One Perfect Moment - A.C. Arthur (HKR #583 - Aug 2018)

Series: Taylors of Temptation (Book 3)

He thought he'd escaped his notorious history -- Now she could thrust him back in the spotlight

TV producer Ava Cannon is stunned to discover that the secret lover who briefly shared her bed is one of America's most famous sextuplets. But Dr. Gage Taylor now shuns the spotlight. As they rekindle their sizzling affair, will Ava have to choose between a game-changing career move and the man she loves?

Good book. Gage and Ava met when she hired him to be a consultant on a television show. The story opened as filming for the show finished. For the entire time the show was filming, Ava and Gage behaved with perfect professionalism, even though the attraction between them grew stronger by the day. On the last day, they gave in to the sparks, "just this once."

Three weeks later, Gage is back to his full-time gig as a doctor, and Ava is back in Los Angeles. Gage is ready to hear that he's been selected for a big promotion, thanks to his work in infertility and research. So he is stunned to find out that he was passed over for someone he feels is less qualified. I must say that I was impressed with Gage's ability to keep calm and to think on the fly. I loved his split-second decision to take a vacation and go back to Temptation to visit Gray and Morgan (One Mistletoe Wish). I could already see the wheels turning as he contemplated his future.

Ava is back in LA, where she is working up a proposal for another show. She also has to deal with an obnoxious mother whose vision for Ava's life doesn't match her own. After one of those conversations, Ava is more than ready to pitch her proposal to her bosses. She doesn't expect to be put off on that show with a demand that she prepare a script for a reality show called The Taylors of Temptation: Remember the Times. Ava is horrified but feels that she has no choice. She plans to go to Temptation, scope out the town, and get to know the family before she tells them why she is there.

At that point, the potential for disaster is crystal clear. Ava has no idea that Gage is there when she manages to get invited to Gray and Morgan's for dinner. The mutual shock was obvious, but so were the sparks. Ava has to think fast to keep from blowing her cover, especially since Gage appears to be somewhat suspicious of how she ended up in his hometown. One thing neither can deny is the strength of their chemistry, and their "just this once" becomes more.

Like his brothers before him, Gage has a love-hate relationship with the town, thanks to the memories from their years in front of the camera. Being around Ava, showing her around, and spending time with her, starts to heal some of those feelings. I enjoyed seeing them both get caught up in the small town activities, from wine festivals to pumpkin contests. The more time they spent with each other, the deeper their feelings grew. Neither wanted to admit it. Ava feels guiltier by the day about keeping her real reason for being there from Gage. Gage has too many bad memories of the failure of his parents' marriage to want to go there himself. There are a few funny scenes involving his denials and Gray's reactions to them, a "been there, done that, but believe what you want" attitude. I liked the changes that both Gage and Ava experienced, thanks to the time they spent together. I especially enjoyed seeing him get involved with Gray's work at the hospital. I also liked the support that Gage gave Ava during one of her bouts with her mother. His words gave her the ability to stand up to Eleanor's words and actions.

I knew the ax was going to fall sooner or later. I hurt for both Ava and Gage when it did. Gage was blindsided, and his feelings of betrayal were devastating. I wanted to shake him when he wouldn't let her explain. I ached for Ava because she had fallen hard for Gage. Her time spent with him had changed her and her plans, but she couldn't get him to listen. Both Ava and Gage had a lot to think about and decisions to make. I loved the ending and seeing what those decisions were. Gage's big moment at the end was sweet and heartfelt.

 

One Mistletoe Wish - A.C. Arthur (HKR #502 - Dec 2016)

Series: Taylors of Temptation (Book 1)

All she wants for Christmas…

Everything schoolteacher Morgan Hill loves is in her hometown of Temptation, Virginia -- her twins, her students and the charming community center where she's staging their holiday play. But now the building's new owner, Grayson Taylor, is putting sexy visions into Morgan's head, making the young widow long for a future even Santa couldn't deliver.

As the oldest of sextuplets, Gray grew up in the media spotlight. His family's fame once helped Temptation thrive, but drove his parents apart. Coming back is just a bittersweet necessity until he meets petite firecracker Morgan. Somehow she gets the handsome tech guru to forget about big business in favor of small-town delights…and steamy winter nights. It's a life he never knew he wanted, but can he put his past aside to turn a festive fling into the sweetest forever?

Good book. Gray is the oldest of the six siblings, the famous Taylor Sextuplets. As the oldest, he took his responsibilities seriously and figured he should be the one to handle settling his father's estate. He's not looking forward to being in Temptation again after all these years and plans to get in and get out as quickly as he can. He didn't count on meeting the fascinating Morgan Hill.

Morgan is a widow with five-year-old twins. After her husband's death, it was her ties to the community that kept her going. She's a good mother and a well-loved teacher. She still grieves for her husband and hasn't met anyone who has made her want to move on. That is until Grayson arrives in town.

I liked both Gray and Morgan. Gray is smart, charming, and good-looking. And like his siblings, he has a love-hate relationship with his past. Because of the multiple-birth, his family became the stars of a reality tv show from the time they were born until they were seven years old. It was great for the town and the family at first, but it eventually drove his parents apart. Though he doesn't want to admit it, he does still have some good memories of that time. Morgan is generally a sweet woman, but she has a feisty side that shows up on several occasions. She loves her town and its people and will fight for them if she thinks they are threatened.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Morgan and Gray. There are sparks between them from the start, though not all of them are from attraction. I liked their first meeting when Gray seems to expect her to jump to his bidding and show him around the community center and is surprised when she makes him wait. In the meantime, her kids, Lily and Jack, take to him right away. I was impressed that Gray related so well to them right away. As soon as Morgan found out who Gray was and why he was there, she was determined to open his eyes to the importance of the community center and hospital to the town. His interest in Morgan herself gives him a little extra motivation to hear her out, and Gray soon gets to see them through her eyes. Some of the things he learned made him take a closer look at his father's life and activities and gave Gray a new appreciation for him.

At the same time, Gray and Morgan spent a lot of time together, and the attraction between them grew stronger. Morgan is wary of the appeal because it makes her feel a bit disloyal to her late husband. She also knows that nothing can come of it because Gray's life and business are in Miami. Gray himself is flummoxed by how quickly he feels at home in Temptation, and his growing feelings for Morgan. There are some charming scenes with Gray, Morgan, and the kids, as well as some very steamy ones between Morgan and Gray. There are a few bumps in their road to happiness. Gray has an admin assistant, Kym, who wants to be more and is aggressive in her pursuit of him. I thought he was too easy on her from her first appearance, which led to more significant troubles at the end. Morgan has her own problems with her childhood friend, Harry. I loved seeing the changes in Gray as he fell deeper under Morgan's spell. I ached for him when Morgan's fears hold her back. I loved his big moment at the end as his patience brought him his heart's desire.

I did have a few minor quibbles with the story. The author described Gray as a runner who's run in the 5K marathon in 15 minutes. No, just no. A 5K is a race, and a marathon is 42K. There's a big difference. The average time for an experienced runner to run a 5K is about 26 minutes for a man. Fifteen minutes would be an Olympic class runner. The description of his running routine at home was also unbelievable. There was also a regular lack of protection used during their love scenes, with predictable results. Those issues aside, I still enjoyed the book. I've already read Garrek's book, One Unforgettable Kiss, so it's on to Gage's story.

One Unforgettable Kiss - A.C. Arthur (HKR #568 - Apr 2018)

Series: Taylors of Temptation (Book 2)

A bid on passion

All navy pilot Garrek Taylor ever wanted was to fly far from his family's notorious past. But now, with his wings temporarily clipped, the famous sextuplet is back in his Virginia hometown to live down a scandal and unload his family's historical antebellum mansion. His plan is sidetracked when he becomes the winning bidder at an auction for a date with Temptation's most reluctant and gorgeous bachelorette.

The only child of a retired army colonel, Harper Presley is haunted by the secret that forced her return to the comfort of her Southern town. The unconventional house restorer is mortified to be paired off with an infamous Taylor -- until desire blindsides them. As a slow burn of passion heats to a combustible connection, Garrek confronts a mistake that could end his military career. Can Harper help them both rebuild their lives…and build an everlasting future?

Good small-town romance between two people who weren't looking for love but found it anyway. Navy pilot Garrek is on forced leave from his unit, with instructions to decide what to do about his future. He swore he would never return to his hometown, but the recent death of his father made it impossible to avoid. Garrek's first stop in town is the local bar where he inadvertently bid for and won a date with Harper Presley.

Harper owns a local construction company and is well-known as Temptation's tomboy. She didn't choose to be part of the auction and is frozen with embarrassment when the bidding begins. She's mortified when she discovers that the winning bidder is one of the Taylor sextuplets and just wants to pretend that it didn't happen.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Garrek and Harper. Neither one was looking for a relationship, but the sparks between them were impossible to deny. Though they fought the attraction, it didn't take long before it burned out of control. Harper is doing a renovation job for Garrek's brother, which puts her in Garrek's company way too often for her comfort. They grew closer as they got to know each other, but both Garrek and Harper have secrets that keep them from fully committing to each other. They also have to deal with their friends and family continually pushing them together. It didn't take me long to figure out what Harper's issue was. I rooted for her when she finally spoke of it to Garrek and cheered for his patience, understanding, and support. I felt her hurt when he didn't open up to her in return, even though she gave him multiple opportunities.

There were times I wanted to shake Garrek. He came home with the dual purpose of dealing with his inheritance and figuring out his professional future. Though the details come out slowly, the impression is that it is pretty bad. His brother Gray senses that there is something wrong, but Garrek is too ashamed to share his troubles. He keeps insisting that he is okay. Garrek had both Gray and Harper available for support, and he shut them both out. That mistake comes back to bite him when Harper stumbles across an incriminating text and runs. I loved his conversation with Gray, who had a great time pointing out Garrek's obliviousness about his feelings for Harper. I also loved it when Garrek finally broke down and confessed all to Gray, and the immediate support he received. The scene back at Garrek's base was fantastic, and I thoroughly enjoyed how it worked out. Now all he had to do was make things right with Harper. I loved his big moment with her at the end.