4/5 Review: Sinful by Joan Johnston

WHILE HE SEEKS A HAVEN,
SHE SEARCHES FOR A PLACE TO CALL HOME

After a tragic accident leaves Delta sergeant Connor Flynn a widower, he faces the toughest fight of his life: battling his in-laws for custody of his two young children. To win he’ll need a make-believe bride to take care of the kids while he runs his Wyoming ranch. Who better than a woman he already knows and likes—his late wife’s best friend?

Ruthlessly forced from her home by her powerful father, King Grayhawk, Eve needs somewhere to go . . . and so does the herd of wild mustangs she’s rescued. Connor’s offer sounds like the answer to a prayer. But Eve has a guilty secret she’s guarded for years: She’s always been in love with Connor.

Now forced to live under the same roof as her heart’s desire, Eve must hide the love that has never died, while Connor vows to resist his growing need for a woman who was forbidden fruit during his marriage. Can two lonely people set adrift by fate and haunted by guilt find redemption in the healing embrace of love?

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Sinful is the 9th book in Joan Johnston's Bitter Creek Series. It reads well on it's own. I say this because it is the only one that I have read and I enjoyed it and never felt I was missing something.

Connor is returning from serving in the army and is in for the fight of his life. His wife has been killed in a car accident and her parent's are suing for custody of thier children. Eve, was Connor's wife's best friend and she agreed that she would do whatever was necessary to ensure the children stayed with thier father. Well - Connor and Eve have a past, their families have been at odds for years. When the only solution is to get married, how can they make it work. They marry for practical reasons, and have to find a way to make it work and attempt to reunite their families.

Ms. Johnston's characters are strong - I sort of hated Connor's wife even though she is dead - I think she used him and how was Eve able to justify staying friends when she married Connor, in spite of the feeling she knew that Eve held for Connor. Her plot lines are strong and the story definitly takes you to another place, that would be Bitter Creek!

If you are in the market for a new series (I am going to have to go back and read the other books), or in the market for a lovely bittersweet second chance romance, Sinful is definetly worth the time. 

5/5 Review: Burn It Up: A Desert Dogs Novel by Cara McKenna

 

In the latest from the acclaimed author of Give It All, mount up and ride a roaring motorcycle to Fortuity, Nevada, where the heat is rising…
After a decade spent chasing shadier pursuits, Casey Grossier has come home to the badlands to settle down in Fortuity. Vowing to put his days of dirty money behind him, he’s cleaned up his act and become co-owner of Benji’s Saloon. But despite his efforts to be a better man, he can’t shake his crush on his sweet-faced bartender, even though the woman screams trouble.

Abilene Price hopes she can outrun her mistakes and build a safe, respectable life for herself and her baby. So she’d be wise to keep her distance from her boss, Casey, and the rest of his roughneck motorcycle club, the Desert Dogs. But she just might need their help. The return of a violent figure from Abilene’s past ignites a powder keg—and it’s only the beginning…

 

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The first thing I need to say in this review of Burn It Up by Cara McKenna, is I NEED THE REST OF THIS SERIES!!!!  This book caught me by surprise.  The things that both Abilene and Casey has done in their pasts are down right hard to get past but they manage.  It's crazy that what was revealed about each of them was way off track from what I expected.  I almost didn't forgive Abilene for turning her back on Casey after he told her about his past.  They were becoming serious and she had a right to know as he did about her past.  What got me upset was that even after she got to know him, after he was there for her and her new born daughter, she still saw him as a criminal and not as the man he was trying to become.  He was changed and she had no right to judge him given the skeletons in her closet.  I'm happy she finally saw how much of a mistake she made because these two are good for each other.  Factor Mercy, the baby in to the equation and you have the foundation for a great family.  There was so much emotion involved with all the characters and the story line was so well developed I must say that I am incredibly thrilled that I was able to find this world.  I will definitely be recommending this book personally to friends I know who will also fall in love with these people.  I have a feeling also that Miah is soon to find that romance he was looking for.  I am looking forward to reading more of Cara's work.  She is truly an artist.