Discover the magic of the Bradens, and fall in love with Addison Cole’s rich and romantic storytelling. Addison Cole is the sweet-romance pen name of New York Times bestselling author Melissa Foster. Addison Cole novels are the sweet editions of Melissa’s steamy romance Love in Bloom series, and are written to stand alone, or to be enjoyed as part of the larger Sweet with Heat series.Sweet with … series.
Sweet with Heat novels convey all of the passion you’d expect to find between two people in love without any graphic scenes or harsh language. If you are looking for a more explicit romance, pick up the steamy edition of this title, Heart at Play, by Melissa Foster.
In AND THEN THERE WAS US…
Brianna Heart has a six-year old daughter and a twelve-year plan to keep her life as simple as possible until Layla turns eighteen. That means swearing off relationships and the drama that goes along with them, working two jobs, and being the best mother she can be.
The last thing Capital Series Grand Prix racer Hugh Braden wants after dating media-hungry leggy models and money-hungry fan girls is a blind date. But how could he turn down a favor to one of his best friends? Hugh expected the date to go poorly, but he didn’t expect to be intensely attracted to the beautiful brown-eyed bartender who completely blows him off—and steals his every thought thereafter.
When Brianna’s perfectly orchestrated life turns upside down, Hugh is there to help, softening the turmoil, and maybe even rescuing her heart from the lonely place where it has been hiding. Can a man who doesn’t believe in fate and a woman who doesn’t believe in true love find happiness in each other’s arms forever?
SWEET WITH HEAT: WESTON BRADENS
A Love So Sweet
Our Sweet Destiny
Unraveling the Truth About Love
The Art of Loving Lacy
Promise of a New Beginning
And Then There Was Us
ALSO AVAILABLE for your binge-reading pleasure, more fun, heartwarming, flirty, and romantic love stories. The Seaside and Bayside series are set in the quaint small towns of Cape Cod, making them perfect beach reads!
SWEET WITH HEAT: SEASIDE SUMMERS
Read, Write, Love at Seaside
Dreaming at Seaside
Hearts at Seaside
Sunsets at Seaside
Secrets at Seaside
Nights at Seaside
Seized by Love at Seaside
Embraced at Seaside
Lovers at Seaside
Whispers at Seaside
SWEET WITH HEAT: BAYSIDE SUMMERS
Sweet Love at Bayside
Sweet Passions at Bayside
Sweet Heat at Bayside
Sweet Escape at Bayside
“Addison Cole’s stories are the perfect blend of sizzle and sweet. You won’t be able to stop reading.” – New York Times bestselling author RaeAnne Thayne
“Romance, fun, emotions, and happily ever afters that will warm your heart, Addison Cole writes charming and unforgettable stories about real people and love in its most wonderfully moving forms.” – New York Times bestselling author Violet Duke
“Addison Cole has created characters you’ll fall in love with and a seaside world you’ll never want to leave.” USA Today bestselling author Chris Keniston
“An absolute treat to read and cannot wait for more from Addison Cole.” ~ New York Times bestselling author Sawyer Bennett (aka Juliette Poe, on “Read, Write, Love at Seaside”)
The perfect beach read for fans of Susan Mallery, Debbie Macomber, Sherryl Woods, Linda Lael Miller, Brenda Novak, Inglath Cooper, and other big-family, small-town romance fans. The Bradens are wealthy and loyal, and you’re guaranteed to enjoy a loving happily ever after.
more
When dreams and reality collide, there’s no way to guess where the heart might end up. For Hugh Braden and Brianna Heart, the skies the limit. Hugh has everything a guy could want. An awesome career, a loving family and more money than he could ever spend in one lifetime. Yet his heart tells him that something is missing. When a blind date gives him a glimpse into forever, he’ll stop at nothing to make his wish come true. Can this adrenaline junkie convince the girl of his dreams to open her heart to him? Love is risky business, but somehow Cole turns the heartache into a pleasurable experience. And Then There Was Us has winner stamped all over it.
Ms. Cole has a way of giving you just what you want out of a love story. I felt that not only was this a beautiful love story for Hugh and Bree but a story of redemption in a way. Hugh wanted to redeem his love life and Bree need to learn it was okay to have a life for herself. I really enjoyed the dynamic between Hugh, Bree, and Layla. Hugh is just what we have come to expect from the men in Ms. Cole’s world. I always enjoy getting to catch up with characters from past books, it’s like catching up with old friends. I can’t wait to see what Ms. Cole gives us next.
I always try to preface my reviews of Addison Cole’s novels with this bit of advice. “If you haven’t read Addison yet, please start now.” I have read so many of them and they really seem to get better and better.
I love her characters and Brianna is probably the most “real” heroine she’s written so far. She’s a single mom doing her best to make ends meet. Hugh Braden is a Grand Prix racer and though he’s as hot as McDreamy, Brianna isn’t about to be taken in by his pretty face. Only, well, she is even though she doesn’t want a relationship because she doesn’t want to cause problems for her young daughter.
I loved these two so much. Hugh and Brianna are definitely my favorite Braden couple. I especially loved Layla’s name for Hugh, “The handsome prince.”
Hugh really is a fairy tale hero in this story. He’s got that “too good to be true” vibe going on. That’s not a bad thing here. It fits. He’s perfect. That’s why it makes the conflict so good, because Brianna is so cautious. Too cautious to be honest. She’ll make you want to wallop her a few times, when she starts overthinking things. Again, that’s what makes her character so real and relate-able.
Bree also has a fabulous support system in her friend Kat, her mom and her boss, Mack. All of them care deeply for her.
This book is a little more of a slower burn than Addison’s other books. I also love that Bree and Hugh weren’t a second chance couple. It was full of “feels” on Bree’s side of the story too. Expect a lot of “Awwww.” moments.
This book was in a word. PERFECT! (And definitely one of Addison’s best)
4.5 Stars
I really enjoyed this book. I gobbled it right up. I loved Hugh. The man he wants to be for Bree and Layla warmed my heart. There were plenty of feels when it comes to this book. Hugh is so sweet Layla. It’s one of my favorite parts of the book. This is my favorite book in the series. It’s definitely a make you feel good story that you won’t be able to put down. Bree and Hugh have great chemistry.I love the way Hugh makes Bree feel abut herself. The ending of this book is just so romantic and perfect. I couldn’t have asked for it to put end any better. This is a must read book for sure!!!
Out of all the Braden brothers I have been dying to read Hugh’s story and I am so glad I got the chance with this sweet with heat version of his story from Addison Cole. Just when you think the Braden men cant get any hotter Cole drops this guy on you.
Hugh is a racing car driver, good looking and can have any woman he wants but he has been there done that and now as he is getting older and the last of the family to settle down he has decided it is his time. But how can someone like him keep such a low profile when it comes to dating, its damn near impossible. That is until he ends up in the Old Oak Tavern for a blind date and falls in love with the waitress instead!
Brianna or Bree has been working in the Tavern making ends meet for the last 5 or so years and has sworn of men until her daughter turns 18 – meaning she has twelve more years before she can date. That is just a maddening thought, but I can see why she has chosen to put her daughter first – why bring a man into the mix and if things turn sour it not affects Bree but her daughter Layla as well.
For Hugh he never envisioned and instant family, but he knew in his heart that Bree and Layla were right, and how he treated both Bree and her daughter will just melt your heart. He took into account Bree’s fears of introducing him to Layla, and he also make a point to include Layla in any plans he had with Bree be it making sure her phone was on and loud should her daughter call to just putting her needs first over his.
Honestly Hugh may have been a player (heck all the Braden men have in way) back in the day but this story was just perfection, soppy, romantic and just swoon worthy.
5 starts
Sigh, another wonderful Braden to swoon over. Hugh Braden lives a fast life with his racing, his model girlfriends, and his never-ending traveling. As the rest of his siblings start finding love and settling down, he realizes that the life he never thought he wanted doesn’t sound so bad. Little did he realize that settling down included a sweet Brianna and her adorable little girl.
I love how much respect Hugh shows to Brianna and Layla. He understands why he can’t just jump into their life, he has to step back and let Brianna have most of the control since it is her daughter but he doesn’t let her have all the control. He still charms her, romances her, and makes her fall in love with him all while learning how to open his heart and let her win his heart.
Layla is the true princess of the story. She has the innocence of a child and no one wants to take that away from her. I love how the entire family and friends realize how important she is. They love her entirely, they give her all she needs and many of her wants, they teach her manners, and they expect her to respect others. I like that they teach her real life and let her learn lessons as they come up but they don’t expect her to be a grown-up. While I love Brianna and Hugh, Layla is one of my favorites in this story.
Hugh is a playboy, in the fast lane, racecar driver. Brianna is a single mother, who is very protective and careful of her daughter, with plans for her life to be only about caring for her for the next 12 years. Then they happen to meet at the bar where Brianna works….. The sparks are flying between the two, but can such two different people be together, but are they really so different. This is such an excellent book written by Addison Cole. There is a lot more to Hugh, than you first think, but can he breakdown that protective shield that Brianna has put around her, her daughter, and her heart. Hugh is so heart melting! He certainly melted my heart. In this book, there is just the right amount of sweetness and heat Once I started reading it, I never wanted to put it down .
I love Brianna and Hugh, and Layla stole a little piece of my heart. Okay, seriously, where do I find a Braden, or the idea for a Braden? A hot, sexy, race car driver who loves kids and cares about and respects women? And Bree was a fabulous match for Hugh, the straight laced single mom, one who was willing to be dateless to put her kid first. Thank goodness the only collision was their hearts!
While the Addison Cole versions are considered to be “sweet with heat” and not as steamy as the original Melissa Foster versions of the stories, there’s plenty of steam, and definitely lots of love and desire.
I was so geared up to read “And Then There Was Us” thinking, wow, this is about Hugh Braden, the race car driver of the Weston Braden family. It’ll be great reading about the gorgeous women and fangirls who throw themselves at him. It’ll be filled with drama and fast cars! Well I had to put on the brakes once I began reading. It wasn’t at all what I thought. It was more than that, it was better than I could have imagined. It was a modern day fairytale with all that it entails! And I loved every bit of it. The story is about two people who find one another and they change the trajectory of each other’s life.
We have our hero, Hugh Braden, a famous race car driver, as previously mentioned. Hugh is accustomed to living in the fast lane, professionally and personally. Then one night he goes into a local tavern to meet up with a blind date and spots Brianna Heart, a bartender/waitress. Brianna is a single mom with a soon to be six year old daughter, Layla. Her main goals are to be the best mom by providing for Layla and not getting involved with anyone until her daughter is much older. In 12 years!
Hugh is very smitten with Brianna and realizes that he won’t be going back to his care free lifestyle. Although feeling the same about Hugh, Brianna holds back because of her concerns for Layla. However, once Layla meets Hugh, those worries melt away but they are soon replaced with her own insecurities. Brianna feels she won’t be enough for Hugh and eventually he’d get bored and leave. This becomes a major issue between Hugh and Brianna. Hugh is devastated and is at a loss on how to show her that he is here to stay for her and Layla.
Will this fairytale have a happy ending? Will Brianna get her prince or will she need to kiss a few more toads until she meets the right one?
This is my honest review.
Adorable!!
I found And Then There Was Us by Addison Cole an adorable read. The characters have a great connection even though they seem to be almost opposites. Brianna Heart is a planner. She has a 12 year plan to ensure her daughter has everything she needs her future. She’s a loving mother, maybe a bit too protective or overthinking her own life too much? Hugh Braden on the other hand, goes for what he wants, and he’s used to achieving whatever it is. However,they both have strong family values and it was wonderful to see them both interact with each other and with Layla (Brianna’s daughter). This was another wonderful read by Addison Cole.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I love the Weston Bradens and this book 6 is just an awesome addition! Well written this is sweet and romantic and I’m left with a great feeling, a warm and fuzzy feeling at the end. I just adore Brianna and Hugh, their great chemistry and this their story of love and trust and could not recommend this series enough!
3.5 stars.
This time we meet Hugh and Brianna; he’s a Capital Series Grand Prix racer just having a good time in life, but feeling something was missing; and she’s a young mother, putting all his energy into raising her and making ends meet.
They meet and sparks fly, but their lives are difficult as they are, and adding a relationship might be too much.
Both these guys are cool, he’s a great son and brother; and she’s a great mother. I enjoyed reading their relationship develop, however, I found Brianna’s back and forth too exhausting. I understood her reluctance and how protective she was to her daughter, but it was too much at times.
Still, I’m glad she got it together and got the HEA they deserved.
*Thank you to the author for providing a copy for which I’m giving my honest opinion*
And Then There Was Us completely captivated me! I think Prince Hugh was a very appropriate name! This is a swoon worthy romance. Bree had to work to overcome her what-ifs, but Hugh is amazing. If you enjoy well written, fairy tale romances with great characters, you need to read this entire series!
Absolutely love it! Loved Hugh and Bree (and Lyla), such a wonderful read of two people that were brought together for a reason, each with their own need to overcome the challenges and fears in their lives. Hugh is trying to get past his bad boy image that he wants to put behind him and Bree struggles with the fear of Hugh walking away like her father did. This was one of those stories that sticks with you long after you finished the book. Very emotional and you diffently want them to find their HEA with each other. Addison writes such loving and believable stories that really make you excited for the next one.
Every woman needs a Hugh Braden in their life. Racecar driver meets Single Mom Brianna and is intrigued by her because she has no clue who he is. He learns that she has a child and a 12 year plan to stay single until her child is grown. Hugh comes to the realization that he wants the family and love that his parents and siblings have and has become protective and indispensable to Brianna and her child. Both must change the mindset of what they had planned in life to what they actually need in life, and that is each other. Like all of her Sweet with Heat books, this one dies not disappoint and the reader will fall in love with this amazingly unselfish, caring and absolutley delicious hero.
This is the story of Hugh Braden and Brianna Heart. Hugh is the youngest of the Braden siblings and the last to find love. He meets Bri one night, while home between races, at the local bar where she happens to be working. Though their attraction to each other is instant, Brianna refuses to even consider doing anything about it because she is 6 years into her “18-year-plan”, which includes no dating/no men until her 6-year-old daughter, Layla, is 18 years old. As a single mom, with a not-so-great-opinion of men and relationships – she is set on not even considering getting involved with anyone until her daughter is grown up.
Hugh cannot stay away and returns to the bar and eventually convinces her to have coffee with him once her shift is complete. As the story unfolds, Hugh does everything he can to make Bri start to trust him and want to see him. He is immediately protective of her and wants to do everything he can to make her life as a single mom easier. It’s a wonderful story of love and trust and romance as well as letting go of their past while hoping to find a future. Can Bri put her ghosts behind her and trust Hugh with no only her heart but the heart of her daughter? Can Hugh get away from his past of a playboy racecar driver and make Bri see that she is the only one for him?
Will their pasts be too much to overcome or will they finally both learn to let go and let love in?
Hugh Braden has always lived a fast life, had a love ’em and leave ’em kind of reputation. But watching his siblings all find their true loves and his dad having some medical issues has all got him thinking about his life. He decides to cut back on his racing and although he’s not looking for a relationship at the moment, having a love like his parents had starts to have some appeal. So when a blind date goes bad, it’s made better by meeting a bartender that takes his breath away. The problem is Bree has a 12 year plan that doesn’t involve romance. She hasn’t dated since having her daughter and since she’s just turning 6 she has many years to wait until she’s grown because the last thing Bree wants to do is mess up Layla by getting into a relationship and have the guy leave. Fate steps in (and a gentle nudge from some very well meaning friends!!) and Bree agrees to talk to him, which leads to him helping her when her car breaks down. The more she’s with him, the more she wants from him but there’s her daughter to consider. Hugh doesn’t do slow but he works to win her trust and love so that this real life fairytale has a happy ever after! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Addison Cole has given us yet another great story and characters. When you quit looking for love that will usually be the time it comes into your life. First two people who think they know what they want in life will soon learn that they are missing something very special and the attraction they feel for one another will only get stronger with time. Watch their story unfold and be prepared to smile, laugh and have your heart melt from love. Grab your copy today and enjoy this beautiful story.
An sweet and heartwarming story that will pull at your heartstrings. It has great characters that you will love. It has just the right amount of sparks and chemistry. It’s an enjoyable read. A great addition to this series that continues to steal your heart.
And Then There Was Us is book six in the Sweet with Heat: Weston Bradens series. Brianna and Hugh’s story hooked me from the start. I love the stories with a child involved. It just feels like it means so much more when two people come together and include one’s child. This is definitely one not to be missed.