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Texas Nights #3
Problems in Paradise
Book three of Texas Nights
Eden Durant hasn't always been Eden Durant. She's made a fresh start in Shelbyville, Texas, far from her mother's notoriety. Running the Paradise Garden Café is as much excitement as Eden wants�or it was, until she meets Beck Childress. Although he's the one man who could expose her past, she's willing to open up enough to see if he might be her future.
Chief Deputy Childress is determined to get to know the real Eden, when he isn't busy cleaning up after the sheriff and running in the election to replace him. When several men fall sick after eating in Eden's café, he investigates even as her mysterious past raises both his suspicions and his protective instincts.
As their relationship heats up, so do the pressures of Beck's campaign. When Eden's secrets are revealed, jeopardizing his dream of becoming sheriff, he'll need to serve and protect the town he loves or the woman who makes it home.
91,000 words
249 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
2 people are currently reading
133 people want to read
About the author
Kelsey Browning
52 books381 followersKelsey Browning writes sass kickin’ love stories and Southern cozy mysteries.
Originally from a small Texas town, Kelsey has also lived in the Middle East and Los Angeles, proving she’s either adventurous or downright nuts. These days, she hangs out in northeast Georgia with Tech Guy, Smarty Boy, Bad Dog and Pharaoh, a former Canine Companions for Independence puppy. She’s currently at work on the next book in her Texas Nights contemporary romance series and The Granny Series cozy mysteries.
For info on her upcoming releases, subscribe to her Sass Kickin’ News or drop by www.KelseyBrowning.com.
Originally from a small Texas town, Kelsey has also lived in the Middle East and Los Angeles, proving she’s either adventurous or downright nuts. These days, she hangs out in northeast Georgia with Tech Guy, Smarty Boy, Bad Dog and Pharaoh, a former Canine Companions for Independence puppy. She’s currently at work on the next book in her Texas Nights contemporary romance series and The Granny Series cozy mysteries.
For info on her upcoming releases, subscribe to her Sass Kickin’ News or drop by www.KelseyBrowning.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
May 15, 2014
Oh Beck, I just loved you, "he laughed. "It's not stuffed down in my underwear. It's holstered." When he pulled at his jeans to show her a black leather pouch, he also revealed the waistband of his heather gray boxers. Now those she wanted to touch. "Besides, the safety is on." I loved his mind, "screw food. He was starving not only for what was behind all those ugly clothes, but also for more of her teasing. "Got anything on the menu that'll appeal to a guy like me?" I mean if I was in Eden's position my mind would forget everything that was going on when Beck decided to put his sexy lips on me, "she pulled away, but with her breath doing the heave-in-and-out thing, there was no denying she was affected. "Did you-" pant, pant, pant, "-say something about dinner?" I loved this book a lot this is one of my favorite series to read, I can't wait for more.
August 29, 2014
Problems in Paradise is definitely the sexiest of the three I've read so far in this series. But I have to be honest. Eden and Beck's decision-making frustrated me a bit in spots. But Kelsey tells a great story and I LOVE her writing style so I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to anyone who'd like a hot, small town romance, between a hunky sheriff and a secretive beauty from out of town!
May 29, 2014
Problems in Paradise, WOW!! This book starts out hot and doesn't burnout. I have loved all of the Texas Nights books. This one Beck and Edens story was perhaps the hottest out of the three. I might have to go back a re-read the other two just to make sure.
Beck protective Chief Deputy of Shelbyville a small Texas town has been interested in Eden since she moved into town. When he receives a call that Paradise cafe has been broken into and the local Sheriff has responded, Beck races to the scene knowing that the sheriff more often than not causes more trouble than he solves.
Beck arrives at the scene coming in from the alley behind Paradise cafe only to find the owner Eden Durant hanging from a fire escape twenty feet off the ground. Did I mention that it is also raining and she is dressed in a short thin robe? See I told you it starts off hot.
There has always been an under current of attraction between Beck and Eden in the other books, in this book, their story you find out so much more about Eden and why she dresses the way she does, playing down her assets and being more private and withdrawn than her friends. Eden's story is not a happy one and her past is about to come and bite her in the butt. Will she trust Beck and her friends enough to tell them all of her secrets or will she pack up, give up and run from her past yet again?
Beck is not one to give up, kind of like a dog with a bone. He wants to know Eden but she will not open up to him and he only gets small glimpses of who she really is. Why is she so scared, what or who hurt her so bad in her past that she is afraid to let anyone close to her? Beck has a past of his own that is not all that happy, so he understands why Eden is scared to open up to anyone.
I can not leave Beck's sister Clare out of this review. You know those characters that you love to hate? Yeah Clare is one of those. Nasty piece of work is what Clare is, and she does not care who she hurts. It is hard to believe she is related to Beck.
I absolutely loved this story. I love how Kelsey includes the characters from her other books in each of her books. How can Beck and Eden not come out on top with friends like Allie, Roxanne, Jamie, Cameron, Ashton and Mac? Speaking of Mac and Ashton I am hoping for a fourth book with a story about them.
Snatch Problems in Paradise up, you will not be sorry.
Beck protective Chief Deputy of Shelbyville a small Texas town has been interested in Eden since she moved into town. When he receives a call that Paradise cafe has been broken into and the local Sheriff has responded, Beck races to the scene knowing that the sheriff more often than not causes more trouble than he solves.
Beck arrives at the scene coming in from the alley behind Paradise cafe only to find the owner Eden Durant hanging from a fire escape twenty feet off the ground. Did I mention that it is also raining and she is dressed in a short thin robe? See I told you it starts off hot.
There has always been an under current of attraction between Beck and Eden in the other books, in this book, their story you find out so much more about Eden and why she dresses the way she does, playing down her assets and being more private and withdrawn than her friends. Eden's story is not a happy one and her past is about to come and bite her in the butt. Will she trust Beck and her friends enough to tell them all of her secrets or will she pack up, give up and run from her past yet again?
Beck is not one to give up, kind of like a dog with a bone. He wants to know Eden but she will not open up to him and he only gets small glimpses of who she really is. Why is she so scared, what or who hurt her so bad in her past that she is afraid to let anyone close to her? Beck has a past of his own that is not all that happy, so he understands why Eden is scared to open up to anyone.
I can not leave Beck's sister Clare out of this review. You know those characters that you love to hate? Yeah Clare is one of those. Nasty piece of work is what Clare is, and she does not care who she hurts. It is hard to believe she is related to Beck.
I absolutely loved this story. I love how Kelsey includes the characters from her other books in each of her books. How can Beck and Eden not come out on top with friends like Allie, Roxanne, Jamie, Cameron, Ashton and Mac? Speaking of Mac and Ashton I am hoping for a fourth book with a story about them.
Snatch Problems in Paradise up, you will not be sorry.
June 19, 2014
Problems in Paradise by Kelsey Browning is a 2014 Carina Press Publication. I was provided a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is laugh out loud funny! One screwball thing after another has Beck and Eden struggling for time alone as they deal with accusations about Eden's cafe and Beck's run for Sheriff, Beck's sister Clare, who has appointed herself Beck's campaign manager and Eden trying desperately to keep her past hidden.
Eden left L.A to start over in the small town of Shelbyville, Texas. She changed her name and opened a cafe and lived a low key life until someone broke into the cafe. Things go downhill from that point on for Eden.
Beck's life is pretty calm until his sister Clare shows up swearing up and down that her husband is having an affair and she has left him. She's a former beauty queen that is beginning to feel the effects of middle age and decides that Eden is a threat to every long standing marriage in Shelbyville and so she needs to fix that problem right away.
Poor Beck has women trouble everywhere he turns. He's dying to find out what Eden has hidden under all those pairs of overalls she wears, but with the break in at the cafe and subsequent bouts of possible food poisonings, Beck can't seem to manage a single uninterrupted date with Eden. His sister is driving him nuts and a resident of Shelbyville swears Eden tried to kill her husband which could force Eden to close the cafe.
If all that weren't fodder for all the gossips when it come to light who Eden really is thing really get out of hand. This is when we discover why Eden feels she needs to completely change her life and who could blame her. Sadly, this big reveal could forge a wedge between Beck and Eden that they may not be able to overcome.
So can the health food nut and the junk food junkie make a go of it after all?
Sweet, funny, and sexy this book was a lot of fun to read. Beck and Eden are both really great characters and the troublemakers will have you seeing red. You will root for this couple that are like complete opposites but are still great for each other, if only everyone would get out of their way. If you like romantic comedy and contemporary romance you really need to check this one out. I loved it from start to finish!
Five stars for this one!!
This book is laugh out loud funny! One screwball thing after another has Beck and Eden struggling for time alone as they deal with accusations about Eden's cafe and Beck's run for Sheriff, Beck's sister Clare, who has appointed herself Beck's campaign manager and Eden trying desperately to keep her past hidden.
Eden left L.A to start over in the small town of Shelbyville, Texas. She changed her name and opened a cafe and lived a low key life until someone broke into the cafe. Things go downhill from that point on for Eden.
Beck's life is pretty calm until his sister Clare shows up swearing up and down that her husband is having an affair and she has left him. She's a former beauty queen that is beginning to feel the effects of middle age and decides that Eden is a threat to every long standing marriage in Shelbyville and so she needs to fix that problem right away.
Poor Beck has women trouble everywhere he turns. He's dying to find out what Eden has hidden under all those pairs of overalls she wears, but with the break in at the cafe and subsequent bouts of possible food poisonings, Beck can't seem to manage a single uninterrupted date with Eden. His sister is driving him nuts and a resident of Shelbyville swears Eden tried to kill her husband which could force Eden to close the cafe.
If all that weren't fodder for all the gossips when it come to light who Eden really is thing really get out of hand. This is when we discover why Eden feels she needs to completely change her life and who could blame her. Sadly, this big reveal could forge a wedge between Beck and Eden that they may not be able to overcome.
So can the health food nut and the junk food junkie make a go of it after all?
Sweet, funny, and sexy this book was a lot of fun to read. Beck and Eden are both really great characters and the troublemakers will have you seeing red. You will root for this couple that are like complete opposites but are still great for each other, if only everyone would get out of their way. If you like romantic comedy and contemporary romance you really need to check this one out. I loved it from start to finish!
Five stars for this one!!
May 28, 2014
I love Shelbyville and the wonderful residents of this small Texas town - reminds me of the close-knit Virginia community that I call home. Problems in Paradise is the charming story of Eden Durant who came to Shelbyville to make a fresh start and Chief Deputy Beck Childress who has returned to his hometown and plans to run for sheriff.
This contemporary romance is full of twists and turns, some laugh-out-loud moments, and hot steamy sex. Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down until I had read the last word.
I highly recommend all of Ms. Browning's Texas Nights novels and look forward to her next book.
This contemporary romance is full of twists and turns, some laugh-out-loud moments, and hot steamy sex. Once I started reading, I couldn't put this book down until I had read the last word.
I highly recommend all of Ms. Browning's Texas Nights novels and look forward to her next book.
June 1, 2014
I was lucky enough to receive an electronic ARC of Problems in Paradise by Kelsey Browning before it even had a cover. I absolutely loved it! Loved.every.word. I was laughing out loud, getting my heart strings tugged on, and just generally SMILING the whole time I was reading. There were quite a few times I was nearly pitching a fit because of some unsavory characters...but I just loved Eden and Beck to death. Eden and Beck have been my favorite couple in the Texas Nights series. I am so happy with their story. If you love sassy, sexy, laugh-out-loud good-for-your-heart romance, this is the series you need to read!
June 10, 2014
I want me a Beck without the crazy sibbling. Eden had a pass that she new would get her judged and frowned upon but the people who truly loved her were right by her side from beginning to end.
A small town with so many problems and so much greed and jealousy. I guess when it all comes down to it condemning someone for their secrets is not contest when yours in threatened to be exposed. Way to go Beck with that threat......
I am happy a friend of mine requested that I read this book because now I am a fan and have to go get books 1 and 2 to be fully up to date.
A small town with so many problems and so much greed and jealousy. I guess when it all comes down to it condemning someone for their secrets is not contest when yours in threatened to be exposed. Way to go Beck with that threat......
I am happy a friend of mine requested that I read this book because now I am a fan and have to go get books 1 and 2 to be fully up to date.
June 8, 2014
So good. Probably my favorite in the series so far. I love how the characters, while friends and live in the same town all have such different stories.
August 1, 2014
Oh how could I have not read Browning sooner! I loved Problems in Paradise. It was such a fun read. Sweet, sassy and rocking some sexy too. My favorite combo of readery goodness as the town's health food fanatic and it's junk food loving Chief Deputy--who have been sniffing around each other--are finally brought together by a case of food poisoning that's plaguing Eden's restaurant. And, well, fireworks abound. It was... excellent!
I really enjoyed both Eden and Beck. Eden who was caring, had a quirky humor about her and was desperately trying to keep her past hidden--for totally understandable reasons. And Beck for all his alpha male sexy tendencies. His easy going humor and soul deep need to protect. They were characters I just liked spending time with and enjoyed seeing how they ticked. It was fun being in their heads. Hearing their little quips and exasperated silent flails and frustrations. And, oh, some naughty thoughts too. There were so many one liners that just had me rolling and gigglesnorting and going omg I am SO going to use that one day! lol
They're both such good people and always wanting to do what's best for others and protecting in their own ways. Beck by keeping the law in the small town and Eden by wanting to get everyone healthy and loving foods that are better for them--that can sometimes annoy me but Eden wasn't a pushy one really so it worked. It also made for some pretty damn funny moments between the two as they headed off over, erm, culinary delights and horrified each other with the things they'd eat.
I loved the connection between them. There's heat for sure. And some very make-you-tingle-heat at that. But there was fun and quirky humor as well. The two have an ongoing redneck vs California girl teasing going on and it was so funny seeing how they'd good naturedly zing each other--redneck fire detectors and whatnot. I really liked that Beck liked Eden for who she was--overalls, health food, secrets and all. The man was just smitten and lordy that did something for me.
I can easily see Browning becoming one of my "comfort read" authors. She has a lovely voice that just touched and got under my skin. The romance was wonderful and sweet. And the growth both Eden and Back went through amazing. Especially Eden who had so many walls built around her. I loved seeing these two finally come together and have someone that was just in their corner. No matter what. While Problems in Paradise was my first from Browning it most definitely will not be the last.
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
I really enjoyed both Eden and Beck. Eden who was caring, had a quirky humor about her and was desperately trying to keep her past hidden--for totally understandable reasons. And Beck for all his alpha male sexy tendencies. His easy going humor and soul deep need to protect. They were characters I just liked spending time with and enjoyed seeing how they ticked. It was fun being in their heads. Hearing their little quips and exasperated silent flails and frustrations. And, oh, some naughty thoughts too. There were so many one liners that just had me rolling and gigglesnorting and going omg I am SO going to use that one day! lol
Shit was not a powerful enough word for the pissed-off pumping through Beck's system.
Fuck wasn't even good enough.
This was a complete compound cuss word situation.
They're both such good people and always wanting to do what's best for others and protecting in their own ways. Beck by keeping the law in the small town and Eden by wanting to get everyone healthy and loving foods that are better for them--that can sometimes annoy me but Eden wasn't a pushy one really so it worked. It also made for some pretty damn funny moments between the two as they headed off over, erm, culinary delights and horrified each other with the things they'd eat.
I loved the connection between them. There's heat for sure. And some very make-you-tingle-heat at that. But there was fun and quirky humor as well. The two have an ongoing redneck vs California girl teasing going on and it was so funny seeing how they'd good naturedly zing each other--redneck fire detectors and whatnot. I really liked that Beck liked Eden for who she was--overalls, health food, secrets and all. The man was just smitten and lordy that did something for me.
"You took it upon yourself to intervene with my landlord?"
"It was a matter of public safety." His face was shadowed in the dim stairwell, but he had his mean face on again. Would he be this intent, this focused when he made love with a woman? Would he look at her like that when he was braced above her, wanting her to open her body to him? By everything that was holy and some things that weren't, she wanted to know.
I can easily see Browning becoming one of my "comfort read" authors. She has a lovely voice that just touched and got under my skin. The romance was wonderful and sweet. And the growth both Eden and Back went through amazing. Especially Eden who had so many walls built around her. I loved seeing these two finally come together and have someone that was just in their corner. No matter what. While Problems in Paradise was my first from Browning it most definitely will not be the last.
Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
November 3, 2015
Eden Durant moved to Shelbyville in search of a much needed new start, and to make a attempt at escaping her mother's fame and lackluster reputation. She is excited about opening her new business, and hopes the townspeople will be accepting of her approach to healthy eating. And little by little she is beginning to win some of them over, and has more customers trickling through the door, but someone isn't so fond of her new ideas and wants to run her and her business right out of town. Lucky for Eden she just so happens to have a very handsome deputy on her side who is more than willing to do all he can to keep her doors open...
Beck Childress has been enamored with Eden Durant she since moved to his little town, and he wants nothing more than to win a place in her heart. But she isn't so willing to let him in, so he has resorted to friendship first in hopes that he can slowly chip away at the wall she has built around herself. And just when he thinks his plan maybe working someone decides to put her business and life in danger, and also try to discredit his loyalty to her...
Once again Ms. Browning has provided readers with a highly entertaining story that they can dive right into and enjoy! I thoroughly enjoyed reading Beck and Eden's story, it was packed with heat, humor, and mystery that kept me intrigued from start to finish! If you haven't made a visit to the Texas Nights series yet, I must tell you that not only are you totally missing out on some exceptional reading, but also some really charming characters too!!
ARC provided in exchange for a honest and unbiased review.
Beck Childress has been enamored with Eden Durant she since moved to his little town, and he wants nothing more than to win a place in her heart. But she isn't so willing to let him in, so he has resorted to friendship first in hopes that he can slowly chip away at the wall she has built around herself. And just when he thinks his plan maybe working someone decides to put her business and life in danger, and also try to discredit his loyalty to her...
Once again Ms. Browning has provided readers with a highly entertaining story that they can dive right into and enjoy! I thoroughly enjoyed reading Beck and Eden's story, it was packed with heat, humor, and mystery that kept me intrigued from start to finish! If you haven't made a visit to the Texas Nights series yet, I must tell you that not only are you totally missing out on some exceptional reading, but also some really charming characters too!!
ARC provided in exchange for a honest and unbiased review.
June 3, 2014
Kelsey Browning has done it again, another FANTASTIC book! I could not put this book down. Beck is the town’s chief deputy and has his eye romantically on Eden since she got to town. He keeps hoping he will get his chance with Eden but doesn't want to scare her. He gets a call that there has been a break in at Eden’s place so he goes straight there even though he is off the clock. He arrives to find Eden hanging from her fire escape several stories from the ground. They both are attracted to each other, but Eden is trying to hide her feelings because she is afraid of her past. She needs to put her past behind her so she can give Beck a chance. The book has is all humor, suspense, and a hot chief deputy. We also get to read about the other characters we love from Kelsey’s other books. If you love a laugh out loud, sexy romances then you need to read this book as well as the other books in this series. You will not be disappointed!
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
A Review copy was provided to me in exchange for a fair and honest review. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
July 7, 2014
What do you get when a Texas Lawman and a California Foodie meet up? A Fun, Hot Sexy and Thrilling read!!!
"Problems in Paradise" is the 3rd book in Kelsey Browning's (Texas Nights Series) This book can be read by itself as a stand alone book! But don't deny yourself the pleasure of "Personal Assets" (#1) and "Running The Red Light" (#2) Throughout all 3 brooks you will learn more or updated on what is going on in Shelbyville with Hero/Heroine of previous books.
The main character's in this book are Eden a sexy chef/cook owner of the "Paradise Garden Cafe" and Beck, a Cheif Deputy with enough Texas charm and swagger to make any red blooded woman swoon! These 2 areso attracted to each other you can feel the heat coming off the pages. Throw in Eden's secret past, Beck's meddling sister and some questionable break-ins at the cafe. You'll get a book that will have your emotions on that big Texas Roller Coaster ride! This author will be an auto-buy for me! I'll read anything she writes, it is that GOOD!
"Problems in Paradise" is the 3rd book in Kelsey Browning's (Texas Nights Series) This book can be read by itself as a stand alone book! But don't deny yourself the pleasure of "Personal Assets" (#1) and "Running The Red Light" (#2) Throughout all 3 brooks you will learn more or updated on what is going on in Shelbyville with Hero/Heroine of previous books.
The main character's in this book are Eden a sexy chef/cook owner of the "Paradise Garden Cafe" and Beck, a Cheif Deputy with enough Texas charm and swagger to make any red blooded woman swoon! These 2 areso attracted to each other you can feel the heat coming off the pages. Throw in Eden's secret past, Beck's meddling sister and some questionable break-ins at the cafe. You'll get a book that will have your emotions on that big Texas Roller Coaster ride! This author will be an auto-buy for me! I'll read anything she writes, it is that GOOD!
July 18, 2014
4.5 stars
Problems in Paradise was such a wonderful read.
Loved Eden and Beck! Seriously these two made my heart feel so many emotions, they truly were made for each other :)
They had fantastic chemistry and the way they teased each other had me laughing all throughout the book.
Eden and Beck's story made me laugh, swoon and at one point want to reach out and hug them both.
All the characters add to the storyline and even though I wanted to bitch slap Beck's sister Clare I have to admit she helped make this an enjoyable read, especially when Beck puts her in her place ;P
The Texas Nights series keeps getting better and better, Problems in Paradise might now be my fav :)
Thank you Kelsey Browning for writing such an entertaining series and can't wait to read more from you in the future!
Thank you to Netgalley and Carina Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Problems in Paradise was such a wonderful read.
Loved Eden and Beck! Seriously these two made my heart feel so many emotions, they truly were made for each other :)
They had fantastic chemistry and the way they teased each other had me laughing all throughout the book.
Eden and Beck's story made me laugh, swoon and at one point want to reach out and hug them both.
All the characters add to the storyline and even though I wanted to bitch slap Beck's sister Clare I have to admit she helped make this an enjoyable read, especially when Beck puts her in her place ;P
The Texas Nights series keeps getting better and better, Problems in Paradise might now be my fav :)
Thank you Kelsey Browning for writing such an entertaining series and can't wait to read more from you in the future!
Thank you to Netgalley and Carina Press for the advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
August 24, 2015
What do a California born health food cooking café owner and a small town deputy chief of police in Texas town have in common? And, is it enough to create and sustain a relationship? Well, they both have crazy annoying relatives and a past that needs to be discussed.
I loved Beck’s care for the community and his desire to protect. I loved Eden and her ability to overcome. I admired both of them, enjoyed the growing of their relationship and all that went into this story. The sex scenes sizzled and were thoroughly enjoyable.
I want to thank Kelsey Browning and her assistant, Amy, for the copy of this book to read and review.
I loved Beck’s care for the community and his desire to protect. I loved Eden and her ability to overcome. I admired both of them, enjoyed the growing of their relationship and all that went into this story. The sex scenes sizzled and were thoroughly enjoyable.
I want to thank Kelsey Browning and her assistant, Amy, for the copy of this book to read and review.
July 15, 2014
Loved this book. It had me right from the start. Loved Eden and Beck. Beck was oh so yummy, great hero material. Some of the characters I wanted to smack them for putting in through the trouble, but that's what makes a story interesting. loved the humor. I defitely laughed out loud a few times. I always love books that make do that. I recommend giving this book a look.
July 29, 2014
I love the stories this author tells.
July 9, 2014
Review: Problems in Paradise By Kelsey Browning Christlike communications are expressions of affection and not anger, truth and not fabrication, compassion and not contention, respect and not ridicule, counsel and not criticism, correction and not condemnation. They are spoken with clarity and not with confusion. They may be tender or they may be tough, but they must always be tempered.-L. Lionel Kendrick
Hypocrisy is not a way of getting back to the moral high ground. Pretending you’re moral, saying your moral is not the same as acting morally. -Alan Dershowitz
I have a big problem when the sanctimonious, holier than thou congressmen and women go on national television for six hours and beat somebody up with a stick, and not because I’m ‘Ms. Manners.’ That’s not what bothers me. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. – Bernard Goldberg
First thing to know? Buy this book. Really. If you are into intensity, romance, suspense and intrigue, and enjoy a good mystery, all rolled into one, this is one to buy right away. And don’t just buy it and put it in your “TBR” pile. Read the darn thing, OK? Then write a review. I would love to hear what you think.
Now that that is out of the way, you get to listen to me rant like a crazy person. Yep. That’s me, you all know I can rant with the best of them. And here goes!
First, Kelsey Browning is one kick-ass Texas gal. Of course, I see that she is now living in Georgia. Smart girl. Second, she has Texans down pat with a capital Sanctimonious A’hole. Common wisdom is that fiction books should draw you in, allow you to identify with the characters and create a world-view you can identify with and remember long after you put the book down. In Problems in Paradise, Browning does that in spades. As I was reading the book, I suffered fury with the power of a thousand white-hot supernovas, and the rage of a bipolar bunny on speed . . . Let me at that (b)witch! I will gnaw through her ankles, nom nom nom!!!* Because, believe me, Browning has Texas women down to a science – and the science has more to do with quoting “Love your neighbor” while pouring arsenic in your sweet tea than being there for you. In this case, quite literally.
And yes, before you wonder, I did 10-years in Texas (does it sound like I was doing a prison sentence? Hum… yep, pretty much!) Honestly, the only characters I really cared for were Eden Durant, the main character, and her girlfriends, Allie, Roxanne and Ashton. All with their own difficult times in Shelbyville, Texas, these four ladies have backbone and spirit, and more guts than a Texas feedlot. However, the rest of the town? Uh, not so much. What we see is a town full of, from my experience, your “Typical Texan” – sanctimonious and vicious, hypocritical, gossip mongering and mealy mouthed ‘witches-with-a-capital-B” women and wanna-be-tough, vicious, sanctimonious, hypocritical grab-handy males who think with their little heads instead of the ones on their shoulders. Well, of course, there are probably more brain cells in their little heads than their big ones . . . hum. Will have to consider that possibility.
Anyway! Browning has done a brilliant character study into small-town Texas mentality. Though, I suppose any small town in any state would probably be up to the same kind of cruelties this town is up to, given the opportunity. However, in Texas they always do the sanctimony up right. People here didn’t lie, didn’t try to get ahead at the expense of others. Yeah, what bullshit. Yep, pretty much wraps it up for you with a pretty little bow.
Eden is fairly new to this small, Texas town, and for the last two years she has operated her own little natural, organic foods café, Paradise – her own little paradise after a miserable, awful, very-much-no-good previous life. Serving locally sourced, organic foods, with a rotating menu and the freshest selections possible, Eden is running in the black, running around in her overalls and mukluks with her hair in braids, keeping her head down and keeping to herself, trying desperately to recover from the horror story of her previous life. All is going well, until one night someone breaks into her beloved café. That instance starts a chain reaction – a chain reaction designed to destroy her life. Odd poisonings, break-ins, and a climate of bible-banging hypocrites doing everything they can do to make themselves feel better by extinguishing any joy she might gain from life drives Eden to close her beloved café. Then things only get worse as her past crashes down on her and we learn the full extent of the betrayals and the heartaches that she has suffered in the past – and that now are returning to not only hurt her, but to destroy her very sanity. As the old Chinese proverb says: May you live in interesting times. And poor Eden is in for more interesting times than she ever could have imagined.
It is hard for me to decide how many stars to give this book. Oh, part of me wants to give it five stars simply because it had me screaming and storming around the house, yelling at the walls and crying in my 16-year-old-Glenlivet. Memories are a beyotch, aren’t they? I didn’t just identify with Eden for what she is going through now, but also what she went through in the past. Families can be total nightmares – but Eden’s more than most. But then, to be fair, I have to pull down a single star, though I really don’t want to. You see – as much as I enjoyed despising the characters in this book with a white-hot passion, I also felt in a way that the characters were just a bit over the top – caricatures drawn with a bit too wide of a brush. Of course, not to say they weren’t realistic to my experience . . . why is it that old, married men find it acceptable to crawl all over young, beautiful women – but when their wives find out about it, it is the woman’s fault??? I know, I know, men think with their little heads, not their big ones. But shouldn’t they take the blame for being the douche bags they are? Urg! Drives. Me. Nuts. Actually, it makes me ashamed of my sex. But be that as it may, it is, indeed, realistic and there isn’t anything I can do about it but gripe and moan and pour more Glenlivet.
This is, of course, this is a book which is heavy on the romance, so there is a hero. Beck is the Chief Deputy of their little burg and the surrounding county. A brilliant burn-out from a 100-hour-week New York financial position, and with his own pain in his past, Beck has returned to his home town and his position as CD, and is actually a fairly interesting hero. Kind and compassionate, he wishes to do all he can to help and protect the citizens of his county. But even more, he wishes to know, and love, Eden. Sort of hard when Eden is a riddle wrapped in an innuendo, with a ‘Plexiglas cocoon around her.’ As things become more and more dangerous for the townspeople, and for Eden, he is working hard to find the culprit who is threatening Eden and poisoning the town. Not a bad hero, all-in-all, but at the same time, I have a very strong feeling that, though he may ‘love’ Eden, he doesn’t respect her or what she stands for, what is important in her life. Here is where my four stars now begins to teeter on the edge of three-and-a-half stars. Though he supports Eden in many ways, late in the book I begin to feel less positively about their relationship as Eden begins to slip into the dreaded ‘heroine gives up her identity for the love of a man’ trope. Not badly, not to the point where I wanted to throw my Nook across the room for a wholly different reason, but bothersome. But then, Voltaire, the Blue Tick Coonhound does go a long way to bucking up his image, so I guess that will keeping my rating from dropping further. Gotta love a good dog!
So. I’ve had my rant. Go ahead. Get the book. Do it. Then tell us what YOU think about it. Would love to hear!
* Thanks to Celia Kyle for the reference from Ball of Furry, Ridgeville Series #2
This book was provided to me by Carina Press and Harlequin Enterprises Limited in return for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own.
Publication Date: July 14, 2014.
About the Author:
Kelsey Browning writes sass kickin’ love stories full of hot heroes, saucy heroines and spicy romance. She’s also a co-founder of Romance University blog, one of Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers. Originally from a Texas town smaller than the ones she writes about, Kelsey has also lived in the Middle East and Los Angeles, proving she’s either adventurous or downright nuts. These days, she hangs out in northeast Georgia with Tech Guy, Smarty Boy, Bad Dog and Pharaoh, a Canine Companions for Independence puppy.
Connect with Kelsey
Hypocrisy is not a way of getting back to the moral high ground. Pretending you’re moral, saying your moral is not the same as acting morally. -Alan Dershowitz
I have a big problem when the sanctimonious, holier than thou congressmen and women go on national television for six hours and beat somebody up with a stick, and not because I’m ‘Ms. Manners.’ That’s not what bothers me. People in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones. – Bernard Goldberg
First thing to know? Buy this book. Really. If you are into intensity, romance, suspense and intrigue, and enjoy a good mystery, all rolled into one, this is one to buy right away. And don’t just buy it and put it in your “TBR” pile. Read the darn thing, OK? Then write a review. I would love to hear what you think.
Now that that is out of the way, you get to listen to me rant like a crazy person. Yep. That’s me, you all know I can rant with the best of them. And here goes!
First, Kelsey Browning is one kick-ass Texas gal. Of course, I see that she is now living in Georgia. Smart girl. Second, she has Texans down pat with a capital Sanctimonious A’hole. Common wisdom is that fiction books should draw you in, allow you to identify with the characters and create a world-view you can identify with and remember long after you put the book down. In Problems in Paradise, Browning does that in spades. As I was reading the book, I suffered fury with the power of a thousand white-hot supernovas, and the rage of a bipolar bunny on speed . . . Let me at that (b)witch! I will gnaw through her ankles, nom nom nom!!!* Because, believe me, Browning has Texas women down to a science – and the science has more to do with quoting “Love your neighbor” while pouring arsenic in your sweet tea than being there for you. In this case, quite literally.
And yes, before you wonder, I did 10-years in Texas (does it sound like I was doing a prison sentence? Hum… yep, pretty much!) Honestly, the only characters I really cared for were Eden Durant, the main character, and her girlfriends, Allie, Roxanne and Ashton. All with their own difficult times in Shelbyville, Texas, these four ladies have backbone and spirit, and more guts than a Texas feedlot. However, the rest of the town? Uh, not so much. What we see is a town full of, from my experience, your “Typical Texan” – sanctimonious and vicious, hypocritical, gossip mongering and mealy mouthed ‘witches-with-a-capital-B” women and wanna-be-tough, vicious, sanctimonious, hypocritical grab-handy males who think with their little heads instead of the ones on their shoulders. Well, of course, there are probably more brain cells in their little heads than their big ones . . . hum. Will have to consider that possibility.
Anyway! Browning has done a brilliant character study into small-town Texas mentality. Though, I suppose any small town in any state would probably be up to the same kind of cruelties this town is up to, given the opportunity. However, in Texas they always do the sanctimony up right. People here didn’t lie, didn’t try to get ahead at the expense of others. Yeah, what bullshit. Yep, pretty much wraps it up for you with a pretty little bow.
Eden is fairly new to this small, Texas town, and for the last two years she has operated her own little natural, organic foods café, Paradise – her own little paradise after a miserable, awful, very-much-no-good previous life. Serving locally sourced, organic foods, with a rotating menu and the freshest selections possible, Eden is running in the black, running around in her overalls and mukluks with her hair in braids, keeping her head down and keeping to herself, trying desperately to recover from the horror story of her previous life. All is going well, until one night someone breaks into her beloved café. That instance starts a chain reaction – a chain reaction designed to destroy her life. Odd poisonings, break-ins, and a climate of bible-banging hypocrites doing everything they can do to make themselves feel better by extinguishing any joy she might gain from life drives Eden to close her beloved café. Then things only get worse as her past crashes down on her and we learn the full extent of the betrayals and the heartaches that she has suffered in the past – and that now are returning to not only hurt her, but to destroy her very sanity. As the old Chinese proverb says: May you live in interesting times. And poor Eden is in for more interesting times than she ever could have imagined.
It is hard for me to decide how many stars to give this book. Oh, part of me wants to give it five stars simply because it had me screaming and storming around the house, yelling at the walls and crying in my 16-year-old-Glenlivet. Memories are a beyotch, aren’t they? I didn’t just identify with Eden for what she is going through now, but also what she went through in the past. Families can be total nightmares – but Eden’s more than most. But then, to be fair, I have to pull down a single star, though I really don’t want to. You see – as much as I enjoyed despising the characters in this book with a white-hot passion, I also felt in a way that the characters were just a bit over the top – caricatures drawn with a bit too wide of a brush. Of course, not to say they weren’t realistic to my experience . . . why is it that old, married men find it acceptable to crawl all over young, beautiful women – but when their wives find out about it, it is the woman’s fault??? I know, I know, men think with their little heads, not their big ones. But shouldn’t they take the blame for being the douche bags they are? Urg! Drives. Me. Nuts. Actually, it makes me ashamed of my sex. But be that as it may, it is, indeed, realistic and there isn’t anything I can do about it but gripe and moan and pour more Glenlivet.
This is, of course, this is a book which is heavy on the romance, so there is a hero. Beck is the Chief Deputy of their little burg and the surrounding county. A brilliant burn-out from a 100-hour-week New York financial position, and with his own pain in his past, Beck has returned to his home town and his position as CD, and is actually a fairly interesting hero. Kind and compassionate, he wishes to do all he can to help and protect the citizens of his county. But even more, he wishes to know, and love, Eden. Sort of hard when Eden is a riddle wrapped in an innuendo, with a ‘Plexiglas cocoon around her.’ As things become more and more dangerous for the townspeople, and for Eden, he is working hard to find the culprit who is threatening Eden and poisoning the town. Not a bad hero, all-in-all, but at the same time, I have a very strong feeling that, though he may ‘love’ Eden, he doesn’t respect her or what she stands for, what is important in her life. Here is where my four stars now begins to teeter on the edge of three-and-a-half stars. Though he supports Eden in many ways, late in the book I begin to feel less positively about their relationship as Eden begins to slip into the dreaded ‘heroine gives up her identity for the love of a man’ trope. Not badly, not to the point where I wanted to throw my Nook across the room for a wholly different reason, but bothersome. But then, Voltaire, the Blue Tick Coonhound does go a long way to bucking up his image, so I guess that will keeping my rating from dropping further. Gotta love a good dog!
So. I’ve had my rant. Go ahead. Get the book. Do it. Then tell us what YOU think about it. Would love to hear!
* Thanks to Celia Kyle for the reference from Ball of Furry, Ridgeville Series #2
This book was provided to me by Carina Press and Harlequin Enterprises Limited in return for a realistic review. All thoughts are my own.
Publication Date: July 14, 2014.
About the Author:
Kelsey Browning writes sass kickin’ love stories full of hot heroes, saucy heroines and spicy romance. She’s also a co-founder of Romance University blog, one of Writer’s Digest 101 Best Websites for Writers. Originally from a Texas town smaller than the ones she writes about, Kelsey has also lived in the Middle East and Los Angeles, proving she’s either adventurous or downright nuts. These days, she hangs out in northeast Georgia with Tech Guy, Smarty Boy, Bad Dog and Pharaoh, a Canine Companions for Independence puppy.
Connect with Kelsey
July 16, 2014
“A hot man, a headstrong woman, and sizzling chemistry set against a homey Texas backdrop—Browning’s contemporary debut has all the assets that count!” -Ruthie Knox, USA Today bestselling author of Flirting with Disaster
“Sinfully hot, sassy, and laugh-out-loud hilarious—everything a southern romance should be!” -Macy Beckett, author of the Sultry Springs series
Title: Problems In Paradise (Texas Nights, #3)
Released: July 14, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Format: e-book
Tags: Texas, sexy, small-town, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, southern, Kelsey Browning
Book Summary:
Eden Durant hasn't always been Eden Durant. She's made a fresh start in Shelbyville, Texas, far from her mother's notoriety. Running the Paradise Garden Café is as much excitement as Eden wants—or it was, until she meets Beck Childress. Although he's the one man who could expose her past, she's willing to open up enough to see if he might be her future.
Chief Deputy Childress is determined to get to know the real Eden, when he isn't busy cleaning up after the sheriff and running in the election to replace him. When several men fall sick after eating in Eden's café, he investigates even as her mysterious past raises both his suspicions and his protective instincts.
As their relationship heats up, so do the pressures of Beck's campaign. When Eden's secrets are revealed, jeopardizing his dream of becoming sheriff, he'll need to choose: serve and protect the town he loves or the woman who makes it home.
Book Review: Man oh man is that what those Texans are made of? This was absolutely a hoot to read. We Oregonians have some pretty silly sayings, but so many events were compared to stuff that made me chuckle or yes, even snort.
For example,
“…the adrenaline in his system caught like a match thrown on an oil slick.”
“…she was like a bat that bounced sonar off him.”
“Beck had no way of knowing that men trying to protect her for her own good rubbed her like an emery board on a hangnail.”
Author Kelsey Browning makes pure fun reading with her sassy, comical, sometimes vulgar, nevertheless laughable narration and thoughts the characters have which we are lucky enough to be privy to. Whoa! Sometimes it would leave me blinking, raised eyebrows and big-eyed! The story brings together two likeable people when close to each other sparks fly and fireworks erupt with hormones on overdrive. The pictures the author delivers us are really hilarious.
The story itself was well plotted, no dull moments, nor could I skip sex scenes (they were just too hot!). I preoccupied myself, thank God, trying to figure out who the villain of the story was. There were several likely candidates.
Eden is a sweetheart with a wicked sense of humor and a past she’d rather keep buried. Events take her down a path of either sink or swim. She chooses to grow some balls (now I’m talking like them! Eck!) realize that enough is enough. She can’t let her new life get destroyed by the past she thought she buried five years ago.
Beck was one fun-loving, smart, honorable, and straight forward person who just wanted to serve the people of Shelbyville, making be the new county sheriff because the present one was pathetic. Eden was on his radar. He fantasized over the woman and got caught up in her problems with break-ins. Through their mutual attraction and respect, love blossoms, but Texan style. Now the question is, would her past get in the way of his future?
Here’s an excerpt where Beck is climbing the fire escape on Eden’s building because she was hanging from the roof. The stairs had partially collapsed.
“Dammit, Eden, hold on.”
Her breathy laugh drifted downward. “Believe me, that’s what I’ve been doing.”
“What the hell are you doing hanging off the fucking fire escape instead of standing on the ground?”
“Kind of a long way to jump.”
“Don’t be a smartass.” He grappled for his phone in his front pocket. They needed the fire department and their lift.
“I wasn’t coming down. I was climbing up.”
What? “You heard someone in your building, and instead of getting out of it, you planned to hide on top of it?”
“I thought the roof would be a better vantage point to spot the person when he left.” Her tone was as hot as an Atomic Fireball. “Turns out, I didn’t need to because I saw someone jog across the end of the alley. Whoever was inside is gone.”
His brain hitched and reversed at the news. He could concentrate on getting her down instead of chasing some idiot, but he didn’t have time to go around front and get to her through the building. The light rain was making everything slick, and even as small as Eden was, she couldn’t hold her own body weight for much longer. No way in hell could she drop two stories without breaking both legs.
“Get a solid grip before I start climbing this thing.” Had to be a fucking fire escape, didn’t it?
“Was thinking of swinging like one of those monkeys in a barrel.”
Jesus, just the image squeezed Beck’s intestines. He tugged at the first ladder and then centered his foot deliberately on each step.
Buck up, asshole. It’s only one story for you. “Don’t hold your breath. Keep breathing.”
She exhaled above him, mistaking his instructions to himself. “I see you drove the redneck pimpmobile tonight.”
He did one of those cartoon double-takes. Eden Durant was joking. With him. He’d work on why later, but for now her ribbing him would keep his mind off what he was about to do. If he was sweating, the rain would wash it away and no one had to know. “Yes, ma’am. Its four doors and extended bed are magnets for women wearing tube tops and blue eye shadow. I guess you go for California guys driving smart cars, though.”
“I read somewhere that a man chooses his vehicle based on—“ she panted out the words, ” – shortcomings he’s compensating for.”
Jaw clenched, he climbed to the second-floor landing. “If you’re asking if I have a compact parked in my garage, the answer is hell no.” He braced one boot against the brick building and wedged the other into the railing’s corner.
Her feet paddling just above his head, she let out a breathless laugh. “You might be careful of that rail. I was wrong to trust the one above me.”
Hell. Beck rocked against the metal to test it. When it held, he said a quick thank-you prayer and raised his arms to grip the backs of Eden’s legs. Even with the rain, her skin was warm and silky under his hands. And naked. Very, very naked. Jesus, asshole, what a thought at a time like this. Don't think of her as the woman you want in your bed so damn bad you could chew nails and spit out a completed house.
She was just like any other county citizen who needed his help. Except he pictured her without clothes several times a day. That never happened with Gladys Phelps, who wore multicolored muumuus and beaded slippers around town. “When I count to three, I want you to let go.”
“I think my fingers are permanently fisted around this metal.”
“I’ll protect you, Eden. Trust me, and I promise you won’t get hurt.”
“Are you sure? Have you ever done this before?”
…”Ready? One, two, three.” On three, he pulled down and back Justin case she’d decided hanging on was her better option. Every bit of her was slick, and she slid down his torso like liquid cheese on ball-game nachos. His stomach—and other body parts—rumbled in interest. Halfway to the landing, she clung to him and wrapped her legs around his waist.
And whatever the hell she had on under that robe, there wasn’t much of it. His rain-chilled skin flamed north of five hundred degrees. His hands were cradling her ass, and if he dropped her a handful of inches, she would get a crotch full of his inches. His body’s reaction to this situation was so far from appropriate, they were in separate states, so he tried to peel Eden off his chest. “Think your legs will hold you?”
“Oh, God. Sorry about that.” She unwound her legs, but he couldn’t shift away quickly enough to keep her from skimming his very off-duty dick.
I received this book as an advanced reader's copy for a non-partial review. All my thoughts are my own. Hysterically funny, right?
“Sinfully hot, sassy, and laugh-out-loud hilarious—everything a southern romance should be!” -Macy Beckett, author of the Sultry Springs series
Title: Problems In Paradise (Texas Nights, #3)
Released: July 14, 2014
Genre: Contemporary Romance, Romantic Comedy
Format: e-book
Tags: Texas, sexy, small-town, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, southern, Kelsey Browning
Book Summary:
Eden Durant hasn't always been Eden Durant. She's made a fresh start in Shelbyville, Texas, far from her mother's notoriety. Running the Paradise Garden Café is as much excitement as Eden wants—or it was, until she meets Beck Childress. Although he's the one man who could expose her past, she's willing to open up enough to see if he might be her future.
Chief Deputy Childress is determined to get to know the real Eden, when he isn't busy cleaning up after the sheriff and running in the election to replace him. When several men fall sick after eating in Eden's café, he investigates even as her mysterious past raises both his suspicions and his protective instincts.
As their relationship heats up, so do the pressures of Beck's campaign. When Eden's secrets are revealed, jeopardizing his dream of becoming sheriff, he'll need to choose: serve and protect the town he loves or the woman who makes it home.
Book Review: Man oh man is that what those Texans are made of? This was absolutely a hoot to read. We Oregonians have some pretty silly sayings, but so many events were compared to stuff that made me chuckle or yes, even snort.
For example,
“…the adrenaline in his system caught like a match thrown on an oil slick.”
“…she was like a bat that bounced sonar off him.”
“Beck had no way of knowing that men trying to protect her for her own good rubbed her like an emery board on a hangnail.”
Author Kelsey Browning makes pure fun reading with her sassy, comical, sometimes vulgar, nevertheless laughable narration and thoughts the characters have which we are lucky enough to be privy to. Whoa! Sometimes it would leave me blinking, raised eyebrows and big-eyed! The story brings together two likeable people when close to each other sparks fly and fireworks erupt with hormones on overdrive. The pictures the author delivers us are really hilarious.
The story itself was well plotted, no dull moments, nor could I skip sex scenes (they were just too hot!). I preoccupied myself, thank God, trying to figure out who the villain of the story was. There were several likely candidates.
Eden is a sweetheart with a wicked sense of humor and a past she’d rather keep buried. Events take her down a path of either sink or swim. She chooses to grow some balls (now I’m talking like them! Eck!) realize that enough is enough. She can’t let her new life get destroyed by the past she thought she buried five years ago.
Beck was one fun-loving, smart, honorable, and straight forward person who just wanted to serve the people of Shelbyville, making be the new county sheriff because the present one was pathetic. Eden was on his radar. He fantasized over the woman and got caught up in her problems with break-ins. Through their mutual attraction and respect, love blossoms, but Texan style. Now the question is, would her past get in the way of his future?
Here’s an excerpt where Beck is climbing the fire escape on Eden’s building because she was hanging from the roof. The stairs had partially collapsed.
“Dammit, Eden, hold on.”
Her breathy laugh drifted downward. “Believe me, that’s what I’ve been doing.”
“What the hell are you doing hanging off the fucking fire escape instead of standing on the ground?”
“Kind of a long way to jump.”
“Don’t be a smartass.” He grappled for his phone in his front pocket. They needed the fire department and their lift.
“I wasn’t coming down. I was climbing up.”
What? “You heard someone in your building, and instead of getting out of it, you planned to hide on top of it?”
“I thought the roof would be a better vantage point to spot the person when he left.” Her tone was as hot as an Atomic Fireball. “Turns out, I didn’t need to because I saw someone jog across the end of the alley. Whoever was inside is gone.”
His brain hitched and reversed at the news. He could concentrate on getting her down instead of chasing some idiot, but he didn’t have time to go around front and get to her through the building. The light rain was making everything slick, and even as small as Eden was, she couldn’t hold her own body weight for much longer. No way in hell could she drop two stories without breaking both legs.
“Get a solid grip before I start climbing this thing.” Had to be a fucking fire escape, didn’t it?
“Was thinking of swinging like one of those monkeys in a barrel.”
Jesus, just the image squeezed Beck’s intestines. He tugged at the first ladder and then centered his foot deliberately on each step.
Buck up, asshole. It’s only one story for you. “Don’t hold your breath. Keep breathing.”
She exhaled above him, mistaking his instructions to himself. “I see you drove the redneck pimpmobile tonight.”
He did one of those cartoon double-takes. Eden Durant was joking. With him. He’d work on why later, but for now her ribbing him would keep his mind off what he was about to do. If he was sweating, the rain would wash it away and no one had to know. “Yes, ma’am. Its four doors and extended bed are magnets for women wearing tube tops and blue eye shadow. I guess you go for California guys driving smart cars, though.”
“I read somewhere that a man chooses his vehicle based on—“ she panted out the words, ” – shortcomings he’s compensating for.”
Jaw clenched, he climbed to the second-floor landing. “If you’re asking if I have a compact parked in my garage, the answer is hell no.” He braced one boot against the brick building and wedged the other into the railing’s corner.
Her feet paddling just above his head, she let out a breathless laugh. “You might be careful of that rail. I was wrong to trust the one above me.”
Hell. Beck rocked against the metal to test it. When it held, he said a quick thank-you prayer and raised his arms to grip the backs of Eden’s legs. Even with the rain, her skin was warm and silky under his hands. And naked. Very, very naked. Jesus, asshole, what a thought at a time like this. Don't think of her as the woman you want in your bed so damn bad you could chew nails and spit out a completed house.
She was just like any other county citizen who needed his help. Except he pictured her without clothes several times a day. That never happened with Gladys Phelps, who wore multicolored muumuus and beaded slippers around town. “When I count to three, I want you to let go.”
“I think my fingers are permanently fisted around this metal.”
“I’ll protect you, Eden. Trust me, and I promise you won’t get hurt.”
“Are you sure? Have you ever done this before?”
…”Ready? One, two, three.” On three, he pulled down and back Justin case she’d decided hanging on was her better option. Every bit of her was slick, and she slid down his torso like liquid cheese on ball-game nachos. His stomach—and other body parts—rumbled in interest. Halfway to the landing, she clung to him and wrapped her legs around his waist.
And whatever the hell she had on under that robe, there wasn’t much of it. His rain-chilled skin flamed north of five hundred degrees. His hands were cradling her ass, and if he dropped her a handful of inches, she would get a crotch full of his inches. His body’s reaction to this situation was so far from appropriate, they were in separate states, so he tried to peel Eden off his chest. “Think your legs will hold you?”
“Oh, God. Sorry about that.” She unwound her legs, but he couldn’t shift away quickly enough to keep her from skimming his very off-duty dick.
I received this book as an advanced reader's copy for a non-partial review. All my thoughts are my own. Hysterically funny, right?
April 29, 2016
Review originally posted at Ramblings From This Chick
Problems in Paradise is the third book in Kelsey Browning's Texas Nights series. This book can be read as a standalone with no problems in understanding the story. I have to admit that I really liked the first book in this series and it was nice to see familiar characters again, but I was left with mixed feelings about this boo. It was frustrating at times for me, but I did think that it had its cute and sweet moments.
Eden Durant relocated to the small town of Shelbyville, Texas where she runs Paradise Garden Cafe after leaving a life in California behind. She is dedicated to showing the residents that healthy and organic food can taste good. She is determined to help them live better lives through better food. There has been an attraction between Eden and Chief Deputy Beck Childress since she came to town, and Beck is determined to finally convince her to go on a date with him. When her apartment and restaurant get broken into, he takes the opportunity to get her to agree to spend some time with him. As Beck and Eden get closer, some customers get sick after eating at her restaurant. Beck and Eden begin to investigate to see what happened and who is breaking into her place. When Beck decides to run for sheriff, things get even more complicated and Eden begins to wonder if she should be spending time with Beck. Eden has been keeping a big secret, and knows that it getting out could not only make Beck run but also bring down his chances at becoming sheriff. But Beck isn't willing to let Eden run so easily and sets out to convince her that nothing couldn't be worth her leaving him.
I liked Beck a lot. I thought that he was a great guy and he was really thoughtful. He took his job seriously and was committed to providing the protection and care that the town deserved. But he was also not judgmental about Eden's past, and he didn't care what she came from because of his feelings for her. I loved that he got her a dog to look out for her when he wasn't around, and there were a lot of other sweet things that he did for her. I thought that he was perfect for her and that his feelings were real and believable. Eden was strong and was able to leave a life behind that she wasn't proud of. It had to have been hard growing up the way that she did, and I think that she was great for getting out and making something of herself on her own. I will say that I didn't connect with her character at all though. I thought that she ran too easily and that she didn't really give Beck the chance he deserved a lot of times. I think that they had chemistry between them, and they had some really great moments together. But I just wasn't really satisfied with how their relationship progressed, and I think a lot of that was Eden.
I also felt like this book was pretty predictable, and honestly a lot of the small town typical hypocrisy got really old to me. It was just too over the top at times, and I honestly felt like a lot of it was just thrown in to see how much drama and controversy could possibly be added to one story. I really didn't like most of the characters in this story, but I especially hated Beck's sister Clare. I really wanted to see her get what was coming to her, and I felt like she just never got what she deserved. She was terrible, and she ruined a lot of this story for me. I think that if you are a fan of this series and like small town romance stories that you might give this one a chance. But honestly this one just wasn't for me and I think that while it was sweet and cute at times it was just too frustrating for me to ever fully enjoy. It was well written and I like Kelsey Browning's writing style, but the characters and story in this one just didn't work for me.
**ARC Provided by Author**
Problems in Paradise is the third book in Kelsey Browning's Texas Nights series. This book can be read as a standalone with no problems in understanding the story. I have to admit that I really liked the first book in this series and it was nice to see familiar characters again, but I was left with mixed feelings about this boo. It was frustrating at times for me, but I did think that it had its cute and sweet moments.
Eden Durant relocated to the small town of Shelbyville, Texas where she runs Paradise Garden Cafe after leaving a life in California behind. She is dedicated to showing the residents that healthy and organic food can taste good. She is determined to help them live better lives through better food. There has been an attraction between Eden and Chief Deputy Beck Childress since she came to town, and Beck is determined to finally convince her to go on a date with him. When her apartment and restaurant get broken into, he takes the opportunity to get her to agree to spend some time with him. As Beck and Eden get closer, some customers get sick after eating at her restaurant. Beck and Eden begin to investigate to see what happened and who is breaking into her place. When Beck decides to run for sheriff, things get even more complicated and Eden begins to wonder if she should be spending time with Beck. Eden has been keeping a big secret, and knows that it getting out could not only make Beck run but also bring down his chances at becoming sheriff. But Beck isn't willing to let Eden run so easily and sets out to convince her that nothing couldn't be worth her leaving him.
I liked Beck a lot. I thought that he was a great guy and he was really thoughtful. He took his job seriously and was committed to providing the protection and care that the town deserved. But he was also not judgmental about Eden's past, and he didn't care what she came from because of his feelings for her. I loved that he got her a dog to look out for her when he wasn't around, and there were a lot of other sweet things that he did for her. I thought that he was perfect for her and that his feelings were real and believable. Eden was strong and was able to leave a life behind that she wasn't proud of. It had to have been hard growing up the way that she did, and I think that she was great for getting out and making something of herself on her own. I will say that I didn't connect with her character at all though. I thought that she ran too easily and that she didn't really give Beck the chance he deserved a lot of times. I think that they had chemistry between them, and they had some really great moments together. But I just wasn't really satisfied with how their relationship progressed, and I think a lot of that was Eden.
I also felt like this book was pretty predictable, and honestly a lot of the small town typical hypocrisy got really old to me. It was just too over the top at times, and I honestly felt like a lot of it was just thrown in to see how much drama and controversy could possibly be added to one story. I really didn't like most of the characters in this story, but I especially hated Beck's sister Clare. I really wanted to see her get what was coming to her, and I felt like she just never got what she deserved. She was terrible, and she ruined a lot of this story for me. I think that if you are a fan of this series and like small town romance stories that you might give this one a chance. But honestly this one just wasn't for me and I think that while it was sweet and cute at times it was just too frustrating for me to ever fully enjoy. It was well written and I like Kelsey Browning's writing style, but the characters and story in this one just didn't work for me.
**ARC Provided by Author**
July 14, 2014
ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 14, 2014
Eden Durant hasn't always been Eden Durant. She's made a fresh start in Shelbyville, Texas, far from her mother's notoriety. Running the Paradise Garden Café is as much excitement as Eden wants—or it was, until she meets Beck Childress. Although he's the one man who could expose her past, she's willing to open up enough to see if he might be her future.
Chief Deputy Childress is determined to get to know the real Eden, when he isn't busy cleaning up after the sheriff and running in the election to replace him. When several men fall sick after eating in Eden's café, he investigates even as her mysterious past raises both his suspicions and his protective instincts.
As their relationship heats up, so do the pressures of Beck's campaign. When Eden's secrets are revealed, jeopardizing his dream of becoming sheriff, he'll need to choose: serve and protect the town he loves or the woman who makes it home.
~~~~~~
REVIEW: PROBLEMS IN PARADISE is the third instalment in Kelsey Browning’s adult contemporary Texas Nights romance series focusing on the men and women of Shelbyville, Texas. This is Chief Deputy Beck Childress and café owner Eden Durant’s story. Although this is the third in the series, it can be read as a stand alone without too much difficulty. Some of the previous storyline characters play a secondary role and any information necessary from the previous storylines is revealed when needed.
The focus of the story is the building relationship between Beck and Eden, and the investigation into a series of poisonings at Eden’s Paradise Garden Café. With Eden the prime suspect, Beck struggles with his need to be objective while on the job and his need for the woman who calls to his soul. But someone is hoping to take Eden down and in doing so, compromises Beck’s run for the sheriff of Shelbyville Texas. It is a small town where everyone knows your business but in some cases, it is the past that comes back to destroy your life.
The relationship between Beck and Eden is sensual and seductive. The sex scenes are hot; definitely adult in nature. There is an immediate attraction between our couple and one that is not accepted by many of the town’s people including Beck’s recently relocated sister.
The secondary characters are colorful and drive a good portion of the storyline. Small town living is not for everyone especially when the town is run by people who refuse to move forward-out of the past. Beck and Eden will caught up in a power play for struggle and control-not of their making.
Kelsey Browning writes a storyline that invites the reader into a world of romance; where betrayal comes at the hand of family; and where love comes from an unexpected source.
Copy supplied by the tour provider.
www.thereadingcafe.com
Eden Durant hasn't always been Eden Durant. She's made a fresh start in Shelbyville, Texas, far from her mother's notoriety. Running the Paradise Garden Café is as much excitement as Eden wants—or it was, until she meets Beck Childress. Although he's the one man who could expose her past, she's willing to open up enough to see if he might be her future.
Chief Deputy Childress is determined to get to know the real Eden, when he isn't busy cleaning up after the sheriff and running in the election to replace him. When several men fall sick after eating in Eden's café, he investigates even as her mysterious past raises both his suspicions and his protective instincts.
As their relationship heats up, so do the pressures of Beck's campaign. When Eden's secrets are revealed, jeopardizing his dream of becoming sheriff, he'll need to choose: serve and protect the town he loves or the woman who makes it home.
~~~~~~
REVIEW: PROBLEMS IN PARADISE is the third instalment in Kelsey Browning’s adult contemporary Texas Nights romance series focusing on the men and women of Shelbyville, Texas. This is Chief Deputy Beck Childress and café owner Eden Durant’s story. Although this is the third in the series, it can be read as a stand alone without too much difficulty. Some of the previous storyline characters play a secondary role and any information necessary from the previous storylines is revealed when needed.
The focus of the story is the building relationship between Beck and Eden, and the investigation into a series of poisonings at Eden’s Paradise Garden Café. With Eden the prime suspect, Beck struggles with his need to be objective while on the job and his need for the woman who calls to his soul. But someone is hoping to take Eden down and in doing so, compromises Beck’s run for the sheriff of Shelbyville Texas. It is a small town where everyone knows your business but in some cases, it is the past that comes back to destroy your life.
The relationship between Beck and Eden is sensual and seductive. The sex scenes are hot; definitely adult in nature. There is an immediate attraction between our couple and one that is not accepted by many of the town’s people including Beck’s recently relocated sister.
The secondary characters are colorful and drive a good portion of the storyline. Small town living is not for everyone especially when the town is run by people who refuse to move forward-out of the past. Beck and Eden will caught up in a power play for struggle and control-not of their making.
Kelsey Browning writes a storyline that invites the reader into a world of romance; where betrayal comes at the hand of family; and where love comes from an unexpected source.
Copy supplied by the tour provider.
www.thereadingcafe.com
July 13, 2014
A five star start, veering toward three near the end, but averaged out to a solid four all together...
Problems in Paradise had some definite laugh out loud moments. Some of my favorite parts were the heroine's redneck-themed gifts to the hero--just too funny!--and Voltaire, the hound they share "custody" of. Kelsey Browning definitely has a flair for writing the ridiculous--the dialogue snark between Eden and Beck is great, and often made me giggle.
You could practically see the steam rising off of my ereader when those two got together--wowza. Fun reading. :)
Beck was a great hero overall--man in uniform who loves dogs alert--he made redneck sheriff look sexy ;) I definitely shared his (as well as Allie's, Roxanne's, and Ashton's) frustration that Eden wouldn't trust him (them) enough to reveal her secrets. It made sense up to a point, but then it felt like she really needed to show them all more respect than her silence was doing.
Eden was a very sympathetic character for much of the book--she had a difficult upbringing and tons of family issues (though, hey--Beck's sister is a piece of work too ) and she was really trying to build a commendable business and getting some very unfair flack in the process. She had such great intentions, and so much that happened wasn't at all her fault--it was heartbreaking. However, she did have a tendency to get too bogged down in her internal my-toxic-past-will-make-everyone-hate-me-and-hurt-the-ones-I-love dialogue. I so wanted her to get over it several chapters before she did.
But she finally does--her apology is definitely unique!--and we get our HEA, plus there's a dog, so... ;)
This one was my favorite in the series so far, and for the first three-quarters or so, I absolutely loved it. The end was a bit shaky with too much of the non-communication/I'm-doing-this-for-your-own-good vibe to it--but overall this was a four-star read for funny scenes, an awesome dog, and a smokin' hot relationship between the hero and heroine. Hopefully the next book will be Ashton's--hers is one I'm definitely looking forward to reading!
(Cover rant time: why does he have brown hair on the cover? He's supposed to be blond, Carina Press. They mention it several times--yet no matter how long I look at it, that cover model stays stubbornly dark haired. With what looks like gray highlights. Why?)
Rating: 4 stars / B rating
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Problems in Paradise had some definite laugh out loud moments. Some of my favorite parts were the heroine's redneck-themed gifts to the hero--just too funny!--and Voltaire, the hound they share "custody" of. Kelsey Browning definitely has a flair for writing the ridiculous--the dialogue snark between Eden and Beck is great, and often made me giggle.
You could practically see the steam rising off of my ereader when those two got together--wowza. Fun reading. :)
Beck was a great hero overall--man in uniform who loves dogs alert--he made redneck sheriff look sexy ;) I definitely shared his (as well as Allie's, Roxanne's, and Ashton's) frustration that Eden wouldn't trust him (them) enough to reveal her secrets. It made sense up to a point, but then it felt like she really needed to show them all more respect than her silence was doing.
Eden was a very sympathetic character for much of the book--she had a difficult upbringing and tons of family issues (though, hey--Beck's sister is a piece of work too ) and she was really trying to build a commendable business and getting some very unfair flack in the process. She had such great intentions, and so much that happened wasn't at all her fault--it was heartbreaking. However, she did have a tendency to get too bogged down in her internal my-toxic-past-will-make-everyone-hate-me-and-hurt-the-ones-I-love dialogue. I so wanted her to get over it several chapters before she did.
But she finally does--her apology is definitely unique!--and we get our HEA, plus there's a dog, so... ;)
This one was my favorite in the series so far, and for the first three-quarters or so, I absolutely loved it. The end was a bit shaky with too much of the non-communication/I'm-doing-this-for-your-own-good vibe to it--but overall this was a four-star read for funny scenes, an awesome dog, and a smokin' hot relationship between the hero and heroine. Hopefully the next book will be Ashton's--hers is one I'm definitely looking forward to reading!
(Cover rant time: why does he have brown hair on the cover? He's supposed to be blond, Carina Press. They mention it several times--yet no matter how long I look at it, that cover model stays stubbornly dark haired. With what looks like gray highlights. Why?)
Rating: 4 stars / B rating
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
July 20, 2014
Any time you can effortlessly combine porn stars and police to make a sexy, drama-filled read, it's a win in my book! In this third book in the Texas Nights series, Ms. Browning takes the reader on a fun and frisky journey featuring a very private heroine who will steal your heart.
When officer Beck Childress gets a call about a break-in at Eden Durant's restaurant, he immediately goes into panic mode. Beck wants Eden with an almost debilitating ferocity and being so close to her in such a charged situation makes him insane with desire. Eden isn't immune to the sexy lawmaker, but she can't afford to let the man get to know the real her. Maybe she can just sleep with him, scratch the itch, without her heart getting involved…
Beck knows Eden is holding something back, and when it becomes clear that someone is targeting her and her business, he makes it his mission to learn more about the woman who stole his heart the second he laid eyes on her. Eden knows that if Beck or anyone else learned the truth about her past, she'd get run out of town, destroying the peaceful life she's created for herself in Shelbyville. Can Eden protect her heart from the man who wants to steal it?
PROBLEMS IN PARADISE is the third book in the Texas Nights series and if you thought the others were delicious, you ain't seen nothin' yet! Both fast-paced and well-written, PROBLEMS IN PARADISE will touch you in myriad ways, leaving you wanting more. I loved Eden and Beck together, especially the contrast of this stoic cop vs. the porn star's daughter. Eden's reasons for staying away from Beck were actually legit and realistic, not just overreaction like in a lot of books.
Beck was a great lead character, though I was kind of put off by the lack of consequences given to the people around him who were causing trouble, especially his own sister. I can appreciate wanting to protect your family, but man, was Clare a terrible troublemaker. I think that Ashton said it best when she explained that "spoiled rich girls can get up to a lot of trouble when they're bored." I hated that Eden couldn't stand up for herself or even confide in anyone even though everyone wanted to be there for her. Overall, this is an excellent addition to a terrific series, and one I wholeheartedly recommend.
When officer Beck Childress gets a call about a break-in at Eden Durant's restaurant, he immediately goes into panic mode. Beck wants Eden with an almost debilitating ferocity and being so close to her in such a charged situation makes him insane with desire. Eden isn't immune to the sexy lawmaker, but she can't afford to let the man get to know the real her. Maybe she can just sleep with him, scratch the itch, without her heart getting involved…
Beck knows Eden is holding something back, and when it becomes clear that someone is targeting her and her business, he makes it his mission to learn more about the woman who stole his heart the second he laid eyes on her. Eden knows that if Beck or anyone else learned the truth about her past, she'd get run out of town, destroying the peaceful life she's created for herself in Shelbyville. Can Eden protect her heart from the man who wants to steal it?
PROBLEMS IN PARADISE is the third book in the Texas Nights series and if you thought the others were delicious, you ain't seen nothin' yet! Both fast-paced and well-written, PROBLEMS IN PARADISE will touch you in myriad ways, leaving you wanting more. I loved Eden and Beck together, especially the contrast of this stoic cop vs. the porn star's daughter. Eden's reasons for staying away from Beck were actually legit and realistic, not just overreaction like in a lot of books.
Beck was a great lead character, though I was kind of put off by the lack of consequences given to the people around him who were causing trouble, especially his own sister. I can appreciate wanting to protect your family, but man, was Clare a terrible troublemaker. I think that Ashton said it best when she explained that "spoiled rich girls can get up to a lot of trouble when they're bored." I hated that Eden couldn't stand up for herself or even confide in anyone even though everyone wanted to be there for her. Overall, this is an excellent addition to a terrific series, and one I wholeheartedly recommend.
July 21, 2014
3.5 Star Review
This is the third book in Browning's Texas Nights series. For readers of the series, all the favorites will come back in this book, but the focus is on Eden Durant and Beck Childress. Eden is the owner of Paradise Garden and Beck is the Deputy.
Eden has a secret past she has not shared with anyone. Beck is interested in running for sheriff. The two have been wanting each other for awhile and they are finally going for it. The problem is the timing. Eden worries her past will be a problem for Beck. Not only that but Eden is running into problems with her restaurant, and that too is causing issues for Beck. Despite this the two will get their HEA by the end.
For me this book was not as enjoyable as the first. It seems like every few pages we were reading about how they wanted to get in each others pants but I wasn't hearing what they really liked about each other. I totally enjoy sexual chemistry between the hero and heroine but I like there to be more.
Then you have Beck's sister Clare, completely off her rocker.
Between her and the crazy antics with the sheriff, Bobby Ray, her mom and her mom's agent, it was all just a little too much. Perhaps my move to Texas has made me sensitive, but I just thought the redneck stuff was annoying too.
Before, I enjoyed the characters and I did like the town but this book sort of ruined the townspeople for me with their treatment of Eden. With all of this it just took me a long time to get through the book, and normally I breeze through them. I will still probably read the next book if the series continues since I really liked the last book.
Thanks to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This is the third book in Browning's Texas Nights series. For readers of the series, all the favorites will come back in this book, but the focus is on Eden Durant and Beck Childress. Eden is the owner of Paradise Garden and Beck is the Deputy.
Eden has a secret past she has not shared with anyone. Beck is interested in running for sheriff. The two have been wanting each other for awhile and they are finally going for it. The problem is the timing. Eden worries her past will be a problem for Beck. Not only that but Eden is running into problems with her restaurant, and that too is causing issues for Beck. Despite this the two will get their HEA by the end.
For me this book was not as enjoyable as the first. It seems like every few pages we were reading about how they wanted to get in each others pants but I wasn't hearing what they really liked about each other. I totally enjoy sexual chemistry between the hero and heroine but I like there to be more.
Then you have Beck's sister Clare, completely off her rocker.
Between her and the crazy antics with the sheriff, Bobby Ray, her mom and her mom's agent, it was all just a little too much. Perhaps my move to Texas has made me sensitive, but I just thought the redneck stuff was annoying too.
Before, I enjoyed the characters and I did like the town but this book sort of ruined the townspeople for me with their treatment of Eden. With all of this it just took me a long time to get through the book, and normally I breeze through them. I will still probably read the next book if the series continues since I really liked the last book.
Thanks to the author for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
August 3, 2014
I've loved the first 2 books in this series and was so excited to get a review copy from the publisher through NetGalley. Kelsey Browning writes funny and sexy contemporary romances and I love her books.
I've wanted Eden's story pretty much since we first met her. I'm not sure I would have seen her with Beck initially, but the more time they spent together, the more I loved them as a couple. I loved that Beck didn't really push Eden too much about her past and was willing to wait for her to tell him the truth. The chemistry between Beck and Eden grew stronger the longer they spent time together. Beck totally got Eden and watching them fall for one another was funny, hot, and sexy.
I've loved the friendship between Eden, Roxanne and Allie. The relationship between the girlfriends is every bit as important as the relationship between Eden and Beck. Eden has kept a part of herself secret from her friends since she moved to town. I loved that like all best friends, Allie and Roxanne were totally there for Eden when the truth about her past came out.
Beck was also investigating how people were getting sick from Eden's food in this book. I loved that he went above and beyond not only for Eden but also for the people of Shelbyville to make sure everyone was safe. I figured out who was behind everything pretty early on, and really wanted to kick this person in the head.
Problems in Paradise was another winner in the Texas Nights series. I can't wait to see what happens next with this series.
I've wanted Eden's story pretty much since we first met her. I'm not sure I would have seen her with Beck initially, but the more time they spent together, the more I loved them as a couple. I loved that Beck didn't really push Eden too much about her past and was willing to wait for her to tell him the truth. The chemistry between Beck and Eden grew stronger the longer they spent time together. Beck totally got Eden and watching them fall for one another was funny, hot, and sexy.
I've loved the friendship between Eden, Roxanne and Allie. The relationship between the girlfriends is every bit as important as the relationship between Eden and Beck. Eden has kept a part of herself secret from her friends since she moved to town. I loved that like all best friends, Allie and Roxanne were totally there for Eden when the truth about her past came out.
Beck was also investigating how people were getting sick from Eden's food in this book. I loved that he went above and beyond not only for Eden but also for the people of Shelbyville to make sure everyone was safe. I figured out who was behind everything pretty early on, and really wanted to kick this person in the head.
Problems in Paradise was another winner in the Texas Nights series. I can't wait to see what happens next with this series.
October 15, 2015
Problems In Paradise by Kelsey Browning is the third in her Texas Nights series. For me, this is probably my favorite of them all.
Eden Durant has a history that she doesn't want any one to know about. I have to say that Kelsey knocked this one out of the park. Eden's history is very unusal and very emotional. Eden is smart and funny and tries so hard to be independent. Her cafe is just beginning to take off in Shelbyville and she is hoping to now begin to have a full life by including a certain Chief Deptuy. I loved the "redneck" gifts she found for Beck.
Beck Childress is a local boy that made good in New York City but came back to his hometown after some dramatic events convinced him that New York City wasn't the place for him. He is all alpha with a touch of redneck but he loves Shelbyville and the citizens. The man is patient, honest, tough but fair. He had so much patience with Eden as their relationship began to grow that showed me that he really loved her.
I laughed several times because of Beck and Eden's banter and there chemistry was off the charts. A lot of heat but genuine caring for each other, too.
I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series. I was given an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own and not influenced by the author's gift of the book.
Eden Durant has a history that she doesn't want any one to know about. I have to say that Kelsey knocked this one out of the park. Eden's history is very unusal and very emotional. Eden is smart and funny and tries so hard to be independent. Her cafe is just beginning to take off in Shelbyville and she is hoping to now begin to have a full life by including a certain Chief Deptuy. I loved the "redneck" gifts she found for Beck.
Beck Childress is a local boy that made good in New York City but came back to his hometown after some dramatic events convinced him that New York City wasn't the place for him. He is all alpha with a touch of redneck but he loves Shelbyville and the citizens. The man is patient, honest, tough but fair. He had so much patience with Eden as their relationship began to grow that showed me that he really loved her.
I laughed several times because of Beck and Eden's banter and there chemistry was off the charts. A lot of heat but genuine caring for each other, too.
I am definitely looking forward to the next book in this series. I was given an ARC by the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions are my own and not influenced by the author's gift of the book.
July 15, 2014
Beck Childress knew that he wanted Eden Durant. The moment he met her, he knew he had to have her. After an incident has left Beck with an opportunity to get what he wants, a date with Eden, she agrees. Beck is also on the break of making a career altering choice as he decides to run a campaign to become the town's sheriff, but is Eden the type of girl he needs on her arm?
Eden has a past she ran from, now with a new name she is running the Paradise Garden Cafe. Everything in her life is wonderful, but can she take a chance on Beck? As she makes a choice, she finds someone is trying to sabotage her cafe. As Beck beings his campaign, Eden's past pays a visit and she has to find out who is wanting to get her shut down. Beck has to decide if he wants to focus on his career or if Eden is the future he wants to focus on, but can't he have both?
Sweet story, the chemistry between Beck and Eden is off the charts. There is a teasing electricity but it leaves the reader hooked. I was anxious to discover what was behind Eden's past and I have to say readers, this was refreshingly new to me as an avid reader. Highly entertaining read.
Eden has a past she ran from, now with a new name she is running the Paradise Garden Cafe. Everything in her life is wonderful, but can she take a chance on Beck? As she makes a choice, she finds someone is trying to sabotage her cafe. As Beck beings his campaign, Eden's past pays a visit and she has to find out who is wanting to get her shut down. Beck has to decide if he wants to focus on his career or if Eden is the future he wants to focus on, but can't he have both?
Sweet story, the chemistry between Beck and Eden is off the charts. There is a teasing electricity but it leaves the reader hooked. I was anxious to discover what was behind Eden's past and I have to say readers, this was refreshingly new to me as an avid reader. Highly entertaining read.
July 19, 2014
Of the Texas Nights series this was definitely my favorite. Eden Durant finds herself in Shelbyville TX while trying to escape her past and reinvent herself, she opens a health food restaurant. Chief Deputy Beck Childress is running for sheriff and has an instant attraction for Eden. After several people become ill after eating in Eden's restaurant Beck is there to help her solve the mystery of the food poisoning to save her business, Eden is terrified Beck will learn of her past and loose the election if the town learns who she really was.
July 29, 2014
Ok I Love this series!! 4.75 lol Wish Eden would have shown him a bit more of herself soon and have them deal more together but that is Just me! lol Beck is like the perfect guy next door ! He had is own family prob to deal with but gave Eden all his Love and Understanding even with his nut of a sis doing her best to stop things. Love Books that make me lol/ snort because you just cant help it . ( hubby gives me some weird looks sometimes hehe) .I can not wait for the next one!
July 28, 2014
Great story about forgetting your past with the help of your true friends. Eden is a scarred young woman afraid to let anyone know about her true self. But little does she realize is her true self that she is afraid of is gone. It's dead. She is a new person. This is a story of love, forgiveness, and moving forward leaving the past behind.
June 11, 2014
I was really lucky to receive an ARC of Problems in Paradise by Kelsey Browning. This is my first book by Kelsey and after reading it, I'm looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
There were a lot of funny scenes in the books and if you enjoy a contemporary romance with lots of humor and got steamy scenes, you will wanna read this.
There were a lot of funny scenes in the books and if you enjoy a contemporary romance with lots of humor and got steamy scenes, you will wanna read this.
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