Book Review: To Save a Child by Linda Warren

To Save a Child by Linda Warren

Publisher & Release: Harlequin Heartwarming, March 01, 2020 

Time and setting:  Present Day, Texas

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 384 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Sweetheart

Rating:  4.25 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

A baby on the doorstep

Could change everything…

Detective Cole Chisholm is in Horseshoe, Texas, to take care of his grandfather. During a winter storm, a baby appears at his door, along with her aunt, Grace Bennett. Grace needs his help, and Cole reluctantly lets them stay while he investigates. Soon the by-the-book cop is breaking his own rules to protect them both. But how far will he go to make sure that both Grace and Zoe stay in his life?

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Save-Child-Clean-Romance-Rebels-ebook/dp/B07VLBZ4JR

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-save-a-child-linda-warren

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/48773606-to-save-a-child

Vikki’s Musings

Thanks goes to the publisher and Net-Galley for the chance to read and review To Save a Child by Linda Warren prior to publication. My opinions are my own and not influenced by the receipt of a complimentary e-copy.

To Save a Child is a heartwarming story of a family who needs to mend misconceptions and change how they relate to each other. It’s a story of a woman’s determination to save her niece at all cost. A story of a take-charge cop who offers to help.

Grace Bennett’s character is endearing. Her willingness to fight for her niece, even when faced with insurmountable obstacles is amazing. Her kindness to a grieving elderly man is touching, and her dedication to the elderly folks she’s responsible for as a director in an assisted living facility is moving.

Cole Chisholm is a great hero. His tenderness toward his grandfather, even though his memories of his childhood differ from reality, touched my heart. He’s not used to showing his emotions, so I loved the way Grace encourages him to see things from his past in a different light.

The romance develops quickly between Grace and Cole, but it grows from their mutual efforts to save Zoe. I loved their story and wants them to find their happy ending.

While there are redundancies and clichés, the story is so strong, I overlooked them as I became enmeshed in the book. I’m glad I did because I truly liked this excellent novel. If you enjoy clean romances with engaging characters and an intriguing plot, then you will love To Save a Child as much as I. Ms. Warren is an amazing storyteller, and I will look for other books by her. Happy reading! 

Author Bio:

Linda Warren loves happy endings. The Rita® nominated and award-winning author has written 26 books for Harlequin, including Super Romance, American and Everlasting Love. Drawing upon her years of growing up on a farm/ranch in Texas, she writes about sexy heroes, feisty heroines and broken families with an emotional punch all set against the backdrop of Texas. She lives in College Station with her husband and spends her days doing what she loves--creating unforgettable love stories--with happy endings.

Social Media:

Website: http://www.lindawarren.net/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorlindawarren

Twitter: https://twitter.com/texauthor

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/texasauthor/

Book Review: Tucker, Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas by Emily March

Tucker Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas by Emily March

Publisher & Release: St. Martin’s Press, February 25, 2020

Time and setting:  Present Day, Texas

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length: 329 Pages

Heat Level: 1 Flame

Rating:  4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

In Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas, New York Times bestselling author Emily March presents a brand new arc set in the Lone Star State that features a family-linked trilogy within the author's romantic series.

Hope springs eternal in this enchanting Texas town.

Meet Gillian Thacker. Her business: Bliss Bridal Salon. Her passion: Weddings. Her own wedding: It’s complicated. Life isn’t turning out like she’d planned. The last thing she wants is for a real-life hero to ride to her rescue when an unexpected event puts her entire future in Redemption, Texas, at risk. So what’s a broken-hearted bridal expert to do? Maybe a new set of survival skills is exactly what she needs…

Tucker McBride has been proud to call himself a U.S. Army Ranger. But now that his days of service are over, he’s decided to put his expertise to use by founding a wilderness skills training school. He sets up shop in Redemption, next to Bliss Bridal, and so begins life: Part Two. Marriage has been pretty low on his agenda, but as soon as he meets Gillian, Tucker can’t help but contemplate the ultimate challenge: Convincing the reluctant bride to take his hand and leap into the adventure of a lifetime. . .until death do they part.

Buy Links:

Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/Eternity-Springs-McBrides-Texas-Tucker-ebook/dp/B07SCTC5Q3

Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/eternity-springs-emily-march

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/46039699-tucker

Vikki’s Musings

Thanks go to the publishing and Net-Galley for the chance to read and review Tucker Eternity Springs: The McBrides of Texas by Emily March before publication. My opinions are my own, and no one has influenced them in any way.

I recently found Emily March’s Eternity Springs series, and I’m thoroughly enjoying it. I immediately snagged Tucker when I found it on Net-Galley. As with the other books, Tucker pulled me in from the first page and held me engaged until the last page. The pacing is steady and worked well for this story. I loved the McBrides in Texas as much as the characters in Eternity Springs.

Gillian Thacker’s character has a good deal of depth, making her a compelling character. She’s independent and wants her new business venture to succeed. I never liked her fiancée from the start, so I was glad when their engagement ended. I felt her anger and frustration over how it dissolved though.

Tucker McBride is a great hero with many facets to his character. He had a career as a U.S. Army Ranger and was smart enough to realize when it was time to leave. He still suffers from what happened while a ranger, but his determination to move beyond it is inspiring. Although attracted to Gillian, he keeps his distance until she breaks off her engagement. Then he pursues her, determined to win her heart.

I thoroughly enjoyed the romance between Gillian and Tucker. It’s clear from their first meeting they are perfect for each other. He’s so patient with Gillian and accepts she needs time to trust her feelings after her breakup. They captivated me, and I was so pleased they found their way to each other.

If you enjoy romance with a character-driven plot and touching base with past characters from the Eternity Springs series, then you will love Tucker as much as I did. While this can easily be read as a stand-alone novel, I encourage you to read Ms. March’s Eternity series. It’s amazing. Happy reading!

Author Bio:

Emily March is the New York Times, Publishers Weekly, and USA Today bestselling author of over thirty novels, including the critically acclaimed Eternity Springs series. Publishers Weekly calls March a "master of delightful banter," and her heartwarming, emotionally charged stories have been named to Best of the Year lists by Publishers Weekly, Library Journal, and Romance Writers of America. A graduate of Texas A&M University, Emily is an avid fan of Aggie sports and her recipe for jalapeño relish has made her a tailgating legend.

Social Media:

Website: https://emilymarch.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/emilymarchbooks

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/emilymarchbooks/

Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/emilymarch/boards/

BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/emily-march

Book Review: Hard Headed by Kim Law

Hard Headed by Kim Law

Publisher & Release: Montlake Romance, October 31, 2017

Time and setting:  Present Day, Texas

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Book Length: 298 pages

Heat Level: 1 Flame

Rating: 4 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Construction tip #1: Never anger a hot-tempered woman who knows how to wield a sledgehammer. And right now, Jill Sadler is spitting mad. Her company is competing on the wildly popular show Texas Dream Home, and she intends to give it her all. The opposition: We Nail It Contractors, helmed by the man who once married her…and walked out twenty-four hours later. Jill can’t let Cal Reynolds take this round. Not when she has her foster sisters and years of righteous resentment spurring her on.

Winning the contest would do wonders for Cal’s firm. Getting under Jill’s skin is just a bonus. She paints him as a villain, though Cal had no choice but to leave. Yet being around Jill again—fiery on the outside, vulnerable and warm underneath—is setting off sparks that can’t be blamed on faulty wiring. And the only way to fix the Jill-size hole in his heart is to risk everything and see if this love is built to last…

Buy Link:

https://smile.amazon.com/Hardheaded-Deep-Heart-Book-1-ebook/dp/B06XZNVM7V

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34812444-hardheaded

Vikki’s Musings

I always know I’m in for a treat with a new release from Kim Law. When I received an invitation from the publisher, via Net-Galley, I eagerly agreed to read and review the first book in her new series, Deep in the Heart.

As with all Ms. Law’s books, the characters are real and flawed, the plot is intriguing and there’s plenty of emotions running high. Although it took me time to become enmeshed in the story, once I did I was fully engaged.

Jill’s character is a bit of a mixed bag for me. There were many things I loved about, but a few that didn’t work for me. She carried bull-headed to a whole new level. However, her loyalty to her foster sister and foster mom in admirable.

I felt the same way about Cal, maybe even more so. He is just as bull-headed as Jill, but he allows fear of love to rule his decisions, which keeps him doing the same thing over and over again.

Let’s talk about the romance. While there is definitely plenty of chemistry between Jill and Cal, they don’t even kiss until well over the half-way point of the book. I began to think this one was not going to have any heated scenes. Alas, Ms. Law came through, just a little later than I’m used to with her books. I’m not saying the sexual tension is absent, it just could have been stronger. A few heated kisses sprinkled in would have helped a lot.

Nonetheless, I really love the premise for this series and look forward to reading her foster sisters’ stories. While this is not my favorite book by Ms. Law, it’s a good story and well worth reading. Happy reading!