Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Texas Heat #2

Ancora noi (Texas Heat Vol. 2)

Rate this book
Roarke Frost, cowboy e addestratore di cavalli.

Un tempo credevo di sapere tutto di lui, quando in realtà non sapevo abbastanza da proteggermi dalla peggiore delusione della mia vita. Ero davvero convinta che fosse l’uomo giusto per me, finché non ho dovuto sbattere la faccia su quanto fosse sbagliato.

E sono fuggita, lontano dalla cittadina del Texas dove siamo cresciuti.

A distanza di anni, il destino sembra non aver perso l’abitudine di giocarmi brutti scherzi e mi riporta proprio lì, a Sweetwater.

Non sono più la brava ragazza della porta accanto che conosceva Roarke come pochi, però. Anzi, mi rendo conto di non conoscere affatto l’uomo che è diventato.

Passato e presente si sovrappongono a complicare una situazione da cui dovrei scappare a gambe levate.

Ci sono solo due problemi. Il primo, davanti a lui mi sciolgo ancora come cioccolato sotto il sole cocente del Texas. Il secondo, questa volta non scapperò senza aver trovato tutte le risposte che non ho mai avuto.

273 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 29, 2019

128 people are currently reading
4226 people want to read

About the author

Lisa Renee Jones

372 books14.6k followers
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Lisa Renee Jones is the author of the highly acclaimed INSIDE OUT series. Suzanne Todd (producer of Alice in Wonderland) on the INSIDE OUT series: Lisa has created a beautiful, complicated, and sensual world that is filled with intrigue and suspense. Sara’s character is strong, flawed, complex, and sexy - a modern girl we all can identify with.

In addition to the success of Lisa's INSIDE OUT series, she has published many successful titles. The TALL, DARK AND DEADLY series and THE SECRET LIFE OF AMY BENSEN series, both spent several months on a combination of the New York Times and USA Today bestselling lists. Lisa is presently working on a dark, edgy new series, Dirty Money, for St. Martin's Press.
Prior to publishing Lisa owned multi-state staffing agency that was recognized many times by The Austin Business Journal and also praised by the Dallas Women's Magazine. In 1998 Lisa was listed as the #7 growing women owned business in Entrepreneur Magazine.

Lisa loves to hear from her readers. You can reach her at www.lisareneejones.com and she is active on Twitter and Facebook daily.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
296 (37%)
4 stars
301 (38%)
3 stars
138 (17%)
2 stars
38 (4%)
1 star
10 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews
Profile Image for Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️.
2,980 reviews2,687 followers
November 27, 2019
Great second chance love story.


I generally don’t like second chance romances because I like to read about the couple first meeting and their reactions to one another. What brought them together, do they instantly hate each other or are they attracted to each other, or both? However I decided to read this one because I like Lisa Renee Jones’ writing. She always has both a steamy romance and a good storyline to go with it. I wasn’t disappointed here.

This was the story of Hannah and Roarke who were engaged seven years prior until Hannah got an anonymous email showing a fashion model hanging all over Roarke. She couldn’t take the fact that he was cheating, when he meant everything to her and she wouldn’t forgive the cheating. So she broke the engagement and moved from Texas to Los Angeles to make something of herself far away from Roarke and the heartache.

Hannah worked with a high fashion photographer and he ended up getting unfairly blacklisted as part of the “Me Too” movement. So Hannah moved back to Texas to start her own event planning business. She rented an office from a friend of hers, Linda a photographer in Dallas and when Linda got injured Hannah offered to take the photography appointment that night.

Hannah goes to the event where she reconnects with an old friend, Jason from the small town where she grew up and Roarke is involved as well. Jason’s fiancé proposes that Hannah do the planning for the event they are launching, which will be awesome for her business, but she will have to spend time with Roarke because he is one of the facilitators of the event.

Hannah and Roarke haven’t gotten over each other and they go from estranged to entangled in no time. The romance is hot, Roarke is a great guy and a hot Horse Wrangler and Veterinarian. He is a great book boyfriend. There is a mystery as to what happened between him and that model 7 years ago. The book was very good and it had animals, rockin’ grandmas and nice feeling of small town Texas.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Blog|Goodreads|Facebook|Amazon|Twitter|BookBub
Profile Image for Chris  C - A Midlife Wife.
1,837 reviews465 followers
October 13, 2019
Sweet second chance romance with a surprising almost clean twist. No angst like I was expecting. Plus a second story attached.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
I’m so used to reading her stories with a bit of mystery and suspense that I was surprised with the second chance romance. I kept waiting for the bad; the angst, but it never really came.

This story is a heartfelt romance about two people that truly should’ve never been apart. But other people got in the way.

But now they’re working on reconnecting and finding their future again.

I love the theme of this story and I had this perfect vision of Roarke in my mind the whole time I was reading this book. He is a beautiful character and is completely over the top gone for Hannah.

This book is heavy on the romance, forgiveness, and even the heated scenes are mild enough to almost be a clean romance.

Definitely a cute Texas style romance story which is something I never thought I would say about a Jones book. Delightful, entertaining, with a fabulous happily ever after!

-- Also while I love this cover, it does not fit the theme of this book. The paperback publication cover is a better fit.

* copy received for review consideration
Full review - https://amidlifewife.com/tangled-up-i...
Profile Image for MG *Bury Me with My Kindle.. & a REALLY Long Charger*.
587 reviews774 followers
November 8, 2019
4 steamy second time around stars

Tangled Up in Christmas is the second book in the Texas Heat series, though it can easily be read as a standalone. The main characters from book one appear in this story quite a bit, but the author gives relevant information about their relationship so that the reader does not feel like s/he is missing anything vital to this story.

After her celebrity photographer boss is caught in the #MeToo scandal, Hannah has little choice but to leave Los Angeles and go back to Texas, her dreams of making a name for herself in that world fading quickly. Even through her parents don't live in the small town of Sweetwater any longer (and for reasons Hannah has not been privy to), it's still the closest thing to home she knows, which is what she needs most right now. But after only a few moments of arrival, she smacks straight into the main reason she left in the first place: her childhood friend and ex-finace Roarke. He has now made a name for himself on YouTube doing what he has always done best: work with horses; in fact, his nickname is the Horse Wrangler, and though she won't admit it to anyone else, Hannah has watched all of the videos his friend has posted. She once shared that passion with him and worked side-by-side with the instafamous equine surgeon, but all of that went out the window when she was sent a video of Roarke appearing to be engaged in a steamy embrace with another woman. Hurt, confused, and insecure, a younger Hannah left without a word, changed her number, and took a job as far away as she could get. But distance and time have done nothing to make her forget her first true love, and when she accepts a job to plan a major event in her hometown for another life-long friend (who happens to be the best friend of Roarke), she knows she cannot avoid him much longer.

Roarke never cheated on Hannah - he never would. Though they grew up together, he is several years older, so while things simmered earlier between them, it wasn't until Hannah came home from college while Roarke was working the neighboring ranch that they finally got together. Hannah looked up to him and put him on somewhat of a pedestal, which is one of the reasons she fled: insecurity, and a bit of immaturity as she was a naive 21 year old at the time. Roarke knows he made a mistake in not going after Hannah when she left, but he knows things she doesn't about what happened that go deeper than alleged cheating, and he knows those things (while they are not about anything he did) would hurt her. So he left her be as long as he could, but he is finished waiting. She is back, and he has a plan to win her... if only she will listen and open her heart once again to him.

What I liked:
--- Both characters were likeable; the reader definitely feels the connection between the two and wants to see them reconcile
--- The plot is solid and quick-moving
--- Steamy goodness!

What I didn't like as much:
--- At times, Hannah still seemed a little immature in the beginning of the story, but once she realized how much she had lost and what she had to gain, she seemed to get it together
--- I had an ARC copy of this book, so I thought I was in one place in the story, but I was much farther ahead (the book ended at the 57% mark, so it felt very abrupt for that reason as I had no idea there was another story attached)
--- Some of the circumstances didn't make sense.... For example, Linda is supposedly Hannah's best friend but she had no idea that Hannah even knew Roarke, much less that she was engaged to him? Um.... that's not a best friend. Similarly, Roarke's best friend also never knew that they had officially hooked up and were engaged. Since they all knew each other since childhood, another scenario that seems highly unlikely (especially since the rumor mill in the small town was a focal point of the story)

Overall, a steamy second chance romance worth the read.

Plot --- 3.75/5
Main Characters --- 4/5
Supporting Cast --- 4/5
Steam Level* --- 3.5/5
Violence --- none
Language --- not egregious
POV --- Dual, but mostly from Hannah's POV

*Note that steam level is not a rating so much as a how hot was it: 0/5 - clean; 1/5 - mild; 2/5 - sensual but nothing descriptive; 3/5 - now we're getting somewhere; 4/5 - yes please! ; 5/5 - they did EVERYTHING in this one, y'all

Please note that I received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.
Profile Image for Lisa Jones.
Author 372 books14.6k followers
Want to read
October 29, 2019
TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS IS LIVE + $500 GIVEAWAY!



It's time for a little Christmas in October! Tangled Up in Christmas is the latest standalone in my Texas Heat Cowboys series and features Roarke (Jason's best friend aka the resident sexy as sin horse wrangler) and the love of his life who got away years ago, but is now back in town! This book is a standalone, so there's no need to read any other book prior to it. Hannah and Roarke's story begins and ends in this book.

To celebrate, I'm giving away $500 in gift cards! It's super simple to enter, all the details can be found HERE: http://bit.ly/2l2VYLW



ORDER TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS EVERYWHERE
eBook
Apple Books: https://apple.co/347Xs8s
Amazon Universal: http://mybook.to/TUIC
Nook: http://bit.ly/2k3EwXa
Kobo: http://bit.ly/2lVKGZS

Mass Market Paperback
Amazon: http://mybook.to/TUICAmzPrint
B&N: http://bit.ly/2lZo7DJ
Books-A-Million: http://bit.ly/2lAfJu7
Target: http://bit.ly/2lylDvO

ABOUT TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS:
I might be a country girl from the same small town of Sweetwater, Texas, as horse wrangler Roarke Frost, the girl next door who knows him like few know him, but I didn't know enough to save my heart.

He's the reason why I left Sweetwater behind.

But now fate proves she loves a wicked twist and sends me back to Sweetwater to pull together a Christmas festival—and I run smack into the man again, quite literally. His body is pressed to mine, his hands on my arms, and I'm melting like chocolate in the sizzling Texas sunshine. And I run.

I know it’s not exactly respectable, but it works, just not for long. No matter how much I try to get tangled up in Christmas, I end up tangled up in Roarke instead—and the man has me feeling the heat of our attraction and the warmth of our past friendship. He feels like Mr. Right, but history says he’s Mr. Wrong.

But if he wants a second chance, Roarke Frost is going to have to work for it. He’ll need to prove to me that this holiday is a season of new beginnings, the kind that last forever.
Profile Image for Carvanz.
2,385 reviews898 followers
October 12, 2019
With a little bit of angst, some homecoming feels, and a lot of secrets, this was a great second chance story.


description


Years ago, Roarke broke Hannah’s heart which resulted in the break up of their engagement. Now she’s returned to Texas and is soon thrust back into his world. While she loves all that he does to protect and ensure the safety of the animals he takes under his care, she struggles to keep her distance both physically and emotionally. But Roarke is refusing to let her go again despite the fact that when she learns the truth, he will lose her for good.


’It’s memories and love and passion. It’s everything we were, which was everything.’


I enjoyed watching Hannah come to some realizations regarding her state of maturity from her before time with Roarke to the present. I love when a character is able to decipher their own actions and reactions and the reasoning behind them. And Hannah more than made up for her past reactions when it mattered most.


description


While we don’t get a lot of Roarke’s point of view, we get enough to know that Hannah is his everything. His life is dedicated to taking care of animals and that character trait also ensures that he takes care of those he loves. Even when doing so goes against what his heart wants.


’He’s an alpha. He’s in control, and yet. He makes me feel like I’m in control.’


While this is low on drama, it is rich in relationship angst. Both Roarke and Hannah have their own struggles and fears to work through. The secrets Roarke is keeping helps to drive the story forward as the time for revealing them draws closer. I have to admit, I wasn’t sure how all of that was going to play out and that amped up the angst a bit more.


description



This is a great homecoming story with lots of small town, feel good moments and all the warm feelings of being welcomed home again after living for years with a devastating loss. There are plenty of heartwarming moments with Roarke’s horses that will definitely stroke every animal lover’s heart. I did feel the lack of real couple time with these characters and would have liked to see them working their issues out face to face a bit more. But this author excels at character introspection and such is the case here as well.

Included is a great treat, Santa Baby.


Dual POV
Safe
Triggers

Profile Image for ✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰ .
2,339 reviews1,340 followers
October 29, 2019
description

description

We all remember Roarke from the first book. He's Jason's best friend.

Hannah also used to be friends with those two guys. And she was so much more to Roarke. But then after that summer six years ago, Hannah left town with a broken heart.

But now she lost her job in Los Angeles and she's back home with an event-planning business.

And Roarke is still just as attracted to her. He never stopped loving her.

But what happened six years ago - why did he let her go???

READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT ☺

description

Adorable!

A really sweet Texas & horses & cookies & second chances romance!

With lots of funny and adorable moments.
Holiday moments. Fighting moments. Arguing moments. Lots of sparky moments! Some heartbreaking & frustrating moments.

I really enjoyed reading it.

It was also another Lisa Renee Jones book - so it was just too long for me somehow. We could've cut a few pages and a few too complicated sentences. The writing was too weird and complicated here and there. It felt like Lisa tried too hard to sound different. I had to put it on hold for a couple of days and read two other review books first. Ones which moved through my brain much more easily. No idea why Lisa's words are too un-flow-y for my mind - maybe I just had an off day for that kind of writing. But I came back - and I really like the story now that I'm done with it. That sounds weird and a bit unkind. But it's a really cute second-chance love story!

I loved seeing Jason and Jessica from the first book again - and the grandmas!

I missed the Christmas from the title a bit. We don't really have Christmas is the book. There is some holiday stuff because they're planning that charity event, but that's it.

And for all her being mad at him and her resisting, it took her only such a short time in the end to forgive and forget and move right into his house. Which was so weird - she could've just stayed six years ago. What a waste of time! BUT - she was too young back then - she had a bit of life to live first. And Roarke was mature for both of them. He was really so very adorable! But he should've told her the truth a long time ago. But.... it was all okay the way it was. I liked reading the book. It was cute.

TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS was an adorable Texas-Horses-Second-Chance Love Story!
Run to your nearest amazon for your own Roarke - this one is MINE!


description




Smokin Hot Book Blog Email
Profile Image for Mindy Lou's Book Review.
3,012 reviews800 followers
October 10, 2019
Roarke made quite the impact in The Truth About Cowboys. He was such a good friend to Jason, helping him straighten up before he lost Jessica, and then add in a that he is a veterinarian who loves animals? How could you not love him.

Roarke was everything I thought he would be in this book. I loved his character and I loved how he handled Hannah and the reason they were separated in the first place. All I could think about was Hannah is probably kicking herself for not standing by him. I know I would have been.

We get some back in forth in the beginning of this because Hannah isn't willing to get past her hurt. Roarke wasn't willing to give up and made all that back and forth worth every minute. This was a great little holiday read with a beautiful ending. I wouldn't be opposed to more books in this world. I can name a few cowboys that need a story of their own.
Profile Image for Coco.V.
50k reviews128 followers
January 31, 2020
4 solid stars for this heartwarming and steamy second chance story! Roarke and Hannah together were a good match and I was really happy to see them get their well-deserved HEA.
Profile Image for Kahea.
2,266 reviews123 followers
October 29, 2019
***4 Stars***

My head hurts.

It really does.

Roarke and Hannah took me on one hell of a ride. A ride I was all in for. But hot damn. The yo-yo’ing these two did just about killed me ~ though if it had, it would have been my own fault because I kept turning the pages to see what would happen next, but I needed to see just how everything would work it self for Roarke and Hannah in the end.

I really liked Hannah and Roarke. Roarke is a good man. Compassionate, passionate and determined. Hannah is sweet, creative and motivated. But when it came to their second chance at love journey...OMG they drove me batshitcrazy ~ Hannah more than Roarke in all honesty (wishy washy people drive me insane and considering I’m a Libra and am well versed in wishy washy it says a lot) ~ but they both definitely had their moments, in the past and the present. Thank goodness for their friends, family and just the nosy as all get out people of Sweetwater for making both of them see the error of their ways and finally get on the same page, because even through everything I knew that they were it for each other.

This one was definitely a rollercoaster of a ride, but worth it in the end. I loved catching up with Jason, Jessica and Martha and loved meeting Ruth ~ who was so much fun! I’m crossing my toes that we’ll get to spend a little more time in Sweetwater because there were a couple of interesting moments that I think could develop into a whole lot more!

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~
Profile Image for Gloria Herrera for As You Wish Reviews.
2,181 reviews63 followers
October 29, 2019
Roarke was the love of her life. Having been engaged to him and on the verge of marriage, Hannah could not think of anything that could go wrong. Just then, a video of Roarke and a model (who was all over him!) showed up on her phone. Needless to say, Hannah packed her bags and left Sweetwater, Texas hopefully never to come back.

A couple of years have passed and Hannah is now in Dallas and starting to make a new beginning with her career as a photographer and event organizer. Maybe it was Fate but running straight into Roarke's chest at the airport was not her idea of fun. Then, running into him a month later on her first big photographer assignment was totally unexpected. Now, it turns out she has been booked to do a Christmas Festival in Sweetwater to benefit the Children's Hospital and guess who one of her bosses will be? You are correct! Roarke!!!

This love/hate/love journey is full of wit, emotions, and most of all romance! This is one of those books you will not want to put down and will not want for the story to end.

I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thanks to the author for sharing a copy with me.
Profile Image for Rhonda Ziglar.
4,400 reviews42 followers
October 29, 2019
5 TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS!! Wow....I love this time of year and this story was perfect. Roarke was perfect....he is the perfect book boyfriend... I even dreamed of him. This story has all the feels and a real page Turner. I love this authors words she definitely knows how to suck us readers in. This is a must read.
Profile Image for lettrice per hobby.
162 reviews11 followers
January 10, 2026
Mi è piaciuto molto più del primo della serie un romanzo sulle seconde possibilità
Profile Image for Nadine Bookaholic.
3,731 reviews527 followers
October 30, 2019
If you have read THE TRUTH ABOUT COWBOYS then you know Roarke, he is the Vet in the town of Sweetwater and best friend to Jason, this is his story. I was really looking forward to reading about Roarke and learning more about this brooding cowboy because we all know that someone broke his heart at some point we just didn't know who or how, well we get all the answers we were looking for in this book.

Hannah is returning to Texas after working in California for a few years, her boss got caught up in the #MeToo movement and she was blacklisted along with him because of her association to him...I will admit, this didn't sit right with me but I guess it was a good excuse for her to return home, anyway, she is starting her own business as an Event Planner and her first major event is going to land her right smack into the person she was hoping to avoid at all costs, Roarke.

So that's the basis around the story now here's my dilemma, I liked the book I really did I just didn't love it so do I rate it as three or four stars? Well I went with three and this is why:

Was the chemistry there? Yes absolutely but.....

Did they work things out before jumping into bed? NO absolutely not and I think this is where I have my biggest issue. I get the not wanting to keep your hands off one another but there was a big reason as to why you broke up in the first place so the trust is gone and before you have any discussion about it you're fooling around, to me that was just rushed and unnecessary we knew they still cared very deeply for one another so them having sex so quickly to me minimized the reasoning on why they were apart for so long.

Were they keeping Secrets? Of Course there were secrets, some were big and some not so big but a complete shocker none the less. I understand the reasoning behind one but not the other so there's that.

And then there's Hannah's family, for me their story line gave me whiplash, when you read the book you'll understand why.

I recommend this book for lovers of Cowboy/Western Romances, Second Chance Romances, and lovers of Lisa Renee Jones' books. This book is highly rated by other advanced readers and like I said I did enjoy it so I really hope you do grab a copy and give Hannah and Roarke's Christmas Love Story a chance.

Happy Reading!!!

description

**I have voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Readers Copy of this book for my Blog, Nadine's Obsessed with Books** 

You can see this and other Reviews I have written along with various cover reveals, excerpts, and giveaways here Nadine's Obsessed with Books

Merged review:

If you have read THE TRUTH ABOUT COWBOYS then you know Roarke, he is the Vet in the town of Sweetwater and best friend to Jason, this is his story. I was really looking forward to reading about Roarke and learning more about this brooding cowboy because we all know that someone broke his heart at some point we just didn't know who or how, well we get all the answers we were looking for in this book.

Hannah is returning to Texas after working in California for a few years, her boss got caught up in the #MeToo movement and she was blacklisted along with him because of her association to him...I will admit, this didn't sit right with me but I guess it was a good excuse for her to return home, anyway, she is starting her own business as an Event Planner and her first major event is going to land her right smack into the person she was hoping to avoid at all costs, Roarke.

So that's the basis around the story now here's my dilemma, I liked the book I really did I just didn't love it so do I rate it as three or four stars? Well I went with three and this is why:

Was the chemistry there? Yes absolutely but.....

Did they work things out before jumping into bed? NO absolutely not and I think this is where I have my biggest issue. I get the not wanting to keep your hands off one another but there was a big reason as to why you broke up in the first place so the trust is gone and before you have any discussion about it you're fooling around, to me that was just rushed and unnecessary we knew they still cared very deeply for one another so them having sex so quickly to me minimized the reasoning on why they were apart for so long.

Were they keeping Secrets? Of Course there were secrets, some were big and some not so big but a complete shocker none the less. I understand the reasoning behind one but not the other so there's that.

And then there's Hannah's family, for me their story line gave me whiplash, when you read the book you'll understand why.

I recommend this book for lovers of Cowboy/Western Romances, Second Chance Romances, and lovers of Lisa Renee Jones' books. This book is highly rated by other advanced readers and like I said I did enjoy it so I really hope you do grab a copy and give Hannah and Roarke's Christmas Love Story a chance.

Happy Reading!!!
Profile Image for Sissy's Romance Book Review .
8,992 reviews16 followers
October 28, 2019
Tangled Up In Christmas by Lisa Renee Jones is book Two in the Texas Heat Series. This is the story of Roarke and Hannah. I have read the previous book and we did meet Roarke is that book but I did feel you could make this a standalone book if you wish to do so. Hannah left Sweetwater Texas behind her along with her broken heart due to Roarke. But after her loss of a job she ends up returning home where she ends up seeing Roarke again. This time Hannah is working to protect her heart but each time they are together brings her walls down more.
Enjoyed this second chance romance.
Profile Image for Dali.
2,089 reviews592 followers
November 3, 2019
Lisa Renee Jones continues her Texas Heat series with a sexy second chance romance set in a small town in Texas revolving around gorgeous Horse Wrangler Roarke Frost and the girl who a few years ago stole his heart and ran away with it to California.

After building her career as a photographer in California, Hannah is back in Texas wanting to launch an event planning business and to avoid her ex-fiancée at all cost. But destiny has other plans for the two. Since she arrived she’s run into Roarke literally again and again and it seems as though her first big event will include working for the man himself. Can she control her raging attraction and get past the hurt from the past or will they end up hurting each other further?

When Hannah accused Roarke of cheating, he could have defended himself further. He could have gone after her. But there were extenuating circumstances she was unaware of that would have hurt her more than him actually cheating. He therefore let her go and let his heart be shattered. But now that she’s back, he realizes letting her go the first time was the biggest mistake of his life and is determined to win her back.

Lisa Renee Jones dives into the deep end from the start with Hannah and Roarke, long before there’s any meaningful conversation between them they’re hitting the hot and steamy sheets which made me feel like I started watching a movie at the middle and never quite caught up. Even though they have no problem saying that they still love each other, their relationship didn’t feel deep. Character wise, Roarke ran hot and cold which was a bit off putting while Hannah’s immaturity was justified when she was younger but isn’t acceptable years later.

Over all, I did enjoy this story with its small town charm and endearing secondary characters. The cowboy angle was super sexy!

Tangled Up In Christmas is book #2 of the Texas Heat series by Lisa Renee Jones. It is a standalone full length cowboy romance told by both points of view with a happy ending.

* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via NetGalley. The excerpts are from that copy. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. *

My super quick review/recap:
➵ Cover: 4
➵ Hero: 3.5
➵ Heroine: 3
➵ Sexiness: 4
➵ Feels: 3
➵ Plot: 3
➵ Overall rating: 3 stars
Profile Image for Sharrice.
1,215 reviews64 followers
November 1, 2019
Tangled Up In Christmas was okay.

Hannah and Roarke broke up years ago when she was sent a video insinuating that he cheated. Now years later after Hannah lost her dream job she's back home with a plan to start over and ends up running smack into Roarke. It's a lot of push and pull to get these two to see that they're perfect for each other.

This book was fine. In every sense of the word. It was fine. The pacing was good in some areas and not in others (dragging a lot unnecessarily). I felt like I was reading Hannah and Roake's love story over the span of a few years when it was only two weeks. It felt like it took me two weeks to read it during some of the scenes.

Hannah was an okay character. I didn't hate her or love her. She was just fine. Roarke for me was very similar. I don't think we got enough of his POV and I would have liked to escape from Hannah's very repetitive thoughts more than I got to.

Overall this is a fine story. It's not great. It's not terrible. It just is.
Profile Image for Rochelle.
1,642 reviews
January 15, 2020
Who doesn’t love a hot cowboy romance and a Christmas story wrapped up in one? This was a great second chance romance for Roarke and Hannah. The chemistry and the attraction between the couple was so good. The storyline was great and easy to follow. Their relationship ended thanks to a misunderstanding that was never cleared up and now that Hannah is back in town, Roarke is hoping to clear it up. He will do everything in his power to make her realize that she belongs in Sweetwater and with him. Will he succeed in convincing her to stay or is it too late for them both to get what they missed out on?

Profile Image for Danielle Hudak.
51 reviews1 follower
November 7, 2019
DNF. Usually love these kind of books but the pacing was off. I couldn’t fall in love with the characters. I got tired of reading Hannah’s repetitive thoughts. I started skimming then all together gave up when my eyes started to cross. I get that she isn’t over her past with Roarke but it seems that every chapter is her just dwelling on the heartbreak with little bits of conversation thrown in. Just didn’t work for me unfortunately.
Profile Image for EpicRomanceReviews.
768 reviews142 followers
November 4, 2019
❤~🌟~❤ 4 GLORIOUSLY HOPEFUL STARS! ❤~🌟~❤

Holiday revelry comes early in this gift-wrapped confection by Lisa Renee Jones! TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS is an utterly delightful, second chance story that dazzled me from page one!

THE PREMISE:
Hannah and Roarke were madly in love and engaged to be married six years prior until an unspeakable betrayal by the tall, dark, and devastatingly handsome horse wrangler had a heartbroken Hannah hightailing it out of town. Over the years, she pursued a photography career in the fashion industry in Los Angeles but she never quite got over the ruggedly sexy man whom she loved and lost. But then a Me Too scandal involving her boss got her blacklisted by association, putting he kibosh on her dream job and sending her back to Sweetwater with aspirations to start her own event planning business.

Hannah's homecoming is a long time coming. Only downside? She is forced back into her ex’s orbit again because Roarke is one of the facilitators of the Christmas festival she’s pulling together to launch her new enterprise. It’s clear from the instant they first bump into each other again that the sparks are still flying and they have lots of unfinished business to deal with. Before long, they find themselves back in each other’s arms—and sizzling between the sheets—but can they truly find their way back together again with all the bad history between them? Gotta read to find out but a Christmas miracle might be in store for this love-smitten duo!

MY MUSINGS:
The incomparable Lisa Renee Jones once again captured my heart with this heart-stirring Western-themed reunion romance! Readers of book one in the Texas Heat series will recognize Roarke as the best buddy of Jason from THE TRUTH ABOUT COWBOYS, and I must say I was over the moon excited to see this gruff, big-hearted horse wrangler get his own book!

While this novel is light on the melodrama and not ott angsty, it’s heavy on the swoony feels, fully engaged me from start to finish, and the chemistry between Roarke and Hannah is COMBUSTIBLE. These two have many fences to mend on the road to reconciliation but the ensuing journey is a pure adrenaline rush! I love how they are constantly thrown back into one another’s orbits, for professional reasons, but obviously their feelings are deeply personal. Through the course of the book as we watch Hannah once again fall under the spell of this honorable vet/horse wrangler, she also must come to terms with their past and begins to see Roarke in new, less judgmental eyes. And their shared love of animals just warms my heart! Speaking of which, I absolutely adore how Hannah sings to the horses who are under Roarke’s care! Can we get a collective awww?!

Meanwhile, Roarke aka “Saver of animals…Breaker of hearts” is determined to fight for his beloved “Han,” and right past wrongs, but he is harboring some secrets that could derail them once again. And when all is said and done, will his one truelove ever be able to trust him with her heart again? Both these characters have their own emotional trials and tribulations to overcome throughout the story, but no matter what, it’s undeniable how good they are together, how perfectly in sync they still are.

As with all of this author’s books, the story is evocatively written, the plot fast paced, and the witty banter between the characters is highly entertaining! I also found the close-knit small-town setting of Sweetwater to be the perfect backdrop for this second chance tale. The secondary cast is stellar, adding a rich sense of community and providing a plethora of support to our main characters.

The themes that LRJ explores throughout, involving Hope....Friendship... Home...Forgiveness...and Forever Love are beautifully interwoven into the story and there is an also a bit of a mystery revolving around the chain of events that tore Roarke and Hannah asunder all those years ago. While I got antsy over the prolonged separation between the H&h while he was out of town tending to sick horses at one point in the story, and felt those scenes could have been streamlined to accelerate the romance, I nevertheless was fully invested in this strong, stoic, sinfully sexy cowboy and the feisty filly he never stopped loving! Since this is a traditionally-pubbed romance, the sex scenes are not as plentiful and a bit less steamy than in LRJ’s indie releases, but their romantic interludes still left me breathless! Furthermore, there is wonderful push-pull and palpable sensual/emotional tension throughout, all leading up to a captivating HEA that’s guaranteed to fill your heart with gladness and put you in the holiday state of mind!

BOTTOM LINE:
TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS proves that you can indeed come home again! I truly cannot rave enough about this rollicking Lone Star romance which is chock full of swoony, feel-good moments, high octane chemistry and irresistible small town charm!

HIGHLY RECOMMEND!
Profile Image for Simply Love Book Reviews.
7,046 reviews870 followers
October 30, 2019
I am loving the Texas Heat series. Lisa Renee Jones has always been one of my favorite authors. She knows how to write drama, Romantic Suspense and now has me totally involved and in love with this mainstream series. She knows how to write a story that will melt your heart and bring a beautiful smile to your face.

I wasn’t really sure how this story was going to progress and what could be done to salvage the relationship between Hannah and Roarke. A second chance, that’s all Roarke wants. Hannah wants her feelings to go away … there is no way that she can trust him. But, she doesn’t know that he’s keeping something from her. Something that could tear her life apart and that of his best friend, Jason. But, he has to believe that his actions will speak louder than words and that she’ll finally accept his explanation and his love.

There is so much about this story that pulled at my heart-strings. Roarke and the secret he kept for years. Hannah and how she dealt with what she thought was a betrayal. The love that they both held onto even when they tried to move on. Their story and back-story were so heart-breakingly beautiful. And, as they came out the other side with their hearts fuller than they were before, you can’t help but feel happy.

I loved how Lisa Renee Jones truly brought Hannah and Roarke full circle. She surrounded them with family and friends who had nothing but love for both of them. They all worked together to do what had to be done. They were there for the good and the bad. To see how they resolved the issues in their lives and just how far Roarke would go to get Hannah to see that she could trust him and love him. Your heart can’t help but go out to Roarke. You understand why Hannah had trust issues. And, when Lisa Renee Jones decides to throw in a twist, you know that you are going to love it. And, boy did I love it.

Christmas miracles, Christmas festivals, families finally brought back together. You can’t help but love this beautiful Lisa Renee Jones second chance love story and look forward to the next.

Review copy provided for a voluntary review.
Profile Image for Carrie (The Butterfly Reader).
1,033 reviews95 followers
November 30, 2019
Hannah and Roarke were engaged once upon a time but then Hannah found out that Roarke cheated on her. She left for LA and didn't come back until her job was taken away. Now she's forced to work alongside the man she still loves that broke her heart. Can they work things out and get back together? What will Hannah do when she finds out that Roarke never actually cheated and he's covering up something far worse? Will they finally make it to happily ever after together?

I'm not one for second-hand romance because I like the newness of the whole romance. I want to see them come together the first time and watching them grow as a couple but when I saw this one I NetGalley I wanted to read it because I was looking for more Christmas romances that had a heat level to them. This is one I really like! Sure it all boils down to the couple not talking things over but I still enjoyed the characters enough that it was easy to overlook that little bit.

There's humor, heat, and cute moments that will touch your heart and leave you smiling. So if you're looking for a good holiday romance I say go for this one!

Even though I got this book for NetGalley for free, my thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Erin Lewis.
6,229 reviews219 followers
October 23, 2019
5 Star Review of Tangled Up In Christmas (Texas Heat #2) by Lisa Renee Jones
Lisa Renee Jones’ writing is so descriptive that I found myself transported to Sweetwater, Texas. Tangled Up In Christmas is a second chance at love story that will draw you in and have you invested from the first chapter.
There was something about Roarke Frost that drew me in almost as much as it did our heroine Hannah. Even though she knows he is not right for her, after all she believes he cheated on her when they were engaged, when Hannah returns to town she cannot help but get involved with him again.
The chemistry is just as intense as it always has been. This was a passionate, heartwarming and fun book, full of laughter, a little drama and was one of those books I didn’t want to put down. The writing was strong and the characters had a great deal of depth to them and made them easy to relate and like.
Can Roarke and Hannah finally get the happily ever after they deserve or will her family pull them apart again?
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley
Profile Image for bookjunkiejane.
991 reviews1 follower
September 4, 2022
Misunderstanding without the right proof is something I just hate... And then not clearing the air and letting it fester for too long?? Yeah, fuck that... And the damn heroine being ultra stubborn? Go fuck yourself, bitch...
Profile Image for Sandy S.
8,292 reviews207 followers
October 27, 2019
3.75 stars-

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 29, 2019

I might be a country girl from the same small town of Sweetwater, Texas, as horse wrangler Roarke Frost, the girl next door who knows him like few know him, but I didn't know enough to save my heart.

He's the reason why I left Sweetwater behind.

But now fate proves she loves a wicked twist and sends me back to Sweetwater to pull together a Christmas festival—and I run smack into the man again, quite literally. His body is pressed to mine, his hands on my arms, and I'm melting like chocolate in the sizzling Texas sunshine. And I run.

I know it’s not exactly respectable, but it works, just not for long. No matter how much I try to get tangled up in Christmas, I end up tangled up in Roarke instead—and the man has me feeling the heat of our attraction and the warmth of our past friendship. He feels like Mr. Right, but history says he’s Mr. Wrong.

But if he wants a second chance, Roarke Frost is going to have to work for it. He’ll need to prove to me that this holiday is a season of new beginnings, the kind that last forever


••••••••

REVIEW: 3.75 stars--TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS is the second instalment in Lisa Renee Jones’ contemporary, adult TEXAS HEAT erotic, romance series. This is veterinarian Roarke Frost, and photographer Hannah’s story line. TANGLE UP IN CHRISTMAS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. We were first introduce to Roarke in book one The Truth About Cowboys.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Hannah and Roarke) TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS follows the second chance romance and relationship between twenty eight year old photographer Hannah, and thirty four year old veterinarian Roarke Frost. Roarke and Hannah had been best friends all of their lives but seven years earlier betrayal broke Hannah’s heart sending our heroine to Los Angeles, California. Engaged to be married to the man that she loves, Hannah is destroyed when a video surfaces betraying everything she ever loved about Roarke and the small town of Sweetwater, Texas. Fast forward to present day wherein Hannah heads home to Texas in an effort to restart her career, a career destroyed by jealousy and revenge. To Hannah’s surprise and misery, she will come face to face with her past, a past she has never stopped loving but a past she is unable to forgive or forget. Enter veterinarian Roarke Frost. What ensues is the rebuilding relationship and romance between Roarke and Hannah, and the potential fall-out when the truth is revealed.

Hannah ran from Sweetwater, Texas in an effort to forget about the man that she loved. Destroyed by betrayal, Hannah struggled to move on with her life, always comparing every man to the one that she lost. Roarke Frost never got the chance to defend himself, and in this, our hero struggled to move on from the past. A successful veterinarian on the horse circuit, Roarke pushed himself in an effort to forget about the woman that ran away.

The relationship between Hannah and Roarke is one of second chances: a rebuilding friendship and romance between two people destroyed by someone else’s vindictiveness, jealousy, greed and anger. The town of Sweetwater, Texas believed that Hannah and Roarke were always meant to be but only a few people knew what happened to destroy their life-long love affair. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including Jason and Jessica (The Truth About Cowboys #1); Hannah’s business partner Linda Moore; Roarke’s grandmother Ruth; Jason’s grandmother Martha; Hannah’s parents; Mayor Luke Combs, as well as a number of veterinary interns.

TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS is a story of betrayal and vengeance; forgiveness and moving forward; second chances and love. The premise is sexy and inviting; the characters are flirty and sassy; the romance is spicy and seductive. The angst level is low; there is no suspense or threats from an outside source; the conflict resolution is tender and realistic. TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS is a delightful addition to the author’s TEXAS HEAT series.

There is also a surprise addition to the ARC-a copy of a previously released holiday novella SANTA BABY by Lisa Renee Jones

Copy supplied by Netgalley

www.thereadingcafe.com

Merged review:

3.75 stars-

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 29, 2019

I might be a country girl from the same small town of Sweetwater, Texas, as horse wrangler Roarke Frost, the girl next door who knows him like few know him, but I didn't know enough to save my heart.

He's the reason why I left Sweetwater behind.

But now fate proves she loves a wicked twist and sends me back to Sweetwater to pull together a Christmas festival—and I run smack into the man again, quite literally. His body is pressed to mine, his hands on my arms, and I'm melting like chocolate in the sizzling Texas sunshine. And I run.

I know it’s not exactly respectable, but it works, just not for long. No matter how much I try to get tangled up in Christmas, I end up tangled up in Roarke instead—and the man has me feeling the heat of our attraction and the warmth of our past friendship. He feels like Mr. Right, but history says he’s Mr. Wrong.

But if he wants a second chance, Roarke Frost is going to have to work for it. He’ll need to prove to me that this holiday is a season of new beginnings, the kind that last forever


••••••••

REVIEW: 3.75 stars--TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS is the second instalment in Lisa Renee Jones’ contemporary, adult TEXAS HEAT erotic, romance series. This is veterinarian Roarke Frost, and photographer Hannah’s story line. TANGLE UP IN CHRISTMAS can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary. We were first introduce to Roarke in book one The Truth About Cowboys.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Hannah and Roarke) TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS follows the second chance romance and relationship between twenty eight year old photographer Hannah, and thirty four year old veterinarian Roarke Frost. Roarke and Hannah had been best friends all of their lives but seven years earlier betrayal broke Hannah’s heart sending our heroine to Los Angeles, California. Engaged to be married to the man that she loves, Hannah is destroyed when a video surfaces betraying everything she ever loved about Roarke and the small town of Sweetwater, Texas. Fast forward to present day wherein Hannah heads home to Texas in an effort to restart her career, a career destroyed by jealousy and revenge. To Hannah’s surprise and misery, she will come face to face with her past, a past she has never stopped loving but a past she is unable to forgive or forget. Enter veterinarian Roarke Frost. What ensues is the rebuilding relationship and romance between Roarke and Hannah, and the potential fall-out when the truth is revealed.

Hannah ran from Sweetwater, Texas in an effort to forget about the man that she loved. Destroyed by betrayal, Hannah struggled to move on with her life, always comparing every man to the one that she lost. Roarke Frost never got the chance to defend himself, and in this, our hero struggled to move on from the past. A successful veterinarian on the horse circuit, Roarke pushed himself in an effort to forget about the woman that ran away.

The relationship between Hannah and Roarke is one of second chances: a rebuilding friendship and romance between two people destroyed by someone else’s vindictiveness, jealousy, greed and anger. The town of Sweetwater, Texas believed that Hannah and Roarke were always meant to be but only a few people knew what happened to destroy their life-long love affair. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful secondary and supporting characters including Jason and Jessica (The Truth About Cowboys #1); Hannah’s business partner Linda Moore; Roarke’s grandmother Ruth; Jason’s grandmother Martha; Hannah’s parents; Mayor Luke Combs, as well as a number of veterinary interns.

TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS is a story of betrayal and vengeance; forgiveness and moving forward; second chances and love. The premise is sexy and inviting; the characters are flirty and sassy; the romance is spicy and seductive. The angst level is low; there is no suspense or threats from an outside source; the conflict resolution is tender and realistic. TANGLED UP IN CHRISTMAS is a delightful addition to the author’s TEXAS HEAT series.

There is also a surprise addition to the ARC-a copy of a previously released holiday novella SANTA BABY by Lisa Renee Jones

Copy supplied by Netgalley

www.thereadingcafe.com
Profile Image for Dani.
260 reviews1 follower
December 27, 2021
Sorry, Lisa Renee Jones, this was horrible.

This is my second book I've read by this author, not exactly by choice. I bought a christmas paper back last year with two Christmas romances by Jones in it: Santa, Baby and Tangled up in Christmas. Santa, Baby was also a one star read and surprisingly, I think I liked it better than this one (which isn't saying much).

I think I'll start this review by quoting the first two sentences of the book : "I sit next to Joe from Houston on my flight to Dallas. Joe, a mid thirties guy who might be nice enough if he didn't use the gap between his teeth as a resource to spew inappropriate remarks in my direction."

first of all, WHAT?

I think Jones needs to use Grammarly because this statement is not even correct grammar. Also, let me know who talks like this or thinks like this cause I have questions.

This book is a second chance Romance between Hannah and ROARke. Did it make sense? Not in the slightest. The plot was half assed and centered around major miscommunication that existed for the reason of prolonging the story to 290 pages. She repeats herself for the first 2/3 of the book and the last 1/3 she tries to shove all this lovey dovey stuff in there that honestly had no pay out. The sex scenes were bland, the romance was stupid. AND IT WASN'T EVEN A CHRISTMAS BOOK. It takes place during the halloween months and the only mention to Christmas is a Christmas festival they are planning that doesn't even get SHOWED in the book. Like Jones really built this festival up only for her not to even show it as an event. Then why did we spend time on developing it?

Also, there are some problematic elements just thrown in there. Hannah mentions that her old boss was "wrongly" accused of sexually harassing people but that she didn't believe it because her boss was a great guy. That's it. The point is never further explored or brought up again. Like why would you do that and then not explain what you mean because I don't know it doesn't feel right that Jones is discrediting the Me Too Movement as a throw away line.

While I do think that this story should be thrown into a fire and never thought of again. I do think it would have been somewhat better as a dual timeline story, one when Hannah and Roarke are in love when they were young and the other is the current timeline where they are in the fallout of that. I think honestly second chance romances work best like that. I will admit though I'm not a big fan of that romance trope to begin with especially if it involves cheating (whether the cheating actually happened or not).


Thats it, that's the review and now I can get untangled from this f***ing book. Cheers.
Profile Image for Ruthie Taylor.
3,723 reviews40 followers
October 29, 2019
~~I received a free copy of this book to read and review for Wicked Reads ~~

This is the second book in the series, but can be read as a stand alone - I did! I may have to go back and read about Jason and Jessica, as they are important in this story, and we get some strong hints that how their relationship started is definitely worth knowing.

Hannah finds herself back in the town she grew up, and that she left after being sent an incriminating video of her fiancé, Roarke. She never found another to love, but has lived in denial ever since. Inevitably they meet on her return, and the chemistry is still there. He never found anyone who filled her space either - so in theory this should be easy!

As we find out what really happened, and how they both misstepped, it is just a matter of time and circumstance that should bring them back together. The timing in particular is key. What the author cleverly does, is ensure that we can see growth in attitude and confidence by Hannah. She is older, wiser, and prepared to listen and believe. It is refreshing and works well, rather than repeating the errors of the past.

I enjoyed seeing Roarke's career of caring for animals, and whilst being a big deal in his world, he liked nothing better than the home he has created in Sweetwater. The side characters were also great fun, and I enjoyed how Hannah was drawn into a family that she felt she had lost.

A very enjoyable Christmassy and romantic read, thank you Lisa Renee Jones!


Wicked Reads Review Team
Profile Image for Eva Millien.
3,115 reviews45 followers
October 26, 2019
She left Sweetwater, Texas and horse wrangler Roarke Frost behind when he broke her heart but now fate sends her back in a wicked twists and she runs smack into the man again. No matter how much she tries to get tangled up in Christmas, she ends up tangled in Roarke instead and he feel like Mr. Right, but history says he’s Mr. Wrong. So if Roarke wants a second chance he’ll have to prove that this holiday is a season of new beginnings, the kind that last forever.

This holiday romance is very emotional but heartwarming and full of Christmas spirit. The characters are strong, compelling and easily draw readers into their story which has a complicated and heartbreaking past. The hero and heroine still has oodles of sizzling chemistry but the relationship has some emotionally turbulent obstacles to overcome and some secrets that have to be revealed which keeps reader glued to the pages of this second chance romance.

The holiday makes reaching for that second chance even more heartwarming and special throughout the steady pace of putting together a Christmas festival and the entire story has lots of holiday spirited events peppered throughout that really warms the heart and makes readers feel happy and good. The author paints such vivid imagery that readers feel as if they are part of the story which makes it easy to become completely captivated by the hero and heroine of this holiday romance.
Profile Image for Avid Reader.
1,752 reviews
October 27, 2019
Tangled Up In Christmas (Texas Heat #2) by Lisa Renee Jones
4 stars
M/F Second Chance Romance
Triggers: Cheating
I was given this book for an honest review by Wicked Reads.

This is a story about allowing yourself to love again. After Hannah thought her world had broken apart, she left her hometown for a different life. She has been away for years and now finds herself back in town to help promote a Christmas festival.

Roarke is known as the horse whisperer. Now, a vet that caters to all kinds of animals, Roarke knows that he has to find a way to get Hannah to forgive him - to listen to him. He has never loved another woman as much as he has loved Hannah.

With secrets about to be discovered and a festival that needs to be put on, Hannah and Roarke start this dance around their past and future.

The secondary characters are well developed and I really enjoyed watching this story unfold. The couple is easy to relate to and the secrets are not super angsty. Both will have to decide if the past will rule their future or if they are willing to carve out their own path.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 258 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.