Jared by Nicole Edwards Blog Tour

Jared Walker is a single dad who knows what it’s like to be burned by a woman. His ex-wife tormented him in a way that’s unforgivable. It makes sense that Jared doesn’t trust women. He’s not looking for love, but when his cousin Travis puts Jared in charge of the Walker family reunion, Jared just might find himself in over his head. In more ways than one.

Hope Lambert has one goal in life. To keep Dead Heat Ranch prospering. From sun up to sun down, she has a single-minded focus working alongside her four sisters, the job isn’t always easy, but it’s definitely worth it. Hope is convinced she needs nothing more than what’s right in front of her. Until he walks into the stable.

It’s easy to think you know what’s best for you. That is until your heart is put to the test. What happens when the cautious cowgirl and the sexy single dad come face to face? The chemistry threatens to scorch them both. Giving in is easy. Not falling in love is the hard part.

This novel is a Coyote Ridge/Dead Heat Ranch crossover. It can be read as a standalone.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆☆☆
I am in love. I am in love with Coyote Ridge and the Dead Heat Ranch. I am in love with tried and true cowboys and stubborn cowgirls. I am in love with family – whether it be the one you’re born to or the one you make. And I am in love with Jared Walker and Hope Lambert. I am in love with love, and Nicole Edwards has once again fed, watered, and nurtured my love beyond all my expectations with Jared.

As I have read some of the Alluring Indulgence books and book one in the Coyote Ridge series, I am familiar with the Walker clan even if I don’t know each of their stories. So to see the love and support Jared receives throughout this book wasn’t really a surprise because the Walkers look after their own – quite fiercely, I might add. However, I have not read any of the Dead Heat Ranch series (although, I just finished buying them and plan to rectify that as soon as my schedule allows), but my lack of familiarity with the Lamberts didn’t keep me from realizing that theirs is a supportive family as well. We soon learn that close-knit families aren’t all that Jared and Hope have in common as they’ve both been burned badly in the past by the opposite sex, leading them to swear off love and relationships and opting to put their energies elsewhere – Jared’s into his raising his son and Hope’s into the Dead Heat Ranch. But as any romance reader knows, love often comes when it’s least expected and thanks to a Walker family reunion, Jared and Hope’s paths are destined to cross, repeatedly, and the sparks that are ignited upon their first meeting are stoked into an inferno over the course of the book. Whew! Jared and Hope have some seriously hot chemistry. Even as Jared admits to himself that he wants more than the casual arrangement they initially agreed upon, he’s faced with not only breaking down the walls around Hope’s heart, but also dealing with a BSC (think bat defecation to figure it out) ex-wife who’s determined to use the custody of their son as a means to extort money from Jared. Thank goodness Jared is a Walker through and through, the kind of man who is willing to go the extra mile and then some to get what he wants and make sure it stays his. The Walker men are a tenacious breed and both Hope and Sable (Jared’s ex) learn this fact in different ways – and both scenarios made for some delicious reading.

There was a lot for me to love in Jared, and one of the things I really liked was how Edwards integrated Jared’s son, Derrick, into the book, making him pivotal to the storyline without letting his character steal the limelight. As a single father, Derrick is the center of Jared’s world and Edwards does a great job of showing this while keeping the focus on the relationship that is developing between Jared and Hope. By making the interactions between Derrick and Jared meaningful and avoiding filler, the author adds layers to Jared that enrich his character. Having Hope witness the interactions between father and son made her decision to distance herself both frustrating and understandable – especially once we learn the full extent of her baggage. There is so much more I want to say, but I’m afraid to say too much because I don’t want to spoil anything for other readers. Suffice it to say, I absolutely loved Jared and cannot wait to see who’s up next for love in Coyote Ridge.

Also Available in the Coyote Ridge Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Curtis Blog Tour.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nicole Edwards lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, their three kids, and four rambunctious dogs. When she’s not writing about sexy alpha males, Nicole can often be found with her Kindle in hand or making an attempt to keep the dogs happy. You can find her hanging out on Facebook and interacting with her readers – even when she’s supposed to be writing.

She also writes contemporary/new adult romance as Timberlyn Scott.

Connect with Nicole

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Jared (Coyote Ridge #2) by Nicole Edwards to read and review for this tour.

Jared by Nicole Edwards Is Now Available

Jared Walker is a single dad who knows what it’s like to be burned by a woman. His ex-wife tormented him in a way that’s unforgivable. It makes sense that Jared doesn’t trust women. He’s not looking for love, but when his cousin Travis puts Jared in charge of the Walker family reunion, Jared just might find himself in over his head. In more ways than one.

Hope Lambert has one goal in life. To keep Dead Heat Ranch prospering. From sun up to sun down, she has a single-minded focus working alongside her four sisters, the job isn’t always easy, but it’s definitely worth it. Hope is convinced she needs nothing more than what’s right in front of her. Until he walks into the stable.

It’s easy to think you know what’s best for you. That is until your heart is put to the test. What happens when the cautious cowgirl and the sexy single dad come face to face? The chemistry threatens to scorch them both. Giving in is easy. Not falling in love is the hard part.

This novel is a Coyote Ridge/Dead Heat Ranch crossover. It can be read as a standalone.

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

JARED (Coyote Ridge/Dead Heat Ranch, 2) Prologue

Two and a half years ago

“WHERE ARE YOU going?” Sable screamed, her voice grating on his last nerve.

“I’m done. Fucking done, Sable,” Jared Walker informed his soon-to-be ex-wife. And that couldn’t come soon enough.

The second his boss had fired him, telling Jared that he could no longer deal with his crazed wife stopping by unannounced every day trying to start a fight, Jared had decided he’d had enough. The guy wasn’t wrong to fire him. Hell, he’d been putting up with Sable’s bullshit far longer than he should have. She was jealous and spiteful and fucking selfish. Yes, that’s what she was.

Damn it.

Everything was just so fucked up. Jared wasn’t sure how things had gone to shit so quickly, but they definitely had. The woman he’d married had shed her skin not two weeks into their marriage, demanding that she be taken care of. The second that ring was on her finger and the marriage license was signed, Sable had changed from the easygoing, somewhat kindhearted woman to an ex-employee at the makeup counter at Macy’s to a fucking diva who wanted him to make her breakfast in bed on the weekend.

No doubt about it, he’d been blinded by… what? What the hell had he seen in her? Even now, three years later, he had no clue what he’d been drawn to other than her smoking-hot body and her Hoover-worthy mouth. Oh, and she’d given him attention—batting her eyelashes and offering her relentless come-hither stare—something he’d been missing. Or thought he had anyway. In hindsight, the lack of attention from the opposite sex had been self-imposed. Jared had just turned thirty when they met, and he’d been going through the motions, trying to figure out where his life was headed and how he wanted it to go. Marriage had certainly been an idea he was looking forward to, should he find the right woman.

Enter Sable Hillman, with her perfectly applied lipstick and fancy hair. She’d clearly walked into his life at the right time. Or the wrong time, depending on how you looked at it.

He was definitely an idiot.

Sable didn’t want to work, but she didn’t want to stay home, either. She thought they belonged to the country club elite or some shit. He could see how she’d come to that conclusion. Jared’s parents were well off, and they’d set their children up accordingly. Jared had money—mostly family money—but he’d also been working since the day he turned sixteen. He hadn’t had a rough life, by any means, but his father had instilled in him the need to make a good living. Damn good thing his father had demanded he have a prenuptial agreement. Jared hadn’t thought it necessary, but at the last minute, he’d caved. For a second, he’d thought Sable was going to back out. He should’ve known better. The woman was more than willing to spend every penny he had while they were married. She didn’t need to wait until afterward.

“Fuck you, Jared.”

“No,” he turned to her. “Fuck. You. And every asshole who’s had the displeasure of fucking you over the last three fucking years.”

Three years he’d been dealing with this shit. If it weren’t for the fact Sable had gotten pregnant, Jared would’ve been long gone. Only he’d stayed because of his son. Derrick was the highlight of every single day. Jared went to work every morning, and when he came home, Sable generally went out while he enjoyed the peace and quiet and time he got to spend with his boy. It was the perfect routine, and since it got Sable out of his hair, Jared never complained.

“I want joint custody,” he informed her as he went to the closet and began tossing his clothes out. He was packing his shit and moving out. He had no choice. He would go stay in his parents’ guesthouse until the divorce was final. It would allow him to be close enough to Derrick so he could see him every other weekend and every Wednesday.

“Ha!” Sable sneered. “Like that’s ever gonna happen.”

Goddamn, that was going to hurt. He hated the idea of being away from Derrick for that long. He’d been hoping Sable would be level-headed about this, letting him spend time with his boy whenever he wanted. He should’ve known better.

Jared cast an angry glare over his shoulder. “I’ll fight you for full custody if that’s what you want.”

“Go ahead and try it,” she snapped. “Considering he’s not your kid, I’m not sure that’ll work out real well for you.”

Jared spun around so fast Sable had to take a step back.

“What did you say?” The impact of her words had caused his hands to shake, and there was a red haze clouding his vision, anger and…

Damn, it felt a hell of lot like fear clouded his mind.

Sable always said nasty shit to him. It seemed she got off on putting him down. Normally, he didn’t rise to the bait, but this… He hoped like hell she was lying.

“You heard me. You think you’re all high and mighty. Derrick isn’t yours. You’re not his father. So fuck you, Jared. You don’t get shit out of this deal.”

He had to sit down or his legs were going to give out. Jared managed to back up to the bed and drop down onto the mattress, staring at the woman he had vowed to love forever, a woman he no longer even liked.

“I want a paternity test,” he insisted. That would prove that Derrick was his. He had to be.

Sable rolled her eyes. “I’m marrying him.”

Jared tried to process her words, but they didn’t make sense.

“Derrick’s father. He’s been begging me to leave you. I should’ve done it before now. And yes, you’ll get your paternity test. I’ll prove to you that he ain’t yours.”

She should’ve left before now? She wasn’t the one leaving, Jared was.

“You’ll have nothing,” she spat.

Jared held back his retort, not sure what he could say. The woman had managed to single-handedly rip his heart right out of his chest and grind it into dust.

Derrick isn’t yours.

The fact that his marriage had disintegrated… Jared could get over.

Losing Derrick… That was a wound that would never heal.

* * *

Six months later

“Despite the fact that the paternity test states you are not the father,” Edna Holloway—the expensive lawyer he’d hired—clarified, “Sable is willing to give you full custody.”

Jared waited for her to continue. He was waiting for the “but.” There was always a “but.”

“However, in exchange, she wants twenty-five thousand dollars.”

“Done,” Jared said instantly.

“Jared, you should spend some time thinking about this,” Edna said kindly.

“Don’t need to. My name’s on his birth certificate. He’s my son. Find out where I need to wire the money.”

Edna pulled a sheet of paper from the pile she’d brought with her. “I think we need to ask that she give up her parental rights. That will protect you going forward. She has already made it clear that she doesn’t want Derrick.”

And by made it clear, Jared knew that Edna was referring to the fact that Sable had flat out told him that she didn’t have time for Derrick in her life. The man she’d claimed was Derrick’s father had insisted on a paternity test, also. The results had stated he was not the father. Which meant Sable had lied once again. The new man—some rich, older guy—in her life didn’t want kids, which meant Derrick had suddenly become expendable in her eyes.

“I agree,” he told her. “Do what you need to do, and tell Sable I want this done immediately. While we’re waiting for the legal system to putter along and do their thing, I want him living with me. In Coyote Ridge.”

Since he had moved to the small town where most of his extended family lived, in an attempt to put some distance between himself and Sable, Jared had started to build a life for himself. Although he wouldn’t be close to his parents, he wasn’t too far away. And he had a great job. Being in Coyote Ridge would also lessen the chance of him running into Sable again.

She nodded, jotting down notes before removing her reading glasses and depositing them into her purse. “I’ll keep you apprised of the proceedings. I’ll ask that Sable relinquish custody over to you today.” She glanced at her watch. “Why don’t I try for four o’clock. Will you still be in town?”

“Of course,” he said, his heart pounding. “Anything for Derrick.”

Little did his lawyer know, but Jared would’ve given ten times that much to get his son back. Granted, there was absolutely no reason to let Sable know that. The manipulative bitch would only ask for more.

Also Available in the Coyote Ridge Series

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

For reviews & more info, check out our stop on the Curtis Blog Tour.

New York Times and USA Today bestselling author Nicole Edwards lives in Austin, Texas with her husband, their three kids, and four rambunctious dogs. When she’s not writing about sexy alpha males, Nicole can often be found with her Kindle in hand or making an attempt to keep the dogs happy. You can find her hanging out on Facebook and interacting with her readers – even when she’s supposed to be writing.

She also writes contemporary/new adult romance as Timberlyn Scott.

Connect with Nicole

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Come join us today only in the Nicole & Colt Edwards Group on Facebook for release day fun, games, and PRIZES!!!

Curtis by Nicole Edwards Blog Tour

“I’ve always believed for every person there was only one love that would last a lifetime. I never understood quite what it meant until I met you though. You’re it for me, Lorrie. You are my love that lasts a lifetime.” ~Curtis Walker

A love story 50 years in the making…

Curtis Walker has lived his life to the fullest and he attributes that to the woman who has always been by his side. The one thing he knows with absolute certainty: he can’t live without her. Especially not now.

A love that has withstood the test of time…

It’s no secret that Curtis and Lorrie, the proud parents of the seven wild and rowdy Walker brothers, have found their happily ever after. Now, it’s time for the emotional journey of how they got there.

Book 1
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
B&N  ~  Google Play  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Angela – ☆☆☆☆☆
What’s the mark of a great author? When you already know how a love story ends – that the boy and the girl live happily ever after with a gaggle of children – and yet you still find yourself crying over a young girl’s heartbreak, wondering how things will ever work out? If the boy will make it back from the war? If they will survive the loss of a child they never knew? If they truly have what it takes to make their marriage a success? Even knowing that Curtis and Lorrie Walker had a marriage that spanned five decades and brought into the world the seven sexy-as-sin Walker brothers, I still found myself crying for the young couple, time and time again.

Curtis opens in the present with the Walker boys rushing to the hospital to find out why their mother is in the hospital. What they find is their distraught father who is at a loss as to what’s wrong as he’s barely holding it together. As the reader gets a glimpse into why the Walker brothers love so fully, we soon find ourselves thrust back to October 7, 1962. The day that Lorrie Jameson and Curtis Walker truly met for the first time. The day the Walkers buried Curtis’s father. The day that Curtis Walker found his head turned by the feisty girl who looked nothing like the type of girl he usually went for, but her fire captivated him. The day that Lorrie recognized as significant even if she didn’t know why at the time and, because of it, began keeping a diary. It is through Lorrie’s diary entries that Edwards tells us the tale of how Lorrie Jameson came to be Lorrie Walker and all that she and Curtis experienced as they built their family. All the heartache. All the heart break. All the joy. All the happiness. All the loss. All the births. All the romance. And above all else, all the love.

I will readily admit that I have not read all of the books in the Alluring Indulgence series. Not because I didn’t enjoy them, but because as a blog reviewer, it’s not unusual for me to lose track of a series that doesn’t come up for review. While Curtis is a spin-off of the Alluring Indulgence series, you do not have to read it first as this is about the Walker brothers’ parents. That said, if you are like myself and haven’t finished the series, be prepared to want to dive back in because this book shows you why the Walker brothers love fiercely and fully and I found myself wanting to start that series at the beginning, reading the books I’ve read already and the ones I never made it to just so I can spend more time with the Walker clan. I loved how Edwards presented the story from both Lorrie and Curtis’s points of view, giving the reader insight into their experiences over the years. Because we visit so many of the highs and lows the couple lived through over their 50+ years together, this made the journey that much more meaningful. Edwards includes so many touches that were appropriate to the various decades, that the level of reality she brings to Lorrie and Curtis’s story often astounded me. Curtis was a heartbreakingly real love story that was beautifully written. I am so glad I got the chance to review it and I cannot wait to read the next installment in the Coyote Ridge series.

New York Times bestselling author Nicole Edwards launched her professional writing career in July of 2012. Having been an avid reader all of her life and a huge fan of creative writing, it seemed the likely path for her to take. Since then, she has released fifteen books and has no plans to stop. As her full-time career/hobby, Nicole writes steamy contemporary and erotic romances.

Nicole is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who was born and raised in Texas. Married with three kids and four dogs, she has plenty of interaction to keep her imagination brewing. Her books have been featured in USA Today’s Happy Ever After segment as well as Indie Reader’s best seller list. She has forged her way as an independent author.

Although she has a bachelor’s degree in Human Resources, she prefers to be hiding out in her writing cave, talking to the fictional characters that have built up in her head over the years.

When she isn’t writing or plotting her next book (sometimes translated to “playing on Facebook”), Nicole loves to read and spend time with her family and her dogs.

Connect with Nicole

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Google+  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

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Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Curtis (Coyote Ridge #1) by Nicole Edwards to read and review for this tour.