It was almost enjoyable. Except for one thing. I strongly dislike it when some manipulative friend/family member plays matchmaker. See, they mean well - maybe - but what they're subconsciously saying is they think the person they keep setting up is a pathetic, lonely loser. Worse, the person almost always feels humiliated when things don't work out.

So our h's godmother has decided that she needs a boyfriend. And, she sets things up so the H/h end up sitting beside each other on the plane. Of course, she'd also manipulated the h into writing a book about which she had no practical experience.

The h had issues. Her parents split up in a high profile divorce while she was a kid, and they dumped her on her godmother. She doesn't believe in HEA, especially in hollyweird. She doesn't see herself as that attractive, has never pursued...to be honest, she has a degree, but it's never stated what field. She seems almost content to just...coast along.

The H...was somewhat unbelievable. He'd only been in hollyweird 3 years when she first saw him, and a year later had all these credentials and was v. cynical. He a) hadn't been around long enough, and b) was a little too good to be true.

The part I did believe - where do you go after a vacation fling. He wanted to pursue it, she was hopeful, life got in the way, and finally they stopped trying. So he tracked her down. She tried to keep him at arms' length but...

Let's see...there was that trope I really dislike - the young h offering herself to her teenage crush/bf/bff, who rejects her for reasons, followed by her avoiding him for years, then when they get back together, it's as if nothing really happened except that they're grownups now so they can have sex.

First off, considering how these heroes always seem to keep anyone else from scoring on the h, I have a hard time believing they'd actually let her take off to parts unknown and dispense with that pesky hymen to the first one who didn't say no.

And then there seems to always be the lack of any real...ill feelings. This one did have the sudden thought that maybe his rejection of her long ago was why she wasn't willing to stick her neck out for a "real" relationship when he wanted to get serious.

Of course, this one had the added bonus that her sister and his brother were getting married and the two of them just had to stir up trouble in an attempt to break them up - to keep them from making a horrible mistake - only to decide later that *they'd* made a terrible mistake and have to get the two back together. Oddly enough, they conveniently forgot that it was their doing that had the two fighting in the first place.

All in all, by the time it was over - and she'd conveniently given up her career to go to him - I really didn't care. I'd have respected her more if she'd given him frostbite instead of hot sex until they had a heart to heart talk about the past, as opposed to the hot sex over and over with the thought of it just being friends with benefits. Sorry man - a real friend wouldn't humiliate their best friend like that; they'd have made an effort to talk to the friend about expectations and futures.

Series: Mighty Quinns (Book 31)

What was forbidden then...

has become irresistible now

The last thing police chief Devin Cassidy needs is for Elodie Winchester to return home and remind him of all he's been denied. But they're not teenagers now, and she's no longer a wealthy heiress. There's nothing stopping him from taking what he wants, what he's always wanted: her.

Elodie came home to deal with the Winchester mansion, the only inheritance she has left. She didn't expect to encounter a very grown-up Dev, or to want him as much as she ever did. He makes it clear that he's not going to let anything stand between them again. But in this town, name is everything. And to protect a Winchester, Dev will be forced to sacrifice his reputation...including his unexpected tie to the Quinn family.

Good reunion story with some added steam. When they were kids, Devin's mom worked for Elodie's parents as a maid. Her parents were the richest people in town, owned the mill where most people worked, as well as most of the stores in town. As teenagers, they had a secret romance, until her parents found out and sent her away to school. Not long after that, her parents went bankrupt, closing the mill and losing everyone's pension funds.

Years later, Devin is the police chief of the economically struggling town. He's fairly content with his life, watching out for the people of the town. Then Elodie returns to Winchester. Her plan is to sell the old mansion then return to her job in New York. When she and Dev see each other again, their lives are upended.

Overall, I liked Elodie. I loved the scene in the prologue, showing what a sweet kid she was and the beginning of her connection to Dev. When she returned to town, she was pretty sure she wasn't going to be welcomed with open arms, and she was right. I thought she handled peoples' attitudes with class and humor, as shown in the scene at the town picnic. Seeing Dev again reignited the old sparks, and suddenly she wasn't sure what she should do. Being with him brings back so many good memories, plus the heat between them is incredible. But she's also afraid of losing control of her life if she gets too involved with him. She has an idea for something to do with the house that could also help the town, but when she runs into problems, she won't let him help. I got really frustrated with her refusal to let him be part of her dream. I did like her determination to make it happen, and that she was finally able to let go of her fears and see that Dev wouldn't try to take control from her.

I loved Dev. He was a real sweetheart of a man. His love for the people of his town was evident in everything he did. It was terrific to see the lengths he went to in order to help the teenager Jimmy Joe. He had never forgotten Elodie, and having her back in town gave him an opportunity he wasn't gong to ignore. Now that the division of rich girl and maid's son no longer exists, he plans to pursue her. I loved the protectiveness he showed when some of the angrier victims of her father get in her face. I also understood why he was so upset when she didn't share her plans with him. I thought it was really sweet of him to want to help her make her dream come true when he found out about his inheritance. Her refusal was hard for him because of the way he cared for her, but he loved her enough to let her go for it on her own terms. I loved his "go big" moment at the end, and the scene with the trains was especially wonderful.

I also liked Dev's mother and the way she took care of Elodie and the house, even though she didn't have to. She also had a couple good "gotcha" moments with Dev, letting him know he wasn't fooling her about his feelings for Elodie. There was quite a surprise involving her and her past that makes a terrific lead in for the next book in the Quinn saga.

Series: Uniformly Hot (Book 50)

Subject: Marine Will MacIntyre

Current Status: Medical leave

One day a year Will MacIntyre lets himself remember the woman who left him after he enlisted. But seven years later, on the anniversary of that fateful day, Will is defusing a bomb in Afghanistan -- and it explodes.

Dr. Oliva Eklund can barely find the boy she loved inside the hard, chiseled body of the man Will is now -- a Marine who knows just how to tempt her, just how to seduce her. Olivia is well aware that Will plans to return to his unit after he recovers, but she can't resist trying to heal him. Even if it means sending him back into a war zone. And breaking them apart forever.

Good reunion story. Will and Olivia had been high school sweethearts that continued into college. But partway through, Will decided to drop out of school and join the Marines. Olivia was heartbroken - she had had the future all planned out. She couldn't see any way for their dreams to be compatible, so she broke things off with him. 

Will had always intended a career in the service and was heartbroken that Olivia couldn't support his dreams. Ever since then he has kept his emotions bottled up, knowing that they could be a deadly distraction on the job. This proves true on the seventh anniversary of their breakup when a moment of inattention has him setting off an IED. Once he's out of the hospital he's sent to his hometown for further recovery from his injuries. Will isn't handling it very well. He has nightmares, is uncomfortable in crowds or social situations, and is worried that he won't recover enough to go back to his unit. He's also worried about running into Olivia.

Olivia went on to become a doctor and has come home to practice. She has big dreams that she has started to make come true. Olivia has always regretted the way that she broke up with Will. As she got older she realized that she had been selfish and immature, both in her plans and her actions. and would like a chance to talk to Will and apologize.

Their first meeting doesn't go too well, as Will basically looks at her and runs away. The second doesn't go much better, except that Will gives in to the urge to kiss Olivia. It becomes obvious to both of them that, while their relationship may have ended long ago, something is still there. Neither thinks that there's any chance of a lasting relationship between them, but the attraction between them is hard to resist. 

The relationship that developed between them was interesting. Both insisted to themselves that they could pursue a physical relationship without getting the heart involved, that at the end each of them can continue with their lives as they were before. However, things don't work out that way and the emotions do get involved. Will realizes he had never stopped loving Olivia, but with everything he's going through he's not sure he can trust what he's feeling. There are times when he thinks getting out of the Marines is the way to go, thereby enabling him to have a future with Olivia. But just the thought of leaving the life he knows for one with so many unknown variables scares him. Olivia comes to realize that she had never stopped loving Will either, but leaving the life she has, and all the things she had planned for it is something she doesn't think she can do.

I felt for Will with everything he was going through. If he doesn't fully recover from his injuries and has to leave the Marines, he doesn't know what he will do. He doesn't feel like he fits into this world any longer. He investigates some options but it's hard for him to embrace the unknown. The only thing that really calms his fears is being with Olivia. Meanwhile, I will admit to some frustration with Olivia. She feels she's learned from past mistakes, and regrets not supporting Will's dreams back then. But when he spends some time working with the local recruiters, she goes off on him for continuing his plans to go back to his unit. It seemed like she still didn't really understand who he is and what drives him. I was glad to see how they both finally faced their fears and realized that with some compromise they could have it all.

Series: Mighty Quinns (Book 30)

An X-rated adventure of a lifetime

Love of the wilderness runs deep in Eli Montgomery. The father he never knew, mountaineer Max Quinn, shared that passion for the untamed -- and never staying in one place for long. But surviving in the wild requires experience. So when Eli learns that a TV personality is spending the next year living in his grandmother's remote cabin for a reality show, Eli is convinced the woman will need his help.

Lucy Parker is determined to adhere to the strict guidelines of this challenge: no assistance. But the second Eli Montgomery shows up in all his rugged hotness, Lucy's craving for caramel lattes is immediately replaced by a much more primal, sensual hunger. And out here, no one will know if she breaks all the rules.

Good book that follows Eli Montgomery, half brother of the New Zealand Quinns. Though he never knew his father, Eli is very much like him. He is a restless soul who loves the challenges of the wilderness. He also has a great respect for the dangers it holds. When he found out that a woman was planning to spend the next year living in his grandmother's old cabin by herself, he was worried about what could happen to her.

Lucy has set herself the challenge of living by herself like the previous owner of the cabin. She has read Trudie's journals and has sold the idea to make a television show about it. The rules are that she gets no outside assistance, other than monthly deliveries of supplies. Her intentions are tested when the first delivery is made by Eli, Trudie's grandson. Besides being incredibly good looking, he is worried about her safety, something that Lucy has never experienced before. She is the product of foster homes and has learned the hard way that she can only depend on herself. 

I loved Lucy's independence. She knows what she wants and has no trouble going after it. She may be a little overconfident in her abilities, but she has the determination to push through until she succeeds. She does see the sense in accepting Eli's advice on how to do some things, though she works very hard at keeping him from doing things for her. I really enjoyed seeing her accomplish the things she did, and have the feelings of satisfaction that came with it. 

I really liked the way that their relationship built slowly. At first Eli kept to the once a month rule, but gradually started visiting more often. I liked the way that he understood what she was trying to do and supported her efforts. All the time that they spent together gave them the opportunity to really get to know each other. Though they had started out simply enjoying their physical relationship and not wanting any commitments, Eli began to realize that he wanted more. Lucy got really used to having Eli around, and that started to make her very nervous. Because of her past, she has no idea what love is like, all she knows is that she feels like she is changing and it scares her. She feels like she is losing sight of who she is. 

When the television people cancel her project, Lucy is heartbroken at having to leave it all behind. Eli has offered to help her continue, but she's afraid that it would mean losing the heart of what she was trying to do. It isn't until she leaves it all behind that she begins to see the truth of what she feels. I loved the ending and seeing how Eli had the patience to wait for Lucy to work through her issues. I really liked how he had spent his time while waiting for her.

I also enjoyed seeing Eli come to terms with his own past. The surprise that he gets because he is a Quinn by blood also gives him the resources to give Lucy the help she needs, if he can get her to accept it. I loved the epilogue, the trip to Ireland, and the other surprise that was waiting for him there. I would have liked to see a reunion included in the epilogue.