Good Girls Don't (Donnovan Brother's Brewery #1) Review

Good Girls Don't (Hqn) by Victoria Dahl

Book description...
With her long ponytail and sparkling green eyes, Tessa Donovan looks more like the girl next door than a businesswoman—or a heartbreaker. Which may explain why Detective Luke Asher barely notices her when he arrives to investigate a breakin at her family's brewery. He's got his own problems—starting with the fact that his partner, Simone, is pregnant and everyone thinks he's the father.
Tessa has her hands full, too. Her brother's playboy ways may be threatening the business, and the tension could tear her tightknit family apart. In fact, the only thing that could unite the Donovan boys is seeing a man come after their "baby" sister. Especially a man like Luke Asher. But Tessa sees past the rumors to the man beneath. He's not who people think he is—and neither is she.

So I have to admit I usually absolutely LOVE Victoria Dahl's work because they have that extra kick that will have me laughing out loud and completely drooling over the hero and loving everything about the heroine.  This book just didn't do it for me... don't get me wrong it was a wonderful book and it did have a few LOL moments and the hero was totally drool worthy because he has that whole broody cop thing going on and well... who doesn't like a man in a uniform that needs a little extra TLC?  But there was just something there that didn't pull at me like most of Victoria's books...

Tessa is sweet, she's cute, and I have to say I felt for her with the whole over protective wish they would stay out of your business older brothers.  But there was just something about her that kept me from entirely feeling the book... I can't say for sure but if I had to guess on why... it would be that she made the first moves on Luke... I don't see anything wrong with initiating but I like my heroines a little more on the timid side when it comes to sex and when I say that I mean that I like the hero to make the first move... I like to watch him chase and I love the build up of the seduction and that just didn't happen here.

Luke... well, Luke was hot but then again like I said before I like that whole man in a uniform that needs a little extra TLC but I have to say that even though he did have his reasons for not wanting anything more than a physical relationship I just didn't feel it.  Not that I didn't get it more of I just felt like it was made out to be a lot more than what it was and not to mention the rumors going around about him?  For some reason it down right pissed me off that he didn't even try to correct them, that he just let people believe what they wanted to believe when in all reality those rumors... especially the one about his ex-wife... were horrible to let people continue to believe and could quite possibly ruin a lot for him... and don't get me started on the fact that his Mom was still so close to his ex-wife.

Crap... Here I'm going on about what I didn't feel in the book and making you all think that it wasn't good when that is so far from the case.  I honestly could not put the book down... I had to know what was going to happen next... I had to make sure that Tessa and Luke would find the happiness they both deserve... and most importantly.... I HAD to see how her brothers would react to her dating Luke!

Good Girls Don't (Hqn) by Victoria Dahl really was a great read.  It was easy, light, had a few cute moments, and gave you that little somethin' somethin' to keep you coming back for more.  I really enjoy Victoria's writing style, one of my all time favorite LOL books with a hot as sin hero and some hot as hell erotic scenes is Talk Me Down... and maybe I was expecting something a little more along those lines with Good Girls Don't and I didn't get that with this read.... I did, however, get enough from Luke and Tessa's story to want to spend more time with the Donovan Siblings and considering that Jamie is up next... time spent with them will come sooner than later   

Happy Reading!

Talk Me Down (Tumble Creek #1) Review

Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl is a great light, humorous read with a super hot, some what shy Chief of Police.

Molly Jennings has one naughty little secret: her job as a bestselling erotic fiction author. Until her inspiration runs dry—thanks to a creepy ex—and it's time to skip town and move back to tiny Tumble Creek, Colorado.
One look at former high school hunk chief of police Ben Lawson and Molly is back in business. The town gossip is buzzing at her door and, worse still, a stalker seems to be watching her every move. Thankfully, her very own lawman has taken to coming over, often

Molly Jennings was a great character!  When she got together with her best friend Lori (he he he) they reminded me so much of how my friends and I are....total smart asses, quick wit, and A LOT of sarcasm!

         "Thanks. You're like a little angel baby sent from Heaven to cheer me up."

The cherry she'd popped into her mouth got lodged somewhere too far back, so Ben leaned over and slapped her a few times until she coughed and swallowed.  Molly snorted.  "I feel like I should make a joke about you choking on your cherry, but I can't seem to put it together."

She keeps her career a secret, why I don't completely get, but she has her reasons.  After living in Denver for years and being pretty much chased off by her ex-boyfriend, Cameron, because he made every man she dated "fall for him" by talking about Molly's issues and convincing them she couldn't start a new relationship until she was over Cameron which he seemed to think she wasn't....major creepy guy alert!!!  So she moves back to her hometown of Tumble creek where she inherited her Aunt's house who passed away.  After a few days in town she runs in to Chief of Police, Ben Lawson, who she has had a little...ok big...crush on for a long time

She hadn't seen him in ten years, but Ben Lawson had been kind enough to make an appearance in her imagination almost every day, usually buck naked and looking for a good time, bless his heart.

Ben is like a dream...he's absolutely adorable with all his blushing at Molly...OH and the man has a love of reading!  Unfortunately, because of a sex scandal involving his father and a high school student, Ben is a little stand offish.  He doesn't date any women in town in an attempt to avoid his name involved in a scandal but yet when he sees Molly he can't seem to chase away the thoughts that she should be off limits....especially after he sees her laughing with out regard and having a good time at The Bar with her friend

She laughed.  A lot.  Ben didn't laugh much, and he thought it would be a grace in his life, a blessing, to hear a woman laugh every day, every hour.  To hear her laugh in his bed.

He tries real hard to convince her to tell him what she does for a living because even though he knows she's going to cause some trouble and he shouldn't go there with her...he just can't help himself and the attraction he has for her.  So he finally decides because he wants a real relationship with her that he'll give her a little time.

So Ben comes out of his shell a little one night at The Bar with Molly, Lori, and Helen.  He cracks a few jokes especially about Lori and everyone thinking she isn't into men.  It was actually so funny, even though I don't plan on sharing it I had to highlight it just so I could go back and read it....I think that may have been one of my many late night giggle fits where my husband just glared at me like I'd lost my mind...LOL.  Anyway, all 3 women seemed shocked by this

"What in the world's gotten into Ben Lawson?  Jokes?  Flirting?  Maybe I should sleep with Molly.  I think she's got a magic hooha."

Swear I had tears from laughing so hard when I read that chapter!

Okay, so Molly ends up with a stalker.  Someone is breaking into her house but making it look like she is just being careless or paranoid by leaving doors unlocked or open, leaving her work files exposed, letting her see them outside her house watching her.  Until...she gets a threatening note on her door to "Leave Tumble Creek or Die".  So of course Ben's worried and scared so he sets out to make sure she's safe.

Molly and Ben continue their "not dating" relationship and start to realize their feelings for one another.  Feelings that it seems have been there for a long time

God, he was beginning to love her.  "I don't want anyone but you here, Molly"  "You sure about that?"  "I wanted you even when I shouldn't have"

Of course she was in love with him.  She'd been half in love with the man her whole life.

After Ben gets the pleasure of meeting Cameron because the lunatic traveled the four hours to pick Molly up for a date she had canceled six months prior, he finally gets her to talk....a little.  She tells him about how he stole the men she'd dated from her and how he was only there to ruin her life.  But being Molly there was no shortage of humorous sarcasm

"Little Blue was my last friend, and frankly the last time his batteries ran out I had a fleeting moment of panic that he'd been compromised!"

So after dealing with the blowup of Cameron they come home to find her stalker in her kitchen.  Stalker is arrested but Ben finds out about her secret and is none too happy with her about it...not because of what it is but because it involves him in a scandal and he's pretty gun shy about those.  Unfortunately for Ben he'd just confessed his love for her in between the drama of Cameron and the stalker.

So, things end for Molly and Ben but no worries because even though they thought the stalker was caught they were wrong and the actual stalker had just gotten lucky there was another crazed lunatic out to drive Molly out of Tumble Creek.  Fortunately for Molly, Ben decides to check things out.  He arrests the stalker at the doorstep and runs in to find Molly tied and gagged to the chair in her room.  He feels tremendous guilt for avoiding her and not getting over himself sooner so they could restart their relationship

"But please say you can't live without me, because...because I'm miserable and I need you."

So sweet!  So there you go a happily ever after.  Oh and the epilogue.... totally worth reading the whole book...all I'm gonna say is....sexy cop and a black stetson ;)

Talk Me Down by Victoria Dahl was a very nice light read.  I'll keep it on my reread list because it really was a great little story but the humor and sarcasm is what will have me reading more of Ms. Dahl's work!  If you pick it up, I hope you laugh as much as I did!

Happy Reading!