Genre: Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: May 10, 2016
Publisher: Lyrical Shine
The Hamilton brothers have horse racing in their blood, and their sprawling Kentucky farm is the family’s pride and joy. But they’ve got plenty of passion to spare…
Nick Hamilton has always known he’d take the reins of the family business when his father died, but that doesn’t make it any easier when the time comes. Especially with his two siblings tempted by a shrewd offer from a huge corporation to buy Hamilton Industries. Needing advice, Nick turns to his sensible childhood friend, Becca Stark—and finds her suddenly grown-up beauty ignites brand-new confusion, and crystal clear desire…
Becca has loved Nick for as far back as she can remember, but she decided long ago that telling him would be a mistake. Stubborn, strong Nick doesn’t see her as anything but the tomboy she used to be—or does he? As she helps him untangle his feelings about the ranch’s future, the familiar bond between them heats into an explosive attraction—and the kind of love that just might take the lead…
Silent Hearts is the third book in the Hamilton Stables series by Melissa West. I was looking forward to Nick's story. This guy carries way too much on his shoulders, and he's made himself emotionally secluded from everyone. Becca is his best friend. She's the only person who's managed to put cracks in some of his walls, but he mends them(or at least he thinks he does) as fast as she can crack them. They hurt each other and are risking their life long friendship. Silent Hearts kept me tense while I read it. Every time either Nick or Becca's feelings got hurt, I felt it too. I've enjoyed this series, and I really need to go back and read book one so I know how it all began for Trip and Emery. This was a wonderfully, emotional friends to more story.
I'm really looking forward to this author's new series called Crestler's Key. I enjoyed meeting Emery's brothers, and I can't wait to get to know them more in this new series!
The ARC of Silent Hearts by Melissa West was kindly provided to me by the publisher through Net Galley for review. The opinions are my own.
Melissa West writes heartfelt Southern romance and teen sci-fi romance, all with lots of kissing. Because who doesn't like kissing? She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.
To learn more about Melissa West and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
I'm really looking forward to this author's new series called Crestler's Key. I enjoyed meeting Emery's brothers, and I can't wait to get to know them more in this new series!
The ARC of Silent Hearts by Melissa West was kindly provided to me by the publisher through Net Galley for review. The opinions are my own.
Becca closed the freezer and then, missing its wonder, she fanned herself with her tank top. “It’s time I reconsider a move up north, but then snow and driving in snow.”
“Yeah, that’d be pretty dangerous with your track record.”
She continued to fan herself. “What? It was one mailbox, not the whole street.”
“Two mailboxes.”
“All right, fine. Two. But I bought them replacements.” She grabbed a flyer from her stack of mail, folded it in half, and used it as a makeshift fan. “Ahhh.”
“What are you, menopausal or something?”
She pointed at him. “Watch your mouth, boy.” He laughed, the sound so glorious she almost closed her eyes again so she could bask in it, but then that would be all sorts of awkward, and Becca tried to maintain her cool around her best friend. Even if right now she was anything but cool in every sense of the word.
“Now spill it.”
Becca pulled out a bottle of water and leaned a hip against the counter.
“You could at least drink with me.”
“It's five thirty. I like to keep my alcoholic tendencies for nighttime hours.”
“It's P.M. That stands for nighttime.”
“Wow. Is that what that Ivy League education of yours taught you? 'Cause you might want to ask for a refund. At least a partial, right? Because night starts with an N, not a P, and time starts with a T, not an M. And, in fact, P.M. stands for post meridiem, so you can send me that money they give you for the refund.”
“All right.” Nick pulled out his wallet, counted out several bills, and tossed them onto the counter. “Now go turn on the damn A/C. It's hot in here.”
With a loud, long, and drawn-out sigh, Becca pushed the money back toward him. “You know I'm not taking that.”
“Well, I'm not taking it back, so take it or burn it.” He shrugged. “It's nothing to me.”
“See that right there? That's why you can't get a solid date. No girl wants a guy who burns money. I mean seriously. Not only is that six shades of insane, but hello, fire hazard, right?”
He cracked a smile and she grinned back, lost in those amazing blue eyes, crystal clear even through his glasses. Years and years around him and she still couldn't pinpoint the exact shade. They were sky blue with flecks of navy and turquoise. They were perfect...he was perfect.
And now she'd drifted into lala land again.
“Yeah, that’d be pretty dangerous with your track record.”
She continued to fan herself. “What? It was one mailbox, not the whole street.”
“Two mailboxes.”
“All right, fine. Two. But I bought them replacements.” She grabbed a flyer from her stack of mail, folded it in half, and used it as a makeshift fan. “Ahhh.”
“What are you, menopausal or something?”
She pointed at him. “Watch your mouth, boy.” He laughed, the sound so glorious she almost closed her eyes again so she could bask in it, but then that would be all sorts of awkward, and Becca tried to maintain her cool around her best friend. Even if right now she was anything but cool in every sense of the word.
“Now spill it.”
Becca pulled out a bottle of water and leaned a hip against the counter.
“You could at least drink with me.”
“It's five thirty. I like to keep my alcoholic tendencies for nighttime hours.”
“It's P.M. That stands for nighttime.”
“Wow. Is that what that Ivy League education of yours taught you? 'Cause you might want to ask for a refund. At least a partial, right? Because night starts with an N, not a P, and time starts with a T, not an M. And, in fact, P.M. stands for post meridiem, so you can send me that money they give you for the refund.”
“All right.” Nick pulled out his wallet, counted out several bills, and tossed them onto the counter. “Now go turn on the damn A/C. It's hot in here.”
With a loud, long, and drawn-out sigh, Becca pushed the money back toward him. “You know I'm not taking that.”
“Well, I'm not taking it back, so take it or burn it.” He shrugged. “It's nothing to me.”
“See that right there? That's why you can't get a solid date. No girl wants a guy who burns money. I mean seriously. Not only is that six shades of insane, but hello, fire hazard, right?”
He cracked a smile and she grinned back, lost in those amazing blue eyes, crystal clear even through his glasses. Years and years around him and she still couldn't pinpoint the exact shade. They were sky blue with flecks of navy and turquoise. They were perfect...he was perfect.
And now she'd drifted into lala land again.
Topic: Why You Write Romance
By: Melissa West
Hey there! I’m excited to be visiting your blog today. :) To tell you a little about me, I’m a Southern girl from Georgia, who was raised in South Carolina. So Southern culture, the idea of family and community, are all a big part of who I am as a person—and as a writer.
Which brings me to why I write romance.
Originally, I started out writing YA sci-fi, and while I still love those books and still love writing a good fight scene, I felt I wasn’t getting all the joy I wanted out of writing. I took a step back and thought about what I enjoy reading, what sort of movies I enjoy watching the most. What are the books and films that I can watch or read again and again. Once I took a hard look at what I enjoy, I realized that my passion is romance. I love romantic movies. I love romance novels. I like to read/watch as two characters find love. It’s almost magical.
But when I set out to write romance, I didn’t want to merely do what others do. I wanted to create my own brand, and so I decided to focus on Southern romance. And wow did the words ever start flowing! I love fun, quirky Southern small towns, eccentric characters, heroes who wear jeans and smirk instead of grin. I’m smiling just thinking about it!
Now, I’ve written six Southern romances, and I’m hooked! I can’t say that I would never write a book set somewhere other than the South, but I can say that I don’t plan to stop writing Southern-themed romances. Like I said, the South is a part of me, and I find that as authors, the more of ourselves we put in our books, the truer the experience for our readers.
If you enjoy Southern romance, check out the Hamilton Stables series! SILENT HEARTS just released on 5/10/16.
Check out my review of other fun romances by this author!
To learn more about Melissa West and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.
Great review! Thank you for hosting SILENT HEARTS today!
ReplyDeleteCrystal, Tasty Book Tours