Blackburn by Brynne Asher

OMgoodness!!! Stinkin' freakin' LOVED LOVED LOVED Gabe and Lillian's story! It had the perfect amount of danger/action, rescue, settlin' in, fallin' in love that I adore!! And that's sayin' something because it's not often I really fall for someone who's more "suit" than "black-ops camo" - but Gabe totally pulled off the OTT alpha possessive/protective/bad@$$ that I am crazy about. Lillian herself rocked -- being real and sweet and smart and feminine and just awesome in her own right. 

Brynne Asher is quickly becoming an author who's stories I adore! I can't wait to discover more!

Phoenix Heat by Patti Sherry-Crews

If you’ve read (and loved) Desert Heat, you’ll want to pick up Phoenix Heat. Harper, Boone and Angel’s daughter, heads back to the desert to her parents home, trying to start over from a messy situation. What she wasn’t doing was looking for a man, but from the moment her and Flynn meet, you feel the sparks between them - even if they’re not always the fun kind. Like her parent’s love story, Harper has a fight on her hands to break through Flynn’s walls and figure out her own head so they can settle into their own happily-ever-after love story. Good thing she’s stubborn like both her parents and Flynn has a heart of gold.


I loved getting to see each layer of the story get peeled back, making you fall in love with Flynn and wanting to knock down everyone’s walls so that they can heal and finally find their happy.


Phoenix Heat gives you a tender-hearted cowboy firefighter and a strong woman settling into herself, and delivers on the sizzle!

Desert Heat by Patti Sherry-Crews

What happens when you mix up a single mom struggling to make ends meet and protect her and her kid's heart with a fire-fightin' cowboy who's got a soft spot for taking care of others?

Explosions!

I loved this novella-length story that definitely gave me all the fully developed feels of a full length novel! The sparks and attraction between Boone and Angel are obvious, but she's got some major walls up around her that give Boone a challenge. My heart ached watching Angel learning to trust and break through her chains. Boone swept me away with how open and determined he was to win Angel over. The excitement at the end kept my stomach in knots wondering just how things would work out.

If you love cowboys (and seeing them do cowboy things), and love firefighters (and seeing them do their fire-fighting thing), and love single parent stories (and the cute kids that come along with) - this book is for you!

Burning Bridges by Mayra Statham

Whew!! This is HOT HOT HOT!! Maverick and Sophia are combustible! Mav and Sophia meet, but it turns out, he's her older brothers best friend, so all of a sudden, they're forbidden. And y'all know what happened with the forbidden fruit, right? Stolen tastes lead to more.....

I loved seeing how Sophia stuck up for herself and knew she deserves something real and not hidden.

I loved seeing how Maverick finally pulled his head out of his butt concerning Sophia. He couldn't stop chasing her, knew she was his, but sure needed to man up about some things!

If you like an easy-one-sitting read with smoldering flames that quickly build to an inferno, you don't want to miss this!

The Vampires of Antyllus by Michael E. Gonzales

(The Unborn Galaxy Book 4)

This was the first book of Mike Gonzales that I had the opportunity to read, and I was pleased to discover how much I enjoyed traveling to a new planet and imagining what might enfold.

Kathy and Dave connected as they journeyed to a new world. Once there, they adjust to their future, establishing friendships, building relationships, and discovering some hidden treasures. They also learn of an evil plan and lead the way to eliminate that horror with the help of some unlikely allies and new friends.

I was amazed by the world built around me -- so much detail and such creativity from the tiniest plant life to the amazing wonders in the sky! All the twists and turns kept me at the edge of my seat, ready for when the dust would settle.

If you’re a fan of adventure with an other-worldly twist, you won’t want to miss this!

Gunsmoke and Lace by Linda Broday

Linda Broday can write some delightful short stories that dish out the goodness. Each of the 4 stories can be easily read and enjoyed when you only have a few minutes to read. 

The Telegraph Tree
Faith, answered prayers, and stubborn resilience brings Maura through to a new hea ending. Cute!!

Moon Dog Night
A tough little boy shows immeasurable love and devotion to his family. A man with a heart of gold buried under a tiring soul. A precious little girl. A mama with a quiet and gentle heart. Sometimes bad things happen to pull together beauty. Loved this little story!!

The Gunslinger
Eeek!! Omgoodness! I adored this story and honestly while I loved I was a novellette and that I could get my hea quickly, I'd have LOVED a 500+ page novel for Cade and Skye! So much goodneed packed into a little space! Forgiveness, trust, acceptance, and devotion are all weaved into their beautiful happily ever after 2nd chance journey.

Hard Luck
First impressions aren't always what it seems. And twists allow for pleasant surprises and choosing wiser paths. This is a sweet story about pausing and looking deeper and making better choices.

One thing I loved about all the stories is the common theme of needing someone to lean on, being a partner, lover, friend. How special and needed it is to hold someone, and be held. To matter to someone, be worthy of love, and show that others matter to you.

You won't want to miss this sweetly entertaining collection.

Lawless Love by Rosanne Bittner

November 2016 reread: still am so in love with Moss and his Mandy! Each reread draws me in tightly. Now that it's on my kindle, I have pages after passages after pages highlighted. So much good!!!

***

This book is another one of my top favs that will always have a home on my keeper shelf.

I absolutely adored Mandy and Moss's story - even if a few times my being outside the story made me see things they couldn't and make me want to knock them both out and grrrr at them! :) But I think that's why I loved it so much, cause despite that, I couldn't help but fall in love with them and understood where their reactions came from and why they did what they did. Moss quickly became one of my favorite heroes - and Mandy reminded me a lot of myself. The strength of their love for each other poured off the pages and kept me enthralled from the first page to the last.

EEK! Update: This is available on Kindle now!! Can't wait to do (yet another) reread!!

Until Tomorrow by Rosanne Bittner

I rather have a weakness for tough outlaws who actually have soft hearts they're protecting, and know that a good woman is a treasure worth pursuing no matter the obstacles. Cole and Addy have quite the journey and fight on their hands to make their hea come true. But as any good love story goes, true love wins and helps heal the past.

Margarita and the Hired Gun by Patti Sherry-Crews

5+ swoon-filled stars!! Seriously!!

(deep breath) oh. my. word.

You know that awesome book hangover feeling you get when you've fallen HARD for both the hero and heroine in a story and you just can't quite start another book yet because your heart is still wrapped up in the pages of the one you finished? Yeah - this story did that to me.

Margarita -- she's like her drink namesake - she sure looks pretty, but wow, is there a surprise punch behind the first yummy lookin' sip! haha! What you think you know about her, you may be surprised after digging just a bit deeper. I ADORED her and found myself wishing that if I could have truly been her, I would have have the same vulnerable sweetness that needed protecting along with the same bad@ssness to hold my own till my rescuer arrived - and just the right mix of innocence and brazenness.

Michael (Rafferty)..... ohhhh, that man!! When we first meet him walking down the stairs in the brothel, his presence overflowed the page and filled the room in real life just as in the book. And I was swoon' with the rest of them. The more I got to know him, the tighter his hold on my heart became - until finally I messaged my friend and said, "That's it -- I'm done *grabby hands* he's MINE." LOL. He was a perfect hero for me: strong, stubborn, protective, bossy, little on the dangerous/bad boy side, but yet also sweet, caring, gentle, honorable, a lot a bit on the swoony side. And can we talk about his scruffy face?!!? (thud)

Watching the relationship grow and bloom between Michael and Margarita was so much fun -- I was laughing, swooning, grumbling, tearin' up as each new drama/danger/situation was faced. Each event organically builds on the next making it so you just gotta keep going and find out what happens next! Watching each individually learn to trust and become a stronger, better version of themselves was natural and beautiful as well.

This is one amazing story that I'm so delighted to have discovered. Margarita and the Hired Gun has totally enthralled me and holds a special place on my favorite shelf. I look forward to rereading their story and experiencing all the thrills and delights over and over again.

And just sayin'... the ending and epilogue: PERFECTION.
.... and I so desperately hope there's a sequel sometime!!!

To Catch a Texas Star by Linda Broday

Blurb:

He'll do what it takes to prove his love...

The son of a notorious outlaw, Roan Penny yearns to make his life count...but heroism comes with a price. Left badly injured, only the kindness of a gentle stranger can save him. He longs to be with the captivating beauty―his savior, his Texas star, his Marley Rose McClain―but he knows he'd bring her nothing but trouble.

If only he could convince his heart of that.

Marley's lived a charmed life, and she's determined to spend the rest of her days at her quiet hero's side...but she isn't what she seems. A life-long secret threatens to destroy everything she knows―and everything she could hope to be. As dangerous men threaten to pull her back into the shadows, a desperate Roan must ride hell-bent for leather to save the other half of his heart...before he can lose her light for good.







My review:

5 shootin' stars for Marley Rose and Roan Penny!

I have a soft spot for the McClain family ever since first meeting Duel and Jessie in Knight on the Texas Plain and was ecstatic to learn that we'd get Marley's story in To Catch a Texas Star. And boy, I was NOT disappointed at all!! On the first page I was transported back in time and landed in the middle of trouble and the journey just rolled on from there.

Marley Rose has one of the most gentle and winsome souls; her affection and compassion for others and delightful creativity pour off the pages and you can't help but adore her. 

Roam Penny has this bone-deep fortitude and integrity about him that draws you in and keeps your attention. Marley found a man who was like her father in the way he cared for and protected his family - to his last breath if need be. But I also think he was like Granny Jack's cats -- that man had 9 lives and wasn't afraid to use them! haha!

There were so many little enjoyable tid-bits and discoveries wrapped up in the pages that helped to set the scene and give some happy-feel-good moments. This worked well to balance out the adventure and danger and poignant moments. I enjoyed getting to experience life with the McClains again and see their new happily ever after.

Purchase Link:
Releases July 3, 2018 - pre-order available now!
Amazon

The Darker Side of Goodness by Cheryl Pierson

Thought provoking and twistedly interesting little short story. You feel Jack's world finish its crumbling descent to the darkest depths of betrayal. Trying to decide what to believe and how important knowing the deepest truth can be a difficult decision with heavy consequences.

While there is heartache and anger and a thread of suspended disbelief wrapped into the story, there is also a touch of twisted justice and redemption and revenge that makes the story complete.

Perfection by Anna Lowe

(Blue Moon Saloon .5)

I discovered Anna Lowe through her Serendipity Adventure books and thought I'd give one of her free shifter stories a chance. (shrug) thinking maybe I'd enjoy the quick read... Well, I was immediately intrigued and then hooked! I'm glad I gave it a chance and I look forward to getting more of Simon and Jessica's story.

I'm beginning to think that AL is one of the authors who'll no matter what genre she writes in, I'll enjoy her story because of how she writes and can sweep me into her story.