Harloe Rae

Harloe Rae is my go-to author when I want to read a sexy romance with titillating and realistic dialogue and when I picked up Ask Me Why with an enemies-to-lovers plot, it didn't disappoint.

When a beautiful and lonely woman is left emotionally broken after surviving a devastating accident meets a sexy and nasty lawyer who despises women, it's a whirlwind of heartbreaking emotions surrounding a cute and clever little boy who has matchmaking on his mind.

The hole in my chest expands and I’ll show more never be warm again. Just like Devon, buried six feet under. They said I was lucky to survive—this type of accident is almost always fatal. The fact I’m still standing is some sort of miracle. Why does it feel like I died with him?

Braelyn loves working at her store, Thicket. It is one of the things that has helped her get through the three years of nightmares after the death of her boyfriend, Devon. When a five-year-old boy named Ollie enters her store, her world changes for the better, until she meets his hot and angry father, Brance. That man is a menace. How does he have such a sweet son?

A crush is the last thing Ollie needs. I scrub my forehead and groan. My son’s standards are stupid low when it comes to women. He will deem anyone with a pulse fit to fill the role of mommy dearest. All I need is another gold digger sinking in her claws where they don’t belong. His desperation for approval is sadly maddening. I hope that bitch who birthed him is real fucking proud of the mess she made.

Brance has only loved one person unconditionally in his life...his son, Ollie. He would do anything to make him happy considering his mother left him as a baby. Anything but date the "taffy lady", the owner of a store that sells everything including candy. No, that will never happen.

I loved all of the characters in this book, including Sadie and Jordan, Brae's and Brance's best friends, and Mary, Ollie's nanny, but little Ollie steals the show. This cutie pie's matchmaking skills are top-notch and he could charm water out of sand. It goes to show Ms. Rae has a wonderful knack for writing characters of all ages.

Of course, there is a lot of one-star reviews about what a rude sexist pig Brance is in which I agree strongly, and considering what his mother did to him and his son's mother, I give him some leeway. However, his feelings do change realizing what a prick he was to Brae and he makes up for it. Did these naysayers even read the whole book? He also loves his son very much and admits he doesn't want his son turning out like him which stands for something. From my experience, I have seen some very emotionally damaged people change for the better.

Wow!! The sexy and stinging banter between the characters is fucking awesome. Yes, that good! It is what pulls me to Ms. Rae's books. The emotions run the gambit from anger to happiness, to laughter and sadness all within a few sentences. And let's not forget the sexual tension which is soooo hot!!! It makes for a fast-paced story worthy of an all-nighter.

Let's face it, I'm a big fan of this book. It is a twist on beauty and beast which is one of my favorite plotlines. Recommend highly! show less

I chose to read this book because I'm a born-and-bred Iowa farm girl where the story is set. Many times my state is not given the praise it deserves, but Ms. Rae does a stellar job describing the beauty of the countryside and the wonderful hospitality of Iowa.

With the crash of a shopping cart, the city girl and the country boy meet. The attraction is instant and they are inclined to be friends with benefits, but their idiotic plan backfires.

Audria is a sassy and witty city girl starting her show more first teaching job in small-town Iowa. She can easily hold her own in a new town full of matchmaking busybodies and precocious eight-year-olds, but it's the hot farmer with intense blue eyes and a killer smile that gives her a run for her money. Reeve is her own "personal country-living liaison" who is not interested in a serious commitment. But his love for his family and his romantic gestures towards her are sweet and memorable. So friends become friends with benefits, but can she stick with the agreement to keep her feelings out of it?

Reeve is not the relationship sort. He likes Audria's company. Her compassion. Her snappy wit. But she's a city girl and is leaving in a year when her temporary teaching job is done. So he introduces her to country living, and let's just say driving a tractor will never be the same for him again. However, new and terrifying feelings start to happen and he screws it up by making assumptions and making a crucial decision for her. Too bad it was wrong.

The chemistry between Audria and Reeve is sizzling and emotional. The never-ever dates he plans for her are delightfully countrified and Iowa-like. They include learning how to milk a cow, checking the hen house for eggs, calf roping, horseback riding, and eating BBQ, to name a few. Reeve may have a player reputation, but he turns out to be a good guy who loses his heart quickly and thoroughly. With that being said, more groveling was needed toward the end. Audria is fun and confident who settles into small-town life easily. The OTT hilarious and supportive Gavin stole the show for me and I would like to have read more about him and Bea. Maybe that's another book? (fingers crossed).

I recommend this charming and hilarious contemporary romance with likable characters and realistic descriptions of the lovely Iowa countryside.

Thank you to Ms. Rae for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review. show less

I loved Harloe Rae's Breaker which I read last year and the characters of Sutton and Grady appear in this book. So I jumped at the chance to read her newest book Keeper and it was equally as lovely.

The main character is Delaney "Dell" Wallace, a character I quickly warmed to. Delaney has survived a horrible trauma and wakes up in a hospital in her home town with no memory of who she is nor any memory of her past life and it's permanent. Her mother was contacted, but she didn't bother to show more visit her daughter. There is no one else she knows. She is alone in the world..until someone from her past, Decker Fredric, happens to hear her crying in her hospital bed and she convinces him to help her remember.

Decker Fredric can't believe the girl he crushed on in high school is asking him to help her remember. Dell is too good for the likes of him, but her powers of persuasion are hard to resist. Her childlike excitement at entering a shopping mall or seeing it snow is addictive and sweet. All he wants to do is protect her and keep her safe, but who's he kidding...there's more to it than that.

Ms. Rae grabbed my attention from the very disturbing beginning and kept me turning pages as quickly as I could read them. Keeper is a wonderful love story about starting over and taking chances in life and love. Harloe Rae's writing is emotionally engaging with sexy talk, loving gestures and a little suspense thrown in.

Thank you to Ms. Rae for giving me an opportunity to review this book with no expectation of a positive review. show less

I’m on a roll with forbidden love and friends-to-lovers stories and this one is no exception. It is a moving story that broke my heart and gave me hope all in the same breath.

She’s capable of healing the hurt, being my one and only happy something. We would be whole, at least for a bit. But eventually she’d start resenting me.

Grady is a man who grew up with no love and no future until Sutton’s family welcomed him into their lives as a young boy. Jace was like a brother to him, so his show more feelings for Sutton were off limits. After that fateful night he rejected her on the eve of her leaving for college, he escaped into his own bad memories and turned his back on her family for four long years. But now she’s back and his efforts to convince her he is no good for her are futile.

I rip my gaze off his retreating form. Grady Bowen means nothing to me. But my lonely heart bleeds the truth. This man is bound to ruin me all over again. Will I let him?

Sutton has loved Grady since they were kids and when he rejected her four years ago, she tried to hate him, but after returning home and seeing how closed off and how hard he had become, she wanted him even more.

I fell in love with Ms. Rae’s characters. Grady and Sutton just can’t catch a break, but their determination to work through the bad times is affirmation of true love. I also loved Sutton’s parents and Sutton’s brother, Jace, who believed in Grady and supported him as family should through good and bad.

Ms. Rae has been on my radar for a long time and now that I have had a chance to finally read one of her books, I’m hooked and can’t wait to read more. Recommend highly! show less