Christine Rimmer

Fantastic book. I've been waiting for this story ever since that brief glimpse of Dante and Grace at the bar in The Husband SheCouldn't Forget. I had a feeling there was something there, and I was right.

Grace is the youngest of the Bravo clan and the last to move out of the family home. Now that her oldest brother Daniel is married (TheNanny's Double Trouble), she feels like a fifth wheel. She also butts heads with Daniel regularly because of his overprotectiveness. She's ready for a place show more of her own.

Dante is a divorced father of twin girls. He likes his job as a cop, has a terrific house, and sees his daughters regularly. He has a fairly active social life, but romantic love and marriage are not in his plans. Been there, done that, and failed, and has no intention of trying again.

I enjoyed the opening. Dante pulls Grace over for speeding, but after writing her the ticket, he invites her over for dinner and to talk about whatever it was that was bothering her. They are long-time friends, thanks to Dante's friendship with her brother, Connor. I loved seeing their mental processes, as each catalogs the non-friend attributes that they've noticed. I liked their conversation over dinner and their ability to talk about anything. However, this dinner is accompanied by a bottle of tequila, and it isn't long before inhibitions begin to fade, especially on Grace's side. Her method of making a point fanned the banked flames into an unexpected fire. Unfortunately, Dante was filled with regrets by the next morning and pulled back, while Grace was ready to run with it.

I thoroughly enjoyed the development of their relationship. It was fun to watch Grace tempt and torture Dante after he pulled away, hoping for a repeat performance. Dante's struggle to resist was formidable, but it was only a matter of time before he caved. They agree to a summer fling, but Dante insists on it being secret. He doesn't want to deal with family expectations when nothing will come of it.

With Dante's daughters visiting for six weeks, opportunities to be together were not easy to come by. It was amusing to see how they managed it and witnessing the growing intensity. Grace also spent time with Dante's daughters, getting to know them. It didn't take long for Grace to realize that she wanted more than just the secret summer fling. I ached for her when she accepted that Dante was never going to give her what she needed. There were many times when I wanted to bash Dante over the head or shake him until his teeth rattled. Grace makes him feel things that he's never felt before, but he refuses to admit it. I hurt a little for him, too, because it's his own fears that hold him back. I loved the "full circle" conversation that set him straight. Dante's big moment at the end was great, and I loved his daughters' reactions.

As always, I love the family relationships in these books. Dante is close to his family and has a marvelous relationship with his daughters. I found his history with his ex-wife interesting, especially the insight provided by Connor. He is also close to the Bravos, thanks to his friendship with Connor, who is married to Dante's sister, Aly. There have been occasional strains on the bond, and I loved seeing a little bit of "gotcha" at Connor and Aly's party. The Bravo family continues its traditions of family dinners and loving support. Grace knows that they have her back, even when she asserts her independence. I loved the time she spent with Hailey and Harper, and can't wait to read their stories. show less

Terrific friends-to-lovers story. Josh and Riley are best friends and have been since second grade. Their five-year-old sons are inseparable. Neither expected a casual kiss to explode into an attraction neither could resist. So, they became secret lovers - friends-with-benefits - for as long as it feels right. Neither is interested in marriage. Josh's ex is still trying to get him back, and he's not interested. Riley lost her husband shortly after their son was born and has no desire to risk show more her heart again. Both are happy with what they have.

Then Riley discovers she's pregnant. First, she must tell him. She's worried about his reaction. Then she needs to fend off all the well-meaning advice telling her that they should get married. The news surprises Josh, but not nearly as much as the realization that he's thrilled with the idea. As the idea of fatherhood settles in, Josh also realizes that his feelings for Riley are more than just friendship.

I loved watching the changes in Josh and Riley's relationship. Josh is so sweet in the way he watches out for Riley. The scenes after her fall were awesome. He hopes that with patience and understanding, he can overcome Riley's fears. I ached for his pain and frustration as she resisted his efforts. Riley frequently frustrated me. She suspects she's falling in love with him, but is in deep denial. She's afraid that if she admits it, she will open herself up to another devastating loss, so she pushes him away. I loved the ending and seeing Riley overcome her fears.

I loved the two little boys, Shane and Dillon. They were adorable, but also realistic, with the occasional disagreement and five-year-old challenges. Seeing other Bravo family members is always a pleasure. I thought Josh's ex-wife, Lenore, would be a problem, but she surprised me. show less

Terrific friends-to-lovers story. This is the sixth book in the series following the second generation of the Bravo family, and I love catching up on the lives of the original characters. In this case, Joe is Nate and Meggie Bravo's son (Marriage by Necessity). He has seen their long and loving marriage, as well as those of other family members. However, Joe has been burned by love twice and refuses to go down that path again. Be that as it may, he still wants to marry and have a family, if show more he can find a woman he can trust. Who better than his best friend, Macy?

Macy moved home with her daughter, Ana, after she divorced her cheating husband. She works as a bookkeeper for her mom's florist business and Joe's hardware store. Though she wouldn't mind marrying again, trusting another man won't come easily. Joe's proposal surprises her, and she initially flatly refuses even to consider it. But Joe is persistent and eventually convinces her that it will work.

I loved watching Joe and Macy's relationship grow. Their long-standing friendship means they know each other very well. I loved the prologue, with its sampling of letters that show they've had each other's backs all their lives. Their marriage seems to be an easy extension of their friendship, and they settle quickly into marital bliss, including an unexpected amount of chemistry. That chemistry opened Macy's eyes to her changing feelings.

Matters become complicated when Joe's past comes calling. Macy's acceptance and embracing of the situation showed how much she trusted Joe. But does that trust extend to confessing her feelings? And what will Joe's response be? There were times when I wanted to shake him for being so blind, but I also understood his fear. Of course, I knew everything would work out, but the journey was emotion-packed and kept me hooked to the end. The epilogue was a nice peek at their future.

My favorite secondary character was Ana. Her relationship with Joe was sweet, and I loved how he thought of her as his. I couldn't understand how her father was so uninterested in having anything to do with her, though at least he lived up to his financial responsibilities. show less

Terrific book. Maddox Hale grew up on the ranch next to the Bravos but couldn't wait to leave Medicine Creek behind. He's now a successful businessman, thanks to his workaholic ways. For the same reason, he is divorced and hasn't been much of a dad to his two kids. He plans to right that wrong by spending the summer on the family ranch with his kids. Those plans alter when his father breaks his leg, and Maddox goes home early to care for him. First on the agenda is to hire a nurse to show more supervise Fergus while he heals.

Sarah Bravo is home recovering from an injury sustained while running a free clinic in Bolivia. She is saving money to get her Master's in nursing, and when she hears of the opening at the Hale ranch, she applies.

The story starts with a bang as Maddox and Fergus interview potential nurses. Feisty Fergus isn't thrilled with any of them until Sarah shows up. He knows Sarah well and likes her. Maddox is not as enthusiastic. She's too young, too pretty, and too much of a possible distraction. I laughed out loud at the conversation between Maddox and Fergus as they debated hiring her. Obviously, Fergus wins.

I enjoyed watching Maddox and Sarah's relationship develop. Their attraction is evident from the start, but there are obstacles. Nursing ethics prohibit Sarah from getting personally involved with a patient or a patient's family member. Maddox has no plans to marry again. However, discussions during late-night swims encourage a closeness neither expected, and the attraction becomes harder to resist.

Giving in to the attraction for the summer is one thing, but what happens when Sarah wants more? Maddox's past convinces him that he is unworthy of love, and nothing will convince him otherwise. I loved seeing Sarah stand up for herself and her needs. Maddox earned his misery when he walked away from what he had with Sarah. Some well-meaning interference from Fergus leads to an unexpected twist that motivates Maddox to take a chance. I loved the ending.

Fergus was my favorite secondary character. Nothing gets him down for long. The story behind his broken leg is hilarious, and I loved seeing him deal with the consequences. Maddox's kids were great. I liked the realism of RJ's issues with his father's neglect and Maddox's determination to redeem himself. show less