Unwrapping a Review of WORTH IT ALL, a McKinney Brothers novel by Claudia Connor

A friend recommended WORTH IT ALL by Claudia Connor just when NetGalley sent me a suggestion for reading it. It was as if the fates were conspiring that I should read this one, so I did. The fates were right.

***eARC provided by publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for WORTH IT ALL:

Now the swoon-worthy McKinney Brothers series from this bestselling author continues as JT, the youngest of the trio, discovers that only love can make him whole.

She’s fighting for control. . .Paige Roberts learned to fend for herself growing up. Now she’s doing everything possible to give her daughter, Casey, the stability she never had. But when the vivacious five-year-old decides she’s done wearing her prosthesis, Paige faces her toughest challenge yet: trusting a handsome, brooding stranger who simply wants to help.

He’s struggling to connect. . .JT McKinney lost more than his leg in a car accident that stole his dreams of pro football. Eight years later, he's made a new life for himself far away from his old one. His business is developing cutting-edge prosthetics and he’s more than happy to turn his attention to machines instead of people. Still, he can’t shake the feeling that something’s missing.

Will they take a chance on love? . . . When JT gets the chance to help Paige’s daughter, he takes it. He never planned on the two of them tearing down his walls or teaching him to believe in himself again. Paige might not believe in happily ever afters, but JT wants more than anything to be her prince. They’ll both have to let go of the past if they want a future.

~*~                ~*~               ~*~                ~*~

Since I haven’t read any of the other books in the series, I hadn’t met Jake McKinney before WORTH IT ALL. He’s the youngest of the McKinney boys and had dreams of playing football professionally until an unfortunate car accident stole those dreams, and his leg. Eight years has passed since then, he’s moved to California and started a business developing amazing prosthetics for others like him. Jake gets much satisfaction from helping others and although, his work satisfies him, he’s lonely even while intrigued with the pretty waitress at his favorite diner. But when his life becomes entwined with hers, and another very special lady, his life changes but will it be for the better?

Paige Roberts has dealt with some bad things in her life but loves her little girl, Casey, more than anything in the world. She wants her daughter's life to be very different from her own. She wants her to feel safe, and confident. When her little girl decides she doesn’t want to wear her prosthetic, it’s a handsome, and rather brooding, man who changes her mind. Paige feels herself drawn to Jake but her hesitations, fears, and belief that there is no such as a happily-ever-after has her holding back.

I had a little trouble getting into the story at first. I don’t know if that was because I hadn’t read the other books or because it just wasn’t resonating with me, but once I did I began to fall in love. I have to say that the real star of WORTH IT ALL is little Casey Roberts. She is the most adorable, precocious, and real fictional child in a romance that I’ve ever encountered. Her connection to Jake is one that I would like to have seen more of in terms of Paige’s connection to him, but I enjoyed it all the same.

WORTH IT ALL, book three in the McKinney Brothers series by Claudia Connor is a sweet, heart breaking at times contemporary romance that has me adding the rest of the series to my ever-growing TBR list. I just have to experience the rest of the McKinney brothers after falling somewhat in love with Jake. He’s everything we’d like to see exist in real men but know can’t really. He’s funny, he’s sensitive, he’s sexy as hell, and even when he’s brooding, there’s a caring, inquisitive side to him that makes him special and intelligent. I love the story-line being that there are so many who have lost limbs through tragedy and military action. I love that Claudia gave us a look at the feelings and worries of those who use prosthetics, and those who in turn worry about them. Jake is patient with Casey, as well as with Paige. As if sensing that Paige is fighting her own demons, he gives her similar time and patience with a much different result. He’s such a wonderful romance hero.

I highly recommend WORTH IT ALL by Claudia Connor to anyone who loves a truly sweet, timely, sensitive, and well-written contemporary romance. I’m so glad this one came across my radar. It was definitely WORTH IT ALL to read.

Happy Reading Everyone!

WORTH IT ALL, a McKinney Brothers novel by Claudia Connor, LoveSwept, releasing April 19, 2016 in ebook formats at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Kobobooks.

Unwrapping a Review of SLOW HAND, a Hot Cowboy Nights novel by Victoria Vane

Anyone who has been following my reviews for any length of time knows I’m a huge fan of Victoria Vane. Some of her books, I’ve loved more than others, but I read each one with great anticipation of an enjoyable sexy read. Well, my darlings, she has blown me out of the water with the first book in her brand new contemporary series called Hot Cowboy Nights. Hot is an understatement – SLOW HAND by Victoria Vane is hot cowboys and more.

***eARC provided by author via NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unscripted review

Blurb for SLOW HAND:

In rural Montana...

Wade Knowlton is a hardworking lawyer who's torn between his small-town Montana law practice and a struggling family ranch. He's on the brink of exhaustion from trying to save everybody and everything, when gorgeous Nicole Powell walks into his office. She's a damsel in distress and the breath of fresh air he needs.

Even the lawyers wear boots...

Nicole Powell is a sassy Southern girl who has officially sworn off cowboys after a spate of bad seeds-until her father's death sends her to Montana and into the arms of a man who seems too good to be true. Her instincts tell her to high tail it out of Montana, but she can't resist a cowboy with a slow hand...

*                   *                   *                    *                   *

Nikki Powell does not like to fly – at all – so when she encounters every imaginable thing that can go wrong while traveling from Georgia to Montana, she’s not happy. Then as if things can’t get any worse, the truly worst thing happens. She has no choice but to hitch a ride the last leg of her journey with, not only the man she thought a typical arrogant, womanizing cowboy, but he happens to be the lawyer handling her deceased estranged father’s estate – and he’s gorgeous sexy.

Wade Knowlton is returning home to try to talk his brother into selling the declining family ranch for a huge sum of money when he notices a beautiful damsel in distress who has missed her flight and is crying on the floor. Being the chivalrous guy he sometimes regrets being, he gives up his seat for her and drives the long hours from Denver to Bozeman, Montana. When he receives a frantic call from a woman who claims to have lost her wallet, phone, and who knows what else, but managed to have his phone number, he tells her to wait where she is in Bozeman and he’ll get there as soon as possible. She turns out to be the same damsel in distress from the airport. Life just keeps getting more interesting by the moment for Wade, but he’s not too very sorry he helped the beautiful Nikki – not yet anyway. Never did he think she’d break his heart after he rescued her.

Just when I think Victoria Vane can no longer surprise me with her talent and amazing characters, she does it again. Her sensual romances continue to burn up the pages of every book she conjures. SLOW HAND, the first book in the Hot Cowboy Nights series is hot, hot, hot! Wade Knowlton is the sexiest man to wear cowboy boots and a hat. He also happens to be lawyer who gives new meaning to the word briefs. I was in love with this man before I got a third of the way into the book, and was ready to kick Nikki in her damsel in distress hot ass if she didn’t get him into bed soon.

The banter between these two characters was enough to make me worry about my reader overheating. The secondary characters brought humor, emotion, angst, and reality to the story without overpowering Wade and Nikki’s growing attraction for each other. Wade had his own cheering section, and Nikki was on the right performance track as far as his family and friends were concerned. She had nothing to lose and everything to gain from her visit to Montana yet she was willing to throw it all away because she was afraid to open her heart to falling in love.

SLOW HAND by Victoria Vane is delightful, funny, page turning steamy sexy, and the romance between Wade and Nikki make you wish you could pull Victoria’s characters straight off the page and into real life. I'm beginning to think Victoria could write a phone book and make it sexy. I highly recommend this amazing first book in a brand new contemporary series coming to readers and bookstores this November. I wish it were sooner because you don’t want to miss this one. I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Happy Reading Everyone!

SLOW HAND, a Hot Cowboy Nights novel by Victoria Vane, Sourcebooks Casablanca, release date – November 4, 2014, to be available in print and ebook formats at Amazon, and Barnes & Noble.

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