Six Impossible Things Parts 5-6, Skylar Hill

So sweet, supportive, hot, and well on their way to solidifying their own HEA.  I can definitely say I didn't expect to hear from Greg again but he showed up anyway and tried his best to ruin things for Nora.  With one distracted moment Nora found herself swimming in silk, literally and figuratively, and Luke got to play hero.  His fear for her was so sweet, caring, and his concern for her well-being and safety was truly touching.  He knew that there was more to his feelings of the beginnings of love, but protectiveness and comfort was in abundance here.  Nora was absolutely stunning in not just how she was dressed for the evening but in how she stood up to her ex.  She was mature, strong, bold, and not in any way timid and accommodating as she had been previously in their relationship.  I was glad to see him get his comeuppance.  Then there's the surprise visitor on her doorstep at the end of the night that hints at confrontation, confessions, and a bit of conflict.  I'm eagerly anticipating what comes next!

Learning to fly sounds pretty straightforward, yeah?  I'm sure you're picturing a small plane that Luke either owns or can borrow from a friend to show Nora beautiful views and then lets her hold the joystick thing and fly them around for a bit.  Or maybe they go to a school run by a friend of Luke and they get a chance to learn to fly that way.  Or perhaps they go sky diving with aerial acrobatics or something.  Well I was wrong in all ways I could imagine.  So creative!!  I love getting surprised.  They flying lesson they took was nothing that I would have thought of at all and yet it was so perfect for Nora and for the couple that I was blown away.  With a sense of freedom, exhilaration, and joy they flew.  Genius.

So we knew the conflict was coming.  We knew that there would probably be a discussion and a bit of overreaction and a possible separation until rational minds prevailed.  We knew there might be an unexpected reveal that would cause misunderstandings and feelings of betrayal.  Well, what we thought we knew was only correct in part.  Combining a bit of all of those things we have Luke finding out the truth behind his brother's actions and Nora admitting to crossing invisible lines in their relationship.  The way things were handled, though, was immensely mature, honest, emotional, and ended with a feeling of hope and determination.  I love this couple and how they feel things deeply, react, and then use their heads to reason with their hearts and come out stronger individually and together.

With the last book coming I'm sad that we're getting to the end but I'm so very happy to read about reconciliation, forgiveness, and their own happily ever after.  So excited!!

A Hero's Honor: Resolution Ranch (Flint Hills Military Heroes) Book 1, Tessa Layne

When disaster strikes the small town of Prairie the community comes together and supports one another. Elaine doesn't think she's included because she hasn't been there all that long and is afraid of both her past coming to demolish her efforts at a new life and that she'll wear out her welcome with how much she needs the good graces of those around her. What she doesn't realize is that they've already adopted her and her son, Dax, as their own. She also doesn't see the interest of a certain police chief who can't seem to untie his tongue around her. For the last two years they've danced around one another and are still oblivious to the other person's interest. With a few well-timed nudges from friends they find a way to get closer.

Getting closer, however, is fraught with all kinds of struggles. Travis and his rules, Elaine's reluctance to take risks, his job, her jobs, his past, her past...all these things swirl around just under the surface that their love will have to fight tooth and nail to find any kind of satisfaction. Their desire is potent and their chemistry draws them back to one another time and time again. When the past is revealed in a less-than-ideal way their faith in each other is tested and they have to decide what they truly want their future to look like and whether there's a place for them in it.

I especially like that Elaine was strong and determined despite her past, or maybe really because of it. With tragedy and such a low place to come from she managed to stay a good woman with a good heart and raise a wonderful boy. Then finding a strong, protective, supportive man? Greatness. Overall this was a wonderful story and I'm really excited for the subsequent books and learning all about the men and their women at Resolution Ranch.

Waking Up: The Omega of His Dreams, Kiki Burrelli

I love alpha men who find real strength in love and support and freedom for their omegas and omegas that have personality, wants, and desires of their own outside of mating and procreation. These men both have what I'm looking for in a perfect pairing. Will is playful, creative, and determined. Henry is gentle, understands true strength, and protective without smothering. Together they make such a great pair.

Will is engaged to a high-powered alpha that is more old school in terms of superiority of alphas and might makes right. Henry is employed by the building's owner where Will lives. With a meet-cute in an elevator and a tense first encounter the sparks fly and their draw to one another is unmistakable. They both try to deny what they're feeling but are helpless to ignore it for too long especially when Henry subtly shows his interest in a rather insightful way. He listens and remembers. Will can't help but give in to Henry's gentle strength because it calls to his soul. Through craziness, drama, corporate maneuverings, and supportive side characters Will and Henry find their hard-won HEA.

The side characters are what round out this story and make it feel so much more full of life and complete.  Hazel, the outrageous twin to Henry who has such a strong sense of self that she makes no excuses for how she wants to live her life.  She is powerful and empowered and with the love and support of her family her craziness is tolerated and even celebrated, albeit behind their hands and under their breaths.  Her antics win Will's admiration and friendship and continue to endear her to her brother and parents.  Henry and Hazel's parents, David and Hank, are charming and so sweet to one another.  They show Will another way to be a partnership, a true mating.  They show him love and acceptance from the beginning despite what they can see as significant barriers to his and Henry's relationship.  With their love and support they've created a safe haven for their children and anyone they bring home.  They're warmth and contentment where Will has none of that.  I also love that David knew Will's birth mother and could give him greater insight into where he came from and what his father was like before the loss of his true mate.  His father was annoying in the beginning but with his grief and regret over the situation he put his son in I forgave him rather quickly.

Waking Up is a sweet story full of strong characters, a solid pairing, tenderness, passion, and triumph over seemingly insurmountable odds.  Such a good read.

Addicted to Six, Kelly Kennedy

Two men who didn't seem to fit found not just a partner but acceptance, challenge, frustration and love.  This story was shallow at first but quickly grew on me as I saw Tyler acting impressively mature.   Jackson seemed like he was older, aloof, and very much in the closet.  That was mostly true, but he was so tender and scared on the inside that Tyler's assurance and devotion was something Jackson needed to find his own emotional confidence.  They were a good match for one another despite Jackson's immaturity and Tyler's cockiness.  Jackson's struggle with accepting both what Tyler was offering as well as his own status was honest and frustrating.  Not everyone has an easy story to tell to themselves and others when they're discovering parts of themselves they never knew were there. 

I wasn't expecting the work drama to be what it was but it was well-written and paved the way for both misunderstandings as well as reconciliation.  With the ending as it was I'm kind of both hoping for and dreading a sequel.  There were hints to bigger and better things and more relationship angst despite Tyler's confidence and determination to stay strong with and for Jackson.   Even with that, though, there was a positive, passionate note to the ending that if there weren't one it would be alright.

I had some issues with how certain things were performed in the bedroom with lack of discussion, lube, and prophylactics more often than not.  There was, however, undeniable connection and loyalty and trust that the issues, while not overlooked, they became less of a militant frustration for me and more of an eye-rolling situation.   Like, I still don't condone spit as lube, skipping condoms without discussions about testing, and minimal prep for back door newbies and I never will, but with this particular couple I merely eye roll at the author's lack of discussion and try to suspend reality for those moments.

Overall this was a really great story that grew on my after the first third.   Such a good story with a really great MC pairing and tons of passion.  Steamy and sweet in equal measure (well, more on the steam side probably) with a satisfying conclusion despite Sam's hints and maneuverings.

*Currently only 99¢!

The Cabin, Alice Ward

The original of this story was a short novella contained in a box set called Hot & Sinful Nights.  That collection is no longer on Amazon but this particular story was expanded and made even better.

Gray is isolating himself from his past, Zoe is running from hers. With scars like they both carry, can they overcome their individual history to make a future together?

I like how compassionate Zoe is. She's struggling so much with something that happened to her and isn't sure how to truly heal from it. She also has all kinds of drama in the form of a mother with a rather...interesting profession. The cabin she's borrowing is proving to be just the place she needs to find rest, peace, solitude. Until a blizzard arrives. Unfamiliar with how blizzards escalate in backwoods Montana she soon finds herself in precarious situation.

Gray comes to her rescue and is drawn to more than just her distress, there's something inside her that calls to him, feels so right. But he can't give in for fear of betraying his heart. Or can he? His quiet strength and goodness are balms to her soul. Her soul-deep familiarity is a balm to his. He gives in to his feelings and they find passion, compassion, and so much healing that even though their courtship is fast, they find something lasting. The game of Truth or Dare allows them to bypass the length of time it takes usual couples to get to know one another and they also jump right into the deep stuff. With those two things they find that a foundation can be built on trust and depth and discover that time will only strengthen what they already feel, what they already know.

There is an incredible amount of hotness as well as enough humor and bonding.  Overall this makes the story memorable and moving.  Dealing with issues of rape, murder, incredible loss, porn, tantra, and the healing power of love and compassion Alice Ward seems to, yet again, pack a ton of deep issues into a story without becoming overwhelming.  Pulling the feels right out of you, this is a solid book and a joy to read for the (kind of) second time.

*Currently only 99¢!