Lois Greiman

There is a fine balance between romance and action when it comes to books that combine them both. It's usually tough to get it right, and more often than not one overpowers the other - unfortunately, this is what went wrong with this story (well, that and something else, keep on reading).

Gabriel Durrand has lost a man who was in a covert mission in Columbia. Now, he wishes to find him and bring him home, and he needs Eddy Edwards to help him on that. The last thing he expected and needed was show more for this Eddy person to turn out a woman! One that is very proud, skillful, and yet still very noticeably female. Finding Shepherd will turn out a lot harder than he initially thought...

OK, first, I liked the whole misunderstanding with Eddy's name. I also enjoy tough heroines a lot - although I have to say, trying so hard to prove themselves sometimes gets old nowadays. Still, she was someone a modern female reader could relate with, especially someone who tried working in an all-male environment - been there, done that, and decided it wasn't worth the effort or the possible suicidal thoughts. So I salute her for keeping up with it all and becoming what she became in the end of the book - character growth did wonders for her.

I also found it nice that the happy romantic ending didn't come all too easily when the story came to a close. And yes, the action helped a lot in there, too.

BUT!

The romance could have used a bit more... depth, I guess? It was hard to get into the whole thing with so much going on with the story at once. And that would have been fine, but we're talking about a book that has the romance genre in its main focus as well. See what I'm trying to say? It has been proven that the fine balance I talked about in the beginning of my review CAN be achieved, so I can't really say 'oh, well, it's just impossible to happen'.

Still, what really peeved me to no end, what made me hate reading after a certain page, was Linus. Seriously, I've seen bimbos and nagging main heroines being more thankful than that god damn man! You're being rescued, you stupid horndog! Forget about a woman who has done everything else other than yell it from the rooftops that she's betraying and using you, and be a good rescue victim, grateful for your comrade who risked his ass, his reputation, and everything else in between, to come take you out of that hellhole you ended up in!

As it stood, the story was a solid 4-star maybe in the beginning. But the minute Linus freaking Shepherd started actively talking while being captured, the rating started dropping. Dramatically! Turns out, it is possible for a character to make me do that, huh....

***I was given an ARC from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The opinion stated in this review is solely mine, and no compensation was given or taken to alter it.*** show less

4.5 stars.

Hearth Stone is the first heartwarming installment in Lois Greiman's Home in the Hills series. This charming novel is a lovely story of new beginnings for Sydney Wellesley when she impulsively purchases a dilapidated ranch nestled in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Leaving behind a life of privilege is only the first of many changes for Sydney as she finds love and friendship while forging a new life for herself in the wake of a devastating accident.

Sydney is the only daughter of show more a wealthy but cold and controlling businessman. Following the accident that ends her promising career as equestrienne, she breaks off her engagement to her cheating fiancé and escapes to the Lazy Windmill Ranch. She falls in the love with surrounding area and purchases a neighboring property which she plans to turn into a training facility for other equestrians. When her father demands she return home, Sydney stubbornly defies him, but she quickly discovers she might have bitten off more than she can chew when he cuts off her access to her credit cards and checking account. Luckily for her, Hunter Redhawk is the type of person who cannot in good conscience leave her to fend her for herself, so against his better judgment, he agrees to help her make some much needed repairs on the ranch.

Sydney has spent her life trying to live up to her family's impossibly high standards and she is somewhat distant and cold when she first arrives in SD. She is also rather helpless since she has never had to take care of anything on her own. Lacking even the most rudimentary skills, Sydney is out of her depth, but she refuses to give up her dream. Working side by side with Hunter, she begins to warm up to him and she strikes up an unlikely friendship with Vura Lambert and her young daughter, Lily. But most surprising is the kinship Sydney feels for an injured Mustang she rescues. Her vision for her ranch transforms during the horse's recovery but will she let her need for father's approval alter her plans?

Hunter is a somewhat mysterious man who reveals little about his past. There is no doubt he is a decent, kindhearted person, but he is the epitome of the strong, silent type. He is not easily ruffled and he has a quiet, reassuring presence. He also expects Sydney to pull her share of the weight and he is willing to teach her what she needs to do to help him. While Hunter shares affectionate anecdotes about his family and his childhood on the Rosebud Reservation, it soon becomes clear that there is a tragedy that haunts him.

The relationship between Hunter and Sydney develops slowly over the course of the novel. Sydney is sometimes unintentionally offensive but Hunter takes her prickly attitude in stride and with good humor. It is easy for him to see how sheltered and out of depth she is, but he cannot help but admire her plucky approach to achieving her dream despite the odds not being in her favor. At first reluctant co-workers, their friendship grows as they let down their guard with one another and begin to exchange confidences. There is also a growing attraction that smolders under the surface of their comfortable friendship but in the aftermath of a fiery kiss, an unexpected distance springs up between them.

Hearth Stone is a very touching beginning to the Home in the Hills series. The characters are richly developed and although flawed, they are sympathetic and likable with believable issues to overcome. The novel's setting is distinctive and adds to the story's overall appeal. Lois Greiman does a wonderful job keeping the storyline fresh and unique.

Although a spin-off from the Hope Springs series, Hearth Stone easily stands on its own. show less

2.5 stars

She drew her hand carefully from his chest and rose to her feet. "You are a liar." She said the words softly but with absolute conviction.
"Me!" Air rushed back into his lungs. " 'Tis you who is the liar!"
"Aye. But at least I am good at it," she said, and turning toward the door, left without another word.

I solely bumped this up from a 2 star read because of how often and much the FMC lied. Y'all. It was insane to the point of being all you can do is salute. You will basically be show more more confused than the MMC while reading this until around 90% and then you're going to have to put on your Medieval cap to not foam at the mouth when it's revealed why there was all the lying.

If lying is your kink, this right here is your Holy Grail. show less

Like a clergyman waking up in a seedy strip club, I have no idea how or why I found myself reading this highland romance. The Scottish Highlands, Texas ranches, Greek yachts, Arab harems are places I fear to tread.

No wonder I found myself completely lost in the narrative. For most of the book I wasn't sure if I was reading fairy-tale fantasy or historical romance masked with a few fictional place names.

The quality of Ms Greiman's writing gives impetus to the narrative, but the story demands show more complete suspension of disbelief (hence the suspicion that this was intended as a fairy-tale romance). The princess of one fictional country travels incognito to another fictional country to forge an alliance by marrying a laird with an evil reputation. Within minutes of landing on the laird's island she's under arrest, shuffling between the laird's dungeons and prisons and his bed chambers. Meanwhile, the piratical laird metamorphoses into a criminal interrogator and the battle of wits and heavy breathing begins.

I surprised myself by reading this book through to the end, and even taking a quick peek at the second volume in the series, which is tied very closely to the events in the first.

Even though I enjoyed [b:The Princess and Her Pirate|1444513|The Princess and Her Pirate (Sedonia, #1)|Lois Greiman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1183670974s/1444513.jpg|1435188], it confirmed my aversion (there's a paradox for you!) to this particular sub-genre and probably explains why I abandoned [b:The Princess Masquerade|508093|The Princess Masquerade (Sedonia, #2)|Lois Greiman|http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1298562158s/508093.jpg|496117] part-way through. show less