Tag Archives: Doctor/Paramedic

Worth The Wait (McKinney/Walker # 1)

By Claudia Connor

Synopsis

Claudia Connor continues her beloved McKinney Brothers with the first in a spin off series, featuring the Walker Brothers.

He broke her heart. When he finds out just how badly, it will break his too.

Nick Walker found the love of his life when he was just nineteen.

Found her.
Loved her.
Lost her.

It’s been ten years since Nick watched the only women he ever loved walk out of his life. Now this FBI Special Agent will do anything to win her back.

But it won’t be easy…

Mia’s heart was shattered by Nick. They’ll have to face their painful past if they want a future, including Mia’s own secret about that day it all fell apart.

Do you believe in second chances?

Review

WORTH THE WAIT is a second-chance romance between Nick and Mia and is the first book in the Walker Brothers series, a spin-off of the McKinney Brothers series. We first met the Walker brothers in WORTH THE RISK where their sister, Hannah, fell in love with Stephen McKinney. Nick is in the FBI and is the oldest of five children. His three brothers are Luke (Special Forces), Zach (Fireman) and Dallas (DEA Agent) and I assume each brother will get his own book in this series.

Nick is a man who carries a lot of responsibility on his shoulders. Forced at nineteen to look after his four siblings (aged seventeen, fourteen x 2 and two) after his parents died, he has spent the past twenty-four years second-guessing every decision he ever made. Did he make the right choice? Would his parents have done the same thing? It has taken a toll on him and has affected his relationship with his siblings. They love him, but the brothers are not overly close and there’s some tension between them that I felt didn’t get resolved in this story. Nick met Mia soon after starting college and their relationship lasted thirteen years before he ruined it. Yes, I put all the blame on him.

Mia is a smart and loving woman who gave her relationship with Nick her all. She loved Nick’s family like her own and was devastated when they were taken from her. She has the capacity to love fiercely but every time she falls in love, it’s stripped away from her and that was heartbreaking. Your heart will break even more when you find out she was dealing with her own tragedy in silence while Nick was slowly pulling away from her.

WORTH THE WAIT is told in dual POVs and while it’s a spin-off of the McKinney Brothers series, I think you could read this one on it’s own without any real problems. That being said, some of this story does takes place in the same timeline as WORTH THE RISK, and you would get a better understanding of what Hannah went through if you did read that book first. The story switches between past and present quite often, which was hard to follow at times. But it was nice to see into the past to find out how they met and fell in love, even if it was sad to see their relationship die a slow death.

Worth The Wait (McKinney/Walker # 1)

My Rating:

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The McKinney Brothers Series

Mischief and The Masters (Masters of the Shadowlands #12)

By Cherise Sinclair

Synopsis

She wants a short, sweet Master. One Master.
The two devastatingly dominant Drago cousins have other ideas.

Her life destroyed by a stalker, Uzuri Cheval starts anew in Tampa and joins the exclusive Shadowlands club. Unconvinced of her claims that she can overcome her fear of big men without help, Master Z gives her a time limit. And she is improving–until she hears the stalker is out of prison. Now her time limit is up, and the Masters will intervene, which is okay–as long as whoever helps her is short. Okay, sweet and gentle would be good, too.

But two Doms? Dangerously experienced and dauntingly powerful cousins? No way.

Having volunteered in every hellhole in the world, Dr. Alastair Drago is ready to settle down. Detective Max Drago has joined him and, once again, the cousins share everything. A house, lives, problems…and whatever submissive catches their interest. One mischievous submissive has definitely caught Alastair’s. However, having been burned by a woman, Max remains detached…until little mischief’s troubles turn deadly.

Review

Mischief and the Masters is another amazing addition to this series. Each book builds on the last one and I love all the references to previous books in this series.

Uzuri has strength inside her that she never knew she had. I love her character. Once she feels comfortable with the people she’s around her true personality comes out. She truly loves the people that she considers friends and will do anything for them. And she also has a playful side which creates a not so little bit of mischief.

The Drago Doms are cousins that share everything. Max has recently moved back with Alastair and they are looking for a submissive to share. Max has an edge and a chip on shoulder that you can see coming. He won’t have anyone that is too high maintenance. Alastair is softer in his approach but more sadistic than his cousin.

Once the cousins start to chip through Uzuri’s walls, their chemistry is undeniable. Master Z is a genius in his manipulative ways. He truly has a way of seeing amazing matches within his members.

This story had many touching moments including Andrea’s wedding. She has come so far since her book Lean on Me. Uzuri played a great role in making sure that day was everything it should be. And this story also had many laugh out loud moments. Uzuri has way with arts and crafts that will have you cracking up.

Mischief and The Masters has all the elements that makes this series so great. It has the d/s, but it also has the relationships between all the characters. Each book shows just how much each character has grown. The shadowkittens are the best. There is real strength within this group of women.

Mischief and The Masters

My Rating:

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Falling For Flynn (Hockey On Tap # 1)

By Kate Willoughby

Synopsis

Tracy Duval has spent her life proving women can play hockey. From leading her college team to coaching little girls, she’s been a champion of the sport. But when a sexist ad for the Barracuda Fantasy Hockey Camp seems to exclude women, she signs up to teach the boys a lesson.

Retired NHL player Flynn Hammerstrom meets Tracy at the local ice rink and is immediately intrigued. She’s mature, confident, sexy—and hello, she plays hockey. He’s ready to settle down again and, after his tumultuous marriage, he’s looking for a woman who is high on fun and low on drama.

Unfortunately, even though he’s nuts about her, the drama he desperately wants to avoid flares up at the fantasy camp.

And Tracy is smack dab in the middle of the fire.

Review

FALLING FOR FLYNN is the first book in the Hockey On Tap series, which is a spin-off (of sorts) of the In The Zone series, but you don’t have to read that series in order to enjoy this story.

Flynn is a retired Barracuda who owns a bar with his fellow team mates, Cole and Slater, who I assume will get their own books. He’s attending the Fantasy Camp in the hopes of expanding their business and falls in lust with Tracy at first sight. Unfortunately, I was slightly turned off by the description of his hairstyle before he changed it. I’m sorry, but I just can’t find it in me to consider a man sexy when he’s three quarters bald and wears what’s left in a ponytail. I liked Tracy, who’s intelligent and giving; she’s an OB/GYN who spends her spare time coaching a young girls hockey team. After some persuasion from her best friend and business partner, Naomi, she decides to take on the Barracudas and their sexist attitude towards women and hockey. Flynn is her all-time favourite player, and I liked that she didn’t fan-girl all over him when they met, and that she stood up to him when he was being a jackass.

It was refreshing to read a story about a couple finding love in their forties, and I’m looking forward to reading the future books in this series. FALLING FOR FLYNN is told in dual POVs and is a novella, so the story is short and sweet. Personally I wish it had been a bit longer, perhaps including more time spent at the bar and a bit more backstory on Flynn and Tracy.

Falling For Flynn (Hockey On Tap # 1)

My Rating:

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Hot Puck (Rough Riders Hockey # 2)

By Skye Jordan

Synopsis

The pressure has never been more intense for Rough Riders’ star defenseman Beckett Croft. With his contact expiring, Beckett has to live up to his badass reputation every minute of every game to earn the next big deal. A deal that will secure a stable home for his five-year-old daughter. So when an injury on the ice threatens to send him to the ER, he fights protocol—until the feisty EMT refuses to take no for an answer. Beckett likes his women assertive, and the spark between them is nothing short of scorching. Her indifference to his fame and money only intrigues him more. And by the time he peeks beneath her tightly sealed edges to see her beautiful but deeply wounded soul, he’s in way too deep to pull back.

After years of shutting herself off from men, Eden is tempted by the heat that blazes when she is around the NHL’s most notorious bad boy—even toying with an inkling of “what if”. But life has taught her how painfully that kind of fire burns. And how deeply it scars. So Eden denies the spark room to grow, the same way she shut out the violence from her past, focusing instead on her career and finishing paramedic school. She’ll never rely on a man for money or security again.

But when the heat between them becomes too hot to ignore, one night isn’t enough. Soon, Beckett and Eden find themselves caught between desire and fear—with painful pasts pulling them in one direction and a fragile new love pulling them in another. All while the family and careers that matter most hang in the balance.

Review

HOT PUCK is book 2 in the Rough Riders Hockey series and a great read, even if you’re not a hockey fan.

I liked Beckett and Eden and thought they made an amazing couple. Their chemistry was off-the-charts hot, as was their naughty little bar scene. Yowza! Eden has had a rough few years which has left her a little fragile, but at the same time, has made her a much stronger woman. She’s a woman who has chosen to live life instead of wallowing in the past, and I loved that about her. She’s smart, kind and honest, and is not at all interested in fame or fortune, which makes her a perfect match for Beckett. On to Beckett, who is cocky, charming, sweet and loveable. He’s the team’s captain and a single dad to his adorable five year old daughter, Lily. He’s under a lot of stress in this story, trying to secure another contract with the team while also trying to gain sole custody of Lily from her gold-digging mother, but not once does he direct that stress at Eden or Lily. He senses Eden’s fragility, so he’s gentle and patient with her, but he also knows when it’s time to push her out of her comfort zone. Did I mention he’s cocky and charming?

“I don’t know any hockey players.”
“You do now.”
“Hardly. We met thirty minutes ago.”
“Not only did we meet, but we’ve had our first fight and made up⎯all in half an hour. The next step is always makeup sex. Imagine where we could take this given a couple of uninterrupted hours.”

I think it could use a bit more editing because there were a few times where I noticed some repetition. I also felt the whole Kim issue was not finalised very well. I would have loved to have seen Beckett defend himself through the media and was deeply disappointed when it was all resolved in a single paragraph without really telling us anything. Other than that, I enjoyed HOT PUCK and thought it was a great read. HOT PUCK is told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. As with QUICK TRICK⎯book 1 in the series⎯the conflict towards the end was believable, before ending with a wonderfully sweet HEA for Beckett, Eden and Lily.

Hot Puck (Rough Riders Hockey # 2)

My Rating:

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Rough Riders Hockey Series

Barely Breathing (Colorado High Country # 1)

By Pamela Clare

Synopsis

Lexi Jewell left Scarlet Springs twelve years ago, vowing never to return to the small Colorado mountain town where she grew up. Now, here she is—over thirty, out of a job and with little choice but to move back in with her eccentric father. Lexi knows it’s just a matter of time before she runs into Austin Taylor, her first boyfriend and her first heartbreak. She’s determined to show him she’s over him—until he steps out of a pickup truck and back into her life, looking sexy as hell in his mountain ranger uniform.

As far as Austin is concerned, Lexi can turn her snazzy little convertible around and drive back to Chicago. After all, she ripped his teenage heart to pieces and turned her back on the town he loves. But from the moment he sees her again, he can’t get her out of his mind. Even her smile messes with his head.

When an evening of conversation turns into something else, Lexi and Austin agree to be friends—with benefits. But as Lexi starts making plans to return to the big city, Austin realizes he’ll lose her a second time unless he can show her that what she’s searching for has been right here all along.

Review

BARELY BREATHING is a second-chance romance between Austin and Lexi, who dated through high school only to break up just before Lexi left for college. Coming home to help her father with some personal issues, she’s forced to face her past while trying to figure out what to do with her future.

I liked Lexi a lot and thought she was a really nice and generous woman despite not having had the best experiences in life. Her stepmother, Kendra, is a real piece of work and I didn’t like her at all. While I liked Lexi, when it came to her father I thought she was a bit of a doormat. He has treated her pretty horribly her whole life and then has the nerve to act all put out because she’s never come home before. To make matters worse, he blames her for his shitty life choices, and she lets him. She eventually stands up to Kendra, but she never really stands up to her father, and I would have loved to have seen her do just that. I liked Austin, but to be honest, I don’t remember a great deal about him. I remember a lot about Lexi, but Austin has nothing memorable happening in his life, past or present.

I enjoyed BARELY BREATHING, which for the most part was light and easy to read. I loved the handcuffed-to-the-bed scene, which was sexy at first, before turning awkward, embarrassing and hilarious. Because it’s the first book in the Colorado High Country series, there were a lot of characters introduced and trying to remember them all was difficult. It also included cameos from two I-Team characters, but you don’t need to read their stories to understand their inclusion here. In regards to the climbing and rescue side of the story, it got extremely technical and was hard to follow, even with the glossary included in the beginning.

BARELY BREATHING is told in dual POVs, is the first in the series where each book can be read as a stand-alone, and comes with a nice HEA for Austin and Lexi. Austin and Lexi’s best friends get the next book, SLOW BURN.

Barely Breathing (Colorado High Country # 1)

My Rating:

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Colorado High Country Series

Kilty Pleasure (The McLaughlins # 2)

By Shelli Stevens

Synopsis

The line between lust and hate is often blurred…

After being ditched at the altar over a year ago, Deputy Colin McLaughlin is fine with being single. Despite the fact that nearly every eligible female on the island wants him, he isn’t looking for love.

But something stirs his blood when Hailey starts showing up more on the island. And it’s not just the conviction that the apple doesn’t fall far from her troublemaking, drugged-out family tree. His frustration mounts that even after she ruined his twin brother’s life, the desire he’s felt for her since high school still simmers.

Hailey Alexander knows her past is littered with mistakes. She’s done her best to make amends and move on, but a certain Scottish-born deputy doesn’t seem in any hurry to forgive or forget.

More than just fighting the attraction that’s compromising their hearts, they face a new threat from Hailey’s past that may threaten her life.

Review

KILTY PLEASURE is book 2 in The McLaughlins series and takes place a few weeks from where GOOD GIRL GONE PLAID finished. Here we have Colin and Hailey, two people who crushed on each other in high school, but never had a relationship. Hailey made an appearance at the end of book 1 to give Sarah and Ian closure, and the truth about why she broke them up all those years ago.

I liked Hailey, who didn’t have a good life growing up. Her parents were both drug addicts, so it was up to her to keep her and her little brother fed and out of the system. You can’t help but feel sad for her when you find out just how bad it was and why she felt she had no choice but to break Sarah and Ian up. Like Ian, Colin was a little difficult to like in the beginning because he was quite cruel to Hailey. Even when he wanted her and would make out with her, he’d finish it off with words aimed to hurt. He seemed to come around a bit quicker than Ian did though, so he had that going for him.

“I slept with Hailey.”
“The fook you did.”
“Exactly. Fuck we did.”
“Hailey? But you hate the girl.”
“Aye. At times I do. And yet, apparently at times I don’t.”

KILTY PLEASURE is told in dual POVs, with part of the final chapter being told in Kenzie’s POV, who gets the next book. While it’s part of a series and it can technically be read as a stand-alone, there are some events and characters that would make more sense if you read the previous book. There were two bad guys introduced in book 1 that make appearances in this book as well, and one of them has a connection to Hailey. His involvement in this series comes to an end in this book, but the other character (who has a connection to Kenzie) is still around, and I wonder if his story will be tied up in her book. Again, the conflict was easy to predict and the story moves pretty fast in a short period of time; a few weeks I think. It comes with a HEA and doesn’t end in a cliffhanger.

“I don’t care about your past, Hailey. I care about your future and only that I’m in it.”

Kilty Pleasure (The McLaughlins # 2)

My Rating:

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The McLaughlins Series

Private Practice (Private Pleasures # 1)

By Samanthe Beck

Synopsis

He’ll teach her how to bring a man to his knees…

Dr. Ellie Swan has a plan: open her practice in tiny Bluelick, Kentucky, so she can keep an eye on her diabetic father, and make hometown golden-boy Roger Reynolds fall in love with her. But Ellie has a problem. Roger seeks a skilled, sexually adventurous partner, and bookish Ellie doesn’t qualify.

Tyler Longfoot only cares about three things: shaking his bad boy image, qualifying for the loan his company needs to rehab a piece of Bluelick’s history, and convincing Ellie to keep quiet about the “incident” that lands him on her doorstep at two a.m. with a bullet in his behind.

The adorable Dr. Swan drives a mean bargain, though. If sex-on-a-stick Tyler will teach Ellie how to bring a man to his knees, she’ll forget about the bullet. Armed with The Wild Woman’s Guide to Sex and Tyler’s lessons, Ellie is confident she can become what Roger needs…if she doesn’t fall for Tyler first.

Review

I’m going to start by saying that for a novella, this one took me a long time to finish. I had trouble engaging with the story and while I liked Tyler, I couldn’t connect with Ellie, who I found to be too clinical and naive. I was confused as to why I wasn’t enjoying this book because I’ve read books from this author before and loved them. My confusion lifted when I read the acknowledgment at the end which states that this was the author’s debut novel. Because this debut novel dates back to 2013, I’m not going to go into great detail with my review. I will say that PRIVATE PRACTICE is told in dual POVs and is the first book in the Private Pleasures series. I will also say that despite not enjoying this book, I know for a fact that her stories have improved, so I would gladly read from this author again.

Private Practice (Private Pleasures # 1)

My Rating:

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Private Pleasures Series

Seducing The Boss

By Mari Carr

Synopsis

Kellan James is unwinding at Score when he spots the last person he’d ever expect to find in his favorite bar. Sara Connelly—ER nurse, do-gooder, charitable crusader, and frequent pain in his ass. Both grew up privileged in swanky Southampton, but that’s where the similarities end. Kellan’s made it his mission to seek out life’s pleasures; Sara gains pleasure from lecturing him on his lifestyle. Kellan would never date someone like her. Ever.

But when Kellan discovers Sara’s been stood-up by an online date, something fierce and protective awakens inside of him. Typically, Kellan would enjoy teasing the jilted Sara, but something in her face sends him over to her table with a plan. He encourages her to take a walk on the wild side, one weekend of sin, no holds barred.

She accepts, but it quickly becomes apparent that one night isn’t enough. As the pull between them grows stronger, Kellan discovers it’s a very dangerous thing to say never.

Review

SEDUCING THE BOSS was a nice and easy read about Kellan and Sara, co-workers who have been just friends since they were children, until Kellan proposes adding benefits to their friendship. Simply put, this was a classic story of two friends who add sex to the mix, but the man is resistant to relationships, so the woman walks away, man realises what he’s lost and can’t live without her anymore, makes a grand gesture, and we get a HEA.

SEDUCING THE BOSS is a novella, so everything moves very fast; Kellan goes from commitment-phobe to married man in the span of a month. I did have some trouble following the timeline, but I think that timeframe is accurate. The sex was hot and I loved the backstory about why Kellan didn’t believe in marriage. It’s told in dual POVs and while it’s part of a series that’s being written by multiple authors, I’d classify this as a stand-alone.

Seducing The Boss

My Rating:

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Searching For Harmony (Boston Love # 1)

By Kelly Elliott

Synopsis

Firefighter and first responder Preston Ward thought he had grown immune to the job’s emotional burns. But when he goes out on a particularly tragic call, he realizes that some scenes are too devastating to forget. And yet, if it weren’t for that terrible night, he never would have met the woman who makes him want to risk his heart.

More than once, Harmony Banks has watched her perfectly ordered world torn apart by fate. Now she’s finding out that what she lost wasn’t as perfect as she thought—and it’s tearing her apart. The only thing that keeps her going is the kindness of a stranger: the firefighter who saved her life the night everything changed.

Preston isn’t like the men who have come before. For one thing, he’s far more genuine. And the love Harmony feels growing between them is almost too intense for her wounded soul. But if she and Preston can push past heartbreak, they’ll find that something incredible awaits in each other’s arms.

Review

So after experiencing a bit of a book funk in June, I’ve been blessed with some amazing reads in July, and SEARCHING FOR HARMONY is another book I’m adding to that list. Make sure to have your tissues handy when you start because you will need them. Without trying to give anything away, Harmony endures quite a lot in this book and the worst is experienced in the first few chapters.

With everything she’s suffered⎯and all before she’s twenty-one⎯you can’t help but feel awful for Harmony. All she has left in the world is her older brother, Jake, and her new friendship with Preston, that over time turns into love. While she has moments where she breaks down, and rightly so, I loved the moments where her strength shined through. Preston is definitely book boyfriend material. Firstly, he’s a firefighter. Secondly, he’s a genuinely nice guy. It was so easy to fall in love with him, especially after the non-date he planned for Harmony, which was thoughtful, romantic, sweet and funny. That day was totally swoon worthy.

Opening up the passenger side door, I smiled as I pushed a piece of hair behind Harmony’s ear. Smiling, she opened her eyes and I knew in that moment I was done for. Yep. I’m totally fucked.

SEARCHING FOR HARMONY is a story that will have you experiencing a wide range of emotions. It’s sad and emotional as you see Harmony suffer, but it’s also beautiful when you see her fall in love with Preston. I thought the story flowed really well and that the romance between Preston and Harmony moved at a realistic pace. The only thing that bothered me was the occasional skips in time that came without notice; the characters don’t mention how much time has passed until several paragraphs into the chapter, and by then I found myself feeling confused, like I was missing something. It’s not a major thing, but just something that niggled at me enough to make it worth mentioning. SEARCHING FOR HARMONY is told in dual POVs, appears to be a stand-alone and comes with a beautiful HEA.

I don’t think I’ll ever get used to the way her touch makes my stomach drop. I’ve never had that happen with any girl I’ve ever dated.

Searching For Harmony (Boston Love # 1)

My Rating:

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Boston Love Series

Love In The Light (Hearts In Darkness # 2)

By Laura Kaye

Synopsis

Two hearts in the darkness…

Makenna James and Caden Grayson have been inseparable since the day they were trapped in a pitch-black elevator and found acceptance and love in the arms of a stranger. Makenna hopes that night put them on the path to forever—which can’t happen until she introduces her tattooed, pierced, and scarred boyfriend to her father and three over-protective brothers.

Must fight for love in the light…

Haunted by a childhood tragedy and the loss of his family, Caden never thought he’d find the love he shares with Makenna. But the deeper he falls, the more he fears the devastation sure to come if he ever lost her, too. When meeting her family doesn’t go smoothly, Caden questions whether Makenna deserves someone better, stronger, and just more…normal. Maybe they’re just too different—and he’s far too damaged—after all…

Review

LOVE IN THE LIGHT takes place two months after the elevator scene in HEARTS IN DARKNESS. Makenna and Caden are practically living together and despite some insecurities on his part, they’re both very happy. But it’s that happiness that Caden fears most, because everyone he’s ever loved has either died or abandoned him, so when he starts to develop strong feelings for Makenna, he has a hard time trusting it. Makenna is a very strong, loving and patient woman, which is exactly what Caden needs. She knows about his past and the nightmares that haunt him, and she does everything she can to ease them. But he’s kept from her how bad his depression can get, so when it starts to hit him again, he does what he thinks is best: he leaves. Sadly, it’s at a time when Makenna needs him the most.

LOVE IN THE LIGHT is told in dual POVs and is a novella, so it’s a fairly quick read. It’s part of a duet, so you need to read HEARTS IN DARKNESS first as it’s the story about how Caden and Makenna meet. This was an enjoyable read and I really liked getting to know more about them as individuals and as a couple, but this is not what I would call a light read. You will shed some tears, and following Caden’s downward spiral into depression may be hard for some people to take.