Abby, Get Your Groom! - Victoria Pade (HSE #2452 - Jan 2016)

Series: Camdens of Colorado (Book 9)

ALWAYS A STYLIST, NEVER A BRIDE?

Abby Crane loves her job as a hairstylist, so it's a major coup when fabulously wealthy Dylan Camden hires her for his sister's nuptials. Raised tough and independent in foster care, Abby's dazzled and intimidated. It's fun to get swept up in the glamour, but Abby knows she could never really belong in his world…could she?

After an engagement gone disastrously wrong, Dylan's focused on mending bridges with his family and guarding his heart. Connecting with Abby was just supposed to be a favor for his grandmother -- repaying the debt his family owes hers. Yet the more time Dylan spends with Abby, the more he realizes all he wants to do is meet her at the altar!

Terrific Cinderella story. Dylan is back in Denver after working three months with their stores in Europe. He had gone there to escape a bad engagement, and has returned knowing that he still has to repair his relationships with his family. In their quest to make amends to some people for the actions of their fathers and grandfathers it is now Dylan's turn to make that happen. 

Abby is a hairstylist in a shop that also has a terrific reputation for working with bridal parties. She's thrilled when Dylan hires her to help with his sister's wedding. She can't deny that she's attracted to him, but he's so far above her that there's no chance of anything happening.

I really liked Abby. She's tough and independent. She was found abandoned at a hospital when she was two and raised in foster care. She isn't the "poor me" type, she accepts her life as it is. However, her last boyfriend really did a number on her self-confidence, treating her badly because of what he saw as the drawbacks of being a foster kid. She is surprised when Dylan tells her about her father, what had happened to him and why. She's even more surprised by his determination to help her find out more and how he stays with her for support.

I felt bad for Dylan. Yes, he had screwed up with his engagement and all that went on with his fiancee. But he was really in a no-win situation for most of it. When the truth came out he did the right thing. Unfortunately for him, most of his family members are still holding it against him and often treating him like pond scum. He hopes that taking on this quest, and its resulting help for Lindie's wedding (A Sweetheart for the Single Dad) will help him repair his relationships with them. In the meantime, being with Abby goes a long way toward making him feel better.

I really liked the relationship that grew between them. It started out purely as business, with the wedding and the revelations about her family. I loved seeing a bit of protectiveness kick in as Dylan saw the impact on her. He also has a very satisfying reaction to the things she tells him about her ex. I loved seeing him include her in family events, even though she tried to resist. Abby is also sensitive to the tension around Dylan and his family, though she tries not to pry. She gets a front row seat to the cause of the problem during a confrontation with his ex. I was really impressed with how she handled it. The heat between them builds, but both are holding back. When the passion finally explodes between them, both are overwhelmed by what they feel. Now Dylan has to find a way to overcome Abby's insecurities and convince her that they can be happy together. The final scenes were emotional and sweet as Abby lets go of the past and embraces a future full of love and family.

As always, the Camden family plays a big part in the story. I was a little disappointed that they were still treating Dylan badly after three months, but other than that they were great. I was definitely rooting for Dylan to make it back into the family circle. I loved seeing how they included Abby in their gatherings. Just by being themselves Abby eventually saw that they had nothing in common with her ex. I must admit that a small part of me would love to see her run into her ex while with the Camdens. By my count, there should be one Camden still unmarried - I just can't figure out which one!

A Sweetheart for the Single Dad - Victoria Pade (HSE #2428 - Sept 2015)

Series: Camdens of Colorado (Book 8)

All Is Fair In Love And War!

How can a woman complete a task when the subject looks like him? Lindie Camden must keep her eyes on the prize to win Sawyer Huffman as a client and amend their familial dispute that dates back generations. But when she's hit with the single dad's gentle heart and his oh-too-kissable mouth, her idea of "the prize" shifts all too easily…

She expects to volunteer in the community center wearing that? There was no denying Sawyer's appreciation of seeing Lindie in her figure-hugging clothes, but he's less impressed with the reason behind the outfits. Despite the initial success of their seductive ploy, he won't allow the Camdens to weasel themselves into business with him. Because the only kind of deal he wanted to make with Lindie involved white lace…and promises…

Good enemies to friends to lovers story. The Camden family has been on a quiet crusade to try to right some of the wrongs done by their fathers and grandfather in their business practices. Each of the younger Camdens has had their assignment and now it is Lindie's turn. It seems that her uncle had used underhanded business practices to drive a wedge between Sawyer's dad and his fiancee - who her uncle wanted for himself. Those actions nearly destroyed his business and took years for him to overcome. Now Sawyer fights for the little guys whose lives and businesses are wrecked when a Camden superstore comes to town. Lindie's job is to convince Sawyer to back off and to offer him a job working for the Camdens instead of against them.

Lindie knows she's in trouble the minute she gets a good look at Sawyer. Trying to keep her mind on her goal is really hard when she's constantly distracted by how good looking he is. Sawyer has a similar problem, finding Lindie too gorgeous for his peace of mind. 

I really had fun with the relationship between these two. Lindie is up front with Sawyer about what she wants from him, and he is equally honest in telling her that it isn't going to happen. He challenges her to step away from her ivory tower and see the results of her family's activities. What he doesn't know is that Lindie has what may be the world's softest heart, and seeing what is going on makes her want to fix it. Her family isn't too happy with her when she confronts them with what she has found out, especially since that soft heart of hers gets her into trouble on a regular basis. I liked seeing Lindie surprise Sawyer with her willingness to get her hands dirty and how that softens his attitude a bit toward her (but not her mission).

The more time they spend together, the closer they get. But there are some serious obstacles to anything permanent between them, outside of the family feud. Sawyer has very definite ideas of the type of woman he wants in his life, thanks to having been burned once too often by "drama queens". He also has a four year old son who is a big part of his life, one whose mother is talking about moving across the country. Lindie has even more deep-seated issues. As one of ten kids raised by her grandmother after their parents died, she has always felt somewhat insecure in her place in the family. She worries about kids having to fight for attention from parents, especially kids that are only half siblings or who only see a parent sometimes. She has sworn she would never get involved with a man who already had a child who would have to compete for attention with her children, which puts Sawyer on the "no" list. Unfortunately, her heart isn't paying attention.

There were some fantastic scenes of the tenderhearted Lindie jumping in to try to fix something that she sees happening, and Sawyer trying to rein her in, explaining how she might complicate matters even further. There are also some wonderful conversations between them as they get to know each other, and some lighthearted teasing as they poke at each other's foibles. As time goes on, Sawyer starts to realize that he wants Lindie in his life in spite of the problems he sees. At the same time, Lindie wants the same thing, but only sees how impossible those problems are to overcome. It isn't until a discussion with the women in her family makes her see that the feud issue can be dealt with. And an honest look at her insecurities makes her realize that she had been basing a lot on "what ifs". I loved the ending and seeing how they both came to the same conclusion at nearly the same time. I would have liked to see the first Sunday dinner that Sawyer came to though.