First rule of being a nanny? Don’t fall for the single dad, even if he is smoking hot.
But that’s exactly what happens when grumpy small-town sheriff Asher Whitlock reluctantly hires me to take care of his daughter for the summer. Neither of us is thrilled with the arrangement, but he’s desperate for help, and I need the money for grad school this fall.
All we need to do is keep our distance and remain professional . . . turns out, that’s easier said than done.
Instead of focusing on my future, all I see is the strong jawline, crystal-blue eyes, and rock-hard body right in front of me. We try to resist each other, but we end up crossing every line until I’m in his bed.
I tell myself it’s just this once.
Okay, twice.
All right, every night.
But it’s got to end–he’s fourteen years older than me, with a kid and a stressful job. Have I mentioned my dad is his boss? Then there’s the past I’m trying to forget. Secrets aren’t easy to keep and mine are getting too big to hide.
Walking away is never simple but when I do, I can’t look back.
Even if it means leaving behind the man I was never meant to love.
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Review5 Stars!Oh it’s good to be back in Sugarloaf! Forbidden Hearts is a small town romance set in Sugarloaf, a town you’ll know and love if you’ve read the Arrowood Brothers series by Corinne. It’s also an age gap (he’s 14 years older) grumpy/sunshine and single dad/nappy romance… so basically all the good stuff!
I loved the dynamics between Asher, his daughter Olivia and Phoebe. Asher coparents with his ex and their relationship is a healthy one (yay!). While his ex is going to work overseas for a few months, Asher has Olivia stay with him full time which means he needs to find himself a nanny.. although it proves to be difficult to find a nanny who knows ASL, which is a must since Olivia is deaf.
Enter, Phoebe, the daughter of his boss, who has left her grad program early and ends up moving in with him and instantly fitting into their lives. Despite some hesitance from Asher, Phoebe and Olivia’s relationship is amazing, they get on so well and I loved seeing how their relationship blossomed so quickly.
Asher and Phoebe are attracted to each other straight away but Asher remembers a trouble maker and Phoebe want’s to prove herself to him so they don’t act on their attraction straight away but when they finally can’t stay away from each other, the chemistry flies off the page… it is so good. The build up of tension was perfect.
I loved these two together and loved their little family with Olivia involved. These characters are great. Phoebe is fun, brave, smart and relatable and Asher is so grumpy, but the good kind… he’s got a heart of gold and is super protective of those he loves. I loved seeing them both fall for each other.
I loved everything about this book and would highly recommend!
*An arc was kindly received from the author in exchange for an honest review*
Meet Corinne
Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.
Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed--reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.
From USA Today bestselling author Rebecca Yarros comes a small town, single parent romance.
Nine years ago, Weston Madigan saved me. I came to Colorado penniless, heartbroken, and pregnant, searching for a fresh start. Weston gave me a job at his family’s resort, then left the next day and never returned, not even to visit.Then I stumble in on Weston cooking breakfast shirtless—gloriously, inappropriately shirtless—in the shared kitchen of my duplex in employee housing. Given the shock on both our faces, he wasn’t expecting a roommate either, let alone two.The growly pilot is only home to start his family’s new heli-skiing operation. I can handle being his temporary roommate, right? Chemistry and attraction aren’t impossible to ignore when you agree on ground rules. Besides, even with those gorgeous, brooding brown eyes, the guy is a walking thundercloud…until my daughter, Sutton, makes him laugh and he smiles at me. Then everything changes. Cue inconvenient heart flip.This is only temporary.I can’t fall for Weston.Will. Not. Fall. For. Weston.But rules go out the window when you’re a little too close.
Review:
Rebecca Yarros can do no wrong… I loved this book so much. When I heard that Rebecca was writing Weston’s story and he was a helicopter pilot, I knew it would be good.
Everything about it was perfect. The relationship between Callie and her daughter Sutton was amazing and hilarious, the way Yarros described the Colorado made it seem like I was right there in the middle of the ski resort along side the characters.
I loved the relationship between Weston and Callie, no matter how much they tried to fight their chemistry, they couldn’t resist and just had to be with each other.
Weston is a man who is on a journey to face his past and he doesn’t think he will find any happiness going back to face it, that is until he meets Callie and all she does it make him smile. They’re both so different from each other but have faced such similar tragedies that bring them together and connect as they can both relate to what the other has gone through.
Their passion and chemistry flies off the page and had me feeling all the feels as the tension was building and they tried to stay away from each other. But it wasn’t just Weston’s relationship with Callie that made me fall in love with him, his relationship with Sutton is what really sealed the deal… he took her under his wing straight away and helped her with her skiing and treated her like an equal and loved her. I fell in love with Weston from the way he was with Sutton. Sutton is such a great character in her own right and I hope we still get glimpses of her in the last book of the series.
I honestly loved this book so much and thought it was the perfect addition to the series. I can’t wait to read about the last brother!
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review*
About the Author:
Rebecca Yarros is the USA Today bestselling author of over fifteen novels, including The Things We Leave Unfinished and The Last Letter. “A gifted storyteller” (Kirkus), she is also the recipient of the Colorado Romance Writer’s Award of Excellence for Eyes Turned Skyward from her Flight and Glory series.Rebecca loves military heroes and has been blissfully married to hers for over twenty years. She’s the mother of six children, and is currently surviving the teenage years with three of her four hockey-playing sons. When she’s not writing, you can find her at the hockey rink or sneaking in some guitar time while guzzling coffee. She and her family live in Colorado with their stubborn English bulldogs, two feisty chinchillas, and a Maine Coon kitten named Artemis, who rules them all.Having fostered then adopted their youngest daughter who is nonverbal and on the autism spectrum, Rebecca is passionate about helping children in the foster system through her nonprofit, One October, which she co-founded with her husband in 2019. To learn more about their mission to better the lives of kids in foster care, visit www.oneoctober.org.
To catch up on Rebecca’s latest releases and upcoming novels visit www.RebeccaYarros.com.
My new neighbor is a firefighter—and a scorching hot single dad—but I swear I didn’t set off that smoke alarm on purpose.
Ignite, an all-new smoking hot, single dad romantic comedy from USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling author Melanie Harlow, is available now!
BLURB
My new neighbor is a firefighter—and a scorching hot single dad—but I swear I didn’t set off that smoke alarm on purpose.
(And I was beyond mortified when he rushed in and saw me naked.)
Nothing happened, of course—because I, Winnie MacAllister, romance junkie and owner of a constantly broken heart, have sworn off men for one solid year.
Even protective men with chiseled jaws, bulging biceps, and deep brown eyes that make my breath come faster. Even former SEALs with broad chests and strong hands that make my skin sizzle. Even gorgeous, grumpy guys who have their hands full raising two adorable little girls and claim they don’t believe in love.
Until Dex kisses me one night, and I drop all my defenses.
(Also my underwear.)
He says he’s not gentle, and he’s right. He says I should take the dream job I’m offered in another state, and he’s right. He says he’s too old for me and could never be the man I deserve.
He’s wrong.
Dex and I might be twelve years apart, but the fire between us is the kind that will never burn out.
How can I convince him to give happily-ever-after with me a chance?
Fall in love with Winnie and Dex for ZERO PENNIES in Kindle Unlimited today!
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3kePkO0
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/IgniteHarlow
Audio Coming Soon, narrated by Stephen Dexter & Kirsten Leigh
EXCERPT
She looked a little nervous, not that I blamed her, as she held out a small pink box of Band-Aids. “I had these lying around and thought Luna might want them for her knee. Band-Aids sometimes come off in the shower, so . . .”
I reached out and took them from her, noticing she was careful not to let our fingers touch this time. “Thanks.”
“That’s it—I just wanted to—um, okay, have a good night.” She turned to leave, and I probably should have let her.
“Wait a second.”
She faced me again, her expression still wary.
“I’m sorry about that.” I gestured over my shoulder with the pink box. “My ex-wife—the girls’ mom—knows how to get a rise out of me.”
“Oh, that’s okay. It’s none of my business, and I didn’t really hear anything.” It was obvious she’d heard everything.
I nodded slowly. “Well, thanks for the Band-Aids. Luna will appreciate it.”
Her smile was back, along with that stutter in my chest. “Good. Enjoy your night.”
“You too.”
She turned around and went down the steps, cutting across the lawn to her place with that same youthful bounce in her step. Glancing down at the box, I shook my head—of course she had a whole thing of pink princess Band-Aids. I shut the door and trudged up the stairs to get the kids cleaned up.
Hallie went first, after a brief attempt to get me to let her wear socks in the shower. As usual, I refused, explaining again that the entire house had been thoroughly cleaned before we moved in, and I’d been here yesterday to make sure of it.
While she was getting dressed, I made sure Luna washed her hair and used soap, then helped her get dried off. After hanging up their towels, I double-checked that they’d chosen appropriate clothing and was just about to get in my own shower when I heard a series of high-pitched beeps.
“What’s that?” Hallie said, scrunching up her face.
Instantly on high alert, I put my hand up. “Shh.” I heard it again, and recognized it as a smoke detector going off, but not in our house—we were hearing it through the walls. “Stay here.”
I raced out of their room and took the stairs down three at a time, jumping to the bottom with five to go. Barreling out my front door, I ran over to Winnie’s and knocked. The alarm was clearly coming from inside her unit, and when she didn’t answer the door, I made a split-second decision to bust in.
Fortunately, the door wasn’t locked.
I shouldered it open, relieved when I didn’t see or smell smoke right away. Winnie’s townhouse was laid out exactly like mine, and I immediately realized the detector going off was upstairs. Racing up the steps three at a time, I reached the master bedroom doorway just in time to see Winnie climbing onto a suitcase, one hand reaching toward the ceiling to disconnect the unit.
My jaw dropped.
She was totally naked and dripping wet.
One hand was clutching a small towel to her chest that didn’t fucking hide anything . Behind her, steam from her shower billowed from her bathroom, which must have been what set off the alarm—some detectors are that sensitive. Behind me, I heard clamoring on the stairs, and a second later both Hallie and Luna rushed into the bedroom.
Startled, Winnie looked over and saw us. Her eyes went wide as she screamed, lost her footing, and toppled backward off the suitcase. She landed hard on her ass, arms and legs flailing like a rag doll.
Averting my eyes, I strode over and disconnected the unit while she scrambled toward the bathroom on her hands and knees, presumably in search of a bigger towel.
But then she slammed the door . . . and didn’t come out.
The eighty-five decibel alarm had ceased, but the sirens in my head continued.
I looked at the girls. Luna had her hands over her mouth. Hallie’s eyes were wide, and she pointed to the bathroom door. “Winnie was naked,” she whispered. “We saw her bum.”
“Quiet,” I scolded angrily. “You two were supposed to stay at our house. You didn’t follow my orders.”
“But Daddy, we were scared,” Luna said. Her hair was still wet and tangled. “We came to find you.”
“We’ll talk about it later, but when I tell you to stay put, you stay put-especially in an emergency. Understand?”
They nodded.
“Now go back to our house, both of you.”
“But what about Winnie? Is she okay?”
I went over to the bathroom door and knocked, trying not to picture her naked. The shower wasn’t running anymore. “Winnie? Are you okay?”
“I’m fine!”
“Are you hurt?”
“I’m fine!” she repeated in the same false, bright tone.
A tiny smile inched onto my lips. “Are you sure?”
REVIEW
4.5 stars for Ignite!
I was so excited to go back to Cloverleigh Farms and Ignite didn’t disappoint. We meet the grumpy firefighter, Dex Matthews. He’s 34 and an ex SEAL and also a single dad of two girls…. Cue the swoon, right?
Winnie is 22 years old and has always been addicted to love. She loves the idea of it and falls in love super fast. She just had a failed engagement so she’s sworn off men and falling in love for the foreseeable future thanks to a bet with her friend.
Dex and Winnie meet when Dex moves next-door to Winnie and their attraction is instant. Although they both fight it at the start, it’s undeniable and before they know it, they can’t resist each other anymore.
This is definitely in the grumpy/sunshine category which is one of my all time fave tropes. If you’ve read the rest of the Cloverleigh books then you’ll be able to see the parallels of Ignite and book number one, Irresistible, which is the book about Winnie’s parents…. I loved this so much and I loved the way the book mentioned them with humour surrounding it.
This was a super cute read with the spice thrown in. I really liked the way Winnie and Dex came together and Dex’s girls are hilarious and Dex is such a great dad. This book is pretty love angst, which I loved. I just needed a cute small town romance book and this hit the spot.
Winnie and Dex’s chemistry was great and I loved reading their story and seeing how they found a place in each others world.
If you’re looking for a cute grumpy/sunshine romance, then this one is for you!
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review*
About Melanie Harlow
USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she's not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like Ted, Lasso, Schitt’s Creek, and Fleabag. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.
Melanie is the author of the BELLAMY CREEK series, the CLOVERLEIGH FARMS series, the ONE & ONLY series, AFTER WE FALL series, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, and the FRENCHED series. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.
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Corinne Michaels has revealed the cover for Stay For Me!
Releasing: December 8, 2020
Cover Design: Perfect Pear Creative
Photographer: Wong Sim
Model: Mitchell Wick
From New York Times Bestselling author Corinne Michaels comes the final poignant love story in the Arrowood Brothers Series.
Hollywood taught me everything I know about relationships—except how to be in one. As an actor, I became an expert at faking it. Faking that I wasn't affected by my childhood. Faking that I was okay. Faking that I knew how to save the day, the girl, the whole damn world.
But I've always known the truth—I’m no one's hero.
Until I’m forced to move back to Sugarloaf for six months, and Brenna Allen offers me a chance to prove otherwise. She’s everything I never knew I wanted, but can't have. Her broken heart, perfect face, and adorable children turn my world upside down. Instead of preparing for my next leading role, I’m directing a middle school play.
All to make her smile.
The more time I spend here, the more I want to stay. Build a life in this town that I swore I’d leave—for her.
But when the world comes crashing down around us, I’m forced to decide if staying for her is the right choice or if leaving is better for the woman I love.
Corinne Michaels is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of romance novels. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love, and she enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak before finding a way to heal them through their struggles.
Corinne is a former Navy wife and happily married to the man of her dreams. She began her writing career after spending months away from her husband while he was deployed--reading and writing were her escapes from the loneliness. Corinne now lives in Virginia with her husband and is the emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun-loving mom of two beautiful children.
Penelope
Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling
author of contemporary romance.
She grew up
in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a
television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son,
and beautiful daughter with autism.
With over two
million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author
of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen
languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.
