Just in Time - Addison Fox (Signet - Aug 2013)

Series: Alaskan Nights (Book 3)

Sometimes your past is the only link to your future.

After a rejuvenating trip to Ireland, Avery Marks can't help her frustration with the pace of her life in Alaska. Back in the small town of Indigo--where everyone knows everyone else's business--Avery dreams of a bigger life. But with her ex-boyfriend back in town, it's hard to get the past out of her head.

Drafted by the NHL right out of high school, Roman Forsyth left behind the love of his life to follow his pro career. With an injury sidelining him, Roman isn't sure how much longer he'll be at the top of his game. He is sure that he wants Avery just as much as he ever did.

While Roman wants a chance to make things right, Avery isn't sure she can just forgive and forget. But when their long-buried passion sizzles back to life, they need to escape the watchful eyes of the rest of the town long enough to figure out if it's any harder to stay together than it's been to stay apart ...

Good book.  After fourteen years Roman has come back to Indigo as he deals with an injury. This puts him back in the same town with his high school sweetheart, Avery. He had left her behind when he followed his dream, but has never forgotten her or their love. Avery has stayed mostly in their hometown, working at the hotel, and dreaming of more. She's never gotten over Roman, but isn't so sure that she wants to risk that much misery by getting involved with him again.

Roman and Avery had a complicated relationship. He hadn't asked her to go with him because he didn't want her to have to choose between him and her mother at that time, though he never told her that. Instead he left, just sending gifts back home. Now he's had a possibly career ending injury and has to decide what to do. He doesn't know who he is without being a hockey player, so he's going though some major confusion. It doesn't help that he hasn't told anyone about the injury and so has no one to talk to about it. He would like to pick back up with Avery, but her career is starting to take off and he can't see how they have any chance to be together.

Avery has spent years still loving Roman. She's just about at the point of trying to move on when he comes home and she realizes that she will always love him. But after seeing some more of the world, sh'es ready to spread her wings and see what else is out there. She'd like to see if she and Roman could be together, but he isn't showing any signs of wanting more than short term while he's home. She decides to take what she can get and see what happens from there.

I completely understood Avery's initial reluctance to get involved with Roman. She had so much to lose emotionally. I liked seeing her get to know the grown up Roman and how well they really got along. She could sense that there was something bothering him, but she couldn't get him to open up to her. I loved the confidence she had to go after her own dreams instead of waiting on him to say something. I liked how she stopped blaming him for what had happened and accepted that she made her own choices, and that she was making her own choices now.

Roman also has to accept that he made the choices he did for himself and stop pretending that he had done things that were best for her. Once he accepts that responsibility he can look at making other changes in his life. His insecurities about who he is outside of hockey are pretty sad. He can't see what a terrific person he really is, even when Avery tries to tell him. Keeping his injury secret from her is just one more thing that works against him. 

I really wanted to smack them both and tell them to actually talk to each other. It was the only way for them to be able to find a future together. Fortunately, they figured it out before it was too late.

I loved being back in Indigo and seeing all the fantastic friendships. Avery and her friends were hilarious when they got together, as were Roman and his two buddies. It was fun seeing Roman's reactions to Walker's and Mick's new worlds. It was also fun to see his grandmother fall in love. Roman's attitude and reactions were hysterical and I loved seeing his grandmother call he out on them. I also enjoyed all the other wacky residents of the town.

Dash of Peril - Lori Foster (HQN - Mar 2014)

Series: Love Undercover (Book 4)

To bring down a sleazy abduction ring, Lieutenant Margaret "Margo" Peterson has set herself up as bait. But recruiting Dashiel Riske as her unofficial partner is a whole other kind of danger. Dash is six feet four inches of laid-back masculine charm, a man who loves life -- and women -- to the limit. Until Margo is threatened, and he reveals a dark side that may just match her own….

Beneath Margo's tough facade is a slow-burning sexiness that drives Dash crazy. The only way to finish this case is to work together side by side…skin to skin. And as their mission takes a lethal turn, he'll have to prove he's all the man she needs -- in all the ways that matter….

Fantastic book. I've been looking forward to Dash's book.  He is a confident but mostly laid-back kind of guy, who also has a wide protective streak. In previous books in the series his interest in Margo has become more obvious. In this one, that interest also has him getting involved in her latest case. Margo has been on the trail of men who kidnap women and force them to make pornographic movies by setting herself up as bait. Dash has been watching her and steps in to save her life when she is attacked. Margo isn't happy that a civilian has put himself in danger, but she can't get him to back off.

I loved the heat between the two of then. Their attraction is off the charts. Margo is a take charge kind of person in all ways, but Dash is able to get her to show a softer side to him. I loved seeing Margo give up some of her control to him and enjoy it. As the days went on and they were constantly together, Dash realized that Margo was exactly what he was looking for in his life. I loved seeing how quickly he accepted that he was in love with her.  He "only" needed to show her that she could have both a personal and a professional life.

Margo took a lot longer. Her family was all involved in law enforcement and her father had treated her more like a boy that a girl. His attitude had her repressing her emotions and denying any kind of physical weakness, even after being wounded. She had absolutely no idea how to cope with Dash's care and concern for her. I also loved seeing her learn that it's okay to lean on someone now and then. It was a lot of fun to see her learn to trust not just Dash, but the other guys also. Some of the best scenes were when Logan and Reece saw her as something other than their tough boss.

I really enjoyed the building relationship between Dash and Margo. Dash's complete trust that Margo was fully capable as a cop didn't change the fact that he was still protective of her. He knew when to back of and let her do her job, but he also had good instincts for when he needed to stay close. Margo had the most changing to do as she learned how to trust someone other than herself. She was a bit confused by how willing she was to let Dash closer than anyone else had ever gotten. I loved some of the reactions of people to the "new" Margo.

The suspense was great as Margo got closer to catching the bad guys. Her injuries gave Dash the chance to get closer, and also put him there when things really started hopping. The main bad guys were known from the beginning and seeing what they were doing and why helped move the story along. It also gave an indication of how and why they were going to get caught.  There were indications that there was more to the story than was evident at first, and there was an interesting twist at the end.

I liked seeing more of Cannon and I'm really looking forward to his story.

The Real Thing - Brenda Jackson (HD #2287 - Mar 2014)

Series: Westomrelands (Book 28)

No red-blooded man turns down the chance to escort gorgeous Trinity Matthews -- and Adrian Westmoreland is definitely red-blooded. For her, he'll pretend to be her man. But keeping his hands to himself? That is impossible. A Westmoreland always keeps his word, but how long before Adrian turns this fake affair into something real?

Very good book. Trinity is having problems at work, where a fellow doctor and supervisor is making unwelcome advances. He is also threatening her with ruining her career if she doesn't cooperate. Trinity is the sister-in-law of one of Adrian's cousins, so he offers to play the part of her boyfriend to discourage this guy. It's no hardship for him, as Trinity is a gorgeous woman.

Adrian has been told by various family members to behave himself with Trinity. They all know he is a bit of a ladies' man, but she is family. The problem is, he's been attracted to her for a long time. He really does try, but the mutual attraction they have is too strong. Trinity knows Adrian's reputation, and she also knows that she has no plans to stay in Denver after her residency is finished. The attraction is just as strong on her part and she is quite willing to pursue it, even though it has no future.

I loved Adrian's protectiveness. He is determined that the doctor in question will no succeed and is willing to do what's necessary. Of course, he's thoroughly enjoying being around Trinity. Adrian has no plans to settle down any time soon, but it isn't long before his thinking starts to change. Trinity is different than his usual girlfriend and he discovers that those differences have him picturing a different future. He just has to figure out how to deal with the conflict between her plans and his.

Trinity likes Adrian a lot, and discovers they have much more in common that she thought they did. Their initial playacting takes a turn for the real thing. Trinity plans to go back to Florida to practice which leaves no room for a future with Adrian, but that doesn't stop her from thinking about it.

I loved Trinity's independence, even though she occasionally took it to extremes. She spent a long time trying to cope with that other doctor on her own before accepting help. I was glad to see her accept the help offered. As she and Adrian got closer she was torn between her two desires -  to be with him and to go home to practice medicine. If they had just sat down and talked to each other they might have figured out things a little quicker.

I enjoyed the whole harassment story line. That doctor was a real piece of work and it was a joy to see him get what was coming to him. There were a couple scenes with him and Adrian that were great. The threats that were made against Trinity were terrible, and I loved seeing the way that she decided to make a stand. The final showdown was fantastic.

A Taste of Temptation - Cat Schield (HD #2314 - July 2014)

Series: Las Vegas Nights (Book 3)

Is lasting love on the menu?

Hotelier Harper Fontaine only wants one thing in life: to take over her family's business empire. And she won't let celebrity chef Ashton Croft screw up the new restaurant in her Vegas showcase. Getting the adventurer to meet deadlines is hard enough, but turning down the flame on their uncontrollable chemistry soon proves impossible.

Ashton has traveled the world but has never encountered a delicacy as delicious as Harper. Sure, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, but will Ashton stay for Harper...especially when the chips are down and she suddenly stands to lose it all?

Excellent conclusion to the series. Harper is the intense one of the three sisters, and the one who wants the CEO job the most. One of the show pieces of her Las Vegas hotel is the new restaurant that is due to open soon. Her problem is getting her celebrity chef to stick around long enough to get the job done. Ashton has a lot on his plate, but getting closer to Harper is getting more appealing every day.

I loved Harper and Ashton. The chemistry between them was hot and their encounters even hotter. Harper has had something of a crush on Ashton for a long time. She is a huge fan of his show The Culinary Wanderer (reminds me of Tony Bourdain's No Reservations) and could think of no one better for her restaurant. But she has been extremely frustrated by his apparent inability to commit any time to getting things done. When he is around nothing pleases him and he makes constant changes. She has also discovered that the charisma he shows on television is nothing to what it is like in person, and her attraction to him keeps growing.

Ashton had an interesting childhood as the son of missionaries, but by the time he was a teen he hated the life. He ran away when he was fifteen and after some early missteps found his calling in cooking. As much as he enjoys what he does, he is always looking for ways to step up his game. At the time of the book he has several things going on and none of them are going the way he wants them to. His attraction to Harper is also interfering with his concentration when he needs it most. 

Things start going a bit out of control for Harper when she finds out her mother is being blackmailed, but won't tell her why, her sisters reveal a secret that could explain it, but that also makes her question who she is, and then she and Ashton act on their attraction.  Being around Ashton makes her think of some of the things she wishes she could do, but can't because of her hotel work. When her life takes an unexpected turn, she takes what she finds out and spontaneously sets out to discover the truth. 

Once they stop butting heads, Harper and Ashton discover that there is more than just attraction between them. Ashton finds that there is a lot he likes about Harper. He also sees that there is a bit of an adventurer buried under all her organization and control and he wants to see her take advantage of it. Harper looks past the fame and charisma and finds a man who is searching for something, even though he doesn't realize it. I loved seeing her try to open his eyes to what he was struggling over.

I loved seeing their connection as they grew closer. I could see their love growing stronger, even though neither realized at first how they felt. It was great to see Ashton's support of Harper during her trip to Africa, and how determined he was to be there for her whatever she needed. He wanted more with her, but wasn't sure he could ever be what she needed. He had to take a hard look at what he wanted and decide what was most important to him. Harper also had to look at her future and decide some things herself. I really enjoyed the ending and seeing how both of them finally accepted who they were meant to be and what they did with it.

The Sheikh's Son - Kristi Gold (HD #2313 - July 2014)

Series: Bajul (Book 3)
          Billionaires and Babies (Book 47)

Her sheikh, her prince...her pretend husband?

Prince Adan Mehdi isn't normally one to back off from a beautiful woman, but there's something so pure about American heiress Piper McAdams that it seems like the honorable thing to do. Piper believes in his good intentions until his supermodel ex shows up with their baby Still, Piper agrees to show Adan the parenting ropes and pretend to be his wife until custody with his ex is settled. But playing royal house tests the prince's resolve, and soon things get steamier than either of them imagined. Could a real white wedding be in their future?

I have been looking forward to Adan's story since reading his brothers' and this did not disappoint.  He has been very good at playing the playboy jet jockey, but in this book he is trying to repair his reputation and show his brothers a more responsible side. When he meets Piper he is immediately attracted to her, but he's trying to behave himself. After finding out that she is on her way to his country he invites her to spend time with him. Adan is used to people knowing who he is, so when Piper doesn't he decides not to tell her right away. He really enjoys be treated as a normal person and waits as long as he can before telling her.

Piper noticed Adan as soon as she saw him, but didn't expect a man like him to be interested in her. She was surprised by his advances and very attracted to him. She's ready to pursue that attraction, but Adan seems a bit reluctant. When she finds out who he is she wonders if she can trust him, but the attraction is still pulling at her.

Just as they get to Bajul and arrive at Adan's home, he gets quite a surprise. His ex girlfriend shows up with a baby she says is his and turns it over to him. Adan quickly accepts the baby as his, but is a bit out of his depth in caring for him, so Piper offers to help. When they are spotted by reporters, they claim the baby is Piper's and that they are married in order to keep the truth quiet until Adan works out custody. 

Adan comes to care for Piper very quickly, but believes that he is unable to sustain a long term relationship with anyone. He has spent most of his life believing that he is the product of an affair his mother had, and that his father didn't want him around because of that. It has affected the way that he looks at relationships and love. He dreams about a future with her, but his fears cause him to push her away. And when she gets involved in the revelation of a long term secret he doesn't take it well. It takes some straight talk from his former nanny for him to see the truth.

Piper falls for Adan even though he has made it clear that he doesn't do long term relationships. As he talks about his past, she sees the hurt he still carries from his childhood. When she discovers a long held secret she knows that he has to be told, even though it may cause her some problems. She is motivated by some issues with her mother. Those same issues also affect the way she looks at baby Sam and his situation. She feels that she and Adan could have a great life together if only he would believe it too. I loved  the way that she took the risk and told him how she felt. 

One of my favorite things about this book was seeing Adan with baby Sam. Even though he is nervous, he jumps right in to take care of Sam himself. I especially loved the image of the two of them asleep. Adan's determination to be a better father than his had been just leaps off the page and makes him that much more lovable to me.

Dating a Single Dad - Kris Fletcher (HS #1937 - July 2014)

Series: Comeback Cove (Book 3)

A family worth staying for...

Brynn Catalano is in Comeback Cove to help her cousin with a relationship crisis and plan a major anniversary celebration for the local dairy. Sure, her new landlord, Hank North, is worth a second look...or three But she's here only for a short time, and definitely not for romance, especially with a single dad.

Still, she can't resist Hank's daughter, Millie. The girl is almost as charming as her gorgeous daddy, and Brynn is surprised at how easily their twosome accommodates her...and how much she likes that. Yet when the job and the crisis are over there's nothing to keep Brynn here. Or is there?

Brynn has come to Comeback Cove to help out her cousin Taylor. She is living in a vacation cabin owned by Hank. Brynn does a lot of temporary jobs as she likes the variety and doesn't like to stay in one place too long. She is also devoted to her family and feels compelled to assist when any of them are having a problem. 

Brynn is a fixer. She hates to see someone struggling if she can help. With her cousin claiming to have fallen out of love with her fiance and into love with his brother, Brynn's idea is for Taylor to immerse herself in all things Ian to remind her of why she loved him to start with. Meanwhile, Brynn is getting settled into her event planning job. Living in one of Hank's cabins, she frequently finds herself entertaining Hank's daughter Millie. Millie is adorable and Brynn really enjoys being around her. Hank is a single father who sometimes seems overwhelmed, so Brynn offers to help out whenever she can.

Hank is the youngest of the brothers and is often frustrated by his family's frequent interference in his life. It has caused him to pull away from them somewhat and try to assert his independence. It also means that he resists asking for help from anyone, even when he really needs it. He finds it easier to accept help from Brynn. He is attracted to her, but doesn't want to get involved with someone who won't be staying. He really doesn't want to risk Millie getting attached, only to be left behind.

It was hard to see Brynn trying to "fix" Taylor's relationship with Ian. It was so obvious that she didn't have a clue about the depth of Taylor's feelings. I just wanted to shake her and tell her that you can't force it. I could see the potential for disaster as the book went on. Brynn also had her developing relationship with Hank to deal with. I could see how much she was really starting to care for him and Millie, but her fears were holding her back. She has to learn to trust herself and others. I loved seeing her go from ready to run when things got intense, to wanting to stay because her love for Hank and Millie made all the risks worth it.

Hank also had some growing to do. He had to learn that sometimes it's better to face your fears than to hide away from them. I loved his relationship with his daughter and how everything he did was to try to make things better for her. It was great to see him think back on his marriage and the aftermath and realize that he has the ability to move on thanks to the feelings he has for Brynn. I loved how her influence has him opening up more to his family than he has in years. The dance scene at the end was fantastic and showed just how much of an effect Brynn had had on all of them.

One of the best things about the book was how real the emotions and actions felt.  From Taylor's misery over what was happening to her love life, to the mess that happened at the end, it was easy to feel that it could really happen that way. The interactions among all the family members also felt real. There was obviously plenty of love, but there were also frustrations and the occasional hurt feelings. I loved the grandmother, Moxie, and the ways she used to get people to do what she wanted. I also really had fun at the beginning, when Taylor was explaining how good Brynn is at getting things done, especially in regards to her brother and his hockey team.

The Last Cowboy Standing - Barbara Dunlop (HD #2303 - May 2014)

Series: Colorado Cattle Barons (Book 6)

Rope 'em. Ride 'em. Wed 'em?

With his family pressuring him to settle down, Travis Jacobs hightails it to the rodeo for a no-strings fling. But the bull rider never expected to bump into Danielle Marin. The pretty lawyer once rebuffed his flirtations. Now, however, she looks ready for a little fun.

Danielle knows getting involved with a rogue like Travis will only lead to heartache. Her career in question, she should be thinking with her head, not the heat of their kisses. But when all roads lead back to Colorado -- and Travis -- resistance is futile. Will she finally manage to lasso the last cowboy standing?

Good book. Travis and Danielle have known each other for a couple years and strike sparks every time they meet. Danielle thinks he's rude and stuck on himself, and Travis thinks she's a bit of a snob, but he's attracted to her anyway. Travis is in Las Vegas for a rodeo at the same time Danielle is there for a lawyer's conference and they run into each other. This time the sparks burn brighter and they decide to see what happens. 

Danielle is a focused and independent woman. She has always been told to look out for her interests because any man she gets involved with will have his own interests in mind no matter what he says. She has an excellent job in Chicago, with some trips to Colorado to work with one of her clients, Caleb, who is friends and neighbors with Travis. Danielle has been offered an excellent job with another firm in DC and is trying to decide what to do. One of the lawyers at that firm is an old boyfriend who is pressuring her to accept the job. Danielle doesn't take well to someone trying to tell her what to do, plus she now has Travis on the other side telling her not to take the job because the other guy is just trying to get her there for him. Danielle wants to be able to make up her own mind. She's trying to think logically about the offer, but thoughts of Travis keep interfering. 

Travis was in Las Vegas to blow off some steam. He is the last unmarried member of his family and is feeling a bit of pressure. He is also the one who is now in charge of running the family ranch, as all of his siblings have married and taken other paths. He feels that he wasn't really given the option about what he wanted to do and occasionally feels trapped. Escaping for a few days of rodeo and perhaps a chance to spend some time with a woman gives him an outlet for the frustration. Seeing Danielle perks him right up because he really does enjoy their encounters. He's dismayed to find out about her possible move because he realizes how much he would miss her. He also discovers that he is very possessive, and the old boyfriend really bugs him. It's kind of fun watching the things his jealousy gets him into, especially since he doesn't really realize that jealousy is what he's feeling. When Travis sees something he wants or thinks something should be a certain way, he does whatever he has to to make it happen. In this case he has an idea of a way to keep Danielle in Colorado and pursues it, not realizing that it can appear that he is trying to manipulate her. 

In the end, Travis had to suck it up and admit what he did, but he had also realized by that time just why he did it. I loved the vulnerability that showed as he told Danielle how he felt. On her part, Danielle had to trust her feelings and believe that what she and Travis had would last. I really loved that last scene in the hotel room and the way that Danielle totally surprised Travis.