++Spoilers+
This is the first book by this author I was disappointed in.
The whole premise of the shotgun wedding was just not done well. It was completely unrealistic not only in the believability of the characters actions but the entire logic.
1. I doubt a judge would marry people against their will even if said judge was family. I believe it would be against the law. Since the judge is known as an "honorable" man in the previous book in this series, why would he do this? It is corruption!
2. Joel didn't have to say "I do" he did not have to sign the marriage license, AND he could have very well run off afterwards.
I personally did not care for the way the heroine had no problem being so selfish as to force a man to marry her because she was "scared" and needed protection. She didn't even consider going to the sherrif! Why? Why make a man miserable and ruin his life? I totally hated her for this.
I also didn't buy how the hero (Joel) all of a sudden after one conversation with the heroine (April), was ok with being married to her. IMHO neither H or h were likable and I can't fathom why they eventually fell for each other.
Sorry Ms. Nordin, I love all of your other books but this one just didn't cut the mustard with me.
I did finish it however, hoping it would improve, but after they married, the book became extremely dull and I skimmed a lot not finding much in the way of redeemability.
The conflict was almost non-existant, and the sole antagonist was absent through most of the book, just showing up in the end only to be easily thwarted and arrested.
I plan on skipping the next two books in the series which are, from what I have read in reviews, not to my tastes. Book 7 involves the couple from the book with the unattractive heroine which I have yet to read, and still may not, and book 8 has the hero going to a prostitute.. uh no...
I do plan to read the last one (9) which according to the GR summary looks promising.
Safety:
Hero-Virgin
Heroine-Experienced-widowed. Never enjoyed sex before hero.
Cheating-No
OM/OW-No
Rape-Attempted, thwarted, some detail that may disturb others
Violence-mild
Cursing-No
Sex-Yes a few times detailed nothing crazy
Adultery-No
HEA/ILY-Yes to both
Marriage-Yes forced upon the hero
Baby-Yes