Review: The Hero's Sweetheart by Cheryl Wyatt

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

His Perfect Match

Military commander Jack Sullenberger is used to saving the day. But when his father has a stroke in his beloved small-town diner, it's waitress and EMT student Olivia Abbott coming to the rescue. Jack rushes home to tend to his father and take over the business—running right into Olivia's very strong opinions. The steely military man and the waitress can't agree on what's best for the restaurant. When Jack sees something that shakes his growing trust in Olivia, their undeniable connection is put to the test. But if Jack's open to the truth, they'll have a chance at finding a future together.

My Review

I enjoyed this story with the close-knit diner crew stepping up when the beloved owner has a stroke and is hospitalized for weeks. Sully's son Jack is from a much different world being overseas with the military, but he takes over for his dad and discovers that things need to change in order to keep the diner open. Olivia is like a daughter to Sully, and the diner changes along with Sully's health scare, her dyslexia and learning comprehension disability while studying for her EMT courses, take their toll on her mental and physical health. Her interactions with Jack begin in a volatile manner, and the shift to attraction, friendship and romance was clumsy. It was more told in the character's heads than shown, and I didn't feel any chemistry between them. Jack was pretty hot and cold, and some things he did seemed out of character as we got to know him better. Olivia is described as being covered in tattoos and piercings, yet we are never told why she has this persona or how it is significant to her. It left me a bit confused and like I wasn't getting to know the layers of her character. Overall I liked the premise but would have appreciated more character development and emotional connection.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Review: The Rancher's Secret Child by Brenda Minton

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Can he cowboy up for fatherhood? 

He had no room for love...until now. 

 

After meeting the son he never knew he had, Marcus Palermo's simple life turns upside down. Complicating things further is Lissa Hart, the boy's lovely guardian. She'll help him become a parent--but falling for a gruff cowboy is not in her plans. Will she realize her future lies in Bluebonnet Springs with the rugged rancher?

My Review

The secret baby trope isn't my favorite because I get really sad at the thought of the baby stages and childhood years missed by the father. I think there is real grief for him to go through at missing that special growing up time. Marcus comes from a dysfunctional family with an abusive and tyrannical father, so I can see how scared he would be to give fatherhood a try. Lissa wants to make sure he really is ready and able to be present in the life of Oliver, and even though Marcus can take Oliver away from her, they realize how important it is for them both to be in his life. I was happy with the healing that took place and look forward to more from the Palermo family.

 
Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Check out the other books in the Bluebonnet Springs series . . .

Review: The Texan's Twin Blessings by Rhonda Gibson

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Stand-In Father

As temporary guardian to his twin baby nieces, William Barns barely knows a diaper from a burp cloth. The well-meaning but meddling neighbor ladies suggest a wife—namely Emily Jane Rodgers. Although William isn't in the market for a bride, he needs a loving woman to watch over the children, and Emily Jane fits the bill nicely.

Emily Jane agrees to care for William's nieces—not become his betrothed. Fully determined to find her own way in life and to open her own bakery, Emily Jane isn't looking for a husband. But no matter how hard she resists, Emily Jane is roped in by the twins' little hugs and William's tender regard. And soon she longs to be a permanent part of this ready-made family…

My Review

This is a sweet story with the potential for a marriage of convenience, but Emily Jane fights it with everything she has. She has her own dreams and from her past experiences it doesn't occur to her that she can have both a family and bakery with a supportive husband. I admired that she was so willing to sacrifice and help William with the twins- and I felt like he took her for granted a bit. Their proximity with taking care of the twins together gave them the opportunities to get to know each other better, although it was a rocky path. It was inspiring to see Emily Jane's perspective shift as she learns to trust and believe in God and others.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Check out the other books in the Granite, Texas series . . .

Review: The Marriage Agreement by Renee Ryan

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Promoted to Wife?

Always the dutiful daughter, Fanny Mitchell surprised everyone when she broke her engagement. Now she's working at the fancy Hotel Dupree--and falling for the mysterious, handsome owner, Jonathon Hawkins. But when she and her boss are caught in an unexpected kiss at a ball, will her reputation be tarnished forever?

The son of a woman of ill repute, Jonathon knows that gossip can destroy lives in an instant. And he won't allow sweet, lovely Fanny to suffer the consequences. When he proposes a marriage of convenience, Jonathon believes he can keep his heart to himself. But the more time he spends with Fanny, the more he realizes he may just be in love--with his wife...

My Review

I enjoyed the premise of the story, with an unexpected marriage between two people who secretly admire each other in order to save their reputations. However, there is just so much unnecessary drama, especially when it goes against what the characters repeatedly think to themselves. That disconnect removed me from understanding the motivations of Fanny and Jonathan, and their early chemistry dissolved in the midst of the angst. The importance placed on society and society's opinion made Fanny seem shallow, but then she suddenly seemed to not care what society thought, but married in order to prevent her mother from suffering. Jonathan is the one who went through the biggest transformation as he struggled to overcome the stigma of his origins in his own mind. Being the last book in the series, there were plenty of previous characters that were drawn into the scenes, which readers who read the books in order would appreciate.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Check out the previous books in the Charity House series . . .

Review: Courting The Cowboy by Carolyne Aarsen

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

Meeting the Cowboy's Family

Looking for inspiration, artist Ella Langton rents a cabin in the isolated Porcupine Hills of Alberta. She didn't count on having neighbors, but rancher Cord Walsh and his three children are just a stone's throw away. Still healing from a tragic accident, Ella has no plans of reaching out, but she's having a hard time keeping them out of her yard...and her thoughts. And when little Suzy ropes Ella into helping her with an art project, she can't help her growing feelings for the girl's rugged daddy. With three persistent children, Cord and Ella may find their fenced-off hearts opening up sooner than they thought!

My Review

I took me a bit to understand Ella, yet as each layer was revealed I loved how her journey took her from darkness to light. It was a process for her to embrace a new perspective with the unsolicited help from her overworked neighbor Cord, his friendly children, and his matchmaking father. As an artist I love when the main character is also creatively inclined, and it was interesting to see the various elements and influences of the art world and the pressure on her production and mental health. The pace of the narrative isn't always smooth, and I wished for more development of the romance between Ella and Cord to be shown. Overall it was a sweet read and I loved the happy ending.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.

Check out the books in the Cowboys of Cedar Ridge series . . .

Review: Mail-Order Christmas Baby by Sherri Shackelford

My rating: 3 stars / I liked it

Synopsis

The Rancher's Special Delivery

The "package" is addressed to him, but rancher Sterling Blackwell certainly didn't order a baby! More scandalous still, he and the town's pretty teacher are named as parents. With gossip running wild, only a marriage of convenience can protect little Gracie and their reputations until her real family is found.

Heather O'Connor is content to be the spinster schoolmarm of Valentine, Montana…until Gracie's arrival stirs her heart. She can't keep the adorable child without Sterling's help, though she promises not to interfere with his life. But staying aloof from her handsome husband isn't easy with a tiny matchmaker in tow. A mistake brought them together, but love might just make them a family by Christmas…

My Review

What a conundrum these two are in! It's kind of a hopeless case of being forced into a situation because of a mystery and the reverend not standing up to gossip. I liked how Heather and Sterling made the best of it, and a true friendship grew. I thought the romance could have been stronger, and I missed the development of that aspect of their relationship. The plot is steady, although the narrative was a bit disjointed, but I was invested in the outcome of the mystery of where baby Gracie came from and who she really belonged to. The author dropped some hints as to the person stirring up trouble, and it was a sad reveal for the family to realize the betrayal. Baggage from the past woven in with faithful friends in the present gave Heather and Sterling plenty to figure out yet a strong support system while they did.

Disclosure statement: A complimentary copy of this book was provided from a tour group, publisher, publicist, or author, including NetGalley, OR was borrowed from the library, including OverDrive, OR borrowed from Kindle Unlimited, OR purchased. A review was not required and all views and opinions expressed are unbiased and my own.