Book Review - THE GINGERBREAD MAN by Kim Turner

 

Title:  The Gingerbread Man (Christmas Cookies)
Author:  Kim Turner

Publisher:  Wild Rose Press
Genre:  Holiday/Western Romance
Release Date:  December 8, 2021

About the Book:

Hannah Tate is raising her children alone after her husband's death. Keeping her homestead running isn't easy, but when chores get done that she didn't do, she wonders who her mysterious helper is. Her daughter insists it's the Gingerbread Man who comes late at night. But Hannah has no time for such nonsense. Or does she? John Sullivan lives alone outside Harper Falls, trapping for a living. When circumstance brings him to meet the woman he's been helping in secret, he doesn't expect to find love once again. But he'll risk his life more than once to finally hold her forever. 

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

"The Gingerbread Man" is one of the numerous books in the "Christmas Cookie" series. You can find them all at CHRISTMAS COOKIES   Be sure to check them out!

One of the things I love about Kim Turner's western romance books is how she makes you feel like you are right there in Harper Falls, Wyoming, back in 1875. Just read the first paragraph in the prologue and you'll see what I mean:

"The howl of the wind sounded like a lone wolf calling into the silver winter night. John "Sully" Sullivan tied his horse, Sage, to a tree in the edge of the forest. A homestead sat in the distance, smoke from the chimney leaving a trail across the stillness of night. He took a moment to blow a bit of warmth into his gloved hands and waited out a long hiss of wind as snow flurries began." 

Wow! That puts you right there, feeling the chill in the air and you can almost smell the smoke from the chimney. But the story gets even better. Sully, a former confederate soldier, is a bit of a loner. He sees the struggles Hannah Tate endures trying to maintain her homestead while raising two children after her husband dies. He stops by every now and then in the early morning hours before Hannah awakens, and does a few chores for her without her knowledge. Things like mending a fence or carrying firewood to her porch. Hannah's little girl sees the mysterious stranger on one of those mornings and immediately starts calling him "The Gingerbread Man". Love unfolds and there is a bit of drama too. No spoilers, but this turned out to be a really good Christmas story with characters you will love. 

Thank you Kim for letting me read an advance copy!

My Rating: 

About the Author:

Kim Turner writes western historical and contemporary romance, and discovered her passion of writing at the age of eight. Kim graduated with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing and later completed her Master's Degree in Adult Education. Working as a registered nurse educator & Quality Analyst for over thirty years, she enjoys studying the medical treatments of the old west and keeping up with the latest western movies and television series. While she loves reading anything from highlanders to pirates, she claims to have an unquenchable thirst for the American cowboy when choosing her reads. Kim lives south of Atlanta with her husband and calls her greatest accomplishment the birth of one daughter and the adoption of another from China-neither of which came easy. Kim is a member of Romance Writers of America and Georgia Romance Writers. Kim's motto: IT'S ALL ABOUT A COWBOY AND THE WOMAN HE LOVES.

Book Blitz & New Release Alert - SECOND CHANCE by E.H.Demeter

Second Chance (A Haven Novel)

by E.H. Demeter
Publication Date: August 18th, 2020
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Sweet Country, Romance

After a horrific car crash leaves her a widow, Sabrina Hall-Jackson makes the difficult decision to leave the life she’d created in New York and return to her hometown of Haven, South Carolina.

She hopes familiarity will heal her grief, but going home proves more difficult than she’d imagined. With her heart still yearning for the love she’d lost, Sabrina finds herself spiraling into a vast depression that threatens to consume her – body and soul.
In an attempt to overcome her pain, Sabrina surrounds herself with family and childhood friends, and slowly begins to move on. However, she doesn’t realize that amidst the nostalgia and uplifting memories, is the one person that holds the spark to reignite her heart, and her life.

Goodreads / Amazon

—

EXCERPT:

Josh moved to stand beside me, resting his arms against the fence, his pose similar to mine.
“What did you dream about?”
“Getting out of here,” I whispered. An odd sensation filled me, chilling my stomach. Shame. I was ashamed that I had spent so many years dreaming of getting out, getting away.
“Well, you sure did that.” Josh chuckled, shifting to look at me. “And now? What do you dream about now?
I looked at Josh, a soft sigh escaping my lips.
“I don’t know anymore. I feel like my life has become a nightmare I can’t wake up from.”
“Sure, I can imagine. But you’ve got your family, and God’s sure not gonna turn his back on you. Neither am I.” Josh held my gaze and that slow warmth filled me once more as we looked at one another. Emotions swirled. Within my head. Within my heart.
My heart kicked in my chest; my lungs constricted. Josh didn’t move, yet I felt something shift, as surely as I felt the breeze whisper through the trees. A whippoorwill cried, breaking the spell, and I pulled away, though it took an immense effort.
“It’s getting late. I should…. We should go back.”
What was I doing? Here I was, all but throwing myself at him. I shoved my fingers through my hair, closing my eyes tightly as I walked.
Idiot.

Author Bio:

E.H. Demeter was born in Oregon City, Oregon, though she now makes her home in South Carolina, with her husband and two children, where she can be found to hate the heat and love the rain.

The written word has been a draw since her early years, and she is seldom found without a book in hand. Writing is her passion, and her goal is to share her words, thoughts, and opinions with the world. She is a lover of books, hot tea, and sweets - much to the dismay of her waistline.

She grew up reading fantasy and romance novels, and finds that is where most of her inspiration lies, though her love of the young adult genre has also sparked creative fires.

She can be found on social media and encourages readers to reach out to her.

Website / Goodreads / Facebook / Twitter / Instagram / Pinterest / Tumblr 

Book Blitz & Giveaway - ON HIS BENDED KNEE by Shanae Johnson

On His Bended Knee: a Sweet Marriage of Convenience series
Shanae Johnson
(The Brides of Purple Heart Ranch, #1)
Publication date: October 11th 2018
Genres: Adult, Romance, Western

She needed a place to stay. He needed to save his ranch. Together they just might make a home.
Sgt. Dylan Banks lost more than just his leg in the war. His fiancée and family turned their backs on him as well. Now, he’s determined to create a safe place where wounded warriors like himself can heal. But a hidden zoning law requires all residents of the Purple Heart Ranch to be married. To save his dream, Dylan and his men will have to tie the knot—but can a man with such deep scars inside and out believe in love again?
Maggie Shaw lost both her job as a veterinary technician and her apartment on the same day. Who knew her unreasonable landlord would kick her out for being four dogs over the one pet limit? Now, she and her gang of special-needs dogs are in trouble. Fate puts her in Dylan’s path with a proposal that seems too good to be true—but can her heart bear a loveless marriage of convenience?
Dylan yearns to reach out for Maggie’s healing touch, but he keeps his distance, convinced his wounds are too deep for her embrace. Maggie sees past Dylan’s injuries, but if she fails to capture his heart they both could lose it all: her beloved animals, his ranch, and each other.
Find out if love can truly heal all wounds in this light-hearted, sweet romance of convenient arrangements that unfold into lasting love. On His Bended Knee is the first in a series of marriage of convenience tales featuring Wounded Warriors who are healed with the power of love.

Goodreads / Amazon / Barnes & Noble / iBooks / Kobo / Google Play

Only 99¢ for a limited time!

The complete series:

—

EXCERPT:

“Wives? As in married? To women?”
“Unless there’s something about you that we should know, Ramos.”
Xavier Ramos reached over and tried to smack Reed Cannon in the head, but the other man raised his prosthetic arm to ward off the attack. There was nothing wrong with his reflexes. Ramos’s flesh hit Cannon’s metal and Ramos winced.
“Can’t we get the zoning changed?” asked Sean Jeffries. He had his sunglasses off now that they were all inside one of the ranch’s barns.
The men had converted the old barn into a gaming room complete with large flat screens, an old-fashioned record player and tape deck, and every gaming console including an antique Atari which Rees had brought back to life with his techno-genius.
“It would be a long process,” said Dylan. “And in the meantime, we’d all have to leave the ranch while the powers that be waded through all the red tape.”
The men were lounging in recliners or sitting on bar stools, but an anxious hum went around the room. The ranch was their haven, their home. Even for those who had somewhere that they could go, leaving was not an option.
Unlike with Dylan, Jeffries’s family hadn’t rejected him. They called the ranch on a regular basis. It was Jeffries who didn’t want them to see him. It wasn’t just the scar on his face that shamed him. He suffered from PTSD and was prone to flashbacks. He could be taken back to the war-torn deserts of the Middle East when he slept, or with loud noises he could readily identify. The men surrounding him knew how to manage his episodes. But Jeffries was terrified of hurting someone he cared about. And so he stayed away from his family and wouldn’t receive their calls.
“Aren’t you all missing the obvious?” They all turned to Reed and waited for his revelation. Reed took his time. The man had a bit of the flare for the dramatic at times. “We just need to get married.”
Eyes and heads rolled as everyone turned away from the proclamation. Except Fran.
“It’s not a bad idea,” Fran said. “People do it all the time. For green cards, for financial stability, some fools even do it for something called love.”
Dylan had been such a fool who wanted to get married for love. Or what he thought was love. He had no idea where the plan came from as his own parents hadn’t been in love.
Catherine and Charles Banks had married for social standing. The irony was that they couldn’t stand each other. Though the rest of society would never know it. At parties, they put on a show of devotion and compatibility. They used to put on the show at home for Dylan when he was a kid. But they soon stopped caring about what he saw behind the closed doors of their many homes, which they often occupied separately.
“Who would want to marry a bunch of broken soldiers?” asked Sean.
“Hey, we’re not broken.” Dylan almost believed the words coming out of his own mouth. “We served our country. We are highly skilled. We are loyal, dedicated men.”
Though the speech was impassioned, the faces around him looked doubtful.
“Frances might have a point,” said Xavier, using the feminization of the name to get under Fran’s skin like they all did from time to time. “There are a lot of hard-up women out there. Some probably need a place to stay, money in their pocket, or just a good lay.”
Now it was Dylan who rolled his eyes and neck at the preposterous direction the discussion was taking. He needed his men to focus on viable solutions to this very real problem. But the other men were listening to Xavier’s nonsense.
“Dr. Patel is always saying we need a good woman to heal our hearts.” Reed picked up the gauntlet of the insanity. He was a romantic at heart and still believed love was waiting to come into his arms. “Maybe now’s the time.”
“Patel had an arranged marriage,” said Fran. “And it worked for him.”
“This is the Wild West,” said Reed. “This kind of stuff happened here all the time. Remember the Gold Rush Brides?”
“That was California,” Sean said. The man was a walking encyclopedia. “You mean mail order brides.”
“It would be email now,” said Fran. “No one uses the postal system.”
“We are not finding women on Craig’s List,” said Dylan, pinching the bridge of his nose and squeezing his eyes shut in exasperation.
“Then how are we gonna stay here?”
Dylan wasn’t sure which man said it, but he knew they all were thinking it. He opened his eyes and faced the room full of men. They’d looked to him for leadership when they were in combat, and they looked at him the same way now. How would they win this particular war on the home front?
“We’ll petition the court,” said Dylan. “I have a few contacts in the government.”
“We have more recruits coming in a couple of month. What are we gonna do with them?”
Dylan didn’t have an answer for that. He didn’t know how he would take in another wounded soldier only to potentially turn the man away. As he prepared to turn around, a flash of fur ran through the room.
No, ran wasn’t exactly the right word. Two front paws ran. The two back paws were not there. Instead, two wheels acted as legs that the little dog used to propel himself onward.
Dylan wasn’t the only one who spotted the animal. The other soldiers turned and stared at the creature. The dog stared back. It also slowed down as it looked up at all the big humans eying it.
The dog had had a grin on his face, but under the close scrutiny, his muzzle closed. He pulled his lolling tongue back into his mouth and let out a low whimper.
Dylan bent down to be on the dog’s level. He rested on his good knee, which was a difficult feat for him after a long day. But he had to get a closer look at this dog and his apparatus.
The dog made a slow beeline for Dylan. Dylan put his hand out to the dog. The dog gave the back of his hand a tentative sniff and then a lick.
Who would do such a thing as to take a dog’s hind legs? But more importantly, who would take the time to make a contraption that gave the animal back a semblance of the life he once knew?
“I’m so sorry,” said a feminine voice. “That’s my dog.”
Dylan looked up into the face of the woman. She was dressed in a T-shirt and jeans. Her hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail. She wasn’t wearing a lick of makeup. She looked fresh, clean, capable.
She marched into the room, not like she was on a catwalk, but like she was on a mission. She reached for the dog and he saw her hands were un-manicured. When one of her rough fingers brushed the skin of his forearm, Dylan felt a spark. His breath caught and so did hers.

Author Bio:
Shanae Johnson was raised by Saturday Morning cartoons and After School Specials. She still doesn't understand why there isn't a life lesson that ties the issues of the day together just before bedtime. While she's still waiting for the meaning of it all, she writes stories to try and figure it all out. Her books are wholesome and sweet, but her heroes are hot and her heroines are full of sass!
And by the way, the E elongates the A. So it's pronounced Shan-aaaaaaaa. Perfect for a hero to call out across the moors, or up to a balcony, or to blare outside her window on a boombox. If you hear him calling her name, please send him her way!

Website / Goodreads / Facebook

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New Release - ALL BUT THE FALL (Sun River Ranchers, Book 1) by Kim Turner

Watch for my upcoming review!

Title:  All But the Fall (Sun River Ranchers, Book 1)

Author:  Kim Turner

Genre:  Western, Contemporary Romance

Release Date:  October 15, 2018

About the Book:

She's running from the past…He's running to her…
Stunt man Aaron Decker has his hands full raising his daughter, running his ranch and jumping horses for a living. The new job on the set of a western has its perks; it's close to home and offers him a sizeable paycheck. But what he doesn't expect is to fall hard for beautiful nurse consultant, Jenna Wilder.

Putting a violent marriage behind her, Jenna Wilder is raising her son, writing scripts, and has sworn off ever falling in love again. So why can't she keep her mind off the soft-spoken stuntman? With Aaron, she dreams of a life she thought wasn't possible. 

But when Jenna's past returns, Aaron must gain her trust to free her from the grips of her ex-husband's vengeance. And no matter the risk, he will stop at nothing to protect the woman who holds his heart.

From the Inside Flap:
It had been a long time since a woman had caught his attention to this extent. Nope, he'd never had anyone, even Pamela come this close. Something about the chemistry between them was stronger than he'd ever known could exist. She was consuming him fast, and he damn well liked it.

Last night after checking on the horses, Jenna had driven them to a local diner for supper. The meal had been fine, but he'd caught himself watching her every move as if he could etch a bit of her into his mind and heart. Yep, he had it bad. And watching her drive away opposite his direction for home had left him all but empty.

The good thing was she hadn't run again from his touch, but it was hard to judge where the boundaries were with her. What he really wanted was no limits-- holy damn, she was beautiful inside and out, and he had a few ideas about how much he'd like to discover even more. And while she'd told him of her past, which was pretty trusting, he had to wonder if there was indeed more. Someone somewhere had broken this beautiful creature, and if he had his way, he'd bring her back and hang on tightly for the rest of his life--if she'd have him.

Buy Links: Amazon 

About the Author:

Kim Turner writes western historical romance, and discovered her passion of writing at the age of eight by writing poems, short stories and journals. Kim graduated from Clayton State University with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing and holds a Master's Degree in Adult Education from Central Michigan University. Working as a registered nurse educator for over twenty-six years, she enjoys studying the medical treatments of the old west as well as keeping up with the latest western movies and television series. While she loves reading anything from highlanders to pirates, she claims to have an unquenchable thirst for the American Cowboy when choosing her reads. Kim lives south of Atlanta with her husband and calls her greatest accomplishment the birth of one daughter and the adoption of another from China-neither of which came easy. Kim is a member of Romance Writers of America and Georgia Romance Writers and calls her critique group from Southside Scribes the best thing that ever happened to her writing, that and a pretty wonderful group of beta readers. Kim's Motto: It's All About A Cowboy and the Woman He Loves.

If you'd like to learn more about Kim Turner, check out her blog at KimTurnerWrites.com

Book Review - WILD TEXAS WIND by Nicole McCaffrey

Title:  Wild Texas Wind
Author:  Nicole McCaffrey
Genre:  Western Romance
Release Date:   June 17, 2010 

About the Book:

All Raz Colt wants is land, a quiet peaceable existence and to put his life as a hired gun in the past. When the chance to earn a sizable fortune by rescuing a kidnapped heiress comes his way, he seizes the opportunity. Trouble is, the heiress doesn’t want to be rescued. Offsetting Arden O’Hara’s beauty is a rattlesnake personality and shrewish temper. Despite her claim that she faked the kidnapping so her fiancé would ride to her rescue, Raz knows someone is out to kill her. And if anyone gets the pleasure of wringing her lovely neck, it’s going to be him.

Arden O’Hara is desperate to go home. Her fiancé was supposed to ride to her rescue, proving it’s her–and not her father’s money– he loves. Instead an arrogant stranger, with weapons strapped gun-fighter low and a decided lack of sympathy for her situation, shows up spouting a ridiculous tale about someone trying to kill her. It’s infuriating when Raz Colt’s claims prove true after not one but several attempts are made on her life. She has no idea who this fast gun with the deadly aim is, or why he makes her feel as wild and untamed as the Texas wind. But like it or not, if anyone is capable of getting her home alive, it’s Raz Colt.

Buy Links: Amazon / Audible

My Review:

Why have I not read anything by Nicole McCaffrey before? I received the Audible version of WILD TEXAS WIND from a friend of the author who knows I love these Western Romance books, with the hope that I might provide a review, whether good, bad or indifferent. First, let me tell you that all thoughts, ratings and opinions are my own. As it is, I absolutely loved it! So much so that I totally ignored  my husband all day as I walked around the house with ear buds stuck in my ears because I didn't want to stop listening for even a minute.  Fabulous narrator! Dawson McBride has that deep husky voice that is so "wild west", and he even manages to do the female voices with flare.

Those of you who have read my reviews before know that I love romantic tingles. All those sexy tingles that lead up to more. Not the wham-bam stuff. Tingles. Well, this book is loaded with those romantic tingles! Great characters and an action-packed story that never got dull even for a single minute. The sparks that fly between Raz Colt and Arden sizzle and ignite! Great chemistry between these two. And even the secondary characters are fantastic. All of them!

What starts out as a way for Raz, a hired gunslinger, to raise some money to buy some land and get out of the business, turns into a rescue for an heiress who doesn't want to be rescued... until  she finally realizes that someone really does want to have her killed.

This story had everything. Humor, action, romance, suspense! I loved it and can't wait to read more from this author.

My Rating: 

About the Author, Nicole McCaffrey:

If it's possible to be born a writer, then I definitely was. I'd probably have started sooner if there had been pen and paper available in the womb!

But for as long as I can remember, I have heard voices in my head. Fortunately for me, they're all characters--begging me to tell their stories. My first sale was a holiday novella, published by The Wild Rose Press in November 2006. The Model Man, my first full length contemporary, was released in March 2008. 

My true passion has always been history so I was thrilled to see my first historical, Wild Texas Wind, released in June, 2010. Since then I've contracted several short stories and have been hard at work on a follow up story to Wild Texas Wind. 

Book and Audio Review - Indiana Wild (Spirit Pass, Book 1) by S E Smith

Title: Indiana Wild - Spirit Pass Book 1
Author: S E Smith
Genre: Romance, Western, Time Travel
Publisher: Montana Publishing
Release Date: April 24, 2013

About the Book:

Sexy hot, full of action and adventure, Western romance filled with characters you fall in love with--what more can a reader ask for?! Maybe a modern day western with a touch of time travel? Spirit Pass brings to life heroines who are strong, smart, and innovative and heroes who are pure alpha with the heart of the untamed west running through their blood.

With over 1 million books sold world-wide, it is no wonder that readers say they reread my stories over and over again and always discover something new! Check out the Spirit Pass series and discover that not all westerns are the same! 

Book 1: Indiana Wild
Indiana Wild is as wild as the Montana ranch she was raised on. The youngest of four children, she was a delightful surprise for her older parents. She spends her time training horses and cow dogs and loving the freedom of the wide-open spaces. But when her grandfather dies, she discovers that her older brothers have different plans for the ranch she calls home -- and for Indiana herself. 

Indiana's oldest brother is determined to tame her and bring her to live with him in Los Angeles, where he can keep an eye on her and the money she is inheriting. He believes that with a little taming, he can control his little sister's wild spirit and find her a husband who can manage her. 

Furious with the court order giving her older brother guardianship over her, Indiana turns to the only place she feels at home: the wide-open spaces of Montana. She is determined to avoid her controlling brothers and their greed, even if it means hiding from them until they give up. An unexpected trip through Spirit Pass takes Indiana further than she ever expected by almost 150 years. 

Jonathan Tucker is as tough as they come. He and his twin brother have cut a successful horse and cattle ranch in the harsh Montana territory. When cattle rustlers try to steal his cattle and shoot one of his men, he is grateful to the young boy named Indy who comes to the rescue, even if the boy does have an attitude. The last thing he expects is to find that the ''boy'' is in fact an independent, freethinking, stubborn female who's not afraid to voice her opinion. She is as wild as the untamed land around them, and he is determined to make her his wife. 

When Indiana is taken from him, Jonathan will do whatever it takes to bring his Indiana Wild home for good, even if it means following her into the future.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

Indiana Wild was an awesome surprise to me. When I purchased this audio book (Yes, I actually bought this one!), I didn't notice that it involved time travel. I thought it was going to be just a regular western romance with a hot cowboy.  Not that there is anything wrong with just reading about a hot cowboy! But this was so much more. When hints were thrown in about Spirit Pass and then the way the cowpokes reacted to Indy's clothing, I was smiling from ear to ear.  Of course there was some type paranormal aspect to this book!  It was written by S E Smith!  And I loved it!

S E Smith created fabulous characters with strong personalities, lots of humor, a bit of drama and a whole lot of hot romance. Jonathan was mesmerized by Indy from the moment he first saw her. And it wasn't just her beauty that had him tied up in knots. He had never met a woman like her! He not only wanted her, he wanted to protect her reputation. In his world, a woman couldn't be left alone with men out on the range or anywhere else without a chaperone, or her name would be forever blemished. Then there was Indy.  Indy was a strong, modern, independent, snarky and fully capable woman who melted into Jonathan's arms the moment he kissed her. There was no way Jonathan was sharing her with anyone!

There were so many fantastic, charismatic characters in this book.  I can't wait to read Book 2 of the Spirit Pass series to find out more about them.

Oh. By the way. You may not want to listen to this audio book while driving. I totally forgot to stop at the paint store on the way home because I was so engrossed in the story. Did I run a red light? Then I started wondering what would happen if I got into an accident and my audio was still playing when the police showed up. Would the officer and any bystanders hear the hot sex scene that totally distracted me? Would that be in the police report and would the judge read it out loud in court?  Hmmm

My Rating:

About the Author:

Don't miss out on free ebooks and Audiobooks by visiting http://sesmithfl.com! 

~The true magic of a story is one that gives you the power to believe that you are in control of your destiny. ~ S.E. Smith

The biggest responses from readers are how much they enjoy rereading my stories and the connection they have with the characters. Family, friends, loyalty, and true romance wrapped in vivid, believable worlds create stories you can connect with and leave you feeling empowered! If you are looking for a new type of reading experience, step into the Worlds of S.E. Smith and discover the magic!

S.E. Smith is a New York Times, USA TODAY, International and Award-winning Bestselling author of Science Fiction, Urban Fantasy, Western Time Travel, and Paranormal Romance. Her addictive story lines bring action, adventure, and suspense-filled tales mixed with humor and romance to readers around the world. 

She has also written emotionally charged, action-packed stories for Young Adults and children that will take them on a journey they will never forget. Her stories cross a variety of genres and she is proud to share these amazing adventures with readers. 

S.E. Smith Awards

New York Times Bestselling Author https://www.nytimes.com/books/best-sellers/2015/04/19/e-book-fiction
USA TODAY Bestselling Author
International and Award winning Bestselling Author
2017 Library Journal Best Book Top 5 Pick
2016/2017 Wishing Shelf Book Award Winner and Finalist for Young Adult
2016 Library Journal Best Book Top 5 Pick
2016 SFR Galaxy Award Winner for Best Antho and Best Menagerie Scifi 
2014 & 2015 RomCon Reader Crown Award Winner
Indie Reader Top 10 Author
2014 International TKH Science Fiction Writer of the Year Award Winner
2014 SFR Galaxy Award Winner Best New SFR Series
2014 IRC Nominated Best Author


Author's Note: For those who wonder, I did not write "Phoenix". I hope this doesn't cause too much confusion! Thank you, (the other)~S.E. Smith~

If you would like to meet S.E. Smith in person, she will be signing books as a Featured Author at Coastal Magic Convention in Daytona Beach in February/March 2019.  For more information, go to 
www.CoastalMagicConvention.com.

Book Review - Honey Kisses (Romance on the Ranch Series - Book 2) by Verna Clay

Title:  Honey Kisses (Romance on the Ranch, - Book 2)
Author:  Verna Clay
Genre:  Romance, Westerns
Release Date:  March 4, 2012

About the Book:

Romance on the Ranch Series: Dream Kisses; Honey Kisses; Baby Kisses; Candy Kisses; Christmas Kisses; Rock Star Kisses; Forever Kisses, Forgotten Kisses, Angel Kisses, The Last Kiss

Ann Hackstetter first met Jackson Martinez while vacationing at Lazy M Dude Ranch with her husband and teenage son. Part of the "dude" package was a night of fun at Boot Bustin' Barn. At the time, Ann suspected that Sage Tanner, owner of Lazy M, bribed Jackson to ask her to dance as a way of making her inattentive husband jealous. On a whim, she danced with him. Little did she realize he would awaken emotions long suppressed. Of course, she ignored those emotions. Now, five years later, she's a widow--a destitute widow. Over the years, her son's friendship with Sage's daughter, Julie, has blossomed, and now they're getting married. Wedding responsibilities have temporarily taken Ann's mind off her desperate situation. At the reception, Jackson asks her to dance again--reawakening those emotions. He makes her feel twenty-one, instead of forty-one.

Jackson Martinez has an easy way with the women, but the one woman who sets his heart to racing is Annie Hackstetter. She's older, has a grown son, and probably has an aversion to men after being married to a jerk. When Sage reveals Annie's sad state of economic affairs and says she's looking for a job, Jackson knows his heart is in trouble when he offers her a position managing his household so he can concentrate on running his cattle ranch. Unknown to him, or anyone else, Annie has a secret.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

There is so much to love about this book.  The romance is sweet.  It's the kind of romance that gives you tingles and wanting more.  Verna Clay does that.  Every. Single. Time.

Ann Hackstetter's louse of a husband dies, leaving her penniless, insurance cancelled and her home heavily mortgaged due to his gambling.  This leaves Ann homeless and needing a job but the only thing she thinks she can do is housekeeping.  It just so happens, however, that Jackson is in need of a person to run his household on his ranch, and he has had his eye on Ann for a long time... for more than just her cleaning abilities.

SPOILER HERE - Don't read this paragraph if you don't want to know!  Things seem to be looking up for Ann until she's confronted by a bad man who claims Ann's husband died without repaying a big debt to him.  When Ann explains that she has no money, the man forces her to get the money from her wealthy friend.  That's when Ann does the unthinkable.  She hacks into Jackson's computer and steals $50,000.  Oh my!  That's also when I almost stopped listening to the Audible version of the book I was listening to.  How could she steal from such a great guy!  Jackson is Mr. Perfect!  But I'm so glad I didn't give up because things had a way of working out, but not the way you would expect.  Ann redeems herself by working with the FBI as an exotic dancer and computer hacker to put the bad guys out of business.

The beginning of the book was a bit slow to start, but when things heated up they heated up fast. 

Disclosure: A complimentary copy was provided by the author. A review was not required. All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own.

My Rating:

About the Author:

My perfect day: coffee shop; laptop; WiFi availability; java mocha; characters demanding their stories be told; a plot that comes together; and hours to live in an alternate reality.

Seriously, I have always loved reading, and now I love writing. As a preteen, I devoured Nancy Drew and Hardy Boys Mysteries, but when I reached my teen years the romance genre became my favorite, and that has never changed. After years of procrastinating, I tried my hand at writing and I've been doing so with a passion ever since. I have written over twenty-five romance novels and novellas in the genres of contemporary western, historical western, general contemporary, and fantasy. Because I hate saying goodbye to characters who have lived with me for months, I usually create a series so they can be revisited from book to book. I have also written a Young Adult novella titled "Fragile Hearts" using the pen name of Colleen Clay.

#BookReview - Wyatt's Bounty (The McCades of Cheyenne - Book 2) by Kim Turner

Title:  Wyatt's Bounty (The McCade's of Cheyenne - Book 2)
Author:  Kim Turner
Genre:  Western, Romance
Release Date:  April 12, 2017

About the Book:

Bounty hunter Wyatt McCade is taking down outlaws one at a time. He’s been in love with Tess Sullivan for years, but she refuses to give in to her feelings. Reeling from the rejection of his marriage proposal, he chases bounties with little concern for his own safety. When word reaches him that Tess never left for Boston, he rides for Cheyenne to confront her. Instead, he is ambushed and left for dead. 

Doctor Tess Sullivan shattered her heart by refusing Wyatt McCade’s marriage proposal and making the biggest mistake of her life, by holding onto a secret. Pining for his return, she blames herself when he arrives in Cheyenne near death. Forgiveness comes quickly in his arms, but she finds herself a pawn in a deadly game of revenge. 

When McCade lands are threatened, Tess is caught in the balance. On the bounty hunt of his life, Wyatt will risk everything to rescue the woman he loves.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

Several months ago I read Sawyer's Rose, Book 1 in The McCades of Cheyenne series, and I loved it. I must say that I think Wyatt's Bounty is even better. The McCade family is everything you expect an upstanding old west family to be.  Although each brother is quite different, they are held together by a strong mother who puts up with no nonsense from her boys and a father who, even though he was killed years ago, left the boys with a strong sense of decency.

Wyatt has loved Doc Tess for years and when she rejects his proposal and tells him she is moving back east, Wyatt is so crushed he heads to Denver where his problems only get worse.

Kim Turner shows us romance that will curl your toes, gunfights that will make you grit your teeth, and a love that will warm your heart. 

This may be a romance novel, but I'd be willing to bet that quite a few men would love reading this one.  If you are even the slightest bit a fan of Westerns, you'll love this book. I actually listened to the Audible version of the book and although at first I wasn't sure if I cared for the narrator, his voice grew on me. He has that deep rugged voice you would expect from a man of the old west.

Disclosure: A complimentary copy was provided by the author. A review was not required. All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own.

My Rating:

About the Author:

Kim Turner writes western historical romance, and discovered her passion of writing at the age of eight by writing poems, short stories and journals. Kim graduated from Clayton State University with a Bachelor's of Science in Nursing and holds a Master's Degree in Adult Education from Central Michigan University. Working as a registered nurse educator for over twenty-six years, she enjoys studying the medical treatments of the old west as well as keeping up with the latest western movies and television series. While she loves reading anything from highlanders to pirates, she claims to have an unquenchable thirst for the American Cowboy when choosing her reads. Kim lives south of Atlanta with her husband and calls her greatest accomplishment the birth of one daughter and the adoption of another from China-neither of which came easy. Kim is a member of Romance Writers of America and Georgia Romance Writers and calls her critique group from Southside Scribes the best thing that ever happened to her writing, that and a pretty wonderful group of beta readers. Kim's Motto: It's All About A Cowboy and the Woman He Loves.

If you'd like to learn more about Kim Turner, check out her blog at KimTurnerWrites.com

#BookReview - Not All Cowboys are Cruel by Angelica Hart

Title:  Not All Cowboys Are Cruel: A Baxter Homestead Romance
Author:  Angelica Hart
Genre:  Historical Romance, Western
Release Date:  August 17, 2017

About the Book:

When life has taken all you have, will there be enough left over to love?

Grace Isabella Lee is a woman on the run - from the past, from the lies, and from the ever-growing sense that she just ain't good enough to love. Matthew is a cowboy with a secret, who knows without doubt that anyone he loves will be taken from him, just as was his wife.

When Grace falls upon ruffians intent on defiling her, she all but gives up. But Matthew is her guardian angel, and soon becomes much more. Working together on the Baxter homestead, they will discover new truths - about themselves, about each other, and about the world itself.

Together, they reignite the fires of once-banked loves. Together, Grace and Matthew will find their way to safety, to happiness, and to love. 

Grace will teach him that he is more of a man than he ever thought, and Matthew will teach her that she CAN love again... because not all cowboys are cruel.

Buy Links: Amazon 

My Review:

Not All Cowboys are Cruel is a story about a young woman who has endured the worst of hardships. Desperate times call for desperate measures and Grace is forced to do whatever is necessary to allow her father and her to survive, even if that means working for the woman at the saloon. When her offer of work is rejected, Grace doesn't think her life could possibly get any harder. But it does. As she walked back to the handcart where she left her father, she is attacked by three ruffian's. That's when a lone stranger comes to her rescue. The story gets more intriguing as we discover more about the family Grace goes to work for, and as we discover who Matthew really is.

Angelica Hart tells an exciting story of hardships and hero's and how strong one young woman can be. The romance unfolded nicely but I had a difficult time connecting with some of the characters.  I couldn't quite grasp the personality of Matthew. He was frequently thinking about Grace, but was still so emotionally connected to his former wife that he actually shed tears, which made the romance with Grace slightly unbelievable. Then there was Clayton, one of those characters that you love to hate. He was just about as evil as a man could be and I could easily envision him. But I loved his mother! She was quite a character and what she had to say near the end of the story was terrific. Not All Cowboys are Cruel had a nice ending.

Disclosure:  A complimentary copy was provided by the author and Reader's Favorites in exchange for an honest review.  All thoughts, opinions and ratings are my own.

My Rating:

About the Author:

Angelica Hart is the pen name of a fairly well-known author who reads a lot and writes even more. 

She lives with her family in her home in her city in her country in a world that belongs to us all.

Follow her through Twitter @AHartAuthor or on Facebook at facebook.com/AngelicaHartAuthor.

You can also sign up to be one of Angie's Friends (and get deals and free stuff!) at http://eepurl.com/cXYnXH.