ARC Review: Holding Out for a Hero by Codi Gary

Holding Out for a hero is the third book in the Men in Uniform series by Codi Gary. Each book is a standalone story, so these can be read out of order if you haven't read the previous books. While I have enjoyed this series, I haven't loved it. I keep hoping with each new book that it will get back to what I love so much from Codi Gary, but I have to admit that these have just been okay for me rather than great. 

Two years after losing his wife, Blake is still struggling with his grief. His favorite waitress Hannah is the bright spot in his life and he finds himself stopping by the local diner to feel happiness. But Hannah is looking for more when it comes to Blake than friendship, and that is more than he can give. Just as Hannah is convinced nothing between them will change, Blake kisses her and everything changes. But the closer they grown, the more distance Blake tries to put between them. Can Blake face his past for a shot at a future with Hannah, or will they both wind up with a broken heart? 

I have to admit that I struggled a bit to connect with these characters. I felt for both Blake and Hannah, and I could feel a genuine connection between them. But there was so much hot and cold, and back and forth that it just sort of lost me and I had a hard time feeling fully invested in their story. I wanted both of them to let go a bit and they each had issues that kept that from happening. I just felt like something was missing because I never felt like they made much progress. It was a definite case of one step forward, two steps back and after awhile I was just over it. 

While I wanted to like this one, the ending felt rushed and cliche. Things were wrapped up too easily and it wasn't a satisfying conclusion after all that we had been through with these two over the course of the story. If you are a fan of this series, this one is worth giving a shot. I have to admit that it isn't my favorite from Codi Gary though, and wouldn't be one that I recommend for anyone looking for a solid romance story. I think it lacked depth and I was frustrated more often than not here.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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ARC Review: Hero of Mine by Codi Gary

Hero of Mine is the third book in the Men in Uniform series from Codi Gary. I have enjoyed this series so far, and I really like Codi Gary's writing style. If you are a contemporary romance fan and haven't read Codi Gary yet, she is definitely one worth looking into. If you are already a fan, I think that this book is a cute story that most readers will enjoy. 

Dani Hill was a bit of a wild child, until she found herself pregnant and facing parenthood alone. With the help of her parents, Dani made Noah her top priority and devoted her life to being the best mom she could be. So when she meets Tyler Best, she immediately sees him for the player he has been and assumes that is all he is interested in. But when Dani and Tyler keep running into each other, they both begin to wonder if there is a reason they keep meeting. Noah has never wanted a girlfriend and doesn't do anything serious, so he knows that he needs to steer clear of single mom Dani and her son Noah. But when the attraction becomes too much for him to fight, he soon realizes that Dani and Noah are different and with them might just be where he belongs.

I liked Dani and Noah. I thought that they were good together and they had some really sweet moments together. For all of Noah's protests about not being good with kids and not wanting that in his life, he was fantastic with Noah. They were super cute together and I loved the fact that he was so caring. He had a big heart, and after everything that he had been through he deserved some happiness. I also loved that he was so good with the boys and dogs in the program, he was just a genuinely good guy despite what he might have said about himself. Dani was a good mom, and I loved that she put her son first always. I do think that she was too much of a pushover when it came to her mom, and I wish that she would have stood up to her more than she did here. But besides that, she was likable. Dani and Noah had good chemistry and I think that they made a great couple. 

Overall, this one was good and had some cute moments. It was on the predictable side though, and it didn't really break any new ground. I could pretty much see how everything was going to go, and while I liked it, it isn't anything that will really stand out or be super memorable in the long run. There were times that the characters did frustrate me a bit with their actions, but this was a good story. I think fans of contemporary romance will enjoy this one, especially for those that have read previous books in this series. This is a standalone story, so there is no problem with understanding anything for those that haven't read previous books in the series. I have liked those that I have read in this series, and will continue to look for books from Codi Gary in the future.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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Feature and Giveaway: Hero of Mine by Codi Gary

The men of Alpha Dog, a second chance program for at-risk teens, work hard and play hard. And when it comes to protecting the women they love . . . nothing stands in their way.

Danielle Hill used to live on the wild side, until a surprise pregnancy forced her to get her act together. Now her whole life revolves around her young son, and she will do anything to keep Noah’s heart protected, even if it means avoiding the Marine who makes her want to be oh so bad . . .

Tyler Best loves his family, his friends, and his life, and he plans on living it to the fullest after nearly losing it. But Tyler didn’t bank on running into a beautiful blond with blazing green eyes and temper to match his. Tyler always thought he wasn’t ready to settle down, but Dani and Noah make him rethink his playboy ways . . .

Only just as these two start to build something, a shadow from Dani’s past comes back to haunt them. But Tyler will do anything to keep her and Noah safe . . . anything.

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Guest Post with Author Codi Gary and Giveaway

Meet Codi Gary author of One Lucky Hero.

An obsessive bookworm, CODI GARY likes to write sexy small-town contemporary romances with humor, grand gestures, and blush-worthy moments. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading her favorite authors, squealing over her must-watch shows, and playing with her children. She lives in Idaho with her family.

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ARC Review: I Need a Hero by Codi Gary

I Need a Hero is a cute novella length story that is the start of Codi Gary's new Men in Uniform series. This short and sexy read was fun and had some really great moments. It wasn't my favorite read from Gary, but it was still one that I liked quite a bit. 

After getting into some trouble Sergeant Oliver Martinez is sent to help plan a charity event for the Alpha Dogs Training Program. Just when things appear to be as bad as they can get, Oliver meets the woman that he has to work with, Evelyn Reynolds. Though the attraction between them is instant, Eve is the daughter of General Reynolds, the man that sent Oliver to the program in the first place. Evelyn wants nothing to do with military men, and she definitely doesn't want to get personal with the man helping her plan the event that can help launch her new PR career. But with the chemistry between her and Oliver and them spending more time together, they find it hard to keep things professional and soon are giving into the attraction between them. But is it just a quick fling, or could they have something more? 

I really liked the heat and chemistry between these two, and I felt like Oliver and Eve's attraction was clear right from the start. They definitely wanted each other, even though they both tried to fight it. The one thing I struggled with though was their connection. As much as I wanted to feel more between these two, everything seemed to happen so fast. I wanted to see more feelings developing between them, and I just had a hard time seeing anything real happening besides their physical attraction to one another. I think a lot of that was because of the length of this story and the fact that there were only so many pages to make that happen. Had they previously known each other I think that I might have felt differently, but since they just met here I just don't think there was enough time to really see a strong relationship form. 

I did love Beast though, and I thought that he stole the show. It was a lot of fun to read about him and I enjoyed the Alpha Program which I found really interesting. Beast had a lot of personality and I definitely think that he was the high point here. I wish that I had been able to see more happening between Oliver and Eve, because I think that this story had a lot of potential. I am interested to see where this series goes though as I really like Codi Gary's books and I liked the rest of the characters that were introduced here. I will definitely look for more in this series and from Codi Gary in the future. If you are looking for a short and sexy read I would give this one a shot. It was fun and light, and I think as long as you aren't expecting anything really deep or emotional that it is something most readers will enjoy.

**ARC Provided by Publisher**

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Guest Post with Author Codi Gary and Giveaway

Meet Codi Gary author of I Need a Hero.

An obsessive bookworm, CODI GARY likes to write sexy small-town contemporary romances with humor, grand gestures, and blush-worthy moments. When she’s not writing, she can be found reading her favorite authors, squealing over her must-watch shows, and playing with her children. She lives in Idaho with her family.

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Review: Make Me Crazy by Codi Gary

I really enjoyed Make Me Crazy by Codi Gary. It was cute and sweet, and I love the friends to lovers trope. The characters were all likable and I really enjoyed Gary's writing style. I felt invested in these characters and their HEA right from the start, and I was able to just lose myself in their story.

Miranda "Rand" Coleman grew up seeing that love can destroy a person, and since then she has been against love, marriage and kids. When her grandpa dies and leaves her the Double C Ranch, she is glad to be able to continue living the life she loves. But when she finds out that in order to keep the ranch she must get married in three months she begins to panic. She turns to her two best friends Red and Jake to help her find eligible men in town that she could marry. When she decides to after the town veterinarian, Jake agrees to help her make him jealous and give him a bit of competition. But soon the feelings between Jake and Rand start to become more about them and less about helping her secure a husband. As Jake and Rand grow closer, they begin to think about the possibility of them getting married instead. But Jake has never done commitment and Rand isn't willing to settle. Can Jake and Rand work things out before it's too late, or will they end up destroying their friendship in the process?

I really liked Jake and Rand. These characters were so real and normal, and I thought that they were extremely easy to relate to. Rand was strong and capable, and I loved that she was so comfortable running her ranch. She wasn't intimidated easily, and I also liked that she wasn't afraid to be herself. It was great to see her start to loosen up a bit with Jake though. I liked that she wasn't a girly girl, but it was great that she started to try something new and that she would think about Jake and what he would like. He really brought out more of her feminine qualities, and it was nice to see her show that side more. Jake was sweet and easy-going, and I loved the friendship between him and Rand. Jake knew her so well, and yet he started to see so much more to her than he ever had before. I liked seeing him start to develop real feelings for her and see that he was capable of more than just casual with someone. Jake and Rand were a great match because of their foundation as best friends, but beyond that they had great chemistry together and worked really well as a couple. These two were really hot together, and I loved seeing them take their friendship to the next step. 

Overall, I really enjoyed this story. It was sweet and fun, and I had a really good time reading it. This book had it all, and I loved how it was sweet and playful but also sexy and intense. Rand and Jake were great to read about, and I loved watching their growth as a couple but also as individuals. I highly recommend this book to contemporary romance fans. I think this is a book that has something for everyone, and a lot of people will really enjoy this story just like I did. I can't wait to read more from Codi Gary, and I look forward to the next book in this series.

**Copy Provided by Literati Author Services**

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