A Valentine for Christmas - Reese Ryan (HD #2913 - Dec 2022)

Series: Valentine Vineyards (Book 1)
 
A red-hot romance between a career-focused woman and a determined younger man? Doctor's orders!
 
Dr. Julian Brandon is too charming, too sexy and too young for Chandra Valentine. But after the successful bachelor rescues her -- twice -- she owes him. Still reeling from life-changing family revelations, Chandra somehow agrees to pose as Julian's girlfriend. And now the irresistible Julian has plans that start with seduction under the mistletoe and end with their fake relationship erupting into a scorching affair. Now Chandra's questioning everything she believed about love…
 
Good story about love and family. Chandra is the oldest of the six Valentine siblings, intently focused on her career in San Diego. When her father calls a family meeting in the small town of Magnolia Lake, Tennessee, the request is odd enough that she drops everything to go. Chandra is a nervous flyer in small planes, and the last leg of the trip is on a very small plane. A fellow passenger, "JB," provides the distraction she needs to make it through the flight.
 
JB, Julian Brandon, is headed home to Magnolia Lake to keep a promise. Years earlier, local billionaire, Joe Abbott promised to pay for Julian's schooling if he committed to spending four years as the town's doctor when he finished. Julian dreads his return thanks to unhappy memories attached to his hometown.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Chandra and Julian. They connected quickly on the flight to Magnolia Lake. Julian's calm demeanor and easy conversation soothed her fears. The sparks of attraction were there, but neither expected to see the other again. Fate intervened when Julian came to her rescue after she drove off the road. Their third encounter was an eye-opener for Chandra when she discovered that her sexy rescuer was none other than the town's young new doctor. I had to laugh at this meeting. Chandra is aghast that she's attracted to a man years younger than she is, while Julian is thrilled to have the opportunity to see her again. Very conscious of the age difference, Chandra shoots down his invitation for a date.
 
However, that isn't the end. Chandra soon has the chance to repay Julian's kindness by helping him. Poor Julian has become the quarry of nearly every single woman in town. During a party given by the Abbots, and at the instigation of her sister Naya, Chandra rescues Julian from his pursuers by implying they are a couple. Julian jumps on the idea as a way to spend more time with Chandra and show him as more settled to the people in town. As Julian finds every opportunity possible to be with Chandra, the sparks between them continue to grow. She is willing to enjoy the attraction but, with her looming return to California, has no interest in a relationship. Julian hopes to change her mind.
 
A change in circumstances at her job in California motivates Chandra to take a hard look at her plans for the future. I loved how Chandra stood up for herself and didn't allow them to take advantage of her. Her return to Magnolia Lake allowed her to explore the feelings she was just beginning to admit. An unexpected complication pushes them closer together, while Chandra's fears have her resisting the truth. Meanwhile, Julian must face his past before he can move forward into the future he wants with Chandra.  The scene at the poker game was a hoot, and I loved Julian's big moment. The epilogue was terrific, and I can't wait to read the rest of the books in the series.
 
The overarching theme of the series is the establishment of the Valentine Vineyards. Stunning family revelations redirect patriarch Abbott Valentine's interests and passions in a new direction. His actions shock his children even as he indicates his desire for their involvement in the new enterprise. It was interesting to see their reactions, good and bad, and how they handled the news. I can't wait to follow the progress.

Unraveled - Amy Knupp (Lake House Books - May 2022)

Series: Dragonfly Lake (Book 1)

A marriage of convenience can test even the best of friends.
 
Holden Henry is every girl's dream -- kind, funny, outgoing. A catch in every sense. Despite my wrong-side-of-the-tracks upbringing, he's been my friend forever. He has no idea I've had more-than-friends feelings for him for years, and I intend to keep it that way.
 
When I'm forced to return to the small town where we grew up, I'm faced with a big, fat problem. Being a good pal, Holden offers me a too-tempting solution: a marriage of convenience. It's a crazy plan…but I'm desperate enough to try it. Besides, he's not just saving me; we'll be helping each other.
 
The catch? We have to stay married for a year. But once I inherit the company of my dreams and Holden launches his own start-up, we can go back to being just friends, right? Except…what if he figures out that I've been in love with him forever? Worse, what if I have to choose between the career I've always wanted and the man I can't live without?
 
Terrific friends-to-lovers romance. Once I picked it up, I couldn't put it down. The story is told from alternating points of view, switching back and forth from Chloe to Holden. I enjoyed this method because of the insight into the main characters' thoughts, feelings, and motivations, and this was no exception.
 
Chloe grew up in Dragonfly Lake. She was a shy girl from what many called the wrong side of the tracks. Bullied by some of the "mean girls," Chloe had one person she considered a friend - Holden Henry. Chloe couldn't put Dragonfly Lake behind her fast enough after graduating, but she and Holden remained friends. They kept their friendship going through texts, emails, and his occasional visits to Nashville. Now the Executive Vice President of a boutique hotel company, Chloe ends up back in Dragonfly Lake supervising the construction of a new hotel.
 
Holden also grew up in Dragonfly Lake except for a few years in middle school when his family moved away. He went back to live with his grandparents and finished high school there. He reconnected with Chloe, and it was as if they'd never been apart. Holden runs Henry's restaurant with his two brothers, Cash and Seth, but he has bigger dreams. He and his friend Kemp want to build a brewery to complement the restaurant. They've done the research and have the building but lack the start-up funds they need.
 
Chloe's life takes an unexpected turn when her boss is diagnosed with cancer and sets up a competition between Chloe and a coworker to see who will be named president and heir to the company. She then sets up specific stipulations, including requiring that Chloe put some balance in her life (she's a workaholic) by showing that she's in a successful relationship. Who else can Chloe turn to for help but Holden? I loved Holden's immediate willingness to step up and be her "fake boyfriend."  When her boss, Angelica, exhibits skepticism about the relationship, Holden dives into the deception and claims they just got engaged. I loved how Chloe and Holden sat down and talked about the decision to get married and the ramifications for each of them. Chloe worries that Holden is sacrificing too much for no gain, so she offers to invest in his brewery. She also insists on an expiration date for the marriage, believing that one year should be enough to seal the deal.
 
Chloe's biggest concern is coming out of their deal with her heart intact. She's been in love with Holden for years, and living with him will cement those feelings. Holden is utterly clueless about Chloe's feelings for him and still sees her as his friend. That is until he sees her in her wedding dress and suddenly notices what a beautiful woman she is. Holden's off-hand comment about wishing the wedding night was real gets Chloe thinking about not missing out on what she's been dreaming about for years. This step is the first in a journey that takes Chloe and Holden where they never expected to go.
 
I loved watching the relationship between Chloe and Holden develop. Though they've been friends for a long time, being married exposes their fears and insecurities. Holden is aware of Chloe's feelings of inferiority from her childhood but doesn't realize how deep those feelings are at first. I loved his support of Chloe and her dreams and how he encouraged her to let go of her fears and reach out to others. Meanwhile, Holden feels that he's not pulling his weight in the family business without having his brewery up and running. With Chloe's commitment to supporting his dream, he finally feels like a full partner. It was great to see how the deception began to feel real and right as they spent time together as husband and wife. But each of them is reluctant to risk their friendship by confessing the change in their feelings.
 
Then comes betrayal and disaster. The confrontation with her boss broke my heart for Chloe, but I loved how she stood up for herself and gave Angelica an earful. However, the whole scene did a number on Chloe's belief in herself. I ached for her as she pushed Holden away though I also wanted to shake her for not accepting his comfort and support. I hurt for Holden, who finally realized the depth of his feelings for Chloe. I liked Chloe's realization of her mistake, her self-examination, and the advice she got from her friend Presley and what she did with it. The twist at the end was unexpected, and I loved what it meant for her future. Her big scene with Holden was emotional and romantic.
 
The epilogue was terrific. It was sweet to see how Chloe surprises Holden. I'm also intrigued by the short scene with Seth and suspect that it is the lead-in to the next book. I can't wait!
 
I liked the secondary characters of Holden's brothers, Seth and Cash. I'm looking forward to reading their stories. Cash seems wound a little tight, so it will be interesting to see who loosens him up. I'd also like to see Holden's partner Kemp get a story. He impressed me with his cautions to Holden regarding his marriage - he could see the pitfalls. I also enjoyed seeing more of Hayden (Holden's sister) and Zane from True Hero. I loved that couple, and it's neat to see how they are doing.

Their Reunion to Remember - Tina Beckett (HMED #1220 - Jan 2022)

Series: Nashville ER (Book 2)

Then: an almost happily-ever-after
Now: a second chance?
 
Surgeon Lia Costa has spent a lifetime trying to blend into the background. So when Dr. Micah Corday picks her out of a busy concert crowd on Valentine's Day, she can't believe it! Micah was her first love…and the man she thought she would never see again. Is Lia ready to remember the powerful love that she had tried so hard to forget?
 
Good second chance love story. Lia and Micah fell in love during medical school. But when graduation came, and Micah wanted them to join Doctors Without Borders, Lia panicked and broke things off with Micah, breaking both of their hearts. Lia has prosopagnosia (Face blindness, or prosopagnosia, is a brain disorder characterized by the inability to recognize or differentiate faces. People with face blindness may struggle to notice differences in the faces of strangers. Others may even have a hard time recognizing familiar faces.) She has learned to cope where everything is familiar, but going somewhere so far out of her comfort zone terrified her. But rather than tell Micah the truth, she pushed him away.
 
Several years later, Micah returns to Nashville and takes a job at the same hospital where Lia works. He's surprised when he spots her at a hospital fundraiser concert and the memories that flooded him of their time together, including that final rejection. He was hurt and angry when she didn't recognize him. Lia faced one of her greatest fears when she saw Micah and didn't recognize him until he spoke and scrambled to minimize the damage. Unfortunately, she only made things worse when she discovered they would be working together.
 
Though they plan to avoid each other whenever possible, they are thrown together when Lia treats a case that calls for Micah's expertise as an epidemiologist.  Working together to spread the word about the outbreak and the need for updated vaccinations, their old feelings don't take long to resurface. I loved watching those feelings deepen and grow and seeing their attraction follow suit. But Lia's fears are never far from her mind, and Micah's dreams soon run up against those fears. I ached for Micah as he saw history repeat itself, breaking his heart again. I loved how Lia found the courage to tell him everything and Micah's love and support as he finally understood her. The epilogue was sweet.
 
I love the Harlequin Medical line because they always have interesting situations. In this book, Lia and Micah face an outbreak of pertussis or whooping cough. Because of widespread vaccinations, it is something that is rarely heard of these days but can be deadly. I liked seeing the steps that Micah and Lia took, from public education to contact tracing (with a nod to lessons learned from Covid). I also liked getting the follow-up to the medical issue with Avery's friend, Bonnie, from the first book in the series (New Year Kiss with His Cinderella). 

                                                                      

New Year Kiss with His Cinderella - Annie O'Neil (HMED #1219 - Jan 2022)

Series: Nashville ER (Book 1)

From a midnight kiss…
…to a reunion in the ER!
 
When Dr. Carter shares a New Year's kiss with a captivating stranger, he doesn't expect a reunion. Then he walks into Saint Dolores's ER the very next day…and discovers she's his new colleague! Awkwardly, their smoking-hot attraction hasn't gone away! But for Carter, life has meant staying mobile, and he can't simply lay down roots. Yet there's something about Nurse Avery and Nashville that's starting to really feel like home…
 
An emotional story that kept me hooked from beginning to end. I loved the first meeting between Carter and Avery. It was New Year's Eve, and she was riding a mechanical bull, trying to win the cash prize. One sight of the handsome stranger intently focused on her, and she lost her concentration and her seat. I loved Carter's offer to win it for her and his understanding of her reaction. In the end, Avery succeeded, and they shared an intense midnight kiss. Then Avery walked away, never expecting to see him again.
 
Fate, of course, had other plans. The next day Avery, a nurse practitioner at Nashville's busy ER, gets a shock during the welcoming of new hires. One of them is Dr. Carter Booth, the sexy stranger from the night before. The tension between them is off the charts as Avery gives Carter a tour and assists with his first couple of cases. It isn't long before they have to admit there is something between them
 
I loved seeing the relationship develop between Carter and Avery. It starts as a no-strings fling between friends. Carter is upfront about his inability/unwillingness to do any long-term commitments. His younger sister is in prison and also suffers from a chronic disease. She frequently gets in trouble and is moved to another prison, and Carter follows along to the closest hospital. She is the only family he has, and his protectiveness runs deep. Avery also avoids relationships. She still grieves the death of her sister two years earlier. She has locked up her emotions between her grief and being dumped in her last relationship. But as the weeks go on and they spend time together, something more than attraction builds between them. I loved seeing them open up and share things they'd never told anyone else. The support and understanding they have for each other are fantastic.
 
When an incident at the hospital breaks the walls Avery built around her emotions, Carter was there to pick up the pieces. I loved how he helped her rediscover her music and the big decision she made because of it. Then a medical crisis involving Carter's sister causes him to pull away from Avery. I wanted to shake him for his unkind words before walking out and ached for Avery and her heartbreak. I loved the lecture he got from his sister, who'd gone through some changes in her own outlook, and called him an idiot for walking away from Avery. It was an eye-opening experience for Carter, and I loved its effect on him. His big moment at the end was sweet and emotional.
 
As is usual with Harlequin's Medical line, a few medical issues played significant parts in the story. They were well done without overshadowing the romance. The detail was sufficient for the seriousness of the scene without feeling like I was reading a textbook. I always seem to learn something new from one of these books.

The Bad Boy Experiment - Reese Ryan (HD #2849 - Jan 2022)

Series: Bourbon Brothers (Book 6)

A steamy fling with an old crush who doesn't do commitment?
What was she thinking!
 
What happens when you say yes to a bad boy? Even if divorcée Renee Lockwood were willing to give love a second chance, she wouldn't choose Cole Abbott. The sexy, successful real estate developer doesn't do commitment. But he's perfect for a no-strings fling -- exactly what Ren needs now that she's moved back home to raise her son. Mind-blowing pleasure with the man she once crushed on is harder to quit than Ren expected. Impossible, in fact. Is time running out before the bad boy bolts…or will the results of her experiment surprise her?
 
Terrific conclusion to the Bourbon Brothers series. Cole is the youngest of the family and the last man standing as far as relationships go. He is as anti-commitment as they come, preferring no-strings hookups to anything that smacks of permanence. He is also the only siblings not involved in the family distillery. Years earlier, he made it known that he had no interest in being part of it by refusing to go to college and apprenticing with a local builder instead. While this created great tension among the family, Cole became very successful in real estate development and construction. I ached a bit for Cole as I learned more about his background. Learning difficulties left him with some insecurities that persisted into his adulthood.
 
After divorcing her husband, Renee returned home, bringing her four-year-old autistic son Mercer. After dealing with the entitled, rich-boy mentality, the last thing she is interested in is a relationship with anyone. She plans to purchase the family's farm property from her grandfather and create an organic vegetable and flower farm staffed by workers with challenges such as those her son faces.
 
I loved the first meeting between Renee and Cole. He didn't know she was back in town and the sight of her left him gobsmacked. They became friends (with mutual crushes) in high school when Renee tutored him in math and science, and to say the geeky girl had changed would be an understatement. But Cole still feels guilty because their friendship ended badly. If things were awkward between them now, they were about to get more so. When Renee approaches her grandfather about purchasing the property, she learns that Cole also wants the same land. He plans to build high-end homes there. Her clever, perhaps devious, grandfather tells both that he will give them six months to prove which one will make the best use of the property. Though not happy, neither backs down from the challenge.
 
I loved watching the relationship develop between Cole and Renee. Though both claim to be anti-relationship, there is no doubt about their attraction. Both are determined to resist it and instead rekindle their friendship. Though Cole has the whole bad-boy reputation, he has a surprisingly soft and honorable heart. I loved watching him find ways to help Renee, both with fixing up her house and setting up her farm. He also connects quickly with her son, Mercer, with whom he feels a slight kinship over similar challenges. There are sweet scenes with Cole and Mercer, who calls Cole "Vroom!" because of his truck.
 
I loved seeing Cole and Renee spend time together. Though she's a bit hesitant, Cole finds ways to involve her in his family's life. It was fun to see how they could all see what was happening between Cole and Renee. As the flames of attraction grew stronger, a chance discovery of her great-aunt's diary led Renee to propose a "bad-boy experiment." They give in to the attraction, indulging in a no-strings affair while maintaining their friendship, with no expectation of more. Of course, both go into it firmly convinced they can keep their feelings out of it. It was fun to see their families, who clearly see what is happening, try to point out the obvious while neither one is willing to listen. After panicking when they realize the truth, it takes a little time apart to realize the truth of what they want. I loved Cole's big moment at the end - trellis + balcony = <sigh>
 
I loved the epilogue. It was great to see the whole family together at the grand opening of their mother's restaurant. I loved Iris's excitement at the new challenge and her homage to the importance of her family. The epilogue ended with an unexpected twist that left me anxiously awaiting the next book.