Fed up with city life, Brawley jumps at the chance to return home and take over the local vet's practice—and get back to the smart, sassy woman he's never been able forget. He couldn't be prouder of Maggie's new wedding-dress business . . . until he realizes it may mean losing her all over again. Determined to win her back, Brawley must find a way to convince Maggie that their one true home is with each other.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Brawley Odell figured his life wouldn’t be worth one plug-nickel the second he stepped foot inside Maggie’s shop. Too damn bad. He hadn’t driven the thirty miles from Maverick Junction to back out now. He was goin’ in.

 

After all this time, he’d come home…and she was leaving.

 

He grasped the brass knob and shoulder-butted the oak door. It flew open, the bell overhead jangling. Maggie Sullivan, all that gorgeous red hair scooped into a jumbled mass, stood dead-center in the room. Dressed in a skirt and top the color of a forest at twilight, she held a fuzzy sweater up in front of her like a shield. Those amazing green eyes widened as he stormed in.

 

“We need to talk.” He ignored the woman at the back of the store who flipped through a rack of tops.

 

“What the—?”

 

He held up a hand. “Don’t speak. Not yet.”

 

Her mouth opened, then closed.

 

Anger boiled in him, but he needed to find some modicum of control. Taking a deep breath, he held it for the count of ten, then slowly released it. “Did you plan on telling me?”

 

Her eyes narrowed, but she said nothing.

 

“You’re invited to New York City for a showing of your new line, and you don’t share that with me? I have to learn about it secondhand?”

 

“Last I heard this wasn’t about you, Brawley. In fact, my life, my business has absolutely nothing to do with you.”

 

His jaw clenched. “Anything that affects you is my business, Mags.”

 

She snorted. “Get real, Odell. You gave up any and all rights years ago.” Her head tilted. “Why are you even interested? You want to attend so you can show off your latest Dallas Cowboy cheerleader? Maybe order her trousseau?”

 

He shot her a deadly look, one that had made grown men back away.

 

Not Maggie. She actually took a couple steps toward him. The woman had no survival instincts. Another reason she had no business heading off to New York alone.

 

She tapped a scarlet-tipped finger on her chin. “Oh, that’s right. There’d be no trousseau for your honey, would there? Maybe a weekend-fling outfit for your date du jour? A one-night-stand set of lacy lingerie.”

 

“Shut up, Maggie.”

 

“Make me.” Her eyes flashed.

 

This time the look in his eyes must have warned her she’d treaded too close to the edge. She stepped back.

 

“You challenging me, Maggie?”

 

When she wet her lips, his gaze dropped to her mouth, followed the tip of her pink tongue as it darted out.

 

“Only one way I could ever get you quiet,” he said.

 

Her hand shot up. “Don’t even think about it.”

 

“No thought required. Been wanting to do this a long time now.” He closed the distance between them and dropped his mouth to hers. Fire. Smoke. Hell, a full-out volcanic eruption.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Somebody Like You by Lynnette Austin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Annelise knew there was something she could do to help her failing grandfather's health. She would just have to figure it out. What she didn't expect, but was coming to joy, was learning to be on her own.

Cash hired Annie because he wanted to get to know her, and they needed the help. He had no idea she would work so hard. He had no idea who she really was. When the secrets of their pasts rise to the surface, will there be anything left to salvage?

Gotta tell you, this book is a seriously slow burn. Hotter in part than a Texas sunset, and just as potent. I appreciated the way the author let us taste this story without overdoing it on the flavors, however. I can honestly say I cannot wait to sample the next book in the Maverick Junction series!


***This copy was given in exchange for an honest review only.

View all my reviews

 

 

 

 

 

 *~*

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

“Ty Rawlins has posted a no trespassing sign. My guess is he’s still in love with his dead wife.”

 

“There is that possibility.”

 

“Yes, there is.” Sophie swung open the door and marched out, straight into Ty.

 

He put his hands on her arms to steady her.

 

“Sorry,” she mumbled.

 

“Don’t be. My fault. I wasn’t watching where I was going.”

 

“Ask the girl to dance, Ty.” Annelise stood behind them in the narrow hallway.

 

“I—” He raised his hands.

 

“That’s okay.” Sophie moved to skirt around him.

 

“No.” He reached out, caught her hand. The jolt was instantaneous, and she knew he felt it, too, when he momentarily broke contact.

 

“It’s all right. I don’t need to be entertained.” She heard the snap of temper in her voice but couldn’t control it.

 

“Understood.” Ty nodded toward the jukebox. “But here’s the thing. Cash fed the machine enough coins to fill a good-size swimming pool. All those quarters. All that music. Why waste it?”

 

He held out a hand; heat flooded her face.

 

No way to avoid it. If she refused, she’d come off as a prickly snob. He had to think the worst of her anyway. Whatever social graces her mother’d drummed into her seemed to have flown out the window.

 

She had no idea why he’d want to dance with an idiot, but who was she to deny him that dubious honor?

 

“In that case, I’d love to.” She smiled, took his hand, and they walked together to the small center square reserved for dancing. She refused to so much as look at her cousin. Refused, for that matter, to meet any of the eyes in the restaurant watching them speculatively.

 

A slow number came on and Ty turned her to him, put his other arm around her waist, and drew her in.

 

“‘The Keeper of the Stars,’” he said quietly. “Quite a song.”

 

Her heart hammered as Ty very skillfully swept her along to the music. It was different from any dance she’d ever experienced. Night and day from the one she’d shared with Brawley. He’d been fun. Ty? Intense was the only word she could come up with to define the aura surrounding him.

 

Totally unfamiliar with country songs, she listened to the words over the beating of her heart. “It was no accident me finding you…” Her temperature spiked ten degrees. He was right. The words were captivating. Intense, just like him. And, oh, so romantic.

 

His hand holding hers was callused and strong, the one at her waist firm. Hot.

 

Ty did not, in any way, make her think brotherly thoughts. Instead, heat pooled low. Yearnings stirred. Thoughts and desires she’d doubted she’d ever feel.

 

The man was dangerous. She’d do well to remember that. But for now, she’d simply enjoy the moment. The dance drifted into a second, then a third. Sophie vaguely registered others on the dance floor with them, smiled when Annelise and Cash brushed past.

 

Ty stood over a foot taller than her five-three, and her head rested on the strapping cowboy’s chest. She heard the steady beating of his heart and surprised herself by wishing the song could go on forever.

 

She was deathly afraid she wouldn’t say no if this man wanted to park his cowboy boots beneath her bed. For one night, of course.

 

“Sophie?” Ty’s voice whispered against her ear.

 

“Hmmm?”

 

“The music’s stopped.”

 

 

 

Nearest Thing to Heaven by Lynnette Austin
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is book #2, in the Maverick Junction series. This book can be read as a standalone novel. For reader enjoyment and understanding, I recommend reading this great series in order.

Ty has a lot on his plate. His triplet sons were left without a mom when his wife died. Between that and his ranch, he does not get to change the lonely life he leads. Meeting Sophie makes him nervous. He knows he wants her, but he knows what wanting her means. He also knows what losing someone feels like.

Sophie is completely out of her element in Texas. Chicago, where she calls home is more her speed. She loves city life. She does not understand cows. No one can explain the sudden electricity between her and Ty. Nor does she want to do anything about it. Except she does....

This series gets hotter and better with each book! Another slow burn, this story has you pining and squirming with the sparks that are flying. I really enjoy the characters and really hope that I get a chance to read the next books in this amazingly hot series.


***This copy was given in exchange for an honest review, by Netgalley and its publishers.

View all my reviews