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Kathy Douglass

Auteur de How to Steal the Lawman's Heart

17 oeuvres 59 utilisateurs 8 critiques

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Œuvres de Kathy Douglass

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Good book. I have been looking forward to Mike's story since he first appeared. Unlike his brothers, he is a rodeo cowboy who didn't intend to make the rodeo circuit his career. Instead, he earned enough money to follow his dream of becoming a doctor. I loved his dedication to his dream. The complication was his relationship with fellow rodeo rider Corinne. Observation has shown him that long-distance relationships don't work, so he tries to keep things "friends only."

Corinne has crushed on Mike for years. They've been good friends all that time, but Corinne wants more. Unfortunately, Mike's dedication to his studies brings back unpleasant memories of a previous boyfriend she felt relegated her to second place in the relationship.

I loved seeing Mike and Corinne together. Their connection is terrific and their chemistry is undeniable. When they are together, it is obvious that they are made for each other. But when they are apart, doubts creep in. These issues come to a head when Corinne visits Mike in Chicago. Things go pretty well as Mike shows her around his adopted city, and Corinne realizes she's made some unwarranted judgments. But when Mike gets a call inviting him to observe a surgery (quite an honor!), he jumps at the chance, leaving Corinne feeling forgotten.

I had a problem with Corinne through most of the book. She seemed to expect M ike to drop everything and pay attention to her and was angry and hurt when he couldn't. She didn't understand the depth of his commitment to his studies and career plan and only paid attention to how it affected her. I was very disappointed in her lack of support for the man she claimed to love.

Mike is a little obsessed with his goals. He could have spared a little time to at least call Corinne once in a while and maintain their connection. But he allowed his fears and insecurities to push her away. With his family's encouragement, he learns from his mistakes and plans to show her how important she is to him. But will it be enough to overcome Corinne's fears? I liked the ending and have high hopes that they will have the happy future they want if they stick to their plan.

I liked the support and encouragement Mike and Corinne received from their families. Seeing more of the previous couples and how their examples and advice helped Mike and Corinne through their problems was great
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scoutmomskf | Dec 20, 2023 |
Good second chance love story. Jillian and Miles had been best friends as children, then high school and college sweethearts. But instead of the proposal that Jillian expected, Miles wanted them to see other people. Heartbroken, Jillian moved away, eventually married another man, and had a little girl. As the book opens, Jillian's divorce is final, and she and Liliana are headed back to Aspen Creek to start over.

Miles is now the single father of a three-year-old boy. His one-night stand had consequences, but though he did what he thought was right, his wife was a city girl. Benji is the center of his world.

Aspen Creek is a small town, and it was only a matter of time until Jillian and Miles ran into each other. Miles missed Jillian and regrets the way he handled their past relationship. Though he has no interest in remarrying, he would love to restart their friendship. Though Jillian thought she was over him, when Miles showed up to welcome her back, all of her hurt and anger came rushing back and she tore into him. But underneath that antagonism were the rekindling sparks of attraction, sparks that reinforced her fear of risking her heart again. Jillian has every intention of avoiding Miles whenever possible.

Unfortunately for her, fate has other plans. When she takes Liliana to a playgroup at the library, Miles is there with Benji. To her dismay, Liliana and Benji become immediate best friends, much like she and Miles had when they were kids. Thanks to their kids, Miles and Jillian are frequently thrown together and must find a way to overcome their past mistakes.

Miles has had plenty of time to regret his past actions. He wants his best friend back and works hard to make that happen. It doesn't take long for him to realize that his feelings for her have never gone away. He wants Jillian and Liliana in his life, but he also knows he will have to earn her trust. I loved seeing Miles's slow and steady approach to winning her back. There were some sweet scenes of them together, but I ached for Miles when Jillian would panic and pull back.

Jillian fights her feelings for Miles. She's afraid of giving him her heart and having it broken all over again. It seems like every time they get together, she feels the pull grow stronger. It takes effort to let go of her fears, and she's unsure if she can do it. Then on Valentine's Day, just as she's ready to take another step forward, outside interference leads Miles to make a boneheaded decision. I ached for Jillian, who felt like history was repeating itself, and for Miles, who thought he was making things easier on her. Miles gets some good advice from an unexpected source and puts it into action. I loved his big moment at the end. The setting was unexpected, but his method was sweet and well done.

I loved the two children, Benji and Liliana. They may have been a little too good to be true, but they were adorable. It was fun to see how everyone saw the similarities to Miles and Jillian when they were that age.

#netgalley
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Signalé
scoutmomskf | Jan 28, 2023 |
Good book. Josh is the youngest in this branch of the Fortunes. He moved to Rambling Rose from New York to be with his siblings but also for a new start after a relationship ended. He could have joined his brothers' construction business but prefers to be his own boss. He set up his own contracting business and often takes on smaller jobs that his brothers don't want to deal with. One day he gets a call asking him to do repairs on the leaking roof at Kirby's Perks, a local coffee shop.

Kirby is a single mom of two girls, Lily (5) and Violet (7). Since her husband's death three years earlier, her daughters and work have been the center of her life. While she isn't against the idea of loving again, she doesn't see it happening any time soon.

Josh felt like he'd been struck by lightning when he arrived at Kirby's Perks. Kirby is a beautiful woman with a warm smile and an outgoing personality. Josh has the reputation in his family of falling in love at the drop of a hat and rushing his relationships. He promised himself he would change his ways and take his time with any new relationship but finds it hard to stick to his resolution. Kirby is just as attracted to Josh but is wary. He's younger than she is and a carefree bachelor, while she has two children to think about.

I loved watching the development of their relationship. Josh sticks to his resolution, though it is difficult when he's never felt this strongly about a woman before. Kirby isn't sure what to make of the feelings Josh stirs in her. I loved watching them get to know each other, with and without the girls. It was fun to see Josh find ways to spend time with Kirby, from helping her paint to building a playset for the girls. Josh is convinced that Kirby is the one for him and can see himself as part of the family.

Kirby is more cautious. She's aware that her feelings for him are growing stronger, but she's not the only one she must consider. Lily takes to Josh right away, but Violet is more standoffish. I loved Josh's patience and acceptance of Violet's feelings. He doesn't try to force anything, leaving Violet to adjust in her own time. I ached for him when Violet's attitude became an obstacle in his pursuit of Kirby. Both he and Kirby have some soul-searching to do, and each gets some good advice to help them along the way. I loved their big moment at the end and the subsequent revelation of the fear at the root of Violet's attitude.

In keeping with the overarching mystery in the series, another mysterious gift shows up. This time, a package for Josh is mixed up in Lily's birthday party gifts. He receives a travel book about Texas, with instructions to pay close attention to a specific chapter. Showing the book to his family members in the epilogue reveals another clue that adds to the mystery. I look forward to the next book and discovering what it all means.
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scoutmomskf | Sep 2, 2022 |
Good enemies to lovers story. Audrey is the third generation of a rodeo family. She's proud of what she and her sisters can do and frustrated at the lack of respect given to women in rodeo. The Hawkins sisters came to Bronco for the Bronco Family Rodeo.

Jack is also part of a rodeo family. He and his three brothers all compete. Jack doesn't think women belong in rodeo, that it is too dangerous for them. He has a woman friend who was paralyzed in a rodeo accident. Jack grew up in Bronco, and he and his brothers are in town to compete also.

The rodeo promoters have latched on to the two families as the faces of the rodeo. During a photo shoot, the sparks between Jack and Audrey are intense and evident to everyone around them. Their chemistry comes out in the photos, too. The promoters suggest a Battle of the Sexes exhibition between the two families. Audrey sees it as a great way to show what the women can do, while Jack thinks it's a bad idea.

I liked watching the relationship develop between Jack and Audrey. The chemistry between them is explosive, as are their opposing views of women in rodeo. Seeing them poke at each other while trying to make their points was fun; neither one was willing to give an inch. Both found that despite their antagonism, getting each other out of their minds was impossible. Jack tried telling Audrey that he needed to concentrate on preparing for the rodeo and that they needed to keep things professional rather than personal. That didn't last long, so they decided to see where things would go between them.

The promoters also started pushing a blossoming romance between Jack and Audrey while they tried to keep anything between them private. The more time they spent together, the more their feelings for each other grew. Both try to resist because maintaining relationships on the rodeo circuit is complicated. They also must reconcile their differing opinions on women in rodeo. I liked seeing Jack's prejudices change the more he gets to know Audrey and see how good she is. Things look promising until Audrey overhears a discussion between Jack and his brother Geoff. Jack made a boneheaded comment, leaving Audrey devastated and furious.

It was exciting to see the competition between the two teams during the rodeo. They were evenly matched, and I liked seeing how each event turned out. I wasn't entirely satisfied with the outcome of the rodeo competition, as it seemed as though the announcer had his desired result and wouldn't settle for anything different. All Jack wants is the chance to make things right with Audrey, but he doesn't get the chance. I ached for both and their unhappiness. I laughed when Jack got obscure advice from Winona Cobb. But when he finally figured it out, he found a fantastic way to demonstrate his feelings to Audrey. The ending was terrific, and I loved Jack's bib moment.

I loved Jack's brothers and the close relationship they had. They tease and argue but are there for each other in times of trouble. Audrey's sisters were great too. One urged Audrey to be cautious with her relationship with Jack, while the other two were all for it. But all of them supported her when she needed it. There was also a secondary relationship between Jack's brother Mike and Audrey's sister Corinne. It will be interesting to see if anything comes of it.

#netgalley
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Signalé
scoutmomskf | Jul 26, 2022 |

Statistiques

Œuvres
17
Membres
59
Popularité
#280,813
Évaluation
½ 3.7
Critiques
8
ISBN
53

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