Home for the Holidays - Brenda Novak (Mira - Aug 2021)

Series: Whiskey Creek (Book 10.5)

Natasha Sharp was just a teenager when her mom married Mack Amos’s dad, and despite her crush, Mack always held her at arm’s length. Years after their parents’ divorce, they’re both adults when they run into each other at their hometown Christmas market. Will Mack still keep his distance, or is the timing finally right for their love?
 
This short novella serves as a bridge between the Whiskey Creek series and the Silver Springs series. Mack and Natasha met when she was sixteen, and he was twenty-five. Her mother had married his father, but those two were no kind of parents. Mack and his brothers took over looking after Tash. She made no secret of her feelings for Mack, but he always treated her like a little sister.
 
Years later, Tash returns to Whiskey Creek to visit her mom during the holidays and sees Mack again. Her feelings for him are just as strong, but what about his for her? I loved seeing Mack finally admit to himself that Tash is now a grown woman and what that means to him. There are some sweet scenes of the two as they wander the Christmas market, and you can feel the tension between them.
 
When they finally give in, it's everything that Tash hoped for. She has high hopes for their future, but the distance grows between them after her return to medical school. Heartbroken, Tash vows to move on until she realizes something that will make it impossible to forget him.
 
The story stops there, to be picked up in the Silver Springs book When I Found You. 

A Firefighter's Ultimate Duty - Beverly Long (HRS #2150 - Sept 2021)

Series: Heroes of the Pacific Northwest (Book 1)

A local hero must put his life on the line in the ultimate mission
 
Firefighter Blade Savick keeps his eyes on his job…not on his white-hot desire for a single mom! Especially when Daisy Rambler insists all she wants is a fresh start for herself and her daughter. Once Blade bonds with Daisy on a level he never imagined, a menace from her past rears its ugly head. But can Blade rescue Daisy…and their chance at a new life together?
 
A terrific blend of romance and suspense. The romance gets off to a quick start when Blade participates in a rescue involving Daisy and her new employer. He is immediately smitten with her, and when he finds the scarf she left behind plans to return it to her personally. While Daisy certainly noticed Blade, her mind was understandably occupied with other things.
 
The reader learns that Daisy and her sixteen-year-old daughter Sophie have just arrived in the small town of Knoware, Washington. Daisy left Denver after breaking her engagement to a man whose controlling actions set off warning bells and who refused to accept her decision. She hopes she's gotten cleanly away but can't relax her guard just yet. Her friend Jane helped her find a new job and home in Knoware. On the other hand, Sophie is decidedly not happy with the move and makes sure her mom knows it.
 
Blade is divorced but still friends with his ex-wife. This makes parenting their sixteen-year-old daughter Raven much easier. Blade is a good guy, liked by his coworkers, and active in his community. He is also, reluctantly, the co-chair of the fire department's spring fundraiser, which currently has no corporate sponsor or second co-chair. Daisy is also the first woman who has stirred his interest in some time, for which he gets some teasing from his friends Marcus and Jamie.
 
Blade's hopes for romance took a bit of a hit when he showed up at Daisy's house the next morning to return her scarf. Daisy was grateful but not particularly receptive to his hints. All thoughts of romance were derailed when Daisy discovered Sophie was gone, along with one of Daisy's credit cards and her car. After determining that Sophie was headed back to Denver, Blade offered to help by getting his friend Jamie to fly them to a spot along the route where they could intercept Sophie. I loved Blade's voice of reason in the crisis, though he did stick his foot in his mouth at one point. They parted on relatively cool terms after finding Sophie, leaving Blade wondering about his chances.
 
Fate isn't through with them just yet. In gratitude for his rescue, Daisy's boss signs on as the corporate sponsor for the fundraiser and assigns Daisy to be the liaison/co-chair. When she discovers that she'll be working with Blade, Daisy is taken aback, but they quickly make peace over their last encounter and move on. Blade hopes to advance his interests, but Daisy reiterates her "friendly cochairs" expectations. I enjoyed seeing them bond over cooking chili for the station and Blade's introducing her to a day in the life of a firefighter. Daisy gets a wake-up call about the dangers Blade faces and realizes she is more interested in Blade than she thought.
 
I liked seeing Blade and Daisy get to know each other over the next few days, but Daisy remains wary, hesitant to trust herself. When a troubling delivery arrives, she tries to hide her unease from him. Blade senses something is going on but doesn't push. When another incident happens a few days later, Daisy is spooked enough and has come to trust Blade enough that she confesses all. Blade's protective instincts are aroused, as is his desire to find Jacob and fix the problem. When circumstances make Daisy unwilling to stay in her house, he insists that she and Sophie stay with him.
 
I liked seeing Daisy and Blade grow closer during this forced proximity. Their attraction continues to build, as do their feelings for each other. Daisy is in denial about her feelings, still reluctant to trust her judgment, but it's getting harder to do. When danger comes calling, Daisy regrets not telling Blade how she feels and wonders if she'll have the chance to do so.  Meanwhile, Blade refuses to entertain any doubts that he will find her in time. I loved his confidence and that it wasn't misplaced. I enjoyed how he got the satisfaction he wanted when he confronted Jacob. He followed it up with an unexpected question to Daisy and a chance for her to follow through on her previous thoughts. The ending was sweet.
 
The suspense of the story was very good. We get the hint of things to come when Daisy thinks about her past and her worries about escaping Jacob. The tension builds as we wait for that first sign of danger, and it's almost a relief when it happens. I loved that both Blade and Marcus (the cop) take her seriously and treat the incidents as the threats they are. The period of no activity ramps the tension up higher because we're sure that Jacob hasn't given up. I wanted to shake Daisy for getting complacent. When the final confrontation came, Jacob knew precisely how to get Daisy to cooperate with him. The things he said to her on their journey were disturbing, and I fully understood Daisy's fear. Blade was fantastic with his logical deduction of where Jacob might be headed. I loved seeing Blade and Jamie take to the skies again. I laughed at their recalling the antics from their younger years and how they used one of those events to stop Jacob. The confrontation with Jacob was great, and I loved seeing him get what was coming to him.
 
I liked meeting the various people of Knoware. They were unique and well-developed as characters, and I look forward to seeing more of them in the following books. I loved both Sophie and Raven. Sophie's actions and reactions were spot-on for her age and the circumstances of their move. I also liked that her relationship with Daisy was strong enough that they overcame their initial problems and built a better relationship. I liked Raven too. Her friendship with Sophie was great. I also liked that she has a strong relationship with both parents, attributed to their excellent parenting. I can't wait to read Marcus and Jamie's stories.

Best Laid Wedding Plans - Karen Booth (HD #2826 - Sept 2021)

Series: Moonlight Ridge (Book 2)

“You could use a lesson in
giving in to temptation.”
 
But who's Autumn Kincaid to talk? Her reputation as a wedding planner is on the line after she's left at the altar. So is her job at Moonlight Ridge -- unless she proves herself to grumpy Grey Holloway, whose family owns the resort. Grey doesn't even believe in true love. She has to convince him romance is real, that all he needs is to give in to the heat threatening to burn them both. Maybe this time Autumn will get her own happily-ever-after…or is this just another best-laid plan?
 
This was a good opposites-attract story. Autumn is the wedding planner for Moonlight Ridge, but things aren't going so well for her. Her fiancé called off their wedding just days before it happened, thanks to her Hollywood producer, PR nightmare father's latest sexual misconduct scandal. This put Autumn front and center in the gossip rags, which affects her business, as brides begin to cancel their arrangements with her. She's confident she can recover if given a chance, but that chance comes with the supervision of Grey Holloway, one of the sons of her employer.
 
Grey is one of three brothers who were very close while growing up until a tragic accident tore them apart. Now they rarely speak unless it has something to do with their father. When he takes ill, each brother commits to spending a few months - separately - helping at the resort until he recovers. Mack came first, reconnected with his high school sweetheart, and decided to stay (Homecoming Heartbreaker). He also wants the brothers to reconcile, though it won't be easy. Grey accepts helping out for his father's sake but is none too happy about having to shadow the wedding planner.
 
I loved the first meeting between Autumn and Grey. Always an optimist, Autumn takes coffee and pastries to Grey's cabin, hoping to get off to a good start. She doesn't expect to find the handsome and sexy man exercising on the deck and be told he "doesn't do breakfast." Grey is honest that he doesn't believe in love and marriage and has no interest in following her around, but has no choice. Faced with Mr. Grumpy, Autumn lets her optimism bubble up, tells him that he doesn't know what he's missing, but she'll fill him in on everything he needs to know, even though she doesn't want him there either.
 
It doesn't take long for Grey to realize that the wedding problems are not Autumn's fault professionally. He's incredibly impressed with her abilities and has no trouble telling Mack so. I loved the support he gave her when confronted by an unpleasant mother-of-the-bride. He's fascinated and attracted to her, even though he knows he's going back to New York at the end of the summer. Autumn is equally attracted to Grey, and it isn't long before they give in to the heat between them. Neither expected the deeper feelings between them, and Grey fought especially hard against them. I loved his "aha" moment, and his big scene at the end was sweet and romantic.
 
A few other things are going on during this book. Mack and his father, Jameson, are trying to get everyone reunited and moved back to Moonlight Ridge. Mack tends to be a little heavy-handed, and Grey does not respond well, adding more stress. However, Grey agrees to design the new brewery on the resort grounds in time for Mack's wedding, which helps smooth things between the two brothers. There is also romance brewing between Jameson and his nurse/housekeeper, who have known each other for years. Giada is no pushover, and I like the sparks that fly between them.
 
Lastly, the resort isn't doing well financially, and Mack suspects someone is stealing from the resort. He had no luck finding who in the first book. The subject is lightly addressed in this one, with the secret presence of a forensic accountant on the property, but no conclusions are reached. I have my suspicions and can't wait to see if they are correct.

A Nurse to Claim His Heart - Juliette Hyland (HMED #1237 - Apr 2022)

Series: Neonatal Nurses (Book 1)

Will a fake relationship turn into a forever romance?
A picture is worth a thousand words…What about a viral video?
 
When Dr. Benedict saves an infant on the Washington Metro, the treatment he performs with nurse Penny becomes the talk of the town—and social media! Not least because the world thinks they’re a couple… While a real relationship is a no-go zone for divorced Benedict, prolonging their “faux-mance” is the perfect way to raise vital hospital funds. But the longer their ruse goes on, the more real it feels!
 
Good fake-relationship-turned-real story. Benedict and Penny work together in the local NICU. They've known each other for several years and were friends before Penny became engaged and moved away. Benedict had a bit of a crush on her but has many reasons to keep his emotions locked up. Then Penny returned to DC, no longer engaged, and took up her old position in the NICU, but their friendship didn't follow suit.
 
Penny came back after she ended her engagement to her lying ex-fiance. It turned out the man was married and managed to hide it all that time. Devastated by the betrayal and angry that she missed the signs, Penny has difficulty trusting her judgment.
 
Benedict and Penny were in the same subway car when a medical incident happened with a baby. Their teamwork kicked in, and they handled the emergency efficiently, quickly becoming a social media sensation. Because the hospital is fundraising for a cause near Benedict's heart, they reluctantly agree when the PR department asks him and Penny to pretend to be a couple for a few weeks. Neither expected the strength of the sparks that flared between them.
 
Benedict and Penny fool themselves into believing that they can indulge their attraction without their feelings getting involved. Penny already knows that Benedict doesn't believe in love, while she still hopes for the kind of love and marriage her parents have. Benedict's history is heart-breaking, and I ache for the load of guilt that he carries. At the time of his brother's death, he also did something that speaks well of his kindness and compassion but is about to come back and cause problems for him with Penny.
 
I liked seeing Benedict and Penny spend time together. Penny's powers of observation give her some good insight into Benedict, but nothing she says gets through his layers of guilt. And despite the feelings he refuses to admit, he hangs on to his opinion about love. I ached for Penny, who could no longer deny her feelings, and whose feelings of betrayal hit hard when she found out Benedict's secret. Benedict redeemed himself very nicely, with an excellently carried out surprise.

A Chef's Kiss - Nina Crespo (HSE #2886 - Jan 2022)

Series: Small Town Secrets (Book 1)

A welcome second chance…
Or a recipe for disaster?
 
After their ill-fated fling quashed her dreams, small-town chef Philippa Gayle's onetime rival-turned-lover Dominic Crawford upended her life. But when Philippa's forced together with the celebrity cook on a project that could change her life, there's no denying that the flames that were lit years ago were only banked, not extinguished. Can Philippa trust Dominic enough to let him in…or are they just cooking up another heartbreak?
 
Good second chance story. Philippa and Dominic knew each other six years ago when both competed for a sous-chef job in the Caribbean. Despite the competition, they became good friends, sharing dreams and having fun outside the kitchen. But when a distracted Philippa made a mistake with the wrong customer, she lost her chance at the job. After receiving some advice about distractions and priorities from the head chef, Philippa broke things off with Dominic and moved on.
 
Now, after a varied path of cooking jobs and an unexpected course change, Philippa is head chef at her own restaurant in Maryland. She has good friends, loves her work, and is preparing to cater a high-end film premiere on the property. So she is stunned to arrive at work one day to discover that she's been replaced for the event by a celebrity chef. Adding insult to injury, that chef is Dominic.
 
Dominic's path had been very different. He went from being a chef in a restaurant to being picked for a reality cooking show. His charisma, charm, and talent made him very popular, leading to his own cooking show, cookbooks, and restaurants. He's looking forward to working with Philippa again and is furious when he finds out that no one has given her a heads up about the change in plans.
 
Philippa and Dominic are caught between a rock and a hard place. If they don't work together, the rumors won't be good for either one. But if they do work together, they risk stirring up old feelings. I liked their honest conversation about their expectations but laughed at their belief that their past wouldn't matter. It was fun to watch them work together. Their styles are complementary, with each having particular strengths. Neither one is big-headed, and I especially liked Dominic's easy way with all of the kitchen employees. I loved watching him go to bat for them when the publicist tried to take over the cooking demo.
 
I enjoyed seeing the rekindling of the relationship between Philippa and Dominic. It was clear from the start that the sparks between them were still there, but Philippa was wary of risking her heart again. They spend as much time as they can together, both in the kitchen and out of it. There is a heartwrenching scene where Philippa shares some of what happened after they parted, but it goes a long way toward healing her heart also. I enjoyed the scenes where Dominic involved Philippa in his world, such as her guest appearance on one of his shows.
 
Though they are honest about their feelings for each other, their lives are very different. The tension builds as the day of the event draws near, and Dominic is called away because of his other commitments. A near-disaster almost derails things the night of the event, but Philippa works her magic, and all ends well. But their plans for Philippa to join him in California hit a snag when she realizes what she'll be giving up. I ached for both of them as choices had to be made. I wanted to shake Dominic for assuming what he did and hurt for them both as it seemed there was no way to fix it. I loved when Dominic was told to take a few days off to get his head together and the effect that being away from the pressure had on him. His solution didn't surprise me, and I loved his big moment at the end.
 
The setting of the story, involving the chefs of high-end restaurants, plus the reality and cooking show aspects, gave the story an added depth. I loved the behind-the-scenes looks at the kitchen activities and what goes into the shows. I especially enjoyed Dominic's reaction to the sudden appearance of his reality show "girlfriend" and what it meant to him and Philippa. 

Finding Forever on their Island Paradise - Therese Beharrie (HR #4802 - Apr 2022)

Saving their home…
Healing their hearts!
 
Morgan’s mission to save Penguin Island, her South African paradise, is personal. She just wasn’t prepared for how personal it would be when striking a deal with tycoon Elliott! Both have something to lose if they fail, so putting the island back on the map is their number one priority. But working together has Morgan’s head and heart racing because with every accidental touch, keeping things professional becomes more challenging…and walking away feels impossible!
 
Good story about two people whose family issues affect how they see themselves and look at relationships. Morgan blames herself for messing up her parents' lives - they were teen parents. Even as a child, she would do anything to make their lives easier. That carried over into looking after her younger brother and sister. She still puts their needs over her own. When she traveled to Penguin Island to help her grandmother, she worried about how they'd do without her.
 
Elliott's brother and father own the development company that purchased the area where Morgan's grandmother lives. Though he has nothing to do with the company, he agreed when his brother Gio asked him to check on the progress. Elliott always feels second best in his family, as his parents always paid more attention to his certified genius older brother. Elliott is willing to put his own business on hold and help but doesn't count on one little old lady.
 
I liked the first meeting between Morgan and Elliott. Both of them realize that they are caught in a dilemma. Elliott wants to finish and leave as quickly as possible, while Morgan wants her grandmother's wedding to be everything Edna wants. I enjoyed their negotiation, as Morgan points out that, as a local, she wields a fair amount of influence. Her cooperation will make his job more manageable. In return, she's willing to help him make things better than his brother had envisioned.
 
As the two work together on the renovations, neither expects the closeness that develops between them. Elliott is disturbed by how easily Morgan sees past the façade that fools everyone else. She sees how his parents' preferential treatment of his brother has made him doubt their love and his lovability. He holds himself back from relationships, preferring not to risk rejection. For her part, Morgan also holds back on relationships, unwilling to risk making the same mistakes her parents made.
 
Both Morgan and Elliott fight the attraction and feelings that build between them, afraid to risk their hearts. I enjoyed their conversations and seeing them slowly open up to each other. Interestingly, each one so clearly saw the other's problem but couldn't apply the same logic to themselves. I enjoyed the sudden appearance of Elliott's brother Gio and the eye-opening conversation they had. It gave Elliott a different perspective and a willingness to look at his future differently. I loved that seeing Elliott's changed outlook helped Morgan look at her relationship with her family in a new light and make some important decisions about her future. A little shove from Edna helped bring Elliott and Morgan together.
 
I enjoyed the descriptions of Penguin Island, from the houses to the town to Morgan's hidden waterfall. I could almost smell the flowers and feel the ocean breezes. I was sad that the penguin sanctuary was gone, but by the end had a glimmer of hope that it might come back. 

The Rancher's Baby Surprise - Sasha Summers (HSE #2883 - Jan 2022)

Series: Texas Cowboys and K-9s (Book 3)

With a wounded body and a broken spirit
He needs his best friend more than ever
 
Former soldier John Mitchell has come home after being discharged and asks his best friend, Natalie, to help him decompress. They're both in for a shock when a precious baby girl is dropped on Natalie's doorstep -- and John is the father! Now John needs Natalie's help more than ever. But Natalie has been in love with John forever. How can she help him find his way to being a family man if she's not part of that family?
 
This was a difficult book to rate. I just wanted John to get a clue for the first half of the story. He was whiny, selfish, and I felt little sympathy for him. We learn that his father's death hit him hard and that his stepfather was no good. His older brother, Hayden, tried to step in to guide him, but John wouldn't accept it. He spent most of high school fighting, skipping classes, and getting into trouble, then decided to join the military. Rather than straightening him out, he continued misbehaving until he was finally kicked out. Unfortunately, during his last stay in the brig, he was injured when it was bombed. He spent the first months afterward in rehab and then driving aimlessly around the country because he didn't know what to do with himself.
 
He finally shows up in his hometown, but he goes to his best friend Natalie's house instead of going home. They've been best friends since childhood, and John has no idea that she is also in love with him. He stays the night with her before going home and immediately having a blowup with his older brother and stalking off back to Nat's. He spends the next couple of weeks hiding out there, doing nothing but watching tv and drinking beer, with an occasional repair around her house—some friend.
 
Nat is dealing with problems of her own. After her grandfather's death, she discovered that their accountant hadn't paid taxes on the house or the bar in five years, and the government will take it if she can't produce the money. She's at a loss, and having John around distracting her isn't helping anything.
 
Then comes the shocker. A woman John hooked up with a year earlier shows up with a newborn baby and a bunch of papers. The little girl is John's, and it's up to him whether he keeps her or puts her up for adoption. John is ready to give her up, but Nat is enchanted and believes John will regret it if he follows through. Their adventures in baby care are pretty funny at times, as in John's nickname of Banshee Baby. But the longer they try to deal with the baby and John's apathy, the harder it is on Nat. I was thrilled when she finally had enough. I cheered when she kicked him to the curb and told him to take the baby and go home to his family. He needed to take a hard look at himself and grow up.
 
I ached for Nat. She loves John, but she can no longer watch him destroy himself. I loved seeing her practice tough love and make him face the truth. Nat's actions floored John. She'd never not stood behind him before, and he doesn't know how to handle it. He's also trying to deal with the other feelings that have popped up. Before, she was just a friend, but he now sees her as a woman, freaking him out. When the light bulb finally goes on, he realizes he loves her but has a long way to go to get back in her good graces.
 
The second half of the book was good, with John finally making peace with his past and family. I liked the support he got from his family when he stopped being a jerk. When he stopped feeling sorry for himself and started to think about his future, he came up with a doable plan. There were some sweet scenes with Banshee Baby, and I loved seeing him take to the daddy role. Best of all, he found ways to help Nat with her problems, and as they spent time together, their relationship strengthened. I liked the ending and seeing John's big moment with Nat.