The Cowboy Takes A Bride
Author: Lori Wilde
Source: Publisher
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: Avon
 (March 27, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0062047755

SUMMARY:

Ex-champion bull rider-turned-cutting-horse cowboy Joe Daniels isn’t quite sure how he ended up sleeping in a horse trough wearing nothing but his Stetson and cowboy boots. But now he’s wide-awake, and a citified woman is glaring down at him. His goal? Get rid of her ASAP. The obstacle? Fighting the attraction he feels toward the blond-haired filly with the big, vulnerable eyes. 


When out-of-work wedding planner Mariah Callahan learns that her estranged father has left her a rundown ranch in Jubilee, she has no choice but to accept it. Her goal? Redeem her career by planning local weddings. The obstacle? One emotionally wounded, hard-living cowboy who stirs her guilt, her heartstrings, and her long-burned cowgirl roots…

I am a huge fan of author Lori Wilde!  I love her romantic tales of love and small town charm.  In The Cowboy Takes A Bride we visit the small town of Jubilee.  Insert a sexy cowboy, a big city girl who has lost her way, and a deceased father who leaves her the ranch and you have the fixings for an angst filled romance full of fun.

When Mariah loses her job in the big city as an assistant to a big time wedding planner, she is at a loss of what to do next.  Her ex-boss is making sure that she can’t get a job anywhere in the city and she has been selling her personal belongings just to make ends meet.  When her absentee Father passes away, Mariah is stunned to find out that he has left her the ranch he owned.  Mariah finds herself moving to Jubilee in hopes of selling the ranch for enough money to start over and begin building her own wedding planning business in the city.

When she arrives to the ranch, she meets sexy cutter cowboy Joe Daniels.  Joe lost his wife 2 years to the day of losing his best friend.  Mariah’s father was Joe’s best friend and business partner involving Miracle, the horse that was suppose to be the next prize winning Cutter Horse.  He wants to buy back the land that belonged to Mariah’s father so he can fulfill his friends last wish of opening an Equine Center for disadvantaged children.  He doesn’t have the cash on hand to buy it right away, but he offers a deal to Mariah.  If she will wait until the next show, he will use the winnings to buy the land.  The only problem is that the show isn’t for another two months.  While she agrees to the offer, she starts to discover the need for a wedding planning business in a small town. She decides to build a business of her own in the country town focusing on cowboy weddings.

While I enjoyed the small town feel of the book, the side characters are what made this story enjoyable.  I loved the side story of Ila and Cordy.  Ila has loved Joe forever, but Cordy has been in love with Ila as well.  Insert a love triangle that intercepts the attempts of Mariah and Joe at connecting.  Joe was a great character as well, but I didn’t feel he was suited for Mariah.  Mariah rubbed me the wrong way for some reason and I couldn’t seem to connect with her character.  She seemed selfish and stubborn without giving an inch at times. She seemed cold about the death of her father — even if she didn’t really know him.

This doesn’t happen to be one of my favorites by this author, but it is a sweet and western themed romance for readers to enjoy.

Okay book, but it left me wanting more!

*I received this book free of charge in exchange for an honest review*

Undeniably Yours
Kowalski Family #2
Author: Shannon Stacey
Source: Personal Purchase
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Publisher: HQN Books
 (January 24, 2012)
ISBN-13: 978-0373776856

One-night stand + two percent condom failure rate = happily ever after?


Bar owner Kevin Kowalski is used to women throwing their phone numbers at him, but lately he’s more interested in finding a woman to settle down with. A woman like Beth Hansen. If only their first meeting hadn’t gone so badly…


Beth’s tending bar at a wedding when she comes face-to-face with a tuxedo-clad man she never thought she’d see again. She tries to keep her distance from Kevin but, by last call, she can’t say no to his too-blue eyes or the invitation back to his room. Then she slips out before breakfast without leaving a note and, despite their precautions, pregnant.


Kevin quickly warms to the idea of being a dad and to seeing where things go with Beth. After all, he’s not the player she thinks he is. But she’s not ready for a relationship and, given his reputation, it’s going to take a lot to convince her to go on a second date with the father of her child…

In the second book in the Kowalski Family series, we get to read about Kevin and his journey to finding his happily ever after.  I admit that after reading the first book, I was so excited to read that Kevin’s book was next!  I loved him in the first book and I secretly pined for him up until the end.  He was sexy, fun and a kid at heart.  What more could you ask for in a man?

After a one night escapade between Beth and Kevin after Joe’s wedding, the two part ways after a misunderstanding.  They both keep thinking of the other though and when Beth finds out that the result of their one night is a pregnancy, she finds herself walking into Kevin’s bar to break the news.  Kevin handles the news really well and even strikes up a bargain with Beth.  She can move into the apartment across the hall from him that way he can help her out when she needs it.  He also wants to help with the bills of the pregnancy and finds himself enjoying the soon to be fatherhood status.

Beth wants to keep their relationship as just friends who happen to be having a baby together.  While she denies the attraction between each other, the reader can definitely feel the chemistry between the two.  I did get a little frustrated with Beth because of this because Kevin was trying so hard to convince her that he loved her and the baby.  Beth kept trying to tell him how he felt but never really would accept his true feelings.

The book follows the pregnancy all the way until the end.  Kevin is a great father and really wants to be there for the both of them.  Beth is stubborn and keeps him at arms length up until the last chapter.  The epilogue was sweet and gives the happily ever after the reader expects.  I think this book surpassed the last one in the series, even with Beth getting on my nerves through several scenes and chapters. A great book that leaves the reader with a feel good feeling and craving more Kowalski family drama!

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

Faith & Fidelity
Faith, Love, & Devotion #1
Author: Tere Michaels
Source: Personal Purchase
Genre: Adult M/M Romance
Publisher: Loose Id, LLC
 (January 22, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-1596328365

New York City Vice Detective Evan Cerelli has lost his wife, the only person he ever loved and slept with. He’s trying to get on with his life, build a life for his children. Former Homicide Detective Matt Haight is a ladies’ man, all sex/no commitment. He’s depressed, having a midlife crisis, and not sure where his life is headed. 


The two find friendship in the bottom of a shared bottle. When the friendship turns to love, it shakes two straight men to the core and flips their lives inside out. Kids, families, careers that are not gay-friendly — can all the love in the world overcome the obstacles to faith and fidelity? 

Wow.  Not only has it been a long time since I have read a M/M romance book, but it has been a long time since I read one with so much emotional struggles that actually made the plot worth reading about.  Usually erotic M/M books are all about the smut —  which isn’t really too bad when done right — but they usually fall flat on the book having an actual story line.  With Faith & Fidelity, author Tere Michaels includes a perfect balance between smut heaven and deep feelings of what if.

Evan and Matt are both straight men going through a rough time in their lives.  Evan is still trying to deal with the guilt over his wife’s death and raising four children.  Matt is getting older, lost his shield as a cop, and hating his job lately.  They both meet at a retirement party for a cop, and hit it off as friends needing someone to talk to.  Within a few weeks, the two start to realize they have growing feelings for each other that involve more than just friendship.  Together they try to come to terms with the growing attraction between them and the struggle with accepting that they might not be as straight as they thought.

What I loved the most about this book was the internal struggles that each character went through in learning to accept their sexual orientation.  They had justifiable reasons in being hesitant in continuing with the relationship.  Evan was worried about how his kids and former in-laws would react along with his co-workers.  Matt didn’t really care as much about anyone else’s thoughts on it except for how it would effect Evan and the children.

I also loved the scenes with the children.  They really craved the attention that was lacking from Evan.  When Matt was around, the children noticed that their father was happier and in need of a friend.  I also loved the side characters of Helena and Vic.  They were very supportive of the relationship between Evan and Matt after getting over the initial shock.  Evan’s in-laws were overall a crappy bunch, but they did keep you thinking about how prejudice could keep a couple from exploring what could be.

I laughed, cried and felt like I was riding a roller coaster throughout this book.  The ending was bittersweet because it made me realize the book was done.  I wanted more and thank goodness this is part of series so I can read more.  A new author for me to add to my auto-buy list!

Outstanding book that will stay on my bookshelf for rereading!

Exclusively Yours
Kowalski Family #1
Author: Shannon Stacey
Source: Personal Purchase
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publisher: HQN Books
 (December 20, 2011)
ISBN-13: 978-0373776788

When Keri Daniels’ editor finds out she has previous carnal knowledge of reclusive bestselling author Joe Kowalski, she gives Keri a choice: get an interview or get a new job. 


Joe’s never forgotten the first girl to break his heart, so he’s intrigued to hear Keri’s back in town–and looking for him. Despite his intense need for privacy, he’ll grant Keri an interview if it means a chance to finish what they started in high school. 


He proposes an outrageous plan–for every day she survives with his family on their annual camping and four-wheeling trip, Keri can ask one question. Keri agrees; she’s worked too hard to walk away from her career. 


But the chemistry between them is still as potent as the bug spray, Joe’s sister is out to avenge his broken heart and Keri hasn’t ridden an ATV since she was ten. Who knew a little blackmail, a whole lot of family and some sizzling romantic interludes could make Keri reconsider the old dream of Keri & Joe 2gether 4ever.

I have never read a book by author Shannon Stacey before but when I saw these on the shelves at the store, something about them made me want to buy them and dive into the romance. The back blurb sounded like it would be a fun read that would leave me with a feel good feeling by the last page.  So I came home and dove into the Kowalski family with nothing but hopes of sweet romance.  What I didn’t expect was so much fun, humor and overall enjoyment I would have when reading it!

I will say first off that I was not a huge fan of Keri.  I thought the reason she left in the first place was weak and she came across as a high maintenance snob.  She had to have her facials, spa treatments, and perfectly manicured nails to go along with shopping sprees to make her feel better.  At first I thought maybe her boss would be a great friend of hers, but that wasn’t the case by the end of the book.

Joe was a great character and I not only loved him in this book, but all of the other characters as well.  He was patient and lovable to the point of perfection at times.  While I don’t think the cover image does him justice, his personality is what stood out to me in the story.  He obviously is still caring around feelings for Keri and loves pushing her to the limit with the teasing, but he also doesn’t want to get hurt again.  When Keri left him after high school graduation, he went down a rocky path and is now a recovering alcoholic. He has made his life as a famous author but keeping his feet planted firmly on the ground while being surrounded by a family he loves.

When Keri comes looking for an exclusive interview with Joe for the company she is working for, she hopes it will give her career the push it needs to promotion.  He agrees to give her an interview but only on his terms which include attending the Kowalski Family Camping Trip.

I fell in love with this family and just couldn’t wait to read more about them.  I have already ran out and purchased the remaining books in the series that are out right now.  The side stories made it even more enjoyable and kept the reader hooked for following books.  Seriously, the only thing not giving this book a 5 star rating is the fact that Keri was not my favorite character. A sweet and fun romance that had me laughing — and at times crying — in every chapter.

Keri snorted. ” Dad only chased him to the end of the block.  Even a ’78 Granada could outrun a middle-age fat guy with a five iron.”
” I fail to see the humor in this.”
“You didn’t see my old man chasing taillights down the middle of the street in his bathrobe.  It wasn’t very funny at the time, though.”
—Keri and Tina, page 12

“Okay, it’s like this…”
“Ha!  It may have been a long time, but I’ve heard that before.  Fairy tales start with once upon a time and Kowalski tales start with okay, it’s like this.”
—Joe and Keri, page 197

Very Good! I would recommend this book!

Stranger
Author: Megan Hart
Source: Personal Purchase
Genre: Adult Erotic Romance
Publisher: Spice
 (January 1, 2009)
ISBN-13: 978-0373605279

I pay strangers to sleep with me. I have my reasons… 


But they’re not the ones you expect. For starters, I’m a funeral director taking over my dad’s business. Not exactly the sort of person you’d expect to fork over cash for the lust and urgency only live, skin-to-skin contact can create. Looking at me, you wouldn’t have a clue I carry this little secret so close it creases up like the folds of a fan. Tight. Personal. Ready to unravel in the heat of the moment. 


Unsurprisingly, my line of work brings me face to face with loss. So I decided long ago that paying for sex would be one of the best (and arousing) ways to save myself from the one thing that would eventually cut far too deep. 


But Sam was a mistake. Literally. I signed on to “pick up” a stranger at a bar, but took Sam home instead. And now that I’ve felt his heat, his sweat and everything else can I really go back to impersonal? 
Let’s just hope he never finds out about my other life…

After reading Dirty by author Megan Hart, I was craving another gritty and dark erotica from her.  This author has a way of digging deep into a flawed character and bringing out a story of survival, sex, and romance.  Stranger fits perfectly into those categories mentioned, and keeps the reader craving even more.

Grace works in funeral home that has been in the family for years.  After her Father goes into retirement, she is the only family member willing to take on the task of running the funeral home.  Obviously, working in a funeral home is bad on the mind.  She doesn’t like having to experience the emotions that go along with her business.  So instead of dealing with loss and such, she focus’ her emotions into having sex with strangers.  Grace feels that if she has sex with strangers, emotional attachment won’t be a problem and she won’t have to face the death of a partner later in life.  She is detached and doesn’t want to feel the loss of losing someone she loves.  So far this has always worked, but then she meets Sam at a bar.  She hooks up with him thinking he is one of the ‘strangers’ she pays for sex.  Of course, Sam isn’t that person and has no clue that Grace lives this lifestyle.  After parting ways, Grace thinks that is the last time she will see Sam.

While I did enjoy the plot and story, I wasn’t a huge fan of Grace.  I just couldn’t connect with her like I did with the other characters.  I really did enjoy how the author brought back previous characters from Dirty, and enjoyed how they connected into the story line with Grace and Sam.  I did feel that Grace’s Father was a little too nosy for his own good and needed to step back a few times.  He really needed to let Grace handle things herself and realize that she is a grown woman.  Sam was enjoyable but not present enough in the book to be fully captivating.  When he did appear on the pages, he stole the scene every time for me.  I just wish he would have been around a little more than what the author offered.

While I didn’t think this book was as great as Dirty, I did find myself devouring it just as fast.  I needed to know how the book was going to play out and what would happen between Sam and Grace.

Very Good! I would recommend this book!