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Sullivan’s Crossing, Book 3

As per my usual, I stumbled across this book, loved the cover (isn’t it pretty?) and started reading. Yes, I occasionally do judge a book by its cover. Unfortunately, this is the third book in a romance series that is probably best read in order. I was a bit lost, but I liked it enough to go find the first two books, What We Find (2016) and Any Day Now (2017) and read those. Then it all came together for me and I am happy to report that this is a terrific series.

Dakota Jones has just gotten out of the army and isn’t really sure what he wants to do with his life. Like most soldiers, he has baggage aplenty so he decides to move to the small Colorado town where his brother and sister have landed. He finds himself enjoying reconnecting with his siblings and really likes the peaceful atmosphere of the small town, the friendly people and the surrounding mountains.

Dakota’s not planning on hanging around for too long, though, until he meets Sid Shandon, a bartender who seems immune to his charms. Meanwhile, there are a couple of other women who find him most appealing and make for an interesting subplot with the lengths they will go to date him. Sid and Dakota both have really interesting backstories and it is fun watching them make those discoveries and fall in love.

5/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

THE FAMILY GATHERING by Robyn Carr. MIRA (April 17, 2018). ISBN 978-0778330769.  352p.

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Sullivan’s Crossing, Book 2

This sequel to What We Find is a wonderful story again set at Sullivan’s Crossing, where the Colorado and Continental Divide trails converge. The first book was centered around Cal Jones, and this one is about his sister, Sierra.

Sierra’s had a troubled life,and she lands at her brother’s place for a brief stop – or so she thinks. Growing up, the siblings had parents that were difficult. Their father suffers from possible schizophrenia, and their mother spends all her time protecting him. He self medicates and refuses any traditional therapies. They traveled a lot, living on communes before ending up on a farm. Because Sierra was the youngest, she was alone with them for a while. She ended up a drug addict, but after a stint in rehab she is ready to start over. Unfortunately, she has a bit of a stalker issue as well.

Sullivan’s Landing is run by Maggie’s father, Sully, and he takes a shine to Sierra and she to him. He is the father figure she always wanted. She helps out at the store to earn her campsite and meets Connie, a firefighter and rescue worker. She is not ready for a relationship, and he is willing to take it as slow as she likes.

There is a lot of meat to this story, it is not the usual fluffy rom-com type romance. I really liked this characters, Carr does a terrific job of creating three dimensional characters that I couldn’t help get invested in. This was an excellent addition to the series.

5/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

ANY DAY NOW by Robyn Carr. MIRA; Reprint edition (February 20, 2018). ISBN 978-0778331186.  400p.

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Sullivan’s Crossing, Book 1

This is the first book in a wonderful series, and I made the mistake of reading the third book first. I definitely felt like I was missing too much, so went back and read this one next. I’m very happy I did.

Maggie Sullivan is a neurosurgeon in Denver who is beyond stressed. An emergency car accident leaves some teens in big trouble, and triage indicates one could wait longer than the others. Unfortunately, Maggie was the one who made the call and his family is now suing her for malpractice.

With her practice shut down, Maggie decides to get out of town and decompress while the lawsuit plays out, so she goes home to Sullivan’s Crossing, the campground her father owns and run in rural Colorado at the crossroads of the Colorado and the Continental Divide Trails. It’s a family business, passed down from one generation to the next and includes a general store as well. I have to say that I really enjoyed the bits about hiking and camping as my husband does both, and I felt like I gained a bit of insight into something he is so passionate about.

Cal Jones is a camper that’s not in any kind of rush to hit the trail. So when Maggie’s father becomes somewhat incapacitated, Cal steps up to help out. Maggie is suspicious of the stranger and his motivation, but eventually his kindness and laid back demeanor win her over. Eventually, they realize they belong together and I totally enjoyed watching their journey to get to their happily ever after. Book 2 up next!

5/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

WHAT WE FIND by Robyn Carr. MIRA; Reprint edition (February 28, 2017). ISBN 978-0778319788.  400p.

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Guthrie Brothers Series, Book 2

This book is the perfect example of one of the best reasons to visit a library, and why I love my job. While helping a patron find a book, I noticed this one on the shelf and grabbed it. Serendipity, baby – Amazon can’t do that!

Violet Shaw is a tough single woman running her own restaurant. Hogan Guthrie is a single dad with the world’s best teenage son. He’s fairly new in town, working as an accountant by day and as the barbeque master at Violet’s diner on the weekends. They continually butt heads but in a fun way.

Hogan had lost his wife, but he would have left her if she lived. She was cheating on him and on her way to meet her lover when she died. Father and son have had a lot to deal with, and moving to this small town to the house next door to Hogan’s brother has helped the healing process for both of them.

There is a lot of sexual tension betewen Violet and Hogan, but she is keeping her distance. One of the ways Hogan dealt with his pain was by sleeping around – a lot. But a year has gone by and he realizes he needs to set a better example for his son and he gives up the chase. Violet, on the other hand, is a temptation that is getting harder to resist.

I really enjoyed this book. Besides the Violet/Hogan romance, there is a secondary romance featuring the sheriff and his mysterious neighbor that adds a little bit of a mystery, and Hogan’s son has a sweet romance, too. All good stuff and a very good read.

5/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

WORTH THE WAIT by Lori Foster. HQN Books (July 25, 2017). ISBN 978-0373789672.  384p.

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Love Games, Book 1

I usually enjoy contemporary romances that involve sports, and this book really takes it to the next level. Usually these types of books revolve around a pro athlete and their athleticism. Occasionally the female protagonist is also an athlete, or a trainer or a physical therapist, but here our heroine, Kate Snyder, is a former Olympian and the winningest women’s college basketball coach, and she rules the school. Until they hire a new football coach for their last place football team.

Danny McMillan is a former pro quarterback who was fired from his Division 1 college coaching position for a number of infractions, including having an affair with a student. True, she was a grad student and certainly of age, but that was just the icing on the cake. He was made an example of, and it rankles. He takes the job but there’s a morals clause in his contract.

Kate is pissed because the new football coach is being paid way more than she is but her contract is coming up for renewal and she knows the latest national championship means she’ll be able to get the big money. But she decides to hate the new coach anyway. Danny is shocked to find he is strongly attracted to Coach Snyder, she’s not his usual type but he can’t help himself. The university wants to play up their animosity and they oblige, until their feelings for one another threaten both their jobs.

This was a really fun read with a bit of sex thrown in here and there. But it’s the terrific characters that drive this story and it’s a good one. Seeing a strong woman come out on top makes me happy.

5/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

LOVE GAME by Maggie Wells. Sourcebooks Casablanca (February 6, 2018). ISBN 978-1492651499.  384p.

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The Lakeshore Chronicles, Book 3

This third entry into this wonderful series centers around the town mayor, Nina Romano. A teenage mother, her own daughter is now a teenager and off to college and Nina is a bit at loose ends. That combined with a town scandal, she decides she’s had enough of being mayor and is determined to follow her dream of restoring and running the Inn at Willow Lake.

The bank makes her a deal; they will put her in charge of the project and once it is up and running, she will qualify for a small business loan and the bank will sell her the inn. Except right before this is all going to happen, someone else buys the inn out from under her. Greg Bellamy, newly single dad to two kids who also happens to be Nina’s teenage crush. Nina is furious and feels she’s been double-crossed, but Greg doesn’t understand. He just knows he needs her to run the place and wants to renegotiate her contract.

Once Nina gets past her anger, she realizes the increase in salary will make her life easier, plus she now has the home she’s always wanted, the apartment above the boat house with the fabulous views – which include the house where Greg and his children are now living. Romance is in the air but they both are fighting it every step of the way.

I’m enjoying this series but one thing is sort of bugging me – it seems like every one of these romances in these first three books of the series are about first loves coming full circle back to happily ever after. I know there is something special about a first love, but I also think it is rare that it is the only way to happily ever after. But not in these books – it’s the only way. I’m curious to see if the next few books follow this same pattern.

4/18 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch™

DOCKSIDE by Susan Wiggs. MIRA; Reissue edition (June 22, 2010). ISBN 978-0778329640. 400p.