Sandy M’s review of Give It Up (Thorne Brothers, Book 1) by Lee Kilraine
Contemporary Romance published by Lyrical Caress 10 Jul 18
Lee Kilraine is a new-to-me author this year, all in my quest to find new favorites because a few of my all-time faves have begun to miss the mark for me lately. And because I’m a huge fan of stories about brothers, I had hope the Throne bros would hit the spot.
I was hugely rewarded and thoroughly enjoyed Beckett, the oldest Thorne, and Sam’s book. Thus, I will be reading each book in this series as they release and in between read more of Ms. Kilraine. Her Cates Brothers series is calling to me just as much as this series does.
Beckett and his brothers own and run Six Brothers Construction. These men had a horrible childhood, with Beck trying to hold them all together but losing the fight when they’re split up and put in foster care. After those lousy years of foster homes, he began the task of locating his siblings to put his family back together again. He still, to this day, carries the responsibility for them all on his shoulders, even going so far as to keep a few things from them. Which leads to his current dilemma and the reason he’s now partnering with a local design business owned by Sam Devine.
Sam has her own issues with family. Her father is a man who can’t see Sam and her talent for what it is – better than her stepbrothers, who took the credit for her ideas and work, leading to her departure from the business where she hoped to shine one day. Starting her own company has been a lot of work, but it’s beginning to pay off, and now she has the chance to soar if she can land this current opportunity to redesign the home of a hockey team owner and his wife. Only thing is, she’s surprised when the wife wants both her and Beck to collaborate on this job because, according to the new boss, their ying and yang will work quite well together.
Thus begins the fun when these two can’t get along and agree on a darned thing to get this project off the ground. Neither will give up because they think their ideas are best. The banter with and at each other keeps the amusement high, all interspersed with family issues that keep pressing that responsibility and vulnerability down on them that much more.
I really like the Thornes’ generosity when it comes to local foster kids. Also, their search for the one still-missing brother keeps them off kilter emotionally, despite the closeness they share. Sam is little by little learning to accept that her father will never see her for who she truly is, let alone acknowledge her skill as a designer. All of these things come together more and more as they learn how to work together to make this project their best ever. I am so looking forward to Wyatt’s book, Give and Take, next.
Kudos to Ms. Kilraine for publishing the first three books of this series in six months, all the while keeping true to her characters and giving readers a good story each time with her terrific writing style. A lot of authors out there who publish too many books too soon just don’t make the grade. So I’m happy to serve up our top grade for this book.
Summary:
A rough childhood tore Beckett and his brothers apart. It took everything he had to track them down and establish Six Brothers Construction. He only trusts them—and his drive to win. Now if SBC can build a billionaire team owner’s much-hyped new mansion, it will put them on the map—and finally fulfill Beckett’s promise to take care of his siblings. Too bad he’ll have to collaborate with hot new rival Samantha Devine, who’s throwing him curves on-site, out-the-box . . . and between the sheets.
Sam knows from experience that arrogant good-ole-boy Beckett is long, strong, and built to go the distance. But this is her only shot to prove she and her fledgling design company can succeed on her own terms. She’ll match Beckett’s expertise by day—and reignite the explosive heat between them by night. But when passion threatens to become real love, will this competition separate them for good . . . or make the sizzling collaboration of a lifetime?
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series: