Sweet Plains, Texas, wasn’t so sweet to Cody, Noah, and Beau Tucker. But now the Tucker boys are men, ready to take on the questions that have haunted them since they left home. . .Cody Tucker shook the dust of his two-bit hometown off his boots ten years ago–right about the time his college sweetheart, Shelby Lynn Harris, married his so-called best friend. But when his dad dies, Cody finds … Cody finds himself home again and knee deep in the past. Except now his rowdy beer buddy is the sheriff, his housekeeper is a blue-ribbon chili chef, and the family ranch is in the red. The only thing that hasn’t changed is Shelby Lynn. . .
Shelby Lynn has gone through a lot of heartache thanks to Cody. But that’s all over now. She just wants a chance to live the life she’s made for herself in peace. The trouble is, the Sweet Plains chili cook off is heating up, the Ladies of Sweet are as riled as hornets, and as soon as Cody gets near, she’s forgets all about peace. Cody is pure temptation–and she knows just how good it feels to give in. . .
“A perfect mix of heart and heat, Adair keeps the pages turning.” —New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis
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Marina Adair has done it again and has given her readers another incredible romantic comedy! I thoroughly enjoyed Tucker’s Crossing the first book her Sweet Plains series. It was an incredible story and I loved reading every moment on every page and could not put it down. She provided her readers with the amazing characters, that I loved, who feel like close friends! Marina Adair continues to show with Tucker’s Crossing that she is an incredible storyteller. One of my favorite things that I love about Tucker’s Crossing is how Marina Adair incorporates the title of the book into the love story. Who doesn’t love hot sexy men, strong females, loving families, and friends, who always support one another, they are all such wonderful characters? Her characters in Tucker’s Crossing are so believable and charming, they share great chemistry, lots of laughs, and steamy romance. Tucker’s Crossing delivers all those things that I love most about Marina Adair’s romantic comedies. I love that Marina Adair writes from the perspective of the two main characters. I enjoy getting to see things from the viewpoints of the main characters. Tucker’s Crossing is filled with heartbreaking and heartwarming moments. I love the lighter moments where I find myself smiling and laughing out loud. My favorite moments are the ones that pull at my heartstrings that cause me to sigh, as I read the heartbreaking moments. Tucker’s Crossing is filled with all those things that I have come to love in a Marina Adair romantic comedy love story, especially the poignant and bittersweet moments that filled this page turner. Tucker’s Crossing is a second chance love story about Cody Tucker, and his former college sweetheart, single-mother, Shelby Lynn Harris. Who does not love a second chance love story? Cody and Shelby reunite after ten years, when Cody returns to Sweet Plains following the reading of his late father, Silas’s will. Cody had an estranged relationship, following the toxic and abusive relationship Silas had with his sons following the death of his wife. One of the requirements of the Silas’s will, is that one of the Tucker brothers must reside at Tucker’s Crossing for the period of one year to inherit Tucker’s Crossing. If they do not, Silas’s estate will revert to an unnamed benefactor. When Cody meets Shelby’s son, JT, he realizes that JT is his son. Multiple incidents are occurring at the ranch, and Cody is working to figure out what is going on. I love the chemistry between Shelby and Cody. As Cody and Shelby spend more time together, and things begin to change between them. I love all the things that Cody does for Shelby, even though Shelby believes that Cody will return to Austin after his year on the ranch. I love the heart-to-heart conversation between Cody and Shelby, where they realize that Shelby’s ex-husband, Preston, who was Cody’s best friend, was behind their estrangement. I love Cody and Shelby’s love story, and how Shelby shows her vulnerable side to Cody. Then an unexpected plot twist changes things between them and truly shows Shelby’s vulnerable side, and all that Cody is willing to do for Shelby to prove his love and that he will put her first. I love the amazing chemistry between Shelby and Cody, and that it was more than chemistry, it was love. I love the characters and the family dynamic in Tucker’s Crossing, the characters feel like family and friends. I love the significance to the engagement ring that Cody gives to Shelby. I love how he always calls her Shelby Lynn. Who doesn’t love family and friends that always have each other’s backs? Tucker’s Crossing is filled with all those things that I love in a romantic comedy, incredible characters, amazing story, light, poignant and bittersweet moments, and surprise plot twists. Marina Adair did not disappoint in her delivery of those things. I love how she resolved the surprise plot twist; it was truly a heartwarming moment. I am so looking forward to reading the other books in the series. Tucker’s Crossing was an amazing second chance story and I highly recommend it.
This book has been on my TBR for many, many years. I’m a huge fan of this author and, at one point, I was all caught up with her books other than this one. Last year I read a holiday compilation that included a novella that seemed to be a book 2 (or 1.5?) to this series and I loved that story. It was Blame It on the Mistletoe, which was included in the book Christmas Kisses with My Cowboy. I already had a copy of this book waiting, and yet it took me anther year to get around to reading the darn thing.
From what I can tell, this may be the author’s first published books. Or, at the very least, one of the first. I hate to say that I could tell. Now, that doesn’t mean the story was bad. It just wasn’t up to the standards I have in my mind for a Marina Adair story. There was quite a bit of repetition and definitely some issues with the flow of the story. I found myself skimming a lot.
Shelby and Cody have great chemistry. I don’t think I’m giving anything away, especially since it comes out really early on in the story, by saying this is a secret baby book. Not at all close to being a favorite trope of mine. In fact, I generally dislike this trope more than any other. While I don’t think I’ll ever be okay with this trope, there are times the author handles the particulars in way that I can at least understand how a mother came to keep a child’s existence from its father. The author gives a good enough reason here that I didn’t come away hating Shelby. Yet, the more I learn about Shelby’s ex and her own feelings about the man, the more I question her reasoning skills when it came to Cody and her pregnancy.
It’s hard for me to reconcile Silas, Cody’s dad, with Silas, Jacob’s grandpa. There are a lot of story holes in my mind with respect to Silas. Why he did and didn’t do certain things. I understand alcoholism and addiction. That’s not where my issues lie. I just felt there was something not fully fleshed out and/or explained when it came to this man that started it all.
All in all, I’m glad I read this story. I would have always wondered. And while it’s not her best work, it’s not a bad book either. It’s interesting for me to see how much she’s grown as a writer since these earlier days.
So so read predictable romances tory with a new Texas twist
Enjoyed reading. Thanks!