Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy

Deep Trouble by Mary Connealy

Published: 2011

Publisher: Barbour Books 

Series: None

Goodreads Summery:

less and Wandering. . .

Gabe Lasley left his ranch in Wyoming because of his strong feelings for a married woman, wanting nothing other than to be left alone. Then he finds a treasure hunter stranded in a mountaintop cave and offers to help her.

Fearless and Fixated. . .

A determined Shannon Dysart is on a quest to prove her father’s research isn’t the work of a madman and that he really did find treasure in the Wild West. Then she finds herself stranded with an aimless wanderer her only way out.

Now the unlikely pair is out to find a city of gold. . .together. . .with trouble hot on their trail.

When a band of villains threatens to steal Shannon’s map, will she be able to see past the gold that colors her every decision, and will Gabe accept his surprising need to protect a woman who doesn’t seem to have a lick of common sense? Or will they discover that a true treasure rooted in love and faith has been within their reach all along?

Shannon is on the search for a city of gold that her father told her about with his dying breath. She wants to find it to prove that her father was not crazy like everyone thought. She hires a team to go with her but soon finds out they are not to be trusted and she is left to die high up on a mountain.

Gabe is heading to his brothers ranch and just happens to hear Shannon scream. He saves her from the mountain and soon finds himself along for the ride as she searches for the lost city. Gabe soon finds himself losing his heart to this woman. Will they find love deep in the grand canon?

This was a good book. I love how the author makes the characters interact in this book. I found myself laughing and smiling a lot as I read. The description of the grand canon made me want to be there and see it for myself. The mixture of romance and adventure with some suspense thrown in made for a fun read.

There where parts that got a little long like when they where riding at times through the canon when I just wanted it to hurry up and see what was going to happen next.

The book also tells the side story of Buck who was Shannon’s intended back in Saint Louis and Tyra who has plans to marry Gabe. I felt this side plot fit well into the main story line and did not take away from the book at all which always worries me when more then 2 characters are telling the story.

I did not love this book as much as some of her other books but it was a fun read.

Book Rating

Steamy Rating

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley to review it. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Love Remains by Kaye Dacus

Love Remains by Kaye Dacus

Published: 2010

Publisher: Barbour Books

Series: Matchmakers(Book 1)

Goodreads Summery: Every grandmother wants to see her grandchildren happy, especially when it comes to their love lives. Join five active senior ladies—and one gentleman—who take a great interest in the lives and loves of their single grandchildren and become The Matchmakers. Zarah Mitchell and Bobby Patterson become the first focus of meddling grandmothers when he moves back to Nashville to work for the Tennessee Criminal Investigations Unit. Will Zarah be able to forgive the man who years ago chose a military career over her—especially when she learns he is investigating the historic preservation agency for which she works?

This is the first in a series that deal with 4 grandparents(Grandma’s) who want to see their grandchildren married. This story is about Zarah and Bobby. These two had a relationship 14 years ago that ended badly. Now Bobby has moved back home to Nashville and soon runs face to face into Zarah. It does not take long to figure out that the reason for the break up all those years ago are seen differently from both sides.

Zarah likes to blend into a crowd and see’s herself as a helper. Her father never treated her very well so her self esteem is low. Seeing Bobby again also brings back a lot of memories about her father.

Bobby has never forgotten Zarah or forgiven her for how she left him. He is also working on a case that requires him to do some investigating into Zarah’s life which soon revels things that make him question how the break up happened and also how Zarah is reacting to him now. Will these two find a happy ending or will the past be to much to over come?

I enjoyed this book. I always enjoy a romance when there is tension between the couple or when there has been a past relationship. This book deals with some issues such as self esteem and parental rejection. I really felt for Zarah because her father treated her so poorly. I wish the outcome on that front has ended a little better but it was a realistic story line and pulled at the heart strings. Zarah deals with a low self esteem due to her father. As her character grows in the book you start to see her become more sure of her self which I enjoyed. I like when a character grows in a book like that.

As Bobby gets to know Zarah again he becomes aware of her self esteem issues and pushes her to over come. He really did not have any thing himself to over come other then the break up from the past. I liked him but did not feel as connected to him as I did Zarah. I also enjoyed Zarah’s friends and look forward to the books about them.

Over all a good book and I am looking forward to the rest in the series. The story line did not grab me as much as I had hoped and there where times where I kept thinking it was taking to long for Bobby and Zarah to actually talk about the past. The mystery part of the story was good and well written along with the romance. A lot of books either focus on the romance or the mystery and I felt this book did a good job of balancing the two.

Book Rating

Steamy Rating

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley to review it. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

Finally a Bride by Vickie McDonough

Finally a Bride by Vickie McDonough

Published: 2011

Publisher:Barbour Books

Series: Texas Boardinghouse Brides(book 3)

Goodreads Summery: Keep your eyes wide open for romance in Lookout, Texas. Noah Jeffers enters town determined to make up for past misdeeds. Reporter Jacqueline Davis is determined to nail her story. Will she uncover Noah’s secret before he can capture her heart? With nowhere else to go, ex-con Carly Payton returns to the Lookout boardinghouse. Garret Corbett is looking for an upstanding wife, not some jailbird. What will he do when overpowered by Carly’s unassuming appeal? Does love deserve a second look?

Jacqueline “Jack” is now 10 years older and all grown up. She wants to be a reporter for the big city of Dallas but first feels like she needs a big story for her small down of Lookout to get there. She is still the tomboy you know and love from the first two books but she is now a woman. She is hot on the trail of the Mayor as she feels he is hiding something for the city and she will do just about anything to get the story.

Noah finds himself back in Lookout now as the preacher not the troublemaker he was 10 years ago. The town does not know its him and either does Jack. Noah has never forgotten her and he hopes to show her and the town that he is a changed man and maybe he can even win her heart.

Carly who was the 3rd mail order bride is also back in the final book. She has served her time in jail and now wants to start her life in Lookout if the town’s people will except her. Garret is finally ready to settle down and find the right woman and he find’s himself with growing feelings for Carly but will he be able to put her past behind them both and find true love?

Its always bitter sweet to come to the final book in a series like this because you have come to know the characters very well and this is the final chapter. The book did not disappoint! Jack is such a fun character she had me laughing a lot and shaking my head at some of her silly attempts at getting the story. Jack also had to face her abuse from her first father in this book as she comes to care for Noah. I really like how the author touches on some sensitive subjects but includes humor and a realness that just makes the book great.

The side store of Carly and Garret was okay. Again this could have been its own book. These characters again seem to get short changed and never get to fully develop like the lead characters did. It was a good story though and I was glad to see everyone find happiness in the end.

Over all a great ending to a fun series. When I was done reading this book I felt the story had been fully told and did not leave me wishing for another book like some series I have read. If you like western romance then this is a great series and a must read! I am looking forward to reading more books from this author.

Book Rating

Series Rating

Steamy Rating

 

DISCLOSURE: I was provided a free copy of this ebook from the publisher through NetGalley to review it. I was not required to write a positive review and the opinions I have expressed are my own.

The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough

The Anonymous Bride by Vickie McDonough

Published: 2010

Publisher:Barbour Books

Series: Texas Boardinghouse Brides(book 1)

Goodreads Summery: Check yourself into the Texas Boardinghouse Brides series by Vickie McDonough, where you’ll meet Luke Davis, marshal of Lookout, Texas, who flippantly tells his cousin he’d get married if the right woman ever came along. When three mail-order brides are delivered to Luke a month later, he’s in an uncomfortable predicament. How will he ever choose his mate? Rachel Hamilton’s long-time love for Luke is reignited with his return to town. So when three mail-order brides appear, she panics. Will she find the courage to tell Luke that she loves him? Or take an anonymous part in the contest for his hand?

Ten years earlier Rachel had broken Luke's heart and married another man. Luke left town and joined the Calvary. Now he is returning to Lookout to be the towns marshal. Rachel is now widowed and has a 10 year old daughter. Her daughter is running all over town dressing like a boy and getting into trouble. Luke’s cousins think getting Luke a mail order bride will help him get over his past feelings for Rachel but the plan back fires when 3 brides not 1 come to town. Will Luke pick one of them or will his old feeling for Rachel relight? Will Rachel tell Luke the secrets of her past so they can move forward together or will she lose Luke forever?

I enjoyed this book. I really like series like this where you get to know quite a few characters and then get to read the stories of some of the side characters in other books in the series. In this book the main story is between Rachel and Luke. We also get to see the romance from Rachel's 10 year old daughters eyes which I thought was kind of fun. I found myself really liking Jack even though she was causing so much trouble.

The only down side was I felt the first book told the story from a few to many of the future book characters. All 3 of the mail order brides and both the cousins where told in this book and I found myself at times wanting to get back to the main story.

I found it interesting this book touched on rape, spousal abuse as well as child abuse. Lots of issues but the author did a wonderful job of working it into the story line. The ending was a good one but also left me wanting to read the next book in the series. Over all a great start to the series!

Book Rating

Steamy Rating

Source: I bought this book from Amazon.com