It’s not getting any warmer here in Wisconsin, so for my last stop on the Fiery Reads for Icy Cold Nights hop, I wanted to find something to keep me extra toasty. I just happened to have something special arrive courtesy of Random House that I wanted to share a little early (for the sake of getting warm, of course). I fell in love with Ruthie Knox when I read About Last Night last year and am loving what she’s got coming out this year, including her Camelot series.
I’m reviewing Ruthie’s upcoming book, Along Came Trouble and one winner will receive ebook copies of all of her single titles: About Last Night, Ride With Me, How To Misbehave (Camelot #1) and Along Came Trouble (Camelot #2). Ruthie’s books are only available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble and the Apple store, so to be eligible, you need to be able to receive ebooks from them, sent from me in the US. Amazon has a downloadable Kindle program for the computer for anyone who doesn’t have an ereader. The Rafflecopter form is after my review!
Along Came Trouble (Camelot #2)
By Ruthie KnoxPublisher: Random House Publishing Group
Publication Date: March 11, 2013
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: NetgalleyAn accomplished lawyer and driven single mother, Ellen Callahan isn’t looking for any help. She’s doing just fine on her own. So Ellen’s more than a little peeved when her brother, an international pop star, hires a security guard to protect her from a prying press that will stop at nothing to dig up dirt on him. But when the tanned and toned Caleb Clark shows up at her door, Ellen might just have to plead the fifth.
Back home after a deployment in Iraq and looking for work as a civilian, Caleb signs on as Ellen’s bodyguard. After combat in the hot desert sun, this job should be a breeze. But guarding the willful beauty is harder than he imagined—and Caleb can’t resist the temptation to mix business with pleasure. With their desires growing more undeniable by the day, Ellen and Caleb give in to an evening of steamy passion. But will they ever be able to share more than just a one-night stand?
Goodreads Summary
Knox’s Camelot series is about three of the Clark siblings: Amber, Caleb and Katie. Amber was paired with her now-husband Tony in the series start, which was a novella; now it’s Caleb’s turn, and his full-length story shares space with a sweet secondary romance. This didn’t rock my socks off like About Last Night did (not much has), but it’s still hot and sexy, had me growling and laughing and left me with a smile.
Single mom Ellen Callahan has fought hard for her independence and you’ll have to pry it out of her cold, dead hands. Life in the shadow of her perfect, famous rock star twin Jamie and marriage to a bum who sucked every ounce of self-esteem out of her has left her unable unwilling to hand over trust of her heart, life, future or even her house to anyone. Brother Jamie’s love life is putting that last one in danger. By having a relationship with her next door neighbor, he’s practically invited the paparazzi storm that’s descended on Camelot to try to get pictures of Carly. Paparazzi that sits in Ellen’s yard, crushes her precious plants and disrupts her daily life with son Henry. The Camelot police are getting very familiar with Carly and Ellen’s cul de sac.
Enter Caleb Clark, whose security firm has been contracted to beef up Carly and Ellen’s security and offer personal protection. Both women are like brick walls when it comes to pleas to add protection: the answer is no, will always be no and don’t ask anymore. There’s a spark of something extra with Ellen – not that he’ll use it to his advantage getting the security fence, floodlights, alarm system or deadbolts put in or anything – but maybe something personal could happen. Ellen is bowled over by the gorgeous Caleb, but there’s no way she’s letting him touch her heart, her property or house. Her body though? Maybe…
Ellen is one stressed-out woman who over-thinks everything. Everything. As it unfolds in the story, I heard her reasons for it and they bounced around in the back of my head, but it wasn’t until Caleb put it together and said what it was to her that it really made the right amount of sense for the amount of paranoid and controlling that she was. When she wasn’t having a fit about security or Caleb trying to get personal, she was a loving, funny woman. I adored her relationship with her little 2-year-old son Henry, who is way cuter than a kid in a romance should be. The little dude should have had his own girl, maybe a 4-year-old cougar.
If Caleb wasn’t smoking hot, then Knox would be seriously off of her game, and she’s not. He’s ex-military, finally home after a few tours of duty because his family needs him. He has that taking care of his family thing going for him, the drool-worthy tight body, he’s all into trying to protect Ellen and he’s just adorable with her son Henry. He’s got his own issues underneath the hotness though, and he still keeps coming back to Ellen even though she keeps shoving him away. There were some non-shoving-away times though – hot pads for Kindle required. For a long time.
The secondary romance didn’t take a lot away from Caleb and Ellen, since it was between Ellen’s neighbor Carly and her twin brother Jamie so they were sort of wrapped up in it too. Their story is easy to spoil so I won’t say too much about it, other than that knowing what I do about Jamie from Ellen’s point of view, I wasn’t as invested in their story as maybe I could have been. It was sweet, but it didn’t carry me away or anything.
I really enjoyed Along Came Trouble, for all of its sexy, funny, frustrating and sweet moments. Caleb and Ellen seemed like an odd couple at first but they ended up really fitting together and the little epilogue was so them that I absolutely believed their HEA. Caleb’s sister Katie’s story is up next and from what I learned from her in this book, the girl definitely deserves a great hero of her own. I can’t wait to read it!
My Rating: A-
Anyone can enter the giveaway, as long as they’re able to receive an ebook sent from me (US) from Amazon, Barnes & Noble or the Apple Store since those are the only places Ruthie’s books are sold.
I just started MY LIFE NEXT DOOR.
I’m reading CLOUD ATLAS by David Mitchell.
“Sweet Savage Love” by Rosemary Rogers. So far, so good… it’s a really long book though so I met be reading it for a while.
mestith at gmail dot com
Just started A Whisper On A Scream by Cree Walker.
I am almost done Strands of Gold and Bronze and with a storm moving in I will snuggle under blankets with Robyn Carr’s new series . eep! Delightful review! I think i have book one and two coming up in March for review:)
Just started reading Text Appeal by Lexi Ryan.
I love Ruthie’s words.
Just started the Bloodlines series by Richelle Mead.
One Foot In The Grave by Jeaniene Frost for about the third time lol I’m trading off per book with the Breed series by Lora Leigh
Thanks for the awesome giveaway!
Great choices! I love the Night Huntress series (and most of those Breeds). Oh, Bones.
Wonderful review. right now I am reading The Sweetest Dark, and it certainly interesting.
Jenea @ Books Live Forever
I’m reading WILD AWAKE by Hilary T. Smith.
Just read Ruthie’s HOW TO MISBEHAVE and loved it!
What an awesome giveaway! I like that it features siblings that is always fun for me as I am very close to my siblings. Thanks so much for putting together such rockin’ posts for Fire and Ice! I would love to win this book pack… as if I need more books but I really want to read more NA! Hmm… what book am I reading today. I am finishing Dark Kiss and then starting Demon Lover by Juliet Dark. I have a ton of reading to do before next week! Have a great day!
Nothing at the moment. I am between books.
I’m reading Knot In Time for Read For Your Future book review. It’s pretty good:)
cc_clubbs [at] yahoo [dot] com
I am reading 3, no make that 4 books at the moment now! Delirium as part of a read-a-long, partials because I need to review the sequel, summer ruins because I love the series and couldn’t wait to start, and now the truth about letting go because I started reading it and thought I might as well carry on!
I love a good romance though, especially if I know theres a happily ever after
I am reading The Mighty Storm.
Today I am reading The Cat’s Meow by Stacey Kennedy.
I’m reading Boundless by Cynthia Hand
Omg.. when I 1st glanced at the title for this post, I thought it said Cameltoe. lol.
I’m currently torturing myself by reading The Dark Heroine. Ugh.
OMG You are ridiculously weird. lol
I saw you DNF’d your book. I did the same to one last night. Ugh.
not reading anything now
I am reading Mindbenders on my kindle, and Onyx on my Android. Thanks for joining the hop!
I’m reading Moonshifted by Cassie Alexander – and it’s fantastic! I’m also reading The Notorious Lady Anne on my iPhone/Kindle – another fantastic read.
That chick on the cover sure does not look like a single mother!
LOL. OK, I think I tried this author’s book when it came out, but I can’t for the life of me remember what it was about.
You should know that after reading your review, I now have an image of you *growling* while reading although I don’t even know what you look like.
I kind of just want to read this book for Henry! He sounds adorable.
Great review, Barb!
I know! I wish my stomach was that flat and tiny.
I blame any muffin-toppage on my kidlet. You probably read About Last Night – hero was named Nev, heroine met him on the tube in London. She had tattoos for all of the mistakes she’d made in her life, he was a rich (or came from a rich family) banker. Very, smoking hot. Loved that book.
I’m like Batman, you’ll just have to continue to imagine what I look like. I’ve posted some pictures of myself here before!
I’m reading Team Human.
Just started Beautiful Bastard
I’m reading Hex and The Single Witch by Roxanne Rhoades
I just started reading Night Whispers by Judith McNaught