Can't Buy Me Love (Crooked Creek Ranch #1)
by Molly O'Keefe
Purchase Links: Amazon Barnes & Noble
E-Book 370 pages
Blurb:
In Molly O’Keefe’s captivating new contemporary romance, a woman with a past and a man without a future struggle to find a place where they belong.
A girl from the wrong side of the tracks, Tara Jean Sweet knows that opportunity will never knock; she’ll have to seize it. Elderly Texas rancher Lyle Baker has a dying request: He will give Tara Jean a stake in his leather business in exchange for a little family subterfuge. All Tara Jean has to do is play the part of a gold-digging fiancée to lure Lyle’s estranged children home. The mission is soon accomplished.
Now Lyle’s gone—and his ridiculously handsome son, Luc, an ice hockey superstar sidelined by injuries, is the new owner of Crooked Creek ranch. He’s also Tara Jean’s boss. But being so close to sinfully sweet Tara Jean does crazy things to Luc’s priorities, like make him want to pry her deepest secrets from those irresistible lips. But when Tara Jean’s past demands a dirty showdown, will Luc stay and fight?
A girl from the wrong side of the tracks, Tara Jean Sweet knows that opportunity will never knock; she’ll have to seize it. Elderly Texas rancher Lyle Baker has a dying request: He will give Tara Jean a stake in his leather business in exchange for a little family subterfuge. All Tara Jean has to do is play the part of a gold-digging fiancée to lure Lyle’s estranged children home. The mission is soon accomplished.
Now Lyle’s gone—and his ridiculously handsome son, Luc, an ice hockey superstar sidelined by injuries, is the new owner of Crooked Creek ranch. He’s also Tara Jean’s boss. But being so close to sinfully sweet Tara Jean does crazy things to Luc’s priorities, like make him want to pry her deepest secrets from those irresistible lips. But when Tara Jean’s past demands a dirty showdown, will Luc stay and fight?
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Review:
I was excited to buy Can’t Buy Me Love and look forward to reading it. But it was not what I expected. The cover is delicious and the synopsis sounded interesting but the writing does not flow and almost all the characters fell flat, are mean and not very likable.
I was not feeling Luc. In the beginning I thought he was sweet to take care of his half sister Victoria by letting her and his nephew Jacob live with them. I liked how he is protective of her and Jacob especially when it comes to their abusive father Lyle. He is for sure the brooding hero who can not accept the fact that he is injured and might not be able to play hockey again and has serious issues about his past with his abusive father Lyle. The times he thinks of his past and his father are a bit sad but the writing did not pull me in where I wanted to weep for him. Just knowing the fact he was abused was sad.
Tara Jean the heroine was too wishy washy for me. One minute she is falling for Luc and the next out of the blue she turns into a bitch. I get she is trying to protect everyone on the ranch from her psycho ex but in one chapter she is sweet to Luc and the next bang she is bitchy.
Did not feel any chemistry with Luc and Tara Jean. Not when they were trying to make a go of their relationship. The sex scenes are boring and way too much talking and not the good “Dirty Talking”
All the secondary characters do play a important roll in the book but Victoria was a spoiled brat. I get she had everything she wanted before her husbands betrayal and his suicide and was taken care of but really I would think mother instincts would kick in and she would do what ever it took to care of her son and not be like I need my inheritance and I do not know how to work, I do not have experience. Then she lets her son see his grandfather who also abused her as a kid. The only two characters I found interesting were Luc’s Mother Celeste who I adored. As soon as she found out Lyle was abusing Luc she made sure he never went back to the ranch to see him when he was younger. I loved how Luc is a grown man and still his mother has the upper hand. I giggled during Lyle’s funeral when Luc is talking to Victoria and Celeste pinched his arm and when he was going to make a call, she took the phone away and told him, he was being disrespectful. The other character I liked and want to know more about is Eli. He seems mysterious and I am curious about him. I enjoyed how is kind and protective of Tara Jean.
Lyle was a mean character and even meaner in his will. That is when things start getting interesting. The story does take awhile to get to this part. Even though this book was just okay for me I am still interested to see how everything is played out with the land etc. from the will. Eli and Victoria story is next and even though she is not my favorite character I am still curious about Eli. I am going to read their story as I think this series does have potential
I was not feeling Luc. In the beginning I thought he was sweet to take care of his half sister Victoria by letting her and his nephew Jacob live with them. I liked how he is protective of her and Jacob especially when it comes to their abusive father Lyle. He is for sure the brooding hero who can not accept the fact that he is injured and might not be able to play hockey again and has serious issues about his past with his abusive father Lyle. The times he thinks of his past and his father are a bit sad but the writing did not pull me in where I wanted to weep for him. Just knowing the fact he was abused was sad.
Tara Jean the heroine was too wishy washy for me. One minute she is falling for Luc and the next out of the blue she turns into a bitch. I get she is trying to protect everyone on the ranch from her psycho ex but in one chapter she is sweet to Luc and the next bang she is bitchy.
Did not feel any chemistry with Luc and Tara Jean. Not when they were trying to make a go of their relationship. The sex scenes are boring and way too much talking and not the good “Dirty Talking”
All the secondary characters do play a important roll in the book but Victoria was a spoiled brat. I get she had everything she wanted before her husbands betrayal and his suicide and was taken care of but really I would think mother instincts would kick in and she would do what ever it took to care of her son and not be like I need my inheritance and I do not know how to work, I do not have experience. Then she lets her son see his grandfather who also abused her as a kid. The only two characters I found interesting were Luc’s Mother Celeste who I adored. As soon as she found out Lyle was abusing Luc she made sure he never went back to the ranch to see him when he was younger. I loved how Luc is a grown man and still his mother has the upper hand. I giggled during Lyle’s funeral when Luc is talking to Victoria and Celeste pinched his arm and when he was going to make a call, she took the phone away and told him, he was being disrespectful. The other character I liked and want to know more about is Eli. He seems mysterious and I am curious about him. I enjoyed how is kind and protective of Tara Jean.
Lyle was a mean character and even meaner in his will. That is when things start getting interesting. The story does take awhile to get to this part. Even though this book was just okay for me I am still interested to see how everything is played out with the land etc. from the will. Eli and Victoria story is next and even though she is not my favorite character I am still curious about Eli. I am going to read their story as I think this series does have potential
You are having a mediocre streak. Anyway, I'm reading something similar, when The Siren Calls. The blurb and cover intrigued me, even the free prequel on Amazon. But once I got into the story, I can't connect with the characters.
ReplyDeleteI hope your next book is better, you deserve a drink and a sexy read. Try Lisa Renee Jones.
Braine
I know right back to back 2 stars. Thanks for the heads up on your current read. I have seen Siren Calls on blogs and good reviews and thought about reading it. I have read 2 books by Lisa Renee Jones and love her work.
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