Category Archives: Laura Drake

July 31, 2014 · 11:57 pm

Review: The Reasons to Stay by Laura Drake

reasonsTitle: The Reasons to Stay by Laura Drake
Publisher: Harlequin
Imprint: Superromance
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Author

Summary:

Where she belongs?

Free spirit Priscilla Hart doesn’t get tied down, to anyone or any place. Then she arrives in Widow’s Grove and meets her half brother. The ten-year-old tough guy has no one else but her. So Priss stay—for now.

But her sexy new landlord, Adam Preston, is interfering with her ideas. He’s everything Priss normally steers clear of—committed, stable and no rebellious urges in sight. As opposite as they are, each conversation, each touch, each kiss they share feels so right. Can a little gangster-wannabe, an irresistible “nice” guy; and an odd assortment of new friends make Priss want to stay for good?

The Review:

The Reasons to Stay by Laura Drake is a heartwarming novel about family, healing wounds from the past and finding love when least expected. Footloose and fancy free for the past ten years, Pricilla “Priss” Hart knows life is going to change when she settles down in Widow’s Grove and becomes her ten year old brother Nacho’s guardian. What she is not prepared for is the sizzling attraction between her and her uptight landlord Adam Preston. With Adam deeply rooted in Widow’s Grove and Priss planning to escape as soon as school lets out, is there any future for this mismatched pair?

Priss left her mom and her dysfunctional childhood behind as soon as she could and for the past ten years, she has concentrated on making a decent life for herself. She avoids emotional entanglements and she only gets involved with men who are not interested in a long-term relationship. So the last thing she wants is to make a commitment to Nacho but she soon discovers she cannot abandon him to the foster care system. Priss is completely out of her depth when it comes to her grieving, wannabe gangbanger brother, but she is determined to be the kind of mother to him that their own mother was incapable of being. But when her new life begins to mirror her deceased mother’s, Priss gains a insight into the past but will her new perspective change her plans for the future?

Although Priss, Nacho and Adam get off on the wrong foot, Adam becomes an unforeseen source of good advice when she and Nacho butt heads. Their lives could not be more different, but she and Adam form a unanticipated friendship. As Adam gets to know Priss, he is startled by his growing dissatisfaction with his safe, contained life. His fears continue to hold him back from some long overdue changes but after he and Priss transition from friends to lovers, he does begin to loosen up and consider breaking out of his comfort zone.

Nacho is a great kid and even though he hides it pretty well behind his tough guy image, he is achingly vulnerable. His mistrust of Priss is understandable and even though he make some really bad decisions, it is easy to see the reasons behind them. He is doing his best to protect himself from future heartache and even though he acts out, all in all, he is a pretty normal kid who is trying to make the best of things.

The Reasons to Stay is an engaging romance with a charming cast of appealing, likable characters. It is a wonderful novel about coming to terms with the past and moving into the future. The characters are refreshingly honest and genuine and they are easy to relate to. Once again, Laura Drake provides readers with a sweet, sassy and passionate novel that is guaranteed to tug on their heartstrings.

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Filed under Contemporary, Harlequin, Laura Drake, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Superromance, The Reasons to Stay

January 26, 2014 · 11:58 pm

Review: Nothing Sweeter by Laura Drake

sweeterTitle: Nothing Sweeter by Laura Drake
Sweet on a Cowboy Book Two
Publisher: Hachette Book Group/Grand Central Publishing
Imprint: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A Love as Wild as the West . . .

Aubrey Madison is starting over. Leaving Los Angeles and everything behind except the scars of her ruined past, Bree sets out for cowboy country. Now she has a new home, a new job-and a new worry: the ruggedly sexy rancher who makes her long for things she shouldn’t . . .

Rough and tumble cattleman Max Jameson has broken wild stallions and faced angry bulls. Yet the redheaded city cupcake who turned up at the High Heather Ranch might be his undoing. Bree has a plan to rescue the ranch from foreclosure that’s just crazy enough to work. But will Max gamble his future on a beautiful stranger?

The Review:

Nothing Sweeter is another well-written and entertaining romance by the wonderfully fabulous Laura Drake. This second installment in her charming Sweet on a Cowboy series is a compelling novel about new beginnings, self-acceptance and of course, love. It is not quite as emotional as The Sweet Spot, but it just as heartwarming and the cast of characters is just as endearing.

Aubrey “Bree” Madison is searching for a new life when her journey takes her to High Heather Ranch. The serene surroundings and low stress job provide Bree the perfect place to de-stress and just enjoy life. Her attraction to sexy cowboy and ranch owner Max Jameson catches her by surprise but she is able to keep her distance from her gruff, grumpy boss. That is until she comes up with the perfect plan to help Max and his brother Wyatt hold on to their beloved family inheritance.

Bree easily settles into her new routine as a stable hand but putting her past behind her proves to be much trickier. Plagued by nightmares, she throws herself wholeheartedly into her new job and begins to find a measure of peace. At first uneasy around the other ranch hands, she is quickly accepted by her peers. But it is Bree’s close friendship with Wyatt and Max’s cook and surrogate mother Tia Nita that she finds most soothing. She shares an easygoing rapport with Wyatt but Bree butts heads with Max right from their very first meeting. Part of their discord arises from their simmering sexual tension while Max’s stubborn cowboy pride is responsible for the rest.

Max is still reeling from his father’s unexpected death and the abrupt end to his previous romance when he first makes Bree’s acquaintance. His life is in turmoil as he fights to keep the ranch solvent while trying to smooth over his relationship with Wyatt. Max is a quintessential cowboy with long held beliefs that keep him from accepting Bree’s help. Although he and Wyatt have a decent relationship, some of Max’s convictions make it difficult for them to grow closer. Will this irascible man conquer habits of a lifetime and hold on to what is dear to his heart?

There is great chemistry between Max and Bree but the past has a pretty good hold on both of them. Max’s hurt from his failed romance colors his perception of Bree and he fights his attraction to her. His instincts tell him that she is keeping something from him and of course that assessment is spot on. Bree holds on to her secrets long after she should have revealed them and it is a waiting game to see how the truth will eventually come out. This part of the storyline is brilliantly executed and Max’s observations about Bree’s reasons for keeping them hidden are surprisingly astute.

The relationship between Max and Wyatt adds another layer to the overall plot. While they have not exactly been estranged, there is a cordial distance between them. Max’s discomfort about certain aspects of Wyatt’s life continues to come between them but Wyatt insists that Max deal with his conflicted feelings so they can fully repair the rift between them.

Nothing Sweeter is a well-plotted story with true to life characters who are flawed yet easy to like. Their problems are realistic and each of them rises to the challenges facing them. The romance between Max and Bree is slow growing but deliciously sexy. Laura Drake keeps the plot marvelously unpredictable and of course I LOVE how she incorporates the sport of bull riding into the storyline. Once again I am highly anticipating the next book in the series, Sweet on You, which will be available later this year.

While this fantastic addition to the Sweet on a Cowboy series can be read as a standalone story, you won’t want to miss the other novels in this terrific series.

You can find my review of The Sweet Spot HERE.

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Filed under Contemporary, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group, Laura Drake, Nothing Sweeter, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Sweet on a Cowboy Series

May 23, 2013 · 3:57 am

Review: The Sweet Spot by Laura Drake

Title: The Sweet Spot by Laura Drake
Sweet on a Cowboy Book One
Publisher: Hachette Book Group/Grand Central Publishing
Imprint: Forever
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 324 pages
Book Rating: A

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A Love as Big as Texas . . .

Charla Rae Denny was the perfect wife with a perfect life, content to keep the home fires burning while her husband, JB, competed as a champion bull rider. Then their son died in a tragic accident-and everything fell apart. Divorced and saddled with a hill of bills and a failing ranch, Charla must now cowboy up to put her life back together.

James “JB” Denny doesn’t stay where he isn’t welcome. So when Charla shut him out of her grieving heart-and their home-a year ago, he took comfort where he could find it. Now after seeing beautiful Charla again, he wants it all back. She can’t work the ranch alone, and deep in his heart he knows he can be the man she needs. But after so much history and heartbreak, can JB convince Charla to take a risk and give their love a second chance?

The Review:

More than a love story, Laura Drake’s The Sweet Spot is an emotional journey of forgiveness. This deeply moving novel will make you laugh, cry and ultimately rejoice as JB and Charla Rae Denny find their way back to one another after tragedy tears them apart.

Grief and loss can either bring a couple closer together or tear them apart and in the case of JB and Charla Rae, their marriage could not withstand the loss of their son, Benje. Now divorced, Charla Rae and JB’s paths still cross on a regular basis as they handle the day to day business of their bucking bull business. Still angry with JB over his affair, Charla lashes out and forbids JB to return to the ranch to take care of the bulls. With no one to lean on, will Charla find the strength she needs to keep their struggling business from failing while caring for her ailing father?

The Sweet Spot opens about a year after Benje’s death and both Charla and JB are at pretty low spots in their lives. Charla is addicted to Valium and makes it through each day in a drug induced fog. JB’s affair is long over and he is coming to the realization that he is the poster child for a middle aged crisis. When things come to a head between them, Charla and JB realize it is time to make some much needed changes in their lives.

Charla finally comes to terms with her addiction when she is forced to take care of the ranch chores and take a more active role in the bucking bull business. Always content to let life happen to her, Charla finally stands on her own two feet and faces down adversity one challenge at a time. She gradually begins to come out of her grief and as she gains confidence, Charla recognizes that she pushed JB away long before their marriage officially ended. Wary of getting hurt again, Charla continues to keep JB at arm’s length. But as time passes, Charla begins to see traces of the old JB and she slowly lets him back in her life and her heart.

JB is genuinely remorseful for hurting Charla but it takes serious introspection on his part before he realizes what motivated his affair. He is lost without Charla and her father, but he knows he is going to have to work to regain her trust. JB quickly recognizes Charla’s newfound strength but he is slow to realize their relationship will never be what it once was.

JB and Charla spend most of the novel dealing with their grief separately. Both come to realize their marriage was rocky before Benje’s death and although they still love one another, they have to work through their individual issues before contemplating a reconciliation. Charla is angry and defensive for much of the story and it takes her a while to realize that JB is still the same person she once fell in love with. Lack of communication, distrust and quick assumptions continue to plague them as they slowly mend their relationship.

The Sweet Spot is a bittersweet second chance at love romance. The characters are heartbreakingly realistic and their emotions are gut wrenchingly honest. The storyline with Charla Rae’s father is poignant and it brought me to tears on several occasions. Laura Drake’s meticulous research and love of professional bull riding is quite apparent and as a fellow fan of the sport, I was very impressed with her attention to the smallest details.

Heartfelt and engaging, The Sweet Spot will tug at readers’ heartstrings and leave them eagerly awaiting Ms. Drake’s next book pro bull riding book, Nothing Sweeter.

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Filed under Contemporary, Forever, Grand Central Publishing, Hachette Book Group, Laura Drake, Rated A, Review, Romance, Sweet on a Cowboy Series, The Sweet Spot