Her
Dakota Man
Dakota
Hearts
Book
1
Lisa Mondello
Genre:
contemporary romance
ISBN:
9781940512006
ASIN:
B00FRSX700
Number
of pages: 108
Word
Count: 37,000
Cover
Artist: Melyssa Naujoks of Purple Girl Design
Book Description:
Everyone
knows that the Dakotas didn’t get the name Badlands for nothing.
Harsh weather and rough living are a way of life. But single
dad, Logan McKinnon, had seen more than his share of bad times after
the death of his wife a year ago. The last thing he needs is
Poppy Erickson, an old flame and his late wife’s best friend,
showing up unannounced to help after devastating floods nearly washed
away their hometown. With no place to stay in town, he has no
choice but to offer her a bed at his house. But can he live
under the same roof with a woman he’d once loved passionately
without feeling he’s betraying his late wife?
Poppy
Erickson had spent the year wondering how all their lives might have
been different after hearing the death bed confession of her
childhood friend. She’d left South Dakota years ago because
she couldn’t bear to watch the man she loved loving another woman.
But now she knows the truth. She’ll keep the promise she made
to a friend, but will Logan understand when he learns the truth?
More important, can they again recapture the passion that had been
between them all those years ago?
Excerpt:
One
look on Logan McKinnon’s face told Poppy that his foul mood had
very little to do with the devastating destruction all around the
Badlands of South Dakota…and everything to do with her showing up
in town after nearly ten years.
She
didn’t have to be standing next to him to feel his anger simmering
just below the surface of his composure. Sitting in her rental
sedan was close enough. What the hell was she thinking coming
back home? Why had she made that ridiculous promise to
Kelly?
She
parked the car next to his truck and took a deep breath, mumbling
under her breath as she pulled the door handle, “This may just turn
out to be the stupidest thing you have ever done, girl.”
Truth
was, even as pissed off as Logan looked, he was still an amazing
sight to see. Part of her had hoped that she was wrong.
That she’d gotten over him a long time ago. That she’d take
one look at him, make sure he and Keith were okay, and be able to get
back in her car and drive right to the airport in Rapids City.
He
turned to her, standing tall and proud. His thick dark hair
blew in the March wind, fluttering around his face and making him all
the more strikingly handsome.
Yep. Stupid.
He
was taller than she’d remembered, and he’d long since lost that
too-lean teenage body that had driven her crazy in her youth.
He worked hard on his ranch and it showed in how much his arms and
chest had filled with muscles.
Despite
the cold, he’d taken off his jacket while he worked in the yard and
Poppy had a clear view of just how much his male body had filled out
in places she’d dreamed of touching.
Lord,
help her. She was in trouble. And she hadn’t even
stepped out of the car yet. She pushed the door open and
stepped outside to get it over with. It was either going to be
the shortest visit on record…or a life changing experience she’d
been dreaming of ever since she was a teenager.
“Hi,
Logan.”
Logan
starred at he for a long, agonizing moment. She read the
emotional tug of war playing on his face as the sudden chill from the
South Dakota winds bit into her exposed skin like a whip.
Then
his expression turned hard. “What are you doing here?”
He
must have heard the car drive up. But Logan’s four-year-old
son, Keith, remained focused on the mud puddle he was poking a stick
into to even notice anyone was around. That was good. The next
few minutes would go easier for both of them if Keith weren’t aware
of the tension.
Logan
stared at her as if he’d been startled. Or maybe too focused
on making sure his four-year old son, Keith, was safely playing
nearby to notice her car had driven up.
Or
perhaps he’d been too pre-occupied with assessing the damage the
recent angry South Dakota weather had done to his property.
Poppy had seen just how Mother Nature had shown no mercy to her
childhood town as she drove from the airport to the ranch. She
couldn’t exactly blame Logan for being in a foul mood because of
that.
Seeing
her was just the icing on the cake.
“What
the hell are you doing here, Poppy?” he repeated.
She
took in a deep breath, smelled the muddy earth and decay all around
her, and said, “I came to help.”
He
took one long look at her, from her high-heeled boots, up the length
of her legs, pausing at her hips. She could almost feel his eyes as
if he were staring at the flesh beneath her fresh pair of blue jeans.
When his gaze finally reached her face again, she slid her sunglasses
to the tip of her nose and stared right back at him in challenge. A
slow smile played on her lips. She could never last as long at
this as Logan before caving into laughter. But she knew Logan
was in no laughing mood.
“Poppy
Ericksen. Rudolph was practically washed off the map from all
that rain we had? After all this time, what makes you think I
need anything from you?”
Even
though his voice was even, she could tell he was still pissed. But
he’d never show it. Keith was still poking at the mud and
puddles on the driveway just a little ways away, completely unaware
of present company.
“What’s
the matter, Logan? You don’t look happy to see me,” Poppy
said, pulling her sunglasses off her face with a wary smile.
My Review:
★★★★★
I don't need to say much about the story itself. I think the description and excerpt says it all. We have the alpha male that is sexy as all get out and has feelings that he is fighting. We have a woman that loves him and has a secret that he needs to know. We have a land that is suffering from elemental destruction.
The characters are what make this story great rather than good. I love how real the author made them. I found myself really caring for them and wanting everything to work out. The romance and heat is there, no matter how they are treating each other throughout the story. Throw in a small child that is without a mother and you have a book that I could not put down. I was drawn in and read this book in one sitting. I can see myself reading this again, which is saying a lot for me since I tend to read a different book a day and rarely go back and read very many of them.
Lisa Mondello is now one of my top ten favorite romance writers and I look forward to reading more of her work. I recommend this book for anyone that loves a great romance involving a sexy alpha male, and adorable motherless child, and a determined woman with a secret.
About
the Author:
USA
TODAY Bestselling Author, Lisa Mondello, has held many jobs in her
life but being a published authors is the last job she'll ever have.
She's not retiring! She blames the creation of the personal computer
for her leap into writing novels. Otherwise, she'd still be penning
stories with paper and pen. Her first book, All I Want for Christmas
is You won Best First Book in the Golden Quill. Her books have
finaled in the HOLT Medallion, and the Colorado Award of Excellence
contests.
In
2011 she re-released her award winning book All I Want for Christmas
is You along with a re-issue of her romantic comedy, The Marriage
Contract, with a new contemporary romance called The Knight and
Maggie's Baby. In 2012 she reissued the first 3 books of her popular
Western Romance Series TEXAS HEARTS including Her Heart for the
Asking, His Heart for the Trusting and The More I See.
Writing
as LA Mondello, her romantic suspense, MATERIAL WITNESS, book 1 of
her Heroes of Providence series made the USA TODAY Bestsellers List.
You can find more information about Lisa Mondello at
lisamondello.blogspot.com.
@LisaMondello
Disclaimer: I received a free copy for review purposes. Regardless, all opinions are my own. I was not required to write a positive review.
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