Blog Tour Book Review and Giveaway: Wild Iris Ridge by RaeAnn Thayne

Welcome to my stop on the Wild Iris Ridge Blog Tour hosted by CBB Book Promotions !

Series: Book Seven in the Hope's Crossing Series

Published By: Harlequin (June 24, 2014)
Source: ARC Copy Provided by the Publisher (in exchange for an honest review)

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Book Description:

Lucy Drake and Brendan Caine have only one thing in common… 

And it's likely to tear them apart. Because it was Brendan's late wife, Jessie—and Lucy's best friend—who'd brought them together in the first place. And since Jesse's passing, Brendan's been distracted by his two little ones…and the memory of an explosive kiss with Lucy years before his marriage. Still, he'll steer clear of her. She's always been trouble with a capital T. 

Lucy couldn't wait to shed her small-town roots for the big city. But now that she's back in Hope's Crossing to take care of the Queen Anne home her late aunt has left her, she figures seeing Brendan Caine again is no big deal. After all, she'd managed to resist the handsome fire chief once before, but clearly the embers of their attraction are still smoldering…

About the Author:

I'm not one of those people who knew from birth she was destined to become a writer. I always loved to read and throughout my childhood I could usually be found with a book in my hands. To the disgust of my friends, I even enjoyed creative writing assignments that made them all groan. But I had other dreams besides writing. I wanted to be an actress or a teacher or a lawyer.

Life took a different turn for me, though, when my mother made me take a journalism elective in high school (thanks, Mom!). I knew the first day that this was where I belonged.

After I graduated from college in journalism, I took a job at the local daily newspaper and I reveled in the challenge and the diversity of it. One day I could be interviewing the latest country music star, the next day I was writing about local motorcycle gangs or interviewing an award-winning scientist.

Through it all -- through the natural progression of my career from reporter to editor -- I wrote stories in my head. Not just any stories, either, but romances, the kind of books I have devoured since junior high school, with tales about real people going through the trials and tribulations of life until they find deep and lasting love.

I had no idea how to put these people on paper, but knew I had to try -- their stories were too compelling for me to ignore. I sold my first book in 1995 and now, more than 30 books later, I've come to love everything about writing, from the click of the computer keys under my fingers to the "that's-it!" feeling I get when a story is flowing.

I write full-time now (well, as full-time as I can manage juggling my kids!) amid the raw beauty of the northern Utah mountains.

Even though I might not have dreamed of being a writer when I was younger, now I simply can't imagine my life any other way.

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I have been in a bit of a romance slump lately, for whatever reason the genre just hasn't been appealing to me as much as they usually do, with a few exceptions of course. 

Maybe I have been reading way too much YA lately, or maybe just the wrong reads period but, either way, by the time I picked this one up, I was ready for something more. For something to wow me and throw me right out of my slump and back into happy times.

Thank heaven that is exactly what Thayne managed to do.

This is what I am talking about. These are the reads that can pull you out of a slump and make you eager to read again. Flipping pages at an alarming rate because you just can't get enough of the sweet story inside.

There is just something so endearing about a good soft romance between friends turned lovers. The sexual tension, tender moments and witty banter that make your heart race and leave you longing for more.

The whole Caine clan were the type of family everyone wants in their life. The meddling, the wisdom, the fights, the love, the friendship, they truly are the type of family that no one would want to resist, let alone try to.

Brendan was no exception and Lucy, she was his match in every way.

This was such a sweet read and even though this is the first time I have picked up this series and tried this author, I wasn't lost in the least. In fact, all it did was make me want to go and grab all the other books and jump right back in and I just might very well do just that.

*All thoughts and opinions are my own and were not influenced by the author or publisher. I was not compensated for this review.*

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