How to Catch a Bad Boy - Cat Schield (HD #2821 - Sept 2021)

Series: Texas Cattleman's Club: Heir Apparent (Book 7)

He fooled her once.
 
It won't happen again.
 
Bailing her onetime lover out of jail is Lani Li's ticket to a big career. The Dallas PI needs accused embezzler Asher Edmond to lead her to a cache of missing millions -- whether or not he's innocent, like he claims. But Lani didn't count on pesky old passions reigniting the minute they make contact. With suspicion and scandal swirling around them and her future on the line, Lani can't let the sexy playboy sweep her off her feet again. Surely he can't fool her twice…can he?
 
Terrific second chance love story combined with a mystery of missing funds. Arrested for embezzlement at the end of the previous book (Trapped with the Texan), Asher Edmond sits in jail wondering what happened. He insists he is innocent, but no one believes him, not even his own family. SO he is shocked when former girlfriend Lani Li bails him out of jail.
 
Now a private investigator, Lani bailed Asher out for one reason - she needs him to lead her to the missing money her client wants recovered. If she succeeds, her PI business will get the boost it needs to survive. She neither knows nor cares if he is innocent.
 
I liked Asher, but I have to say he wasn't the sharpest tool in the shed. Adopted by Rusty Edmonds when he married Asher's mom, Asher spent years trying to earn Rusty's approval before giving up. Instead, he lived down to Rusty's opinion, spending his time as a playboy polo player. After that, he took a job with the family business and barely paying lip service to that. But as the story went on, I saw a different side to Asher and realized there was more to him than initially portrayed.
 
I also liked Lani. A strong, determined woman, she fights every step of the way for the life she wants. She has a tough, cynical exterior that hides a heart wary of being risked again. Like Asher, I saw changes in her as the book progressed.
 
I enjoyed watching the development of Lani and Asher's relationship. Their previous romance occurred between two young, somewhat immature people who had differing goals in life. While Asher wanted Lani to go with him on his polo matches, she had her eyes set on a career with the FBI. Their parting affected them both when it came to future relationships. When Lani showed up to bail out Asher, the sparks between them flared again. Dismayed by her reaction, Lani fights her feelings, determined not to fall for his charms again. At the same time, Asher would love to pick up where they left off. He doesn't give up when Lani shuts him down.
 
I liked how Asher found ways to keep himself close to Lani. All that time together gave her the chance to see Asher in a new light. Complicating matters, the attraction between them proved to be irresistible. Slowly, the new Asher replaced Lani's memories of the old Asher, and the walls around her heart crumbled. At the same time, Asher admitted his past mistakes and struggled to become the man he thought she wanted. But none of it would do any good if Asher wasn't cleared of the embezzlement charges.
 
When Lani arrived in Royal, she was convinced that Asher was guilty of the charges. All she wanted was for him to admit it and tell her where the money was. She didn't believe his claims of innocence, but Lani also knew he couldn't help her from jail. Bailing him out came with the condition that she was responsible for him, requiring her to stay with him at his apartment. I liked how Asher's apparent cluelessness about some of the embezzlement's details opened Lani's eyes to the possibility that Asher had been framed. Some interesting scenes of their cooperation showed that they made a good team. I loved following their investigation and seeing that it ran along the same lines as my suspicions. I was glued to the pages when Asher took matters into his own hands and ended up in trouble. I felt the frustration when their quarry escaped but cheered when Asher managed to come up with a crucial bit of evidence. I can't wait for the next book and to see if the thief finally gets caught.
 
I loved the ending. Lani had a bit of fun jerking Asher's chain at the jail. Asher's big moment was terrific. I loved seeing his vulnerability as he opened his heart to Lani. I hope to see a little more of them in the next book.

Trapped with the Texan - Joanne Rock (HD #2815 - Aug 2021)

Series: Texas Cattleman's Club: Heir Apparent (Book 6)

Stranded together…and then crossing the line!
Is he her shelter from the storm…Or her biggest mistake?
 
Valencia Donovan's plan to dazzle the wealthy investor she needs for her horse rescue start-up takes an unexpected turn when a tornado strands her with Lorenzo Cortez-Williams. Giving in to attraction in a desperate moment only makes them hungry for more. After they've blown away all boundaries, Valencia's treacherous feelings for the guarded ranching heir could jeopardize her lifelong dream. But closing the deal -- while walking away from their intimate affair -- could cost her even more…
 
Good addition to the series. Valencia owns a horse rescue farm and plans to expand into providing equine therapy for children. For that, she needs extra funds and applies for a grant from the Cortez-Williams family's foundation. She's ready to give her presentation to the elder board member when she discovers that he's turned over vetting applicants to his grandson, Lorenzo the Third. Taken aback by her attraction to him, Valencia struggles to remain professional.
 
Lorenzo takes his job of vetting organizations very seriously. Burned by his ex-fiancée, who used their relationship for her own gain, Lorenzo doesn't trust easily. He vowed then that he would keep personal and professional relationships separate. His attraction to Valencia makes that problematic.
 
I enjoyed watching the relationship develop between Lorenzo and Valencia. The sparks between them are evident from the moment they met, yet they manage to get through their meeting with their professionalism intact. That doesn't mean that either forgets about those sparks. Lorenzo invites Valencia to dinner to tell her the results of her application, and the attraction still simmers in the background. When their dinner is cut short by a tornado warning, Lorenzo accompanies her back to her ranch to help prepare, and they end up taking shelter in her storm cellar. Because of a childhood trauma involving a tornado, Valencia is understandably nervous. While the storm rages outside, the flaring attraction between them provides an unexpected distraction. When the storm passes, they can't resist giving in, creating complications.
 
Baggage from the past, and a secret from the present, keep Lorenzo and Valencia from fully trusting each other. Finding out Lorenzo's secret devastates Valencia and breaks her heart. I ached for Lorenzo, also, because his boneheaded move drove a wedge between them. I loved Lorenzo's realization of his feelings for her and his determination to make things right. His big moment at the end put their pasts to rest and looked to the future together.
 
The overarching story of Soirée on the Bay continues to heat up. Valencia has a vested interest in its success as one of the proposed charitable beneficiaries. The news of the missing money hits her hard because of its impact on her plans. The blows to the Soirée continue when the tornado damages some of the site days before the projected start, and Asher Edmond is arrested on suspicion of embezzlement. I personally believe that he is innocent and still suspect a  different player in the drama. I can't wait to see if I am right. 

The Trouble with Bad Boys - Katherine Garbera (HD #2803 - June 2021)

Series: Texas Cattleman's Club: Heir Apparent (Book 4)

A playboy who's all about the likes…
 
Is about to get a lesson in love!
 
Notorious social media influencer Zach Benning is happy to swoop into Royal, Texas, promote the Soiree on the Bay and leave with a fat paycheck. While he's at it, he'll give plain-Jane event planner Lila Jones a makeover, online and off. The last thing he expects is to fall for his ravishing creation! But is he really seeing the captivating woman underneath all the newfound hype?
 
This is the fourth book in the series, and the Soiree on the Bay is beginning to come together. The venues are built; now they need the acts to fill them and the publicity to sell the tickets and bring the customers. The ticket sales aren't where they should be, which worries Lila, who works the event for the Chamber of Commerce.
 
Lila is a born-and-bred Royal resident. Everyone who knows her likes her, but nothing about her stands out. She's sweet and smart and determined to do her part to make the Soiree a success. She gets the idea to ask social influencer Zach Benning to mention the event and hopefully get some buzz going. She never expected him to show up in person.
 
Lila's message arrived at the perfect time for Zach. He unknowingly crossed a line with one of his women and needs to let the scandal die down. When he arrived in Royal, he didn't expect his instant attraction to Lila. The quiet, girl-next-door woman is nothing like the women he usually dates. In addition to promoting Soiree on the Bay, he decides to give Lila a personal and social media makeover. If he can turn her into the kind of woman he usually dates, he can sleep with her without feeling guilty.
 
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Lila and Zach. Both of them are more than what they appear on the surface. Lila looks like a quiet, unassuming woman, content to stay in the background. In reality, she is a vibrant, passionate woman who simply lacks the confidence to stand out. Under Zach's tutelage, Lila changes the way she dresses, gaining confidence from the positive feedback. She also learns how to use social media for herself and her job. As for Zach, in the beginning, he appears to be all flash and no substance. Everything he does is staged for maximum public display and to put himself in the limelight. But it isn't long before we see a vulnerable side to him.
 
I loved seeing them spend time together. While Lila really gets into the whole lifestyle, there is still a part of her that sees its superficiality. When she spends a few days in LA with Zach, deep down, she misses Royal. She knows she is falling for him but can't see him giving up the fast pace of LA for the quiet of small-town Texas. Zach has it a little rougher. Spending time with Lila stirs up emotions that he has spent his life avoiding. When he realizes the depth of his feelings, Zach freaks out and pushes her away. It takes some straight talk from an unexpected source for him to accept the changes in himself and see what he needs to do. His big moment was terrific, and I loved seeing his plan for the future.
 
Near the end of the book, during a Soiree on the Bay committee meeting, head organizer Rusty Edmonds drops a bombshell that could derail the event. Since the start, one character has rubbed me the wrong way, and I suspect this person is involved. I can't wait to see if I'm right. 

 

Blue Collar Billionaire - Karen Booth (HD #2798 - Apr 2021)

Series: Texas Cattleman's Club: Heir Apparent (Book 3)

Uptown girls who think they have the upper hand?
 
They don't know Jack!
 
Jack Bowden has met enough rich women to know that Lone Star socialite Lexi Alderidge doesn't take him seriously, even though their connection is instant. Still, the rugged contractor built his fortune from the ground up -- surely he can build real rapport with Lexi the same way? But when "getting along" becomes "getting into bed," will his brand of rough-and-tumble success ever truly fit into her high-class world?
 
Good book about two people with different lives seeing past stereotypes to possibilities. Lexi returned to Royal when her fifteen-year marriage ended in divorce. Shortly after arriving, she got involved with her high school boyfriend; their romance rapidly progressing toward marriage. Then Brett broke their engagement the night before the wedding, putting Lexi right back in the middle of Royal's gossip chain. She now works as VP of Marketing for her father's bank, determined to bring his old-fashioned way of doing business into the twenty-first century. As such, she encouraged the bank's sponsorship of the upcoming Soiree on the Bay Arts Festival.
 
Jack is the owner of the construction company hired to build the stages and other structures at the festival site on Appaloosa Island. A self-made man, Jack moved to Royal eleven years earlier after his fiancée called off their wedding. He is a hands-on owner, most often found on-site working alongside his employees.
 
I loved the first meeting between Jack and Lexi. She flew to the island to check on the progress of the work and mistook Jack for one of his workers. Jack didn't correct the mistake until Ross Edmonds, one of the festival organizers, started commenting to Lexi about her divorce. Jack saw the effect it had on her and stepped in, claiming that he and Lexi were an item. After a bit of back-and-forth conversation, Lexi agrees to a date with Jack. Dinner at the exclusive Sheen restaurant gives them a chance to get to know each other. The sparks between them are off the charts, but they agree that neither is interested in anything serious. Dating and having fun together, however, are something both are up for.
 
I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Jack and Lexi develop. The attraction between them deepens and grows as each discovers the other is not what they expected. Far from being the snooty socialite Jack expected, Lexi is down-to-earth, friendly, and easy to like. Rather than the playboy Lexi had heard about, Jack is fun, easy-going, and caring. Lexi tends to see the worst in herself, blaming herself for things that went wrong in her relationships. Jack's admiration of her goes a long way toward changing the way she sees herself.
 
The more time Jack and Lexi spend together, the deeper their feelings grow. There are some terrific scenes of them together, having fun and fanning the flames between them. It doesn't take long for Jack to realize he's ready to give up his playboy ways for a future with Lexi. But Lexi's inability to trust her judgment after two failed relationships makes it difficult for her to believe that she's ready for something more. I ached for Jack when he didn't get the response he hoped for and for Lexi when she let her fears come between them. I liked her sister's pep talk and how it helped Lexi see the truth of her feelings. I loved the ending and seeing Lexi go after what she wanted.
 
The secondary characters were an essential part of the story. I was not too fond of Lexi's dad at first, especially given his history with Jack. It seemed that he was more concerned with prestige and appearances than in progress. But as the book went on, I saw a different side of him, and in the end, he turned out to be pretty wonderful. I also liked Jack's sister, Angie. She's protective of Jack, and she initially disapproved of his relationship with Lexi. However, I enjoyed the scene at Angie's birthday party as she and Lexi bonded over their divorces.
 
As for the overarching theme of the series, the Soiree on the Bay festival, the planning continues. In earlier books, there is a feeling that something isn't quite right. That suspicion continues here with an unexpected financial problem. I have an idea who is behind it and can't wait to see if I am right. 

At the Rancher's Pleasure - Joss Wood (HD #2791 - Mar 2021)

Series: Texas Cattleman's Club: Heir Apparent (Book 2)
            Texas Cattleman's Club (Book 114)

He bailed on a wedding to the wrong woman, only to fall right into temptation's next trap
 
Runaway groom Brett Harston has long been the subject of town gossip -- and so has Sarabeth Edmonds, who's returned to Royal after leaving her hateful ex-husband. Soon an innocent kiss to rile the rumor mill unleashes a red-hot attraction they can't resist. Will the wealthy rancher fall hard -- or will she be the one to run this time?
 
Good book. Brett is once again at the center of a firestorm of gossip after breaking his engagement the day before the wedding. He can handle it for himself but feels guilty about hurting his ex-fiancée. He plans to lie low until the fuss dies down. Then he meets Sarabeth.
 
Sarabeth returned to Royal in the previous book, Back in the Texan's Bed, to repair her relationships with her adult children. Twenty years earlier, she left her cheating ex-husband, who promptly did everything he could to keep her from their children. Finally, Sarabeth gave up and moved to California, where she became a very successful businesswoman. Now she's renting Brett's guest cottage while she's in Royal.
 
I enjoyed the first meeting between Sarabeth and Brett. After initially mistaking her for a teenager, he then recognized her as Rusty's ex-wife. The last thing he expected or wanted was the intense attraction he felt for her. Sarabeth was equally attracted to him. The next day, as Sarabeth tried to work up the courage to drive into town and face the gossips, Brett impulsively joined her.  He claimed that the two most gossiped about people appearing together would blow up the gossip lines. When the first people they encountered were three of the worst gossips, Brett couldn't stand by and watch them insult her, so he kissed her, setting the stage for what was to come.
 
That kiss had a significant impact on both Sarabeth and Brett. They quickly decided that a friends-with-benefits arrangement was just what they needed. They are upfront with each other about their "no relationships" rules, happy to be on the same page. Neither one has a problem with the ten-year age difference between them. I loved that Sarabeth is independent and confident in who she is, having earned that confidence the hard way. Brett is a self-made man who overcame a rough childhood to become the respected rancher he is. Neither needs to prove anything to the other, making it easy for them to share activities equally.
 
Even though neither Sarabeth nor Brett is looking for a forever relationship, it isn't long before their fling deepens into something more. Neither one wants to admit it, even to themselves, and they try desperately to convince themselves they're imagining things. Sarabeth is especially wary, thanks to previous relationships. When a confrontation with her ex brings out Brett's protective instincts, Sarabeth blows up and breaks things off, accusing Brett of not believing in her. Brett was blindsided, hurt, and angry. Both were miserable apart. I loved Brett's conversation with his friend Jules, who pointed out that Brett was way past fling and into head-over-heels in love. Sarabeth got the same talk from her friend Jaynie and her daughter Gina. Just as it looks like they will take the time to talk out their problems, an unexpected crisis forces a delay. I loved seeing Sarabeth take charge and Brett go along with it. And when they finally had that talk, I loved seeing them both open up and be completely honest with each other. I hope that they make appearances in later books in the series to see how they do.
 
One of the things I enjoyed about this book was seeing Sarabeth stand up to Rusty. He spent their marriage putting her down and destroying her relationship with her kids after their divorce. I loved seeing what she accomplished with her life and even more knowing that Rusty has no clue. There was a terrific scene where Sarabeth, Ross, Charlotte, and Gina are dining together. Some back-and-forth ensues that gets Ross on all the ladies' bad sides before the conversation moves on. I loved when an offhand comment by Sarabeth eventually reveals exactly how successful she was in California. I loved the reactions, especially the desire to be there when Rusty finds out.

Back in the Texan's Bed - Naima Simone (HD #2785 - Feb 2021)

Series: Texas Cattleman's Club: Heir Apparent (Book 1)
            Texas Cattleman's Club (Book 113)

He's going to claim his child and the woman who got away…
Will they ever learn…
that giving in to desire is playing with fire?

After discovering he has a secret son, oil heir Ross Edmond isn't letting Charlotte Jarrett walk away again. He proposes they move in together—to share their son…and a bed. But Charlotte has secrets, and Ross doesn't know the real reason his family's former chef left town three years ago—and they still have a powerful enemy who could bring them both down…

Good second chance/enemies-to-lovers story. Three years earlier, Charlotte and Ross had a secret affair. She was the personal chef for the family, and he was the oldest son. Then Charlotte quit and moved to California with no explanation. Now she is back in Royal, and she isn't alone.

As the head chef of a new restaurant, Charlotte knows meeting the patrons is part of the job. However, she didn't bargain for seeing Ross again. Ross was equally stunned to see her, and more so when he learned she had a child. With unresolved feelings over her departure three years earlier, he showed up at her home the next day to confront her. He's furious when he finds out that she has a two-year-old son that looks just like him. Harsh words are exchanged and accusations hurled, but nothing is resolved before Charlotte has to leave for work. All that changes when she shows up at his office the next day.

Ross is still coldly furious with Charlotte but is determined to play a part in Ben's life. Charlotte neatly takes the wind out the sails of his fury when she explains exactly why he never knew about Ben. I ached for Ross as he faced the truth of his father's interference. I loved his insistence on being a real father to Ben and his obvious happiness in Ben's company. I liked that Charlotte didn't keep them apart, even though she worried about Ross's commitment.

I liked the rekindling of Ross and Charlotte's relationship. Neither one was happy that their attraction was as strong as ever. Charlotte wants to protect her heart from falling for the man who broke her heart once already. Ross doesn't trust that Charlotte won't walk away from him just as she did before. The circumstances become even more complicated and volatile when Ross insists they live together so that he can get to know Ben, a situation that infuriates Ross's father. I liked that Ross stood up to Rusty despite the rather drastic consequences. There are some emotional scenes as Charlotte witnesses Ross's hurt over Rusty's attitude. 

Though Ross is happier than he's ever been, his fear of Charlotte leaving again keeps him from admitting his growing feelings for her. At the same time, Charlotte's pride makes it impossible for her to be the first one to speak. Ross makes a boneheaded decision that brings back all of the pain of their past, devastating both of them all over again. It takes a blast from Ross's past to change his entire viewpoint and show him his mistakes. I loved what he did with the advice he got. A beautiful and public bit of groveling went a long way toward easing Charlotte's fears and giving her the confidence to confess her feelings.

I liked Ross's brother Asher and sister Gina though they didn't appear often. Each of them also has issues with their father, who treats them like crap. I loved their support for Ross and excitement at being uncle and aunt. Their father, Rusty, was another matter entirely. He is ruthless, selfish, arrogant, and just plain nasty.

I enjoyed the story and would have given it another star except for one thing. I have no problem with the occasional f-bomb if it is appropriate to the story. But there were 43 of them in this short book, most of them unnecessary, in my opinion. Ross is a smart man, and I'm sure he could find more creative language to use. If I were Charlotte, I'd keep a bar of soap handy, or she'll see it popping out of Ben's mouth too.