Hooked

River's Sigh B&B #2

by Ev Bishop

Knocked around by life—and then knocked up by a man she won’t speak of—Sam Kendall gives her baby for adoption.

Envisioning herself a lone cowboy, she avoids any relationships that might risk her heart or cause pain. There’s wonderful fun to be had if you don’t fall prey to the ludicrous notion of true love!

Lately, however, Sam is niggled by doubts. She’s not as content as she was. Plus her daughter Aisha has tracked her down—seventeen-years-old and pregnant. Despite misgivings, Sam checks into River’s Sigh Bed-and-Breakfast to meet her.

Then widower Charles Bailey, Aisha’s adoptive father, shows up, and Sam can’t control her outrage. What was her sacrifice for? She could’ve raised the kid to follow her stupid footsteps all on her own. And topping it off? Charlie’s a neurotic, stodgy jerk—even if he is ridiculously hot.

The longer Sam stays at River’s Sigh, exploring the wild outdoors—and her own inner desires—the more her terror grows. Maybe Charlie isn’t so terrible after all. Maybe his approach to life is actually refreshing. Maybe all this family stuff is something she could get hooked on.

Yet they’re opposites in every way, and worse: he’s her biological child’s adoptive dad. A romance between them would be too weird, wouldn’t it? Every part of Sam screams play it safe, run.

But what if, in spurning Charlie and Aisha, she’s turning her back on everything she never knew she wanted?

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**This is an alternate cover version of ISBN# 978-0-9937617-8-2**
 

Genres: Romance, Contemporary

300 pages, Unknown Binding

First published June 13, 2015

About the author

Ev Bishop is an award-winning, USA Today bestselling author, who believes in the power of fiction to transform lives, knowing we both lose ourselves—and find ourselves!—in good stories.

Best known for her small-town contemporary romance series, River’s Sigh B & B, readers describe her books as “full of humor, love and wisdom,” set in places “where breathtaking scenery and the magic of love are the best medicine for the soul.”

In addition to writing novels—her favorite length of story because she always has so much she wants to fit in!—Ev was a columnist with the Terrace Standard for almost twenty years and is a prolific scribbler of . . . other things. Her articles, essays, short stories, and poems appear in a variety of publications, and she also writes under the pen name Toni Sheridan.

When Ev’s nose isn’t in a book or her fingers aren’t on her keyboard, you’ll find her with her family and dogs or playing outside, usually at the lake or in the middle of a forest somewhere.

She loves any and all garden-related talk and work, cooking (and eating!), and making all sorts of random things—especially out of upcycled or reclaimed items.

For more information, visit Ev’s website at https://evbishop.com. You can also connect with Ev on Twitter @Ev_Bishop, or follow her on Facebook, https://www.facebook.com/AuthorEvBishop, but the best way to keep in the loop re: current works, upcoming books and events, and other fun tidbits is to subscribe to her newsletter at: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webfor...

She looks forward to hearing from you!

Fall in love with books by Ev Bishop today:

RIVER’S SIGH B & B SERIES
Wedding Bands
Hooked
Spoons
Hook, Line & Sinker
Silver Bells
Reeling
One to Keep
The Catch

SOUL SISTERS AT CEDAR MOUNTAIN LODGE
Christmas Sisters – perma-FREE prologue book
Christmas Kisses by Judith Keim
Christmas Wishes by Tammy L. Grace
Christmas Hope by Violet Howe
Christmas Dreams by Ev Bishop
Christmas Rings by Tess Thompson

STANDALONES
Bigger Things
A Sharla Brown Christmas

WRITING AS TONI SHERIDAN
The Present
Drummer Boy

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don't miss Week 3 of Ev Bishop's Giveaway Series! Enter to win 1 of 3 ecopies of HOOKED

Click on Banner to Enter - Intl where allowed

Ev Bishop is back with the second of her River's Sigh B&B Giveaways!

Click on Banner to enter to WIN one of three eCopies - Intl where allowed!

Sam finds that no matter how fast she runs or how many walls she builds against the outside world, she cannot run away from her past. In fact her past may be the very foundation for her future. Learning from the school of hard knocks, Sam lost her innocence and her childhood to a deceitful older man. Alone and pregnant, her only option was to give up her baby and all entanglements. Now, seventeen years later, her past has found her as her seventeen year old, daughter, now pregnant with her own child finds her and wants to meet her egg donor.

Meanwhile Aisha’s widowed, adoptive father has his own struggles, as an author, he has deadlines, but since the death of his wife, his well of creativity has dried up. Now he must face a woman who he fears will want to steal the only family he has left. A very regimented person, Charles is not about to give up without a fight, and his opponent raises every hackle he has. To him, Sam is abrasive, sarcastic and a little too forceful for his taste while Sam sees him as a straight-laced stick-in-the-mud who wouldn’t know a good time if it bit him.

Enter Fate, Luck of the Draw, and even Cupid as these two are forced to deal with each other only to find that just maybe it might not be so bad. Of course, there are problems, and Aisha may be the biggest roadblock they find. Have you ever tried to deal with a teen and their hormones? Follow along with Ev Bishop as she shares another magical tale of love with Hooked, another fabulous addition to her River’s Sigh B&B series.

Ms. Bishop once again, pours on the humor, heart and tension that every romance should have! If anyone can create a sweet “opposites attract” tale that is believable and engaging to the very end, Ev Bishop can. Even better, they didn’t kill each other first!

I received this review copy from author Ev Bishop in exchange for my honest review.

Series: River's Sigh B & B - Book 2
Publisher: Winding Path Books
Publication Date: June 13, 2015
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Print Length: 302 pages
Available from: Amazon.com ~ Amazon.ca ~ Amazon.co.uk ~ Amazon.com.au ~ KOBO ~ Barnes & Noble (NOOK) ~ Apple/iBooks ~ Inktera
For Reviews & More: http://tometender.blogspot.com

[ButtonsMom2003 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another wonderful trip to River’s Sigh B&B.

This is book 2 in the River’s Sigh B&B series but it can be read as a stand-alone; there is no cliffhanger and there is an HEA. For maximum enjoyment, though, you might want to read Wedding Bands first as it will give you some background on the secondary characters in this story. I loved Wedding Bands and couldn’t wait to read this story but I had to wait because writers just can’t write as fast as I can read. LOL I wasn’t disappointed and this story was worth the wait.

As the book opens, Samantha (Sam) is struggling to come to terms with meeting the daughter given up for adoption 17 years ago so that she could have a better life than Sam was in a position to provide. Now Aisha is in the same boat that Sam was, pregnant with the baby’s father nowhere around. And Aisha has questions that she wants Sam to answer.

Charles (Charlie) is Aisha’s adoptive father; his wife, Maureen (Mo), died a few years ago. He’s a writer who has lost his muse and hasn’t written anything new since his wife died. He’s been given one final extension on his publishing contract; he must finish a new book within 6 months.

More of Sam and Charlie’s backstory unfolds throughout the book. Their first meeting isn’t really a good one. This is definitely not a case of love at first sight. Both Sam and Charlie have demons that haunt them. Charlie is afraid that Sam is trying to take his only remaining family from him. Sam just doesn’t want to get involved with anyone; the daughter she gave birth to or a man.

Ev Bishop weaves a moving and complex story. Her writing is wonderfully descriptive; you can see and feel what the characters see and feel. The path to Sam and Charlie’s HEA is a rocky one and the relationship that both of them have with Aisha encounters rough water.

Once again, Ev has written a book that contains a minimal amount of strong language. In real life there is cursing; a book completely free of it would be a bit unrealistic to me. She also manages to tell a wonderful love story without any graphic love scenes. I don’t mention these things because I object to them in books, but because I know some readers do. I love alpha males, billionaire stories, military heroes and erotic romance. Still, it’s a nice change to read a book that doesn’t need any of that to tell a great story. Ev’s characters seem like REAL people to me and I loved getting lost in in her writing.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I’ll try to wait patiently for the next River’s Sigh story.

[Margaret Forsyth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hooked, book 2 in the River’s Sigh Series has surpassed book 1, (Wedding Bands), in plot, pacing and characters. A classic romance to delight all fans of the genre, this book goes deeper in exploring the human condition. Ev Bishop does a fabulous job of raising the emotional stakes and the sexual tension without the explicit (and often clumsy) sex scenes so often found in romance today. Samanatha, pregnant at 17, gave up her daughter in hopes of giving her a better life. Aisha, now also pregnant at 17 has lost her adoptive mother and wants to reconnect with her birth mother. Aisha’s adoptive father, Charles, feels Sam is trying to steal his daughter and when they meet accidently at River’s Sigh B&B, sparks fly. Adding fuel to an already explosive situation is Aisha’s vehement opposition to any relationship between Sam and Charles and the undeniable chemistry between the two.This book will have you Hooked from the very beginning. This is definitely a must read.

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Having read the first book in Ev Bishop’s River’s Sigh series, it was with great anticipation and high expectations that I picked up the second, despite the fact that I knew that high expectations often lead to disappointment. I just couldn’t help myself. However, what I found in “Hooked” was anything but disappointment!

“Hooked” is a superb story, possibly even better than the first in the series – though I hate to say that because “Wedding Bands” was pretty awesome.

Sam is a sassy, tough heroine. Charlie is a seriously hot and nice man. All the odds seemed stacked against them getting together, and yet, love will prevail! Even knowing that Sam and Charlie would probably get their HEA, I was swept up in the power of their story, swirled around in the current, even tossed and tumbled a few times underwater – and I loved every minute of it!

I seriously can’t wait for the third book in this unique and thoroughly enjoyable series to come out!

[Cindy Caron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I was duly impressed with her style and content. In this book, Ms Bishop has captured the insecurities some women have when they find themselves pregnant and alone, and how this can affect their lives, both at that time and in the future. The important lesson she has gifted us with is that there should always be hope that we will find someone worth loving and to have love for us somewhere along the way.
The characters she has portrayed are strong and down to earth, and most of all, real.
This is a wonderful love story about a woman who, to all around her, is cold and a loner, yet underneath all of that, is simply a young girl that has been hurt in many ways and doing her best to cope with all of her pain in the only way she knows how. Sam slowly allows her heart to feel everything she has yearned for but was always too afraid to let it happen. Charlie, after loosing his wife more than three years ago, still mourns his loss, but also wishes to leave the feeling of loneliness behind and open his heart to another, collides with Sam in more ways than one. Together, they discover many things about themselves that they dismissed in order to protect their hearts, only to find that if they open up and let their hearts feel, maybe there might be a future full of all of their desires after all.
I loved this book. If you are looking for a heartfelt love story, this is definitely one you should read. You won't be disappointed! I know I wasn't.

Merged review:

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
This is the first book I have read by this author, and I was duly impressed with her style and content. In this book, Ms Bishop has captured the insecurities some women have when they find themselves pregnant and alone, and how this can affect their lives, both at that time and in the future. The important lesson she has gifted us with is that there should always be hope that we will find someone worth loving and to have love for us somewhere along the way.
The characters she has portrayed are strong and down to earth, and most of all, real.
This is a wonderful love story about a woman who, to all around her, is cold and a loner, yet underneath all of that, is simply a young girl that has been hurt in many ways and doing her best to cope with all of her pain in the only way she knows how. Sam slowly allows her heart to feel everything she has yearned for but was always too afraid to let it happen. Charlie, after loosing his wife more than three years ago, still mourns his loss, but also wishes to leave the feeling of loneliness behind and open his heart to another, collides with Sam in more ways than one. Together, they discover many things about themselves that they dismissed in order to protect their hearts, only to find that if they open up and let their hearts feel, maybe there might be a future full of all of their desires after all.
I loved this book. If you are looking for a heartfelt love story, this is definitely one you should read. You won't be disappointed! I know I wasn't.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In this second book of the River's Sigh B & B series, we get to find out what has made Sam the superficial sister, or is she? Is she really as shallow as she appears to be, or is there more to her than meets the eye? The past has come back and she needs to face the consequences of the choices she has made. This is a complete story without a cliffhanger, but I am still anxiously awaiting the next book in the series. You will fall in love with the setting and want to visit again and again. I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Lynda Dickey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ev Bishop gave me a copy of this book to review. I love the complete and complex characters she creates and how they interact. While Hooked follows Wedding Bands and expands on the characters introduced in book 1 of the series I believe Hooked also can be read on its own. While some deep issues are explored by the main characters, the story is not heavy. The action and character development kept me on the edge of my seat waiting to find out what would happen next. I am looking forward to the next installment of this series.

[Marie · Rating 4 out of 5]

A sweet story

A bit predictable, but still adorable, this story was a nice, cozy read for a lazy day. Now I just have to read the next in the series!

[Michelle · Rating 1 out of 5]

There was absolutely nothing that redeemed Samantha in this book. Sam was proved out to be a self-centered, cold b#@ch. She's a horrible person and nothing in her background that was that horrible to have created the cold, worthless woman that she turned into. There was nothing in this story that would cause a change in her personality so I don't buy that she changed in any way. I never bought into the Sam/Charlie romance since they were nothing alike and had little-to-nothing in common; just because 2 people are in the same place doesn't make them ideal for a relationship with each other. She was in town to visit her bio daughter but spent almost no time with her and gave her very little information. Aisha was closer to Jo; which was why it was also a major stretch to believe that Aisha would have asked for Sam instead of Jo when she was in labor. And the final bit of stupidity the author wants us to buy into was Sam telling her sister that she now wants to invest in the B&B. Seriously!?!?! This is the witch who hired an attorney to force Jo to sell their uncle's property that Jo wanted to turn into a B&B all because Samantha is a cold hearted gold digger & is all about money. No one should put up with Sam - especially not her sister, brother in law, bio daughter, and certainly not Charlie. This character is vile and beyond redemption so impossible to have her as the main character & expect readers to pull for her. I just wanted her gone for good.

[Julie Allwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hooked is brilliant fantastic fabulous book to read and I couldn’t put the book down

The book is magnificent fabulous brilliant fantastic book to read.
I would recommend this book to anyone who loves reading this book.
I look forward to reading the third and four book.
A brilliant Author writing fabulous fantastic brilliant books.

[Carrie Clem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good read. I love this story line!! I had to order the next book so I can finish the series!!

[Holly · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well paced. Good characters. Held my interest. I’d like to see those cabins.

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyable but a little slow. Both characters seemed to have trouble committing.

[Margie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another great story by EV Bishop. This was Samantha’s story and it was awesome. It had me gasping out loud. I loved it!

[Dana Kerby · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really good story. I enjoyed it thoroughly. Great characters, and plot.

[Sarah Tummey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Its prequel was slow-moving in parts, but I couldn't put this one down. The characters were very easy to relate to.

[pat hill · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book

I chose this rating because I really enjoyed the book.
I loved the way the story continued from book 1.
It is great reading

[BlueBug · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this story. It was filled with conflict and misunderstandings, anger and a search for something the characters didn't know they wanted.

Samantha has not been a nice person or very supportive of her sister Jo. She avoids relationships because she doesn't want to be hurt. And the last thing she wants is to live a small town life. But when Aisha shows up looking for her biological mother, Sam, she has to decide what she has to give to this daughter she gave up for adoption. As if that isn't enough, Aisha is pregnant and is staying at the River's Side B & B on the off chance her mother might show up and at the invitation of Sam's sister, Jo. Sam doesn't want to be involved in her daughter's life, and when Charles, Aisha's adoptive father, enters the picture, sparks fly in more ways than one. Each thinks the other is a threat to their relationship with Aisha, and the harder they push against each other, the more they find an attraction brewing.

This was actually the first of the River's Sigh B & B stories I read, but I truly don't think it matters if they're read out of order. The love story in contrast with the quarreling and the need to face maturity were heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. It drew me in and made me wish I could be a part of it. I loved it and went on to buy the first book.

[Donna Feibusch · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Awesome Read!

I loved reading Hooked (River's Sigh Bed and Breakfast Book 2), all about Samantha Kendal the older sister to Jo Kendal who swears small time life is not for her, yet she keeps coming back to Greenridge, because that's where her only family is. And Charlie Bailey an author of romance novels and his adoptive daughter Aisha, who happens to be the biological daughter of Sam who gave her up for adoption to Charlie & his wife Maureen seventeen plus years ago. You see Aisha has been on the hunt looking for her birth mom, and she thought it was Jo & Callum since their names were in the birth certificate, but it's Sam. So Aisha has come to town looking for answer's and is staying at the B & B working, paying her way waiting for the birth of her first child, plus she's waiting for Sam to show up so they can talk! The author wrote a very interesting story, that will keep your attention from page one till the very last page! I was not able to put it down, hopefully you won't either! Read about Sam & Charlie, getting to know each other, & Aisha and see how the three come to terms with the other and face life's many challenges along the way! I can't wait to start reading Book 3!

[Jen Brubacher · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think I've overdosed on books about single mothers, so this one was a huge surprise. The surprise: I really liked our heroine, Sam. This is the woman who gave her baby up for adoption and years later fled town rather than talk to her daughter when she finally got in touch (see River's Sigh B&B Book 1, Wedding Bands, for that.)

Sam's a city girl, but there's no 'Sex in the City' shallowness here. This is a character like a real person, and that's what gave the story the depth and importance that made me love it. Then there's Charlie, Sam's daughter's step-father. Another real human being, yet utterly adorable. These two are wonderful for each other and watching them figure that out is a joy.

If you're looking for a fluff, look elsewhere. This is romance for people who want real life *and* the happy ending.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm delighted to be reviewing yet a another compelling read by Ev Bishop. Hooked, the second book in the River's Sigh B&B series, gives us a realistic look at the struggles that many people face in coming to terms with the circumstances of their past and how they navigate their future as a result. Ms. Bishop has a unique, easy going writing style, that invites you to settle in and enjoy from the outset. Her characters are refreshing, and as a reader, you will experience some of the frustrations they have with each other. Sam, the main character, will have you wondering what the real reasons are for keeping all of her relationships at arms length, while Charlie is believable as a worried, protective father. I think you'll enjoy this romance. You might even get "hooked" on the series. I'm looking forward to the third book in the series, later this year.

[Madm007 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the 1st book I've read by Ev Bishop and didn't know exactly what to expect. I loved it!!! This is the story of Sam and Charlie (yes female/male) and how they meet in person after 17 years. They thought they didn't like each other and def didn't trust the other. I was totally "hooked" and needed to know how this would play out. I loved both of them and thought Sam was a courageous young lady all those years ago. Charlie was just as good struggling with what life had given him, and the depth of emotions I felt throughout the book never stopped. Surprisingly, this is a clean book with a meaningful story. I always love a book that I don't want to put down until the end, that to me is a successful author. I will go now and read the 1st book in this series, and then wait impatiently for the 3rd book. Thumbs up on this.

[Diane · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in a great new series!

I am a huge fan of Ev Bishop's new, sweet series revolving around two sisters caught between a complicated past and a tenuous future together. Sam has come back to the town she couldn't wait to leave because the daughter she gave up for adoption has come searching for answers about her birth. Unfortunately, Sam wants nothing more than to say hello and leave again when confronted by her pregnant biological daughter and the girl's recently widowed father. Relationships can be very messy, especially when all the parties involved are feeling threatened by each other and the circumstances between them. I really enjoyed this second book in what promises to be a poignant series about the relationships that we all struggle with and the acceptance we all hope to find.

[Vina Lull · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another good one

I liked the first book better but that's likely because the characters in that one were more relatable. I honestly don't like Samantha at all, which makes me appreciate how awesome my sisters are and sad for Jo.

[Izzy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ev Bishop's _Hooked_, sequel to _Wedding Bands_, returns to the scenic northern town of Greenridge to find a successful, independent Sam reluctantly going back to the home town she hates in order to meet her heavily pregnant biological child; and a worried widower, Charles, visiting to support his heavily pregnant teen-aged daughter. The two are thrown into conflict by Charles' insecurity about loosing his daughter, Aisha, to Sam, and Sam's desire to get the hell out of Dodge before she has even arrived. Their situation is complicated by their irresistible attraction for one another—and their need to sort things out for Aisha's sake. A fun read, with lots of steamy sexual tension, neurosis, and heart-warming family moments, all set in the cosy River's Sigh Bed and Breakfast.

[Charlena Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars. I was fortunate to receive the first book in the River Sigh series, Wedding Bands, from the author. I so enjoyed it I immediately bought the second book, Hooked, and will definitely buy the next one when it is released. Ev Bishop most certainly “hooked” me, and yes, I grabbed the obvious pun because it is an apt word for how I felt at the end of the first book . . . and I love getting that feeling about a series.

I was delighted to discover I enjoyed Hooked even more. Hooked’s storyline, in my opinion, is more complex and the characters’ conflicts and interactions are quite realistic. The book is a fast read and the world of River Sigh B&B is a lovely place in which to spend time. This is why I need the next installment—I want to go back!

[Teresa Bryce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not typically a romance or series reader but I thoroughly enjoyed the second in this series. Although a couple of the main characters were introduced in the first book, Wedding Bands, in this one we get to know them much better. In Samantha, the author has created a woman whose difficult nature and outlook on life made me root for her all the more. A book plus a sequel is usually my max but I plan to read number three in this series to see what delightful characters Ev Bishop will conjure up next!

[Yvonne Farmer · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Loved Sam and Charlie's story.I Loved Aisha getting to know her birth mother and the true story of her birth. I like the Ev Bishop did not romanticize it and made it a real story. Not all teenage pregnancy's are real love stories and really liked the way this is portrayed. I am looking forward to the next book in this series and really hope Duncan gets his just rewards and wouls Love to see a happy ending for Caren Archer or at least her to stand up to the bully.

[K B · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars
I received a free copy of Hooked: River's Sigh: Book 2 by Ev Bishop and this review was given freely.
Irony, sarcastic dry humor, a stray dog, denying attraction, teen pregnancy,the love of two sisters, a serious accident,a romance author and, some mildly steamy scenes can be found in this sweet full length River Sigh sequel. This is another well written and drama packed novel which is filled with conflicting emotions but ends happily.

[E Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Touches your heart

The idea of giving up your child so he/she can have a better life is a selfless act. A heart wrenching choice. Samantha knew she couldn't provide a good life for her child, but the child doesn't always understand that. This is a story about forgiveness and is a sweet love story. The story is engaging and so are the characters. A great read.