REVIEW & GIVEAWAY: SOMETHING BORROWED by MEGAN RYDER

 

Three Bridesmaids. Three lost loves. One matchmaking bride.

 

SOMETHING BORROWED

Lone Star Match #2

Megan Ryder

Released June 22, 2017

Tule Publishing Group

 

 

In Something Borrowed (Lone Star Match #2) by Megan Ryder, Brigid Anderson is determined to achieve her goal of making partner and nothing is going to stand in her way. Sacrificing her friends with benefits deal with Grady Coughlin is for the best, but while she's on vacation and staying with him and a group of friends for the week, Brigid finds herself again succumbing to the intense chemistry they have. With lots of decisions to make about her future, will Brigid do what's best for her and Grady, so they can have a shot at happy ever after; or will she continue on the path she's on now and find herself all alone?

Any story that Ms. Ryder pens has always grabbed my undivided attention and this story was no different, as Grady does his best to show Brigid there's more to life than work. Really, this story was enthralling, fast-paced and one I could not get enough of, because of the main characters and their friendships with the secondary characters. Friendships that had fizzled until this time together, as things happened to cause everyone to go their separate ways, but now they have a chance to reunite and solidify the tight bonds that they used to have. Especially since the bride is determined to see her bridesmaids as happy as she is.

The dialogue was compelling and had me glued to every moment Brigid and Grady conversed, because the hero was determined to prove to the heroine that they're good together and that they shouldn't allow the fact that their opposites and he doesn't fit into her world to ruin their chance at happy ever after. I also liked the interactions the main characters had with the secondary characters, as Brigid wasn't afraid to give advice but not so willing to take it, because she had her mind set on her future. Will she realize that love, family and happiness are more important than work before she loses the most important person in her life? What will she do to prove to Grady that she wants a relationship between them to work?

As for the main characters, the hero charmed me from start to finish, because he had it tough growing up with what his mom did to him, but he's gone on to accomplish so much in his life. I also liked that he had such a good relationship with his brother, considering what their mom did. How could a mother be so cruel to abandon a child? I also liked how kind and caring the hero was and all he was doing for the couple who were getting married. Yet, what I liked most about the hero is that he didn't give up on winning Brigid over until the moment where he believed all hope was lost. The moment where she did something he thought she wouldn't do after everything they talked about.

While the heroine, she's always felt like the inadequate sibling of the family, which is why she pushes so hard to be successful and achieve her goals at the expense of putting aside everything that could make her happy. Certainly, I could understand why she worked herself to the bone, but at the same time, if she wasn't enjoying what she did then why do it just because of the pressure her parents put on her to be as successful as her brother and sister. Yet, what I liked most about the heroine is the decisions she made for her future. She had me smiling, because it was palpable that she would be a lot happier in the long run.     

Overall, Ms. Ryder has penned another exceptional read for this series where the chemistry was intense, the romance hot and which made me think Brigid was a lucky woman to have the attention of Grady, because no one would treat her better or support her as much as he does. The way this story ended had me cheering for the heroine to make things right, as she has a lot of making up to do not just with Grady, but with the secondary characters. However, I liked how she won Grady back, because it shows she was willing to do whatever it takes, even if it meant she might make a fool of herself. I would recommend Something Borrowed by Megan Ryder, if you enjoy the opposites attract trope or books by authors Shelli Stevens, Marin Thomas, Kate Hardy or Eve Gaddy.

 

 

BLURB

Three Bridesmaids. Three lost loves. One matchmaking bride. With just a week before the wedding, can a bride-to-be reunite her bridesmaids with the ones who got away?

Brigid Anderson is a second year lawyer on a fast track to making partner. With the weight of her siblings' success on her shoulders, Brigid feels like she needs to prove something–to herself and to her parents. Her life is running smoothly and all according to plan...until she meets Grady. 
 
Grady Coughlin understands focus and ambition, having taken over his father's contracting business and building it into a successful historic preservation business on his own. After a blind date with Brigid that ends in explosive passion, they embark on a friends with benefits relationship. But as Grady establishes himself in the business world, he decides he wants more and wants it with Brigid. 
 
On the eve of her best friend's wedding, with her promotion to partner dangling within reach, Brigid believes Grady isn't the best partner to suit her career ambition. But Grady and her heart don't agree and she must decide if she should stick to the safety of the plan or find the courage to pursue what she really wants.

 

He walked her backwards a few steps until her knees hit the mattress. She sat back on the bed and he followed her down across the bed, lying next to her, lips dipping into the notch at the base of her throat, then lower to trace the edge of the lace of her tank top with his tongue. She shuddered, her breath jagged and rough.

He ran a hand under her top to cup her breast, his thumb running over the sensitive tip, once then twice. She jerked, pushing into his hand with a plea. "Please, Grady. Stop teasing."

He grinned against her skin, loving the teasing as opposed to their usual hurried, almost frenetic sex. "What do you want, Brigid? This?" he kissed the gently swelling mounds. "Or this?" He nipped her then soothed the sting with little licks. "Or this?"

He moved down and captured her other nipple in his mouth through the cotton top, biting down lightly, then sucking. Her breath caught in her throat and her back bowed under him, almost bucking him off.

"Oh no, we can't have that. You need to stay still, Brigid." He draped a leg across her lower body, and she arched into him, trying to get closer.

"Grady, please." Her breathy whisper made him grin.

He tugged her tank up, baring her breasts completely and caressed the swollen mounds, plumping them. He teased one nipple with tiny lashes of his tongue and teeth while his fingers twisted and tormented the other, then he switched until she writhed on the bed, pleading for more. Only then did he make his way down her stomach, skimming the creamy skin until he met the lace of her boy shorts.

"Did I ever tell you how sexy I find these?"

"And I was just wishing I had sexier lingerie with me," she whispered.

"Not on my account. I find the lace edging on these, bisecting your ass, hotter than a thong any day of the week. Don't ever change on my account, Brigid."

She froze under him and he paused. "But I am changing. You're changing me."

He realized in an instant that he had made a tactical error, threw her out of the moment. He quickly moved up her body, settled his lower body between her thighs and framed her face with his hands, forcing her to look at him.

"Brigid, I only want you to be happy. If you don't want to change, you don't have to. I love you the way you are."

Her eyes opened wide and he could see panic reflected in them. "You love me?"

He cursed in his head. So not the way to tell her that. Actually, it was probably the best way to scare her off. But the words were out there. "Yes, I do. And I don't expect you to say it back. Not now, only when you're ready. No pressure."

Her freak out hadn't lessened at his words. "I don't know what to say. Thank you doesn't seem quite right. I care about you but I'm not sure I can say I love you. Not now."

He suppressed the disappointment, knowing full well how emotions were for her, knowing how he had put her on the spot. But he had faith that she had deeper feeling for him, deeper than caring. Or maybe that was hope. No, he wasn't going there. He was all in and had to believe that Brigid would get there. Or this was all for nothing.

She wrapped her hands around his neck and pulled him down for a deep, sensual kiss, pulling him back into the moment. "But I want to give this a try, Grady. I truly care about you, more than I ever thought possible. Can you give me a chance?"

"I'll give you all the time you need."

And in that instant, she took charge of their interlude, wrapping a leg around his waist and flipping him onto his back, a seductive smile on her face.

"Now, where were we?"

 

 

 

Ever since Megan Ryder discovered Jude Deveraux and Judith McNaught while sneaking around the “forbidden” romance section of the library one day after school, she has been voraciously devouring romance novels of all types. Now a romance author in her own right, Megan pens sexy contemporary novels all about family and hot lovin’ with the boy next door. She lives in Connecticut, spending her days as a technical writer and her spare time divided between her addiction to knitting and reading.

 

Tasty Q&A with Megan Ryder

 

Name one thing you won’t leave home without.

I never leave home without my ipad mini. I can write on that, take notes on it, and read on it. If I’m stuck in traffic, in a doctor’s office, waiting somewhere, I have something to do. I am not the most patient person but with my ipad, I can occupy myself for hours. I can actually leave my phone at home and be fine but if I leave my ipad, I get twitchy.

 

What are some books that you enjoyed recently?

I adored Silver Silence by Nalini Singh. She is one of my go-to authors and I re-read her constantly.

I am in the middle of binge reading the Chicagoland vampire series by Chloe Neill and am loving them.

I just read an ARC of Jamie Beck’s new book Before I Knew, coming out in August. So good and emotional.

And I just read an ARC of Jamie K Schmidt’s Stud coming in July. Sexy and fun, but I loved the characters too.

What are your favorite types of stories to read?

While I enjoy contemporary romance, my guilty pleasure and my go-to reading is paranormal romance and urban fantasy. I can’t get enough of those genres. I have so many authors that I love including Nalini Singh, Ilona Andrews, Chloe Neill (a recent find), Patricia Briggs. Honestly, I could go on and on.

Tell us all about your main characters—who are they? What makes them tick? Most importantly, what one thing would they need to have with them if stranded on a desert isle? ;)

Brigid is a type-A lawyer, determined to make partner at her law firm as soon as possible. The problem is – is it her dream or her parents’ dream? Brigid comes from a high-achieving family. She defines herself as the “boring piece of cheese in the center of a sandwich of brilliance” and she feels constantly inadequate. So she feels this constant need to prove herself to everyone around her. Grady is the one person she doesn’t have to do that with; he loves her for who she is, can see who she really is and accepts her. But she can’t accept him because he is not the type of person her family would expect. He’s not on her plan.

Grady is a contractor who rebuilt his father’s business after his father almost lost it due to an illness. He and his older brother, the groom Matthew, were very close until their parents divorced when Grady was young, with Grady staying with his father. He didn’t see Matthew or his mother again until Matthew reconnected when they were older. His mother had been focused on her status and appearances so when he met Brigid, he thought she was just his mother. He soon learned she wasn’t but her constant choices make him fear that he will always be second in her life, something he just can’t accept. But he keeps trying to get Brigid to pull her head out of her law books and see the world around her and the possibilities, especially him.

Since they’re both so different, Brigid would want her cell phone and a signal on a deserted island because she needs to stay connected at all times. What if the office needs her? Grady, on the other hand, is perfectly fine with a six-pack of beer and his tools to build something, shelter or something to mess around with. He’s not fussy.

 

Where did the inspiration for this book come from?

This book is part two in a series about a matchmaking bride and the bridesmaids who she is determined to bring together with the ones who got away. It came from thinking about weddings and thinking about blissfully happy brides and how often they want everyone around them to be as happy as they are. I also love reunion stories so I started thinking about wedding romances, bridesmaids and what would it be like to be in a wedding and have the bride decide to play matchmaker. Now, it’s pretty hard to have a full romance in a week but, if you have a bride determined to bring her friends all back together and match them again, well, then you have a series. Trying to write three books all over the same week was a bit of a challenge though. Trying to make each story unique and not repetitive. But each bridesmaid was a strong character and tough in their own right, so I think they’ll keep people reading.

How long have you been writing, and what (or who) inspired you to start?

 

I have been writing for more years than I can remember. I always write stories when I was a kid, usually about horses or dogs, then fan fiction when I was older, and then romance in college. I didn’t get serious until the late nineties when I joined Romance Writers of America and my local chapter, which was a God-send, because I met people like me and learned all about writing. I value my friendships that I’ve made as a writer and how I’ve grown as a person through those friendships. What I love about being a writer is the what-if aspect. I’ll hear a news story – any kind – and start spinning a tale off of it. Imagine if this happened, or what if this happened? Many of those ideas don’t go anywhere but sometimes, that little kernel blossoms into something else and you can’t get it out of your mind.

 

What do you like best about being a writer? What is the most challenging part?

The best thing about being a writer is all of the great ideas out there. I love thinking of new ideas, the fodder for stories, and the possibilities that exist. I also love the people I’ve met as a writer, both other writers and readers. Seriously, romance readers and writers are the best people in the world. They are so welcoming and positive and supportive. Many of my closest friends I met through writing and I love it.

What do you do when you are not writing?

I love to knit, so that takes up a lot of time, however, I recently got a puppy, a rescue cocker spaniel. He was six months old when we got him and not training (not even potty trained) so that has been a challenge. So, much of my free time has been taken up training him and trying to convince him that outside is for potty, not inside. But he’s a sweet dog and I love him.

Can you tell us about your upcoming book?

After Something Borrowed, book 3 will be out – Something New. That will be Anna and Wyatt’s story.  Anna and Wyatt had a real volatile history, with Wyatt as the football star and Anna the wanna-be movie-star. Unfortunately, Wyatt had a career ending knee injury and couldn’t achieve his dreams while Anna went on for hers, leaving Wyatt behind. A lot of simmering resentment remains between them, along with guilt. Anna comes off as a real bitch in these books but she might surprise everyone in her story. I loved writing her book and hope readers like her as much as I did.

 

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