Tag Archives: Nashville Dreams

Can’t Fight The Feeling/ Can’t Let Her Go (Nashville Dreams 2 & 3) by Sandy James-reviews

Posted on by
10

CAN’T FIGHT THE FEELING (Nashville Dreams #2 & #3) by Sandy James-reviews

CAN’T FIGHT THE FEELING
Nashville Dreams #3
by Sandy James
Release Date: May 8, 2018
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date May 8, 2018

In Nashville the men are strong, the women are bold, and love comes to those willing to fight for it.

Russ Green is an expert at keeping people out – physically and emotionally. After a career-ending injury, the former quarterback was lucky to find a place as a bouncer at Words & Music. All he wants to do now is stay out of the limelight – alone. With his background, he’s nobody’s Prince Charming. His life is routine, and he likes it that way. Gym, work, home. No surprises. Until a bar brawl lands him in the emergency room, and in some very capable hands…

Nurse Joslynn Wright found her calling during a childhood bout of leukemia. While the fast-paced ER keeps her adrenaline pumping, it’s nothing compared to being with Russ. Her illness made her cautious, though, and Russ’s closed-off nature certainly doesn’t make things any easier. But she can’t help being intrigued by the contradiction of a burly bouncer who can gently strum a guitar. If she’s learned anything in Nashville, it’s that love may take work, but the rewards can be well worth the effort…

•••••••••••

REVIEW: CAN’T FIGHT THE FEELING is the third instalment in Sandy James’ contemporary, adult NASHVILLE DREAMS romance series focusing on three friends who own and operate Words and Music-a bar in Nashville, Tennessee: Brad Maxwell, Ethan Walker and Russell Green. This is co-owner/ former quarter back Russell “Russ” Green, and ER nurse Joslynn ‘Josie’ Wright’s story line. CAN’T FIGHT THE FEELING can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Josie is best friends with Savannah Wolf (Can’t Walk Away).

Told from dual third person perspectives (Russ and Joslynn) CAN’T FIGHT THE FEELING follows the building relationship between Words and Music co-owner/ former quarterback Russell “Russ” Green, and ER nurse Joslynn ‘Josie’ Wright. Having met months earlier at Savannah and Brad’s wedding Joslyn wasn’t surprised when former quarterback turned bouncer landed in her hospital ER.

Struggling with his personal life, and the fall-out of his father’s rapidly, decreasing health, Russ believes he is in no position to pursue the woman that make his blood sing but pursue he does, only to be shot down on numerous occasions. Joslynn Wright has seen it all, and in the past has suffered her own share of childhood trauma and loss but Russ’ attraction to, and need for Josie, is met with our heroine’s ongoing reluctance to make a commitment, a commitment that pushes the boundaries between friendship and love. Never one to claim ownership or be in a relationship for very long, Josie’s developing friendship and romance with Russ is at odds with her attitude and the emotional fall-out of falling in love. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate, without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a fine line between fiercely independent and feminist b*tch, and Joslynn Wright crosses the line on more than one occasion. Unable to let go of the past Joslynn’s need to be self-reliant comes across as a negative component of her character development, and I was less than enthusiastic with my enjoyment of both the character and the story line premise.

We are reintroduced to Ethan’s business partners Russell Green, Brad Maxwell and Savannah Wolf (Can’t Walk Away #1), Ethan Walker and Chelsea Harris (Can’t Let Her Go #2), as well as the introduction of Ethan’s struggling parents Baron and Yvonne Green.

CAN’T FIGHT THE FEELING is a well written, character driven story of family and friendship; struggle and letting go of the past; realization and acceptance. The premise is engaging with some wonderful world building; the characters are colorful, dynamic, frustrating and flawed; the romance is seductive and hot.

Reading Order and Previous reviews
Can’t Walk Away
Can’t Let Her Go (see below)
Can’t Fight The Feeling

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

_______________

CAN’T LET HER GO
(Nashville Dreams #2)
by Sandy James
Genre: Adult, contemporary, romance

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / Chapters Indigo / Google Play

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date January 16, 2018

In Nashville the music is louder, the dreams are bigger, and love can bring a cowboy to his knees.

Ethan Walker is Nashville royalty. Born to the King and Queen of Country Music, he’s spent his life trying to escape the spotlight of his parents’ fame, even walking away from his own promising singing career. He’s the kind of cowboy who prefers flannel to flashbulbs, hay fields to hit records, and the solitude of his horse farm to the nightlife along Music Row. The last thing he wants is attention, especially when it comes from country’s latest star…

Chelsea Harris’s meteoric rise up the charts and string of celebrity boyfriends mean that wherever she goes, the paparazzi follow. A duet with Nashville’s favorite son is exactly what her new charity album needs, but when she approaches Ethan, he turns her down flat. To win the camera-shy cowboy over, Chelsea will have to approach him on his terms. Trouble is, the more time she spends on his farm, the more Ethan wants to keep her there

••••••••••

REVIEW: CAN’T LET HER GO is the second instalment in Sandy James’ contemporary, adult NASHVILLE DREAMS romance series focusing on three friends who own and operate Words and Music-a bar in Nashville, Tennessee: Brad Maxwell, Ethan Walker and Russell Green. This is reluctant, former teen singing sensation Ethan Walker, and country singer Chelsea Harris’s story line. CAN’T LET HER GO can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Chelsea and Ethan) CAN’T LET HER GO follows the building relationship between former child star Ethan Walker, and country music celebrity Chelsea Harris. Ethan Walker is the progeny of country music’s hottest couple but when his father tried to outrun the paparazzi, our hero was left an orphan with a great disdain for everything music and celebrity represents. Enter rising country music star Chelsea Harris-the woman with whom Ethan would fall in love. Chelsea is hoping to release a charity album of duets featuring the children of former music stars, and Ethan Walker is her only hold-out. What ensues are the contemptuous relationship between Chelsea and Ethan, and the fall-out when their friendship and association becomes fodder for the tabloid press.

Ethan Walker is content to work on his ranch, and sit behind the bar serving drinks to his friends and customers but Chelsea Harris’ persistence as it pertains to a duet with our story line hero pushes all of Ethan’s buttons including the buttons that stir up too many memories of his parents and the past. His behaviour and reluctance to help is fuelled by the loss of his parents, and a loss of power over his life as a singing star but I have to questions his lack of maturity on too many occasions. Chelsea is determined to release a charity album in honor of her father, who passed away, an album meant to bring awareness and raise funds for cancer research.

The relationship between Chelsea and Ethan begins acrimoniously as Chelsea persists in her attempts to bring Ethan on board. Ethan is determined to remain out of the music business having had to deal with the fall-out of fame and paparazzi at a very young age. The $ex scenes are intimate but mostly implied.

We are reintroduced to Ethan’s business partners Russell Green, Brad Maxwell and Savannah Wolf (Can’t Walk Away #1), as well as introduction of Chelsea’s agent Addie, her mother Betsy , and Chuck Austin, a man who sets out to destroy the building relationship between Ethan and Chelsea.

The world building focuses on two things close to the author’s heart: horses and cancer research. We are up close and personal as Sandy James takes the reader into the world of raising horses, as well as the struggle with which many families have to deal-losing a loved one to cancer.

CAN’T LET HER GO is a story of friendship and family; of betrayal and loss; of letting go of the past and moving forward with life. The premise is engaging and thought-provoking; the romance is hindered by memories of the past; the characters are colorful and charismatic.

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

Sandy James lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis and is a high school psychology
teacher. She owns a small stable of harness racehorses and enjoys spending time at
Hoosier Park racetrack. She has been an Amazon #1 Bestseller multiple times and has
won numerous awards including two HOLT Medallions.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

Share

Can’t Walk Away (Nashville Dreams #1) by Sandy James-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

Posted on by
12

CAN’T WALK AWAY (Nashville Dreams #) by Sandy James-Review, Excerpt & Giveaway

Can't Walk Away Banner

CAN’T WALK AWAY
Nashville Dreams #1
by Sandy James
Genre: adult, contemporary, romance
Release Date: October 10, 2017

Can't Walk Away

Amazon.com / Amazon.ca / B&N / KOBO / ibooks / Google /

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 10, 2017

In Nashville the stars shine a little brighter, songs sound a little sweeter, and love lasts a lifetime.

Young, rich, and better looking than a man has a right to be, successful songwriter Brad “Hitman” Maxwell was once Nashville’s biggest celebrity. Then a heartbreaking loss and a shocking betrayal caused his light to go out. Now, instead of pouring his soul into song, he pours beers at Words & Music. His bar is the perfect escape–a place to forget his past–until the night she takes the stage…

Savannah Wolf used to dream of becoming Nashville’s hottest star. Now, as a young single mom, she dreams of a steady income and being home to tuck her daughter into bed. So when Brad Maxwell offers her the gig of a lifetime–playing as the headliner at Words & Music–Savannah discovers the best of both worlds. And she refuses to ruin this opportunity by falling for her sexy boss. Except that Brad suddenly starts writing music again… music inspired by her

••••••••••

REVIEW: CAN’T WALK AWAY is the first installment in Sandy James’ contemporary, adult NASHVILLE DREAMS romance series focusing on three friends who own and operate Words and Music-a bar in Nashville, Tennessee: Brad Maxwell, Ethan Walker and Russell Green. This is songwriter Brad ‘Hitman’ Maxwell, and waitress/singer Savannah Wolf’s story line.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Brad and Savannah) CAN’T WALK AWAY focuses on the building relationship between Brad Maxwell and Savannah Wolf. Savannah is a twenty-six year old single mother; a singer whose earlier musical career was jettisoned by her former manager, boyfriend, the father of her five year old daughter Caroline, and the man who has destroyed our heroine’s trust with other men Michael Hart. Brad Maxwell, is a struggling song writer, a once popular and chart topping writer who lost his muse when the woman he once loved and lost betrayed his trust and the bonds of their marriage. Hearing Savannah Wolf sing was like a beacon to Brad Maxwell- the call of a long, lost urge to pick up a pen and begin writing anew. What ensues is the quick building love between Brad and Savannah, and the potential fall out when issues of trust make for too many hurdles between our story line couple.

Brad Maxwell’s attraction to Savannah is one of insta-lust/love. He is determined to make Savannah a star but our heroine wants only to earn enough money to buy a house and pay the bills. As Savannah’s star begins to rise, her mounting fame and the paparazzi begin to build walls between our leading couple.

The relationship between Savannah and Brad begins as a business arrangement. Brad makes Savannah the headliner at Words and Music but our heroine struggles with the notoriety as her popularity begins to soar. Brad and Savannah both have issues of trust, and in this, the little secrets and bumps in the road are blown out of proportion throughout the story; they both continue to compare one another to their previous relationship disasters. I struggled with their exaggerated reactions to the ‘small things’, as well as a perceived lack of chemistry between our story line couple. The $ex scenes are intimate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Brad’s friends and business partners- musician Ethan Walker, and Russell Green; Savannah’s over-protective parents Paul and Mary Wolf, and Savannah’s daughter Caroline, as well as Words and Music stage manager Randy. The requisite evil comes in the guise of Savannah’s ex-manager and boyfriend Michael Hart. I am looking forward to Ethan and Russell’s story line.

CAN’T WALK AWAY is a story of second chances, of sorts, for two people who loved and lost, and suffered the humiliation of betrayal in return. The premise is engaging and enjoyable; the romance is seductive; the characters struggled with issues of trust. CAN’T WALK AWAY is a charming and pleasant story line.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

 

excerpt

 

By the fifth take, Brad was losing his patience.
Had he been wrong in thinking Savannah was something special, something new? He sure as hell didn’t think so.
Then why couldn’t he get her to sing with the passion she’d shown back at Words & Music?
Maybe it was the song. “That Smile” was his first attempt at writing in a long time. Perhaps it wasn’t up to snuff?
No. When Brad had heard Savannah sing it earlier, he’d known he’d written a strong song with a good melody and a catchy beat.
Something was clearly blocking her talent.
“I’m sorry, Brad.” She dropped the headphones from her ears to let them rest around her neck. Then, head bowed, she started shuffling through the sheet music.
He’d never seen her look defeated before, and he didn’t like it. This wasn’t the Savannah who’d been his muse. This wasn’t the woman who brought back his music.
This was…a disaster.
But why?
He watched her closely, trying to find some telltale clue as to what was going on today that had robbed Savannah of the passion and talent he’d counted on. Her hair was braided, the braid an eclectic mixture of blond and blue. A blush tinted her cheeks, and he could hear her nervousness through the quaver in her voice, especially in the last notes of her fifth recording.
Something was definitely wrong, and he was going to have to find a way to fix it. But he couldn’t do that from another room. Even though he could see her, something told him she needed something more personal. Unsure of whether being closer to her would make a difference, he figured it was worth a shot.
Brad started a new recording so he could capture the song if he was able to help her, pushed himself away from the console, and headed to the recording booth with his remote control in his pocket. He pulled the door open and stepped inside.
Savannah glanced up from the music, offering him a wan smile that made his frustration evaporate. She knew something was wrong, too. Maybe if they put their heads together, they could get back the magic.
After pulling a stool beside hers, he sat. Then he gently took off her headphones, plucked the pages from her hands, and placed them back on the music stand. She let her eyes meet his, and he could see her concern.
“We’re going do things a little differently this time,” Brad said, keeping his voice low.
“We are?”
He nodded and scooted closer. Then he wrapped his hand around one of hers. “You’re not going to think about recording.”
“I’m not?”
“Nope. This time you’re just going to sing to me. That’s all.”
Her whole body relaxed, and Brad had to fight the desire to smile.
“Sing to me, Savannah. Just to me. Okay?”
She nodded, and before she could get a chance to think about what he was doing, he pulled a remote from his pocket and began the music playback so that it echoed through the room.
The notes of the intro flowed around them, and he kept her grounded by not allowing her to glance away. When she opened her mouth to sing, he gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and offered her an encouraging smile.
And sing she did. Each delightful note came from deep inside her, and he found himself caught in some kind of spell, the same type she’d woven around him back at Words & Music. He hung on each rise and fall of that delicious voice until the last note echoed through the booth.
The song might have ended, but not the magic. Brad found himself leaning closer, his eyes fixed on her soft, pink mouth. Desire ripped through him as she mimicked his action, drawing ever so slowly closer until he could feel the sweet heat of her breath against his face.
With a groan of surrender, he captured her mouth with his own, giving her no warning as his tongue swept deep inside.
Savannah nearly knocked over her stool when she rose to thread her arms around his neck. She was such a little bit of a thing that he could stay seated and draw her between his outstretched legs without interrupting the kiss. As she moved closer, Brad wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her hard against him.
The kiss turned ravenous, and he realized that he was done fighting this attraction.


 

Sandy James lives in a quiet suburb of Indianapolis and is a high school psychology
teacher. She owns a small stable of harness racehorses and enjoys spending time at
Hoosier Park racetrack. She has been an Amazon #1 Bestseller multiple times and has
won numerous awards including two HOLT Medallions.

Website / Goodreads / Twitter / Facebook

rafflecopter giveaway

NOTE: The Reading Cafe is NOT responsible for the rafflecopter giveaway. If you have any questions, please ask the tour operator.

Forever romance

Share