Will he face his past or run from his future?Ethan Thompson has been a part of the Martin family since he was a troubled teen and Susannah Martin saved him. He’s always done everything in his power to help the Martins, especially oldest daughter Penelope. But he’s always made sure to keep himself just separate enough to safeguard his heart against the straight-talking beauty.Pen Martin-Wakefield … beauty.
Pen Martin-Wakefield moved home to Last Stand, Texas, with her three girls hoping it would give them all a fresh start after her husband’s tragic death. She’s ready to move on, and as she deals with the stresses of a holiday season and a broken arm, she realizes Ethan is always the one she’s leaned on.
Ethan’s determined to resist Pen and her girls. He’s got too many secrets and scars to be any good for them, but as a Christmas in Last Stand works its magic, Ethan begins to find out just how tenacious Pen is and how lonely his heart has been.
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This is book #2 of Bad Boys of Last Stand series, I was gifted a copy in exchange for my honest review.
This one brought a catch to my throat and tears to my eyes, oh yes it’s the best kind of read holding my attention all the way through, the parts on Ethan’s boyhood is so heart wrenching, grab a tissue you will make it to the HEA!
Pen’s Mother was a Police Officer for Last Stand, she took in several boys from troubled homes when her girls were younger. Her Mother has passed away to cancer and Pen’s husband was a Police Officer who was killed in the line of duty.
Pen has problems with not being always in control of things. She has moved back home and keeps comparing herself to her Mother’s memory and thinks that she needs to be perfect and take care of anyone. She breaks her arm and has a hard time asking for help.
Ethan once one of the boys her Mother took in and now that he has grown up he is going to help Pen take care of her girls until her arm heals.
A really good book that I think you will enjoy. I found it to be an emotional read but really enjoyed it.
3.5 stars
The boys (men) from Last Stand really tug at my heartstrings. Ethan is no exception. Not only does he internalize so much hurt, but he does it with a façade of calm and control. Nobody sees past that façade until Penelope. And Pen didn’t see the real Ethan until the real Pen came out.
Being the oldest of three girls, it was Penelope’s natural inclination to take over the nurturing role when their mother passed away. Then she got married young and had children herself and that nurturing became more intense and gave her a strong need for control and order. All the while she compared herself to her deceased mother, never feeling quite like she’s living up to the memories she has of the woman.
It’s obvious that Pen and Ethan are perfect for each other. Not only does Ethan bring a sense of calm to Pen, but he is head over heels for her daughters and they for him. Yet nobody can seem to admit what’s right in front of everyone’s faces.
I love this story and I love the characters. Unfortunately, I was missing the chemistry. Even though I think these characters are a perfect match, it wasn’t coming off the pages for me here. There’s no rhyme or reason for that. I can’t explain it at all. It seems like all of the ingredients were there for a perfect recipe, but there was still something missing. Which makes me sad since I love everything about this story.
A quick warning for those of you haven’t read the first in this series, Homecoming for the Cowboy; I think you’ll be missing some key points about the way the Ethan and his brothers and Penelope and her sisters were raised if you don’t read that first story. Sure, you can read this as a standalone, but you’ll be missing a depth to this story if you do that. Plus, that first book is amazing and a must read.
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**
This is a stand alone in the series Bad Boys of Last Stand.
This story belongs to Ethan Thompson and Pen Martins. Though Ethan is nowadays a deputy, he , and two other boys, were troubled teens who were taken in by the Martins family. Pen is one of the daughters of the Martins and back home a widow with three girls . She is still grieving not only the death of her husband but also that of her mom.
The story is at times heartbreaking. Especially when we learn about Ethan’s family life before the Martins, his fears and why he keeps to himself to the point of being on the outside of the world around him. Pen wants to fulfill her mother’s wishes, at times to a detriment to herself.
The unexpected attraction throws them both off.
Will fears be overcome in this season of miracles or will they avoid finding love and a new beginning in order to avoid getting hurt?
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Tule Publishing. The opinions expressed are solely my own.