Texas Hunt - Barb Han (HI #1627 - Mar 2016)

Series: Mason Ridge (Book 3)

She had a secret that could rock her hometown -- and unleash a killer

When Ryan Hunt receives a dead-of-night call for help from his childhood friend Lisa Moore, he knows the emergency is real. After barely surviving a brutal attack, Ryan is the only person Lisa trusts. Convinced the assault wasn't random, he realizes she is hiding a dark and potentially deadly secret.

Ryan can't ignore Lisa's silence any more than he can resist the Texas heat between them. He risks his life -- and heart -- to protect her. But if he can't get Lisa to confide in him, the secret could bring the town of Mason Ridge to its knees. And destroy the only woman he has ever loved.

Good book with a friends to lovers romance and good suspense. Ryan and Lisa have been friends since they were kids. There has also been a pull of attraction that both have ignored. When Lisa experiences a brutal attack, she calls Ryan, the only man she feels she can trust.

Lisa knows why she was attacked. She is keeping a secret that the other party doesn't want revealed and who is determined to make sure it never is. She is worried about the safety of her sister and infant nephew, especially after their father's death under suspicious circumstances. She has spent years being independent and depending on no one but herself, so leaning on Ryan isn't easy for her. She is also worried that telling him her secret will change the way he looks at her.

Ryan also has trust issues. His mother deserted him and his brother when they were young, leaving them with an abusive father. As a result, he has no intention of ever having a family of his own. His protective instincts kick in when Lisa asks for his help. It takes him a bit to get her to open up to him, but when she does he is horrified by what happened to her. 

I loved seeing the relationship develop between them. Because they have been friends for so long, they already know each other pretty well. I liked the way that Ryan believed her immediately when she told him what had happened. It was wonderful to see how sensitive and patient he was with her fears. Lisa also knew Ryan well, and knew the effect that his mother's abandonment had on him. With the recent loss of her father, she tries to make Ryan see the importance of family. She is also as protective of him as he is of her, and worries that she has brought danger to him. I enjoyed seeing the attraction build between them and then give in to it. The depth of the connection surprises them, and has them both thinking about the future. There's a bit of conflict when Lisa does something behind his back, but it is resolved pretty quickly.

The action and suspense of the story is good. Lisa kept the secret of her assault for a long time because of who did it and her fear of his retaliation if she told. His father is also in trouble with the law, and he is desperate to make sure nothing else can damage the reputation of the family. The attacks on Lisa escalate, and Ryan is determined to protect her and bring the bad guy to justice. I liked how characters from previous books were also involved in this one, and how they supported each other. There is also ongoing action from the previous books, and a possible link to what is happening in this one. The final confrontation is intense, and I loved how Lisa fought back. There are a couple interesting twists in the story, and questions that are still unanswered. I'm looking forward to the next book.

A Single Kiss - Grace Burrowes (Sourcebooks Casablanca - Jan 2015)

Series: Sweetest Kisses (Book 1)

A single kiss can change everything...

In the first novel of the Sweetest Kisses series, Hannah Stark has set her sights on corporate law to assure her a career of paperwork, predictability, and conservative suits. Contracts, finance, and the art of the deal sing to her, while the mess and misery of the courtroom do not. But her daughter needs to eat, so when Hannah is offered a temporary position in a small town firm's domestic relations department, she reluctantly accepts.

Trent Knightley is mightily drawn to his newest associate, though Hannah is as protective of her privacy as she is competent. When their friendship and attraction heat up, Hannah's secrets put her heart and Trent's hopes in double jeopardy.

Grace Burrowes's first foray into contemporary romance and it was fantastic. Terrific characters, intense emotions, and a  really sweet romance made this an impossible to put down book. Hannah is a single mother and recent law school graduate. After working several temporary jobs, she has interviewed for a job in the corporate law department of the Knightley brothers' law firm. There's just one catch - they need her to work six months in the shorthanded family law department first.  That is absolutely the last place she wants to be, but she'll tough it out for the short term. Trent is intrigued by his new associate. She is beautiful, but also very cool and private. She has made it clear that she's not happy about working family law, but he's quickly impressed by her attention to detail.

I loved Trent. He is first and foremost a gentleman, and very protective of the people who work for him. There are several instances over the first few days where he makes it plain to Hannah that he is not just her boss but a friend also.  He is also overwhelmed with work right now, so he pairs Hannah with another lawyer in the department to learn the ropes. He is unaware that this other lawyer has been playing fast and loose with the rules, but Hannah experiences it firsthand. I loved Trent's reaction when he found out, but that also put Hannah by herself handling cases in court the next week.

I also loved Hannah. She is a strong woman who has been through a lot in her life so far. She grew up in the foster care system which is why she feels so strongly about family law. She experienced the worst of it from a foster child's perspective. She also has a seven year old daughter who she is very protective of. She has secrets from her past and guards her privacy zealously in order to protect herself and Grace.  Though she hates working family law, she is very good at it, and there are some fantastic scenes of the cases she deals with.

The development of the relationship between Trent and Hannah is wonderful. Trent was hurt in the past and has believed that he is past any possibility of a new relationship. There is a vulnerable side of him that shows, as he worries that he is going to do something wrong with the things he starts to feel about Hannah. He also senses that she has secrets, and is sensitive enough not to badger her about them, but makes himself available for her to confide in when she's ready. He also has a gentle, but insistent way of getting her to do what he wants when he tries to take care of her. There are some really wonderful scenes of him showing his confidence in her courtroom skills, and the effect that confidence has on her. Hannah has never experienced a loving relationship of any kind, and Trent's treatment of her quickly starts to crumble the walls she has built around her heart. She is so used to depending only on herself that she doesn't quite know how to handle Trent's insistence on helping her, but she finds herself wanting to lean on him. For someone who feels that her people skills are somewhat lacking, I thought that she did pretty well with Trent. I loved the way that she would touch him, straighten his tie in an almost, but not quite motherly way.  It was terrific to see her open her heart to Trent and start to trust him with her past. However, there are still some issues that pop up at the end that make her wonder if a future with Trent is possible. I loved the lengths that he went to in order to make their happy ending become real.

Throughout the story is a thread dealing with the lawyer that Hannah worked with at the beginning. His actions and deceptions had gotten him fired, which he blames on Hannah. He is determined to get revenge, and several times during the book we get his point of view. The things he does are really terrible and cause Hannah's worst fears to be realized. I loved the way that Trent and his brothers were there for Hannah and Grace and helped them through the crisis. The scene in the courtroom was wonderful, especially the testimony by Grace's friend Henry.

The two little girls in the story were adorable. Merle is Trent's daughter and Grace belongs to Hannah. The two girls are in the same class at school and become friends well before their parents do. Each girl is very protective and caring of their parent, and it was really sweet to see how strong those relationships are. They are also typical little girls with the imaginations to go with it. I loved their imaginary unicorns.

The secondary characters were all wonderful. Trent's two brothers were so realistic. I loved the way they all teased each other, but were also there to support each other when needed. It was really sweet to see the two brothers with their niece, and the way she had them wrapped around their fingers. Mac and James each have their own law specialty within their firm and I loved seeing how each is portrayed within that specialty. There is also a side story involving two judges who are friends of the Knightley brothers. I loved seeing the advice they are given. There is also a surprise twist involving these two judges and Hannah, which makes an especially satisfying ending to the book.

I also enjoyed the lawyer/family court setting. The realism of the cases shown was heartbreaking at times. I could really understand Hannah's stress over what she had to do, considering her history. I could also see Trent's happiness in doing his best to get his clients what they needed.

Last Chance Hero - Hope Ramsay (Forever - July 2015)

Series: Last Chance (Book 9)

Ross Gardiner has had his fill of difficult relationships. Returning to Last Chance after a rough divorce, the town's handsome new fire chief just wants safety and stability-a tall order given his dangerous job and the way he has the attention of all the single women in town. All "except "Sabina Grey, the girl who stole his heart when they were teenagers.

Sabina knows a lot about playing it safe. Always the good girl, she's now responsible for her antiques store and caring for her sister. But having Ross in town brings back the memory of one carefree summer night when she threw caution to the wind-and almost destroyed her family. Now that they are both older and wiser, will the spark still be there, even though they've both been burned?

Ross returned to last chance after his divorce and began a new life as the town fire chief. He was drawn to his high school crush, Sabina, but she seemed uninterested in him, so he moved on. Instead, he started going out with her younger sister Lucy, who was much different than his ex-wife. Ross is wary of committing again, so his slow moving relationship with Lucy is fine with him.

Lucy has some serious control issues, dating from a fire in which she was badly scarred. She's enjoying her relationship with Ross, but she has a long checklist of requirements that must be met before they can get married. All of that goes out the window when local matchmaker Miriam Randall shows up at the store that she and her sister Sabina own.

Sabina is alone at the store when Miriam arrives and tells her that before she finds the love that is meant for her she has to get her sister settled. Her mother overhears this, and goes into matchmaking overdrive, facing down Ross and Lucy and telling them it's time to get moving so that Sabina can finally move on. Neither is up to withstanding Hurricane Henrietta, and soon find themselves looking at a rapidly approaching wedding.

Sabina has made it her mission in life to take care of Lucy ever since the fire that injured her so badly. Sabina feels guilty about what happened to Lucy, since she had been told to watch her sister that night while their parents were out. Instead, she left her thirteen year old sister home alone and snuck out to meet friends. Since that time, she has put her own life on hold to watch over her sister. She doesn't want Lucy and Ross guilted into rushing into marriage. She also has the deep, dark secret of the crush she had on Ross when they were in school, a crush that is still there.

I don't normally care for love triangle stories, but this was much more than that.  Ross is the last chance fire chief who is dealing with an arson fire that appears to be eco-terrorism. This has brought the ATF and the FBI to town, creating even more complications in his life.  Also returning to town is a man Sabina knew as an eighth grader, one who she treated badly. He has made good and come back to help his uncle, the developer who was the target of the arson.  He shows a great deal of interest in Sabina, and pursues her. She initially accepts his advances as an apology for her treatment of him, and as a way to get past her feelings for Ross.

The wedding plans aren't going smoothly, as Lucy reacts badly to the loss of control of her decisions.  Ross is doing his best, but coming up short in her opinion. In her efforts to help Ross and Lucy get married, Sabina finds herself in close quarters with Ross on several occasions. Their deeply buried feelings start to come closer to the surface and they end up in several awkward situations.

It's very obvious that Ross belongs with Sabina, not Lucy, but he is too honorable to break things off with Lucy. Meanwhile, Lucy discovers that it is much easier to spend time with one of the ATF agents than with Ross. Misunderstandings and interference from various well-meaning townspeople nearly bring a disastrous wedding day, before that confusion is straightened out.

There is also the ongoing mystery of the arson. The first fire is followed by a second one, one that injures Ross. Small town politics and ambitious federal agents put both Ross and Lucy in the crosshairs of the investigation. I loved seeing the support they both got from the people who know and care for them. The arson investigation ended up being more convoluted than anyone expected. The final confrontation was really intense, with a bad guy I suspected all along, though there was an unexpected revelation during that confrontation.

For the most part I liked Ross and Sabina. I did want to shake her a few times and tell her that she was going way overboard on the guilt about her sister. I loved seeing how perfect she was for Ross, and how much they had in common. She was wonderful with Ross's dog, and their work together on the house he bought was great. She fought her feelings for him because of his relationship with her sister, even though at heart she knew they weren't right for each other. Ross was a really sweet Southern guy. He'd been burned once before, so he's been fine with taking his relationship with Lucy slow. He treats her well, and has gone along with all her demands for their relationship, to the point you had to wonder if he had a backbone around her. I was glad to see it show up when he was given the dog and he stood up to her demands to get rid of it. Sparky was adorable and ended up saving ross's life. His slow realization that he was engaged to the wrong sister was hard for him to face. I loved those moments when their true feelings got the best of them. Uncomplicating their relationship at the end was interesting, and I loved seeing it happen.

For most of the book I really didn't like Lucy. I thought she was a spoiled brat who took advantage of her parents and Sabina. Her premarriage requirements should have been a clue to both her and ross that  their relationship wasn't meant to be. I did like her interactions with the federal agent, some of which were pretty amusing. She did finally redeem herself at the end.

Last Chance Family - Hope Ramsay (Forever - Nov 2014)

Series: Last Chance (Book 8)

Mike Taggart has always been willing to take a gamble. But these stakes are just way too high - there's no way he's prepared to become a legal guardian to his five-year-old niece. His only option is to head from Las Vegas to Last Chance to sort things out as quickly as possible. Problem is, he arrives to find an inconsolable little girl, her sick cat, and a gorgeous veterinarian he can't get out of his mind.

Charlene Polk has two talents: healing sick critters and falling in love with the wrong men. Mike has trouble written all over him, but she can't leave him in the lurch. And the more time she spends with the sexy high roller, the more she sees that this ready-made family is the best stroke of luck they've ever had . . .

Very good story of redemption and second chances. Mike is a professional gambler in Las Vegas when he finds out that his younger sister has died, leaving him as guardian of his five year old niece, Rainbow. He feels completely unqualified for the job, so tracks down the half-brother he hasn't seen since he was five, and is now a preacher in Last Chance. He feels that Tim would be a better father figure, so he picks up his niece and her cat and heads to Last Chance.

Unfortunately for him, his niece, already traumatized by her mother's death, isn't taking to him very well, nor is her cat. As soon as they arrive in Last Chance he looks up a vet for the cat, and meets Charlene. He's floored by her beauty, but not too happy with her judgmental attitude about the way he's taking care of Rainbow. Then his half-brother, Tim, isn't sure he believes what Mike is telling him. All Mike wants to do is find someone more suitable than he is to raise Rainbow and get back to his life.

But the town of Last Chance isn't going to make it that easy for him. Tim needs time to verify what Mike has told him, so he convinces Mike to stay in town for a couple weeks. He even finds an apartment for them, which just happens to be next door to Charlene's. Mike figures that Tim is going to need a mother for Rainbow and has fixated on Charlene as the perfect candidate, a fixation that seems to be confirmed by the town matchmaker.

I really liked Mike. Even though he seems to be trying to dump Rainbow off on his brother, it's because he doesn't believe that he is a fit guardian for her. He carries a lot of guilt over what he sees as his failure to protect Rainbow's mother, his little sister, when she was younger. It was pretty amusing to see his efforts at pushing Tim and Charlene together, especially considering his own attraction to her. I also loved seeing how sweet he really was with little Rainbow. He didn't think he would be a good father, but he was doing everything right with her (except for the cat). 

I also liked Charlene. She was a bit judgmental at first, but once she got past that hurdle, she was wonderful. She, too, has some guilt dogging her from mistakes made when she was younger. She has had terrible luck in picking men, starting with her college boyfriend, who left her pregnant when her father offered to buy him off. Her biggest guilty feelings stem from that pregnancy and the pressure from her parents that she succumbed to. However, that same experience has made her much more empathetic with Rainbow, and I loved the way that she connected with the little girl. She's also very attracted to Mike, but sees him as just as disastrous a choice as the other men. 

I loved seeing the relationship develop between them. At first it was just as friends, as Charlene did her best to help Mike through various crises. But the more time they spent together, the more the attraction grew. Mike desperately tried to resist, as he was shoving her toward his brother, but it became harder for him to picture them together. I loved the way that things came to a head at the bachelor auction, though Mike was still resisting the obvious. It took some straight talk from the family lawyer and Tim for Mike to finally see the truth. I loved his big moment at the end, in the rain, cat and all.

As always, the small town of Last Chance plays a big role in the romance. Being from Las Vegas, Mike has no experience with the way that small town people are so deeply involved in each other's lives, and it takes him awhile to get used to it. I loved how everyone had an opinion on his plan to match Tim and Charlene. I also loved support he got during the trouble at the lake, including Sheriff Rhodes and his actions. The bachelor auction was a riot, with some interesting things resulting from it. But best of all was the way they all pulled together at the end.

Every small town has to have their bad apples, and in this case it was Charlene's parents. It's hard to believe two such terrible people could have produced someone like Charlene. I loved seeing her get stronger about standing up to them, especially that last scene at the hospital.

Bodyguard Daddy - Lisa Childs (HRS #1886 - Feb 2016)

Series: Bachelor Bodyguards (Book 2)

The Bachelor Bodyguards of Payne Protection Agency are back--and this time, it's personal

Walking away from then-fiancee Amber Talsma was one of the hardest things sexy bodyguard Milek Kozminski ever had to do. But it was nothing compared to the shock of hearing she'd been killed in a car accident alongside the son Milek knew, deep down, was his.

Amber will do anything to keep her child safe. Which was why she had to fake their deaths--to evade the assailant who murdered her boss, then came after her. But now someone has found them. And when Milek learns the truth, he'll stop at nothing to protect his son...and the woman he never stopped loving.

Very good book, with excellent suspense from the beginning and a terrific second chance romance. At the end of the previous book, His Christmas Assignment, Milek learned that the ex-fiancee he thought was dead is actually alive and in hiding, along with their son. When he learns that they are in danger again, nothing will stop him from protecting them.

Milek and his brothers had been raised and trained by their father to follow in his footsteps as thieves, before he was caught and imprisoned. All of the boys had been hell-raisers and had gotten into plenty of trouble. But when their stepfather tried to assault their little sister, Milek and Garek had gone a little too far in protecting her and ended up going to prison for manslaughter. After getting out, Milek had gone to work for another criminal, working undercover, before going to work for Payne Protection as a bodyguard. Amber had been the best thing to happen to him, but he feared that his reputation would ruin her chances for advancement, so he broke off their engagement. He also denied that her son was his.

Amber had been heartbroken by Milek's abandonment, but went on with her life, raising their son by herself. Then her boss was murdered and she was attacked, so she took her son and went into hiding. When another attack happened she knew they'd been found and would have to run, but this time Milek found her before she could go. She can't avoid his determination to protect them.

I ached for both Milek and Amber, as neither had stopped loving the other. But Milek was so sure that he was bad for Amber and her future that he refused to believe that they could have a future together. Something else that hadn't changed was the attraction they had for each other, which burned as hot as ever. It was that passion that made Amber sure that Milek still cared, even if he refused to say so, and she was determined to find out why he had pushed her away. I loved the way that she tried to convince him that he was wrong to believe what others had said about him. I also loved seeing Milek fall under the spell of his little boy, and what a great dad he turned out to be.

The suspense of the story was fantastic. From the very beginning Milek and Nick Rus were determined to discover who was behind the attacks on Amber. The confrontations with the hit man were intense, but also puzzling, as he could have easily succeeded in killing her. There was also tension between Milek and Nick, because Nick was suspicious of both Milek and Amber. As the attacks continued and escalated, the other members of Payne Protection also got involved. It was interesting to see the dynamics among all the people, between suspicions, family tensions, and secrets being kept. Just when it looked like the danger was over, an unexpected twist showed that it wasn't. Milek really showed what he was made of as he saved Amber and Michael.

"I Do" ... Take Two - Merline Lovelace (HSE #2461 - Mar 2016)

Series: Three Coins in the Fountain (Book 1)

HER PERFECT ROMAN HOLIDAY

A Roman reunion isn't on Kate Westbrook's itinerary when she arrives in Italy. After all, she's flying solo on the vacation she'd hoped to share with her soon-to-be-ex. But when Kate tosses a coin into the Trevi Fountain, her deepest wish -- a second chance with her gorgeous pilot husband -- might come true…

Travis knows his dangerous missions broke up his marriage, but he's determined to win back his wife. How can Kate resist the magic and moonlight of Venice, followed by a passionate interlude in a sun-drenched Tuscan villa? Now, instead of dodging missiles, Travis faces a far more daunting challenge: proving to the woman he adores that their love is as enduring as the Eternal City itself.

I loved this book. Kate and her husband have planned their ideal Italian getaway for years. But between her career and his, and their frequent separations, it never happened. And all those separations have seen them grow apart. So Kate has filed for divorce and come to Italy with her two best friends. She never expected Travis to show up, determined to win her back.

I loved the honest look at what frequent deployments can do to a military marriage. Kate and Travis loved each other, there was no doubt about that. But with so much time apart, they felt that they didn't know each other. There was also a bit of trouble instigated by someone else that drove Kate's decision to end their marriage.

I really liked both Kate and Travis. They are each strong, intelligent and determined. When Travis shows up, wanting them to take this chance to see if their marriage can be saved, Kate isn't sure she wants to risk her heart being broken all over again. But she can't deny that she still loves him. I loved Travis's determination. He isn't going to let them go down without fighting for their marriage. 

It was really sweet to see the effort that Travis put into making their time together as perfect as he could. With the help of his two friends, he was able to provide some really romantic settings for his courtship. I also liked the way that he owned up to the mistakes he had made in the past and that he needed to make some changes. I also loved the pride he had in her achievements. Kate is a bit of a control freak, but I loved seeing her let go enough to give Travis the chance that he asked for. She has always been very proud of what he does, but the stress of their separations and of not knowing whether he's safe has become too much. 

The passion is still there between them and that gives them a starting point. I loved seeing them getting to know each other again and share the beauty around them. It was great to see how they were able to talk honestly to each other about what had been happening. I wasn't terribly surprised about Travis's solution to their issues. The biggest hurdle was Kate facing her guilty feelings over her part in that decision. A bit of danger at the end cemented their feelings for each other.

I loved the big parts that Kate's and Travis's friends played in the book. Kate and her friends, Dawn and Callie, had known each other for many years. They have always been there to support Kate when she needed it. I loved their reactions to Travis's arrival and plans, and how they made no secret of their feelings. It was pretty sweet to see how Travis respected those feelings and had done his best to make their time in Italy good even though he was taking Kate away from them. Travis's friends were of shorter acquaintance, but just as important to him. I loved hearing about why Carlo feels so indebted to Travis. Carlo is quite the Italian playboy and it was fun to see him around Dawn and Callie. Brian also has a big part in Travis's life, and we hear all about his plans. I also loved the way that Brian is such a great dad to his son Tommy. Tommy was a great addition to the book and I loved his mischievous ways. I'm expecting to see all these folks in the rest of the series. I think I've got one couple figured out (Brian and Dawn) but I'm not so sure whether it will be Callie and Carlo or Callie and Joe.

I also loved the Italian setting. The descriptions of the sights were so good that I could picture them, As it was a place that Kate and Travis had wanted to visit for so long, I loved seeing it through their eyes and seeing the effect it had on them and their love.

Reunited with the Rebel Billionaire - Catherine Mann (HD #2441 - Apr 2016)

Series: Bayou Billionaires (Book 3)

Is it a real reunion, or one for the cameras?

Football star Henri Reynaud won't let his career go down without a fight. If the only way to win is to reconcile with his estranged wife, he'll do what it takes. But spending time with Fiona Harper-Reynaud isn't just some ruse. The sultry beauty belongs in his bed.

Fiona doesn't know where her sexy husband's public act ends and his real feelings begin. Can she afford to fall a second time for the man every female wants? One thing is undeniable -- their attraction has never flared hotter!

Okay book, which is something I never expected to say about a Catherine Mann book, but in this case I spent most of the book wanting to shake Fiona. Henri and Fiona met and married quickly. Their chemistry had been explosive, and when she got pregnant they married immediately. Unfortunately, she lost the baby, and they spent the next several years trying to get pregnant. In the course of fertility testing, they discovered that she carried the gene for both breast and ovarian cancer, diseases that her mother, grandmother and aunt died of. She made the decision to have preventative surgery, but ever since then she's been pulling away from Henri.

Henri doesn't know what is going on with the woman he loves. The distraction of his marital problems is messing with success on the football field and he wants to get both of them back on track. It seems that no matter what he does, Fiona keeps pushing him away and telling him that their marriage is over. Wanting more time to win her back, he uses the need to keep their troubles out of the press as a way to delay the final split.

I like Henri most of the time. He had a few issues that kept him from being great, the biggest being the fallout from his mother's abandonment of him and his brothers and his father's infidelities. This has made him wary of being "all in" in a relationship. This keeps him from telling Fiona the true depth of his feelings, though he certainly shows her often enough. I liked the way that he never blamed her for their inability to have kids, and he supported her throughout her medical issues. He treated her gently while she was recovering, and gave her the space she wanted. His frustration with her is obvious and reasonable, as she won't explain why she wants to end their marriage. 

I can't say that I hated Fiona, but I had trouble liking her too. She has a wonderful husband who wants to be there for her and all she does is push him away. She admits to herself that she loves him, but she doesn't believe that he really loves her, that he is only there because he feels obligated because of her health. She watched her father suffer through her mother's illness and death, and his devastation afterwards, and doesn't want to put Henri through that if she ends up with cancer after all. So she is determined to end their marriage and free him to find someone else. I got so mad at her because she was pushing him away because of what might happen, instead of celebrating what they have now. She told herself that she was protecting him from later misery.

The attraction between them was still strong. I could understand Fiona's worries about her body for awhile, but not after Henri made it plain that he wanted her just as she is. It made me mad when she would give in to the desire between them, but still insist that their marriage had to end. It was really sweet to see how Henri tried romancing her. Their "tourist day" in their hometown of New Orleans was terrific and showed just how much was still between them. Henri doesn't want to lose her, but he begins to lose hope that their marriage can be saved. I really wanted to lock them in a room and tell them to just TALK to each other.

I loved the support they both got from his family. Though his brothers can sometimes be a pain, they try to help him with his problem. I also liked the way that their ladies tried to help Fiona. It was hard to believe that with all the love that was there, Henri and Fiona kept her medical problems secret, cutting off the support they could have had all along. It was great to see that their love started to break through Fiona's wall, but it was a letter from one of the charity fundraiser attendees that finally opened Fiona's eyes. I loved her big moment, and hope the next book gives us a glimpse of a happier future for them.