The Matchmaking Twins - Christy Jeffries (HSE #2489 - July 2016)

Series: Sugar Falls Idaho (Book 4)

Double The Trouble

Parenting is hard enough when Dad has to be a mom, but widower Luke Gregson has twins -- boy twins, Aiden and Caden. As a navy SEAL, Luke saw plenty of action, but nothing could prepare him for trying to raise two eight-year-olds alone. Parenthood is not for sissies. Maybe that's why the boys have set their eyes on a certain new candidate for Mommy…

Officer Carmen Delgado seems tough enough to handle anything -- including Aiden and Caden! She adores the rascals. Her feelings for their heroic father, however, are complicated, and her tragic past has her heart on a seemingly permanent lockdown. Could two mischievous, persistent boys and their overwhelmed, sexy daddy be the ones to finally set Carmen free?

Good book. We first met the twins and Luke in his brother Drew's story (Waking Up Wed). Various family members have been taking care of the boys after their mother's death and while Luke has been deployed with the SEALs. Now that Luke has been transferred to recruiting duty, it's time for him to resume parenting duties. He is rather overwhelmed by it all.

Carmen has been participating in a mentoring program through the police department, and has been taking the boys after school one day a week when Luke has to work late. Carmen is a former Marine and also comes from a large family, so the twins are no problem for her.

The bigger challenge for both Carmen and Luke is their feelings for each other. Carmen is attracted to Luke, but a past failed relationship and the reasons for it, have her believing that there is no happy future in store for her. But she still longs to be seen as a woman with needs of her own. Her feelings are so conflicted that whenever she's around Luke she tends to give off really strong "don't touch" vibes. At the same time she is frustrated because he seems to see her as just one of the guys. Luke is intrigued by Carmen. He's impressed by how good she is with his kids and would like to get to know her better, but he keeps getting the feeling that she doesn't like him. Because of their shared military background, he frequently tries to use that as a way to connect, usually unsuccessfully. He gets a real eye opening surprise when he sees her in civilian clothes and realizes what an attractive woman she is,

I really enjoyed the development of their relationship. The twins are the catalyst that brings them together. It was great fun to see all the antics that they got up to and how each time brought Luke and Carmen closer. The incident on the river had the sparks flying between the two as their bodies sat up and took notice. Then the meltdown at school brought them together as they tried to find out what had set Caden off. I really enjoyed their teamwork as they prepared for the twins' birthday party. Luke's panic was pretty funny to see, and I loved the way that Carmen took charge and walked him through it. It was at this point that both of them start thinking about "what ifs". But Carmen is under the impression that Luke is still grieving for his wife and there's no way he'd be interested in her. Plus she has that other issue that makes her believe that Luke wouldn't want her anyway. For his part, Luke is still beating himself up over his belief that he'd been a terrible husband and that trying again would be a bad idea. Once again, it is the twins who bring them back together at the baseball tournament, giving them the chance to finally face their fears. I loved seeing them finally communicating (some of that communication was quite steamy) and realizing that they are meant to be together. I loved the arrival of the twins the next morning and their reaction. The epilogue was awesome, with the truth of the boys' antics coming out at last.

I'm looking forward to seeing who is next to fall in Sugar Falls.

Waking Up Wed - Christy Jeffries (HSE #2459 - Feb 2016)

Series: Sugar Falls Idaho (Book 2)

THE BRIDE SAID, "I DID?"

Forget about her reputation. Kylie Chatterson is most definitely not that kind of girl. She's a conscientious CPA who has never even been with a man…that way. But when she wakes up in a Nevada hotel room after her friend's bachelorette party, the best man is in her bed…and he's wearing a wedding ring. And guess what: so is she!

For better or worse, Drew Gregson is now her husband. The hunky military psychologist doesn't remember the night any more than she does. Nevertheless, he seems in no hurry to end their impulsive betrothal. As she gets to know Drew and his adorable, squirmy nephews, Kylie has to remind herself this is all temporary -- and pretend. Or could it be the best mistake she ever made?

Good book with a really fun beginning. Kylie is the maid of honor for her best friend Maxine's wedding (A Marine for His Mom). When the groom's somewhat uptight best friend arrives for the bachelor/bachelorette party, Kylie offers him a drink to get him to relax a little. The next thing she knows she wakes up in bed with him and both of them are wearing wedding rings. Neither of them remember anything about how they got there.

Kylie has a reputation for being quite a flirt, dresses flamboyantly, and says what she thinks. But that is pretty much a front for a woman who really wants to find Mr. Right and have a family of her own. She still hasn't found the one she's ready to give herself to, and now she's married to a virtual stranger. She's determined to keep it quiet until they can figure a way out of it. 

Drew is freshly arrived from overseas, ready to take up his job at the military hospital and his turn as guardian to his twin nephews while his brother is deployed. He's always kept his emotions under control and determined to be sure that a woman is right for him before making a commitment, and that the commitment will be for life. Finding himself married to a stranger who seems to be the exact opposite of everything he wants is disturbing to say the least. He'll go along with her desire to keep it quiet for now, but something in him says not to give up.

Their next encounter is the night of the rehearsal dinner, when he has his two rambunctious nephews with him. He's at his wit's end, but Kylie takes them in hand. Suddenly Drew is thinking that maybe fate hasn't played him so false after all, though Kylie is still keeping distance between them. Things get really interesting at the wedding reception the next day, when one too many snide comments from the town gossip has Kylie blurting out the news of their marriage. Now they have to follow through and play the part.

What follows is sheer fun, as both Kylie and Drew cope with the chaos that living with the twins brings to them. There is also the burning attraction between them that each tries to resist but end up giving in to. I loved seeing them get to know each other and discover that deep down, they weren't so different after all. I really liked the way that Drew soon understood Kylie and the way she reacts to things, and was sensitive enough not to push her where she didn't want to go. It was also fun to see the way that she was able to chip away at his control, making him a bit more relaxed. But they do have a bit of a communication issue, as neither will take the first step in saying that they want the marriage to become a real one, fearing the rejection that they are sure would be the result. Their own insecurities rear up when Drew's brother returns unexpectedly. The ending was really sweet as multiple people make Drew and Kylie realize they have to fight for what they want.

The secondary characters were terrific. The twins were adorable and perfectly portrayed. I ached for them and their fears when the reasons for their actions came out. I loved Kylie's dad, especially when the truth of his treatment of her came out. It was hysterical that everyone saw it except for her. I also really like Drew's brother Luke. Being Drew's twin gave him some extra insight into his behavior, and I loved the way he helped Drew through his crisis with Kylie. I'm really looking forward to his story.

My only complaint is the cover of the book. Kylie is a redhead, not a blond, and Drew wears glasses. I would really have liked to see those glasses on the cover model, as that is so unusual in a hero.

A Marine for His Mom - Christy Jeffries (HSE #2454 - Jan 2016)

Series: Sugar Falls, Idaho (Book 1)

MAIL-ORDER DAD

Can you order a dad in the mail? Hunter Walker isn't sure, but he thinks Gunnery Sergeant Matthew Cooper might be the next best thing. The wounded warrior has been his pen pal for months, and now that he's come to Sugar Falls to recuperate, Hunter is over the moon. His mom? Not so much.

Maxine Walker has been acting weird ever since Cooper showed up. She seems to get mad whenever the veteran is around, which doesn't make any sense. And now Cooper is acting weird, too. Hunter doesn't understand why grown-ups always say things are complicated when they're really simple. His pen pal soldier and his sassy, stubborn mom belong together. But maybe they need just a little push… 

Good book about two very different people brought together by a ten year old boy. Hunter has been pen pals with Cooper for a few months. When Cooper ends up in Sugar Falls, recuperating from an injury, Hunter looks at it as fate stepping in. His mom, not so much. She isn't too sure about the influence this stranger seems to have over her son and is determined to keep an eye on him. Cooper doesn't know what her problem is, but he just wants to heal and get on with his life.

I will say that I spent the first part of the book really disliking Maxine. She was way overprotective of Hunter, especially when it came to sports. She knew he was teased by his classmates, but didn't seem to realize that her actions were at the root of it. She knew he was pen pals with Cooper and even though she had the opportunity to read their letters she didn't bother - until she came face to face with him. Hunter was open and friendly and enthusiastic about helping Cooper, and Maxine was about as cold and distant as she could be. 

Maxine's marriage hadn't been a good one. Her husband was an ex football player whose NFL dreams never panned out. He thought he was hot stuff and blamed his failures on everyone else before killing himself in a drunk driving accident. She has sworn to keep her distance from any more macho guys, which is how she sees Cooper. It doesn't take too long before she sees the good effect he has on Hunter, which softens her attitude a bit. She also can't deny that there is something about him that gets her heart beating a little faster.

Cooper is a loner and has been for a long time. His mother died when he was twelve and his stepfather dumped him in foster care. He joined the Marines at eighteen and made it his life. He never really made friends until he was forced into the pen pal program and got matched with Hunter. He's not sure why he feels a connection with the boy, but he can't deny that it exists, and finds himself enjoying it. He doesn't understand what Maxine's problem with him is.

I liked the development of their relationship. Through Hunter, they are forced to spend some time together. Maxine begins to realize that Cooper is not like her late husband and starts to open up a little to his suggestions for Hunter. Stuck in the small town during his recuperation, the influence of Maxine, Hunter and the others he gets to know gives Cooper a feeling of belonging that he's never had before. Slowly Maxine and Cooper discover that there is attraction, and maybe something more, building between them. In order for them to have the future they would like, both of them are going to have to face their fears. I really enjoyed the "pep talks" that Cooper endured, but gave him the motivation he needed. The ending was really good, especially the last bit from Hunter.

The only quibble I had with the book didn't affect my rating because it is most likely an editor/publisher problem. Cooper is a Marine, not a marine. When writing about a member of the United States Marine Corps, Marine is ALWAYS capitalized. This is something that the editors at Harlequin seem to have a problem with on a consistent basis and it bothers me every time. Marines are also never referred to as soldiers. Soldiers are members of the army and calling a Marine a soldier is looked at as an insult.