Bad Girls Don’t Marry Marines
Valerie Willis is one of “those Willis girls” Val is the middle child. She grew up under a microscope and yet couldn’t seem to stay out of trouble. The town sees her as trouble, she doesn’t want the attention but when her divorce goes viral she heads home for some peace and quite. For most people a small town of people who know you is a good place to lick your wounds and move on, unless your past with said town is less then stellar. Val is good at ignoring people and not a ton of remarks are made, at least to her face. She likes her solitude, however this is not the easiest when Val’s younger sister is heading down a dangerous path. Seeing her little sister making a lot of the same mistakes she herself made, Val tries to help. Elle however doesn’t want it and decides to turn the tables on her ‘no fun’ sister.
Justin Silverton is an ex-marine, farmer that has tried to find the love his best friend and his wife have. He knows it’s real, that feeling of connection and has even felt it once in his past. There were a few problems back then though, one the women was slightly ‘jail bait’, her father hated him, and she up and disappeared on him. That is until many years later, they are both back home. Valerie Willis is no longer too young, yes her father still hates him, but this time he plans to not let her disappear.
This book lets you get to know newcomer Val gradually and yet you feel as though she has been a part of the town all along. Justine is mentioned from time to time in other books so I was curious about his story, plus I am a sucker for military men. Justine and Val can avoid each other alright in the town, but when they both end up at a singles retreat, that’s when the fun begins. Justine decides to win his long time fantasy women and Val tries to avoid the one man she doesn’t want to hurt with her past. Both are so stubborn that it was fun to read and to see how their happy ever after would end. This was one of my top three fav’s in this series I hope you will give it a chance and love it too!
Return of the Bad Girl
If after reading Bad Girls Don’t Marines you thought Valerie’s past was ‘bad’ just wait. Caroline Willis the oldest and first to leave Rock Canyon will blow your mine. I for one liked Caroline, she is strong, and loyal to those she loves, and doesn’t take crap from anyone. Coming back to Rock Canyon was not in her plans; she hated the small town that branded her bad to the core. No one cared that she had been a teenager when she did those things; even then no one thought to ask her why she had done them. She had gotten good grades, tried to please her father, and keep her sisters close. Then something happened to change all that, her father forced her to leave. There is a lot more to the story however, but I don’t do spoilers, so you will have to read more.
What every Bad girl needs is someone who will not care about who she was, but about the pain in the butt she is now. Gabe Moriarty has just moved to Rock Canyon and he thinks he found the perfect place to live. Then again so does Caroline, the problem is that it is the same two bedroom apartment above the cozy bookstore in town. What are the two going to do? LOL Well shares it of course, and makes sure things stay strictly platonic at all times! Gabe’s past is very sketchy and he wants to keep it private, no one can find out or they will never order their custom crotch rockets from him. No one trusted people with a past like his; this is also why he can’t get close to Caroling no matter how tempting that thought is. Gabe and Caroline are both hiding parts of themselves, and when that happens there is always tension in the ranks.
Part of what makes this story so compelling is we do find out what each is hiding and you want them to talk to each other. You want them to let down their walls and just help one another with their past pain. However that would be too easy, Gabe and Caroling decide they are going to fight, argue, and try to avoid the hot sexual vibes they both feel. Read this one and you will be laughing at some of the behavior, crying as truth is reveled, and scared as there is a villain looking for revenge.
Bad For Me
Callie Jacobsen we hear her name from time to time, but more as a background character. I was curious about her because she has a big dog that she is never far away from. This for me sent up a red flag that she had some past issues that I wanted to know. Callie is an accomplished woman who works at the local country station as a DJ. She hasn’t lived in Rock Canyon her whole life but she does like the small town. Gossipy old bitties and all. She is friends with the whole cast of character we have met so far. She I started to like in Return of the Bad Girl because she befriends Caroline no questions asked. Her voice and calm attitude on the air attracts attention from yet another person we don’t hear of enough for my taste, another ex-marine and the big brother to Justine Silverton.
Everett Silverton is the local hero, people talk about him in honored soft tones, but the man himself doesn’t want any of it. He served his country, lost people, has is face scared, and had his wife leave him. He wants to be left alone, except for Callie, who he has called every morning for so long he doesn’t know how not to. Something changes in his last call that makes him want more. He is tired of being alone and wants more out of life, his PTSD is a lot better and it’s time to start living.
Everett and Callie are two complex people; they have survived horrors no person should ever have to face. They both live with their scars and yet want to try to live life again. The problem is, the past can be scarier than a pit bull that has locked its jaw. (disclaimer: I love all dogs and pits can be sweethearts, this is just an example.) No matter how much a person wants to move on sometimes they need help first. I loved this book because Codi Gary doesn’t gloss over the pain, or say true love will fix it. She shows that sometimes in order to be in a relationship both people have to be healthy mentally as individuals before they can be a ‘we’. This is very true and adds a reality element to this fictional story. Don’t miss this great story of overcoming the world’s crappy odds!
This is a must read novella if you want to know the back store and a few hidden scenes between Eric Henderson and Gracie McAllister. After reading this one I felt ready to read Good Girls don’t Kiss and Tell. You get to know both Eric and Gracie a good deal more in the pages. That’s why this review is so small compared to others I write. If I say much more I will give information away that needs to be discovered by you the reader. So don’t skip this one, buy it and Good Girls Don’t Kiss and Tell so you can read one right after the other!