A brooding CEO, a loving dog handler, and a grandmother with a plan....
Tender-hearted Becca Taylor wants to put the past behind her and start fresh. Thanks to her new job caring for the dogs of a very wealthy family, she can do just that. When the feisty matriarch asks her to join in a business venture, Becca believes her goals are within reach. Now, all she has to do is convince her partner's grandson that their plan is solid. Too bad he hates her on sight.
Caleb Fairchild will do anything to keep his heart and his family safe—which is why the beautiful Becca must go. Her eagerness to help his grandmother is suspicious, and he's determined to get to the bottom of her motives. However, when the truth surfaces about Becca's past, Caleb fears he may have misjudged her.
Despite being stark opposites, Becca and Caleb's attraction grows. Unfortunately, Caleb's lack of trust keeps getting in the way. Can they overcome their obstacles or will the past keep them from having all of their dreams come true?
I live in the Pacific Northwest with my husband, two daughters, son, dog and too many cats! I write "sweeter" contemporary romance novels for Harlequin and Tule Publishing.
With a sense of humor and grace of heart, McClone continues to wrap readers around her finger. The Tycoon is the tale of a bruised ego and a battered heart. Caleb and Becca put emotions through the wringer. Total opposites with more than a little in common are in a battle to reclaim something neither wants to admit they've lost. A slow burn romance that leaves a big impression.
Just all kinds of blech. The hero is a jaded cynical douche and the heroine though showing promise turns out to be a doormat who lets him be a douche. The book was thankfully low on the cheese factor scale but I frankly wouldn't even can this a romance. Two dates, a handful of kisses, a break-up, then marriage proposal? yeah that's not gonna last. The plot was decent but there were plenty of loose ends. Unpleasant hero, doormat heroine, shitty excuse for a romance, no sex scenes...all around just not worth the time
The Man Behind the Pinstripes by Melissa McClone: Becca Taylor followed a misguided heart at the age of eighteen and ended up spending three years in prison. Since being released she has followed her passion for dogs. Now a certified vet tech she dreams of becoming a full-time dog handler. Befriended by Gertie Fairchild, she has been hire to groom and show her dogs. Becca is determined to never let another man rule her head or heart. I loved that she became strong, feisty, dependable and spoke her mind.
Caleb Fairchild has come to his grandmother Gertie's estate to discuss her latest invention. What he never planned on, was meeting Becca. He becomes suspicious when he finds out Becca is living in the guest cottage. Convinced she is a gold digger like his ex-finance, he hires a private investigator. When confronted with the report he is shocked to learn how upfront Becca is about her past. Caleb is handsome, but a little to uptight. And very protective of his Grandmother.
Though neither planned it, there is no denying the growing attraction between these two. She has an issue with rich men. And he doesn't care for anything serious. Both characters were likable, but my heart just went out to Becca's character. She suffered so much at the hands of others.
You also had wonderful secondary character such as Gertie, Courtney "Caleb's" sister both were well written. I loved the support that both showed to Becca, and Gertie's wisdom regarding her own grandson. We are also introduced to Becca's parents Rob and Debbie. I also enjoyed the story line. And all of the four legged friends.
4.5/5 stars
I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book tell the story of Becca, a vet tech who have a passion for dogs. She met Gertie Fairchild, the grandmother of Caleb, CEO of Fairchild Corporation. Together with Gertie, they developed dog skincare product for Fairchild’s product line which have been strongly against by Caleb. Caleb, is convinced that the products will affect the business of Fairchild and refused to manufacture and expand their current market. But when Gertie insinuated that they will bring the product to their competitor or even manufacture the products themselves, Caleb, helpless to be in a position that he knew he will always lose out to his grandmother, agreed to help and mentor Becca. All these boast down to his distrust of Becca in his grandmother’s life. Becca, on the other hand, have a dark past which she wish no one will ever know.
This is a story of mistrust that turned out to true love between two persons. There are instant sparks between the main characters especially the part where Caleb keeps wondering about Becca before they agreed on a first date. Caleb’s mistrust of Becca is due to his distrust of his father and him being uptight was a result of his determination to prove that he is different person from his father. I like reading the scene where they were together. Reading their ever after story make me tear up after all the hardship that Becca have undergone. Overall, it is a very good book to read filled with emotional conflicts between the two persons and their ways of overcoming obstacles to get to their happily ever after ending.
Caleb Fairchild just wants to protect those he loves, like his grandmother. He thinks Becca, the dog trainer, is pulling a scam on her. To find out the truth he has to spend time with her. Both characters are likable, but definitely not perfect. Caleb's grandmother adds so much to the story. Don't think elderly woman in a rocking chair, but older woman in her home's chemistry lab. The plot has some twists and moves along at a good pace. One of my favorite lines in the book, "Ty Dooley held on to the dog leash, trying to keep his distance from the Norwegian elkhound, who shed worse than a feather-filled pillow with a hole in it." Does that not just paint a picture for you? Another favorite was "He (Caleb) was a champion with an endless pedigree while she (Becca) was a mutt without a collar." That just gives a perfect look at how far apart Becca views herself and Caleb.There's a great HEA and an epilogue. I recommend this book to clean/wholesome romance readers and to all dog lovers that enjoy reading romance.
This series just keeps getting better and better. The Tycoon is such a sweet and funny read. I loved Becca and Caleb. These two are complete opposites but they seem to be perfect for each other anyways. The story line is fantastic. The characters are all well developed. When you add in an interfering grandmother and some cute adorable dogs it gives the story just that extra kick that will make you laugh and smile even more. Definitely a 5 star read!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
It's a sweet & charming romance. A delightful book to read! Becca & Caleb, come from different backgrounds. Becca, made a bad choice in her life. She doing everything she to make it better. Caleb, it not very trusting. Rightly so, when all women see are dollar signs. It's a fun story with enjoyable characters.
A CEO that's been burnt by golddiggers before, Caleb focuses on running his family's company. A vet tech that dreams of being a top dog handler, Becca fell for a rich guy once and paid dearly. Opposites attract, with a nudge from a matchmaking granny and a coat-blowing Elkhound. Sweet story, low angst. Romantic but G-rated. 4.5 stars!
Becca Taylor siguió un corazón equivocado a la edad de dieciocho años y terminó pasando tres años en prisión. Desde que fue liberada ha seguido su pasión por los perros. Ahora, como técnica veterinaria certificada, sueña con convertirse en cuidadora de perros a tiempo completo. Se hizo amiga de Gertie Fairchild y la contrataron para preparar y mostrar a sus perros. Becca está decidida a nunca dejar que otro hombre gobierne su cabeza o su corazón. Me encantó que se volviera fuerte, luchadora, confiable y dijera lo que pensaba.
4.5/5 Becca and Caleb’s story in The Tycoon is a fun, heartwarming, sweet romance by Melissa McClone, book six in her A Keeper series. Becca Taylor loves her new job and working with the wealthy and feisty matriarch, Gertie, is the first opportunity she has been given in attempt to put her past behind her. She believes her goals are within reach, only now she has to convince Gertie’s grandson that she’s not out to hurt or steal from her. Sweet and compassionate, Becca is there to help with the show dogs and establishing a dog-care line of products. Caleb Fairchild believes it is his responsibility to keep his family safe and his heart closed off to gold-diggers; forcing him to believe the worse about Becca. It doesn’t take long for Caleb to realize that he misjudged her. Becca and Caleb are totally opposites but that doesn’t stop the attraction or chemistry building between them. Gertie doesn’t help the cause by playing matchmaker and pushing these two together; declaring Becca a keeper. It will take Caleb getting out of his head before he can trust Becca, which she deserves more than anything, and allow for them to have a future together.
Ms. McClone wrote a wonderfully sweet and moving story that is not to be missed. This story contains sizzling chemistry, romantic dates, fun dialogue, the magic of love, charming characters and wonderful dogs giving Becca and Caleb a chance at love, happiness, and future I highly recommend The Tycoon to other readers and look forward to the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Becca Taylor is a hardworking dog handler, she takes care of all of Gertie's dogs both show dogs and fosters. Gertie is the owner and retired researcher of a very successful skin care company and with Becca's help she's now developed products for her dogs. She wants her company to produce and market it but her grandson Caleb, who is the CEO wants nothing to do with it. They are launching her new baby products and frankly dogs are not humans and would only distract from the company's focus.
Gertie also has a sort of plan throwing Caleb and Becca together. She thinks they'd be a good match, opposites for sure, but Caleb needs someone to break him out of his self-imposed shell. He'd been conned before and he wouldn't ever let that happen to him again.
Becca has a goal to become a top dog handler, the launch of the dog care products would do much to finance that. Caleb squashed that but Gertie stepped up and said they'd start their own company for it. Now Becca's writing a business plan and Caleb is helping but also investigating her. He doesn't like what he finds.
When he confronts her, he realizes he was wrong about her motives but still has doubts.
Caleb has relationship issues as does Becca. However Becca has moved forward while Caleb's still kind of stuck.
I love the dogs and the shows, the way Becca helps Gertie build the pet product business and most of all the way this relationship builds. With plenty of ups and downs and I love the groveling.
I can't wait to see what Melissa comes up with for the next book in this series.
Caleb Fairchild is the CEO of Fair Face, a billion-dollar skin care company that his grandparents started. His grandmother, Gertie, wants to start a dog skin care line. He meets the dog wrangler, Becca Taylor, who's been helping Gertie develop and test the line.
Caleb is very suspicious of Becca when he discovers that Becca is also living Gertie's estate. He believes that Becca is trying to take advantage of Gertie. To keep an eye on Becca, he reluctantly agrees to be the business consultant for the line even though he is busy with the launch of the baby skin care line.
I enjoyed this sweet romance of Becca and Caleb. They have prejudices of each other that each overcome. They go on dates and get to know each other. They talk. I can see them falling in love.
There are so many things to like about this book: Caleb, Becca, Gertie & the dogs. I hope Ms. McClone will write about Ty or Courtney in a future a book. In the meantime, I have her backlist to explore.
The Tycoon was a quick and easy opposites attract romance featuring two of my favorite things...a strong, funny grandmother and lots of dogs! Is it weird that those are my overwhelming take-always from this book? I appreciate family in stories, but often the older generation is cartoonish and silly. But Gertie is an intelligent woman who’s not doing anything foolish to push her grandson Caleb together with her friend and employee Emma. She just lets their natural chemistry come naturally. This sweet romance features dog handler Emma, a girl with a tough background, just trying to make a life for herself, doing a job she loves. Caleb is rich and entitled, but not a bad guy...just a bit clueless at times. Becoming friends is the last thing either of them expects. Great stories and interesting characters are things I come to expect from Melissa McClone’s books and she certainly doesn’t disappoint with The Tycoon!
Successful CEO Caleb Fairchild is not happy when he discovers his grandmother hired an ex-con to take care of and handle her show dogs and to help her start a new dog product line. Becca was a trail park trash outsider set up to take the fall for some rich kids, one of which she thought loved her. After that experience, I’m surprised she lowered her guard enough to agree to go out with Caleb. He ended up being good with the dogs even though he didn’t like them at first. But at one point in the book he made me angry because his actions caused Becca to feel just like she did with her ex Whit, like she would never be good enough. She overcame so much and should be proud that she got her vet tech license and is a best in show dog handler. I loved Caleb’s grandmother, who is determined, tries to play matchmaker, loves, and saw something great in Becca when no one else would.
Becca is ready to embrace the future and leave the past where it belongs. She is now managing her employer Gertie’s dogs which allows her to put her love of animals to good use when she suggests a business opportunity that will allow them both to reach their goals. The only thing standing in their way is her grandson Caleb.
When Caleb agrees to work with Becca he has an ulterior motive as he believes that she is trying to exploit his family. Due to his past he if familiar that there are people who want to be around them what they can do for them rather than who they are, and he believes that Becca falls in the first category. Will he realize the truth before irreparable damage has been done?
This is a sweet and sexy story about two people who must conquer their caution about love and trust or lose the best thing to happen to either one of them.
I really liked Becca Taylor. She turned her life around and learned from her young mistakes and made herself into someone she could be proud of. I also really liked Gertrude Fairchild. She was a good judge of character and recognized that Becca was a keeper if she could only get her grandson, Caleb to agree but he is too busy married to his job as CEO of Fair Face, the company the Fairchild;s own. I enjoyed the characters and how Becca grew up in a trailer and Caleb grew up quite privileged, although he was raised by his grandparents. This was a great story showcasing their differences but also enhancing them too. I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.
What a wonderful opposites attract romance with captivating characters you want to know and a beautifully written story that kept me totally involved in all that was happening from beginning to end. I felt an instant connection with Becca Taylor, dog handler, and loved her dynamic with the other characters especially her boss, Gertrude Fairchild and Gertie's grandson Caleb, brooding CEO of Fair Face, the billion-dollar skincare company his grandparents founded in Boise, Idaho. I highly recommend "The Tycoon", a clean and wholesome addition to the must-read Keeper Series by gifted author, Melissa McClone. I can't wait to see what happens in book seven. I received an advance reader copy of this book from Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Loved Gertie and Becca not so much Caleb. I get our past can keep us from a future if we let it. When Caleb was wrong he admitted it and when he wanted something, Becca, he was all in but... This was a romance but also a story about learning how to live and love again. His grandmother Gertie was a hoot and such a kind soul. I didn't like how Caleb handled a certain situation but she was so very forgiving - kinda wanted him to squirm a little. Loved getting to know Ty and Courtney and am looking forward to their book. A very romantic ending.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really love reading books by Melissa McClone. You can always count on a clean romance with a twist or two thrown in just for fun. I loved the romance between these two completely opposite people - you have a rich CEO and a broke ex-con. Someone who tolerates dogs and someone who spends all her time working with dogs, and even lets them sleep with her. But they have both been hurt by past relationships and are guarding their heart. And they also care deeply for their families. Maybe not so opposite after all.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is Book 6 in A Keeper Series by this author. It is a heartwarming romance between dog handler Becca and tycoon Caleb. These two likeable souls and the unique plot make for an enjoyable read. Their sizzling chemistry and strong connection are undeniable as they navigate the bumpy road to their forever after. It is a love story with a good dose of drama, steam, engaging secondary characters, and a happy ending. It can be read as a standalone. but you enhance your reading pleasure if you read the other books in the series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I love how Melissa tells Becca’s story. Becca had been down on her luck and a fellow dog lover offered her a job. Becca told her about her past and the woman believed in second chances.
Caleb was the ladies grandson. He didn’t trust Becca. He checked into her background and the found out his grandmother already knew. He spends time with Becca to make sure she isn’t going to hurt his family.
He finds he enjoys being around her. Can he forgive her past? Can he move past his? You will need to read to find out
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
A sweet opposites attract romance. Becca is ready for a new start and to put her past behind her. She has a new job as a dog trainer for a wealthy family. Caleb, the grandson of Gertie is not not very trustworthy of Becca's intentions. As they start spending time together, Caleb is finding out that Becca might just be his match.
A fun book to read. A slow burn romance. Loved Caleb's grandma, Gertie with her match making skills. Loved all of the dogs. This is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone.
Is she a scam artist or is she the real thing? Becca works for Caleb’s grandmother as a dog trainer/handler for dog shows. When Caleb does a background check on her to protect his grandmother, he realizes that she must be a scam artist who is trying to get things from his grandmother. Becca has a prison background. Is the reason she gives Caleb the truth? Or is she telling him a fully concocted story? Just how will doggy skincare products mesh with human skin products with Caleb’s company?
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I had a free copy of this book, but this is my voluntary and honest opinion. Becca Taylor is a dog handler and Vet Tech. working for the Fairchild family. Caleb at first wants to fire her because of her background, but instead he decides to help her and his grandmother form a business plan to market their pet products. In the process, he discovers what kind of person she really is, and falls for her. She is leery of getting too close to him because of past mistakes. An uplifting book centering on acceptance, trust and working together.
Caleb dreads meeting with his grandmother, Gertie Fairchild. Now that he runs the skin-care company she founded he has people to answer to – and those people aren’t incredibly keen on adding a pet care line into the mix. He has to walk the edge between kindness and…Read More
A woman determined to fulfill her dream to become a dog handler, a man who doesn’t trust easily and will do everything to protect his family and a matchmaker grandmother. Can this couple trust each other enough to work together and even love each other. Really entertaining story with great characters, humans and animals. Great story in this series.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.