Series:
Cowboy Brothers in Arms (Book 3)
A hotshot pilot's homecoming
takes an unexpected detour into off-limits romance…
Lieutenant Colonel Cal Donnelly has come home full of
guilt he can't shake for events he could never control. First, he has to tell
his family he's thinking of leaving the military. Second, he promised to give a
Dear Jane message to his best friend's girlfriend. At least Charlotte Wilson
doesn't seem heartbroken when he makes contact. In fact, she asks a favor that
catches the born-and-bred cowboy completely off guard.
Charlotte needs a fake fiancé in order to buy a ranch to
convert into a veterans' respite house. When Cal agrees, Charlotte seals the
deal with a kiss -- one they both feel in the deepest part of their hearts.
Cal's life might already be filled with complications, but this unexpected
attraction is impossible to ignore. And with Cal's decision to return to Texas
for good, Charlotte knows they'll need to figure out just where this
relationship is headed. Because a future apart is no longer something either can
accept.
Good continuation of the Cowboy Brothers in Arms series. Cal
is one of four Donnelly siblings, all of whom are serving in the military. Cal
is an Air Force pilot at the top of his game. But something happened that made
him rethink his plans to make a career of it. He has returned to the family
ranch on thirty days leave to consider his options. The other thing weighing on
his mind is his promise to deliver a breakup letter to his best friend's
girlfriend.
Charlotte and Noah were childhood sweethearts. They've
been a couple for years but haven't seen much of each other because of his air
force commitments. She is also an attorney in town but has big plans to buy a
ranch and turn it into a rehab facility for veterans. Charlotte found the
perfect place, but the elderly owner hesitates because she isn't married. She
is talking with Mr. Becker about the property when Cal arrives to speak with
her.
Matters become complicated very quickly when Charlotte
begs Cal to play along with her declaration that he is her fiancé and lays a
scorching hot kiss on him. He cooperates, but Becker still delays answering.
After he leaves, Charlotte fills Cal in on her plans. Then comes telling her of
Noah's breakup. We get the convoluted background of the friendships of Cal,
Charlotte, Noah, and Harper (who is behind Cal's current dilemma). Charlotte's
calmness about the breakup surprises Cal.
Cal's day becomes more difficult when he informs his
family about his plans to resign from the Air Force. To say they are shocked
would be putting it mildly, and the protests are intense. Worst of all is the
reaction of his stepmother, the general who has mentored his career. I ached
for Cal and the pressure he felt from his guilty feelings and his family.
Neither Charlotte nor Cal expected the attraction that
flared up between them. They initially try to ignore it, but the sparks are too
strong. They spend a lot of time together working on her plans for her
facility, Port in a Storm, and their feeling for each other continue to grow. I
loved the way they supported each other. However, trouble looms when Noah shows
up wanting to resume his relationship with Charlotte. I loved her reaction,
though Noah is more focused on his desires than what she says. I liked seeing
Cal and Charlotte deal with him. Meanwhile, they continue to resist admitting
their feelings for each other. When Cal gets an offer that would be hard to
turn down, he must look deep to decide what he wants. I loved the ending and
Cal's big moment with Charlotte.
I also enjoyed following along with Charlotte's Port in a
Storm project. I loved her motivation and determination. I admired Noah's
brother, Alden, the first resident of Port in a Storm. I would love to see him
get a story of his own. Harper is a little harder to like after what she said
to Cal, but I was more sympathetic to her after seeing what her father is like.
Even grouchy old former owner Becker got in on the action. There are tense
scenes with Harper and her father that are balanced by the supportive
relationship Alden has with his father. I liked the realistic depiction of what
some of our wounded warriors experience.
Other secondary characters included Charlotte's mother,
Izzie, who I thought was controlling and selfish. She was more focused on the
effect of Charlotte's breakup on her own plans than on what it meant to Charlotte.
We also see Cal's two brothers and their ladies from the previous two books. I
liked catching up with their lives. Cal's sister, Remi, makes a brief
appearance. Cal's dad, Derek, is there with his opinion of Cal's plans. He is
also front and center of another family issue - Rowan Cullen, the illegitimate
son of Derek and Audrey. That situation is tense, and I'm looking forward to
following its progress in the next book.
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