Sweeping passions, family drama, and searing scandal play out at the magnificent Silver Creek Ranch as the heirs to a powerful dynasty seize their legacy of love.Oldest son Ward Knowles feels the sprawling California ranch in his blood. And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever. Silver Creek is his legacy and Sweeping passions, family drama, and searing scandal play out at the magnificent Silver Creek Ranch as the heirs to a powerful dynasty seize their legacy of love.Oldest son Ward Knowles feels the sprawling California ranch in his blood.

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And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever. Silver Creek is his legacy and his life, which is fine for the ruggedly sexy ladies’ man and committed bachelor. Love and trust don’t come easily for Ward since he lost his heart to a gold digger—until he meets a shy, unpretentious beauty whose sweet grace is about to turn his jaded heart into a hungry one.Tess Casari has found sanctuary at Silver Creek, working as an assistant to Ward’s mother, Adele.

Grateful for her busy new life running the ranch’s spa and resort, Tess can escape the heartbreak, humiliation, and secret shame of her failed marriage. The last thing she needs is temptation—especially from a man who reminds her so much of the husband who shattered her faith in love. But passion and destiny are about to change the rules for two people who have stopped believing in the healing power of love.Praise for Once Tempted“Laura Moore’s first in her new Silver Creek series is packed with plenty of great, realistic dialogue and features two main characters whose actions and choices are easy to sympathize with. The glimpses of the hero’s two siblings will leave readers eager for their stories.”— RT Book Reviews“When I read Moore’s books, I'm transported to the peaceful countryside with ranch homes and barns dotting the landscape.

Once Tempted has all that and more.”— USA Today“Ward is the perfect cowboy hero for a twenty-first century romance.”—Heroes and Heartbreakers“Moore is a fantastic storyteller ensnaring your interest from the first page.”—Fresh Fiction“ Once Tempted is a sexy new read by author Laura Moore that not only gives us a tantalizing tale of undeniable love but also is a great start to a new series that's sure to speak to contemporary romance lovers everywhere.”—The Romance Reviews. Product Description:(Release Date: March 26, 2013)Sweeping passions, family drama, and searing scandal play out at the magnificent Silver Creek Ranch as the heirs to a powerful dynasty seize their legacy of love.Oldest son Ward Knowles feels the sprawling California ranch in his blood. And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever.

Silver Creek is his legacy and his life, which is fine for the ruggedly sexy ladies’ man and committed Product Description:(Release Date: March 26, 2013)Sweeping passions, family drama, and searing scandal play out at the magnificent Silver Creek Ranch as the heirs to a powerful dynasty seize their legacy of love.Oldest son Ward Knowles feels the sprawling California ranch in his blood. And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever.

Silver Creek is his legacy and his life, which is fine for the ruggedly sexy ladies’ man and committed bachelor. Love and trust don’t come easily for Ward since he lost his heart to a gold digger—until he meets a shy, unpretentious beauty whose sweet grace is about to turn his jaded heart into a hungry one.Tess Casari has found sanctuary at Silver Creek, working as an assistant to Ward’s mother, Adele. Grateful for her busy new life running the ranch’s spa and resort, Tess can escape the heartbreak, humiliation, and secret shame of her failed marriage. The last thing she needs is temptation—especially from a man who reminds her so much of the husband who shattered her faith in love. But passion and destiny are about to change the rules for two people who have stopped believing in the healing power of love.Review:Happiness is the release of a new novel by one of my very favorite authors. Once Tempted is a beautifully solid and strong start to Laura Moore’s new Silver Creek contemporary romance series. The backbone of the story has been sufficiently described by other reviewers and I’ve also included the product description above.

I am addressing only the reasons why I enjoyed it from beginning to ending.I’ve been reading Laura Moore’s books for a long while now. From that very first book, her meticulous and flawless attention to the details has always drawn me to the next read.

I understand that there are readers who prefer that the characters and dialogue receive the full focus and not so much paid to the less exciting side of a story. Don’t get me wrong, I, too, savor and agree that characters and dialogue are the foundation of any good storyline. But for me, the totality and beauty of a book lies within the colorful tapestry of words describing picturesque settings and the history behind our characters and their lifestyles. Laura is a wonderful all-around storyteller and she has such a beautiful and smooth-flowing writing style that her words awaken all five senses bringing the story to life on the pages. It’s why I’m already chomping at the bit for the next book in this series. And it’s also what promotes my enthusiasm and five-star review on her latest.The storyline captivates from the beginning when, in a cloud of smoke, Ward Knowles, a rugged and sexy cowboy and Tess Casari, a stiletto-wearing city girl face-off on the beautiful Silver Creek Ranch & Resort. Both have had their dreams shattered by betrayal and deceit in the past.

The reserved but sassy Italian beauty from New York is looking for a safe place to land and a job, while our to-die-for hero works hard to support his legacy and remain a confirmed bachelor. There’s undeniable chemistry and attraction between them. But you won’t find copious amounts of “insta-love or slam-bam-thank you ma’am sex;” however readers will enjoy plenty of passion and spine-tingling romance that is hot enough to satisfy the prerequisites of any true romance lover.You don’t have to be a fan of western romance to enjoy “Once Tempted.” Yes, there’s a gorgeous guy dressed in western wear, cowboy boots and hat included, but he’s also a businessman with a college degree.

This is not the Old West but life on a modern day working ranch. Strong family dynamics and carefully guarded friendships are portrayed throughout adding another delightful element and expectations for future books. The depiction of the day-to-day care for the animals and the work involved in keeping everything running smoothly and safely crackles with realism. You can almost feel the breeze and sunlight on your face as you take a trail ride across the Silver Creek land.

The great imagery certainly makes one appreciate all the sights and sounds, the smells, taste, and feel of nature.Storytelling at its best – Semplicemente magnifico!!.This book was provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.Just a warning.this review may contain lots of gushing.Judging this book by its cover:Holy hotness, Batman.Plot/Execution:I absolutely loved the plot of this book! It was pretty much a 'scorned woman leaves everything she knows to start over from scratch' story. In this case, it's Tess, and she's left New York City and chosen a random little town in California to begin her new life. She ends up on a ranch, which she.This book was provided by Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.Just a warning.this review may contain lots of gushing.Judging this book by its cover:Holy hotness, Batman.Plot/Execution:I absolutely loved the plot of this book! It was pretty much a 'scorned woman leaves everything she knows to start over from scratch' story. In this case, it's Tess, and she's left New York City and chosen a random little town in California to begin her new life.

She ends up on a ranch, which she knows nothing about. Except that the owner's son, Ward, is hot as hell.I thought the pacing of this story was perfect. The characters didn't meet and fall into bed two and a half pages later. I felt like there was a nice build to their relationship. They both were scarred from their pasts, but neither of them were bitter about it. I really liked that aspect of the story, as sometimes I feel as though main characters hold onto things for too long. Tess was a bit skittish, but I feel like she really grew as a character during the story.It was a fun to see Tess learning about ranch life and the way Ward coaxed her into trying new things.I loved that though Ward wasn't too keen on having a serious relationship again, as soon as he realized how special Tess was to him, he let it go and wanted to be with her.

I don't typically like a 'jealous ex-' in a story, but I really think it worked here. I think it gave more depth to Ward's character and helped you see just how much he cared for Tess.Also-I love, love, love when one of the characters is from away, and near the end of the story, they return home heartbroken.

Mainly because I love it when the other party shows up and declares their love! The scene in this one was set up nicely, and I really love that Ward asked her parents permission before he proposed to Tess. I also appreciated the accuracy with which the author portrayed a character with autism. I think a great deal of research went into that aspect of the story.Characters:As I said before, I really liked the characters in this story.

It was easy to relate to Tess, as I think, at some point we've all beat ourselves up for our past mistakes, and I loved Ward's easygoing nature and how he was so patient with Tess. He never pushed her to reveal more about herself than she wanted to.I loved this book and would definitely recommend it if you love cowboy stories or stories about someone starting over! 4 StarsThis review has been posted as well atFrom The CoverSweeping passions, family drama, and searing scandal play out at the magnificent Silver Creek Ranch as the heirs to a powerful dynasty seize their legacy of love.Oldest son Ward Knowles feels the sprawling California ranch in his blood.

And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever. Silver Creek is his legacy and his life, which is4 StarsThis review has been posted as well atFrom The CoverSweeping passions, family drama, and searing scandal play out at the magnificent Silver Creek Ranch as the heirs to a powerful dynasty seize their legacy of love.Oldest son Ward Knowles feels the sprawling California ranch in his blood. And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever. Silver Creek is his legacy and his life, which is fine for the ruggedly sexy ladies’ man and committed bachelor.

Love and trust don’t come easily for Ward since he lost his heart to a gold digger—until he meets a shy, unpretentious beauty whose sweet grace is about to turn his jaded heart into a hungry one.Tess Casari has found sanctuary at Silver Creek, working as an assistant to Ward’s mother, Adele. Grateful for her busy new life running the ranch’s spa and resort, Tess can escape the heartbreak, humiliation, and secret shame of her failed marriage. The last thing she needs is temptation—especially from a man who reminds her so much of the husband who shattered her faith in love. But passion and destiny are about to change the rules for two people who have stopped believing in the healing power of love.Once Tempted is the 1 book from the latest series of Laura Moore Silver Creek. As per usual the series begins with the story of the oldest son of the family Knowles.I truly enjoyed and loved this book, who wouldn't when it's about a sexy cowboy and a sexy city girl.After a failed marriage Tess Casari decides to leave New York to try to forget the shame and the humiliation from her dead husband and his family. Heartbroken as she was Tess goes along with her best friend plan to be blindfolded in front of California map and wherever she puts her finger there she will move. She pin points a city in the middle of no were called Acacia and there she is heading to.Ward Knowles the first born of Knowles family dedicates his life to expand the family business which included a ranch and a resort, after a broken engagement with a woman who wanted him for his money and never understood his passion for the ranch.

It's hard for him to love and trust a woman again but that's about to change when he meets a shy and beautiful city girl who turns his world up side down.Tess and Ward are such a awesome couple. I loved they banter and they tease. In special after they first meeting didn't go down to well for Ward.'

What have you done to my car?' Turning the key she jerked it one more time.' You ve broken it.' 'If anything, I saved it. You been driving like that for long?'

'Hey, what you doing?' Now he'd opened her door without so much as a by-your-leave. Did he have manners?' Trying to get you out of this thing you charitably call a car. It's still smoking.' It's save to say that Tess hold a grudge towards Ward for killing her car.'

Even if I didn't find you utterly unappealing, I make it a rule never to get involved with car killers or-'For Christ's sake. I did not kill your car'Gee, that's funny, because one minute it was running and the next-'It was not running; it was gasping,' he corrected.' The mechanic down at Wexler's Auto Shop wept when he lifted your hood.' 'Because he was looking at an avoidable tragedy.' Try replacing the oil in your car engine next time'Tess and Ward are trying to fight the chemistry between them but they not very successful and they gave in the temptation.'

You know I'm attracted to you.' She swallowed.

'So, are we going to do something about this thing between us?' She could to this keep it physical, she told herself. They would be satisfying and intense physical attraction. There'd be nothing deeper between them. Nothing that involved her heart.

She couldn't trust that organ. It had misled her so disastrously with David.'

I think we'll have to.' 'Good to know'Their relation changes very quick from just an attraction in something deeper and sooner or later they will have to face the past in special Tess. Will Ward be able to understand her and forgive her after he's been thru with something similar with his ex?This was my first read of Laura Moore but that's about to change cause i will definitely check out her other books.Was a pleasure to read this book. Nothing better than a sexy cowboy and a beautiful city girl to choose to read and relax.The book is well written, with a good story and in special funny what makes this book a light and fun read. If you are a fan of Laura Moore or a first read you will definitely enjoy this book.Thank you too Net galley and Ballantine Books for providing me this book in exchange for a honest review. I love cowboys.and I love cowboy books even more.That is something that will never change.

However, this left me a little disappointed. It had the potential to be something memorable, and while I did enjoy parts of it, there was still much left to be desired. I wish a lot of things didn't pan out the way they did, especially the ending and resolving of characters' issues. And it took me a while to get invested in the actual story from the beginning. The good stuff didn't start until the 40%I love cowboys.and I love cowboy books even more.That is something that will never change. However, this left me a little disappointed.

It had the potential to be something memorable, and while I did enjoy parts of it, there was still much left to be desired. I wish a lot of things didn't pan out the way they did, especially the ending and resolving of characters' issues.

And it took me a while to get invested in the actual story from the beginning. The good stuff didn't start until the 40% mark, which is not a good thing. But, nonetheless, I did enjoy it. It was an okay read. =)Mini-Review to come.

Giveaway Open until March 26, 2013.Tess Casari wants to get as far away from her humiliation of her failed marriage, she’s looking for a fresh start. She packs up her car, drives 3000 miles and lands in Silver Creek California.

She gets a job as the assistant to a ranch/resort owner Adele Knowles. Sworn never to trust her heart on a man again, Tess can’t understand why Adele’s oldest son Ward seems to push all her buttons and Giveaway Open until March 26, 2013.Tess Casari wants to get as far away from her humiliation of her failed marriage, she’s looking for a fresh start. She packs up her car, drives 3000 miles and lands in Silver Creek California. She gets a job as the assistant to a ranch/resort owner Adele Knowles.

Sworn never to trust her heart on a man again, Tess can’t understand why Adele’s oldest son Ward seems to push all her buttons and gets her heart racing.Ward Knowles loves his life on the ranch and he loves his family. He is a hard worker and completely committed to his families legacy, the ranch. He recently had his heart broken by a woman, Erica, who was just after his money and prestige of his family’s real estate. Trust does not come easy for Ward but when he meets the shy but sassy, Tess, an undeniable attraction ignites between them.Can Ward and Tess put their pasts behind them and face the future they might find in each other or will their past stand in their way.Once Tempted is a wonderfully romantic and heart wrenching story about lost love and learning to trust again. This was a fantastic story, I loved the strong family and friendship bonds that Laura Moore created. Ward’s and Tess’s character development was fascinating to watch but the sub-characters were equally engaging and I look forward to seeing their stories as well. Once Tempted was a great romance that will touch your heart.This ARC copy of Once Tempted: A Silver Creek Novel was given to me by Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine Books in exchange for a honest review.

Publish Date March 26, 2013. I loved this book on so many levels. Being a country girl myself, I LOVED the descriptions of the ranch and the animals that called it home. I’ve never been to northern CA, but this book made me feel like I was right on the land, enjoying the warm breezes, and petting the cute animals, before riding off into the sunset on one of their beautiful horses. It isn’t often that I run across such rich imagery that never gets tedious to read. Wade and Tess’s love story was one that pulled on my I loved this book on so many levels.

Being a country girl myself, I LOVED the descriptions of the ranch and the animals that called it home. I’ve never been to northern CA, but this book made me feel like I was right on the land, enjoying the warm breezes, and petting the cute animals, before riding off into the sunset on one of their beautiful horses. It isn’t often that I run across such rich imagery that never gets tedious to read. Wade and Tess’s love story was one that pulled on my heartstrings and made me root for them every time something came between them. You could see the explosive passion between them from the start and knew that when they came together you would see fireworks for miles. The side characters were also great to read about and I’m hoping some of them will get their own stories soon too. All around this was a great beginning to the Silver Creek series and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series when it comes out.

I recommend this to any lover of well-written, deeply sensual, and extremely witty romance stories.full review can be found at. Originally posted atSource: a review copy was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.Have I told you how much I like Ms. Moore’s books? But I will say it again, because for some reason she’s a bit of a hidden gem and I want to help spread the word. If you like Contemporary Romance, small-town stories and horses, then you should be reading her books right now.Our heroine, Tess, is a recent widow who had a very traumatic experience with her husband and Originally posted atSource: a review copy was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.Have I told you how much I like Ms. Moore’s books? But I will say it again, because for some reason she’s a bit of a hidden gem and I want to help spread the word.

If you like Contemporary Romance, small-town stories and horses, then you should be reading her books right now.Our heroine, Tess, is a recent widow who had a very traumatic experience with her husband and decided to start anew. A friend encourages her to pick a random spot on the map and that’s how she ends up in a ranch in California, where she’s greeted with open arms by everyone but the owners’ son, Ward.The thing is that Ward is equal parts attracted and wary of Tess. But once he realizes the attraction is there to stay, he decides to pursue her. Slowly but surely they fall in love, but Tess has secrets, so will they come back to haunt her?

Of course they will!If you read the blurb, you probably will assume that this is yet another light Contemporary Romance with a broody cowboy and a damaged heroine. Been there, done that, right? Well, yes, this is a story we have read many times before, however, it still manages to feel fresh, because Laura Moore is a great storyteller and knows how to engage the reader. What makes other similar books predictable and formulaic, in the hands of Ms. Moore becomes comforting and pleasantly familiar.I liked Tess, even though at times she acted way too insecure.

But let’s face it, insecure heroines aren’t the devil (when done right), and the type of relationship that develops between Tess and Ward is predictable but very enjoyable. Tess slowly becomes confident, and at one point, she’s even able to walk away and put herself first. She also does something that’s unexpected and morally ambiguous, so kudos to her for breaking the mold when it counts.Ward is supposed to be this perennial bachelor whose ex’s evil ways turned him into a jaded cynic, but that’s not the case at all, and in fact, once he falls in love, he accepts and embraces it. Yes, he fell for a gold digger, and I wish authors would stop writing evil exes that do nothing but make me judge the hero’s taste, but as I said, this is a story we have read many times before, and the villainous ex comes with the territory.And speaking of the villainous ex, she was one twirling moustache short of a cartoon character, and her only role in the story was to cause the big misunderstanding. I loved every second of it, but I’m also perfectly capable of noticing just how trite the whole thing was. And since I’m complaining, I must say that the ending didn’t have enough groveling, something that felt disconnected from the overall tone of the final chapters.There are also adorable secondary characters that I’m sure will get their own books eventually.

None of them felt intrusive, but they were all present enough to make me interested in their particular stories.That’s it. I loved this book for all the right and wrong reasons. It’s emotional, well-written, entertaining, and it felt a bit like coming home. I’m sure the reasons that made me love it will make some hate it, and I wouldn’t universally recommend it, but reading it left me with a very satisfying feeling of content.

Sooo long ago I read this one it seems.Okay, Okay.I see how it goes! Romance, cowboys, money and lies.good start! Now what to do you have? Well, let me tell you.dying husbands, birthing sheep, horses, hot/witty cowboys, jealous ex's, Pins, tweets and more!Tess is an Italian New Yorker who packs up what little she has in life and moves to the location she scribbled on a map while playing 'pin the X on the US'. The X was quite literally on top of Silver Creek Ranch, owned and operated by Sooo long ago I read this one it seems.Okay, Okay.I see how it goes!

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Romance, cowboys, money and lies.good start! Now what to do you have? Well, let me tell you.dying husbands, birthing sheep, horses, hot/witty cowboys, jealous ex's, Pins, tweets and more!Tess is an Italian New Yorker who packs up what little she has in life and moves to the location she scribbled on a map while playing 'pin the X on the US'. The X was quite literally on top of Silver Creek Ranch, owned and operated by the Knowles family, specifically the handsome, jaded, committed-bachelor Ward Knowles. The first moment he meets Tess, he scowls, if only to stop himself from kissing her senseless. Then, when his mother hires her on as the newest assistant, Ward works double time to bury his feelings for Tess.

I really enjoyed this angst part of the story.I loved how this couple resisted their urge to just hook up and move on. They developed a work relationship, then an amiable silence, then a friendship.after all that.they built a tenuous and beautiful love. So, of course, Ward's greedy gold digging ex has to show up and quite literally demand Ward back. Ward seems to waiver there for a bit, but then he sees her for the true cow that she is!

Ward always was a Thoroughbred kind of man. I loved how these two worked on their respective closure in their pasts and gave each other a great HEA. First a sincere thank you to netgalley for offering up this title for an honest review. I hope I have satisfied your expectations.Hot and sexy cowboy.checkBroken beautiful lady needing said cowboy to mend her broken heart.checkGorgeous ranch.checkGreat family running said ranch.checknasty, jealous ex-fiance.checkUntold secrets threatening to break up the fragile new love.checkIf you are looking for all of the above, you will definitely find it in this book. The characters are First a sincere thank you to netgalley for offering up this title for an honest review. I hope I have satisfied your expectations.Hot and sexy cowboy.checkBroken beautiful lady needing said cowboy to mend her broken heart.checkGorgeous ranch.checkGreat family running said ranch.checknasty, jealous ex-fiance.checkUntold secrets threatening to break up the fragile new love.checkIf you are looking for all of the above, you will definitely find it in this book. The characters are lovable from the beginning and the main cowboy, Ward, is super hot and sexy as all get out.

Tess is strong and beautiful and has been through the wringer in past love encounters. She is reluctant to love Ward but eventually succumbs to him and eventually falls in love with him. Only then does trouble ensue where Ward's ex-fiance enters the picture and wreaks havoc on the couples progress. So.what did I think? The book is ok, however, I think it could be great with some more editing.I think the first half of the book is slow moving and I must admit to losing my patience so much with this book that I had to put it down for a bit and read something else that progressed at a better pace just to feel like I was getting somewhere. I did always come back to the book because I wanted to finish it and find out how Tess and Ward ended up but I would say it took a good 75% of the book in order for me to change from forcing myself to read it to actually looking forward to what was happening next in the last 25% of the book. There was one really good love scene - the first one - then the others there after seemed rushed or pieced together sort of like a memory and disappointing.

The ending also seemed rushed which was broadly surprising to me because in the first half of the book the author spent 10 pages on a freaking conference meeting and at the end of the book she spent half a page getting Ward and Tess back together.seemed disproportionate if you ask me.In the end, I would advise the author to drastically cut some of the unimportant and quite frankly sort of boring detail in the beginning and add to the love scenes and the ending of the book. Oldest son Ward Knowles feels the sprawling California ranch in his blood. And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever. Silver Creek is his legacy and his life, which is fine for the ruggedly sexy ladies’ man and committed bachelor. Love and trust don’t come easily for Ward since he lost his heart to a gold digger—until he meets a shy, unpretentious beauty whose sweet grace is about to turn his jaded heart into a hungry one.Tess Oldest son Ward Knowles feels the sprawling California ranch in his blood. And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever.

Silver Creek is his legacy and his life, which is fine for the ruggedly sexy ladies’ man and committed bachelor. Love and trust don’t come easily for Ward since he lost his heart to a gold digger—until he meets a shy, unpretentious beauty whose sweet grace is about to turn his jaded heart into a hungry one.Tess Casari has found sanctuary at Silver Creek, working as an assistant to Ward’s mother, Adele. Grateful for her busy new life running the ranch’s spa and resort, Tess can escape the heartbreak, humiliation, and secret shame of her failed marriage. The last thing she needs is temptation—especially from a man who reminds her so much of the husband who shattered her faith in love. But passion and destiny are about to change the rules for two people who have stopped believing in the healing power of love.(from Goodreads)Once Tempted is one of those comfort reads that just makes you feel good.

The author does a wonderful job in creating the whole farm setting and it felt absolute believable. The shitty jobs and hard work were never glossed over.This is a slow building romance. No insta-lust or raging hormones and I loved that! Sometimes it just takes time to fall in love and this is shown perfectly here. Tess and Ward are both hurt from previous relationships and they need time to learn to trust again.

Ward is one of those brooding heroes who scowls a lot (especially at Tess). I love that in a hero!:)The sub-characters were very captivating and engaging and I'm looking forward to their story!

The only downside was that the ending felt rushed and the conflict was resolved a bit too easily.It was my first book by this author and I'll definitely keep an eye on her future releases!(A review copy was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.). This was a freebie from RT15.Well, I will say the writing was good and I didn't see any typos. The story itself was standard stuff:-1 Heroine runs to a small town and ranch to escape something bad that happened to her. In this case a horrific marriage.-2 Meets a handsome cowboy who owns (at least partially) a ranch and they feel an instant attraction.-3 She trembles from want every time she is in the same room with him.-4 He thinks she's cute when she's riled and so he tries to rile her every This was a freebie from RT15.Well, I will say the writing was good and I didn't see any typos. The story itself was standard stuff:-1 Heroine runs to a small town and ranch to escape something bad that happened to her.

In this case a horrific marriage.-2 Meets a handsome cowboy who owns (at least partially) a ranch and they feel an instant attraction.-3 She trembles from want every time she is in the same room with him.-4 He thinks she's cute when she's riled and so he tries to rile her every time they meet.-5 She falls in love anyway.-6 There is a jealous ex that causes the hero, Ward, to act like a jerk. He knows the ex is a horrible person, but lets her convince him that the heroine has done something bad in her past. He immediately believes his ex and refers to Tess, the heroine, as his employee even though she's been his girlfriend for a while.

Ward says not one word in her defense while Tess' ex-father-in-law says she's a horrible person. Later Ward finds Tess packing to leave and they talk about her side of the story, but he still believes the word of his known to be evil ex and some guy he's never met.7 Ward finds Tess and grovels. I would have preferred more groveling, but at least he explicitly says he's sorry.The writing is particularly good for this sort of thing and Tess was an interesting character and not solely defined by her Terrible Secret. Ward doesn't have as much depth.The cover is ridiculous. It's the generic romance cover that you don't want to read outside your house. The really stupid part is that it's a plot point that Ward has a huge scar that runs over his torso. Well, I'm not seeing any scar here or the happy trail that's mentioned.

ABOUT THE BOOK:Oldest son Ward Knowles feels the sprawling California ranch in his blood. And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever. Silver Creek is his legacy and his life, which is fine for the ruggedly sexy ladies’ man and committed bachelor. Love and trust don’t come easily for Ward since he lost his heart to a gold digger—until he meets a shy, unpretentious beauty whose sweet grace is about to turn his jaded heart into a hungry ABOUT THE BOOK:Oldest son Ward Knowles feels the sprawling California ranch in his blood.

And now that the family business has expanded to include a popular resort, he’s working harder than ever. Silver Creek is his legacy and his life, which is fine for the ruggedly sexy ladies’ man and committed bachelor.

Love and trust don’t come easily for Ward since he lost his heart to a gold digger—until he meets a shy, unpretentious beauty whose sweet grace is about to turn his jaded heart into a hungry one.Tess Casari has found sanctuary at Silver Creek, working as an assistant to Ward’s mother, Adele. Grateful for her busy new life running the ranch’s spa and resort, Tess can escape the heartbreak, humiliation, and secret shame of her failed marriage. The last thing she needs is temptation—especially from a man who reminds her so much of the husband who shattered her faith in love. But passion and destiny are about to change the rules for two people who have stopped believing in the healing power of love.Review:This book was unputadownable. Filled with angst, drama, and comedy, I couldn’t wait to find out what happened next.

The heroine Tess, was spunky, tough, and had just enough insight to pick up on things before they happened. Poor thing had her heart broken and I really felt for her. While, at the end, I felt like screaming at her, the entire thing was very nicely played out.

Laura Moor has definitely been added to my stalking list. Five out of five stars for a job well done. Well I got to say I got a lot more than I expected out of this book - in a good way. A lot of the time I judge a book by how hard it is for me to put down and going by that it gets 5 Stars. I got to read a few pages before leaving for work and thought I put in an hour last night knowing I needed to do this review - Unfortunatly for me (this morning anyways) I sat up till close to 3am this morning and all the pages were gone.This book has got everything in it you could possibly want. 'A Hunky Well I got to say I got a lot more than I expected out of this book - in a good way. A lot of the time I judge a book by how hard it is for me to put down and going by that it gets 5 Stars.

I got to read a few pages before leaving for work and thought I put in an hour last night knowing I needed to do this review - Unfortunatly for me (this morning anyways) I sat up till close to 3am this morning and all the pages were gone.This book has got everything in it you could possibly want. Like the ditty, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Moore’s smooth as silk writing and talented storytelling helped me overlook the implausible plot device, surrounding the reason for the heroine’s marriage, and then her questionable ethics.Tess Casari met her future husband at a cocktail party.

But she wasn’t there as a guest, she was actually working the event, as a server for her employer, La Dolce Vita. David seemed struck by a “proverbial lightning bolt,” following her Like the ditty, a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. Moore’s smooth as silk writing and talented storytelling helped me overlook the implausible plot device, surrounding the reason for the heroine’s marriage, and then her questionable ethics.Tess Casari met her future husband at a cocktail party. But she wasn’t there as a guest, she was actually working the event, as a server for her employer, La Dolce Vita. David seemed struck by a “proverbial lightning bolt,” following her around like a love sick fool.

Normally Tess didn’t have any problem brushing men off, but David’s outrageous charm, humor and resolve weakened her will and she agreed to go out with him that night. He beguiled her into opening up about her severely autistic older brother, and her love of helping people create wonderful memories of special times. Within three months they are married.

And in about the same length of time her marriage is over.For the full review, please go to. 4.5 starsHotness rating 3 out of 5Oh my goodness, I can not believe it took me so long to read this book. Once Tempted is the first book in the Silver Creek series by Laura Moore and it was a great start to, what I hope will be, a great series.Ward Knowles is a family man through and through. This helps considering he and his family share in the running and success of their ranch-turned-resort. They'll never be rich, but life is comfortable and they all get to do what they love best.

4.5 starsHotness rating 3 out of 5Oh my goodness, I can not believe it took me so long to read this book. Once Tempted is the first book in the Silver Creek series by Laura Moore and it was a great start to, what I hope will be, a great series.Ward Knowles is a family man through and through. This helps considering he and his family share in the running and success of their ranch-turned-resort.

They'll never be rich, but life is comfortable and they all get to do what they love best. Unfortunately, his ex-fiance' didn't feel the same. Once she realized that Ward's goal was to preserve their family ranch and keep it running rather than sell it or run it into the ground just to turn high profits she wanted out. Ward was just thankful he learned all of this before the 'I do's' were said. In his way of thinking, he learned a great lesson and was thankful for it - never lose your heart or put all of your trust in a woman.Tess Casari is hurting. She married and thought it would be forever. Instead she got a man who treated her badly and just left one day.

Now, he's gone and she just needs to get away. In a crazy, out of character decision, Tess stuck a pin in a map and decided that was where she would make a new life. Seemed like a good idea until Tess found herself in a small town with almost no options. Thankfully, she found herself at the Knowles' ranch and was able to talk herself into the wonderful position of assistant to Adele Knowles the family matriarch.

She loves Adele and just about everyone at the ranch, even though ranch life isn't exactly for her, except for Ward. He just gets under her skin and is so distant compared to the rest of the family. Too bad she finds him so darned attractive and the more she gets to know him the more appealing she finds him.Seriously, this is a great story. I loved the way Ward and Tessa danced around their attraction for each other. It was a perfect balance of not too soon and not too drawn out. I fell in love with this whole family and can not wait to read more about them.This book was provided to me by NetGalley.com in exchange for my honest review.You can find this review and others at. Reading this romance was like drinking an ice cold glass of water on a hot dry day.

It was relaxing, edgy in the right places and romantic. This is not a simple story of a cowboy meeting a city girl and roping her into bed. This tale is detailed, smart and well paced. The details of the ranch work and the animal care were so exact I felt as if I was a real visitor on the ranch. I held my breath when the lambs were born, when the horses spooked and worried at the scars on one of the rescues. The Reading this romance was like drinking an ice cold glass of water on a hot dry day. It was relaxing, edgy in the right places and romantic.

This is not a simple story of a cowboy meeting a city girl and roping her into bed. This tale is detailed, smart and well paced. The details of the ranch work and the animal care were so exact I felt as if I was a real visitor on the ranch. I held my breath when the lambs were born, when the horses spooked and worried at the scars on one of the rescues. The reality feel of the story went beyond that they had to deal with fin aces, and building business, social media and badly behaved guests.The characters were all so different.

Wade the hunky cowboy with his sex appeal and cowboy hat was broken from a ended engagement to a gold digger. Tess, a smart italian city girl from Queens NY who works on the ranch as a kind of dare after the death of her estranged husband. His family and friends are all rich well developed characters that you can't help but love. Her family is a close family, her brother is dealing with severe autism. There are some wicked nasty people, his ex, her ex inlays- Naaaassstttty! The kind you just love to hate.I loved the struggle this couple had it was realistic and somewhat heartbreaking to watch, they have some issues here. It was believable, with understandable fears and attitudes.

The setting was so beautiful, I want to go visit this ranch.-i am anxiously waiting for the next book in the series!Wadeimage errorTessThe boots. Tess Casari needs a new start.

When her estranged husband suddenly passes away, Tess leaves her life in New York to start over in Acacia, California. What seems like an adventure inspired by fate soon turns sour when Tess cannot find work in the tiny tourist town.

Her last chance is a huge guest ranch called the Silver Creek, but fate deals her a blow when her car breaks down on their private road.Eldest of the three Knowles siblings, Ward carries far more than his share of the work at the Tess Casari needs a new start. When her estranged husband suddenly passes away, Tess leaves her life in New York to start over in Acacia, California. What seems like an adventure inspired by fate soon turns sour when Tess cannot find work in the tiny tourist town. Her last chance is a huge guest ranch called the Silver Creek, but fate deals her a blow when her car breaks down on their private road.Eldest of the three Knowles siblings, Ward carries far more than his share of the work at the Silver Creek. He loves everything about the ranch he has called home all his life. When New Yorker Tess Casari arrives on the scene in the bucket of bolts she calls a car, he is annoyed. What is a woman like her doing in a place like Silver Creek?

And why does he think she looks great in those sexy high heels?When Ward’s best friend decides at the last possible minute to get married at the guest ranch, Ward must turn to Tess for help. Tess has the experience, the work ethic and the panache to get the job done right. Too bad Ward is enjoying all the extra time spent with her, a little more than he would like. He cannot imagine why, but he wants nothing more than to turn city girl Tess into the country loving woman who owns his heart.Not only is Ms. Moore’s book a great read for those who love Westerns, it also works like a guest pass for those who only like to visit them.

Readers will love watching Ward introduce Tess to the possibility of blending her city girl upbringing with her new country life. There is plenty of scorching romantic tension and fresh conflict for city and country readers alike. As the first book in a new series, it will be interesting to see what Ms. Moore has in store for the Knowles bunch.KaitlinReviewer for Coffee Time Romance & More. I read this copy for free from netgalley.com.

I'm not usually one for cowboy stories. However, I've found more and more of them interesting, and not just the usual 'Howdy, I'm from Texas.' Once Tempted is set in Northern California, where cowboys ride the range, they just don't get a lot of romance novels. The story line is great.

Both hero-Ward-and heroine Tess are reeling from past relationships. Throw in a bunch of in-laws and loose family connections, and let the drama unfold. I really I read this copy for free from netgalley.com. I'm not usually one for cowboy stories. However, I've found more and more of them interesting, and not just the usual 'Howdy, I'm from Texas.'

Once Tempted is set in Northern California, where cowboys ride the range, they just don't get a lot of romance novels. The story line is great. Both hero-Ward-and heroine Tess are reeling from past relationships. Throw in a bunch of in-laws and loose family connections, and let the drama unfold. I really liked how Moore wove the romance between the family who was chaotic but understanding. How both H/H had supportive families at home, though the best they could do was sometimes not good enough for that family.

One thing I would like to see-a lot of the plot was set in a flashback. Moore is a talented writer, and I want to see her write things as they unfold, not go backwards a bit. I've quit reading other books because of this mini-flashback habit, but it was only distracting in a couple of places in this book.I would recommend this book for contemporary readers. Also, there is no thrill/suspense/vampires/or other-creatures-I-can't-think-of in this story, so it would be good for historical readers that are looking for a light contemporary to change things up a bit.

“Ward, do you think we’ll have time to ride this afternoon? I’d love to go over some of the old trails with you,” Erica asked, smiling at him over the assortment of pastries and wedding cake in the lodge’s dining room.Ward fought the urge to growl his reply that he had an even better idea. He’d love to stuff her into Ralph Cummins’s taxi, slam the door, and instruct Ralph to hit the gas and not slow down until he reached Palo Alto, where Erica was currently living. Once the taxi was out of sight, he’d go down to the bottom of the road to Silver Creek Ranch and lock the gates. With a padlock.Instead, he shoveled in a forkful of the wedding cake Roo had baked and pretended not to hear.

He’d been doing a lot of that.”—. “Delicious” might sound excessive, but it was the only word that properly described how he looked in worn blue jeans and chaps.

Since she’d started coming down to the barns, she’d seen the other hands wearing chaps, but those cowboys hadn’t made her heart thump painfully or feel as if she should suddenly start fanning her face.Ward wore the kind that zippered down his long muscular legs, hugging them. Made of dark tan suede, they didn’t have the fringes or ornamentation that she’d noticed on some of the ones worn by the wranglers. There was nothing to distract her eyes or to keep her gaze from zeroing in on where the chaps buckled, framing the bulge of his sex. Her internal thermostat soared just from not looking at that particular spot.But the brim of his hat was angled downward—the better to study her new boots, she assumed. With his gaze shielded, she found the temptation impossible to resist. Yup, his crotch was truly the finest eye candy: yummy and calorie free.”—.

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