Lone Star Baby - Cathy Gillen Thacker (HAR #1561 - Sept 2015)

Series: McCabe Multiples (Book 5)

PRACTICE MADE PERFECT

Suddenly finding herself a foster parent to an infant girl definitely shakes things up for Doctor Violet McCabe. Especially because her attractive and pragmatic colleague, Doctor Gavin Monroe, is little Ava's co-guardian. Gavin has doubts about the arrangement, but idealistic Violet is certain they can work together to care for Ava while they find the perfect adoptive family.

Gavin secretly crushed on sexy, irrepressible Violet for years, but after losing her fiancé, Violet's heart was impenetrable. Ava changes everything. For once, Violet is ready to embrace the unpredictable…maybe even love. But Gavin fears he's not the father Ava needs or the man Violet deserves. In their search for a perfect home for Ava, will Violet and Gavin miss that the best family for her is the one they've already created?

Sweet story. After the death of a former patient, Gavin and Violet find themselves named as foster parents for a newborn baby girl. They've been coworkers and friends for awhile, but this is something entirely different. The question is whether they can co-parent the baby without getting emotionally involved with her or each other. Violet is certain they can, Gavin is not so sure.

Violet came home to Laramie to work in the hospital there, after she lost her fiance to cancer. She's put her heart and soul into her work and avoided any kind of personal relationships until little Ava worked her way past Violet's walls and into her heart. Added to the attraction she feels for Gavin, Violet's life has gotten very complicated. She started out convinced that the best thing for Ava was to find the perfect set of adoptive parents for her, but was soon dreaming of making Ava her own. Having a pseudo-family with the three of them has her wishing it could be real.

Gavin came home to work in the hospital in order to be closer to his family. He's carrying some guilty feelings over not having been there enough after their parents were killed just as he was starting medical school. Being named as guardian for Ava just reinforces his fears that he doesn't have what it takes to be emotionally responsible for another human being. He's determined to keep things practical while they search for the perfect family for Ava. He doesn't count on falling for the little girl himself. 

I loved seeing the connection between Gavin and Violet and how it grew. Gavin had been attracted to Violet for awhile, but saw that her grief for her fiance wasn't letting her move on. Being forced into close proximity with her gave him the chance to show her what she was missing. Unknown to him, Violet had finally reached the point where she was ready to move on. Her attraction to Gavin gives her the perfect stepping off point. They first agree that they will have a "fling" for as long as they are caring for Ava, but soon realize that they don't really want it to end. I loved seeing how quickly they became a family. Ava has brought them together and shown them how much love they have to give, both her and each other, but they have to be willing to accept it.

But they have a big obstacle between them to overcome. Violet is ready to open her heart and take a risk again, to keep Ava and raise her, even without Gavin by her side. Gavin refuses to believe that he has what it takes to give Ava everything she needs and insists that giving her up is the best thing to do. I loved seeing Violet stand up for what she wants and what she needs from Gavin, finally putting her past behind her. Gavin takes a bit longer and it takes a pretty straight conversation with his younger brother to show him the truth. His actions at the end are quite romantic and sweet for a guy who considers himself pragmatic. The epilogue was a nice glimpse at their future.

I liked the inclusion of the issues Gavin and his family were having with his younger brother Nicholas. It was a good way to show the effect of his parents' deaths on all of them, and how each dealt with it. Nicholas's actions showcased the changes that Gavin was going through thanks to Violet's influence. My only problem with the story was with Violet's parents. In each book of this series I have been very disappointed in their attitudes towards their daughters. They always seem to have poor opinions of the girls' abilities to make the right decisions regarding their relationships. I also felt that Violet's father crossed a line when he talked to Gavin, since he is also Gavin's boss. I know it works out in the end, but I'd rather see them supporting from the beginning.

Lone Star Daddy - Cathy Gillen Thacker (HAR #1549 - June 2015)

Series: McCabe Multiples (Book 4)

HER GAME, HIS RULES

Is Clint McCulloch really thinking of bulldozing one hundred acres of prime blackberries? Not if Rose McCabe has her way The enterprising single mother's plan will benefit the rodeo-champion-turned-rancher and her natural-food co-op. Too bad the sexy six-foot-four Texan is more stubborn--and devastatingly attractive--than when they were kids growing up in Laramie.

Clint just wants to restore his family ranch to its former glory, but the sassy entrepreneur can be awfully persuasive. Their mutual attraction is an added incentive. Until Rose lays down the ground rules: a no-strings affair because she's never, ever marrying again. Only now Clint wants the whole shebang--a future where he can be daddy to Rose's adorable preschool triplets and husband to his Lone Star cowgirl.

Good book. Rose McCabe lives next door to Clint's Double Creek Ranch, which he has recently returned to. He plans to turn it back into a cattle ranch, and intends to mow down the hundred acres of blackberry bushes and return that land to grassland. Rose is equally determined to talk him out of those plans. She intends to show him that they can be good for both of them. What neither expected was the intense mutual attraction they felt. 

I really liked Clint and Rose and seeing the relationship that grew between them. Both were wary of their attraction at first, as both had had relationships go bad on them. Clint is a former rodeo star who had been engaged to a woman who ended up being far more interested in what he was than who he was. She had been intent on managing his career, and when he gave up rodeo to become a rancher she didn't want him any more. Rose had been married to a man who, when it came down to what was important to Rose, wasn't interested. When their triplets were born he decided that fatherhood wasn't for him and left her. While Clint hasn't given up the hope of finding the right woman and settling down, Rose has no intention of ever marrying again. Her kids and her business are enough for her - or so she tries to convince herself.

Clint's attraction to Rose motivated him to at least listen to what she had to say. He went along with her plans because he could see the benefits to them both. It also gave him the chance to spend more time with her and her kids. I really liked seeing the way that he and the triplets really took to each other. It wasn't long before he was picturing them as a family. Unfortunately for him, he wasn't getting anywhere trying to convince Rose. She is determined that she isn't going to let attraction lead her into making another mistake. She'll have an affair with him, but that's all.

All the time they spend together brings them closer together. But there are still issues that make a future together something of a problem. Rose thinks that everything is progressing well and that she and Clint have the same goal. And Clint hasn't really made it clear that his plans for the land haven't really changed, they've only been postponed. When the truth comes out, both feel betrayed. It takes some hard looks at what they really want and are willing to give before they can see what is really possible between them.

There were some really fun moments in the book that made what was happening between them seem like it was meant to be. I especially loved some of the interactions between Clint and the kids. His attempts to get them to eat vegetables were really funny, and I could see them happening in real life. I also loved the sweetness of seeing him read to them and play with them. Some of the attempts that Clint made to derail the publicity filming were also interesting. I could easily see why he was so frustrated, especially since none of it had been his idea. His work around was pretty smart, even if it didn't have quite the result he was looking for. I also loved seeing Rose with her sisters and the great relationships they had. They had some fun moments in their attempts to get Rose and Clint together.

Lone Star Valentine - Cathy Gillen Thacker (HAR #1534 - Feb 2015)

Series: McCabe Multiples (Book 3)

COMPROMISE…OR ALL-OR-NOTHING?

The heart-stopping attraction's still there, but today Lily needs only one thing from old flame Gannon Montgomery -- the best damn legal counsel ever. The stakes are high -- custody of Lily's son, Lucas. And the rules are clear. Lily's not giving Gannon the chance to break her heart again. They can be friends. That's all.

Not enough, thinks Gannon. He's only in town to sell the family ranch, but Mayor Lily McCabe makes sticking around seem pretty attractive. He can see the desire in her eyes every time they're thrown together. And with the court case and the Texas chili cook-off he's been dragged into, that's a lot. As the stress grows, so does the attraction. But Lily won't compromise, and Gannon can't let go. Someone's gotta give!

Good book. Gannon is back in Laramie for a few days to take care of selling the family ranch. He's a big shot lawyer in Fort Worth now, but he and Lily had been friends and more back in law school. She's mayor and a single mother who is facing a custody battle with her son's father. She's willing to accept Gannon's help, but that's all she'll accept from him.

The history between Gannon and Lily was interesting. Both were very intense students, determined to do their best. Gannon was, and still is, a man who goes all-in when he wants something, so when he wanted a relationship with Lily he refused to think about what could go wrong. All he would consider was that if they wanted it they would make it work. When he was growing up, Gannon saw that his parents didn't go after the things they wanted the most, instead settling for other things and not always happy with them. He swore he would never compromise on something that was truly important to him.

Lily, as one of six children, was accustomed to having to compromise and make adjustments to anything she wanted. She was certain that the stresses and rigors of law school would be too much of a strain on a relationship. All she wanted from Gannon was some space and the chance to think about what they were doing. Unwilling to compromise, he broke things off. Lily, who tended to look for the good in everyone, got involved with the campus football star instead, which ended up not working out either.

For the past four years, Lucas's father has mostly ignored him. He's allowed generous visitation rights, but has never taken Lily up on them. Bode had desperately resisted being named father to the boy, trying to smear Lily's reputation, only giving in when his paternity was proved. But now that his football career is in trouble, his lawyer's are telling him he needs to do something to make himself look good, and spending time with Lucas is it. Lily is afraid of the effect that everything could have on Lucas and finds herself leaning on Gannon more than she likes. There were times when I thought that Bode was actually getting better about being a father, and others when he seemed just as big a jerk as ever. I can say that I wasn't surprised by the way it all worked out.

One thing that hadn't changed over the years is the attraction that is still there between Gannon and Lily. He would like to see where it goes, but Lily is afraid of getting her heart broken again. I really enjoyed seeing the way that Gannon found every excuse he could to spend time with Lily, hoping to show her that they could have something good together. He's also really good with Lucas, and spending time with both of them shows him what he's been missing in his quest to be the best professionally.

Lily can't deny the heat between them, but she can't see anything coming from it. She likes her life in Laramie and has no desire to live in the city. The problem is that she finds herself liking Gannon even more now than she had before. He's there for her emotionally in her battle with Lucas's father. He's fantastic with her son. And he has no problem getting involved with all the small town things he left behind so easily before. But though she's great at finding the middle ground with anyone else, she finds it impossible to do so with Gannon. Both of them had to take a hard look at what they really wanted and what they were willing to do to get it. I loved the epilogue and seeing where they were a year later.