Branded by Candace Havens – a Review

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Description:
I have my hands full taking care of my little sister and covering for my uncle as ranch foreman. The last thing I need is a Texas princess like Callie Llewellyn getting up in my business and messing with my head.

All I can think of is getting up close and personal with those curves of hers. And being on the edge of discovery makes our quick-and-dirty encounters twice as hot. And that’s all they are—quick and dirty—there’s nothing deeper going on here.

There’s only one rule to keeping my job and a roof over my sister’s head: stay away from the boss’s granddaughter. But I’m not always great at following the rules.

Review:

Branded begins with Callie finishing up at her Ivy League school for the summer, only to find out that her grades aren’t exactly what she thought they’d be.  Once Callie lands at her home, her grandparents’ sprawling Texas estate, she’s met at the air strip by a cowboy she’s not seen before.  Because, yeah…she would have remembered him.  What troubles her, though, is his almost dismissive reaction to her.  She finally makes it up to the house and is greeted by her grandmother, and soon, her grandfather.  She decides not to tell them of her slip in grades due to the fact she doesn’t want to disappoint them.  She’s always done well in school and vows to herself she’ll get back on top by taking online classes to make up the grade.

At dinner, Callie finds that not only is the hot new cowboy, Cole, there, but also his little sister for whom he is responsible.  Callie and Adina (the little sister) immediately strike up a friendship, much to Cole’s disapproval.  He knows Callie is off limits and, even though he is very protective of Adina, he eventually begins to lighten up when it comes to Callie and Adina.  Adina is several years younger than Callie, but Callie sees her as the younger sister she never had.  However, as Callie sets out to find out why Cole treats her the way he does, neither can be prepared for what transpires. As the two of them navigate trying to carry on a covert relationship, feelings overwhelm them both: fear, uncertainty, anger, and just maybe…love.

Branded is the first book I’ve read by Candace Havens. I liked the familial bonds as well as the already established friendships.  To be honest, I didn’t think I’d like it.  At all.  I have a hard time believing that a 19 year old young woman would say some of the things that came out of Callie’s mouth.  But then I had to remind myself that it’s not my place to say whether or not she would.  It’s the author’s responsibility to her characters to lay out their story.  And, I had to remind myself that this is new adult, which is kind of new(ish) territory for me.  Once I let go of my preconceived notions, a funny thing happened…….  I really like this story.  I liked the premise and I liked the main characters.  Yes, Callie is a rich girl, but she’s not petty and has a sweet heart and loves her family big.  Cole is a character whom I wanted to reach in and pop on the back of his head a time or tow, but he won me over in the end.  The secondary characters were intriguing and I would like to see if they’ll have their stories told. ( I can’t see where this is part of a series or not, so I will have to wait and see.)  This one did make me laugh in places.  I loved Callie and her best friend waking up after a bender.  It really was LOL funny in parts, but then the next sentence would bring tears to my eyes.  If you’re a fan of this genre, I think you’ll enjoy this one.  It’s a quick read that will have you cheering for all involved.

Reviewed by Vickie

Copy provided by Publisher

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