Series: Hill Country Heroes (Book 3)
Alexandra Hunt is living a lie. In fact, that's
not even her real name. But after the death of her estranged husband,
Alex and her four-year-old daughter were at the mercy of ruthless
people: her powerful, possibly crooked former in-laws. When they came
after her child, Alex saw no choice but to flee. Small town
Fredericksburg, Texas, offers unexpected sanctuary. Until she meets her
next-door neighbor, by-the-book -- and devilishly handsome -- Texas
Ranger Zane Winchester!
Single father Zane has to admit he has a thing for sweet, pretty Alex.
Yet while the attraction is mutual, she's definitely hiding something.
And Zane can't abide a liar. He needs to find out Alex's secrets before
he can truly allow her into his and his teenage daughter's lives. But
when he discovers the truth, will he help Alex -- or turn her in?
Very good book. Alex took her daughter and ran to protect her from her former in-laws. She ended up In Fredericksburg, trying to live quietly and not draw attention to herself. Everything was going great until she met Zane. Her daughter thought he was terrific, and Alex was certainly attracted, but he's a Ranger and she doesn't dare let him get close. Zane is trying to repair his relationship with his teenage daughter and not having a lot of luck with it. He sees how well Eden relates to the little girl next door and asks Alex if she can help him. It doesn't hurt that he is very attracted to Alex and wouldn't mind getting to know her better. But as they get closer, he senses that she is hiding something and that bothers him. He has no use for liars and he's afraid of what he might find out. I really liked Alex and Zane and their girls. Alex knew she wouldn't stand a chance against her in-laws which is why she ran. She is very attracted to Zane and really likes his daughter. She is terrified that Zane will discover the truth and turn her in. Zane is a pretty straightforward guy. He considers everything in right or wrong terms, with no room for gray areas. But the more time he spends with Alex, and the more she helps him with his daughter, he sees that not everything is that straightforward. When he discovers the truth about Alex he is furious, but doesn't want to cause her more problems. I liked the way that he helped her see what had to be done, and helped her get the assistance she needed. The conclusion of her fight was great. I also loved how realistic the two girls were. I could completely believe their actions and attitudes.
Rude with a bad attitude -- that's Ryan Clayborne, all right. From the
moment she meets her new boss's son, Jorie Peters vows to spend as
little time as possible with the surly rancher. That she has to plan his
wedding? Well, that's just bad luck. The sparks shooting between them?
Those are a Texas-size disaster.
The last thing Ryan needs is some big-city wedding coordinator stomping
her high heels all over his ranch. He has bigger things on his mind --
mainly a temporary marriage to a friend he doesn't love. But one look at
Jorie turns the cowboy's life, and heart, upside down. Heated thoughts
lead to cold feet, but Ryan's still determined to do the honorable
thing. Even if doing right has never felt so wrong...
Good book. I really liked Jorie. She was very good at her job and had lots of good ideas. When she first met Ryan, she didn't like him - he was very rude and completely unwelcoming. But she also couldn't deny the spark of attraction. Then she found out that one of her tasks was to plan his wedding. As she worked on that, she got the feeling that there was something very wrong. Ryan also couldn't deny the attraction, but had committed to marry his friend Laurel to help her out. But as the weeks went on, the deception was getting to both he and Laurel. When things come to a head, Jorie ends up leaving the ranch. It was a satisfying thing to see Ryan finally stand up to his mom and Laurel's father, though it certainly took him long enough.
Series: Hill Country Heroes (Book 2)
Grace Torres has a lot to lose. And the Texas Hill Country restaurateur
isn't letting Ty Beckett steal her thunder. He may be the Lone Star
State's most famous bachelor chef, but Grace has a family legacy to
save. She'll do whatever it takes to keep her beloved restaurant
afloat...even go head-to-head in a reality TV cook-off only one of them
can win.
Growing up dirt-poor just made Ty more determined to succeed. But he's
facing some stiff competition. Grace may be the only female alive who
sees past Ty's footloose facade and charming one-liners. She's also
igniting more heat than a Mexican jalapeno.
Walking away with first place could give Ty everything he ever wanted.
It could also make him lose the one woman who's ever come close to
taming this culinary cowboy!
Excellent book. I really liked both characters. Ty came across as kind of arrogant at first, with his certainty that all he had to do is smile at Grace and she'd be all over him. I loved the way she would just ignore it. I enjoyed seeing him when he was giving in to wanting to be with Grace and actually being himself instead of the public persona everyone else sees. Grace was determined to win so she could save her restaurant. I liked the way she didn't really let the other people rattle her and be confident in her abilities. The times she lost her temper were fun to watch, and the way her brothers would almost cower when she went after them was hilarious. I liked the way that Grace could see through Ty to his real self, and the way she was there for him when he needed her. The conclusion was great. I could see a version of the solution coming, but it was still well done.
