Made the Grade: Whiskey Creek Series, Book 1

- This is an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon.com: Hardcover - Pages: 448; Paperback - Pages: 448; Kindle Edition - File Size: 533 | Expected Release Date: August 28, 2012 | Publisher: Harlequin : MIRA Books | Obtained: NetGalley

"When Lightning Strikes" [Whiskey Creek Series, Book 1] by Brenda Novak

Author's Book Description : Simon O’Neal’s causing trouble again. And it’s up to Gail DeMarco to stop him.

Gail DeMarco left Whiskey Creek, California, to make a name for herself in Los Angeles. Her PR firm has accumulated a roster of A-list clients, including the biggest box office hit of all — sexy and unpredictable Simon O’Neal. But Simon, who’s just been through a turbulent divorce, is so busy self-destructing he won’t listen to anything she says. She drops him from her list — and he retaliates by taking the rest of her clients with him. Desperate to save her company, Gail has to humble herself by making a deal with Simon. The one thing he wants is custody of his son, but that’s going to require a whole new image. He needs to marry some squeaky-clean girl who’ll drag him off to some small, obscure place like Whiskey Creek. . . Gail’s the only one he can trust. She agrees to become his wife — reluctantly. But she isn’t reluctant because he’s too hard to like. It’s because he’s too hard not to love!

My Book Review : 3 out of 5 stars, a woman agrees to marry her ex-client as a way to help out his image and get custody of his son while getting her company back on better footing. What neither of them expect is to loose their hearts along the way to achieving their goals.

This novel was not what I expected, as I had hoped for it to be a bit lighter and fun then it was. Even though, I did like its plot, at times it was hard to read the amount of Gail protesting about her feelings for Simon or how much she discredited his feelings. After a while, I found Gail a bit annoying and had to force my way through the novel to the end. Nevertheless, I am happy I finished it as I feel it really redeemed Simon and proved how much their relationship was beginning to mean to both of them.

I will say I liked them together, once they put all of their insecurities to the side, they seemed like they could be a good couple.

Overall, I do recommend this novel to those who are fans of this series, fans of Ms. Novak, and/or those who like contemporary romances!

Purchase This Book and/or The Other Books From It's Series Here :

My Previous Review(s) for this Series : Book 0.5 (Prequel) | Book 3

My Previous Review(s) for this Author : The Bastard / Honor Bound | Coulda Been A Cowboy

My Previous Mention(s) of this Author's Books/Characters : Best Book Couples -- Happy Valentine's Day 2013

Author's Novel Extras : WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES - Overview & Excerpt | WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES is a 2012 NRCA Finalist! | WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES is a 2013 finalist in the Booksellers Best!

Author's Series Extras : Whiskey Creek Series - Overview | WHEN WE TOUCH - Overview & Excerpt | WHEN SNOW FALLS - Overview & Excerpt | WHEN SUMMER COMES - Overview & Excerpt | HOME TO WHISKEY CREEK - Overview & Excerpt | TAKE ME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS - Overview & Excerpt | COME HOME TO ME - Overview & Excerpt | THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS - Overview & Excerpt | THIS HEART OF MINE - Overview & Excerpt | Whiskey Creek Store | When Summer Comes Hit USA Today’s Top 100! | WHEN SNOW FALLS is a Golden Quill Finalist | WHEN SNOW FALLS Named Best Contemporary of 2012 by RT Book Reviews! | Next up on the Whiskey Creek Series... | HOME TO WHISKEY CREEK is a RITA Finalist! | WHEN SUMMER COMES & THROUGH THE SMOKE are NRCA Finalists! | HOME TO WHISKEY CREEK is a Booksellers Best Award Nominee!

Book Teaser(s) :

"Something wrong?" he asked when she couldn't get comfortable.
He hadn't moved in some time. She'd assumed he was asleep. "No, why?"
"I thought you didn't want to watch Here Comes Pussy."
She could hear the laughter in his voice and felt a certain amount of embarrassment. "I didn't really watch it. I was just...surfing around."
"Sure you were."
He'd caught her and he knew it. "It was your fault!" She threw a pillow at him, which he batted away.
"You were in charge of the remote." ~ within Chapter 11

For more information on this book, series, and/or any other books by Brenda, then please check out her website.