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Pararescuemen #1
Second Chance
Lieutenant Colin Beckett, US Air Force special ops, lost his wife in childbirth while off on a mission. Two years later, he’s still trying to come to grips with the guilt that tortures him. And to complicate matters, he finds himself undeniably attracted to his wife's sister, Emily. Struggling with his desire, he tells himself he doesn’t deserve a second chance with such an amazing woman. Emily wants Colin in her life and her bed. Enlisting the help of Colin's teammates and Madame Eve's 1Night Stand dating service, she plans to prove to Colin he can have everything he lost once again. Will their one night lead to the happy ending she longs for or the loneliness he thinks he deserves?
- GenresMilitary Fiction
38 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 21, 2012
71 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
May 3, 2012
Colin Beckett is a Lieutenant in the US Air Force Special Forces and is dedicated to his job. More so though since the day he lost his wife two years ago. Heart sick and riddled with guilt over her death Colin takes every possible mission to escape his life back home that includes his two year old daughter and his wife’s sister who takes care of her. Colin can’t stand disappointing his daughter and he knows that not being there for her mother he did so staying away is the best bet for him. And the attraction Colin has been feeling for his wife’s sister, Emily, during his short visits over the last year has compounded those feelings of guilt and disappointment.
Emily walked away from everything in her life two years ago so that she could raise her sister’s daughter as her own and she has never regretted the sacrifices she’s made. Emily just wishes that Isabella’s father would let his guilt over her sister’s death go and be there for his daughter. Emily understands his feelings but knows that if he doesn’t learn to move forward from them he will one day regret all that he has missed in his daughter’s life. Emily also wants Colin around for selfish reasons of her own. A year ago Emily fell in love with Colin and she knows that he would just give her a chance that they can all find happiness together. But can she convince Colin that he deserves that happiness? With the help of their friends and the risqué services of 1Night Stand Emily has one night to convince him.
Second Chance was a short, 34 page, contemporary romance novella that is perfect for a trip to the beach or an afternoon poolside. Emotionally hitting, this story is about a second chance at love for Colin and finding love for Emily. It was a nice story and a quick read, though somewhat predictable I enjoyed it.
Emily walked away from everything in her life two years ago so that she could raise her sister’s daughter as her own and she has never regretted the sacrifices she’s made. Emily just wishes that Isabella’s father would let his guilt over her sister’s death go and be there for his daughter. Emily understands his feelings but knows that if he doesn’t learn to move forward from them he will one day regret all that he has missed in his daughter’s life. Emily also wants Colin around for selfish reasons of her own. A year ago Emily fell in love with Colin and she knows that he would just give her a chance that they can all find happiness together. But can she convince Colin that he deserves that happiness? With the help of their friends and the risqué services of 1Night Stand Emily has one night to convince him.
Second Chance was a short, 34 page, contemporary romance novella that is perfect for a trip to the beach or an afternoon poolside. Emotionally hitting, this story is about a second chance at love for Colin and finding love for Emily. It was a nice story and a quick read, though somewhat predictable I enjoyed it.
December 15, 2012
For full review including excerpt and dialogue highlight, please visit Reader's Edyn at:
http://bit.ly/Z8pgXg
Review:
So once again, I was given an opportunity to review yet another 1 Night Stand book from the same titled series brought to us by the fabulous Decadent Publishing. You all know how much I enjoy this series so I always jump on the chance to review one of these books. I was intrigued by this particular story because of all of the particulars included within. I wasn’t sure if such a story could be pulled off to my satisfaction in the typical 0 or so pages these stories generally run. And having no previous experience reading Ms. Gould, I was even more interested in seeing where this story would lead.
Colin’s entire life is the Air Force Special Ops. He has a wife who is about to give birth to their first child, but he lives for the job and even when she is in labor, is heading out the door on another mission. Unfortunately life as he knows stops in that moment because when he returns, he returns to a brand new baby girl, his wife has passed away, and his sister-in-law has taken over the care of his daughter. Colin, unable to deal with the guilt he feels for deserting his wife in her time of need, regardless of the fact that he could have done nothing to save her, basically checks out. He visits once in a while, sends money regularly, but cannot stomach the regret he feels each time he sees his daughter. And now, a couple of years later, his feelings toward Emily, his former sister-in-law have changed. Angry at himself for desiring her after she has done nothing but put her life on hold to care for his child, he plans to distance himself even more. So far he has accomplished that well enough with all of his Special Ops missions.
Emily, the kind person that she is, would have done nothing other than what she has already done for her beautiful niece. She struggled at first with missing her sister and seeing her in the baby’s smiling face each day, but eventually her love for Isabelle took over and a strong bond was formed. She gave up everything to stay with Isabelle and is grateful for Colin’s monetary contributions, but finds herself wanting more. Everything changed after a picnic the previous year when she found herself falling deeply in love with the brooding Colin. A brief glimpse of the tender side he guarded so carefully and she was hopelessly lost. She wants more from him, but knows telling him could have the opposite effect and fears his complete absence from Isabelle’s life. Now it is up to Madame Eve and her matchmaking prowess if these two are to ever have a chance.
At first I found myself annoyed with Colin. I felt like he was using his wife’s death as an excuse to stay out on missions rather than come to terms with the fact that there was nothing he could have done while he was there, even if he had been there. And in a sense, he was. But his friend, Bobby, finally sucker punches him into seeing the truth of the situation and gets him thinking about possibilities he hasn’t allowed himself to entertain in a long time. And Emily is so sweet and caring that it is hard not to wish for her HEA to come true. Consequently, in no time I was rooting for this pair to find happiness together.
I was a bit worried about the former brother and sister-in-law aspect, the death of a mutual loved one, the life of a child, a dangerous career, and the like being tied together in the same story. I wasn’t sure if so many components would work out in a novella. But I had nothing to worry about. Ms. Gould did a fabulous job of creating characters that were easily likeable and demonstrated depth even with spending such a short time with them. I only wish the story had continued. I would have liked to have had even more time with Emily and Colin.
If you love the 1 Night Stand series, then this book should be an automatic read. And having finally read Ms. Gould, I can say the same of her fans ~ automatic read here. If you haven’t tried either, this story is a great one to cut your teeth on. It ranks high in the top 1 Night Stand stories so far as I am concerned and I will definitely be seeking future reads from Ms. Gould. Those of you who enjoy quick reads with a guaranteed HEA, a bit of hot sex thrown into the mix, a determined heroine who knows what she wants, and a brooding male lead who just needs a good knock in the head to see what is right in front of him will definitely love this book! The only question I have at this point is … will Bobby get his own 1 Night Stand story???
(eBook copy provided by author/tour company in exchange for an honest review.)
http://bit.ly/Z8pgXg
Review:
So once again, I was given an opportunity to review yet another 1 Night Stand book from the same titled series brought to us by the fabulous Decadent Publishing. You all know how much I enjoy this series so I always jump on the chance to review one of these books. I was intrigued by this particular story because of all of the particulars included within. I wasn’t sure if such a story could be pulled off to my satisfaction in the typical 0 or so pages these stories generally run. And having no previous experience reading Ms. Gould, I was even more interested in seeing where this story would lead.
Colin’s entire life is the Air Force Special Ops. He has a wife who is about to give birth to their first child, but he lives for the job and even when she is in labor, is heading out the door on another mission. Unfortunately life as he knows stops in that moment because when he returns, he returns to a brand new baby girl, his wife has passed away, and his sister-in-law has taken over the care of his daughter. Colin, unable to deal with the guilt he feels for deserting his wife in her time of need, regardless of the fact that he could have done nothing to save her, basically checks out. He visits once in a while, sends money regularly, but cannot stomach the regret he feels each time he sees his daughter. And now, a couple of years later, his feelings toward Emily, his former sister-in-law have changed. Angry at himself for desiring her after she has done nothing but put her life on hold to care for his child, he plans to distance himself even more. So far he has accomplished that well enough with all of his Special Ops missions.
Emily, the kind person that she is, would have done nothing other than what she has already done for her beautiful niece. She struggled at first with missing her sister and seeing her in the baby’s smiling face each day, but eventually her love for Isabelle took over and a strong bond was formed. She gave up everything to stay with Isabelle and is grateful for Colin’s monetary contributions, but finds herself wanting more. Everything changed after a picnic the previous year when she found herself falling deeply in love with the brooding Colin. A brief glimpse of the tender side he guarded so carefully and she was hopelessly lost. She wants more from him, but knows telling him could have the opposite effect and fears his complete absence from Isabelle’s life. Now it is up to Madame Eve and her matchmaking prowess if these two are to ever have a chance.
At first I found myself annoyed with Colin. I felt like he was using his wife’s death as an excuse to stay out on missions rather than come to terms with the fact that there was nothing he could have done while he was there, even if he had been there. And in a sense, he was. But his friend, Bobby, finally sucker punches him into seeing the truth of the situation and gets him thinking about possibilities he hasn’t allowed himself to entertain in a long time. And Emily is so sweet and caring that it is hard not to wish for her HEA to come true. Consequently, in no time I was rooting for this pair to find happiness together.
I was a bit worried about the former brother and sister-in-law aspect, the death of a mutual loved one, the life of a child, a dangerous career, and the like being tied together in the same story. I wasn’t sure if so many components would work out in a novella. But I had nothing to worry about. Ms. Gould did a fabulous job of creating characters that were easily likeable and demonstrated depth even with spending such a short time with them. I only wish the story had continued. I would have liked to have had even more time with Emily and Colin.
If you love the 1 Night Stand series, then this book should be an automatic read. And having finally read Ms. Gould, I can say the same of her fans ~ automatic read here. If you haven’t tried either, this story is a great one to cut your teeth on. It ranks high in the top 1 Night Stand stories so far as I am concerned and I will definitely be seeking future reads from Ms. Gould. Those of you who enjoy quick reads with a guaranteed HEA, a bit of hot sex thrown into the mix, a determined heroine who knows what she wants, and a brooding male lead who just needs a good knock in the head to see what is right in front of him will definitely love this book! The only question I have at this point is … will Bobby get his own 1 Night Stand story???
(eBook copy provided by author/tour company in exchange for an honest review.)
December 29, 2012
I enjoyed this story, even more than I had anticipated. The author did an excellent job of creating realistic dialogue and interaction between all of the characters.
I enjoyed the characters of Colin and Emily; the author did an amazing job of character development considering the novella length. They are both trying to move beyond the tragic death of Tabitha – Colin’s wife & Emily’s sister. Each is compartmentalizing their pain in a different way. Colin is consumed with guilt over not being there for his wife as she gave birth to their daughter then died shortly after. Never recovering from the guilt he distances himself from his daughter; leaving Emily to raise her. Emily on the other hand gives up everything to raise her deceased sister’s daughter believing it to be no sacrifice, but there were several difficult moments – Isabelle reminds her daily of Tabitha.
I knew it would take a special someone to break down some of Colin’s defensive walls, but I knew that Emily could do it. However, once they actually let their relationship develop and opened up to each other…this book was AWESOME.
The only thing that could have improved this novella would have been to be to make it a full length novel. Also the good news is that Book 2 of the Pararescuemen is already available, In My Sights .
Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge by Decadent Publishing for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.
I enjoyed the characters of Colin and Emily; the author did an amazing job of character development considering the novella length. They are both trying to move beyond the tragic death of Tabitha – Colin’s wife & Emily’s sister. Each is compartmentalizing their pain in a different way. Colin is consumed with guilt over not being there for his wife as she gave birth to their daughter then died shortly after. Never recovering from the guilt he distances himself from his daughter; leaving Emily to raise her. Emily on the other hand gives up everything to raise her deceased sister’s daughter believing it to be no sacrifice, but there were several difficult moments – Isabelle reminds her daily of Tabitha.
I knew it would take a special someone to break down some of Colin’s defensive walls, but I knew that Emily could do it. However, once they actually let their relationship develop and opened up to each other…this book was AWESOME.
The only thing that could have improved this novella would have been to be to make it a full length novel. Also the good news is that Book 2 of the Pararescuemen is already available, In My Sights .
Disclosure: This ebook was provided to me free of charge by Decadent Publishing for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.
March 12, 2012
What do you do when your wife dies during childbirth right after you left for a "quickie" mission? For Colin Beckett, you leave your daughter with your sister-in-law, move into an apartment and sink yourself into your military career. He visits his daughter, but they leave him feeling guilty for all that was lost and the fact that he is attracted to his sister-in-law.
Emily has always had a thing for Colin, even before she introduced him to her sister. Now she wants to find a way to crack his icy exterior and to make him realize that the two of them could make a family with his daughter. She enlists the help of Madame Eve's 1 Night Stand to prove that to Colin.
For such a short read, there was a ton of emotional turmoil in this one. Colin was eaten up by grief and guilt. So much so that he practically ignores his daughter because he can't deal with the reminders. Emily longs for Colin and wants to ensure that the niece she is raising as her daughter has a loving relationship with her father. I don't think I would go down the path that thinking sleeping with the man would get me what I wanted, but hey...it worked for this story.
If you want something quick to read with a man tortured by his past and a woman willing to overlook all the things he's done wrong, this one will help you escape for an hour.
Emily has always had a thing for Colin, even before she introduced him to her sister. Now she wants to find a way to crack his icy exterior and to make him realize that the two of them could make a family with his daughter. She enlists the help of Madame Eve's 1 Night Stand to prove that to Colin.
For such a short read, there was a ton of emotional turmoil in this one. Colin was eaten up by grief and guilt. So much so that he practically ignores his daughter because he can't deal with the reminders. Emily longs for Colin and wants to ensure that the niece she is raising as her daughter has a loving relationship with her father. I don't think I would go down the path that thinking sleeping with the man would get me what I wanted, but hey...it worked for this story.
If you want something quick to read with a man tortured by his past and a woman willing to overlook all the things he's done wrong, this one will help you escape for an hour.
March 10, 2012
Second Chance had me glued to my monitor and my box of tissue. Ms. Gould has woven a passionate tale that had me emursed in the life of this devastated hero and played my heart strings.
This Special Opp soldier so desperately needed to resurrect his broken heart and spirit and embrace passion in his life again. He also needed to pick up the precious pieces of his past he couldn't bare to face for two years. Emily was a sincere and wonderful counterpart to this wounded alpha.
This was a beautiful story of life, tragedy and moving on that will stay with me for a very long time. Everyone experiences tremendous loss and sorrow at one, or many points in their lives. How we choose to cope and recover is essentially living beyond the pain. Inspirational, compelling and steamy are the words I will offer, but I won't give away the plot or the outcome.
Second Chance is a MUST READ, but consider yourself warned, keep tissue nearby! Well done Ms. Gould!
This Special Opp soldier so desperately needed to resurrect his broken heart and spirit and embrace passion in his life again. He also needed to pick up the precious pieces of his past he couldn't bare to face for two years. Emily was a sincere and wonderful counterpart to this wounded alpha.
This was a beautiful story of life, tragedy and moving on that will stay with me for a very long time. Everyone experiences tremendous loss and sorrow at one, or many points in their lives. How we choose to cope and recover is essentially living beyond the pain. Inspirational, compelling and steamy are the words I will offer, but I won't give away the plot or the outcome.
Second Chance is a MUST READ, but consider yourself warned, keep tissue nearby! Well done Ms. Gould!
April 27, 2012
This was a good read and I will probally read it again. I felt the heartache that Colin went thru when losing his wife and then turning away from his child thinking he was doing what was best for her since he didn't want to let her down too. I also felt the love between Emily and what she wanted from Colin but he was afraid to give her due to letting her and his daughter down. He has feelings for Emily and wants to be there for his daughter but doesn't want to hurt either one of them. He feels like he let his wife down since he went on the mission with work even though she told him too and understood. That had me all in tears and with the box of tissues too. I hope to read more of her books in the future.
April 24, 2013
Reviewed by: Nichelle
Book provided by: Publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
First of all let me say I almost didn’t want to review the story because of the whole sister connection. But then I reread the blurb and was extremely curious as to how this story would work as a romance.
Let me just say I loved Lt. Colin Beckett and I was rooting for him to have a happy ever after. Emily was sweet and I loved her for having taken on the responsibility as mother for Isabella.
The plot was believable and the characters were well developed. What a fantastic and heartwarming story. It was also sexy and hot. This was a great addition to the 1NS story line and a keeper. I will be looking for more stories from this author.
Book provided by: Publisher
Review originally posted at Romancing the Book
First of all let me say I almost didn’t want to review the story because of the whole sister connection. But then I reread the blurb and was extremely curious as to how this story would work as a romance.
Let me just say I loved Lt. Colin Beckett and I was rooting for him to have a happy ever after. Emily was sweet and I loved her for having taken on the responsibility as mother for Isabella.
The plot was believable and the characters were well developed. What a fantastic and heartwarming story. It was also sexy and hot. This was a great addition to the 1NS story line and a keeper. I will be looking for more stories from this author.
April 15, 2012
Colin is in such a heart breaking situation. He has tragically lost his wife in child birth and as a result refuses to open his heart to anyone else, even his daughter. Emily has been in love with Colin for a long time. She knows she needs to break through to Colin to make him see that they are right for each other. My heart broke for Colin. What a horrible place to be in. I was so hoping for their HEA, I think Second Chance would have made a great longer story. I wanted more! I was also intrigued by his friends who help get Colin and Emily together. It would be nice to see them show up in another story. Definitely recommend this one. I know I enjoyed it.
May 26, 2012
Second Chance was a short, 38 page, contemporary romance novella which tells a bittersweet story of lost love. A story that tells how Colin loses his wife in childbirth and how his guilt takes over and he blames himself for the death of his wife because of his job. He leaves his daughter with his wife's sister Emily and immerses himself in his career for two years. With the insistence of his best friend, he confronts his feelings for Emily. Emily wants one night to prove her love for Colin. Do they find a happy ever after?? You will have to read the book to find that out. Well worth a read.
March 29, 2012
This was alright but wayyy too short to be worth 3.99. It was just way too abrupt and I didnt find this H, Hero material at all. I understand he is grieving but this guy was home for two weeks and STILL hadnt seen his own daughter.. He made time to schedule a one night stand but could not go and see his two year old daughter.. (I actually really love the "H was your deceased relative's spouse" so that wasnt a problem but I just didnt like him.
May 25, 2012
From the very first page, this story drew me in. I had a lump in my throat, and tears in my eyes during most of the story. And even though at one point, I had a hard time seeing the screen of my ereader through tears, I couldn't put it down. It's absolutely fabulous! If you're like me and need emotion in your romance, be sure to read this book.
March 10, 2012
Second Chance is a sexy and heartwarming short story that will take your breath away!
May 1, 2014
Good story
very good book. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a great inspirational story. I would read more like this if available.
very good book. I would recommend it to anyone who wants a great inspirational story. I would read more like this if available.
May 17, 2017
Great read
It was a great short story kept my interest. I would recommend if looking for a quick read for someone with a busy schedule
It was a great short story kept my interest. I would recommend if looking for a quick read for someone with a busy schedule
June 25, 2014
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews