CAPTAIN DREAMBOAT (Ponderosa Resort #6) by Tawna Fenske-a review

CAPTAIN DREAMBOAT (Ponderosa Resort Romantic Comedy #6) by Tawna Fenske-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 8, 2019

Jonathan Bracelyn pours his soul into saving the world, and he’s still nowhere near cancelling out the sins of dear ol’ dad. But when a medical crisis prompts Jon to toss his sister the ultimate lifeline, he’s forced to hang up his captain’s hat and hit pause on the one thing that makes him…well, him.

At least he has Blanka Pavlo’s heart-flooding smile to buoy his spirits. A brilliant scientist, she knows things can’t last with the do-gooder Bracelyn brother. Not even if he kisses like a dream and boasts biceps as hefty as his heart. Blanka’s learned the hard way how lonely life is in the shadow of a saint, so she’s giving the hottie hero a wide berth.

Except Jonathan sucks at self-care, so maybe she’ll lend a hand (and other tingly parts) to help him out. Soon, they’re bonding over awkward bubble baths and a disturbingly homely cat, while struggling to remember it’s all temporary. But the harder they brace for goodbye, the louder their hearts declare they’re already in too deep.

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REVIEW: CAPTAIN DREAM BOAT is the sixth instalment in Tawna Fenske’s contemporary, adult PONDEROSA RESORT ROMANTIC COMDEDY erotic, romantic series focusing on the Bracelyn siblings and the people who work at Ponderosa Resort. This is sailing captain / philanthropist Jonathan Bracelyn, and scientist Blanka Pavlo’s story line. CAPTAIN DREAMBOAT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalment is revealed where necessary.

SOME BACKGROUND: A few years earlier the Bracelyn patriarch, Cort Bracelyn, died leaving his eldest son James to pick up the pieces of his billion dollar estate, an estate to be divided between his five children (Bree, Sean, James, Mark, and Jonathan ) all born of different mothers. The Ponderosa Resort is the family lodge where each of the now adult children lives and works. But to no one’s surprise, additional siblings continue to climb out of the proverbial woodwork.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Jonathan and Blanka) CAPTAIN DREAMBOAT follows the building relationship between sailing captain / philanthropist Jonathan Bracelyn, and scientist Blanka Pavlo. At the wedding of his sister Bree Bracelyn to Austin Dugan (Sargeant Sexypants #3), sailing captain and philanthropist Jonathan Bracelyn will come face to face with the woman he met one month earlier at the local grade school career day. Blanka Pavlo knew immediately that something wasn’t right with Jonathan’s sister Isabella, something that would bring Jonathan closer to the sibling he had met only weeks before. A medical emergency finds Isabella the recipient of Jonathan’s kidney, and Jonathan the recipient of tender loving care from the woman with whom he would fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Blanka and Jonathan, and the potential fall-out as neither Jonathan nor Blanka’s lifestyles are conducive to settling down or a long-term affair.

Jonathan Bracelyn is all about giving back; about helping out those less fortunate including the overseas rescue of migrants who would otherwise be lost to the waters and oceans of the Earth. Never one to settle down for too long, Jonathan finds himself struggling with his recovery when all he wants to do is move on and out. Blanka Pavlo has watched her parent’s marriage deteriorate as her Nobel Prize winning father searched for the next big thing, leaving his family in the wake of his own philanthropic ways. To Blanka’s surprise, she soon begins to realize that the man with whom she is falling in love is more like her father than she could have ever imagined. Having witnessed first hand her mother’s slow decent in loneliness and heartbreak, Blanka must make a decision as it pertains to her future, and the future of the man with whom she fell in love.

The relationship between Blanka and Jonathan is one of immediate attraction but the romance is placed on hold when Jonathan offers up a kidney to his ailing sister. When Jonathan gets the all clear, our hero begins a slow seduction of Blanka Pavlo, a seduction that is derailed when Jonathan meets Blanka’s father. The Sex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are re-introduced to Jonathan’s siblings: Sean Bracelyn and Amber King (Chef Sugarlips #2), Bree Bracelyn and Austin Dugan (Sargeant Sexypants #3), Mark Bracelyn and Chelsea Singer (Hottie Lumberjack #4), as well as Chelsea’s daughter Libby, James Bracelyn and Lily Archer (Stiff Suit #5), newest sibling Isabella Blankenship; Jonathan’s mother Wendy and her husband retired US Coast Guard Admiral Chuck, as well as Jonathan’s half-sister Gretchen. We are introduced to Blanka’s parents Galyna Pavlo and Thomas Kushnir Kramer, as well as Dr. Bradley Parker. Gretchen and Gable find their own happily ever after in Snowbound Squeeze (Jan 2020); Bradley and Isabella’s story will be found in Dr. Hot Stuff (2020).

CAPTAIN DREAMBOAT is a story of family, friendship, romance and love; a story of betrayal and acceptance; of desperately trying to move on from the past. The premise is entertaining, romantic and captivating; the characters are energetic, colorful and engaging; the romance is seductive and hot. CAPTAIN DREAMBOAT has a little bit of heart break, a little bit of humor and a whole lot of heart.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Studmuffin Santa
Chef Sugarlips
Sergeant Sexypants
Hottie Lumberjack
Stiff Suit
5.5 Mancandy Crush
Captain Dreamboat

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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STIFF SUIT (Ponderosa Resort #5) by Tawna Fenske-a review

STIFF SUIT (Ponderosa Resort Romantic Comedies #5) by Tawna Fenske-a review

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

ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date June 14, 2019

James “Iceman” Bracelyn is wound tighter than a vintage Rolex. Besides his CEO role at Ponderosa Resort, he’s guardian of the family’s biggest secrets, including a doozy that keeps him up at night. Alone. In that big bed he’d rather not share, thank you very much.

That’s fine with Lily Archer, who likes her flings flaming hot and fleeting. Her man-eater rep might be slightly exaggerated, but she’ll gladly dial it up to rescue James from himself—and a bottle of Glenlivit—at his brother’s wedding.

Intimacy’s the last thing either one wants, but it’s tough to dodge when they’re drawn together by the world’s drooliest dog, a TPing escapade gone wrong, and a good old-fashioned desktop hookup. That’s problematic for James, whose ability to hide the family’s riskiest secret is complicated by the secret’s refusal to get the hell out of his guest room.

Can Iceman keep his frigid shell intact while falling for the hottest science geek sex goddess he’s ever met, or will the ticking time bomb blow it all to smithereens?

•••••••••

REVIEW: STIFF SUIT is the fifth instalment in Tawna Fenske’s contemporary, adult PONDEROSA RESORT ROMANTIC COMEDIES romance series. This is thirty-four year old, attorney and eldest sibling James ‘Iceman’ Bracelyn, and geologist Dr. Lily Archer’s story line. STIFF SUIT can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.

SOME BACKGROUND: A few years earlier the Bracelyn patriarch, Cort Bracelyn, died leaving his eldest son James to pick up the pieces of his billion dollar estate, to be divided between his five children (Bree, Sean, James, Mark, Jonathan) all born of different mothers. The Ponderosa Resort is the family lodge where each of the now adult children lives and works.

Told from dual first person perspectives (James and Lily) STIFF SUIT follows in the aftermath of Sean Bracelyn’s marriage to Amber King. Having had too much to drink at his brother’s wedding James Bracelyn wakes up next to one of the bridesmaids, having no memory of what happened the night before. Enter geologist Dr. Lily Archer, the woman with whom James will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between James and Lily, and the potential fall-out as the Bracelyn siblings are once again stunned and angered by their father’s past.

Lily Archer doesn’t do relationships, in fact, our heroine has a reputation as a man-eater. Meeting James Bracelyn stirs something deep within our heroine’s heart something that will shatter when James is unable to let go of the past. James Bracelyn has no time for romance or love but waking next to Lily Archer gave our hero something to think about, something that looks a lot like a possible happily ever after. Our hero is a bit of a stuffed shirt, always working with no time to enjoy the lighter side of life.

The relationship between Lily and James is a ‘friends with benefits’ of a sorts, that turns into something more. Neither one is prepared to fall in love but the heart wants forever even though the mind says something else. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

Most of the previous story line couples play secondary and supporting characters. There is a struggling family dynamic between siblings who were aware of one another but never had the chance to bond until adulthood.

STIFF SUIT is a story of family, friendship, secrets and lies. The premise is emotional and engaging; the romance is captivating and seductive; the characters are energetic and colorful but I struggled to find the humor throughout the story line.

There are moments of fun and adventure but the overall premise is a little heart breaking and sad. James Bracelyn is the keeper of the family secrets, so much so, that is eats away at his emotions and pride. The family patriarch has done a real number on his numerous progeny, such that family counselling is the only way to understand and survive. When even more secrets are revealed James becomes the punching bag for their father’s sins and lies.

Reading Order and Previous Reviews
Studmuffin Santa
Chef Sugarlips
Sergeant Sexypants
Hottie Lumberjack
Stiff Suit

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy

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