Playing with Danger (Desire Bay) - Joya ...

Hannah was tending bar at Goonies.  Her tension headaches were getting worse now starting in her neck. Hannah was the main bartender in this place. This was Hannah’s town where she had been born and still lived and soon this would be her bar.. Hannah was the only female bartender in her small town. Hannah had been raised by her alcoholic father who was a fisherman but he spent more time in jail then being her father. Hannah relied on no one. Hannah’s boss was looking to sell the bar and Hannah was ready to buy it and she could finally have something for herself. Outright and owned by her. She had been bartending for ten years.  She just had to get the owner Mr. Bangs on board who had already said he would give her the first opportunity to buy the bar and with Hannah’s entire life savings she felt she could convince the bank to give her a small business loan for the rest. She just needed the details from Mr. Bangs . He just didn’t show up at all or do much of anything when it came to the bar. He very rarely had.Very rarely had Hannah felt pretty. Hannah had risen above her upbring enough to gain most people;s respect in her small town. Then the phone rang and it was Gabe who was the sheriff of the town and he told Hannah he had her father and he was in the drunk tank sleeping it off. Hannah had gone to grade school with. Hannah had always went running to clean up her dad's messes but she couldn’t leave the bar and she told Gabe she would pick him up after she closed the bar. Her father was the only family Hannah had and she didn’t want him to die or hurt others. Her mother had died when Hannah was five. There had always been a sadness around her father. As Hannah was bent over to get a bottle of Jack she heard a man say he was looking for someone. Hannah replied good luck with your search then Hannah heard him say he was looking for his wife and he realized it was him the man who had ever gotten close enough to make her feel like more than trash,  the one man tried to forget over the last six months. The one man who had got her to say I do- Grant Latham and then he said “ Hello Mrs. Layhem”  . Hannah had taken her first vacation and went on a two week Caribbean cruise where the last night Hannah had married Grant. Hannah had snuck out snuck off in the middle of the night and went back home. Hannah ahd stole Grants heart married him,  and then broke his heart and left. Grant had intended to go after Hannah but then Grant got word his father had died and left his company to Grand and the task of of keeping it out of  his gold digger mother’s hands. So Grant had to immediately go back to New York. Hannah asked how Grant had found her. Grant’s life was very different from Hannah's life He had been the  sole heir to a billion dollar empire know he was in control of it. He has been trying to run that billion dollar empire while he was grieving over his father’s death. His father had been everything to Grant whereas Hannah’s father wasn’t. But Grant wanted his wife back and he wanted Hannah to come to New York with him.  Grant blackmails Hannah into giving him a chance to show her their marriage can work.

I liked this book. It was a quick and fun read. I liked that we did get Hannah’s and GRant’s backstory done in flashes which I don’t usually like but this was done just so that it wasn’t to bad.  I didn’t really like that Grant came and expected Hannah to give up everything  she knew to follow him back to new York after all she had only known him for that two weeks and either way that was her whole life and where she had been born where she had wanted to but her business and what she knew. I did like that Grant didn’t give up on Hannah and actually wanted to give the marriage a chance and when he could he finally found her. I love how Grant interacted with Hannah’s friends. I found there was some repetition in this book but it still held my interest. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of the book and I recommend.

Tripp Montgomery and his two best friend are raising his daughter and taking care of his ranch. He leads a very structured life and protects his daughter as best he can. When he sees Charlotte Gram, someone obviously not from around there, he suddenly remembers he’s also a man. Even though she knows she’s there for her grandmother while she recovers from surgery, Charlotte is still trying to figure out what she’s doing in Cheyenne, Wyoming. When a handsome cowboy helps her with her faulty rental car, she learns a whole new appreciation for cowboys.

This was a cute and quick story. I loved all of the interactions between Tripp and Charlotte. The supporting characters were also well written. Tripp’s daughter was adorable and I really hope to read HEA books for his best friends. Very sweet read. I highly recommend.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed this book

Ms. Ryan proves there's more to romance than a sexy romp. It's the story behind the romance that delivers that microburst of emotion. That powerful blast that hits like an arrow to the heart. The Rancher and the City Girl is more than the story of an opposites attract relationship. It's travels into the uncharted territory of bromance and fatherhood. There can be nothing more adorable than a besotted dad and his irresistible bond with his little girl. All of these elements merge into a second chance expedition that will bring on a lot of laughter, a few tears and the beginning of a beautiful friendship.

ARC Review: Playing With Trouble (Desire Bay) by Joya Ryan

Teenage dreams spirited Laura out of small town Oregon. Now ten years later a reversal of fortune has brought her home to surprising twists. Playing with Trouble proves that change is inevitable, but life is full of surprises and life lessons. People change, places grow, life moves on. However, the most rewarding of experiences can start when we take a second look. Joya Ryan took us from bad girl to responsible woman. From geeky nerd to seductive heartthrob and from salty to sweet. Jake and Laura are a topsy turvy bundle of sexy, sassy, turbulent and tempting fun.

Blake was at the door of his best friend's - Lane- little sisters - Carrie- hotel room. Blake wanted to check on Carrie as her fiance Kevin had called off the wedding- as he had cheated on Carrie- two days before they were to marry. Blake wanted to make sure Carrie was okay. Kevin had been cheating on Carrie for almost a year. Blake had been in middle school and Carrie had been young when Blake’s mother had died and after that Blake had spent a lot of time with Lane and his family. Blake felt like he couldn’t let Carrie suffer like she was. Blake had yet to see Carrie as she had not left the bridal suite in the last forty eight hours every since she had heard that Kevin called off everything.  Blake had an outdoor guiding business. Blake’s life and job were one hundred percent on his time and agenda.Blake would always be free never love or tied to a woman because the loss that was too much.    Lane was the closest thing Blake had to a brother . Blake and Lane had spent their teenage years playing Uno with Carrie and looking after her. But then graduated from college and moved to the city. Blake had been given a key card to Carrie’s room by Lane. When Blake got into the room Carrie was doing Jazzercise with a half bottle of Jack Daniels at her size. Carrie hadn’t seen much of Carrie since she was a teenager and she was now all woman Carrie had been exercising for eight months on a gym for her bikini ready. Blake didn’t do sad or hurt and Blake became very protective when he saw the tears start in Carrie’s eyes and saw how she was hurting.It was Blake’s job to provide adventures and protective. Anyone and everyone. But especially those closest to him and it was a job he took seriously. Blake asked Carrie how he could help and she asked him if he could take the last two days go away. Blake told Carrie to go on her honeymoon and make it the adventure she wanted. He even mentioned Lane going with ehr to Hawaii to protect her. It turns Lane can’t go so Blake says he will go and then finds Carrie already at the airport. Then Blake finds out Carrie is terrified of flying especially take off but Blake got her through it. Carrie worked at an art gallery and Kevin was an artist that had his work go through said gallery. So Carrie wasn’t so sure she wanted to go back to work there. Carrie’s best friend was Annie and has been her best friend forever. And Annie cheered on Carrie and told her she was strong. Then Carrie learned Kevin and his new girlfriend Wendy and  was in the bungalow next to her that Blake had upgraded trying to help Carrie.Blake first offered to get Carrie home or another place but Carrie said no they would pretend to be together. Then Blake realized why Carrie would not leave Carrie had come to Hawaii for herself , to start fresh, have an adventure, get over Kevin, and return home happier and stronger not defeated. Wendy was everything Carrie wasn’t as far as Carrie was concerned. So Carrie wanted ti have a fake relationship with Blake and she couldn’t let Kevin think she he wrecked her. Blake knew this was a dangerous game he was playing. Then Carrie wanted to stick to the itinerary as if they were a couple. Even though Kevin and Wendy were suppose to do the same activities. So they came up a with a fake relationship and put on a show in front of Kevin and Wendy but it was all fake.

I really enjoyed this story. I don’t think it was really realistic that both Carrie and Kevin would go to Hawaii and go where they would have honeymooned. But I still enjoyed the story. I don’t believe a twenty six year old woman of today would just let someone protect her and more or less babysit her but that didn’t take away from me enjoying the story I loved Blake’s loyalty toward Lane and his family, I felt bad for Carrie but was happy how she handled herself especially when she would no longer be fake and lie. I loved the plot and this was well written. It kept my attention all the way through the story as I was rooting Carrie on. So i loved the characters and the ins and outs of this story and I recommend,