Wednesday, May 31, 2017

The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband (Rokesbys #2) by Julia Quinn Blog Tour

The Girl with the Make-Believe Husband
Rokesbys #2
By: Julia Quinn

Releasing May 30, 2017
Avon
While you were sleeping...

With her brother Thomas injured on the battlefront in the Colonies, orphaned Cecilia Harcourt has two unbearable choices: move in with a maiden aunt or marry a scheming cousin. Instead, she chooses option three and travels across the Atlantic, determined to nurse her brother back to health. But after a week of searching, she finds not her brother but his best friend, the handsome officer Edward Rokesby. He's unconscious and in desperate need of her care, and Cecilia vows that she will save this soldier's life, even if staying by his side means telling one little lie...

I told everyone I was your wife

When Edward comes to, he's more than a little confused. The blow to his head knocked out six months of his memory, but surely he would recall getting married. He knows who Cecilia Harcourt is—even if he does not recall her face—and with everyone calling her his wife, he decides it must be true, even though he'd always assumed he'd marry his neighbor back in England.

If only it were true...

Cecilia risks her entire future by giving herself—completely—to the man she loves. But when the truth comes out, Edward may have a few surprises of his own for the new Mrs. Rokesby.


Julia Quinn 

Julia Quinn is the New York Times bestselling author of twenty-five novels for Avon Books, and one of only sixteen authors ever to be inducted in the Romance Writers of America Hall of Fame. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her family.

Manhattan Island
July 1779

            His head hurt.
            Correction, his head really hurt.
            It was hard to tell, though, just what sort of pain it was. He might have been shot through the head with a musket ball. That seemed plausible, given his current location in New York (or was it Connecticut?) and his current occupation as a captain in His Majesty’s army.
            There was a war going on, in case one hadn’t noticed.
            But this particular pounding—the one that felt more like someone was bashing his skull with a cannon (not a cannonball, mind you, but an actual cannon) seemed to indicate that he had been attacked with a blunter instrument than a bullet.
            An anvil, perhaps. Dropped from a second-story window.
            But if one cared to look on the bright side, a pain such as this did seem to indicate that he wasn’t dead, which was also a plausible fate, given all the same facts that had led him to believe he might have been shot.
            That war he’d mentioned... people did die.
            With alarming regularity.
            So he wasn’t dead. That was good. But he also wasn’t sure where he was, precisely. The obvious next step would be to open his eyes, but his eyelids were translucent enough for him to realize that it was the middle of the day, and while he did like to look on the metaphorical bright side, he was fairly certain that the literal one would prove blinding.
            So he kept his eyes closed.
            But he listened.
            He wasn’t alone. He couldn’t make out any actual conversation, but a low buzz of words and activity filtered through the air. People were moving about, setting objects on tables, maybe pulling a chair across the floor.
            Someone was moaning in pain.
            Most of the voices were male, but there was at least one lady nearby. She was close enough that he could hear her breathing. She made little noises as she went about her business, which he soon realized included tucking blankets around him and touching his forehead with the back of her hand.
            He liked these little noises, the tiny little mmms and sighs she probably had no idea she was making. And she smelled nice, a bit like lemons, a bit like soap.
            And a bit like hard work.
            He knew that smell. He’d worn it himself, albeit usually only briefly until it turned into a full-fledged stink.
            On her, though, it was more than pleasant. Perhaps a little earthy. And he wondered who she was, to be tending to him so diligently.
            “How is he today?”
            Edward held himself still. This male voice was new, and he wasn’t sure he wanted anyone to know he was awake yet.
            Although he wasn’t sure why he felt this hesitancy.
            “The same,” came the woman’s reply.
            “I am concerned. If he doesn’t wake up soon...”
            “I know,” the woman said. There was a touch of irritation in her voice, which Edward found curious.
            “Have you been able to get him to take broth?”
            “Just a few spoonfuls. I was afraid he would choke if I attempted any more than that.”
            The man made a vague noise of approval. “Remind me how long he has been like this?”
            “A week, sir. Four days before I arrived, and three since.”
            A week. Edward thought about this. A week meant it must be... March? April?
            No, maybe it was only February. And this was probably New York, not Connecticut.
            But that still didn’t explain why his head hurt so bloody much. Clearly he’d been in some sort of an accident. Or had he been attacked?
            “There has been no change at all?” the man asked, even though the lady had just said as much.
            But she must have had far more patience than Edward, because she replied in a quiet, clear voice, “No, sir. None.”
            The man made a noise that wasn’t quite a grunt. Edward found it impossible to interpret.
            “Er...” The woman cleared her throat. “Have you any news of my brother?”
            Her brother? Who was her brother?
            “I am afraid not, Mrs. Rokesby.”
            Mrs. Rokesby?
            “It has been nearly two months,” she said quietly.
            Mrs. Rokesby? Edward really wanted them to get back to that point. There was only one Rokesby in North America as far as he knew, and that was him. So if she was Mrs. Rokesby...
            “I think,” the male voice said, “that your energies would be better spent tending to your husband.”
            Husband?
            “I assure you,” she said, and there was that touch of irritation again, “that I have been caring for him most faithfully.”
            Husband? They were calling him her husband? Was he married? He couldn’t be married. How could he be married and not remember it?
            Who was this woman?
            Edward’s heart began to pound. What the devil was happening to him?
            “Did he just make a noise?” the man asked.
            “I... I don’t think so.”
            She moved then, quickly. Hands touched him, his cheek, then his chest, and even through her obvious concern, there was something soothing in her motions, something undeniably right.
            “Edward?” she asked, taking his hand. She stroked it several times, her fingers brushing lightly over his skin. “Can you hear me?”
            He ought to respond. She was worried. What kind of gentleman did not act to relieve a lady’s distress?
            “I fear he may be lost to us,” the man said, with far less gentleness than Edward thought appropriate.
            “He still breathes,” the woman said in a steely voice.
            The man said nothing, but his expression must have been one of pity, because she said it again, more loudly this time.
            “He still breathes.”
            “Mrs. Rokesby...”
            Edward felt her hand tighten around his. Then she placed her other on top, her fingers resting lightly on his knuckles. It was the smallest sort of embrace, but Edward felt it down to his soul.
            “He still breathes, Colonel,” she said with quiet resolve. “And while he does, I will be here. I may not be able to help Thomas, but—”
            Thomas. Thomas Harcourt. That was the connection. This must be his sister. Cecilia. He knew her well.
            Or not. He’d never actually met the lady, he felt like he knew her. She wrote to her brother with a diligence that was unmatched in the regiment. Thomas received twice as much mail as Edward, and Edward had four siblings to Thomas’s one.
            Cecilia Harcourt. What on earth was she doing in North America? She was supposed to be in Derbyshire, in that little town Thomas had been so eager to leave. The one with the hot springs. Matlock. No, Matlock Bath.
            Edward had never been, but he thought it sounded charming. Not the way Thomas described it, of course; he liked the bustle of city life and couldn’t wait to take a commission and depart his village. But Cecilia was different. In her letters, the small Derbyshire town came alive, and Edward almost felt that he would recognize her neighbors if he ever went to visit.
            She was witty. Lord, she was witty. Thomas used to laugh so much at her missives that Edward finally made him read them out loud.
            Then one day, when Thomas was penning his response, Edward interrupted so many times that Thomas finally shoved out his chair and held forth his quill.
            “You write to her,” he’d said.
            So he did.
            Not on his own, of course. Edward could never have written to her directly. It would have been the worst sort of impropriety, and he would not have insulted her in such a manner. But he took to scribbling a few lines at the end of Thomas’s letters, and whenever she replied, she had a few lines for him.
            Thomas carried a miniature of her, and even though he said it was several years old, Edward had found himself staring at it, studying the small portrait of the young woman, wondering if her hair really was that remarkable golden color, or if she really did smile that way, lips closed and mysterious.
            Somehow he thought not. She did not strike him as a woman with secrets. Her smile would be sunny and free. Edward had even thought he’d like to meet her once this godforsaken war was over. He’d never said anything to Thomas, though.
            That would have been strange.
            Now Cecilia was here. In the colonies. Which made absolutely no sense, but then again, what did? Edward’s head was injured, and Thomas seemed to be missing, and...
            Edward thought hard.
            ...and he seemed to have married Cecilia Harcourt.
            He opened his eyes and tried to focus on the green-eyed woman peering down at him.
            “Cecilia?”

Title: The Girl With The Make-Believe Husband
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: A Bridgertons Prequel (Rokesbys)
Format: Hardcover: 304 pages
Publisher: Avon (May 30, 2017)
ISBN-10: 0062674773
ISBN-13: 978-0062674777
Author's Website: http://juliaquinn.com/
Notes:  I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I am also an Avon Addict which means I love the books that Avon publishes enough to volunteer to read as many ARCs and books as they can send my way. So you'll be seeing a lot of books reviewed by me from this publisher. Please note, however, that if I don't like a book, it will be truthfully reflected by a low rating.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 

Once upon a time a young lady did the unthinkable. She honestly didn't mean to do it. She'd gone with the  most honorable of intentions, her only wish was to find her brother whom she'd been told was there and nurse him back to health. Yet when she arrived and no one seemed to know where the young man had gone, one thing just naturally lead to the other. She heard his best friend had arrived and was suffering from life threatening injuries so she tried to see him. When they told her she couldn't, she just couldn't stop herself and it just came out. A huge, horrible, enormous, behemoth of a lie came out--she told them he was her husband.

Oh the scandal of it all...
This book is a prime example of why I love Julia Quinn novels. They contain all sorts of romantic goodness mixed in with an irresistible combination of witty banter, charming humor, and sexual tension/attraction that always leave me reminiscing of the days when I first fell in love with my husband. Ms. Quinn has a wonderful imagination which she uses to create humorous situations that tickle the funny bone, wonderful characters that you wish you could befriend, and stories that when you finish, leave you smiling, grinning, and anxiously awaiting her next book release.   

Cecilia Harcourt finds herself in dire straights. Her father died a few days ago, then she receives word that her brother was gravely injured, followed by her cousin showing up on her doorstep. Her cousin is next in line for inheriting the entailed family estate, and is hoping for word of her brother's demise. When her cousin starts making unwanted advances towards her, she decides to go in search of her brother intending to nurse him back to health and ensure he doesn't die. Unfortunately, when she arrives in New York there appears to be no sign of him. Luckily, she's smart and thinks fast. 

Edward Rokesby has suffered a head injury. When he emerges from his coma he wakes to find he's married but can't remember anything which transpired in the last several months. Did he marry his best friend's sister? He can't recall, but he finds he doesn't mind the idea so much. He definitely could see himself marrying Cecilia, the question is did he?   

I  couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. If you're looking for an example of how to take a fan favorite, in this case the movie 'While You Were Sleeping', and rewrite it making it your own this is the way it's done. Ms. Quinn captured the magic of the original by using some of the key elements of the story and then refreshed it by changing the time period and setting and adding an original spin with a healthy dose of her own magic, thereby, making it into something new. She owned it and that is not something easily done. I adored seeing Edward and Ceilia simultaneously get to know each other through their correspondence, of which snippets are included at the head of every chapter, and in the story's real time, which encapsulates the body of the story. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.



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Tuesday, May 30, 2017

Damaged (Rosato & DiNunzio #4) by Lisa Scottoline

Title: Damaged: A Novel (A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel)
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Legal Suspense
Series: A Rosato & DiNunzio Novel (Book 4)
Format: Paperback; 448 pages
Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Reprint edition (August 1, 2017)
ISBN-10: 1250099641
ISBN-13: 978-1250099648
Author's Website: https://scottoline.com/
Notes: I borrowed this one from the library.


Mary DiNunzio works for and is a partner of the law firm Rosato & DiNunzio. While the firm deals in general law her specialty is dealing with children with learning disabilities who have been let down by the education system by their not providing for their special needs.Under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, a federal law, students with learning disabilities are entitled to an education that meet their needs at no cost.

When Edward O’Brien comes to Mary for a consultation and explains how he is being sued by a teacher's aid who had punched his grandson, Patrick, in the face. She immediately decides to take the case despite her getting married in a couple of months and her heavy case load. Apparently after Mr. O'Brien had complained to the school about what happened the employee had quit his job and filed the lawsuit. That's when he fabricated the story that he was the victim and not his ten year old charge...

“… the Defendant Patrick seized a scissors from the teacher’s desk and lunged at Plaintiff with the weapon, attempting to do him grievous bodily harm.”

Plaintiff was so frightened by the assault and battery by Defendant Patrick that Plaintiff has been unable to return to his position and was compelled to terminate his employment and seek psychiatric counseling…”

This was the fourth book of the Rosato and DiNunzio series, but the first book of Ms. Scottoline thaty I've read. I didn't feel lost, but I'm sure I lost some of the magic, cohesion, and nuances of the relationships that exists when you've been acclimated to them in previous books. The series centers around the people and cases that the folks at the law firm Rosato & Dinunzio take on.

'Damaged' was a quick paced roller coaster of a read with a snowball effect that kept gaining momentum, speed, and mass as the story sped towards the ending. Every time you thought Patrick's situation couldn't get any worse, Ms. Scottline threw another roadblock into the mix escalating things and making the reader believe there was no way a happy ending could ever come about. Twists and turns were plentiful, and if you blinked you might just miss something.

Besides the drama and suspense the story induced, the author was able to educate the reader in an entertaining way about what rights families have when it comes to educating a child with special education needs. I wish I'd read her book years ago for then I'd know about the federal law which requires schools to meet the needs of children with learning issues. My daughter was diagnosed with an auditory processing disorder that required very little of the school. They refused to agree to providing her with a teacher who regularly gave spelling tests so I yanked her out and put her into private school. Had I known about the Federal law I could have been reimbursed for the cost of that school or, what I would have preferred, forced their hand to make them accommodate her. Seriously, asking for regular spelling tests was too much of a bother? Truly? For the record, my daughter graduated in the top 11% of her high school class with honors and is in her second semester of college where she's twice made the Dean's list.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. It was a lovely combinations of mystery, drama, and suspense wrapped around some information we all should know. Plus, I liked how all the characters appeared three dimensional. The story engaged my emotions and made me wonder how the poor kid would ever get out of the mess he'd been dropped into. Plus, I really liked Mary and how she championed Patrick. I just might have to read the rest of the series.


Order of the Rosato & DiNunzio series:

Monday, May 29, 2017

Devil in Spring (The Ravenels #3) by Lisa Kleypas

Title: Devil in Spring
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: Ravenels (Book 3)
Format: Paperback; 496 pages
Publisher: HarperLuxe; Lgr edition (February 21, 2017)
ISBN-10: 0062662694
ISBN-13: 978-0062662699
Author's Website: http://www.lisakleypas.com/
Notes:  I won a copy of the book from a contest. I am also an Avon Addict which means I love the books that Avon publishes enough to volunteer to read as many ARCs and books as they can send my way. So you'll be seeing a lot of books reviewed by me from this publisher. Please note, however, that if I don't like a book, it will be truthfully reflected by a low rating.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Once upon a time a wallflower decided to help out a friend. In the process she managed to be compromised by a settee. The blunt of the blame, however, was placed upon the shoulders of a young man who had the misfortune of happening upon the young miss who had managed to trap herself within the carved confines of a sette's scrollwork.

She wasn't looking to ever marry.

He was definitely not looking to shackle himself any time soon to a bride.

Fate, however, had other plans because...

“Dangerous creatures, wallflowers. Approach them with the utmost caution. They sit quietly in corners, appearing abandoned and forlorn, when in truth they’re sirens who lure men to their downfall. You won’t even notice the moment she steals the heart right out of your body—and then it’s hers for good. A wallflower never gives your heart back.”
One of the things I love about Ms. Kleypas' books is that they tend to capture the innocence and feelings that one experiences the first time they truly fall in love. The butterflies in the stomach, the insecurity of it all, and the way one gives their whole self with no restraints to the individual who captures their heart. It's the trifecta of first love, all wrapped in a wonderfully steamy, witty, and undeniably charming romance. Who could resist? Certainly not I. *smirk*

This is the third installment of the Ravenels series, and some old and familiar faces from Ms. Kleypas' earlier Wallflower series make a welcomed appearance. The Duke and Duchess of Kingston (those of you who read the the 'Devil in Winter' know them better as Evie and Sebastian) are the proud parents of several children the eldest of  which is Gabriel, the debonair gentleman who rescues poor Pandora from the evil settee.

Pandora, whose name is very well suited to her, is very different from the other ladies of the ton. She's been raised outside of society and was pretty much left to her own devices until her sister-in-law took an interest in her and her sisters. Finally entering society, Pandora has no wish to marry, instead she has hopes of living independently self supporting herself with the income she acquires from creating and manufacturing board games. A husband is the absolute last thing she wants. She believes marriage is a trap that takes away the wife's identity, and she's still trying to find herself. Plus, she knows being married to someone as good looking as Gabriel, described as looking like a fallen angel, would be a trial as women, both young and old, would always be throwing themselves at him.

Likewise, Gabriel has no desire to marry anytime soon. When caught with Pandora in the summer house, he is anything but pleased at the prospect of marrying her. She possesses none of social graces or skills required to navigate the treacherous terrain that is the ton. Nor does she possess the expertise needed to run an efficient household of a future duke. The conundrum of it all is that while he doesn't wish to marry her, he quickly realizes he doesn't want anyone else to either. While he always thought he'd be bored with a wife after a few months, there's something about Pandora that tells him boring is not a term that will every be associated with the unpredictable chit.

I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. It was devilishly delicious. sensuously seductive, and enchantingly engaging. I loved the sexual tension between Gabriel and Pandora. I adored how Pandora's name suggests by opening her up to society she'll set them on their toes. Plus, I loved revisiting Evie and Sebastian. It was like getting ice cream with your cake and eating it too. I loved it. On the Lisarenee Romance Rating Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating- - too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Order of the Ravenels series:

Saturday, May 20, 2017

Early Review of From Duke Till Dawn (The London Underground #1) by Eva Leigh

Title: From Duke Till Dawn: The London Underground
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Historical Romance
Series: London Underground (Book 1)
Format: Paperback; 384 pages
Publisher: Avon (May 30, 2017)
ISBN-10: 0062499416
ISBN-13: 978-0062499417
Author's Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/EvaLeighAuthor/
Notes:  I received an eARC loan from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I am also an Avon Addict which means I love the books that Avon publishes enough to volunteer to read as many ARCs and books as they can send my way. So you'll be seeing a lot of books reviewed by me from this publisher. Please note, however, that if I don't like a book, it will be truthfully reflected by a low rating.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Alexander 'Alex' Lewis, the Duke of Greyland, had been taught from an early age to be perfect--The perfect gentleman, a man above reproach, and the example all others should follow. He's always done his best to be what his father expected him to be, except for once when a beguiling young widow in need of help distracted him and left him wanting...

Cassandra Blake learned from a very young age how to run a good con and she is good at it. At the age of thirty-one she's still never been caught, and has finagled serious blunt from hundreds of marks. While she longs for a normal life, she knows that just isn't in the cards for her. Fairy tales are the stuff of stories and not real life. When the Duke of Greyland crosses her path for the second time in as many years, she knows the jig may well be up, but the attraction and feelings she had that led her to flee two years ago are definitely real...
This was a fun story that took me awhile to get into, but once it got going I didn't want to put it down. While I loved how Alex and Cassandra are polar opposites and adored the heat and chemistry between these two, I had a hard time dealing with Alex's. shall we say. over fondness of his one night with Cassandra? His nickname of the "Lost Queen" for her was a bit too over-the-top for me and had me rolling my eyes once or twice. Thankfully, the pining and (I'll just go ahead and say it) cheesiness were quickly left behind and the story gained momentum, weight, and depth. Parts of this sexy romp reminded me of a little of Sarah MacLean's book, "Never Judge a Lady by Her Cover" with a smidgen of the  movie "Eyes Wide Shut" thrown in, and a  hint of "My Fair Lady" but with a bit of a twist mixed in for good measure.

I rather liked Cassandra. She was a wonderful character who did what she had to in order to survive in a world where woman had little to no options when all alone in the world. She doesn't make excuses and doesn't apologize for the lifestyle she's led. She has a 'take me as I am or not at all' attitude that I admired. Her only flaw, besides scamming people, was that she, ironically, didn't see her own worth. She felt she wasn't worthy of being a Duchess which given the time and the etiquette society dictated is understandable. Alex is the exact opposite of the people she's grown up around. He's noble, honorable, and rather selfless. It's no wonder she was drawn to him.

Alex was born with the weight of the world upon his shoulders. He was raised knowing those around him would look to him in time of crisis, and that he had to be their "True North". It would be a lot for anyone to handle, but handle it he did. His father had great plans for him, and it's rather amazing he never rebelled against the demands that entailed. What drew Alex to Cassandra is that she seemed to see him as he truly was--just a man with wants and needs like anyone else. What he didn't know at the time was that she also saw him as a mark. That is one hurdle he'll have to come to terms with and work through.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. I liked seeing Alex go from a besotted fool who didn't really see Cassandra to a man who saw her clearly and assessed her situation objectively rather than allow his temper and emotions get the better of him. The chemistry between these two was something to behold and I enjoyed seeing them get to know each  better as they worked together to right a wrong that affected many. On the Lisarenee Romance Scale, this one earned a STEAM rating--too hot for a fan, but you still have a handle on things. You should use extreme caution when reading a book with this rating in public. People may inquire as to why you looked flustered and flushed.

Friday, May 19, 2017

A Better Man (Sunshine Creek Vineyard, #1) by Candis Terry


Title: A Better Man: A Sunshine Creek Vineyard Novel
Classification: Adult Fiction
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Series: Sunshine Creek Vineyard
Format: Paperback; 368 pages
Publisher: Avon (March 29, 2016)
ISBN-10: 0062351176
ISBN-13: 978-0062351173
Author's Website: http://www.candisterry.com/
Notes:  I received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I am also an Avon Addict which means I love the books that Avon publishes enough to volunteer to read as many ARCs and books as they can send my way. So you'll be seeing a lot of books reviewed by me from this publisher. Please note, however, that if I don't like a book, it will be truthfully reflected by a low rating. Please note that as I read an ARC, any quotes listed are subject to change, they will need to be checked and verified against the final version.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ 
Jordan Kincade has just taken a break from his hockey career to bury his mother and father. They died suddenly and tragically in Hawaii when the helicopter they were touring with went down. The family is devastated and he and his brothers are trying to pick up the pieces and take over the family winery and the care of their younger sister, After reuniting with his family, Jordan is struck by how much he's missed because of his chosen career which involves a lot of traveling. Realizing life is short, he starts wondering if maybe it's time to hang up his skates and move back home.

Lucy Diamond knows all about Jordan Kincade. She tutored him in high school, and he was supposed to take her out on a date graduation night. He'd never shown up, and she's never really forgiven him. Now he's back and the sparks that once seemed to fly between them are beginning to ignite once again. Can she trust her heart to such a man? Dare she? 
This is the first book of the Sunshine Creek Vineyard series and it I absolutely loved it. The push and pull magnetism between these to was fun to watch. Jordan is an undeniable ladies man who has finally decided he wants something more and finds Lucy just as delectable as he did when they were kids. While most would say she isn't his type, there is just something about the pretty, smart, young woman that has always attracted him to her. The problem is she wants absolutely nothing to do with him. He'll have to prove to her she's not just the latest flavor of the month and show her he's changed.

Lucy still remembers the night Jordan stood her up like it was yesterday. She'd gone against her better judgement and taken a chance when she agreed to the date only to be humiliated when he didn't show. She's vowed to herself to make smarter decisions and never fall for someone like Jordan again. I so enjoyed watching Jordan break down Lucy's walls and not all of them were tied to what Jordan did. She's got baggage and it's not of the good variety. 

Jordan kind of grew on me. He's the type of guy who has a good heart and doesn't give up easily when he sets his sights on something or someone. Lucy just got in his line of view and she will have a hard time resisting him when he turns on the charm.

I couldn't help but give this one 5 out of 5 roses. It was charming, fun, and sexy with a touch of mystery added in for good measure--the brothers find that someone has been stealing a good deal of money from the winery and are determined to follow the money trail. Additionally, there is some added depth because Jordan's sister, Nicole, is taking the loss of her parents hard, and is targeting digs at Jordan whom she claims to be little more than a "stranger" to her. While not altogether untrue, she seems to be aiming the brunt of her grief anger at him. He's determined to get to the bottom of what is going on and help her through this difficult time and that's how he won me and Lucy over. On the Lisarenee Romance scale, this one scored a FAN rating--the temperature in the room seems to have suddenly gone up a couple of degrees and a fan would be nice.


Order of the Sunshine Creek Vineyard series:


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