Category Archives: Laura Drake

Review: Amazing Gracie by Laura Drake

Title: Amazing Gracie by Laura Drake
Publisher: Gramarye Media/The Story Plant
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 273 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by the Author

Summary:

CJ has returned from war. But she has not left the war behind. The one bright spot in her life is her nine-year-old sister, Amazing Gracie, or Mazey, as CJ knows her. Mazey is brilliant, curious, and innocent, but she’s carrying burdens of her own, including a deep desire to meet the father she’s never known.

When CJ heads off on a cross-country motorcycle trip to visit the homes of her fallen friends, Mazey somehow convinces CJ to let her tag along. It isn’t the journey CJ expected, but it is the journey she needs. Contending with her demons, confronting her past, and facing her future, CJ comes to terms with choices she couldn’t have anticipated. And when Mazey’s quest takes a surprising turn, both CJ and Mazey discover that this road trip has been headed to an undisclosed destination all along.

A story of family in all its incarnations, Amazing Gracie is a deeply felt excursion presented by a writer of rare warmth.

Review:

Laura Drake’s Amazing Gracie tugs on the heartstrings from the novel’s touching beginning to its emotional ending.

CJ Maxwell might be home from war, but it continues to loom largely as she tries to honor those close to her who did not make it home. Her first stateside stop is to see her beloved nine-year-old sister Amazing Gracie aka Mazey. CJ’s plans take an unexpected turn as she brings Mazey with her aafter discovering their mom Patsy refuses to put her sister’s needs about her own

Mazey and CJ may have been raised under the same conditions but they are as different as night and day. Mazey is very intelligent, a bit naïve and relentlessly positive. CJ’s outlook on life is somewhat grim as she wrestles with a heart-rending tragedy from war. Together, they set out on a cross-country journey that is life-alterin

Amazing Gracie is a thoughtful and sensitive portrayal of the aftermath of war.  CJ and Mazey are vibrant three-dimensional characters with realistic issues to resolve. The motorcycle trip’s various settings are well-drawn and easily capture the imagination.  Mazey’s story arc resolution and CJ’s character development and subsequent realizations will bring readers to tears as Laura Drake skillfully guides this heartfelt novel a triumphant conclusion.

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Review: The Road to Me by Laura Drake

Title: The Road to Me by Laura Drake
Publisher: The Story Plant
Genre: Contemporary, Family Fiction
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Jacqueline Oliver is an indie perfumer, trying to bury her ravaged childhood by shoveling ground under her own feet. Then she gets a call she dreads—the hippie grandmother she bitterly resents was apprehended when police busted a charlatan shaman’s sweat lodge. Others scattered, but Nellie was slowed by her walker, and the fact that she was wearing nothing but a few Mardi-Gras beads. Jacqueline is her only kin, so, like it or not, she’s responsible.

Despite being late developing next year’s scent, Jacqueline drops everything to travel to Arizona and pick up her free-range grandma. But the Universe conspires to set them on a Route 66 road trip together. What Jacqueline discovers out there could not only heal the scars of her childhood but open her to a brighter future.

Review:

The Road to Me by Laura Drake is a heartwarming novel of forgiveness, healing and self-discovery.

Jacqueline “Jack” Oliver is not at all happy she has to rescue her feisty grandmother Nellie from her latest shenanigans. Her relationship with Nellie is complicated and full of unresolved pain but Jacqueline gives in when her grandmother wants to take one last road trip. Jacqueline is often frustrated by Nellie’s hippie nonsense but she eventually tries to just go with the flow. Some stops along their trip are eyebrow raising but over the course of a few days, the secrets she learns provide much needed insight into Nellie’s life. And along the way, Jacqueline learns a lot about herself. But will these revelations lead to changes in her life when she returns home?

Ohh, boy, is Jacqueline ever furious with Nellie for her latest antics. She is on a tight schedule because of her perfume business but she decides to indulge her grandmother’s desire to see the Grand Canyon one last time. Jacqueline has never been able to forgive Nellie for doing nothing to save her from her chaotic, dysfunctional childhood. She still carries these painful memories and she clings tightly to control while keeping people at arms’ length. Can a few days with Nellie heal the deep wounds she cannot seem to let go of?

Nellie is quite the character and she has always lived life on her own terms. She tends to live in the present and she spent a lot of her life going wherever the road led her. On this unexpected road trip, Nellie takes Jack on a journey that revisits some of her most painful yet also happiest memories. Will their last stop bring them closer together?

The Road to Me is an entertaining and meaningful novel that is quite captivating. Jacqueline and Nellie are vibrantly developed, well-rounded characters who are flawed but relatable. The various stops on the trip spring vividly to life and are easy to visualize. The situations they sometimes find themselves in are laugh out loud funny. The storyline is engrossing and multi-layered. Laura Drake brings this heartfelt novel to a poignant yet uplifting conclusion.

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Filed under Contemporary, Family Fiction, Laura Drake, Rated B+, Review, The Road to Me, The Story Plant

Review: Against the Odds by Laura Drake

Title: Against the Odds by Laura Drake
Publisher: Harlequin Superromance
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by the Author

Summary:

A love stronger than fear…

Former army sniper Douglas “Bear” Steele wants only to be left alone to live a quiet, peaceful existence in the small town of Widow’s Grove. So his attraction to Hope Sanderson is unexpected and inconvenient. Having recently survived a violent bank robbery, Hope has vowed to seize each day and leave behind her safe, ordered life. As Hope and Bear help each other heal, their desire turns to love. But with their lives moving in opposite directions, can they find a balance to let go of the past and embrace the future…together?

Review:

Against the Odds by Laura Drake is a poignant and moving novel of healing, new beginnings and love.

Hope Sanderson has always done exactly what is expected of her but after surviving a bank robbery, she decides it is time to take charge of her life.   Although her mom is now deceased, a lifetime of hypercritical commentary leaves Hope second guessing her judgment and her decisions, but she is determined to embrace everything life has to offer. Beginning a new job at a Wilderness Outfitter is just the first of many changes she is making.  However it is not until she meets Doug “Bear” Steele at a trauma support group that Hope really steps outside of her comfort zone.  The big burly biker is just the type of man her mother warned her about but Hope finds it impossible to resist her unexpected attraction to the emotionally wounded ex-con.

Like Hope, Bear is also forced into new situations that make him uncomfortable but unlike Hope, he is not exactly a willing participant. One of the conditions of parole is attending the trauma support group and for someone who has become a virtual recluse, these meetings are excruciating. Bear grudgingly reveals bits and pieces of his past, but he has absolutely no intention of discussing the real problems that are plaguing him. He is also hesitant to become involved with any of the other members or their problems but Bear finds himself reluctantly offering support once everyone begins discussing what brought them to the meetings. He is also drawn to Hope and although he feels he is completely out of her league, Bear works up the courage to ask her out and he is stunned when she says yes.

As the weeks pass, Bear and Hope tentatively begin seeing each other outside of their group sessions.  Hope is pleasantly surprised to discover that Bear is a gentle giant who is quite protective.  Bear still feels like he is completely unworthy of Hope but he is unable to stay away from her. Although they are an unlikely couple, they are soon spending as much time together as possible and as their attraction deepens, so do their feelings for each other. However, Bear still remains closed off and isolated and Hope grows concerned that he will never be able to work through the trauma he experienced during his tour in Afghanistan.  Bear becomes defensive and angry with her gentle prodding but he still cannot bring himself to open up. Will their relationship survive after Bear’s worst fears are realized and he withdraws from everyone who cares about him?

Heartfelt and engaging, Against the Odds is an absolutely wonderful novel that beautifully demonstrates the importance of making peace with the past in order to move forward.  The characters are complex and multi-layered with realistic flaws and all too human frailties.  The storyline is unique and features true to life issues that are easy to relate to.  Bear’s anguish over what happened in Afghanistan is heartbreaking but it is incredibly heartwarming watching him break free from his self-imposed prison. Another truly captivating romance by Laura Drake that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend.

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Review: Days Made of Glass by Laura Drake

days madeTitle: Days Made of Glass by Laura Drake
Publisher: Self-Published
Genre: Contemporary, Women’s Fiction
Length: 273 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by the Author

Summary:

Shared blood defines a family, but spilled blood can too.

Harlie Cooper raised her sister, Angel, even before their mother died. When their guardian is killed in a fire, rather than be separated by Social Services, they run. Life in off the grid in L.A. isn’t easy, but worse, there’s something wrong with Angel.

Harlie walks in to find their apartment scattered with shattered and glass and Angel, a bloody rag doll in a corner. The doctor orders institutionalization in a state facility. Harlie’s not leaving her sister in that human warehouse. But something better takes money. Lots of it.

When a rep from the Pro Bull Riding Circuit suggests she train as a bullfighter, rescuing downed cowboys from their rampaging charges, she can’t let the fact that she’d be the first woman to attempt this stop her. Angel is depending on her.

It’s not just the danger and taking on a man’s career that challenges Harlie. She must learn to trust—her partner and herself, and learn to let go of what’s not hers to save.

A story of family and friendship, trust and truth.

Review:

Days Made of Glass by Laura Drake is an incredibly moving novel about the strong bond between two sisters who do not have anyone to count on except each other. It is also an emotional story about learning to trust even when past experiences make it virtually impossible to count on anyone but yourself. Equally important is the realization that family is more than just blood relatives and that bonds of friendship are sometimes stronger than family ties.

Harlie Cooper and her younger sister Angel have an intimate relationship with heartache, pain and loss. Fearing they will be separated by social services after their guardian’s death, Harlie and Angel flee at the first opportunity and begin living under the radar in a suburb of L.A. Working on a ranch that doubles as a movie set, Harlie catches the eye Steve Rawlins, a marketing rep for the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) who presents her the opportunity become the organization’s first woman bullfighter. Harlie has no plans to take him up on his offer until Angel’s dark moods and deep depression mean she will need long term care in a mental health facility. Harlie knows the offer is no guarantee she will make it in the male dominated field, but she knows this opportunity is her only hope of providing Angel with the care she needs.

Harlie has no choice but to be tough and she never shies away from difficult situations. She is doing the best she can to give Angel a stable, loving home but when disaster strikes, Harlie has no one to turn to for help. Her painful past makes it impossible to trust anyone and she has a difficult time making small talk or fitting in with others. She is extremely closed off and wary of getting close to anyone and her inability to open up puts her at a disadvantage in both her personal and professional lives. Harlie is prickly, standoffish and a little frustrating, but overall, she is a likable and sympathetic character.

Harlie is very protective of Angel and since she has no to rely on except herself, she carries a heavy burden. She is extremely reluctant to consent to the doctor’s treatment recommendation and she remains hopeful that Angel’s condition will improve before she has to make a decision about her medical care. Her need to protect Angel does her sister no favors since Harlie’s first instinct is to try to fix things instead of listening to what Angel needs to say.

Harlie’s longtime habit of putting her sister’s needs before her own clouds her judgment and jeopardizes her career. It is through her job that she begins to understand the importance of trusting others but out of the rodeo arena, she finds it virtually impossible to let down her guard. She also continues to have difficulty making friends but when she needs a partner she can count as she travels from rodeo to rodeo, she convinces Steve to let someone she met during bullfighter school join her on the road. As the weeks pass, Harlie learns the value of confiding her problems, but she still holds herself at an emotional distance. Although she has made great strides in learning to trust, Harlie still remains reluctant to share her personal problems even in the face of losing her job.

Days Made of Glass by Laura Drake is an engaging novel that is full of deep emotion. The bullfighting aspect of the storyline is meticulously researched and realistically portrayed. The characters are vibrantly developed and likable despite their flaws and imperfections. A heartfelt story of healing that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys contemporary women’s fiction.

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Review: Twice in a Blue Moon by Laura Drake

twice blueTitle: Twice in a Blue Moon by Laura Drake
Publisher: Harlequin Superromance
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Author

Summary:

Wanted: one master winemaker

Indigo Blue is starting over, again. Following the death of her husband, she’s rebuilding her life around her only inheritance—a California winery. There’s just one problem: she doesn’t know a thing about wine. Enter brooding vintner Danovan DiCarlo.

Eager to put his own painful past behind him, Danovan is the perfect partner. And not just in business. As they work side by side, Indigo can feel more than the vineyard coming back to life. Falling for Danovan is a scary prospect. But how do you say no when you find love twice in a blue moon?

Review:

In Laura Drake’s Twice in a Blue Moon¸ the Tippling Widow Winery is the perfect setting for Indigo Blue and Danovan DiCarlo to pick up the pieces of their lives after they each suffer tragic losses. For Indigo, the bucolic location is where she shared many happy moments with her husband Harry. For Danovan, the winery is his last hope for resurrecting his shattered career. For both Indigo and Danovan, the peaceful surroundings heal their wounded hearts as they unexpectedly begin to fall in love while rebuilding the winery to its former glory. But will the baggage from their pasts destroy everything they have worked so hard to build?

Indigo’s happy life comes to an abrupt end after her beloved husband Harry passes away and with nowhere else to go, she moves to Widow’s Grove to run the Tippling Widow Winery. She is a little adrift and struggling to find the confidence she needs to make well-informed decisions about the business. She is also unsure she is making the right choices since some of her earlier experiences before she married Harry leave her doubting her judgment. Indigo has a lot of ideas for revitalizing the mismanaged winery, but she needs an experienced vintner to make the venture a success.

Danovan learned the hard way that mixing business and pleasure can sometimes have disastrous consequences. Although his reputation as a winemaker is impeccable, gossip and innuendo make him virtually unemployable. The job at the winery is the opportunity he needs to salvage his career so Danovan convinces Indigo to hire him without checking his references from his previous employer.

Despite a few misconceptions about one another, Indigo and Danovan have an excellent working relationship. Indigo becomes more self-assured as she masters the intricacies of winemaking and Danovan proves to be a patient and knowledgeable teacher. Both are taken off guard by an unexpected attraction to one another, but initially, neither is ready (or willing) to act on it. Their friendship deepens as they begin confiding in another and a delicate dance ensues between them after a passionate kiss. Indigo is uncertain that her instincts are leading her in the right direction and when she learns about that Danovan was less than truthful with her, she pulls away from him. Danovan is determined to regain her lost trust and once he reveals his heartbreaking past to her, Indigo is quick to forgive him for his deception. They quickly move past this minor hurdle and their relationship soon takes a romantic turn but Indigo remains hesitant about fully committing to a future with Danovan. Just as she puts her faith in him both personally and professionally, Danovan makes a fateful decision that jeopardizes their future.

Twice in a Blue Moon is beautiful novel of love and healing. Indigo and Danovan are vibrantly developed characters and although flawed, they are sympathetic and easy to like. The setting is idyllic and provides the perfect backdrop for love to flourish as they make peace with their respective pasts. Another heartfelt and engaging love story by Laura Drake that old and new fans are sure to love.

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Review: Sweet on You by Laura Drake

on youTitle: Sweet on You by Laura Drake
Sweet On a Cowboy Series Book Three
Publisher:Hachette Book Group/Grand Central Publishing
Imprint: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A Love as Bold as a Texas Sunset . . .

Ex-army medic Katya Smith has always healed other people’s pain. Now she has to deal with her own. Taking a job as an athletic trainer on the Pro Bull Riding circuit seems like the perfect escape from her grief-except Katya doesn’t know anything about bulls, and even less about the tough men who ride them. She doesn’t expect to fall for the sport, or for one tantalizing cowboy who tumbles her defenses.

For rodeo champion Cam Cahill, fifteen years of bucking bulls have taken their toll on his body. Before he retires, he wants a final chance at the world title-and he doesn’t need some New Age gypsy telling him how to do his job. But when the stunning trainer with the magical hands repairs more than his worn muscles, everything changes. Soon Cam finds himself trying to persuade Katya to forgive her past so she can build a future . . . with him.

The Review:

Sweet on You, the third installment in Laura Drake’s divine Sweet on a Cowboy series, is wonderful novel about healing, new beginnings and of course, love.   The professional bull riding circuit is the perfect setting for this heartwarming romance between an aging bull rider and an emotionally wounded Army medic as they both face uncertain futures.

Katya Smith finds herself in unfamiliar territory when she takes a job with the sports medicine team for the Professional Bull Riders (PBR). Katya might not understand the sport, lingo or lifestyle, but she does recognize a spoiled athlete when she sees one, and PBR rider Cam Cahill certainly appears to be no different from the other jocks she has worked with in the past. Katya does not make the best first impression on Cam either but since they have to work together week after week, they agree to put aside their animosity. Their mutual attraction leads to an unlikely romance, but will Katya’s plans for the future ruin their chance at happiness?

Katya is a warm, compassionate and caring woman and watching her struggle to overcome her PTSD is very heartrending. She is very loyal to the “family” she has created with her fellow soldiers and while this is understandable, it also causes a bit of tunnel vision when it comes to her future. In the beginning, she sees her job with the PBR as a means to an end, and she keeps both an emotional and physical distance from the cowboys on tour. It is not until Katya wants to learn more about the sport and the cowboy way of life that she takes a personal interest in the bull riders she is helping.

As a fifteen year veteran bull rider, Cam’s love of the sport has not diminished, but but his numerous injuries have begun to take a toll both in and out of the arena. Knowing this is most likely his last season, he has been trying to figure out what comes next, but so far, nothing he has considered really appeals to him. He spends a lot of time in sports medicine in an effort to stay healthy and he is surprised by his interest in Katya. Cam’s first few meetings with her are a bit rocky and although romance is the last thing on either of their minds, they begin dating. While they both agree that they are not interested in a serious or long lasting commitment, their feelings for another are anything but casual. But as both Katya and Cam soon discover, they are not exactly on the same page when it comes to their future.

One of the most appealing aspects of Sweet on You is how easily and vibrantly Laura Drake brings the world of Professional Bull Riding to life. Newcomers to the sport will have no difficulty understanding the grueling travel schedule or grasping how truly dangerous an eight second ride can be. She also provides incredible insight into what motivates the riders to participate in such an extreme sport and how reluctant they are to sit on the sidelines despite their injuries. The pulse-pounding excitement of attending live events leaps off the pages and perfectly illustrates why fans are drawn to the sport.

With Sweet on You, Laura Drake has once again written an emotionally compelling novel with complex and sympathetic characters.   True to life issues such as PTSD and survivor’s guilt are handled with sensitivity and the healing process is realistically depicted. While Cam’s issues are less serious, they are believable and easy to relate to.   The romance between Cam and Katya is sweet yet sexy and grows naturally over the course of the story. The ending is perfect; it is a little dramatic but very heartwarming.

Sweet on You is an absolutely delightful addition to the Sweet on a Cowboy series that old and new fans are going to love. It can be read as a standalone story, but I highly recommend this entire series to readers who enjoys contemporary Western romances.

Please click HERE for my reviews of the other books in the series.

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