For This Christmas Only - Caro Carson (HSE #2806 - Dec 2020)

Series: Masterson Texas (Book 3)

His book inspired her to return to school

But he no longer believes his own advice

After nearly dying in a plane crash, financial guru Eli Taylor wants to find meaning in his life. A chance encounter at a small town's Yule log lighting leads to an evening spent as the fake boyfriend of his superfan Mallory Ames. When she finds herself homeless for the holidays, he invites her to stay with him as his fake girlfriend so he can show his siblings what a loving partnership should look like. The arrangement will end when the new year begins...or will it?

Terrific book. Eli nearly died in a plane crash and hasn't been the same since. He no longer has the same passion for his work, he's haunted by nightmares of the crash, and realizes that he's pushed his family away for so long that he doesn't know them anymore. Eli recently accepted a semester-long teaching job at his alma mater, but even that doesn't break through his gloom. In an attempt to face one of his fears, he attends the town Yule log lighting and ends up facing much more.

Mallory is a senior at the college, finally finishing her degree after several years away. She spent those years as an unpaid caretaker to various elderly relatives before the gift of a self-help book helped her break free. Mallory practically worshiped the author of the book and applied its business advice to her personal life. I liked the book's quote at the beginning of each chapter and how that quote applied to the chapter. Darn close to destitute, she attends the Yule ceremony for the free entertainment. Unfortunately, she encounters three frat boys who make nuisances of themselves, driving her to approach a stranger for assistance.

Eli did not make a good impression during these initial moments. Mallory is a woman who needs help, and all he can think about is himself. He's wealthy and well-known and is therefore sure that she is coming on to him. I loved Mallory's reaction and his shock at it. He remained suspicious but did eventually play along with her plan. I enjoyed seeing the connection between Eli and Mallory, as he relaxed a little, able to be the man he wants to be. It was interesting to see Mallory tell him about her "friend" and his advice. I couldn't believe that Eli didn't recognize it as being from his book. There were some tense moments over a discussion of heroes, and I ached a little for Mallory as she looked at hers from a different angle.

As the evening went on, sparks of attraction began to build. Mallory is all for seeing where it goes, but Eli holds back. She stirs up feelings in him that he hasn't experienced in a long time, and he worries about losing control. When he finds out who her "friend" is, he feels guilty about concealing who he is. I liked that he had enough honor to want to come clean and understood why he wanted to put it off for as long as he could. I ached for Mallory and her feelings of betrayal when she found out the truth. I also hurt for Eli because Mallory had begun to break through walls that had surrounded him for so long.

I was so caught up in what was happening between Eli and Mallory that I didn't notice that one day/evening took up more than half the book. The intensity of their conversations made the story fly by. The pain of their parting was vividly portrayed, as was the hit to Mallory's pride. That pride was what kept her going when she had to see him on campus. When her financial problems made her homeless over the holidays, I loved how Eli stepped up to help.

Mallory's time at Eli's house added another level to their connection. Her support of him when he told her about the accident and what he's been through was heartwarming. That support became critical when Eli received an unexpected visit from his siblings. I loved seeing Mallory help him reconnect with them. There were still a couple of rough spots, but she helped him see what went wrong and how to fix it. The scenes between Eli and his brother and sister were emotional and satisfying. I also enjoyed seeing Mallory take Eli's book's advice less literally and see that her past is part of who she is now. I loved the ending and seeing the changes in Eli. His big moment at the end was sweet and romantic.

The Slow Burn - Caro Carson (HSE #2790 - Sept 2020)

Series: Masterson Texas (Book 2)

Around her, he found it hard to keep his cool…

Out of the friend zone

And into the fire!

When firefighter Caden Sterling unexpectedly delivers Tana McKenna's baby by the side of the road, the unlikely threesome forms a special bond. So when Caden offers friendship and a helping hand, single mom Tana can't say no. Their flirty friendship slowly becomes more, until Tana's ex and the truth about her baby catches up with her. Can she win back the only man who can make this family complete?

Terrific book that hooked me from the first chapter and didn't let me go until I finished it (well after midnight). Tana is a young woman who recently became the aquatics director at the local college. A former Olympic hopeful, she gave up her place on the team for a doomed marriage. She has suffered immense guilt since that time, for letting down her team, her coach, and her parents. She is currently in a relationship with a man who is about to leave for a year in Peru. Tana's life is upended with one phone call when her physical reveals that she is pregnant. To make matters worse, Jerry has no interest in being a father or giving up his own plans to be with Tana.

I ached for Tana. She only has a one-year contract, so revealing her pregnancy at the start of the school year, before she has a chance to prove herself, is not an option. She is so down on herself for what she sees as yet another poor choice. To make matters worse, she gets the news right before needing to recertify her CPR qualifications, surrounded by people she can't tell.

Caden is the firefighter/paramedic assigned to teach the class. He notices Tana immediately and thinks about getting to know her. He overhears the women talking about getting together at the local pub and thinks that would be a great chance to spend some time with Tana. His plans get derailed when she faints during class, and he learns of her pregnancy. He naturally assumes that she has a significant other, making her off-limits. I felt bad for Caden because he was very interested and had no idea that she was just dumped.

I loved seeing the development of the relationship between Tana and Caden. It is a small town, so they encounter each other occasionally. Caden keeps a tight rein on himself because of his belief that she is taken. Tana has sworn off men because of her bad judgment. There is no denying that Caden and Tana are drawn to each other and soon forge a strong friendship. Caden is very protective, and Tana is very independent, creating some pretty amusing discussions. The closer her due date came, the more Caden inserted himself into her life. This was fortunate the night she went into labor since she kept denying that's what it was. The delivery scene was great. The descriptions were so vivid I almost felt like I was there.

It was so sweet to see how Caden couldn't help caring for both Tana and Sterling. I loved watching them grow closer, as Tana learned to trust her heart, and Caden fell more in love each day. But Tana had never corrected a misunderstanding, and that eventually came back to haunt her. I ached for both of them when Caden confronted her about it. He felt betrayed and said some terrible things to her. I felt like he earned his misery since he stormed off without letting her explain. I cheered for Tana when she worked up to confront him and loved it when she called him on his wrongs. The ending was perfectly done and very appropriate for a firefighter.

There was much to love in this book besides the romance itself. I enjoyed Tana's work as the aquatics director. I ached for her fears that she wasn't good enough and that revealing her pregnancy would be the end of her job. I loved the scenes with her and her swimmers, especially the meet in January. It was evident that she had a magic touch for bringing out the best in them. I also loved her determination to be there through the finals, no matter what she had to do. I cheered for her when she took her future into her own hands by standing up for her success against the more popular sports.

The secondary characters were also well done. I liked Tana's growing friendship with her coworkers, especially once she got past her fears of revealing her pregnancy. Ruby was especially fun with her bold personality and big heart. I liked Caden's fellow firefighters and the fun they had when they weren't working. Tana's former coach warmed my heart with the way he supported her and encouraged her. At the same time, I wanted to shake her parents for the way they constantly harped on her past mistakes and how disappointed they were. They may have redeemed themselves a little at the end, but not like they should have.