Release Day Blitz, Reviews, and Giveaway: Seducing Lauren: Kristen Proby
In the second book in the Love Under the Big Sky series from this NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY bestselling author of the With Me in Seattle series, life in Montana gets spicy when a woman and her divorce lawyer sign off the papers—and sign on to love.
Now that his best friend, Josh, has happily settled down with his true love on a Montana ranch, small-town lawyer Ty Sullivan starts thinking that maybe single life isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. And when Lauren Cunningham’s no-good ex-husband comes after her for an unexpected trust fund, Ty steps in to protect her. But soon he can’t help but think of her as more than a client. Lauren’s in no mood to jump into another relationship, so how can Ty convince her that her mistake wasn’t getting married, but marrying the wrong guy?
As I approach his house, I see his Jeep parked in the drive, the hood up, and a tight, jean-clad ass bent over the side.
Okay, he’s definitely home.
I tentatively wander around the other side of the Jeep and lean against the side, looking at the engine. He hasn’t noticed that I’m here yet, and I’m not even sure how he’ll react to seeing me here, but I can’t seem to stay away. His dark head is bent low, his arms buried in the engine, tinkering with something. His arms are bare as he’s pulled off his T-shirt, which is draped over the windshield. A thin sheen of sweat covers his shoulders and back, and his entire sleeve tattoo, which runs from just above his wrist all the way up to the top of his right shoulder, is on full display, making my girlie parts all tingle and come to life.
Holy Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
He’s so fucking toned it’s crazy. Jeez, his muscles bunch and stretch as he pulls on the wrench in his hand.
“Come on, you motherfucker,” he mutters. I have to bite my lips to keep from laughing out loud.
“So, what seems to be the problem?” I finally ask when he doesn’t notice me, keeping my eyes trained on the engine when his head whips up to look at me. I slowly lift my eyes to his and grin.
“I didn’t hear your car,” he murmurs with a smile.
“I walked.” I shrug and look back down into the bowels of his Jeep. “What’s wrong with your car?”
“You walked from your house?” he asks incredulously.
“No.” I shake my head and chuckle. “From Sips. I had coffee with Cara this morning.”
He stands up straight and leans his palms on the side of the Jeep, watching me. My eyes immediately fall to one drop of sweat slowly making its way down his hard chest.
“You had coffee with Cara?” He smiles.
“Yeah.” I shrug shyly. “I’m sorry to just stop by like this. I was out for a walk and just sort of found myself here.” I feel my cheeks heat and I back away, but he shakes his head and smiles widely.
“I’m glad you came by.” He raises his brows as I continue to stare.
I shake my head and raise my eyes to his, then bust out laughing.
“Why are you laughing?” he asks with a wide grin.
“Because I don’t think I’ve ever seen you without a shirt. I didn’t realize the tats went all the way up your arm. Who would have thought that under it all you’re just a bad boy?”
His eyes flash with heat as he narrows them on my face, watching me. He pulls a rag out of his back pocket and begins wiping off his hands, but his gray eyes stay on mine. Did I offend him?
“I’m not such a bad boy. Looks can be deceiving, Lauren.” He smirks as he lowers the hood on his Jeep. “But from the look of you right now, you don’t seem to mind the tats.”
“I don’t mind.” I shrug nonchalantly and try to ignore the way my heart picks up speed as he slowly saunters around the hood of the vehicle.
“Do you have any tats?”
“Yeah.”
His eyes widen in surprise and then rake over me from head to toe.
“Where?”
I grin, enjoying this flirtatious banter. “Here and there.”
“I have ways of making people talk, you know.”
“Bright lights and rubber hoses?” I ask with a raised brow.
He tosses his head back and laughs, an all-out belly laugh. “I’m not a cop,” he smirks.
“You might get to see them. Someday.”
He closes the gap between us and kisses me gently on the forehead, not touching me anywhere else.
“I hope someday comes sooner rather than later,” he whispers before pulling back and smiling softly down at me. “I would hug you, but I’m dirty.”
I wave him off, as if it’s no biggie, although I don’t mind so much that he’s a bit dirty and sweaty. “What were you doing?” I gesture to the car.
“Changing the oil.”
“There are places you can go,” I inform him with a perfectly straight face, “where you pull into this big garage, and then you leave your car and go into this small room with five-year-old magazines and stale coffee, and the people there will change your oil for you.”
“Or, smart-ass, I can do it myself in my own driveway.”
“Suit yourself.” I shrug.
“Did you sleep okay on the couch?” he asks, changing the subject.
“Yeah, actually, I did. But I could always sleep just about anywhere.”
“Hence the chaise in your office.” He chuckles.
I nod and stuff my hands in my pockets. “I’m sorry that I interrupted your morning. I was just out for a walk and found myself here.”
“I’m glad you did.” He scratches his stomach, and my eyes follow the movement. His abs are just delicious. For being so dark haired, he has little hair on his chest and stomach, but a light trail of hair falls from his navel and disappears into his jeans. He’s also sporting a V in the muscles on his hips that the heroes in my novels would covet.
“Lo?” he asks with a wide grin.
“Yeah?” I drag my eyes up to his again.
“I lost you for a second.”
I blink rapidly and feel heat fill my cheeks. Jesus, get a grip! You’ve seen hot men before, Lauren. “Sorry, my mind wandered.”
We met lawyer Tyler Sullivan and new divorcee, Lauren Cunningham in Loving Cara. They are friends with Josh and Cara. Ty's sister Jillian is also Cara's best friend.Lauren has gone through a long arduous divorce, but her ex is still not quite done with her. Lauren is smart, caring, but is also fearful and insecure. She has hidden talents that let her express herself. Her ex did a number on her and is exhibiting aggressive, unstable, and demanding behavior. She has secrets, but they are kept for self protection.
Ty does not want to be her lawyer. He's already her friend, but wants to be more than that. He is a good man. He is intelligent and funny, with a little bit of an edge under his business suits. He is sweet, sexy, and protective. He has had his eye on Lauren for awhile. He has past demons that cause guilt and make him even more protective of the women in his life. I could not help but love Tyler.
Lauren and Ty have good chemistry, rapport, and a generally easy going, steamy relationship once it starts. It is intrinsically pretty drama free and not very angsty. Their challenges come more from the outside causing tension, frustration, fear, and danger.
It was told in both Tyler and Lauren's points of view giving us access to both of their fears and feelings. It was a sweet, romantic read with a bit of suspense and danger lurking in the background. The characters are all likable and engaging except the ones who are not supposed to be...like her ex who I hated with a passion. He really was an a-hole and added tension.
I am looking forward to the next book Falling for Jillian since it has already been teased in this one. I am looking forward to more with all these characters, but especially Jillian and Zach. They are already reacting strongly to each other. And Zack seems to have more deep issues than the other guys due to his military experience and life complications.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Seducing Lauren was full of sweet and sexy, from the beginning to the end.
Lauren Cunningham has removed herself from her former friends and is avoiding her ex-husband, while trying to move beyond her past. When her ex finds a trust she hadn’t had access to while they were married, he sues her for half, sending her to her lawyer’s office, where she runs into Ty Sullivan. When Jack’s eagerness to get what he feels is his turns to threats, Lauren turns to Ty to help her feel safe again.
Ty is a nice guy who plays tough guy. At times he was maybe a little too good, but his good guy aspects were a nice change from a lot of the bad boy characters that are popular. His protective streak runs deep where Lauren is concerned.
Lauren and Ty moved quickly together. From casual acquaintances to friends, to lovers, this would have felt quick except for a few factors. Because they live in a small town, and both grew up there, they were not complete strangers when they run into each other in Ty’s office. With the stress of Jacks’ threats hanging over Lauren, it was easier to believe that she would be drawn to someone she felt safe with, and ultimately, that’s what Ty was -- her safe choice.
This felt more suspenseful than I remember Love Cara being. There was just enough tension hanging in the background that I never felt completely comfortable with the safety Lauren felt with Ty. Because I knew that shoe had to drop some time.
Lauren’s job is rather solitary, so while there are a couple new characters brought in, I don’t think they are characters that will impact future stories. Emily was a hoot, with her daily phone calls and emails encouraging and helping Lauren with work problems. I loved how Lauren’s work came up in conversations with Jill and Cara, before the girls knew what Lauren did.
Josh and Cara, Jill, Zach, and Seth are around for parts of the story. While Lauren was friendly with Cara’s nemesis in the first book, the girls have quickly forgiven her the connection as they have gotten to know Lauren away from those toxic women. Though Lauren had taken some steps in Loving Cara to make up for her previous behavior, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to like her completely. I was surprised to find myself feeling sympathetic towards her and coming to love her as quickly as I did.
Seducing Lauren was fun, flirty, and a fantastic escape. It was a quick read, as I had come to expect after reading Loving Cara, though it did have a bit of a different feel than Cara’s book. While Cara’s book centered around the ranch, Lauren is firmly settled in the city, and the location suited both the story and the characters.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
Lauren Cunningham has removed herself from her former friends and is avoiding her ex-husband, while trying to move beyond her past. When her ex finds a trust she hadn’t had access to while they were married, he sues her for half, sending her to her lawyer’s office, where she runs into Ty Sullivan. When Jack’s eagerness to get what he feels is his turns to threats, Lauren turns to Ty to help her feel safe again.
Ty is a nice guy who plays tough guy. At times he was maybe a little too good, but his good guy aspects were a nice change from a lot of the bad boy characters that are popular. His protective streak runs deep where Lauren is concerned.
Lauren and Ty moved quickly together. From casual acquaintances to friends, to lovers, this would have felt quick except for a few factors. Because they live in a small town, and both grew up there, they were not complete strangers when they run into each other in Ty’s office. With the stress of Jacks’ threats hanging over Lauren, it was easier to believe that she would be drawn to someone she felt safe with, and ultimately, that’s what Ty was -- her safe choice.
This felt more suspenseful than I remember Love Cara being. There was just enough tension hanging in the background that I never felt completely comfortable with the safety Lauren felt with Ty. Because I knew that shoe had to drop some time.
Lauren’s job is rather solitary, so while there are a couple new characters brought in, I don’t think they are characters that will impact future stories. Emily was a hoot, with her daily phone calls and emails encouraging and helping Lauren with work problems. I loved how Lauren’s work came up in conversations with Jill and Cara, before the girls knew what Lauren did.
Josh and Cara, Jill, Zach, and Seth are around for parts of the story. While Lauren was friendly with Cara’s nemesis in the first book, the girls have quickly forgiven her the connection as they have gotten to know Lauren away from those toxic women. Though Lauren had taken some steps in Loving Cara to make up for her previous behavior, I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to like her completely. I was surprised to find myself feeling sympathetic towards her and coming to love her as quickly as I did.
Seducing Lauren was fun, flirty, and a fantastic escape. It was a quick read, as I had come to expect after reading Loving Cara, though it did have a bit of a different feel than Cara’s book. While Cara’s book centered around the ranch, Lauren is firmly settled in the city, and the location suited both the story and the characters.
I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
LOVING CARA Love Under the Big Sky #1
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LOVING CARA is a Contemporary Erotic Romance novel and is the 1st book in the Love Under The Big Sky Series being published by Pocket Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
CHEMISTRY WAS NEVER THIS SEXY IN HIGH SCHOOL.
In her sizzling new series, USA Today bestselling author Kristen Proby sets the stage for a passionate reunion under the breathtaking Montana sky.
Cara Donovan’s summer tutoring job is turning out to be a challenge—and not just because of her troubled twelve-year-old student. It’s his uncle Josh who’s the real problem. Ifproblem is the word for an irresistibly cocky, muscle-bound rancher with a taste for tight Levi’s and shameless flirtation. . . .
Cara is nothing like the wallflower Josh King remembers good-naturedly teasing in high school. This Cara is gorgeous, confident, fun. From the moment the fiery teacher steps foot on his family’s Lazy K Ranch, the stubborn playboy is determined to corral her. So what happens when his luscious lover takes over the reins?
The first in a steamy trilogy, Kristen Proby’s enthralling novel is filled to the brim with one hardworking family’s triumphs and challenges, all the wild adventure of the modern West, and a whole lot of titillating fun.
FALLING FOR JILLIAN
Love Under the Big Sky #3
Love Under the Big Sky #3
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Expected Jan. 27, 2014
From New York Times bestselling author Kristen Proby comes the third romance in the Love Under the Big Sky series, featuring a veteran struggling with PTSD and the one woman who can help him recover—and learn to love again.
Jillian thought she was a city girl through and through; the fast cars, high fashion, and glamour—she loves it all. But when her ex tells her he’s having a baby with his new wife (after Jillian struggled for years to get pregnant), she hightails it back to Montana to cry on the shoulder of her best friend, Cara.
But in truth, Jillian would rather be comforted by someone else…specifically Zach, Cara’s brother-in-law. Zach is a veteran of the Iraq War who came back to the family ranch to raise his preteen son after the boy’s mother took off. He’s struggling to re-establish a relationship with his son, and warding off the demons of PTSD, which still haunt him. The last thing he needs is bold, brassy Jillian…but why can’t he keep his hands off her?
Kristen Proby
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Kristen Proby is the author of the bestselling With Me In Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type; fiercely protective and a bit bossy, and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves.
Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate and sunshine. And naps.
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