Willa’s review of No Turning Back (Hanover Brothers, Book 1) by HelenKay Dimon
Contemporary Romance published by InterMix 19 Mar 13

I was lucky enough to win a copy of this book in a recent competition here and Sandy M begged, pleaded and wept asked me if I would like to do a review of it. So after much consideration and sending of chocolate my way, I agreed.

Twenty years ago the pretty seaside town of Sweetwater and its inhabitants was decimated financially by one Charlie Hanover. Con Artist Extraordinaire. He swept into the town, set up shop, bilked everyone of their savings and capital and then swept out, bilking Marc Warren of his wife too. Marc Warren then raised his daughter Leah on his own, filling her with his bitterness and hatred towards anything Hanover. He has made it his life’s mission, and thereby Leah’s, to bring this man down. Sadly for him, Charlie has since died, but not to be thwarted, he focuses his attentions on Charlie’s three sons, in case they have any knowledge of the whereabouts of Charlie’s ill-gotten gains.

Charlie’s sons, Declan, Beckett and Callan, have returned to Sweetwater to decide what to do with their joint inheritance of their grandmother’s house after her recent passing. The current consensus is to do it up a little and then sell it, but all that changes when Declan spies Leah and he decides he might want to hang around for a while. *wiggles eyebrows*
With all this background I didn’t expect their initial meeting to be all happiness and light – Marc Baron’s brainwashing was going to have an influence on Leah for some time and it does.

She comes out gunning for Declan, insulting him and being aggressive at every turn . . .  wanting to know his plans, his plans for the house, and whether he wanted to sell, saying he wasn’t welcome in town, wouldn’t be welcome, challenging the people in the market to see if they would serve him or not . . . .  and he’s so patient. So understanding. But by the time page 100 creeps around, I’m not feeling so patient or understanding of Leah and wondering what Declan sees in the woman. For every step forward in their relationship there are two steps back. It is all lies, mistrust and suspicion, and you can’t build a relationship on that. Leah’s apartment is filled with boxes and investigative files on the Hanovers, and at one point an investigator had been hired. She even has a whiteboard set up with which to build her case. I find it all very strange. I understand her father’s influence would be strong, but she’s a 26-year-old woman. And what would she get out of this? Her father’s approval? Her best friend Mallory said to her

You know, just because you were taught to hate the guy from birth doesn’t mean you can’t break out from the family insanity and make a decision about him (Declan) on your own.

Eventually some sanity does reign and things settle down enough for Declan and Leah to make some time just for them but not without a final showdown. I really like Declan, he has a fantastic relationship with his brothers and I enjoy the scenes of them together. I didn’t warm to Leah, sad to say, but the next two books definitely look promising with Beckett and Sophie up next and the rather mysterious Callan (phwoaaar) and hopefully Mallory to follow. There are still some mysteries to solve from this one.

Grade: C

See Sandy M’s review here.

Summary:

The Hanover brothers inherited some bad behavior from their con artist father. Now three strong women will make honest men out of them.

After ten years in the Army and four overseas deployments, Declan Hanover is ready for life away from a military base. Sweetwater, Oregon, a sleepy coastal town, seems like the perfect place to start over. His plan is to work out a deal with his brothers and the bank to let him keep the estate they’ve inherited, Shadow Hill. But he wasn’t prepared for Leah Baron, whose family lost everything to his father’s cons—including the house Declan intends to make his own…

Leah thinks Declan is just like his conman father. He possesses a bad boy charm that makes her heart pound, but that doesn’t mean she can trust him. All she wants is to get close to him so she can get her house back. But Declan has other ideas. He doesn’t mind being in close proximity to Leah—as long as it’s in the bedroom…

Read an excerpt.

Other books in this series: