dates, but no one has had that zing that makes her want to continue, until that amazing kiss with Logan.  Suddenly she realizes that it's been Logan all along, but she hasn't got the courage to let him know. His obvious dismay at having kissed her isn't helping anything. Amy is very shy and has zero confidence in herself as a woman.  The only way she can let him know of her interest is by sending him anonymous letters. It doesn't help that the long missing, and very beautiful, Anna Romo has returned to Destiny and Logan is visibly smitten.

Logan is haunted by the two deaths during a fire he was fighting.  He hasn't been able to go back to work as a firefighter since it happened, and spends his days in a fog. The only thing keeping him going is his friendship with Amy, who has always been there for him. When he loses his head one day and kisses her, he is horrified by what he has done. Logan has never had a successful relationship with a woman, and the thought of this kiss ruining his friendship with Amy scares him so he backs off, even though he can't forget it.  Anna's reappearance in Destiny throws him off too.  He remembers how she followed him around when they were kids, and she makes her interest in him now quite clear.  He thinks she is just what he needs but also finds himself reluctant to get truly involved with her. He blames it on being her brother's best friend, but realizes that isn't the whole story.

The whole romance between Amy and Logan is full of ups and downs.  Amy's self confidence is nonexistent when it come to male/female relationships. She doesn't think she's at all pretty and when she compares herself to Anna she feels even worse. I liked the way her friends tried to show her that she had nothing to worry about, but it was an uphill battle.  Now that she has accepted that she's in love with Logan she's even more bummed about his fascination with Anna.  I loved seeing her finally get up the courage to tell him that she wrote the notes, and what happened afterwards was great.  But she's still having problems with Logan seeing her as more than a friend, or now a friend with benefits. She and Logan start spending time together as more than friends, but she's still fighting for his attention when Anna is around.  She does finally start to gain confidence in herself as a woman and realizes that she deserves better than what she is getting from Logan. I loved seeing her stand up to him and let him know how she felt. I loved the way that she knew Logan so well, but she tended to be a bit of a nag when it came to him going back to being a firefighter.  She had some trouble backing off about that, and it was one of the things that put a strain on their relationship.  Her insecurities about Anna also led her to being rather mean at a party, which wasn't at all like her. I loved seeing her stand up for her own needs, even though it hurt her to do it. There was so much emotion in this section that I went through several tissues.

There were quite a few places where I really wanted to either shake Logan or hit him with a baseball bat.  I completely understood his problems with getting over the tragedy.  There is no timetable for grief and he had a lot to work through. I thought that Amy could have been more understanding about that. When he had that moment where he kissed Amy, it was quite a wake up call for him. Suddenly he was looking at her differently and it really freaked him out, so he tried to ignore it.  Having Anna show up in Destiny gave him the distraction he thought he needed. But as much as he kept telling himself that he really wanted to go out with her, he found it very easy to find reasons not to - everything from his friendship with her brother to his own unsettled life. He didn't want to admit to himself that the reason was his feelings for Amy.  His constant waffling back and forth drove me nuts, and when he allowed Anna to hijack him at the fair I didn't blame Amy for walking off at all. Logan knew he was being an idiot but he couldn't seem to stop himself. When Amy gave him that last lecture about what he should be doing he lost it with her, even though he knew she was right. He was stunned at her ending everything with him, including their friendship, and found himself questioning everything. I liked seeing him finally start dealing with his grief and moving toward getting his life back on track.  His "ah ha" moment was fantastic and made a great ending.

The character of Anna was pretty complex. Her arrival back in Destiny was great as it got the entire Romo family back together. But as a person, I found her pretty obnoxious. I understood her conflict as she is dealing with the fact that her entire life has been a lie. She's overwhelmed by her reception, but she also seemed to be kind of snotty with the way she held herself back. She also appeared to look down on the entire town. I didn't care at all for her pursuit of Logan, as it didn't seem to matter to her if he was truly interested in her. Her actions at the fair were particularly obnoxious. I understood her frustration with Mike's attitude and treatment of her, but having it out with him on his wedding day was just plain mean and selfish. She seemed to be changing by the end, so hopefully that will continue in the next book.

Whisper Falls - Toni Blake (Avon - Jan 2011)

Series: Destiny (Book 3)

Tessa Sheridan came crawling back to her quaint hometown of Destiny after her big-city interior design career crumbled. Now not only must she struggle to make ends meet, but she has to contend with a biker next door and the roar of Harleys shattering the serenity of her cabin in the woods by Whisper Falls.

Worse still, her sexy, bad boy neighbor makes her feel breathless and weak -- and shy, petite Tessa knows what a major mistake it would be to get involved with someone so . . . dangerous.

They say that former teen rebel Lucky Romo has a dark, secret past -- that he's trouble with a capital "T." Still, Tessa feels all tingly when she sees how well he fills out a pair of tight jeans. And when Lucky invites her into his world, she knows the intense heat sparking between them could lead her somewhere wild and wonderful . . . and, yes, dangerous!

A story of second chances and never giving up.  Tessa has come home to Destiny after a long illness wrecked her career.  Now she's working in the local bookstore as she tries to restart her interior design business.  When the cat she's caring for gets away from her, she meets her new next door neighbor Lucky Romo.  He's big, tattooed and scary, but she also sees something different in him.  She senses a loneliness that matches hers, and an attraction that isn't one sided.

Lucky is the long lost little brother of Mike Romo from the previous book Sugar Creek.  When their little sister disappeared years ago, Mike became obsessed with following rules because of his guilty feelings.  Lucky went the other way, acting out in an effort to get the attention of his grieving parents.  His actions got worse until he left town after graduation.  He hasn't been in contact with his family since then.  He got involved in a biker gang for five years before he walked away from that mess.  For the last ten years he's been trying to turn his life around with his own business and staying on the right side of the law. He's returned to Destiny to take control of a new part of his life, though he hasn't faced his family yet. His encounter with Tessa finds him attracted to her, even though she's nothing like the women he usually goes after.  He sees her as a good girl, and with his past feels he's no good for her and tries to stay away.

I loved both Tessa and Lucky.  Tessa is tired of feeling like her life is passing her by because of her illness.  She is determined to do something to shake it up.  Making friends with her scary new neighbor is a good start.  Lucky is determined to keep it just as friends in spite of his intense attraction.  I loved seeing the way that they developed their friendship first.  Lucky hires Tessa to decorate his house and is amazed by how quickly she seems to understand who he is, inside and out. He fights his attraction to her very hard, but realizing that she's just as interested makes it almost impossible.  There are some really funny encounters between the two of them that show the battle raging in him.  Tessa is really curious about Lucky's past and what it is that has him fighting so hard against the sparks between them. I loved the way that she actually listened to him when he finally opened up to her and didn't judge him.  Her acceptance of him as he was went a long way toward changing his life. I loved the scene in the biker bar when Tessa goes to see him there.  She really puts herself out there to show him just how much she wants him. Tessa is a really independent woman who hates that her disease occasionally makes her dependent on other people.  She doesn't like to have anyone around when she's sick, but doesn't have any choice with Lucky.  He refuses to leave her alone.  His care for and of her is so sweet and shows just how great a guy he really is.  

The romance between them is sweet and hot and looks on track for an easy HEA until part of Lucky's past shows up in Destiny.  Suddenly Lucky is worried that his old life has put his family and Tessa in a great amount of danger.  At this point Tessa fears that Lucky will never be able to put those things behind him and live a normal life.  She's not sure she can deal with it all and pulls away, making both herself and Lucky miserable.  I loved seeing the way that Lucky decides their love is worth fighting for and what he does to show her.

I also enjoyed seeing the way that Lucky slowly becomes part of his town again.  The biggest thing he has to face is getting back in touch with his brother and his parents.  I loved seeing him finally able to explain to his parents why he did the things he did back when he was a kid, and how they understood what he had gone through and their part of it all.  His brother Mike was another problem all together.  I liked him in the previous book, especially after Rachel started softening him up a little.  But in a good chunk of this one he was a really judgmental asshole to Lucky and I wanted to smack him.  He redeemed himself, but I wasn't sure it was going to happen until then.