Book review: Flirting with Texas (Deep in the Heart of Texas #5) by Katie Lane

Available July 30th 2013
YOU'RE A LONG WAY FROM HOME, COWGIRL

On her own in the Big Apple, Jenna Jay Scroggs can handle herself when trouble arises. But when she tries to rescue a horse, the passionate do-gooder ends up on a runaway Central Park carriage ride with a hunky stranger. With his sexy drawl and well-worn Levis, Beauregard Cates is doing his darnedest to make Jenna homesick for the small western town she's spent years trying to forget. And it's working: She's dangerously close to falling head over boot heels for the rugged rodeo star with hair the color of moonshine.

Beau came to the big city to escape his past and live life to the fullest. Yet the leggy blonde with eyes as blue as a western sky causes a real hitch in his giddy-up. So when the well-meaning folks of Bramble plot to bring Jenna home, Beau will need to convince her that she won't ever get Texas out of her blood - or one good-time, ever-lovin' cowboy out of her heart.

This is the 5th book in the Deep in the Heart of Texas series. I think you can read this as a stand alone but you might want to at least read the blurbs of the other books to help you connect the characters if you haven't read any of the previous books. I have not read them all but that didn't take away from the enjoyment when reading this.  Jenna Jay is a kick ass kind of Texas girl transplanted in New York City for a while. Beau is there looking her up so Miss Minnie can invite her to the Hen House. A place he owns. A funny series of events lead them to meet and not long after they are both kidnapped by a couple of the citizens of Bramble Texas to take them home. Jenna had a disagreement with her parents on her choice of boyfriend and left town for NY and the folks of Bramble want her back so she can make up with her family.  Next thing you know Beau and Jenna are mixed up together at the Hen House and the possible mystery about Jenna's background. Beau had a fight with cancer before and when it became a possibility that the cancer was back he took off and has wandered around for 2 years.   Although all kind of problems come up either between the two of them or other things both Jenna and Beau keep coming back to each other. This was a fun book. Katie Lane brings humor to her characters with her fun dialogue and good ole boy attitudes.  Some of the town folk can get on your last nerve but that's what small town can be like and everyone accepts that for what it is.  Very enjoyable read if you like your cowboys and kick ass heroines. 4 out of 5 for Flirting with Texas by Katie Lane.


Find out more about this series and Katie Lane here www.katielanebooks.com

Trouble in Texas (Deep in the Heart of Texas #4) by Katie Lane

THERE'S A FOX IN THE HENHOUSE

Inheriting the most notorious house of ill repute in Texas can spell trouble for a girl's reputation . . . especially when she's Elizabeth Murphy, Bramble's prim and proper librarian. Yet when she discovers a buck-naked cowboy handcuffed to a four-poster bed, she forgets all about the town gossips. Elizabeth has sworn off men, but the stranger's kisses melt her resolve faster than ice cream on a hot summer day.

Waking up in Miss Hattie's Henhouse isn't how Brant Cates reckoned on getting to the bottom of his great-granddaddy's murder. The plan was to solve the centuries-old crime, then get the heck out of Dodge. But after meeting Elizabeth and discovering that the buttoned-up beauty is a sexy siren in disguise, he just can't pull himself away. 

Now Brant needs Elizabeth to finally put his past to rest, but is she willing to risk her future on Bramble's newest bad boy?

This is maybe my 2nd Katie Lane book. I did not read the previous books in this series but that didn't bother me and didn't seem to effect the telling of the story.  Sexy Brant Cates is the oldest surviving brother of the Cates family. He feels there is a curse hounding his family. He thought it was kind of silly until his wife and young child died after a tornado came through and destroyed his home and his life. Now  he's decided to investigate the murder of his great grandfather and that leads him to the Miss Hattie's Henhouse. Elizabeth recently inherited the henhouse but she doesn't want it. She's led a buttoned up maiden type of life. She doesn't know what to do with Brant but being around him infuriates her and arouses her at the same time.  The Prologue starts out in with Brant's great grandfathers murder. There is no real clues given there but it to set the mind for later i think.  I enjoyed this book. Had a lot going for it. humor, romance and intrigue and secrets as well. Just enough of everything to balance out.  I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun romantic read with lots of laughs. 4 out of 5 stars for Trouble in Texas by Katie Lane.

Find out more here www.katielanebooks.com

Book review: Hunk for the Holidays by Katie Lane

Hunk for the Holidays

As vice president of her family’s construction company, Cassie McPherson always puts business before pleasure. That might explain why she doesn’t have a date for the company Christmas party. But it doesn’t quite explain why she’s crazy enough to hire an escort for the event or—crazier still—why she’s dying to unwrap him like a present . . .

With whiskey-colored eyes and a killer smile, James is one gorgeous hunk who really knows how to fill out a tuxedo. He charms everyone—including Cassie. And when the night ends, the party doesn’t stop. As Cassie falls, literally, into his bed, James falls head over heels in love. Now he has to figure out a way to tell her the truth: he’s not an escort. He’s her family’s fiercest business rival. But all he wants for Christmas is her . . .

This is actually my first Katie Lane book. The blurb sounded fun and i have heard good things about Katie Lane books so i was excited to read this.The McPherson's have a big construction company in which all the family work. Cassie is the Vice President but really a glorified account by her own words. It's not what she wants to do but as the only girl in the family her overprotective dad wants her in a safe place so she's stuck. James Sutton is the the McPherson's biggest rival right now so he's basically public enemy number one where they are concerned. Cassie is a workaholic and doesn't even really want to take time off for the company Christmas party which means she has no time for dating either. Usually she hires a escort to go to social events. This way she doesn't have to show up alone and well meaning family and friends can't try to set her up with a really great guy that they know. This time though it's James who shows up at her door. Cassie's dad is the one who invites him to the office and then they are supposed to do to the company Christmas party.His chance to size him up. He can't make it though. Unfortunately Cassie doesn't know this nor does she know what James looks like. She mistakes him for her escort and he doesn't correct her and this is where the fun begins. This was a really fun book. There are a lot of really great funny lines that will make you laugh out loud. Both James and Cassie have relationship hang ups but fall for each other anyway. The book was a little long for me though at 352 pages. Here and there it drags just a little bit. I loved all the characters though. Cassie and her brothers are fun even though sometimes Cassie seems a bit clueless. James is great though. I liked him the best. Nice romance that just happens to be at Christmas time. 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars for Hunk for the Holiday's by Katie Lane.


Find out more about Katie Lane, this book and her other work here on her website www.katielanebooks.com

Book review: A Small Town Christmas by Jill Shalvis, Hope Ramsay Katie Lane

Available now from Amazon and Barnes and Noble for $2.99


Three heartwarming holiday stories


to prove that love is the greatest gift of all

Kissing Santa Claus by Jill Shalvis

NASCAR driver Logan Perrish returns to Lucky Harbor, Washington, with love in his heart and a ring in his pocket. But can Sandy Jansen forget the past and give him a second chance? Or will Logan be spending another Christmas alone?


I'll Be Home for Christmas by Hope Ramsay

After ignoring the advice of Miz Miriam Randall, local matchmaker, Annie Roberts expects another hum drum holiday in Last Chance, South Carolina. But when a stray cat arrives in the arms of Army sergeant Matt Jasper, a calico named Holly just may be the best matchmaker of all.

O Little Town of Bramble by Katie Lane

All Ethan Miller wants for Christmas is to celebrate in Bramble, Texas, with family and friends. But when his childhood neighbor, Samantha Henderson, comes home for the holiday, Ethan realizes that the girl-next-door could be the girl of his dreams.

This is a real quick read. Good for taking with you to appointments when you have some time to read. With three shorter stories you can get through each one pretty quick. Very Christmas spirited but not overly so you could choke. lol If you read Jill Shalvis' Lucky Harbor series her story Kissing Santa Claus takes place in Lucky Harbor when Logan Perrish gets wise and comes back to get Sandy the town clerk he whirlwind loved and left behind months ago. He's going to have to work hard to get her to believe in him. Being Santa Claus might help. Funny and fun and sweet. A+ for this one. The second story is I'll be home for Christmas by Hope Ramsay she writes a series called Last Chance and this is part of that i believe. Matt Jasper shows up in town freshly out of the Army after years of service with a gift for a old Army buddies grandmother. He tells himself he's friend wanted his grandmother to have the present and he is just making sure that happens ( friend is deceased) In reality his friend Nick had told Matt all about his hometown and growing up there and his ex-girlfriend he never got over. He finds himself staying at her house and hanging out with her decorating and doing Christmas stuff. He has feeling for Annie his friends ex girlfriend but he has doubts as to his welcome in this town too. This was a touching slightly sad story with a happy ending. Very nice. I give is a B. The last one is called O Little Town of Bramble by Katie Lane. This was was fun too. Some of the characters seemed familiar to me although i know i have not read this author before. Then i remembered i have her last two releases on my TBR pile that i won from another blog. I had read the back pack blurbs and knew i wanted to read them. I will be doing that soon too. Ethan is 30 and has put off his life pretty much for 2 reasons. His parents farm. He felt he needed to stay and help out especially after his dad fell and got hurt. He was a little afraid. Yup he was a bit nervous to go off to college so he put it off and never did get to go. Now his parents announce that since he didn't use the college fund money he didn't even know he had, that they are going to move to the beach and let him have the farm. Top that off with the girl next door he grew up with a loved like a sibling is back for Christmas and newly graduated veterinarian which was his dream. Lots of stuff for one body to deal with until he figures out that maybe what he felt for the girl next door wasn't sibling love but something else. Cute and funny Christmas story. Make you want to know more about the other characters as well. I give it a A. As a whole i give A Small Town Christmas 4 out of 5 stars. A nice Christmas read anyone can enjoy.

Find out more about the authors from the links below.
www.hoperamsay.com
www.jillshalvis.com
www.katielanebooks.com