Contemporary Romance published by Little Quail Press 1 Dec 20
I’ve had good luck with doing crazy things like choosing to read a book because of its cover. That’s the only reason why I chose this one. This cover just called to me and I had to read it. Willing to bet which way it went as far as the content between the pretty front cover and the back cover?
If you bet I was bored with the characters and their choices, irritated with the very unprofessional editing job, along with so many inconsistencies in the story I couldn’t keep up, you woulda won huge bucks.
Did I like anything else aside from the cover? One or two things. The idea to help out roaming cowboys looking for a roof over their heads and some work during the holidays is a nice one. Eve and her twin Travis both bring home a couple of strays, Archer and Simon. Both of whom are quite secretive, so you know one of them is probably no good. From the way one acts toward Eve from the beginning, you’re able to figure out who the bad apple is. He’s a sleazeball, coming on to Eve in a roomful of people, which includes her parents. Sorry, that’s just a hard no for me. As is the fact Eve doesn’t call him on it right then. Shove the ass away, tell him to keep his hands to himself, and if he does it again, his balls will be blue. But no, she acts like milquetoast.
The other stray helps out around the ranch and also comes on to Eve, but at least he has some finesse about him. But those scenes just aren’t well written, dialogue sometimes corny, and I found myself skipping through most of them. Then bizarre things begin to happen, so you know something untoward is coming. But at that point, just slightly less than halfway through the book, I’d had enough. The editing is horrible, and those inconsistencies I mentioned should have been brought to the author’s attention so she could have cleaned them up. I haven’t heard of Little Quail Press before, but they need some new editors – quick.
Needless to say, I gave up. I still love the cover. However, I wasn’t even curious enough to check the ending to see what happens. Thus, I’m on the fence if I’ll read Ms. Aves again. But I’m leaning toward the side that says no.
Grade: DNF
Summary:
Every Christmas, Red Hart Ranch opens their doors, and Montana provides the perfect backdrop for good company and better food. But this year, the table won’t be as full.
Eve Beaumont is a twin heir to Red Hart Ranch. She loves the land, loves the people, and will do anything for them. Christmas sees most of the ranch hands return to their own homes to celebrate. Only a few long term cowboys remain with the family.
When Eve and her brother Trav go into town to collect supplies, they each bring home a drifter for Christmas. Rhys Archer and Simon Haldon are as different as two cowpokes can be. One rough edged who can work the land and animals with a firm hand; the other a smooth talker with a devilish charm. Eve finds both men attractive against her better judgement, but when tragedy hits the ranch, romance is the last thing on her mind.
Vandalisms happen around the ranch, and Eve isn’t sure who she can trust. She knows neither man is who he pretends to be — but when no one listens to her, she has to prove her suspicions on her own.
No excerpt available.
