Author: Gena Showalter
Publication Date: August 29, 2017
Publisher: HQN
Blurb: Bullied in high school, Dorothea Mathis’s past is full of memories she’d rather forget. But there’s one she can’t seem to shake—her longstanding crush on former Army Ranger Daniel Porter. Now that the sexy bad boy has started using her inn as his personal playground, she should kick him out...but his every heated glance makes her want to join him instead.
Daniel returned to Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma to care for his ailing father and burn off a little steam with no strings attached. Though he craves the curvy Dorothea night and day, he’s as marred by his past as she is by hers. The more he desires her, the more he fears losing her.
But every sizzling encounter leaves him desperate for more, and soon Daniel must make a choice: take a chance on love or walk away forever.
Review:
I'm a huge fan of Gena Showalter. Huge. In college a friend heard that I was a romance novel fan and recommended that I read The Nymph King, book #3 in Gena Showalter's Atlantis series (don't even get me started on that series). I was sunk from that moment.
Most of the books I read of hers are paranormal in nature. The Atlantis series, the Lords of the Underworld series, Angels of the Dark series, etc, etc, etc. The woman cranks out books like nobody's business. You should see her list of upcoming novels (it's like one or two every month!)
If you've never read the Lords of the Underworld series then let me tell you: read it. READ IT. It's out of this world (literally and figuratively). The men are ridiculously hot. Unfairly hot, really. And the storylines... woosh. She has really mastered the "secondary character" situation there. So much so that before you've even finished the book in your hands you're wondering who she's going to write about next. There are so many characters whose stories you need to know.
Now, about the book at hand here: Can't Hardly Breathe. I have to say, after reading her paranormal books I found it a little hard to come back to reading about mere mortals. That's not to say that this book wasn't good. It's just... her writing style is completely different between the two books and I found it difficult to adjust.
The storyline isn't unique, which is actually good because I think there are so many women out there who can relate to feeling beneath their crush. Dorothea is every woman in some ways, but very much herself in other ways. It made for a refreshing character, even though sometimes I wanted to scream at her to be more confident in herself.
Daniel was certainly someone that many women will like. He oozes confidence and sex appeal, but he isn't quite sure how to use that on Dorothea which makes for some laughs along the way. He certainly knows how to use his body to bring pleasure to others- that much is evident.
I don't know that Can't Hardly Breathe had everything that I like in my romance novels, but I think it would very well suit those who like a contemporary "insecure woman turned strong and independent" story. It had sexy times, it had laughs, it had some drama. Gena Showalter has some amazing stories out there. Start here, start paranormal, doesn't matter. You'll have a new author to follow for life.
You can pre-order her upcoming book at your nearest indie bookstore, located here. If you read on Kindle you can purchase your book here.
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