ARC REVIEW Set the Night on Fire by Laura Trentham

Cottonbloom #6, We continue with the Abbott brothers. Jackson and Willa eloped got married by way the Justice of the Peace and Sutton and Wyatt are planning a huge wedding, well Sutton's mom is at least. Ford followed through on his threat to sell his share and Mrs. Ella Boudreaux bought it. The announcement that she was now part owner of Abbott Brother's Garage and Restoration didn't go quite as smoothly as she had hoped the fact that it was used to hurt the Abbott brothers didn't sit right with her, Ford told her it was what was best for the garage and yet the other brother's treated her like the plague. Ella wants to be part of the garage she wants to help to finally be part of something; Wyatt and Jackson are more open to her than Mack but then again Mack is not only fighting the fact that she now own part of the shop he's fighting his own attraction to her.

There is more to Ella than meets the eye and the more time Ella spends at the shop the more Mack realizes she can help and the more he realizes she's far more than she seems. The chemistry between Ella and Mack is great, you can see it bubbling just beneath the surface and by the time they give in the sexual tension is just overflowing. I loved all the little complications that came up and how they were handled. Mack really did grow, he had quite a bit of character development and it was all for the better he was able to let go of the anger. Ella really didn't change but she was finally able to become who she wanted to be and in doing so she was able to stand up to her ex and let go the hurt and help his current wife leave him. There are so many other characters I want to see get their own books and I'm over here speculating who could be paired with who, very excited for the upcoming books. Overall it was another great read.    

ARC REVIEW When The Stars Come Out by Laura Trentham

Cottonbloom #5, I'm so glad we didn't have to wait for Willa and Jackson's story for too long. I am so loving this series, this town, and these people. This second story arc with the Abbott brothers is just as good if not better than the first three books. In this story arc the Abbott brothers, Mack, Ford, Wyatt and Jackson, inherited their father's garage, a four way split that left Ford annoyed and keep threatening to sell his share of the garage. The other three just added on to the garage and turned into Abbott Brother's Garage and Restoration and can't afford to buy him out. Ford wants more he wants it now and the tension and animosity between the brothers just keeps getting worse and worse.

Willa Brown was hired by the boys father almost two years ago, she was there when he collapsed and died and she stuck around after that because they needed her, but now that Ford threat to sell his share has a ring of truth in it and the fate of the garage is up in the air Willa isn't sure she can stay no matter how much cares about Jackson. It wasn't supposed to be a permanent thing anyways but Mr. Abbott reminded her of her own father and she stayed because of Jackson. When Mr. Abbott hired Willa he agreed to pay her in cash off the books but now that he is gone and Mack is charge he wants everything on the up and up  including having her SSN on file, Willa knows her time to leave is getting closer.

Jackson sees the look of panic in Willa's eyes when he brings up her SSN, the guys always knew she was on the run from something but they figured she would tell them when she was ready but it wasn't until that moment that Jackson realized she might run and it hit him that he didn't want her to leave, ever. Jackson decides to insert himself a little bit more into her life and try to figure out what or who she is on the run from; and in doing so finds himself falling for her. When they finally admit to each other that they want one another they start a friends with benefits type relationship that quickly turns  into more. But Willa isn't the only one Jackson is worried about, Ford is missing and his bookies start showing up to collect.

Overall, this is an easy four star read, Willa is a little overly stubborn, but if I had a guy try and spoil me like Jackson was doing for her I would cave so freakin' fast. I have a soft spot for the strong silent types. I enjoy Trentham's writing she really brings Cottonbloom to life with the detailed active setting and the quirky characters. P.S. I don't think Ford deserves a HEA. 

ARC REVIEW Leave the Night On by Laura Trentham

YAY! The Cottonbloom series continues! I'm so happy this series wasn't over with the last book. Book four of Laura Trentham's series starts with a different family arc, The Abbott brothers. Once again we met a family on the Louisiana side of Cottonbloom. The Abbott brothers were raised by their father and their two aunts, their mother having ran off on them when the two youngest, twins, were still little. The boys grew up in their Dad's garage. Abbott Brother's Garage became popular for it's restorations on older model cars and by the time their dad died the boys were all grown up and ready to handle their share of the garage, well except the oldest. Wyatt is one of the twins and he's happiest when he's working on a new project.

From the Mississippi side of the river we met Sutton Mize the judge's daughter and owner of the town's boutique engaged to an up and comer lawyer, Andrew Tarwater. That all changes when Sutton takes Andrew's Camaro to Abbott's to get the interior overhauled and restored as an engagement gift, when she is cleaning out the car she finds a pair of underwear that is not hers and she knows exactly whose they are because she special ordered them for her best friend. Emotionally devastated and betrayed Sutton finds an unlikely friendship with Wyatt who was with her when she found them and since she was just betrayed by her best friend Wyatt was there for her to vent at and talk too. Sutton during her confrontation with the both of them she did something stupid she blurted out that she had been cheating on Andrew with Wyatt. Sutton then talks Wyatt into a fake relationship, she doesn't have to try too hard because Wyatt has had a crush on Sutton for longer than he can remember and he's willing to spend any time with her.

Wyatt falls easily in love with Sutton but he's has a curse hanging over his head, twins run in the family and the twins have never gotten married. So both Sutton and Wyatt are trying to talk themselves out of falling in love with each other; the more time they spend together the more they realize just how perfect they are for each other. But between Wyatt's older brother and Andrew and the fact that they come from different sides of the river Sutton and Wyatt have a lot to overcome before they can get their HEA.

Overall, Loved it! Sutton had more issues than you'd think and she does take advantage a little with Wyatt and Wyatt is full on even if he doesn't realize it at first. Laura Trentham writes great small town romance and I love this divided little town, I can't wait for the other books.  

ARC REVIEW Then He Kissed Me & Till I Kissed You by Laura Trentham

Once again one of the Fournette siblings has a friendship that goes sour and know it's time to kiss and makeup. This wasn't a secret friendship Tally and Nash were practically inseparable until Nash's mother finally succumbed to the cancer that was slowly killing her. Tally's own peaceful life was upturned with the sudden death of her parents. Nash moved to the other side of the river to live with his aunt and was kept from Tally. As a genius Nash skipped grades and soon found himself in highschool the same time as Monroe and Regan who were his only friends. Then he was off to college once again at a young age. Tally on the other hand always struggled in school barely making a passing grade, it wasn't until later she learned she was dyslexic. Tally always believed she was stupid and instead of academic or, like her brothers, engineering she choose a more athletic route. Tally opened her gym and still hides the fact that she has difficulty reading. Now that Nash is finally back in Cottonbloom teaching at the local college he plans to reconnect with Tally.

First off I think the blurb for this book was spot on. I love the last line because it sums up everything perfectly.

 Between Tally’s possessive ex and Nash’s snobbish aunt, no one thinks they belong together. In a town torn apart by old resentments and rivalries, can they find their way back to the life they once shared—and turn their long-lost dreams into a real and lasting love?  

See, isn't that great! kudos to the person who wrote the blurb. Back on topic. I love Nash, but that's no surprise I love smart men especially when they are a little clueless about women. Tally is a tough one, she is tough on herself especially she still likes Nash but she doesn't feel worthy of being with someone as smart as he is. Nash has always loved Tally even when they were just kids and now he's back and she's single he's out to prove he never wanted to lose her and he plans never to again. Also going on the rival town festivals are still being sabotaged.

Overall, this was a good one Tally was a hard sell but in the end it really was a great story.

    Finally Regan and Sawyer!! These two are a hoot. You finally find out what happened to tear them apart and what finally happens to bring them back together again.

But will a common enemy be enough to unite them—and finally fulfill the promises they made one passionate night under the stars?

Once again spot on blurb. Regan and Sawyer broke each others hearts not one thing alone tore them apart but a series of things. Someone is out to keep both towns from throwing their festivals. Regan has been getting threatening letters and someone more recently someone tried to poor herbicide on her Mother's prize winning tomatoes. Regan has a crazy idea of who it might be but the only person she can trust not to think she's gone crazy is the only other person deeply invested in the festival, Sawyer. 

Sawyer has finally gotten the chance to explain to Regan what happened all those years ago. Sawyer's plan is two sided he wants to stop the saboteur and win over Regan again. But it's not just the saboteur he's dealing with but the snobbish and hateful mother.

Overall, this was a great way to end. I loved the book. I loved the characters. I loved the series. It one of those that makes you go awwwww at the end.  

BLOG TOUR Kiss Me This Way by Laura Trentham

Synopsis:

A river divides Cottonbloom in two: the upscale enclave on the Mississippi side and the rundown, rough and tumble side in Louisiana. They’re worlds apart—but nothing can build a bridge like love…

Cade Fournette never had it easy Cottonbloom. He stuck around long enough to raise his orphaned siblings and then hightailed it out West—and never looked back. Even though he’s made a success of himself in Seattle, Cade never lost the toughness and the angry edge that helped him survive down South. His only weak spot: the girl he left behind…

Monroe Kirby came from the wealthy side of town, but that didn’t protect her from her mother’s drinking—or her mother’s boyfriend. It was Cade who did that, on a long-ago hot September night, before he disappeared…along with a piece of her heart. Now Monroe is a physical therapist who can fight for herself, and it’s Cade who could use some conditioning when he makes an unexpected return back home. Will he and Monroe pick up where they left off and finally explore their mutual passion—or will the scars and secrets of the past divide them once more?

I love small town romances so I jumped at the chance to read this new series about a not just one small town but technically two. Originally one town but because of differences was split in half the Mississippi side and the Louisiana side; one side the wealthy side and the other low income. I liked that concept instead of the railroad tracks it's a river. I'm new to Laura Trentham and I can say this will not be the last. The small town rivalry was as amusing as it was silly. I loved the connection between Cade and Monroe, how Monroe knew Cade probably better than anybody else and yet still did quite know Cade and vise versa. Cade is so caught up in others people's perception of him that he can't take Monroe at face value, he can't see that she loves him for who he is not what's in or not in his bank account. 

Everything Cade has done has been for his younger brother and sister, even when that meant leaving them. He never told anyone the real reason he left not even Monroe and he always felt he could tell her everything. Having Monroe as a friend was like a soothing balm on his crappy life but he couldn't admit why he was leaving. But leaving was the best thing he could do for himself on his own he was able to make a name of himself and finally had a break in life and became wealthy.

Monroe always thought of Cade as her knight, he was there when she needed him the most and she could tell him anything, except how she truly felt about him. Ever since that night when she was thirteen Cade has always been her constant, until he wasn't. He left with out saying goodbye and all the sudden Monroe had to figure out how to live with out him. She moved on and learned to defend herself against the things she was afraid of.

Now Cade is back and he's facing all the old prejudices he faced when he was a kids and now he's got to mend his relationship with his family, the town, and most importantly find out if he could ever have Monroe love him like he's always loved her.

Overall it was an easy going romance with some pretty funny dialogue and some really sweet romance.     

Monroe’s lips silenced the rest of his question. The champagne on his tongue was almost as intoxicating as his scent. The music from the great room drifted, muted and unrecognizable. 

As if slow dancing, Cade wrapped his arms around her and turned them enough so he could close the door, leaving them in silence, except for the ticking of a clock.     

His hands roamed her bare back, slipping inside of her dress to brush the top curves of
her buttocks. She pushed him backward against the wall. Infinitely stronger than her, he could have held his ground or taken charge at any point, but the fact that he let her lead only made her want him more. She was done listening to logic, done fighting her hunger for him. She wanted him. 

      Cupping her cheeks, he pulled his lips from hers. “And again you do the unexpected.  

     “Unwanted?” she whispered.

     “Does it look like I’m protesting?” His breath puffed against her cheek before he kissed her once more, slipping his tongue alongside hers, before his mouth retreated once more. She tipped into him seeking more. He took her weight, bracing his legs farther apart, but evaded her mouth.

     “I watched you dancing with Tarwater. What are you playing at? Is he the man you want to be seen with and I’m the one you’re keeping for the dark?” A thread of emotion in his voice tied itself around her heart and bound her. Was he jealous? Hurt? Angry? 

     “Do you think I’m using you?” She pushed off his chest. 

     “You know I’m not staying long.” 

She did know. She just didn’t want to think about the day he would walk away from Cottonbloom. And from her. “What are you getting at?” 

     “I think you get something from him you can’t get from me and vice versa. He has clout in this town, but I’m the man that you want in the dark and in your bed, aren’t I?”     “If you think all I care about is my standing in this town, why did you follow me?” 

     “Because I want you. That’s why I came.” Belligerence instead of seduction beat at his words. Underneath was a boy who did care what Cottonbloom thought of him. He hadn’t always been the poor swamp rat sneaking around in the dark. 

     “All you want is sex?” 

     “If that’s what you’re offering.” His voice softened, and he squeezed her hips and fit them together. “I can be rough and dirty and a little bit dangerous if that’s how you want me.” 

     Arousal flared even as the gentleness of his touch belied his coarse words. He skimmed his good hand from her hip to settle under her breast, his thumb running up and down the exposed skin in between. Her nipple puckered, begging for his touch.     “Is that what you want, sweetheart?” 

     Her body shifted toward his instinctively, seeking to anchor itself to him, needing to draw from his heat and strength. “Th-that’s not what I want.” Before the words were even out, she knew they were untrue, or at least a partial truth. Sex wasn’t all she wanted. But she did want it. 

     “Don’t lie to yourself or me.” He dropped his lips to the shell of her ear and nuzzled. She grabbed the lapels of his jacket. “I could take you right here, right now, with the Tarwaters and all of crazy Cottonbloom a few rooms away. And I’d make it good, Monroe. I’d make your body sing. I’d make you beg before giving you everything you need. Then, you could walk back out into that damn party like nothing happened. No one would know the things you want to do in the dark with a poor, dirty boy from Louisiana.” 

     Her body sang a song of longing and need. She wanted to stay in the dark with him the rest of the night, but there was something even more important she needed to do. With the effort of separating strong magnets, she pried her body from his, opened the door, and took him by the wrist.

Bio:

Laura Trentham is an award-winning author of contemporary and historical romance. She is a member of RWA, and has finaled multiple times in the Golden Heart competition. A chemical engineer by training and a lover of books by nature, she lives in South Carolina.