If you can’t stand the heat, don’t fall for a firefighter… Mackenzie O’Neil is on a crash course with burnout. She’s got a scar on her face and a shake in her hands. A temporary job as a small-town family physician is just the prescription. She’ll learn to meditate. Sleep more. Take up gardening.
She definitely won’t take her shirtless, firefighting neighbor’s hot body for a test drive.
But Linc and his tattoos are very persuasive. What’s a harmless little adrenaline-fueled fling between neighbors? It’s all naked fun and games until the shadows from Mack’s past find their way into her present. Can Linc be her hero when she needs him the most or will their scars ruin everything?
One thing is certain: Someone is going to get burned.
Author’s Warning: This small-town happily ever after is smokin’ hot, sweetly hilarious, deliciously suspenseful, and a one-two punch to the feels. One-click for a disaster dog, precocious kids, a good ol’ fistfight, nosy neighbors, high-adrenaline first responder heroics, firefighter bromance, and kitchen sexytimes.more
Linc finally gets his shot! More goodness and light from Mrs. Lucy.
Well edited.
We met Linc in Pretend You’re Mine, followed by more in Finally Mine. We learn much more about the history between Linc and Luke – it is much deeper than anticipated! That history has led to the carefree, no-strings lifestyle that Linc leads. When Linc happens upon an accident, he is struck by the helicopter trauma doctor. Dr. ‘Mack’ O’Neil is running up against burnout. So, she has signed on to fill in for the town doctor as she goes on vacation. Linc immediately begins joking Mack about getting married. Mack is so not on board for that. She just wants to have some down time, doctor the patients, and move on along. She never sees Linc coming.
There is just so much good to be had. Linc with all his charm and the insight into his backstory. Mack and all her baggage. Sunshine, the lovable dog. Visits with Luke & Harper, Aldo & Gloria, the townsfolk, the children, the firefighters, the nurses and doctors, and everyone else in Benevolence. Another great read. Enjoy!
I was so happy returning to Benevolence & seeing Chief Lincoln Reed finally get his HEA. I was hooked from page one til the very end. Not only did I love Linc, but I loved Mack as well (and was shocked when I discovered those of us who read Finally Mine met her there). There is definitely more than meets the eye with Reed & I enjoyed seeing what his relationship with Luke was like 5 years after Pretend You’re Mine. I liked how we got more of their history & why they truly gave each other a hard time. The chemistry & banter between Linc & Mack was amazing as well. I loved how Linc loved all of his brothers & sisters in the firehouse, how he joked around with them but also listened when they would talk to him. I loved getting updates about Gloria & Aldo as well as Luke & Harper.
Devoured this book in one sitting, loved it!
body of a Greek god, and he knows how to use it, in and out of the bedroom.
Mackenzie, Dr. Mack is a flight trauma Dr. She has been in the war and is burnt out. She needed a change, so when a 6 month opening, at a family clinic come upon her, she takes it to get her life back on tract. She isn’t staying,. This isn’t permanent, so there’s no reason to form any attachments.
The only problem with that theory is, Benevolence isn’t like that. They all knew each other’s business. They know how to take care of their own and when your in the business of saving lives, you gain their respect and appreciation.
For Link, it’s love at first sight and when this beautiful trauma Dr. moves in next door, he and his loyal dog Sunny work their way into her world and wear her down.
This is a beautiful story of sweet love found when you weren’t looking and it will warm your heart when Link protects what is his.
I hope there will be more to this series down the road.
Back to Benevolence we go! I have been waiting for Lincoln Reed to finally get his HEA, and did he ever!
Linc (Chief Sexy Pants) and Mack (Dr. Mc Dreamy) meet at an accident scene. Fire Chief Linc is a ladies man. He will never settle down with one lady. Mackenzie is a flight trauma surgeon trying to slow down and not get burned out. She comes to Benevolence to just try to have a change of pace. Bring on the STEAM! When these two meet, there is no fire hose big enough to stop the flames from burning these two up!
Oh how Mack tries to not fall under Linc’s sexy spell. These two neighbors and friends try hard to resist each other. But they cannot resist the pull and I loved reading how they fell in love with each other.
Throw in crazy family, friends and neighbors and you have a great small town that help get these two together. We meet back up with Luke, Harper, Gloria and Aldo again and I loved hearing how their family grew! I cried, laughed, and cheered while I devoured this book.
Lucy, you sure know how to write lovable alpha-men and strong kicka$$ women! You make it hard to read someone elses books! Pretend You’re Mine was my first ever Lucy book, I have read it more than 20 times! I know I will read Protecting What’s Mine just as many times! How can you keep getting better at creating whole worlds I want to live in with well written characters that I feel like I personally know? All I can say is… PLEASE KEEP THEM COMING!
Linc’s book is everything I was hoping it would be since we met him in Pretend You’re Mine!
Learning more about Linc (aka Cheif Sexy Pants), meeting Mack (aka Doc Dreamy) and Sunshine (!) made me devour this book so fast, I’m already going to read it again.
The leads aren’t the only wonderful characters in this book; the whole town of Benevolence has once again charmed me and made me wish I could move there. It was good to check in with characters we’ve already met from Pretend Your Mind and Finally Mine, and meet new characters closer to Linc and Mack’s lives.
This story is full of flirty, fiery sass and one amazing yellow lab, go read it now!
Well Lucy has done it again! So happy she brought us back to Benevolence!!!!! Linc and Harper are everything.
This book gives us a flirty, sexy, lovable, dirty talking fire fighter. Dr. Mack is kick ass, loyal, secretly gooey on the inside.
All the feels with this story. Allll of them!!!!! It’s amazing!!
You won’t be sorry reading Protecting What’s Mine…it’s charming and witty and one of Lucy’s BEST!
This steamy small-town firefighter romance full of suspense and laughs is CLASSIC Lucy Score. Classic Lucy Score is always great! There’s a rescue dog, a heroine with a scar and a secret, and the hero is a ladies’ man who is finally ready to settle down when he meets his new neighbor. It’s smokin’ hot, sweetly hilarious, deliciously suspenseful, and a one-two punch to the feels. Did I mention the firefighter bromance? And the kitchen sexytimes? Click it NOW!!! You won’t regret!!
This small-town happily ever after is smokin’ hot, sweetly hilarious, deliciously suspenseful, and a one-two punch to the feels. One-click for a disaster dog, precocious kids, a good ol’ fistfight, nosy neighbors, high-adrenaline first responder heroics, firefighter bromance, and kitchen sexytimes.
Lucy Score never disappoints!!!!
Lucy just keeps cementing herself as one of my new favorite authors. You don’t want to miss this one!
Live and already kicking arse!!
Linc & Mack.
This is the first book I have read from Lucy Score! I am in love. Lucy hooks you right from the beginning. She makes sure to give detailed descriptions of everything and dual point of views which are always a huge plus.
I love how Lucy starts our characters interacting from the get go and keeps getting them together until they are intertwined.
I instantly fell in love with Mack, Linc and of course Sunshine.
Mack “Dreamy” just retired from the national guard and is in need of change in her life and takes a temporary job in Benevolence at a small doctors office.
Lincoln “Hotshot” grew up in Benevolence and is currently the chief at the local fire station.
Call it fate or coincidence or just plain good luck. Dreamy and Hotshot are meant to be together and Lucy reals you in.
Sexy, swoony fire Chief Lincoln Reed aka Chief Sexy Pants is so much more than just the towns serial flirt and ladies man. Underneath his charming, confident exterior is a huge heart just waiting to be loved. Trauma surgeon Dr. Mackenzie O’Neil aka Doc Dreamy is the strong, independent and mysterious new doctor in town. She has a plan to recharge and get her life back on track and is determined to hide the shadows of her past.
Linc and Mack are perfect for each other, but the scars of the past make them both think that no one would ever choose them to spend forever with. When they finally come together the heat is so intense that I’m pretty sure my kindle started to smoke!! The path to their HEA is filled with humor, heat, suspense, plenty of swoons, ALL the feels and Sunshine: Linc’s best girl and the sweetest four legged friend to ever enter a book!
Benevolence holds a special place in my heart since Pretend You’re Mine was my first Lucy Score book. I loved catching up with Luke and Harper, Aldo and Gloria, and many other residents in the amazing small town. This book can be read as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend reading Pretend You’re Mine and Finally Mine first for an even greater experience. Do it it now, don’t wait. Take a trip to Benevolence. You won’t regret it!!
Lucy Score is the master of writing faithful, angst filled, super sexy, alpha males. Lincoln “Linc” Reed’s (AKA Chief Sexy Pants) passion is being a firefighter but he’s known around town of Benevolence as a ladie’s man. He is thrown for a loop when he encounters the beautiful,sexy, ex military female doctor Mackenzie “Mack” O’Neil ( AKA Doc Dreamy). Mack needed a change of pace from the emotionally challenges of the military and the demons she has yet to resolve from her childhood. She is ready to dive into her job as flight doctor and helping in the town’s family medical practice. Linc pulls out all the charm to win the attention of the one woman who has piqued his interest in a very long time. With help of his beautiful dog Sunshine, his sisters, his crew from the fire department, family friends and practically the whole town of Benevolence, Linc is determined to win Mack’s heart, body & soul. Mack is instantly attracted to Linc but tries to deny the sexual attraction but that doesn’t last long. Their attraction begins a journey of sexual escapades but soon they learn this is so much more than sex. When emotions becomes involved, will Linc be able to convince Mack this could be love? This book is , in my opinion, a tie with “Pretend Your Mine” which is one of my favorite Lucy Score book. Y’all will definitely enjoy this book!!!!
I loved this book so much! I couldn’t it down. I had a book hangover as a result. I loved the characters. Lincoln and Mackenzie had such great chemistry. Their banter was one of my favorite parts of the book. I’m not gonna lie when Lincoln is with his nieces and nephews my heart just melts. That was another of my favorite things about the book. This book had it all for me; heart, feels, humor, and angst. My heart wet out to Mackenzie after learning her back story. It made me all the more happy she landed in this small town. The way the town welcomed her with open arms is what the doctor ordered for Mackenzie. I couldn’t have asked it to end better then with the epilogue. It left me one happy reader and sad to see the book end. It’s one you just want to gobble up, but you don’t want to end.
Lucy, Lucy, Lucy…I loved this book soooooo much!
I was hooked from the beginning and so invested in everything that was happening. 4% in and I had already cried, laughed and seriously swooned. Then half way in and I was obsessed with it even more & was in love with everyone, but especially Linc & Sunshine! Sigh…Linc is one of the dreamiest book boyfriends I’ve ever read and Sunshine just melts your heart. And then when I was almost done reading the book, I was so beyond enamored that I found myself reading slower to try to savor and prolong it from ending. I just wanted to live in that world, and be part of that community. I so wish Benevolence, MD was a real place and I could really live there.
And not meant to be a spoiler, but the bonuses (yes, plural people!) were like the extra cherries on top and my heart was full and I was so unbelievably happy & satisfied. Although, I do have to say it took me a while to figure out how I felt (in a good way) as I wasn’t sure what to do with myself or how to process how I was feeling when I finally finished it. There was so many feels (all good) that I couldn’t pick one emotion so was feeling them all: loving the story & characters, happy & giddy all throughout, excited for the suspense, amazed at the words & flow, sad it was over, but happy that it had a good ending, and I can go on and on…Definitely a standing ovation type of moment when I finished reading it (clapping with a huge smile on my face & tears running down my face even though no one can hear or see me).
I have to say this is now in my top 5 favorite books, & Linc is in my top 5 book boyfriend list. A must read, 100%! I even reread the ending a few times, & will definitely be reading it all again soon.
Note: Protecting What’s Mine is a standalone book, but can also be read as book 3 as it’s connected to Pretend You’re Mine & Finally Mine.
For me I know it’s a good book when I start slowing down near the end because I don’t want it to end. The last few chapters I actually stopped because I didn’t want it to be over.
Lincoln – hardcore bachelor with a heart of gold who loves his dog so da*n much, loves his family and nieces and nephews, and wants Dr. Dreamy (Mackenzie). Could he be any better?
Mackenzie – Dr. Dreamy has her childhood hurts that still haunt her but dang if I didn’t love her anyway. I love that LS writes about inherently strong women, even if slightly tweaked here and there (who isn’t).
These two together were snappy, sexy, sweet, angry (and Lincoln’s anger and hurt felt real). I felt their ups and downs and cheered for their HEA. They made sense together. Watching Mack realize this strong, sexy man loved and wanted her was <3.
The little extra suspense at the end - not sure this romance needed that but who am I to question LS? She writes small town stories with affection and fun. I love that about her. And who didn't swoon to get back into the lives of Luke and Harper (maybe her best couple ever) and Aldo and Gloria?
PERFECT MATCH Loved the chemistry between Linc and Mac. Lots of humor in spite of all the serious issues. The twists and turns were unexpected and written into the story so well. However, the best part was sweet Sunshine. What a sweetheart! Another great story by Lucy with all the feels. I received this ARC for an honest review.
Made my month!! 6 Over The Top Stars!
What do you do when Lucy Score drops a book? You 1-click that bad boy and spend the rest of the day falling in love with Linc!!
I don’t know what I expected, but it was not this. A sweet hearted, kind man, truly invested in his community watching while everyone else falls in love and starts their lives. Meanwhile he’s hanging on as ‘Mr.Right Guy for Right Now’.
This book has everything I love, law enforcement, first responders, adrenaline spikes from the action, steamy sexy times, and Lucy Score’s pentiant for making us laugh. Oh, and dogs, lots of dogs.
I fell in love with Mack the first time I heard her voice in my head and imagined those bottle green eyes. That hard charging, git it done now attitude is like an aphrodisiac for me, and I can’t imagine walking away from that.
But if both parties are used to years of hurt and disappointment (even if they don’t acknowledge it as disappointment) do they ever stand a chance together? It’s time to get real and see if they’re made to stick.
And a special thanks to Lucy for sharing her Sunshine with us, and reminding us again “everyone is worthy of love.” This is an absolute diamond of a book, and I can’t wait to see what Ms. Score has up her sleeve next!!