Book Review
of Her Heart for the Asking (Book 1); His Heart for the
Trusting (Book 2); and The More I See
(Book 3)
Her
Heart for the Asking
Lisa Mondello
Lisa Mondello
Texas
Hearts – Book 1
Genre:
Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9781465908490
ASIN: B0077EGDAI
Number
of pages: 192
Word
Count: 40,000
Book 1
Synopsis:
Mandy Morgan swore she’d never step
foot in Texas again after Beau Gentry left her for life on the rodeo circuit
eight years before. But now her uncle’s heart is failing and she has to
convince him that surgery will save his life. She never dreamed the first thing
she’d see when she stepped off the plane would be her biggest nightmare...the
one man she’d never stopped loving.
Beau Gentry had
the fever for two things: the rodeo and Mandy Morgan. But for Beau, loving
Mandy was complicated by his father’s vendetta against her uncle. This led him
to make the hardest decision of his life and he can still see the bitterness
and hurt on Mandy’s face. All these years it has killed him to think Mandy had
forgotten him and moved as far away as possible from him. But now they’re back
in Texas, and he’s going to do all he can to win back her love.
Purchase
Links for Book 1
Book 1
Review:
Have you ever been to a Rodeo? It’s exciting, scary, thrilling,
edge-of-the-seat roller coaster emotion.
I know because we have a lot where I live. Rodeo people live for that thrill, but every
once in a while you find something that tops that feeling.
In this book Mandy and Beau find
love and it tops all those other emotions.
Of course they have to overcome their past, but love is always worth the
effort.
I give this 4 out of 5
stars. A definite good read.
His
Heart for the Trusting
Lisa Mondello
Lisa Mondello
Texas
Hearts book 2
Genre:
Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9781466004849
ASIN: B007AWZGSM
Number
of pages: 192
Word
Count: 45,000
Book 2
Synopsis:
Ever since Mitch Broader set foot in Texas, he dreamed of owning
his own ranch. Now that he’s bought a share in the Double T Ranch, he’s one
step closer to the dream. Then his past greets him in the form of a baby
basket, complete with infant and birth certificate naming him as the father. He
can’t change diapers and work toward his dream at the same time.
When Sara Lightfoot, “Miss Hollywood” in Mitch’s eyes, rescues him with her particular knack for handling his precocious son, he hires her on the spot as a temporary nanny. No matter how much Sara’s dark eyes and warm heart make this bachelor think of making their arrangement permanent, she’s made it perfectly clear she has other plans that don’t include him or his dreams.
Sara Lightfoot never thought she’d return to her home on the reservation. Now she plans to reclaim the life she left by going back to the reservation as a Native American storyteller, teaching the Apache children stories of their culture. She didn’t expect Mitch Broader’s sexy smile or job offer as a live-in nanny to derail those plans. After all she’s been through to come home, can she open up her heart once again to love?
When Sara Lightfoot, “Miss Hollywood” in Mitch’s eyes, rescues him with her particular knack for handling his precocious son, he hires her on the spot as a temporary nanny. No matter how much Sara’s dark eyes and warm heart make this bachelor think of making their arrangement permanent, she’s made it perfectly clear she has other plans that don’t include him or his dreams.
Sara Lightfoot never thought she’d return to her home on the reservation. Now she plans to reclaim the life she left by going back to the reservation as a Native American storyteller, teaching the Apache children stories of their culture. She didn’t expect Mitch Broader’s sexy smile or job offer as a live-in nanny to derail those plans. After all she’s been through to come home, can she open up her heart once again to love?
Purchase
Links for Book 2
Book 2
Review:
I can’t imagine any
mother walking out of her baby’s life, especially when his is just a baby, but
that is what happens in this story.
However, the real story is about the daddy and the woman who saves his
hide because he doesn’t know thing one about a baby. Still he learns, not that being a rancher is
the best thing for a single dad but hey if it works…
I love romance stories, especially
good ones. And this one is. I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. A definite good read.
Texas
Hearts Book 3
Genre:
Contemporary Romance
ISBN: 9781476431666
ASIN: B007W5CP9K
Number
of pages: 192
Word
Count: 45000
Book 3 Synopsis:
As a top-notch cutting horse trainer, Cody
Gentry was riding high until he lost his eyesight after a freak chemical
accident. Unable to see the hand in front of his face, never mind the horse or
cattle he trained, he knows his life is over and slips deep into depression.
His whole future hinges on the success of an eye surgery that could give him
his old life back.When guide dog trainer, Lyssa McElhannon, arrives on his ranch like Florence Nightingale coming to save him, he wants no part of her or her guide dog. But something about Lyssa’s musical laugh coupled with her tenacity digs under his skin and won't let go. Having been blind most of her life, Lyssa understands the paralyzing fear Cody feels after losing his vision. But she refuses to let the stubborn cowboy waste his life away sitting in a chair when she knows first-hand that a good guide dog can change his world. She just needs one month to prove it to him.
Falling in love with Cody was not part of Lyssa’s plan, nor was having him open her eyes to see that there was a whole lot of living she’d been missing out on.
Purchase
Links for Book 3
Book 3
Review:
Oh, cowboys really are
romantic, especially stubborn, angry, blind cowboys. I loved all the information about guide dogs
in this book (yes, I know I turned left without signaling… my husband says I do
that a lot). We have a guide dog who had
a “career change.” They don’t call it
failing out, they call it a career change.
He is wonderful. It is such a
great program and I think everyone should read this book and then donate to the
program.
Besides it’s a really
great romance. (insert sigh here) I give this book 4 out of 5 stars. A definite good read.
Book 1
Excerpt:
Excerpt HER HEART FOR THE ASKING
"What are you doing here?" Mandy Morgan asked, dropping her too-heavy overnight case on the sun-roasted tarmac. After a grueling forty-eight hour work stint and a five-hour flight from Philadelphia, she stood wilting under the brutal Texas sun, facing her biggest nightmare.
Beau Gentry.
She groaned inwardly, drinking Beau in with her eyes as if she hadn't had a drop of water in months. Eight years was more like it. If she were eight years smarter, she would be moving her aching feet as fast as she could in the opposite direction. But all she could do was stare at eyes so bright they rivaled the blazing sun. At lips so kissable she'd spent the better part of her adult life trying to wipe the memory clean from her mind.
She had expected Beau would have aged some. When she allowed herself to think about him at all, she reminded herself. The faint lines etched in the corners of his sleepy gray-blue eyes gave a hint of maturity, but most probably caused by long days in the cruel sun.
She fought the urge to take a closer look at his ruggedly handsome features, but failed. How could he have gotten better looking after being abused by every bronc-busting horse on the rodeo circuit? His angular jaw, strong and determined, was shaded with beard growth that was probably a day old, maybe more. Mandy suspected if Beau grew a full beard, it would grow in thick and be the smooth texture of his almost black head of hair. She forced aside past memories that gave her such knowledge with renewed irritation.
The man didn't even have the decency to have a crooked nose. What should have been bent and awkward from being broken a few too many times was instead long and straight, shaped perfectly between high cheek bones most women would swoon over, or kill to have themselves. But on Beau Gentry, it was just one thousand percent robust cowboy.
Damn him.
"I'm your ride out to the Double T," Beau said, gripping the edge of his white straw cowboy hat and tipping it in a cordial gesture.
She ground the heels of her low pumps into the soft tar to contain her growing irritation. Did he think she was an idiot? "No way."
"'Fraid so," he said, his expression slightly askew.
"Hank didn't mention anything about you coming to get me when I spoke to him on the phone."
"I suspect he thought you would have found some excuse not to come if you knew I was picking you up."
"He would have been right. Why didn't one of the hands come get me?"
Settling his hand at the base of his neck, Beau replied, "You're looking at him. As of three weeks ago I am one of the ranch hands at the Double T."
"What are you doing here?" Mandy Morgan asked, dropping her too-heavy overnight case on the sun-roasted tarmac. After a grueling forty-eight hour work stint and a five-hour flight from Philadelphia, she stood wilting under the brutal Texas sun, facing her biggest nightmare.
Beau Gentry.
She groaned inwardly, drinking Beau in with her eyes as if she hadn't had a drop of water in months. Eight years was more like it. If she were eight years smarter, she would be moving her aching feet as fast as she could in the opposite direction. But all she could do was stare at eyes so bright they rivaled the blazing sun. At lips so kissable she'd spent the better part of her adult life trying to wipe the memory clean from her mind.
She had expected Beau would have aged some. When she allowed herself to think about him at all, she reminded herself. The faint lines etched in the corners of his sleepy gray-blue eyes gave a hint of maturity, but most probably caused by long days in the cruel sun.
She fought the urge to take a closer look at his ruggedly handsome features, but failed. How could he have gotten better looking after being abused by every bronc-busting horse on the rodeo circuit? His angular jaw, strong and determined, was shaded with beard growth that was probably a day old, maybe more. Mandy suspected if Beau grew a full beard, it would grow in thick and be the smooth texture of his almost black head of hair. She forced aside past memories that gave her such knowledge with renewed irritation.
The man didn't even have the decency to have a crooked nose. What should have been bent and awkward from being broken a few too many times was instead long and straight, shaped perfectly between high cheek bones most women would swoon over, or kill to have themselves. But on Beau Gentry, it was just one thousand percent robust cowboy.
Damn him.
"I'm your ride out to the Double T," Beau said, gripping the edge of his white straw cowboy hat and tipping it in a cordial gesture.
She ground the heels of her low pumps into the soft tar to contain her growing irritation. Did he think she was an idiot? "No way."
"'Fraid so," he said, his expression slightly askew.
"Hank didn't mention anything about you coming to get me when I spoke to him on the phone."
"I suspect he thought you would have found some excuse not to come if you knew I was picking you up."
"He would have been right. Why didn't one of the hands come get me?"
Settling his hand at the base of his neck, Beau replied, "You're looking at him. As of three weeks ago I am one of the ranch hands at the Double T."
Book 2 Excerpt
Still dancing in circles, Midnight eyed Mitch, seemingly aware of his
every move. Mitch turned his back to the mare and played with the bridle, as if
ignoring the horse. Finally, Midnight stopped running and with cautious steps,
she moved forward, stopping every so often and taking a side step, bobbing her
head or giving a neigh, as if calling Mitch to pay attention. Eventually, she
stepped up alongside him and gave him a quick nudge with her nose. Then another
until she was settled alongside Mitch.
Ever so softly, Mitch stroked her head and neck and front legs with long, easy strokes. He smiled his pleasure and crooned softly.
Without even realizing how he'd done it, the bit was in Midnight's mouth and the bridle was around the mare’s head. Mitch let the reins fall and allowed Midnight to get use to the bit.
Such trust.
“That's amazing,” Sara said quietly.
“Not really,” Mitch said, glancing up at her as he kept his attention on the mare.
She turned to him. Mitch was looking at her, his eyes filled with the same questions she’d seen in the kitchen.
Then he said, “She still could bolt at any time.”
Sara gripped the splintered rail. “But she hasn't. She came to you when she could have easily just kept running in circles.”
“Trust isn't an easy thing for her. She still doesn't know what to think.”
“She let you put the bridle on her. You didn't have to chase her. She came to you.”
“I have to win her trust. And when I have it, I can't abuse it or she'll never give it up again.”
Mitch carefully took the bridle off Midnight and took a few steps away. Midnight followed like a stray dog.
“Does she trust you now? Enough to ride her?”
Mitch shook his head. “We still need a little time together before she'll allow me put a saddle on her. Right now, she's letting me know her boundaries.”
“She let you put a bridle on her as if she didn't even know you were doing it.”
His face was bright with a smile. “Oh, she knew. But she's still making up her mind. She wants to trust me. I can tell. And maybe one day she will.”
“Mitch?”
He looked up at her again from across the corral. He was incredibly handsome. His dark hair was the color of mica in the fading light, and his eyes had turned from blue to a smoky gray. He stood tall, his weight shifted to one hip as he held the reins of the bridle.
Such strength.
Sara remembered all too well how it had felt earlier to be in Mitch's arms. Her heart still raced with the memory.
“What if she's never ready to trust you?”
Mitch's expression grew serious, pulling her into his gaze. He took a few steps closer, his boots kicking up dust from the ground as he walked. He stopped a good ten feet from where she was standing and said, “I can wait as long as it takes, Sara.”
Ever so softly, Mitch stroked her head and neck and front legs with long, easy strokes. He smiled his pleasure and crooned softly.
Without even realizing how he'd done it, the bit was in Midnight's mouth and the bridle was around the mare’s head. Mitch let the reins fall and allowed Midnight to get use to the bit.
Such trust.
“That's amazing,” Sara said quietly.
“Not really,” Mitch said, glancing up at her as he kept his attention on the mare.
She turned to him. Mitch was looking at her, his eyes filled with the same questions she’d seen in the kitchen.
Then he said, “She still could bolt at any time.”
Sara gripped the splintered rail. “But she hasn't. She came to you when she could have easily just kept running in circles.”
“Trust isn't an easy thing for her. She still doesn't know what to think.”
“She let you put the bridle on her. You didn't have to chase her. She came to you.”
“I have to win her trust. And when I have it, I can't abuse it or she'll never give it up again.”
Mitch carefully took the bridle off Midnight and took a few steps away. Midnight followed like a stray dog.
“Does she trust you now? Enough to ride her?”
Mitch shook his head. “We still need a little time together before she'll allow me put a saddle on her. Right now, she's letting me know her boundaries.”
“She let you put a bridle on her as if she didn't even know you were doing it.”
His face was bright with a smile. “Oh, she knew. But she's still making up her mind. She wants to trust me. I can tell. And maybe one day she will.”
“Mitch?”
He looked up at her again from across the corral. He was incredibly handsome. His dark hair was the color of mica in the fading light, and his eyes had turned from blue to a smoky gray. He stood tall, his weight shifted to one hip as he held the reins of the bridle.
Such strength.
Sara remembered all too well how it had felt earlier to be in Mitch's arms. Her heart still raced with the memory.
“What if she's never ready to trust you?”
Mitch's expression grew serious, pulling her into his gaze. He took a few steps closer, his boots kicking up dust from the ground as he walked. He stopped a good ten feet from where she was standing and said, “I can wait as long as it takes, Sara.”
Book 3
Excerpt
"I was told I could find Cody Gentry out
here by the pool," she finally said.
The muscles on his face twitched slightly. "Who's looking?"
The timbre of his voice was deep, with a faintly ominous edge that reminded Lyssa of the voices she'd heard as a child when she and Kim would sneak downstairs in the middle of the night and watch old horror flicks on cable. She couldn't see the movies, she'd only heard the voices, and that added to the mystery, raised the level of anticipation, sending shivers racing up her spine.
Cody wasn't anything out of a horror flick. She ignored the swell of apprehension that had her confidence faltering.
She knew better than to extend her hand in a normal greeting for her introduction. It'd be rude since Cody couldn't see her. Instead, she hoped her voice sounded pleasant. "I'm Alyssandra McElhannon."
He didn't move. "What do you want?"
"I brought Otis," she said cheerfully.
"What's Otis?"
"Otis is a who, not a what."
Cody's whole body stiffened. His voice was controlled, but edgy enough to send shivers chasing over her skin. "I'm sorry you came all the way out here like this. Apparently someone failed to give you adequate information. I'm not training cuttin' horses anymore."
"Oh, Otis isn't a horse. He's a dog. Your guide dog. And I'm here to train the two of you to work as a team." Otis, like many dogs trained as seeing aids for the vision impaired, were a lifeline to independence.
He sat still, unaffected. It wasn't at all the reaction she'd been expecting.
"Not interested."
"And you would be Cody Gentry, I take it?" she asked already knowing he was.
"I just said I'm not interested."
"And I heard you. My job is to make you interested."
"Says who?"
Confused, she said, "Mike Gentry for one."
He groaned audibly and straightened up in his chair. "My father sent you, huh?"
"That's right. He didn't tell you I was coming?"
"Did he already pay you for your troubles?"
"Well, yes, a portion is—"
"Then you're fired. I'll make sure you get the rest of the money you're owed by mail. I'm sorry he wasted your time."
Cody was as difficult as Mike Gentry had warned but in a totally different way than Lyssa had been prepared for.
"In the first place, the school pays my salary. Second, training my dogs and students is never a waste of my time. Furthermore, you aren't the one who hired me, your father did. In fact, he asked me to stay on at the ranch until you and Otis were working well together. So, you can't fire me, no matter how much you squawk."
He made a face that almost made her laugh. "Squawk?"
Crossing her arms across her chest, she said, "I call it like I see it."
"Listen, Ms. McElfen er McEllaf… What's your name again?"
"McElhannon," she said slowly. "Alyssandra Orchid McElhannon."
The muscles on his face twitched slightly. "Who's looking?"
The timbre of his voice was deep, with a faintly ominous edge that reminded Lyssa of the voices she'd heard as a child when she and Kim would sneak downstairs in the middle of the night and watch old horror flicks on cable. She couldn't see the movies, she'd only heard the voices, and that added to the mystery, raised the level of anticipation, sending shivers racing up her spine.
Cody wasn't anything out of a horror flick. She ignored the swell of apprehension that had her confidence faltering.
She knew better than to extend her hand in a normal greeting for her introduction. It'd be rude since Cody couldn't see her. Instead, she hoped her voice sounded pleasant. "I'm Alyssandra McElhannon."
He didn't move. "What do you want?"
"I brought Otis," she said cheerfully.
"What's Otis?"
"Otis is a who, not a what."
Cody's whole body stiffened. His voice was controlled, but edgy enough to send shivers chasing over her skin. "I'm sorry you came all the way out here like this. Apparently someone failed to give you adequate information. I'm not training cuttin' horses anymore."
"Oh, Otis isn't a horse. He's a dog. Your guide dog. And I'm here to train the two of you to work as a team." Otis, like many dogs trained as seeing aids for the vision impaired, were a lifeline to independence.
He sat still, unaffected. It wasn't at all the reaction she'd been expecting.
"Not interested."
"And you would be Cody Gentry, I take it?" she asked already knowing he was.
"I just said I'm not interested."
"And I heard you. My job is to make you interested."
"Says who?"
Confused, she said, "Mike Gentry for one."
He groaned audibly and straightened up in his chair. "My father sent you, huh?"
"That's right. He didn't tell you I was coming?"
"Did he already pay you for your troubles?"
"Well, yes, a portion is—"
"Then you're fired. I'll make sure you get the rest of the money you're owed by mail. I'm sorry he wasted your time."
Cody was as difficult as Mike Gentry had warned but in a totally different way than Lyssa had been prepared for.
"In the first place, the school pays my salary. Second, training my dogs and students is never a waste of my time. Furthermore, you aren't the one who hired me, your father did. In fact, he asked me to stay on at the ranch until you and Otis were working well together. So, you can't fire me, no matter how much you squawk."
He made a face that almost made her laugh. "Squawk?"
Crossing her arms across her chest, she said, "I call it like I see it."
"Listen, Ms. McElfen er McEllaf… What's your name again?"
"McElhannon," she said slowly. "Alyssandra Orchid McElhannon."
Author
Information:
Lisa Mondello (a.k.a. LA Mondello) has held
many jobs in her life but being a published author 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, was the winner of the Golden Quill contest for Best
First Book and to date has had over 350,000 downloads worldwide.She is currently the author of 14 novels under the name Lisa Mondello and LA Mondello.
Social
Contact
You can find more information about Lisa
Mondello at http://www.lisamondello.blogspot.com or chat on Twitter at @LisaMondello.
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