Laura Wright (1)

Review first published at Ruby's Books
*Disclaimer: I received an eARC of this book from INKSlinger PR and Evil Eye Concepts, Incorporated in exchange for an honest review. This does not influence my opinion or rating of the book in any way.

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. First of all, I've never before read this series (shame on me, I know), so I was a bit afraid that I'd be lost, that maybe I wouldn't understand the way the series works.

I am very happy that that was not the case. show more Yes, there are chunks of story that I'm missing, but I didn't feel that way while reading this book, I didn't feel like I was lost in an unknown place, which is a fantastic thing, especially for series this long.

The second thing that surprised me was the format. I felt that writing two stories into one book was a very unique idea, and also a very good one. It made the pacing be a little bit more smoother, more relaxed and yet fast paced. And because they're two stories into one, there's no need to drag the story to get to the page count that you need to get to, so the book is basically filled with scenes that need to be there, if that makes sense. Even with the two stories inside, I feel like the authors did a great job at creating the world and for making it as rich as it is.

Speaking of the two stories, I liked them. Kayden is a guy that has suffered a lot, especially since his parents disappeared when he was really young. I liked that even so, he didn't let that anger and that pain rule his judgement. I liked him, and I hope to read more about him in the next books. Bianca is a heroine that I enjoyed reading about. I liked that by the end of the story she finds courage to do certain things that I don't think in the past she would've done them.

Simon's story was my favorite one out of the two. Simon is a hero that hides stuff, and he hides them really well. I loved him, really. He's one of those characters that just need a bear hug, you know? I liked his interaction with Tryst, I liked seeing him trying to keep one step ahead of her. Tryst is a unique character. As the blurb says, she's more her animal than she is human, and I don't think I've ever read about a character like that before. It was interesting, but I would've wanted to read more on that subject. Maybe if the story was longer, we could've explored that side of Tryst more, but even so, I enjoyed reading the way she sees the world.

Like I said, I really enjoyed this book and I'll definitely be checking the other books in this series out. I may have (happily, I might add!) just found yet another paranormal series to fall in love with. show less

Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales

Quick & Dirty: It’s Blue’s turn for romance in this good, but not great, conclusion to the Cavanaugh Brothers series.

Opening Sentence: Some people might call it the hots, but if you asked Emily Shiver directly what her feelings regarding Blue Perez were, she’d probably say it was more like an . . . appreciation.

The Review:

It’s been a rough three months for Blue Perez Cavanaugh. First, he finds out his mother had an affair with Everett Cavanaugh, an show more affair that resulted in his birth. So that means he has three brothers, all of whom have plans for the Triple C that don’t coincide with his own. Then, the woman he had been falling for online turns out to possibly have something to do with his half-sister’s disappearance and subsequent murder. Suffice to say, life could be better. So when pretty Emily Shiver offers to give him a ride home when he’s obviously too drunk to drive, Blue takes her up on her offer and makes an offer of his own once they arrive at his place.

Emily Shiver has been obsessed with Blue ever since first laying eyes on him. So, despite not being one for one night stands, she can’t resist spending the night with Blue when the opportunity comes up. Fast forward to three weeks later, and Emily gets quite the surprise: she’s pregnant. Now, she and Blue have to figure out how they’re going to raise a child together when Blue finds it hard to trust anyone, especially someone of the female persuasion. Will they be able to work past their differences, or is their relationship doomed to fail?

I absolutely love this series, so I was anxious to read the conclusion. While it is a good read, it doesn’t quite reach the height that the third book did. A large part of that has to do with Blue. He has spent the past three books moping around because of his mother’s deception. While it is understandable given the short timeframe of the series, it makes it very hard to like him when he’s being so unlikable to every other character. Even in this book where he’s the hero, every sweet thing he does is often negated later by him continuing to act like a jerk.

As for Emily, she is a great main character. She’s sweet and strong, and her reaction to this pregnancy made me feel very connected to her as a character. She’s not afraid to put Blue in her place either, which made me like her even more. She just felt very real, and it was great to get to read her story.

Regarding the mystery of Cass’ disappearance and murder, everything gets wrapped up here. It was great to get to see the brothers’ efforts to find her killer finally come to fruition. In my opinion, the resolution was very satisfactory.

All in all this was a good conclusion to the Cavanaugh series, but not a great one. Blue’s frustrating words and actions do take some enjoyment out of the story, but Emily’s likeability makes up for it mostly. This is a quick read, and fans of the series should enjoy this conclusion.

Notable Scene:

“Okay, I know I got a bit nuts in there,” he started with a heavy exhalation.

“A bit?” she asked.

“That pre-thing sounded scary as shit.”

“That’s because you know nothing about it. It’s pretty common. And if I do get preeclampsia, it’s not until later in the pregnancy.” She sighed, her irritation stripping away. “You don’t have to worry, okay? About any of it. It’s all covered. This baby will be fine. I have my whole family looking out for me. My mom knows all about this. I don’t need you -“

He felt himself go rigid. He looked away. Her words had cut him.

“Come on, Blue,” she said, recognizing her blunder pretty quickly. “I didn’t mean it like that. All I’m trying to say is please chill out a little. Everything is going to be fine.”

Fine. Fine. He sniffed. Was it? Christ, nothing had been fine in the past several months. Why should he believe that this would be any different?

“Look, I need to go,” she said, turning around and opening her car door. “I have work.” Before she slipped inside, she gave him a tight smile. “I’m glad you came. Really. But next time, maybe it’s better if I go on my own.”

He stared at her, flinched as the door slammed shut. And as the weight of her words sank in, and she drove off into the late-morning sunshine, his guts twisted with pain. It wasn’t the kind of pain that stemmed from a fist to the jaw, but the emotional kind – the kind that came from fear and loss.

And a moment of hope, shattered.

FTC Advisory: Penguin/Signet provided me with a copy of Bonded. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review. show less

Sheridan O'Neil has worked for Deacon Cavanaugh as his assistant for years, but the time she has spent at the Triple C Ranch owned by the Cavanaugh brothers has been the best of her career. Not only has she learned a lot about the business of ranching, but she has made friends with Deacon's fiance, Mac. When she is attacked by a local contractor that blames her for charging him with using substandard materials, James Cavanaugh, Deacon's brother steps in to help keep Sheridan safe. As she show more spends more time with James, Sheridan realizes that she may be falling in love with him, but he is holding on tightly to a past in which he was never able to keep the women in his life safe from harm.

The conflict between James and Sheridan in Broken is barely tangible as most of the story is spent on James's inability to leave his past behind. What makes this book worth reading is the continuing thread throughout these stories of the mystery surrounding the Cavanaugh sister, Cass's murder. Each book brings more clues and suspects to light, buoying a decent western romance into a more substantial book. show less

Brash
4.5 Stars

Brash is the third installment in the ongoing saga of the Cavanaugh brothers' investigation into the murder of their younger sister, Cass. This book focuses on her twin brother, Cole, an MMA fighter who uses his guilt to fuel his rage in the ring, and Grace Hunter, the daughter of the former sheriff, who botched the case. Cole and Grace work together to uncover new leads into the identity of the mysterious "Sweet" and his connection to Cass's death.

Cole and Grace's slow-burn, show more opposites-attract romance has all of the chemistry and true intimacy lacking from the previous books. Their teasing banter is particularly delightful, and it is fun following along as they finally submit to the tension that has been building from book #1. Wright also manages to avoid much of the angst and drama that detract from Deacon and Mac's as well as Sheridan and James's stories.

In terms of the mystery surrounding Cass's death, there has been a great deal of exposition and foreshadowing, which makes it relatively easy to guess some of the twists and turns that emerge. Nevertheless, these revelations add another layer of intrigue to the story.

The book does end on a rather jarring cliffhanger, but the final installment is thankfully published already so I am off to read it ASAP. show less