ARC Review: A Better Man by Candis Terry

A Better Man is the first book in Candis Terry's new Sunshine Creek Vineyard series, and it is a standalone story. I enjoyed meeting the Kincade siblings and look forward to more in the series. This book was sweet and I enjoyed seeing the growth that Jordan made here as well as some of the others. This family is easy to like and I think that readers will enjoy getting to know each of them here and as this series continues.

After the death of his parents, Jordan Kincade heads home to help his family. The timing couldn't be worse as his NHL team needs him if they hope to make it to the playoffs, yet he knows that after years of giving hockey everything he has, it is time to put his family first. When Jordan arrives home his little sister wants nothing to do with him, and the more he learns about her the more he sees that she is struggling with more than just their parents death. With his brothers wrapped up in their lives, Jordan sets out to help his sister, even if she doesn't want his help. But the one person that can help him with Nicole happens to be her teacher Lucy, the very girl whose heart Jordan broke years before. Lucy is so much more than just the girl he left behind before though, and Jordan is determined to win both her and his sister over and change his ways for good. But after so much time and everything that has happened, will either of them be willing to give him another chance? 

I really liked the Kincade family. It was great to see them all band together in the face of tragedy, even though there had been a lot of time and distance between them. I loved that Jordan was willing to give up everything for them and to help Nicole. The change in him seemed so genuine, and I was glad that he was able to realize that he needed to readjust his priorities. Lucy was sweet and easy to like as well, and she genuinely cared about Nicole and her potential. I was glad that she was there for Nicole and Jordan, and I liked seeing them all spend time together. I thought that Jordan and Lucy made a great couple and fit well together. I will say that while I liked them and believed in their relationship, I didn't feel entirely invested in them and had a bit of a tough time connecting with them. For some reason here it felt like something was missing, and that we just didn't really dig that deep with either of them despite all that was going on. I think part of that was because the Kincade family and tragedy sort of took over at times and there wasn't as much focus on just Jordan and Lucy as I would have liked to have seen. 

I also felt like while I did enjoy the family dynamic here, that things were brought up and not entirely resolved. I am hoping that as the series continues some of that will be dealt with more. There was a situation with the family business here that we were given a bit more on, but I felt like it was mostly left up in the air. I would love to get more answers and see exactly what had been going on in the future. While I did have those criticisms, this book was still a good story and I enjoyed it. The beginning was a little slow and hard for me to get into, but it picked up and I am really glad that I stuck with. It was sweet and full of hope and love, and I am looking forward to seeing where Candis Terry takes these characters as the series continues.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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Guest Post with Author Candis Terry and Giveaway

Meet Candis Terry, author of Sweet Surprise.

Candis Terry was born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California and now makes her home on an Idaho farm. She’s experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to chasing down wayward steers. Only one thing has remained the same: her passion for writing stories about relationships, the push and pull in the search for love, and the security one finds in their own happily ever after.

Find Candis at:

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Feature and Giveaway: Something Sweeter by Candis Terry

The men in Texas are hard to resist . . . Seattle event planner Allison Lane is an expert at delivering the perfect wedding—even if she might not exactly believe in the whole "'til death do us part" thing. When her father decides to tie the knot with a woman he barely knows, Allison heads to Sweet, Texas, to make sure his new honey is the real deal. What she didn't expect to find at the local honky-tonk was a sexy Southern man as bent on charming her pants off as he is on blowing her "true love doesn't exist" theory all to hell. And they always promise . . .

Veterinarian, former Marine, and Sweet's favorite playboy Jesse Wilder takes one look at Allison and knows she's a handful of trouble he can't deny. But even after a sizzling kiss and obvious mutual attraction, it seems Allison has no such problem. When Jesse uncovers her sweet side, can he crush his playboy image, melt her cynical heart, and change her mind about taking a trip down the aisle?

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ARC Review: Confessions of a Secret Admirer by Jennifer Ryan, Candis Terry, and Jennifer Seasons

Confessions of a Secret Admirer is an anthology featuring four different novellas by Avon authors.

Waiting For You - Jennifer Ryan

Waiting for You by Jennifer Ryan follows Taylor Larson back to her hometown. She sees her friend from high school, Seth Devane with his daughter. She’s glad to see him and reminds her of her true love lost, his brother Grant. She’s under the impression he doesn’t like her. She couldn’t be more wrong. He’s been waiting for her to come back to apologize for a misunderstanding. Her grandmother died and she returns to help with her store. Her time is limited so Grant gets busy: cleans her barn, tends to the horses, and makes dinner. He invites her to the town’s Valentine’s Day dance. They rekindle what they never lost. The setting is an extra character. Denver looks gorgeous and inviting in the snow. Taylor and Grant were teenagers and fell in love. Too much, too fast, but still smoldering. Sweet story and recommended.

Sweet Fortune - Candis Terry

Sweet Fortune by Candis Terry begins with Sarah Randall contemplating a fortune cookie’s advice. “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” She’s recently lost her dream job as an assistant to a television host. She moves from Los Angeles to Texas. She lands a job at Bud’s Nothing Finer Diner as a waitress. With the approach of Valentine’s Day a list of the town’s most eligible bachelors appears in the newspaper. Deputy Brady Bennett is listed and with good reason. He’s stunning and Sarah has noticed. Now how to get his attention and hold it. He likes sports so she signs up to play baseball, but her talent lies in playing pool. She gives him a lesson he won’t forget. She also hand delivers cookies to his home anonymously as a hat tip to her fortune. Sarah and Brady make a cute couple. She tries so hard to be nonchalant and he falls in love with her. Her plot to get his attention makes this a good read.

Major League Crush - Jennifer Seasons

Major League Crush by Jennifer Seasons is the funniest of the three. Bertie Cogswell writes a comic strip, F@#$ MY LIFE. It’s based on her real life. She’s an ordinary woman who is obsessed with her professional baseball player neighbor. Drake Paulson lives across the hall from Bertie. They finally meet when she picks up her newspaper. He asks her if she follows the comic strip. He thinks it’s hilarious. She’s thrilled, but doesn’t admit it’s her work. He invites her to a Valentine’s Day party in the building. She agrees and has too much to drink. She tips her hand and he figures it out. She’s horrified at her behavior and avoids him. To win her back, he shows her his scrapbook of the comics. He’s her biggest fan. This one has a Bridget Jones vibe to it. Bertie is awkward, but Drake sees her beauty and brilliance. Some of the things he does to win her over are worth the read.

Overall

Overall the stories follow the idea of a secret crush on someone. It’s not just for kids. Adults try to catch each other’s eye too. My favorite is Major League Crush. She’s crazy about him and when he finds out, she’s so embarrassed. She goes out of her way to avoid him and he won’t let up. Nice to see her devotion returned tenfold. The trio of stories flow well together and make an enjoyable read.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

Purchase: | Amazon | B&N |

Guest Post with Author Candis Terry and Giveaway

Meet Candis Terry, author of Sweetest Mistake.

Candis Terry was born and raised near the sunny beaches of Southern California and now makes her home on an Idaho farm. She’s experienced life in such diverse ways as working in a Hollywood recording studio to chasing down wayward steers. Only one thing has remained the same: her passion for writing stories about relationships, the push and pull in the search for love, and the security one finds in their own happily ever after.

Find Candis at:

| Site | Facebook | Twitter |