365 books in 365 days Challenge ... Book #307

 

The Return of Luke McGuire - Justine Davis
Silhouette Intimate Moments
Reprinted in Harlequin Showcase 2-in-1
Harlequin, 2011
ISBN: 9780373688258


My rating

From the back cover:

"Luke McGuire was everything shy Amelia Blair had been fascinated by as a girl but too terrified to go near. And now here she was, the only person in the whole town decent enough to give him the time of day, caring enough to stand up for him...brave enough to get close. 
Luke didn t need the town s nasty stares to know that Amelia was off-limits. But then, reformed or not, he d never been one to abide by the rules. He only hoped that the quiet beauty would fall for the man he had become instead of the one he used to be."


This is the second book in the Showcase 2-in-1, as above.

The hero Luke has been gone from his home town for eight years, and has no desire to ever go back. Having grown up as an unwanted child of a teenage mother, his unhappiness was reflected in his juvenile delinquent behaviour. However, when he gets a desperate letter from his younger brother David, whom is also getting the same emotionless treatment from their mother, he decides to go back to try and help. The heroine Amelia has also been trying to help David, especially to try and stop him from getting into trouble. When Luke arrives and meets Amelia, there is an immediate connection between them, and Luke soon realises she is the only one who will give him a chance, ignoring his childhood reputation. Their combined efforts to help David are not very successful, but as they spend time together they begin to fall for one another. The passion between them is fierce, but neither of them know if they can offer the other anything long term.

Again, unfortunately, I found this book rather boring. I really liked the plot idea, but boy was it dragged out. The relationship between the hero and heroine develops nicely, but I don't think there was enough focus on it to really make and impact, and they didn't actually spend a lot of time together. The small town attitude (i.e. once a bad seed, always a bad seed) is written very well, and definitely one of the most interesting parts of the book.

Overall, this isn't a bad book but, in my opinion, it could do with being a bit shorter!

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365 books in 365 days Challenge ... Book #306

Nighthawk - Rachel Lee
Silhouette Intimate Moments
Reprinted in Harlequin Showcase 2-in-1
Harlequin, 2011
ISBN: 9780373688258


My rating

From the back cover:

"Esther Jackson need Craig Nighthawk's protection. The father she'd helped put away for murder was now seeking her out, so against her reclusive nature, she welcomed the darkly handsome Nighthawk into her home, hoping he could keep her safe. 
Craig knew all about fear and isolation. After all, he was still being tried and convicted by the people of Conrad County for a crime he hadn't committed. All he wanted was to be left alone. Until he met Esther, and discovered in her loving arms a peace he would safeguard at any cost..."


I have had this Showcase 2-in-1 on my bookshelf for ages and thought I would give it a go.

The heroine Esther meets her neighbour Craig, the hero, for the first time in the two years she has lived there , after one of his sheep gets into her garden. At first Esther is nervous around him, her brutal father whom crippled Esther and killed her mother has given her a lifetime of being weary of men. But she soon relaxes around him and they form a tentative friendship. Craig is intrigued by Esther, but doesn't want to become too involved with her, believing he has nothing to offer. But for some reason he can't stay away, especially when Esther's worst fear is realised - her father is out of prison and looking for her. Esther is petrified when her father makes contact, and with the law powerless to to stop him she relies on the support and protection Craig offers her. Esther begins to realise that she can't spend her whole life in fear, and her blossoming feelings for Craig help her become stronger. Even though he wants her, Craig still thinks he and Esther can never be together. So while he helps her come to terms with her fear, he also tries to push her away.

I really thought I would like this one a lot more than I did. But, I found it a little boring. The plot is really interesting but, in my opinion, far too dragged out. The lead-in to the 'big event' made it seem like this would be a suspenseful book, but I was let down. I was very intrigued by the author's use of a Native American hero, and this certainly added another layer of tension to the book, and love story. But it focused way too much on the racial/social differences between the hero and the "white man", I get it.
The sexual tension between the hero and heroine is plentiful, and really helps this book along, there were so many stops and starts to their relationship that I almost wanted to cheer when they finally got together!
I have to say that the bits I enjoyed most in this book were there actions, or should I say antics, of the animals!

An enjoyable book, but a tad boring.

Xx

365 books in 365 days Challenge ... Book #291

Just One Look - Mary McBride
Silhouette Intimate Moments
Silhouette Books, 1999
ISBN: 9780373079667
Reissue - Harlequin Treasury, 2011
eISBN: 9781459259171










My rating

From the back cover:

"SOMEONE TO WATCH OVER HER 
One look at the rugged, denim-clad, 100% man in her doorway told Sara Campbell she wasn't dead yet—only dreaming. She'd met detective Joe Decker just yesterday, when he'd scooped her off the pavement after the South Side Ripper had tried to kill her, and held her hand until she woke up. Now he was back to protect her, because Sara, all alone in her mansion, was the only living witness to the maniac's face. But she couldn't remember that face! And that meant she was in danger, with only this one man to keep her safe. But even if he kept the maniac from harming her, what would happen to the heart that was already his?"


This is another book I got from the Harlequin ebook store.

The heroine Sara is driving home when her car is hit and she is attacked and knocked unconscious. When she wakes up in the hospital she finds the hero Joe, a detective, sitting by her bed side. Joe informs Sara that she was attacked by a serial killer and her action of pulling away his ski mask before she was hit means she is the only surviving person to have seen his face. Unfortunately for Joe, Sara can't remember anything, she also refuses to go into protective custody admitting she suffers from agoraphobia. Joe is frustrated by Sara's lack of cooperation and he is initially insensitive towards her problem. But he is determined to catch the killer and protect Sara, so he virtually moves in with her. As he gets to know her he begins to fall for the strong woman that she is underneath her fears. But with the threat against them never far away, Joe knows he can't act on his feelings fearing his guard will drop and the worst could happen.

I enjoyed the book, it is well written and interesting, with plenty of spark in the central relationship. I liked that the suspense plot didn't overshadow the romance, but it was no less exciting. The hero is a good character; very 'normal' and his crankiness was quite amusing! I was intrigued by the idea of the agoraphobia heroine, but it didn't work for me. It seemed rather half-hearted - the heroine actually went out quite a bit but a true agoraphobic would not be able to leave their safe place.
There wasn't really an explanation of motive for the culprit, it just didn't make sense. Oh, and the culprit was pretty obvious from early on in the book.

But the author's writing style is funny and flows nice, and this is an enjoyably oldie!

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