Vivian Arend

2nd Blogoversary Giveaway: Rocky Mountain Heat by Vivian Arend

November 7, 2012 by Barbara at Basia's Bookshelf 7 Comments

*checks teeth* Yep, we’re still two! That means I can go ahead with the giveaways for the blogoversary (because you were wondering, right?). This week, I’m sharing the first book of one of my favorite contemporary series’ with you plus some special swag.

There’s not much Vivian Arend writes that I don’t like – she has a serious knack for writing guys that I can’t read about without wearing a bib – and her Six Pack Ranch series is no exception. Sizzling hot dudes in cowboy boots and jeans who say, “ma’am?” Rawr. But the books are also about family, work and some serious issues. And hot guys. *sigh*

This goodness must be spread around, and thanks to the generosity of the author, I get to do that. Check out the awesome stuff I get to give away:

Signed copy of Rocky Mountain Heat (Six Pack Ranch #1) by Vivian Arend (My Review)
RT 2012 Western Roundup Tote Bag
Tissue Pack (trust me, you’ll need them)
Six Pack Ranch Bottle Opener (oh yeah, you’ll need this for a cold one when the time comes)
Six Pack Ranch Lip Balm (ahem – your significant other will appreciate you and Vivian)
Magnetic Bookmark from Purely Chic Designs – I love these for keeping my spot in books without damaging pages and not slipping out like regular bookmarks

The details: because of the shipping costs, this giveaway is US/Can only – I’m going to have at least two more giveaways this month that will be open to international entries though! Giveaway will close at midnight November 14th – all the nitty gritty fine points where I go into first born claiming is on our Giveaway Policy page. Follow the Rafflecopter crumbs, if you have any questions, as always, email me and good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Filed Under: Giveaway Tagged With: Blogoversary, Vivian Arend

Silver Mine (Takhini Wolves #2)

September 11, 2012 by Barbara at Basia's Bookshelf Leave a Comment

By Vivian Arend

Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Publication Date: September 11, 2012
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: Author

“If a tree falls in the forest, duck…”

“Takhini Wolves, Book 2″

Life in isolation is the safest place for Chase Johnson, a crossbreed who doesn’t know which form he’ll assume next-cougar or wolf. Once a year, his unelected position as spokesman for the Yukon outcasts forces him to visit civilization. This time he runs across someone unexpected. She’s not his mate, but she pushes all the right buttons.

It’s taken years for Shelley Bradley to gather the courage to return to her home pack. In spite of being the lowest of the low-a shifter who can’t shift-she’s determined to make a place for herself as the Whitehorse locals’ new vet-slash-doctor.

There’s definite electricity between her and Chase, but sex with fellow shifters and the inherent mind games got old a long time ago. Ignoring him seems best. When he shows up at her office with a wound that won’t heal, she’s stuck-yet drawn to solve this medical mystery.

As they journey deep into outcast territory in search of answers, their powerful sexual attraction crumbles her resistance. But time is of the essence. If a cure can’t be found before his human and cougar succumb to his injury, he-and others like him-will die.

Warning: Contains a silver-tongued, hairy-chested, lean-muscled Alpha who’s got what it takes to lead in the wilderness and in the bedroom. Yeah, I know…not really much of a deterrent, is it? Throw in continuing territorial wars and a domestic cat. Stir and enjoy the chaos.

Goodreads Summary

I’ve loved Arend’s series about shapeshifters since 2009, when I picked up Wolf Signs, a book about a deaf girl who heads out into the wilderness with no idea she’s part wolf. It was unique, sexy and full of humor. The Granite Lake wolfies have been going strong for five books (with a new one coming!) and they’ve spun off into a slightly edgier and rougher series, the Takhini Wolves. I liked the first book for its sly humor and bad-assery (new word alert!). Silver Mine was a more sedate book, the issues a little deeper and there wasn’t quite so much butt-kicking. The humor is always there though. I wouldn’t recognize an Arend book without it.

Chase is a loner by nature, living in relative isolation in the Canadian wilds with random fellow loner shifters for a loose “pack.” During his yearly trip into civilization in Whitehorse for supplies that will probably end up in their bellies too, he’s also got to find a doctor. He got scratched up during a fight with a puma shifter and the wounds aren’t healing at all.

Years ago, Shelley fled Whitehorse and an abusive Takhini pack that turned her into an outcast because she was a half-breed wolf who couldn’t shift. During her time away, she became a vet with specialized shifter training and the old Takhini alpha was overthrown by a much different, kinder man who created a new kind of pack. Her sister Caroline and the lure of her own office in Whitehorse pulls Shelley back home, although she’s determined to stay away from anything resembling pack life or shifters – except a very delicious blonde shifter who’s new in town looks interesting to her one night.

That blonde shifter comes banging on her not-yet-open office door the next day, looking for the doctor to check out some scratches. Shelley can’t figure them out – there was something wrong with the puma shifter who attacked Chase and she needs to check him out before she can fix what’s wrong with him. That means Chase has to take her deep into his isolated territory, the two of them, alone, with all of this sizzling attraction between them.

At least for a good while at the start of the story, I didn’t feel very connected to Shelley and Chase. There was a lot of other stuff going on back in Whitehorse with Shelley’s sister Caroline and Evan, the Alpha of Takhini, and it was a little distracting. By the time the two had really left civilization, it was easier to feel a bond and a lot of sexual tension growing between the two of them. I was a little surprised by how fast Shelley decided she wouldn’t resist him. I mean, not that I would either. But, you know, I expected her to at least put up more of a fuss.

Shelley and Chase both have sad and unusual pasts that should have given them a little oomph in the depth department. Shelley experienced terrible bullying because she could never trigger her wolf and was blamed for something terrible. Chase is a Métis, a shifter with two animals who generally isn’t accepted by either pack. They had a lot in common that could have brought them together on a special level but I just never got that feeling from them. I really did believe their romance though and whoo, they were steamy together.

The supporting characters and side stories were very strong and I think may have overwhelmed Shelley and Chase. There was a lot of Caroline and Evan, much being made about her being human and not his mate despite them sleeping together. Back at Chase’s home, there was an adorable cast of characters: Delton, the grizzled old wanderer who’s been watching his place; Jones, the young trouble-making wolverine and my favorite, Frank, the big ol’ bear shifter who’s absolutely hilarious. I swear I’m going to sit on Arend one of these days and make her write a bear shifter series. They’re big, brawny (get in a lot of trouble) and so funny I adore them.

My Summary: I’m pretty conflicted about this one. I liked the mystery of the puma scratches and the hike in was memorable because of the nice slow build of sexual tension between Shelley and Chase. There had just been too much other stuff going on earlier in the book and I don’t think I had a good enough grasp about who they were individually to really feel for them as fully as I wanted to as a couple. The supporting characters were awesome though, really bringing the story to life and making it fun. Overall, I enjoyed reading this despite the issues and I’m looking forward to Evan getting his book (and the bears, hint hint)

My Rating: B

Filed Under: *B Rating, Paranormal Romance, Reviews Tagged With: Vivian Arend

Wolf Line (Granite Lake Wolves #5)

June 14, 2012 by Barbara at Basia's Bookshelf 4 Comments

By Vivian Arend

Publisher: Samhain Publishing, Ltd.
Publication Date: June 12, 2012
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Source: Author

Into the best-laid plans a little chaos must fall…

Jared’s not sure how his quiet morning coffee near the harbour ended with him on a cruise ship impersonating one of his pack mates. Well, it might have something to do with a woman, but who can blame him? The female of the species was made to love, and he’s more than willing to share his considerable skills in that area. Especially since he figures the chances of meeting his own one-and-only are slim.

Keri Smith is positive the last-minute recruit sneaking aboard the Arctic Wolf Cruise Lines tour is her mate. Ix-nay on confirming that, though, at least for the next ten days. She’s promised her best friend to be overall troubleshooter for the shifter-only cruise. Getting tangled up in mating lust would reduce her skills to nil. Avoidance of the sexy wolf for the duration of the cruise, followed by jumping his bones, seems the logical solution.

But when libidos are on the line, “logic” and “wolves” don’t go together. Throw in suspicions of wrongdoing, and these two virtual strangers will need a lot more than luck to find their way through to forever.

Warning: Really? You need to be warned about the hot nookie and sarcasm? Yeah, it’s in here. Also colourful cat shifters, lupine royalty, and wild adventures in cabins like you’ve never seen before.

Goodreads Summary

You haven’t read the wolfies yet? Seriously?

The last thing Granite Lake wolf-shifter Jared wants is get a job-job, especially one that doesn’t involve the kind of sweating and noises from frolicking with a female but it may be time. His wolf-anizing ways have caught up to him in the form of a couple of thugs and Jared has to hide quickly (really not his fault). A cruise ship is waiting in the harbor with all its hiding spots and crowds. It has to be kismet that they’re expecting a packmate to check in as a worker and no one questions his sudden appearance.

Keri is on board the Arctic Cruise Line to help support her friend Tessa’s maiden voyage as cruise director. When she comes across new hire “Mark,” one deep sniff tells her he’s her mate. She can’t figure out why she rates a wink instead of being jumped on the closest horizontal surface though. Maybe he’s being gentlemanly? It takes Jared’s wolf to finally turn the light bulb on and tell him – hey, Keri’s his mate!

Jared and Keri’s road to happiness is bound to be hazardous since the beginning was bumpy. It’s romance 101. Jared’s got a lot of ‘splainin’ to do to Keri, starting with his real name which was a bigger issue than I thought. Jared has depth and he’s very cute telling things to Keri while she’s taking it all in stride. Keri’s had longer to get used to the idea of Jared as her mate and while she mainly just wants to have sex like a madwoman for a while, she’s okay with learning to accept the good with the bad in him. The little side story/crime caper was funny and was a good way to advance the romance and Jared’s need to spill his secrets early.

Because of the length of the story (long novella), there isn’t a lot of space for happy mating activity, but there’s still some simmering smexy times between the couple. Arend writes fan-yourself hotness without being too graphic and the characters are always emotionally engaged. Freshly mated couples are always very…energetic. :)

The Granite Lake pack hierarchy had its mating stories, so any new books are looks at other wolves that probably have appeared someplace and are getting their happily-ever-afters. If this book is any indication, it’s not necessary to read the original core books to enjoy the new. The alphas and omegas show up and there’s a little scene with them that’s a tease about Jared. It was a nice reminder about pack life then and again later in the book. I admit I miss being on land and roaming with the wolves there, but the cruise ship idea was original and a true change of pace.

Both characters were likeable, especially rascally Jared. I don’t usually find myself liking players but there was something endearing about him that made me smile. Once he figured out Keri was his mate, he was so joyful that I had this image of a squirming puppy. Keri was quiet compared to him, she reminded me of a wolf stalking her prey (which was what she was trying to avoid doing, poor thing). She wasn’t in any way needy though, which won her big points with me.

My Summary: This is a little departure in tone from the original four Granite Lake books, for sure. It’s still great meeting up with the pack but now it’s taking the members in new directions, doing a little exploring and coming across other shifters and packs. The cruise ship idea was a lot of fun (try racing down the shuffleboard deck with bubbles on it), I liked the little whodunit and as always, the mating of the shifter couple is intense and sexy.

My Rating: B+

No, it’s not necessary – but really, read the original Granite Lake books. They’re really good, especially the first one, Wolf Signs, the alpha’s story. His mate is deaf and it’s a lovely story.

Filed Under: *B Rating, 2012 Ebook Challenge, Barbara Recommends, Paranormal Romance, Reviews Tagged With: Vivian Arend

Rocky Mountain Desire (Six Pack Ranch #3)

March 13, 2012 by Barbara at Basia's Bookshelf Leave a Comment

By Vivian Arend

Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Publication Date: March 13, 2012
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Author

“Nothing comes easy. You’ve gotta work for it. ”

“Six Pack Ranch, Book 3″

Matt Coleman always figured at this point in his life, he’d be settled down with a family. Since his ex split for the big city, though, no way will he give anyone else the chance to drop-kick his heart. Physical pleasure? Hell, yeah, he’ll take-and give-with gusto, but nothing more.

Hope Meridan is working long hours to hold on to her new quilt shop, going it alone since her sister/business partner ran off. Sex? Right, like she’s got the time. Not that she doesn’t have the occasional dirty fantasy about Matt. Fat chance he’d dream of knocking boots with her-the younger sister of the woman who dumped him. Nope, she’ll just have to settle for the F-word.

“Friends” would be far easier if there wasn’t something combustible going on between them. And when casual interest starts to grow into something more, their tenuous bond strengthens in the heat of desire. But it may not survive the hurricane-force arrival of the last person either of them ever wanted to see again…

Warning: Small-town rivals, men in pursuit and family meddling-in good and bad ways. Look for a cowboy who knows how to rope, ride and rein in a hell of a lot more than eight seconds of sheer bliss.

Goodreads Summary

*There are some slight spoilers for the first two books in the series, Rocky Mountain Heat and Rocky Mountain Haven*

Like all of the other books I’ve read by this author, even though Rocky Mountain Desire is part of a series, it can be read as a standalone but these are so much better when you read them all in order. Since they’re so far just about the Coleman brothers, you see each couple again in the next book, future heroes in current and past books and little ongoing side stories. I promise you won’t gain any weight from all the ranching man-candy unless you eat chocolate while reading. Ahem.

Matt Coleman may have gotten hooked into planning his brother Daniel’s bachelor party but he’s not all that interested in family fun. He’s still not over his cheating ex-girlfriend dumping him and skipping town but he’d really like some female companionship of the doesn’t-stick-around kind. Just as he’s pondering his lack of options, one of the dancers hired for the night’s entertainment catches his eye – she looks a whole lot like his ex. The dancer knew Matt and had been attracted to him, but instead of his ex, the horrible Helen, she was her younger sister, Hope. There’s embarrassment all around, with a double helping for Hope – not only was she drooling over Matt, she’s got a respectable quilt shop and was only there dancing as a favor for a friend and really doesn’t want it getting out.

They don’t see each other for months, time that Matt still needed to get past some of the worst of his bitterness toward Helen. He still feels a little weird about Hope – he’s attracted to her, but should he be? He rescues her from a snowbank and they rescue each other from hypothermia – his family helps with the rest, giving him the push he needs to start seeing Hope for who she is, not just as Helen’s sister.

All of the Coleman brothers are pretty exceptional but Matt has been my favorite (so far, though I always reserve the right to change my mind later where these guys are concerned). Helen managed to make him doubt himself and there weren’t any simple fixes even if he is a natural Grade A Alpha. When Helen left Rocky Mountain, she didn’t just dump Matt, she left Hope in the lurch too, on the hook for rent and solely responsible for the quilt shop. At odd moments in the story, they would bond as survivors of Helen and at others, struggle to hold onto each other in spite of her. Hope and Matt have some unbelievably hot love scenes – seriously break the ice water out hot. I might have been overdressed or something because it’s possible I either was flushed or blushed depending on your perspective.

The same family atmosphere is back in Rocky Mountain Desire that was present in the first two books that I adored so much. Jaxi and Blake have their girls now, Daniel and Beth have their family and it’s fun to continue to watch the youngest Coleman twins Jesse and Joel continue to reel the girls in and to try to solve the mystery of brother Travis. Now that Hope’s joined the family, there are quilting circles and even more about the guys down at the garage.

My Summary: I always say this about each prior book, but you know, this is my favorite book in the series yet. Matt and Hope were the most compatible couple imaginable, the joy of the book was watching the two of them figure it out. The long, slow slide they took into love was perfect for them and exactly the way it had to be given their history. Matt’s proposal/non-proposal/sort-of-missed proposal was the sweetest, most original and them that I could imagine.

My Rating: A

Filed Under: *A Rating, 2012 Ebook Challenge, Barbara Recommends, Contemporary/Romance, Reviews Tagged With: Vivian Arend

Rocky Mountain Haven (Six Pack Ranch #2)

February 1, 2012 by Barbara at Basia's Bookshelf Leave a Comment

Originally published January 9, 2012

By Vivian Arend

Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Publication Date: January 10, 2012
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Author

It’s the quiet ones that take you by surprise.

Six Pack Ranch, Book 2

Beth Danube’s emotionally abusive husband is dead and buried. So is her heart. It’s no big deal, she has all she wants: her three little boys and a fresh start in a small Alberta town. What she doesn’t want is another man in her life—not now, maybe not ever.

After ten years of unsatisfactory, missionary-position sex, she never expected her libido to reawaken. One look at sex-in-boots Daniel Coleman in a Calgary bar, though, blows the dust off her sexuality.

Sensing an edge of desperation, even fear, beneath Beth’s come-on, Daniel finds himself giving in to the powerful urge to let his normally subdued desires run wild. The lady wants non-judgmental, non-vanilla sex? She’s got it—in and out of the bedroom.

At first, friends with blazing-hot benefits is more than enough. Then she realizes Daniel is burning away the protective fortress around her heart…and the guilty secret she dare not reveal.

Warning: One woman determined to retake control of her life, a man with the single-minded purpose of offering her—and her body—everything she needs. Inappropriate behavior in barns, change rooms, and oh-my-gawd phone sex with a cowboy.

Goodreads Summary

*This book was originally published in 2010 by Liquid Silver. It’s been revised and expanded from that version. A totally new hottie has been added to the cover. Rawr. *

When I read the first book in the series, Rocky Mountain Heat, in November, I had commented that it read a lot like a set-up book, with the main couple not really getting the whole book because there was a lot going into introducing the family and relationships. Every moment of that’s paid off in Rocky Mountain Haven, which feels like it’s picked up from where the last book left off, just with a new brother’s story.

Daniel Coleman is in Calgary on Six Pack Ranch business with younger brothers Jesse and Joel and during a night out at a local bar, he has an intense, sexy encounter with a woman named Beth who vanishes on him the next day. For the widowed Beth, the brief encounter at the bar with Daniel was the proof she was seeking that she’s still an attractive woman who can respond to a man – but she’s afraid because of a sad past to let him be a part of her life and runs, never intending to see him again. Instead, her new teaching job takes her right to Rocky Mountain and settled into a house on the Ranch.

I was worried that too much of Beth and Daniel’s relationship would be all about her recovering from the abuse she suffered at the hands of her dead husband but the story didn’t take that path. Beth is already a survivor – she was doing everything for her kids to give them the family they should have had. I’m a Kleenex-clutching reader sometimes and I had them out when her little guys would react to things sometimes because of their dad’s abuse of Beth, but those were the only times I felt like my heartstrings were getting tugged. Beth herself may have insecurities but she’s strong enough not to back away from Daniel because of her past and heaven knows, he’s not about to let her get far even if she wanted to.

It should shock…um…no one that I loved Daniel. He was perfect for Beth. Has it ever been disproven that the middle child is the most patient? As the middle Coleman boy, he was perfectly steady in his pursuit of Beth, knowing that she had issues with something and that fitting into her life with her boys was important to her even when it was inconvenient. He has a lot of fun getting inventive, including calling her and using the phone lines in ways Alexander Graham Bell certainly would not have sanctioned. *fans*

One of the things I loved about Heat, I found again about Haven. The relationship between the couple is sexy and romantic but a big part of the story is family, both Daniel’s and Beth’s. I’m not normally a fan of kids in romance novels since nine times out of ten they end up as plot moppets but Beth’s three little boys were just normal, exhausting kids. How sweet is it that Daniel babysat when Beth was at a teachers’ conference and supervised the kids at swimming?

There’s also more to love about the Colemans. Blake and Jaxi are getting ready to get married and have a big, happy secret, Matt is still having trouble with his icky girlfriend Helen, Travis is continuing to act strangely, twins Jesse and Joel are the same girl-crazy flirts and Mom and Dad babysit Beth’s boys. Gabe, the Coleman cousin who had an interaction with Matt and Helen in Heat is back with a bigger story along with his younger brother Rafe – there are at least a dozen or so Rocky Mountain books possible if I’m counting all the various Colemans floating around.

My Summary: I thought Daniel and Beth’s story was sexy and sweet but what really elevates the entire book is the theme of family that runs through it, just like it did in the first book in the series. Told alone, their story would have been hot and Beth’s overcoming her past with her late husband would have probably been notable. Told with Beth’s children and Daniel’s family surrounding them, their relationship is still pretty hot but there are also deeper complications and in the end, a different kind of promise. I think you can read this without reading the first book but I don’t know why you would.

My Rating: A

Filed Under: *A Rating, 2012 Ebook Challenge, Barbara Recommends, Contemporary/Romance, Reviews Tagged With: Vivian Arend

Rocky Mountain Heat (Six Pack Ranch #1)

November 15, 2011 by Barbara at Basia's Bookshelf 2 Comments

By Vivian Arend

Publisher: Samhain Publishing Ltd.
Publication Date: November 15, 2011
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Source: Author

He’s the one who taught her to ride. Now all he wants is to ride her.

Six Pack Ranch, Book 1

Blake Coleman is old enough to know that acting on impulse causes nothing but a heap of trouble. But when trouble’s a western-hat-wearing blonde with slim legs that go on forever, what’s a man to do? Wanting the sweet girl next door is just wrong. The responsible thing to do is keep his hands off.

Jaxi has other plans for Blake’s hands, and his heart. She may have once considered him a big brother, but that was a long time ago. She’s all grown up now and ready to convince him that she’s perfect for him. Except he can’t seem to see past the big “don’t touch” sign that’s apparently still hanging around her neck.

When Jaxi ends up living right under Blake’s nose, the undeniable heat between them slides off simmer and leaps up to barn-burning levels. However, a few of the younger six-pack Colemans have decided Jaxi’s brand of trouble is worth risking a few busted bones.

That is, if Blake’s finally ready to let go the reins and fight for what he wants…

Warning: Sexy cowboys seducing and being seduced in trucks, pool halls and barns. Droolworthy country charm, a little double-teaming, a few secrets and a whole lot of brothers to look forward to. Anyone wanna go for a ride?

Goodreads Summary

*This book was originally published in 2009 by Liquid Silver – this is a revised and expanded version. With a totally hot new cover. *

Jaxi’s been a part of the big Coleman family since she literally tangled with brothers Travis, Jesse and Joel in a mud pit when she was seven years old. When she was eighteen, she had a brief, tumultuous relationship with Travis that ended suddenly with an argument involving the oldest Coleman brother, Blake – the one Jaxi’s always wanted that has run from her for just as long.

Three years later, the Coleman matriarch needs some temporary help at the ranch and Jaxi is on hand, perfectly qualified and now that he can’t escape, ready to hunt down Blake. The only problem is that while he’s wildly attracted to her, he’s also sure their ten year age difference is always going to be too much. His brothers finally force him to make a decision – three of them are willing to go after Jaxi themselves if Blake doesn’t stake his claim – but he has second thoughts about the way they started their relationship almost immediately.

I was trying to decide if I should pet the cover before or after the meat of the review and decided to just get it out of my system. Consider it petted. I’m not a huge fan of cowboy romances. Diana Palmer and Linda Howard pretty much beat it out of me in the late ‘80s with their Silhouette Romances that my grandmother used to hand off to me and I really didn’t pick any more up until I started reading Lorelei James and Beth Williamson recently. I don’t know that I even would classify this as a “cowboy” romance, since there aren’t any scenes of ropin’ and wranglin’ and stuff. It’s more of a “ranch” category, if there is such a thing.

The Coleman family is a big group of brothers, some slightly more dysfunctional than others. There are six: Blake, Daniel, Matt, Travis and twins Jesse and Joel. Some of the book is devoted to Matt and his often unhappy relationship with his girlfriend Helen, who won’t commit to him. Jesse and Joel are funny and a little wild and more than happy to share one girl – they would have loved to go after Jaxi if Blake wasn’t going to step in. Travis has a dark secret that Jaxi knows and is helping him hide from his family – I have no idea what it is based on what I read, but it’ll be interesting to see it unfold in the next two books.

Blake is a combination of sexy older brother alpha that’d have wild sex in a barn with his girl and a very sweet and old-fashioned guy who’ll also take her to a nice community picnic. I really enjoyed the way his relationship with Jaxi played out – there wasn’t a high degree of angst, just a nice steady progression of their relationship and with the rest of the family’s story woven in, it was enough conflict.

Jaxi was sweet and determined and not above a lot of deception to get Blake where she wanted him. She was a lot braver than I’d have been, for sure. I’m not sure how she managed to deal with all the brothers hanging on her without punching a few of them, but I liked that she always knew what she wanted out of life and she worked towards it.

The sexy times were, as usual in an Arend book, very hot without being too uncomfortably graphic. There was a sizzling, smoking scene that I have to mention – Jaxi took some dancing lessons and does a little pole dance in the barn in a little vest, short shorts and cowboy boots. Yes, Blake’s head popped off. There was also a lot of humor in the story. I laughed out loud in several places.

If I had to pick any part of the book that was at all weak, it would be that this felt a little bit like a setup book – that is that it obviously was one that introduced the family and got the series going by establishing the scene and characters. I enjoyed getting to know everyone and feeling like I was immersed in the ranch, but there wasn’t as much time spent with Blake and Jaxi as a result of the Max and Helen side story (relatively small though it was).

My Summary: By tying in their love of the Coleman ranch, Jaxi and Blake’s romance took on extra meaning. I enjoyed their story, Blake’s struggle to accept Jaxi as a partner, their cute adventures in dating and of course their steamy bedroom (and barn and kitchen) time. What I didn’t expect to love so much was the story of the Coleman family that wove through the story. It enriched Blake and Jaxi’s romance, making the ranch come alive and making me ready to dive into the next book as soon as I can.