GRR Reviews Murphy's Law (Damaged Heroes Book 1) by Sandy James

"Murphy's Law" by Sandy James has an interesting stipulation to handcuff the couple together, but the subsequent provisions don't really make any sense. Still, there are some good twists and turns to make the story enjoyable.

Seth Remington is a playboy, leaving FOUR wrecked cars and countless women in his wake. His father, terminally sick, want to force Seth to be responsible... Seth will go to work for nine months... Or he'll not get any inheritance. Furthermore, he's going to work for a horse trainer Katie Murphy... as a groom (lowest post available) for at least 9 months, with Katie being the final judge. There are provisions to prevent Seth from seducing Katie. Seth had to live locally as "Crash Reynolds", and despite his initial aversion to the smell and dirt, he actually found he enjoyed horse racing, and he even won a few races. Seth/Crash and Katie fell for each other, even as Katie's enemy Rachel wanted to ruin them both... Just as Katie found out she's pregnant... by Seth. But the arrival of the paparazzi means Katie and Seth cannot see each other anymore... Can this star-crossed couple ever get back together?

The twists and turns kinda make sense and kinda don't. I personally find the "no-contact rule" made no sense at all, but it's a good way to make sure each left unable to deny their worst fears. All in all, it was rather enjoyable.

Category: Contemporary

Primary Plot: Billionaire forced to live as a horse groomer in order to inherit, fell in love with the horse trainer, can they stay together?

Tropes: forced proximity, hot for boss, fated mate, weird will, coming of age

Overall Rating:  4/5

GRR Reviews Saving Grace (Safe Havens Book 1) by Sandy James

Saving Grace is a historical Western Romantic Suspense with a good case of characters and a crazy rich man with an obsession for decades. My only problem is the cast is pretty large to have two pairs of romances plus various ancillary characters and the end is back to "kidnapping and rescue" trope.

To recap, Grace Riley had to find her... brother that she gave up for adoption almost twenty years ago. She had been on the run for that long, trying to get away from a madman obsessed about owning her body. She had been on cattle drives moving from city to city, never in a place for long. However, when she finally heard that the brother's adoptive parents had been murdered, she had to find him... that's how she arrived at Twin Springs ranch... soaked to the bone, running a fever... in the middle of a downpour... and collapsed into the Adam Morgan's arms. Adam Morgan is a widower and owner of the ranch. While he can't complain about his life with his grown tomboy daughter Victoria and their housekeeper, he was really proud of the two kids he found on the streets and adopted as his own, one of them was Grace's "brother". When a woman out of nowhere was asking about one of his adopted sons, he had to learn more. As he nursed her back to health, Grace was grateful, and the idea of settling here was tempting, but she's not ready to reveal her secrets just yet. But whoever was after Grace was not yet ready to give up... even after twenty years...

The resolution, despite being trope, was actually reasonable, and the second pairing (Grace's real brother Matthew and Adam's daughter, Victoria) was successful as well. All in all, enjoyable Western adventure / romance.

Category: Historical Romance / Romantic Suspense

Primary Plot: Woman on the run for 20 years from an obssessed man falls for a ranch owner widower and adopted father of her... "brother"

Tropes: woman in peril, protector, kidnapping, famiilys ecrets, widower, single parent

Overall Rating:  4/5