Love, Marriage & Mayhem

Tempered Steel #4

by Maggie Adams

With only a small clue to the whereabouts of the arsonist that torched his family's business, Lawrence “Lucky” Coalson heads to Las Vegas. While posing as a bouncer, Lucky finds himself ensnared by the lovely bartender, Claudia. But, like Lucky, she’s not what she appears to be and what happens in Vegas follows Lucky back home with unimaginable consequences.
Brandon Coalson is as hot as his older brothers, but he's the sensitive one that patches broken hearts and sends them on their way. Until Anna Meeks walks into the office and into his life. Her shy demeanor melts Brandon's heart, but she's got secrets that could get them killed. When a family friend is grievously injured, the men vow to put an end to the sabotage once and for all, but nothing goes according to plan, and the men must fight Mother Nature, a murderer, and the local law enforcement to get the answers they seek. http://goo.gl/lGPKcd

Genres: Suspense

100 pages, ebook

Published December 1, 2015

About the author

Maggie Adams is an Amazon Best Selling contemporary romance author. Her first book in the Tempered Steel Series, Whistlin’ Dixie, debuted in Amazon’s Top 100 for Women’s Fiction, humor, on November, 2014 and then again at #61 in 2016. Since then, she has consistently made the Amazon best seller 5-star list with Leather and Lace, Something’s Gotta Give, Love, Marriage & Mayhem, and Forged in Fire. She is also the recipient of the Dayreader Review’s Best New Series Award for 2015. Her series has launched the tiny town of Grafton, Illinois, into International recognition with sales in Mexico, Ireland, Scotland, Australia and the UK.

Maggie’s books can be found on eBook and paperback and Audible.

Reviews

[Dolores 💜 · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book for free to give my True and Honest Review

Maggie is doing it again where there's tension apprehension including finding their love we'll Brandon's love meets his Soulmate Ana who starts to help Claudia whilst is recovering from a hit and run but Ana has some personal dilemmas, she has twins at home but there's more to it than that. And this is where Brandon starts trying to woo her, which starts going slowly but pretty good that is when one thing after another starts going wrong and he thinks she's married when he sees a photo of 'her', a man and the twins as babies looking very happy and he becomes cold towards her until he touched her and she cries out in pain and starts to pass out. And that is another turning point in their relationship and then they STILL have to go through some testing times, before if they can be truly Soulmates.
On the other hand I'm only going to say a very little bit about Claudia and Lucky did they marry in haste especially as she just doesn't seem to wasn't tí be there except for being able to take over doing the Construction's accounts. Is Lucky going to be able to convince her that being back home is good for them as she's going off to the casinos even IF she's trying to be discreet, not realising what small towns are like with EVERYONE knowing each other's business, what will happen to them, though Mac and Dixie's baby arrives and I'll leave what they've had for you to find out when you read this great on your tender hooks again but I think this is so much more so.
Totally recommend you to read LOVE, MARRIAGE AND MAYHEM.

[DJ Sakata · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Rating:

4.5

Favorite Quotes:

For some reason, the two of you keep missing what is perfectly clear to the rest of us. You belong with each other. That's why whenever you're in a room together, the rest of us stand back. We're waiting for the two of you to simultaneously combust from sexual frustration.

That dress is too damn low in front. She's practically falling out of it. I think she's got it on backwards...

My Review:

The underlying storyline gains in density and heft with more intrigue and additional complications - all the while a timid and sweet new employee catches the eye and heart of one brother when at the same time - another brother's marriage is unraveling. The attacks on the business have stopped, yet something worse has been exposed with duplicity from within that threatens their family's solvency. Drama, suspense, deception, humor, the rather frustrating indecision and circling of a tentative new romance, and a ton of angst define this entertaining installment. I have been bitten by the Coalson bug and am riddled with curiosity to solve this vexing mystery that has kept me engaged through four different books.

[Winter Sophia Rose]

Fun, Sweet & Flaming Hot! A Great Read! I Loved It!

[Deb · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow! Maggie Adams has truly outdone herself on Book 4 of the Tempered Steel series- now my favorite story so far, and that says quite a lot, since all her other books are 5 star must reads, IMHO :D Even the word Mayhem in the title gives you a hint how good it will be! Not sure how she does it but this talented author has turned up the heat and added more surprises in this latest thrilling, romantic suspense page-turner. I'm thrilled that the loving Coalson family appears to provide love & support or lend a hand. Oh, and then there's Mama Ginny's offerings of "somethin' lovin' from the oven" that's described to make your mouth water ;) Wonderful real-to-life characters that you will either love or hate, but you can always count on being highly entertained with witty dialogue. Plus, there's never a dull moment and always a fresh new story-line with twists and turns that will keep the reader engaged. Oh, I can't forget to mention that you can always expect some smoking hot love scenes to add spice to the story and keep you warm this winter! ... Yes, I was fortunate to receive an advanced readers copy in return for an honest review, but I sincerely loved this and all of Maggie Adams' books I've read. So run, don't walk to get any or all of these books, or at least add them to your TBR list now, coz I know you will become hooked, too!

[Books Laid Bare · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ok, so I have read the book twice now- I formed an original opinion that I have to say I have now revised.
This is book 4 in the series and reading them in sequence is important due to the continuation and crossover of storylines.
The book has a lot going on and a plethora of characters that you have to keep a close eye on, they are strong and hold nothing back.
I liked Ana and was glad that Claudia had her around while she recovered but her story was far from simple and adding Brandon into that mix was good to start with but when he gets the wrong idea about her situation things between them start to head south pretty sharpish but has he got it all wrong?
There is plenty more to discover between the pages of this book and between the couples that this author has created, Claudia and Lucky and Mac and Dixie they are all prominent in the story but what is more important is the implication.
This author is a master at implication and insinuation. She gives just enough detail for the reader to draw their own conclusions and I think that is a clever tool to have in your locker.
Small town mentality is a demon and the knowledge that the cast involved in each storyline is not limited to just the primary characters was a major draw for me, because it meant that anything was possible.

[Tonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the fourth book in the Tempered Steel series. They must be read in order. Each book is centered around a different Coalson brother finding his love, but there is a continuing story line throughout all the books. Someone is trying to destroy their family.

This is Brandon’s story. With a little of Lucky thrown in and all the other family members as well.

I did really like Brandon and Anna. They are both great. Anna is super shy, but she would do anything for the twins.

At the end of the last book, I didn’t like Claudia. I absolutely hate her now. She’s such a cold hearted bitch! Poor Lucky.

Things are starting to piece together on who is behind everything, but the why is still out of reach.


Review from Abibliophobia Anonymous Book Reviews

[AJ's Book ReMarks · Rating 5 out of 5]

The title says it all. This story encompasses both Lucky and Brandon Steel. While one finds love and marriage the other has to deal with family betrayal! Lucky takes Claudia home to met his family and right at the start she causes mayhem wherever she goes. I fell in love with this story, the writing is freakin' phenomenal, it's sensuous and yet sharp-witted. Maggie is an audacious cheeky writer. Can't wait for the rest of this series, write woman, write!

[Rudee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Holy crap talk about a way to end a book, go from having hot sex scenes to let end the book with that.. I absolute love this series of book, so fun and easy/quick reads.

[Cheryl Drake johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is Brandon Coalson's and Anna's story but there is a lot going on but we start right here with their little brother Lucky Coalson coming home from Vegas with a brand new bride that seems to think that she is to good for their little town and does her own thing until Lucky decides she needs to help out in the office but she doesn't like it and seems to disappear every evening. Even though she is to second to Dottie the head bookkeeper, Claudia has a whole lot of other things on her mind like her own business and she wants more responsibilities or she pretends to. But a mysterious mishap happens the night of the wedding of two of the other brothers and things change for Claudia. Brandon is single not really looking for his true love but the first time he sees her in his brothers place of business he knows without knowing her name that she is the one that will be his and he doesn't pursue her at that time. And the next time he sees her is at the family construction office and she has just been hired and her name is Anna. From then on he could not seem to keep his eyes off her and then one day he goes and talks to her he starts to pursue her and they realize they like each other a lot and he doesn't really realize that she is so skittish because of her personal life but she cannot tell anyone about it. But Brandon tries to break down her walls while their is someone trying to destroy their lively hood. Great story line and the characters are intriguing. Romantic suspense with action and fun. I was given a copy as a gift from author without obligation. I am providing an honest review.

[Margaret Watkins · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love, Marriage and Mayhem is the first book I have read in this series, and I found it disjointed. I kept feeling as if I was walking into the middle of a conversation and having to play catch up. Brandon and Anna's romance in the middle of the chaos was sweet, although somewhat confusing. They were attracted to each other but for some reason were unable to accept the passion brewing between them. Other factors were at play and ultimately whilst Brandon and Anna eventually did come into accord, the story was open ended and was obviously far from over. There were a number very obvious typos and the story line unfortunately didn't run smoothly. Possibly, if I had read the preceding books I might have enjoyed this story more, but I was unfortunately disappointed. I received this book for free from eBook Discovery. I voluntarily post this review. This is my honest review.

[ShariB · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first 27% of the story is more about Brandon and his family with a blip of Anna. Once the story gets past background development it delves into Brandon and Anna's love story. The author does a good job of keeping all the characters involved throughout the story. There's other plotlines taking place but they are not so prominent that the reader would feel cheated if the questions weren't answered, maybe just enough to intrigue you to the point of wanting to read the next book. This is a stand alone love story with a HEA; the only kind I like to read. I received an ARC copy through Ebook discovery for my honest review.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Action and betrayal of the worse kind is what brings out the truth about a lot of things and sees the fall of another brother in the clan. The closer they get to finding out what's going on the deeper the trouble gets. Just when they think things have turned the corner it actually gets worse. Not as much replay as the other books have had but the story does end by flowing into the next book. These are good reads with tons of love and family support. One by one the brothers are falling hard not only for the women who love them but for the mess they are getting hit with.

[Tifinie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This series gets better and better. With Lucky and Claudia's storyline I found myself loving characters and hating characters. The saying what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas is not necessarily true. This book had me inching more to the edge of my seat. Can't wait to read the next book in this series.

[Piper Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely love this story! Maggie hits it out of the park again! She creates two loving and caring characters who fall for each other, but the obstacles thrown in their path by others has you entranced to find out what will happen and if they can get their happily ever after! The Coalson Brothers Series is absolutely amazing!

[Toi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Blooms

Can Brandon and Anna make a go of it - I loved watching their love develop and am scratching my head trying to figure out who had it out for this family.

[Mary Doss · Rating 4 out of 5]

4th in series - earlier better - later stronger. Well worth reading. Each book part of evolving mystery and a stand-alone romance.

[Jennifer Pierson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lawrence "Lucky" Coalson heads to Las Vegas to follow up on a small clue to the arsonist, who burned the family business office to the ground. While posing as a bouncer, he finds himself with a strong attraction to the sexy bartender, Claudia, but she's hiding secrets herself, and when he brings her home, it sets serious consequences in motion. Brandon Coalson is every bit as hot as his brothers, but he's more sensitive, so before he sends women on their way, he patches their broken hearts first. The day he meets the super shy, Anna Meeks, her demeanor sends cupid's arrow straight into his heart. But she harbors dangerous secrets. When a close family friend is almost killed, the men vow to do whatever it takes to put an end to the dangerous game once and for all. As they fight Mother Nature, a slick murderer, and the local police department, will they ever figure out who has a vendetta against them?

The carousal never stops turning in this series. It feels like I keep going out on dates with these books, and each new date is more exciting than the last, if possible. This book really focused on two brothers. It's breaking my heart to see Lucky going through his painful journey, and Anna had all of my dramatic girly girl emotions exploding out of me. The character developments keeps going strong, and as I keep saying, the whole family is a fantastic cast of secondaries. The angst level is higher, the suspense factor has been raised, and I haven't said much about the well placed humor that keeps me laughing until I snort. Brandon's sweet self doesn't deter in any way the simmering chemistry he and Anna have, which finally boils over into panty meltin' sexy scene goodness. Maggie Adams keeps raising the bar with her diabolical twists and turns that never stop swirling. I'm so far gone in my Coalson addiction that I may or may not need a support group when the series is over! So I will keep HIGHLY RECOMMENDING THIS SERIES!

[Kristin Heller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book, watching the family bond always gets me in these books. No matter what they stick together. I know this book was more about Brandon, and he seems like the best one of the group, macho and sincere at the same time. I do have to say I loved learning more about Lucky and his wife and life. Seeing how the brothers were still there for each other even though they disliked Lucky's wife is a rare family bond, and they all stuck together. Especially when Brandon needed their help with Anna's problems, and that struck me straight in the heart. I wish there were more brothers so I can read more about them, maybe more stories about how everyone is doing and children on the way for those that do not have any. The family bond is amazing, and learning all about Brandon and how he thinks and feels was great, he is the peacekeeper, but do not mess with those he cares about because that is when the Dr. Jekyll/ Mr. Hyde personality arises, when he went after Anna's tormentor it was like a different person was there instead. I know their marriage was unconventional, but this series has showed me that you need to show your true feelings, because the other person may feel the same way but are just as scared to say something and then there are unnecessary feelings being hurt and fights that could have been avoided. Amazing book.


I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review through WTMO Reviews.

[Kristy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a copy of 'Love, Marriage & Mayhem' in exchange for my honest review.

Having finished reading 'Getting Lucky' last week, I couldn't wait to read what mayhem Lucky brought with him after his adventures in Vegas. I can honestly say I was not dissapointed in the least. Once I started reading 'Love, Marriage & Mayhem' I couldn't put it down & soon found myself awake till 3am finishing this book. Please read the "Tempered Steel" series in chronological order, including the Lucky's novella before picking up book 4, as they all follow one anothers timelines.

I love how we get to not only find out how Lucky & his new wife are going & how Claudia interracts once she meets the rest of the Coalson's(not going to ruin anything for you there), but we also get to learn about Brandon Coalson. Brandon is the brother who waters down the fires after fights, the one comforting the girls once his brothers are done (well not the married ones anyway). Brandon's waiting for that special someone & a chance sighting has him searching for her. The background investigation is still happening & things seem to be getting better, but I'll stop there. I can't wait to find out how the Coalson's pull through after how this book finished.

[Page Turners · Rating 5 out of 5]

Because I had not read the first few books in the series I was a little lost at the beginning with the family dynamics but this story really took off for me when Anna arrives on the scene. Her sweet and shy demeanor captured my attention and I could not wait to see the romance unfold between her and Brandon. Anna was dealing with the abuse of her brother-in-law while trying to find a solution for her and her two children. Brandon knew Anna was someone special and worked hard to prove his intentions were real. This was a sweet romance with several twists and misunderstandings that kept you turning the page. The drama that was going on with the family and the other brothers added to the suspense and helped make this one unforgettable story. I do advise reading this series from the beginning to have a better understanding of the underlying story with the family. Overall I liked this book very much and encourage others to read it also.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series is great, heart warming, sweet, tender, laugh out loud funny and very well written. The characters are so fun to read and easy to relate with.
This book is full of intrigue, heat, adventure, a surprise or two and loads of fun witty, sassy dialogue. It's fast-paced, well written with a story that is just a thrill to read.

Tempered Steel Reading order
1. Whistlin' Dixie
2. Leather and Lace
3. Something's Gotta Give
3.5 Getting Lucky
4. Love, Marriage & Mayhem

I recommend this series.

****Gifted ARC copy****
L.

[Sassy Bama Girl · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! Ms. Adams knows how to pack a punch! That's exactly what she did with this book. She gives us a little more of the Coalson Brothers saga. Brandon stole my heart! This is a must read!!

[Roberta Eggers Studer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another Maggie Adams hit! I read it from cover to cover in one sitting. Maggie does an exceptional job of letting you get to know the characters in each of her books. The Coalson brothers are so hot!!! I can't wait for the next book. I'm hooked.

[kelly mitchell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good story

This chapter of the ongoing story of the town had some greater highs but also much lower lows. Lucky is not lucky.

[Myra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Awesome book!!!!!

Love love love, this series. Great story line and awesome love scenes. Maggie Adams is a really great author. Can't wait to read the next book.

[Rosemary Hughes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have submitted this review after listening to the audiobook of this title.

Two more brothers find their partners, although the road of romance is never straight or pothole free.