Tag: Hero-Duty • BookLikes

review 2014-06-03 00:00

received via NetGalley ARC

[bc:Hero Duty|21941069|Hero Duty|Jenny Schwartz|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1397711551s/21941069.jpg|41245608]Jessica Trove has the unenviable task of returning to Sydney for her father’s funeral. Her stepmother and stepbrother have made her life hell since her father remarried after the tragic death of her mother and she finally decides to fight back, with a little help. For years she has just let things be and stayed in the background leaving her father to his new family, but now the lawyers tell her the money, the house and the corporation built by her grandfather are all hers. They have been since her grandfather’s and mother’s death.

She never knew and now that she does it has changed everything. To help her stand up for herself she enlists the help of an ex-army sergeant she found through a mutual friend. Brodie Carlton has been fighting his own emotional battles and while he could certainly use the money Jessica offers, her really sees a woman in need and decides to return with her to meet her family and find out what the true story is.
Review
This is my first Jenny Schwartz novel and I have to be honest and say I’ll be buying some more. This book grabbed my attention and kept it as the story wove through the family dramas of the very, very rich.

Brodie and Jessica, while you knew they’d hook up, travelled a path I was surprised at and the journey caught me by surprise a few times. The sub-plots and characters where intriguing and there were twists and turns I just didn’t spot coming.

I really enjoyed this story which had a sweet romance entwined with a woman finding the courage to be herself and not let bullies push her around emotionally. Brodie stepped in occasionally but he also wasn’t afraid to let Jessica stand her ground and see how far she could push her confidence and strength.

The writing style is very easy to read and flows so well that I thought I was a bystander in the scenes, I could picture them so well.

I really enjoyed the times Jessica and Brodie spent together and the little, normal, things they did and said that brought them gradually closer and closer together. He read her so well, and vice versa that I was a little put off by his sudden reasoning at a misunderstanding. Don’t want to give too much away and spoil it for you, but other than that I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the characters within.

I’d recommend this to all Romance lovers.

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text 2014-06-02 01:23

Hero Duty is finally out!

Jenny Schwartz

hero duty

It's been difficult not to post too much about my new release Hero Duty and bore you all to tears -- or worse, resentment! Hopefully I haven't. But I have to share the fact that it's out now, and the reviews so far are positive. This one in particular gave me goosebumps over on Goodreads.

"...I'm suffering from one of those book hangovers that will take some time to fade. Schwartz created a taut emotional read with leads whose chemistry sizzles on the page." MA Grant.

Hero Duty is an ebook and available pretty much everywhere. Buy links: Amazon US Amazon Aus Amazon UK

Kobo iStore B&N GooglePlay

She can buy anything she wants, except the courage to stand up to her family. That’s where he comes in.

Jessica Trove is a billionaire Cinderella, bullied by her family, and terrified of the responsibilities crashing down on her shoulders. She knows what she needs to do – she just needs to find the courage to do it.

That’s where Brodie Carlton comes in. Jessica is used to buying anything she wants, and what she wants right now is a hero. She’s going to make Brodie Carlton an offer he can’t refuse: be her emotional bodyguard, and she’ll make him rich. The only question is who will guard their hearts?

Australia Hero Duty

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review 2014-05-21 00:00

Hero Duty

Housewife Blues and Chihuahua Stories

Book Info
ebook, 114 pages
Expected publication: June 1st 2014 by Escape Publishing
ISBN 139780857991645
edition language English
URL
other editions None found
Source:Netgalley EARC

Book Buy Links
Amazon
B&N

BOOK SYNOPSIS

She can buy anything she wants…except the courage to stand up to her family. That’s where he comes in.

Jessica Trove is a billionaire Cinderella, bullied by her family, and terrified of the responsibilities crashing down on her shoulders. She knows what she needs to do — she just needs to find the courage to do it.

That’s where Brodie Carlton comes in. Jessica is used to buying anything she wants, and what she wants right now is a hero. She’s going to make Brodie Carlton an offer he can’t refuse: be her emotional bodyguard, and she’ll make him rich. The only question is who will guard their hearts.

My Thoughts

They say write what you know, Australian author Jenny Schwartz knows her sites as evidenced with the glorious descriptions of Jardin Bay and Sydney. It has been a lifelong dream to go visit parts of Australia, cannot tell you how many times have read a book featuring places in it or watched movies with scenes set in the outback while imagining myself there!

Hero Duty came to me via publisher from Netgalley and it was such a great joy when approval was granted for me to read the book having enjoyed previous works by Jenny.

Jessica Trove is not your normal damsel in distress, she is not lacking in funds nor is she running from an abusive ex. However Jessica is someone who hates confrontations, someone whose family knows just what buttons to use to guilt her into doing things that are not in her best interest and in light of that she goes in search of Brodie Carlton after his admirable defense of a friend at the expense of his own military career.

Jessica wants Brodie to be a buffer, someone who can keep her on course with the path that she has chosen to take control of her life now that her father is dead and her stepbrother and stepmother are working together to try and convince Jessica the only solution to keeping the family business Numbat strong is to allow Derek her stepbrother to gain control of both the business and the family fortune.

Brodie is a hard sell at first but than he agrees to the terms she has set forth and travels with Jessica to Sydney for the meeting with the estate lawyers and her family members. While it is true at first he was not sure that he could actually provide Jessica with the help she requested he quickly changed his mind when she demonstrated just how vulnerable to being browbeaten she really is.

Things progress over the course of the story, Jessica finds the inner strength that she has previously lacked with support from Brodie and in the process also finds that he is truly one person who understands her without judgement. I would go so far as to say that he proves to be one in a million as we learn more and more about the characters innate kindness as well as his common sense that lets him provide Jessica with support without taking over for her when she falters.

This is a wonderful look into bits and pieces of two beautiful areas of Australia, both Jardin Bay and Sydney have lovely scenic views and also scrumptious sounding venues for dining that are showcased quite nicely a few times as backdrops for Brodie and Jessica’s scenes together.

The romance of the main characters is sweet, sexy and very well developed as is the fact that by the end Jessica Trove has finally opened herself up to what she wants in her future. A future that most definitely includes “hero” Brodie Carlton!

[EArc from Netgalley in exchange for honest review]

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text 2014-05-16 07:56

Giveaway Time! Win a copy of HERO DUTY

Jenny Schwartz

Right here on BookLikes I'm giving away three copies of Hero Duty, my contemporary romance that releases 1 June.

The Giveaway

Good luck! and wishing you a bit of magic :)

magic hero duty

Australia contemporary romance contest Escape Publishing giveaway Hero Duty

text 2014-04-30 00:00

Reviewers Wanted: Hero Duty releases 1 June

Jenny Schwartz

Hero Duty graphic

"Hero Duty" releases 1 June and I'm calling in all favours -- even those I haven't earned! counting on your kindness. Please, if you review contemporary romance, consider adding "Hero Duty" to your reading list. For everyone else, a re-share would be huge. Having reviews up on release day really helps a book launch, and I'm hoping this romance between an Australian billionaire Cinderella & an ex-soldier brings joy and a lovely couple of hours entertainment to readers.

Review copies are available via Netgalley:
https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/show/id/46472

She can buy anything she wants, except the courage to stand up to her family. That’s where he comes in.

Jessica Trove is a billionaire Cinderella, bullied by her family, and terrified of the responsibilities crashing down on her shoulders. She knows what she needs to do – she just needs to find the courage to do it.

That’s where Brodie Carlton comes in. Jessica is used to buying anything she wants, and what she wants right now is a hero. She’s going to make Brodie Carlton an offer he can’t refuse: be her emotional bodyguard, and she’ll make him rich. The only question is who will guard their hearts?

SAMPLE

Two dogs hurled themselves at the wire fence, barking viciously. They were mutts, dangerous mutts with bit white teeth and the bigger of them stood waist-high.

She shrank away, as far from the fence as she could and kept her eyes on the garage at the end of the driveway.

Its two doors were open showing a large, tidy space and a man’s legs sticking out from beneath an old, beat-up, black car. He had to have heard the dogs’ announcement of a stranger’s arrival, but he gave no indication of it. Not even the twitch of a scuffed boot.

The radio played an 80s rock ballad.

Hesitating in the doorway, Jessica heard the man singing along to it. His voice was low and muffled by the car, but it struck her how relaxed he was — and how awful she felt. Rather than raise her voice, knock on the car or tap his boot, she crossed to the radio and switched it off.

There was a thunk, followed by the rattle of a trolley and the man rolled out from under the car.

Shivers slid under Jessica’s skin.

Brodie Carlton. Instantly recognisable from his photograph, even out of uniform. Six-foot two, muscled shoulders covered by blue overalls, brown hair cut short and hazel eyes, frowning up at her.

The dogs had stopped barking, but she still wanted to cut and run. This man was too much challenge.

But if she ran now, she’d never stop. ‘Sergeant Carlton?’

‘I’ve left the army.’ He pushed a boot to the floor and the trolley rattled back under the car. Like sliding a door closed or an escalator descending, he simply shut her out.

‘I know.’ Her simple words hung on the air.

The trolley reversed. He rolled out completely, put aside the wrench he held and stood. At his full height all that power, under perfect control, intimidated her.

Instinctively she stepped back as he stepped forward, but the bench on which the radio sat blocked her retreat. The edge cut into her spine.

He stopped.

Jessica watched, wide-eyed. She was used to men who used their power to intimidate, but Brodie Carlton had seen her distress and respected it, not exploited it. Hope tangled with nervousness, almost choking her. Her voice was thin when she said, ‘I’m Jessica Trove. I’m a friend of Sonia Dwyer.’ She held out her hand.

The frown returned to his face. No, not a frown. His battle face. There was no expression, just steel determination; blocking her out. He glanced at his hand and wiped it down his overalls. ‘I’m dirty, Ms Trove.’

‘I don’t mind dirt.’ It took courage, but she kept her hand out. She looked at his face, not at her hand, which trembled.

Slowly, his fingers closed around hers.

His handshake was firm but gentle. His skin was calloused. He was warm where she was freezing.

She wanted to hold onto his strength, but she hadn’t the right. She released his hand and tucked hers into the back pocket of her jeans. ‘I know what it cost you to help Sonia.’

‘I’m thinking you don’t.’

‘You lost your life in the army.’

‘I quit. They didn’t fire me.’ The gentleness he’d shown her vanished, beaten out by impatience. ‘If you’re here to say “thank you” — ’

‘No, I…I’m here to offer you a job.’

The seam of the back pocket of her jeans ripped, giving way under the pressure of her nervous pulling at the pocket. She forced her hand to still. ‘I need a hero.’

***

Review copies available via Netgalley:
https://www.netgalley.com/catalog/show/id/46472

Release day: 1 June from Escape Publishing

Australia contemporary romance Escape Publishing Hero Duty