Category Archives: Sourcebook Casablanca

Review: One Texas Cowboy Too Many by Carolyn Brown

Title: One Texas Cowboy Too Many by Carolyn Brown
Burnt Boot, Texas Series Book Three
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Carolyn Brown’s New York Times and USA Today bestselling cowboys prove that love is bigger in Burnt Boot, Texas

She’s got too many cowboys on her hands
Leah Brennan has always been the good girl of the Brennan family, groomed to become the matriarch of the clan. When a dark-eyed, tattooed, ponytailed bad boy saunters into her life, Leah knows he’s off-limits-but his mesmerizing gaze makes her forget everything she used to think was important. As town-wide tension rises, Leah wonders if love really can conquer all…

And the whole town’s taking sides
When Rhett O’Donnell roars into Burnt Boot on a hot July evening, the first thing he sees is a beautiful blonde. She puts a little extra giddy-up in his heartbeat, but when Rhett’s desire throws him into the middle of a love triangle and a hundred-year-old feud, he realizes that winning his cowgirl’s heart will be a lot more complicated than he thought.

Review:

One Texas Cowboy Too Many is another zany installment in Carolyn Brown’s Burnt Boot, Texas series. In this third outing, good girl Leah Brennan falls for tattooed biker/cowboy Rhett O’Donnell, but will her Granny Mavis’s objections ruin their chance at happiness?

Growing up in the midst of the infamous Brennan/Gallagher feud, Leah never even considered acting on her longtime crush on Tanner Gallagher. Still quietly pining after the handsome cowboy, she is surprised by her unexpected attraction to Rhett, but she is even more astonished by her Granny’s reaction to the long haired cowboy. Knowing the time has come to break free from both the tension of the longstanding feud and her strong-willed, controlling grandmother, Leah takes the first of many steps to gain some long overdue independence.

Despite his outward appearance, Rhett is a kind-hearted man who is very loyal to his family. Wandering smack dab in the middle of the feud, he refuses to take sides and although he is falling for Leah, he encourages her to do what is best for her and her family. Although he is fully aware of Mavis’s dislike of him, Rhett is always a gentleman around her and he is always unfailingly polite whenever their paths cross. He is supportive of Leah without being overbearing and he pretty much takes all of the Brennan/Gallagher families’ scheming in stride.

Despite the Gallagher/Brennan family shenanigans, the relationship between Rhett and Leah is quite laid back and conflict free. While there is plenty of sexual tension between them, they take the time to get to know each other before giving in to their passion. Although Rhett and Leah fall in love in a very short amount of time, there is never any doubt that the emotion between them is genuine.

As with the first two books in the Burnt Boot, Texas series, the longstanding Brennan/Gallagher feud takes center stage, often overshadowing the budding romance between Rhett and Leah. The warring family’s antics are over the top and so outrageous that it becomes more tiresome than humorous. Equally frustrating are the matriarchs efforts to outdo one another and keep the war going instead of letting bygones be bygones. The younger generations are ready to leave the dispute behind but fear of enraging and/or disappointing their relatives leads them giving up (or sometimes hiding) friendships or romantic relationships.

With a cast of quirky but likable characters, plenty of folksy charm and a sweet, yet sensual romance, One Texas Cowboy Too Many is a wonderful addition to the Burnt Boot, Texas series. Old and new fans of Carolyn Brown are sure to enjoy this newest adventure starring the Gallagher/Brennan families.

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Filed under Burnt Boot Texas Series, Carolyn Brown, Contemporary, One Texas Cowboy Too Many, Rated B, Review, Romance, Sourcebook Casablanca

Review: Rock Me Two Times by Dawn Ryder

rock me twoTitle: Rock Me Two Times by Dawn Ryder
Rock Band Series Book One
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: C

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

First in Dawn Ryder’s sizzling new Rock Band series.

Rock star Syon Braden writes and plays the most extreme-and profitable-music from the depths of his shredded heart. He’s got a double platinum record, adoring fans, and success for his band Toxsin-but it’s what he can’t have that he craves. Custom leather designer Kate Napier has her sights set on success, and that means keeping irresistible rock stars like Syon out of her bed. The chance to tour with the band and provide them with a fantastic custom wardrobe is too major an opportunity to turn down. But immersion in the dark, wild world of Toxsin on tour means Kate’s about to get rocked…hard…body and soul.

Review:

Rock Me Two Times is the first installment in Dawn Ryder’s newest series, Rock Band. Fans of erotic romances starring bad boy rock stars are sure to enjoy this outing starring one of the band members and a custom leather designer.

Kate Napier is not at all happy when her business partner, Percy Lynwood, makes arrangements for her to make a last minute wardrobe repair for über popular rock group Toxsin. She is instantly attracted to hot band member and songwriter Syon Braden, but she has a strict no rock star rule. However, when presented with the opportunity to go on tour with the group, she cannot deny the publicity would do wonders for her business. Trying to keep her distance from Syon is virtually impossible, but will their relationship last once the tour ends?

Insta-lust flares between Kate and Syon right from their very first meeting which pretty much sets the tone for their passion fueled relationship. Syon is possessive, demanding and persistent while Kate wavers back and forth between sticking to her rules and giving in to her desire for him. Syon is intense and dedicated to his career but he can be overbearing when it comes to getting what he wants. His business sense is something Kate respects since she is equally serious about her own career. However, her previous relationship leaves her reluctant to become involved with another rock star but her attraction to Syon proves too powerful to resist. Not all the members of Toxsin are happy with their burgeoning romance and it soon becomes obvious someone is willing to go any lengths to sabotage Kate’s business association with the group.

While Rock Me Two Times has an interesting storyline, it unfortunately gets lost amongst the numerous sex scenes between Kate and Syon. The sex scenes are incendiary but the encounters eventually become repetitive. Regrettably, character development also suffers a bit as well and it is difficult to feel much of a connection to the main protagonists or the secondary characters.

Rock Me Two Times by Dawn Ryder is fast paced with plenty of smoking hot sex scenes. Fans of erotic romances are sure to enjoy this first installment in the Rock Band series.

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Filed under Contemporary, Dawn Ryder, Erotic, Rated C, Review, Rock Band Series, Rock Me Two Times, Romance, Sourcebook Casablanca

Review: Telling Tales by Charlotte Stein

tellingTitle: Telling Tales by Charlotte Stein
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Erotic, Romance, Ménage, M/F, M/M/F, M/F/M, Foursome
Length: 240 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

One Steamy Reunion
Back in college, Allie and her friends used to come up with the wildest stories. When a professor bequeaths his mansion to Allie and three other former students, it’s the chance they’ve all been looking for to get back together. But there’s more than friendship bubbling beneath the surface…

As secrets are revealed and relationships rekindled, the stories get dirtier and the stakes get higher. And now Allie’s realizes that she isn’t quite sure who she wants…fun-loving Wade or quiet, restrained Cameron. Neither has been honest about their feelings, and now they have the chance to act on all of the tales that ignite their most primal desires.

The Review:

Telling Tales is another scrumptiously steamy erotic novel by Charlotte Stein that I highly recommend to readers who like their romances on the naughty side. Voyeurism, threesomes, foursomes and a little D/s play-nothing is off limits as college friends Allie, Kitty, Cameron and Wade reunite and explore all of their sensual desires.

Throughout college, Allie, Kitty, Cam and Wade were close friends who entertained one another with their lusty tales. Allie kept her crush on Wade a closely guarded secret but she poured out her fantasies in her erotic stories. When the four meet again, Allie still desires Wade, but she finds herself captivated by quiet and unassuming Cameron. A startling encounter in the dead of night piques her curiosity and suddenly Allie is not sure which man she craves more…

Allie is the novel’s narrator so we experience firsthand her ambivalence about reuniting with her college pals. She is not very confident sexually and she is a little embarrassed about the stories she wrote years ago. Her conflicted feelings about Wade begin as soon as they meet again and although she is still drawn to him, it is Cam who catches her undivided attention. When the four renew their old hobby of reading sexually explicit stories aloud, the sexual tension between them quickly rises to a fever pitch.

Wade and Cam are at completely opposite ends of the spectrum and I loved watching them evolve throughout the story. Wade is not quite what Allie remembers or maybe it just a case of her crush clouding her perception of him. He is player-smooth and self-confident but arrogant when it comes to women. Cam is reserved and that saying about still waters running deep? Yeah, that aptly describes this gentle man. He is repressed and ashamed of his sexual fantasies but Allie pushes him way out of his comfort zone. Once she figures out what makes him tick, Cam is an enthusiastic participant in some pretty kinky but smoking hot sex scenes.

Their deepest, darkest fantasies are fully explored in sex scenes that are highly detailed and incredibly erotic. Dominant and submissive roles are fully explored and there is also a little bondage as well. While Kitty is an active participants in many of the scenes, there is only a brief amount of sexual interaction between her and Allie. However there is male/male penetration between Wade and Cam during the foursome scenes and while the women are also involved, one of them is usually a voyeur until they switch places.

Telling Tales is the second novel I have read by Charlotte Stein and while similar themes are explored in both, the storylines are quite distinct from one another. While the beginning of the novel is a bit uneven, I was quickly drawn into this fascinating story. It is a deeply sensual romance with depth and unexpected humor and although the romantic aspect is understated, there is never any doubt it is a love story in the making. Another outstanding novel by a true master in the erotic romance genre.

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Filed under Charlotte Stein, Contemporary, Erotic, M/F, M/F/M, M/M/F, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Sourcebook Casablanca, Sourcebooks, Telling Tales

Review: Surrender to Sultry by Macy Beckett

Title: Surrender to Sultry by Macy Beckett
Sultry Springs Series Book Three
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Leah McMahon is back in Sultry Springs, Texas to help her dad recover from surgery. But there’s a new sheriff in town and he’s none other than Colton Bea, the wild-as-weeds boy who stole her heart a decade earlier.

Colt’s a changed man, and the feelings between these high school sweethearts are stronger than ever. But Leah’s got a secret so devastating that he may never forgive her. Can she find a way to earn absolution and build a future with the sultry man she’s loved half her life?

The Review:

The final book in Macy Beckett’s divine Sultry Springs series, Surrender to Sultry is another laugh out romance that is heartwarming and a little poignant. A beautiful story of redemption and forgiveness, readers finally get the full story behind bad boy Colton “Colt” Bea’s and preacher’s daughter Leah McMahon’s ill-fated teenage romance.

In the previous books in the series, Colt is a hard-drinkin’, unrepentant, womanizing deputy who is still nursing a broken heart from his long ago romance with Leah. Two years after a one night stand ran him down and put him in the hospital with numerous broken bones Colt has cleaned up his act. Now a respectable Sheriff, he has a whole passel of regrets for his past misdeeds. At the top of the list is his remorse for the cruel high school prank he pulled on Leah. When Leah returns to Sultry to nurse her father back to health, Colt is determined to make amends with Leah and in the process, he hopes to win her back. Unbeknownst to Colt, Leah is harboring a secret that will destroy his trust in her and threaten their fledgling relationship.

Colt and Leah have a lot to overcome. Both made terrible decisions as teenagers and their choices continue to haunt them. Their reflections on their failed relationship provide valuable insight into their long ago actions. Colt is truly remorseful for hurting Leah and his unwavering attempts to apologize are heartfelt and quite moving. Given Leah’s background as a preacher’s daughter, it is easy to believe that she truly has forgiven Colt but she has good reasons for keeping him at arms’ length.

Colt finally works his way past Leah’s defenses, but she knows she has to confess the reason she left Sultry. But as she suspects, Colt does not take the news well. The resolution to this part of the storyline is beautifully handled with very little angst and while it does not happen overnight, it is wrapped up fairly quickly.

Macy Beckett’s Surrender to Sultry has plenty of down-home charm, sass and steam. It is a sexy and sweet second chance at love story that is sure to delight old and new fans of the Sultry Springs series. I have loved every book in the series and I highly recommend them to anyone who enjoys contemporary romances.

You can read my review of the other books in the series HERE.

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Filed under Contemporary, Macy Beckett, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Sourcebook Casablanca, Sourcebooks, Sultry Springs Series, Surrender to Sultry

Review: One Day in Apple Grove by C.H. Admirand

Title: One Day in Apple Grove by C.H. Admirand
Small Town U.S.A. Series Book Two
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 320 pages
Book Rating: B

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Welcome to Apple Grove, Ohio (pop. 597), a small town with a big heart.

Caitlin Mulcahy loves her family. She really does. But sometimes they can drive her to her last shred of sanity—from her dad (“I’m not meddling, I just want what’s best for you”) to her eight-months-pregnant older sister to her younger sister, who will do just about anything to avoid real work. Cait just needs to get away, even if for only an hour.

When she sees someone in need of help on the side of the road, of course she’s going to pull over. She might even be able to fix his engine—after all, the Mulcahy family is a handy bunch. She’s not expecting that former Navy medic Jack Gannon and a little black puppy named Jameson will be the ones who end up rescuing in her.

The Review:

One Day in Apple Grove is another charming installment in C.H. Admirand’s Small Town U.S.A. series. With the long hours Caitlyn Mulcahy is working in the family handyman business, she has little time for a personal life. But when she helps Jack Gannon rescue a stray puppy, she agrees to help him take care of the adorable canine. When they act on their mutual attraction, their close friendship quickly turns to love.

Jack and Cait both love living in Apple Grove. Jack’s service in the military satisfied his wanderlust while Cait has never had any desire to leave town. With his time in the service over, Jack returns to take over his retiring father’s medical practice. Jack is trying to adjust to the physical and emotional wounds from war while Cait is trying to juggle the demands of the family business with her personal dreams.

The relationship between Jack and Cait is relaxed and easygoing. Their transformation from friends to lovers occurs quickly but their emotions for one another ring true. Their conflicts are resolved relatively quickly with minimal angst in a realistic manner.

Many of the characters from A Wedding in Apple Grove makes guest appearances in One Day in Apple Grove. There is not as much interaction between Cait, Meg and Grace in this installment but Cait spends quite a bit of time with her dad, Joe. He provides Cait and Jack with some very insightful advice on one of the issues they are dealing with. Joe’s romance with Mary Murphy is still simmering on the back burner, but things seem to be heating up by the novel’s end.

A sweet but spicy addition to a heartwarming series that fans of homespun novels are sure to enjoy.

Read my reviews of the other books in the series HERE.

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Filed under C.H. Admirand, Contemporary, One Day in Apple Grove, Rated B, Review, Romance, Small Town USA Trilogy, Sourcebook Casablanca, Sourcebooks

Review: The Officer Breaks the Rules by Jeanette Murray

Title: The Officer Breaks the Rules by Jeanette Murray
Semper Fi Series Book Two
Publisher: Sourcebooks
Imprint: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

Some Rules Are Meant To Be Broken

He’s Ruled by Loyalty…

Every man knows that you don’t date your best friend’s little sister, but Captain Jeremy Phillips can’t seem to be convince Madison O’Shay to stay away. And he can’t convince himself to stop thinking about her, either.

She’s Ruled by Love…

Madison knows exactly what she wants…and whom. But she won’t give up her career in the Navy for any man, not even Jeremy.

They’re both about to learn that in the game of love, it’s all about breaking the rules.

The Review:

The Officer Breaks the Rules is the second installment in Jeanette Murray’s delightful Semper Fi series. Jeremy Phillips and Madison O’Shay’s are friends whose unexpected attraction to one another proves to be as irresistible as it is complicated.

Readers were first introduced to Madison and Jeremy in The Officer Says “I Do”, the romance between Tim O’Shay and Skye McDermott. Madison is Tim’s sister and Jeremy is Tim’s best friend. Madison and Jeremy share a very steamy kiss in the first book, but Jeremy’s loyalty to Tim causes him to back away from a relationship with Madison. In The Officer Breaks the Rules, Jeremy is determined to resist their attraction while Madison is equally determined to act on their passion.

Madison and Jeremy are vibrant, well rounded protagonists. Of the two, Jeremy is the more complex character. He is conflicted about his career in the Marines while Madison relishes her job as a nurse in the Navy. Madison is close to her parents, brother and sister-in-law whereas Jeremy’s relationship with his father is a little contentious.

The relationship between Jeremy and Madison is a continual push/pull with both characters fighting then giving in to their desire for one another. Jeremy is very reluctant to ruin his friendship with Tim by dating Madison. Madison has no reservations about their romance and she does not hesitate to try to overcome Jeremy’s objections to changing their relationship from friends to lovers.

A secondary storyline with Jeremy’s father adds further conflict to their burgeoning relationship. Jeremy is struggling to reconcile his need to fulfill his father’s dream versus his very real desire to change careers. Jeremy’s childhood experiences also come into play as he tries to make a decision about his future.

The Officer Breaks the Rules is a lovely romance that is quite engaging. Love does not come easy or lightly to this wonderful couple, but in the end, they do eventually find their happily ever after.

Jeanette Murray continues to tantalize readers of the Semper Fi series with intriguing glimpses of the developing relationship between Tim and Jeremy’s friend Dwayne and Skye’s cousin Veronica. I am looking forward to uncovering the secrets of Veronica’s mysterious past.

Read my reviews of the other novels in the Semper Fi series HERE.

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Filed under Contemporary, Rated B, Review, Romance, Semper Fi Series, Sourcebook Casablanca, Sourcebooks, The Officer Breaks the Rules