Batten Down the Hatches

by Roxanne D. Howard

Piper Goldhirsch is the head reporter for Business Buster, an Undercover Boss-esque tabloid exposé show. While it was never her dream job, it pays the bills. When she attends a masked Halloween Ball and meets a sexy costumed pirate captain who calls himself Captain Jack, what starts out as a few kind words and exchanged kisses in the billiards room quickly becomes the greatest sex of her life, leaving her haunted by the powerful magic between them. Piper's not sure what she wants or even if she'll ever see her mysterious stranger again...until he becomes her job’s next target.

Captain Jack Spencer runs his own brand new whale watching company, Ahoy, Matey, on the outskirts of Costa Mesa and Balboa Island. He’s so good at it he’s garnered the attention of rival companies. Piper is called in by Jack’s nemesis to go undercover on an ocean tour to expose him, and reveal the alleged illegal tricks that have made his business so successful in a short amount of time. But when Piper realizes he’s the same sexy man she slept with at the Halloween Ball, she’s emotionally conflicted. Plus, Jack has been unable to forget the woman from Halloween, so when they do meet up again, they can’t keep their hands off each other.

It’s time to Batten Down the Hatches, because the waves are about to get wild!

81 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 25, 2016

About the author

Roxanne D. Howard is a U.S. Army veteran, and a Columbia College alumni. She loves to read poetry, classical literature, and Stephen King. Roxanne resides in the western U.S., and when she's not writing, she enjoys spending quality time with her husband, children, and furry companions. Roxanne loves to hear from her readers, and encourages you to contact her via her website and social media.

Reviews

[Jodi Hunter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can not wait to read the next book in the series, what a cliffhanger. I loved EVERYTHING about this book, the characters, the story, the incredible hotness.

[Karen Voitik · Rating 4 out of 5]

>Book Review – Batten Down the Hatches

>This is the first book in the Cost Mesa series and ends in a cliffhanger. Jack and Piper meet at a masquerade ball and indulge in a one night stand. Both Jack and Piper want more, but Piper leaves without getting any contact info from Jack. Piper is a journalist who does exposes on different companies. She is just realizing how damaging her job is to the people who own and love these companies. Piper seemed very bright. Her not realizing the hurt her show causes was not very realistic.

>When fate sends her undercover to Jacks whale watching business, she goes undercover, but finds no wrongdoing. As Jack and Piper meet again, they fall for each other. The romance is quick and hot. They break up over a perceived sabotage, but Piper is long gone when Jack figures out the truth. I am assuming the second book has Jack searching for Piper to make amends.

>This book had a unique story, but a lot of odd coincidences. Why was Jack at the ball to begin with? He didn’t seem like the type to hob nob with the famous. He thinks Piper is a news anchor and starts to fall in love with her. I think it is odd her never wants to see her news show to support her, kind of like loving an author and never wanting to read their books. If he saw her shoe, he’s realize what type of journalist she really was and maybe be able to listen to her explanations later.

>This book is appropriate for an adult audience. I am giving the book 4 stars. The story idea was good, but the story as written needed more.

[The Book Junkie Reads . . . · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quick, quickie that will give you something to remember about your next Halloween Masked Party. Piper was captivated by the mysterious Captain Jack. This Halloween party will be one she never forgets. A chance meeting up again with Jacks gives her all that she needs to know that it was not just a fluke. Jack’s dream walks back in to his life. Will he get to keep her this time?

I have only one complaint. It was too short. I wanted more of Piper and Jack. Roxanne has delivered a quick romance that will have you wanting more. I want more of the Costa Mesa Series.

[Ember Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tight prose, interesting characters, and super steamy! There's not much more you could ask for in a quick romp like this. Better yet, there's two other books to follow, so this isn't the end of the line for these two lovers.