Book review: Big Sky Mountain by Linda Lael Miller

With his rugged good looks, vast wealth and family name, hell-raiser Hutch Carmody is still the golden boy of Parable, Montana. But he's done some growing up—making peace with his illegitimate half brother and inheriting half of Whisper Creek Ranch, which should have been all his. These days, Hutch knows there are some things money can't buy: like the heart of loving, ladylike divorcée Kendra Shepherd.


Kendra's quiet mansion reminds her of what she wants most—a devoted husband and the pitter-patter of little feet. She can't get Hutch Carmody out of her mind. But a rough-and-tumble cowboy like Hutch, coming home for family dinner? Seems crazy! Then again, crazier dreams have become reality under the vast Montana sky.

This is book 2 in Linda Lael Miller's latest  cowboy series. This book is about former lovers Hutch Carmody and Kendra Sheperd.  We get introduced to them in book 1 Big Sky Country. They have a past and their relationship ended after a series of miscommunication and trust issues. Kendra ended up married to another man and Hutch was left broken hearted. Kendra always thought that he didn't love her because he didn't fight for her. It all ended badly for Kendra when the man she married left her and then she found out he had a baby with another woman while married to her. He dies but not before asking Kendra to find and adopt the girl which of course she does. Both Hutch and Kendra have issues from when they were kids that gave them problems with trust. This is what led to their relationship falling apart. Now both are trying to face those demons. This story is about Hutch and Kendra both finding their way to each other. I loved how Kendra takes Madison in and adopts her and Hutch loves her right away too and accepts her even knowing who her dad was. Hutch got me pretty quick. For all his faults the man has a big heart and he lets it show. The beginning of this book was actually kind of boring for me and didn't really pick up til after i got about 1/4 of the way through. From then on I enjoyed it. I look forward to seeing how the next book in the series plays out with Sheiff Boone Taylor and his neighbor Tara Kendall ( city girl turned chicken farmer) . We've been getting peeks at them in both books so far. Looks like it will be a fun and interesting book. Linda always gets some of the best covers for her cowboys and this one definitely follows suit. 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars for Big Sky Mountain by Linda Lael Miller.

Find out more about this book and Linda Lael Miller other work on her website here www.lindalaelmiller.com

Book Review: Until there was you by author Kristan Higgins

UNTIL THERE WAS YOU

October 25, 2011
Available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon and Indiebound.

Posey Osterhagen can't complain. She owns a successful architectural salvaging company, she's surrounded by her loveable, if off-center, family and she has a boyfriend—sort of. Still, something's missing. Something tall, brooding and criminally good-looking...something like Liam Murphy.

When Posey was sixteen, the bad boy of Bellsford, New Hampshire, broke her heart. But now he's back, sending Posey's traitorous schoolgirl heart into overdrive once again. She should be giving him a wide berth, but it seems fate has other ideas...

This was such a good book. I laughed i cried it had it all. Liam Declan Murphy. The name sounds sexy doesn't it. The man is too. Liam had a terrible childhood but a good heart he kept hidden for the most part. Posey got to see glimpses of it when they were young and still in high school. She has a huge crush on Liam but Liam fell for another girl and fell hard.  He broke Posey's heart with some nasty comments about her when she thought that they were at least friends. Fast forward years later and Liam is back in town with his 15 year old daughter and a now a widower. Posey is still struck by him but she is older and wiser and no ones sucker anymore. Liam has changed a lot too. Because of his wife's sickness and death and a near brush with his motorcycle he is now prone to terrible panic attacks and OCD it seems. He is over the top protective of his little girl because he is afraid of losing her and he feels she is the only thing he ever did that was good in his life. Little by little though Liam starts to see who Posey is. He likes her. She's different. Posey is wary but interested and then hell, she falls in love.  Then a series of bad things happen that throws Liam into a bit of a tail spin and he throws it all away. Now what? This book had great characters. A few i wanted to slap silly a few dozen times but real and believable. I seriously did alot of laughing and i usually didn't see that coming when i did. Yeah, yeah i cried a bit too. Sigh..... lol The end was just to damn sweet. The last line really got me. This is my 2nd Kristan Higgins book and the best of the two so far. I love love loved Posey. I could totally be friends with a woman like that. Lots of sass and loyalty. 5 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars. To find out more about this book and Kristan Higgins other books and read a excerpt click here kristanhiggins.com

Book Review: Already Home by author Susan Mallery

I received this book through netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

If you've read my reviews most everyone knows i am a fan of Susan Mallery. This book came out in April and i was interested but wary to read it. I'll tell you why. lol Susan herself said on her Facebook page this was not like the other contemporary romances she's done. This one would make you tear up and possibly cry a bit. It's more serious that her usual stuff. I tend to shy away from that stuff because i like to laugh with my contemporary romance and i like to not have to feel quite that much emotion reading. If you get my meaning.I finally got down to business and read it this week and wow she was right it was emotional but it still had those funny moments i like so much.

From Susan Mallery
ALREADY HOME is one of the most emotional stories I’ve ever written, a story of a woman who learns to open her heart and, in the process, discovers that love doesn’t wait for an invitation. Jenna Stevens is still reeling from a recent divorce and recuperating from wounds inflicted by a husband who belittled her at every opportunity. A classically trained chef, Jenna no longer believes she’s capable of the leaps of creativity that once won her praise from her instructors and from food critics, so she moves back to her hometown in Texas to open a retail cooking store.


Just as Jenna’s settling into her new career and beginning to feel like she’s on even ground, her birth mother barrels her way into Jenna’s life. Jenna doesn’t want or need a second mother, especially a vegan mother named Serenity who would have named her Butterfly. But while Serenity listens to signs from the Universe, she easily ignores Jenna telling her to go away. With gentle but insistent pressure, she will find a way to open Jenna’s heart.

And once the heart is open, anything can happen!

That really explains the book very well. I struggled with what i thought all the way through. It's not predictable at all. Some books you can kind of guess where it's going but really i didn't get much of a hint until i was far into the book and even then i wasn't sure. The characters are very well fleshed out and i became attached with all of them. My favorite is Dragon who in the book is Jenna biological brother. I'd love to read a follow up to this book on his and Violet (Jenna's friend)story. Even in a Novella if necessary. This was a very enjoyable book with alot of emotional but also some humorous moments to make you laugh. I give Already Home 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick stars. Read more about this book and Susan Mallery's other books including her latest series Fools Gold by going to her website http://www.susanmallery.com/. You can find her on Facebook and Twitter as well.