Title:Sinful
From beloved New York Times bestselling author Joan Johnston comes a sizzling contemporary Western romance beginning another chapter in the Bitter Creek series.
After a tragic accident takes Delta sergeant Connor Flynn’s wife, he faces the toughest fight of his life-battling his in-laws for custody of his two young children. He needs a make-believe wife to take care of the kids while he runs his Wyoming ranch. Who better than a woman he already knows and likes-his late wife’s best friend? Forced to live under the same roof, Eve must hide a love that has never died, while Connor fights his growing need for a woman who was forbidden fruit during his marriage. Can two lonely people set adrift by fate and haunted by guilt find redemption in the healing embrace of love?
I received a ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Netgalley and Dell publishing. This does not alter my view or opinion.
Summary
Eve has always been in love with Connor, ever since high school, but he has never acknowledged her as more than his wife’s best friend. Now her best friend is dead, with two little children without a mother, and Connor, back from the military, fighting to keep custody of his children. Eve loves her work, and has a passion for horses, but when her father makes a deal with his son Matt, to take over the ranch, she realizes that she and her two sisters will soon be kicked off, and she has 22 wild horses in need of a home. Connor has faced quite a bit in his life, after serving in the military, and he is back now and facing the biggest battle….getting his children back. He loves his children and will do anything to keep them. When he sees Eve again, he offers her a deal, marry him and she will have a place on his ranch to put her wild mustangs and study and photograph them to her heart’s content. Both Connor and Eve have loved each other for quite some time, and Connor adored his first wife, but Eve is something more, and will do whatever he can to keep her in his life…
The Hero
Connor is a military hero. He is a Flynn, fought for years in the military. But when he comes home and retires his wife has an accident and he is now a widower with two young children to raise, two children that barely know him. Now he is in a custody battle against his late wife’s parents. He has recently set up a ranch for veterans, to come to a place that offers peace and quiet, a ranch in the countryside that offers them healing. But he has one secret, he has been in love secretly with Eve, who is “forbidden fruit” to him. Her father and his father hate each other, and both families despise each other. Its been a feud for years, but Connor doesn’t care what his family thinks…he loves Eve and will have her. What a character Connor is, quite different from the rest of his family. He is protective, a family man, honorable and loyal. The perfect cowboy and knows how to give good lovin’.
The Heroine
Eve Greyhawk, is known as one of the “King’s Brats” and even though they have had a home on their daddy’s ranch, each of them have worked on their own careers. Eve adores horses, is a professional photographer, and could soon be working for “National Geographic”. She has just rescued a herd of wild horses, horses that would have been bought and sliced and diced for foreign countries as “cuisine”, horses that need to roam and run free. Now it appears that she and her sisters will soon be kicked out of their home, so their father can make reparations to Matt his oldest son. When Connor makes an offer, how can she refuse sharing a life with a man she has always wanted. Eve was an endearing heroine, and I loved her. She is passionate and strong, she stands on her own and defends what she believes in. I adored her passion for saving horses, and I couldn’t help but admire her will in protecting them. She had a quality to her character that is somewhat unique, she could be both practical and emotional…she could see both sides of a situation.
Plot and Story Line
Sinful is part of Joan’s Bitter Creek series, but a bit set apart. Now most of the series focuses on the Creeds and Blackthornes…the next few books will be focusing on two feuding families….The Greyhawks and Flynn’s. Its a modern western romance. Now we have two sides we have the Flynn boys, and the King’s brats (three of them). Sinful is Connor and Eve’s story. The story starts off with Connor saves Eve from being manhandled and she testifies in court in his defense so that he can regain custody of his children back. Then we see Eve’s father make a decision where it looks like he is choosing his son over his daughters. And Eve needs to find a new home and soon. What happens here is what sets up the story more, and brings Connor and Eve together. These are two people who have loved each other from afar, and now they have a chance to be together, but they know their troubles may just beginning once they get hitched. Because they are both part of a feud, much anger and distrust between them both, but we also see the balance that Eve and Connor begin to bring to their families, and soften the hurt a bit. I do love a good feuding family story, and Joan Johnston does a spectacular job at it. She has been a favorite author of mine for quite some time, and she has written both contemporary and historical….and she just gets better. I just couldn’t get enough of “sinful”…it had a simplicity to it….but there are complex issues that she brings to life, characters that jump out at you and grab onto your heart and refuse to let go. Their romance was soft and sweet…delectable in every way. And there are definite future books coming for more of those Flynn’s and Greyhawks…and should be a wild ride.
The Cover
I have grown to adore this cover….I love the pose against the tree (which connect to the story, love it when that happens), and we see the beautiful scenery in the background…sensual and majestic.
Overall View
Sinful is a warm and sensual romance, that has spice and flavor on every page. A story to leave your taste buds salivating…delectable and tangy!! SPLENDID!!
Addicted To Romance 
I love the feuding family-wild horse rescue- help get his children back elements to this. Got your GR recommendation on it. Thanks, Renee! I haven’t read any of her books yet so this looks like a good one to give a go.
LikeLike
Great review! I’m just getting into the cowboy genre and this looks like a good one to try!
LikeLike
This is on my list to read, already. Thanks for reminding me! 🙂
LikeLike
I’m definitely curious about this one, but I’m hesitant too, because I’m not sure how I feel about Connor being married to Eve’s best friend. And then wanting each other forever. What was the relationship between Connor and his first wife?
LikeLike
I think you would like it, Connor and his first wife love each other but it’s more of a friendship type love, Connor and eve’s relationship is more intense and emotional. But if you haven’t tried this author before she has a great historical series that she is working on and Texas bride is wonderful!!
LikeLike
Oh I love these family series..and haven’t tried this one. Does each book work as a standalone?
LikeLike
You can read it as a stand alone ..but it helps to read the previous books in the series for background information.
LikeLike