Danger Next Door (Red Stone Security #2)

DANGER NEXT DOOR                            KATIE REUS

After an explosion leaves detective Grant Caldwell scarred he quits his job and tries to hide from his well-meaning family while he heals. When Belle Manikas, a beautiful new neighbor, moves in next door with problems of her own he finds himself drawn to her even while he tells himself she’s nothing but trouble. Even though he knows he’d never have a chance with a woman like her—not with his disfigurement—he can’t stay away.

Thanks to severe health problems as a child Belle grew up sheltered and smothered by her loving if overbearing, family. Now that she’s finally out on her own she plans to wring everything she can out of life. When she sets her sights on her brooding neighbor nothing can stop her from getting him into bed—until a madman fixates on her.

With Grant now working for Red Stone Security, he sees it as his duty to protect her at all costs. Unfortunately, a violent criminal is stalking Belle and will stop at nothing until he’s destroyed her.

PAT'S REVIEW

A book first published in 2012 I received this from NetGalley. Detective Grant Caldwell has left his job from the police department after an explosion left him injured and scared. He has noticed the very attractive neighbor next door to him but has not introduced himself or shown himself because of his scares. This all changes one night when he hears yelling from her back yard and she telling someone to leave her alone. Now Bella Manikas comes from a large Greek family but she does not want anything to with the one guy her mother and her mother’s friend want her to be with. He just cannot understand why. After Grant runs him off she notices Grant up close after seeing him from afar and he looks better than she thought. Being a nurse she is not bothered by his scares. What she is bothered by is a person that is following her, trying to get into her home and other things. When she is finally kidnapped it is up to Grant and the security company to find her before it is too late. A good story with plenty of action. I liked the characters also. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

The Cowboy's Stubborn Sweetheart (Brothers of the Cooper Ranch)

THE COWBOY'S STUBBORN SWEETHEART        LESLIE NORTH

Julianna Norrell’s dream of leaving Montana for big city life in NYC was wonderful—until it all went bust. She’d tempted fate by getting a fine arts degree in photography, and believing one brilliant show would make her career take off. But three years later she’s a borderline starving artist, making a living off of stock art photography. Plus, she's just been on the wrong side of a copyright infringement case and no gallery in New York will touch her. So when her mother seriously breaks her leg at the same time Julianna gives up her lease, it seems fate is pulling her back to where she started: Cooper Ranch. 

Wright Cooper has come home to lick his wounds. After being a major fundraiser in a failed political run, most of America has started to hate his guts, and Wright himself is beginning to wonder when he’d stopped vetting his politician’s ideas and simply started funding them. Now, he’s home to dust off his boots and finds himself again in the beautiful land that had made him want to enact change for his country in the first place. 

When the two childhood sweethearts suddenly find themselves living under the same roof, they’ll need to decide if they’re coming home for good, or simply stopping over before losing each other once again. 


PAT'S REVIEW

The third book in the series has two former young lovers finding each other when they are both searching for their own identity in the big fish bowls that they associate with. Julianna has come home to Montana since her mother broke her leg. This turns out to be a good time. Her photography career started and was ending almost at the same time because of copy write infringements. The person she did not want to see Wright Cooper, she sees almost immediately and the jerk actually looks better than he did when she left years ago. Now she is looking at a man who is trying to find a cause to put his money and time towards. The politics of the State wants his money but nothing else with him or anyone he backs. So now the two of them are finding each other and the way it was before she left for NYC. Will she stay though? Just when you think she will he goes and tries to fix and control her life all in one grand jester that I can only say fails horribly. Now he must get out of his own way if he wants any chance to win her heart. Read this wonderful story. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

The Rancher's Unexpected Baby (Brothers of the Cooper Ranch)

THE RANCHER'S UNEXPECTED BABY             LESLIE NORTH

To Maxwell Cooper’s great pleasure, his horses of quality Quarab stock have been well received by American buyers. His goal of selling to the Arab royal family would give his breeding business international credibility and prove that he wasn’t the bad apple everyone had assumed. After missing his opportunity at auction two years in a row, he’s been invited to back to back VIP sales and word on the street is that the royal family is going to be in attendance. And nothing will stop him from keeping his eye on the prize this time.

Lena Fudge had been traveling the circuit as a newbie horse trader, but found herself fired after she passed along a hot tip while having hot sex with Maxwell Cooper. Now disgraced, she finds herself back in her family’s home in the middle of nowhere horse country. Learning she’s pregnant adds insult to injury, and despite her best efforts, she’s fulfilling her family’s curse of living at home. She knows she has to tell Maxwell about the baby, but she refuses to ask for his help till she has her ducks in a row. That is until she runs into Maxwell at the auction stables after being rejected from a last-ditch attempt to get her old job back.

Maxwell has been dreaming of Lena since their night of passion four months ago. One look at her, and being pretty sure he was the one to pop her cherry, he realizes he’s the father. But Maxwell knows Lena’s pride would not allow him to take care of her, so he asks her to work with him as a horse trader. It’s not charity. As it turns out, Lena is the full package. She’s a dream in the stables, amazing with buyers, and not adverse to a roll in the hay. But when things begin to go deeper than just a sale or sex, they’ll find them find themselves racing toward a bidding war that will either have them living a life of love or losing it all.

PAT'S REVIEW

The second book in the series. Has Lena a newbie horse trader having a romp in the hay with the sexy Maxwell. She had also gave away a secret about the horse trading business to her boss’s completion who fires her. Later without a job, she finds out that she is pregnant and Maxwell is the father. She needs to tell him. Thinking that he will kick her around like others he wants them to be together. That is until his pride starts getting in his way. He wants to sell a horse to some Arabs, but they don’t like that Lena is around the horse and the business. They think it should only be men. Thinking that the deal fell through because of her she finds a new buyer from Ireland and he owns hotels with the prospect of buying more horses. This is not good enough for him and he tells her to leave. He doesn’t realize that is also letting the woman with his child leave as well. Will he come to his senses and will she want to take him back? Read this very good book. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com

The Cowboy’s Forgetful Bride (Brothers of the Cooper Ranch)

THE COWBOY'S FORGETFUL BRIDE                LESLIE NORTH

Bella Whitmore is the heir to the Whitmore Shipping fortune. Refusing to be pigeon-holed into the socialite box, Bella has worked her entire life to show her father that she can be the son he never had and take over the Whitmore Shipping Empire. So when she wakes up, on a ranch in Montana, missing the memories of the last month of her life, you’d think that would be the worst case scenario. And it is…until she realizes the devil she’d worked so hard to avoid for the last year is now her husband. 

Sawyer Cooper knows he’s a devil. Handsome, charismatic, and with an eye for feeding people’s vices, Sawyer’s reinvented himself as a shark in the business world, but very few realize that he’s actually a Cooper of the Country Coop fortune. But rather than resting on the laurels (and red-neck reputation) of Country Coop, Sawyer wants to show the world exactly how important farming can be. To do this, he needs Bella Whitmore’s help. Every bit as beautiful as her name suggests, and smarter than everyone else in the room, Sawyer knows that she could make his dreams come true, both inside and outside of the bedroom. And after a year of pursuing her, she’s finally said yes -- to everything. 

But after a horseback riding accident, Bella’s brain has reset back to the beginning, and Sawyer was never good at starting a game over. Especially not after he’d already won. Now, Sawyer needs to figure out how to woo her for a second time. Because this time around it’s not just his professional pride on the line: it’s his heart.

PAT'S REVIEW

The first book in a three book series. This one has Sawyer Cooper at a big city not in the country. He is working at drumming up support for a new business plan he has and he is getting nowhere. Meanwhile, Bella Whitmore not only has the name and business behind her, she just has a father that won’t let her run the family business. He thinks women should be in the kitchen not in the board room. During the night of fancy clothes and high-end drinks, and art. Bella and Sawyer flirt but nothing too serious. The next chapter opens with a doctor talking to Sawyer and Bella and they are in Montana. She has an accident fallen off a horse and now has amnesia. She does not remember their marriage or the business deal that they had been working. When you get further along into the story you will find out how much they want to be together or not, and will Sawyer decide to walk away from the deal in order to have the woman he has been pining over for years. A very good book with good characters. I received this book From Netgalley.com I gave it 4 stars. Follow us atwww.1rad-readerreviews.com

Nothing But Trouble (Malibu University #1)

NOTHING BUT TROUBLE                     P. DANGELICO

No, really, I’m pretty sure his blind nana taught him how to drive.

I had no idea who he was until he almost ran me over. And frankly, I kind of wish I still didn’t because then I wouldn’t have a sprained ankle to show for it. And my leg wouldn’t resemble a boa constrictor that’s swallowed a feral pig. 

Yeah, it’s that bad.

I’ve spent years saving every penny I’ve ever earned to be able to transfer to Malibu University. And now my entire future––including my scholarship––is in jeopardy. 

So I either accept the help he insists on giving me, or lose everything I’ve sacrificed for. 

In the meantime, I’m going to ignore the fact that we’re becoming friends.

And I’m definitely going to pretend he’s not turning into the object of my…umm, dirty fantasies. 

That’s not happening. 

Not even a little.

Because the minute I clapped eyes on him I knew he was nothing but trouble.

PAT'S REVIEW

The beginning of this book I thought that I would enjoy this book all the way through. When I got the part way I did not. I did like Alice character very much and her personality really stuck with me as someone from New Jersey and fighting for a chance to make it at the college on a scholarship. When she meets Regan she really does not know that he is a water polo God around campus. Not that he comes off that way he is just treated as such. He wants to help her get back and forth to classes since she was hurt by his driving. She declines until he just shows up and she accepts. After a while, the attraction that she has put off is acted on and they seem to be a good fit. Yin and yang. My whole issue comes when he just leaves and though he writes a note giving her his jeep, I felt he could have explained more before just disappearing. Being gone for months and no calls, letters or anything and to show up after she has graduated and when he has finally returned he thinks it is okay for them to be together again as if he did not take off. Now for me, I know my daughter who is starting college would not have taken him back because she would not have spoken to him. She dissevered to be treated better and if he could write a note about a jeep a few more about what is going on with him would not have been out of the question. Also in this day and age, some people would look at giving away your items is a sign for suicide. I know I am making a reach but I had an eldest daughter attempt suicide many years ago and that is where my mind went. Probably not what the author was thinking but for me where I went, and really would a fighter from New Jersey who did not want any rides from him at the beginning be waiting around for him for months without any word? I think not. Just was expecting something more from the beginning since I did like the Alice character. I received this book from Netgalley.com I gave it 3 stars Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com