Book review: Summer He Came home (Bad Boys of Crystal Lake #1) by Juliana Stone

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Sometimes the best place to find love is right back where you started…

Falling asleep in a different bed every night has made it easy for Cain Black to forget his past. It’s been ten years since he packed his guitar and left Crystal Lake to chase his dreams. Now tragedy has forced him home again. And though Cain relishes the freedom of the road, one stolen moment with Maggie O’Rourke makes him wonder if he’s missing out on something bigger than fame.

For Maggie—single mother and newly settled in Crystal Lake—love is a luxury she just can’t afford. Sure, she appreciates the tall, dark and handsome looks of prodigal son Cain Black. But how long can she expect the notorious hellion to stay?

The last thing either of them wants is something complicated. But sometimes love has its own plans.

They were the four bad boys of Crystal Lake, Michigan growing up. Now they're together again to bury one of their own. Cain Black was the rocker of the group. He left years ago to pursue that dream never thinking he would come back finally to attend a funeral of one of his best friends. First thing he does is meet Maggie's son and then her.  He is intrigued by her. She's kind of a mystery to her since no one seems to know much about her history. Cain also reunites with the two remaining bad boys, Mac and Jake. Jesse was the other one and he was Jake's twin brother and whose funeral they are home for)  Maggie is really reluctant to let Cain in through the whole book. Slowly he wins her over and her son falls much easier. Maggie has some pretty deep secrets and slowly she tells Cain more about herself and opens herself up. Not a easy thing for her to do. Things go horribly wrong at one point and it takes a lot to get a good ending. First thing i liked about this book is that is takes place in Michigan where i was born and raised and now live so i knew several of the places mentioned in the book.   I liked all the characters. They weren't perfect, they were very real and flawed.  The story was well paced. There were parts of the book that were so intense i was holding my breath a bit reading. You get a glimpse into all the secondary characters coming in the next couple books but the emphasis is still on the main couple. Great start to a new series! 5 out of 5 stars for Summer He Came Home by Juliana Stone.

Find out more about this series and author Juliana Stone here www.julianastone.com

Book review: Big Sky Country (Swoon Worthy Cowboys book 1) by Linda Lael Miller

Releases May 29th

The illegitimate son of a wealthy rancher, Sheriff Slade Barlow grew up in a trailer hitched to the Curly-Burly hair salon his mother runs. He was never acknowledged by his father…until now. Suddenly, Slade has inherited half of Whisper Creek Ranch, one of the most prosperous in Parable, Montana. That doesn't sit well with his half brother, Hutch, who grew up with all the rights of a Carmody—including the affections of Joslyn Kirk, homecoming queen, rodeo queen, beauty queen, whom Slade has never forgotten.


But Joslyn is barely holding her head up these days as she works to pay back everyone her crooked stepfather cheated. With a town to protect, plus a rebellious teenage stepdaughter, Slade has his hands full. But someone has to convince Joslyn that she's responsible only for her own actions—such as her effect on this lawman's guarded heart.

Seems like it's been a while since a new Linda Lael Miller came out. This is book 1 of her new series. I am a sucker for cowboys and Linda Lael Miller writes some darn good cowboy romances. Back in high school Slade Barlow was the poor boy, the outsider and unclaimed child of a very rich man (John Carmody).Slade and his mom had to struggle to survive. Joslyn on the other had was a rich kid who had everything. Big house fancy car when she turned 16 popular and dating Slade half brother Hutch. Slade always had a thing for Joslyn but at the time she only had eyes for Hutch. Years later Slade is now the sheriff and his father has passed away but finally claims him in his will  leaving him half of his huge ranch to him and half to Hutch. The two brothers have never gotten along and now it's either figure out a truce or things get even more difficult. Joslyn is back too. She left town years ago when it was discovered her step dad was running a scam and bilked friends and family out of a lot of money. He's died in prison now but Joslyn has felt guilt over the whole thing for years even though she was a kid and it wasn't her fault. She has worked for years for a way to repay all his victims. Finally feeling like she's done that. People have been getting checks and they don't realize it's actually come from her. To that end she's pretty much broke. She comes home for closure and to be with her friend Kendra who is having a hard time personally right now.  You've got the thing going on between Joslyn and Slade, Hutch and Slade banging on each other over the ranch and the mystery with Kendra and the man she was married to and the attraction between her and Hutch.  Throw in Slade's 16 year old ex step daughter who comes to stay with him and there is a lot going on. You only gets bits and pieces of some things that will be eventually  addressed I'm sure in the next couple of books. It's a fun book but not in my opinion as good and some of Linda Lael Miller's other books. I just didn't feel as excited as i have reading some of her previous books. I'm hoping book two will come out stronger and i can get that feeling back. 3 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars for Big Sky Country by Linda Lael Miller.

Find out more about this book and Linda Lael Miller's other work here.www.lindalaelmiller.com

Book review: The Last Boyfriend (Book 2 The Inn Boonsboro series) by Nora Roberts

On sale May 1, 2012.



"Owen is the organizer of the Montgomery clan, running the family’s construction business with an iron fist—and an even less flexible spreadsheet. And though his brothers bust on his compulsive list-making, the Inn BoonsBoro is about to open right on schedule. The only thing Owen didn’t plan for was Avery McTavish...

Avery’s popular pizza place is right across the street from the inn, giving her a first-hand look at its amazing renovation—and a newfound appreciation for Owen. Since he was her first boyfriend when they were kids, Owen has never been far from Avery’s thoughts. But the attraction she’s feeling for him now is far from innocent.

As Avery and Owen cautiously take their relationship to another level, the opening of the inn gives the whole town of Boonsboro a reason to celebrate. But Owen’s hard work has only begun. Getting Avery to let down her guard is going to take longer than he expected—and so will getting her to realize that her first boyfriend is going to be her last…" - Penguin Group


This is the 2nd book in a new trilogy by Nora Roberts. The Inn Boonsboro series has been partly about the reconstruction of a old Inn in the town of Boonsboro. It has served at a backdrop to the series with a mystery inside it's walls. There is a ghost inside the Inn that makes herself known to the oldest brother Beckett and Clare's little boy Murphy in the first book. In the second book she makes herself known to Owen and Hope although Avery also tries talking with her. You get a bit more of the puzzle of the ghost Lizzie in book 2. By book three we should find all the answers to that mystery but so far it's been very interesting. This also happens to be Owen and Avery's book. Owen was Avery's very first boyfriend when she was only 5 years old and Owen was 8. All these years there two family's have been close and the Montgomery boys have always watched out for Avery especially Owen. Right from the beginning they love each other but they now have to decide if they should take that love to the next level. Owen likes things in order and makes lists for everything and is very organized while Avery is a bit more fly by the seat of her pants. Therefore the her issues with her mother abandoning her as a child cause some problems with their relationship they have to get through. Owen is patient and loving and supportive along either Avery's friends and help her get through it. This is not a fiery romance but i enjoyed it all the same. Sometimes a relaxed but intense love is just the ticket. You get quite a bit of fire between Hope and Ryder anyway. I love how you get peaks into Hope and Ryder's interactions and where that might lead to in book 3. You also get Beckett and Clare's house building and wedding and a surprise with them as well. The whole book is a family affair with the Mongomery's mom and their aunt too. It was a fun book that i really enjoyed and felt was very romantic. Interested in how Nora Roberts will ties up the series in the next and last book and what's going to happen with the ghost. 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars for Nora Roberts "The Last Boyfriend".

Find out more about the book on Nora Roberts website here www.noraroberts.com