Maisey Yates

4.5 stars.

Unwrapped by Maisey Yates is a sweet and sexy holiday romance between two people whose fling unexpectedly turns into so much more. This fast-paced and engaging novella is a journey of self-discovery for Sarah Larsen whereas Walker Callahan must decide whether or not to risk his heart again on love. This lovely addition to the Silver Creek series can be read as a standalone, but I highly recommend the other books in the series as well.

Sarah is a good girl who always does what is show more expected of her. Now thirty years old, she is finally ready to explore her sexuality but achieving that goal takes her way out of her comfort zone. Just as she is rethinking her decision, a handsome stranger walks through the door and she charms him into accepting her tantalizing offer of a one night stand. However, Sarah is dismayed to discover that Walker is not just passing through when their paths later cross in very surprising set of circumstances.

Sarah is a sweet and giving woman but moving past the messed up teachings of the grandmother who raised her is difficult. She is uneasy with the changes she is trying to make, but she does not let her discomfort stop her. As she becomes more sexually experienced, Sarah gains confidence both in and out of the bedroom. But most importantly, Sarah realizes that she deserves to be happy and she refuses to keep her growing feelings for Walker to herself.

Walker is not looking for a woman when he finds Sarah and he has serious qualms about getting involved with her beyond their one night together. Having had his heart shattered by his ex-wife, Walker is devoted to his daughter but once his libido comes back to life, he finds it difficult to ignore his desire for Sarah. Agreeing to keep their relationship casual, the couple eagerly explore their scorching hot passion but Walker brings their relationship to a screeching halt in the aftermath of Sarah's confession.

Unwrapped is a delightful novella that is humorous, sensual and at times, a little poignant. Sarah and Walker are multi-faceted characters with believable flaws and realistic obstacles to overcome. It is a super steamy addition to Maisey Yates' Silver Creek series that old and new fans are sure to love! show less

Originally published on Tales to Tide You Over

I haven’t read a sheikh romance in a long while, but I tend to enjoy them because of the desert environment, which though exotic to most is where I spent much of my childhood. The stories, however, tend to fall along the same lines, and the deviations are small.

All that went out the window with Forged in the Desert Heat.

The story is anything but the traditional lines of strong, dominant sheikh who sweeps pale Western woman off her feet for show more control or political reasons. Those elements are there, but it’s almost like seeing their shadow dance, or maybe their reflection where expectations are turned on their head.

In Forged in the Desert Heat, Zafar is indeed the powerful sheikh, except his power lies outside of the throne with the Bedouin who sheltered him after he was banished to the desert at fifteen. He’s only now returning to his throne with his corrupt uncle’s death, a troubled, tortured man determined to do better for all his people than the fifteen-year-old boy who made a mistake that cost both him and the country everything.

Ana is certainly pale and Western. An American heiress who lives for her father’s love ever since her mother left them both, she’s pledged herself in marriage to a neighboring sheikh whose oil interests match nicely with her father’s business. She likes Tariq, thinks she loves him, but wanted one last, or first, adventure before being consigned to a public role from which she could not escape.

The story begins with desert marauders using the kidnapped Ana as a bargaining chip against the newly made sheikh of Al Sabah. He takes her only reluctantly, struggling for a way to resolve this situation without provoking a war with Tariq’s country, a situation that’s already shaky thanks to his uncle. That they are attracted to each other comes as no surprise based on the genre, yes, but also because they are both broken people, and broken in similar ways. They each need to heal, and it’s easier to see a problem in another person than it is to accept it in yourself.

While there were parts of outside story I would have liked to see more resolution for, like the kidnapping, which I kept expecting to be a complex plot because it was too pat, this story is focused on two people who need to accept themselves and their pasts in all the flawed frailty that means. In the provided space, there wasn’t time for more than a brush look at the complicated political situation Zafar found himself in, not when trying to show how Zafar and Ana were drawn together despite the very real reasons to hold themselves apart. What starts as a powerful physical attraction, with times when their control slips (for those looking for sex scenes), turns into an impossible love.

Unlike many romances where that aspect is held as assumed, because this love is tied into their healing, we get to see the moment when understanding dawns, when they have to choose for the bigger picture, and when love conquers all obstacles. It’s beautiful, different than I expected, and compelling. I read romances for the people. That’s the niche in my reading these novels fill. This one does so admirably, with lessons to those letting the past haunt them tucked into an at times tense, at others sexy, novel about acceptance and the healing power of love.

P.S. I received this title from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review. show less

Loved!

Everyone who read Christmastime Cowboy knew that Olivia's relationship with Bennett was missing something--I for one was beyond excited to see her get her HEA, and was so glad that it did not disappoint! (If you haven't read it, though, no worries--technically it's a different series anyway and everything you need to know about her prior relationship shows up here too.) Olivia and Luke were fantastic together, and obviously their relationship was a long time coming, even though both of show more them seemed determined to deny it as long as possible...

(Fortunately for us, that wasn't very long!)

I'll admit, I wasn't a huge Olivia fan in the beginning--at the book's start (and in the last book she showed up in) she was very prickly and proper and just didn't seem all that relatable. The more Ms. Yates brought us into her head, though, the more sympathetic Olivia became. Soon, thoughts like this made me an Olivia fan:
Luke made a very masculine sound of satisfaction and stretched out on the bed beside her, above the covers, still unconcerned with the fact that he didn't have anything on. She was a bit concerned by it. Because she couldn't concentrate with him like that. Not at all.
I hear you, sister.

Like every other Maisey Yates book I've read (how on earth does she write such awesome books with fantastic characters so quickly? Not that I'm complaining, mind), Smooth-Talking Cowboy managed to make me laugh, swoon, and reach for a fan in equal measures. The Dodge brothers (Olivia's ex and his two older brothers) are clearly being set up as future series heroes (one of them with Olivia's boss Lindsey--woot!), and I. Cannot. Wait!

Also--a (literal) bonus to this book--one of the Copper Ridge Desire's novels is included! Rebecca's brother (from Last Chance Rebel ) gets his own HEA in Seduce Me, Cowboy :)

Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book. show less

Sometimes the sweetest reads are the ones that arrive in small, heartwarming packages. Love Comes in Small Packages brings together two sweet novellas: Lori Foster’s That Someone Special and Maisey Yates’s The Rancher’s Unexpected Family. Both stories are light, easy reads with romances that unfold quickly, making this collection a pleasant little escape. While I wished for a bit more character development in That Someone Special, and felt it did not quite stand alone as a complete show more story, it still offered a glimpse of Lori Foster’s warm storytelling style. My favorite of the two was The Rancher’s Unexpected Family, which I found touching, heartfelt, and especially heartwarming. Overall, Love Comes in Small Packages is a charming sampler of both authors’ work and gave me a welcome, uplifting break from mysteries. show less