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The Kavanaughs #2
Quick-Draw Cowboy
This cowboy is a sure shot to the heart…
Riley Lawrence is an expert at moving on and not risking his heart. Helping pastry chef Dani Boatman is a onetime deal—she's got her hands full giving her orphaned niece a stable home. But someone with a vicious grudge has a target on the curvaceous redhead's back. And destroying her life is just the start…
Dani doesn't trust easy—a lesson she learned the hard way. This freewheeling cowboy with an irresistible grin insists on putting himself between her and harm's way. But the desire getting hotter between them can't promise anything more than heartbreak. And with unsuspected danger also closing in, Dani and Riley's one chance for love could prove forever lethal.
Riley Lawrence is an expert at moving on and not risking his heart. Helping pastry chef Dani Boatman is a onetime deal—she's got her hands full giving her orphaned niece a stable home. But someone with a vicious grudge has a target on the curvaceous redhead's back. And destroying her life is just the start…
Dani doesn't trust easy—a lesson she learned the hard way. This freewheeling cowboy with an irresistible grin insists on putting himself between her and harm's way. But the desire getting hotter between them can't promise anything more than heartbreak. And with unsuspected danger also closing in, Dani and Riley's one chance for love could prove forever lethal.
- GenresRomance
288 pages, Mass Market Paperback
Published April 18, 2017
29 people are currently reading
32 people want to read
About the author
Joanna Wayne
187 books59 followersReal name: Jo Ann Vest
Pseudonyms: Joanna Wayne.
Joanna Wayne began her professional writing career with the release of her first novel, DEEP IN THE BAYOU, in 1994, but Joanna will be the first to tell you that the wheels were set in motion years before. She started reading at four years of age, the same age that she began making weekly trips to the library to check out as many books as they’d let her have, only to finish reading them all before bedtime. That love of books never waned.
Joanna was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and was the middle child of a large family. She moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1984 when she married her current husband. New Orleans opened up a whole new realm of activities and she found the mix of cultures, music, history, food and sultry southern classics along with her love of reading a natural impetus for beginning her writing career. It was there that she attended her first writing class and joined her first professional writing organization. From that point on, there was no looking back.
Now, forty published books later, Joanna has made a name for herself as being on the cutting edge of romantic suspense in both series and mainstream novels. She is known for the suspense and emotion she brings to the page, as she takes ordinary people and thrusts them into life-and-death situations. She has been on the Walden Bestselling List for romance and won many industry awards. She is a popular speaker at writing organizations and local community functions and has taught creative writing at the University of New Orleans Metropolitan College.
She currently resides in a small community forty miles north of Houston, Texas with her husband. Though she still has many family and emotional ties to Louisiana, she loves living in the Lone Star state.
Pseudonyms: Joanna Wayne.
Joanna Wayne began her professional writing career with the release of her first novel, DEEP IN THE BAYOU, in 1994, but Joanna will be the first to tell you that the wheels were set in motion years before. She started reading at four years of age, the same age that she began making weekly trips to the library to check out as many books as they’d let her have, only to finish reading them all before bedtime. That love of books never waned.
Joanna was born and raised in Shreveport, Louisiana and was the middle child of a large family. She moved to New Orleans, Louisiana in 1984 when she married her current husband. New Orleans opened up a whole new realm of activities and she found the mix of cultures, music, history, food and sultry southern classics along with her love of reading a natural impetus for beginning her writing career. It was there that she attended her first writing class and joined her first professional writing organization. From that point on, there was no looking back.
Now, forty published books later, Joanna has made a name for herself as being on the cutting edge of romantic suspense in both series and mainstream novels. She is known for the suspense and emotion she brings to the page, as she takes ordinary people and thrusts them into life-and-death situations. She has been on the Walden Bestselling List for romance and won many industry awards. She is a popular speaker at writing organizations and local community functions and has taught creative writing at the University of New Orleans Metropolitan College.
She currently resides in a small community forty miles north of Houston, Texas with her husband. Though she still has many family and emotional ties to Louisiana, she loves living in the Lone Star state.
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
April 29, 2018
Really stupid, nonsensical actions by the heroine and the fact that this shouldn't even be an Intrigue title combine to give this one star!
Dani Boatman has legal custody of her niece, Constance, and is enjoying running her successful bakery in Winding Creek, when this is threatened by the arrival of James Haggard. He claims that he is Constance's birth father and wants part of her apparently hefty inheritance. How Dani's dead sister Amber amassed such a big inheritance when she was a junkie is never explained. Coming to Dani's rescue is Riley Lawrence, a drifting cowboy who has come to Winding Creek for the wedding of his brother Pierce (from "Riding Shotgun").
What follows is just several levels of stupid. James breaks into Dani's bakery and severely vandalises it, even cutting his hand and leaving blood behind. Dani never once says to the sheriff that she suspects James is the culprit. (Nor Riley, for that matter). She's too scared she may lose custody of Constance, apparently. Instead, she gets some of the blood and sends it off for a paternity test.
Huh? Dani has DNA EVIDENCE THAT JAMES HAS COMMITTED A CRIME. Would this not be useful if things do get to the stage of a custody hearing? More than likely, James would go to jail and have a criminal record! And what does Dani hope to achieve by keeping all of this a secret? Does she plan on just running away with Constance simply to avoid a custody hearing forever and ever and ever? Why not face those obstacles properly? It didn't make a lick of sense and really made me dislike Dani!
Riley is nominally a decent hero, being protective and supportive of Dani every step of the way, even though her stupid, selfish actions didn't really deserve it. She's all "I don't want to drag you into this", but it doesn't stop her actions being all "me, me, me". However, Riley's rambling nature as a drifter cowboy has Dani constantly insecure that he won't stick around. It's kind of a crappy way to treat a woman you're into, believing you could get bored and split at any second, so that made me dislike Riley as well, in the end!
Finally, this plot is all sorts of soap opera dramatic, but it is not romantic suspense! I have no idea what it is doing in the Intrigue line. There is no mystery to be found here. No thrills, no surprises. Kind of what I read Intrigue for! If this had been part of the Western line (or American Romance), I may have been a tad more forgiving.
Or maybe not. Dani's actions were jaw-droppingly boneheaded and selfish. I didn't like her or Riley all that much. So with no romance to get behind, and NO intrigue/mystery either, this can't get anything other than 1 star!
Dani Boatman has legal custody of her niece, Constance, and is enjoying running her successful bakery in Winding Creek, when this is threatened by the arrival of James Haggard. He claims that he is Constance's birth father and wants part of her apparently hefty inheritance. How Dani's dead sister Amber amassed such a big inheritance when she was a junkie is never explained. Coming to Dani's rescue is Riley Lawrence, a drifting cowboy who has come to Winding Creek for the wedding of his brother Pierce (from "Riding Shotgun").
What follows is just several levels of stupid. James breaks into Dani's bakery and severely vandalises it, even cutting his hand and leaving blood behind. Dani never once says to the sheriff that she suspects James is the culprit. (Nor Riley, for that matter). She's too scared she may lose custody of Constance, apparently. Instead, she gets some of the blood and sends it off for a paternity test.
Huh? Dani has DNA EVIDENCE THAT JAMES HAS COMMITTED A CRIME. Would this not be useful if things do get to the stage of a custody hearing? More than likely, James would go to jail and have a criminal record! And what does Dani hope to achieve by keeping all of this a secret? Does she plan on just running away with Constance simply to avoid a custody hearing forever and ever and ever? Why not face those obstacles properly? It didn't make a lick of sense and really made me dislike Dani!
Riley is nominally a decent hero, being protective and supportive of Dani every step of the way, even though her stupid, selfish actions didn't really deserve it. She's all "I don't want to drag you into this", but it doesn't stop her actions being all "me, me, me". However, Riley's rambling nature as a drifter cowboy has Dani constantly insecure that he won't stick around. It's kind of a crappy way to treat a woman you're into, believing you could get bored and split at any second, so that made me dislike Riley as well, in the end!
Finally, this plot is all sorts of soap opera dramatic, but it is not romantic suspense! I have no idea what it is doing in the Intrigue line. There is no mystery to be found here. No thrills, no surprises. Kind of what I read Intrigue for! If this had been part of the Western line (or American Romance), I may have been a tad more forgiving.
Or maybe not. Dani's actions were jaw-droppingly boneheaded and selfish. I didn't like her or Riley all that much. So with no romance to get behind, and NO intrigue/mystery either, this can't get anything other than 1 star!
March 13, 2018
Gosh these Lawrence brothers are such lethal charmers. I'd thought Pierce of Riding Shotgun was the sexiest and the best of the lot, but in this book, I found Riley equally sexy and charming. And, I get the feeling Tucker seems to be on par with his older brothers, so can't wait to read his book. Besides the charm of the Lawrence boys, I loved the fact that the brothers are matched with sweet, caring and strong women like Dani in this book and Grace in Riding Shotgun. Both women, landed up in Winding Creek, while on the run from their unhappy past. Both, new to the place and ended up being best friends.
Whoever has read the first book in the series, will know that the three boys had lost their parents in a car crash when they were in their teens and social services were about to split the boys into different foster homes, but then the childless Kavanaugh couple --Charlie and Esther-- took all of them in and looked after them until an old uncle had traced them and took the boys to live with him at Kansas until they turned eighteen. In that ten months that the boys spent at the Kavanaugh's ranch, a very strong family-like bond was forged between the couple and the boys. In book one Charlie dies --the police believes he committed suicide while Esther thinks he's murdered-- and Pierce, who comes to the ranch to bond with his five year old daughter, Jaci whom he'd been a stranger to while he was in the marines, finds the ranch heavily in debt. Having found out he likes ranching, and also fallen in love with Grace, he decides to buy the ranch from Esther, but allows her to stay at the house that had been hers and Charlie for years.
Now, Riley, who's been a rambling ranch hand all these years, has returned to Winding Creek to attend Pierce and Grace's wedding. On his way to the ranch, he stops at Dani Delights, the bakery and coffee shop owned by Dani Boatman. Seeing her struggling to serve her long queue of customers with no staff to help her and yet doing it with a smile, he pitches in to help her behind the counter. They're both instantly attracted to each other.
Dani, however, has trouble lurking around. She's being hounded by a man named James Haggard claiming he's the real father of her orphaned niece, Constance, of whom she's had legal custody for the past eight months following the death of Dani's drug-addict sister, Amber, in a fatal car accident. James is threatening to file for paternal custody if she didn't pay him one million in cash from the insurance settlement she'd received after her sister's death. He doesn't want the child, only the money. Dani had put the settlement money into a trust for her niece which the child could access when she was twenty-one. But, James refused to listen to her and told her he wanted the money in cash in one week's time. Since Constance's birth certificate doesn't have a father's name, Dani couldn't figure if he was telling the truth or not.
At the wedding, while Dani and Riley are making acquaintance, she gets news that her bakery has been vandalized and she knows that its James trying to send her a message not to take him lightly, but she doesn't tell the Riley who'd accompanied her to the bakery or the police on duty anything about his threat because she was afraid she'll lose Constance in the bargain. Riley and Tucker pitch in to help her clean up the place. Loved the banter between the two especially when Tucker teases Riley about his open infatuation for Dani. Both, brothers also realize that Dani is hiding something about the vandalism and they suspect she knows the vandal. Nevertheless, Riley moves in with her to keep a watch over her and Constance. Dani, who's never had anyone to depend on, but herself, is glad to have him close by, but since they hardly know each other personally, she's not comfortable confiding in him. But, when James accosts her in his drunken state and a furious Riley demands the truth from her, she finally opens up, which makes him all the more determined to protect her. However, with him living in the house she finds she's smothered with sensual overload, but she fights her attraction for Riley because she also knows he doesn't stay in one place for long; he'd be leaving anytime soon.
When she and Riley go to San Antonio to deposit the DNA samples they'd collected ---she'd found Jame's blood at the bakery when he'd vandalized it-- they realize she's being stalked by Haggard's man. Riley therefore moves her and Constance to the ranch for a short vacation despite her protests that she was bringing danger to his family's doorstep. Constance and Jaci, Pierce's precocious five year old daughter are however super excited about the vacation. The next thing she knows she's being roped into an impromptu backyard camp fire party with the newly-weds and the unmarried Lawrence brothers and playing truth and lie. She learns the reason why Riley is called Quick Draw. Loved the strong bond and love between the brothers even though they'd spent very little time together before. Esther is most delighted to have all three boys home at one time. There's a bet between the brothers on who cooks the best chili, but surprisingly that got faded away without the winner being revealed. Dani is loving the family atmosphere at the ranch and further, seduced by Riley's charms, she falls in love with him and decides if she cannot get forever with him, she might as well take the now. I was amused with their sneaking into the other's room trying to hide from Esther and the kids they're sleeping around.
Simultaneously, there is twist on Constance's paternity causing the FBI to come in. There is also another suspense running parallel in the book about Charlie's neighbour and best friend, a good man, who is in prison for having drunk himself senseless while babysitting his grandson, who fell from a table and died. The child was of his only daughter, Angela's. Angela tried making a play for both Riley and Tucker at the wedding, but they paid no heed to her. Her mother pleads with Dani to give her a job at the bakery, which Dani reluctantly does, but then she hooks up with James Haggard making things worse for Dani.
I liked seeing the characters of the previous and future books being part of this book. Overall, just like the first book, this book was heartwarming and engaging too, and like Grace and Pierce, Dani and Riley too, had sizzling chemistry and made a wonderful pair. Loved the epilogue. Loving this series. Looking forward to reading Tucker's book Fearless Gunfighter.
Whoever has read the first book in the series, will know that the three boys had lost their parents in a car crash when they were in their teens and social services were about to split the boys into different foster homes, but then the childless Kavanaugh couple --Charlie and Esther-- took all of them in and looked after them until an old uncle had traced them and took the boys to live with him at Kansas until they turned eighteen. In that ten months that the boys spent at the Kavanaugh's ranch, a very strong family-like bond was forged between the couple and the boys. In book one Charlie dies --the police believes he committed suicide while Esther thinks he's murdered-- and Pierce, who comes to the ranch to bond with his five year old daughter, Jaci whom he'd been a stranger to while he was in the marines, finds the ranch heavily in debt. Having found out he likes ranching, and also fallen in love with Grace, he decides to buy the ranch from Esther, but allows her to stay at the house that had been hers and Charlie for years.
Now, Riley, who's been a rambling ranch hand all these years, has returned to Winding Creek to attend Pierce and Grace's wedding. On his way to the ranch, he stops at Dani Delights, the bakery and coffee shop owned by Dani Boatman. Seeing her struggling to serve her long queue of customers with no staff to help her and yet doing it with a smile, he pitches in to help her behind the counter. They're both instantly attracted to each other.
Dani, however, has trouble lurking around. She's being hounded by a man named James Haggard claiming he's the real father of her orphaned niece, Constance, of whom she's had legal custody for the past eight months following the death of Dani's drug-addict sister, Amber, in a fatal car accident. James is threatening to file for paternal custody if she didn't pay him one million in cash from the insurance settlement she'd received after her sister's death. He doesn't want the child, only the money. Dani had put the settlement money into a trust for her niece which the child could access when she was twenty-one. But, James refused to listen to her and told her he wanted the money in cash in one week's time. Since Constance's birth certificate doesn't have a father's name, Dani couldn't figure if he was telling the truth or not.
At the wedding, while Dani and Riley are making acquaintance, she gets news that her bakery has been vandalized and she knows that its James trying to send her a message not to take him lightly, but she doesn't tell the Riley who'd accompanied her to the bakery or the police on duty anything about his threat because she was afraid she'll lose Constance in the bargain. Riley and Tucker pitch in to help her clean up the place. Loved the banter between the two especially when Tucker teases Riley about his open infatuation for Dani. Both, brothers also realize that Dani is hiding something about the vandalism and they suspect she knows the vandal. Nevertheless, Riley moves in with her to keep a watch over her and Constance. Dani, who's never had anyone to depend on, but herself, is glad to have him close by, but since they hardly know each other personally, she's not comfortable confiding in him. But, when James accosts her in his drunken state and a furious Riley demands the truth from her, she finally opens up, which makes him all the more determined to protect her. However, with him living in the house she finds she's smothered with sensual overload, but she fights her attraction for Riley because she also knows he doesn't stay in one place for long; he'd be leaving anytime soon.
When she and Riley go to San Antonio to deposit the DNA samples they'd collected ---she'd found Jame's blood at the bakery when he'd vandalized it-- they realize she's being stalked by Haggard's man. Riley therefore moves her and Constance to the ranch for a short vacation despite her protests that she was bringing danger to his family's doorstep. Constance and Jaci, Pierce's precocious five year old daughter are however super excited about the vacation. The next thing she knows she's being roped into an impromptu backyard camp fire party with the newly-weds and the unmarried Lawrence brothers and playing truth and lie. She learns the reason why Riley is called Quick Draw. Loved the strong bond and love between the brothers even though they'd spent very little time together before. Esther is most delighted to have all three boys home at one time. There's a bet between the brothers on who cooks the best chili, but surprisingly that got faded away without the winner being revealed. Dani is loving the family atmosphere at the ranch and further, seduced by Riley's charms, she falls in love with him and decides if she cannot get forever with him, she might as well take the now. I was amused with their sneaking into the other's room trying to hide from Esther and the kids they're sleeping around.
Simultaneously, there is twist on Constance's paternity causing the FBI to come in. There is also another suspense running parallel in the book about Charlie's neighbour and best friend, a good man, who is in prison for having drunk himself senseless while babysitting his grandson, who fell from a table and died. The child was of his only daughter, Angela's. Angela tried making a play for both Riley and Tucker at the wedding, but they paid no heed to her. Her mother pleads with Dani to give her a job at the bakery, which Dani reluctantly does, but then she hooks up with James Haggard making things worse for Dani.
I liked seeing the characters of the previous and future books being part of this book. Overall, just like the first book, this book was heartwarming and engaging too, and like Grace and Pierce, Dani and Riley too, had sizzling chemistry and made a wonderful pair. Loved the epilogue. Loving this series. Looking forward to reading Tucker's book Fearless Gunfighter.
June 2, 2017
Loved this story of how Riley helped Dani when she needed him Most but also how he gave into forever love and staying on the farm there forever. I do hope this goes beyond the 3 boys stories!!!
May 17, 2017
Good book. Dani is relatively new to Winding Creek, but has quickly made a place for herself. She owns a bakery and is legal guardian to her niece, Constance. She is beautiful, independent, determined to give Constance a better life than she'd had before. She is friends with Grace, who is about to marry Pierce Lawrence.
Riley is one of Pierce's brothers and has arrived in town for Pierce's wedding. Riley is a wandering ranch hand who is best known for not staying in one place for very long. Riley is good-looking, charming, and chivalrous.
The story begins with Dani being threatened by her sister's ex, who claims to be Constance's father. He's threatening to sue for custody if Dani doesn't turn over half the insurance settlement from Amber's death. The money is tied up in a trust, so Dani couldn't do it even if she wanted to. But James's threats are frightening anyway, and Dani will do what she must to protect her niece.
Riley arrives in town and stops by Dani's bakery for coffee. He steps in to help when she's overwhelmed by customers. He's quite taken by her and looks forward to seeing more of her at the wedding. I loved seeing their quick connection and the attraction that flares between them. When Dani's bakery is vandalized, Riley insists on helping with the cleanup and staying to give her peace of mind. He senses that she isn't being completely honest about what is going on and is determined to be there for her.
I liked seeing the relationship develop between them. Dani knows Riley's reputation, but is determined to enjoy his company while she can. It isn't long before his care for her and for Constance works its way into her heart. Riley finds himself less and less interested in moving on, and more interested in spending time with Dani. I really enjoyed seeing him bring some fun into their lives and how they brought a feeling of home into his. The ending was really sweet and romantic with the surprise that Riley had for Dani.
The suspense of the story was good, The main theme was the threat against Dani. James was definitely a nasty piece of work who obviously cared more for getting some easy money than what was best for Constance. What he did to Dani's bakery increased the tension she was under, as she wondered what would happen next. I liked that she was also proactive in taking steps to find out if he was truly the father. There's also a twist where others get involved in his scheme, increasing the danger Dani is in. The final confrontation was intense with some surprising information coming out of it regarding an event from the previous book.
I really liked the relationship between the three Lawrence brothers. Each had coped with their childhood trauma a different way, but their ties have never been broken. I also loved the way that they all had a part in helping Dani.
Riley is one of Pierce's brothers and has arrived in town for Pierce's wedding. Riley is a wandering ranch hand who is best known for not staying in one place for very long. Riley is good-looking, charming, and chivalrous.
The story begins with Dani being threatened by her sister's ex, who claims to be Constance's father. He's threatening to sue for custody if Dani doesn't turn over half the insurance settlement from Amber's death. The money is tied up in a trust, so Dani couldn't do it even if she wanted to. But James's threats are frightening anyway, and Dani will do what she must to protect her niece.
Riley arrives in town and stops by Dani's bakery for coffee. He steps in to help when she's overwhelmed by customers. He's quite taken by her and looks forward to seeing more of her at the wedding. I loved seeing their quick connection and the attraction that flares between them. When Dani's bakery is vandalized, Riley insists on helping with the cleanup and staying to give her peace of mind. He senses that she isn't being completely honest about what is going on and is determined to be there for her.
I liked seeing the relationship develop between them. Dani knows Riley's reputation, but is determined to enjoy his company while she can. It isn't long before his care for her and for Constance works its way into her heart. Riley finds himself less and less interested in moving on, and more interested in spending time with Dani. I really enjoyed seeing him bring some fun into their lives and how they brought a feeling of home into his. The ending was really sweet and romantic with the surprise that Riley had for Dani.
The suspense of the story was good, The main theme was the threat against Dani. James was definitely a nasty piece of work who obviously cared more for getting some easy money than what was best for Constance. What he did to Dani's bakery increased the tension she was under, as she wondered what would happen next. I liked that she was also proactive in taking steps to find out if he was truly the father. There's also a twist where others get involved in his scheme, increasing the danger Dani is in. The final confrontation was intense with some surprising information coming out of it regarding an event from the previous book.
I really liked the relationship between the three Lawrence brothers. Each had coped with their childhood trauma a different way, but their ties have never been broken. I also loved the way that they all had a part in helping Dani.
January 1, 2019
Dani Boatman is being harassed by her nieces supposed father. Rylie is in town for his brothers wedding. After a break in at the bakery Rylie feels he has to protect Dani and learn the truth about the break-in. So many secrets are being uncovered.
July 4, 2017
Interesting story with some fun included.
May 4, 2017
Nice Read
Good story with plenty of thrills,suspense and mystery.There's something happening every time you turn a page.A very enjoyable and exciting read.
Good story with plenty of thrills,suspense and mystery.There's something happening every time you turn a page.A very enjoyable and exciting read.
March 16, 2017
A great second book in the series. I will have to keep my eye out for the final book in the series.
Read
May 1, 2017Miniseries: The Kavanaughs
Read
May 1, 2017Miniseries: The Kavanaughs
May 3, 2017
Riley Lawrence, Pierce’s brother(Pierce and Grace were the lead in book 1), comes to the ranch for Pierce’s wedding and along the way meets Dani Boatman while stopping for coffee in her bakery. She is a close friend to Grace and has a niece in her care after her sister’s death. Her ex-brother-in-law and his criminal brother threaten her to get their hands on her niece’s inheritance. Riley and the Lawrence clan protect her as the action ensues and romance develops between Riley and Dani. Much like the first book the action is exciting and one is loath to put the book down. Sadly I will have to wait some months before the next installment is written and released. That should indicate how enjoyable a read the book was.
Read
August 6, 2017DNF
Really boring book. Couldnt even manage to finish half of the book. Hardly any suspense and mediocre romance.
Really boring book. Couldnt even manage to finish half of the book. Hardly any suspense and mediocre romance.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews