Men of Calder County by Various Authors

Men of Calder County
By: Regina Carlysle, Ann Jacobs, Samantha Cayto, Ciana Stone, Lynn LaFleur, Lacey Thorn, Kristin Daniels, Heather Long, Tilly Greene, Ruth D. Kerce, Fran Lee, Gayle Donnelly, Robyn Mackenzie
Publisher: Men of the West Authors
Published: September 15, 2014
Genre: Contemporary, Action/Adventure, Anthology, Erotic Romance, Romance
Content: M/F, Spanking, Bondage, Anal Play, Anal Sex, Oral Sex, Toys
Length: Novella
Heat Level: Spicy & Scorching
Reviewer: Toni
Date: September 2, 2014

 

Untamed. Unleashed. Unforgettable.

13 titillating tales of love as hot as a Texas summer. Novellas about love and lust, loss and discovery with adventure, action, danger and heart-touching romance that are unforgettable.

The stories in the Men of Calder County box set are about second chances; either with a lost love, a second chance of life or both. Each is very gratifying and they are all extremely unique and fresh. They are amazingly fulfilling, considering their length. Each author penned beautiful stories that can be read quickly and easily enjoyed.

The stories are filled to the brim with tales of heartbreak, pain, recovery, love, and passion. The amount of emotion that is written between the covers is astounding. My heart felt every emotion known. I cried at the loss of loved ones and from the raw emotions of the characters. I was angry at injustices, misunderstandings and the inhuman actions of others. I rejoiced when families found their way back home, when second chances were revealed and seized upon, and when the villains received their smack downs. I also laughed, sighed, swooned, and cheered. It’s amazing that one county in Texas can be so diverse, beautiful and heartwarming.

What a great assortment of cowboy stories. The authors did a phenomenal job with this collection and the storytelling was exceptional. Congratulations to all the authors on a great reading experience. I will be thinking of these amazing men for a long time.

Mac – Regina Carlysle – 5 Hearts

Ms. Carlysle made me cry. Mac and Callie were separated by distance, and the death of Callie’s sister, Emma, sadly brings them back together.

Mac is a very heartbreaking emotional story, but it is still filled with love and reunion. It’s not just Emma’s death that got to my heart, but the whole story. Mac was a total gem, but now that I think about it, I wonder why he never manned up and took what he wanted…Callie.

I’m glad they finally found their happy ending. Amazing story Ms. Carlysle!

Rand – Ann Jacobs – 4 Hearts

Two lovers torn apart by circumstance and their parents; neither knowing the whys of the situation, finally come back together after tragedy strikes. Can they rekindle what they once had?

YES. These two never slowed down once they reconnected. They knew the spark was not gone and thank goodness they didn’t mess around and got right to it.

I enjoyed the small mystery, but I will say the “disaster” was what I expected to be, but with a slight twist. I’m also glad that the involved parties were not who the fingers pointed to. This gave the story the ability to play out nicely and I see a happy future for these two. Rand is such a lovely story of true love, Ms. Jacobs. Well done.

Now tell me more about Tricia & her ex-husband. I can still feel a story there.

Brody - Samantha Cayto – 4.5 Hearts

This is a very nice story of an older couple, with established lives, secrets and pasts.

Heather is in desperate need for a fresh start. Recently widowed and with her teenage son, she leaves Boston for Texas. Two totally different worlds, but she needs to get away from her past and to make a new future.

Brody is divorced and really didn’t think about anything beyond ranch life. But from the moment he meets Heather, he knows she is going to change his life forever.

Two lives brought together as one. Each bringing a bit of history and when they make their own future, they know how to honor the past.

What a wonderful story of second chances with love. They both had lackluster past relationships, but their future is so bright. I really enjoyed this amazing story of new love for an older couple.

Zeb – Ciana Stone – 5 Hearts

Oh sweet young love. Willa had it bad for her brother’s friend Zeb, but he left without looking back. Now he is a Ranger, returning to a place he never wanted to return to…home. One look at Willa and things deep in him start to stir.

Before they can have their happy ending they have to deal with Zeb’s past, ex in-laws, drug runners, and the unthinkable. Will Zeb ever be Willa’s ever after?

HOLY COW! While the relationship was fast and the I love you’s seemed even faster, this was one hell of a story. I can honestly say that I did not expect Zeb to hit so hard, fast and thoroughly.

I can’t remember ever reading a short story/novella that had so much story and action. Zeb was very gripping and extremely well written. I’m completely floored. This is one amazing compact little story.

David – Lynn LaFleur – 4 Hearts

What a nice change of pace. Even though we expect cowboys, cowboys, cowboys, Ms. LaFleur throws us for a loop and delivers a different kind of cowboy. David is actor returning home to Texas to film a motion picture. Kristina is a music star hoping to get her big break in movies.

While the mystery was weak for me, I loved the two main characters interaction. Great chemistry and I truly loved the change of pace. It was perfect timing and a welcome break. Ms. LaFleur did a fantastic job breathing a breath of fresh air into this box set. Loved it!!

Rayne – Lacey Thorn – 4 Hearts

Ever believe in love/lust at first sight. Well Rayne and Darcy have each been told that when the right one came along they would know. With Rayne’s laid back ways and Darcy’s love to travel these two have lots to deal with, but after reading their story, my heart knows, that fate and destiny have looked upon these two.

Rayne is a whirlwind story of their time together, but when something is right you just have to go with it, and did they ever.

Wade – Kristin Daniels – 5 Hearts

When I first read the blurb, my first thought was “WOW, those are some mighty big boots to fill”.

Well Ms. Daniels blew it outta the water. This little story was filled to the brim and flowed over. She got it all in and it’s one sweet package. This story had it all, action, adventure, romance and passion. Extremely well done!

Valentine – Heather Long – 4.5 Hearts

Valentine has been wrong by the people who meant the most to him. When things looked their worst he also shoved the one woman away that would have always been there for him. Now he is home to take care of his ailing mother, he is once again face to face with the woman that used to be his world.

Becky only loved one man and he is the biggest ass in Calder County. After his time away, not much has changed other than the size of the chip on his shoulder. Well Becky has a job to do and she is not going to allow Valentine to get in the way. Too bad her heart has a mind of its own.

All I have to say is the Becky is a bigger woman than I am. Valentine would have hit the curb a long time ago. What we have here is a great second chance at love story. Well most of the stories so far have been, but this one is a HUGE second chance.

Ms. Long has written a fantastic story with little gems of discovery along the way. In the end, Valentine received his second chance and he proved he was a man worth the time and effort.

Jack – Tilly Greene – 4 Hearts

Jack is another fun twist to the cowboy story. This story revolves around a retired baseball player and a second generation Russian. Throw in a loan shark asking for alternate payments and you get a bit of good old boy Calder County country payback. Really fun times!

Good story, but I needed to know more about why Jack felt the way he did. That nagging in my mind was distracting, but all in all this is a very good story. Rina is a wonderful woman. Her heart is full of family, friends and love. There were times I wish she would have made Jack work a bit more, but as a whole I really enjoyed this story.

I do hope Ms. Greene writes about Sean and Cindy’s romance I’m very intrigued and want more of their past, present and future.

Falcon – Ruth D. Kerce – 4 Hearts

Falcon’s story added a bit of fun. Izzy never left his mind, but when he returned to Bounty, he didn’t expect her to still be there and for his feelings to still be strong.

Izzy stayed in Bounty for her parents and now she stays for her farm. She loves the place and everything it stands for. Life was sweet until the new Sheriff comes to town. Too bad Falcon is all she can think of.

Two people who gave up on their relationship are now having to reevaluate their present and future. Danger is all around them, but is it Izzy and her crazy ways or something more sinister.

I loved Izzy’s quirkiness and Falcon’s weak attempt at trying to avoid her. Ms. Kerce threw in a little mischief and mayhem to spice this up and the twist she threw in – I never seen it coming. Great job Ms. Kerce!

Flint – Fran Lee – 5 Hearts

Flint is a man dedicated to his ranch and Lily is a woman with nowhere to go. Thrown together by a rash decision, Flint sees a woman in need of protection and Lily only wants to get out of the state and away from the horrors of her life.

Flint is a wonderful man, plain and simple. He takes care of what he possesses and he wants Lily. There is something about her. All Lily sees in her future is fear. One glimpse at what Flint has to offer and she is torn. She knows he is a dream come true, but she doesn’t want to drag him into her nightmare.

There is no way that was not a novel. It had it all. I loved every word about Flint and Lily. The story had depth, romance, hot sex, and action. Very well rounded and extremely fulfilling. AMAZING!!

Mason – Gayle Donnelly – 4.5 Hearts

Mason is a story about beating round the bush. Momma plays matchmaker on the sly, so does Grandpa, not to mention Mason trying to hide from the present and Melanie is still living deeply in the past. It takes something potentially big to open up Melanie’s eyes, but when she finally does she will hold on for dear life.

I really enjoyed Mason and what a fun teen and an even better man. Melanie has issues, but she earned every single one of them. Meddlesome relatives have never been cuter. Mason is a great story and I can’t remember smiling so much. The story was absolutely delightful, but the epilogue was the icing on the cake. I’m so very happy Ms. Donnelly gave a peek at their future.

Chase – Robyn Mackenzie – 4 Hearts

Yeah! There have been several couples in this box set that I wished had their tales told. I’m so very happy that Ms. Mackenzie did just that with Chase.

Chase and his brother Conner were mentioned in Mason’s story. Even though there wasn’t a budding romance mentioned, I loved how Ms. Mackenzie incorporated their stories and introduced Melanie’s best friend Shay.

I so enjoyed their story. I loved how Conner was sneaky and mischievous with their reunion. He was darn cute. I also enjoyed how the sparks flew off the page and Chase didn’t mess around and went after his girl.

While the story was fun to read, I felt heartbroken about all the time they lost. While the timing may not have been right, the years they wasted was painful to read about. It would have been fun to have Chase have to work a little harder at repairing what they lost, but all in all it was a great story.

I do have one question. What was in the second letter?