Monday, March 17, 2014

Review: Her Summer with the Marine by Susan Meier

Their competition has never been so irresistible

The last person Ellie McDermott wanted to run into after returning to her hometown is Finn Donovan, her high school nemesis and the guy she crossed the line from enemies to lovers with one night years ago. Now ex-military, tattooed, and still sexy as hell, Finn is a complication Ellie doesn’t need—she needs to concentrate on saving her family business.

Finn’s entire life, Ellie was there, going head-to-head with him in every class, bee, and test. So it’s no surprise she’d show up just as he was about to take over her father’s struggling business. It is a surprise, though, that his attraction to her is even more explosive than it had been. Acting on their attraction is one thing, but Finn has to turn a profit to save his own family, and nothing—not even love—will get in his way.

My thoughts:
This was a great story.  The characters are fantastic.  Ellie and Finn are both strong characters; smart, determined, dedicated, and driven.  Both have parents who need them, and that need is a driving force in their business decisions.  They are easy to invest in and I couldn't put the book down, wanting to know what would become of their professional and personal lives.  I found it intriguing that although the story was essentially about Ellie and Finn, the secondary characters and their lives brought a depth to the story that was vital.  Each of the characters was carefully created with a connection to either Finn or Ellie and was, at some point in the story, tantamount to their lives.  With the many faceted backgrounds ruling both Ellie and Finn, emotions run high throughout the book.  I caught myself laughing and crying along with them as they struggle to find their way through.
The world the author has built is realistic to a fault, with the small town atmosphere and the fact that everyone seems to know and want to be involved in everyone else's lives.  I grew up in a small town and so it easy for me to connect with the the emotions of all of the characters on some level.  I enjoyed the way Ellie and B.B. relationship grew and changed, I wasn't sure at the start if it could do so given the small town resentments that can easily rule a person even though they have grown up.  
The story is well written and nicely paced.  I was thrilled with the way the author brings the billboard advertising piece full circle.  The ending was as good as the beginning and I found myself hoping for more books about the characters I had become attached to during the read.
I am looking forward to another book from Susan Meier and can't wait to see whose story the next one will be.  

The Montana Gallagher Collection Book Boost and Giveaway

The Montana Gallagher Collection Book Boost & Giveaway!

"Where words, romance, and adventure meet."


About The Collection
BOOK ONE - Gallagher's Pride
She was on a quest of discovery. He was on a quest for revenge. Together they would discover a second chance. Brenna Cameron travels from Scotland after losing someone she loves in search of family she didn't know existed. Alone now in the world, Brenna makes an arduous journey, following the trail of discovery to Briarwood, Montana. Here she meets Ethan Gallagher, and the rest of the Gallagher clan. Only with their help is she able to discover lost family, heal old wounds, and embark on a treacherous confrontation with a man who destroyed her family. As head of the Gallagher clan, Ethan has more than enough to occupy his thoughts and time he didn't need the complication of Brenna Cameron and he certainly didn't need the trouble that came with her. Ethan takes on the unwanted duty of self-appointed protector to the headstrong Scot, only to discover there is such a thing as second chances and more to life than revenge.
BOOK TWO - Gallagher's Hope
She sought a new beginning.He sought what he didn't know was missing. Together they would discover hope in unlikely places. Isabelle Rousseau must escape New Orleans and the memory of her family's tragic loss. With her younger brother in tow, she accepts a position as the new schoolteacher in Briarwood, Montana. Desperate to keep what's left of her family together, Isabelle joins her life with a stranger only to discover that trust and hope go hand in hand. Gabriel Gallagher lived each day as it came believing he had everything he could possibly want . . . until a determined woman and her brother arrive with a little luggage and a lot of secrets. It will take a drastic choice to protect her and give them both hope for the future.
BOOK THREE -  Gallagher's Choice
He finally had a family to call his own. She now knew what it meant to risk it all. Together they had a chance to find peace at last. Eliza Gallagher is tough, resilient, and rides a horse like she was born in the saddle. All necessary qualities for someone who runs a cattle ranch. She had more to avenge than any of them and she was counting on those skills to finally find the justice they all sought -- until she realized it could cost her everything and everyone she loved. Ramsey Hunter finally knew what it was to have a family and what it took to keep that family together. He knew coming back wouldn’t be easy, but he never imagined what he would have to risk to keep it. Eliza got him home; now Ramsey has to do whatever it takes to save her life and help bring peace to Hawk’s Peak.

About The Author

MK McClintock published her first novel, Gallagher's Pride, in July 2012, and followed one month later with the release of her second book in the same series, Gallagher's Hope. Her third novel, Alaina Claiborne, was published in January 2013. Gallagher's Choice, the third book in her Gallagher Series, was released in August 2013. She is now working on her next story. 
 
McClintock dreams of a time when life was simpler, the land rougher, and the journey more rewarding. With her heart deeply rooted in the past and her mind always on adventure, she lives and writes in Montana. 
 
McClintock is a member of Romance Writers of America, Montana Romance Writers, and Women Writing the West. 

Connect with MK!
Website  *  Goodreads  *  Facebook  *  Pinterest  *  YouTube  *  Amazon  *  Blog

ENTER THE GIVEAWAY!
The author is giving away these fabulous prizes!
Prize 1 - $50

OR


Prize Two
*Any entrants for the gift card. For the book set and blanket, US winners only.*