Second Chances

The McLendon Family Saga #1

by D.L. Roan

This book has been re-published as "The Heart of Falcon Ridge”. It is now a part of "The McLendon Family Saga” and no longer available in print/eBook formats.

Six years after the McLendon brothers lost their wife during the birth of their twins they are merely existing, focused only on running their ranch and raising their boys....until Claira Robbins drops into their family like a baby bird falling from its nest.

She certainly ruffles more than a few feathers. Matt and Mason believe she will be the one to heal their hearts and family. Their older brother Grey? He plans to live out his life comfortably numb from the neck down, even if it kills him...and it just might if Claira's lethal past catches up to her.

Can they convince Grey to let go of the past and give love a second chance? Or will his own haunting secret destroy what is left of their family for good?

Second Chances is an 88,000 word novel.

WARNING: Second Chances is an M/F/M/M erotica ménage romance and contains explicit sex, ménage à quatre, anal sex, adult language, and violence. Oh, and absolutely no steamy action between brothers, because that would just be awkward. Recommended for the adult reader only.

Genres: Menage, Romance, Erotica, Contemporary, Westerns, Contemporary Romance, M F M

266 pages, Paperback

First published February 16, 2013

About the author

USA Today and International Bestselling Author D.L. Roan loves combining fantasy with the real world, giving her readers more than just a romantic story, but a true adventure in love. She writes about life: the good, bad, the silly things, the hard things, and everything in between. "If I can give someone a break from all the craziness that comes with real life, maybe even make them smile, or turn a bad day into a fantastic one, then it's all been worth it." ~ D.L. Roan

She's a native Floridian, a rare breed in a land of snow birds. Scuba diving and hunting for shark's teeth on the beach are two of her favorite things. She loves rainy days, thunderstorms and is an avid dog lover. Yes, size matters. She hopes to one day add a big ol' floppy Great Dane to her family of hounds.

For exclusive details and free stories by D.L., visit her website www.dlroan.com and subscribe to her newsletter. She loves chatting with her friends and fans on Facebook. Check out the links in the back of her books for details about her secret fan group where she hangs out with her fans who get first dibs on all her sexy stories!

The McLendon Family Saga Reading Order:

(1) The Heart of Falcon Ridge
(2) A McLendon Christmas
(3) Rock Star Cowboys
(4) Rock Star Cowboys: The Honeymoon
(5) The Hardest Goodbyes
(6) Return to Falcon Ridge

Survivors' Justice Series Reading Order:

(1) Surviving Redemption
(2) One Defining Second

Standalones:
Blindfold Fantasy: A Novel Menage

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Heart of Falcon Ridge is book one in The McLendon Family Saga series by D.L. Roan.

“Three hearts beat as one, for one; always.”

It is Claira Robbins first day at work at the Grassland Academy as a first grade substitute teacher. She loves children but teaching wasn’t her chosen profession. Actually, nothing about her is the real woman she is. She’s only been Claira for a couple of weeks, since she was given this identity and placed in this new position. She is instantly taken with the adorable twin boys, Carson and Conner McLendon. When their father, Grey McLendon, comes to pick them up early and their eyes meet, for a split second she saw something there, until he quickly covered it up with a steely gaze. But she can’t get him out of her mind. Until the next day when another man comes to pick up the boys, also calling himself their Dad!

“Something inside him had shifted. He was drawn to her in an instinctual way he’d never experienced before.”



Grey is the oldest of the three McLendon men, followed by his twin brothers, Matt and Mason. Together they run the Falcon Ridge ranch and raise their twin sons. Yes, the twin boys have three fathers. The family dynamic is unique in this family. All three brothers were married to the same woman, Sarah. But she passed away six years ago. Matt and Mason have dealt with her death and although neither of them has had a relationship, they have had occasional one night stands. But Grey has not dealt with the loss. He has not been attracted to any woman since Sarah’s death. He doesn’t want to be. He won’t allow it. But as soon as he saw the new school teacher, he felt something. Something he doesn’t want to feel. So he tries to ignore it but imagine his surprise when he comes in for dinner and there in their kitchen is the very same school teacher.

When Mason convinced Claira to come to the ranch on the pretense of discussing tutoring one of the boys, he knew he would have to deal with Grey. But he knew, as soon as he saw her, that she might be the one. He and his twin brother never thought they could find another woman that would be the perfect fit for all three of them as Sarah was. But Claira was special. He felt it. So did his brother. Now all they had to do was convince Grey to give her a chance.



After the initial shock of this family wore off, Claira is intrigued and can’t deny she feels something. But how can she even consider involving this wonderful family in her life? She has been on the run for years. She could be putting this family in terrible danger if she is found. Her life is a lie. But she can’t tell them who she really is. How can she be a part of this family when everything about her is a lie?



I do enjoy ménage love stories. But this book was just so much more than just that. Yes, it has plenty steamy and sexy. These three men ooze sexy! But it is also about this family dealing with grief, especially Grey, who has kept certain things bottled up inside all these years, never healing from his loss. And I am always a sucker for a book with adorable kids involved. And these two boys were most definitely adorable. They stole my heart.



At the same time, this is about Claira’s past. A dangerous man who is still looking for her and will do whatever he has to do to find and punish her. Is she really safe in this new life with her new identity? Is she putting this wonderful family she is beginning to feel so much for in danger? I did not anticipate the suspenseful aspect to this at all! There were some definite nail biting moments.



So, yes, I completely enjoyed this book. I fell in love with this family and with Claira. I most definitely want to continue on with the series and read the sequel, A McLendon Christmas, and then in the third book the twin boys are all grown up in Rock Star Cowboys. I don’t know why I have never read this author before but I most definitely will be reading much more of her work.

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

"I'll let you touch me all you want once i'm buried so deep inside you, you can taste me. Not one moment sooner."

I was very excited to start this book and i'm so happy to say it did not disappoint! I admit i was a tiny bit nervous too since i haven't been enjoying books that much these past few weeks, but Second Chances managed to keep me at the edge of my seat!!!






It seems it was just what i needed!

Something light and fun to read. Something sexy, hot and exciting.

It had it all, and for that D.L Roan i...











Claira Robbins is running from her past and she lands in a new town. She get's the job of a first grade teacher and is very excited to start. Her first day goes really well...until she meets Mr McLendon...






6 years after their wife passed away the Mclendon brothers are merely existing. They are focused on raising their twin sons and running the ranch, finding a woman to share their hearts with isn't even a dot on the map... until they meet Claira.

Matt and Mason believe she's the one who will heal their hearts and their family that is slowly breaking apart. Their older brother, Grey? He plans to live the rest of his life numb from the neck down, even if it might kill him...and it might if Claira's lethal past catches up to her.

Can they convince Grey to move on and give love a second chance?
Can they protect Claira and make her trust them?






This book is not for everyone for sure. This is a different kind of genre that many romance/erotica authors stay away from or don't even know about. Which is a shame because i personally love it!

Yes, it contains 3 guys and just one girl. And i'm not talking about them fighting over her or anything like that. I'm talking about them being all together, not just sexually (though they sometimes do it separately).It's really hard to explain but basically the girl loves them all and they all love her equally. They don't get jealous. And if you read this genre you'll know what the hell i'm talking about LOL.






Don't let that the brothers have twin sons stop you from reading. I tend to stay away from books like that, for some reason MC having kids just puts me off, but i didn't mind it here because the boys were totally adorable and i loved them!

The brothers
It was hard for me to visualize them probably in my head because i got mixed up with their descriptions. But i somehow managed.
My favorite brother has to be Mason because he's passionate, sweet, understanding and i just love him the most.
My second fav brother is Matt, who is caring, funny and wild.
And my least fav is Grey, i just felt like he was being an asshole most of the time ( even though he has reasons why that doesn't give him the right to take it out on others, especially his sons). He is the most possessive and protective of them all.
Ladies, you'll probably love him.






My main problem was that the book was too similiar to Maya Banks' Colters' Woman. The plot was almost the same, the same things sometimes happened, but the characters were different which is a big plus from me.






Second Chances was an amazing read that i surprisingly could not put down and when i unfortunately had to all i wanted was to pick it up again. Claira wasn't an annoying female protagonist and i loved her just as much as i loved every other character in this book. It was a very hot and light read that i'm sure many of you will adore. GO AND READ IT.

*I won this book in a GR giveaway. Thank you D.L Roan for signing it for me*
If you would like me to review your second book then let me know, no pressure or anything *cought* ;)

[Mo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Enjoyed this one. Fit cowboys, sexy girl, kids, dogs and puppies, suspense, mystery, menage. Seemed to have it all. Good debut novel.

[Jenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy-5-Hot-Ever-Lovin'-STARS!!!!!


This is one of the hottest books that I have EVER read... and that's saying something. This was a romantic suspense, but for me I thought screw that! The real suspense was when are they all going to have sex together!!!!



The brothers....


Twins Mason & Matt...







And then of course, Grey. Ah Grey... Sexy, domineering, protective Grey.

[Deborah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Claira Robbins is the name she's been given and she's starting a new life in Grasslands Montana and while she's been assured she's safe Claira knows it's only a matter of time before her past catches up with her.
The McLendon brothers Grey, Matt and Mason were all married to the same woman Sarah who died giving birth to their twins Connor and Carson. In the six years since her death none of them have been able to move forward, they can't imagine living separate lives but then they can't imagine coming across another woman who would want all three of them.
As soon as the brothers catch sight of the twins new teacher Claira they're gone, they know they've found the woman they all want but will she want them and will Grey be able to move on from Sarah.
As Matt and Mason work their charm on Claira and Grey battles his own demons Claira's past is hurtling towards them.
This is a nice enough read, its an insta love which I'll admit is not really my thing, it's hot as you'd expect from a ménage book it reminds me very much of 'Colters Woman' by Maya Banks.
There's a couple of little twists, I personally didn't particularly like the mysterious 'baddie' but maybe that's just me and Claira who's shy and has only ever previously had sex one time kisses two of the brothers in no time at all, ok maybe I mean they are hot it just seemed a little out of character. Also because of her past she has a series of security measure in place but she's so wrapped up in the brothers that she can't remember if she locked the door, now this may seem picky but this is a woman in fear of her life, she's come from hell and doesn't want to go back and yes the McLendon's are hot and all that but this is her life surely she'd remember if she'd locked the door.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read October 19th 2013. 1st time 4 stars

2nd reread 04.02.2016. 3 stars

This book is now on Amazon under the title 'The Heart of Falcon Ridge' One of me friends asked me if there was a lot of talk about the deceased wife and I couldn't really remember so I decided to reread the book.

I can say that the second time round that it is still tasteful, a lovely, and beautiful book.

Claira Robbins is starting a new. Her past is horrible and she is trying to hide in plain sight. Her job leads her to Grassland as a temp teacher where she meets to rambunctious twins in her class, Carson and Connor McLendon.

On her first day, the twins are picked up by Grey McLendon where she is instantly attracted to him. Claira has three separate Encounters with the brothers

Grey first sees Claira when he picks his boys up and he hasn’t felt anything like what he feels when he sees Claira but he finds it hard to show emotions.

The next day Claira meets Matt. He knows that she could be the one that can heal all of them.
Then she meets Mason and caves and goes to their house for dinner. She feels attracted to all three of them and in the end trusts them. But doesn’t want to choose

The McLendon brothers lost their wife (yes, their wife Sarah) 6 years ago. She died while giving birth to the twins Connor and Carson. Matt and Mason (are twins) and Grey is the older brother and life has been tough. All three of them have stopped grieving and are ready to move on but something is holding Grey back that the other two don’t know about not grief but guilt.

Grey has been horrible to his kids and everyone around him. Even his kids. With the help of those around him he works through them. I didn’t find it that bad with the deceased wife. But different strokes and all that.

Each of the brothers is so different and they each balance another out. The sex scenes are hot and steamy and I had this book read in no time. I found Grant Kendall to be an interesting person and I he gets his own book.

[Spuffed · Rating 1 out of 5]

"Well done menage"???? "Great writing"????? With all due respect, are you all high? Or did I somehow get ahold of a draft?

Everything about this book was just awful. First of all, I'd like to mention that as I started reading this book I kept recognizing lines as having read them before in other books. Seriously, every third line had me thinking, "I've read this line before". But, I kept reading as I figured it was just a bunch of romance novel cliche's and that once we got into the plot, it could be redeemed. But, it wasn't. Around the 40% mark, the writing started to get really bad and by the 60% mark, I was wondering if this was written by the same person who wrote the first part of the book. Around the 80% mark, I had it figured out. It appears to me that the author copied her favorite scenes and lines from other books and then pasted them into the first half of the book before the plot was fully explored. Because by the time we got into the plot was when the writing started to get so bad. The plot was unlike any other I've read (and I'll get to that later) so the author couldn't at that point just copy and paste. She had to come up with original lines and I'll give her that, they were original but oh so awful. This is what happened when the author started writing something original:

1. All the characters turned into MAJOR spazzes. Think crazy faced Jack Nicholson in "The Shining", a coked-out, machine gun shootin' Al Pacino in "Scarface", and a frantic, screaming Drew Barrymore in "Scream". Literally. The characters are started out as normal people but then just exploded into psycho-reactors to everything!!! Why? Not because of the situation but because the author couldn't steal from someone else anymore now that her "plot" started evolving and she had to create emotion somehow.
2. The Romance turned into gross and disturbing and not in a juicy dirty way, just in a "author can't write well" way. For instance, one of the brothers (the Jack Nicholson/Shining one) starts calling her "Baby Bird". Uhhh, have you seen baby birds? Featherless, squalling-for-regurgitated-food, beaks- that's what baby birds are. "Mason fucking your pussy. Matt sliding into that luscious mouth of yours while I pound into this tight, little ass, baby bird." *throws up in mouth*
Dude likens chick's nipples to something like dried raisins. He also likens her cunny to turkey stuffing. *throws up more*
Chick gets on a horse with an anal plug inserted for a long ride back to the stables and this makes her panties wet but no trip to the hospital to remove the plug which should be mid-colon after riding a horse? And no, this is not a BDSM scene just a badly written one.
3. Chick becomes very wishy washy. At one point, she's like, "this is so perfect. Being with these brothers just works" then a couple pages later, she's all, "I know this isn't going to work. it's just not right". She does this a lot.

Plot Issues: I've read plenty of unbelievable plots and had no problem with them. I do have a problem when an author writes an impossible plot and has her characters explain it's lack of sense as " why or how is not important now, let's get to the issue at hand". There are two scenes where the major reveals happen and since they don't make any sense the "author" literally has her characters dismiss the holes as not important. Example, "Although Grant had nothing to do with the pictures and the phone calls... he also didn't acknowledge the responsibility for the fire. He didn't have to. None of that mattered now." Yeah, Author, it does matter. You can't just make random people the bad guys without any reason. You can't pepper the beginning of a book with a plausible plot and then try to make plot twists by randomly making characters do bad things that weren't even possible for them to do. I can't even describe the plot because it makes no sense. That description would be littered with "and then somehow"'s. I mean, throw in some magic or past brain trauma's or something but don't write a plot that you can't actually write. Your original plot, and I say that because it's clear you changed your mind in order to make something "more complex", would have been fine and given you closer to a 3 star rating for me. Author, also note that the logistics of the tragic scene at the dead tree didn't make any sense either. Try drawing it out on a piece of paper while re-reading what you've wrote and you'll see what I mean.

Overall: Why did I keep reading? I kept waiting for an explanation that made any kind of sense. I couldn't even really begin to note all the inconsistencies and illogical things in this book. All I can say is this author needs to go back to school before trying to write another "book" or at least keep it on the fanfiction sites so I don't get duped into reading another disaster such as this. Thanks!

-Spuffed, "Half stars are for pansies and one gif is plenty."

[Lidia's Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Reread books 1 & 2: Feb. 2021
Together, these books make for a 5 Star read. Why did this work for me so well? I don't know, but once again, I had such a fun time reading it. It's deliciously delightful. Exactly what I needed right now. A steamy polyam with 3 dirty talking, gorgeous alpha cowboys--fuck, yeah. It's not easy finding a polyam with no M/M, and that's why this one is perfect for me. Did I mind the instalove with a bit of cheese? Not at all, not this time. Did I mention the 3 sexy cowboys?

(I'm updating the rating from 4 Stars to 4.5 Stars and rounding up.)

Original Review:

“So eternally, forever, completely—in—love—with—all—of—you."
Because you can't only have one McLendon brother; it's a package deal.

From book description--
HEAT WARNING: Second Chances is an erotic romance containing sex, ménage, cowboys who like to talk dirty, and some violence. Oh, and absolutely no action between brothers, because that would just be awkward.

Note: The book was re-published as The Heart of Falcon Ridge. The title varies depending on the edition.

"Three hearts beat as one, for one."
This is the first time I search for a polyamorous romance, and I'm still debating whether this is considered polyam or reverse harem. I'm going with polyam. Doesn't matter, I really enjoyed this book! Grey, Matt, and Mason McLendon were completely lovable, so I can't blame Claira for the instalove. It was all a big insta-lust/love fest and yes, maybe their relationship felt a bit rushed but I didn't mind so much. The brothers clicked with Claira at first sight...and I with them. 🎵I said, cowboyS take me away 🎵

Themes/Tropes: unconventional relationships, love after loss, single daddies, small town romance, cowboy heroes, suspense, and more. It does have a dark theme too, but I wouldn't tag it as a dark romance. There's only one scene that was both violent and graphic (not involving the main characters).

All in all, it was a good story. It wasn't all sexy times--I've read contemporary romance with more explicit scenes. I'm rating it 4 Stars because it was enjoyable enough. A quick, fun read. It might not have been amazing but there wasn't anything that I strongly disliked either.

HEA: Yes! They all ride into the sunset together
Cheating: No.
SPOILER AHEAD
*
*
Considering there's a dead wife theme here, some readers might worry about emotional cheating. I didn't see it that way here. The brothers had a wife who died during childbirth. She was someone they grew up with and their relationship was sort of arranged by their mothers. 6 years after losing her, Grey was still grieving--though more out of guilt--and that's when the brothers met Claira. Their love for Claira was more organic, they had a special connection with her that they never had with the dead wife.

Book 2 Review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Carvanz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoy trying different plots and romantic genres but I’ve never been a fan of menage or reverse harems. I realized that perhaps I hadn’t ever read a really good menage and asked a Goodreads friend who has similar taste in books as I do to recommend her favorite to me. This is the book she suggested and went into it determined to have an open mind.

First, I have to say that this was so well written. There are three heroes, all brothers, which was another hard limit to get past. However, they were so developed in such clearly individual manners and each had their own appeal that I loved them separately as well as together as a family. Their care and concern for the heroine was sincere and the fact that one of the brothers was totally alpha in his jealous, possessive and protective reactions made me actually fall in love with him all the more. FYI: none of those j/p feelings were towards his brothers.

The heroine is on the run and hiding from a dangerous past and there is someone hunting her. If you like a heroine that is need of protecting as well as flourishes under the care of a hero, then Claire is for you. I liked her. She didn’t feel the need to lean on the heroes and actually was trying to protective them. There are no too stupid to live moments here. I did wonder why she didn’t flounder more when she was confronted with this family’s dynamic or the almost instant moves they made towards pulling her into it. It was not something she had ever been exposed to and she was almost a virgin still.

While all of the story itself was very enjoyable and I loved getting to know this family in its entirety, I must confess I still felt a wall between myself and the fact that three men/brothers were sharing the same woman. I wanted to love that part of their story and although I didn’t hate it, I just didn’t feel happy about it. I think I’m going to remain a fan of the one man woman/one woman man trope. Sorry Carol! But I can’t deny that the smexy times were hot, as in steaming and very well written. They did not consume this story as I expected they might, and the emotions between all the characters were deep felt.

Rating does not reflect my feelings on multi partner relationships as I knew this going in
Multi POV
Safe no ow/om drama other than the fact these men had had a wife previously and she has passed away – one of the brothers is struggling to accept that her memory is fading and now there is someone new that is taking over his thoughts
Triggers human sex trafficking

[Janja · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's sweet, hot, and with just enough drama that the story is interesting.

[Princess J. Antoinette · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was pretty good...

[Maida (Medley of Books) · Rating 2 out of 5]

RATING: 2.5 Sexy Cowboy Hearts! :)

[Jamie Paciorek · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story. It was the first time I've read this author.

[A. Cook · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an unexpected gem. Its been awhile since I've picked up anything containing cowboys and if I did it had something to do with the Sacketts (props to Louis L'Amour fans). This was good and all of the main characters were so very, very likable.

So, lets break it down a bit with an Angie facts:
1. Vaqueros son muy caliente. Some serious ...

2. There is nothing more endearing than a guy getting all emotional.
3. There's nothing better than a book that has you cackling like a loon. Who knew hamsters and squirrels would crack me up.

Like in any good story (for me) the heroine has to likable, but not just likable. There are a bunch of 'she can't be' included in this. Claira Robbins (Gabriella) is likable because she a solid female lead. She isn't a 'kick butt' kind of lady but she has a quiet strength about her that is needed to counter balance the three male leads of this story. I like that her character is able to attract some real 'nut jobs' because it keeps the reader guessing about who was behind the different things that was going on. Though Claira's character is good, she wasn't the star or this story. That honor goes to los tres vaqueros (three cowboys).

The male leads have three completely separate personalities that the author did a good job of not blending their characteristics together or confused the reader about which one(s) were being featured. Grey McLendon eldest of the McLendon boys and leader of the bunch is heart broken and punishing himself for what he believes caused the death of his pregnant wife. Dark and brooding with piercing green eyes isn't ready for the love that walks into life in the form of Ms. Claira. The twins Matt and Mason are adorable. Matt is all smiles to Mason's calm but the trio make a good match for Claira.

Besides the cowboys and the McLendon family as a whole, I liked that the author made sure that a complete story is told. A lot of the time, these sort of books get stuck in one place (the bedroom) and never accomplish telling the story. Would have liked more of the bad guy or guys (to see what made them tick) but there was enough there to keep you guessing about who did what, why and how. Overall 3.5

[Sue Ellen Robertson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do you love books that have a great story line but also have a taste of ménage, then this book is definitely well recommended and amazing read.

This book was the first one that I have read of a ménage and I really enjoyed it. Second Chances is about seeing if there is such a thing as a second chance in love. You have three brothers who each loved the same women; but she died years ago, leaving 3 men with torn hearts and a set of baby twins. Now they possibly have another chance (or do they) in finding a women that may love all three brothers again and is willing to be with all three. However, Claira has a past that she is running away from and it might be catching up to her in this little town hidden away from everywhere. Could her past come to haunt her future or will they overcome and find a way to live happy.

The author takes you for a ride when she introduces her characters including their personalities and how they each have their own way of loving the one woman that can bring the family whole again. This book was amazing and has definitely made me a follower of the author. Her story line was well defined and thought out, the book gave you enough details and didn’t go into too much (trust me I refused to put the book down). D.L. Roan also gives you some insight in each of the main character’s back story so you have a better understanding. You will definitely want to be in Claira’s position after reading page turner. I especially fell in love with Mason, and you will see why if you read this book!!

Second Chances has all the key characteristics for an amazing book hot romances, sexy men, and suspense to keep you on the edge of your seat. This book is a must read and I highly recommend!!!

[Carra · Rating 5 out of 5]

So, this is one type of menage story that I would have never pictured myself picking up. The idea of one woman with three brothers-not just three men, but brothers-is actually outside of my normal comfort zone, primarily since I have not read anything like this before. But expanding horizons is usually a good thing, and in the case of The Heart of Falcon Ridge that definitely holds true.

I have to be honest-once I knew the idea behind the story, I wasn't expecting a whole lot from the writing or the plot. Well, you can now smack me upside the head and send me to my room for that kind of generalized thinking, because this book is actually supported by a strong plot backed by some excellent writing--yes, there's a really good story here. Oh, and the blazing intimate scenes may have contributed just a bit. *Fans self*

There's a fascinating family dynamic with the McLendons, and for Matt, Mason and Grey (our three leading men) they each have wonderfully unique personalities that are unique and work so well together. When it comes to Claira, each of them fill a distinctive role with her which means when you look at them as a foursome they come across as complete. I really liked the supporting characters as well, and they provide a lot of potential for future stories.

I truly enjoyed The Heart of Falcon Ridge and would recommend it to fans of menage romance 18+ (note that the brothers share Claira-they do not intimately interact with each other...that's is NOT what this relationship is about). 4.5 stars, and be aware of the adult language and of course explicit menage and single M/F pairing sexual content.

[D.L. Roan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hey they gave me the option. How many stars did you expect me to give my own book? LOL

Writing Second Chances was such an exciting and educational experience. The McLendon brothers' story actually began while I was driving to work one day, well actually sitting in traffic. I saw Matt's face as he first met Claira, then the confusion on Claira's face as he explained that his twin, Mason, was the one she had met the day before. (He was just so hot I thought I was seeing double. Lucky for me I was right! HaHa)

Matt was so cute, fumbling over himself as he tried to process the sudden feelings overriding his nervous system. Of course, that's not exactly how the story happened by the end of the writing process, but the chemistry between them all was a joy to express.

As a new author, I can't describe the feeling of being able to share their journey with you. There have been some bumps along the way but, living in Florida, I can easily say that flat can be boring. LOL

I hope you enjoy the read.

DL

[A.M. · Rating 2 out of 5]

The McLendon brothers have been raising their twin sons without a mother since their first wife Sarah died minutes after the birth.
When new schoolteacher Claira arrives in town they all feel a connection to her.
But they don’t know Claira is really Gabrielle, a mob daughter, part of the witness protection program and scared of being hunted down.
***
Insta soul mate love/lust X 3
They just see her and they KNOW. Plus have boners.
This was okay up until about 60% and then it just went sideways so fast… a lot of it seemed familiar before that point. I can’t explain why. It is very over written - dark and brooding, inspecting glance, snobby sneaky, need and love, cool and green, wicked and corrupt… why use one word when two can do? NO. Don’t do that.
But I was okay with all that until it got downright silly. [crap… now I’M using two words]
Claira has a degree in child psychology and is a teacher but as long as she can cook well she’s valuable to them - and she cooks in their home when she’s a guest.
They’d prefer their boys were home schooled. *frowns*
They tell her Sarah was chosen for them when they were children - EEEKKK
All my alarm bells are going off.
Vigilante law enforcement officers. NO. If his daughter was a victim, he’d be the LAST person on the case. He is not impartial.
Main characters that went suddenly and hugely out of character.
An independent heroine lost her brains and her ability to look after herself.
She had four layers of checks on her front door. Only one of which is ever mentioned again.
If she’s in witness protection she doesn’t have any contacts in her phone list; especially the officer who looked after her and put her in the program. Dead giveaway. Plus, she says he told her to use disposable phones.
The weird neighbour who hacks up their cattle and stabs their dog. Wtf? Newborn puppies can’t be taken away from their mother for days. Why were the pups at the farm when the mother was at the vet? [once I start noticing stuff like that I’m editing and the book is done]
A completely weird betrayal from Dawes (the school principal) - he waited six years to attack them for Sarah’s death? Why wait?

“It’s your wicked and corrupt witchcraft that made her stay with you! You filled her with your demon spawn and they killed her!” he’d shouted as they lifted him onto a gurney. “I’ll not let you corrupt another innocent woman.” Dawes had twisted and flopped on the gurney, glaring at Grey as they wheeled him to the ambulance. “I’ll not let you! She’s mine!”

The WHAT now? And WORSE … this is told in a flashback. Why? Why lose your big scene like that? It makes no sense. Not that she (Claira/Gabby) has had anything to do with him. Maybe he could have thought she might take his job with the McLendon support, as they set up the school… but this? Nope. And carving ‘mine’ into cattle? NO. It doesn’t make sense. It took them a day to ride up to the place the carcass was left. How did the overweight non cowboy dude get up there? The neighbour won’t be hacking words into beasts either.
An unexplained story point of how the evil Lucien even found her, (with a misdirection story point), or left his business interests to do so. And why the guy sent to protect her set fire to her house. [I know why he said he did it, but logically driving her into the arms of five other people just makes his job harder]
And why does she think she killed her brother? That revelation came from left field as well. And nobody deals with it, either. They just tell her she must be wrong. *frowns*
You can’t go horse riding for the first time and then have sex, and especially anal sex… trust me.
PLUS she’s had sex once in her life and now she’s up for a foursome???!
Then the author tries the ‘he’s dead’ line after a chapter break without specifying whom - when the last we saw Grey he was bleeding like a stuck pig. I forget the term - cliffhanger plus fake out? No. Don’t do that. It’s a cheap trick.

This book has no editor: it’s ‘could have’ not ‘could of’ and there’s a dozen more.
A large envelope is sent to the school - nobody opens it. Later Grey talks about seeing photos of Claira. I assume they were in the envelope but the author cut out that bit - and then lost the emotional reaction to it - or even the questions over WHY it is happening. They SHOULD have asked. That’s not normal.
Pussy tears??! Say it one more time… I dare you.
[I HATE this: your children are injured, the woman you love is shot, your mother has a cardiac scare and the completely valid tears you shed are ‘pussy tears’???! Fuck that crap…]
Plus characters have entire thought processes that are NOT shared with others but then others either respond to, or are aware of those thoughts… but they never said anything. Does that make sense?
I love poly stories but this set up is really kind of odd. It’s almost like if they make all the partners of the one (and only) female be brothers then there is no whiff of homosexuality from them ‘coz that would be incest. It’s odd… because there is no way four of you can be in bed together having sex and NOT touch one of the other male partners. They poke tongues up her after their brother has come inside her… what is that? If it isn’t incest? It’s damn close…
2 stars

[SamJ ★Needs a HEA★ · Rating 3 out of 5]

★Book Basics★

Genre : - Erotica Ménage
Series : - Book 1 in the Series
Writing - Third person, multiple POV. Needs some editing, missed words or wrong words used, for example - Stare, instead of stair.
Main Characters : Claira Robbins - in hiding with a new identity after the trial of her father, a crime "lord". His successor, Lucien Moretti is looking for her.
Grey, Matt and Mason. Own a ranch, and fathers to 6 year old twins. Matt and Mason are twins and they all used to be married to Sarah who died years before. Grey in particular is struggling to get over the death of their wife.
Love triangle? - No
Cheating? - No
HEA? - Yes!
Would I read more by this author? - Yes

★Review★

Admittedly, this book is all a bit far fetched, insta lust/love and all sorts of things going on. But lets face it, it is an erotic ménage book - far fetched is almost built in!

In saying that though - I liked all 3 men. They were very definite different characters. I loved the first meeting Matt had with Claira.

Who is that?
"That's Miss Robins," Conner said...Matt looked at Con Did I actually ask that out loud?
"Yes," Claira answered in nearly a whisper.
Matt's head whipped around. "Yes, what?".......He couldn't think for shit with her standing in front of him....right now he felt lucky to remember his own damn name....Matt felt his throat close up and sweet Jesus, it was getting hot in here

It was cute and endearing.

There is at times, too many people to "suspect" of doing stuff - is it the neighbours, the new guy in town, Lucien? (ofc for some of it, it was none of them and new deranged idiot entered the picture!). Between stabbed animals, hang up phone calls, photos, fires etc - there is at times a lot going on, and suspects abound.

The multiple POV changes were a bit much at times. Occasionally, in a scene, it became unclear as to which of the Brothers heads we were in. It needed to be a bit clearer and sharper when a POV was changing, especially, if you are swapping around sentence after sentence in the same scene.

Same with the "scene" changes. I was constantly having to readjust my thinking as to where they were and how many hours later it was. You would be reading, and the next line, they are all of a sudden somewhere else, and you are thinking "when did that happen" only for it to be explained after like "we had rushed home" etc. Was jarring at times.

However, I enjoyed the story, liked the characters. Claira was a bit grating at times - when they all found out their dead wife Sarah had lied about something, she was all "Oh I am sure she had her own twisted reasons (yeah ok love, how would you know) but I would never lie to you about something so important (because I am so much better) but I am actually going to keep lying to you about something more important"! **rolls eyes**

But, it was enjoyable and I will read the next one at some point (especially since I already bought it!) and Grant intrigued me.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I one clicked this book when I saw a review of a friend of mine and I am so glad I did. Claira is on the run from a terrible past and a cold blooded lunatic named Lucian determined to have her. Although in a form of witness protection, she's still scared but determined not to live in fear. She takes a temporary teaching job in a tiny town. The Mclendon Brothers lost their wife in child birth six years ago. Owners of a large ranch, all three find themselves having reactions for their twin boys new teacher. Matt and Mason are ready to explore the feelings they have for Claira but Grey is still not sure he's ever going to be able to love again. As they try to work all this out, they don't realize danger is headed towards them from more than one front.

This book was just what I needed after a book slump. I loved Claira. She was vulnerable and broken yet determined to pick up the pieces and figure out how to live without fear ruling her life. The McClendon brothers were each very different but all three won me over. Matt was full of life and made me laugh, Mason was kind and gentle but when he blew - it was huge, and Grey broke my heart with his struggles with guilt and grief. It got confusing when all the action happened at the end. My only complaint was I thought the Lucian issue was maybe tied up too quickly and was a little anticlimactic at the end.

I'm really looking forward to Grant's story next.

[Leia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book while on vacation and i must say, i LOVED IT!! i had no idea about what i was going to read but when i did it was hot! hot! hot!!! The three brothers are broken in different ways from the death of their wife. Yes i said wife singular. Each brother is so different from each other but the love and protectiveness they have for their family just pulls you in. My favorite is Grey. He is quiet and fiercely protective, but he loves with everything he has and his sexyness is just WHEW (fanning myself) Gabby is the lady that pulls the three brothers out of their grief. She herself is broken and has a lunatic after her. She needs the three of them to help her heal and move on with her life. Matt and Mason are the twins and they fall fast and hard for Gabby. They all come together to help each other overcome grief and demons that are still after Gabby. that leaves us with the sex! OMG!! it's hot and to have not 1 but 3 brothers want you all at the same time (fanning myself again) it's amazing.
kudos to Miss Roan!! you have made me a fan for life!

[~*Lindsey*~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Brother lovin stars!

Yup. So this was a book about 3 brothers, who are sexy cowboys all living on the ranch together.



Good Start Right?!!

They each have their own great personalities and I loved all of them,actually so did the heroine Carla. Yup thats right, she loved them ALL. And they loved her. Can you say MENAGE ;)

There was an interesting mystery/suspense element and a sad backstory too but, who am kidding I read it for the very HOT sex scenes. Damn, Carla was a lucky woman.



It was a good story, with extremely hot men and hotter sex scenes. The writing style confused me at times(I couldn't tell which man we were reading about and I noticed names mixed up here and there).

But overall I really enjoyed it.

[Kia-lin Klink-holmes · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holly crap first off I would like to say I read this because a friend of mine said you have to to read this. She knows me well and it was right up my alley. OMG let me say I enjoy any book that is going to have hot men after me oh I'm sorry after one girl that slipped lol. Anyway now normally I would had said what the heck is this but let me tell you I was beyond intrigued when I started reading this book. Ladies you are warned be prepared for a change in panties because you will be drenched after you read what goes on in this book. If this ever happened to me I would be far gone not knowing what to do and at the same time dive right into it. This book is a must read and I don't mean a must read put into your to be read list I mean I must read right now. Enjoy

[Rae South-Hopkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was gifted an E-ARC copy of this book by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Second chances is an amazingly powerful story of true love! Clara is running from her past…. Terrible horrible past….
The McLandon brothers were amazingly HAWT!! Each had his own quirk, but was still just as awesome as the other… I found it hard to put this book down and walk away to do things like cooking dinner and washing dishes... lol The suspense in this book was almost overwhelming…. You just can’t place where this book is going until BOOM!! There it is! Her past is revealed!!
I loved this beautifully written story and can’t wait to dive into Second Nature!!

I give this book 5 out of 5 shields!

[Jacqueline J · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well done menage story. The writing was good rather than amateur as many of this sort is so major bonus there. There was a lot to the plot and the characters struggled with their relationship for a couple of reasons. The characters were pretty well developed especially the older brother, Grey, and the heroine. The other 2 brothers were not so well differentiated but were still nice. There was obviously some sex but it didn't overwhelm the story.

Recommended for menage readers.

[Dee · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 1/2 stars

This was an awesome book, with complex characters and a captivating story line.

I really liked Claira and the three brothers. The author did a masterful job of detailing the emotions of all the characters. The plot was a roller coaster ride of fear, lust, love, and mystery. The sex was super hot, but did not overwhelm the story.

This was a great start for a new author and I can't wait to read her next book!

[Amy Davies · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really really enjoyed this book.
Once you get past the whole brother issue lol it's a fantastic & hot read.
The story kept me gripped throughout, the connect between Claria, Grey, Matt & Mason is out of this world. They love her from the get go.
They worship her body, mind & soul. After a hearty battle with her head & heart Claria realises how much she loves the brothers & their twin boys.
This is a must read for any women who loves a hot & steamy love story.

[JoAnn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reminded me a lot of "Colters Woman" by Maya Banks. Never read anything by this author and looking forward to reading books more from her.

[♡Tonya♡]

this sounds good but me and "dead spouses" don't mix well

[RedL. · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 long live anal plugs
I've never been more unsure of how to rate a book. I am not even sure why I chose to read this book, as in I really can't remember the moment when I actively decided I wanted to read it and set to purchase it. Menage, multiple partners, poly...not my usual preferred genres. I have a conflicted, ever-developing relationship with poly, so I not-so-subconsciously try to avoid books with these elements, at least I did. I think I landed on a pretty fluffy ground for a casual pick. I enjoyed this story much more than I thought possible, the fact that the writing was better than I expected helped quite a lot.

This is an extremely woman-friendly story. The heroine is loved, adored and pampered by all and everyone she comes in contact with, everything is superconsensual, all the time, she is unexperienced but has no problems accepting and embracing her own lust and desires and feelings, there is no shame and her little doubts/fears about what she's embarking on are quickly worked through. The sex scenes are good, believable without turning into impossible gymnastics, mostly focused on her sensations, even if here and there the author fades into some purple prose. Never mind, I re-read them several times.The brothers are simple adorable, the family as a whole impossible to resist. And there even is a lot of kissing AND a plot!

So why am I not more enthusiastic about it? Because there really is nothing new about this story, nothing super exciting. And there were a bit too many tropes: dangerous mobster obsessed with innocent girl, girl in protective custody all skittish and thirsty for human contacts that must keep her big secret, instalust turning quickly into eternal love, too-perfect cowboys all doing right by her (most of the time), painful past for the men as well with one particularly tortured male character, adorable twin children...I could go on! I mentioned the existance of a plot, but it really is a thin construction to provide the heroine with a minimum of background, the necessary danger to push her into the arms of the McLendon brothers and introducing a lot of characters. It could have been soooo much more, a real thriller element, I really loved all her little paranoid safety measures. The villain is dealt with in a shooting scene so generic and lacking specifics that I wondered how could anyone be so damn scared of him after all. Come on, she was so terrified of him, of being found, of bringing anyone in danger and that's how he meets his end? I'm sorry, I didn't buy it.
Also, totally unexcusable: if you're introducing an element of Italian mob, DO IT RIGHT : don't choose random names that are anything BUT Italian, if you make the villain have some piece of text in Italian, you better make damn sure it is CORRECT, and not one word mispelled ant the rest in Spanish! I almost DNF at that point, seriously. I don't care it's an erotic menage romance, no excuse for being sloppy.

Now, the men. Loved their brotherly dynamics, loved how they took care of their twin sons, loved they were all hard workers and loved how they really shared, no jealousy, loved the realistic details of using condoms and training the heroine towards anal sex and DP considering the group sex to come and how careful they always were with her desires. But I could point out that considering how inexperienced she was and how overwhelmed she was by emotions and sexual gratification, I doubt she could really refuse or direct anything, at least not at the beginning. I even liked the characterizations even though they were not deep and also quite trite. We have the intense/brooding brother, the playful/mischievous one and the sensitive/sensual. I didn't like feeling the author favouring Matt and Grey over Mason. Grey was often too hysterical and uncommunicative for me and I didn't really see how playful Matt was, I was told. Mason was the only man who consistently checked with the heroine about her feelings, fears, problems, putting her well-being and needs before his own, also sexually, letting her talk and or/ask for help, talking to her helping her getting used to new situations. He was the emotional meter of everyone. Matt and Grey were often just greedy and impulsive, I felt like he had less sex scenes with the heroine and less descriptive. Also, Mason is the 'legs' man...if you give him the weakest preference, once again, you must do it right, it can't just be about having them tight around his waist!!! Where is the adoration? Where's the caressing, kissing, kneading, licking, biting, scratching from feet to pelvis, where he should get finally lost in her vagina? Or the positions where he can have more access to most of her legs? Nope, nothing at all. The two oral sex scenes were given to Matt. Meh.

Usual menage readers probably know tons of books better than this, yet I believe this is a very, very nice read. Lust and love strike almost instantly, it goes with the genre, but Gabby and her men really are lovely and steamy together and it's a pleasure to see her enjoy herself so much and finally finding a great loving family. Funny banter, mega fluffy romantic lines, generous amounts of passionate kissing, positive sex vibe in all scenes...anyone less picky than me will love it even more.