Real Men Will (Donovan Brothers Brewery, #3) by Victoria Dahl

Mar 18, 2013 Susanne rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-contemporary-romance, comfort-reads, giggles, perfect-for-me, up-for-reread

I'm beyond happy! I've been reading this whole book with a big grin on my face. I savored every little bit. No skimming! It was exactly what the doctor ordered. Finally, I'm out of my reading slump!

"The memory of those words filled Eric with such fierce triumph that he felt like he'd grown taller. He might be vanilla as hell, but maybe that was her favorite flavor. Or at least the flavor of the month."

Eric was such a jerk in the previous books, but he was really lovable in this one. He was 24 w...more

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May 17, 2012 willaful rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reunited-or-have-history, free-to-be-a-family, heroine-is-chubby-zaftig-or-amazon, heroines-behaving-badly, made-me-cry, netgalley

In the previous books of this series, we saw Tessa Donovan and Jamie Donovan both struggling with their family image: Tessa trapped as the good girl, Jamie as the bad boy. As it turns out, their older brother Eric is also struggling with how he thinks his siblings see him: despite having been their mainstay since the death of their parents, he doesn’t feel like a real member of the family, and the recent changes in both Tessa and Jamie have left him feeling far less needed or useful.

Meanwhile Be...more

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Oct 25, 2011 Saly rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In Real Men Will, we finally get Eric's story, the eldest Donovan, the one who took on the Brewery business and his siblings upbringing when he was just twenty-four.
Over the course of the two books Eric has been a jerk and come across as too controlling and critical and even in this book there is loads of family drama and fights with Jamie and his plans for expansion, with Tess playing referee. The thing is that Eric is pretty messed up and now he sees that his siblings don't need him, so he fe...more In Real Men Will, we finally get Eric's story, the eldest Donovan, the one who took on the Brewery business and his siblings upbringing when he was just twenty-four.
Over the course of the two books Eric has been a jerk and come across as too controlling and critical and even in this book there is loads of family drama and fights with Jamie and his plans for expansion, with Tess playing referee. The thing is that Eric is pretty messed up and now he sees that his siblings don't need him, so he feels at loose ends plus combined with the fact that (view spoiler) he always felt he had to be perfect and fell short. The best part of the book for me was when Jamie and Eric really talked without misinterpreting what the other had said.

Beth is the manager of the Wild Orchid and she and Eric had a hot encounter in the novella that started the series. Though Beth works in a store that deals with sex stuff, she herself is sadly not that experienced or comfortable with the lifestyle. She likes plain vanilla but tries hard to fit in, hence her hidden encounter with Eric who she thought was Jamie.

Honestly, I didn't like Beth or Eric much. These two were full grown adults scared to confront what they wanted though in the end they did finally figure it out. Beth is rightly mad at Eric for his deception with his name but soon they enter a sexual relationship which is hidden. They both have complications in their personal life, with Beth's father not knowing what she does. As a teenager Beth was made a laughing stock and since then she hasn't trusted men that easily.

For the most part I wasn't satisfied with the book. These two don't get talking for a long time, Eric thinks Beth is all adventurous while she is not. The relationship just didn't work for me and this has to be my least favorite in the series. I didn't get Beth's obsession to be appear to be as cool as her friends and Eric's need to hide his personal life and the fights got too much for me.

Still I did enjoy the Donovan series.

ARC provided by Netgalley(less)

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Sep 29, 2011 Bekah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-reads, netgalley-reviewed

Eric Donovan, the responsible, serious eldest brother of the Donovan Brewery clan had a one night stand six months ago that rocked his world. Never thinking to see Beth Cantrell again, Eric tried to put her out of his mind, but she just wouldn’t budge. And then one day she walks back into his world again and everything bursts into flames.

I was really looking forward to Eric’s story. You know the quiet ones are always the wildest and Eric did. not. disappoint. I seriously need Eric to get serious...more

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Jul 13, 2012 Viohlet rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: Nobody

Shelves: 14-netgalley-arc-etc, heroine-6-brunette-black, avoid-this-author, read-in-2011, 3rd-person-pov, annoying-irritating-please-end, betrayal, blackmail-extortion-etc, blame-it-on-the-past, boring, career-hospitality, career-i-have-my-own-business, determind-to-not-get-married, family-is-retarded, forced-myself-to-keep-reading, genre-contemporary, get-a-grip-grow-up, get-over-it-already, hero-1-a-f, hero-emotionally-retarded, hero-i-disliked, hero-is-celibate-a-little-rusty-etc, hero-jerk, hero-older, heroine-1-a-f, heroine-annoying-interferring-pain, heroine-bad-reputation, heroine-curvy-plump-bbw, heroine-fuckwit, heroine-fears-or-phobias, heroine-guilt-ridden-tortured-etc, heroine-i-disliked, heroine-infuriating, heroine-just-plain-pathetic, heroine-liar, heroine-naive-too-trusting, heroine-moron, heroine-older, heroine-shitty-past, heroine-tstl, heroine-untrusting-of-hero, in-disguise-hidden-secret-identity, immature-juvenile-simplistic, inane-shit-just-for-the-sake-of-it, making-assumptions, no-character-growth-development, not-enjoyable, ott-just-plain-ridiculous, overbearing-interferring-family-fri, series, play-the-blame-game, publisher-harlequin, read-1-disliked, recommended-no, romantica, second-chance-love, secondary-characters-interferring, series-finale, series-follows-family, set-in-colorado, situation-is-of-your-own-making, skip-the-sex, so-melodramatic, someone-slap-the-heroine, stars-2, sucky-family, there-are-no-words, whatever, younger-siblings-to-look-after, you-lied-and-we-died

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Let me start by saying that when I saw this on NetGalley, for once, I didn't want to start X amount of books into a series, so I decided to read the previous two books in the series. This is the reason why I initially read Good Girls Don't. After the way that turned out, reading this because I got it in advance was the only reason I continued the series. If I had not received this from NetGalley, I wouldn't have kept going.

The best thing I can say about this, is that it was quick. Bad Boys Do dr...more

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Aug 25, 2011 Jae rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, arc, hot-shagging-action, 2011, silly-lol

Yes, it's true. The quiet ones are very much the wild ones. And in this case, Eric was the absolute wickedness of the Donovans. The bedroom (or the wall, the hallway, the dining table, the office) scenes were totally on fire! I am gushing here, I know. Who knew Eric the proper preppy brother had all that rowdy blood in him.

description

I was pretty bored during the first 50% of the book with Jaime and Eric constant fights. It got very old with the fights. But things picked up a bit after that and it's kinda...more

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Nov 13, 2011 Amanda P rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: hot-and-steamy, contemporary-romance, humor, own-as-an-ebook, favorites, review-copy-provided

Freak'n loved it!! I think it may even be one of my favorites! I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with Beth and Eric! Best one of the series in my lowly opinion.

Summary:

Stop, Warning! If you have not read Victoria Dahl’s novella “Just One Taste” in “The Guy Next Door” (authors: Lori Foster, Susan Donovan and Victoria Dahl) please stop now and go back and read it. It’s the “prequel” to this story and without having read that story you may not get some of this story. But don’t worry I really enjo...more Freak'n loved it!! I think it may even be one of my favorites! I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with Beth and Eric! Best one of the series in my lowly opinion.

Summary:

Stop, Warning! If you have not read Victoria Dahl’s novella “Just One Taste” in “The Guy Next Door” (authors: Lori Foster, Susan Donovan and Victoria Dahl) please stop now and go back and read it. It’s the “prequel” to this story and without having read that story you may not get some of this story. But don’t worry I really enjoyed “Just One Taste” so it is no hardship to read and plenty steamy.
Eric had to take on the responsibility of raising his two teenage siblings and run the family brewery business at the age of 24. Always the serious responsible one just for one night he wants to let that all go and be free of his name and all the responsibilities that come with it. Beth is a fraud; she is the manager of the Wild Orchid, Boulders premier erotic shop that caters to women. She loves her job, but feels guilty that most of what she preaches and teaches she doesn’t follow herself. Anytime she is with a man she can’t let go, until a chance meeting with “Jaime” at a business expo. For one night she is going to forget everything and let go and just enjoy the one night “Jaime” has to offer. Eric knows this is one night and knows as Eric he can’t be what he wants to be so when the beautiful Beth assumes he’s Jaime his younger, more carefree brother he doesn’t correct her. Knowing if she ever found out all hell will break loose, but really how will she ever find out? Months later a party brings Beth to the Donovan brewery, months of thinking about “Jaime”, and remembering the one night she was free. Now, not is all that it seems, people keep referring to the young cute bartender as Jaime, but she knows that’s not Jaime, or does she??

Review:
I absolutely ADORE this book! It is now one of my new favorites. I’m telling you, it’s the quite ones you have to worry about! Who knew Eric had it in him, I sure didn’t. As this is the third in the series you come to know Eric only as the uptight always says “Hell No” brother. In this book, you get to see an entirely different side to him, one I like. A lot gets better explained in this book as to why Eric has been the way he is. Now on to Beth, who I adore! I was totally relating to Beth, I always said that if I had plenty of money and wanted to open a fun business it would be an erotica shop that catered to woman. So I was totally into that part of the book. There was just so much about Beth that I related too; she is definitely one of my favorite book heroines. Jaime and Eric finally kind of come to a truce, Tessa is still cute as a button and sassy as hell. I laughed a lot in this book; I cried in a couple of parts it and was plenty steamy. You get the full spectrum of emotions which is more then you can expect. I highly recommend this book and this series. In fact I’ll be checking out more from Victoria Dahl, I think she will become one of my favorite Contemporary Romance Novelists.

*This book was provided to me by the publisher for an honest review through netgalley.com(less)

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Oct 20, 2011 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: for_review, family_sibling_series, contemporary

Review posted:Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: 3.5/5 stars

Eric…looked like a man who never bothered with flirting. If he wanted you, he wanted you; it was as simple as that.

It’s finally time for us to get to know the oh-so-serious Eric. He had to grow up fast, taking over the family business and taking care of his 2 younger siblings after their parents were killed in a car crash. While it’s not necessary at all to read the short story that’s the prequel to this series, Just One Taste, it...more Review posted:Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: 3.5/5 stars

Eric…looked like a man who never bothered with flirting. If he wanted you, he wanted you; it was as simple as that.

It’s finally time for us to get to know the oh-so-serious Eric. He had to grow up fast, taking over the family business and taking care of his 2 younger siblings after their parents were killed in a car crash. While it’s not necessary at all to read the short story that’s the prequel to this series, Just One Taste, it does give a tiny peek into Eric’s character. He lied to Beth letting her believe that he was his younger brother Jamie, but you could tell even during the short story that he just wasn’t happy being…Eric. Even though he’s running things, Eric’s trying to find his place in the brewery. He’s tried to do everything perfectly for years and when Jamie wants to try new things, including getting the pizza portion of the new brewpub up and running, Eric’s still resisting the change and that leads to many, many more fights between Eric and Jamie throughout this book. When he runs into Beth months after their one night stand, she still thinks he’s Jamie and when that truth comes out, saying she’s pissed is putting it pretty mildly.

Beth’s had her own past drama to overcome. One incident in high school really destroyed her in all areas of her life. She quickly learned that trusting people, especially men, just wasn’t going to come easy to her, if it happened at all. So her life was all about doing what others wanted, and being the person they all expected her to be. She was only able to be herself during that one night stand and hasn’t been able to get Eric out of her mind. I also like the combination of Beth running a sex shop, the White Orchid, and even though that maybe comes with an expectation that she knows all of what she speaks (and sells) she's really a shy woman who needs someone to help break her out of her shell.

A long time later, when they both came again, Beth didn’t scream his name. Instead, she sighed it so softly that he barely heard. And strangely, that was even better.

Eric is a naughty, naughty man. The straight laced guy was able to let loose and just be for the first time in years with Beth. Once the truth came out about who he really was, Beth couldn’t let their attraction just fall away, so they start up a no strings attached relationship. These are two people who were able to be themselves with each other, and that’s something that nobody else was able to give them. That connection alone kept bringing them closer and closer together and while their sex scenes were crazy hot, the quiet moments when they were lying in bed, holding hands and just talking were the sweetest ones.

I was a little surprised to find out how insecure Eric is in some ways. Actually, both Beth and Eric deal with this in different ways, but with Eric, he always comes off as so in charge, no fears in business, but deep down, he wonders and even worries about his place in the brewery. In his mind, it’s not really his business to be working at let alone running, but when their brewmaster Wallace is away, Eric takes over for him, and finds a renewed purpose at the brewery, away from his desk and office.

The younger Donovan’s have a presence as well and Tessa is still trying to be the peacemaker, as always, between the brothers. The fighting did get a little old, but all the anger and fights came to a head for these two brothers and they finally clear the air. It’s a scene that’s been building between them since the beginning; the emotion was high and their exchange was really well done.

All the characters, especially our hero and heroine, let lies and things go unsaid throughout the book. But what I enjoyed most was watching Eric and Beth not only become closer but seeing them both take control of their lives. That means changes in all aspects of their lives for both of them, and it was nice to see the weight finally start to be lifted off both their backs, especially Eric’s. I admit, he was on my “enough already!” list in the last book with how he was treating Jamie, but getting his POV made me understand him, and even better was finally being able to see the real Eric emerge.

I really enjoyed the Donovan Brothers Brewery series and I wish we had more siblings to get to know. The books are fun and sexy with many sweet moments between all 3 couples. Even though there were plenty of tense moments between the brothers, the sibling dynamic in the series was great and while I loved getting to know each couple, it was equally enjoyable to get scenes with just the siblings, fighting and laughing together. (less)

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Feb 08, 2013 Tracey Smith rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I loved the immediate conflict set up at the beginning with the name confusion between Jamie and Eric. I loved seeing Eric squirm when Beth figured it out, because frankly I wasn't too fond of his character from the previous two books. But this author has a gift for making you love her romantic heroes and before long I was on Team Eric. The sex scenes in this book definitely push the envelope, I've never before read descriptions of masturbation in a book, and of course with Beth running an adult...more

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Jan 31, 2013 Bookswithbenefits rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Best line: "I learned that boys can do whatever they want because no one expects them to behave any better than animals. And that my body is made for sex, but I am supposed to pretend to hate it so a nice man will love me."

Worst Line: Nothing to report, folks. No humdingers.

Synopsis: Beth Clantrell, manager of the erotic boutique White Orchid has near rock-star status in her small community. Everyone around her sees her as a sex goddess, but her lies about her life are starting to pile up. She h...more

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Nov 06, 2012 May Mostly Romance rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary

Real Men Will ของวิคทอเรีย ดาลห์

เล่มนี้เป็นเล่มสาม และเล่มสุดท้ายในชุด รวมทั้งเป็นบทสรุปของเรื่องสั้นที่เปิดเรื่องความสัมพันธ์ชั่วข้ามคืนระหว่างเอริค โดโนแวน และเบ็ธ แคนเทรลล์อีกด้วย

เป็นเวลาหกเดือนแล้วหลังจากเบ็ธเผลอใจมีความสัมพันธ์กับเจมี โดโนแวน แม้จะรู้ว่า มันเป็นความสนุกชั่วแล่น ไม่จริงจัง แต่เธอก็ลืมเขาไม่ได้ และความบังเอิญก็ทำให้เธอกลับเข้าไปที่ผับของตระกูลโดโนแวนอีกครั้ง

การได้เจอกับเจมีอีกครั้งในผับวันนั้น ทำให้เบ็ธยอมแพ้ต่อความอยากรู้ของตัวเอง เธอยอมรับว่าไม่อาจลืมเขาได้ ดังนั้นจึงเริ่ม...more Real Men Will ของวิคทอเรีย ดาลห์

เล่มนี้เป็นเล่มสาม และเล่มสุดท้ายในชุด รวมทั้งเป็นบทสรุปของเรื่องสั้นที่เปิดเรื่องความสัมพันธ์ชั่วข้ามคืนระหว่างเอริค โดโนแวน และเบ็ธ แคนเทรลล์อีกด้วย

เป็นเวลาหกเดือนแล้วหลังจากเบ็ธเผลอใจมีความสัมพันธ์กับเจมี โดโนแวน แม้จะรู้ว่า มันเป็นความสนุกชั่วแล่น ไม่จริงจัง แต่เธอก็ลืมเขาไม่ได้ และความบังเอิญก็ทำให้เธอกลับเข้าไปที่ผับของตระกูลโดโนแวนอีกครั้ง

การได้เจอกับเจมีอีกครั้งในผับวันนั้น ทำให้เบ็ธยอมแพ้ต่อความอยากรู้ของตัวเอง เธอยอมรับว่าไม่อาจลืมเขาได้ ดังนั้นจึงเริ่มค้นหาข้อมูลของเจมีจากในอินเตอร์เน็ต เพียงเพื่อจะพบว่า ชายคนที่เธอคิดว่า คือเจมี โดโนแวน ไม่ใช่เจมี โดโนแวน นั่นผลักดันให้เธอกลับไปที่ผับอีกครั้ง เพื่อหาให้ได้ว่า ชายคนที่เธอนอนด้วยเป็นใครกันแน่

เอริค โดโนแวนไม่เคยทำอะไรแบบนี้ในชีวิต เขาเป็นลูกชายผู้สมบูรณ์แบบ เป็นพี่ชายที่เป็นแบบอย่างให้กับน้อง ๆ ชีวิตของเขามุ่งมั่นที่จะรักษาประเพณีของตระกูลโดโนแวนเอาไว้ จนกระทั่งได้พบกับเบ็ธ เขาหลอกเธอด้วยชื่อของน้องชาย มีความสัมพันธ์ชั่วข้ามคืน ทั้งที่เขาแทบจะไม่เคยมีผู้หญิงในชีวิต (ใครจะมีเวลามีล่ะ ในเมื่อต้องเลี้ยงน้องสองคน และรับผิดชอบธุรกิจของตระกูลอีก) แต่เขาไม่อาจปฏิเสธเบ็ธได้

เมื่อเผชิญหน้ากับหญิงสาวอีกครั้ง คราวนี้ความลับไม่มีอีกต่อไป เบ็ธรู้ว่า เขาไม่ใช่เจมี โดโนแวนผู้ทรงเสร่ห์ หากแต่เป็นเอริคที่น่าเบื่อ และอยู่ในกรอบระเบียบ กระนั้นเมื่อเบ็ธยังต้องการความสัมพันธ์อันฉาบฉายแบบนี้ต่อไปอีก เอริคก็ไม่อาจปฏิเสธเธอได้

ความสัมพันธ์ทางกายที่ทั้งคู่หลอกตัวเองว่า มันจะจบหลังจากคืนเดียวก็เกิดขึ้น เพียงแต่มันไม่ได้จบในคืนเดียว ทั้งสองกลับมาหากันและกันเสมอ ในขณะที่เบ็ธต้องเผชิญหน้ากับการยอมรับของครอบครัวต่ออาชีพที่เธอทำ (เป็นผู้จัดการร้านขายของอีโรติค) ส่วนเอริคก็ต้องปรับตัวกับความจริงที่ว่า น้อง ๆ ได้โตกันหมดแล้ว และเขาอาจจะไม่เป็นที่ต้องการอีกต่อไป

ในแง่ของความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างตัวเอก เล่มนี้สู้เรื่อง Bad Boys Do ไม่ได้ค่ะ เราไม่รู้สึกว่า เอริค และเบ็ธเข้าถึงกันและกันมากเท่าที่ควร อาจจะไม่ถึงกับว่า เป็นคนแปลกหน้า แต่มีหลายสิ่งที่ทั้งสองเก็บเงียบไว้ในใจ และไม่ได้เปิดเผยต่อกัน นั่นทำให้เรารู้สึกว่า ความสัมพันธ์ของทั้งสองไม่เข้มแข็ง แต่กระนั้นคนแต่งก็เขียนดีค่ะ (สปอยล์) ที่แม้กระทั่งในตอนจบ เอริค และเบ็ธ ก็ไม่ได้ถึงกับลงเอยแต่งงานอย่างมีความสุข เพียงแต่เห็นร่วมกันว่า ทั้งสองมีอนาคตด้วยกัน และพร้อมจะเดินไปต่อด้วยกัน ซึ่งเราคิดว่าเป็นบทสรุปที่ลงตัวกับเนื้อเรื่องที่ดำเนินมา

เช่นเดียวกับเล่มสอง ความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างเอริค และเจมีเป็นส่วนที่น่าสนใจมาก ๆ มันซับซ้อน และไม่ได้ตรงไปตรงมา ทั้งคู่มีปมในใจ ที่ไม่อาจสื่อเป็นคำพูดได้ (ตามประสาผู้ชาย) ที่ทำให้ความสัมพันธ์ระหว่างพี่น้องเลวร้ายลง แต่ในขณะเดียวกันก็สัมผัสได้ว่า พี่น้องคู่นี้รักกันมากแค่ไหน

คะแนนที่ 73 (less)

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Jun 25, 2012 Tina rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, romance-contemporary

I liked this one a tick better than the first book Good Girls Don't.

Like Tess in that book, Beth in this book has major trust issues. I found Beth's reasons for her problems immediately more believable. A youthful indiscretion in high school made the last months of Beth's senior year horrible. Her parents were disappointed in her, but more importantly their reaction left Beth horribly disappointed in them. So her issues come from a very real place.

In an effort to reclaim her inner-warrior, Beth...more

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May 28, 2012 Susan rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-books-read, romance

Very good book. This continued the story of Beth and Eric that was begun in the anthology "The Guy Next Door". I was bummed at that time that they left the story hanging - it would have been better as the beginning of this book. If you haven't read the story, you don't know the background. This book was full of all kinds of angst. There was conflict between Beth and Eric over his lying about his name. There was conflict between Eric and Jamie for that, and other unresolved issues. There was inne...more

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Mar 18, 2012 KarenF rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, kindle, romance

I really enjoyed this whole series and this book was no exception. Word of warning - I didn't read the short story prequel and I was a bit lost for the first few pages. But then it was explained and it all made sense. I found it interesting that uptight eldest brother Eric has the relationship that's probably the most based on sex of the three siblings. I think that Victoria Dahl also usually manages to work in interesting things about women and sex and societal expectations into her books. For...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Felicia rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2011-read

Requested from Netgalley (by me)
Overall Rating 4.00
Story Rating 3.50
Character Rating 4.00
Romance Rating 4.50

Note: I didn’t think I could like Eric when I started this book and by the end I loved him. I truly believe it was because of Beth!

What I Loved: Beth is the best character in this series, IMHO! She was the most identifiable and down to earth leading ladies that I have read. She was also perfect for Eric. Beth brought out a side of Eric that had never been displayed in the series. I loved t...more

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Dec 19, 2011 Jessi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: appealing-characteristic-character, contemporary, romance, part-of-a-series, 2011

Ah! Finally, a return to Dahl's best form. The first two books in this series featured characters I wasn't very fond of. Tessa was whiny and needy, Jamie refused to be saved, and Eric was just a know-it-all jerk. The three are siblings whose parents died leaving Eric in charge. He felt like he had to become the man his father was. Well, the man who had adopted him and then fathered Jamie and Tessa. Even though Eric took over the family brewery, he never really felt like a Donovan, even after all...more

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Nov 16, 2011 Hsiau Wei rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: books-read-in-2011

This is the final book in the Donovan Brothers Brewery Series and by far the best among the three book. This time it is the story of the eldest brother; Eric, who is known to be the serious and no nonsense sibling in the family. Being forced into taking the helm of the family at the age of 24, Eric, strived hard to maintain and provide for both his younger brother and sister. Although it was not mentioned in the earlier two books, Eric is actually an adopted son of Michael Donovan and this have...more

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Nov 09, 2011 Juli rated it 4 of 5 stars

One thing I loved about this book was the way it was set up by the story in the Guy Next Door anthology. That told the story of Eric and Beth's meeting and the hot one-night stand that was supposed to be all there was between them. By putting that encounter in the prequel story, followed by several months of waiting and then the first two' siblings' books, Dahl and her publisher made me wait for Eric and Beth to be continued just as they had to wait. When I read this book, I really felt the effe...more One thing I loved about this book was the way it was set up by the story in the Guy Next Door anthology. That told the story of Eric and Beth's meeting and the hot one-night stand that was supposed to be all there was between them. By putting that encounter in the prequel story, followed by several months of waiting and then the first two' siblings' books, Dahl and her publisher made me wait for Eric and Beth to be continued just as they had to wait. When I read this book, I really felt the effect of that build-up, and it made me better able to empathize with both characters.

As I've come to expect from Dahl, these characters have issues on which they need to work. I like that in this book, both characters are mature enough to know that about themselves; it's why they shy away from commitment. Both of them have self-esteem issues dating back to childhood, too. But I found Beth a lot more likable than Eric; I was proud of her every time she stood up for herself and disappointed when she didn't, although Dahl made me understand WHY she didn't. Eric was a jerk, and sometime even when I theoretically understood why, I didn't like him.

Part of the problem was the overall timing of discovery in the series. Eric was a jerk throughout the books, but I didn't find out why until this book, and by then I was used to thinking of him as selfish, uncompromising and just plain mean. I also had some difficulty with this book in terms of how it followed on the book before. The end of Bad Boys Do seemed pretty optimistic about Eric's relationship with his brother Jamie, but early in this book I felt like that progress was almost all lost, which gave me a retroactively less positive view of the happy ending of the second book. (Worse because that was my favorite book of the three, I think.)

Other than a few moments of calling Eric names, though, and wondering why he and Jamie seemed determined to ignore the rapprochement that I thought they had achieved, I really enjoyed this book. It has some funny moments, some devastating emotion, and some very hot sex. I liked the way the overall plot arcs were resolved for the series, I thought Eric and Beth were good together and earned their happy ending, and the story sucked me in. Twice, because when I went to look something up for a comment I made elsewhere, I got sucked back in and ended up rereading the whole book less than a month after I first read it. Considering the number of books I have waiting to be read the first time, that is pretty high praise.(less)

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Nov 07, 2011 Kelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ebook, netgalley

This is the 3rd and final book in the Donovan Brothers Brewery series. It is my favorite in the series.

Warning: This review will contain some spoilers for the previous stories in the series.

We first meet Eric in the novella, "Just One Taste" in the book The Guy Next Door. Worth reading before you read the series, but definitely worth reading before this book, though not required as Dahl does a very nice job of informing you of the details you need to know. Such as he had a one night stand with...more This is the 3rd and final book in the Donovan Brothers Brewery series. It is my favorite in the series.

Warning: This review will contain some spoilers for the previous stories in the series.

We first meet Eric in the novella, "Just One Taste" in the book The Guy Next Door. Worth reading before you read the series, but definitely worth reading before this book, though not required as Dahl does a very nice job of informing you of the details you need to know. Such as he had a one night stand with Beth a few months earlier but didn't tell her his real name. She thought he was Jamie and Eric never found the right moment after the obvious one to correct her. When she finds out, she's a little pissed. Jamie, Eric's younger brother, isn't thrilled either. Especially since he's in a happy relationship (read book 2 in the series, Bad Boys Do) and even more so because Eric constantly berates Jamie, at least in Jamie's mind, about his "bad boy" reputation.

Beth is the manager of an erotic boutique. She isn't entirely comfortable with all her job has her do nor with the reputation is has gained her. She is actually rather unadventurous. She also loves to help women feel more comfortable with their own sexual desires, needs, etc. Both of the other Donovan siblings have frequented her store. She is challenged by what she thinks people expect from her - from her wandering boss to her co-workers to her parents. She's working on being the woman she wants to be because she is getting over some very nasty business that a guy caused years before. (The guy should've been strung up by his balls.)

Eric has issues too to work through. We find out more about his role in the Donovan family. We find Jamie is a bit of a whiner because he is always looking through a filter when hearing Eric's words. Misinterpretation of intention is rampant on Jamie's behalf. You no longer will think Eric is a big asshole when you can see more clearly into the workings of his mind.

Because each have their own reasons, Eric and Beth keep things quiet from others but together they make a lot of noise. Ahem. As with all Dahl's novels, the sex is hot. There are some hidden waters running deep in each of these quiet and reserved characters that burst forth when they are together. (pun intended)

While the focus is on Eric and Beth, we also find that things at the brewery are moving along. Eric deals with feeling that he has no place there and finds himself in a better postion by the end of the book. The family dynamics are volatile as always but again by seeing into Eric's head we get a better understanding of why things are as they are. As you would expect, these dynamics are worked on and many things get said that go a long way to healing the family. There is also a more complete resolution to the burglary from book 1, Good Girls Don't and Beth plays a small part in that.

Beth knows the family that caused the break-in. As the father puts pressure on her, it causes her to deal with her own family. Her dad is a delightful character and I cried during the scene where he finds out what she does for a living. There was goodness written in that scene.

Dahl's characters are real. The heroine is strong and the hero can match her. I love Dahl's contemporary romances and this is my favorite series. Although, Ben, from Talk Me Down, is still my favorite hero of hers.(less)

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Oct 27, 2011 Harper rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This is the third book in the Donovan series. The story centers on Eric, the older brother who has sacrificed most of his adulthood to raising his younger brother and sister after the death of their parents. His personal life has been put on hold for years and as his brother and sister find love, he realizes he isn't happy with where he is. As a matter of fact, nothing is going right in his life and he doesn't know what to do. He is an ultra control freak and after years of controlling every asp...more

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Oct 27, 2011 Amanda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: on-my-kindle, not-my-fave-from-this-author, really-disappointed

I had a hard time deciding what to rate his book, I've loved the previous books in this series, but this one was not for me. The actual romance between the h/h was fantastic. I loved the main characters and the circumstances that threw them together. What didn't work for me was that I felt like I was reading porn. It was a little past my threshold. Yes, i know it was a romance. I love romance. I love the happy endings. I love when an author builds a believable, tight knit plot, which Ms. Dahl do...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Ashley Deniz rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

The third and final books of the Donovan Brothers series did not disappoint one bit. As I have said in the other reviews for this series, I have found a new favorite author. I am so thrilled with this book, her writing style and the series. Victoria continues to write witty romance with a a grounding in the real world. So often I read romance novels and think 'never in a million years.' With these novels, her characters are so real, down to earth and you know that if these situations were presen...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Noni Fro (Janon) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have one word for this book – HOT! I have to say that Dahl saved the best for last in this Donovan Brewery Trilogy. Before you read this book, I would recommend reading the short story “Just One Taste”. It’s found in The Guy Next Door anthology. It is the set up to this book were Eric and Beth have a one night stand as strangers.

This book picks up 6 months after Eric and Beth’s one night stand. Neither one of them can stop thinking about each other and then Beth runs into Eric at his bar. Firs...more

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Oct 03, 2011 Jonetta rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Eric Donovan has lived his life being the perfect son and brother. When his parents were suddenly killed in a freak car accident, he abandoned his dreams to return home and run the family brewery, raising his teenage brother and sister at the same time.

Beth Cantrell is the35-year old manager of White Orchid, an erotic boutique in Boulder, located only a few blocks from the brewery. Both she and Eric were attending a business expo in Denver with stations near each other when they established eye...more Eric Donovan has lived his life being the perfect son and brother. When his parents were suddenly killed in a freak car accident, he abandoned his dreams to return home and run the family brewery, raising his teenage brother and sister at the same time.

Beth Cantrell is the35-year old manager of White Orchid, an erotic boutique in Boulder, located only a few blocks from the brewery. Both she and Eric were attending a business expo in Denver with stations near each other when they established eye contact and the chemistry was explosive. Neither fit each other’s ideal of their normal “type” but the attraction was undeniable. They end up in a hotel room but agree to go their separate ways, marveling at how what they’d just done was out of character for them both. However, the entire time Beth believed she was with Jamie Donovan (that was the name displayed at the expo) and Eric did nothing to clear up the misconception.

This was a story of two people who were living lives based on the expectations of others and not necessarily ones they would choose. They are more alike than how they appear on the surface, suppressing their real feelings and resorting to lies whenever needed to perpetuate their myths. It was inevitable that Beth and Eric’s paths would cross again and she would discover his betrayal. As much as she distrusts him, they cannot seem to avoid their physical attraction and succumb to it repeatedly.

Eric isn’t an easy character and I found it difficult at times to be sympathetic towards him or even like him, however, he redeems himself very late in the story. Beth makes choices that are very curious and it was often difficult to clearly understand her point of view. We learn more about her personal baggage fairly late in the story and it might have been more helpful in getting her character if this information was disclosed just a little earlier. Nevertheless, she’s extremely likable but you question what it was that attracted her to Eric, beyond his “preppy” look and why she’s such a contradiction.

I liked this story but it is my least favorite in the series. Be forewarned that the glue that holds this couple together is sexual compatibility so there are many steamy scenes between the two, almost to distraction. There isn’t a neat wrap up at the end of the story so I’m hoping there will be more to the series. There are some secondary characters, like Luke Asher’s partner, Simone Parker, and Wallace Hood the brewmaster who are pretty interesting with room for stories. We can only hope as this was a very interesting series.

My rating for the book is 3.5 stars.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley)
(less)

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Oct 01, 2011 Rhonda rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Okay this book was uncomfortable for me. Their was way too much sex everywhere for me. Not only love scenes but Beth managed a risque business that had clothes,sex toys. Wrote articles about sex . Even had sex talk classes. So much was revolved around sex.

Beth even though she managed the store she was not as free with sex that everybody thought she was. She taught the classes because owner thought it would be good. Her co-workers were willing to talk about their experiences with the subjects of...more

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Sep 26, 2011 Guilty Pleasures rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I just love when the quiet, preppy, nerd type let their freak flag fly =)

In Real Men Will we finally get to find out why Eric feels the need to be perfect and in control oeverything. I love that straightlaced upstanding Eric has a taste for kink that he never knew about until he met up with Beth again. Beth has major hang ups when it comes to having sex, and finds that with Eric she can just let go, even though she can't trust him. There is a lot of hot lovin in Real Men Will. IMO when you combi...more

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Sep 25, 2011 Amanda Ryan rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Redonk Nutshell: Upstanding older brother gets in over his head with a woman he can't seem to shake from his past

I love it when a series comes to a conclusion with an epic BANG! And in this case it's safe to say that in a raunchy way because this book has some serious smoke.

The third book in Dah'ls Donovan Brother's Brewery series gives us Eric's story. Poor Eric. He's gotten a lot of crap from his younger siblings in the first two books. He's the eldest, the brother that kept (and continues to...more Redonk Nutshell: Upstanding older brother gets in over his head with a woman he can't seem to shake from his past

I love it when a series comes to a conclusion with an epic BANG! And in this case it's safe to say that in a raunchy way because this book has some serious smoke.

The third book in Dah'ls Donovan Brother's Brewery series gives us Eric's story. Poor Eric. He's gotten a lot of crap from his younger siblings in the first two books. He's the eldest, the brother that kept (and continues to keep) things running somewhat smoothly. He assumes the parental role when their parents tragically die, a role Eric carries with heavy burden. While his sister and brother flail and falter their way to finding true contentment, Eric stands stoically by and offers his support in a way only an older brother can.

Well, it's always the quiet ones you gotta watch. *snort*

Eric can't seem to shake the memory of the woman from his one night stand several months ago. "One night stand," you say? "Eric?" Yup. Well, he's met his match in Beth, the quiet yet independent woman who runs the classy erotic adult boutique in his hometown. When these two inadvertently crash into one another the sparks start flying once again, and they gradually give in to the temptation to have another night together. When one night turns into two, they realize their attraction to one another can't be ignored. But in order to make their relationship work, they both have their own issues to work through.

This is my favorite in the Donovan series, which is funny because I wasn't a big Eric fan until this book. Beth is a wonderful watch for him, and the crazy-intense sparks that fly between them will really make you grin and blush. You want nothing more than for these two to figure out their baggage so they can just quit the crap and be together. And when they do get together? Ah, yes. It's magical.

I consumed this book in a day. It's a lovely fluffy yet steamy read. I could have done without the drama of Eric's siblings (can someone just smack Tessa? Please?), but Eric and Beth rise above it to shine as the stars of this book.

Real Men Will by Victoria Dahl, 10/25/11

Rating: B-

Romance: 2/5 Raunch: 4.5/5(less)

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Dec 17, 2012 Micah rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Real Men Will is the one book out of the series that I don't know how to describe. Beth and Eric are both fascinating characters and after two books of reading how parental and almost uptight Eric is it was nice to get inside his mind and see how he views the world. The relationship between Beth and Eric may quite possibly be the hottest in the whole series. The fact that the two of them feel comfortable enough with one another to vocalize some of their fantasies in the bedroom and then enact th...more Real Men Will is the one book out of the series that I don't know how to describe. Beth and Eric are both fascinating characters and after two books of reading how parental and almost uptight Eric is it was nice to get inside his mind and see how he views the world. The relationship between Beth and Eric may quite possibly be the hottest in the whole series. The fact that the two of them feel comfortable enough with one another to vocalize some of their fantasies in the bedroom and then enact them. Yup, hot. The contradiction (on the outside) of Beth and Eric worked really well and it was fun to see how they would end up meeting in the middle.

As far as the Donovan family, I was getting really tired of reading about Eric and Jamie having yet another fight so I was pleased when that finally came to a head. Everybody in that family has insecurities and secrets and clearly they would all greatly benefit from sitting down and having an open and honest conversation with one another (if only it were that simple). But what was nice to read the continuation of the family's story and read about the progress of the brewery.

I'm not sure if Victoria Dahl is planning on writing any more to this series but if she doesn't I think this book was a fine way to close. It not only wrapped up many of the overarching book problems, but it left everyone with warm fuzzies at the end. And really, isn't that what you want at the end of a book like this?

PS: I did not know that Eric and Beth's one night stand was the topic of a novella written before this series came out. In many of the reviews I read, people questioned if you would be able to pick up on the fact that something occurred between the two characters if you didn't read the novella first. As an individual who did not in fact read it (and still has not) I can tell you that I knew something was up with Beth in the first book of the series when Tessa was in White Orchid and Beth freaked out a bit. I had no idea why she was freaking out, but that made me question what was going on. Then in the second book when during the Sunday dinner a comment is made about White Orchid and Eric freaks out I realized that those two had to be connected in some way. So no, you don't have to read the novella first to pick up on anything because Victoria Dahl left enough hints in the other books for the reader to pick up on something being there. (less)

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Aug 13, 2012 Barbara rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I don't usually read romance novels but I gave this one and shot and enjoyed it enough. I hadn't read the previous two books in the series but I didn't feel like it mattered much. The basic story is Eric Donovan and Beth Cantrell meet and have a passionate one night stand. Neither knows the other well and Eric makes it more complicated by using his brother Jamie's name instead of his own. Six months go by and the two find themselves in each other's lives due to a robbery at the Donovan Brother's...more

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Oct 28, 2011 Bells rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Real Men Will is my favorite book in the series because we get to learn more about the Erin Donovan. He is the intense sibling and it was nice to see him step out of his comfort zone and enjoy himself with Beth Cantrell. He meet her in book 2 in the series Bad Boys Do. They had a hot tryst in that book and it spills over into this 3rd book in the series. Their relationship does have it's problems at the beginning due to Eric letting Beth think that his name was Jaime which is his brother. They n...more Real Men Will is my favorite book in the series because we get to learn more about the Erin Donovan. He is the intense sibling and it was nice to see him step out of his comfort zone and enjoy himself with Beth Cantrell. He meet her in book 2 in the series Bad Boys Do. They had a hot tryst in that book and it spills over into this 3rd book in the series. Their relationship does have it's problems at the beginning due to Eric letting Beth think that his name was Jaime which is his brother. They never thought they would see each other again and when they do, she is very angry to realize that he lied to her. In all honesty, Eric thought what he was doing would be ok, but I could see why Beth was upset. She has always felt that she couldn't trust a man and Eric did nothing but add fuel to the fire. But these two just can't seem to stay away from each other and I'm glad that the didn't because this was one scorching book!

I love that Beth is very proud of the work that she does. She's the manager of a shop that sells lingerie and women sex toys. There is nothing disgraceful about it, but at the same time Beth feels that some people will feel that she has a certain reputation because of what she does. She vows to never tell her father about the work that she does even though she feels as if she is helping women find and discover their sexuality. She and Eric decide to keep their ongoing sexual relationship secret as well as simple. They don't want to enter into a relationship but as the book goes on that's exactly what happens. They get each other and with that are able to feel completely comfortable around one another. They haven't been able to do that with other people and realize that there is more going on that what the first agreed upon. I liked being able to see their vulnerable sides and how they were able to let each other see those sides as well. They were also very comfortable letting each other know what they liked sexually and let me tell you those scenes were smoking!! I enjoyed reading those scenes as they enjoyed each others company. *wink*

I was so happy when Eric was able to let his siblings know how he truly felt about what was going on in his life and how the past had affected that. The truth truly set him free in a sense and he finally realized that it was necessary in order for his life to go in the direction that it wanted to. The same could be said for Beth as she was truthful to her love ones about her life and was able to admit that she was not ashamed of what she did. Because of this they were both able to truly feel complete and whole and their relationships with their loved ones as well as with each other. (less)

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Real Men Will (Donovan Brothers Brewery #3)

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