Series:
Buckhorn Brothers (Book 4)
Jordan Sommerville, healer of helpless animals, rescuer
of strays, a man who could seduce a woman with his voice alone. Yet he didn't
use that power often. His brothers kidded that he was holding out for a paragon
of virtue...and not many in Buckhorn qualified. But then he met Georgia, and
broke all his own rules.
Georgia Barnes supported herself and her kids as a dancer
-- an exotic dancer. If Jordan Sommerville didn't like it, he could take a
hike. So what if he was the most caring, gentle, desirable man she'd ever known
-- he was still a man like all the rest.
Surely he couldn't be as perfect as he looked...or could
he?
Good book about the last of the four brothers to find
love. Jordan has always felt a little
different than his (half)brothers. His father was no prize, and Jordan has
spent his life consciously ensuring that he's nothing like his old man. He
doesn't drink, lie, or lead women on. Even as a kid, he was sensitive to
animals, so it's no surprise he became a vet. He's active in the community, and
that volunteerism is what got him where he is as the book opens. With several
other townspeople, he arrives at a seedy bar just over the county line to ask
the bar owner to limit the number of drinks he serves to people. Their town has
had trouble with the drunks causing problems and damage there. But Jordan is
distracted from his mission when a dancer appears on the stage.
I admit that I thought Jordan was extremely judgmental
when he saw the dancer, making assumptions about her character and virtue. That
didn't stop him from being attracted to her and envisioning what he'd like to
do with her. Despite his attitude, he intervened when he saw her being accosted
by a drunk customer after her dance. This started a brawl that ended with the
police being called. With Jordan and the dancer from Buckhorn, their police
chief was called to take custody of them. While waiting for the chief, who is
Jordan's older brother, Jordan continues his judgey attitude in comments to
her. It doesn't go over well.
Georgia is beyond angry with Jordan. She copes with the customers
all the time without any problems. Thanks to Jordan, this night was a disaster.
I loved seeing her blast him for his judgmental statements and set him straight
about his interference. Georgia is a single mother who waitresses and dances to
support her children and mother. She is fiercely independent and refuses to
rely on anyone else. The home she bought is a fixer-upper, and the process is
slow. She doesn't need to deal with Jordan's attitude, too. Complicating
matters is her intense attraction for him, thanks to his gorgeous looks and sexy
voice.
I laughed out loud at Jordan's teasing from his brother
Morgan when he arrived to take custody of the two miscreants. It was fun to see
Morgan's opinion of the sparks between Jordan and Georgia and Jordan's outright
denial. Morgan and Jordan won points with me when they helped Georgia deal with
the crisis waiting for her when she got home. In the process, Jordan realized he'd
been a complete jerk and tried to make things up to her. There were sweet and
fun scenes at the hospital as Georgia's kids took to Jordan and Morgan, and
Jordan's nephew Casey also became part of the mix. Jordan's gentler nature
comes out in his unexpected need to take care of her, which freaks him out more
than a little.
I loved watching Georgia get absorbed into the entire
family's lives, as everyone found a way to help her. Georgia is overwhelmed by
the kindness and attention and doesn't know what to make of it. She isn't used
to that sort of thing. The more time she spends with Jordan, the harder it becomes
to resist him. At the same time, Jordan discovers that while his attraction is
still just as strong, he also finds himself wanting more. His growing feelings
are frequently expressed in bouts of overprotectiveness which rub Georgia the
wrong way and become a huge distraction. It takes time and his brothers
pointing out the obvious for Jordan to realize the truth of his feelings, but
he isn't sure of Georgia's feelings. A conversation with her mother helps
Georgia face the truth of her feelings. There's no dark moment that pushes them
apart, only the satisfaction of seeing them confess those feelings and look to
the future together. The epilogue was a nice wrap-up.
Jordan's family is a big part of the book. Their love and
support of each other easily spill over to Georgia and her family. Morgan comes
across as this big tough guy, but his inner marshmallow is evident whenever he
talks about his wife and child. I loved how Sawyer, the doctor, made himself
available if Georgia's mother had more health issues. Young Casey was my
favorite. He's only eighteen, but you can see his father's and uncles'
influence on him. I loved his kindness and compassion for the teenage girl,
Emma, and how Georgia's kids adored him. I also loved how Jordan's
sisters-in-law quickly became friends with Georgia. My favorite scene with them
was when they showed up at the bar to see Georgia dance - without their
husbands. Jordan's horror made me laugh out loud.
Reading this book reminded me that I still have a few
from this series that I haven't read yet. Must remedy that.
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