Abby Davison only wants to focus on her career as a nurse, as she has no time for dating after a bad breakup over a year ago. When her mother presses her about settling down, Abby tells her a little white lie: she’s dating Mark Thornton, the handsome and gruff rancher who both frustrates and makes her heart flutter every time they meet.When Mark overhears Abby’s lie, he decides to cut her a deal: … her a deal: to keep his silence regarding their make-believe relationship, she’ll come to live with him on his ranch until his broken arm heals.
Despite her wounded pride and initial trepidation, Abby can’t help but begin to fall for the guarded Thornton brother as the days pass on his ranch.
The black sheep of the family, Mark makes no secret that he prefers horses over people. His brusque exterior, though, only conceals hidden depths and a wounded heart that Abby understands all too clearly.
As feelings start to bloom between them, neither is sure what is real and what’s make-believe. Yet the sizzling attraction between them is anything but fake, and with every kiss and every touch, they fall harder for each other.
But as their pasts begin to creep toward them, unearthing secrets both would rather keep buried, Abby and Mark must learn to trust each other—or risk losing the love both never knew they needed.
more
Yeah for the Thornton Brothers
Abby was a wonderful nurse, she was became friends with Megan when she came into the bakery and started working at the hospital in the ER. Mark was third of the 6 siblings but he owned a small ranch not far from them and he was the least likely to fall for anyone after his heart was broken. But did that change.
Not my favorite of the series.
Out of the three Thornton brothers (Harrison & Sara in Nearness of You and Caleb & Megan in The Very Thought of You) Mark’s story is my least favorite. I liked Mark. I also liked Abby. Just something wasn’t there for me. Mark is a heartbroken man gone into semi-seclusion on his ranch which for some reason is always a bit endearing. Abby is a nurse that is plagued by her own selfconsciousness physically and emotionally which I can totally relate to. She lies about being in a relationship with Mark to get her mother off her back and he overhears. The ruse is on.
One stupid thing that I was extremely frustrated with was Abby letting her cats run all over Mark’s house without really asking him about it. It just bugged me.
Overall I liked it but it was just ok.
(I received a complimentary copy from Hidden Gems)
(I’m tired of hearing the word ‘sheath’ which is used a lot in both books in lieu of any other possible way to describe ‘lady parts.’)
I was looking forward to reading this. Unfortunately the characters were weak in my opinion.
I was gifted an ARC in return of an honest review.
A Review of If I Can’t Have You by Iris Morland
Mark and Abby – 5 Stars
This is the third book in the series surrounding the Thorntons. I love series like this where each book is independent and can be read as a standalone book, but you get to be invested in the larger family aspect. Well written characters with great chemistry.
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**Honest review voluntarily provided from a Complimentary Copy**
I love the Thornton siblings especially Mark. He wears his hurt in his surliness, brooding but, you can see behind it to his soft center that just makes you gravitate toward him. Abby is one of my favorite heroines. She may not be what the image of perfect is but she is strong, compassionate and full of heart plus she is everything to Mark. I don’t really care for the fake relationship plot but because I really got into the characters quickly so I could look past how Abby and Mark’s realtionship begins.
I recommend this book and the others in the series.
An enjoyable read. The chemistry between the two main characters was fun and entertaining and I loved seeing how it all evolved.
It was also so nice to see how they both changed each other without even realizing it.
I also liked how the rest of the family was bought into the story.
Great book and cannot wait for the next in the series
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book for Hidden Gems
This is my second Iris Morland The Thornstons book. The first book I read in the series was the second book, Cade and Meghan’s story. I have to admit. I love stories that center around families and the different people in those families. And this book, If I Can’t Have You, doesn’t disappoint. Yes, it’s a story of broken people struggling against each other as they fall in love. Mark Thornton, the sullen hermitted rancher, and Abbey, the nurse, meet through a lie. Abbey is trying to avoid her mother’s matchmaking, so she lies to her, suggesting that Mark is her boyfriend. Most comfortable by himself, Mark is surprised by his attraction to Abbey. He overhears the conversation between Abbey and her mother and takes the opportunity to get closer to her by agreeing to be her boyfriend. As they push against each other’s broken parts, they find a greater attraction, and they eventually fall in love. Will they be able, however, to overcome their broken parts and find a wholeness in each other? That is the question of this story.
Yes, the characters have chemistry. They are undeniably attracted to each other, but Mark can be a difficult character to like. He struggles to share his feelings, which causes a frustration with the progression of the story. Abbey is a likeable character, and as a reader, you hope she can reach Mark or find happiness elsewhere.
The story isn’t incredibly original, but it is a heartfelt one. It also gives you a glimpse into the lives of the characters from Morland’s first and second books. You are able to continue to follow the characters you have grown to love. Even more, we are invited into the next book of the series, a preview of things to come. Overall, I recommend this book.
I received a copy of this book from Hidden Gems and I chose to review it. This is the first Iris Morland book I have read but it will not be the last. This is a well written book with characters who draw you into the story. I encourage everyone to get this book. I will be reading the rest of this series.
If I Can’t Have You is the third book in the Thornton’s Series, but can be read as a stand alone. Abby just told her mother that she’s in a relationship with Mark, but it was only a lie. When he finds out about it, he wants her to come to his ranch to help out with food and household chores while his arm heals. What starts as a lie quickly turns into much more for both Abby and Mark, but with their hearts hurt from past relationships, will either of them be able to open up all the way to the love and acceptance from the other?
This book made me feel all of the emotions as I was flipping through the pages – joy, sadness, anger, pain, and even love! Abby and Mark were a match made with a lie, but both were so intrigued with the other that they couldn’t resist what they started! While Abby didn’t want her heart broken again, I loved her willingness to open up and accept those around her. I loved that she was courageous and a hard worker and not afraid of a little growling. I imagined Mark to be a big teddy bear of a man, not wanting to open up much, but having such a big heart for those he trusted and accepted, even his crazy family. I loved that he wanted to protect Abby and loved that he could admit to his flaws! I enjoyed that they both had issues with their ex’s, and both ex’s were part of their present life. The drama in this book was engaging, but it was truly the relationship between Abby and Mark that had me turning the pages! This was a wonderful book and I definitely want to keep reading the rest in the series!
So I did it again and fell off the well traveled path of my favorite genre and took a ride on the romance side. This book fell into my inbox thanks to Hidden Gems and it was by far the best part of Thanksgiving!! What really sold me on signing up for this book was that the female character was considered over weight and as a thicker girl myself I just need to know sometimes that bigger girls are totally capable of making men want them with a primal need.
I instantly fell in love with Abby. She’s guarded cause she’s broken hearted but yet she’s still super impulsive. Even though this was a third book in a series, it was easy to read as a stand alone. I do plan to go back and read the other books just because apparently these two have a bit of a past confrontation wise. I loved that it was such a fast read. I was actually pissed off at my husband and had no desire to read a romance book but this one sucked me in so hard and didn’t spit me out until it was over. I’ve hardly ever read a book in a day but this one I just couldn’t put down. I’m even more excited to know that this author not only has the Thornton series but the Younger series, which does cross paths in this book. The one Younger we met in this book was a tatted up piece of sex on a stick and I’m pretty sure that I may need to devote the whole first part of 2019 to getting drunk on Iris Morland books.
Plus, just a side note. I could not say this title without singing it out. If I can’t have you, I don’t want nobody baby!!
(5 out of 5) I’m even ready to re-read this book and I don’t generally re-read books at all.
I really like reading this book. It is easy to read, has some twists and turns, as well as great characters. The story is well written and the personalities in the book are unique and distinctive. I liked the small-town romance complicated by the past. When the past comes back to haunt Abby, her ex put her and Mark in danger. Mark is forced to face his ex-girlfriend who cheated on him with his best friend. When Mark stormed away from them, I liked what Abby said to them “Just because you didn’t plan on stepping on my foot doesn’t mean it doesn’t hurt me.” Abby is a strong independent person that is sensitive at heart. Her ex made her feel like she was not woman enough because of the secret she carried. With Mark, Abby wanted to get to know him and figure him out. The more time she spent with him she realized that he had a lot of love to give. Which he gave to his horses more than to people. Abby and Mark are excellent for each other as they accept each other for who they are. Their chemistry was off the charts and it was so sexy. I enjoyed reading this and i do recommend it. I received an Advanced Readers Copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Get ready for all out laughter in this story where Mark breaks his arm and ends up blackmailing Abby for not coming clean to her mother that he’s not her boyfriend. Now she has to help out on his farm. There is so much drama in this story including an ex that don’t get it that he’s not wanted along with Mark and Abby being dynamic together. Can her lies spark a happily ever after for Mark and Abby? I voluntarily agreed to receive an ARC of this book for an honest review.
This one had me chuckling, then giggling (I’m NOT a giggler, darn it!) then full out belly laughing by the second page. Having been introduced to Mark Thornton and feisty nurse Abby in previous books, I knew their romantic journey would be a wild one filled with all kinds of spark and sizzle. When Mark breaks his arm and gets treated in Abby’s ER, he blackmails her (Mark says “cajoles” – tomato, tomahto) into helping him with domestic duties at his ranch in exchange for not outing Abby to her mother that Mark is indeed, not Abby’s boyfriend. This setup has either disaster or delightful, heartfelt hilarity written all over it.
I fell in love with the Thorntons from the first book in this series, so I was eager to read an advance copy of Mark and Abby’s story and I gobbled up every word. From trying to communicate with a man who forms sentences of three words or less to an exciting new addition to the ranch animals to a psychotic ex-boyfriend who can’t take “no” for an answer, this storyline was packed with entertainment and thrills, as well as a nice dose of steam and tons of heart. If you like a romance with a small-town feel, compelling and loveable characters and lots of emotion that will leave you with a smile at the end of the book, you’ll love Mark and Abby’s story!
Abby and Mark are finding a whole lot of love in the little house on the ranch. Abby knows deep down that the negative lies her ex Derek left her with are not really true, but the scars they inflicted are still yet painful. So when she overheard Mark Thornton openly insult her she was slightly more inclined to believe his assessment of her “mousy” appearance. Why would the handsome mysterious rancher ever desire a woman like her? When her mother tries to once again set her up on another date with what Abby is sure to be another nightmare she panics and says she in a relationship and the only name that pops into her head is none other than Mark. When his brother’s were ribbing him Mark and his big stupid mouth insulted Abby when that’s the last thing he wants to do. When he overhears her telling her mother about their newfound “relationship” he is struck with an idea – he is going to have her come out on his ranch and he will do something to make her forgive him… but it seems he can’t keep his foot out of his mouth. Abby is everything and he wants to show her just how special she is. But with his past ghosts threatening to keep him a future with Abby is this cowboy doomed to be a desperado.
Ms. Morland is an author that relies on a touch of subtlety but gives a large amount of heart in her characters, tales and series. Abby and Mark do not have the best of starts but tucked away in her lies and his mistrust is the beginning to something wonderful. If I Can’t Have You speaks of lessons learned and hearts healing but it also creates a romance that slowly works it’s magic on even the biggest of cynics.