Maverick vs. Maverick - Shirley Jump (HSE #2504 - Oct 2016)

Read December 2, 2016

Series: Montana Mavericks: Baby Bonanza (Book 4)

All's Fair In Love And…Court?

RUST CREEK RAMBLINGS

Lindsay Dalton, daughter of our esteemed town attorney, is about to try her first case in the courtroom, and it's a doozy. It's David versus Goliath as Lindsay tests her mettle against millionaire cowboy Walker Jones.

With his looks, charm and commanding presence, Walker Jones the Third seems like a man who just can't lose. However, his blue-eyed powers of persuasion apparently do not extend to our earnest Ms. Dalton. In fact, our sources suggest the novice Rust Creek Falls lawyer might just be throwing Walker Jones off his game. Could this be mere legal maneuvering? The jury is still out. But with two stubborn hearts in denial, we at the Gazette are predicting an epic romantic showdown!

City vs. country, man vs. woman. Lindsay is Rust Creek Falls newest lawyer and her first big case has her taking on the big city owner of a local daycare center. She's determined to prove that the center's negligence caused a near fatal illness in one of its children.  Walker Jones has come to town to put an end to what he sees as a frivolous lawsuit and get back to business in Tulsa as quickly as he can.

It starts out pretty cut and dried. Big city CEO who only cares for the bottom line against small town lawyer fighting for justice for the victims. Walker is surprised by the other lawyer's youth and beauty and fascinated by what he sees from his seat on the other side of the aisle. He's even more surprised by the skill with which she presents her case, ensuring that the case goes from preliminary hearing to trial. Lindsay was nervous, but feeling that they have a good chance, she made her points. She was taken by surprise when she saw Walker, having been expecting his father. His good looks and sexy voice are a distraction she has to fight.

Walker isn't too happy to have to stick around until the next week for the trial. Escaping from his hotel room for awhile he goes to the Ace in the Hole for a drink and sees Lindsay there. I loved their encounter, as there are definite sparks flying between them. But Lindsay is very conscious of their opposing sides and refuses to be drawn in by his attempts to get closer to her. Walker isn't used to being shot down, even so he is especially frustrated by Lindsay's resistance.

I got to like Walker pretty quickly. He starts out as a pretty jaded guy, used to big city cynicism and every man for himself attitudes. He gets a crash course in small town life when an attempt to improve his image gets him involved with preparations for the fall festival. A bonus for him is being paired with Lindsay, who isn't any too happy to see him. I enjoyed seeing him convince her to put the trial aside and just spend the time with him.

Lindsay has grown up wanting to be a lawyer like her dad. She believes in the rightness of this case and doesn't want to do anything to jeopardise it. She can't deny that she is attracted to Walker, but she also knows that involvement with him is a bad idea. In the end, she can't resist the chance to spend a little time with him. She's also determined to protect her heart, having already fallen for one man who was more interested in what the city had to offer than in her.

I loved the development of their relationship. Walker is drawn to everything about Lindsay, and when the trial ends finds himself extremely reluctant to head right back to Tulsa. Instead, he sticks around, finding any excuse to spend time with her. I loved the scene where he showed up at her family's house to see her and ended up joining the family for dinner. I ached for him as he saw the type of family relationship he had not experienced and how he wanted it for himself. He really wants a chance to see what can come of whatever it is between them. At the same time, Lindsay is trying to stay away from him because she can see herself falling for him and getting her heart broken.

When he gets too close for her comfort, she pushes him away, telling him that there is no way to reconcile their two worlds.

I loved seeing that Walker has found something worth fighting for. While Lindsay tries to get over her heartache, she has no idea that Walker isn't giving up. When she encounters him at the Fall Festival, she's surprised to see how many people he knows and who seem to like him. I loved her curiosity and how he made her wait until the next day to spring his surprise on her. I loved his big moment and how he put his whole heart into it, showing her just how much he had changed.

There was also a good secondary story involving Walker and his brother Hudson, who is in charge of the day care center. Their relationship hasn't been great the last few years because of Walker's increasing likeness to their father and Hudson's resistance to it. Rust Creek Falls has had a good effect on Hudson, allowing him to break away from his father's demands. I liked the way he had the courage to call Walker on his attitude and be straight about his feelings. It was great to see that Lindsay's influence enables Walker to start to fix his relationship with his brother. 

A Maverick and a Half - Marie Ferrarella (HSE #2497 - Sept 2016)

Read December 1, 2016

Series: Montana Mavericks: Baby Bonanza (Book 3)

TEACHING THE RANCHER HIS L-O-V-E's! 

Rust Creek Ramblings 

Readers, it's back-to-school time in Rust Creek Falls, and new single mama Marina Laramie has returned to her classroom for the first time since baby Sydney was born. Did you hear about her parent-teacher conference with handsome ranching dad Anderson Dalton? Seems they bonded over his young son, Jake, and now we here at the Gazette are hearing there is a marriage in the works! 

A rancher, a schoolteacher, a grade-schooler and a baby: it does paint a lovely picture. But is it too good to be true? Those in the know whisper this is a marriage of convenience to help Anderson gain custody of his son. We, however, are rooting for something more. Raise your hands, hopeful romantics, if you think Marina and Anderson's "arrangement" has the makings of a grade-A love match!

Good book. Anderson only found out about his eleven year old son a year earlier, and the boy’s mother refused to share custody. Until she showed up on his doorstep two months ago and dropped Jake off while she “worked some things out”.  He has stepped right up to fatherhood, though he’s having a little trouble connecting with the boy, who only seems interested in his video games. But he is very protective of the boy and when he gets a “we need to talk” message from Jake’s teacher, he goes tearing off, certain she has it in for Jake.

Marina is a fifth grade teacher and single mother of a baby. She loves what she does and works with each student’s strengths and weaknesses. Jake draws her attention because he’s so quiet and hasn’t connected with the other kids. She has some ideas to help bring him out of his shell, but she needs to talk to his father.

Their first meeting was a bit awkward. Anderson went in expecting to have to defend Jake from something and instead gets told how great he is. It was rather sweet to see him so determined to protect his boy and then be so confused when it wasn’t what he expected. I liked seeing Marina calm him down. But there are still some communication issues as he tries to understand just what she’s trying to tell him. There’s a little chauvinism present as he turns down her solution.

By the time the encounter is over, Anderson realizes that she has made quite an impression on him, and it isn’t entirely welcome.  He finds over the next few days that he can’t get her off his mind. Jake’s crush on his beautiful teacher isn’t helping things, as he talks Anderson into inviting Marina and her baby girl out to the ranch. Marina is suffering from the same problem. She has been having some very unteacherlike thoughts about Jake’s father.

I loved seeing their relationship develop. One Jake-instigated invitation to the ranch turns into every weekend visits by Marina and Sydney. I loved seeing how easily Anderson handled little Sydney, and ached for his sadness at having missed so many years of Jake’s childhood.  It isn’t long before both of them feel like they’ve become something close to a family unit.  But when the inevitable kiss happens, Anderson panics because of the effect it has on him and backs away from continuing the visits.  He had been burned once by a woman (Jake’s mother) and is wary of getting involved with another. Marina, whose own feelings had been growing, is hurt by his withdrawal, as it reminds her of the way Sydney’s father had behaved when she got pregnant. More trouble comes when Jake’s mom shows up unexpectedly and demands that Jake go back to Chicago with her. Anderson is furious, but unable to stop her.

As Anderson fights for joint custody, Marina comes to him with an idea to improve his chances. She loves both Anderson and Jake and is willing to do whatever it takes. Anderson is stunned and immediately willing, without looking too deeply at his reasons why. I loved Anderson’s attempt to make the wedding more special for her, and his surprise at her own request. I loved seeing how easily they slipped into married life, but that is threatened by Lexie’s return and her news. I ached for Marina and her fears. I loved seeing the matter of fact way that Anderson relieved her fears and expressed his feelings.

I loved Jake. It was great to see him go from an introverted video game addict to a more outgoing and typical eleven year old. You can tell that he loves his dad, but has trouble at first relating to him. His crush on Marina was sweet and I loved how he would nag Anderson into doing things related to her. The way he took to caring for Sydney was really awesome and his attempts to get her on a horse were fun. 

Her Maverick M.D. - Teresa Southwick (HSE #2491 - Aug 2016)

Series: Montana Mavericks: Baby Bonanza (Book 2)

WARNING: THIS DOC MAY CAUSE SWOONING

Rust Creek Ramblings

I'm sure you've heard there is a new doctor in town. Sexy Jon Clifton looks more cowboy than pediatrician, he's good with kids and dogs, and what we all want to know is: "Why is this man still single?"

Though there are plenty of ladies in Rust Creek Falls who would like to change the confirmed bachelor's status, Dawn Laramie alone seems to be immune to his charms. The dedicated nurse works side by side with Dr. Jon day after day, intent on keeping things professional and distant. Meanwhile, we here at the "Gazette" can practically hear the tension thrumming between these two. Our diagnosis? A classic case of lovesickness with an age-old cure But will the doctor's proposal heal Dawn's wounded heart?

Good book. Jon is new to Rust Creek Falls, having answered an advertisement for a pediatrician. He has some heartbreak in his past and has kept his emotions under control ever since. Dawn grew up in Rust Creek Falls and has come home after working in a city hospital. A recent romance has reinforced her distrust of men.

The initial meeting between Dawn and Jon didn't go very well. Jon isn't very good at talking to women, as he'd always been more interested in doctoring than flirting. Unfortunately, he managed to come across as judgmental and pompous and wasn't able to correct the impression before she walked away. Dawn had noticed his good looks when he first came in, but when she found out he was the new doctor she'd be working with, all her warmth and friendliness vanished. She was also irritated by his attitude about the infamous spiked punch incident (series Montana Mavericks: What Happened at the Wedding). 

Dawn had been burned by getting involved with a doctor at her previous job. It turned out that he was engaged and hadn't told her, making her look like she'd knowingly been involved with another woman's man. After it came out, she was treated badly by others at the hospital, making her working life miserable. She left there to come home and work at the clinic, vowing she'd never get involved with another coworker. His lies and omissions also reinforced her distrust of men, thanks to the actions of her father. He had left the family, and his subsequent actions were extremely erratic and unreliable. Since that time, she has had trouble believing that men could be relied on.

Jon had his own issues that kept him somewhat isolated. While working as a doctor in a hospital, he had lost a young patient unexpectedly and it made him question himself. He took a job in Thunder Canyon to get away and heal. The effect the loss of his patient had on him also caused a rift between himself and the woman he was living with, making him reluctant to get involved again. After a few months of quiet at Thunder Canyon, Jon is ready for something more and joins the clinic at Rust Creek Falls. 

Though their first meeting didn't go well, there were obviously sparks between them. Dawn is determined to keep it professional and treats Jon very differently than everyone else. I liked that Jon was determined to fix it and loved seeing him challenge her. Jon would really like to get to know her better, but accepts her reasons for being just friends. However, it's pretty obvious that they aren't going to be able to stick to it.

I loved watching the relationship develop. With Dawn's help, he finally saw that he wasn't solely to blame for the end of his previous relationship. I liked seeing the way that he was there for Dawn during some of her family issues, and that he helped her see things from a different perspective. When they cross the line from friends to lovers, both of them panic a little and try to go back to being just friends. He resisted the idea that he was falling for her until it was impossible to deny. Dawn realizes she has fallen for a man who probably won't stay in town. A medical crisis that has the potential to pull them apart, instead opens their eyes to what they really want. I loved Jon's big moment at the end.

I also liked the storyline involving Dawn's mother and father. His reappearance in their lives gives Dawn the chance to see her parents' relationship through the eyes of an adult rather than a child. She's very antagonistic at the beginning, but slowly begins to get to know him. I liked the tipping point in their relationship, as Hank is there for her when she thinks things are falling apart between her and Jon. 

Marriage, Maverick Style! - Christine Rimmer (HSE #2485 - July 2016)

Series: Montana Mavericks: Baby Bonanza (Book 1)

THE MAVERICK MEETS HER MATCH

RUST CREEK RAMBLINGS

As summer arrives in Rust Creek Falls, the town is bursting with babies…and the Gazette is bursting with news. Did you hear there's a new billionaire in town? President and CEO of Drake Distilleries and Drake Hospitality, Carson Drake is no one's baby daddy…at least, not yet. But the handsome, delicious Los Angeleno has his eye on our own Tessa Strickland, and things are about to get very interesting…

Sweet, serious Tessa has had firsthand experience with heartbreak and is determined to avoid a second go-round. But after one unexpected night in Carson's sheltering arms, she begins to waver. Dear readers, that's only the beginning of the surprises. Saddle up and find out what happens when two commitment-phobes discover that love is life's richest reward!

Good book. Carson has come to Rust Creek Falls to see if he can get the recipe for Homer Gilmore's moonshine. The same moonshine that is responsible for the current baby bonanza (see series Montana Mavericks: What Happened at the Wedding). Carson is watching the Memorial Day parade and spots a woman dressed as a stork and holding a baby on one of the floats. He can't take his eyes off her and is desperate to meet her. Tessa is the woman in the costume (she got tapped because the costume fit her) and spots Carson at the same time. Unlike Carson, her instinct is to get as far away from him as she can. Something tells her that he could mean real trouble for her.

Tessa is a local girl who moved away to pursue her dreams as a graphic artist. Just when she had landed her dream job, everything got derailed when she met a man. Tessa was so into him that she neglected her job, screwing up an account that her boss had trusted her with. Oh, and that man? He was her boss's ex, which didn't help her cause any. So Tessa ended up fired and threatened with being blackballed in the industry. She went home to Montana to try to get her life back together. She's freelancing her art, and determined to keep men off her radar for a long time to come.

Tessa's attempt at avoidance doesn't work, and she is introduced to him later that day. She is just as attracted to him as she feared, and can't say no when he wants to hang with her for the rest of the day and evening. I loved seeing how quickly they connected, finding several things that they have in common - including the intention to not have children. When Homer shows up and gives Carson a jar of his moonshine and promises that they'll talk later, Carson and Tessa share a few sips from the jar. I loved their comments on its properties, which give away that there is something pretty freaky about the drink. And like in the previous series, Carson and Tessa wake up in bed the next morning with no idea how they got there, or memory of what they did (though the evidence is pretty clear). Tessa completely freaks out at how fast things moved and pushes away from Carson as hard as she can. Carson on the other hand, wants to spend as much time with her as he can.

I loved the development of their relationship. Carson is determined to pursue what he sees as the potential for the future. He goes to great lengths to get closer to her. I loved his conversation with his friend Ryan, as he looks for advice on how to do it. It was great to see him settle on moving into the boarding house where Tessa is living also. Tessa is still freaked out, but finally agrees to spend time with him. They discover that not only is there attraction, they actually like each other. Carson tries to convince Tessa to come to California with him, even going so far as to line up a job interview for her. But thanks to that past relationship, Tessa has some big trust issues. She doesn't trust her own judgment, since she fell hard and fast the last time also. And she doesn't trust that something that has happened so fast will last. 

Then Tessa gets some news that turns both their lives upside down. Carson's pursuit of her becomes even more determined, and Tessa digs in her heels about not being rushed. I loved Carson's realization that pushing harder isn't going to help, and how he backs off a little. However, he hasn't given up, and I enjoyed seeing all the things he did to show her that he believed in them. It's starting to work, but Tessa just can't get past that last obstacle. Then a picnic by the falls provides an exciting twist that changes everything. I loved the follow on scene.

The epilogue was great. I wasn't too surprised by the second result that came of their moonshine experience. Both of them had made comments during the latter part of the book that made me think it would be perfect if they both were right, and it was. I also liked how they worked out the balance between their professional needs and personal wants.