Mandy Harbin

This review is for Nobody’s Hero , author Laura Trentham’s entry in Rescued : A Collection of Contemporary Romances with Heart, Heat and Dog Treats.

Nobody’s Hero is just what you would expect from talented author Laura Trentham: an intriguing plot populated with sweet, sexy characters (whether they realize it or not) that you can’t help but love, a story that draws you in and makes you feel warm and comfy. And add in a dog? It’s a winner.

Clayton is a good guy. Not just a good guy, show more a capable, considerate, romantic, and oh-so-handsome-it-makes-you-swoon good guy, who has a big soft spot for stray dogs. Some bad choices and bad breaks have him on the fringe of Cottonbloom’s accepted society, trying to ease the suspicion so many have of him. His soft spot suddenly extends to women who are beautiful but shy, introverted, and repeatedly undervalue themselves with self-doubt. Namely Maggie. Turns out Maggie has had a secret thing for Clayton for a while now. Also turns out that Maggie has another secret – she’s a successful romance author. She doesn’t really want either of those secrets to get out, but when she and Clayton come together to care for that stray dog, sparks fly, secrets and feelings are revealed, and we’re well on our way to that HEA we love so much.

Author Trentham packs a lot into this novella. The characters are well-drawn and have depth, and the plot moves along at a brisk, fun pace, filled with humor, sweetness and heat. Trentham’s stories always make you feel warm and satisfied and Nobody’s Hero is no exception. Thanks to the author for an advance copy in exchange for my reading pleasure and honest review. I loved it and look forward to reading the rest of the stories in what promises to be a delightful collection of dog tales. All opinions are my own. show less

Xan had been in the witness protection program for ten years, along with her teenage son, Scott, after turning her ex-husband in to the FBI because of his connection with the mafia. When he found out he tried to kill her. She had to change her name and move every few years. On her way to her new home, Xan's car broke down. She instantly lusts after the tow truck driver, Brody, but can't give into her desires because of her secrets. Brody isn't only a mechanic though. Along with the other men show more at the garage, he is secretly working for the FBI, amongst others as a contracted specialist. They take on jobs the government can't. One of those jobs is to protect Xan. Since Brody also lusts after Xan he's afraid to be near her. On top of that he had a head injury years earlier leaving him with no memory of his life before that time. When he sees Xan he knows she is familiar to him but doesn't know why.

Their attraction is so strong that they can't stay away from each other. But Brody's afraid he had been intimate with her, or worse, in his earlier life so tries to stay clear of her. When they find out Xan's ex is being released from prison, Brody tries to keep her and Scott safe.

I really liked this well written romantic suspense. It's heavy on the suspense but light on the romance. Lots of steamy sex though. There were lots of twists and turns to this story, keeping you guessing who the bad guy was. What a surprise ending! I loved not seeing that coming. Xan was a wonderful woman who coped with running and having to change her name and home every couple of years. Even with living such a stressful life, she was a great mother, always looking out for her son and trying to give him a normal life. Poor Brody. He didn't know much about his life before his injury and had to rely on information Colonel was able to dig up. Because of his lack of knowledge about his life, he held back on his feelings for Xan, worried that he had been involved with her before. Other than that, he was a strong, very capable man who was able to do his job well.

If it wasn't for the erotica (which I personally don't care to read) I would have given this 5 stars. show less

I've never been sure about reading an m/m book, so this short story was the perfect place to start. I was pleasantly surprised and really enjoyed it.
However I was a little disappointed that the sample for the next book 'Slick Competition' was longer than the short story. Over all I'm interested enough to find out what happens next.

Returning to the Woods Family Tree farm, this book in the series reveals even more about the origin of the family, their shifter traits and the efforts that they are willing to take to rein in the ‘mine or you die’ reaction the males of the family have when confronted with an available and unattached female.

Created with more attention to characterization and history of the family, this was my favorite of the books so far, although each character has grown and developed through the life show more of the series, this is the first book that provides a new character that is essentially complete and complex. We meet Ariel, who arrives to conduct scientific research that she hopes (and the Woods hope) will provide her with insight into the brother’s inability to love them and leave them. Ariel is a “survivor” of a disastrous marriage, and feels that love is simply a chemical reaction that is incorrectly interpreted as an emotion. Of course, the scientific possibilities cannot be ignored, even as she also wants to test the sexual limitations and potential, all the while discounting the love that Rob spotted instantly.

Again, a fast-paced read, full of sex, smart dialogue and imagery that will make your mouth water: the author has created a book that will challenge and excite while demanding you read more. Additional questions are answered that were posed and not answered in earlier books, and these are books that do need to be read in order. A fun series that takes the whole genre of shifter stories and turns them on their ear – in a good way.

I was provided an eBook copy from the author for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility. show less