Announcement!

 This is a site where I post reviews that I've written (unless otherwise noted). They will still be posted at Romance Reviews Today ( http://romrevtoday.com/ )

You can find the promo blog at https://romrevtoday.blogspot.com/

Happy Reading!

Somebody to Love by Sharon Sala

 SOMEBODY TO LOVE – Sharon Sala

A Blessings, Georgia Novel

Sourcebooks Casablanca

ISBN: 978-1-4926-9748-0

February 23, 2021

Contemporary Romance

 

Blessings, Georgia – Present Day

 

Fifteen years ago, Hunt Knox left Blessings after he learned that someone in his family had stolen all the money that he’d worked for to save to attend college. No one would admit to the crime and his father told him to just deal with it. Hunt ran as far as he could by joining the military and had a storied career there until injuries forced him out. Now working in Houston, he receives a letter from his mother, Marjorie, to come home as she is dying. He arrives just as she dies. She apparently waited for him. In the letter she had sent him, she asked him to be the executor of her will and to fix up the house before selling it and sharing the proceeds with his four siblings. Hunt plans to follow his mother’s wishes. This means he will remain in Blessings for a few weeks.

 

Nurse Ava Ridley had been friends with the Knox family as a child, and she returned to Blessings after several years away. At the hospital, she is on duty caring for Marjorie Knox and four of the children are at her bedside. Then, Hunt arrives and walks up to his mother’s bedside to let her know that he is there. She peacefully dies and the family grieves. Hunt’s siblings, Junior, Ray, Emma, and Birdie, are shocked to see him because they didn’t know what happened to him after he left. There is friction between them, but Ava steps in and welcomes Hunt.

 

Over the next few days as the funeral is planned and the reading of the will is held, Ava makes herself available to Hunt by bringing food and offering a friendly face. The two soon grow close—and a sexual attraction develops. Hunt will only be around a few weeks while he’s fixing the house and settling the estate, but can anything romantic happen between them? Slowly, the friction between the five siblings lessens, especially when they realize that Hunt is a good person who is only following their mother’s request. Will Hunt ever learn which of them stole his money? Once Hunt leaves Blessings, will Ava go with him?

 

In Sharon Sala’s latest Blessings, Georgia tale, SOMEBODY TO LOVE, we are introduced to the Knox family. Their father was a strict man who tormented his children. It was the mother, Marjorie, who raised them with a gentle hand. After the blowup over Hunt’s missing money, the family splintered apart. Of the five children, it ended up being Hunt who not only left town but made a good life for himself. After he proves to be a good man, his siblings begin to respect him. As the youngest, Birdie didn’t know about the missing money and it is Hunt that she sides with after she learns about it. The others—Junior, Ray, and Emma—are tightlipped about what happened—and who really took it.

 

SOMEBODY TO LOVE is told from numerous characters’ points of view. If you have read the prior books in the series (there are many) then you catch up with some of them, too many to list. This tale also veers off into other plots that in a few of them, circle back to the Knox family. But even if you haven’t read the prior books, you won’t have too much trouble following along. Mainly, SOMEBODY TO LOVE is about the Knox family, with much of the tale revolving around Hunt and Ava. After all, it is their romance that we are here for. You won’t be disappointed.

 

If you love a feelgood tale that will capture your attention and leave you all warm and fuzzy by the end, then don’t miss SOMEBODY TO LOVE.

 

Patti Fischer

 

 

The Keepsake Sisters by Lori Wilde

 THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS – Lori Wilde

A Perfect 10

Harper Collins

ISBN: 978-0-06-295318-6

February 23, 2021

Women’s Fiction

 

Moonglow Cove, Texas – Present Day

 

After learning through a DNA test site that the twin sister she thought had died at birth is really alive, Chicagoan Amelia Brandt heads to Texas to locate and meet her identical twin, Anna. While the reasons why the two were separated at birth are unknown to them, it’s important that Amelia contact Anna because Amelia needs a kidney. Arriving at Anna Drury’s home, it’s no wonder that Amelia shocks her twin because they look alike. Can she forge a friendship with her twin—and get what she needs?

 

Anna Drury can hardly believe who is at her door. Her identical twin! She believes Amelia is telling the truth, though the other woman offers the DNA test results as proof. Anna had forgotten she ran those a few years ago, having not logged into the site to check in a long time. Anna’s husband, Kevin, is immediately suspicious of Amelia. At first, he thinks she is lying, then wonders why she suddenly showed up out of the blue. What is Amelia Brandt after? For Anna, it doesn’t matter. She feels an immediate connection to her twin, though Amelia is more reticent.

 

The astonishing story of the twins affects not only them, but Anna’s mother—or the woman she thought was her mother. As THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS opens, we learn that during the birth of the twins, several women were in labor at the Moonglow hospital in the middle of a hurricane. One was Robin Straus, who had her husband, Heathcliff, by her side. An out-of-town couple from Chicago arrives during the storm, the woman in labor with twins and not happy about being pregnant. The lights soon go out. After Robin gives birth to a girl and goes in and out of consciousness, Heathcliff discovers their baby girl is dead. The woman pregnant with twins gives birth to daughters and the midwife, Winnie, is left holding one of the baby girls as they take the other twin to another room. She exchanges a glance with Heathcliff. The rest is history…and fate.

 

Once I started reading THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS by Lori Wilde, I could hardly set it down. The first meeting of the twins is intense. Just imagine if someone showed up on your doorstep looking exactly like you. Anna is both scared and excited. She wonders how it all happened, but at the same time, she relishes having the sister she only wished she had. After talking about what likely happened, they zero in on Winnie, who now has Alzheimer’s and is currently in a local care facility. Heathcliff Straus died last year and took the secret of what happened to his grave. Robin feels threatened by the appearance of Amelia because if it’s true, then Anna is not really her child. Anna begins fighting with Kevin because he doesn’t trust Amelia. Will she choose her twin over her husband? They have two children. How will the appearance of an unknown relative affect them?

 

THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS is a wonderfully told tale and for me, one of the best reads so far in 2021. For this reason, I am giving it A Perfect 10. This is not a romance, but instead it is the emotional journey of two women who discover they are twins. That esoteric connection between the twins is very much there. When they are together, Amelia and Anna only need to exchange looks, or touch one another, to feel what the other is feeling. Their upbringings were different, with Amelia raised in wealth, while Anna was raised in a middle-class home. But despite all this, Amelia will be asking Anna to give her something precious. Will it happen?

 

Don’t miss this inspiring and emotional tale. Pick up a copy of THE KEEPSAKE SISTERS today.

 

Patti Fischer

 

 

 

Hit Me With Your Best Scot by Suzanne Enoch

 HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SCOT - Suzanne Enoch

The Wild WIcked Highlanders, Book Three

St. Martin's Paperbacks

ISBN: 978-1250296429

February 2021

Historical Romance

 

London - 19th Century

 

Coll MacTaggert, Viscount Glendarril, isn't going to let anyone, even his mother, force him into a marriage without a fight. The marriage agreement made between his parents stipulated that the money his mother, Lady Aldriss, brought to the marriage would only fund Lord Aldriss' Scottish estate, Aldriss Park, if all three of her sons married English women before their only sister weds. Lady Aldriss left Scotland with her baby daughter seventeen years before, and none of her sons had seen or heard from her since. But now, all three men are in London to find brides before Eloise, their sister, weds in just a few weeks. Coll is the last man standing as brother Niall is already married, and Aden will be married in a week. 

 

Angry that his mother has set him up, once again, with not one but two simpering Sassenach lassies in her box at the Saint Genesius Theatre, Coll storms out of the box and is instantly mesmerized by the lead actress playing Rosalind in As You Like It. She, it seems, has a huge following of adoring male fans. Mrs. Persephone Jones isn't impressed by the giant Scotsman until he dispatches an overbearing lord who makes some threatening comments to her. 

 

Coll is sure that if he's going to marry any Sassenach, it should be someone like Persephone who clearly isn't interested in marrying him. She admits that the Mrs. part of her name is used because a widow is allowed to live on her own. And be an actress. It's difficult for Coll to wrap his head around an independent woman like Persephone, but his heart keeps telling him that even though she's a mere actress, and he will be an earl some day, that this is the woman for him. 

 

Persephone tries to deny her attraction to Coll, but gives up when she hires him as her protector after a series of "accidents" befall her. The secret she is hiding could be the reason that she is being targeted by whoever is responsible for the potentially deadly incidents. But who could be trying to kill Persephone? And why? She's had eight years of peace while working at Saint Genesius with no indication that anyone recognizes her. 

 

HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SCOT is a delightfully entertaining read. It's a bit of a mystery, but it's all romance as Coll and Persephone angle their ways through a mutual attraction that they can no longer deny. Coll's family is exasperated with him as he threatens to marry an actress, even though that very actress has flatly said no. There is plenty of humor as Coll's physical presence clearly intimidates most of the men who are in love with Persephone, as well as some of the potential brides his mother produces for him. 

 

The final book in The Wild Wicked Highlanders series, HIT ME WITH YOUR BEST SCOT is a fun, and very romantic, tale.

 

Jani Brooks

 

First Comes Like by Alisha Rai

 FIRST COMES LIKE – Alisha Rai

Modern Love, Book 3

Harper Collins

ISBN: 978-0-06-287815-1

February 16, 2021

Contemporary Romance

 

Los Angeles, California – Present Day

 

Beauty expert and internet influencer Jia Ahmed is normally too busy promoting her brand to worry about a man, but here she is at a party checking out Bollywood actor Dev Dixit. Several months ago, he’d slid into her DM’s on social media, tantalizing her with his interest in her. Now she’s crashing a party to meet him—and to confront him. Jia finally comes face to face with Dev and after she mentions how they know one another, he informs her that he doesn’t know her. How can this be true when they’d been texting back and forth all this time?

 

Dev is perplexed by Jia’s claims. He really hasn’t heard of her and yet she is in front of him claiming they’ve been texting for months. He tries to play it cool, not wanting to let her know he’s alarmed by her claims while he tries to figure out what happened. After questioning a couple of family members, he learns that his late brother logged into Dev’s social media account and started chatting with Jia. This brother is now dead, and another brother kept it up, a form of establishing a relationship called “catfishing.” It’s an embarrassment all around, and Dev feels like he needs to make it up to Jia for what his brothers did. Besides, he’s now more than a little interested in her…

 

Dev is new to Hollywood after years spent building a successful career in India. He comes from a legendary family of Bollywood actors and wants to make his own mark in America. He has custody of his late brother’s daughter, Luna, and they all live together along with his maternal uncle. Meanwhile, he meets up with Jia to explain what he found out about who was texting her. He needs to make it up to her for what happened. They end up going out a few times—as friends only—and discover a nice friendship. Could it end up being more than friendship?

 

Jia belongs to a traditional Muslim family and she is trying to make a name for herself in the beauty industry. Having Dev in her corner could prove beneficial, and she thought she was onto something when he started texting with her. But now that she is getting to know the real Dev Dixit, she likes what she sees. Their relationship builds slowly, but it soon is about to fast track in ways neither expects in FIRST COMES LIKE by Alisha Rai.

 

A tale that is cute and funny, with modern love thrown in, FIRST COMES LIKES is set around the Hollywood Hot Set. Despite Dev’s fame being mostly in India, his family’s reputation, power, and money have the paparazzi chasing after any scandal they can dig up about him. This is why the “catfishing” done by his brothers with Jia needs to be kept hidden. She is a nice girl, anyway, and Dev will do whatever it takes to make it up to her. Will they soon be in love?

 

For an engaging romantic tale about love in the twenty-first century, be sure to grab a copy of FIRST COMES LIKE.

 

Patti Fischer

 

 

The Vineyard at Painted Moon by Susan Mallery

 THE VINEYARD AT PAINTED MOON – Susan Mallery

HQN

ISBN:  978-1-335-91279-4

February 9, 2021

Women’s Fiction

 

Walla Walla, Washington – Present Day

 

The Barcellona family’s lives are falling apart in Susan Mallery’s latest, THE VINEYARD AT PAINTED MOON. Mackenzie married the only son, Rhys, but that marriage is on its last legs. After having sex for the first time in a long time—and having no satisfaction in the act—they both agree that it’s time to divorce. This decision sets several wheels in motion—wheels that are about to go off the track.

 

Widowed Barbara Barcellona rules the family and the winery they own with an iron fist. She has taught Mackenzie the fine art of winemaking and trusts her more than she does her own children. However, upon learning that Rhys and Mackenzie are divorcing, Barbara goes ballistic. How dare they split, especially since Mackenzie has indicated she won’t stay at the winery unless she gets a share of the business. Barbara refuses, citing the terms of her late husband’s will. With that news, Mackenzie says she will leave. Barbara demands that Mackenzie not only be kicked out of her job at the winery but the house she lives in (each child in the family live in a house on the property). Rhys and Mackenzie had already agreed they would still live under the same roof until she can find a place to stay.

 

In steps an old friend, Bruno Provencio. After learning that Mackenzie is leaving the winery, Bel Apres, he makes her an interesting offer. She will receive a generous divorce settlement, so how about buying a winery with him as her partner? It’s a dream for her to have control over her own winery, so they explore the possibility of buying one in the area. Meanwhile, the friendly divorce with Rhys continues, but it soon becomes complicated in the most unexpected way: she discovers she’s pregnant. They had never discussed children, but now at the age of thirty-eight, she is about to become a mom. Will this change their plans?

 

In THE VINEYARD AT PAINTED MOON, there are other characters, namely Barbara’s other children, Stephanie, Catherine (nicknamed Four), and Lori. Mackenzie is close to Stephanie and Four, but will the divorce change things, especially now that Barbara is on the warpath wanting to ruin her life? Rhys isn’t happy at the prospect of becoming a father. In fact, he lets Mackenzie know that he doesn’t really want to be a part of their child’s life. Stunned, she wonders if she ever really knew the man she married. Meanwhile, Stephanie, who is divorced from Kyle, feels restless. She went from her parents’ home to her husband’s, then back to her parents. Kyle is now pushing for a reconciliation. A mother of two teenagers, she wonders if it’s time to spread her wings. How can she accomplish this?

 

THE VINEYARD AT PAINTED MOON has the earmarks of a family soap opera. A rich, influential family that believes that if you’re part of the family, then your loyalty remains with the family. The decision by Rhys and Mackenzie to divorce throws everything into an upheaval. Barbara recently got engaged and should be happy, but she is angry and bent on revenge. What will she do to Mackenzie? Will Stephanie ever be able to please her mother? Mackenzie’s leaving shifts the dynamics in the family, but is it for the good?

 

Once I started reading THE VINEYARD AT PAINTED MOON, I became totally engrossed in the lives of everyone and couldn’t put the book down. There is intrigue and conflict, but will someone find love in the end? Find out the answers by picking up this enthralling read.

 

Patti Fischer

Twice the Temptation by Silver James

 TWICE THE TEMPTATION – Silver James

Red Dirt Royalty, Book 8

ISBN: 978-1-335-23275-5

February 2021

Contemporary Series Romance

 

Oklahoma City – Present Day

 

Weather reporter Brittany Owens lives for chasing after storms. The more dangerous they are, the bigger the thrill. Britt usually works with a cameraman, but one day, with him injured, she is out alone as a Category Four hurricane barrels toward the area. Rising floodwaters forces her to seek shelter at a local business, where she runs into the owner, Cooper Tate, who is also seeking shelter after coming there to check things out. An instant attraction develops, and they end up riding the storm out by making love. Both think that they won’t ever see the other again—but fate has other ideas. Two more times, in fact.

 

Fast forward three months and Cooper is at a charity auction gala with his family. To his surprise, one of the people there is Britt. He still hasn’t forgotten her and wants to get to know her better, but she seems to want to avoid him. She is insistent that she doesn’t want to talk to him, but they can’t avoid one another. They spend the night together (of course!) and he thinks they are on track to a nice little affair. But a few days later, their relationship changes after Cooper comes to the stunning realization that Britt is pregnant. He must be the father.

 

An instant attraction that can’t be denied develops between Britt and Cooper in TWICE THE TEMPTATION by Silver James, the latest installment in her long running Red Dirt Royalty series. While readers get good glimpses of prior characters from the series, this tale is solely about the romance brewing between Britt and Cooper. She loves her job chasing storms. Once Cooper learns she’s pregnant, he fears that she will get hurt in one of her storm chaser adventures. Around Oklahoma City, there are a lot of tornados, and they can pop up anywhere and anytime when it’s least expected. But Britt is determined to remain independent, and Cooper can’t tell her what to do.

 

It seems like every time Cooper and Britt are around each other, they are kissing and/or having sex. Their attraction is off the charts. After discovering she is pregnant, he not only wants to be a part of the pregnancy adventure, but he also wants to marry her. Cooper will not let his son/daughter come into the world with unmarried parents. It’s a battle of wills between Cooper and Britt. Readers will wonder how it ends. I will give you a hint. They have a rather exciting ride to the finish of this book.

 

TWICE THE TEMPTATION is a fun and exciting romantic tale that features good back and forth bantering between our couple, Cooper and Britt. They are an intriguing couple that will entertain readers. You can’t go wrong in picking up TWICE THE TEMPTATION.

 

Patti Fischer

 

 

One Night with Cinderella by Niobia Bryant

 ONE NIGHT WITH CINDERELLA – Niobia Bryant

Harlequin Desire #2788

ISBN: 978-1-335-23273-1

February 2021

Contemporary Series Romance

 

New York City – Present Day

 

For five years Monica Darby has been the housekeeper for the Cress family at their massive home in the historic section of Lennox Hill in Manhattan’s Upper East Side. The whole family lives there, including the five sons. None have made a pass at Monica, but she has noticed the middle son, Gabriel, a lot because he is nice to her. One night after a family celebration, Monica and Gabriel are alone on the top deck when suddenly an intense attraction bursts into them making love. Both are a little mortified the next day because of their “business relationship.” Have things changed between them?

 

Monica is contacted by an attorney about a matter of utmost importance. She learns upon arriving that she has inherited fifty-five million dollars from the father she never knew. Monica had been raised in foster care and never knew her parents’ names. She now knows who her father was. She must sign an NDA (Non-Disclosure Affidavit) as part of receiving the inheritance. But the news of her father and inheritance soon gets out. By this time, Monica has quit her job and taken up residence in a hotel. It is at a party at the Cress home—one that she would normally be the server at in the past—that she comes face to face with Gabriel again. And they connect in the bedroom again—and again. Yet, there is still that stigma that she isn’t good enough for a Cress.

 

ONE NIGHT WITH CINDERELLA is an intriguing rags-to-riches tale that takes place over several months. There are weeks that Gabriel and Monica don’t encounter each other, yet they are constantly thinking of the other. As the middle child of the Cress family, he is known as the “good” son, but he knows that his family wouldn’t be happy if he was bedding the help. His mother, especially, rules with an iron fist. Even after Monica becomes a millionaire, his mother still looks down upon her. Gabriel’s life and future are tied to his family. Dare he walk away from them for a possible future with Monica? This is part of the dilemma he must deal with in ONE NIGHT WITH CINDERELLA.

 

Monica always kept herself in the background while working for the Cress family. She probably knows secrets about them, but she has and will always remain discreet…unless she is pushed. After inheriting all that money, Monica is not sure what to do with herself at first. There are only so many spa days a woman can do. She finally settles on founding a charity dear to her heart, which means she will need to also cultivate favors from the rich and famous—like the Cress family. Meanwhile, Monica and Gabriel settle into an on and off again affair. Is there any chance they could find a future together –even if it is without his family’s approval?

 

An intriguing and unusual tale, I found ONE NIGHT WITH CINDERELLA hard to put down. Monica now has the life which others can only dream of. Will she marry her Prince Charming?

 

Patti Fischer

Scandalizing the CEO by Yvonne Lindsay

 SCANDALIZING THE CEO – Yvonne Lindsay

Clashing Birthrights, Book 2

Harlequin Desire #2787

ISBN: 978-1-335-23272-4

February 2021

Contemporary Series Romance

 

Seattle, Washington & Sedona, Arizona – Present Day

 

Tami Wilson was falsely accused of embezzling a lot of money from the charity she worked for and will do anything to clear her name—except reveal how foolish she was to trust her then boyfriend, who is the actual culprit. She turns to her wealthy father for help in replacing the missing funds, and he agrees to help on one condition: she must go undercover at a rival company and report back about any deals they have going on. Tami hates lying, but feels she has no choice other than agree. Hired to work at Richmond Developments, her immediate boss is CEO Keaton Richmond. One of the first assignments they will work on together is a team-building trip that includes hiking in Sedona, Arizona.

 

Keaton is intrigued by their new hire, Tami. She seems out of place in the corporate world, but she is determined to do whatever it takes to show she can do the job. Will this include ziplining while on the trip? Since Keaton and Tami will be working together, they spend a lot of time getting to know each other on this trip. She appears reticent about her life before she got hired, but it doesn’t stop Keaton from being attracted to her, and he wants her in his bed. How will he react when he learns that she is spying on his company?

 

Keaton is on the lookout for the mole in his company in SCANDALIZING THE CEO but doesn’t realize the culprit is right in front of him. After a recent scandal involving his deceased father that threatened to splinter the company, the last thing he needs is more work problems. Keaton isn’t looking for a wife after he lost his fiancée to his twin brother recently (Logan and Honor’s story was told in SEDUCING THE LOST HEIR). Tami’s awkwardness around him has Keaton immediately noticing her, which makes him do whatever it takes to make her feel comfortable. Long days hiking and other outdoor activities inevitably lead to leisurely evenings together. The more they’re around each other, the greater the sexual chemistry heats up.

 

All through SCANDALIZING THE CEO, Tami feels guilty. She’s an honorable person who got duped and feels it was her fault for giving her boyfriend the passwords to the charity’s bank account. Now the money is gone. Her relationship with her parents is not good and she only went to her father as a last resort. She wants to keep the matter out of the hands of the police in hopes she can replace the money. Is Tami successful? Will she soon find herself falling for Keaton?

 

Brought together under dubious conditions in SCANDALIZING THE CEO, readers will soon learn that Tami’s hopes to help her father in exchange for help from him has a price. Don’t miss this intriguing tale.

 

Patti Fischer

Seducing His Secret Wife by Robin Covington

 SEDUCING HIS SECRET WIFE – Robin Covington

Redhawk Reunion, Book 2

Harlequin Desire #2789

ISBN: 978-1-335-23274-8

February 2021

Contemporary Series Romance

 

Silicon Valley, California – Present Day

 

Billionaire businessman Justin Ling had a steamy weekend tryst in Vegas with Sarina Redhawk, a woman he’d just met. She’d given him a fake name and they proceeded to drink so heavily together that the next morning when Justin woke up, he discovered that he’d married her. She’s disappeared and now Justin needs to figure out how to get a divorce. But at a party one night, he’s stunned to run into Sarina. Turns out she is the little sister of his best friend. How to explain why they got married to his friend? What about the attraction that still sizzles between Justin and Sarina?

 

Sarina was separated from her brother when they were children. She bounced around in foster homes and eventually entered the military. Now out, she went in search of her two brothers, Adam and Roan, and finally connect with them. Coming face to face with her weekend tryst—and husband—she doesn’t know what to do, except run the other way. But Justin convinces her to temporarily stay with his grandmother while they work on the divorce. Will they end up getting divorced, or try to work on their marriage? Will the desire that bubbles between them lead to more hot nights together?

 

A wild weekend comes back to haunt Justin and Sarina in SEDUCING HIS SECRET WIFE. Why did they get married? Well, besides being drunk, Justin thought the only way he could get Sarina into his bed was to marry her. Neither thought about the consequences of how being married meant more than just one night together. She wants a quick divorce now that they are in the same city. Normally, Sarina is a woman on the move with her motorcycle and a small dog, living a solitary life. Meeting Justin’s grandmother, Nana Orla, she grows fond of the elderly Irish born woman. As for Justin’s parents…she’d prefer to not be around them. Justin, though, is really good at seducing her into his bed…

 

Justin is not sure why he is attracted to Sarina like he is. Has to be lust, right? He’s known as a playboy who flits from woman to woman, but suddenly he has no desire to date anyone…other than his wife. Sarina is like a caged animal who is ready to run at the first sign of trouble. Can he convince her that they should try to make their marriage work? Does Justin want to, and if so, is it because he’s falling in love? Or is it just because they work so well together in bed?

 

A weekend tryst in Las Vegas ends with our couple married and not yet ready to end their marriage. Can they find happiness? Find out in the intriguing and sensual SEDUCING HIS SECRET WIFE.

 

Patti Fischer

The Heir by Joanne Rock

 THE HEIR – Joanne Rock        

Dynasties: Mesa Falls, Book 6

Harlequin Desire #2786

ISBN: 978-1-335-23271-7

February 2021

Contemporary Series Romance

 

Mesa Falls, Montana – Present Day

 

For months, Desmond Pierce and his best friends have been trying to track down Nicole Cruz. She is the guardian of a thirteen-year-old boy who may or may not be the biological son of their late friend, Zack. For years they have tried to protect the circumstances surrounding Zack’s death but is the boy tied to the reason Zack jumped to his death? Nicole finally agrees to meet with Desmond in Mesa Falls to discuss the paternity, but upon her arrival, he discovers that she came alone. The boy, Matthew, is autistic and she didn’t want to disrupt his life by bringing him to Montana. The moment Desmond meets Nicole in person, he feels an attraction toward her that he can’t explain.

 

Nicole got custody of Matthew after her half-sister died unexpectedly a year ago. It’s been a tough ride, but she’s determined to find out who the mysterious father is since it’s been hidden all these years. She narrowed it down to one of the “teenage boys” who attended a private school where her half-sister taught, but she’d need DNA tests to prove it. After Nicole arrives, Desmond explains that the only possible father is Zack. While they discuss and wait for more evidence, Nicole and Desmond get to know one another. Indeed, their mutual attraction soon proves to be irresistible.

 

Nicole has custody of the potential heir to a large fortune in Joanne Rock’s THE HEIR, the final book in her Mesa Falls series. Throughout the series, Nicole has been the subject of much speculation after she first arrived—briefly—in Mesa Falls to snoop around to see if she could figure out if one of the teenage boys—now grown men—were the father to her nephew. Since then, she has laid low with Matthew as she considers her next moves. But Desmond and his buddies sent a private investigator after her until she finally “gave up” and agreed to meet them. Desmond and his friends want to get to the bottom of the paternity and see if there is a link to Zack’s death.

 

Meanwhile, the attraction between Desmond and Nicole turns to passion. Their lives are both at odds and disparate. Her first responsibility is Matthew, so there are issues getting involved with the “enemy.” He may want to deny Matthew’s right to know who his father is. But soon, Nicole and Desmond are working together to solve the mystery—and spending their nights locked in each other’s arms. As THE HEIR winds down, the final clues to both Matthew’s paternity and why it was kept a secret all these years are resolved.  

 

A passionate and captivating tale about the antics of teenage boys that come back to haunt them years later. Don’t miss the riveting final book in the series, THE HEIR.

 

Patti Fischer

Back in the Texan's Bed by Naima Simone

 BACK IN THE TEXAN’S BED – Naima Simone

Texas Cattleman’s Club: Heir Apparent, Book 1

Harlequin Desire #2785

ISBN: 978-1-335-23270-0

February 2021

Contemporary Series Romance

 

Royal, Texas – Present Day

 

Three years ago, chef Charlotte Jarrett had a blistering—and secret—affair with oil heir Ross Edmond, the son of her then employer, Rusty Edmond. She had abruptly ended their affair and moved away, and Ross had moved on. But one day, he runs into her at one of Royal’s newest restaurants. She is the head chef. Their “reunion” is stilted at first, but his ears prick up when he learns that she has a child. Curious, Ross shows up at her house and discovers she has a two-year-old son, and Ross is the father.

 

Ross is angry at what he sees as Charlotte’s refusal to inform him about the existence of his son, but it’s more complicated. Turns out, she did try to contact him, but his father interceded and tried to pay her off. Seeing that Ross had moved on, Charlotte did too. Ross confronts his father about what he did, but Rusty’s response is to demand that Ross have “nothing to do with that woman and child.” Ross, of course, defies his father. He wants to build a future with his son, and maybe Charlotte.

 

Maybe getting involved with her boss’s son wasn’t the wisest move, but there was no denying the intense attraction between them—one that clearly is still there three years later. Rusty Edmond is a horrible man, and she would rather not have her son around his grandfather. After Ross gets over his anger with Charlotte, he works on trying to win her over, wanting to convince her that he’d be a great father and wants to be there for his son. Slowly, she begins to relent, but will she cave into the sizzling attraction that simmers between them? Getting involved with Ross—again—can only lead to heartbreak.

 

Ross is soon juggling between getting to know his son and trying to “fix” things with his father. He has some of his own funds but his job at the company is his main source of income. After Ross refuses to abandon Charlotte and his son, Rusty literally locks him out of their home and his access to the company. Rusty makes it clear that he won’t change his mind until Ross chooses him over Charlotte. Part of the problem is that Ross isn’t sure who to trust the most. He was abandoned by his mother when he was a child. Charlotte already did it once—will she do it again? His father has been the one constant in his life.

 

Trust issues and a secret baby are the main themes in BACK IN THE TEXAN’S BED, the first tale in the newest Texas Cattleman Club series. Ross and Charlotte will need to learn to trust each other—forever—before they can make a life together. Don’t miss this intriguing tale.

 

Patti Fischer