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Her Big Sky Cowboy – Quiet Love Under The Big Sky

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January 7, 2015

Okay…am now totally smitten by the Wildflower Ranch Series by Alissa Callen, and this is only my second read of hers. Under the big skies of Montana, Alissa Callen packs quite an intoxicating punch of charm and charisma. Be it her wonderful characters, with such big hearts and care, or the story itself seeped in emotions of love and trust.

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Speech therapist Trinity Redfern is running a summer program for youngsters, and Finn Nash is one of her favorites, along with his father Zane Nash. With a heart as big as the Montana sky, Trinity is one of the most lovable characters I have come across. Warm, friendly, caring and yet assertive is how she keeps her students in line, but when it comes to her personal Mr. Right, he seems to be just elusive to her. And Mr. Wrong just doesn’t seem to leave her alone.

The reserved and sexy Zane Nash is thrown a curve ball, when he becomes an instant father to Finn, a responsibility he takes seriously as running his successful ranch. But Finn and Zane have a lot to catch up on, as five-year-old Finn is not very talkative and has become withdrawn. Zane starts relying more and more on Trinity, as Finn starts opening himself to Trinity, little realizing that opening his heart would also be a balm to his hurting heart and can be very fulfilling.

All I can say is Alissa Callen has really, really put her heart and soul in creating Zane and Trinity. Simple, warm, caring and just two beautiful people, trying to sort the ripples of emotion they create with each other, and find the trust and confidence to be with each other.

Loaded in sentiment, brimming with some painful yet a sweet past, with surprises and twists, and visiting with some of the charismatic Montana friends, “Her Big Sky Cowboy” is just as precious as “Her Mistletoe Cowboy”.

And now it’s time for me to catch up with the other sexy cowboys and their intended sassy women that Alissa has created, including Payton and Cordell (Cherish Me, Cowboy, Wildflower Ranch 1). I sure hope there are more love stories coming to the wonderful inmates of the Wildflower Ranch Series.

Received an ARC from Tule Publishing via Netgalley for an honest review.

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Her Mistletoe Cowboy – Full Of Charm and Festivities

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January 6, 2015

Here comes another first for me – Alissa Callen. And she caught my interest with my first read of her WildFlower Ranch Series.

Winter and silver skies, tinsel and lights, hot chocolate and gingerbread, mistletoes and Christmas trees, second chances and love – is what “Her Mistletoe Cowboy” (Book 2), is all about. Corporate Analyst, Ivy Bishop comes away to the little town of Marietta to heal her heart and decide the next phase of her life. Falling into the magic of Christmas and she never expects to get a surprise package of love in the sexy Rhett Dixon.

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Rhett Dixon happens to be her knight in shining armor, when she needed help the first time she couldn’t get into her ancestral home and lands on the threshold of Rhett Dixon. Ex- Rodeo rider Rhett has some ghosts to exorcise and a promise that needs to be fulfilled. Ivy was never a part of his plan, and yet once he sees her, all he can think is of her.

With a past connecting both Rhett and Ivy, with sparks igniting between them, and stolen kisses under the mistletoes, both get carried away to a magical land called love. Alissa Callen does such a charming job with Rhett and Ivy. Sometimes it’s so lovely to read stories with just the protagonists and a handful of supporting characters.

This is a wonderful love story of two people, believing in second chances and trusting each other to get past their insecurities and build a future. Very warm, sweet and a perfect happy read!

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Montana Darling – Courage, Strength And Love

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January 4, 2015

Women can be idols of strength, courage and tenacity. When encountered with worst of situations, they either come back kicking butt or let the circumstances make them a victim.

And Mia Zabrinski definitely fought back not to become a victim of cancer and she had succeeded. But her fight with cancer was a costly survival as she’s lost her marriage and is now trying to rebuild a relationship with her teenage children. Moving back to Marietta, Montana and building a house on the land that was given to her by her ex-husband supposedly is the plan to start a new life. But that gets tossed out as she discovers a squatter on her land, claiming the land to be his.

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Ryker Benson is back in Marietta, camping on his land as he comes to terms with the death of his fiancée and his unborn child. Coming back to his roots to decide the next step of his life goes awry as he comes face to face with Mia and he gets punched in the heart. Not to mention, his land is in a legal mess as Mia claims to have the deed for it. A renowned photographer and well travelled, Mia freezes all his thoughts, as he can’t control his feelings for her.

“Montana Darling” is a courageous story of a woman trying to find herself and be peace with her surgically acquired body. This is a charming story of a man who loves a woman unconditionally and wanting to help her find her inner beauty and confidence. This is an emotional story of a couple as they battle past pain and insecurities, to make a future with each other. And this is a charming story of a wonderful family, supporting, encouraging and motivating each other with patience, understanding and love.

Debra Salonen does a fine job of etching Mia and Ryker full of warmth, love and understanding as they deal with their emotions for each other and the chance they take with each other. Ryker was just the sweetest and most understanding man a person can fall in love with, and Mia as a cancer survivor and mother is just the perfect half of Ryker with her energy, positivity and zest.

A charmingly sweet read!

Received an ARC from Tule Publishing via Netgalley for an honest review.

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Cowgirls Don’t Cry – Captivating Read

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Silver James is another first time author for me, and “Cowgirls Don’ t Cry” (Red Dirt Royalty Series) sure caught my attention. An emotional ride into the cowboy country, one sassy and tenacious cowgirl lassoing a rich cowboy turned attorney, was one hot bumpy gallop into the romantic sunset.

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Cassidy Morgan is reeling under the death of her father, a father she had not seen for a year, a father that she believed was disappointed in her choice of life, and a father who lover her death and wanted to give her a legacy to move forward. And that very legacy is now threatened for foreclosure by an avenging gazillionaire, with an old debt to be settled with her father. Chance meeting with Chance Barron, has Cassidy losing her heart before she comes to know his true identity and Cassidy has only herself to rely on to take care of mess.

As the son of the said gazillionaire, and attorney, Chance Barron sees Cassidy by chance and is enthralled by her. He falls hard and fast and furious for Cassidy. But when the nasty reality of what his father wants to accomplish hits him, he refuses to heed his father’s warnings and betray the woman he has fallen in love with. But can he withstand the onslaught of his father’s rage and loss?

This is one fast paced ride as the courageous and smart Cassidy thinks outside the box to solve her problems, and a sexy and super smart attorney making sure he paves the way for the love of his life to win the war. Chance is one imperfect guy who is torn between the father and his ladylove, loyalty and love, right and wrong, and is smart enough to make the right decision when the time came. Cassidy is just an amazing firecracker of a cowgirl who never calls it quits and makes her father proud by taking care of the ones that matter in life and saving the ranch.

A definite great read and a definite encore of Silver James in my future reading list

Received an ARC from Harlequin Desire via Netgalley for an honest review.

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Finding Hope – Second Chances And Survival

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I’ve read Stacy Finz before and she creates magic with her stories of hope and patience, love and support, and strong and courageous women, who have lost but learned to survive, and who have been hurt but moved forward with strength, with the love of their men who have given the women of their life, their hearts forever. The next in her Nugget Romance Series, “Finding Hope” is no exception to her talent.

Emily Mathews comes to the small town of Nugget, CA to start fresh, away from the pain of losing her daughter four years ago, and a fallen marriage. She hopes the beautiful mountains and the blue skies would help her rejuvenate and move forward even as she waits for any news about the kidnapping. She hopes that the vast lands of McCreedy Ranch and her passion for creating recipes and editing cooking books, would bring her some peace into her turmoil life that has been plaguing her. Although she never anticipated that the owner of MrCreedy Ranch, Clay McCreedy and his sons would play a pivotal part in her makeover.

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Clay McCreedy’s been going through his own set of problems, trying to raise his two teenage sons, after his wife’s scandalous death. The arrival of Emily sure puts an unforeseeable bump in his daily life of running the ranch and dealing with the unresolved grief of his sons. Even as he sees Emily as a friend, she wheedles into his heart and jealousy and lust make him questions his intentions towards her. As she gets closer to his sons, and he’s drawn to her quiet understanding and strength, he admits his feelings of love and wanting to keep her with him forever.

As Clay and Emily explore the passion that ignites between them, as they disclose a past that had brought them to this point in their lives, the past rears its ugly head putting a wrench in their present. Stacy Finz did a beautiful job of exploring the feelings of two people hurt; the depth of layers under the skin of Clay and Emily was a treat to unravel, as they discover themselves with each other. The passion was sublime, the narration was charismatic and Clay and Emily are two amazing people, with the support of the charming and caring residents of Nugget, find their future filled with hope and love.

And I adore Stacy Finz just for giving one of the most beautiful and poignant beginnings of a future I’ve ever read, even as it brings to rest “Finding Hope”.

Received an ARC from Kensington Books via Netgalley for an honest review.

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