Zakia and the Cowboy by Lorraine Nelson

ZAKIA AND THE COWBOY BY LORRAINE NELSON

Word Count: 60,770

Heat Level: Flirty

Genre: Western Romantic Suspense

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

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Thunder Creek Ranch Series Book 1

With a stalker following her every move Zakia has no choice but to flee the city. With her options limited she runs to the only place she's ever felt safe...the Thunder Creek Ranch and her ex-husband, Lucas.

Will he protect Zakia from the stalker? And if he does will either of them be able to ignore the feelings that have simmered for so long, ready to explode... before danger either draws them together or pulls them apart.
***

Ah from the first line I was hooked. Ms Nelson writes in a brilliant style, and I just sat and read this in one sitting, oblivious to what I should have been doing.

I find writing a review hard, because I don't want to give any of the story away!

But, I love Zakia, and her attitude and how she copes.

She's being stalked, and goes to her ex-husband for help. That's all of the plot I'm sharing, but, I will say, the sex is hot!

What is great is yes, hot sex, yes tingly hot sex, but it's not all the book is about. This book has a story. It kept me on tenterhooks, even when you know who the stalker is, well you don't know who he is, and it's great.

So you might say, why no A?

Because I would have liked more of the stalkers reasons. Yeah we find out why, and they are oh so plausible, but the little insights into his mind weren't enough for me.

I will definitely be reading more of Ms. Nelson's work.

B+

Forbidden Desires by Kelly Yeakle

FORBIDDEN DESIRES BY KELLY YEAKLE

Word Count: 43,730

Heat Level: Flirty

Genre: Contemporary f/f Romance

Publisher: Evernight Publishing

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When Dani meets the delicate beauty that is Carmen she knows instantly that she wants her—in her life and in her bed. But can Miss. Commitment-phobic look beyond the sex to see the woman beneath?

To Carmen, the wildly beautiful Dani is a new and exciting friend. What she hadn't counted on is the simmering desire she feels when in Dani's presence. As her relationship with her boyfriend sours, Carmen begins to wonder if there is more to Dani than she realizes.

Should she give in to this, the most forbidden of desires?

***

There is a LOT I LOVE about this book.

1. The writing style is superb, engaging, and shows great talent. 

2. In the end, it has a moral: that a woman CAN leave a long-term relationship, CAN stand on her own two feet, and does not need a man in her life to be happy. 

3. Through the heroine, readers feel the emotional turmoil as Carmen is torn between her long time love and boyfriend and what could be and her new sexy friend, Dani and the forbidden desires and (for her) unchartered territory of loving another woman. 

4. It raises the question and the conflicts around: "Is it cheating?" 

5. The sex was amazing.

Do I recommend this read? Absolutely. My only quibble with this book is at times, I did not like Dani. She came across as really pushy. When Carmen said "no" or "I'm not ready for this" or "I need to think," Dani SAID she'd give her space or whatever, but would continue kissing her and driving Carmen mad. I feel Dani pushed Carmen and didn't respect her need for space.

But I loved Carmen and enjoyed her story very much. I was engrossed and understood the turmoil she was feeling. Loved the issues raised. This was a very good read.

B+