Tag: Harlequin Special Edition

Review: An Unexpected Cowboy by Shannon Stacey

Posted September 5, 2022 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: An Unexpected Cowboy by Shannon StaceyReviewer: Holly
An Unexpected Cowboy by Shannon Stacey
Series: Sutton's Place #2
Also in this series: Her Hometown Man
Publisher: Harlequin, Harlequin Special Edition
Publication Date: March 3, 2022
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 227
Add It: Goodreads
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three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

He’d been told home is where the heart isHe never believed it until now
Lone-wolf cowboy Irish is no stranger to long, lonely nights. Some might say he even prefers it that way. But somehow Mallory Sutton tugs on his heartstrings. The feisty single mom is struggling to balance it all—and challenging Irish’s perception of what he has to offer. She shows the guarded cowboy everything a family—and real love—can be. But will their unexpected connection keep Irish in town…or end in heartbreak for Mallory and her kids?

An Unexpected Cowboy (Sutton’s Place #2) by Shannon Stacey follows Mallory Sutton, a single mom. Her whole life Mallory has been the one who keeps things together. She stepped in and took care of her mom when he father passed away and she’s taking care of her two young boys since their father split. Between those responsibilities and the taproom and the thrift stop she and her mother run, she has no time for herself, much less time for a romance. She isn’t really even tempted, until Irish, a friend of her ex-brother-in-law’s parks his 5th wheel in their yard. That cowboy is hard to resist….

Irish isn’t ready to settle down, but a temporary fling with a hot single mom might be just what they both need. But once he gets a taste of Mallory, convincing himself he still has to pack and leave may turn out to be harder than expected.

I really like the Sutton family and I’m glad we got Mallory’s story. I liked how she and Irish connected and how he came to care for her boys and the rest of her family. I’m really looking forward to Evie’s book.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

Sutton’s Place

three-half-stars


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Review: Her Hometown Man by Shannon Stacey

Posted August 31, 2022 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: Her Hometown Man by Shannon StaceyReviewer: Holly
Her Hometown Man by Shannon Stacey
Series: Sutton's Place #1
Also in this series: An Unexpected Cowboy
Publisher: Harlequin, Harlequin Special Edition
Publication Date: December 28, 2021
Format: eBook
Source: Purchased
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 256
Add It: Goodreads
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three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

She has many reasons to leaveHe’s the best reason to stay
Summoned home by her mother and sisters, novelist Gwen Sutton has made it clear—she’s not staying. She’s returning to her quiet, writerly life as soon as the family brewery is up and running. But when Gwen’s lifelong crush, Case Danforth, offers his help, it’s clear there’s more than just beer brewing! Time is short for Case to convince Gwen that a home with him is where her heart is.

Her Hometown Man is the first book in the Sutton’s Place series by Shannon Stacey. This is small-town romance featuring a family brewery, which really appealed to me.

As a popular fiction author, Gwen Sutton couldn’t get away from her hometown fast enough. The residents all think her books are about them, and she can’t stand the anger and comments she gets when they don’t think she’s done right by them. She doesn’t want to go home to help get the family business up and running, but she isn’t given much of a choice. Her stay is only temporary, though, no matter what her mom and sister’s think. Even if she is getting in deep with Case Daneforth, the boy next door.

This was a quick read. I liked the small town atmosphere and the family dynamics. The romance was sweet and I liked how direct they were with each other. Though the overall feel was light, there were some emotional scenes as they dealt with the loss of their dad. I’m looking forward to the next book.

Rating: 3.75

Sutton’s Place

three-half-stars


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Review: A Winning Season by Rochelle Alers

Posted September 7, 2020 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: A Winning Season by Rochelle AlersReviewer: Holly
A Winning Season by Rochelle Alers
Series: Wickham Falls Weddings #10
Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition
Publication Date: September 1, 2020
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Cliffhanger: View Spoiler »
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 224
Add It: Goodreads
Reading Challenges: Holly's 2020 Goodreads Challenge, Holly's 2020 New to Me Challenge
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Sliding home…for a lifetime
The girl next door…
Or a grand slam love?



Baseball ace Sutton Reed’s returned home triumphant after years in the majors. When he moves next door to a troubled young man, he’s determined to help—for the boy’s sake and for the boy’s gorgeous older sister, Zoey Allen. After sacrificing everything to keep her family together, Zoey has no time for romance…even with a hometown hero. But will this unlikely combo be the home run love story they all deserve?
Nationally Bestselling Author

I hadn’t read Alers before, but I was in the mood for a sweet contemporary when I found this while browsing NetGalley. I’m a total sucker for Single Mom/Sisters who step up stories, and the premise appealed to me. I had a few issues with the writing, but I really liked the story overall.

Zoey’s parents unexpectedly pass away when she’s 18, and she fights to get custody of her two younger brothers, who are 6 and 8. She’s put her life on hold to raise them, but it’s been ten years. When her youngest brother graduates high school, she plans to finally realize her dream of attending nursing school and maybe travel a bit. Until retired Major League Baseball star Sutton Reed moves in next door…

Sutton only planned to spend a year in his hometown while he worked out his next plan after he retires from the majors, but one look at his sexy new neighbor and he knows he’s in trouble. Zoey is everything he ever wanted in a woman, and mentoring her younger brother Harper fulfills him in unexpected ways. Convincing Zoey they should be together long term will take all of his skill…but he’s playing to win.

I loved the relationship between Harper and Zoey (the older brother, Kyle, has joined the Marine Corps and is only mentioned in this book). She had a hard road taking on her brothers and raising them to be men, but she never shied away from it. She was strong and knew herself well. I really enjoyed her character, and her family.

Sutton was also a great character. He was raised by a single-mom and wants nothing more than to work with kids and settle down with his own family now that he’s retired from the majors. He really falls in love with Zoey and her brother, and I loved how committed he was to them both.

There were a couple continuity errors, but they didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.

This was a sweet book, focused on family and love. I liked the romance and the way Zoey and Sutton came to care for and rely on one another.

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

Wickham Falls Weddings

four-stars


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Sunday Spotlight: A Winning Season by Rochelle Alers

Posted September 6, 2020 by Holly in Features, Giveaways | 3 Comments

Sunday Spotlight is a feature we began in 2016. This year we’re spotlighting our favorite books, old and new. We’ll be raving about the books we love and being total fangirls. You’ve been warned. 🙂

[Introduction to spotlight book]

Sunday Spotlight: A Winning Season by Rochelle AlersA Winning Season by Rochelle Alers
Series: Wickham Falls Weddings #10
Also in this series: A Winning Season
Publisher: Harlequin Special Edition
Publication Date: September 1, 2020
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 224
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
Series Rating: four-stars

Sliding home…for a lifetime

The girl next door…

Or a grand slam love?

Baseball ace Sutton Reed’s returned home triumphant after years in the majors. When he moves next door to a troubled young man, he’s determined to help—for the boy’s sake and for the boy’s gorgeous older sister, Zoey Allen. After sacrificing everything to keep her family together, Zoey has no time for romance…even with a hometown hero. But will this unlikely combo be the home run love story they all deserve?

Nationally Bestselling Author

Excerpt

Excerpt, A WINNING SEASON by Rochelle Alers

***

Sutton gave Zoey her mug, noticing her hand had trembled slightly when their fingers touched. “Are you all right?”

“I’m good,” she said.

He wanted to believe Zoey was all right but the rigidness in her body said otherwise. He stood and moved to a nearby chair. “I’m sorry if I invaded your personal space.”

She lowered her eyes, staring into the contents of her mug. “It’s okay.”

Sutton drank his coffee, staring at Zoey over the rim. He was perceptive enough to know she had been completely at ease with him the day before, but this morning her body language said otherwise, and he wondered what he’d said or done to make her uneasy.

Suddenly it occurred to Sutton that he may have made a faux pas when he had referred to Zoey as pretty lady, especially when he did not know whether she was involved with someone. “I’m sorry, Zoey.”

She halted putting the mug to her mouth. “For what?”

“For making you uncomfortable because I called you pretty lady. Hell, I don’t even know if you’re involved with someone.”

Zoey swallowed a mouthful of coffee. The corners of her eyes crinkled when she smiled. “I really have to give it to you, Sutton Reed.”

A slight frown marred his natural good looks. “What are you talking about?”

“You did not make me uncomfortable, and if you wanted to know if I’m involved with someone, then all you had to do was ask.”

A hint of a smile replaced his frown. “Are you?” The seconds ticked as she met his eyes. “No. And I can’t afford to because of a promise I made to Kyle and Harper when they were little boys. I told them it would be just the three of us until they were old enough to take care of themselves.”

Sutton set his mug on a side table. “I can under-stand you making that promise when they were boys, but I doubt if Harper would hold it against you if you decided to start dating.”

“Right now, Harper has no say in how I live my life.”

“Is he giving you a problem?”

Zoey went completely still. “Why would you ask me that?”

“I was sitting out on the porch when he came home last night. Someone had dropped him off and I noticed he was a little unsteady on his feet.”

If Sutton saw Harper coming home obviously under the influence, then Zoey wondered how many of her other neighbors had also witnessed it. Zoey did not want or need people gossiping about the Allen boy drinking or possibly drugging. She had managed to raise Kyle to adulthood without an incident, but life was testing her because Harper had decided he wasn’t going to make it that easy for her.

“I don’t know you and you don’t know me, Sut-ton, and there’s no way I’m going to dump on you about my problems.”

Sutton angled his head, giving her a long stare. “You’ve lived in the Falls all your life and you should know that folks here always look out for one another. Those who have more than they need always share with those who don’t have enough. And it’s not al-ways about money.”

Zoey knew he was right. The people in the town had been more than generous when tragedy struck her family. Even now some folks still asked if she needed anything. She nodded. “You’re right. I give thanks every day that I live here and not somewhere else, because without the help of Preston McAvoy, the chamber of commerce and the worshippers at the church, I wouldn’t be sitting here talking to you.”

The local law firm had handled her legal prob-lems; local contractors had volunteered their services to make certain the house was free of violations; a company selling and installing gas heaters set up an installment plan for her to pay off the cost of the unit over three years.

“So once Harper graduates you plan to stay here?” Sutton asked.

Zoey smiled. “Where would I go?”

He shrugged broad shoulders under his tee. “I don’t know. Maybe you’d prefer someplace that has a little more excitement.”

She took another sip of the delicious brew. Sutton had made the coffee exactly how she liked it. “The Falls has enough excitement for the four thousand-plus folks who live here. Someone had submitted a proposal to the town council to open a club and it was unanimously voted down. What we don’t need is a club with people getting drunk and acting like fools. The town council in Mineral Springs has closed two clubs in the past four years because of fights and rowdiness.”

“The Springs has almost twice our population, so there’s bound to be a few more incidents than we have here.”

“Speaking of excitement, why did you decide to move back here after spending half your life in Hot-lanta?” Zoey had asked the question that had plagued her since hearing word that Sutton Reed was moving back to Wickham Falls.

Sutton closed his eyes for several seconds. “I never really got used to living in a big city. The crowds and noise didn’t upset me whenever I was at the stadium, but once the game was over all I wanted was some-place quiet where I could decompress.”

“Whenever you were interviewed you seemed so confident, so in control of yourself.”

“That was all an act, Zoey. I’d learned early on to switch it on for the cameras and microphones. There was one Sutton for the sports reporters and another Sutton when he was home behind closed doors.”

***

Wickham Falls Weddings

Giveaway Alert

We’re giving one lucky winner their choice of one of our Sunday Spotlight books. Use the widget below to enter for one of this month’s features.

Sunday Spotlight: September 2020

Are you as excited for this release as we are? Let us know how excited you are and what other books you’re looking forward to this year!

About Rochelle Alers

Rochelle Alers Headshot

Hailed by readers and booksellers alike as one of today's most popular African-American authors of women's fiction, Ms. Alers is a regular on bestsellers list, and has been a recipient of numerous awards, including the Vivian Stephens Award for Excellence in Romance Writing and a Zora Neale Hurston Literary Award.


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Review: A Gift for All Season by Karen Templeton

Posted December 3, 2012 by Rowena in Reviews | 1 Comment

Review: A Gift for All Season by Karen TempletonReviewer: Rowena
A Gift for All Seasons (Summer Sisters, #2) by Karen Templeton
Series: Summer Sisters #2
Publisher: Harlequin, Harlequin Special Edition
Publication Date: October 16th 2012
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 224
Add It: Goodreads
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four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Hiring Patrick Shaughnessy to landscape her new inn was strictly a business arrangement. Until April Ross got to know the war-scarred single father …and his irrepressible little girl. Patrick made it clear he wasn't looking for romance. Neither was April. But could she make him see that some risks were worth taking?

The lively, widowed blonde might be the most tempting woman Patrick had ever known, but the returning vet knew a happy ending wasn't in the cards. Still, that was before April started working her magic on his daughter …and on him. Maybe this Christmas was a time for new beginnings — if Patrick had the courage to go with the powerful feelings April had awakened in him….

I haven’t read too many books by Karen Templeton and I’m not quite sure why.  The few that I have read, I’ve enjoyed a lot so I really need to get over myself and read more of her stuff.

With the holidays just around the corner, I picked this story up and thought that it would get me into the holiday spirit and I think it has.

This book follows April Ross and Patrick Shaughnessy.  April came into a lot of money is a restoring her grandmother’s big ol’ house and turning it into a B&B.  She’s hired Patrick to help with the landscaping and right from the start, there’s an attraction simmering under the surface for the both of them.  Now, Patrick is scarred from the war and when April first sees him, she sees the side of him that hides the scars.  When she sees the scars, she’s taken aback by them and Patrick sees her reaction to them and swears off of her before they even go there.  But the more time he spends with her, the more he wants to put himself out there again but his insecurities about his new lot in life come to the surface time and time again.

I thought that April was really patient with Patrick.  She spent a lot of time trying to get him to be comfortable with the fact that she was attracted to him, scars and all.  Throw in a little girl who is still hurting from the popping in and out of her life that her mother is doing, things are more than little complicated….but April knows what she wants and she spends the whole of this book trying to make Patrick see that he wants it too.

It would have been so easy for me to become highly annoyed with Patrick and his attitude toward dating, toward April and toward well, everything in his life but Templeton did a great job of making me understand where he’s coming from and why he’s acting the way that he’s acting.  When he finally allows himself to love and be loved by April, I grinned like a crazy person.

This was an enjoyably sweet romance that I’m glad that I read.  I definitely recommend.

Grade: 4 out of 5

This book is available from Harlequin Special Editions. You can buy it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.

four-stars


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