Hello everyone!
Today's a very special day, because, unlike my ordinary blog posts, this one's going up EXACTLY ON TIME.
Because it's release day, baby!
The book we're about to talk about JUST went live around the globe, and man oh MAN am I looking forward to others picking it up and reading it!
I stumbled over this author completely by accident through her shifter romances (and well, there might have been an age gap, her ex's father type of deal involved ... oops ...), but seeing her transition to contemporary has been absolutely beautiful.
She's such a sweetheart, too! Kes Winter is someone you should totally follow on social media if you have the chance.
But now I'm babbling, so without further ado, congratulations to this release tonight!
Let's hear a round of applause for Heartland.
Now, we were introduced to the Rhodes family back in Heartstrings, with Walker, country music sensation, and now we're following in those footsteps but taking a look at his brother Slade.
He of the NHL defenseman fame.
He's home at Wild Rose right now, however, recovering after some shoulder business, when he runs into a pretty woman dressed like a fluffy pink bunny, who found an injured dog on his family's land. Being a gentleman, Slade takes the dog to the vet and takes care of Lila - the woman - too, and then finds out she's an interior designer.
Considering he wants to do something with his new house, well, she's the right woman for the job, and also he wants her close, okay?
Which is how we all learn she's about to inherit a trust of five million dollars, seeing as she comes from a high society family, but that if she doesn't meet the stipulation of being married, then she forfeits and the money splits between her siblings.
Slade has the greatest insane idea: they could get married. It'd be legit enough for her to claim the money, then they could divorce after a year and nobody would be the wiser.
Lila is initially skeptical but, well, it's too good of an offer to turn down, not to mention she's attracted to Slade anyway, so she says yes.
Slade's family thinks he's bonkers, but they go along with it and welcome Lila the way every newcomer to a family ought to be welcomed, but their marriage is off to a rocky start as she accidentally gets injured on their honeymoon so they have to return home sooner.
It's good they have company in the dog that Slade has basically adopted by now, though, Lucky having lost a leg to surgery and grafted onto him as her alpha, of course. But it's getting harder and harder for our heroes to keep their hands to themselves because both of them are attracted to each other, and wary of what'll happen once Slade goes to Denver for his next hockey season.
Having Facetimed her family to inform them of their marriage, and then having Lila distribute the trust fund money as she sees fit, it's time for some country shenanigans through which we all collectively fall more and more in love with Slade as he supports whatever Lila wants and pulls her more and more into his family circle, which includes but isn't limited to Halloween and Thanksgiving as big to-dos.
Then there's some very windy accidents, Slade's out all night, Lila sleeps in his bed to feel safer, and he catches on to that, which leads to ... dot, dot, dot.
Yup, like Olivia Newton-John says, it's physical, baby, but it's also glorious, and just cements their bond further, not that they want to admit it. Not even when Slade's prepared to murder someone at the local bar after they insult Lila and clock him across the face, but I mean, if you WANT to throw hands with a professional fighter, I suppose you're already nuttier than a fruit cake.
It's already all coming to a head by the time Lila's family actually shows up in person, because OF COURSE the rich only want MORE money, but they leave empty handed after Slade shoots to scare away a bear (no, really, a bear randomly wanders into the family drama, and probably wonders what it ever did to deserve this LOL). That isn't to say it's all over, however, because while Lila might not be prepared to follow Slade around, because she likes the roots she's putting down in Marble Falls, she IS prepared to fight her biological family who's trying to sue the two of them for marriage fraud.
The clerk from the office where they signed all the paperwork tattled something to them out of spite, and Slade makes sure the judge hears and sees exactly how much he loves Lila, to which point the judge is like 'so you're here wasting my time because this man loves his wife and wants to have babies with her, and this is fraudulent how, exactly?'
Give the man some moonshine, stat!
All's well that ends well, however, and Slade tells Lila he's retired, wanting to put down roots alongside her, which leads to them not only adopting one of Lucky's puppies (because of course, the dog would be pregnant), but Slade also builds her an animal sanctuary, because that's just how he is.
And when Lila shares the news that she's pregnant, things are looking well and good at Wild Rose!
I was super lucky enough to receive an ARC of Heartland and let me tell you: all the good stuff you read in this blog? Yup. My opinion. All of it fantastic.
The Rhodes brothes continue to slay whether they're famous in country music or hockey, and Slade is the man you want in your corner any day of the week. I knew I'd love him just based off meeting him in Heartstrings, but this, his book? SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY.
Lila is lovely, she has a good head on her shoulders and, while occasionally unsure, she, too, slays as a FMC who listens before jumping to conclusions, who wants to talk things through, and who knows how to stop her man from going full-throttle NHL defenseman after he sees red.
The Rhodes family in general remain a highlight and I am here for Josie and Tanner's stories. They deserve a HEA too!
Ms Winters' writing remains engaging, beautiful without being over the top, and addictive. She manages to transport you into this world of cowboys with very little effort, and I love it.
Give me more of Wild Rose Ranch, give me everything!! These stories touch the heart and feed the soul and there is no world in which I don't continue singing praises for this series.
100000/10 recommend.
The Rhodes brothes continue to slay whether they're famous in country music or hockey, and Slade is the man you want in your corner any day of the week. I knew I'd love him just based off meeting him in Heartstrings, but this, his book? SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY.
Lila is lovely, she has a good head on her shoulders and, while occasionally unsure, she, too, slays as a FMC who listens before jumping to conclusions, who wants to talk things through, and who knows how to stop her man from going full-throttle NHL defenseman after he sees red.
The Rhodes family in general remain a highlight and I am here for Josie and Tanner's stories. They deserve a HEA too!
Ms Winters' writing remains engaging, beautiful without being over the top, and addictive. She manages to transport you into this world of cowboys with very little effort, and I love it.
Give me more of Wild Rose Ranch, give me everything!! These stories touch the heart and feed the soul and there is no world in which I don't continue singing praises for this series.
100000/10 recommend.
xx
*image not mine
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