Book & Audio Review: Someone Like Her by Sandra Owens

Someone Like Her by Sandra Owens

Publisher & Release Montlake Romance, January 6, 2015

Time and setting: Present day, Pensacola, Florida

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length:  305 pages

Heat Level: 2 Flames

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

Known to the K2 Special Services team as Romeo, ex-Navy SEAL Jake Buchanan may spend his downtime living up to his nickname, but there’s one woman who sets his heart racing like no one else can: Maria Kincaid. Unfortunately, his boss—her brother—has made it crystal clear that she’s off-limits. Jake doesn’t do commitment, while Maria is the type of woman who deserves a promise of forever. Yet Maria finds herself drawn to Jake, the man who stares at her with a desire she wishes he’d act on.

Still haunted by her horrific childhood, Maria goes searching for the father she’s never met—and stumbles into a nightmarish experience. With her life in grave danger, she reaches out to Jake, her brother’s second-in-command. Jake figures he can help Maria without giving in to temptation. But some things are easier said than done.

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M4DE55M

Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Someone-like-Her-Audiobook/B00T3A74JI

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22877453-someone-like-her

Vikki’s Musings

I am so glad I decided to revisit the K2 Special Forces series by Sandra Owens. They are available through the Kindle-Unlimited program, and the audio version is only $1.99. I just loved Maria and Jake’s story!

This story is fast-paced and pulled me in from the first page and kept my interest through the entire book. I thoroughly enjoyed the tidbits about Pensacola. I actually lived there for seven years, and Ms. Owens descriptions brought back many fond memories for me.

Maria Kincaid is a wonderful heroine. She definitely did not have an easy time growing up with a prostitute for a mother. Thank goodness she had her brother Logan to protect her. She has a lot of misconceptions because of her mother when it comes to sexual matters and no wonder. While she struggles with self-esteem in that area, she excels in matters of business. She is graduating from law school and ready to join her brother at K2. I liked her fearless attitude a lot, and her determination to protect the young girl Ashley.

Jake is your typical bad boy when it comes to women, but underneath, he is a loyal friend and would never intentionally hurt a woman. He was always careful to make sure his women knew the score. With Maria, he realizes something is different. Besides, she’s off limits since his boss is her brother. I would have liked a bit more backstory on why he was such a player.

The chemistry between Maria and Jake threatened to set my ears on fire! They are fantastic together and I really wanted them to have their happy ending. Both of them have been fighting the attraction between them for several years, and when Maria calls him for help, the spark ignites.

I listened to the narrative by Amy McFadden and Mikael Naramore and enjoyed it tremendously. Ms. McFadden reads with just the right amount of emotion without going too far. I also enjoyed Mr. Naramore’s performance in this one more than I did in Lost in Her.

I enjoyed Someone Like Her a great deal. If you are looking for a book with an engaging love story, plenty of action and interesting characters, then you will definitely want to read this book. Happy reading!

Book & Audio Review: Lost in Her by Sandra Owens

Lost in Her by Sandra Owens

Publisher & Release Montlake Romance, February 9, 2016

Time and setting: Present day, Pensacola, Florida

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Length:  290 pages

Heat Level: 2 Flames

Rating: 4.25 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

It’s been a year since Ryan O’Connor buried his wife. He was in Afghanistan as a SEAL medic when the call came that she’d been killed during a robbery. In that time, he returned home, nursed his grief, and joined his former brothers-in-arms in the K2 Special Services.

After a bad breakup with her ex, Charlene “Charlie” Morgan finds happiness only when flying the friendly skies—as an aerobatic stunt pilot. But the skies aren’t so friendly when her plane troubles turn out to be the work of sabotage.

Looking to forget their worries, Charlie and Ryan run into each other at a bar. The chemistry is instant and intense. It’s only supposed to be a one-night stand. But the memory of their passionate kiss lingers, and when Ryan shows up at Charlie’s flight school, their romance takes off. Yet the route to love has its own turbulence—secrets, lies, and danger. Can one night lead to something lasting?

Buy Links:

Amazon: http://smile.amazon.com/Lost-Her-K2-Team-Novel-ebook/dp/B0142BVMFY/

Audible: http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Lost-in-Her-Audiobook/B019WLYP4E

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/26150305-lost-in-her

Vikki’s Musings

I have read Sandra Owen’s historical romances and loved them tremendously. When she started writing contemporary romance I decided to give it a whirl. I read the first one in this series when it came out, but I had a bit of trouble with that one, so I didn’t read the others in the series until Lost in Her. I’m so glad I did. I listened to the audio version and enjoyed it immensely from start to finish!

Ms. Owen’s book are always well-written and Lost in Her is as well. This book is faced-paced and grabbed me from the start and held me in its thrall until the end. I fell in love with both the hero and the heroine, and their back stories were expertly woven in, and it makes this book unique.

Charlene “Charlie” Morgan is an endearing character. She did not have an easy time in her teen years, having been shunned by her mother and step-sister for getting her step-father put behind bars. Then her one ex-boyfriend turned out to be a jerk. All that makes it very difficult for her to trust. She is extremely independent and feisty. That also makes her a loner. Ryan is just the right man for her.

I fell in love with Ryan O’Conner’s character straightaway. His backstory pulled at my heart-strings. If any man should be leery of getting into an emotional relationship, it would be Ryan. While he is definitely not looking for love, when he meets Charlene, he is blown away by her dare- devil attitude. She is the perfect woman for him. While he is a strong warrior type, after all, he’s an ex-SEAL, he’s a marshmallow underneath and in a good way. Ms. Owen’s characterization of him is brilliant and makes this story so different.

Both characters were only looking for a one-night stand, but neither of them is really the type for that. It was apparent from their introspection. When Ryan sees Charlene, he is immediately smitten and she with him, so they both run scared, not surprising. When they come together again through happenchance, they both want to see where this will go. The chemistry between the pair is sizzling.

Now, the suspense aspect of the story was excellent, had me gripping the arms of my chair. It was so different because of where the team has to go, not a place one would expect, to say the least.

I listened to the audio and enjoyed the narration by Amy McFadden a great deal. She does an outstanding job with the various characters, giving each a distinct voice and reads with a lot of emotion without going too far. Mikael Naramore performed Ryan’s POV. While I did enjoy his narration, I think I would have enjoyed this one more if Amy had done the entire book. I’m not a huge fan of different narrators for the two main characters, but that’s just my personal tastes. I’m sure others have a differing opinion. I would definitely be willing to listen to performances by both narrators again.

If you are looking for a novel with some twists and turns, with great character development, then you will want to read Lost in Her. I highly recommend it. Now I will have to go back and read the ones between Crazy for Her and Lost in Her. Happy reading!

Book Review: How to Wrangle a Cowboy by Joanne Kennedy

How to Wrangle a Cowboy by Jo Anne Kennedy

Publisher & Release Date: Sourcebooks Casablanca, February 2, 2016

Time and setting: Present Day, Wyoming

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Cowboy

Length:  480 pages

Heat Level: 2 Flames

Rating: 4 Gold Crowns

Book Description: 

The last thing this cowboy expected

Inner-city veterinarian Lindsey Ward always loved visiting her grandfather's Wyoming ranch, so it breaks her heart to have to sell it. She'll miss the scent of hay and sagebrush under the wide-open sky, but at least, the sale will help fund the clinic she's always dreamed of.

Was to get roped by a city girl

Ruggedly handsome foreman Shane Lockhart and his adorable son aren't making it any easier for Lindsey to focus on what has to be done. It's exhilarating going toe to toe with a rough, tough cowboy whose stubborn idealism matches her own, but it's Shane's tenderness that might tip Lindsey's heart over the fence.

Buy Link:

http://smile.amazon.com/Wrangle-Cowboy-Cowboys-Decker-Ranch-ebook/dp/B0169AK28Y/

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24937912-how-to-wrangle-a-cowboy

Vikki’s Musings

This is the first time I have read a book by Ms. Kennedy. When I received an invitation from the publisher to read How to Wrangle a Cowboy in exchange for an honest review, I found the book description intriguing, so decided to accept. I am so glad I did.

Lindsey Ward comes back to Wyoming for her grandfather’s funeral. Although estranged, he wills her the ranch with the provision, her grandmother can reside at there for the rest of her life. Lindsey has an up and coming veterinarian practice she needs to get back to but needs to get the ranch on a firm footing.

When she meets the foreman of the ranch, Shane Lockhart, the sparks fly, and not just the kind where two opposing opinions exist. The physical attraction between them burns hotter than a fire cracker.

When a man claiming to be her grandfather’s son threatens to tell her grandmother her husband had an affair long ago, Lindsey has to come up with a large amount of ready cash she doesn’t have. Will she give in to the blackmail, or let the cards fall? Can she change her plans and allow this rugged cowboy and his adorable son into her life?

I thoroughly enjoyed the supporting characters in this book, from the grandmother and Shane’s little boy to the cowboy’s brothers and their wives. The storyline is great and the pacing is good. However, I did feel the book could have been tightened up a bit. There were a few scenes that didn’t move the story along very much, hence, the 4 Gold Crown rating.

I like Lindsey, the heroine, in this story. She has her heart in the right place, even though, at times, I wanted to shake her. She’s feisty, but completely loyal to her grandmother and is willing to sacrifice a lot to protect her from what could destroy her fragile emotional state. I loved her great love for any animal that crosses her path. She’s a well-rounded character and she hasn’t let the hard knocks of her life get her down.

Shane is a bit of a lost soul. Abandoned by his parents, he grew up in foster homes. He’s made a few mistakes in his life but accepts responsibility for them. His love for his son is fierce, and he will do whatever is needed to keep him from harm. Even though he has had his heart stomped on by his son’s mother, he’s still willing to take a chance on a lifetime with Lindsey.

If you enjoy a good cowboy story with a great story and moving love story, then you will love How to Wrangle a Cowboy as much as I did. I plan to go back and read the other books in this series. Happy reading!

Book Review: Blue Grass State of Mind by Kathleen Brooks

Bluegrass State of Mind by Kathleen Brooks

Publisher & Release Date: Laurens Publishing, November 17, 2013

Time and setting: Present Day, NYC & Kentucky

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Romantic Suspense

Length:  291 pages

Heat Level: Red Hot Flames

Rating: 4.5 Gold Crowns

Book Description:

She thought she would be safe far away in Kentucky...

McKenna Mason's perfect life in New York City has just been destroyed. She is now a witness to a horrific crime involving some of America's most influential men. She knows she must excape and can think of only one outsider that might help her—Will Ashton. The flame of their brief teen romance never completely died out, and now it is about to explode.

Troubled pasts, a feisty horse that refuses to race without a good luck kiss, and three old ladies hell-bent on playing matchmakers turn this newly rekindled romance into a wild race to the finish. Can Will and McKenna cross the finish line together, and more importantly, alive?

Buy Links:

http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B00589BAWK

http://www.audible.com/pd/Romance/Bluegrass-State-of-Mind-Audiobook/B00CWF5JVG

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18275868-bluegrass-state-of-mind

Vikki’s Musings

While searching for a light read with audio version for $1.99, I found this book. Since it’s in the Kindle Unlimited program, I decided to download the book and the audio. I thoroughly enjoyed this light-hearted story.

McKenna Mason is a high-powered attorney in NYC. She accidentally finds out what the boy’s night parties are all about and has to run for her life. She goes to Kingston, Kentucky where her young girl crush lives, hoping he’ll put a good word in with the district attorney.

When Will is Kenna again, he is immediately attracted to her. He’d never gotten her in all the years since they shared their first kiss, literally. Even though he has gone through a nasty divorce, he knows Kenna is nothing like Tiffany, so he sets out to woo her.

Can Will when her heart, while keeping her safe from his demented ex-wife, or will he lose her to the men who have come after her?

Although there are numerous hilarious scenes in this tale, involving Kenna in the courtroom, it also has quite a bit of suspense.  The opening scene definitely sets up this story very well and pulled me in right away.

I fell in love with Kenna’s character. She is saucy, smart and fearless. She will not let anything get her down. Her love of shoes cracked me up. In fact, I belly laughed on more than one occasion at her antics. Although Kenna is gutsy, she is still a girly-girl. I’m sure she probably made mud pies with the boys in her party dresses!

Will Ashton is a fantastic hero. He is honorable, loyal and very protective of his loved ones. I loved how gently he treated Kenna. He shows great compassion for his employees and animals. He is a perfect match for Kenna. He got a raw deal with his first wife, Tiffany and it’s a wonder he isn’t totally gun shy.

Ms. Brooks writes an engaging story with plenty of action and many laugh-out moments. The pacing is fast and for a light-hearted tale, there is a great deal of emotion. Now, while there is plenty of sexual tension, there is minimal sexual content.  If you like a lot of spice in your romance, this might not be the book for you. Personally, I didn’t even notice the lack of explicit sexual scenes because the story is so strong it isn’t needed.

Not only did I love the Hero and heroine, I also fell in love with the secondary characters as well. Loved the sister at the Blossom Café! I enjoyed Mo’s character and hope he gets his own HEA. I also liked the FBI agent too, just a lot of wonderful characters in this delightful story.

If you are looking for a book that will entertain you and keep you laughing, then you will enjoy Bluegrass State of Mind as mush as I did. I have already downloaded the next two books in the series with the audio version as well. I can’t wait to read them. Happy reading!  

A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas by Kim Redford

Book #1 in Smokin' Hot Cowboys

Publisher & Release Date: Sourcebooks Casablanca, October 6, 2015 

Time and setting: Present Day, Wildcat Bluff, Texas

Genre: Contemporary Romance/Cowboy Romance

Length: 384 pages

Heat Level: 1 Scorching Hot Flame

Rating: 4 Gold Crowns

Book Description:

Warm up this Christmas with a sexy cowboy firefighter who knows how to ignite flames as well as put them out...

He's hotter than a wildfire
Trey Duval is a rancher, proud as can be of his Wildcat Ranch. He's also the top volunteer firefighter of Wildcat Bluff, Texas, the town that pulls out all the stops for its Christmas festivities.

City girl Misty Reynolds comes to Wildcat Bluff just in time to help Trey put out a suspicious fire, leading him to dub her his "Christmas angel." Unfortunately, Misty's past has left her with terrible memories of fire, and of Christmastime.

As the two are thrown together again and again, Trey finds himself wanting Misty more and more, and Misty feels stronger and braver when Trey is around. Though their trust grows slowly, their passion for each other is burning hot...

Buy Link:

http://www.amazon.com/Cowboy-Firefighter-Christmas-Smokin%C2%92-Cowboys-ebook/dp/B00XWMC5U6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1443540653&sr=1-1&keywords=a+cowboy+firefighter+for+christmas

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/24938015-a-cowboy-firefighter-for-christmas

Vikki’s Musings

Recently, I have become a fan of contemporary cowboy romances, so when I found A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas by Kim Redford, I accepted it in exchange for an honest review. This is the first book I have read by Ms. Redford, and I enjoyed it a great deal.

When Misty Reynolds almost runs down a half-naked man on Wildcat Road, the last thing she expects to do is help put out a grass fire. After all, Misty is terrified by them ever since she lost her parents in a fire on Christmas when she was twelve years old.

Trey Duval is a cowboy and a firefighter for the Wildcat bluff’s volunteer fire department. When he meets Misty while beating back a grass fire, he is immediately smitten and calls her his Christmas angel for helping him fight the fire.

When circumstance throw Trey and Misty together as they try to solve the mystery surrounding the fires cropping up around Wildcat Bluff, sparks of a different kind fly. Can a cowboy and a city girl find an everlasting kind of love?  

A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas is a delightful story, and it quickly grabbed me in the first scene. I loved the eccentric townspeople and the hot hero and the kindhearted heroine.  Humor abounds in this sweet tale of love and mayhem.

Misty’s character had me rooting for her throughout the entire book. She is such a heart-warming, kind person, and considering her background that is quite amazing. Her love for animals and willingness to put her life in danger to save a litter of kittens touched me. Being a cat lover myself, that  certainly helped me become fully vested in her character.

Trey’s character is a hot cowboy with a good soul. He’s an everyday kind of guy and what you see is what you get.  He’s fiercely loyal to his town and a true lover of anything related to Christmas, from his reindeer pajama pants to his love of colorful decorations. How could I not fall in love with his character? It’s so refreshing for the hero to be a nice guy with no baggage from past relationships.

If you are looking for a light-hearted love story with a mystery to solve, then you will love A Cowboy Firefighter for Christmas. I love a book with humor and this one had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion. Happy reading!

Written in the Cards by Lauren Linwood

Publisher & Release Date: Sole Mate Publishing, May 20, 2014

Time and setting: 1867 - 1875, Kansas

Genre: Historical Western Romance

Length: 260 pages

Heat Level: 1 Scorching Hot Flame

Rating: 4.25 Gold Crowns

Book Description:

Maggie Rutherford jilts her too-perfect society groom at the altar and flees New York for the American West. There she turns her travels into dime novels that she writes and illustrates under the pen name Lud Madison. 

After the Civil War, veteran Ben Morgan marries his childhood sweetheart and takes her to homestead on the Great Plains. Losing her and their unborn child in an Indian attack, Ben detaches from emotion and becomes a roaming gambler. When he kills a cheating opponent in self-defense, the man’s gunslinger brother swears revenge upon Ben. 

Ben hides on a cattle drive and brings in a herd to Abilene, where a waiting Maggie wants to find a rough and tumble cowboy to interview for her next story idea. Sparks fly as the dangerous drover and popular novelist wind up living in the same household, running a general store east of Abilene. But with Black Tex Lonnegan hot on his trail, will Ben run from his growing attraction to Maggie and the gunfighter’s promise of death–or will he make a stand for his life–and love?

Buy Link:

http://smile.amazon.com/Written-Cards-Lauren-Linwood-ebook/dp/B00KGM0M1O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1440509792&sr=1-1&keywords=written+in+the+cards

Add to Goodreads:

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/22674429-written-in-the-cards

Vikki’s Musings

This is the first western romance I have read by Lauren Linwood. I’ve read other sub-genres by her, though and enjoyed them a great deal. When Ms. Linwood asked me to read and review Written in the Cards, I happily agreed. This book is another fine example of her writing style, and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

On the day of her wedding, Maggie Rutherford receives information that has her leaving her intended standing at the altar watching as she flees. She travels west, leaving her old life behind her to pursue her writing career and visit the places she writes of in her books.

Ben Morgan lost his wife and unborn child in the most horrific way. For the past six years, he has gambled his way from one state to the other. When he runs afoul of a notorious gunslinger, he chooses a different path, signing on with a cattle drive that takes him to Abilene, Kansas, a town close to his brother.

Ben meets the enthralling Maggie when she interviews him for her next book, and he is drawn to her in a way that has never happened before. When the couple is thrown together, the sparks fly. Will Ben give up his wandering ways for the charming Maggie, or will he move on?

One thing a particularly liked about this story is that I was immediately thrown into an intensely emotional scene with the hero. That pulled me in, and I felt immense empathy for him. That is always a great start to a book. Written in the Cards is fast-paced, and pulled on my heart-strings a number of times.

The characters are endearing, from the heroine, a feisty, independent woman, to the adorable little girl, Jennie. Ms. Linwood brought all her characters to life, giving them surprising depth. Her emotionally-charged writing put me right in the middle of the scenes in the book.

As I mentioned already, the first scene helped me immediately bound to Ben, and as I delved into his character, I fell in love with his sense of honor and loyalty. He is a strong alpha male, not afraid to show his feelings for not only the heroine, but his sister-in-law and his sweet little niece, who also stole my heart.

Maggie Rutherford’s bold character pulled me in and had me rooting for her from her opening scene. I loved her determination to forge her own path, which went against the stereotype for women during the 1870s. While she is a very strong character, she still possessed all the nurturing characteristics I enjoy in my heroine.

If you are looking for a great western romance with enchanting characters and a strong plot, then you will enjoy Written in the Cards as much as I did. If you have never read any of Lauren Linwood’s books, this is a fantastic one to read first, next would be Music for my Soul, a medieval romance by her that I loved. Happy reading!