Blame It on the Cowboy - Delores Fossen (HQN - Oct 2016)

Series: McCord Brothers (Book 3)

Every cowboy has a wild side -- all it takes is the right woman to unleash it…

All of Logan McCord's carefully laid plans erupt the day he walks in on his would-be fiancée getting…well, not so carefully laid. Tonight, just once, Logan is acting on instinct. And that instinct is telling him to say "Happy to oblige" to the cute stranger looking for a no-strings fling with a Texas cowboy.

When chef Reese Stephens made her bucket list, she mistakenly thought she had weeks to live. Not that she regrets her one-night-stand with the gorgeous rancher. But she does regret leaving an heirloom watch as a parting gift. Tracking Logan down is easy. Walking away again is another matter. Because Reese's crazy past and Logan's battered heart are no match for the kind of chemistry that could turn one night into the start of a passionate lifetime.

Terrific  conclusion to the McCord Brothers series. This is the story of Logan, the oldest brother (by a few minutes). In previous books we have seen him as the serious, conservative, rather stick-in-the-mud brother, who keeps tight control of his emotions. He's had a long relationship with a woman named Helene, who he sees as the perfect accompaniment to his well-planned future. At the beginning of this book he is ready to propose marriage to her, and enlist the help of his family to make it memorable. Which it is, but not in the way he expected, as they walk in on her having sex with a clown. Stunned by what happened, he escapes to San Antonio with the express intention of getting drunk enough to forget what he saw. There he meets a woman with her own agenda for the night.

Reese has recently been given a diagnosis that led her to believe she only has weeks to live. Determined to live it up while she can, she makes a bucket list of things she wants to do, one of which is a fling with a hot cowboy. The stranger in the bar fits the description perfectly and she makes him an offer he can't refuse. After a night of passion, she leaves him her prized possession, her grandfather's pocket watch, as a thank you, only to discover later that she isn't going to die after all.  Now she has to try to find that cowboy and get her watch back.

The encounter between Reese and Logan after she arrives in Spring Hill is hilarious. Logan is with Lucky, his twin brother, leaving Reese unsure which brother she slept with. Logan, of course, recognizes her right away, but is extremely suspicious of her presence. He is determined to find out what she wants and get her out of town before their connection is discovered. Reese is more than willing to agree, but discovers that circumstances are working against both of them.

I loved seeing the relationship develop between these two opposites. Logan is the uptight, plan everything to the nth degree man, while Reese is a fly by the seat of her pants woman who doesn't stay anywhere for very long. Both of them also have some serious baggage holding them back. Logan lost his parents when he was nineteen and blames himself for arriving at the accident scene too late to save them. Reese is the daughter of two con artists who used her in their schemes until she was old enough to resist. She also feels responsible for the death of an abusive ex-boyfriend. Logan goes from suspicion to protectiveness as he sees her accosted by someone from her past. He realizes he doesn't really want her to leave town, but he's not so sure about a relationship with her either. However, he can't deny the attraction. Reese can't deny the attraction either, but feels that sticking around will only bring trouble Logan's way. She doesn't want her presence in his life to cause problems for him. I loved the ending as Logan sees that Reese gives him what is missing in his life. Their return to the San Antonio bar where they met is sweet, romantic and steamy.

There was so much going on that there was never a dull moment. Logan had to deal with the gossip about his breakup with Helene, and then with her return. Reese had to face multiple issues from her past showing up in Spring Hill, including her con artist mother. There are attempts to blackmail both Reese and Logan. The merry-go-round of who is blackmailing who and why is hysterical, as is the final resolution of the various attempts. I loved seeing the always on the straight and narrow Logan out con the con artists with the help and support of his family and friends. I also loved Reese's friend Jimena and her protectiveness toward Reese. Her colorful threats were fun as well as direct and to the point. I'd love to see her get her own story.

Lone Star Nights - Delores Fossen (HQN - June 2016)

Series: McCord Brothers (Book 2)

No strings attached is pretty much Lucky McCord's calling card in Spring Hill, Texas, but when family is on the line, this cowboy's honor and heart are about to get lassoed, tied and branded

Every family needs its black sheep, and Austin "Lucky" McCord is happy to oblige. The bad-boy bull rider lives fast and loose, until his business partner leaves him an unexpected bequest. Suddenly Lucky is sharing custody of two children with Cassie Weatherall, one of the few homegrown women he hasn't bedded. And not from lack of trying…

Cassie fled her messy past to become a celebrity therapist in LA. So why does it feel so right to come back and share parenting duties -- and chrome-melting kisses -- with a man she's striven to avoid? Loving Lucky always seemed like a sure bet for heartache. But for this perfectly imperfect family, Cassie might just gamble with everything she's got.

Good book. Emotional, funny, and sexy. Lucky is a rodeo bull rider and lives the free and easy life. He is quite the ladies' man. The book opens with Lucky at the bedside of his friend and business partner Dixie Mae. Besides being his partner in a successful business, she has been like a mother to him since his own passed away. Her death hits him hard, as does the surprise she has waiting for him in her will.  He has been given joint custody of two children, along with Dixie Mae's granddaughter, Cassie. Cassie left Spring Hill as soon as she could, escaping from a less than ideal childhood. She has become a therapist to the rich and famous in LA. But she drops it all to come home and fulfill her grandmother's dying request.

Lucky and Cassie are shocked to be paired together in the guardianship of the two girls. Lucky had a huge crush on Cassie when they were in school, but she wouldn't give him the time of day. He always thought she disapproved of his wild ways. Cassie avoided him in high school because she always sensed that he could easily derail her plans to get away, and she didn't want to take that chance.

I loved the pairing of Lucky and Cassie. Both of them have issues that keep them from believing that they deserve to be happy. Lucky carries an immense amount of guilt over the deaths of his parents, believing that he is responsible for what happened to them. Cassie is suffering from panic attacks, brought on by her feelings of guilt over the death of one of her clients. In letters to each of them, Dixie Mae has tasked them with showing the other that their guilt is misplaced.

Neither Lucky nor Cassie believes that they are the right people to care for two young girls, but both step up to the plate to do so. At first they are determined to find the next of kin, someone better qualified to take care of the girls, but quickly find themselves growing attached. Though neither thinks they have what it takes, it was really sweet to see how they bond with the girls. Four year old Mia wiggles into their hearts with her cuteness and belief in the magic she expects from them. Thirteen year old MacKenzie tugs at their hearts with the tough girl exterior that hides a vulnerable heart. I especially loved seeing Lucky have to deal with a teenage girl who was so much like him (though he refused to see it). It was really great to see his protective instincts kick in when MacKenzie started having boy problems. I ached for them as they prepared to give up the girls to their aunt.

I loved seeing the relationship develop between Cassie and Lucky. He is a love them and leave them guy, keeping all relationships very shallow. He doesn't quite know how to deal with it when he finds that what he experiences with Cassie is more than just lust. I loved seeing him deal with unexpected jealousy when her ex-boyfriend showed up. Cassie knew from the beginning that her heart was in jeopardy. At first she tried resisting his advances, but it was a losing battle. It was fun to see her decide to just go with it, accept that she'd get her heart broken, and enjoy whatever time she had with him. She didn't expect to actually fall in love with him. I loved her courage in declaring her feelings, and how she made him work to actually win her in the end.

There were fun places that lightened the serious moments. Cassie's grief at the loss of her grandmother, and having to deal with her scumbag father, were countered by the great cat caper. I also loved the way that Dixie Mae knew her son so well, and left him the "inheritance" that he so deserved. It was also pretty amusing to see Lucky have to deal with the consequences of his reputation with the various women that he encountered, at the same time that he was trying to deal with his feelings for Cassie. I also loved seeing him deal with his "fatherly" feelings when he came to MacKenzie's rescue.

Secondary characters were also well done. Cassie's father was definitely one that was easy to dislike, with his entitled attitude. Csssie's ex, Andrew, was another one to dislike. His condescending attitude toward Lucky made him seem quite the snob. I also hated his attitude toward Cassie, and was really glad when she finally developed enough backbone to stand up to him. But my favorites were Mia, MacKenzie and Dixie Mae.  Dixie Mae was rough around the edges, blunt, but also loved deeply. I really enjoyed her legacies to everyone, and her beyond the grave meddling. Mia and MacKenzie were wonderful. I liked seeing the changes they went through, thanks to the love and attention they received from Cassie and Lucky. MacKenzie was especially appealing with her teenage attitude. I could see the trouble coming her way with her "relationship" with Brody.

I liked seeing the other members of the family, especially Logan. We learned a little more about how his parents' death affected him. I am looking forward to reading his story.