SOUTHERN CHARM by K.C. Crowne

Title:  SOUTHERN CHARM

Series:  Rainbow Canyon #5

Author:  K.C. Crowne

Publisher:  K.C. Crowne

Publish Date:  07.07.2020

Category /Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC / errors excused

Received from:  K.C. Crowne

Goodreads link: Southern Charm

Date completed: 07.08.2020

Description from the publisher:

A little girl was dropped on my doorstep.
And, this wild cowboy became a father overnight.

I’ve seen a lot in my life.
But nothing prepared me for fatherhood.
El is just five and she has my stubborn streak.
H*ll, a man with my history isn't meant to raise another human.

Samantha is my only saving grace.
But here I am, both excited and troubled by the feelings the beauty stirs up.
Smart, caring, and hot enough to melt my cold heart.
I need to look after my baby girl and run my family ranch - not fall hard for my kids' teacher.

But when Sam's past follows her into my home,
I'm forced to fight for my family's safety and the best thing that's happened to me in a long time.
I'll protect Sam -and the secret miracle in her womb.
-------
This is a standalone single dad, cowboy romance and a part of my Rainbow Canyon Cowboys series. Each book can be read as a standalone. Transport yourself into the charming family ranch in Texas, as we follow five rugged cowboys in their quests to find lasting love.

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SOUTHERN CHARM is the fifth book in the Rainbow Canyon series.  Though this is the fifth in a five-part series, and I hadn’t read any of the others, I was not at all lost.  On the other hand, I want the other brothers (and their girls)!  I mean, ahem, I want their stories. 

This story is all about who you *choose* to call family – in addition to the ones that love you through your blood bond.  Chance, Samantha (Sam), and Ellie didn’t set out to be a family.  Chance didn’t know he was a father until his daughter was already five years old.  Ellie isn’t used to living on a ranch, she misses her mother and her grandparents, and now this strange man says he’s her dad.  Sam is just looking to start over after an emotionally abusive relationship that had all the signs of becoming physically abusive as well. 

What starts out as a nannying position, becomes a case of one + one + one equals one heart… one bachelor dad, plus one nanny on the run, plus one little girl struggling to figure out where she fits in equals one family.  This contemporary romance doesn’t exist without the child because she is the reason Chance and Sam were brought together.  Luckily, Sam is the practically perfect in every way type of nanny that they needed.  She is disciplined, but fun-loving, adventurous, and compassionate.  I was a nanny.  I modeled Mary Poppins, but I think Sam did it better!

Though I have been receiving Ms. Crowne’s newsletter for a couple of months, this is the first book I have had the opportunity to put on my review schedule.  I’m not letting MONTHS go by again.  I will be back with Untamed Cowboy – I already have it downloaded and ready to read.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Rainbow Canyon Cowboy Series:

1.      Untamed Cowboy

2.      Taboo Cowboy

3.      Cowboy’s Baby

4.      Her Cowboy Daddies

5.      Southern Charm

Also from Author:

·         Her Mountain Brothers

·         Her Protector

·         Knocked Up by Daddy’s Best Friend

·         Mistletoe Surprise

·         Mountain Man’s Secret Baby

·         Never Over You

·         Second Chance for the Mountain Man

Bearded Brothers Mountain Man Series:

1.      Her Mountain Daddy

2.      Beauty and the Beard

3.      Bride and the Beard

4.      Built and Bearded

5.      The Gentleman

Big Bad Daddies Series:

1.      Big Bad Daddy

2.      Big Bad Doctor

3.      Big Bad Taboo Daddy

4.      Big Bad Prince

5.      Big Bad Mountain Man

6.      Big Bad SEAL

7.      Big Bad Boss

8.      Big Bad Sugar Daddy

9.      Big Bad Mountain Brothers

Endless Daddies Series:

1.      Doctor Daddy 

2.      Taboo Daddy

3.      Royally Damaged

4.      Boss Man

5.      Knocked Up by My Brother’s Best Friend

Firemen of Manhattan Series:

1.      Big Bad Fireman's Baby

2.      Big Bad Firefighter

3.      Big Bad Fire Daddy

Mountain Men of Liberty Series:

1.      Baby for the Mountain Man 

2.      Junior for the Mountain Man

3.      Knocked Up by the Mountain Man

4.      Baby for Daddy's Best Friend

5.      Triplets for the Mountain Man

6.      Taken by the Mountain Man

7.      Mountain Man's Secret Baby

8.      Mountain Man's Accidental Surprise

Mountain Protectors Series:

1.      The Storm

Spenser Sisters Series:

1.      Men on a Mission

2.      Christmas with Four Firemen

3.      Dirty Cowboys

 

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BRUNSWICK BAY HARBOR GEMS by Ann Omasta

Title:  BRUNSWICK BAY HARBOR GEMS

Series:  Brunswick Bay Harbor Gems #1 - 3

Author:  Ann Omasta

Publisher:  Ann Omasta

Publish Date:   02.10.2020

Category /Genre:  Romantic Suspense

Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC / errors excused

Received from:  Ann Omasta (as an ARC gifted copy)

Goodreads link: Brunswick Bay Harbor Gems

Date completed: 01.25.2020

Description from the publisher:

A missing wife…
…crushed dreams.

Life in picturesque Brunswick Bay Harbor, Maine, is never quite as it seems.

Shattered Diamonds: Josie’s lifelong Olympic dreams are destroyed. Alex’s wife is missing, and the accusing looks tear him apart as he attempts to raise his daughter on his own. Can two lost souls save each other?

Shining Pearls: Single father Alex moved on from heartbreak in the only way he knew how. Josie trusted him. When secrets from the past resurface, will they find a way to heal, or has their path to happiness been crushed beyond repair?

Shimmering Emeralds: Levi’s a little bit country. Meg’s a whole lot of rock and roll. Can these two opposites meet in the middle or will their past mistakes rob them of their second chance at romance?

When tragedies bring the residents of coastal Brunswick Bay Harbor together in ways they never could have imagined, will these intriguing characters find their happily-ever-afters, or will their secrets destroy them? Meet them now and find out.

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MY REVIEW

4 CROWNS

These are the first three books in the Brunswick Bay Harbor Gems series.  This is a series of romantic suspense that does need to be read in the order of release.

SHATTERED DIAMONDS 

Alex and Josie’s story was highly addictive and I was rooting for them from the beginning.  She had lost her dreams of Olympic gold.  He was being wrongly accused in the disappearance of his wife.

On the other hand, I was frustrated throughout the book in that I felt that there should be more about the disappearance.  Since this was a major factor in how the town treated Alex, shouldn’t the reader know more than “Claire’s missing.  The town blames Alex, but he didn’t do it.”

SHINING PEARLS

Yeah!  More of an explanation of what happened to Claire.  Boo! Josie is devastated once again.  Yeah and Boo and OMG the twists and turns and ups and downs.  Yes, this one was made me an emotional mess.  So much happens and I can’t say much without giving away the surprises.  READ IT!

SHIMMERING EMERALDS

Claire’s sister Meg was especially hard on Alex.  Now we get to see another side of her as she gets to her HEA.  First there is a horrible bus crash with the kids – yikes!!!! And a sighting of Kevin Dursley. 

The emotions are strong and free-flying, but definitely end with smiles.  Meg and Levi deserve their happy ending.  This was my favorite of the three stories.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC via Booksprout, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Brunswick Bay Harbor Gems Series:

1.      Shattered Diamonds

2.      Shining Pearls

3.      Shimmering Emeralds

4.      Shadowed Rubies

5.      Shocking Sapphires

Also from Ann Omasta:

·         Breaking Challenges (The Davis Twins, the next generation)

·         Guarding Grace (Gold Coast Retrievers #3)

·         Royally Broke Billionaire

·         Watching Willow (Gold Coast Retrievers #7)

Davis Twins Series:

1.      Taking Chances

2.      Making Choices

3.      Faking Changes

Escape Series:

0.5  Aloha, Baby!

1.      Getting Lei’d

2.      Cruising for Love

Coconutty Christmas – Holiday in Hawaii

3.      Island Hopping

Daring Desires Series:

1.      Daring the Neighbor

2.      Daring His Passion

3.      Daring Rescue

Broke Billionaires Club Series:

1.      The Broke Billionaire

2.      The Billionaire’s Brother

3.      The Billionairess

The Keys to My Diary Series:

1.      Fern

2.      Marina

3.      Trixie

Lipstick Smudgers Series:

1.      The Neighbor

2.      His Best Friend’s Wife

3.      The Rescuer

Pet Set series:

1.      Goofy Newfies

2.      Itty Bitty Kitties

3.      Funny Bunnies

Wings on Fire Series:

1.      Falling

2.      Blazing

3.      Soaring

 

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SILVER PLAYER by L.B. Dunbar

Title:  SILVER PLAYER

Series:  Silver Foxes of Blue Ridge #2

Author:  L.B. Dunbar

Publisher:  L.B. Dunbar Writes, Ltd.

Publish Date:   01.23.2020

Category /Genre:  Contemporary Romance

Recommended for:  18+ due to sexual content

Grammar/editing:  received as an unedited ARC

Received from:  L.B. Dunbar

Goodreads link: Silver Player

Date completed: 01.19.2020

Description from the publisher:

Billy Harrington is the biggest player in Blue Ridge, only his wild card is about to be tabled by a feisty silver vixen.

Billy Harrington.
A young girl walks into a bar…
I’d like to say this is the start of a bad joke, but it isn’t really.
It’s my life.
Can you be called a baby-daddy if the secret baby shows up as a teenager?
I don’t know anything about raising a teen.
And the one person who could help me the most is my nemesis.

Roxanne McAllister.
I should hate him for being her father.
Only I don’t fault him for sleeping with my sister.
This is the story of my life.
I’ve always been runner-up to my older sibling.
Then tragedy strikes—again—and I’m left with a dilemma.
Can I count on the person I despise the most in Blue Ridge?

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SILVER PLAYER is the second book in the Silver Foxes of Blue Ridge series.  Each will stand on its own, but I strongly recommend them all so why not read them in the order of release.  I freakin’ loved this one!

While Denton and Mati are building their SECOND CHANCE, Giant and Letty are working through their long-distance relationship (SILVER BREWER) and Billy is building his family with Roxie and Olivia.  For those of us who already known the Harrington family, I loved the way that the relationships and their stories were braided together.  Yet, I believe there is nothing that would cause someone just picking up at this book to feel that they were lost.

Billy, Olivia, and Roxanne’s story starts out about as messy as it can get short of law enforcement getting involved… but they come later!  Messy means feelings… lots and lots of feelings… for them and for me.

I loved reading about this family building itself from three individuals to a solid unit.  Now, if it wasn’t Billy in the alleyway… who was it?  I’m thinking that this will be as significant in one of the future books as it was to Roxie.

Note:  While I received this book as a gifted ARC, my opinions are my own and are given freely.

Silver Foxes of Blue Ridge Series:

1.      Silver Brewer

2.      Silver Player

3.      Silver Mayor (releases 06.04.2020)

4.      Silver Biker  (releases 09.17.2020)

Also from L.B. Dunbar:

·         Chance Encounter

·         The History in Us

·         Love in Deed (releases 05.12.2020)

·         Love in Due Time (Green Valley Library #1)

·         Rekindled

·         The Sex Education of M.E.

·         The Red Dress Affair

Collision Series:

1.      Collide

Island Duet:

1.      Redemption Island

2.      Return to the Island

Legendary Rock Stars Series:

1.      The Legend of Arturo King

2.      The Story of Lansing Lotte

3.      The Quest of Perkins Vale

4.      The Truth of Tristan Lyons

5.      The Trials of Guinevere DeGrance

Modern Descendents Series:

1.      Hades

2.      Solis

3.      Heph

Paradise Series:

Paradise Tempted:  The Beginning

1.      Paradise Fought:  Abel

2.      Paradise Found:  Cain

Sensations Collection Series:

1.      Sound Advice

2.      Taste Test

3.      Fragrance Free

4.      Touch Screen

5.      Sight Words

Silver Foxes Series:

1.      After Care

2.      Mid-Life Crisis

3.      Restored Dreams

4.      Second Chance

5.      Wine & Dine

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