Deputy Colin McLaughlin is never looking for love, but something stirs his blood when former high school crush Hailey strolls back into his family’s Whidbey Island pub. He wants to keep nursing his anger at the woman who betrayed his family and nearly ruined his brother’s life. Instead, the desire burns hotter than ever… Not that he’d ever act on it.Hailey Alexander knows her past is littered … littered with mistakes. She’s worked hard to move on, but a certain Scottish-born deputy isn’t in any hurry to forgive or forget.
Can they fight the attraction that’s compromising their hearts?
Previously titled Kilty Pleasure
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a great book keeps you interested
I liked this book I also liked the main characters.
Delicious sexual tension!
Loved It
Hailey apologized to Sarah about causing the problem years ago with Ian, all is forgiven. But Colin has forgotten yet, but when his niece gets hurt he sees a different side of Hailey. But things get sketchy with her ex threatening her.
After many years she is now a nurse and he is a cop and fate crosses their paths a few times, allowing them to resolve and heal old wounds. The intrigue is all the more complex by a second tangle of their families. Resolving that can lead to happy ever afters. Left unresolved is impact on the dad relationship.
A story of forgiveness and moving on.
Easy reading. A few steamy scenes but not too bad.
Straight, No Chaser is the 2nd book in The McLaughlins series. It’s a stand alone Contemporary Romance with a troupe that fits into a few categories but mainly a love/hate thing. The interconnecting characters are based on the McLaughlin siblings who are from Scotland but now live on the Puget Sound in Washington State. This book was previously published as Kilty Pleasure with a new cover.
Hailey and Colin once had a crush on each other back in high school, she was best friends with his sister and brothers girlfriend until one foolish mistake destroyed their lives. Colin, a Deputy Sheriff, has held onto his anger and refuses to forgive her so, at every opportunity he is nasty mean to her which is so unusual for his normal personality. Hailey understands his hatred because she can’t forgive herself either. She has moved off the island, become a nurse and tried to better her life.
Their paths cross again and it’s apparent they have a love/hate relationship that can’t disguise the simmering heat burning between them. They try to keep it ONLY sex until Colin decides to protect her from an abusive ex and his ex decides she wants him back… How long will their game of Tug and War last until someone stumbles and falls?
I enjoy this author and her writing style, and this book doesn’t disappoint.. A quick, easy read but with a good solid story.
Loved the story and loved the nurse who overcame a bad start in life. Not having read the first book, I did not get the hatred Colin had for her. The story heated up, however, and the ending was phenomenal.
Enjoyed this book as I have the first one, Hailey deserves a good guy.
Easy reading with an actual problem.
This series is delightful to read.
There is just something about a man in a uniform…add an accent …HOT BUT what really makes my my knees weak is this big burly man thinks he is “avenging” his brother and soon to be sister-in-law’s betrayal and sets off to make sure that that guilty party pays. And that guilty party happens to be an extremely good looking girl who he can’t keep his eyes off of named Hailey. It doesn’t help that he had the biggest thing for her in high school and she didn’t get hit with an ugly stick afterwards either. But as in life things are not always as they seem and thing happened for a reason. As in book one we learn all about it in our Author’s time frame and what a wonderful ride it is on the way to getting us to the end. Colin oh Colin, you hot sheriff that you are…you do not have all the answers and when they slowly come out to us they are answers well read. I am so looking forward to the third book in this series. I know it will be a harder book to read but one that is so worth reading.
A nice story about a woman loaded with guilt about something she did as a teenager. The book is well-written with strong characters and happily ever after. Sexual situations and foul language.
Good plot & interesting characters but strange ending. Might have been even more romantic if some of the intimate details were omitted or just hinted.
I found Straight, No Chaser by Shelli Stevens, book two in her McLaughlins series a wonderful story about how people and things aren’t always what they seem. Sort of a don’t judge a book by its cover theme. There are also parts that reminded me of the fine line between hate and love. Colin McLaughlin and Hailey Alexander each had a crush on the other in high school and now ten years later that attraction is still there. Colin has not moved on from being angry at Hailey after she almost ruined his twin brother’s life; despite how hard Hailey worked to move past her mistakes in her past. These two share not just an attraction but an off the charts chemistry. This desire for each other burns hotter than HOT. Colin needs to see how Hailey has changed and learn to forgive her for the past before he can move on to a future with her.
I really loved reading this book and didn’t want to put this book down, reading it in one day. Ms. Porter is a wonderful story teller and she always draws me into her books, making me forget the world around me. I highly recommend this book to other readers.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
Straight No Chaser by Shelli Stevens is book two of The McLaughlins series. I look forward to reading more about the McLaughlin family. Straight No Chaser is a complicated romance of two people who have crazy chemistry but are they willing to open their hearts to love??
The main character Hailey Alexander is a single woman who works as a nurse. She grew up on Whidbey Island with her mom and brother. Long ago, Hailey made a bad decision that hurt Colin’s family. She hasn’t forgiven herself for that one moment of weakness. She lost her two best friends that day but she had to do it to keep her family together. As soon as she could she moved away from the island and cut off ties with her mother. Now she’s back and her history of picking the wrong men may have followed her in the form of the last loser.
Deputy Colin McLaughlin follows the straight and narrow path. When Colin was younger, he had a crush on Hailey. Colin refuses to believe she has changed and assumes she has followed in her mother’s footsteps. The more Colin gets to know Hailey, he discovers his assumptions about her are completely wrong. Their chemistry is off the charts and they soon give into it. But due to being burned in the past, Colin is hesitant to pursue a relationship with Hailey.
Hailey’s poor self-esteem has guided most of the decisions she makes in the book. She really needs to realize that she is not the little girl from the wrong side of town anymore! Colin starts out with a cocky cop attitude but the reader soon realizes he’s really a sweetheart underneath. Soon Colin and his family are coming to Hailey’s rescue when the old boyfriend shows up to cause trouble. Colin’s former fiancee makes an appearance and causes feelings of jealousy and insecurity for Hailey.
I would recommend you read this book. In the end, it’s an action packed love story with a HEA after a little danger. I can’t wait to read the next book in the series starring Colin’s sister Kenzie.
Four stars
***Review by Kara, Late Night Reviewer for Up All Night with Books***
So. Freaking. Awesome! I am loving this series with the McLaughlin family. This is Hailey and Colin’s story and it’s one you don’t want to miss.
Years ago Colin McLaughlin may have had a crush on Hailey Alexander. That was before she betrayed his family and almost ruined his brother’s life. The rest of his family may have accepted her late explanation and apology but Colin isn’t so quick to forgive. So what if there is an intense attraction between himself and Hailey. He’s strong enough to resist it. Isn’t he???
I highly recommend this one and I can’t wait for the next book.
This is the second story of the McLaughlin siblings, transplants from Scotland and all very protective of each other. Though the book is considered a stand alone, the reader would benefit from reading book one as this one is a follow up to it.
The story centers around Colin McLaughlin, a deputy, and Hailey, a nurse, and the girl that caused a great deal of heartache to sibling Ian and his HS girlfriend, Sarah , ten years before. Though Hailey apologized in book one, there is still a lot of resentment held by Colin.
As the story progresses , we are told why the young Hailey did what she did, and feelings are revealed.
The story is filled with heartbreak, emotional revelations, and family dynamics. A reminder that life is not black and white , but rather different shades of gray, that relationships require honestly and that love can overcome many obstacles.
Though this story is not my favorite to date of the series, it’s still one worthy of your time.
I am looking forward to the next book, Kenzie’s story.
I was gifted this copy by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.