Happy Hunky Days #5

DAY FIVE...Happy Hunky-Days!

Happiest of Holidays from the Guilty Indulgence Book Club. We are pleased to be with you every day and hope you will all join us for our 3rd annual Happy Hunky-days - Twelve fun filled days of Christmas where we treat you with gifts of joy and happiness (aka free books and very yummy eye candy!). All good readers who comment will get a chance to win some really great e-books from our featured authors! Seriously, you can even be quite naughty and still get free books - just remember to register and comment!  

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Stocking Full of Cole, Brynn Paulin, Resplendence Publishing

When Tamah Jones came home for the holidays, the last thing she expected was to learn that Cole Greenwood, a man eleven years her junior, wants her and has for years.

For Cole, Tamah has always been unattainable. Now, however, he’s ready to make a move and prove he’s the one for her. He’s ready to give everything, just to be hers, but the two must overcome geography, age difference and her overbearing family before being together can be more than a distant Christmas dream.

Excerpt:

I’m going to marry you when I grow up.

Six-year-old Cole Greenwood’s words echoed in Tamah Jones’ mind as she stared at the boy’s grown-up counterpart. Grown and freaking hot to tell the truth. When had he gotten so attractive and…and…adult? This tall, sandy-haired man couldn’t be the little Cole who she’d babysat. Okay, it was sixteen years ago, but still… He was stunning.

“Hi, Tam,” he said, the intent light in his blue eyes telling her he remembered her clearly. “How’ve you been?” His gaze scanned quickly over her. Appreciative yet subtle. Nice. Points for Cole.

Still, an unsettled feeling rolled in Tamah’s belly as she realized how gorgeous he’d become. She had no business noticing how his charcoal dress pants and light gray button-down shirt emphasized his trim form or the way sleek muscles flexed beneath the cotton as he lifted a glass of champagne to his firm lips. When had Cole gotten to be so nicely formed? His shoulders were now so…broad.

She tapped a nail on her champagne flute. Stop staring, Tamah.

“I’m good,” she answered, mentally kicking herself at her lame conversation skills. “Home from school?”

A frown furrowed his brow as if he hated that she’d brought up his student status. “Yes. How was your flight?”

“Good.” Good, good, everything was good—except the stupid, inappropriate fluttering in her middle. “It’s good to see you.” She gave him a quick smile. “I should go see if my mom needs anything. Big party.”

Her parents had invited everyone they knew—an annual holiday tradition. She came home every Christmas, never missing the gathering that had been going on since she was a child.

Cole caught her wrist in his cool, long fingers as she started to back away. “No, stay,” he pleaded. “You’re the only one I really know.”

She started to protest, looking around but immediately realized his words were likely true. At the moment, most of the people here were her parents’ peers and older than both her and Cole.

He pulled her toward a small alcove with two chairs, her red taffeta dress shooshing around her as they moved. The space was partially blocked by the large, silver-bedecked Douglas fir erected for the festivities, but still in view of anyone who happened to look that direction. Safe enough. Not that she was afraid of Cole. It was more her reaction to him. The private yet not-at-all-private seating would keep her from doing something stupid.

She licked her bottom lip and sat, looking out over the great room. Coming home always reminded her how different North Springs, Michigan, was from New York City. Her entire Inwood apartment would fit in here.

“What is it?” he asked when she unintentionally sighed.

“It’s kind of…nostalgic, being here and all. Coming home is always like stepping back in time.”

“Things have changed a lot since you’ve gone. People have changed.”

Somehow, she suspected “people” referred to him. She turned toward him to see he’d leaned back in his chair, his arms draped loosely on the rests. His long fingers curled on the ends of the cushioned arms as his blue eyes assessed her. She struggled to distance herself before she drowned in that gaze. What was wrong with her? It was as if some magnet inside of her was drawn to him, and unfortunately, it was located within her throbbing clit.

REVIEW:
What do you do when the boy you used to babysit for has decided that he is going to marry you? Cole doesn't care about the age difference, the fact that Tamah lives in another state or that her dad just doesn't seem to like him, all he cares about is making her his! All Tamah cares about is the way he makes her feel.

What a great Christmas story..it has everything that you could ask for. A secret tryst in the gazebo, a midnight sleigh ride, shopping, caroling with the family and a hot and heavy make out session in a truck.

These characters are fun and realistic with a story line that will draw you in and wrap you in Christmas spirit. At first I did not like Tamah's dad very much, but the further into the story I got, the more his attitude made sense. Tamah's attitude and reluctance reads very real and her need to make any changes in her life about her and not someone else was nice to read. Cole was FABULOUS from the beginning.

I also have to say that I kind of fell in love with the town of North Springs, it just seemed idyllic.

Rating: 5 Chocolate dipped strawberries and a midnight sleigh ride!

BUY LINK: Stocking Full of Cole

AUTHORS BIO:
When it comes to books and movies, Brynn Paulin has one rule: there must be a happy ending. After that one requirement, anything else goes. And it just might in any of her books.

Brynn lives in Michigan with her husband and two children, who love her despite her occasional threats to smite them. They humour her and let her think she's a goddess...as long as she provides homemade chocolate chip cookies on a regular basis. Brynn is president of her local chapter of Romance Writers of America and also hosts a weekly writing critique group. She's conducted workshops at several writers' conferences around the country as she enjoys mentoring and meeting new people.

According to Brynn, her writing success can be attributed to 70's music, her local road construction crews, a trusty notebook, and of course, her husband (and willing research subject), AKA Mr. Inspiration.