Review: "A SEAL's chance" by Cora Seton

Synopsis:
SEALS of Summer 2 is a box set of 11 novels / novells featuring some of the best our U.S. Navy has to offer - Navy SEALs. This box set contains:

• Fall Dark (SEALs Undone) by NYT and USA Today bestselling author Zoe York.
• Hot SEAL (The Hostile Operations Team) by USA Today bestselling author Lynn Raye Harris.
• SEAL'S HERITAGE by NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Sharon Hamilton.
• THE GUARDIAN (SEALs Beyond Battlefields) by NYT and USA Today bestselling, RITA-award nominated author Kimberley Troutte.
• ONCE UPON A BODYGUARD (Lucky Thirteen) by NYT and USAT bestselling author S.M. Butler.
• The Strong Silent Type (East Coast 8 prequel) by USA Today bestselling, RITA-award nominated author Elle Kennedy.
• HER NEXT BREATH (Uncharted SEALs) by NYT and USA Today bestselling author Delilah Devlin.
• SEAL'S DEFIANCE (Take No Prisoners) by NYT and USA Today bestselling author Elle James.
• A SEAL’S CHANCE by NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Cora Seton.
• One Hot SEAL (When SEALs Come Home) by NYT and USA Today bestselling author Anne Marsh.
• A SEAL’S DUTY, by NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Jennifer Lowery. (less)

This review will summarize A SEAL's Chance by Cora Seton.  I previously reviewed Fall Dark by Zoe York from this box set. That review was part of a composite review of all SEALs undone series here: http://allromancereader.blogspot.com/2015/07/SEALS-undone-york.html

My Review:

A SEAL's Chance is a novella included in the SEALs of Summer 2 box set, but it also ties in to Cora's Chance Creek series. This novella provides a good depiction of Ben, a Navy SEAL who has lost his job, his purpose, and his way. He meets Caitlyn, who is a woman who feels defeated by where she is in life. These two are just perfect for each other for where they are in their individual lives. The author's portrayal of Ben's experiences after being forced to leave the service were compelling and shows the emotional turmoil that he faces when he no longer knows his purpose in life. And Caitlyn's feelings as she is living as a single-mom, feeling shunned by the town, establishes her as a wonderful pairing for Ben.

As Ben and Caitlyn meet each other several times, they experience several miscommunications, which are  delightful as they each inadvertantly insulted the other, but only because of the other's perspective on life at the time. I also really enjoyed how Ben and Caitlyn call each other on their words and their deeds as they are finding their strength.

I was so happy to see the obstacle course included - its a Chance Creek favorite, and I love how the author uses the obstacle course for Caitlyn to gain perspective on her life and Ben to prove to himself that he's still got a lot to offer. That doesn't mean the stumbles in their relationship are over. The novella has wonderful ending with a sweet declaration by Ben.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Links:
This novella is available EXCLUSIVELY as part of the SEALs of Summer 2 box set - Military Romance Superbundle for only 99¢: Amazon • Barnes and Noble • Kobo • iBooks

About the Author:

Cora Seton loves cowboys, country life, gardening, bike-riding, and lazing around with a good book. Mother of four, wife to a computer programmer/eco-farmer, she ditched her California lifestyle eight years ago and moved to a remote logging town in northwestern British Columbia. Like the characters in her novels, Cora enjoys old-fashioned pursuits and modern technology, spending mornings transforming a one-acre lot into a paradise of orchards, berry bushes and market gardens, and afternoons writing the latest Chance Creek romance novel on her iPad mini.

Website: Visit www.coraseton.com to read about new releases, locate your favorite characters on the Chance Creek map, and learn about contests and other cool events!

Release Day Review: "The Airman's E-Mail Order Bride" by Cora Seton

Synopsis:

Tormented by the knowledge that his father died thinking the worst of him, Colt Hall never meant to come home to Chance Creek. But with his brothers banding together to rebuild the family’s old ranch, he’s finding it hard to stay away. In accordance with the conditions for them to inherit the spread, Colt must soon marry. Too bad the only woman he wants is Heather Ward, the girl he walked away from years ago without saying good-bye. 

Heather hid a secret for twelve long years, but when the Halls moved back to town it was only a matter of time before the truth came out. Now everyone but Colt knows he has a son. She’ll get one chance to convince Colt to forgive her—and become the father Richard has always longed for. If she answers Colt’s online ad for a temporary wife, will he fall in love with her before he learns the truth? 

Colt knows it’s crazy to try to find a wife through an internet ad, and it’s even crazier to fall for a stranger who wants far more than a temporary marriage, but Helena Warner reminds him so much of Heather, he begins to wonder if the two might be the same woman. Heather can’t believe she’s using a fake name to seduce the father of her own child, but is it possible Colt might know more about her true identity than he’s letting on? 

Once all the lies and secrets are stripped bare, Colt and Heather must answer the ultimate question: can a love interrupted ever be renewed? 

Genre: Contemporary Romance

My Review:

The Airman's E-Email Order Bride is a fun twist on the E-mail order bride series. Heather knows that Colt, her former love, was going to post his ad for a "mail order bride" and was waiting to respond. But, afraid of his response to the girl he associates with his father's death, she responds with a false name. It was fun to watch as Colt figures out who he's emailing and how Heather and Colt go back and forth before they realize that both know who the other one is. The sex scenes were pretty hot, especially since they start as sexting / online sex.

I was happy to see that they quickly make the decision to move forward together, and then gasped as those plans were almost as quickly derailed.  Although Heather has been keeping the fact of Colt's son from him, I like that his declarations of love for Heather, and his proposal, come prior to his knowledge about his son. It demonstrates that his feelings are REAL and truly about her, and not just a sense of obligation or a desire to get to know Richard. 

I completely did NOT see the twist in this story coming, and wanted to hate Melanie for being such a spoiler. And I DID hate Heloise right along with every other character in the book for how hateful she was being. The charade did reach the level of preposterous and I was thrilled when finally Colt reacted to Heather's feelings and did what was right. I really didn't like how Richard was roped into the deception, regardless of how complicated they all claimed it was - that was a bad example to set for him.

I again love how the obstacle course is worked into the story - the obstacle course has almost been its own character in this series as it's played such an important role for the Hall family. Thankfully, in the end, two first loves are able to find their way back to each other and I was thrilled with the ultimate outcome of the initial conditions of the inheritance. I am sad to see the conclusion of this story arc around the conditions around the inheritance of the Hall family farm, but so happy I got to know the Hall men, and their true loves, through this series.

Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Links:

Goodreads • Amazon • Barnes and Noble • Kobo • iBooks

About the Author:

Cora Seton loves cowboys, country life, gardening, bike-riding, and lazing around with a good book. Mother of four, wife to a computer programmer/eco-farmer, she ditched her California lifestyle eight years ago and moved to a remote logging town in northwestern British Columbia. Like the characters in her novels, Cora enjoys old-fashioned pursuits and modern technology, spending mornings transforming a one-acre lot into a paradise of orchards, berry bushes and market gardens, and afternoons writing the latest Chance Creek romance novel on her iPad mini.

Website: Visit www.coraseton.com to read about new releases, locate your favorite characters on the Chance Creek map, and learn about contests and other cool events!

"The Navy SEAL's E-Mail Order Bride"by Cora Seton

Synopsis:

Mason Hall, Navy SEAL, knows all about difficult assignments, but his current mission is one for the record books. Not only must he find a wife—and get her pregnant—or forfeit the ranch his family has prized for generations, he must also convince his three brothers to marry, too—before the year is up. Who knew one city girl and three wayward brothers could put up such a fight?

Genre: Contemporary Romance

My Review:

I really enjoyed this book.  I have read other books written by Cora Seton so I had a general idea what to expect, and she didn't disappoint.  The premise for the "Heroes of Chance Creek" series is pretty fun - the four brothers must all get married within one year, and there must be an heir born to one of them.  Being the 21st century, the author put a fun twist on the requirement by having the oldest brother, Mason, sign the four brothers up on a dating web site to get things started.  While this book is focused on Mason and Regan, the author gives small insights into the other brothers - all military men - that makes the reader long to read the other stories.   

The story captured my interest quickly and I found myself wanting to read faster and faster to reach the point where we'd know for sure whether Mason and Regan would get the happily-ever-after they both deserved.  I loved that Mason started this process confident that Regan was the one for him; but showed true sensitivity and vulnerability when he reached a point where he felt he couldn't continue. But as a true partner should, I loved how Regan stepped in at that point to support Mason as he struggled until he saw they could do it - together. And I LOVED how Regan brought a piece of Mason's childhood "back to life" as a way to solve an impasse, and to show him at the same time that she was embracing the life he was offering her in Montana.  Since we, the readers, had been hearing Mason think so much about the loving relationship that his father and mother had, I really enjoyed that Regan was able to show Mason that he could have the same kind of relationship - with her.

A small funny - I LOVED when Regan was asking Mason the "interview" questions and reached the one about finances.  Regan went through a very "methodical" description of how she and her husband would save money, divide the bills, do everything even but separate - and Mason told her that was bollocks! Even then, they were each learning to speak their mind but work together to solve their problems.

A great read and a great start to the "Heroes of Chance Creek" series. I look forward to reading the subsequent books in the series. 

Links:

Goodreads - Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Kobo - iBooks

About the Author:

Cora Seton loves cowboys, country life, gardening, bike-riding, and lazing around with a good book. Mother of four, wife to a computer programmer/eco-farmer, she ditched her California lifestyle eight years ago and moved to a remote logging town in northwestern British Columbia.

Like the characters in her novels, Cora enjoys old-fashioned pursuits and modern technology, spending mornings transforming a one-acre lot into a paradise of orchards, berry bushes and market gardens, and afternoons writing the latest Chance Creek romance novel on her iPad mini. 

Website: Visit www.coraseton.com to read about new releases, locate your favorite characters on the Chance Creek map, and learn about contests and other cool events!