Made the Grade: Hope Springs Series, Book 3

- This is an ARC book - Available Formats through Amazon: Paperback - Pages: 260; Kindle Edition - File Size: 1270 KB | Expected Release Date: May 16, 2016 | Publisher: Entangled Publishing : Bliss | Obtained: NetGalley

"The Bad Boy's Baby" [Hope Springs Series, Book 3] by Cindi Madsen

Author's Book Description : There are certain words that have always described Cam Brantley: Town bad boy. Soldier. Protector. But never, ever dad. Until he returns home from his latest military tour to discover the girl he had one smoking-hot night with is now mom to the adorable two-year-old Zoey. Who has his eyes.

Plenty of words could describe Emma Walker these days. Mom, dutiful granddaughter, budding designer, the town’s golden child. But when her longtime crush Cam Brantley comes back to town, she knows the perfect word to describe herself: screwed.

Cam and Emma are both shocked to discover he truly wants Zoey in his life. But Cam’s not sure he’s ready to be a dad, and Emma can’t gamble her daughter on maybes. As the long-simmering heat between Cam and Emma reaches a boiling point, he’ll have to work past his demons in order to be the man both girls need.

Daddy duty might be his toughest mission yet…

Series Order:
Book #1 "Second Chance Ranch"
Book #2 "Crazy for the Competition"
Book #3 "The Bad Boy's Baby"

My Book Review : 3.5 out of 5 stars! Around two years ago feeling a bit sorry for herself, Emma dolled up, went for drinks at the local bar, and “picked up” her longtime crush the local “bad boy” Cameron (Cam) only a few hours before he was being sent out to deploy again. During their evening together, Emma ended up pregnant and because of a few different circumstances, she never informed Cam about him becoming a father. Now Cam is back in town for good, with plans to bring his brother and his dream of the Mountain Ridge to life. Though he is unprepared for both Emma and his little daughter coming into his life, Cam soon falls for them both. However, as they both deal with their new circumstances and grow closer as a family their pasts and future plans come between them. Can they be able to compromise for the sake of each other or will everything fall apart?

While not quite what I expected, I was happy to escape back into Hope Springs to catch up on old and new characters. This contemporary romance has a cleverness that charmed me. Along with a spunkiness in the form of Quinn (from “Crazy for the Competition”) that made me laugh a LOT in this novel. Nevertheless, though I loved the characters (Cam, Emma, Zoey, and all the previous main characters especially) by 80% of the way through for this novel I started giving up on it as once the “big drama” hit the pace seemed to slow down giving me trouble keeping my interest. While I’m happy I pushed myself to stick with this novel, as the ending is quite sweet and I liked Cam with Emma, it was hard to do so at times.

As a family Cam, Emma, and Zoey were as cute as can be. Minus his darker attitude towards himself (at times), Cam is one hot dreamboat. I liked Emma because I could see myself in her, a natural introvert desperately trying to “break out of her shell.” Overtime Cam and Emma find they have more in common than they ever expected, from their childhood upbringings to how they like to escape into the wilderness as much as possible. They work well together and seeing their relationship grow delighted me. It was easy to root for them. I hope to hear more about them if this series progresses.

Overall, I recommend this novel and series to those who are fans of Ms. Madsen. Also, to those looking for a sweet contemporary romance!

Purchase This Book and/or The Other Books From It's Series Here : Shop Your Indie/Local Bookstores (IndieBound - Paperback) USD : Second Chance Ranch (Book 1) | Shop Your Indie/Local Bookstores (IndieBound - Paperback) USD : Crazy for the Competition (Book 2) | Amazon (Kindle) USD : Second Chance Ranch (Book 1) | Amazon (Kindle) USD : Crazy for the Competition (Book 2) | Amazon (Paperback) USD : Second Chance Ranch (Book 1) | Amazon (Paperback) USD : Crazy for the Competition (Book 2)

Shop Your Indie/Local Bookstores (IndieBound - Paperback) USD : The Bad Boy's Baby (Book 3)	Kobo (e-Book) USD : The Bad Boy's Baby (Book 3)	Alibris (Paperback) USD : The Bad Boy's Baby (Book 3)
eBooks.com (e-Book) USD : The Bad Boy's Baby (Book 3)	Amazon (Kindle) USD : The Bad Boy's Baby (Book 3)	Amazon (Paperback) USD : The Bad Boy's Baby (Book 3)
Barnes & Noble (NOOK Book) USD : The Bad Boy's Baby (Book 3)	Barnes & Noble (Paperback) USD : The Bad Boy's Baby (Book 3)	Amazon (Paperbacks) USD : Hope Springs Series

My Previous Guest Post(s) by this Author : Cherry Pie Submitted By: Cindi Madsen - August 2016 | Cindi's Answer to What YA Retelling She'd Like to See in 100 Words or Less by Cindi Madsen - September 2016

My Previous Review(s) for this Series : Book 2

My Previous Mention(s) of Cindi Madsen's Books/Characters : Cover Reveal: All the Broken Pieces by Cindi Madsen | New Year’s Bliss Bash Announcement & Release Day Launch‏: Love Songs for the Road | Second Sentence Saturday: Crazy for the Competition | Best Book Couples -- Happy Valentine's Day 2016 | Entangled Bliss Pie Bake-Off Booth at Entangled Publishing's Summer Carnival | Blog Tour, Guest Posts, Spreading the Word & Shari’s Berries Classic Cake Pops Giveaway | Blog Tour - Entangled TEEN's YA Retellings Blog Blast | Guest Posts, Spreading the Word & THREE Special Giveaways


Author's Novel Extras : The Bad Boy’s Baby released this week!

"The Bad Boy's Baby" Playlist :


Author's Series Extras : Second Chance Ranch Release! | NEW RELEASE!

Book Teaser(s) :

"But what about pizza?" Emma asked Zoey.
Zoey held up the box of mac and cheese. "Cheese."
"Pizza has cheese, and you love pizza, remember?" She loved to pick off the cheese and leave the tomato sauce and crust, anyway.
Zoey's eyebrows drew together and she held the box of mac and cheese higher. Nothing made you feel more in control of life than losing an argument with a two-year-old. ~ within Chapter 6

The second Quinn hung up, she let loose a squeal. "Oh my gosh! I just got the best news! A pipe burst and it flooded the park!"
Emma drew her eyebrows together. "I never took you for someone who'd take joy in damaged parks."
Quinn grimaced. "Yeah, that came out wrong. ..." ~ within Chapter 17

Book Preview(s) :

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

Meet Cassi Ellen | Interview, Spreading the Word, & Novel Giveaway

Today I'm showing off Cassi Ellen and her debut novel "Story of a Secret Heart" that I recently interviewed her about!

ALSO -- Be sure to check out the Gleam contest at the bottom of this post to be able to sign up for this blog stop's GIVEAWAY(s)!! [Promotion for this post and its Giveaway will run from September 21 - 28, 2016]

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My Q&A with Cassi Ellen :

Jess : What sparked the idea for "Story of a Secret Heart?"

Cassi : Well I never actually intended to write a book! At 30 years old, I was living 10,000 miles away from my friends and family, when the man I planned to marry did the unthinkable and had an affair, leaving me alone and heartbroken. I started writing as sort of therapy so that I didn’t go completely mad and I guess I just got carried away. Before I knew it I had 70,000 words! I never at any point thought ‘O I’d like to be a writer’ or ‘O I think I’ll write a book’.

So I guess the idea was sparked, and I know this sounds silly, by my break up with my ex-boyfriend. It is what the book is based on, and I truly believe it changed the person I was.

Jess : Which usually comes first for you, the character(s) story or the idea for the novel?

Cassi : Well because, at first, I was writing for myself to stay sane, and not for others to actually read, I guess the character very much came first. In the beginning I just started writing down how I felt, and as things went on, and life got more and more amusing and out of control, it just turned into a book.

Jess : What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write in a novel and why?

Cassi : My favourite chapters by far are the ones towards the end of the book. I have always loved book endings anyway, but in "Story of a Secret Heart," the stories towards the end just get more and more out of control, and even now I laugh out loud when I read it back to myself.

Jess : Is "Story of a Secret Heart" basically an autobiography of you or are there any differences between you and Cassi (the character)?

Cassi : I guess I would say Cassi is a reflection of myself. Cassi was definitely who I was during that difficult time, but whether I am still the same today as I was when writing the book, I don’t think so. She was an extreme version of myself.

Jess : In regards to "Story of a Secret Heart," if you could write it all over again, would you change anything about it?

Cassi : Well it was my first book so yes I would change so many things. I would probably have paid more attention to the details, and I wish I had known at the time of writing that I would want to publish it. Editing it was an absolute nightmare because I had purely just written down my thoughts and feelings. To be very honest with you a lot of it made no sense the first time I ever read it back to myself.

Jess : How many books have you written? Do you have a favorite and why?

Cassi : Only "Story of a Secret Heart" I’m afraid. But I’m really hoping to finish the sequel, "Story After a Secret Heart," by the end of the year.

Jess : Do you have any other projects in the works? If so, can you share a little of your current work with us?

Cassi : Just "Story After a Secret Heart," and this time I’m actually really enjoying the process of writing the whole story from scratch. Before, I was so engrossed in feelings, and writing was a way of getting it out. Whereas this time around I’m enjoying planning and plotting the structure of the book. It’s a whole new world to me and so far I love it. I just hope I can try and muster up some of the raw emotion that I believe made the first book so relatable to readers.

Jess : Do you have a favorite aspect of summer that you’d like to share with us? Or have any end-of-summer plans you’re excited for?

Cassi : I love ALL aspects of summer. I love the hot weather and I am definitely a summer kind of girl! My favourite part of summer has always been just hanging out. I absolutely love to spend hot summer days sat on the grass in a park or on the beach surrounded by my friends or family.

Jess : What cartoon character best represents your personal philosophy?

Cassi : Probably Sleeping Beauty. One, because I absolutely adore animals and am always talking to them, and two, because one of favourite things to do is sleep!

Jess : List 3 books you just recently read and would recommend?

Cassi : My favourite books of all time are "Jackal’s Dance" by Beverley Harper and "A Life of Pi" by Yann Martel, both I highly recommend. The most recent book I have read is "The Girl in the Ice" by Robert Bryndza, which I very much enjoyed although I didn’t like the main character all that much.

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"Story of a Secret Heart"
by Cassi Ellen
Author's Book Description :

A broken heart hurts, but it can also be fun......

Be warned, this story is not for everyone! It is a very personal story, about love, life and laughter, told from the heart. Be prepared for a rollercoaster ride!

As Cassi, a 30-year old single woman, leaves a long-term, unhappy relationship, she struggles with the pain and anguish of a broken heart. When, by chance, she meets a handsome stranger, he introduces her to a world that she didn’t even know existed. As she begins to slowly forget all about her broken heart she learns to have fun again. It is then that her life starts to spiral out of control and all she can do is laugh and hang on tight. Through her trials and tribulations, Cassi has to find her inner strength and keep a smile on her face even in front of adversity.

Story of a Secret Heart is about breaking up . . . and breaking down. It’s about the roller-coaster ride of a breakup and all the dating and relationship stories in-between.

Based on a true story

This book is available to order on :

Amazon (e-Book) USD

** Be sure to add it to your TBR pile on Goodreads & LibraryThing! **

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About the Author :

When Cassi Ellen turned 30 she was single, alone and heart broken on the other side of the globe. She started writing as a sort of therapy at the time, but after people started reading it and said it was actually good, she thought maybe others might like to hear her story too. Maybe those going through a hard time will take something away from it.

Apart from that, readers will find out so much more by reading her blog and book, "Story of a Secret Heart" …….. but …… She also loves animals, especially cats, and loves to laugh!

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Book Excerpt/Teaser(s) :

-- Where It All Began --

‘Hi,’ I said. ‘Where are you?’

He waited only a few seconds to answer, but I knew him well enough to know something was wrong when he answered, very distracted, with the same question I had asked him:

‘Where are you?’ he said.

At that moment, something deep inside me, and I had no idea what it was, told me to lie, and so I answered with ‘still at the fundraiser, but I’m leaving now.’ Of course that was a lie, which I immediately regretted, as I was obviously standing in our open plan kitchen at home. Despite my guilt, I quickly followed up my lie with a repeated, ‘Where are you?’

His next sentence broke my heart into a million teeny tiny little pieces, and I would never forget it. ‘I’m at home,’ he said.

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Book Preview(s) :

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Giveaway!! :

** WIN yourself a Kindle Copy of Cassi Ellen's STORY OF A SECRET HEART! **
From Me to You...'s Cassi Ellen Giveaway

Soo .... TWEET about this post (& more)!! And you could WIN!! =0)

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Find Cassi Ellen :

• Cassi Ellen - Website & Blog
• Twitter
• Facebook
• Goodreads
• LibraryThing
• Amazon.com Page

This was put together by myself (From Me to You ... Video, Photography & Book Reviews) please contact me if you'd like your own author interview post.

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