Arranged Marriage, Bedroom Secrets - Yvonne Lindsay (HD #2453 - June 2016)

Series: Courtesan Brides (Book 1)

An arranged marriage means she's his bride. Her secrets make her much more…

Princess Mila will safeguard her kingdom by marrying a neighboring royal she barely knows. But she refuses to let Prince Thierry perfect his romantic arts with another woman. Disguised as his hired courtesan, the virgin princess plans to seduce her fiancé before their wedding night!

The mind-blowing chemistry they discover can't be taught -- or forgotten. Yet Mila's lie is unforgivable to a man who prizes honor above all. Public scandal threatens all Mila's dreams and her country's future…unless this prince can let passion, and his heart, reign supreme.

I loved this book. An arranged marriage between royals is nothing new, but one in which both the heroine and hero are virgins is definitely different. Thierry had grown up experiencing the worst kind of examples of marriage. All the male members of his family, and many of the females, were known for their profligate ways. He was determined to break that cycle by honoring his wife in the most basic of ways. He has been engaged to Princess Mila for seven years, since she was eighteen. Their wedding is scheduled to take place in a month. He wants to make sure that he is able to make her happy, both physically and emotionally, so he hires a courtesan to give him instruction (without any touching) on how to win Mila's heart.

Mila's engagement to Thierry is a way for their two kingdoms to bury decades of antagonism. At the time their engagement was announced, Mila was eighteen, slightly overweight, wore braces, and had no confidence in her ability to be the kind of wife he needed. She successfully convinced her brother, the king, to allow her to go to America for her education. She spent the next seven years pursuing her studies in environmental issues because she knew that it was a cause important to Thierry. She also developed her own requirements for a healthy marriage.

A month before her wedding she seized an opportunity to see Thierry outside of any official event. She hadn't seen or heard from him since their engagement, and she wanted a chance to see the real man behind the royal facade. During their brief encounter in New York, he had no idea who she was, but the few hours they spent talking made an impression on both of them. He returned home, never expecting to see her again, but unable to forget her. On her return home, Mila heard that he had hired a courtesan before the wedding, and determined that he would not be with any woman but her, took the woman's place.

Right there you see where things can go so terribly wrong. Thierry is a man to whom the worst kind of sin is that of dishonesty, and Mila's deception is bound to come back against her. Of course, I thought that Thierry was a bit naive himself, to think that he could spend time with a courtesan and not be tempted into a physical relationship. It was great fun to see Mila's surprise when she discovered that Thierry had not hired the courtesan to sleep with, but to learn how to treat his future wife. I loved the way that she was able to use that desire to show him her own views. It was really sweet to see how eager he was to learn. There were some times when his own issues caused missteps, but he was very good at seeing where he went wrong and fixing it. As they got to know each other, their feelings for each other grew and their chemistry was hot. Not a problem for Mila, because she knew the truth, but for Thierry, it was tearing him apart. He felt that he was betraying his own values and his fiancee by falling for this other woman. 

When the truth finally came out, Thierry was furious. He felt that he had been betrayed by Mila in the worst possible way. No matter what his true feelings for her were, his trust had been destroyed. It was so painful to see how unhappy they both were because of it. I liked seeing that Mila realized just how badly she had messed up and that she wanted to fix it, not just on a personal level but also because of what it would mean for their countries. I got a little frustrated with Thierry's refusal to really listen to what she had to say. Unexpected danger sends him flying to her rescue, as he realizes how much he needs her in his life. I loved that they both made mistakes and learned from them before embarking on their promising future together.

I'm really looking forward to Mila's brother's story. There is trouble afoot in his kingdom and I can't wait to see how he deals with it. There is also his need to marry soon in order to keep his throne, and the apparent twist in his plans.

Secret Baby Scandal - Joanne Rock (HD #2445 - May 2016)

Series: Bayou Billionaires (Book 4)

His proposition: pretend they're a couple to end a scandal. But she has secrets of her own…

Tatiana Doucet has dealt with sexy, arrogant athletes most of her life. But Jean-Pierre Reynaud is a whole different animal -- in bed and on the field. Unbeknownst to him, their one amazing night produced a son. Now her family's biggest football rival is back, offering a seductive wager she can't refuse.

Jean-Pierre despises the media. When rumors fly, he knows a fake relationship is the perfect diversion for the tabloids -- and Tatiana's unbridled passion is the perfect diversion for Jean-Pierre. But when she drops a baby bombshell, the scandal will rock them both!

Very good book and my favorite of the series. Tatiana and Jean-Pierre were teenage sweethearts when her dad was working for his grandfather's pro football team. Then the two men had a falling out and Tatiana and Jean-Pierre didn't see each other again for ten years. When that happened, they were on opposite sides of the courtroom as Tatiana was prosecuting a friend of his for sexual harassment. Their encounter after the trial was explosive, and ended up with the two of them in bed. Harsh words were spoken the next morning, sending them back in opposite directions.

Fast forward a year and Jean-Pierre is quarterback for her father's football team. A flippant remark by Tatiana has them both scrambling to do damage control. What Jean-Pierre doesn't know is that there is a bigger bombshell waiting for him - the discovery that Tatiana gave birth to his son. Now they need to find a way to work together to minimize the possible scandal and raise their son.

I really liked Jean-Pierre. He's a top notch athlete, but he isn't arrogant about it. He's worked hard to get where he is and doesn't take it for granted. He had been hurt by their separation all those years ago and it still affects the way he approaches relationships. I loved the way he reacted to finding out he was a father. Yes, he was angry that he hadn't been told sooner, but he doesn't threaten Tatiana with anything. Instead, he immediately steps up and wants to be a good father. He also wants to do the right thing and marry her, giving their son a proper family. His biggest problem is that he tends to overthink things, especially when he should be listening to his heart.

I liked Tatiana also. She had been just as heartbroken as Jean-Pierre when they were split as teens, but she was far more heavily influenced by her strong-willed father. By the time she had developed some backbone, it came back to bite her. The legal case that she was involved in became even more vital to her because of her father's attitude against it, and her stubbornness spilled over onto her chance to be with Jean-Pierre again. Though it was wrong of her to keep her pregnancy secret, I completely understood why she did it. 

I loved the revival of their relationship. It starts as a need to come to an agreement over the right way to reveal the baby's existence to their families and the press. However, it quickly becomes obvious that the chemistry between them is still just as strong. I loved seeing Jean-Pierre's determination to get Tatiana to marry him, even though he didn't realize the underlying reason why he was so determined. He had quite a few very romantic moments, as he tried to remind Tatiana of all they had been to each other before. Tatiana knows that she never stopped loving him, but after a lifetime of playing second fiddle to the game of football, she wants to feel as if she is the most important thing in his life. I loved seeing her stand up for her own needs as well as those of the baby. Jean-Pierre's big moment at the end was really romantic. There was an interesting twist at the end involving the case that had caused all the trouble between Jean-Pierre and Tatiana.

The Duke's Disaster - Grace Burrowes (Sourcebooks Casablanca - Apr 2015)

Series: True Gentlemen (Book 1)

Noah Winters, Duke of Anselm, exercises the pragmatism for which he's infamous when his preferred choice of bride cries off, and her companion, Lady Thea Collins, becomes his next choice for his duchess. Lady Thea's mature, sensible and even rather attractive-what could possibly go wrong?

As a lady fallen on hard times, Thea doesn't expect tender sentiments from His Grace, but she does wish Noah had courted her trust, lest her past turn their hastily arranged marriage into a life of shared regrets. Is His Grace courting a convenient wife, or a beautiful disaster?

Good book. Noah is ready to marry and in his usual cool headed way chooses the woman he thinks would best fit his needs. But when that woman chooses someone else, Noah simply sets his sights on on her companion instead. With her charge getting married, Thea will be out of a job. When Noah proposes, he also offers to support her younger sister and guide her brother. It's too good a deal to pass up, but there are things he doesn't know that could make a big difference.

I wasn't sure at first if I was going to like Noah. By his own admission he is not a nice man. He certainly doesn't have the smooth moves of so many romance heroes. And when Thea's secret comes out, he doesn't react well. He's pretty harsh with her and I figured it was going to take the whole book for him to redeem himself. But instead, I found that he was determined to make the marriage work, and the way he went about it was pretty sweet.

I did like Thea. She has been through a lot but is a survivor in the best sense of the word. After the deaths of her parents she went to work as a companion in order to take care of her younger sister. Her younger brother, who inherited their father's title, is lazy and ignores his responsibilities. The life of a companion is not an easy one, and after what happens at a house party, Thea deals with the memories and consequences as best she can. However, her ability to trust is shaken, and confiding the truth to Noah immediately is impossible for her to do, leading to trouble on their wedding night.

I really enjoyed the development of their relationship. For all that he claims he is not a nice man, Noah is actually very considerate of Thea. I loved the way that they used the time to get to know each other. In doing so, they realized that they actually like each other, which makes them both hopeful for the future of their marriage. There are some very sweet, and occasionally very funny, scenes as they both adjust to being married. I loved their morning routine, as Noah deals with a non-morning loving Thea, by fixing her tea and stealing bits of her breakfast while they plan their day. Thea also makes sure that Noah understands his responsibilities as a husband, when she points out some of his actions that need changing. Through it all, they learn more about the person they married, and about themselves as well. Though neither had expected or wanted love in their arrangement, love is what they got. I especially liked seeing the changes that Noah experienced.

The biggest issue they have to deal with is the matter of trust. Noah's reaction to her secret was understandable for a man of his time, but it still hurt Thea to see the way he jumped to conclusions about it. She had made a couple of attempts to tell him before their marriage, but he wasn't listening. As the time passed after the wedding, and Noah got to know Thea, he began to suspect that there was more to the story than he had believed. His mistrust of her in turn caused him to keep a secret of his own. Thea's past experiences make her wary of trusting Noah, which is why she had so much trouble confiding in him to start with. She believes that wariness is justified when she discovers what he had been hiding. But just as Noah doesn't know the whole story of her past, Thea doesn't know the entire truth of Noah's secret. I got a bit frustrated with them both, as so much angst could have been avoided if they had just talked to each other. But the gaining of that trust did make for a good story.

Part way through the book we discover that what happened to Thea has far-reaching consequences. Someone isn't at all happy about Thea's rise in status and is determined to make her pay for it. That person isn't a surprise, and the lengths he goes to are quite disturbing. The confrontation at the end is very intense. I loved seeing Noah's rescue of Thea. We also get the full and horrifying story of what actually happened to Thea from one of the people involved. That was truly unexpected and helped Thea close the door on that memory.

I really enjoyed the various secondary characters. Noah's sisters and their husbands were a lot of fun. They all had terrific marriages and I liked the effect they had on Noah. The way that Noah reacted to the various bits of marital advice her received was pretty funny, especially as he came to realize how accurate it was. I also loved the way the sisters took to Thea right away, in spite of her fears about her reputation. Their example also gave Thea more motivation to make her marriage work. I loved the two little girls. Their obvious adoration of Noah was a good indication of what a good man he really was. They also provided some truly lighthearted moments when things might have gotten too intense.

Twins for the Texan - Charlene Sands (HD #2443 - May 2016)

Series: Billionaires and Babies (Book 69)

After Wyatt Brandt rescues Brooke McKay en route to a Texas wedding, they spend one hot night together before going their separate ways. Now Brooke's back with news she isn't sure the wealthy rancher is ready to hear -- especially when she discovers he's already a father…of twins!

Being a single dad is a full-time job Wyatt can't do alone. He doesn't expect the ideal nanny to be the beauty who briefly shared his bed. But he accepts her help gladly -- not knowing her little secret will change his family forever…

Good book. On the way to a wedding, Brooke gets lost and runs out of gas. Fortunately she is rescued by Wyatt, who is on the way to the same wedding. Brooke, sister of movie star Dylan McKay (One Secret Night, One Secret Baby) is tired of being used by people who want to get close to her brother, so she doesn't tell Wyatt her real name. Instead, she enjoys an evening with a man who has no ulterior motives.

Wyatt lost his wife a few months earlier and has been mired in grief ever since. The only thing keeping him going is his twin children. His best friend encouraged him to go to the wedding and make a start at beginning to live again. Rescuing Brooke, who has no idea of what he's going through, gives him a welcome respite from his grief. 

Brooke and Wyatt connect almost as soon as they meet. There is definitely chemistry between them and as the evening goes on the heat continues to build. When the wedding is over, it flares into a desire that neither can resist. But in the morning, Wyatt is gone, and Brooke feels used again. Six weeks later she discovers she's pregnant and knows she has to tell him.

I liked Brooke a lot. She is fun, great with kids, and an all around nice person. She hasn't had good luck with men, which has left her wary. I liked the fact that she wasn't going to keep the news to herself, but she is understandably nervous about telling him, especially when she finds out he already has two kids. When she gets trapped on his ranch because of the weather, I really liked the way that she jumped in to help Wyatt with the twins.

I also liked Wyatt. He is hurting, but being around his kids makes it a little better. I loved seeing how much he loved them. They have become everything to him and he doesn't see that changing at any time in the future. I liked the way that he owned up to his mistake in leaving the way he did the morning after the wedding.

I really enjoyed seeing the development of their relationship. Brooke had come to tell him about the baby, but chickened out when he was talking about his two being enough for him. Trapped together on the ranch and working together to take care of the twins, the attraction between them is still there and just as strong, but both try to resist it. Brooke knows there's no future in it and doesn't want to get her heart broken again. When Wyatt gets into a bind and needs a nanny for the kids, Brooke offers to fill in until he can find one for real. But all that togetherness has her falling hard for him. Wyatt isn't sure what he's feeling for Brooke, but it has him really confused. When her nanny time is up she leaves, still unable to tell him her secret. Meanwhile, Wyatt finally starts to realize the truth of his own feelings, but isn't sure if it's too late for him. I loved his big moment at the end, especially the "help" he had.

I also liked seeing Dylan and Emma again. Their love is still going strong, of course. I loved seeing their support of Brooke. Dylan's overprotectiveness still tends to irritate her, but Emma does a good job of keeping him under control. I liked his conversation with Wyatt at the end.

The Rancher's Marriage Pact - Kristi Gold (HD #2435 - Mar 2016)

Series: Texas Extreme (Book 1)

A marriage of convenience, Texas-style

Dallas Calloway is desperate to find a bride. If the billionaire former rodeo champ's not married by his birthday, his dreams for the D Bar C will end, thanks to his father's will. So Paris Reynolds's arrival at the ranch looks like the answer to his prayers.

The ravishing interior designer is desperate for a job. And Dallas has a proposition he hopes she can't refuse -- marry him for one year, in name only, then get an annulment. But with the irresistible passion raging between them, how will they ever make it a year without sharing a marriage bed?

Good book and beginning to the series. Paris is an interior designer who is desperate for a job. Thanks to her ex-husband, she is in debt and jobless. She heard of Dallas's plans for Texas Extreme, and shows up to apply for a job that hasn't even been advertised yet. 

Dallas is the oldest of the six Calloway sons. He is strong-willed and determined, which put him at odds with his father. After JD's death, Dallas discovered that he only inherits the ranch if he is married by his thirty-eighth birthday, which is only a few days away. As he isn't sure that his plans for the ranch will happen, he sends Paris away. Then his two stepmothers suggest he offer her a job as his wife, killing two birds with one stone.

Sparks fly between Dallas and Paris from the start. The chemistry is strong, but both are wary of getting involved. Paris isn't sure she can trust another man after being used so badly by her ex. Dallas has no intention of committing permanently to anyone. Finding out that his father was a bigamist has wrecked his ability to trust in any relationship, so he's decided to avoid them all together. He and Paris agree to a marriage in name only, with an annulment at the end, but the heat between them puts a strain on that plan. Discovering that an annulment would negate the reason for the marriage opens up the bedroom door for them. Giving in to the passion isn't a problem for them, but keeping their feelings out proves to be much harder.

I loved seeing the relationship develop. Paris knows immediately that she's going to have trouble keeping her heart safe. Though he appears to be pretty cynical, Paris sees glimpses of another side to him. Dallas has been determined to stay alone, but the more time he spends with Paris the more he finds visions of his future including her. This freaks him out a bit, and he does some pulling away before Paris confronts him about his behavior. There are some pretty sweet scenes of his protectiveness as he learns a little about her past. Things are looking promising for them as they both consider making the marriage permanent, when Paris's ex shows up, looking to make trouble. There are some things that come out that play on Dallas's fears, and he says some terrible things to Paris. I loved seeing her give as good as she got. It was fun to see Dallas's brothers and stepmothers get in on the act too. I especially liked his conversation with Maria, or as she put it "I verbally beat him over the head." I liked his big moment at the end with just a bit of groveling. The epilogue was good, with a not so surprising surprise at the end.

I really enjoyed the secondary characters of the two stepmothers. Their background story is a little odd, but it really works for the book. Each of them is an interesting character and their involvement adds a bit of fun. We didn't see too much of the brothers, and I'm looking forward to getting to know them.

Lucy and the Lieutenant - Helen Lacey (HSE #2482 - June 2016)

Series: Cedar River Cowboys (Book 2)

THE VIRGIN AND THE VETERAN

Dr. Lucy Monero feels like the oldest virgin on the planet. Still crushing on her longtime neighbor, she's waited a lifetime for her first…and last. The man she'll marry. And now he's back -- the star of her fantasies, ex-cowboy-turned-army-vet Brant Parker. The physician in her recognizes a wounded soul, but the woman in her burns for his touch. Lucy's head is filled with visions of white lace and white picket fences.

The last thing Brant needs is the walking, talking temptation that is Lucy. He may be out of his army fatigues but he still carries his demons. He's a loner, not the marrying kind that the hometown sweetheart deserves. So why can't he stop wanting her?

Very emotional story. Lucy came back to Cedar River after medical school because it is home. She has a job she loves and friends to hang out with, but no love life. She's been in love with the boy next door since she was fifteen, but he never noticed her. Now he's back after twelve years in the military, but he's not the same boy she knew.

Brant is back, but he's floundering a bit. He is spending all his time renovating the tavern he bought and avoiding spending much time with anyone. He's haunted by something that happened during his last tour, and determined to put it behind him, but ignoring it doesn't seem to be working. It doesn't help that he keeps running into Lucy, who makes it obvious that she's interested, but he feels too broken to be the man that she needs.

I felt a little sorry for Lucy at the beginning because, even though she's twenty-seven, her inner awkward teenager seems to come out whenever she is around Brant. But because of the things she's been through herself, she recognizes the pain that he is in and is determined to help him however she can. I loved seeing the way that she would stand up to him when he was being rude or a jerk. Brant tries hard to push her away and makes it clear to her that he doesn't do relationships. But being around Lucy seems to quiet his demons a little.

I liked seeing the relationship develop. Brant was really fighting what he felt for her, sometimes pushing her away and other times wanting to be with her. Because he feels he can't give her what she needs, he offers her friendship instead, and she accepts thinking that something is better than nothing. That friendship changes and grows almost from the start. Lucy knows she's in trouble, because what she felt as a teen pales in comparison to what she feels now. At the same time, Brant refuses to believe that what he feels for Lucy is more than friendship with some lust added in. When the attraction overcomes the friendship, Lucy gets part of what she wanted and begins to dream. Brant is still fighting the inevitable, and quite honestly treats her pretty badly. I loved seeing Lucy finally stand up for her own needs in an incredibly emotional scene where she tells him he has to decide if what they have is worth fighting for. It still takes awhile, plus some straight talk from his mother, before he's ready to take a chance. I loved his big moment at the end, it was so sweet and romantic.

I really liked the realism of Brant's struggles. Seeing him try to cope on his own was hard. I loved the way that Lucy used her own experiences to show him that there is nothing wrong with getting the help that you need. There was no miraculous fix at the end, just the knowledge that it is an ongoing process and that doing it together makes them stronger.

Delta Force Desire - C. J. Miller (HRS #1901 - June 2016)

From classified secrets to unleashed desires…

Elite hacker Kit Walker expects a safe desk job when the government taps her for a classified project. So when Kit's captured by a cyberterrorist group, she fears for her life and her work. But when gorgeous Griffin Brooks turns up to save her, it's not only her life that's in danger…

Griffin was assigned to Kit's case, but protecting the bashful beauty soon becomes so much more than a job to him. How can he do his duty to guard her when he couldn't keep his late wife safe from a nefarious killer? As a lethal threat closes in on them both, Griffin and Kit will have to untangle the deadly web of lies—and their growing attraction—if they want to stop their enemy in his tracks.

Very good book with great suspense and an emotional romance. Kit Walker is a computer hacker who had worked on a highly classified government project. Happy when it was over with, she has avoided any kind of computer job ever since. Then she is attacked by cyberterrorists who need her expertise to gain access to that project. She's saved by Griffin Brooks, but gets the feeling she's gone from the frying pan to the fire.

Griffin works as a "retriever" for the West security company. He's good at getting people out of danger, then turning them over to someone else to do the actual protecting. Years earlier his wife had been killed, and he blames himself for not keeping her safe. Because of it he refuses to have anything to do with the protection side of the business, feeling that he is not qualified. But when Kit refuses to have anyone except Griffin taking care of her, he has no choice.

I liked Kit. She's incredibly smart, but also socially awkward. She has always felt overshadowed by her supermodel sister, especially when it comes to attention from men. Her relationships have been online only, except for one that ended up being all on her side. She is attracted to Griffin, but has no confidence in her ability to attract him. I liked Griffin also. He has been hurt by the death of his wife and protects himself by keeping his emotions well buried. He's attracted to Kit, but getting involved with her would be a bad idea. 

I enjoyed the development of their relationship. They strike sparks from the first, as Kit initially resists Griffin's attempts to get her to safety. Once she has accepted her danger, she is determined to keep Griffin at her side, as she trusts him. As they work together, the attraction between them grows, but it is not a simple thing. Kit wants him, but has no idea how to go about taking advantage of the heat between them. Her attempts are awkward, adding to her feelings of inadequacy. Griffin's reactions are actually pretty sweet. He's honest about her effect on him, but also that doing anything about it is a bad idea. He is pretty sensitive to her feelings and does his best to protect them. The scene after the rave shows just how much effort he puts into that. I loved the way that they grew to understand each other and how that brought them closer. By the end of the book, Griffin has to decide if his need to have Kit in his life can overcome the fears that are holding him back.

The suspense of the story was great and felt like a fairly realistic scenario. From the first chapter, as the cyberterrorists try to capture Kit, the intensity continues to build. Once Kit understands the danger, she is determined to do her part. It often seems as if Kit and Griffin are barely one step ahead of the bad guys. I really liked the way that she and Griffin balanced each other. Her expertise is mental, dealing with the intricacies of the computer, while Griffin's is more physical. There are several situations where I wasn't sure how they were going to get out of it. The final confrontation was intense, and I loved seeing how Kit pulled off a couple of great surprises. While this story came to a successful conclusion, there were a couple loose threads that may lead into another adventure.