Release Day Review & Excerpt: Used by Kate Dunbar

This is all of me. The good, the bad, the used, and the broken…

Heartbreakingly beautiful and completely engrossing, A young woman's life takes a disturbing and utterly fascinating turn as the past she's put behind comes back to haunt her.  USED is packed full of twists, turns, and a gripping romance sure to leave readers emotionally spent and asking for more.

USED, a brand new standalone romantic suspense from debut author Kate Dunbar is OUT NOW! Grab your copy today!

“USED was amazing. Like seriously amazing. I can't remember the last time I hated to put a book down so I could go to sleep and then immediately pick it up to finish it the next morning. And yet, here we are and that's what I did.” ~ Samantha Chase, New York Times Bestselling Author

“Rarely have I read a book so vividly described, so rich with emotion, that I felt like I lived it. USED is the kind of book that engages your heart and takes you on a journey that leaves you hopeful and empowered by the end.” ~ Erika Kelly, Award Winning Author of the Rock Star Romance Series

Photography by K Keeton Designs
Cover Design by Uplifting Author Services

Model: Cameo Hopper

About USED (Coming 3/8/2021):

At the age of seventeen, after a decade of lies, hurt, and severe abuse by her brother Lucas, Sabra Valentine is able to breathe.

Lucas is behind bars thanks in large part to Sabra's quick thinking and self-preservation-even if that's one more secret she has to keep.

Now, seven years later, life is moving forward, and Sabra is starting to heal, live, and love again with her friends and Trevor Collins by her side. He's tall, dark, and sexy, and he doesn't fall for Sabra's games. The future is finally looking bright-until one phone call shatters everything.

Used is a romantic suspense with domestic thriller elements. Please be aware that there are topics that may be triggers for some readers, and this work is meant for mature readers.

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“Heartbreakingly beautiful. This book isn’t about angst and pain. It’s about a fighter-a survivor-that we all attain to be. The story tears you apart in the best ways and builds you back up in the most beautiful.” ~ Nichole Chase, New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author

“Used is a raw, heart-wrenching story of surviving trauma, but it's also so much more. It's a romantic, emotionally gratifying tale of unflinching, all-in love. I couldn't turn the pages fast enough.” ~ Brenda Rothert, Author

USED is being narrated by Stella Hunter is out now!

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Excerpt

“So, that’s rule one. What do you think?”

I shake my head and snap out of my reverie. “What?” I inch my way toward him and place my hand on his thigh. “I’m sorry. I got distracted. Tell me again.” Trevor’s jaw tightens. His eyes shift toward my hand.

“You got distracted? I’m telling you the rules to our relationship, and you got distracted? How is that even possible?”

“I started thinking about last night and your lips on me. And that made me start thinking about your lips on me again. And that made me think about your hands on me. And that made me think about everything else on me.” Trevor stares at me with his mouth hanging open.

“I swear, you never cease to surprise me, Sabra.” He grabs my hand and pulls me toward his chest. After a few moments, he uses his finger to gently lift my chin and brush his lips over mine. “Screw the rules. We’ll just wing it.” I smell his minty breath as he moves down my jaw with those magical lips and across my collarbone. Trevor’s fingers grasp the edge of my shirt. All I can think about is that same breath and those same lips scorching my skin again.

I’m losing myself in his touch. His kisses. The sweet words he’s whispering into my ear. I’m lost in him. And then my phone rings, blasting through the room. Shaking us out of the moment. Trevor pulls back to look over his shoulder at the intruder.

You have got to be kidding me. How is it possible the entire world seems to be calling me this early?

I glance at the phone sitting on the coffee table beside us and realize I don’t recognize the number. “I’m sorry. I have to answer this.” Trevor grabs my hand and settles it on his lap. I can feel how much he doesn’t want me to answer it.

“Are you sure it can’t wait, Say?” He smiles his crooked grin and cocks his head to the side. “Can’t they leave a voicemail, and you call them back?”

“It could be my agent. I had that audition yesterday. I just need a second.”

“Fine. I’ll go get a donut hole.” He grins and stands. “And then I’m coming back for yours.”

“Ew, gross.” I snatch my phone and slide my finger across the screen, rolling my eyes at him as he walks into the kitchen laughing. “Hello?”

“Hello, Sabra. How are you, sis?”

*****

No. No. Nooooo…NO. This can’t be happening. I yank the phone away from my ear and stare at it. Absolutely not. The air feels thin. My lungs feel like they’re about to burst.

“Sabra? What is it?” Trevor stares at me with this look on his face, like he thinks I’m crazy.

Did I say that out loud?

I hit the end button and get up, pacing from one side of my extremely small living room to the other. This is a nightmare. No. It has to be a wrong number. He’s in prison. There’s a chant happening in my head.

He’s in prison. He’s in prison. He’s in prison.

“Sabra.” I flinch as Trevor touches my arm and instinctively move away.

“Don’t touch me.” The hurt in his eyes is obvious. So deep. I might as well have slapped him. And I don’t care. “Don’t. Touch. Me.” I growl it at him.

He’s in prison. He’s in prison. He’s in prison.

“Sabra, what the hell is going on? What happened?” Trevor paces a step away and turns to look at me. “Who was that?”

“No one. A wrong number. No one at all.”

But I know it wasn’t. He’ll call back. Come back for more. He always comes back for more. Dammit. How is he coming back for more?

He’s in prison. He’s in prison.

I feel Trevor’s heat before I realize he’s next to me. “I don’t believe that. It was someone.” He grabs me by the upper arms and shifts me back against the wall. “You’re shaking and white as a sheet. What’s going on? Who the hell was that?”

I’m shaking?

He’s in prison. He’s in prison.

Wait. My mom called…

And I realize why she was calling so early. Dammit. Everything clicks into place. Tremors course through my body. I can’t control them. The chant changes in my head.

He’s out. He’s out. Oh my god, he’s out. I. Can’t. Breathe.

What I thought about Used

The book opens with Sabra Valentine carefree and considering her relationship with Trevor, her boyfriend. She comes across as sure of herself and with a bit of a love em and leave em attitude.  She's almost cocky in her attitude.

Until she gets a phone call telling her that her brother has been released from prison.

It's at this point, her personality seems to change as her anxiety builds.  When it is discovered that someone is potentially stalking her, things take an even more dire direction.

I don't want to say much more because it will spoil things for you. Familial abuse is not a common topic and there is buildup of tension as things come to a head.  I found Sabra to be most interesting in how her personality changes as the story moves along.  I don't know if that was intentional on the part of the author. 

The story is engaging as Sabra tries to avoid her brother, but unfortunately her brother has other ideas of the type of contact he wants with his sister.  

Overall, a good debut effort in a psychological drama.There's a nice build-up of tension as the story progresses and an explosive conclusion that works in this story.

A complementary copy was provided.  This is my honest review.

About Kate Dunbar:

Kate Dunbar is a wife, mom of three, and obsessive tea drinker who loves a great story. She’s passionate about people and learning what makes them tick. You can find her eavesdropping, people watching, and living her best life wherever the winds take her.

Website: https://katedunbar.com/

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Busy Bean Cover Reveal: Friendzoned by Rachel Blaufeld, Studfinder by L.B. Dunbar and Doubletalk by Teralyn Mitchell

Friendzoned by Rachel Blaufeld

Release Date: May 24, 2021

Purchase here:
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Add to Goodreads here: http://bit.ly/3anB3ZJ
Series page: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/busy-bean/
Cover Design: Elle Maxwell Designs

When Murphy Landon, the New York socialite, runs off to Vermont with her bruised reputation and stylish wardrobe in the trunk of a used car, it’s the first time in her life she’s dared to turn her back on her high-society parents.

Used to grabbing a gourmet coffee whenever the urge strikes, Murphy finds herself on the other side of the counter, fumbling strangers’ orders...until a sinfully handsome thirty-three year old version of Ben Rooney from high school walks in.

The pair met years ago at a prestigious boarding school and became friends, but only behind closed doors. She’d been a spoiled brat, and he was a football player on scholarship. Ben tried to hide his crush on her, and Murphy set firm boundaries. After a prom night gone wrong, they’d gone their separate ways.

Now their circumstances are reversed. Ben is a successful surgeon. He’s come a long way from his parents’ humble maple syrup business. And Murphy is pouring his coffee? Is this a joke?

His first thought is that she should drive her gorgeous self right back to New York, where she can’t possibly break his heart. His second one is deep concern. His third thought is he wants a do-over of prom night. A very adult one…

With plenty of secrets between them, copious pure maple syrup, Ben and Murphy are in for a wild and sticky ride.

Studfinder by L.B. Dunbar

Release Date: August 2, 2021

Pre-Order Links: COMING SOON!

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Add to Goodreads → http://bit.ly/3cspRh3
Series page: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/busy-bean/
Cover Design: Elle Maxwell Designs

Who does that sexy silver fox think he is, sitting in her spot in the Busy Bean Cafe?

Over forty, with zero filter, Rita Kaplan loves her coffee, her hiking boots, and her law practice. Life hasn’t always been carefree, though, and Rita’s past holds the scars of poor decisions after deep loss. She survived, though, and no smirky silver fox is going to get in the way of her happiness. Even if he knows how to use his drill, screwdriver, and every other tool in his box to tempt her . . .

Former arson investigator Jake Drummond could add ex-con to his resume if he had one. Instead, he’s serving the final year of his sentence on probation. This involves mandatory AA meetings, hosted by a feisty local attorney, and working on a renovation project, supervised by the same annoyingly attractive whirlwind, who also believes she owns the exclusive rights to a comfy couch in his new favorite coffee shop. Soon she’s everywhere, including the few places she shouldn’t be--like in his bed and in his heart.

Can opposites lower their walls and construct something everlasting . . . or will their connected past lead to demolition for two hearts in need of a rebuild

Doubletalk by Teralyn Mitchell

Release Date: September 13, 2021

Pre-Order Links: COMING SOON!

All the links in one spot: https://shor.by/busy-bean
Add to Goodreads → http://bit.ly/2MFT3pU
Series page: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/busy-bean/
Cover Design: Elle Maxwell Designs

Blurb

Basketball has always been his one love, until now . . .

Zeke Armstrong never imagined he’d be back in Vermont, but here he is, living in Colebury and trying to rehab an injury that could mean an early retirement from pro basketball. Running into his former classmate, Mallory Barrett, shouldn’t be a distraction. It shouldn’t mean anything, so why is he accidentally on purpose showing up at the coffee shop where the beautiful writer spends her time?

Mallory Barrett has met a guy. Well, she hasn’t met him yet, except for on the dating app she almost refused to download. “Coby” sparks her interest and gets her jokes--and gives the romance-novel heroes she loves so much a full-court run for their money. When their first date doesn’t work out, she decides to give him another shot . . . just as a man she despises reenters her life. While her interest in the mystery man on the app grows, she clashes constantly with Zeke in real life. She can’t forgive him for humiliating her in high school, yet she can’t deny she’s drawn to him now.

She’s somehow gone from confirmed bachelorette to the tie-breaker between two men. Meanwhile, Zeke has a secret--one that will cost him the game if Mallory finds out . . .

Cover Reveal: Here With Me by Samantha Young

 

 Samantha Young has revealed the cover for Here With Me!

Releasing: May 11, 2021

Cover Design: Hang Le

Settled in the tranquil remoteness of the Scottish Highlands, Ardnoch Estate caters to the rich and famous. It is as unattainable and as mysterious as its owner --ex-Hollywood leading man Lachlan Adair--and it's poised on the edge of a dark scandal.

After narrowly escaping death, police officer Robyn Penhaligon leaves behind her life in Boston in search of some answers. Starting with Mac Galbraith, the Scottish father who abandoned her to pursue his career in private security. To re-connect with Mac, Robyn will finally meet a man she's long resented. Lachlan Adair. 

Hostility instantly brews between Robyn and Lachlan. She thinks the head of the Adair family is high-handed and self-important. And finding closure with Mac is proving more difficult than she ever imagined. Robyn would sooner leave Ardnoch, but when she discovers Mac is embroiled in a threat against the Adairs and the exclusive members of the estate, she finds she's not yet ready to give up on her father.

Determined to ensure Mac's safety, Robyn investigates the disturbing crimes at Ardnoch, forcing her and Lachlan to spend time together. Soon it becomes clear a searing attraction exists beneath their animosity, and temptation leads them down a perilous path.

While they discover they are connected by something far more addictive than passion, Lachlan cannot let go of his grip on a painful past: a past that will destroy his future ... if the insidious presence of an enemy lurking in the shadows of Ardnoch doesn't do the job first.

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Meet Samantha

Samantha is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of over forty books, several of which have been nominated for Goodreads Choice Awards. She writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction. Her books have been published in 28 languages in 30 countries. She resides in Scotland.

For more information visit http://authorsamanthayoung.com

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Available Now: A Discovery of Secrets and Fate (Chronicles of the Stone Veil #2) by Sawyer Bennett

From New York Times Bestselling Author Sawyer Bennett comes the Chronicles of the Stone Veil, a five book urban fantasy/paranormal romance series. 

 

A departure from contemporary romance, the Chronicles of the Stone Veil is a return to fantasy/paranormal romance, where Sawyer started her fiction publishing journey. 

 

Readers can expect to find all the elements they love from Sawyer’s books—strong heroines, alpha heroes, and an epic romance—with a fantastical element to add to their reading experience.  

 

You can get the second book in the series,
A Discovery of Secrets and Fate, now!

Details for the Chronicles of the Stone Veil series are below:

 Go to Sawyer's website for details:
Click here to learn more about The Chronicles of the Stone Veil series

A Discovery of Secrets and Fate is available now:

Amazon | Nook | Apple | Google | Kobo

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ENTER THE GIVEAWAY

 

A Discovery of Secrets and Fate

Chronicles of the Stone Veil, book #2

An Urban Fantasy / Paranormal Romance Series | AVAILABLE NOW

Add it to Goodreads

About A Discovery of Secrets and Fate:

Life as I knew it ended the day I accepted my fate.

In its place is an existence even the wildest imagination could never fathom. Strange creatures walk among us, plotting our demise, and I’ve come to find that the fate of our world rests squarely on my shoulders. We’re all in danger and I’m trying to figure out how to make it through each day.

The key to my survival is a man I can’t figure out. As dangerous as the darkest fae, I have no choice but to work with him to stop the prophecy that’s foretold to be the ruination of mankind.

Carrick Byrne continues to be my only source of information, but he doles it out as he sees fit. He intrigues and scares me in equal measure, yet I can’t help but be attracted to him. And the more I discover about him, the more it becomes clear he feels the same.

As we travel to Faere in search of answers, we find that every piece of information leads to more questions, that every question leads to a new piece of the puzzle, and that, most importantly, no one can be trusted.

The more secrets we uncover, one thing is certain— if we have any chance of saving the world, we have to do it together.

A Discovery of Secrets and Fate is book two of the Chronicles of the Stone Veil series and is best enjoyed if read in series order.

A Discovery of Secrets and Fate is available now:

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Purchase in Print

 

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AVAILABLE NOW

The Revelation of Light and Dark

Chronicles of the Stone Veil, book #1 | Available Now

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Add it to Goodreads

   

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COMING SOON IN THE SERIES

Chronicles of the Stone Veil, book #3 | Coming March 23, 2021

The Evolution of Fae and Gods

Chronicles of the Stone Veil, book #3 | Coming March 23, 2021

Add it to Goodreads

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A Battle of Blood and Stone

Chronicles of the Stone Veil, book #4 | Coming April 13, 2021

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--------------

The Rise of Fortune and Fury

Chronicles of the Stone Veil, book #5 | Coming May 4, 2021

Add it to Goodreads

------------------------

GIVEAWAY 

Sawyer Bennett is giving away 200 ebook copies of THE REVELATION OF LIGHT AND DARK (book 1 in the series).

CLICK HERE TO ENTER TO WIN

   

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AUTHOR INFORMATION:

 

New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestselling author Sawyer Bennett uses real life experience to create relatable stories that appeal to a wide array of readers. From contemporary romance, fantasy romance, and both women’s and general fiction, Sawyer writes something for just about everyone.

A former trial lawyer from North Carolina, when she is not bringing fiction to life, Sawyer is a chauffeur, stylist, chef, maid, and personal assistant to her very adorable daughter, as well as full-time servant to her wonderfully naughty dogs.

If you’d like to receive a notification when Sawyer releases a new book, sign up for her newsletter (sawyerbennett.com/signup).

 

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Release Day Review: 5 Stars for Dotted Lines (Runaway Series #5) by Devney Perry

 

Dotted Lines by Devney Perry is now live!

Clara Saint-James is completing a journey started by an old friend. She'll return a Cadillac to California, a place she's avoided for more than a decade. But it's time for closure and to put old ghosts to rest. And it's time to find out if the feelings she's cherished for the boy from her past are just fanciful memories--or if there's a chance they are real.

Timing was never on her side, especially when it came to Karson Avery. The two of them lived in a junkyard as runaway teens, and though she wanted more than his friendship, he always belonged to another--until that one night when he was hers.

When Clara finds Karson living in a small, coastal town, she's not surprised the beautiful boy from her past grew into a stunning man. His smile is as captivating as ever. His eyes have the same roguish glint. But timing is still working against her.

Clara must decide how far she's willing to go to battle for Karson's heart. Or if it's time to let him go and surrender to the dotted lines that have always kept them apart.

Download today on Amazon, Apple Books, Kobo, Barnes & Noble!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/3krfBHA

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What I thought about Dotted Lines

I've really enjoyed this road-trip series from Devney Perry and was super excited to read the final installment.  Karson has been mentioned so many times it was time to meet him.  Clara is headed to Cali to drop off the car that's been the centerpiece of this series and she's nervous.  There's clearly something between Clara and Karson from the start of the book, it just takes some time for their story to be revealed in Dotted Lines.

The story returns to the junkyard where the group once lived, and the first half of the book takes the reader back to that time when Karson, Clara and her sister were the remaining occupants of the junkyard.  I loved seeing this view of them back then and I thought Devney Perry did an excellent job of making me feel just what that experience might be like. There are many forces at work against them while they lived at the junkyard, and the story captures their determination and the stress that came with living there.

Dotted Lines is as much Karson's story as it is Clara's.  When Clara arrives in Cali, she's ecstatic to find Karson, but Karson's current circumstances mean that while this is a happy and welcome reunion, it isn't exactly what Clara was hoping for.  It's a trip to the junkyard that helps put their lives in perspective and provides the impetus for Karson and Clara to find their HEA. I loved getting a little more about Lou, too.

I thought this was a terrific ending to a wonderful series. Karson and Clara's undying love for each other was a lovely way to bring it to conclusion.

 

Meet Devney

Devney is a USA Today bestselling author who lives in Washington with her husband and two sons. Born and raised in Montana, she loves writing books set in her treasured home state. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her family. Writing one book, let alone many, was not something she ever expected to do. But now that she's discovered her true passion for writing romance, she has no plans to ever stop.

Connect with Devney

Website: www.devneyperry.com

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Two Reviews & Excerpts from the Busy Bean series in the World of True North: Sweetheart by Sarah Mayberry and Cowboy by L.B. Dunbar

SWEETHEART by Sarah Mayberry

Release Date: March 1, 2021

I just wanted to get my hands on his beans

Four years ago, I had a ridiculous crush on my sister's boyfriend. But when they moved away together, I put Beck out of my mind and my heart. But now he's back, and roasting the best coffee in Vermont. I need to convince him to supply the Busy Bean. And I need more of those kisses we accidentally shared outside the coffee shop. He still makes my heart race faster than a triple shot of espresso. 

She should be off limits, but instead she's pushing mine

Her sister burned my life to the ground, so Haley Elliot is the last woman I should bring into my bed. Although our business relationship is giving way to something more than a fine grind. Neither of us can help ourselves. And what’s worse, I think I’m falling for her.

But it’s a small town, and ours is a big secret. And when her sister blows back into town, suddenly the coffee isn’t the only thing brewing...

 Purchase here:
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Add to Goodreads here: https://bit.ly/2JhMAAe
Series page: https://hearteyespress.com/wotn#/busy-bean/
Cover Design: Elle Maxwell Designs

Excerpt

You know that thing where the rational part of your brain decides on a sensible course of action and commits to it, but then the murky, primal, unsupportive part of your brain refuses to get on board? The Germans probably have a name for it, something hard to pronounce with lots of umlauts. All I had was a feeling, and it hit me on a regular basis over the next couple of weeks whenever Beck set foot in the Busy Bean.

Every time I saw him propped in the kitchen doorway sharing a laugh with Zara, I felt it. When I realised Roddy had started using Beck as a taste tester for recipes he was developing, even though they barely knew each other, I got a big, hard dose of it. And the day I left the cafe to find Beck and his dog playing with Audrey and her two kids down by the river bank, I was awash with it.

If I had to parse this feeling into its component parts, it would be made up of nine-tenths envy and one-tenth wistfulness. With a sprinkle of sexual jealousy thrown in, just for kicks and giggles.

Because I wanted Beck to laugh with me the way he laughed with Zara. I wanted us to have the kind of relationship where I could run ideas past him, the kind of friendship where I could come upon him and his dog down by the river and feel free to hang out with them.

I was fully aware that this stupid, stubborn longing I was experiencing was at complete odds with my decision to respect his obvious desire to have as little to do with me as possible, but no matter how many times I told myself I didn't care, the lump of concrete in the pit of my stomach said otherwise.

The problem was that Beck was just one of those people that other people wanted to be around. He'd always been that way, hence the fact that my sister had wanted him, and the fact that I'd developed my ridiculous, hopeless-cause crush on him in the first place.

He had a natural ease and charm that made people smile, even if they were having a shitty day. He gave good banter, and he knew how to tease people in a gentle, utterly harmless way that made them feel like they were special because he'd noticed them. And he was curious about people, asking lots of questions and genuinely listening to their answers.

It probably didn't hurt that he was extensively easy on on the eyes, either.

All of this worked together to make him a warm, real presence that people wanted to get closer to, like campers gathering around a fire at night.

I witnessed the power of his charisma over and over, in the way Audrey stood a half-foot closer to him than she did to other people, even though she was madly in love with her husband Griff, and in the way Roderick launched into an amusing anecdote whenever Beck arrived with his delivery, as though he'd been waiting to share the story with him. Even snarky, cynical Zara wasn't immune, spending extra minutes chatting to him on the phone when she called through our bi-weekly order, her laughter ringing through the cafe.

Everybody loved Beck, and Beck loved everybody - with the notable exception of me.

 What I thought about Sweetheart

Just as Haley starts her new job at the Busy Bean, it's her secret crush that delivers said beans to the shop. One problem though -- her crush is also her sister's ex -- and that brings a whole complication with them moving forward with a relationship, not matter how attracted they might be to each other. 

Beck learned many lessons from his time with Haley's sister, and one of those is to protect his heart.  It takes a bit for Haley to break through all his defenses, but when she does, things are good until the past turns up to haunt them.

I liked this story.  It was sweet and handled Haley's family issues with sensitivity and realism.  I did like that this book was not afraid to take on the difficult topic from a few perspectives.   I adored Haley and her strength, stick-to-it attitude and creative, entrepreneurial heart that works so well with those same attributes in Beck. They are perfect for each other, and this book left me with a smile on my face.

 

                     

 

Cowboy by L.B. Dunbar

Release Date: March 1, 2021

Pregnant at forty-two? Back the cow up...

Harland Bull Eaton has lost many things—his first wife, his beloved mother, those three women he proposed to . . . Oh, and there was that time he almost lost the family dairy farm due to a scandal. He’s losing faith in just about everything, especially love. 

But one night, his friends give him a dare. No commitments. No heartbreak. Just buy that gorgeous redhead a drink. The big-city bombshell he’s set his eyes on swirls him into a tailspin that lands them in bed for a one-night stand he’s pretty sure he’ll never forget. But this time, he swears, he won’t let his heart ride herd on his common sense. 

Recently separated and newly unemployed, Scarlett Russell is at a crossroads. With no other plan than visiting a friend in Vermont, the last thing she expects is a hunky, silver fox offering to buy her a drink. Even less expected is when she raises that offer to “take me to bed, cowboy.” She just wants one night to forget everything gone wrong.

Turns out once won’t be nearly enough. Won’t ever be enough, feeling the way she does. But secrets and an unexpected surprise are a lot to handle . . . unless these two can break a trail to an unexpected happily ever after.

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Cover Design: Elle Maxwell Designs

Excerpt

“A coffee, black, no sugar, no cream, and a caramel macchiato with exactly five drizzles of caramel, fifteen pumps of vanilla syrup, whipped cream, and an extra shot.”

What the . . .

Thank God, I did not take that order. I don’t even know what that is. There’s a pause and I’m wondering what’s happening when Bull says, “You have a little something . . .”

I just want to die a slow death as I imagine him swiping at the corner of her lip or wiping off her nose and that sweet, tender touch will be all the spark she needs to want to pounce on this man behind me. Bull has these deep blue eyes and that silver speckled scruff, plus his hair that looks artfully streaked with gray. He’s just all around sexy and he doesn’t even know it about himself. Then, his touch. The soft strokes down my body and the delicate dips of his fingers, I just can’t—

“Have either of you seen Scarlett?” Audrey asks.

Frick.

“Scarlett?” Bull chokes behind me.

“Yeah, Scarlett. She’s our newest barista and I swear she was out here.”

“I didn’t see anyone,” Vermont Barbie states. “But then again, I’ve only been looking at Bull.”

Okay, that’s enough.

“Found it,” I say, popping up from behind the couch and holding my fingers pinched together like I’ve just found gold in them there wood floorboards.

“Scarlett?” Audrey blinks at me with those expressive eyes of hers . She’s a petite blond with a lot of power behind her personality. I slowly stand but find myself dizzy as I do and grip the back of the couch for support.

“Whoa.” I blurt, unable to stop myself as the room spins and my legs tremble. My skin runs cold, but I break out in a full body sweat.

“Scarlett, are you okay?” Audrey asks, rushing to the edge of the couch while Bull quickly stands to face me.

“I . . . yeah, I just think I stood up too fast.” However, that isn’t the full explanation because that rush to my head has now settled back down to my belly.

“You sure you’re okay? You look a little gray,” Audrey asks.

“I . . . excuse me.” Rushing around the couch, I fight the pull to look at Bull, as I disappear behind the counter, bypassing our waiting customers with one finger in the air, and then press out the door to the grassy area behind the building for some much needed fresh air. Once outside, I promptly bend forward and heave.

“Oh my God, are you okay?” Audrey says behind me and I close my eyes, embarrassed by my position in front of my boss. Audrey’s younger than me, but a good, business woman and kind-hearted. She took me on without any prior experience in the coffee industry.

“Yeah. Just something I ate, I think.” I honestly don’t know. It’s been a few weeks like this, nausea, fatigue, and then if I do get sick, which doesn’t always happen, I feel a million times better once I vomit. “I just have a little stomach bug, but I don’t have a fever. I’m so sorry about this.” I point to the grass which holds no evidence of how my stomach felt. “And that.” I nod toward the café.

Audrey’s brows crease as she examines my face. “What else is wrong? As far as how you are feeling?”

I consider it a second and then answer. “My boobs hurt. My back kills. And I had a tuna fish sandwich for breakfast the other day. I think there was something wrong with the mayonnaise.” Then I reconsider what I’ve said. That sandwich the other morning had been the best damn tuna fish in the world and the last thing I’d ever eat when it comes to a breakfast item.

Audrey’s lips slowly curl and her eyes spark like she knows something. “Scarlett, could you be pregnant?”

“What? No. Heaven’s no. Absolutely not. I . . .” I stare back at her, horrified at the notion. I’m forty-two. I’m recently divorced. I cannot be pregnant at this stage of my life.

“No. I am definitely not pregnant.”

 What I thought about Cowboy

 Bull Eaton takes a dare from his brothers and ends up in bed with a beautiful named Scarlett. The book opens with this scorchin' hot scene as these two burn up the sheets for what they both believe to be a one night stand. She's getting over discovering her husband's infidelity and Bull has sworn off women after more than his share of bad luck with getting one to stay around.

But fate has something else in mind for these two and they just can't stay away from each other.  It's a good thing too, since Scarlett decides she wants to stay in Vermont for a while and needs a place to stay.

I adored this unexpected older romance!  Bull is generally sweet, although he can be overwhelming at times, and Scarlett is doing her best to put an old life behind her and find her place. Together, they are a perfect pair and I just loved them.  And Bull' dad is pretty terrific too.

What I loved the most about this story was that both Scarlett and Bull make mistakes and aren't perfect.  They don't always start out doing the right thing, but they always end up doing what's perfect for them.  They were a great couple to cheer on to their HEA.