Judy DuarteReseñas
Autor de Mulberry Park
Reseñas
But Ellie is also in a bit of a predicament. She recently ended her relationship with a man, only to discover she was pregnant with his baby. He made it plain he had no interest in being a father and left the country to pursue his career. That leaves Ellie pregnant, unmarried, and worried about the reactions of her constituents. Ellie always holds herself to very high standards and feels she's letting everyone down.
Steven is the oldest in his family, charming, good-looking, and used to things going his way. He has his vision of where he wants the Fortune properties to go, and nothing will deter him from making it happen. Clashing with Ellie is frustrating but also stimulating, and he looks forward to winning her over.
I enjoyed seeing Steven and Ellie's encounters. She focuses on the town's residents, while Steven seems more interested in the high-end tourists he envisions spending time there. I could feel her frustration as her efforts to get through to him fell on deaf ears. I especially enjoyed seeing her take him to talk to ordinary people. He's charming and easy to talk to, but he still doesn't get it.
One thing he does get is his attraction to her and how much he enjoys her company. While she resists dating him, she isn't opposed to the idea of being friends. As a friend, he offers her a marriage of convenience, giving her the cover to preserve her reputation with the town. Ellie is hesitant to accept, fearing that their chemistry could lead to heartbreak. I liked Steven's feelings of protectiveness toward Ellie and his desire to take care of her. But as they start their married life, Ellie realizes she wants more than Steven agreed to when they hatched this plan. I wanted to shake Ellie when she ran instead of talking to Steven and risking rejection. I hurt for Steven, who had no idea she was unhappy until after she left. An unexpected visitor helped Steven see the truth of his feelings. I loved the ending and seeing them finally admit their feelings to each other.
I loved the importance of family in this book - family of the blood and the heart. Both Steven and Ellie were adopted, which had a significant impact on their lives. Ellie's history made it easy to see the impact on her life and actions and why she made her decisions. Steven's backstory was easier but still profoundly affected his life. I loved how close he was to his parents and siblings.
If the second novel in this book had related to the 1st novel, I might have had more interest in actually reading the 2nd novel but ... it's a completely different story and since the first novel ended with such a false and rosy ending, I don't have any interest in reading the second novel.
The first novel is about a "rebel" cowboy who doesn't seem to be much of a "rebel cowboy" falling in love with a short chic with 4 daughters (who may be 4 months old or 4 days old -- it's hard to tell and they're not written clearly and never ever age or progress in their development, even though they're infants and infants develop quicker than this poorly written story progressed ... ).
The next story looked to be about a guy who lost his first wife and gets his second wife from surrogacy for the remaining two daughters he has on ice.
This author might have a fetish about pregnancy, which, unfortunate, is never even touched on in the writing because the sex that does happen is beyond vanilla.
Adrianne
Elena is home in Brighton Valley after graduating from college, working for her dad, as she saves the money to open her own store in Houston. She is the oldest of seven children and spent a lot of time as a teen taking care of her younger half-siblings. She can't wait to make her dream happen and get out of Brighton Valley. She's captivated by Beto and Bela when she first meets them, but becoming a nanny is not high on her list of things to do. But when Bradon makes her an offer she can't refuse, off to the ranch she goes.
I liked both Bradon and Elena. I loved that Bradon didn't hesitate to step up and take care of the twins. They are family, and there's no way that he'd let strangers raise them. He doesn't think he's the right one to do it permanently, as he is single and has no intention of changing that. He'd rather see either of his married siblings take that on. Be that as it may, he puts a lot of effort into making sure they are happy. I loved the scene with Bradon, the kids, and the Horton book. It really showed what a good guy he was. Though I liked her, there were times that I had trouble warming up to Elena. She is sweet and loving with the twins, and I liked the way that they connected so quickly. Unfortunately, I also felt like she was a bit judgmental of people. She seemed to look down on her stepmom for having six kids, and also for her "bland" decorating style. She was also quick to judge Lola on her appearance. Fortunately, I think she did a fair amount of maturing by the end of the book.
I enjoyed the development of their relationship. There were sparks between them from the moment they met, but both were determined to resist. Bradon knows that Elena is not the fling type of woman and that is all he can offer. He got his heart broken back in high school and has resisted risking his heart ever since. Elena has big plans for her life and has no intention of getting involved with a man whose roots are buried deep in the very place she wants to leave. As they spend time together caring for the kids, they get to know each other, while their attraction continues to simmer. There are some sweet scenes of all four together, giving them a feeling of being a family. I loved watching Bradon realize that Elena has worked her way past his walls and that he now wishes for a future with her. He is also sensitive enough to realize that he can't ask her to give up her dreams. I ached for him as his attempts to show his feelings and yet give her a choice went awry. Elena also realized that she had fallen for Bradon, and has her own conflict. How can she have the relationship she wants without giving up her dreams? A long conversation with her dad helped her see the truth. I really liked Bradon's big moment at the end, as he lays his heart on the line.
I loved the two kids, Bela and Beto. They were adorable, but also realistic. I ached for them and the confusion they must have felt at the loss of their mother, then the father they never knew died also. I enjoyed their attempt to have some control over their lives. It was fun to see them settle into life on the ranch, adding their own touches with their menagerie. Beto was too cute with his desire to be just like Bradon, right down to the boots and hat. Bradon and Elena had no way of stopping the kids from working their way into their hearts. I loved the epilogue and seeing how things turned out for everyone.
I liked both Kieran and Dana. I liked how he changed his life around to give Rosie the life he feels she deserves. I loved that he was hands-on, rather than just hiring a nanny and turning Rosie over to her. He'd been raised by nannies himself, and though they'd been good, they weren't his parents. There are some terrific scenes of Kieran and Rosie together as he moves from Uncle Kieran to Uncle Daddy to just plain Daddy. Dana is sweet and loving. With no family of her own, she loved becoming part of Zach's, though she feels a little guilty. Their relationship hadn't been as deep as so many had assumed. She's grateful that Zach's parents still want her in their lives and Rosie's.
I loved the development of their relationship. They had met a few times previously, but didn't really know each other. Kieran first sees her as quiet, serious, and nothing like the other women he knows. He's puzzled by the sparks of attraction he feels for her, and tries to subdue them. After all, she was Zach's girl and even though he's gone it just isn't right. But he desperately needs her help. It isn't too long before he realizes that he also wants to be with her for his own sake. This freaks him out a bit because he's always been the committed bachelor. This causes him to do and say some things to Dana that are meant to put some distance between them but end up being hurtful. Dana is equally attracted to Kieran, but considers him to be way out of her league. She sees him as rich, successful and gorgeous and she's just a former foster kid. She doesn't see her own beauty and the sweetness that appeals to him. Spending time together with Rosie brings them closer and they start feeling like a family. Dana knows she's falling for him, but she can't stop her feelings from growing, even though she's sure nothing will come of it. Kieran's own feelings are changing and he doesn't know how to deal with them. Though I wanted to shake him over the whole wedding invitation thing, I liked that he quickly realized how stupid he had been. His big moment at the end was sweet and romantic, and showed an unexpected bit of vulnerability in him.
There wasn't much said in this book about the Fortune-Robinsons' ongoing search for any other half-siblings from their father's frequent affairs. There is some inclusion of the reporter Ariana Lamonte, who is doing a series of articles on the new Fortunes. There is also a hint that she may have a bigger story in mind.
Shannon isn't sure what to think of Sam's nephew. Sure, he's good looking, but she's not too fond of his big city attitude. She also knows that he hasn't been to visit Sam, and that's just wrong in her book.
I didn't much care for Blake at the beginning. He hasn't taken the time to visit his uncle, but is sure that the man is falling prey to a gold-digger. When he arrives at the ranch, he looks at everything through a very negative eye. I felt he deserved it when his uncle wasn't exactly happy to see him. My attitude toward Blake softened a little when he admitted his mistake to Sam and apologized, though he doesn't tell Sam his reason for being there. However, he sticks his foot in it again when he is introduced to Joy and is less than truly nice to her.
I did like Shannon. She has a big heart and a terrific way of dealing with some of the grouchy old cowboys on the ranch. She is also protective of her aunt and Sam, and when she finds out what he thought she was furious.
There are definitely sparks between Blake and Shannon. But Blake has been burned once by a mercenary woman and is reluctant to trust again. Plus there's the fact that he is going back to California after he settles whatever is going on with Sam. Shannon feels the heat also, but she just came off a relationship with a man who turned out to be quite a snob, so she's planning to stay away from city men. I liked seeing them spend time together as Shannon shows him around the ranch and he gets to know the people there. Once he realizes that Joy isn't a gold-digger, he knows he should head back home, but he can't tear himself away. I loved seeing him remember his summers on his uncle's ranch and how happy he was then, and start to feel some of the same things now. Things with Shannon are heating up also.
There is a lot going on with Blake and his feelings, as he gets closer to Shannon. He's not used to talking about them, thanks to the way he grew up, which puts him at a disadvantage. He doesn't want to give up what they have when he goes home, so when he finds out about one of her dreams, he makes her an offer. Unfortunately for him, he left out the most important thing. Shannon is understandably hurt and angry, having believed there was something between them. After he gets past his own hurt, he has to decide what to do. I loved the conversation with his uncle that opened his eyes and showed him how to do it. The scene in the hospital was funny and sweet and a perfect ending for this book.
Looking forward to the next book.
I loved Graham. He's one of the Robinson side of the Fortune family, and sort of a black sheep. He wants nothing to do with his father's business, in spite of his MBA. He's much happier ranching and helping turn the ranch into a place for at risk boys. When he was a teenager, he and his friend Peter made some bad decisions during their rebellious phase. Peter died because of one of those decisions, which sobered Graham right up. Since then he has joined with Peter's father to make the ranch a tribute to Peter. He remains at odds with his own father. Graham was surprised to hear that Sasha was coming back to the ranch, and even more surprised when he saw her. He remembers her as the little girl who used to be a pest, but she's a beautiful woman now. She also has a daughter and is pregnant. Graham is also determined to make a difference to the boys who come to the ranch. I loved seeing how good he was with them, just the right mix of discipline and friendliness.
I liked Sasha too. She had married a man she thought she loved, even though her uncle didn't like him and said that he wasn't what he seemed. This caused a rift between them, not a total break, but certainly plenty of awkwardness. She hopes that she can mend their relationship while she's there. When she arrived she was surprised to see Graham there. She had had quite the crush on him when she was a teenager, and she discovers that he still has the power to stir her. Her seven year old daughter Maddie also falls under his spell.
I really enjoyed the development of their relationship. They quickly slid back into their old friendship, but this time there was an added zing to it. However, both of them have some relationship insecurities. Graham thinks that there is a good chance that Sasha will end up going back to her husband, so he's reluctant to risk his heart on her. He thinks she still loves him, plus they have the two kids. That doesn't stop him from thinking about the possibilities and wishing they were real. Sasha also has her doubts. She doesn't think that a rich cowboy like Graham could be interested in a single mom like her. A couple of hot kisses have them both thinking toward the future, until a visit from Sasha's soon-to-be-ex occurs. Graham jumps to conclusions about the visit, cutting things off with Sasha in a very confusing (to her) phone call. She jumps to some conclusions of her own, and blows off some steam at him. It takes a determined little girl to get them to actually talk to each other, with the expected happy results.
Through the series there have been two ongoing storylines. The first is the question of whether or not Gerard Robinson is really Jerome Fortune, and whether he'll ever admit it if he is. The previous book had him telling his story to his daughter Zoe, though some of the kids are skeptical. In this book the truth is finally revealed. The second one is the decision by Kate Fortune to look among her relatives for someone to take over as CEO of Fortune Cosmetics. She has been visiting them all, looking for her ideal. She shows up at the ranch to talk to Graham and gets a tour of the ranch. I loved the real interest she showed. At the end of the book she makes her decision and it really is perfectly done.
This is not the first book in The Fortunes of Texas: All Fortune’s Children series that I’ve read, but it is the first one with this author. Wed by Fortune has a bunch of the themes I adore with the main characters, Graham Fortune Robinson and Sasha-Marie Gibault, reconnecting after losing touch; children as active characters; and a goal of helping people in need with the Galloping G ranch transformed into a home for troubled teenage boys. Any one of these themes would make the book appeal to me, though putting them all together at once can be dicey at times.
Wed by Fortune shares with the other Fortune novels the trait of strong characters doing interesting things with their lives. This is its main strength, and not just in the main characters as Maggie (Sasha-Marie’s 7-year-old daughter) and Uncle Bob are equally well drawn.
Between the people and the situations they find themselves in, the book is a win for me. It’s not, however, a complete one. I found the injection of the overarching Fortune story to be a little intrusive at times, largely because the information was often dumped on top of the story in dense summary. I must say, in the book’s defense, that had I read all of the series, the last issue might be moot because those summaries, rather than informing, could have been just what I needed to remind me where this one belongs in the bigger framework. Also, the drop in visit by Kate Fortune was lovely.
The writing, at times, had similar problems to the Fortune pieces, with an unexpected awkwardness never more apparent than in the first sex scene, which comes at the very end. Until that point, the book read more as a sweet romance, and successfully so. It certainly had enough going on to make the absence of the sensual element beyond a few kisses not particularly noticeable. However, because of that scene, this is a sensual novel, and in my opinion, did not hold up that end. While this is the most glaring example, the clumsy writing occurred often enough throughout to influence how I read the book while not so often as to make it unreadable.
There’s a lot to like between the characters and the storyline, though the reasons Graham and Sasha-Marie, or Sassy as Graham calls her, had keeping them apart became strained at times. I did enjoy the read, and everything came together well in the end despite Graham and Sasha-Marie letting their own assumptions and lack of confidence prevent them from making their feelings clear for the longest time. Heck, I would have read the whole thing just to meet Maggie, who is a wonderfully drawn, accurate 7-year-old when so many are portrayed too young for their stated age.
As much as I’d like to give this romance a clear recommendation, I can’t. I wouldn’t have wanted to give it a pass either, so it depends on what you’ll tolerate to enjoy the characters. This is also speaking as a drop-in on the Fortune series, and from reading the ARC. There’s a chance some of my issues were corrected in the final proof, though I suspect that’s not the case for all of them.
Ultimately, the people won me over both in their presentation and the motivations driving them to help others. What Graham and Uncle Bob chose to do with a horrible tragedy and how Sasha-Marie wanted to make a good life for her kids (she’s pregnant), despite a disappointing first marriage (she’s in the process of a divorce through most of the book), made the story worthwhile for me.
P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.
Carly is a woman who knows what she wants, and that's a career as a country singer. She will do whatever she must to make her dream come true. Coming home to Brighton Valley gives her a chance to get healthy again, but also to keep singing locally. To do so, she needs someone to play the music, and she decides that Ian will fit the bill perfectly. She knows that he's an excellent musician and can sing, so she commits them to a performance without asking him. She hopes to convince him to go on the road with her, too. She doesn't understand why he's so angry with her when she tells him. She is of the opinion that he is wasting his talent and his life stuck on the ranch when he could have so much more.
What Carly doesn't know is that Ian has already "had it all" and walked away from it. His time on the road led to heartbreak and a reevaluation of his priorities. Now, all he wants is to buy the ranch when the family puts it on the market and look to the future of eventually raising a family there. He is not happy to be coerced into performing again, but has trouble saying no to Carly. He agrees to the one performance, but makes it clear that's all he'll do.
I liked the development of the relationship between them. The attraction is always there, bubbling below the surface, but they know nothing can come of it - their lives are too different. One thing they have in common is music, and practicing together for their performance brings them closer. When Carly discovers she's pregnant, she's stunned because she didn't think it could happen. She also doesn't know what it will do to her career plans. Ian is equally stunned, but ready and willing to be a father. I loved seeing his protectiveness come out as he watched over Carly. I also liked seeing how well he knows her and what her reactions would be. I got a little frustrated with Carly's tunnel vision regarding her plans and the way she kept ignoring Ian's refusals to perform in public, but eventually she realizes he's serious. Just when things are starting to improve between them, Ian's past shows up to cause trouble. Carly is hurt and angry that he hadn't trusted her enough to tell her the truth, and begins to question some of the things that had gone on between them. An emotional scene at her ultrasound, followed by the open conversation they should have had long before, finally brings them together the way they should be. There's a nice twist at the end as they celebrate his grandparents' anniversary with them.
During the book there are periodic updates from Jason about their search for the missing twins their father had been looking for before his death. My suspicions from the previous book turned out to be correct. Now I am looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Juliana is thrilled with Jason's offer of a job. She left her previous job in an art gallery after discovering that the man she thought she loved had lied to her in the worst ways. To make matters worse, she is pregnant with his baby. Brighton Valley is a small town and she wants to keep her troubles secret as long as she can. Working for Jason gives her someplace to hide out while she figures out what to do next. She didn't expect the heated attraction between them.
I liked Jason a lot, though he certainly had some issues to overcome. He is the oldest of the three Rayburn siblings and the one who runs the family business. His father had been a womanizer and Jason's brother and sister each had different mothers than he did. Jason had been sent off to boarding school as a kid and had never spent any real time with his siblings. His only experience with any kind of family love came from his grandmother when he was on school breaks, so emotion has never been a big part of his life. Being back on the ranch brings back good memories, but he fights off the temptation to hang on to the ranch. He doesn't have time to run it and his brother and sister don't either. His attraction to Juliana is one more distraction he doesn't need, but finds hard to resist. Once he discovers her secret, he also discovers a protective tendency he never suspected he had. He doesn't know what to do with the feelings he begins to have for her, as he is certain that he is not cut out to be a husband and father. He makes a couple mistakes in his attempts to take care of her, and it isn't until she leaves that he realizes just how important to him she has become. But he's not sure that he can be what she needs.
I also liked Juliana, though I did occasionally get a bit frustrated with her. Her belief that her mother and grandmother would be ashamed of her had her hiding her pregnancy from them. I felt that she wasn't giving them a fair chance to stand behind her. Juliana also tries to fight the attraction to Jason. She's already made one mistake with a man, she doesn't want to risk it again. As they spend time together, she starts to feel that maybe he is different and that there is hope for something more. But then he does something that makes her feel the same way her ex did. I liked seeing her call him out on what he did and that she stands up for her own needs. I enjoyed the ending and seeing Jason as something different than the superconfident man everyone is used to.
There's also a little bit of a mystery running through the book regarding an artist that their father had been searching for. Their brother Braden had been following their father's footsteps in Mexico in the search. Back at home, Jason and Juliana found some new information. The questions are unanswered yet at the end of the book, but Jason and Juliana plan to pick up where Braden left off. I'm looking forward to seeing where it goes, and if my suspicion turns out to be true.
I loved Amber. She's a former rodeo barrel racer who came home to help her grandmother when her grandfather died. She's put her own dreams on hold while she does so. While going back on the road isn't possible, there a new amusement park opening nearby that has an opening in their Wild West show that's just right for her. She's also a young woman who feels for her neighbor, Amelia, who because of who she is has paparazzi trying to get the scoop on her baby. Amber spots some of these photographers when she delivers a horse to the ranch, and in order to distract them when Jensen starts to say something about his sister, she kisses the stuffing out of him. It serves the purpose, but now they're after Jensen and Amber, looking for a story there. Amber is definitely attracted to Jensen, but she knows that nothing can come of it. She's certainly not the type that someone like Jensen needs for a wife.
It took me a little while to warm up to Jensen. His initial treatment of Amber was quite rude, but even after that was cleared up, there seemed to be an aloofness in the way he treated her. But there was one thing about Jensen that made Amber almost irresistible to him, and that was his fascination with anything Western. He loves old American Western movies, has watched rodeos online, and loves horses. He starts out just trying to be friends, but he's also really attracted to her. He wouldn't mind getting something going with her, but two things work against it. First, there are just too many differences between them for a relationship, and second, Amber is a settling down kind of girl and Jensen is about as anti-commitment as he could be.
The relationship that developed between Jensen and Amber was very interesting. They started out trying to be just friends, but the attraction was too strong. Even as they got to know each other better, there were still things that they didn't share. Jensen is pretty paranoid about the paparazzi and staying out of the limelight, so whenever they are together he tries to keep them out of the limelight. As a former rodeo star, Amber is fairly well known herself and doesn't mind when people come up and ask for autographs and pictures. There's a pretty funny scene when they're out to dinner and he thinks that people are staring at him when it's really Amber - a bit of an eye-opener for him. So he's trying to keep their relationship a secret from everyone. Meanwhile, Amber is about to sign a contract that will put her in the limelight, and make her the face of the new Cowboy Country. She hasn't told Jensen about any of it. When they take things to another level, both are determined to keep their emotions out of it, but it's a losing battle. When her plans come out, Jensen is hurt by her secrecy and says some things that aren't very nice, leaving Amber feeling like he's just been using her. She says a few things herself, before walking away from him. I liked Amber's chat with Amelia, but it's her grandmother that really gives Amber something to think about. But the best part was Jensen's "go big" moment which was a real heart melter. Both Jensen and Amber had to do some growing and changing to get their happy ending.
There was also a really sweet secondary romance involving Amber's grandmother and a real character of an older gentleman. I loved seeing the teasing that he did and the antics he got up to in order to give Gram a fun time. It was interesting seeing the effect this romance had on Amber, especially as it got further along. There are also hints that Jensen's mother may also have a romance brewing, though he seemed pretty blind to it. I'm looking forward to see if that progresses also.
I went on to read two more of her books ~ Mulberry Park and The House on Sugar Plum Lane, both of which I enjoyed immensely. I was excited when I heard she was writing a holiday novel this year!
Christmas on Nutcracker Court was all that I hoped it would be.
It definitely put me in the holiday spirit!
I liked both Rick and Mallory. Despite their breakup all those years ago they weren't mean or nasty to each other when they were reunited. When Rick sees their son for the first time and figures out who he is, Mallory knows she has to come clean with him. The story behind how Lucas ended up back with her is complicated but still believable. She's nervous about it because she's still getting used to being a parent and doesn't want to make things harder for Lucas. She also discovers that Rick has changed a lot from the rather wild rebel he used to be, though her feelings haven't.
Rick is stunned to see Mallory back in Brighton Valley. Besides being deeply in love with her back when they were teens, she had been the only one who seemed to think he was a worthwhile person. When she left Brighton Valley he went down a wrong road for awhile before finding his way back. Now he's a respected veterinarian and community member. Finding out about Lucas causes him some heartache because of all the years he has missed. But he also worries about whether he would be a good father because he didn't have a good role model for it. I loved seeing how good he was with Lucas right from the beginning. Rick also realizes very quickly that he still cares for Mallory, but has no idea if there's any chance for them to have a future.
I really liked the way that Rick and Mallory worked together to make sure that they were doing what Lucas needed. Even if they were having issues themselves, he came first. Working together for Lucas also gave them a chance to get to know each other again and deal with their pasts. Rick also had to overcome some of those old feelings of inferiority in order to fight for Mallory.
I had a lot of fun reading about Buddy the dog and Lucas. Buddy reminded me of the dogs I've had and how adorable they can be even when you're mad at them. I also liked seeing Lucas's attempts to bring his parents together. The part with the email he sent was pretty funny.
I really enjoyed seeing Toby handle being a single father. Overall he's doing a fantastic job of it, though he does have a few challenges, especially with the little girl. Pigtails and girly things just aren't something he's had to do before. He's been somewhat familiar with Angie all his life - it is a small town after all - but he doesn't really know her. Her willingness to help him out brings her to his attention, but he's cautious about getting involved with her. She has a reputation of not sticking with anything or anyone for long and the kids don't need anymore loss in their lives. He's also been burned by women who get involved with him because of his Fortune connections, but then can't handle the idea of him having three kids. I loved seeing him get to know her and learn about why she is the way she is. He starts to really enjoy being with her and thoughts of her staying keep popping into his mind. His attraction to her just adds to those thoughts. I loved seeing the appreciation he developed for her and how much he came to care for her. His fears about her not staying around make him think about pushing her away, especially when he runs into some potential trouble regarding his custody of the kids. He really fights with his desire to do what he sees as the right thing and what he wants to do.
Angie has been known for flitting from job to job and date to date. Her father used to tell her to think hard before making a commitment because once you did, that was it. As a result her philosophy is that when she finds something that is right for her she'll know it and there's no sense wasting time on things that aren't. I loved the way she sort of stumbled into helping Toby, just because she felt bad for the little girl who didn't want to go fishing with Toby and her brothers. It was fun to see her doing girly things with Kylie and I loved the way she got her neighbor involved too. She has had a lot of temp jobs and has learned interesting things from each one. There's a great scene where one of her bosses calls her "Little Miss Google" because she seems to know something about everything. I really enjoyed seeing her become part of Toby's family, even though she thought she was not anywhere good enough for him. She has a terrific way of dealing with the kids where everyone ends up happy with whatever she says. She's really attracted to Toby, but tries to resist. The more time she spends with him the more she gets to know him. She's really good at anticipating what he needs and is fantastic at making things easier for him. There's some real emotional turmoil at the end, and I loved seeing the solution that she came up with.
Toby's family plays a big part in the story of course, as they are all very close. I loved the family picnic and seeing how he tries to deal with their nosiness. I liked the way that they all made Angie feel welcome, and how she was comfortable enough to be herself. I also liked seeing the relationship between Angie and her mother and the influence that relationship had on Angie's attitudes as an adult. I loved her relationship with her neighbor Mr. Murdoch and how her caring nature included him too. The scene where he was doing the facial mask with Angie and Kylie was hysterical.
I loved Mr. Murdoch's feisty attitude and how his time as a Marine was made a part of his whole character. He acted like so many of the retired Marines that I know that he felt entirely real to me. The only problem I had was with Harlequin's failure to capitalize properly (marine instead of Marine, marine-corps instead of Marine Corps) but that is an ongoing complaint.
The heroine not telling the hero the paternity of the baby is frustrating. It makes her seem immature. There was no reason to keep it a secret except to add conflict, so it didn't make sense. Plus, the other secrets she chose to keep were just..well, contrived. I can appreciate her wanting her privacy about certain things, but she continued to keep silent long after she should have.
A solid contribution to the Cowboy at Heart series.
I thought it was pretty obvious from the beginning that she still had feelings for Miguel, though she tried to convince herself otherwise. She certainly still felt a strong attraction to him. Though I certainly understood her reaction to her father's ultimatum, I didn't feel like she had really argued very hard against him. When Miguel agreed to the proposition she was very relieved, but soon realized that she hadn't really thought about all the problems that could crop up. Having him live with her just made fighting the attraction that much harder. She also began to feel very guilty about deceiving his family, especially since they had been so welcoming to her. Once the wedding took place and they went on their honeymoon she realized that she still loved him and wanted the marriage to be a real one. I loved the way that he confronted her that first morning they were back and made her realize she was still letting her parents control her life. I liked her actions at the end and how she finally took control.
Miguel hadn't seen Nicole since their breakup and was stunned to see her show up in New York and more so at her proposal. He had never forgotten her and saw this as a chance to get her out of his system. Her offer of payment would also allow him to finally realize his dream of owning his own nightclub, so he accepted. The more time he spent with her the more he realized that his old feelings weren't fading, they were growing stronger. I did like the way that he seemed to know her well even after all those years and was able to do some really sweet things for her. He also started to feel guilty about his intentions because he realized that he was also using their marriage as a bit of revenge against her and her parents for their breakup. He made the decision that any steps to make their relationship physical were going to have to come from her, and it was killing him because he wanted her so badly. When he confronted her the morning after they made love he was frustrated by the continuing deception and his wish to make their marriage a real one. I was glad to see that he did a little growing also.
8/1: Finishing the book didn't change my mind. I know that some people really appreciate what can be defined as "inspirational" or Christian reading material. I, however, prefer to draw my inspiration from more secular, earthly sources.
I liked both Tammy and Mike. Having grown up with just her father and two older brothers she had no female role models so she is at a disadvantage when it comes to acting on the attraction she feels for Mike. When she meets her two cousins she is thrilled to have other women she can talk to and get advice from. I really enjoyed the shopping trip she did with her cousin Jenna. That did a lot for her self confidence when it came to trying to connect with Mike. I really liked the way that she worked at getting to know her grandfather a bit before he passed and how her curiosity led her to the cabin with the supposedly magical feather bed. I liked her way of cooking for Mike which gave them a chance to get to know each other.
Mike had come to Buckshot Hills to fill in for the local doctor who was sick. He had grown up with a single mother who struggled to make ends meet until she found a job with a wealthy man. He took an interest in Mike and paid for his schooling. Once he is done doing this favor for his benefactor he plans to return to Philadelphia and set up a good practice. He will also take advantage of all the city has to offer and try to improve his social station while providing his mom with the retirement he feels she deserves. He has no plans to stick around Buckshot Hills. He is surprised by the attraction he feels for Tammy and tries hard to resist it. Pretty soon he is enjoying the dinners she cooks for him and getting to know her. He still plans to keep it light and return to Philadelphia, but things start to change for him. I really enjoyed seeing his relationship with his patients and how good he really was at being a country doctor. I loved seeing how events caused him to reassess his dreams and goals.
I'm really looking forward to the next book and seeing how the feud and mystery progress. I have a suspicion about one of the currently minor characters and can't wait to see if I am right.
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Beau Fortune and his brother Draper have opened a branch of Fortune Investments in Rambling Rose. They work hard to give their clients the best service possible. Rather than living in the exclusive section of town, they rented a house in a "normal" development. Beau is aware of his advantages growing up but hasn't let them go to his head.
At the end of the previous book, A Soldier's Dare, Beau and Sofia had a brief conversation at the Valentine's Day dance. As she was there with someone else, Beau backed off when the other man seemed to have a problem with him. But he has never forgotten the beautiful woman in the red dress. At the beginning of this book, they meet again while dog walking and quickly connect though still without exchanging names. Beau's subsequent encounter at the dog park is with Sofia's grandmother, who, after a not-so-subtle interrogation, invites him to Sunday dinner. In the meantime, Sofia and Beau are notified that each has been nominated for a prestigious business award. But in an awkward scene, Beau overhears Sofia complaining to a friend about how those prosperous Fortunes seem to walk away with all the accolades because of their unfair advantages. That puts a damper on the budding relationship between them. Complicating matters further, as part of the competition, they are assigned to work together on a project to benefit their community.
At this point, I wanted to give Sofia a good, hard shake. She is such a reverse snob, looking down on anyone who hasn't had to struggle to succeed. Beau is hurt by her attitude but doesn't let it get to him. He is determined to do his best in the competition and let his actions speak for themselves, while Sofia takes every chance to take potshots at his job, background, and lifestyle. I loved the project they decided on - teaching high school seniors about financial responsibility. They covered budgeting, saving, taxes, loans, and even investing. (I wish my school had offered something like that!) I loved watching the students get involved in the subject and seeing how Beau and Sofia brought their personal experiences into play. I liked seeing how Sofia and Beau learned a little about each other during those classes.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Beau and Sofia develop. Beau is a great guy, down-to-earth and good-hearted. He is attracted to Sofia and ready to show her that he's nothing like she thinks. Something proves her wrong whenever she thinks she has him pegged as a spoiled rich guy. I got to the point where I couldn't wait to see which preconception got blasted next. I especially enjoyed seeing her reaction when she discovered that he and Draper clean their own house, cut their grass, and make their meals. I liked how Beau and Sofia came to respect each other and their abilities during their time together. I was initially not very happy with the judging for the award but felt the judges redeemed themselves with their creative solution.
Their relationship is also helped by Sofia's grandmother, Maria, and her mother, Camila. From the moment she met him, Maria was sure that Beau was The One for Sofia. I loved her first meeting with Beau and her not-so-subtle interrogation before inviting him to dinner. She takes every opportunity to throw them together. She's a source of great advice for both characters when trouble arises. I ached for both Beau and Sofia when the mysterious delivery of a pink baby blanket brought Sofia's fears and insecurities back to the surface, driving a wedge between them. I felt like Sofia had earned her misery but hurt for Beau. I loved watching Beau try to find a way to show Sofia that she could trust him, but none of the "grand gestures" that other people suggested felt right. I loved the one that finally hit him as just right because of the way it showed how much he respected and admired her. I also liked that Sofia realized how wrong she'd been and that her issues, not his actions, caused the problems. I loved seeing Sofia face up to her mistakes and her scene with Beau. The ending was terrific.
The book has a secondary romance between Beau's friend, Dan, and Sofia's mom. I loved seeing them meet and experience an unexpected attraction to each other. Both have painful pasts, and I liked seeing them take their time to get to know each other. Maria is over the moon with happiness at having helped with two successful relationships.
In this third book, another mysterious gift is given to a Fortune. The first book had a sculpture; the second was a picture and a pink baby blanket in this one. No one has any idea who sent them or what they mean. I'm looking forward to reading the other books and solving the mystery.