Fortune's June Bride - Allison Leigh (HSE #2407 - June 2015)

Series: Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country (Book 6)

COULD A WEDDING FOR A WEEK…

For weeks now, sexy-as-heck Galen Fortune Jones has been playing the ardent groom in the Wild West Wedding show at Cowboy Country USA. The bride? His sweet, redheaded neighbor Aurora McElroy. Of course, Aurora has had a hidden crush on the rancher for years, but she's been careful to keep that secret close to the vest!

…LEAD TO MARRIAGE FOR A LIFETIME?

Things get a little out of hand, however, when Galen agrees to pretend he and Aurora are real life husband and wife. It's only temporary, of course, and it's for a good cause. But being Aurora's hubby "off stage" is starting to mess with the confirmed bachelor's head. He's having far from friendly feelings for his in-name-only spouse, and it's freaking him out! Has love finally found Horseback Hollow's last unfettered Fortune?

Fantastic conclusion to this year's Fortunes of Texas series. Galen and Aurora have known each other all their lives. Galen had been her brother's best friend, and her secret crush. Galen has never made a secret of the fact that he's quite happy as a bachelor, so she's never had any expectation of drawing his interest.

Aurora has been working at the new Cowboy Country theme park in their Wild West Wedding show. It gives her the chance to indulge her love of acting at the same time she helps her parents with their ranch. When the actor playing the part of the groom is injured, Aurora begs Galen to fill in until a new actor can be hired. Galen has been working at the park as the person who checks that the authenticity is being properly portrayed. He's no actor, but he can't tell Aurora no. What he doesn't expect is to find himself attracted to his late friend's little sister, and it's freaking him out a little bit.

I loved seeing the two of them together. Galen is just a little bit on the serious side, which makes the whole play acting a bit of a challenge at first. I loved seeing him try to keep things in the friend zone, and how it got harder every day. Aurora really wanted to be more than friends, and her frustration at his actions was obvious. Things got even more complicated when she ran into her college roommate, and ended up giving Roslyn the impression that she and Galen were married. Since she didn't expect to see Roslyn again, she didn't think it would be a problem, until she discovered that Roslyn would be in town for several days. Then she had to confess to Galen and ask for his help.

There were several really funny places where their deception nearly got them into real trouble, especially since none of their family members knew anything about it. Then their deception started feeling all too real. The attraction that they feel for each other keeps getting stronger until they can't resist it any longer. Aurora knows going in that her feelings for Galen aren't just physical, but she's willing to take what she can get for as long as she can have it. Galen keeps trying to convince himself that what they have is just for fun, but it's getting harder to do, especially when he finds himself jealous of her old boyfriend.

Galen succeeds in making something of an idiot of himself when his jealousy gets out of hand. He says some things that are hurtful, and then suffers when he thinks he's driven her completely away. There are some misunderstandings caused by a lack of communication on both sides. But in the end, Galen realizes the truth of his feelings, and his big moment is very well done.

The epilogue was great as all the Fortunes get together for another wedding. The next set of Fortune books is set up as something that was mentioned in the third book, Mendoza's Secret Fortune, is revealed to all.

My Fair Fortune - Nancy Robards Thompson (HSE #2402 - May 2015)

Series: Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country (Book 5)

UNBUTTONING THE BRIT…

In the business world, Brodie Fortune Hayes is known as a man of no mercy. The all-work, no-play PR consultant is sure he'll have no trouble correcting the image problems plaguing the Cowboy Country theme park. There's just one complication: the green-eyed beauty sitting behind the boss's desk who makes his pulse race like a roller coaster!

Caitlyn Moore never imagined working side by side with Brodie after sharing a most out-of-character night of passion with him a few months before! And now, thanks to her dad's absence-by-illness, she's his boss? Brodie's bottom-line mentality is as infuriating as his blue bedroom eyes are intoxicating -- but Cait is convinced that there's a heart lurking beneath his designer armor. Perhaps she can prove to him that love is the greatest Fortune of all…

Very good book. Cait is the daughter of Alden Moore, the owner of the new Cowboy Country theme park. That theme park isn't popular with the people of Horseback Hollow, especially the Fortune family. When her parents are invited to the big quadruple wedding in February, Cait attends in their place. There she meets "Brodie the Brit", who she is immediately attracted to. Though they only exchange first names, they have an intense encounter, and part ways, never expecting to see each other again.

Fast forward a few months. Cait's father has had a heart attack and she is filling in for him during the final push to the park opening. She has had trouble with getting her father to see what she is capable of, and she looks at this as a chance to show him. There are some major problems and some doubt as to whether it will open on time. Cait is determined that it will, but it isn't going well. Her father tells her that he has hired a consultant to whip things into shape. She's not happy, but she doesn't really have a choice. When the consultant turns out to be her wedding fling, she's horrified, but she's going to have to find a way to work with him.

Brodie Fortune Hayes is known for his hard nosed, bottom line attitude. He's stunned to find the woman he hasn't been able to forget sitting in the boss's place at his new job. He knows what needs to be done to get things moving and he can't let himself get distracted by Cait. 

There were some serious sparks between them from the beginning. Their encounter at the wedding was seriously hot, but both were behaving out of character. Now they have to find a way to work together, which isn't going to be easy. Besides the attraction, which is as strong as it was before, both have entirely different leadership styles. Even though she's more used to working with animals than people, Cait looks for the best in people and believes they will live up to those expectations. Brodie tends to get his way using threats and intimidation. I loved seeing Cait stand up to Brodie when he would get all high handed. I liked seeing how Cait's influence started to change the way Brodie did things. 

They also got closer emotionally, though this was a much more volatile thing. Brodie has things in his past that have made him reluctant to give in to any emotion. This has given him the reputation of being heartless, but Cait can see that he simply protects that heart. She starts to feel she's making some progress with him when things start to go bad at Cowboy Country. Once again their differing styles create conflict between them, and Brodie pulls back, feeling that he's let emotions interfere with doing business. When disaster strikes, Brodie realizes the mistakes he's made, and has to find a way to make things right. I loved seeing him find his way back to Cait and his family. His actions at the end were great. I especially liked the way that he made sure her father knew that none of it was Cait's fault. This went a long way toward settling the issues that Cait had with her father.

The Taming of Delaney Fortune - Michelle Major (HSE #2395 - Apr 2015)

Series: Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country (Book 4)

SEALING THEIR DEAL WITH A KISS…

He's been in Horseback Hollow for only a couple of months, but sexy Cisco Mendoza has already made quite an impression! Little does anyone know his real reason for being here -- a top secret deal that could shake the foundations of the small Texas town…and one important family…

When Delaney Fortune Jones agrees to help Cisco win some hearts and minds, suddenly the tables turn -- and the permanent playboy finds himself pining for the innocent cowgirl and her heart of gold. As business veers dangerously close to pleasure, Mr. Mendoza better hang on to his hat -- the pint-size Delaney might just teach him a lesson in the art of falling in love…Fortune-style!

Cisco played a big part in his brother's book, Mendoza's Secret Fortune, and I expected that when it was his turn, his smooth and charming ways would not help him. It was quite satisfying to see him struggle just as much as his brother had. Cisco came to Horseback Hollow to visit his father, who had moved there, and stayed because he saw a way to make some money. The new Cowboy Country theme park has opened up some interesting possibilities, One in particular requires him to get the support of the Fortune family, which he has become related to by the marriage of his sister. Unfortunately for him, the Fortunes are outspoken opponents of the park. What he needs is someone who can help him convince them.

Delaney Fortune Jones is the youngest of the family. Now that five of her six siblings are married or taken, she's feeling a little lost. She wants what they have, but in a town as small as hers the choices are pretty slim. She knows that she wants someone like her, who likes her town and the ranching way of life. Cisco is not that person, but there's something about him that she just can't resist. When he tells her he may need her help with a project he's working on, she's more than happy to assist, even though he hasn't told her what it is.

I loved seeing the relationship between Cisco and Delaney develop. Cisco is quite the ladies man and is used to them pretty much falling at his feet. Delaney may be young and somewhat inexperienced with men, but she has no trouble standing up to his charm. Yes, she's attracted to him, but that doesn't mean she has to give in. I loved seeing Cisco's reactions when she pretty much laughs in his face as he attempts to charm her. He thinks he'll have a better chance to get her help if he tries to learn more about what true cowboy life is like, and gets Delaney to put him to work on the ranch. I loved seeing him try to fit in to her way of life and come to a whole new appreciation for what she does. There are some wonderful scenes of a truly romantic side of Cisco coming out. But the closer they get, the guiltier he feels about not yet having told her of his plans. Delaney finds herself falling for Cisco, even though she knows he doesn't plan to stay. When she discovers the truth, she is devastated by what she sees as his betrayal. I loved seeing everything Cisco had to go through to make things right for Delaney. I loved how he ended up getting advice from his brother. He did a good job of groveling and I was happy with the way it turned out.

I really liked what I saw as the maturing of Cisco. He had started out being interested in the deal he was working on because of what it would do for his bottom line. At the beginning he had some doubts about the project, but was willing to do what he had to in order to make it happen. The more he got to know Delaney, the rest of the Fortunes, and the community, the more he realized that the developer's vision was not going to work. I liked seeing how he tried to make them see the truth, as he got to know the community and their way of life. It was interesting to see the problems that were cropping up and how they were being dealt with. I can't wait to see how it all turns out.

Mendoza's Secret Fortune - Marie Ferrarella (HSE #2389 - Mar 2015)

Series: Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country (Book 3)

MAY THE BEST MENDOZA WIN!

The Fortunes are not the only hotties in Texas; their longtime friends the Mendozas are legendary for their good looks and ardent hearts. Tall and dark with soulful eyes, Matteo Mendoza is a pilot whose charms have too often been eclipsed by his more outgoing brother, Cisco. Now, Matteo has set his sights on cantina hostess Rachel Robinson. Brother, look out!

After several years on a self-imposed "romance diet," Rachel finds Matteo to be a treat she just can't resist. But she's already been through her own family heartbreak -- the last thing she wants is to come between the Mendozas! Can she learn that following her heart might lead to the greatest fortune of all?

Really good book with some complicated family dynamics. Rachel grew up in Austin, in a family with money. Five years earlier she had discovered something that her father was hiding, and that made her feel her life was a lie. Rather than confronting him, she left home and hasn't been back since. She has settled in Horseback Hollow, where she is the hostess at the local cantina and has just secured an internship with the Hollow branch of the Fortune Foundation. She encounters Matteo, Cisco, and their father Orlando at the cantina one night, and is attracted to Matteo.

Orlando is trying to convince his sons to settle in Horseback Hollow, where he has recently put down his own roots. Cisco is considering it, having set up his real estate investment business there. Matteo is on the fence, as he misses the more vibrant city life of Miami. One look at Rachel, however, has him reconsidering. But before he can say anything, his flashy older brother asks her out first. All their lives Matteo and Cisco have been in competition for one thing or another, and Cisco is usually the one who comes out on top. 

The two brothers are quite different. Cisco is charming, outgoing, and very much a ladies man. Matteo is quieter, and tends to think things through before acting. When the two brothers first see Rachel, she makes an impression on both. Matteo's reaction was pretty funny, as he gets so distracted by her that he can't even remember what he ordered to eat. Cisco sees his brother's interest, takes advantage of Matteo's distraction and gets his request for a date in first, capping off a lunch where Cisco was constantly needling Matteo about anything and everything. Then he has the nerve to tell Matteo he only did it to motivate him to go after Rachel himself. Matteo is rightfully angry at his brother, but at this point isn't sure what to do next.

Though Rachel goes through with her date with Cisco, there is nothing that makes her want to go out with him again. She had really been hoping that Matteo would ask her out. The next day she is talking to Matteo when Cisco calls her to ask her out again. This encounter was much better, and I loved seeing what Matteo did to secure her company for the evening. I loved what he did for their date, and it was obvious that Rachel did too. A few more encounters through her work at the Foundation and some more dates, and things are looking really good for them. Then Cisco tags along on a delivery to the Foundation, and starts in with his old tricks of trying to charm Rachel, and also making assorted digs about Matteo. These start to play into Matteo's insecurities and suddenly he's doubting himself and their relationship. At this point I was furious at Cisco and ready for Matteo to beat the snot out of him. Whether he was doing it to supposedly help Matteo or not, once he knew they were going out he should have laid off the snarky comments and interference.

Rachel was confused by Matteo's withdrawal, and had no idea what to do about it. Luckily, Matteo was smart enough to go see her and apologize for being an idiot, though he did get off to a rocky start doing it. Their making up kisses got a little out of hand, and during the night he panicked over the intensity of his feelings and sneaked away. Rachel was hurt and angry, feeling that maybe she had just been the prize in their competition after all. Having had enough family drama of her own, she's ready to write him off, until a conversation with her boss and Matteo's cousin, Wendy Mendoza, makes her willing to give him another chance. She has her own insecurities, thanks to her past, that affect her willingness to believe in her own appeal.

I really enjoyed seeing him try to explain himself, and Rachel not giving in too easily. The only thing left to deal with is the secret that Rachel has been holding back. I really liked Matteo's patience in waiting for her to be ready to share it with him. I also liked the way that he was there for her when that secret finally got to be too much for her. It is certainly a whopper of one, and the epilogue didn't really do anything to further its resolution. I suspect that we won't see much more about it until next year's series. 

Fortune's Little Heartbreaker - Cindy Kirk (HSE #2383 - Feb 2015)

Series: Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country (Book 2)

ROMANCING THE…NANNY?

Sir Oliver Fortune Hayes is new to Horseback Hollow…new to Texas…and even new to parenting. It's enough to drive a man daft -- and daft he would go, if it weren't for Ollie's new nanny, Shannon Singleton.

A cowgirl for a nanny? It's a little unorthodox, but it works. The trouble is, now Oliver can't help imagining sweet Shannon as his Valentine. She's warm and bubbly and…much too young for the likes of him. Will proper Oliver maintain his upper-crust composure? Or will the love of a good Texas woman rope him in for good?

Very good book, as another of the British branch of the Fortune family bites the romantic dust. Oliver has come to Horseback Hollow for his sister's wedding, bringing his toddler son with him. He has only just gotten custody of his son after the death of his ex-wife and is a bit frazzled. The nanny that works for him in England declined to come with him, so he needs a temporary nanny so that he can also get some work done while he's there. He is the stereotypical Brit - cool, reserved, maybe a bit uptight, but he does love his son and wants the best care possible for him.

Shannon is a local girl who has come home to stay with her parents while she looks for a new job. She left her last position when her married boss made unwanted advances to her, then threatened her if she tried to report it. Rather than fight it, she quit and is waiting to hear the results of her last interview. She first meets Oliver when he stops to ask directions, and later discovers that he is renting a house on her parents' ranch. When he asks her to step in as Ollie's nanny, she is hesitant. She is attracted to him, senses that it is returned, and doesn't want to get involved with a man who is not going to be staying around. She also doesn't want to be involved with a man she works for. One of her conditions for taking the job is that there are no inappropriate actions. What she doesn't want to admit to herself is that she's more worried about what she might do than his actions.

I loved the relationship that developed between Oliver and Shannon. Oliver's early years were spent with a father who felt emotions of any sort were bad, so Oliver has a hard time showing his, even to his son. He is definitely attracted to Shannon, but he gave his word to keep his hands off, even though that is getting harder to do. I loved seeing how protective he was of her when that one man got too aggressive with her, and how he took care of her afterwards. I think that was the beginning of when his feelings began to change. I really loved watching him loosen up a little. He even started to consider the idea of a future with her before he got spooked by the depth of his feelings and made a bit of an idiot of himself. I did like the way he redeemed himself at the end.

Shannon is a warm and loving young woman who takes to Ollie right away. It's her instant connection to him that spurs Oliver to ask her to be Ollie's nanny. She sees that Oliver loves his son, but that he doesn't seem to be able to show it, and is determined to fix it. She is also fighting her attraction to Oliver. She is the one who insisted that they have no contact, and she is beginning to regret it. As she has spent time with him, Shannon feelings for him change. She still sees no future for them, but wants to enjoy whatever she can with him. She is later hurt by the accusations he makes and his refusal to listen to her. I liked the way that even though he didn't let her explain, she didn't slink away but let him know what she thought. I loved the way that her reaction motivates her to face her past and do something about it. I liked seeing her hold out at the end until Oliver was able to give her what she really needed from him.

A Royal Fortune - Judy Duarte (HSE #2378 - Jan 2015)

Series: Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country (Book 1)

His kingdom for a cowgirl

They go together like…chutney and barbecue. High tea and hot sauce. You couldn't come up with a more unlikely twosome than Jensen Fortune Chesterfield and Amber Rogers. So when the paparazzi catch the Fortune heir in a lip-lock with the free-spirited rodeo rider, Horseback Hollow goes wild. What is really going on here?

Princes only fall for commoners in fairy tales, but who could blame Amber for crushing on Jensen? The sweet cowgirl can see the bighearted man beneath that buttoned-up Brit. Could it be that the simple life of the Hollow is exactly what Jensen needs? If only she can find a way to get him to see how she truly feels…and rope this aristocrat for keeps!

Very good story. Jensen is visiting Horseback Hollow with his family, to be there for Christmas and for the birth of his sister's baby (Fortune's Prince) and several family weddings. He's a bit protective of his family and a misunderstanding makes the first meeting between Jensen and Amber a little rough. Once that's cleared up, there are definitely some sparks between them. But Jensen is British nobility, with commitments back home, and Amber is a Texas cowgirl with her own commitments. Nothing says they can't have some fun together while he's there.

I loved Amber. She's a former rodeo barrel racer who came home to help her grandmother when her grandfather died. She's put her own dreams on hold while she does so. While going back on the road isn't possible, there a new amusement park opening nearby that has an opening in their Wild West show that's just right for her. She's also a young woman who feels for her neighbor, Amelia, who because of who she is has paparazzi trying to get the scoop on her baby. Amber spots some of these photographers when she delivers a horse to the ranch, and in order to distract them when Jensen starts to say something about his sister, she kisses the stuffing out of him. It serves the purpose, but now they're after Jensen and Amber, looking for a story there. Amber is definitely attracted to Jensen, but she knows that nothing can come of it. She's certainly not the type that someone like Jensen needs for a wife. 

It took me a little while to warm up to Jensen. His initial treatment of Amber was quite rude, but even after that was cleared up, there seemed to be an aloofness in the way he treated her. But there was one thing about Jensen that made Amber almost irresistible to him, and that was his fascination with anything Western. He loves old American Western movies, has watched rodeos online, and loves horses. He starts out just trying to be friends, but he's also really attracted to her. He wouldn't mind getting something going with her, but two things work against it. First, there are just too many differences between them for a relationship, and second, Amber is a settling down kind of girl and Jensen is about as anti-commitment as he could be. 

The relationship that developed between Jensen and Amber was very interesting. They started out trying to be just friends, but the attraction was too strong. Even as they got to know each other better, there were still things that they didn't share. Jensen is pretty paranoid about the paparazzi and staying out of the limelight, so whenever they are together he tries to keep them out of the limelight. As a former rodeo star, Amber is fairly well known herself and doesn't mind when people come up and ask for autographs and pictures. There's a pretty funny scene when they're out to dinner and he thinks that people are staring at him when it's really Amber - a bit of an eye-opener for him. So he's trying to keep their relationship a secret from everyone. Meanwhile, Amber is about to sign a contract that will put her in the limelight, and make her the face of the new Cowboy Country. She hasn't told Jensen about any of it. When they take things to another level, both are determined to keep their emotions out of it, but it's a losing battle. When her plans come out, Jensen is hurt by her secrecy and says some things that aren't very nice, leaving Amber feeling like he's just been using her. She says a few things herself, before walking away from him. I liked Amber's chat with Amelia, but it's her grandmother that really gives Amber something to think about. But the best part was Jensen's "go big" moment which was a real heart melter. Both Jensen and Amber had to do some growing and changing to get their happy ending.

There was also a really sweet secondary romance involving Amber's grandmother and a real character of an older gentleman. I loved seeing the teasing that he did and the antics he got up to in order to give Gram a fun time. It was interesting seeing the effect this romance had on Amber, especially as it got further along. There are also hints that Jensen's mother may also have a romance brewing, though he seemed pretty blind to it. I'm looking forward to see if that progresses also.