Laura Drake (1)

4.5 stars. Nothing Sweeter is another well-written and entertaining romance by the wonderfully fabulous Laura Drake. This second installment in her charming Sweet on a Cowboy series is a compelling novel about new beginnings, self-acceptance and of course, love. It is not quite as emotional as The Sweet Spot, but it just as heartwarming and the cast of characters is just as endearing.

Aubrey "Bree" Madison is searching for a new life when her journey takes her to High Heather Ranch. The show more serene surroundings and low stress job provide Bree the perfect place to de-stress and just enjoy life. Her attraction to sexy cowboy and ranch owner Max Jameson catches her by surprise but she is able to keep her distance from her gruff, grumpy boss. That is until she comes up with the perfect plan to help Max and his brother Wyatt hold on to their beloved family inheritance.

Bree easily settles into her new routine as a stable hand but putting her past behind her proves to be much trickier. Plagued by nightmares, she throws herself wholeheartedly into her new job and begins to find a measure of peace. At first uneasy around the other ranch hands, she is quickly accepted by her peers. But it is Bree's close friendship with Wyatt and Max's cook and surrogate mother Tia Nita that she finds most soothing. She shares an easygoing rapport with Wyatt but Bree butts heads with Max right from their very first meeting. Part of their discord arises from their simmering sexual tension while Max's stubborn cowboy pride is responsible for the rest.

Max is still reeling from his father's unexpected death and the abrupt end to his previous romance when he first makes Bree's acquaintance. His life is in turmoil as he fights to keep the ranch solvent while trying to smooth over his relationship with Wyatt. Max is a quintessential cowboy with long held beliefs that keep him from accepting Bree's help. Although he and Wyatt have a decent relationship, some of Max's convictions make it difficult for them to grow closer. Will this irascible man conquer habits of a lifetime and hold on to what is dear to his heart?

There is great chemistry between Max and Bree but the past has a pretty good hold on both of them. Max's hurt from his failed romance colors his perception of Bree and he fights his attraction to her. His instincts tell him that she is keeping something from him and of course that assessment is spot on. Bree holds on to her secrets long after she should have revealed them and it is a waiting game to see how the truth will eventually come out. This part of the storyline is brilliantly executed and Max's observations about Bree's reasons for keeping them hidden are surprisingly astute.

The relationship between Max and Wyatt adds another layer to the overall plot. While they have not exactly been estranged, there is a cordial distance between them. Max's discomfort about certain aspects of Wyatt's life continues to come between them but Wyatt insists that Max deal with his conflicted feelings so they can fully repair the rift between them.

Nothing Sweeter is a well-plotted story with true to life characters who are flawed yet easy to like. Their problems are realistic and each of them rises to the challenges facing them. The romance between Max and Bree is slow growing but deliciously sexy. Laura Drake keeps the plot marvelously unpredictable and of course I LOVE how she incorporates the sport of bull riding into the storyline. Once again I am highly anticipating the next book in the series, Sweet on You, which will be available later this year.

While this fantastic addition to the Sweet on a Cowboy series can be read as a standalone story, you won't want to miss the other novels in this terrific series. show less

4.5 stars.

Sweet on You, the third installment in Laura Drake's divine Sweet on a Cowboy series, is wonderful novel about healing, new beginnings and of course, love. The professional bull riding circuit is the perfect setting for this heartwarming romance between an aging bull rider and an emotionally wounded Army medic as they both face uncertain futures.

Katya Smith finds herself in unfamiliar territory when she takes a job with the sports medicine team for the Professional Bull Riders show more (PBR). Katya might not understand the sport, lingo or lifestyle, but she does recognize a spoiled athlete when she sees one, and PBR rider Cam Cahill certainly appears to be no different from the other jocks she has worked with in the past. Katya does not make the best first impression on Cam either but since they have to work together week after week, they agree to put aside their animosity. Their mutual attraction leads to an unlikely romance, but will Katya's plans for the future ruin their chance at happiness?

Katya is a warm, compassionate and caring woman and watching her struggle to overcome her PTSD is very heartrending. She is very loyal to the "family" she has created with her fellow soldiers and while this is understandable, it also causes a bit of tunnel vision when it comes to her future. In the beginning, she sees her job with the PBR as a means to an end, and she keeps both an emotional and physical distance from the cowboys on tour. It is not until Katya wants to learn more about the sport and the cowboy way of life that she takes a personal interest in the bull riders she is helping.

As a fifteen year veteran bull rider, Cam's love of the sport has not diminished, but but his numerous injuries have begun to take a toll both in and out of the arena. Knowing this is most likely his last season, he has been trying to figure out what comes next, but so far, nothing he has considered really appeals to him. He spends a lot of time in sports medicine in an effort to stay healthy and he is surprised by his interest in Katya. Cam's first few meetings with her are a bit rocky and although romance is the last thing on either of their minds, they begin dating. While they both agree that they are not interested in a serious or long lasting commitment, their feelings for another are anything but casual. But as both Katya and Cam soon discover, they are not exactly on the same page when it comes to their future.

One of the most appealing aspects of Sweet on You is how easily and vibrantly Laura Drake brings the world of Professional Bull Riding to life. Newcomers to the sport will have no difficulty understanding the grueling travel schedule or grasping how truly dangerous an eight second ride can be. She also provides incredible insight into what motivates the riders to participate in such an extreme sport and how reluctant they are to sit on the sidelines despite their injuries. The pulse-pounding excitement of attending live events leaps off the pages and perfectly illustrates why fans are drawn to the sport.

With Sweet on You, Laura Drake has once again written an emotionally compelling novel with complex and sympathetic characters. True to life issues such as PTSD and survivor's guilt are handled with sensitivity and the healing process is realistically depicted. While Cam's issues are less serious, they are believable and easy to relate to. The romance between Cam and Katya is sweet yet sexy and grows naturally over the course of the story. The ending is perfect; it is a little dramatic but very heartwarming.

Sweet on You is an absolutely delightful addition to the Sweet on a Cowboy series that old and new fans are going to love. It can be read as a standalone story, but I highly recommend this entire series to readers who enjoys contemporary Western romances. show less

Priss left her dysfunctional childhood behind as soon as she graduated from high school. For the past ten years she has lived life on her own terms, going where she wants to go whenever she wants to go. She's avoided emotional entanglements, only getting involved with guys who have no desire for anything permanent. When she gets word that her mother has died, she heads to Widow's Grove to say her farewells. There she meets the ten year old half brother she knew nothing about. With their show more mother gone, he has no one but her and is headed for foster care if she doesn't take him.

Priss has never done anything that requires a commitment but she can't stand the idea of Ignacio, or Nacho, going into the system. She'd been there once and wouldn't wish it on anyone. So she commits to staying in Widow's Grove until school lets out, when she and Nacho would move on. But that means she needs a job and a place to live.

Enter Adam, who has two apartments above his pharmacy. His mom lives in one and the other is available. He's not too sure about renting to Priss - she's completely outside his experience. He lives a very calm, stable life and Priss and her brother are about to really shake it up.

This was definitely a case of opposites attracting. Adam and Priss got off to a rocky start, but soon developed a cautious friendship. Priss found herself listening to Adam when he talked about what might be going through Nacho's mind when he was acting out. The things he said gave her unexpected insight into her brother, but also into what made Adam tick. She stops seeing him as a stick in the mud but as a man with a lot of love to give. Adam is drawn to the woman who is nothing like he's ever experienced before. He's impressed by her strength and her courage in facing whatever life sends her way.

Adam's past has had him living a quiet and safe life, never allowing him to take any risks. Meeting Priss has made him realize that he is stuck in a rut. I loved seeing the changes he went through as he faced up to his fears. He went from a really uptight, judgmental kind of guy to one who could see the best in people. There was one place where he allowed himself to jump to conclusions, and when he was proved wrong he had the courage to admit it and apologize. It wasn't an easy thing for him to do, but it showed the emotional growth he was experiencing. I especially loved seeing him really face his fears at the end, as his feelings for Priss helped him be there when she needed him.

Priss has had her own ghosts to fight. Staying in Widow's Grove for Nacho has her facing her feelings for her mother. She is afraid of doing the wrong things while trying to be a parent for her brother, and this gives her a bit of insight into what drove her mother. I loved seeing Priss become part of the community of Widow's Grove. She is much more of a people person than she realizes and I really enjoyed seeing her interactions with the people she met. Priss does have to fight her feelings of inferiority around other people. She thinks of herself as a mutt that lives on the fringes of life, and it takes awhile for her to accept that people like her for the person she is. I loved how she started showing how much she has come to care for people. It got her in some trouble at the end, but also opened her eyes to what she now wants for her life.

I loved the character of Nacho and how he was the bridge between Priss and Adam. It was through him that each of them learned what they were capable of. As a character himself, I loved seeing the combination of tough guy and little boy. He had some really good parts where he cut through the bull around him and straightened out the adults in his life. show less

Sad, sad. I have mixed feelings about this book. I'm a sucker for a story that pulls at the heartstrings (and this one did, big time!), but for me THE SWEET SPOT was too much too soon. Readers don't get a chance to connect with the characters before all their troubles are thown at them.

Charla and Jimmy's twenty-year marriage couldn't survive the accidental death of their only child. Guilt and anger drove a wedge between them. Jimmy sought comfort in a woman half his age, and Charla turned to show more pills to numb the pain. With Jimmy off the ranch, Charla is struggling to keep the operation running and pay the bills. And, on top of all that, her elderly father has Alzheimer's disease, so she must find a way to care for him and run the ranch at the same time.

This book is billed as a contemporary romance, so you're probably asking, "Where's the romance?" Well, it's there, it's just not the focus of the story, IMO. THE SWEET SPOT was about Charla coming to terms with the death of her son and finding a way to forgive herself for all that happened. Only then is she able to open her heart to Jimmy and see how deeply the tragedy affected him too.

Usually I love an emotional tearjerker, but THE SWEET SPOT didn't completely click with me. However, I was thrilled that this book's hero and heroine were in their early 40s - how rare and refreshing! I *almost* dare to call this book inspirational (religious) romance-ish, because there was mention of God and church throughout. It was noticable, but it didn't take over the story.

A highlight of the book was the friendship that formed between Charla and new-girl-in-town Bella. Bella was a hoot. She was a recent transplant from New York City who took dressing like a sexy Texas girl a bit too far. Thank goodness for Bella - she was the perfect friend for Charla and great comic relief.

A lovely feature of this book was that every chapter began with an inspiring quote relating to the story, and this one was my favorite:

"To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover that the prisoner was you." - Louis B. Smede

SOURCE: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. show less