Long Hot Texas Summer by Carolyn Brown

Reviewed by Desere

The ultimate of ultimate cowboy romance authors has done it again! This time Carolyn Brown tells us of the story of Loretta Sullivan Bailey.

She catches her husband kissing another woman in a barn and leaves the place of Lonesome Canyon Ranch as fast her boots can carry her, swearing to never return.  But she has no choice when her daughter threatens to drop out of college and become a rancher's wife.

Which mother let's her daughter make the same mistake she did? Definitely not this one, so naturally she heads back to the ranch in a heartbeat, the past be damned! All she has to do is focus on getting her daughter back in school and to ignore her feelings for her ex-husband, easy, right ?

Jackson Bailey is a real boot scooting, tight jean wearing tougher than tough cowboy and nothing scares him. That is until the moment his ex wife comes back. It's been seventeen years since their divorce and her coming back is so not what he had on his list of things to happen. There 's bound to be a lot of fighting and fussing to come but what neither one counts on is the blazing attraction that's still in the air. Can they turn away from the past and look towards the future or will it once again blow up in spectacular Texas style.

Like all previous Carolyn Brown reads this book was fun, spunky, sassy and romance at it's best! I adored all of the characters and the story of a second chance love was exquisitely crafted !

Both main characters we so much fun to read about, they both have their issues and of course the conflict was electrifying and such excellent entertainment I nearly died laughing.  And mad, I got so mad at them both at times I wished I could shove them into a stable, lock them in and tell them to just get over it , sort it out and and don't come before you have sorted it out.

I really liked the idea of both characters coming around to the same conclusion of the past failure was not just the fault of one person but both. So often the books go either the way of the hero saying sorry and it's his fault or the other way around, but very seldom of both characters being at fault and actually being able to admit it, really nice touch Carolyn!

The secondary characters were just as wonderful as the main ones, from the sassy and very determined Nona to the absolutely my new heroine of the year, housekeeper Rosie, she takes no lip from anyone and she makes darn sure things go her way, it was highly entertaining.

I am taking away a message of everyone wants a second chance at happiness , or to get back that one true love that someone slip through our fingers. We don't always get that chance but when life places us in the position or as in the case of Loretta guides us back to the past, it is not the time to start running.  It 's the time to re-think our actions and try to get over the past, for as long as we hold onto the past we will truly never be happy.

I highly recommend this read for anyone and everyone that enjoy a good old fashioned second chance romance read full of spunk, crazy humor, lots of entertainment and sweet and sexy heat, written by one of the most remarkable authors ever. A book so hot it beats even the hottest of hot Texas summers!

5/5 star review
" They generate more heat than the summer sun, the question is can they handle it? " 

The Cowboy's Mail Order Bride by Carolyn Brown

Reviewed by Desere

I have heard many, many stories about men and woman writing each other whilst the wars of our world were happening and then suddenly the letters stop only to years later be delivered. Of course this has caused relationships to suddenly end with no reason and irreparable heartache, woman have even go through the agony of thinking the man was killed in action but never found, the list goes on and on.

But every once in a while a letter gets delivered, some over a sixty years late, and the couple with the help of the world wide web gets reconnected and a beautiful love story lives on.

But because it does not always work out that way there is always a reason to feel sad as you cannot help but think about the what if's had those letters made it in time, but what author Carolyn Brown has done is taken the focus away from a sad story and turned it into a beautiful discovery of new romance that had me addicted from the first page!

The read is about Emily, she has the task of delivering a box of old letters sent to Clarice many years ago by Emily's grandfather, all were delivered except for one. She promised him on his deathbed it would get delivered to Clarice, but when she delivers the letters she not only discovers I 'll-never-get-enough-of-you Greg Adams but also lands herself a job as Clarice's assistant making it really hard to avoid Greg and his "I know you're hiding something " attitude. Greg however has no intention of letter her avoid him at all, he will be relentless in his pursuit of the truth.

The main characters were beautifully created by the author and I simply fell head over heals in love with them both. The secondary characters were all so magical and delightful that I found myself wishing someone like these woman would be around in my life and share some of the funky fun and laughter they get up to.

Clarice also very much reminded me of my own late grandmother, she was always there for everyone and always just wanted to see us all happy and she would meddle away all day long it it meant we would be smiling in the long run. It had me in tears missing my grandma very much but in a total good way, and this to me showed just how much emotion this author packs into her characters , it has never happened that I have found myself linking a character back to someone that has been in my own life, so truly excellent job Carolyn!

Emily was a really neat character as she had the shroud of mystery about her, with showing up with a box of letters and some mail order bride story but of course anyone could make up one of those if they found the letters, people are not always who they say they are. But this little mystery gave this character that perfect "I know something or I might not know and I might tell you or I might not it all depends " feeling and in turn created some truly awesome private moments between her and Greg.

Greg, darling,darling Greg was all kinds of yummylicous, lip smacking goodness! I adored his approach towards his suspicions and it showed that in real life it is sometimes necessary to think about it maybe being a life challenging set up and to then keep your enemies very close in order to find out if they are indeed enemies or possibly the one that will change it all.

The author made sure to incorporate that perfect Texan speech that simply makes for brilliant reading and no surprise I once again found myself rolling around on the floor with laughter! The author has a unique writing style that combines everyday situations with just a touch of fantasy, rolling out the perfect realistic 'this can really happen' read with just a glimmer of the 'stuff dreams are made of', all combined with laughter, romance and beautiful emotion.

I am taking away a message of life has it's reason's for the brining of sadness, but your sadness may just be the key needed to bring happiness to someone else.

I highly recommend this read to all fans of Carolyn Brown reads, she has once again given us a fun filled, kick ass, rocking, boots stomping, heart-stopping, dreams come true romance, that shows a powerful message of dreams can still come true , sometimes it is just not meant to be for us but for those closest to us.

5/5 star review
"She might have the mail but all he wants is her heart" 

The Cowboy's Christmas Baby by Carolyn Brown - Cowboys&Brides 2

 

Reviewed by Desere

Cyber-dating has always been dangerous, you never really know who you're speaking to on the other side. It can cause a endless amount of trouble for both parties involved. In the new Carolyn Brown read this however is what Natalie and Lucas get themselves involved in for almost a year before meeting face to face, or in this case face to pistol and screaming baby.

Yes you read that right, screaming baby and pistol! Lucas has just come home from Kuwait and all he wants is to get rid of the desert sand and find Natalie, the woman of his cyber dreams and he is dead set on making sure their first meeting is nothing but perfect.

But he comes home to find Natalie already there, with a dead coyote at her feet and a baby in her arms. Not romantic at all and certainly not what he expected, and understandably he explodes and feels that she lied to him on purpose.

This is of course not the case at all and Natalie tries to explain but with Lucas furious beyond reason she gives up and walks away ready to leave the ranch immediately, only fate and Lucas's housekeeper has other plans for these two and by the time Christmas day arrives they won't be able to live without each other.

The character of Natalie was a real hell-cat, spitting fire and just totally awesome! I adored her standing strong through her mistakes and sticking to her guns no matter how hard life knocks her down, as any single mother would know dealing with the raising of a child alone is never easy and nor is it easy to find love again and acceptance for you both.

Natalie does not let this little bump in the road stop her nor does she let Lucas's bad-ass attitude stop her from standing her ground, totally adored her knocking him back ten times harder then what he dishes out, had me laughing ever time the man got roped in.

The character of Lucas was the one that stole my heart in this read, coming home after war and losing your best friend in battle with the dream of having the woman of your dreams in your arms and then finding her already a mother and with a whole lot of baggage is not the homecoming any man wants, and yes understandably he looses his cool , but the author also let's his true personality come through as the read developed I found him to be a true gentlemen and always staying true to his feelings. He digs deep inside his soul and finds that family comes in all shapes and forms, you just need to embrace it.

The backdrop settings and dialogue were so delightful and full of spirit that I  felt the emotions of each character, saw the landscape and could touch the chemistry, truly amazing stuff Carolyn, you stole my breath away.

Am taking away a message of life sometimes brings us to where we want to be but not in the conventional way, it takes us on twists and turns and along the way shapes us into better people. It might feel like nothing is going the way you planned but in that is where the beauty of life lies, don't walk away from it, simply go with it and know that in the end you will see that who you have in your life came into your life exactly the way they were meant to.

I highly recommend this read for all fans of sexy, spunky hot cowboy reads. Carolyn Brown delivers on each and every page a truly phenomenal story of friendship never forgotten, love and family found and above all the message of miracles happen every day.

I look forward to many more highly enjoyable reads from this author!

5/5 star review
" This soldier is about to face the toughest battle of his life and it comes armed with a pink pistol"

Cowboy Seeks Bride by Carolyn Brown - Spikes and Spurs #7

Reviewed by Desere


For some people the big city has everything they want. Cars and flashing lights in the fast lane, every single piece of modern day living to make your life comfortable and just seem like pure bliss.

For others it is the way they feel about the wild, they would rather suffer through hours of riding in the red hot searing heat on the back of a horse then drive around on the highway in a fancy sports car.

Whatever your preference, everyone is entitled to their own choice of bliss. But when taken out of your comfort zone and thrown into the dark side it can mean you will either adapt and get through it or fall and be ready to beg anyone to bring you back to civilization, especially if the dark side is hotter, wetter and more of a snore fest than the worst of reality shows.

In the new Carolyn Brown read she tells the story of Haley, she is sent on a mission to tag along with some mighty fine cowboys as they embark on a re-enactment of  the historic Chisholm Trail ride. Of course she has no idea what she is actually in for until she falls fancy suit first into a pile of , well let's just say it ain't mud ladies.

But Haley is not the kind to back down she is there to get the information needed to make the best reality show ever and she intends to do just that. What she does not see coming is the fierce attraction she feels for trail leader I'll-make-you-fell-so-good-you-will-never-want-to-leave Dewar.

Very soon they find themselves knee deep in nights of endless passion, but Haley misses her comfort zone and plans on getting back to the big city as soon as the thirty day trail ride is over, after all she has always wanted a man in a pinstripe suit ready to fight it out with the biggest of corporate companies, not some smoking hot cowboy, just ain't her style.

The character of Haley was so much fun! I laughed so hard at her wit and feisty-ness actual tears were streaming down my face!  She gives as good as she gets and does not back down in the face of danger or any knee weakening eye winking cowboy. She falls, she simply gets back up on the horse and tries again. A real fighting spirit. Loved her to bits!

But I will admit the part about her having her heart set on the "perfect pin striped suit wearing man" made me dislike her just a smidgen  I kept thinking that this woman has got some truly terrible ideas about the perfect man, for we all know that we cannot control who we fall in love with and making sure you marry the "perfect man " just as you imagined him will never bring you happiness, you might as well then just marry for the money and not the love.

The character of Dewar was a totally awesome one! I loved that the more Haley shows she is ready and more than able to handle anything the cowboy life brings her way the more he likes to get her rattled up. He is like a joker, always out to get her to loose her cool of course this is before she gets him all hot and bothered and he no longer wants anything to do with cool unless it involves cooling his passion for wanting her in his arms all night long.

I like that he is not only a leader but ready to face danger and best of all he does this while still staying as smooth as any charmer you might have met, this man simply just does not loose it, keeps it all together like a neatly wrapped bedroll.

Dewar and Haley were, although miles apart back in the real world the perfect match on so many levels. They are both the kind to stand up and fight for what they want and they both have a passion for life, never letting the elements of the situation get them down.

The backdrop was mostly on the trail but it involved rain and when I say rain I mean the truly horrific pouring kind that feels like it will never end, blazing hot sun, wind and dust. This all blended in with the wildness of the characters, and brought out the sense of reality is just a few more desert elements away, perfectly.

But there was also moon lit nights by the river side and heart stopping dances by the fireside that gave the read the stunning romance is in the air feeling, bringing forth the love of two hearts beating as one when brought together by the land.

The dialogue was all spikes and spurs the author gave moments of conflict, emotional moments of reality setting in and earth shattering moments of  danger and despair.

The message I am taking away from this read is that what you dream up in your mind to be the perfect life you always wanted never comes close to the reality of true happiness when you are finally offered up the chance to find who you really are deep inside. Your mind tells you what you want but only when listening to your heart will you find what it is you have really been looking for.

I recommend this read for all fans of Carolyn Brown books, lovers of romances that are much better than the best looking chocolate bar when you have been craving it for days. And for anyone looking to read about to people who are more alike then they think, and when brought together sparks of the truly sky falling kind come crashing down to earth and will leave you never wanting to get back up!

A head butting, heart stopping, mouthwatering, sassy and very sexy romance read!

5 star review
" He romances the city right out of her" 

Billion Dollar Cowboy by Carolyn Brown - Cowboys and Brides #1

Reviewed by Desere


Issues of trust, intimacy, communication, love, understanding you name it the list can go on and on, the truth of the matter is they all stem from one thing, your past.

It can effect your entire future, overshadowing any dreams you might have and hold you back from the life you deserve. Letting go or simply opening up can be the hardest thing you will ever need to do, but when it comes to doing it in the name of love, it opens doors you never knew were closed in the first place.

For Laura that is precisely the case, she comes to the ranch to work off her debt, a debt she only gained by baling her sister out of yet another stunt.

She gets sucked into playing the role of girlfriend to ranch owner Colton, billionaire cowboy, to help him keep the gold diggers at bay. Easy peasy, nope you guessed wrong the attraction between her and Colton is harder to resist than chocolate covered strawberries when your're on a diet!

She gets knocked of her feet by the plain old fashioned cowboy who has the heart of a prince. However she is not the only one that has issues, nope her darling I'll-make-you-burn-hotter-than-the-Texas-sun Colton has his very own set of issues, and with both of them having fears and doubts getting together on a more emotional love-you-forever level seems darn near impossible!

But as we all know this author always has a trick up her sleeve to show just how true love always prevails, and in this read she did so with vivid clarity and told the tale of a memorable couple.

The character of Laura was a real lively one! Fun, feisty, go getting attitude, ready to kick butt no matter what, when or who comes her way. I loved that the author gave her so much spunk, had she been weak and the kind to back down all the time she would not have been a good match for Colton.

Laura is the type of character that is able to push any man when he hits a low point, of course when it comes to her own issues she does not always react with same "Here I go ready to get 'em" spunk but the author shows the reasoning behind this with little flashbacks into her childhood, making it clear to me as reader.  I completely adored Laura and loved every single moment of her showing off her "take me on and eat dust" attitude.

The character of Colton was a real sweetheart of a man, he worked hard till he hit the jackpot, but never does his personality change from use to be poor to now I am so rich I can buy anything I want so therefore I care about nothing, as sadly happens to so many people in real life.

To me as reader this made him the ultimate hero.  I could understand his reasoning behind not trusting people with the whole gold diggers lurking around, and I was actually expecting him to be a more hard and arrogant character because of this.

But instead I got a kind, caring and total angel (okay so not so much of an angel as you're thinking, afterall the man does know how to set the sheets alight), of a man a real nice guy that was the perfect match for Laura, as he knows how and when to push her buttons and when to back down, all while never ever loosing his temper!

The backdrop setting of a small country town where everyone knows everyone and everything about everyone was very nicely incorporated by the author, it blended in with the feeling of belonging and family that Laura needed and it also showed that country folk no matter if they are richer than the biggest of players in the world , they always stick together helping each other out anytime anywhere as if it is all just in a day's work.

The dialogue was fun and playful, emotional and truth revealing, but also laced with loads of humour. I laughed out so load at some of the things that came out of Laura's mouth that I very nearly fell out of my comfy reading chair! But I also found myself tearing up during times when the read got very emotional as the past of both main characters and some secondary ones came tumbling out.

From this read I am taking away a message of, what ever happened to you in your past, it can be overcome all you need to do is take a risk, don't hold back and fight for what you want, along the way you will still encounter sorrow but you will for sure find your happiness.

I recommend this read for all lovers of romances that involve good old fashioned cowboys ready to take on the world in the name of love and for fans who love a heroine that will knock their socks off!

This was the first read in this author's new series of four hot, mouthwatering, delicious kick ass cowboys who each meet their match and I look forward to getting to know the rest. A fun, spicy, passionate and heart warming read!

5 star review
" The cowboy prince finds his very own Marilyn Monroe"