ARC Review: Return (Stingrays Hockey #6)

Return (Stingrays Hockey #6)

Mari Carr

Blurb:

His comeback was supposed to be behind the bench—until she put his heart back in play.

Dean Fields thought he’d already played his final hockey period.

Forced to retire at twenty-nine after a brutal, career-ending injury, Dean traded skates for a clipboard, grinding his way through assistant coaching jobs across the league. He built a life in the shadows of the game he loved—controlled, disciplined, safe. Because if hockey had taught him anything, it was how quickly everything you want can be taken from you.

Coming back to Baltimore as head coach of the Stingrays was supposed to be just another step forward. It wasn’t supposed to bring her back into his life.

Vivian Hale had once been off-limits in every possible way—his teammate’s little sister, too young, too bright, and already falling for someone else. Dean had noticed her anyway. Always. But timing had been cruel, and by the time he understood what he felt, she was gone—married, building a life that had no place for him.

Now she’s back too.

Five years a widow, raising her spirited daughter Pip on her own, Vivian has spent long enough grieving the life she lost—and convincing herself it was enough. Love was something she had. Something she buried. Something she wasn’t sure she’d ever risk again.

But Dean isn’t the same man she once knew. And she isn’t the girl who watched him from afar.

What starts as familiarity—shared history, old almosts, quiet understanding—quickly turns into something deeper, something impossible to ignore. This time, there are no rules about teammates or timing. Only fear, second chances… and a little girl who might just change everything.

Dean never believed he’d get a shot at the life he once ruled out.

Vivian never thought she’d want one again.

But sometimes, the hardest thing isn’t moving on—

It’s allowing yourself to return.

Themes: Contemporary, Hockey

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

It’s always wonderful to see two people that have been friends for so long finally look at one another and see so much more, realizing that their connection can become so much more. Mari Carr has an ability to take us on an adventure through the lives of her characters as they go through the emotional changes and allow us to experience the way their hearts change and grow right there with them. At the end of the previous novel that Vivian was coming out of her shell off and her longstanding period of mourning after losing her first husband. I was very concerned that it would be too much for her and she might have to back away from her budding romance, but turns out that wasn’t the problem in this story at all. I enjoyed following along with these two as they both worked through all of their fears and past mistakes in order to find their way to one another and their HEA. I am dying for the next story and can’t wait to find out which of these hockey hotties will find love and get their world shaken as they find the woman that will change their lives forever.

Dean Fields has devoted his entire life to hockey, even at the expense of a relationship with his daughter as she grew up, but now that he is the coach of the team he is able to change his life a bit. Vivian Hale has lived and lost a lot in her young life, she’s a scientist by trade, a widow with a young daughter, and sister to a hockey star, but she has just recently begun to wonder if she has forgotten that she is also still simply a woman. When a hot night in Boston put Vivi and Dean together, neither of them ever conceived of the way their lives would change and the needs it would bring to the surface for them both. Now they are both finding that the deeper they get into their secret relationship the more their feelings get involved, so the question becomes will the relationship be sustainable or will they decide it was simply a fling? And if they decide to keep their relationship going are they able each get over their pasts in order to have a meaningful future or will their fears forever stand in their way?

Dean and Vivi were both interesting and multilayered characters with serious issues to work through individually and together so that they were able to have a relationship together. Dean has lived his entire life for his career, even though he did what he thought was best in difficult situations, but now he is having regrets and fears that he truly let down people that he cared about in the past. He forfeited a deep relationship with his daughter while she grew up, providing for her, but not really being there for her and now he is questioning if that makes him the type of man that doesn’t deserve to be a father. While he is a sweet, caring, smart, and brave guy, he  doesn’t always think the straightest when it comes to his irrational fears he allows them to drive him to make dumb decisions. Vivian is the best kind of heroine, one that has had far too much thrown at her in life, but she is finally allowing herself to come out of her mourning and get back to her life. She is determined to stop allowing her loss to drive her future especially when she has a man that is offering her an ecstasy and chance at a future that she wants again, one filled with love and happiness. She is intelligent, sassy, charming, loving, and watching her with her family show us that she is the lynchpin of her family and always will be.

Return is truly a story of two people that are rejoining the relationship world by jumping into the deep end all at once and finding love together. A widow with a young daughter that has finally decided to allow herself to fall in love and move forward to live life once again, and in doing so finds herself losing her heart to the most unexpected of men. Vivian had a crush on Dean years ago when she first met him, but after falling in love then losing that love, she never imagined that crush could become so much more once she allowed herself to open her heart to him again and give their love a chance. Dean never looked at Vivian as anything more than a sweet young woman and his teammate and friends little sister, but once he does look at Vivian as a woman, his eyes are no longer able to see her as anything but the most interesting and beautiful creature he’s ever seen. However, with the mistakes he’s made in the past he’s not sure he deserves Vivian and Pip or the happiness that he feels building a life with them, so he’ll have to let his past go in order to forgive himself and have a chance of that beautiful future. The passion between Dean and Vivi is there from the very first moment, even when they are hiding it from those around them, and it is obvious that fire will continue burning in their relationship long into the future. I’m dying for the next story in this series because with each story it only gets better and better, but I expect nothing less from Mari Carr, especially when it involves hot hockey players.

 *eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: Pretend it's Forever (The Cage Family #5)

Pretend it's Forever (The Cage Family #5)

Carrie Ann Ryan

Blurb:

Sophia Cage doesn’t need a protector—she needs a night to pretend her world didn’t splinter. After her world burned, she found herself a single mom, a struggling dance studio owner, and unable to do the one thing that had brought her out of the darkness.

Dance.

When Carson walks into her life, all she can see is the broken person she’d been when they’d first met. She’s stronger than the ghosts of her past, at least that’s what she tells herself. Yet with each accidental encounter with the mysterious and dangerous man who’s inserted himself into the Cage family orbit, she’s finding it harder to walk away.

Carson Woods doesn’t trust people. He’s spent his life protecting his sister from their family and the world all while making sure his businesses are the best in their fields.

Then he meets her.

One wrong move with the shattered yet pieced together Sophia could not only fracture his working relationship with the only friends he has but harm the woman he tells himself he cannot crave.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 3.75 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

I knew going into this that Sophia’s story was going to be filled with heartbreak and pain before she was able to heal and find her strength and power. Carrie Ann Ryan is the kind of author that knows how to build suspense, tear out a reader’s heart, and then show us all that the love we find in life the second time around is sometimes even deeper and more meaningful than what we think love is the first time. The Cage series is becoming so intense and complicated that I fear the ending of each story even as the love of each couple is fulfilled because we know that we will be getting a sneak peek of the trauma coming for the next couple. The love of a mother is shown strongly in this novel and it hits harder for me this time that in previous readings for me because I have recently gone no-contact with my own having finally come to the conclusion that some women truly just aren’t made to be mothers, while others will love and protect their offspring with their every waking breath until the end of their heart beats. I am looking forward to the next in this series as much as it terrifies knowing what is coming for Luna and Flynn, because their hearts and lives have some serious pain coming soon.

Sophia Cage Dixon has gone through a lot in her life working to become a principal dancer and then opening her dance studio, while trying to be the best mother and wife she could, but when her husband proves to be a bastard of the first order she has to rethink that portion of her life. Carson Woods first met Sophia at the lowest moment of her life and despite that he has never stopped wanting her, but he knows he has now chance with her. When he comes back into her life, quite by accident, Sophia doesn’t know how to handle the sexy and dangerous man, but she wants to handle him and she wants him to handle her. Willing to have one night together, both Sophia and Carson are not prepared for just how deep their feelings become and when it becomes so much more for them both, Carson breaks her heart in a vain attempt to protect them. However, sometimes it takes a brush with truly losing any hope at a future to make them both see that their love for one another is worth any fear and they give their relationship a true chance, but there is someone out there that doesn’t want Sophia to have a happy future and Carson and Sophia will have to face the ultimate fear once again to have a future together.

Pretend It’s Forever was one of those stories that move extremely quickly from the moment that Carson returns to Sophia’s life until the moment they are forced to admit their feelings for one another. I enjoyed getting to know Sophia a little bit more, but to be honest didn’t feel like I got to know her as much as I would have liked. While we learned about her past, her choices in life and how she is working get over her past relationship, I don’t feel like we got to know her as much as a woman as I would have likes, because it was obvious she was strong and willing to fight strongly for her life, but she didn’t fight as much for her hope for love or a relationship. Carson on the other hand I didn’t feel like I got to know much at all except as a brother and as a businessman, instead of a fully fleshed out character it seemed more like he was a surface character until the near end when we finally saw him wake up and admit his feelings for Sophia. I enjoyed the way he interacted with Sophia’s twins and his sister, and of course there were plenty of family interactions between the Cages and Woods, but in all I would have loved the book to be a bit longer for Sophia and Carson’s story to develop more. The passion was definitely there from the beginning and I can’t wait to see more of them in future stories when they return as a couple. I fear I will be sobbing my heart out when the next story begins after seeing the epilogue in this one (once again) because Carrie Ann insists on attempting to make us insane while we are forced to wait between stories. She truly is the most loveable of sadists!

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: Knight's Redemption (Sanctuary Falls #3)

Knight's Redemption (Sanctuary Falls #3)

Katie Reus

Blurb:

They met while he was undercover…

While working undercover, Cormac Knight fell for the wrong woman. Then he was forced to leave without a word in the middle of the night to keep them both safe. Even though he hasn’t contacted her since, she still haunts his dreams. When fate gives him a second chance, he’s determined to make things right—even if that means her starting a new life without him.

Then he left her behind…

Daniela has never forgiven Cormac for leaving the way he did. But she’s got problems of her own. She’s been trying to make a clean break from her criminal family for years, and now time is running out. When he suddenly appears out of nowhere and offers a way out, she cautiously takes the lifeline. Unfortunately, the chemistry between them is still off the charts. And if they’re not careful, that connection could get them and everyone they love killed.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

When we first got a peek into the world of the Knights we knew that these folks were going to blow us away as they took us on their romantic adventures, but honestly as we  get to see more and more of their family dynamics, the love, and the danger they not only live with, but seem to pursue, I hope this series continues for a long time. Katie Reus has been one of my favorite accidental finds ever since I stumbled across one of her Red Stone series over a decade ago and the more she writes, the more I look to devour. This new series began with a story about the first of the Knight siblings but I truly hope it continues for much longer in this fun and mysterious small town filled with characters that never fail to have us laughing and falling in love. Cormac and Daniela’s story began years ago and was sadly interrupted when their lives had to diverge for her safety and his work, but when she comes back into his life unexpectedly he refuses to walk away again and I am here for it. With this story all of the Knight siblings are now paired off but I’m hoping the series will continue and we will get to see more of these hilarious and talented operators and their friends in action.

Cormac Knight once fell in love with Daniela Ruiz while undercover, but when the time came he had to leave her behind for her safety and it was the worst mistake of his life and his biggest regret.  Daniela never forgot, or forgave, the man that left her abruptly but she has long suspected he wasn’t entirely what he seemed, especially considering who her family is.  Now she has killed a man and finds herself deeply inmeshed in a dangerous game to get herself free from the family that has for too long dictated the dangerous world she lived in and Cormac has returned to insert himself into her life once again.  Daniela isn’t willing to trust him with her heart again, but she knows that he can not only protect her but also help her accomplish the one goal she has in life—bringing down her father.  Racing against time and enemies, Cormac and his family are working to help Daniela to stay alive and get out from under the dangers she faces, but soon long buried secrets are uncovered and even darker perils come to light, leaving them all wondering if they can really win.  But the most important question to Cormac remains can he keep the woman he loves alive long enough to convince her to give him a second chance?

I truly loved seeing Cormac finally get his chance to reunite with Daniela because we could see in previous stories that he was not happy and that he was upset by something even though he was refusing to share what or why with his siblings until they stumbled across her picture in an investigation.  He was one of my favorite characters and I knew that when we finally got his story it was going to be one that we loved because he was the type of guy that I would love to have as a partner myself—loyal, loving, protective, supportive, brave, and sweet. He knows that he screwed up with Daniela the first time, but he is unwilling to leave her hanging in the breeze without the protection she needs even knowing she may not be willing to forgive him, and that in my mind is the true measure of a man and a partner.  Daniela is a bit of a wild card in the beginning, a woman that stands out from her family as the only one with any kind of moral code, ethics, or you know, emotions.  A family filled with killers, criminals, and sociopaths that seem to have no issue with killing friends and associates, placing family in jeopardy or using them just to get a leg up in their criminal enterprise, but she refused to ben a knee and instead has made it her mission to bring them to justice.  I enjoyed getting to know Daniela and seeing her in action as she integrated with the Knight family and their associates, instead finding her people on the right side of the moral line (even if they aren’t always fully on the legal side of the codes). Dani is smart, slick, sassy, loving, strong, and bold even to her own detriment at times but she is also smart enough to ask for help and to accept it when it is offered by the right people.  They truly were well matched and once they admitted that their love and blending of lives was perfectly done.

My favorite kind of hero is one that some might consider just this side of the morally gray line of things, but in this life we often have to blur those lines in order to protect those that need protection and that we love. I loved watching Cormac and Dani find their way back to one another and kicking metaphorical and actual butt as they managed to get through the dangers all around them and bring her family enterprise down once and for all.  There were so many twists and turns as they navigated the dangers coming at them from all sides and they learned secrets that had been buried for far too long, but in the end the greatest part was that they found their love again.  Cormac is the perfect broken hero, trying to find his way back to redeeming himself with the woman he hurt and proving himself to her, but also making sure that she is safe at all costs.  Dani never imagined she’d see Cormac again, but when he does return she is willing to use his expertise to get free from her family and start her life over, but she doesn’t ever imagine giving her heart to him again. Thankfully they both find a way to forgive and open their hearts to love again, because while safety and security are important the one goal to strive for in life is a deep and fulfilling love to support us as we live that life. The passion that is apparent between these two, whether in the present or when we get glimpses of their past, is one of those sparks that we know will settle into a beautiful and endearing fire to burn all through their lives.  I am hoping to see more of Dani and Cormac, along with all of the Knight siblings again, but if this was the end it was a beautiful one and Katie gave us everything we could have hoped for.

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Mini-Review: Just a Little Tempted (Sterling Family Crossover #3)

Just a Little Tempted (Sterling Family Crossover #3)

Carly Phillips, Erika Wilde

Blurb:

I never meant to fall for my boss.

When I was hired to be Simon’s assistant, everyone warned me he was impossible—brilliant, demanding, and obsessed with control. But after surviving two months of his rules and grumpy attitude, I’ve learned how to manage my boss. Maybe it’s my chaotic upbringing or the fact that I desperately need this job, but I can’t ignore the moments when his guarded edges soften… even if he pretends they don’t.

Then one nervous slip in front of a major client turns into a fake relationship neither of us can back out of. Now I’m Simon’s “girlfriend,” attending dinners, traveling for meetings, and sharing far too much close proximity with the man I’m not supposed to want. Pretending to belong to him shouldn’t feel real—but it does. And the hardest part isn’t keeping up the lie. It’s realizing I’m falling for him for real.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

The more a story makes you want to reach for a tissue, the greater that story inherently just has to have been and I can honestly say the tissues were for sure needed in this one. I thought going into this one that I’d be getting a cozy and sexy read to get me through my long holiday weekend, ushering in August and letting me return to the Sterling family world before the next full length Carly Phillips novel—but leave it to Carly and Erika Wilde to leave be sobbing for two chapters and then sniffling in the end. The story begins with grumpy boss Simon, having fired another assistant, reluctantly agreeing to hire his best friend’s little sister, Raina, who was fired and blackballed by her last boss because she refused to compromise her ethics. It doesn’t take long for Simon to not only start to rely on Raina, but he has to resist the attraction between them because her personality brings brightness to her life that has been greatly missing. When Simon takes her with him to a business function, hoping as his plus one she can support their goals of acquiring a new business deal, things get out of hand when she blurts that they are dating. Soon the fake dating becomes all too real because Simon decides there is no reason to continue to fight his attraction to her. But dating the boss is always a dangerous proposition, but falling in love with him might just be even more dangerous, especially when something goes awry on a big day and all of his old fears come to the forefront making him push her away. Can Simon get past his pain and fear enough to trust in Raina and their relationship, or will she walk away leaving him without his sunshine forever? I loved seeing Simon finally come out of his shell and find his softer side as Raina showed him that business is not the only thing, or even the more important thing in life. Raina knows that she is worth any effort and will not allow Simon to take advantage of her, but she loves him enough to allow him to make mistakes and then prove his love for her. Together they are a powerhouse in their business dealings, but more importantly they show a beautiful relationship can be found even with two people that have been hurt in the past if you are willing to open your heart again and tear down your walls to allow in those that are worth the risk. I am not sure if this series will continue but if it does I will put in my request now for Wren to get her own story because she seems like the perfect kind of character to get to know more. But either way, whatever Erika and Carly come up with next I know it will be magic and I’ll be the first in line to read it!

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.

ARC Mini-Review: Bones (Serpents of Chaos MC #6)

Bones (Serpents of Chaos MC #6)

Chantal Fernando

Blurb:

Bones is a walking red flag.

He’s one half of the enforcer twin duo for the Serpents of Chaos Motorcycle club.

But I didn’t know that when I met him.

He came in as my client.

And then he kidnapped me.

A great start to a relationship, right?

When his secrets slowly start coming out, I need to decide what my limits are.

My name is Meredith Shannon, and I’m a psychologist.

But not even I can fix this mess.

Themes:  Contemporary, Bikers

Rating: 3.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 So, it’s always a little bit worrying when you read the phrase “…he kidnapped me…” in the synopsis of a story, but knowing the character that was going to be driving the bus in this story I wasn’t as surprised as I probably should have been. We’ve been wondering for a little while now just how Bones was going to really react to his twin finding his woman and pulling away from their bond so that he could have his own relationship for the first time in their lives. Chantal Fernando has been taking on a crazy adventure through the minds and hearts of the Serpents of Chaos MC as they truly lived up to their name, bringing Chaos and craziness into the lives of the women in their town as they steal their hearts and teach them to love their men. Bones never thought he would be the kind of man to settle down with one woman, but when he sets eyes on psychologist Meredith she instantly sneaks under his skin. Instantly becoming his obsession, Meredith has no idea that the man that walks into her office seeking counseling on how to deal with the changes in his life will soon be on a mission to make her his. When Bones kidnaps Meredith, taking her to a remote location so they can spend time together and get to know one another, everyone in his life questions his sanity and choices, except ironically the psychologist who sees the beauty and vulnerability under his brash and bossy personality. Meredith is willing to give him a chance to be the man in her life, but can she really handle the true life of being an Old Lady, especially one of a twin that has a very unique relationship with his twin’s woman. There were a lot of twists and turns as Meredith and Bones had to deal with the emotional issues in their new and quickly changing relationship, but I enjoyed seeing them as they got to know one another and worked through everything together, especially with the help of their MC family. Bones was a crazy m-fer but we knew that already, so seeing the sweeter, somewhat quieter sides of him when it was just him and Meredith together was fabulous. Meredith had her own crazy side for sure, but she obvious was forced to use her years of training to look at Bones and her own feelings a lot as she was forced to deal with things she never imagined in her new world. Together they were magic and an insta-love that you never imagine when you read about kidnappers and their captives, but its obvious that Meredith had a good handle on what Bones needed and what she could offer him as his woman. I loved how Skull and Ilsa had to step in and be support for Bones when he makes a dumb mistake and almost lost Meredith, showing that the four of them will always be a family and the support that they need going forward. I am looking forward to seeing more of all of them in the new books and it’ll be fun to see Meredith as she analyzes these crazy bikers as they fall in love and FAFO in their futures. Thise series continues to be full of crazy and sensual fun and I cannot wait for Suit and Angel to meet their women and lose their hearts too.

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.

ARC mini-Review: Westward (Ashford Creek #3)

Westward (Ashford Creek #3)

Carrie Ann Ryan

Blurb:

Atlas Carter has it all.

One of the best careers in the NHL as a star goalie.

A family that sacrificed everything to get him where he is.

And a small town that praises him as their golden boy.

What he doesn’t have is the girl he left behind.

But when Atlas gets hurt and is forced to spend his recovery in Ashford Creek, he finally has a second chance.

Elizabeth loves her life—her small town, her family, and her job.

Only she knows she can’t love Atlas Carter.

They parted ways for a reason, and those who judge her from her town don’t need to know the truth. She knows what it feels like to have the town’s eyes on her when it comes to Atlas Carter. So when she finally gives in, she’s prepared for the heat.

At least that's what they both tell themselves. Because the season is almost here and choices will have to be made.

Only they aren’t the only two forced to make a choice. Somebody doesn’t want Atlas to return…and small towns keep their secrets for a reason.

Themes:  Contemporary

Rating: 4.25 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

 We always know that when we get a second-chance romance the pain and beauty of that love is going to be heart-wrenching but nobody manages that pain any better than Carrie Ann Ryan.  Glimpses of Atlas and Elizabeth in earlier stories told us that when we finally got to learn their story and see if they were going to get another chance we were going to be blown away and we were right.  Their story was surprising in many ways because there was none of the animosity of real trauma that you generally get when a couple splits and then is forced to remain in each other’s orbit.  Instead, Atlas and Lizzie found a way to bury their true feelings and present to the world that they were still friends and stayed supportive of one another.  Now Atlas is rethinking his whole life and wondering if it might be time to go after what he really needs to finally be complete in life—the woman that has always held his heart, even if he has to give up the one thing that has always driven his life. Elizabeth gave up the love of her life because she understood that they were heading in different directions and she came home to live her quiet and simple life, but now he is back and challenging her to give them another chance and see if they can’t move forward together. Their feelings have never gone away and as they learn one another now the passion is only deeper and hotter, but they both know that despite the fact that their love is strong there are tons of obstacles for them to overcome. Atlas was a sensual, strong, sweet, and caring character that stood strong with his family and defended those that needed were in need of protection while still showing the softness that Elizabeth needs in her life.  Elizabeth is a woman that has stood on her own, being a caretaker for most of her life so when her world shatters she needs a strong shoulder to lean on and Atlas is right there to support and help her to move through the pain and loneliness of her new existence, reminder her of her own inner strength and ability to stand up.  She is sassy, compassionate, daring, and strong-willed, unwilling to let anyone take advantage of those she loves or considers under her care.  I loved every moment of this story and seeing Atlas finally come to the understanding that he made a mistake so long ago and then take steps to correct that mistake and make sure that Elizabeth knows that she is the most important part of his life and will be forever, going forward. I am so looking forward to the next story in this series and hope that Teagan finally gets the chance to live her HEA and find a way to heal the pain that has kept her from moving forward in her life. This new spin-off series has quickly become one of my favorite of Ryan’s series and I am hoping it will last a long time to come.

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.

ARC Review: Before the Storm (Perfect Storm #5)

Before the Storm (Perfect Storm #5)

Mari Carr

Blurb:

One lie, one storm, and a night that rewrites all the rules.

Grayson has built his life on order—rows of perfect vines, strict schedules, and a reputation as the grouchy Storm brother. At twenty-seven he’s already a curmudgeon in work boots, a “get off my lawn” kind of man whose scowl does most of the talking. And nothing ruffles him more than Lark—one of his family’s wild, impulsive tasting-room assistants.

So when “Lark” joins him for a weekend wine festival, he braces for chaos. What he doesn’t expect is her sudden sweetness…or the way she blushes, or listens, or curls trustingly into him when a drunk festival-goer won’t take no for an answer. He saves her, shaken by the fierce urge to protect the woman he shouldn’t want.

But it isn’t Lark at all.

It’s Wren—her shy, bookish twin sister. The town’s quiet librarian who’s never broken a rule in her life…until now. Caught in her sister’s lie, sharing one hotel room—one bed—and far too much heat with a man she absolutely cannot want, Wren tries desperately to keep her distance. If Grayson learns the truth, Lark could lose her job. And Wren could lose something even more fragile: the only man who’s ever really looked at her.

Back home, Grayson is determined to forget the confusing attraction he felt for Lark—that is, until a chance encounter in the library reveals the unmistakable pull he can’t explain. Because something about the quiet twin feels achingly familiar…

Themes: Contemporary

Rating: 4.5 stars

Heat Rating: 

Review:

I love a good twin swap story b/c you never know what the consequences might be or when they will come for the perpetrator or the others that are affected by the swap, but you know there will be consequences.  Mari Carr addresses this beautifully in her newest novel in the Perfect Storm series, set on a beautiful mountain in Virginia outside of a small town that might be growing bigger but will never lose its small-town heart.  This series, revolving around the Storm family who are owners of a small empire of businesses that all surround food, beverages, and family, just continues to get more interesting and with each couple that comes together the family becomes a grander and more love-filled miracle. Mari manages to not only have you fall in love with each of the main couples but always reminds you why the love of family and friends is so important and prepares you for whatever craziness will be coming next as another Storm prepares to lose their hearts.  I am dying for the next story (Heart of the Storm) where the second twin might just find herself in the best kind of trouble and learn the value of true love and acceptance. You can’t go wrong with this series and should count yourself lucky to have experienced the love shown in each and every installment.

Grayson Storm is becoming a grumpy old man, withdrawing from his family and losing faith in ever finding the kind of love he’s watched his brothers and cousins find recently.  Now he is even having to cover a weekend festival for his brother, and he is stuck with Lark McCoy as his partner on the trip and that woman brings chaos and craziness wherever she goes, even if she is great at her job—when she manages to show up.  But Lark has made a mistake and now has to beg her twin, Wren, to take her place on the weekend festival trip, which is a real problem because while they may look exactly like Wren is nothing like her charismatic and chaotic sister. But now Wren and Grayson are reluctantly trapped together for the weekend, and their time together leads to several intriguing realizations, and they are all too soon developing feelings for one another.  But Grayson thinks she is “Lark” and life becomes suddenly very complicated as they are trying to navigate their feelings as Grayson tried to understand his feelings for two women and understand what is happening.  When the secret comes out and Grayson realizes that Wren is the one that is truly his love, will he be able to move past the deception and put in the work to prove to her that she is the one he wanted all along or will he have ruined any chance they could have at a relationship? And can they work through Wren’s trauma in order to let their love develop into a life together?

It was so much fun watching grouchy pessimistic Grayson come out of his shell and find a woman that would show him that just because he wants to lead a quiet life didn’t mean he had to be lonely or alone. After a couple of very difficult breakups in his past, where he was definitely taken advantage of, I can understand his feelings of not wanting to put himself back on the market, but I wanted to slap him for his hurtful treatment of Wren when she confessed to the swap and his unwillingness to listen and forgive in the beginning.  But once he was forced to understand that she wasn’t to blame and he listened to his heart, I loved watching him be the supportive, sweet, and dedicated man that he was obviously raised to be.  He is strong, sexy, and considerate, but most important his compassion for Wren and willingness to give her the time and space she needs to heal from her past. I suspected from the beginning that Wren’s past was going to be far too traumatic and triggering for me, but when we finally got her story, I had to reach for the tissues and stop reading for a bit.  It was clear that while she’d worked through some of her issues, she also buried so much of the pain and fear she needed someone or something to motivate her to really accept and work through the remainder of her suffering so she could heal. Her kindness and sweeter nature were evident, but she was also brave, vocal and resilient even when she was dealing with her past, because as she lost her heart to Grayson, she knew that the only way to keep him forever was to share her pain with him and purge that pain from her heart.

There was so much going on in this relationship that you have to wonder how Mari managed to work through everything, entertain us, and still give Grayson and Wren the HEA they so justly deserved.  Some stories just have to be told, and it was obvious to me that this was one of those because there was never a single moment, I wanted to put it down even when I was crying my eyes out. Grayson is the person Storm as his grouchy personality led him to assumptions that got him into trouble as he slowly lost his heart and soul to a woman that reminded him life was worth living and that she was the life he wanted to live. Wren’s fear has driven her life and kept her from reaching for what she wanted since she was hurt almost two decades earlier, but when Grayson offers her a chance, she will do whatever it takes to heal enough to have a life with the man that has shown her nothing but consideration, passion, and love. The slow-burning heat between Gray and Wren was so sweet and just what was needed for this story, but once they find a way to work through Wren’s issues that heat bursts into a bonfire that you can see from space. I loved every moment of their true love story, and I promise you will too, but if you are just finding the series I beg you to start at the very beginning and read all five so you can experience all the fabulous Storm siblings/cousins.  When Heart of the Storm hits my kindle I may just have to take the day off work because I’m not sure I could resist a binge read after reading Wren and Gray’s story because Lark and Jace are going to be wild I can guarantee that!

*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review.  No compensation was provided.