His Secret Son - Stacy Connelly (HSE #2399 - Apr 2015)

Series: Pirelli Brothers (Book 5)

That was then…

Ten years ago, getting up close and personal with Ryder Kincaid was all Lindsay Brookes wanted. The bookish senior couldn't believe it when the gorgeous Clearville High football hero finally noticed her. One magical night together was all it took to change her world. Now the single mom is coming home -- to come clean with the guy she's never gotten over.

Could this be their now?

The stunning brunette with the shy nine-year-old kid is…Lindsay? Ryder never forgot how she gave herself to him so completely. But he's changed -- a lot. And the secret Lindsay's keeping could tear them apart. With desire reigniting -- and then some! -- this could be Ryder's chance to step up and become the husband and father he always wanted to be…with the woman he's never stopped wanting…

Excellent reunion story. After ten years away, Lindsay is back in Clearville, staying with her grandmother and helping with repairs to her grandmother's house. She wants her grandmother to sell and move to Phoenix to be closer to the family. But privately, Lindsay also wants to see Ryder again before deciding whether to tell him he is the father of her son.

Back in high school Lindsay had been the shy, geeky and awkward teenager with a huge crush on Ryder. She'd been glad to help him with his calculus and listen to him talk about his dreams and plans for the future. She thought that she had it all, until the day he started ignoring her and went back to his old girlfriend, breaking her heart. When she discovered she was pregnant, he'd already left for college and his football scholarship, she made the decision not to tell him. Now she realizes that she has to tell him, but she wants to know what kind of man he has become.

Ryder had moved back to Clearville after divorcing his wife, who had also been that high school girlfriend. His life hadn't gone quite the way he expected and looking back he has quite a few regrets, not least of which is the way he treated Lindsay. He's never forgotten her and having her back in Clearville gives him the chance to apologize and show her that he's changed.

I liked the developing relationship between Lindsay and Ryder. Both have had their problems over the last ten years, things that have left their mark on them both. There was an attraction between them from the beginning, but their pasts have left them both wary. Lindsay is hesitant to trust Ryder with her heart again, after what had happened before. She also has her son to think about, and doesn't want him to get attached to someone who could end up hurting him. But most of all is the guilt she feels, as the more she gets to know Ryder, the more she wishes that she had confessed long ago. As her feelings for him grow, so do her fears of losing him once she tells him the truth.

I liked the fact that Ryder had realized what a jerk he had been back in school. Seeing Lindsay again reminded him of just how much he had liked her, and that he'd really like to get to know her again. He's also a bit wary because of what he went through with his ex-wife. One of the things I really liked about Ryder was the way that he connected with Robbie. Even not knowing that Robbie was his, he did a great job helping him make friends and doing things with him. I loved watching his feelings for her grow and how he begins to have new dreams of what could be. When he finally finds out the truth, I understood his reaction, but the things that were said between he and Lindsay were so emotional. Seeing them work through this brought quite a few tears. I loved his big moment at the end.

Romancing the Rancher - Stacy Connelly (HSE #2381 - Jan 2015)

Series: Pirelli Brothers (Book 4)

To Kiss a Cowboy

Former rodeo star Jarrett Deeks knows about saving horses, but city women like Theresa Pirelli have always been out of his league. Yet her kiss rocks him harder than any bull he's ever ridden. In her, he sees himself: a little bruised, a lot lonely. She's his for only a few weeks, except unlike his horses, he can't let her go once she's healed. But how can he convince her to stay?

Theresa is used to taking care of patients… not being one! When an accident jeopardizes her career, she needs a break from worrying about her uncertain future and interfering family. A few weeks at Jarrett's rustic California horse ranch seem like just the ticket to get back on her feet. Until she's completely swept off them by one sexy cowboy.

Sweet but also very emotional story. Theresa has come to Jarrett's ranch after suffering from a life changing injury back home in St. Louis. Thanks to a car accident, she no longer has the ability to do her job as an ER nurse, and has no idea what she can do now. Her family is hovering, pushing her to accept a desk job, something she would hate. And her fiance has broken off their engagement, blaming her for the accident that also injured his daughter, and saying things that are extremely cruel. She hopes that the peace and quiet of the ranch will help her see more clearly. She doesn't expect to be helped by a sexy cowboy who seems to know just what she's going through.

Jarrett had gone through his own career ending injury the year before, thanks to a bullriding accident. He had even considered continuing riding, even with the risk of permanent injury, before seeing that he could have a new life running a ranch for rescue horses. He doesn't understand why a city woman like Theresa would want to stay in a bare bones cabin until he meets her. He sees the same pain in her eyes that he's seen in his and in those of the horses he rescues. 

Both Jarrett and Theresa have problems trusting. Theresa doesn't trust men or her instincts about them, thanks to her ex-fiance. She's attracted to Jarrett and knows he's attracted to her, but she doesn't want to risk her heart again. Jarrett simply pushes people away, not trusting that they really care. His parents' divorced when he was a kid and there were things done on both sides that made him see other people as manipulative.

I liked seeing Jarrett help Theresa by putting her to work with the horses. He saw a lot of similarities between them. He also tried to help her see that there are always options. Though it was hard for him to share his emotions, he found himself telling her things he doesn't usually tell anyone else. Theresa felt closer to Jarrett than she had felt to anyone since the accident. She had trouble seeing past the downside of her injuries until she learned what had happened to Jarrett and saw what he had done since then.  As the two of them got closer, they dreamed of what it would be like to have a future together, but neither one would risk rejection by confessing their feelings. Jarrett especially needed to learn to let people get close to him. I loved the ending and how the two of them finally came together.

Jarrett also has trouble accepting help from anyone, especially his family.  He always feels that help comes with strings attached and he doesn't want that, he'd rather do things on his own. His half sister arrives for a visit, and he tries to keep his distance, but Theresa gets involved. Because she has a large and loving family, she wants Jarrett to mend fences with his own. I enjoyed seeing her bond with his sister and how the two of them worked to get Jarrett to reconcile with his mother.