I just adore this series! After all, how often Is it that I get a 18 book series written by multiple authors that shows no signs of stopping, remains energetic and fresh from couple to couple, plot to plot, and has given me new authors to follow!
Exciting, right?
The main elements remain the bar/bookstore thatâs Vino and Veritas, the beautiful town of Burlington, Vermont, the surrounding areas such as smaller villages, farms and woods. From that great foundation, we continually meet and/or revisit the many citizens (established and newly arrived) that intertwine their lives and loves.
Unforgettableâs couple is comprised of two men weâve met before.
Thereâs Oz Walker, one of the staff at Vino side of V&V. Heâs been mentioned fairly often in the other stories. Doesnât matter the authors, many of these couples and characters make appearances throughput the entire series.
So yes, we superficially know Oz and now get to meet the man in-depth as well as his family. All of them and they rock!
Reeve Hale, temporally âpassing throughâ Burlington for the summer is roommates with one of my fav people. Thatâs the effervescent Davey Murphy from Undone #17, here busy, supportive and looking for love. While itâs great to get a peak at âShowgirlâ, the oh so delightful , duty minded adorable Reeve is a real great addicting character.
Add a marvelous fake boyfriend trope between these two and you have a story that just takes off and soars on a flight of romance, sexy romps, some angst, and a ton of heartwarming moments.
Just a heads over heels love fest that you will find so much fun to read. Well written, dialogue that feels real and hits the heart, and yes, filled with outstanding characters, both new and from the other series books.
Oz Walker and Reeve Hale are a great couple and make for a entertaining joyful romance. Add this one to your TBR pile. I definitely recommend it.
See the synopsis and entire series list below as well as the buying link from Goodreads.
Synopsis: One night with Reeve Hale wasnât enough. I knew it when I kissed him, I knew it when I slept with him, and I was certain of it when I walked out of his motel room the very next day.
So when the shy, gorgeous man is introduced as our newest employee at Vino and Veritas, I canât help but conjure up all the ridiculous ways to convince him to repeat that unforgettable night. Like asking him to be my fake boyfriend at my sisterâs upcoming wedding.
Only, I didnât expect him to say yes.
Playing pretend shouldnât feel this real. Especially when Reeve is planning on leaving Vermont after the summer.
We agreed to one night. We negotiated a fake relationship. But Iâm the one who broke our terms. I wasnât supposed to fall in love and he was never supposed to be so unforgettable
I have been looking forward to this book and series since itâs origin story, A Brush of Blue, in her Colors of Love series. Itâs there that we met Landon Reese, goalie/hockey player and his future husband, bandleader Montrell Pittman. And at the end they are facing a great future together, full of new journeys, including one that sees both at Landonâs large spread in Wyoming, the Prairie Smoke Ranch.
It was such an amazing story and that couple was so fascinating and diverse that I couldnât wait to see how their lives continued and what happened nextâŠ.on that ranch.
We get that here, although not as much as I had hoped to see of Landon and Martell. Here, we run across Landon most often as the carryover character. He owns the ranch after all. Of the complex , musical cross dressing Martell, we catch just glimpses.
No the focus of this novel is the Prairie Smoke ranch foreman, Nate Pearson and Dr. Bishop Haney, associate professor of Paleontology at UWW. Itâs their love story, with heavy overlay plot lines of theft, bigotry, feuding ranches, rustling and more.
And that mixture of elements and storylines is both a blessing and , well not a curse then definitely a frustrating point, reader and review wise, about this novel.
Writing a series, authors can format their stories in various ways. Thereâs a main foundation or universe, here itâs the Prairie Smoke Ranch and itâs location near the Tetons as well as surrounding communities, town and Native tribes.
Locey has established a great setting and niche community here. We have the larger towns and citizens referenced and secondary characters from there who make appearances.Thereâs the smaller found family the author is slowly creating at the ranch itself thatâs a combination of owners, ranch hands, and support staff. New people already situated or are soon to arrive within this group are those whoâs relationships will be launched in the forthcoming books.
As I said, this series looks to follow the pattern of individual romances emerging from the ranch family that is growing before us on the page instead of following through on the couple already presented.
From foundation universe and main couple romance, then a author can layer on more themes or plots that get threaded through the narrative to further tie books and series together.
For me this has always been a somewhat tricky format to balance and have each tale remain satisfying in and of itself while moving the series objectives forward.
As a reader, I want to come to the end of each novel I read and feel happy (if itâs that sort of fiction) as well as satisfied that some if not most of the plot lines raised have been concluded , even if itâs not the arc storyline . Thatâs more so the case because itâs a anticipated smaller percentage in novels from a series because yes, you allow for a certain number of storylines to carryover into the next novel. I still emotionally need closure on something! Please donât leave me with more questions then answers or spending hours wondering why I didnât even connect 100 percent to our couple. More on that.
When that happens. Even if thereâs no real cliffhanger (something I abhor in a series), having multiple major elements left dangling at the end , well frustrating is a nice way to put it. Then I start to look at every aspect of the story with askance.
That includes what seems to be a happy, loving main couple . Here after some thought, even their romance here feels just as unfinished as everything else. Definitely a HFN book. An air of uncertainty hangs ever present over all elements.
For me that perfectly frames out how Dawnâs Desire reads and comes across at the end. I done nothing but think about this story and why I just felt unsettled and yup, frustrated by the end.
Letâs tackle the romance first of all.
Itâs very well written, especially when creating and defining the men who become lovers in this HFN story.
Nate has a tragic history which is easy to emphasize with and feel a part of this manâs life story. I connected with Nate. And even now he stands out so clearly in my head. I know this man.
Bishop, all energized, nerdy yet capable, messy man bun and long limbs, is equally amazing and relatable. From his California great looks to his positive outlook, Bishop feels as real as Nate.
Their chemistry is off the charts hot and I can even believe they love each other at the end.
The author did such a thorough, great job in giving both men not only a layered history but each has an emotional richness to them. Nate speaks hauntingly and with deep conviction of his connection to the wide spaces of Wyoming and his almost sacred bonding to the land. As he spoke at times during the story of his need and emotional ties there , it was so moving and natural.
Bishop too has equally meaningful layers to him. Not surprisingly, these strong ties run from his joy and passion for paleontology . But on the same level as Nateâs great need and love for the land surrounding the Tetons is Bishop âs innermost connection to the ocean, itâs waters , smells, and sounds that speak to Bishop of his heart. Itâs a immense part of his soul, one that he says feels empty when heâs away from it. Yes, I understood Bishop too on a visceral level.
Soooo⊠anyone seeing a potential issue here for a HEA? Because yes, Bishop is a associate professor at UWW, thatâs a both a field that calls for major time spent on digs (wherever they may be found) but he likes the city and his oceans.
This may be a case where these men are so well crafted as to feel real. We understand their inner emotions and can then see past a simple relationship whereas love here being everything. For me instead of focusing on their HFN status, all I could think of is this relationship has a real time limit realistically speaking. That sometimes love isnât enough.
While realistic, probably not the tone Locey was going for in this romance.
The story doesnât address my concerns about the romance feeling like a summer ranch fling however much they declared their love.
Add that to the fact that none of the other storylines (entertaining and suspenseful major threads) come to any fruition . Each one is left to continue through to the next book. Not one is resolved.
I got to the end of Dawnâs Desire feeling as though Iâd read the first half of a book where the rest of it was missing.
Iâm sure more information about each mystery and plot will be featured in book 2 in this series. However, that story doesnât center around Bishop and Nate but another couple entirely.
And unlike Landon and Martell who communicated and worked , in that novel, how the complications from each manâs job would fit into their newly domesticated lifestyle, here between Nate and Bishop we get nothing. Just a declaration of love.
Just not very satisfying, at least for me.
So finally, Dawnâs Desire does a great job in setting up the foundation and conflicts going forward in the series. It does nothing to resolve any thread just a setup and move forward.
It does give us a age gap, layered realistic quick romance between Nate and Bishop, running from lust to love. We understand and come to love each man, easy to do as theyâre intelligent, funny, poignant, and sexy.
But is this a romance built or written in a way that feels lasting? Not so much. More like Nateâs first step out of emotional hibernation than a HEA. And I could see Bishop, at another dig, thinking about Nate as the one thing he left behind. That feels believable.
Will the upcoming stories change them and my general feelings about this couple? Remains to be seen. Along with the conclusions to some of the mysteries started here.
Iâll be waiting anxiously for the next novel to see what it brings.
Stronghold is a sweet, heartwarming romance. A second chance at love tale, we watch a reunion between chef Judson and maple sugarer Skyler after being best friends growing up then driven apart for a decade. One , Skyler who remained in Burlington to help with his familyâs dairy farm. The other , Judson, fleeing Vermont for Paris and culinary school.
Alternating POV (standard for the series) guide us into complete understanding of each man and their complicated relationships, painful pasts, and tenuous plans for the future. I quickly grew to love them both.
Ashley characters are engaging, layered, and easy to connect to. The families that also are closely connected are equally charming and realistic. And the interplay between each man and their mothers seem so spot on that you feel as though you could be sitting on stool in the kitchen along side them as they chat. Plus all that maple syrup and recipes to drool over.
As with all the stories, characters and couples youâve gotten to know and adore make appearances here, from slight mentions to full secondary character status. It takes a village to build this series and you really feel like you know these people and Burlington itself. Go Moo U!
Yes thereâs some angst on the low end of the meter, and a lovely ending. What a terrific new installment!
I love a great series. Thereâs nothing better then to read one story, fall in love with the setting, people, atmosphereâŠ.everything and then see you donât have to stop at book one.
If the literary gods and goddesses are watching over you, the series will be lengthy and one that keeps building on the foundation and layers of the stories before.
Vino and Veritas is that series. Written by multiple authors, starting with Annabeth Albert, each sweet, heartwarming romance has added more texture and richness as well as characters to an already amazing central element.
That would be Vino (the all inclusive bar) and Veritas (the connecting/neighbor bookstore).
From that great center has sprung book after book with diverse characters (dairy farmers, bloggers, former hockey players, chefs, you name it) with their personal issues, often challenging family dynamics, and fascinating albeit stumbling journeys to love and HEA.
I mean look at that list of authors! I have put the full list of books to date (18 of them and growing) at the end of this review. Feel free to use it as a personal check list.
And because the books are written by a variety of authors this series always feels fresh and exciting. Plus if youâre unfamiliar with some of these authors, what a great way to discover someone new.
I have been reading them all in the order listed below because once I found the first book, Featherbed, then I just couldnât stop. Like eating chocolates, one naturally leads to the next snd then the nextâŠ..
Havenât found one yet that isnât a true delight and great read.
Check this and all the ones out for yourself. I absolutely recommend eqch and every one.
A second chance at love? Or a second chance to ruin everything?
When Skyler spots the new bartender at Vino and Veritas, his body responds before the guy even turns around. But when he does, it takes only a heartbeat for recognition to set in and for sparks to fly. Judsonâs been gone for ten years, but heâs the man Skyler never forgot. Or forgave.
The last place Judson wants to be is back home in Burlington, living with family. Not so long ago he was a world-class chef with the lifestyle to prove it. Now heâs serving drinks and flying under the radar until he can get the hell out again. But when his childhood best friend reenters his life, looking finer than any entree at a five-star restaurant, he wonders if itâs time to update his menu of life choices.
Working through past wounds with Skyler wonât be easy, though, especially with family obligations–and the occasional dairy cow–interfering. When their loyalty is tested, will their newly built stronghold be sturdy enough to withstand the storm?
Stronghold is a sweet and sexy Vino & Veritas romance with some creative use of maple syrup.
Vino and Veritas series:
đ”Featherbed (Vino and Veritas 1) by Annabeth Albert
I really liked this story. For one, Bordenâs series about the LA Riptide NFL team is marvelous and any new installment is exciting.
Two, Bolden brings into her Riptide universe, characters and couples from her other terrific series (Kitchen Gods , Kitchen Wars, and Food Truck Warriors). These couples are intertwined with each otherâs stories and seeing them again here is a total pleasure.
Third and best reason? Bolden loves and knows the sport of pro football, every angle and aspect. From the Sports announcers/broadcasters like Terry Bradshaw , sitting crafty and country in his booth, to draft day to the locker room dynamics, itâs all here.
Thatâs understood immediately as we dive into the opening scene and mindset of defense end Spencer Evans. The Stars opponent has the ball and now itâs up to the defense to stop them. Heâs in the zoneâŠgameâs onâŠheâs mentally focused as the field and action unfolds before and around him. We are THERE with him, seeing it all and waiting for him to act.
What an awesome way to jump into the story and character.
From that scene Bolden takes the reader and her characters on a moving emotional journey of self growth, acceptance and love. But not before putting them and us through some real turmoil.
Thatâs perfect and realistic when you have as tightly wrapped a person as Spencer and as deeply self protective as Alec Mitchell, the gay Sports super agent whoâs had feelings for Spencer since the msn was first drafted. Each man has rejected, then been rejected over the course of a decades long complicated relationship. Spencer choosing to be drafted and then play for a decade for a team so toxic (the fictional LA Stars) that heâs buried who he is so deep he no longer knows who he is. And Alec Mitchell has watched knowing the man Spencer was.Tough dynamics through a decade of complex emotions.
The journey for both men restarts afterSpencer decides to changeâŠeverything.
Itâs a moving read. Spencer, with the help of not only Alec but the surprise support of those heâs hurt in the past, decides to tear down the walls he built, and find himself again.
We see the maneuvering to get trades done, team dynamics (both great and ugly), while feeling intimately part of this new path Spencer is taking along with Alec.
Great stuff. I was totally in the game as they say, with him all the way.
The romance? Just as complicated and rewarding. I love this couple. The chemistry is hot.
The story comes so close to perfect. But it contains one element that always makes the reader wonder and yes, something I find irritating. Probably because itâs so correctable.
I call it the âmissing main animal character â element. I canât tell you how often Iâve seen this happen and it takes me right out of the narrative because Iâm too busy wondering where the hell Soarky, Fluffy or what have you went.
In this case, itâs a one-eyes black cat called Ignatius or Iggy for short. He belongs to Spencer. How that came about and their adorable relationship is a fairly big part of the story. Iggy acts as a fulcrum for a specific meeting. He also is used to show Spencerâs vulnerability and ability to change. So yes, Iggyâs a big deal.
However, the last , important, third of the story? No Iggy. Not even a mention of someone taking care of him, introducing him to AlecâŠnada. Iggy disappears.
Now I understand that the author has goals, narrative stages she wants to tell and/or hit as the storylines start to come together and the book heads toward The End. However, at least IMO, better to either never have such a animal character in the first place, use another device to accomplish the same meeting, then to create (extremely well btw) and then dump said animals.
Itâs noticed. And in my case bothers me enough every time I see it to deduct rating points. đ€ŠđŒââïž. Just no.
So yes, great story, wonderful characters and romance. Missing cat.
Maybe Iggy will find a home in the next book. Which I will surely read because I do love the Riptide team and itâs players.
Unfamiliar with the inter workings of pro ball? Donât worry because youâre going to feel like a football veteran after reading this, as well as her other books. Enjoy!
There are 3 terrific books in this series, I recommend them all.
Synopsis: Spencerâs deep in the Red Zone and itâs time to even the score.
Nine years ago Spencer Evans became the first player out of the closet to be drafted into the NFL. Everyone believed he had aspirations to change the world but all Spencer ever wanted to do was play football for a team that accepted him wholeheartedly. But they never would, and Spencer began to conceal all the parts that made him different.
When a terrible injury forces him to re-evaluate his life and his choices, he realizes thereâs only one man who can help him.
The very first gay sports agent, Alec Mitchell has given his life and his career to making queer athletesâ dreams come true. He canât help but think of Spencer as the one who got awayâprofessionally and personally.
Alec thought heâd buried his desperate longing for Spencer ages ago but it turns out it was just lying dormant, waiting for the right spark. When he begs Alec to take him on as a client, everything theyâve been burying for years surfaces once again.
With Alecâs help, Spencer can change everything about his life heâs come to hate. An extraordinary futureâand an undeniably extraordinary manâare waiting for him. The play has been called. All he has to do is catch the ball and score
If youâre looking for something sweet, light hearted, filled with laughter and love, then grab up Operation Meet Cute, the first book in KM Neuholdâs new Operation HEA series.
Adorable Harlow , his parents ugly divorce haunting him, decides the way to HEA and his true love is through a movie âmeet cuteâ moment. And heâs been busy staging his own for yearsâŠ.to no avail.
Teddy, his neighbor upstairs, has been watching Harlowâs search go unrewarded for 4 years, the same amount of time Teddy has been Harlowâs best friend. Only his heart wants more.
This best friends to lovers story is funny, engaging, full of great lines and captivating characters. Alternative POV work beautifully to move both the storylines and romance forward.
By the time weâve reached the ending, both the couple and reader are satisfied and ready for the next step.
What can I say? What a outstanding story! And not the least of which because every element comes across as a fully adult intelligent relationship thatâs being explored, grown, and in the end, committed to.
Hallelujah
Rainbow Cove is a terrific series, heartwarming, rainbow, and yes, kinky.
Hope on the Rocks delivers up the story of bartender/co owner of Rainbow Tavern, Adam Ringerâs, path to a very beautiful and somewhat kinky HEA.
His partner to be? Dr Quinn Strauss, the townâs GP whoâs current heartbreak leads him to Adamâs bar, a load of cocktails and a drunken confession about his secret desire for a Daddy.
Which just so happens to fit beautifully in with Adamâs need to be a Daddy, especially to the appealing man before him so in need of being taken care of.
What follows is first an agreement for a summer friends with benefits arrangement, no ties, to help Quinn explore fully his sexual/emotional desire for a Daddy.
As with the previous story. Lumber Jacked, which explored rope kink, beautifully so, Hope on the Rocks focuses its men and their burgeoning relationship around their mutual desire/need for Daddy kink. Albert expertly uses her characters and their relationship to explain exactly what this type of kink means and how it fits into a committed partnership.
Far from any sort of sex tutelage into Daddy role play, we get a sexy, moving, and meaningful story, full of adult communication on each otherâs needs, expectations, and secret desires. Safety and trust, patience and love. All seen and experienced by Quinn and Adam as their summer and relationship deepens.
What barriers there are to overcome are ones that are equally realistic and ones I appreciate as they affected their dynamic. Demands by family, fears generated by past history, even work schedulesâŠ..all that rings so true.
The men are so sympathetic and engaging, both separately and as a couple that I read this story from start to finish without stopping. Thatâs a true measure for me of how much I love a book and how fully Iâm involved in that universe and couple.
Here? It was 100 percent, I was all in and didnât want to leave them and Rainbow Cove behind at the end.
I have no idea how many more stories the author intends to write in this series but hereâs hoping that Rainbow Coveâs future is bright, as shiny and wonderful as this story and all those before it.
Tara Lainâs stories always leave me with warm, happy feelings. I certainly adore the characters she introduces her readers to in her books and series. And her storylines are well plotted and end satisfactory.
So it was with real anticipation that I started her Fuzzy Love series . The central character being a Papillon, huge bat earned tiny ball of high intelligence and energy. Yep, Iâm all in immediately as I love books with animals as main or largely secondary characters.
Can I say right now I absolutely love Bat? Thatâs Batshit Crazy, the Queen of the Universe, yes, sheâs amazing.
The rest of the universe and main couple, Em, the vet and the defense attorney, Finn Morgenstern, are so engaging and heartwarming that they not only deserve Bat but clearly each other and a HEA.
This story is full of suspense, action, character growth, romance, and dog on criminal adventures. Itâs fast paced and so much fun.
I was fully involved with everyone and their relationships, and their HEA.
That includes the delightful glimpses we get of the people in the next books who inhabit Emâs sitting room .
Iâm absolutely recommending this book and the series. The cover is on point. Look at that dog! The coloring exactly and the attitude! Pure sass! And the butterfly ears the breed is named for. Love it.
Reviewers And Dog Lover/owners note: Like tv series and movies, a book can make a breed so irresistible that it makes people want one for themselves, without exactly checking out if that breed is right for you and your lifestyle.
Tara Lain does a responsible job here in noting aspects of the Papillon breed that make it not for everyone. They are highly energetic and intelligent. They are territorial, and yes barkâŠ..a lot. Alarm barking, hey look whatâs passing by, whatâs that sound barking. Itâs part of the breed and she had her characters mention that repeatedly, albeit fondly and sometimes with exasperation.
They do outstanding as agility dogs because they need an outlet for that intelligence and energy. Donât confuse this breed with that of a lap dog. Uh no. đ
Want to explore more ? YouTube Papillon in agility and Papillon dog facts. They are a fantastic breedâŠ.for the right people.
This story has such amazing energy! And Iâm not just talking about that great title.
From the start I fell in love with the plot, characters, and settings for Prancing of a Papillon.
It was effortless to fall so throughly into the lives and relationships of the people here.
From the sad, vulnerable moment we meet Jericho Jones , with his motherâs Cairn terrier, Killer, and , of course, Batshit. Heâs on a blind date and itâs awful. Jericho is sweet and gentle and introverted. The exact opposite of what his huge âExterminator â exterior projects. That sets up an immediate conflict between what the men he meets assumes heâs going to be and the withdrawing âold maid â he considers himself. That chasm in expectations leads once more to disaster.
And a broken-hearted harshly rejected Jericho.
Fear not! Because this man and romance has a super Papillon on his side!
Bringing back Batâs owners from Passions of a Papillon, Finn and Em, our gentle hearted first grade teacher Jericho proceeds to get involved in the wildly entertaining business of the professional dog show world. A former Best in Show and Champion in her former life, Bat has been missed on the circuit and whoâs better to accompany Bat on her return as her handler then Jericho! But he needs training.
Enter Ichiko the trainer/handler for well known Papillon breeder and downright gorgeous Brees Apollonia., Rodolfo , his Champion Papillon in tow. Soon thereâs romance, mystery, suspense, and fabulous dogs prancing their hearts out in show rings to cheers from the crowd. Thereâs even another wonderful secondary character, Kathy ⊠new owner/handler of Papillon White Trash, to join in on the action..
Prancing of a Papillon! You got that right! If youâve ever seen Westminster or Crufts Dog Show then youâve seen this breed. All high energy, enormous butterfly ears at attention, the brightest eyes totally focused on the job and handler. Ah but put them down and let them start around the ring? Magic! Those tiny legs pumping , flying up high, prancing as fancy as anything imaginable, head held like royalty. And barking to let everyone know they are THERE! Always to the huge enjoyment of the people watching. YouTube it.
Tara Lain has captured this perfectly. The flow of communication between dog and handler. The judging and the various owners/ handlers. Itâs quite the show and not just in the ring.
In fact everything about this story is just so fine. The characters that pour themselves into your heart ,
(Jericho Jones I truly adore), the many layered plot, the venue. The romance which swung from fragile to sexy to perfection âŠ..woof!
And yes, the humor, bravery, and cheers for Bat and all the dogs involved.
Yes, this turned out to be my favorite after all.
Thatâs hard in a series I loved this much. Grab them all up and find your own.
A note about that outstanding cover! Yup thatâs both Jericho and Brees to perfection. But the best? That Batshit Crazy is accurately pictured as fawn Papillon. Thatâs the brown and white coloring. Rodolfo is black and white , similar to the dog pictured on the other covers. Just one more reason this is the Best in Show!
Reviewers And Dog Lover/owners note: Like tv series and movies, a book can make a breed so irresistible that it makes people want one for themselves, without exactly checking out if that breed is right for you and your lifestyle.
Tara Lain does a responsible job here in noting aspects of the Papillon breed that make it not for everyone. They are highly energetic and intelligent. They are territorial, and yes barkâŠ..a lot. Alarm barking, hey look whatâs passing by, whatâs that sound barking. Itâs part of the breed and she had her characters mention that repeatedly, albeit fondly and sometimes with exasperation.
They do outstanding as agility dogs because they need an outlet for that intelligence and energy. Donât confuse this breed with that of a lap dog. Uh no. đ
Want to explore more ? YouTube Papillon in agility and Papillon dog facts. They are a fantastic breedâŠ.for the right people.
Thereâs no literary voice like BA Tortugaâs . As I read one of her stories, the richness of the regional dialect that rolls out from the mouths of her characters rings with such authenticity that I can still hear those words and sentences even now.
Itâs not just a muttered âsweet baby Jesusâ or a âall you allâ. Nor is it all the many local dishes eaten, barbecue grilled ( btw Iâm definitely taking up the pickled mustard seed tyvm), or even the Tex mex delicious drool worthy food her characters devour, nope, itâs more. Itâs small town Texas itself, the good, the heartwarming, and yes, the ugly. BA Tortuga knows the land and itâs people on a truly cellular level and is able to take that knowledge and love and pour it into her books.
I always feel as though I honestly know these people, these flawed human beings she writes so well. Here itâs Jericho and his children, a rancher neighbor of Baileyâs. Sheâs got a stalker and called her brother Anderson back in California for help. A brother bullied as a youth in school there in that small Texas town and now reborn as Logic, a highly successful tv robotics Star, writer, and robot builder. The renewal of acquaintance sparking more, being in town pulling up old memories.
Both the sister and Jericho have children and again, these kids are so well written. Perfect for their ages, each voice memorable and funny, engaging and sweet. When Travis meets his hero Logic for the first time and thinks heâs being punked? Perfection!
I could read that and enjoy their relationship over and over.
In fact all the interplay between the families just draws you into this incredible dynamic and makes you want to be a huge part of it as well.
Thereâs drama, hurt/comfort elements. But also for me thereâs that great ending..
Iâve really debated with myself over how much to say here about it. Because at one point I thought BA was going to go a certain way with it ( shame on me, should have known better) because hey, isnât that what happens with romances like this.
I know I know. Wet noodle time. Trust in the Tortuga.
So yep, fantastic endingâŠ.. ok I wanted more but I say that about all her stories. Canât stop now. Thatâs because I never want them to end. Sue me.
But this one? Itâs so special. One of my favorites out of so many of hers. Read it and I think youâll agree.l
A series thatâs centered around the smarts of a Papillon? One called the Queen of The Universe, aka Batshit Crazy? Love it!
As someone familiar with the breed ( a groomer of mine had 3 he brought to work with him), the author captured their high intelligence and marvelous personality to perfection. Loved the way Lain wove the antics of this wonder dog into her plot of suspense and mystery. With its aspects of academia job applicants , stress/joy of teaching and then the romance with all the characters, human and animalâŠwell, itâs is just so entertaining and quite wonderful.
Animals done well in books always add that extra layer of warmth and layers for me. Here Bat, Harry, and Cat were the perfect characters and plot foils time after time. Paired with their humans, their dynamics allows us a window into each personâs character and sometimes current emotional state, showing us a vulnerability we might not see otherwise.
Cat the abandoned Abyssinian works so beautifully with Jack Sparks, a human being, isolated by history and need. Harry the ingratiating pit bull in love with Bat works perfectly as a foil for the twins, the adorable Toby Albertine and his sister Molly. Toby the twin in need of a fake boyfriend and a real love life. And Batshit the super Papillon who brings everything and everyone together.
Humor is also a lovely part of the storyline, especially with regard to the animals and their association with each other . Bat is after all Harryâs true â€ïž.
Itâs a fast paced, emotionally satisfying, well written story. And it ties up the 3-book series in a way that everyone will love. Including me.
This is a marvelous story. Read them all and see for yourself which of Batâs capers come the closest to your heart.
Reviewers And Dog Lover/owners note: Like tv series and movies, a book can make a breed so irresistible that it makes people want one for themselves, without exactly checking out if that breed is right for you and your lifestyle.
Tara Lain does a responsible job here in noting aspects of the Papillon breed that make it not for everyone. They are highly energetic and intelligent. They are territorial, and yes barkâŠ..a lot. Alarm barking, hey look whatâs passing by, whatâs that sound barking. Itâs part of the breed and she had her characters mention that repeatedly, albeit fondly and sometimes with exasperation.
They do outstanding as agility dogs because they need an outlet for that intelligence and energy. Donât confuse this breed with that of a lap dog. Uh no. đ
Want to explore more ? YouTube Papillon in agility and Papillon dog facts. They are a fantastic breedâŠ.for the right people.
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words 