August | 2021 | Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

INSTANT GRATIFICATION by Jill Shalvis

August 31, 2021

Wilder, Book 2

From the publisher:

Welcome to Wishful, California, where the air is mountain clean, the people are small-town friendly and the wide-open spaces are perfect for a woman wanting to reinvent herself.

THE WAITING IS THE HARDEST PART

There was a time when Dr. Emma Sinclair wanted to challenge herself, sharpen her medical skills by plunging into the relentless pace of a New York City ER. But she was younger then. Now she’s not that much older, but at least she’s wise enough to jump at the chance to run her father’s clinic for a summer in the Sierra Nevadas. Here she treats bee stings, stomach flu, and the occasional pet cat. She also contends with patients like Stone Wilder, laid-back and well-aware of his good looks—and irritating beyond belief. The man laughs at her. And Emma loathes him. Partly because she can’t resist his smile and the gleam in his eyes . . .

As co-owner of Wilder Adventures and Expeditions, Stone knows when he sees a fish out of water. He also knows how to put it back in the water. When he tries to help Emma loosen up a bit, he pictures white-water rafting or scenic mountain hikes. He never bargained for a much more intimate encounter. Still, Emma’s sure she has no place in a town like Wishful, but Stone knows different. Emma belongs here—in this town, in his life. Convincing her is a challenge he was born to take . . .

This is the second book in the Wilder series and I liked it as much as the first. This story centers around Stone and Emma. Emma lived in Wishful when she was a young girl, but when her mother decided to leave her father, there was no looking back for either of them. Emma was hurt that her father never tried to stay in touch with her, but she doesn’t have the whole story. I really liked this subplot, it added a lot of depth to the story and the character.

Emma’s father stayed in Wishful and is the town doctor. When he has a mild heart attack, Emma decides to help him out. She recently lost her mother and her father is her only family. But she is used to running a very busy ER in a NYC hospital, and the trickling in of patients is not fun for her. Especially when Stone shows up.

Stone is argumentative, stubborn, and has a real fear of needles. But he is really banged up and finally allows Emma to treat him. He drives her nuts but he is really good looking. And he thinks she is a knockout. Eventually they work out their differences and start dating and pretty soon, they are a couple. But the road to true love never runs smoothly, but that is half the fun of getting there.

This is a very hot romance with well developed characters and some humor. I loved it, and immediately read the rest of the trilogy. Reviews to follow.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

IINSTANT GRATIFICATION by Jill Shalvis. Kensington; Reprint edition (July 31, 2018). ISBN: 978-1496720849. 304 pages.

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SOMEONE TO CHERISH by Mary Balogh

August 30, 2021

The Westcott Series, Book 9

From the publisher:

Is love worth the loss of one’s freedom and independence? This is what Mrs. Tavernor must decide in the new novel in the Westcott series from New York Times bestselling author Mary Balogh.

When Harry Westcott lost the title Earl of Riverdale after the discovery of his father’s bigamy, he shipped off to fight in the Napoleonic Wars, where he was near-fatally wounded. After a harrowing recovery, the once cheery, light-hearted boy has become a reclusive, somber man. Though Harry insists he enjoys the solitude, he does wonder sometimes if he is lonely.

Lydia Tavernor, recently widowed, dreams of taking a lover. Her marriage to Reverend Isaiah Tavernor was one of service and obedience, and she has secretly enjoyed her freedom since his death. She doesn’t want to shackle herself to another man in marriage, but sometimes, she wonders if she is lonely.

Both are unwilling to face the truth until they find themselves alone together one night, and Lydia surprises even herself with a simple question: “Are you ever lonely?” Harry’s answer leads them down a path neither could ever have imagined…

I think there are too many books in this series. I’ve not really had this issue before, and I’ve read some pretty long series; for example, Virgin River has 19 books and I’ve read them all. I’ve read about half of the Westcott series, but I really felt like I was slogging through this book. The entire first chapter is just introducing the family and all those characters from previous books. Then it seems like every time one of them is mentioned, there is a brief explanation of their circumstances or relationship, making this a very slow read for me.

I liked the characters, at least the main characters, and their story was a good one. Lydia is a young widow of the church vicar. Her husband was a charismatic and fervent leader, which led him to make some interesting life choices. He was also very good looking, and Lydia fell head over heels for him. But the marriage wasn’t a happy one, not that anyone ever suspected. He called her his “helpmeet” and made her feel as if her only purpose was to serve him and God. She wasn’t allowed to think or feel or have friends outside the church.

Lydia is much beloved in this small village. The vicar died while saving a child from drowning, elevating him to practically saint status – along with his widow. But it’s been more than a year, and it is time for Lydia to start living her life. She refused to move home with her father and brothers, and instead purchased a small cottage at the end of town where she lives alone, without even a servant. So when Harry is seen entering her home, then again at night, the scandal is real.

Harry is turning thirty, and his enormous family wants him to come to London. He doesn’t want to go, he doesn’t want a birthday party, and he really doesn’t want his family picking out a wife for him. He does attend the local parties he is invited to, and he finally meets Lydia, whose cottage is basically at the end of the driveway that leads to his estate. He ends up walking her home where she blurts out a few remarks about loneliness, and intimates that she would be open to taking Harry as a lover.

This is a small village, but Harry is intrigued. Lydia is not the woman he thought she was, a shy, retiring, invisible helpmeet. And he likes her. Things progress but there is that scandal, which in these times means marriage. But Lydia refuses him.

Lydia loves her freedom and independence. For the first time in her life, she is making all her own decisions and has some women friends. She is not willing to give that up to “obey” another husband.

We all know how this ends, and there is enough interesting backstory to keep the story moving, although all those pesky relatives slow things down too much for my taste. I think it is time I retired from reading this series. Probably.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SOMEONE TO CHERISH by Mary Balogh. Berkley (June 29, 2021). ISBN: 978-1984802415. 416 pages.

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INSTANT ATTRACTION by Jill Shalvis

August 29, 2021

Wilder, Book 1

From the publisher:

The first in a sensational new series, Jill Shalvis introduces Cameron, Stone, and T.J. Wilder—three bad-boy heroes who effortlessly mix breathtaking adventure and scorching sex appeal…

Get Wild… And Then Get Wilder…

Accountant Katie Kramer is a quintessential good girl—working hard, recycling diligently, all the while trying to ignore the feeling that she doesn’t fit in anywhere. That’s all she wants. Well, that—and amazing sex, and the kind of daredevil escapade she can look back on when she’s crunching numbers in a dusty cubicle. Which explains why she just took a job in Wishful, California, working for Wilder Adventures and Expeditions. Waking up to find a magnificently built stranger towering over her bed—that part defies explanation…

After wandering the planet for months following a life-changing accident, Cameron Wilder has come back to the only home he knows. Under other circumstances, he might be thrilled to find a gorgeous woman sleeping in his cabin, but now, while he’ll risk his body taking clients on adrenaline-drenched excursions, his heart is off limits. Still, Katie’s killer smile triggers something deep in his gut… among other places. Showing her how exhilarating it can be to stop balancing her life as if it was a checkbook is the biggest rush he’s ever felt—and an adventure Katie’s wishing would never end…

Cam was an Olympic snowboarder until a horrific accident left him unable to compete on a professional level anymore. He made tons of money, but is just devastated that the life he lived was no longer. He wanders the globe for a year, until he finally comes home to his brothers and their adventure business. But when he goes into his cabin, dead tired and wanting nothing more than a bed, he finds a beautiful young woman sleeping there. Too tired to even discuss it, he calls her Goldilocks then falls asleep in the chair.

Katie has also had a life changing experience when the bridge she was driving on collapsed, and she was the only survivor. Determined to start a new life, she jumps in her car and heads north to Wishful. There she gets a temporary job as a bookkeeper for the adventure company. Determined to live her life to the fullest, she also wants adventure and good sex, and guess what: she finds it.

Cam has always had groupies and never had an actual relationship, but there is something about Katie. She isn’t looking for a relationship, just good sex. But of course, they both find love and a way to help one another heal.

This is a very hot romance with interesting characters and some humor. I loved it, and immediately read the rest of the trilogy. Reviews to follow.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

INSTANT ATTRACTION by Jill Shalvis. Kensington; Reprint edition (March 27, 2018). ISBN: 978-1496720832. 320 pages.

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THE MIXTAPE by Brittainy Cherry

August 28, 2021

From the publisher:

Since the death of his twin brother, Oliver’s caught between pleasing his fans and finding himself. Emery finds him first.

Emery has never felt more alone. Raising her daughter is both her pleasure and her pain as she struggles to hold on to her job as a bartender and keep a roof over their heads. With no one to help them―no support system―any unexpected expense or late bill could turn their whole world upside down.

Reeling from the death of his twin brother and bandmate, rock star Oliver Smith is trying to drink his problems away. Apparently he isn’t very good at it; they follow him wherever he goes. Also in hot pursuit are the paparazzi, who catch Oliver at his lowest low.

He could have walked into any bar in California, but he walked into hers. Emery helps Oliver lose the crowd, and they find themselves alone: two people whose paths are marked with loss and pain. However, they hold an unshakable hope for healing. They find solace together, but can their love withstand the world?

I haven’t heard about mixtapes for decades, so I was intrigued. It is used as almost a device for communicating by these characters.

Oliver is drowning in guilt about his twin brother’s death and after six months of mourning, he is convinced it is time to get up on stage and perform again. Except he has a panic attack, takes off and ends up in a nearby dive bar. But once the crowd realizes who he is, things get ugly and the bartender, Emery, hustles everyone out and sneaks him out the back door. The only problem is that Oliver is completely wasted, but Emery gets him into her car, figuring she’ll just take him home. But after he pukes, he passes out and she has no idea where he lives. She brings him home with her, and when he wakes up in the morning with a mother of a hangover, she takes him home. That’s the meet-cute and while it wasn’t super cute, it was super effective.

Emery has a young daughter and her life revolves around her. Money is super tight, and even more so when the bar owner fires her for closing early and not collecting on all the tabs. Oliver finds out and offers her a job as his personal chef for an obscene amount of money, and things start looking up.

Emery has an interesting back story. Her family is super religious, but they are intolerant people, to say the least. Her sister is her best friend, but she’s been off “finding herself.” Emery struggles without that support, but Oliver quickly steps in to become that person for her.

Oliver has a girlfriend, but she is beyond awful. He is too depressed to do anything about it for a while. Meanwhile, Oliver and Emery become friends – and then more.

This was a really good romance with lots of angst and drama, which really makes the pages fly. It is not your typical romance novel, but has a lot more depth to it. I loved it.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE MIXTAPE by Brittainy Cherry. Montlake (July 1, 2021). ISBN: 978-1542018364. 335 pages.

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Paul Lane

August 27, 2021

I was saddened to learn that my friend, Paul Lane, passed away.

I met Paul when he started working at the library with me. It was his second career; he had retired from a job in international sales and was bored. He was fluent in Spanish as his sales job took him to Latin America, and his wife was from Mexico. He worked full time at the library for many years, and finally retired for the second time a few years ago. But never one to sit around and do nothing, he volunteered with the Palm Beach County Sherriff’s department and wrote book reviews for my website.

Paul was an avid reader. We talked books for hours and hours (while working!) For many years, he refused to read any books in a series, but eventually he caved. Some of his favorite authors were Daniel Silva, David Rosenfelt, Steve Berry, Vince Flynn, Jeff Lindsay, Ben Coes, and so many more. He loved mysteries and thrillers and historical fiction, and when those were combined into one book, he was so happy!

Paul loved his wife and his family. While his life was cut short, his memory will live on.

Rest in peace, my friend. And thanks for all the reviews.

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SUMMER OF NO ATTACHMENTS by Lori Foster

August 26, 2021

From the publisher:

Summer flings with no strings mean nobody gets hurt.

At least, that was the plan…

After putting the brakes on her dead-end relationship, local veterinarian Ivey Anders is ready to soak up this summer on her own terms. The way she sees it, no dating means no disappointment.

Why complicate life with anything long-term? But when she meets Corbin Meyer—and his troubled young son, Justin—Ivey’s no-strings strategy threatens to unravel before she can put it into practice.

Trust doesn’t come easy for Ivey’s best friend, Hope Mage, a veterinary-clinic assistant who’s affected by an incident that’s colored every relationship she’s had. Though Hope’s happy for Ivey, she can’t quite open her own heart to the possibility of love. Not just yet… Maybe not ever. Soon, however, she’s faced with a dilemma—Corbin’s older brother, Lang. He’s charming, he’s kind…and he may just be the reason Hope needs to finally tear down her walls.

And as the sweet summer months unspool, the two friends discover love won’t give up on them so easily.

This is a standalone double romance with a lot of heart. The main romance is Ivey’s; after two fairly uneventful and boring years, Ivey dumps the man who didn’t thrill her. A successful veterinarian, she decides she’d rather be single than be with someone who does nothing for her. He’s not a bad guy, just uninterested in her and frankly, she’s not too interested in him either. Until she breaks up with him – then he decides maybe they should be together but she isn’t having any part of it.

Corbin is a newcomer to this small town, and very good looking. He comes with a teenage son, and soon his older brother Lang comes to stay. Ivey and Corbin have some chemistry, which gets her to rethink her idea of a summer with no attachments. Corbin just learned he had a son when an old girlfriend drops him off and says adios. He is shocked, but happy, and is trying hard to build a relationship with his son.

Ivey’s vet assistant, Hope, is also her best friend. Hope is extremely shy, especially around men, because of an issue with her sister’s fiancé. But for some reason, Corbin’s brother appeals to her. He treats her with such kindness she can’t help but be drawn to him. Ivey is so happy for her friend as she is finally coming out of her shell.

Both romances work well here, and there is enough drama and laughter to keep the pages turning. Another terrific read from one of my favorite authors.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

SUMMER OF NO ATTACHMENTS by Lori Foster. HQN; Original edition (June 22, 2021). ISBN: 978-1335459893. 336 pages.

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THE DATING PLAYBOOK by Farrah Rochon

August 25, 2021

The Rajes, Book 3

From the publisher:

When a personal trainer agrees to fake date her client, all rules are out the window in this “fun, heartfelt, and totally relatable” romantic comedy (Abby Jimenez, NYT bestselling author of Life’s Too Short).

When it comes to personal training, Taylor Powell kicks serious butt. Unfortunately, her bills are piling up, rent is due, and the money situation is dire. Taylor needs more than the support of her new best friends, Samiah and London. She needs a miracle.

And Jamar Dixon might just be it. The oh-so-fine former footballer wants back into the NFL, and he wants Taylor to train him. There’s just one catch—no one can know what they’re doing. But when they’re accidentally outed as a couple, Taylor’s game plan is turned completely upside down. Is Jamar just playing to win . . . or is he playing for keeps?

PopSugar: Best Summer Reads of 2021
BookBub: Best Romance Books of Summer
Washington Post: Romance Novels to Read This Summer
Oprah Daily: Most Anticipated Romances of 2021

This is the second book of a no-named series, although it works well as a standalone, too. Although I loved the first book so much, I shouldn’t even tell you that, but if you can, please go read The Boyfriend Project. It made my best books of the year list for 2020.

This book has an added bonus for me; it’s a sports romance, which I love. Jamar has been booted from the NFL after his first year due to a serious injury. None of the teams want to take a chance on him, despite his surgeon’s clearing him to play. Determined to get back to the sport he loves, but wanting to avoid publicity about it, he decides to find a trainer to work with him from outside the NFL bubble. Jamar has seen Taylor’s boot camp style workouts online and besides thinking she’s pretty hot, thinks she is just the woman who can kick his butt back to the NFL. He shows up at one of her popup classes and impresses her when he can do one armed burpees. They chat after, and eventually he talks her into being his personal trainer.

Taylor loves what she does, but the business end of things sucks. She is losing money hand over fist and desperately needs an infusion of cash to pay her bills. She hasn’t gotten a couple of jobs she really wanted because she never went to college. It becomes apparent fairly quickly that something is up about that.

These characters were so well developed that I couldn’t help but care about them. Taylor has all kinds of family drama and Jamar has some serious guilt going on in his backstory. Even though they agree that they cannot be romantically involved, they end up in a fake relationship for the media attention. Which of course eventually turns into a hot romance.

I loved this story and these characters and I can’t wait for the next book in this series! Just wish it had a name.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

THE DATING PLAYBOOK by Farrah Rochon. Forever (August 17, 2021). ISBN: 978-1538716670. 384 pages.

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HITCHED TO THE GUNSLINGER by Michelle McLean

August 24, 2021

Gunslinger, Book 1

Gray “Quick Shot” Woodson is the fastest gun west of the Mississippi. Unfortunately, he’s ready to hang up his hat. Sure, being notorious has its perks. But the nomadic lifestyle―and people always tryin’ to kill you―gets old real fast.

Now he just wants to find a place to retire so he can spend his days the way the good Lord intended. Staring at the sunset. And napping.

When his stubborn horse drags him into a hole-in-the-wall town called Desolation, something about the place calls to Gray, and he figures he might actually have a shot at a sleepy retirement.

His optimism lasts about a minute and a half.

Soon he finds himself embroiled in a town vendetta and married to a woman named Mercy. Who, judging by her aggravating personality, doesn’t know the meaning of her own name. In fact, she’s downright impossible.

But dang it if his wife isn’t irresistible. If only she’d stop trying to steal his guns to go after the bad guys herself.

There goes his peace and quiet…

This was a very different read for me. It’s an historical cowboy romance, and I really loved it!

Gray is a gunslinger who has the reputation of being unstoppable, with a trail of dead bodies behind him to prove it. Turns out he “accidentally” got into it when he was defending himself. He learned to shoot as a child, and is quite skilled, but he is really tired of people trying to kill him just for the prestige of it.

Gray ends up in the little town of Desolation, where he meets Mercy. She offers him a place to sleep and meals if he will help her with one of her neighbors. It seems the man is trying every which way to get his hands on the property she just inherited when her father passed away. He tries proposing, threatening, offering money, but she doesn’t want to sell. Gray agrees to basically be her bodyguard, but when push comes to shove, Mercy blurts out that he is her fiancé, and the fake romance takes off.

Gray is a bit of a curmudgeon, and all he is really interested in is food and napping, but Mercy is a terrible cook and his naps keep getting interrupted. When he ends up shooting the gun out Mercy’s nemesis’s hand, the whole town is intrigued. But the sheriff is scared and takes off in the middle of the night. Gray is offered the position, which he finds hilarious as he’s always been on the wrong side of the law but eventually he takes it. And he soon learns what it means to be accepted, by a woman and a town.

Mercy and Gray marry, and he soon learns that caring about people may be dangerous to his health. Things come to a head with a shootout in the streets and of course, the happy ending. This was a really fun read, a hot romance, and I couldn’t put it down. Really looking forward to the next book in this series!

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HITCHED TO THE GUNSLINGER by Michelle McLean. Entangled: Amara (August 24, 2021). ISBN: 978-1649370228. 1330 pages.

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PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA by Jenn McKinlay

August 23, 2021

From the publisher:

A thirty-year-old woman retraces her gap year through Ireland, France, and Italy to find love—and herself—in this hilarious and heartfelt novel.

It’s been seven years since Chelsea Martin embarked on her yearlong postcollege European adventure. Since then, she’s lost her mother to cancer and watched her sister marry twice, while Chelsea’s thrown herself into work, becoming one of the most talented fundraisers for the American Cancer Coalition, and with the exception of one annoyingly competent coworker, Jason Knightley, her status as most successful moneymaker is unquestioned.

When her introverted mathematician father announces he’s getting remarried, Chelsea is forced to acknowledge that her life stopped after her mother died and that the last time she can remember being happy, in love, or enjoying her life was on her year abroad. Inspired to retrace her steps—to find Colin in Ireland, Jean Claude in France, and Marcelino in Italy—Chelsea hopes that one of these three men who stole her heart so many years ago can help her find it again.

From the start of her journey nothing goes as planned, but as Chelsea reconnects with her old self, she also finds love in the very last place she expected.

One of Popsugar’s Best New Books for Summer 2020

I recently read this author’s newest book, Wait for It, which I liked a lot so I poked around my Kindle and found this book that somehow I missed last year. Have I mentioned that I have over 5000 books on my Kindle? So easy for stuff to get lost. I try and keep it organized as best as I can, but sometimes books fall through the cracks. As this one did.

Chelsea has had a really hard time managing her grief after her mother’s death from pancreatic cancer. It’s been several years and she is still mired in it. When her father announces he is remarrying, she doesn’t handle it well, to say the least. Her family points out that she has lost her joy and she decides the best way to find her old self again is to return to Europe.

Seven years earlier Chelsea had taken a gap year and worked in several different countries in Europe, before being called home when her mother became ill. She fell in love three times; in Ireland, Paris, and Italy. She hasn’t been able to get in touch with any of the men other than Marcellino from Italy, but she decides to take a leave of absence from her job and see if she can find her joy with these men.

It’s an interesting trip, especially when her nemesis from work shows up. Jason is helping on a big account but she never expected him to show up in person. They don’t get along at all and have very different working styles. But come together they must for this new client.

Meanwhile, her European romances are not at all what she was expecting, but luckily, Jason is helpful with all that. Much to her surprise, Chelsea realizes he is not the bad guy she thought he was.

This is an enemies-to-lovers romance and a very good one. There is a lot of humor here, as well as bits that made me cry, or as they say, it has all the feels. Highly recommend!

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA by Jenn McKinlay. Berkley (July 21, 2020). ISBN: 978-0593101353. 352 pages.

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A DOCTOR FOR THE COWBOY by Amy Andrews

August 22, 2021

American Extreme Bull Riders Tour, Book 4

Cocky, young Aussie bull rider Troy Jensen has been busted down to the pro-circuit. He needs wins and points to get him back into the big league and a shot at being crowned champ but an injury forces him off the circuit and into the arms of the woman fate keeps putting in his path.

The first time local Doc Joss Garrity meets Troy, she’s brandishing a lug wrench. The second time, he’s dragging her delinquent teen son home. The third time, he’s in her ER. How he ends up convalescing at her house she’s not quite sure. But it does make it hard to ignore him and their simmering attraction.

As Troy gets to know Joss, he starts to see a life after bull riding for the first time. But can Joss risk her heart on another man who may not come home one day?

This is a book I got for free through BookBub, which I’ve mentioned several times over the past few years so I won’t go into it again other than to say if you like free or very inexpensive ebooks, check it out.

I was in the mood for a cowboy romance, and this one really fit the bill. Troy is a bull rider and one of the best, until he gets injured. Then he has to work his way back to the top rodeo circuit by winning in the lower ranks. He’s new in town and spots a woman on the side of the road beating the hell out of a tire with a giant wrench. Amused, he stops to help.

Joss is a very independent woman who happens to have a flat tire. She is quite capable of changing a tire, except she can’t loosen the lug nuts. She reluctantly lets Troy help, and they go their separate ways. She is a young widow who lives with her teenage son and her father-in-law.

Joss’s son has entered the surly, bored and looking for trouble stage. Troy catches him rifling through his truck and recognizes something of himself in the teen. He decides the best recourse is to take him home and he is shocked to see the mom is none other than Joss. She is touched that he bothered to bring him home instead of just calling the police.

The next time they run into each other is in the hospital. Joss is a doctor, and Troy ends up in the ER. The next thing he knows, Joss’s father-in-law invites him to stay and recuperate in their home. Joss and Troy have a strong attraction, but she is leery of a cowboy who does such dangerous work and doesn’t want to get involved. But of course she does. Until she sees him at the rodeo and realizes that she just can’t deal with the danger.

Troy is in love with Joss and knows he has to do something to win her back. He makes the ultimate gesture and they find their happy ending, the whole family in fact. For a short book, the character development was surprisingly good. This was a terrific hot cowboy romance and I really enjoyed it. Hoping to read more of this author.

8/2021 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

A DOCTOR FOR THE COWBOY by Amy Andrews. Tule Publishing; 2nd edition (August 8, 2017). ASIN: B072JY9V5K. 180 pages.

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