Accidentally On Purpose by Jill Shalvis

                                           

                                                                         About:

There’s no such thing as a little in love . . .

Elle Wheaton’s priorities: friends, career, and kick-ass shoes. Then there’s the muscular wall of stubbornness that’s security expert Archer Hunt—who comes before everything else. No point in telling Mr. “Feels-Free Zone” that, though. Elle will just see other men until she gets over Archer . . . which should only take a lifetime . . . 

There’s no such thing as a little in lust . . .

Archer’s wanted the best for Elle ever since he sacrificed his law-enforcement career to save her. Their chemistry could start the next San Francisco earthquake and he craves her 24/7, but Archer doesn’t want to be responsible for the damage. The alternative? Watch her go out with guys who aren’t him . . .

There is such a thing as . . .

As far as Archer’s concerned, nobody is good enough for Elle. But when he sets out to prove it by sabotaging her dates, she gets mad—and things get hot as hell. Now Archer has a new mission: prove to Elle that her perfect man has been here all along . . .

MY REVIEW:

“Off Limits” is what Archer Hunt has always tried to remember when it comes to Ellie Wheaten. He met her when she was under age for him, hurt, searching for her path in life. The last thing she needed was him around to distract her or remind her how royally things had messed up. Archer moved on and Ellie grew up. Archer never forgot about Ellie, keeping track of her from the shadows, as the old saying goes nothing stay hidden long. Ellie and Archer have been working in the same building and have the same friends now.

Reading the first two and a half books in this series you can see there is chemistry between the two. Why they are fighting it was always the question? However in this book we get to see why, we also get to feel the passion being restrained jump of the pages. Jill Shalvis does a fantastic job of making the reader frustrated for these two characters wishing they would “just do it already” LOL. The sexual tension aside you see how much the two care about the others happiness too. I had been anxiously waiting for this next book and was not disappointed.

  

I loved reading the lengths Archer went to mess up Ellie’s dates and then shrug it off when confronted. Ellie and her rumors about Archer that kept him from dating as well showed us how she felt. There are such strong emotions flowing in the pages of this book. From parts that made me crack up laughing, to the sadness in Ellie and Archers past, Jill makes you feel it all. I am over the moon thrilled that this book was written and shared with us readers. So as I always say, find your favorite spot grab this book and settle in for a great read!
                                         

                                                     About the Author:

   New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit http://www.jillshalvis.com for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

www.facebook.com/jillshalvis

            Twitter
            www.instagram.com/jillshalvis
            http://jillshalvis.tumblr.com/
     or email her at contact@jillshalvis.com

Meet Jill while she’s on tour for Accidentally On Purpose!

SATURDAY, MARCH 18, 2017 | 2:00PM

“A Romance to Remember” Multi-Author signing

Yorba Linda Public Library

18181 Imperial Highway, Yorba Linda, CA 92886

Featuring: Jill Shalvis, Jennifer Ryan, and HelenKay Dimond

THURSDAY, MARCH 23, 2017

Avon KissCon Multi-Author event

Book People

603 North Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX 78703

Praise for the HEARTBREAKER BAY series:

“It’s always such a pleasure to read Shalvis’s contemporary romances, and this one—the exciting first in a series—is no exception. Readers will be hooked…the glamorous big city locale, the appealing secondary characters, and that Shalvis magic with snappy dialogue, portends a dynamite series.”—Publishers Weekly, starred review

“A romance that is both heartrending and hilarious. Shalvis’s new series is a stunner.”—Library Journal, starred review

“Readers will be enamored by the amazing start to this brand-new series. This Heartbreaker Bay novel has it all: memorable characters, the beautiful backdrop of San Francisco and even a fountain that grants wishes. A lot of fun and a little heat from beginning to end!”

—RT Book Reviews, 4 Stars

“Shalvis launches the first in her Heartbreaker Bay series on a high note with a truly unforgettable romance that will delight longtime fans and new readers alike with its irresistible mix of sassy wit, snappy dialogue, and surfeit of smoking hot sensuality.”—Booklist

“Fans of Shalvis’ Sweet Little Lies will surely want to pick up her second Heartbreaker Bay contemporary…Willa’s a gem, Keane’s a hunk—tool belt and all—and the two spar as only Shalvis’s characters can.”—Publishers Weekly

“Lighthearted, sexy, and fully entertaining, this second-chance romance blends holiday cheer with long-buried emotional issues and plenty of passion. This delectable story adds another cheeky charmer to Shalvis’s San Francisco–set series.”—Library Journal

“Shalvis’ novels are always a hoot to read! There’s plenty of romance and plenty of heat, which is the perfect combination to melt away the stress of the busy upcoming holiday season. The characters always speak louder than words, and thanks to their matching personalities and dialogues, there’s no guessing games as to what they’re feeling. Even the animals are spunky!—RT Book Reviews, 4 stars

“Shalvis' second Heartbreaker Bay novel hits all the notes the author is celebrated for: realistic characters enveloped in a tight, dependable community; emotionally intense back story and angst-y internal turmoil; rapid-fire dialogue and wordplay; and scorching sexual tension. A sexy Shalvis read that fans will love.”—Kirkus Reviews

“A delightful romance.”—Book Binge

“As always, Shalvis injects this story with her trademark wit and charm…They’re just such fun, feel-good reads and you’ll definitely get into the Christmas spirit once you read this story.”

—Under the Covers book blog

“A great addition to the Heartbreaker Bay series. If you’re looking for a fun (and steamy) quick read, I highly recommend this novella.”

—Feed Your Fiction Addiction

“The Heartbreaker Bay series so far has been very enjoyable reads for me and I was looking forward to this holiday novella…If you like the ‘trapped in a blizzard’ theme, and sexy second chance romances with themes of redemption and forgiveness, then you’ll enjoy this story full of trademark Jill Shalvis style and wit.”

—Straight Shooting Book Reviews

“This is an adorable holiday novella in the Heartbreaker Bay series, a fun contemporary romance series set in the San Francisco bay with a fantastic group of friends!”—Book Munchies

###

Daring to Fall by T.J. Kline

About:

Emma Jordan has returned home after her father’s death to run the animal sanctuary that had been his legacy. But strange things start happening, and it seems that someone is out to shut her down, someone who doesn’t mind putting lives in jeopardy to see it through. When Hidden Falls’ sexiest fireman starts to ask questions, Emma needs to make sure his charm doesn’t distract her from keeping her dreams alive. 

Ben McQuaid has an obligation as a local fireman to protect the community, even from a well-meaning wildlife veterinarian who’s in way over her head. But, it’s becoming hard to keep his loyalty to the town and his desire for the pretty vet separate. As Ben and Emma become caught in a dangerous game of cat and mouse, their feelings for each other are growing. 

Will they let duty drive them apart or will they dare to fall?

                                                   

  

                                                                                MY REVIEW:

Who out there doesn’t like a romance story with a woman that can hold her own? What about one that doesn’t play the damsel in distress to get the guy? I know that it is a huge plus for me in a book, to know that the woman isn’t going to fall all over herself because a hot man shows up. Okay so this man is a fireman, is kind and in the first chapter saves a baby animal out of a tree. Where was I going with this… Oh right strong female leads.

            Emma Jordan is just such a leader; she is a veterinarian and wild animal trainer who just took over her father’s animal sanctuary. Rumors are flying about her right away! Saying she can’t handle the place like her father did, that they wish they could feel safe. Emma wants to restore the sanctuary to what her and her father dreamed before his unexpected death. She has big plans but if the town keeps thinking ill of her, she has no idea how she can accomplish them.

            Ben McQuaid is a sweet guy that has always wanted to help, it’s in his nature to look for people that need it and jump in. He found a job that lets him do this and he is a great fireman. He keeps up with what’s going on in town, helps the neighbors when asked. The best guy you could ask for in a tough situation. This has a down side for him when it comes to his love life. He tends to be drawn to “damsels in distress”. Women who need rescuing from any and all issues, and then they break his heart. After his last disaster of a relationship he swore off complicated women. He wants one that is safe, predictable, your good girl next door.

            When Ben meets Emma he is blown away at the women everyone in town keeps talking about. She is small, spunky and blushes when caught checking out his back side. Turn around is fare game when he starts taking a closer look at her as well. She is not the type of women he swore to find, she is not safe, or predictable. Emma Jordan keeps him guessing and on his toes. The problem is no matter how many times he tells himself to stay away he can’t. When the fire they start only grows hotter between them, they give into it only to discover it only burns hotter. Ben realizes he wants Emma but not only in his bed, she refuses to give in and pushed Ben away. You will need to read the book to find out if the fireman finds his girl next door or finds a way to keep the women who sets him on fire. Curl up in your cozy spot for this nail bitter.     

About the Author:

T. J. Kline was bitten by the horse bug early and began training horses at fourteen—as well as competing in rodeos and winning several rodeo queen competitions—but has always known writing was her first love. She also writes under the name Tina Klinesmith. In her spare time, she can be found spending as many hours as possible laughing hysterically with her husband, teens, and their menagerie of pets in Northern California. That is, when she isn't running around the California Gold Country researching new stories.

Buy Links:

Amazon
B&N

Blog Tour Spotlight: One Snowy Night by Jill Shalvis

                                                                        Blurb

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis returns to Heartbreaker Bay with a fun and festive holiday novella!

It’s Christmas Eve and Rory Andrews is desperate to get home to the family she hasn’t seen in years. Problem is, her only ride to Lake Tahoe comes in the form of the annoyingly handsome Max Stranton, and his big, goofy, lovable dog Carl.

Hours stuck in a truck with the dead sexy Max sounds like a fate worse than death (not), but Rory’s out of options. She’s had a crush on Max since high school and she knows he’s attracted to her, too. But they have history… and Max is the only one who knows why it went south.

They’ve done a good job of ignoring their chemistry so far, but a long road trip in a massive blizzard might be just what they need to face their past… and one steamy, snowy night is all it takes to bring Max and Rory together at last.

MY REVIEW:

Rory is a spunky and fun addition to Willa’s book (The Trouble with Mistletoe), you can see something between her and Max but not sure what. I will not be telling you so don’t be looking for spoilers in my reviews. I will say Max and Rory are not strangers and they have a history, the problem is Rory has no idea why Max hates her. There is a chemistry anyone can see and one they both try to fight. In this book Rory has to face her past and make amends with her family, she just needs to get home first. Packed up and ready to go she realizes too late that her ride is Max. In the end I think it was Carl that got her to go on the trip, he is her favorite dog that comes into the grooming shop. Carl loves to give cuddles and kisses and he seems to know when Rory needs them most. I love the dog banter and jokes in this book. I have dogs and the things Carl does in the chapters really are very common and fun. There is a great deal of tension as you would expect when two stubborn people are put in a tight space for hours at a time. The time gets stretched even longer when the snow begins to fall so hard driving comes to a crawl. For a novella I was very happy at the amount of detail and heat found on the pages. Sometimes novella’s can seemed rushed and leave you wanting more. This does leave you wanting more but not in a bad way. We will see more I am sure in the coming books. Make sure you curl up with some hot chocolate with marshmallows, a cozy blanket and buy this book as soon as you can. Keep reading, laughing and traveling all from your comfort spot.

  

                                                                            Excerpt:

Christmas Eve had the nerve to show up just like it did every year: way too quickly and with ridiculous fanfare.

The nerve.

Rory Andrews stood in the courtyard of the Pacific Pier Building in San Francisco, surrounded by sparkly holiday lights and enough garlands to give the place its own ozone, and told herself things could be worse.

She just wasn’t sure how.

It was the unknown, she decided. Because this year, unlike the past six, she’d be spending Christmas with her family, a thought that caused a swarm of butterflies to take flight in her belly.

Not an uncommon feeling since she’d turned twenty-three a few months back and decided it was time to become a person she could be proud of if it killed her. And given the guy leaning against one of the lamp poles clearly waiting for her, arms crossed, frown in place, it just might.

Max Stranton. At his side sat Carl, his huge, eternally hungry, adorable Doberman.

“No,” she said, not to Carl but to Carl’s owner. Who was not lovable. “No way.”

As always when their gazes locked, Max’s was a disconcerting mix of heat and . . . something else that she couldn’t quite figure out, as he was good at hiding when he wanted to be. She never quite knew how to take the heat because it seemed reluctant. He was attracted to her but didn’t want to be.

Ditto. He made her knees wobble. And also a couple of other inner reactions that shouldn’t be happening in public.

“Merry Christmas to you too, Rory,” he said, and damn. It wasn’t just his eyes. His voice was rough and sexy, and for that matter, so was the rest of him.

He worked for an investigations and security firm in the building. Basically he and the rest of his team were fixers and finders for hire. To say that Max was good at his job was an understatement. He stood there looking like sex on a stick with a duffle bag slung over a broad shoulder, his dark hair two weeks past needing a cut, and the icy wind of an incoming storm plastering his clothes to a body that could be registered as a lethal weapon.

“What are you doing here?” she asked calmly even if her heart was anything but, pounding all the way up to her throat and ears because she knew. She knew exactly why he was here. “I don’t need a ride home.”

A flash of wry humor slid in with all that sizzling heat. “Because you’d rather take two buses and a train than get into my truck with me?” he asked.

Well yes, actually.

LINKS:

Link to Follow Tour:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2016/10/one-snowy-night-heartbreaker-bay-25-by.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/29505399-one-snowy-night

Goodreads Series Link https://www.goodreads.com/series/169076-heartbreaker-bay

Buy Links:       Amazon | B & N | Google | iTunes | Kobo

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0062463578/

B&N:  http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/one-snowy-night-jill-shalvis/1124296729?ean=9780062463579

Google: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Jill_Shalvis
_One_Snowy_Night?id=HuS8CwAAQBAJ

iTunes:  https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/one-snowy-night/id1093053622?mt=11

Kobo:  https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/one-snowy-night-3



                                                     
                                                              About the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental.

Look for Jill's latest, SWEET LITTLE LIES on shelves and e-readers now, and get all her bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold.

Visit Jill's website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Author Links:   Website | Facebook | Twitter | GoodReads

Website:  http://jillshalvis.com/

Facebook:  http://www.facebook.com/pages/Jill-Shalvis/315956498871

Twitter:  http://twitter.com/JillShalvis/

GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/22370.Jill_Shalvis

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Mixing Temptation By Sara Jane Stone

Blurb: 

After a year spent living in hiding—with no end in sight—Caroline Andrews wants to reclaim her life. But the lingering trauma from her days serving with the marines leaves her afraid to trust the tempting logger who delivers friendship and the promise of something more.

Following an accident that nearly robbed him of his hopes for the future, Josh Summers believes life has given him a second chance. He wants to settle down with the woman who stole his attention and his heart. And he’s willing to wait until she’s ready to be more than “just friends.” When fear of discovery leaves Caroline pretending to be his date, Josh tempts her to try the real thing—a relationship built on trust, not lies.

But then the past threatens and Caroline must risk everything—including her freedom—to bury her demons before she can take a chance on happy-ever-after.

MY Review:

This is the book we SJS fans have been waiting for! Loved characters from two separate series come together to see if they can find love. We meet Josh Summers in Sara’s Independence Falls series, I don’t know about you but his sense of humor grabbed me right off. Josh is no stranger to having people disappoint him and having life kick you in the teeth. He had a traumatic injury that made him realize what was important in life, his life of one fling after another just weren’t enough anymore. 

Caroline Andrews is introduced to us in Serving Trouble (book 1 in the Second Shot series). She is scared, hurt and yet still a kick butt Marine ready to fight if needed. Luckily for her she runs into Josh who tells her Marine buddy Noah she is in town and looking for him. You will have to read the series to really get a sense of who Caroline is and trust me it is worth it. Caroline has things in her past that make it very hard to trust anyone let alone men. She avoids people at all costs, but one man just wont leave her alone. 

After Josh’s ordeal he learned to bake, this skill comes in handy when he decides to get to know Caroline better. It takes him a long time, longer than he has ever perused a women but he feels she’s worth it. Josh never pushes Caroline and this made me respect him even more. He takes his time, giving her a friend yet making sure she knows he’s interested in more, when she’s ready. After their second date however what should be an easy fun start to a relationship is anything but. Caroline see’s a need to stop dwelling in her past but in order to do that she thinks she needs to face it head on. She also meets a women who needs her help, most men would give up, not Josh, he offers to help anyway he can. This leads us on a trip of deep contemplation, police, talks of hot tubs, laughter, and more conflicting emotions than either of them thought possible.

This book was extremely well written and researched, Sara brought a problem still to this day swept under the rug out in the open. She did this with special care and thought to how people who had suffered the same would feel when reading it. I’m highly impressed with the in depth and no holding back she took in the effort to share who Caroline was before and after the event. Showing that though horrible things happen to us, we all can heal.  You will love this book from beginning to end!   

About Sara Jane: 

After several years on the other side of the publishing industry, Sara Jane Stone bid goodbye to her sales career to pursue her dream—writing romance novels.  Armed with a firm belief that dreams do come true, Sara Jane sat down at her keyboard to write fun, sexy stories like the ones she loved to read.  

Sara Jane currently resides in Brooklyn, New York with her very supportive real-life hero, two lively young children, and a lazy Burmese cat. 

Second Shot Series: 

Blog Tour: Close To Heart by T.J. Kline

Blurb:

It only took an instant for her world to come crashing down…but Heart Fire Ranch is a place of new beginnings, even for those who find their way there by accident

 

As the only veterinarian in town, Justin Hart doesn't have time to think about romance. So when A-list actress Alyssa Cole crashes her car outside his clinic, it's entirely unexpected when there's a spark between them he can't ignore. Still, she's a movie star, and he's just a small town cowboy.

 

Alyssa has learned the hard way not to believe first impressions, especially not in Hollywood. But, 400 miles from her former life with nowhere to go and no one to turn to, she places her trust in the handsome vet who comes to her rescue.

 

There's no denying the connection between them, but when Alyssa's past shows up at the door, will their new relationship be able to withstand the storm?

 

Link to Follow Tour:  http://www.tastybooktours.com/2015/06/close-to-heart-healing-harts-3-by-tj.html

Goodreads Link: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/23434072-close-to-heart?ac=1

Goodreads Series Link: https://www.goodreads.com/series/146550-healing-harts

 

Buy Links:  Amazon | B & N | iTunes | Kobo

 

 

My Review:

Close to Heart is the book I knew would be great, but I wasn’t prepared for the hit to my heart. We have slowly been getting to know Justin Heart through his sisters and know he is stubborn, protective, and always ready to lay anyone out that dares mess with the ones he loves. In his book we get to delve deeper into who Justin is, what makes him tick, what it takes to break down the walls he has kept up for so long. Justin has sworn off relationships, he doesn’t trust easy so to let himself care about another person is not on his agenda. The women he has dated know this, not that they haven’t tried to be the exception to his rules. None have ever made him second guess the way his life is going until Alyssa Cole crashes into it, literally.

                Alyssa Cole on the outside has kept herself looking as though her life is perfect. You know the saying if you fake it long enough you start believing it yourself? Well this was her, she pretended to have a happy marriage, great career, friends, and to top it off she was going to have a baby. The last was the only thing that truly made her happy. She managed to survive the rest, convincing herself things would get better. Until she finds herself kicked out of her house, penniless, and in a snowstorm. Crashing her car was just one more thing she didn’t see coming, but sometimes those are the best kind of events.

                Alyssa and Justin have an instant connection, one touch and they are sizzling. Justin knows this women is married and pregnant, he want to stay honorable. Alyssa fights the connection not wanting to give her soon to be ex-husband fire for his campaign to discredit her. Can they fight the fire until the divorce papers are officially signed? Then what? Alyssa is an actress and Justin a cowboy/small town Vet, what could they possibly have in common? Can Justin trust Alyssa even after all the lies that start flying from the press? Justin wants to but its hart to find the truth when you don’t have faith in yourself, this was one thing I saw in him. Justin doesn’t think he could possibly be good enough so his brain and heart are at war. Find out which one wins by buying your copy NOW!

                I would love to tell you all more about this book, but the story has so many layers, that if I say one thing you will figure out all the rest. I don’t do spoilers so if you want to know what happens with Justin and Alyssa you will just have to buy the book and read it ;-)

 

 

Excerpt:

Alyssa laid her head in the crook of her elbow, trying to stay awake. Justin was finishing with the female Lab as she watched the puppies. She was keeping a close eye on the littlest one, the one that had trouble breathing. They were all so small and weak, but he was even more so. Her hand instinctively curled around the side of her pregnant belly, where her child lay, nestled under her ribs. In less than six weeks, she’d be watching her own child sleep. Rather than comforting her, the thought made her panic.

She had no idea what she was going to do next. The last thing she’d expected when she went out to lunch with her best friend yesterday was to find out Lillian had been sleeping with her husband for the past four years. Elijah’s infidelity hadn’t come as a complete surprise. They’d been drifting apart for years; however, it didn’t lessen the pain of the betrayal, or the shock that it had been with her friend. The confrontation with Elijah that followed had been bad enough, but with his apathetic response when she had demanded he either remain faithful or give her a divorce, he shattered the last remnants of the illusion she’d clung to that their Hollywood marriage wasn’t as fake as everything else in the industry. He’d laughed at her, reminding her that she was nothing more than an out-of-work actress, and nothing without him, before agreeing to the divorce. He’d told her to leave the house before he returned from the office for dinner, as casually as if he was dismissing one of the house staff instead of throwing out his wife and child. In a daze, Alyssa had packed the car up with her clothing and jewelry, assuming she would find a way to sell what she didn’t need to support her and the baby.

But that would last only so long. Her mother suggested she come home for a short visit, which would at least give her a roof over her head and buy a little time before the baby was born, but she hadn’t told her parents about Elijah’s cheating, or the divorce. She wasn’t sure how long she could stay without telling them the truth. They both adored Elijah; he’d paid for their condo. What if they blamed her? She’d invested everything she’d had into Elijah’s agency, and he’d already warned her that she wouldn’t get anything from him. She didn’t even have a way to pay for doctor’s visits or the delivery now, she reminded herself. Worse, she didn’t even have a doctor any longer. Worries beat against her brain like the staccato beat of a drum, making her heart race in her chest as her child moved within her.

Two strong hands settled on her shoulders. “You did a good job.”

“Oh!” Alyssa jerked upright and slid the rolling chair to one side.

Justin’s lips curved into an apologetic smile. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to scare you. I thought you were awake.”

He cocked his head to one side, and his dimple sank into his cheek, giving him a boyish charm. She brushed back the bangs that had fallen from her bun and tucked them behind her ear. “I was. I just thought you were still with the mom.” She realized she was staring at his perfect mouth and quickly looked back at the puppies, which were grunting softly and wiggling against one another. “I was just sort of lost in my own head, I guess.”

He turned to a cupboard nearby and withdrew two needleless syringes. “What are those for?”

“We need to give them colostrum so they have the antibodies they need and don’t get sick.” He walked back and handed her the syringe. “Just a little on the back of their tongues, and we’ll do it again in an hour. Like this.” He reached for the first puppy and put a few drops of the liquid into its mouth. “Later, she should be able to feed them all. If not, we’ll supplement them the same way.”

Justin glanced up at her through thick, dark lashes—lashes most of the women in her career field would kill for. “This is a nice litter. What do you think you’re going to do with them?”

“Me?” she squeaked, pausing as she reached for a puppy. “Doctor, I can’t take them with me.”

“I think we’re beyond that ‘Doctor’ business. Just Justin is fine.” He arched a brow and smiled at her, the dimple creasing his cheek before his brows dropped forward between his eyes, thoughtfully, and he set the puppy down, reaching for the next one. “You won’t be going anywhere for a while, at least not until your car gets fixed. But I guess you probably won’t be able to keep them in a hotel either. I guess they could stay here until you head out.” His brows lifted again, as if he was certain his explanation was sufficient.

Crap, how am I going to pay for a hotel, or to fix the car? Is he really expecting me to pay to keep these puppies, or for the surgery?

“Um . . . I can’t pay for any of this.” She tucked the strand of hair behind her ear again and saw his eyes flick to the massive diamond solitaire settled on her left hand under the latex glove.

Alyssa couldn’t meet his gaze for fear of the recrimination she expected to see there. She wanted to tell him it was none of his business, remind him that appearances could be misleading, but knew she wouldn’t. She used to have a backbone, but over the past six years of her marriage, she had caved as Elijah pressured her to spend less time on set and more time helping him build his agency. She’d given him control of her already successful career, allowing him to make higher demands in her contracts, until producers could no longer meet them. She had believed him when he convinced her that it was time to “retire” in order to focus more attention on his agency and starting a family.

Her hand trailed over the baby, quiet within her. Now that fantasy lay in rubble at her feet. Her husband had kicked her out, said he didn’t love her, didn’t want her or their child, and left her pregnant and alone. She should have been devastated. Instead, she felt hollow.

Her eyes slid over the man seated in front of her, his still-wet hair standing at odd angles at the top of his head as he fed the puppies, and guilt swept in. The least she could do was offer him some sort of explanation. He had come to her rescue and stayed outside in the sleet to find the dog she hit.

Alyssa cleared her throat, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen. “The truth is that expensive things are all I have right now. I don’t have any money or any way to get any until I sell a few things. I’m not even sure I still have insurance on the car to fix it.” She looked down at the puppies, praying he wouldn’t force her to admit anything more.

“Sounds like you’ve got yourself in a real mess, Alyssa.” He ducked his head to meet her gaze. “Give me some time to see if I can’t figure out something to help you.”

“Why . . . I can’t ask you to . . .”

Justin arched a brow and cocked his head at her. “I don’t recall you asking. Besides, my father would skin my hide if I was anything less than a gentleman for a damsel in distress.”

She wanted to believe he could be her white knight, but Elijah had taught her the hard way that fairy tales were nothing but fantasy. The only person she could count on now was herself.

Author Info

T. J. Kline was raised competing in rodeos and rodeo queen competitions since the age of 14, She has thorough knowledge of the sport as well as the culture involved. She has had several articles about rodeo published in the past in small periodicals as well as a more recent how-to article for RevWriter. She is also an avid reader and book reviewer for both Tyndale and Multnomah.

 Author Links:  Website | Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads

Website:  http://tinaklinesmith.com/

 Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/WriterTJKline

 Twitter:  https://twitter.com/WriterTJKline

GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/7558685.T_J_Kline