Book Review of Silent Hearts & Guest Post by the Author, Melissa West

Silent Hearts (Hamilton Stables #3) by Melissa West
Genre: Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: May 10, 2016
Publisher: Lyrical Shine

The Hamilton brothers have horse racing in their blood, and their sprawling Kentucky farm is the family’s pride and joy. But they’ve got plenty of passion to spare…

Nick Hamilton has always known he’d take the reins of the family business when his father died, but that doesn’t make it any easier when the time comes. Especially with his two siblings tempted by a shrewd offer from a huge corporation to buy Hamilton Industries. Needing advice, Nick turns to his sensible childhood friend, Becca Stark—and finds her suddenly grown-up beauty ignites brand-new confusion, and crystal clear desire…

Becca has loved Nick for as far back as she can remember, but she decided long ago that telling him would be a mistake. Stubborn, strong Nick doesn’t see her as anything but the tomboy she used to be—or does he? As she helps him untangle his feelings about the ranch’s future, the familiar bond between them heats into an explosive attraction—and the kind of love that just might take the lead…

Silent Hearts is the third book in the Hamilton Stables series by Melissa West. I was looking forward to Nick's story. This guy carries way too much on his shoulders, and he's made himself emotionally secluded from everyone. Becca is his best friend. She's the only person who's managed to put cracks in some of his walls, but he mends them(or at least he thinks he does) as fast as she can crack them. They hurt each other and are risking their life long friendship. Silent Hearts kept me tense while I read it. Every time either Nick or Becca's feelings got hurt, I felt it too. I've enjoyed this series, and I really need to go back and read book one so I know how it all began for Trip and Emery. This was a wonderfully, emotional friends to more story.

I'm really looking forward to this author's new series called Crestler's Key. I enjoyed meeting Emery's brothers, and I can't wait to get to know them more in this new series!

The ARC of  Silent Hearts by Melissa West was kindly provided to me by the publisher through Net Galley for review. The opinions are my own.

Becca closed the freezer and then, missing its wonder, she fanned herself with her tank top. “It’s time I reconsider a move up north, but then snow and driving in snow.”
“Yeah, that’d be pretty dangerous with your track record.”
She continued to fan herself. “What? It was one mailbox, not the whole street.”
“Two mailboxes.”
“All right, fine. Two. But I bought them replacements.” She grabbed a flyer from her stack of mail, folded it in half, and used it as a makeshift fan. “Ahhh.”
“What are you, menopausal or something?”
She pointed at him. “Watch your mouth, boy.” He laughed, the sound so glorious she almost closed her eyes again so she could bask in it, but then that would be all sorts of awkward, and Becca tried to maintain her cool around her best friend. Even if right now she was anything but cool in every sense of the word.
“Now spill it.”
Becca pulled out a bottle of water and leaned a hip against the counter.
“You could at least drink with me.”
“It's five thirty. I like to keep my alcoholic tendencies for nighttime hours.”
“It's P.M. That stands for nighttime.”
“Wow. Is that what that Ivy League education of yours taught you? 'Cause you might want to ask for a refund. At least a partial, right? Because night starts with an N, not a P, and time starts with a T, not an M. And, in fact, P.M. stands for post meridiem, so you can send me that money they give you for the refund.”
“All right.” Nick pulled out his wallet, counted out several bills, and tossed them onto the counter. “Now go turn on the damn A/C. It's hot in here.”
With a loud, long, and drawn-out sigh, Becca pushed the money back toward him. “You know I'm not taking that.”
“Well, I'm not taking it back, so take it or burn it.” He shrugged. “It's nothing to me.”
“See that right there? That's why you can't get a solid date. No girl wants a guy who burns money. I mean seriously. Not only is that six shades of insane, but hello, fire hazard, right?”
He cracked a smile and she grinned back, lost in those amazing blue eyes, crystal clear even through his glasses. Years and years around him and she still couldn't pinpoint the exact shade. They were sky blue with flecks of navy and turquoise. They were perfect...he was perfect.
And now she'd drifted into lala land again. 

Topic: Why You Write Romance
By: Melissa West

Hey there! I’m excited to be visiting your blog today. :) To tell you a little about me, I’m a Southern girl from Georgia, who was raised in South Carolina. So Southern culture, the idea of family and community, are all a big part of who I am as a person—and as a writer. 

Which brings me to why I write romance. 

Originally, I started out writing YA sci-fi, and while I still love those books and still love writing a good fight scene, I felt I wasn’t getting all the joy I wanted out of writing. I took a step back and thought about what I enjoy reading, what sort of movies I enjoy watching the most. What are the books and films that I can watch or read again and again. Once I took a hard look at what I enjoy, I realized that my passion is romance. I love romantic movies. I love romance novels. I like to read/watch as two characters find love. It’s almost magical.

But when I set out to write romance, I didn’t want to merely do what others do. I wanted to create my own brand, and so I decided to focus on Southern romance. And wow did the words ever start flowing! I love fun, quirky Southern small towns, eccentric characters, heroes who wear jeans and smirk instead of grin. I’m smiling just thinking about it!

Now, I’ve written six Southern romances, and I’m hooked! I can’t say that I would never write a book set somewhere other than the South, but I can say that I don’t plan to stop writing Southern-themed romances. Like I said, the South is a part of me, and I find that as authors, the more of ourselves we put in our books, the truer the experience for our readers. 

If you enjoy Southern romance, check out the Hamilton Stables series! SILENT HEARTS just released on 5/10/16. 

Check out my review of other fun romances by this author!

Melissa West writes heartfelt Southern romance and teen sci-fi romance, all with lots of kissing. Because who doesn't like kissing? She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.

To learn more about Melissa West and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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Book Review of Wild Hearts by Melissa West

Wild Hearts (Hamilton Stables #2) by Melissa West
Genre: Adult (Contemporary Romance)
Date Published: February 16, 2016
Publisher: Lyrical Shine

In the lush heart of Kentucky, horse racing is king, and the Hamilton family is royalty, born to produce champions. Maybe that’s because they understand wildness better than most…

Charming, reckless, and restless, youngest brother Alex Hamilton has a reputation for sweet talking his way into any woman’s arms—and failing at anything to do with the family business. So when he commits to managing their new breeding operation, it’s under one condition: he’ll focus on work and nothing else—no distractions, no fun…no women. But just when Alex has promised to keep his hands to himself, sweet, sexy Kate Littleton gallops away with his heart…

Kate knows Alex isn’t the long-term type—he proved that in a lot of delicious ways when they first met more than a year ago. But seeing him blazing with new dedication to Hamilton Stables, she can’t deny that he’s miles ahead of any other man who interests her. The attraction between them is electric right out of the gate, but it will take an unexpected loss to put them back in the race and headed for a passionate future together…

This book is a standalone novel in a series of standalones.

Wild Hearts is the second book in the Hamilton Stables series by Melissa West. This is a stand alone book, but I still want to go back and read Trip's story in the first book. The Hamilton Brothers are pretty irresistible.  I can see myself having one big fictional crush on all three of them.

Alex is pretty much a player, but there's something about Kate that has stayed with him. Kate wants to get Alex out of her mind, but it's not been so easy for her either. Poor Alex is trying to grow up though. But, everyone expects the worst from him. He's earned that reputation over the years. Wild Hearts was a quick read, because it drew you into the lives of Kate and Alex. I felt like I got to know them both very well. Their relationship was adorable, and I truly enjoyed watching it grow.

Wild Hearts by Melissa West was kindly provided to me by Tasty Book Tours for review. The opinions are my own.

“’Bout damn time.” Trip walked out of the foaling barn, his Stetson firmly planted on his head, the same cowboy boots he always wore around the farm on his feet. A red-and-black plaid shirt hung loose over his Levis, and though to some he might appear to be an ignorant hick, those in the business knew the truth: Trip was the best trainer in horse racing.

Among owners, Alex felt the weight of his brother’s name following him around like a dark shadow that refused to lift. He introduced himself, and immediately owners asked, “Trip’s brother, right?” He’d have no choice but to agree, but for Christ’s sake, there were three Hamilton brothers, not one, and it was time he and Nick receive the respect they deserved.

Pushing aside his bitter thoughts, he opened his mouth to say that he wasn’t late, Trip was early, but then he noticed the two women standing a few yards away from his brother, and suddenly Alex’s throat refused to work properly.

“Hey, there. Doing okay today?” Emery, Trip’s fiancée, asked him as she started over. At five foot nothing and barely over a hundred pounds, she looked like a child beside Trip, but her size fit her job well. She was a rider for Hamilton Stables, and her father was the legendary Hall-of-Fame trainer Beckett Carlisle. Which meant Trip and Emery’s relationship owned the title of most unexpected match, but there they were, head over heels in love, wedding date six months away.

But while his eyes were on his future sister-in-law now, she wasn’t the woman who’d caught his attention.

His gaze drifted over and refused to lift from the bright redhead beside Emery, her skin as fair as milk except for the occasional freckle. Her eyes were so intensely blue Alex found it difficult to look at her without his mouth falling slack. She wore a simple blue and white cotton dress that hit midthigh, her look so out of place on the farm a normal woman might feel self-conscious, but Alex would bet this woman had never felt self-conscious a day in her life. Why would she? To date, he’d never met a woman who held a candle to her.

“Alex,” she said, her voice soft, a hint of modesty there that he’d never understood but cut through him all the same.

He nodded back. “Kate.”

Kate Littleton stared at the man she’d had sex with not eighteen months before, curious if he still looked the same underneath his perfectly fitted T-shirt and jeans.

She tried to remember why she’d ended their dating streak, and then the memory came to her like a spoon full of vinegar. Alex had freaked out when Trip and Emery became serious. Something about complications and awkwardness and other words that really meant freak-out on aisle seven. No really, it meant he had no real feelings for her anyway, which was fine, she was fine. Great, even. But the part that had always gnawed at her was that she didn’t want anything from him beyond a chance to spend time with him. Just his time, and was that really so much to ask for?

See, despite the arrogant vibe he put out there, Alex was a genuinely sweet and funny guy. She enjoyed being around him, enjoyed his laugh, enjoyed the way the conversation never became stilted. He had a carefree spirit and a sharp mind that could fascinate her with a single comment, then he’d smirk like he knew just what he’d done.

But Alex just didn’t see himself clearly. Shadowed by his brothers, he’d spent his whole life climbing a hill that only rose higher with each step.

But instead of telling him as much or trying to make him see, she’d said goodbye. She’d rather turn him loose than trust her heart to keep its word to her and remain unaffected.

So one day they sat on his couch watching the Falcons play, both of them screaming at the TV and laughing like old friends, and the next day he was a stranger.

Eighteen months had gone by without a word, which was fine. Completely and totally fine. Kate had things to do. Students to teach. Plays to plan out. Little league games to attend. She didn’t need Alex Hamilton, but she did want someone. She wanted the movie experience, the soft kisses and walks on the beach and happily-ever-afters.

If only she could find the right man to fill the job.

Check out my review of other fun romances by this author!

Melissa West writes heartfelt Southern romance and teen sci-fi romance, all with lots of kissing. Because who doesn't like kissing? She lives outside of Atlanta, GA with her husband and two daughters and spends most of her time writing, reading, or fueling her coffee addiction.

To learn more about Melissa West and her books, visit her website.You can also find her on Goodreads, Facebook, Pinterest, and Twitter.

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