It's In His Arms

A Red River Valley Novel, Book 4

By: Shelly Alexander

Narrated by: Cris Dukehart

Lorenda Lawson has built a safe, sheltered life for her two young sons since their father was KIA several years ago. She has a beautiful cottage and a support network of family and friends. No one in Red River suspects that her marriage to Cam was ever less than perfect. Nobody, that is, except the gorgeous ex-SEAL who's shown up after a long absence: Cam's notorious twin brother, Mitchell.

Mitchell Lawson was a teenage rebel who fled Red River after the local watering hole burned down, choosing the military over jail. Now he has a new mission: making amends with the town and his sheriff father for his hell-raising days, while resisting the woman he's always wanted. Between Lorenda's warmth and sensuality and her boys' mischievous matchmaking ploys, it won't be easy.

When a string of fires breaks out, suspicious eyes turn toward Mitchell. Lorenda risks her reputation for his sake - but she'll need to risk her heart, too, to bring this onetime bad boy home for good.

©2016 Shelly Alexander. (P)2016 Brilliance Publishing, all rights reserved.

good series

I hope there are more coming up. There are a couple of characters needing their own story.

Sweet and a little sassy

The story was predictable but sweet and a little sassy with a happily ever after ending. It reminded me of the Harlequin romance novels back in the mid 80’s.

Good and Aargh!

3.75 Stars for me.

I have a love/hate relationship with this story which means that the author pulled me in. That is always a good thing!

The horrible way the town treated the H along with dear old dad had me shouting at my Kindle. When the h kept quiet when the town surrounded the h because of something that happened to her had me wanting to reach into my Kindle and wake her up.

Enjoy! 😉

Red River Valley Rocks!

I have enjoyed the whole series. The characters tug at you and have you rooting the whole way. This 4th installment is definitely my favorite. Hope there will be a 5th, I'd like to know what happens to Langston.

great

looking forward to reading more from this author. The story was great and the performance brought the characters alive.

Bad book and bad narration..

Personally, I thought this book was rather silly. Mitch was disliked by the whole town because of crap they thought he did when he was a kid, and now he’s a 30-something year old war hero? Seriously? Mitch had grown up so I thought it was time for the town to grow up, too. And his father is an absolute jerk! Loved his mom, though, Badass Becky. The book would have been a little better if it hadn’t gone on and on about the things he did as a kid. The things he did to try to make amends for what he did in his youth was just what you’d have him doing IN his youth, not as a grown man: Washing windows? Stocking shelves? Mowing lawns? Silly! Silly! Silly!!

And every time Lorenda said crap like “I’m a grown woman, Mitchell,” or “I can take care of myself,” I just wanted the bad guy to kidnap her and scare the heck out of her. She kept arguing with Mitch when he’d say something about the bad guy and she kept making excuses for the little weasel. Don’t authors know that readers are done with heroines that constantly say “I can take care of myself,” and think they are so tough while we just wait for her to be taken by the bad guy because she’s done something that makes her TSTL? Unfortunately the bad guy didn’t take her but I was hoping.

Ya’ know, I like sexual tension in my books but not on every single page, not when the couple act like they’re brain-dead in front of anyone and everyone, like they’re the only two on earth then they realize they aren’t when they’re caught getting down-and-almost dirty in front of her kids. There are several authors that I won’t read anymore because they insist on having the woman “scream” his name during sex. That has to be one of the silliest things I’ve ever read. It’s right up there with them kissing and he feels the need to grab her ass. NOT romantic at all. So, another author bites the dust.

As to the narration: The only reason I took a chance on Cris Dukehart was because her narration was from 2017, otherwise I wouldn’t have. I’ve listened to Cris Dukehart a few times (Melinda Leigh's Scarlet falls series) and all her men sounded just like girls. I'd hoped she had practiced and had gotten better. Well, her men sounded a tiny-bit better but not much. After 3 or 4 chances I’m definitely giving up on her. I can only have so many books ruined because of the narrator then I have to quit. She should listen to Katherine Kellgren or Tanya Eby or Amy McFadden or Mary Jane Wells, and she might learn something about great narration. Just sayin'