Title: Loving Cara
Author: Kristen Proby
Publication: January 2014
When I read it: January 2014
My Rating: 4 Stars
Series / Stand Alone: Series
- Loving Cara
- Seducing Lauren (August 2014)
- Falling for Jillian (late 2014)
Buy from Amazon: Click HERE!
Buy from iBooks: Click HERE!
Buy from B&N: Click HERE!
Josh King is an expert at running his family’s multi-million dollar ranch in Montana. (And all that outside manual labor has done wonders for sculpting his six-foot-three body, too.) But as sure footed as he is when it comes to the ranch, Josh doesn’t know anything about how to deal with an adolescent boy—so when his twelve-year-old nephew, Seth, is dropped off on his doorstep, looking scared and acting surly as hell, Josh knows he needs help in straightening him out.
Cara Donovan loves her quiet life as a teacher in her sleepy hometown, so she jumps at the chance to make a little money over the summer as a tutor. But when she learns she’ll be teaching Josh King’s nephew, Cara’s sweet summer job gets a little bit hotter. Cara tries to focus all her attention on tutoring Seth, but Josh proves to be a delicious distraction, while Josh’s memories of the shy girl he once teased in high school are nothing like the beautiful woman he’s facing now. Can he persuade her that there’s more between them than a summer fling?
I’ve heard of Kristen Proby. Good things, too. I just have never taken the time to read one of her books. Until now. Loving Cara was as good an introduction as any to this very capable author.
Carolina Donovan (aka Cara) is a middle school teacher in the same quiet sleepy Montana town she grew up in. When Josh King requires a tutor for his nephew, it’s Cara to the rescue.
Jesus, we breed hot men in Montana.
Growing up, Josh and his twin brother, Zack, were a few years older than Cara. In school, she wasn’t much to look at. Cara had curly hair and was a little over weight, but that didn’t stop Josh from pulling her curls. He was a nice flirty guy with a good heart, and a sinfully sexy body. That hasn’t changed over the years.
“I voted them off the island,” I reply dryly, then almost trip as he laughs, sending shivers down my spine.
He leans in and whispers, “I liked them.”
I shrug and follow Seth to the kitchen. “I didn’t.”
Josh’s twin brother, Zack, has been fighting over seas with the military for most of Seth’s life. His evil wench of a mother not only abandoned him, but she was sure to tell him lie upon lie about his father. Claiming that he didn’t love Seth and volunteered to go overseas to escape him and his mother. Like I said, evil. No one should tell their kid something like that. I get if you have issues with your husband (or wife), but don’t bring the kids into it. Ugh. Once he meets Cara, something clicks. He still has outbursts and wants nothing to do with his father, but there is a softer side that pokes through – the little boy trapped inside of a hardened heart. With Cara’s help and extreme patience, Seth begins to come around. He even treats his grandparents and Josh with more respect.
When an unforeseen event causes forces Cara from her home, she shacks up with Josh. Bow chicka bow wow. Things get a little hot and heavy between these two. As hard as Cara tries, she just can’t resist the King charm. And if we’re being honest, she really doesn’t want to.
Most of the story revolves around Josh, Cara and Seth, but there are moments focused on other characters like Jillian. Zack, Ty and Lauren; all of which have upcoming books of their own. There is once character in particular, Misty, who is just a mega, uh, any word I plug in here would be unkind and probably less than she deserves. You get the point. She’s horrid, and after Josh. He made the mistake of taking her out a few times. Apparently she is a little slow on the uptake. When a man doesn’t ask you out past a date or two, he’s probably not interested. Josh may be done with Misty, but she’s not ready to let him go. She is prepared to make Cara’s life hell by filling her head with absolute rubbish about how she’s not good enough for Josh. She’s one of those catty girls. The type that never mentally makes it out of high school.
I have a few issues:
1. Cara makes a huge deal out of the fact that she’s Seth’s tutor and it’s in bad taste to get involved with Josh. It could cause her, her job… blah, blah, blah. We’re told this chapter after chapter and then suddenly it’s a non-issue. I don’t understand. I thought there would at least be some explaining to do. I guess no one really cared.
2. I hate the cover. I know that’s so shallow, but I can’t help it! It looks like something you’d pick up as an afterthought while food shopping. This story is so much better than the cover. If I were browsing through Amazon, looking for a book to read, I’d skip over this one. I know. Horrible but true.
3. You’ll be reading along and *BAM* scene change. No warning. Just whoop, you’re in another time and occasionally another place. It scrambled my brain a time or two.
All those things aside, I am glad I took the time to read Loving Cara. It took turns I didn’t see coming and kept me entertained until the very end. And I can’t let this review go without saying that the next book in the series is called Seducing Lauren! Yes, please! Seduce me! Seduce me! You can be sure I’ll be reading that one as well as, Falling for Jillian.
GIVEAWAY:
ABOUT KRISTEN:
KRISTEN PROBY is the USA Today bestselling author of the popular With Me in Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type—fiercely protective and a bit bossy—and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate, and sunshine. And naps. Visit her at KristenProby.com.
Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads
