Review: Crazy Thing Called Love by Molly O'Keefe

Crazy Thing Called Love

By Molly O’Keefe

Book #3 in the Crooked Creek series

Contemporary Romance

 

Dallas TV morning show host Madelyn Cornish is poised, perfect, and unflappable, from her glossy smile to her sleek professionalism. No one knows that her iron will guards a shattered heart and memories of a man she’s determined to lock out. Until that man shows up at a morning meeting like a bad dream: Billy Wilkins, sexy hockey superstar in a tailspin—still skating, still fighting, and still her ex-husband. 

Now the producers want this poster child for bad behavior to undergo an on-air makeover, and Billy, who has nothing to lose, agrees to the project. It’s his only chance to get near Maddy again, and to fight for the right things this time around. He believes in the fire in Maddy’s whisky eyes and the passion that ignites the air between them. This bad-boy heartbreaker wants a last shot to be redeemed by the only thing that matters: Maddy’s love.


Billy Wilkins was traded to the Dallas Mavericks, an NHL hockey team and he's miserable. The coach doesn't believe in his rough playing style and Billy is resisting change. Madelyn Cornish wants nothing to do with him following her surprise confrontation with him at Victoria's party but she's being forced to because her producers have put Billy on her show as part of a short term makeover project. No one knows of their history and that he's her ex-husband. 



I wasn't excited about reading this story as Billy seemed to be a bit of a wreck in the earlier books. Well, this turned out to be my most favorite of the series.



Billy IS a wreck but not for the reasons I thought. Instead of being just a wild man on hockey skates, brutal for the sake of the fight, Billy was expressing his anguish in the only way he knew how. When he and Madelyn ended their marriage, it seemed it was a choice he was ready to make. We learn so much more about this man, what led him to ultimately destroy his marriage and his relationship with Madelyn and the toll it ultimately took on his life.



Madelyn expressed her pain caused by the demise of their relationship so completely differently. She reinvented herself, becoming a glossy on air professional who was the picture of perfection, never losing her cool or displaying any extreme emotion. She was a brittle woman with no meaningful relationships in her life but on the surface appearing to be a model of success in her business.



This is a heart wrenching story as both Billy and Madelyn have to give up their protective shells in order to find their own hearts and the way back to each other. At times it is excruciatingly painful to experience but the payoff is huge. Billy's family unwittingly plays a significant role in their reunion as well. It all plays out in the midst of both of their careers, forcing them to reassess what is really important in their lives. I ached for both of them individually and for their fractured relationship. I really admired Billy for the risks he ultimately took to get this woman back and how vulnerable he was willing to be, publicly and privately. 



I'm so glad I didn't put off reading this book. It was tough, funny, steamy, sad and romantic with an ending that was so very satisfying. I don't often read a story that has me be quite so emotionally strung out and it pushed me to my limits. It was a perfect ending to an extraordinary series and this story will always be one of my favorites.

 (NetGalley ARC)

CR Review: Can't Hurry Love by Molly O'Keefe

Can’t Hurry Love 
by Molly O’Keefe 
Book #2 in the Crooked Creek series
Contemporary Romance
★★★★

Victoria Baker, the penniless widow of a disgraced financier, is ready to stand up, be counted, and make a new life for herself and her beloved son in Texas. She’s taking over Crooked Creek ranch, her birthright, and turning it into something special. All that stands in her way is Eli Turnbull, a rugged, too-handsome cowboy who wants the land just as badly.

If Victoria wants a fight, Eli will give her one. He’s devoted his life to Crooked Creek, and he’s not about to let some pampered city girl—even one as brave and beautiful as Victoria—turn it into some silly spa. But Victoria’s and Eli’s burning anger and frustration only fuel heat of another kind: uncontrollable passion. And soon they each realize that the person standing in their way is the one they can never do without.
 
REVIEW:

Victoria Schulman, half sister of Luc Baker, returned to Crooked Creek Ranch in Texas just before the death of her father, hoping that she would receive a healthy part of his legacy so she can pick up the pieces of her life. Her late husband left her destitute and shamed following the discovery of his illegal Ponzi scheme and subsequent suicide. Now she's been left the ranch and is ready to learn how to manage it so that she and her seven-year old son, Jacob, can move on with their lives. However, Eli Turnbull, the ranch foreman who has been waiting to recover the property taken from his family many years ago, has a different plan.

I must admit I dragged my feet a little bit in starting this story because Victoria wasn't very likable in the first book. While I was sympathetic to her plight, I found her shallow, desperate and a bit self absorbed. Fortunately, the story starts right off with her discovery of Eli's duplicity and the impact of his actions. Victoria grew up pretty quickly, developing a spine and determination. This doesn't happen overnight but the story of her transformation was really well told and her ever evolving relationship with Eli was a major part of that change. His story was also pretty tragic, keeping me from throwing him under the bus as his motivations were understandable and he, too, was in the midst of his own evolution. These were two very damaged people who, despite their actions sometimes, were very likable because of their circumstances. It is a tribute to the O'Keefe's writing skills that you could both be disgusted and empathetic to Victoria and Eli. I really wanted them to succeed, not only in their relationship but in overcoming their pasts.

There were also secondary characters who played instrumental roles in the story, specifically Celeste Baker, Luc's mother. Her relationship with Victoria, who is the product of Celeste's ex-husband's affair with another woman while they were married, couldn't be more complex. She treated Victoria pretty badly as a child and is consumed with guilt and shame because of her actions. She's a former super model who is still beautiful and a quite daunting. But, Celeste and Victoria formed this odd partnership that was also intriguing to see unfold.

I loved the romance, the conflicts and the wacky relationships brought about because of so many tragic circumstances. It all seems to work to create a very good story. I'm glad I didn't drag my feet too long in starting this book because I would have missed something special.


(I received an ARC from NetGalley)

CR Review: Can't Buy Me Love by Molly O'Keefe

Can’t Buy Me Love 

By Molly O’Keefe 

Book #1 in the Crooked Creek Ranch series
Contemporary Romance
Published June 26th 2012 by Bantam
★★★★

A girl from the wrong side of the tracks, Tara Jean Sweet knows that opportunity will never knock; she’ll have to seize it. Elderly Texas rancher Lyle Baker has a dying request: He will give Tara Jean a stake in his leather business in exchange for a little family subterfuge. All Tara Jean has to do is play the part of a gold-digging fiancée to lure Lyle’s estranged children home. The mission is soon accomplished.

Now Lyle’s gone—and his ridiculously handsome son, Luc, an ice hockey superstar sidelined by injuries, is the new owner of Crooked Creek ranch. He’s also Tara Jean’s boss. But being so close to sinfully sweet Tara Jean does crazy things to Luc’s priorities, like make him want to pry her deepest secrets from those irresistible lips. But when Tara Jean’s past demands a dirty showdown, will Luc stay and fight?

REVIEW:

Tara Jean Sweet made a deal with 90-year old Lyle Baker to help lure his estranged son Luc and daughter Victoria back to his ranch in Texas. Lyle is dying and wants to see his children before his demise as he hasn't had contact with them for years. Luc is facing the possibility of the end of his professional hockey career because of a head injury and Victoria has been living a nightmare the past year because of her husband’s Ponzi scheme that left many financially shattered. The ruse worked as they bought the act, believing Tara Jean to be a gold digger ready to marry their father and abscond with their inheritance.

I was pleased to discover that this was not the light fare the description first led me to believe. These are complicated relationships and the characters have really serious issues to contend with. Tara Jean has a troubled, nasty past and her deal with Lyle provided the opportunity to reinvent herself. On the surface, she seems tough and a bit on the cheap side but it’s just a veneer she's created to protect herself. When Luc gets a glimpse of the real Tara, he becomes captivated and wants more. Their relationship is a tough one and, at times, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to root for them but Tara’s recovery from her self-loathing and Luc’s patience will win you over.

This isn't a story for the faint of heart as these aren't easy people and they have many flaws. The first half of the book was typical of a new relationship, with witty repartee and humorous moments. The second half is grittier as the characters have to contend with hard issues that surface once you’re expected to trust one another. I loved the complexity of the story and how the characters weren’t predictable. Tara and Luc's road to a relationship is unconventional and she's pretty damaged from a sordid past and a prior bad relationship. Luc and Victoria both have a lot of baggage as their father would never come close to winning father of the year awards. They all have redeemable qualities, although Victoria will challenge your sympathies.

There were times when the writing was a bit heavy handed with Southern/Western metaphors, especially when describing Tara's physical reactions to Luc. They sometimes got in the way of the emotional aspects, which was the more compelling part of the story. Otherwise, this is was an intriguing story, complete with humor, tragedy, romance and a bit of suspense. I wasn’t always happy with the journey but I loved its realism, edginess and honesty to the characters who were all well developed. I am looking forward to continuing the series.



(I received an ARC from NetGalley)