A Bravo for Christmas - Christine Rimmer (HSE #2516 - Dec 2016)

Read December 4, 2016

Series: Bravos of Justice Creek (Book 6)

WHEN DARIUS BRAVO WANTS SOMETHING…

…he usually gets it. And the powerhouse CEO has wanted Ava Malloy since he was a Justice Creek High senior. Darius is already adored by one Malloy: Ava's spirited daughter. Helping Sylvie and her local Blueberry troop build dollhouses for needy kids is a worthy cause that's bringing him closer to the widowed single mom. Imagine his surprise when the usually unapproachable Ava starts flirting and making her romantic intentions crystal clear!

With one condition.

A holiday fling with the man Ava has always found irresistibly attractive is a thrilling way to ring in the New Year. She can't promise Darius the future -- one devastating heartbreak in a lifetime is enough. But Ava underestimates his staying power. And what about her own secret heart's desire? A Bravo under the mistletoe and in her arms forever!

Very good holiday story. Ava and Darius have known each other since high school. Back then, Darius was the big man on campus, known for charming all the girls. He used to flirt with Ava, and ask her to go out. Thanks to things that happened when she was younger, Ava has made her plans for the future and she refuses to let Darius distract her and turns him down flat. After school they go their separate ways, both leaving Justice Creek, until life calls them back home. Darius is CEO of his father's metalworking business and Ava is a successful real estate agent and widowed mother of a little girl.

Ava is a loving mother to Sylvie, who is the center of her life. She's quite content with her life most of the time, but as the holidays approach, admits that she can get a bit lonely. She makes the decision to pursue a holiday fling with the man who still attracts her after all these years.

Darius is still known as quite a flirt who hasn't settled down with anyone after all these years. He's also highly involved in his community, including with the local Blueberry troop, one of who is Ava's daughter Sylvie (I loved the opening scene where they had been "decorating" him). He's still drawn to Ava, and never passes up an opportunity to flirt with her.

Darius is stunned at Ava's request for a holiday affair. She has rules for it, such as nobody can know that they're together, emotional entanglement is forbidden, and it ends with the new year. He agrees to her rules, but has no intention of keeping them.

I loved the development of their relationship. Though Ava is all for jumping right into the fling, Darius is determined to slow things down and force them to get to know each other before they get intimate. He has a little bit of an "in" because thanks to his involvement with Sylvie's troop, he can find multiple reasons for all three of them to get together. Ava is wary because, thanks to events in her childhood, she has control and trust issues. She worries that if she lets him get too close Sylvie will be hurt. She also doesn't want to risk her heart after the pain of losing her husband. I loved Darius' patience and sensitivity as he slowly began to chip away at Ava's walls. I especially loved the scene where she opened up about her childhood. His reactions were just what she needed. Ava could feel herself falling for him and fought it all the way. I admit to sometimes being irritated with her attitude about taking Sylvie to visit him and some of her other rules. Things came to a head when Darius pushed a little too hard and Ava panicked. I loved the part that little Sylvie had in bringing them back together.

It was interesting to see the differences between Ava's and Darius' families. You could see that the love was there in Ava's, but there was a lot of tension too. Her mother's intense matchmaking efforts is one of the things that drove Ava's desire to keep her relationship with Darius a secret. Her brothers were protective, but I didn't get the feeling they were particularly supportive of her. Tom especially bugged me at the beginning, but redeemed himself at the end. On the other hand, the Bravo family was great. Though they'd had their problems in the past, they are now there for each other. When tragedy affects their sister Jody, I loved seeing how they gathered around her, helping without smothering. 

*copy received in exchange for honest review

Ms. Bravo and the Boss - Christine Rimmer (HSE #2503 - Oct 2016)

Series: Bravos of Justice Creek (Book 5)

BEAUTY AND THE…MAN WHO'LL NEVER LET HER GO

Elise Bravo needed a job, desperately. And soldier turned thriller writer Jed Walsh burned through -- almost literally, it turned out -- assistants like hellfire through brimstone. Turned out he had some…unusual work habits to go along with his giant talent and ego. He threw knives to relax. He cleaned his guns as he acted out scenes. And more than anything, he hated cats…

Enter Elise, crack typist, master plotter and perfect for the live-in job in every way but one…two if you counted Mr. Wiggles, her furry companion. For though Jed had sworn he would never get "involved" with a woman who worked for him, it took only a day or two with the perfectly professional, pencil skirt -- wearing Bravo beauty to realize that his interest in Elise broke all the rules. He had to make her his -- even if he had to win over her kitty to do it…

Very good book. Elise has had some really bad luck lately, compounded by some bad decisions. Most recently, her catering business burned to the ground and her business partner decided to move on. There was insurance money, but half went to her partner, and Elise used hers to pay off her debts. Her finances are especially tight because she had made the decision to loan money to two "friends" who then declined to pay her back. So in order to make the money to restart her catering business she has been doing odd jobs for several of her sisters. Then one of her sisters tells her that thriller writer Jed Walsh is looking for a new assistant and is paying top dollar.

Jed is a very interesting man. Raised by a survivalist, he then did some time in the military before turning to writing. He dictates his writing to a typist and has very exacting demands. He also has some very interesting quirks, such as knife-throwing and gun cleaning when he's working through a rough patch. He'd had the perfect assistant, but she left to be near her grandchildren almost a year before. Since then he has acquired a reputation for being impossible to work for. When Elise shows up at his door, he's pretty much reached the end of his rope. 

I loved his "interview" with her, and how he was pretty blunt about his requirements. It was really amusing to see her deal with each of his demands, then make a few of her own, including that she would only work for him for the length of this book. Jed was also very up front with her that he was attracted to her, but that he had no intention of doing anything about it. He doesn't want to screw up a potentially good thing. I loved her first day at work and how she had no trouble keeping up with him and dealing with his attitude. By the end of her three day trial period, Jed had decided that not only was she perfectly suited to his needs, he wasn't going to let her go,

It didn't take long for their professional relationship to turn to friendship. For all his gruff and grumpy exterior, Jed is actually a pretty sensitive guy. When Elise had a meltdown over the problems she'd been having, Jed did an awesome job of comforting her. That comfort also underscored the heat that had been building between them. It doesn't take much longer before their "professional only" vow goes up in smoke. I loved seeing how suited to each other they were. Jed shows Elise that she is beautiful just as she is. And I loved seeing her challenge Jed's rigid ways and even help him with his writing. It was also really sweet to see how the guy who says he hates cats had a "catio" built for Mr. Wiggles.

However, there were problems ahead. In spite of Elise's statement that she would only work for him for the length of this book, Jed is determined that she will stay with him. He completely ignores every indication that she is perfectly serious about it. Then he has the nerve to be mad when she goes ahead with plans to restart her catering business. I loved seeing Elise take her reinvigorated self-confidence and explain to him exactly what his problem is. Now it is up to Jed to decide how to go about getting Elise back in his life. I loved his wedding crasher scene and his oh-so-sweet and vulnerable moment with Elise as he tried to tell her how he felt. I'm looking forward to seeing more of them in later books.

*copy received in exchange for honest review

James Bravo's Shotgun Bride - Christine Rimmer (HSE #2474 - May 2016)

Series: Bravos of Justice Creek (Book 4)

JAMES BRAVO IS MARRYING HIS DREAM WOMAN. THERE'S JUST ONE CATCH…

Tied to a chair and staring down the barrel of a shotgun isn't how James Bravo planned on proposing to the woman he's secretly longed for for months. He also isn't the father of Addie Kenwright's unborn baby -- even if her grandfather thinks he is. James has never stolen so much as a kiss from the beautiful rancher…but all that changes when he and Addie say "I do."

Three times burned is enough to put a single woman off wedlock forever. Addie only agreed to this crazy scheme to appease her ailing grandpa. Now the mother-to-be can't get enough of the hunky, blue-eyed attorney. Are Addie and James ready to take the plunge for real and turn a temporary arrangement into the marriage of both their dreams?

Terrific romance with an unusual start. The book opens with James face-to-face with Addie's grandfather, who is holding a shotgun pointed at him. Levi is convinced that James is the father of Addie's baby and determined that James will do the right thing. James is confused because he's never even had the chance to kiss her, much less sleep with her, though he definitely wants to get to know her better. Things get even more interesting when Addie arrives home and sees what her grandfather is up to, and he has a heart attack while she's yelling at him.

Let me start out by saying that I loved Levi. He was quite the interesting character. He's very old-fashioned and when he discovers that Addie is pregnant, he zeroes in on the man that he sees making eyes at her. He is stubbornness personified and nothing Addie says will convince him otherwise. His use of his recovery to force the issue was quite a risk. Later on, I loved seeing him dealing with Lola, the live-in nurse, with an interesting twist at the end. He comes through for Addie with some well-timed advice.

James has been yearning after Addie for months. He's built a house on land right next to hers, and they frequently talk when she's out riding. I loved his calmness in the face of chaos during the shotgun incident and heart attack. It was his chance to be there for Addie when she needs him. I loved his attempt to convince Levi, and how he ended up telling Addie he's willing to go through with the wedding to help her out.

Addie complains about Levi's stubbornness, but she is right up there with him. I had to laugh at her frustration as she tried to convince him of the truth about her baby. She's had three serious boyfriends and each time she's ended up left behind. She no longer trusts herself to pick out a man who won't leave her brokenhearted. She's attracted to James, but wary of opening her heart again. She agrees to the marriage, but only a temporary one until her grandfather is better.

I loved the development of their relationship. The chemistry between them is strong, and they dive right into that, while still trying to protect their hearts. Over the next couple months they settle in to what seems like a terrific marriage. James is quick to realize that he wants to continue the marriage. I loved seeing him try to let Addie know how he feels. Addie also realizes that she loves him, but she her fears cause her to push him away. James shows amazing understanding and patience while he waits for her decision. Once she accepts her feelings and sees that she's the one running away, she can finally open her heart to James's love. I loved her way of showing him that she was ready to face the future with him, it was so adorable. I look forward to seeing their progress in future books.

*copy received in exchange for an honest review.

Carter Bravo's Christmas Bride - Christine Rimmer (HSE #2444 - Dec 2015)

Series: Bravos of Justice Creek (Book 3)

Compatible? Check. Chemistry? Check. Love? Check…mate!

When Carter Bravo decides it's time to settle down this Christmas, the once-burned, no-strings-attached hunk chooses the one woman who isn't looking to be swept off her feet. Not only does his business partner and best buddy, Paige Kettleman, say yes -- the chemistry sizzling between them is further proof that she's his ideal mate.

Carter's no-nonsense proposition isn't exactly the romantic proposal Paige dreamed about under the mistletoe. After five years of building a business and sharing confidences, her dearest friend still has no idea how she really feels about him. If he did, he'd go running for the Colorado hills. Unless Paige can show Carter how to turn a test-run engagement into the real thing: a holiday wedding with all the trimmings -- including love!

Excellent friends to lovers story. Carter and Paige have been friends for eight years and business partners for five. He has seen his friends and relatives finding their perfect mates and getting married, and wants that for himself, but hasn't had any luck finding the right woman. A not-so-subtle push from his mother has him looking at Paige. Add a magazine quiz to that and suddenly both of them are looking at each other differently and wondering about the possibilities.

Paige is just about ready to tell Carter how she feels when he comes to her with a proposal of marriage. According to him, they're perfect for each other. They already have a deep friendship, and lots in common. They don't need all that love drama to be happy together. How about if they get engaged and see how it goes? Now Paige isn't sure what to do. Does she go ahead and accept a one-sided relationship? Tell him no? Or say yes and hope that he overcomes his aversion to love?

For all his obliviousness, I really liked Carter. He is a sweet guy who really cares about Paige and her sister Dawn. He just has a really bad hangup about love. He grew up with a mother who was known for her over-the-top emotional reactions in the name of love, and he wanted no part of that. Unfortunately for him, every woman he got involved with wanted at least some of that drama, which would then be the end of that relationship. Once he started looking at Paige in that way, he remembered what he had felt when he first met her, and decided to see if it was still there. The attraction is strong and he uses it to make his point about being together.

I also liked Paige. She had left college and come home to take care of her sister when their parents died. At the same time, the man she was involved with broke it off with her because he didn't want to be stuck taking care of Dawn. This has made Paige a bit cautious about trusting another man, but her friendship with Carter means everything to her. Realizing that she's in love with him throws her into a tailspin and she's not sure how to handle it. A businesslike marriage proposal from him isn't what she was looking for, but she can't deny the heat between them.

I loved seeing the two of them together. They know each other so well that they can tell when there is something wrong, and can usually talk it out. Paige's calmness is a good counterpoint to the drama of Carter's family life and keeps him grounded. Though Carter refuses to even consider the idea of love, his feelings for Paige show in the way he takes care of her and her sister. As their engagement goes on, it's obvious just how right they are for each other. But Carter hasn't told Paige about his mother's plan, fearing what her reaction will be, and the longer he waits the harder it gets. When it all blows up in his face, Carter succumbs to drama of his own and pushes her away, before realizing that love isn't a dirty word at all. Paige also realizes that she has made some mistakes of her own. The ending was really sweet and romantic.

I loved Paige's sister Dawn. They have a great relationship with each other and easily made Carter part of it. I really enjoyed seeing Dawn get involved in showing Paige and Carter that they belonged together. It was fun to see her reaction the morning she found him sneaking out of the house. I also loved the way that she was protective of Paige, but also understood Carter's feelings. Her part in getting them back together was just right.

I liked seeing other members of the Bravo family. Each one of them made sure that they told Carter that they knew he belonged with Paige. It was fun to see both he and Paige react to the idea that they were the last to realize they were in love with each other.