The Tycoon's Proposal - Shirley Jump (HSE #2435 - Oct 2015)

Series: Barlow Brothers (Book 3)

This Barlow Brother Always Gets What He Wants

Mac Barlow never met a deal he couldn't make. But this corporate shark just hit a gorgeous roadblock. Mac will do anything to acquire Savannah Hillstrand's struggling solar energy company -- even return to Stone Gap and face down a shattering secret in his family's past. Just one problem: the breathtaking blonde refuses to sell.

Determined to save her father's legacy, Savannah makes Mac an offer he can't refuse. He'll show her how to turn her business around. If she fails, the company is his. Instead, it's Savannah who's changing the way the hunky, buttoned-up CEO sees the bottom line…and is in danger of losing her heart. Can she help Mac reconcile with his past and claim a future with the irresistible Barlow bachelor?

Good book. Mac came home to Stone Gap for three reasons. The first was to attend his brother Jack's wedding (The Homecoming Queen Gets Her Man). The second is to face his father with a family secret. And the third is to buy Savannah's solar energy company. He's hoping that talking to her face-to-face will finally convince her to sell. 

Savannah is determined to hang on to her father's company. She can't imagine selling the company her father worked so hard to build to someone who will resell it or break it apart. So she convinces Mac to help her make it work, and if she doesn't succeed she'll sell it to him.

When Mac arrived he was one driven man. Though he's there for his brother's wedding, his desire to buy Savannah's company is at the front of his mind. He can't understand why she doesn't take the money he's offered and run with it. I loved how he had a picture of her in his mind, and was so surprised when he met her. He is so focused on the bottom line that her view of the company as a family is something he doesn't understand. He's not sure how she talked him into helping her, but as they spend time together his attitude begins to change and he starts to see more than just the money. I loved seeing how her personal touch and the balance in her life helped him see what he was missing. 

Savannah has her own issues that she is dealing with. She promised her father that she would keep the company going, but she doesn't know how. She knows that she's in trouble, but doesn't want to give in and sell. She would much rather be renovating houses, which is her real passion. I loved her determination and the way that she doesn't let Mac walk all over her. It was fun to see her pull him out of business mode and show him that there's more to life.

The attraction between them was quick and intense. Both fought it hard because neither believed that anything could come of it. The more time they spent with each other the deeper their connection grew. I loved seeing how being around Savannah brought out the softer side of Mac, something he had forgotten he had. The scene with the birdhouse really showed the type of man he could be. But before he could have the life that could be, he had to learn to open his heart and not just his brain. Savannah found herself falling for Mac, but was determined to keep her focus on saving her father's company. She buried what she wanted to do under the weight of carrying out her father's wishes. I liked seeing the way that Mac tried to show her that it wasn't making her happy. I hurt for her as she realized the strength of her feelings for Mac and stood up for what she needed from him. I loved seeing how it was the actions of Mac's family that showed him what he should do. His big moment at the end, and how he was able to express his feelings was pretty sweet. The solution that he came up with for the business was fantastic.

The secondary story line of the appearance of another brother was great. It was dealing with this issue that really showed the changes that Mac was going through. I understood Mac's anger at his father and his worry about the effect of the news on the family. It also added to the strain that was already there between Mac and his father. I loved seeing Savannah help Mac work through his feelings about the issue, and how it influenced his feelings for her. The way that Mac's dad tried to avoid the problem, then finally had to face it felt very real to me, as did the reactions of the rest of the family. I'm looking forward to the next book, which I assume will be Colton's story.

The Instant Family Man - Shirley Jump (HSE #2410 - June 2015)

Series: Barlow Brothers (Book 2)

FROM PLAYBOY DAYS…TO BEDTIME LULLABIES?

Up till now, Luke Barlow's biggest dilemma was deciding which debutante to take to which Stone Gap social. Until Peyton Reynolds appeared on his doorstep with a four-year-old blonde moppet and a birth certificate spelling out Luke's name in black and white. And it's time for the South's sexiest bachelor to step up and be the daddy his little girl needs!

Peyton had sworn she'd keep her cool around her onetime crush, but when Luke begins bonding with little Maddy, Peyton realizes she's in danger of losing her heart to the small-town heartbreaker. Perhaps this Barlow brother might be inspired to change his footloose ways and become the man Peyton can depend on…for a lifetime!

Excellent book about two people who are very different and the little girl who brings them together. Peyton was always the responsible one in her family. Her mother had been an alcoholic, incapable of caring for her two daughters. Her older sister had been just as irresponsible. So growing up, it was always Peyton who made sure things got done. And when her sister got pregnant and told her that the father didn't want anything to do with her or the baby, Peyton is the one who took care of Susannah and Maddy. Then her sister was killed in a car crash, leaving Peyton the only one to care for Maddy. Determined that the little girl's father finally take some of the responsibility, Peyton heads back to her home town to confront him.

Luke is the middle one of the three Barlow brothers and the carefree one. He likes to party and has never met a woman he didn't like. When Peyton shows up at his door and tells him it's time fr him to step up, he's stunned. He had no idea that his old girlfriend had his baby. He's not quite sure what to do with the news, but one look at Maddy and he knows he can't turn his back on her. However, he's not sure he has what it takes to be a daddy.

I loved these two characters. Peyton is pretty uptight, running her and Maddy's life with rules and schedules to go along with the bone deep love she has for the little girl. She doesn't like to let anything throw her off her plans. She has learned to depend only on herself. Letting go, even a little, to allow Luke into Maddy's life is really hard for her. Add to that is the reigniting of her girlhood crush on him, and her life seems to be coming unraveled. Luke seems to have spent his life avoiding the necessity of growing up. He's only just started admitting to himself that his lifestyle is getting old when he finds out he's a father. I loved seeing him try to get past his fears and do the right thing for Maddy. 

I got a bit frustrated with Peyton's rather rigid behavior through most of the book. I finally understood why she did it, but it was still kind of hard to watch. I liked the way that Luke's more laid back attitude balanced her out. I loved seeing how he was able to reach past Maddy's pain and make her smile and laugh. It was also fun to see him work on getting Peyton to relax her rules and just enjoy life. There were some really heartwarming scenes of Luke learning too become a father. There were also some heart wrenching moments when both Peyton and Luke doubted their own abilities. I loved seeing them both realize that they were stronger together. The last scene at Maddy's birthday party was really sweet.

I liked the secondary story with Luke and his friend Jeremiah. I really enjoyed seeing the influence that Peyton had on Luke's feelings about what had happened. His solution on how to help his friend showed his new maturity.

The Homecoming Queen Gets Her Man - Shirley Jump (HSE #2379 - Jan 2015)

Series: Barlow Brothers (Book 1)

Welcome Home, Meri Prescott!

Roll out the red carpet -- Meri's back in town! But how could the jean-clad beauty fishing for crawdads be Stone Gap's every-blond-hair-in-place princess? It seems the former Miss North Carolina has had it with pageants and perfection. Meri's home to care for her ailing grandpa and realize her dream of becoming a photographer. If she could just ignore her treacherous heart when she gets her first gander at her gorgeous, all-grown-up first love…

Meri was sweet fifteen when Jack Barlow gave her her first kiss -- only to break up with her a year later and ship out to war. The soldier who comes home has changed, just like Meri. Doesn't Jack know two can heal better than one? That it's what is inside that counts? And Meri's got so much to give to that special Barlow man.

Lovely story about going home to heal. Meri walked away from the pageants she hated and started a new life as a photographer in New York City. Now she has come home to North Carolina to help take care of her sick grandfather. She's also trying to recover from an attack that left her scarred and afraid to pick up her camera again. The last thing she expects is to run into her old boyfriend Jack.

Jack is out of the army and back home also. He's spent a year trying to hide from his memories. He's drifting a bit, working in his father's garage and doing handyman things for Meri's grandfather. Seeing Meri again reminds him of everything he's lost. She was the girl he loved, but pushed away before he left for the army. Now he can't forget his feelings of guilt over the death of his best friend and Meri's cousin.

Both Meri and Jack are suffering from PTSD. Meri ran from the city and her memories of what happened, but every time she picks up her camera she sees her attacker. She is hoping that being back home will give her the motivation she needs to take back her life. It isn't easy when she has to stand up to her pushy, stage mother, Southern belle mama, who pushed into all those pageants, and is still trying to run her life. Jack blames himself for Eli's death and has frequent flashbacks to when it happened. He hasn't been able to talk about it with anyone, and is certain that everyone else will blame him too.

Jack and Meri are frequently thrown together as they help Meri's grandfather. It soon becomes obvious that their old feelings are still going strong. Jack has no trouble seeing past the scar on Meri's face to the woman she is beneath the beauty. He's there for her when she opens up about what happened to her and her fears about what it has done to her, and is able to show her how strong she really is. He loves her but fears her reaction if he tells her about Eli's death, so he tries to stay away from her. Meri was hurt when Jack broke off their relationship way back when, but seeing him again shows her that the feelings are still there. She notices the way that Jack pulls back every time they seem to get closer and aches for the pain she sees in his eyes. Can their love overcome their fears?

I loved the depth of the emotions that each of the characters shows. Meri's fears about never getting her photography back are deep. Her hurt at the way her mother treats her, and her wish for her mother to see Meri for who she really is. I loved that she was able to express those feelings to her mother, and was really surprised at what happened because of it. Jack's pain was especially emotional. He was so haunted by his guilt and his memories that he hadn't ever allowed himself to grieve. The meeting between him and Meri by the treehouse was incredibly moving. The ending was simply terrific.