Tuesday 29 August 2017

Review and Excerpt Tour | Can't Hardly Breathe by Gean Showalter | #NEW #Review #Contemporary #Netgalley #HarlequinHQN @InkSlingerPR @genashowalter



Title: Can't Hardly Breathe
Series: Original Heartbreakers #4
Author: Gena Showalter
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Publishers: Harlequin
Release Date: 29 August 2017


Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Gena Showalter returns with an irresistible Original Heartbreakers story about a woman who’s never felt desired and the man who wants her more than air to breathe…

Bullied in high school, Dorothea Mathis’s past is full of memories she’d rather forget. But there’s one she can’t seem to shake—her longstanding crush on former Army Ranger Daniel Porter. Now that the sexy bad boy has started using her inn as his personal playground, she should kick him out…but his every heated glance makes her want to join him instead.

Daniel returned to Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma to care for his ailing father and burn off a little steam with no strings attached. Though he craves the curvy Dorothea night and day, he’s as marred by his past as she is by hers. The more he desires her, the more he fears losing her.

But every sizzling encounter leaves him desperate for more, and soon Daniel must make a choice: take a chance on love or walk away forever.


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Review

This is the fourth book in the Original Heartbreakers series but can be read as a standalone. I had not read any of the previous books in the series so can attest to it reading as a standalone.

Dorothea had a hard life at school, being the subject of the bullies. Her one shining star from her schooldays was her crush Daniel. However Dorothea knew she had no chance with the heartthrob so she settled for adoration from afar. Fast forward to the present and after a time away and a disastrous marriage, she is now back in her hometown, looking after the family business, a run down bed and breakfast. She has always been the carer of her mother and younger sister and even with the passage of time that responsibility has not changed. She can only dream of an escape from her life of dull and loneliness. When her old school crush comes back to town he uses the facilities of her B and B, this brings Dorothea back to daydreaming of Daniel all over again. But this time she decides to take action and not sit on the sidelines anymore. 

Daniel is back in his hometown after a career as an army ranger. Using the local B and B for his random hook ups, he comes face to face with Dorothea again. His fascination with her starts a catalyst of events that blow his mind especially when he gets surprise of an invitation from Dorothea!

This was a nice slow burn but steamy romance with lots of banter and laugh out loud moments. I loved that Dorothea was now a sassy woman and not a doormat anymore. Her rebellion against her insecurities and her seize the day mentality were wonderfully refreshing. Daniel was also a winner with his fighting of his own demons and pushing forth for a better life. The pairing were likable and I liked the way Dorothea would not be an easy pushover for Daniel. She kept him on his toes. 

I enjoyed reading this and getting involved with the storyline which I found engaging and entertaining. Definitely one to recommend. Four Stars. 

*ARC kindly provided by the publishers Harlequin HQN via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.  


Excerpt

Hands trembling, she hooked the vacuum to the cart and rolled the cargo to the supply room…where her younger sister Holly was smoking a cigarette.
Coughing, Dorothea claimed the cigarette and stubbed the tip into an ashtray.
“Hey!” Eighteen-year-old Holly glared at her. “I wasn’t done.”
“You mean you weren’t done giving our guests lung cancer and stinking up the inn?”
“Exactly.” Ever the smart aleck, Holly tossed a piece of gum in her mouth and popped a bubble in Dorothea’s face. “Besides, we don’t really have guests, now, do we? Since you took over, only four people have stayed here. Mayor Trueman and his side slice, and Daniel Porter and whatever bimbo he happens to be banging.”
Not true! A few months ago, Dorothea had hired Harlow Glass, and everyone in town had rented a room to witness the former bully’s downfall.
Good times.
Dorothea hadn’t wanted to like Harlow, but dang it, something bad had happened to the girl in the years since
high school, and she’d changed. More than that, Harlow had done everything in her power to make amends, and eventually Dorothea had warmed up to her.
Now the beautiful brunette was married to reformed playboy Beck Ockley. The happy couple were expecting their first child in a few months.
A razor-sharp pang cut through Dorothea. Won’t think about my own—
Nope. Slam the breaks.
To ward off the oncoming pity party, she drew in a deep breath…slowly released it… Good, that was good.
She focused on her sister. Holly had pinned back the sides of her jet-black hair, the remaining locks tumbling all the way to the metal links anchored around her biceps. She’d paired a crimson corset top—her first pop of color in months—with a ruffled black skirt, ripped fishnet stockings and combat boots caked with mud Dorothea would have to clean from the floors.
In a town as small as Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma, Holly was a legend. Unique.
“My inn, my rules,” Dorothea said. “No smoking. Ever.” Besides, she suspected the teenager only ever lit up to aggravate her. Not once had Dorothea witnessed an actual puff.
“You’re worse than a Mogwai that’s been fed after midnight.”
A Gremlins reference? Seriously?
“No wonder Jazz left you,” her sister added.
Air hissed between her teeth. Holly might hate her guts, but the teenager loved to insult her, and this barb hit harder than most.
Rather than waiting for love, as Dorothea had dreamed, she’d settled for companionship, marrying the first guy to pay attention to her. Worse, she’d believed his words rather than his actions. I adore you and only want what’s best for you…for us.



Giveaway




Meet The Author


Gena Showalter is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the spellbinding Lords of the Underworld and Angels of the Dark series, two young adult series--Everlife and the White Rabbit Chronicles--and the highly addictive Original Heartbreakers series. In addition to being a National Reader's Choice and two time RITA nominee, her romance novels have appeared in Cosmopolitan (Red Hot Read) and Seventeen magazine, she's appeared on Nightline and been mentioned in Orange is the New Black--if you ask her about it, she'll talk for hours…hours! Her books have been translated in multiple languages.

She’s hard at work on her next novel, a tale featuring an alpha male with a dark side and the strong woman who brings him to his knees. You can learn more about Gena, her menagerie of rescue dogs, and all her upcoming books at genashowalter.com or Facebook.com/genashowalterfans

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