After suffering through a humiliating divorce in New York, Bo McKenzie is out of luck, money, and patience. Arriving in Clearweed, Texas, she’s bet her last dime on the launch of her craft brewery to get her life back on track. Despite her vow to stay focused solely on the beer business, one man manages to capture her heart. Can she trust him?Drew Garwood’s one true love has always been serving … serving the legal needs of his neighbors. His greatest trouble is keeping his brother on the right side of the law. When Bo McKenzie sweeps into town, she rouses his passion and provides the spark his life has been missing. Whatever happened before she came to Clearweed has left her guarded and suspicious. Can he break down her defenses?
As the two struggle to rein in their wild attraction, secrets and greed could destroy the brewery and force Bo out of town for good. Can Drew find a way to convince her to stay?
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An unusual heroine, in appearance and upbringing, comes to a Texas and meets a country lawyer. Sparks fly!
Enjoyed the independence and persistence of the characters; the romance moved at a good pace. The obstacle to the romance is well laid out, but the hero’s dithering about the issue got a little tedious, even if it was understandable. Great detail on the setting and a slam bang ending!
Recommend.
after an awful divorce she has left so she can work on getting her beer out there but she is not looking for anything. He is trying to keep his brother on the right side of the law. He sees her and the sparks fly. Will it to further? Will her beer be a success? See how this will end
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
The characters and the story were wonderful.
Bo: A strong alpha mentality versus internal conflict due to an attraction that she thinks she should not have. Why? After being ran through a muddy divorce from an embezzling, cheating husband her walls come right up, encasing her while she drowns in work in the hopes she can move on. Trying to make a name for herself, to show others (mainly her dad, the founder of a mega-scotch corporation) she can make it on her own.
Sound familiar? Well, it did to me! I have done this too, and am still doing it; sans the embezzlement and dad/mega-scotch parts!
Working non-stop to forget your troubles. Doing everything yourself because you are tossed between not wanting to be a burden on those you love and feeling you have to prove to yourself and everyone else that you can do this yourself, can do everything yourself. Letting your health deteriorate thinking that you are okay.
Each time she lets others in though, things start to fall apart. No vehicle, sabotage, family moving in, and more. Reality kicks in real quick when Bo realizes that she is surrounded by trustworthy people.
Bo was Drew’s Lightning in a Bottle with how she lit him up and how much of a crack-fire she was; a real, sexy woman in his eyes. With his own wall up due to his past it was nice reading their dialogue with how they were with each other.
Favorite quote from Drew: And there is was. That smile. As bright as sunlight, as warm as a summer’s day, and more beautiful in person than could ever be captured in a photograph.
Seriously, why can’t I find a guy who thinks thoughts like this of me?
Smartly written with quick intimate scenes, nothing in-depth nor “smut-like” though, very clean. I could see some of the happenings in a town in Texas easily (sorry, not sorry). I was drawn in due to my own alpha similarities and past, but the ending, while giving a bit of closure on the main, left so many openings and questions for the rest. There wasn’t even an epilogue.
I really would like to see a follow-on book or short stories that follow Bo and Drew, solidifies Mitch’s story (I really liked Mitch!), and Quinn (one of Bo’s three brothers).
Guess that goes to show how much I like the book, wanting to read more of the book I received as part of a book tour!
Bo is starting over in Texas after public humiliation by her cheating ex. Men are not high on her list so her attraction to Drew, her Texas attorney is beyond inconvenient. She is a master Brewer starting a craft brewery and she just doesn’t want the distraction. Then there are her overprotective father, four meddling older brothers, honorary aunt and uncle along with her assistant. The interactions Bo has with her family are priceless.
Drew is totally blown out of the water by Bo. She shakes up his life, making him reevaluate his life and past choices, including keeping his worthless brother out of jail. When Drew foils a swindle his brother is trying to pull off, the brother and his cronies retaliate by going after Bo and her brewery. Drew has make some serious choices.
This book has all the elements I prefer in a novel – a strong sassy heroine, a hero able to handle a strong woman, a story line that holds together and great supporting characters. I love this book and highly recommend it.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
An Amazing Read! It is a well written, action packed, suspense-filled, witty, funny, and captivating fast pace read. The plot is well developed, fresh, and flows smoothly. The twists and turns, ups and downs, along with unexpected circumstances make for one incredible experience. Interesting characters you will love (Drew – easy going and calm; Bo – feisty and strong); the Chemistry between them is intense. This is an on the edge of your seat read from beginning to end, so hold on to your seats because you are in for quite a ride. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Bo McKenzie was hurt by her cheating embezzling ex-husband, so she has trouble trusting men. It doesn’t matter that she is attracted to her new lawyer Drew Garwood upon meeting him. Bo has to be tough working in a man’s world as brew master and now owning her own brewery. Drew has bailed out his malicious brother Wade too many times for his crimes over guilt that caused him to lose his football career. Wade goes way too far trying to ruin Bo’s brewery because it was on his ancestor’s land that he thinks should be his. Because of his actions Bo doesn’t know if she can trust Drew. There was plenty of humor and some suspense in this romance. I loved reading more about creating beers and what goes into a successful brewery.
A very good story there is suspense, drama, danger, arson, a man that tries to take what he figures is his, and romance. This is lawyer Drew Garwood and craft brewery owner Bo McKenzie’s story. A story that has a well written storyline and flows smoothly from page to page. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
All the characters in the book are very likeable and real, except for Drew’s brother Wade. For someone who’d sworn off men, Bo fell into it with Drew pretty quick. He was never concerned with what she isn’t, only with what she is, and her past doesn’t matter to him. I was heartbroken when she broke up with him. There was a wonderful happy ending, though. (I love Bo’s obsession with Drew’s underwear!)
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a great book to read. Bo is the only female from a house full of men, so when she decides to go out on her own with her brewery, she doesn’t shy away nor leave the physical labor to her employees. Drew, the local attorney, has been helping Bo from afar, and when she finally moves to Clearwood to complete the work on the brewery to be able to open they meet for the first time in person. From the very beginning, these two have a connection and attraction that neither of them know what to do with. Both are dealing with family related stress, just in different ways. Between a recent messy divorce and having grown up in an all male household, Bo is very headstrong and projects that she is very independent, and doesn’t show emotion well. I liked that Bo is so strong, yet has a vulnerability that makes her such an amazing person. She matches well with Drew’s calm and thoughtful demeanor. When these two get together, they have to learn that having strong chemistry together isn’t a weakness, and that learning to rely on each other and open up their hearts can only make them stronger together.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a really good fantastic read that I really enjoyed. Bo is new to Texas where she is opening her new business and after her divorce is definitely not wanting a new relationship. What she is not expecting is Drew and the attraction she feels towards him. Drew is Lawyer and he has his own baggage but he is a complete sweetheart heart. I enjoyed getting to know these two they were good for each other and great together. A super read I would recommend it
4 1/2 stars
Blame it on Texas: Lightning in a Bottle is a fantastic read that I really enjoyed!
Bo is a take no prisoners, tomboyish, workaholic with a splash of sass and hidden bit of vulnerability. Thanks to her con artist ex-husband, Bo finds herself now living in Texas after having the lights fantastic of New York. Bo works night and day to make her new venture of crafting Empire Beer a reality, but the road to success is never easy. She doesn’t want to depend on anyone and she especially doesn’t want to open her heart up to the possibility of getting hurt again. What she didn’t expect was Drew, the small town lawyer to worm his way into her heart.
Drew has his own skeletons in the closet to deal with, but he has a heart of gold. (and a bit of guilt when it comes to his brother). I did find a time of two that I wanted to shake some sense into Drew when it came to him. But I had other moments when I couldn’t help but fall in love with him also. He was a great character and would love to see more of him and Bo.
Loved the secondary characters, especially Mitch. Would love to see his own story along with Bo’s brothers.
Written as a 3rd person, multi pov with a HFN ending. Strong story line, awesome dialogue, fantastic description to details, and easy to love characters. All in all a great read.
Would I recommend this book? Yes
Would I read more from this author? Yes
Sassy Beta Reading & Review
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Delicious and Engaging!
Lightning in a Bottle by author Gina Ardito is a modern day romance that takes place in the small canyon town of Clearweed, TX. It’s there where former New Yorker Bo McKenzie arrives to set up her independent brewery, Empire Breweries. All her money is in this operation after having reimbursed all the victims from her ex husband criminal activity back in NYC even though it was shown she had no part in it. So, she is broke, down on men, guarded, and determined to be successful.
Enter the local attorney who has been completing and filing all the paperwork. Drew Garwood. They are attracted to each other. He wants to see where it goes. She’s ambivalent and has a history of becoming so focused on work that she forgets to eat, sleep and ends up in the hospital.
Beyond the romance there is an antagonist, Drew’s brother, Wade who’s out for the next big easy scheme. The last one is the most dangerous. Who’s going to get caught in this web?
The author is gifted at weaving intriguing and satisfying stories with HEAs. Her characters are fully developed and engaging, even the antagonist rose high on my creep barometer.
Definitely recommending this book for your reading enjoyment and I am leaving this review for your consideration. Peace.