The Tycoon

Sons of Texas #1

by Anna Jeffrey

When Drake Lockhart, wealthy ranching scion and Texas tycoon, meets a stunning redhead at a fancy ball, the last thing he expects is a tryst he can’t forget, followed by her disappearing in the middle of the night. Every minute spent with the vulnerable beauty has left him hungering for more.

Shannon Piper was out of place at the charity ball. And an intimate encounter with a man so far removed from her social hemisphere wasn’t on her agenda. He has a reputation for ruthlessness and is one of Texas Monthly’s most eligible bachelors, known for his history with women. Is a relationship based on just sex the way to protect her heart? Or is it the beginning of the most enduring love a girl with a sketchy past could ever know?

Genres: Romance, Westerns, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Fiction

392 pages, Kindle Edition

First published December 19, 2012

About the author

Anna Jeffrey is an award-winning author of romance novels as well as romantic comedy/mystery. She has written 11 romance novels and co-authored 8 as USA Today Bestselling author, Dixie Cash. Her most recent book is "The Cattleman."

Her Anna Jeffrey books have won the Write Touch Readers' Award, the Aspen Gold, and the More Than Magic awards. Her books have been finalists in the Colorado Romance Writers award, the Golden Quill and Southern Magic as well as the Write Touch Readers' Award, the Aspen Gold and the More than Magic awards. She is a member of Romance Writers of America and NINC.

Anna is a fifth generation Texan. She was born and grew up in West Texas, where most of her family members were farmers and ranchers or worked in the oil fields. She left Texas for many years and lived in four of the western states, a rich experience she'll never forget.

She loves most things western, from the customs and culture to the philosophy of life. She enjoys many hobbies, i.e., reading, painting and drawing, crafting, needlework and beading.

These days, she's back home in Texas. She and her husband currently live in Granbury, Texas, a small town not far from the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

Reviews

[Ellen Ramey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ms. Jeffrey's new series is set in contemporary Texas. Her characters are strong, determined to achieve their goals on their own two feet yet missing the piece that makes their lives. As this book is part of a series, she takes more time introducing the characters and setting up the plot than in her previous works....but how it pays off at the end! I cannot wait for Book 2 of the series to find out what happens next:)

[Sandy M · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s always the little things in life that end up knocking us for a loop. In this case, for Shannon Piper, a real estate agent who has worked her tail off to make her small-town business a success, it’s a five-acre parcel of land that sits smack dab in the middle of other acreage she owns. That little plot is the difference between the big time and small potatoes for her. Drake Lockhart looks at it a bit differently.

What I like too about that five acres is the fact Anna Jeffrey strings us along, putting off Shannon finding out if her bid will be accepted. So we know that when the day finally comes and it’s revealed who does win that bid, all hell is going to break loose. So until that happens late in the book, when our anticipation is at its maximum, we get a terrific story of two characters who meet by chance, and the old saying about eyes meeting across a crowded room comes to life.

Hoping to make some contacts, Shannon attends a snazzy gathering of the top movers and shakers in the real estate industry. Things don’t come to fruition as she’d hoped, but eye contact with that handsome man gave her a tingle rush, which returns when he approaches her in the bar, not mincing words when telling what he wants from her. Taking a crazy chance, Shannon gives in to the desire that bursts wide open all the while she’s near Drake Lockhart.

On top of his game, Drake’s only problem in life is a spoiled daddy’s girl who drinks too much and embarrasses them both every time they’re together. Tonight is no exception. Calling off their on-agan-off-again relationship, Drake would rather spend time with someone like Shannon Piper. Real, honest, and sexy as hell. Having her in his bed is amazing and he wants more. But after their explosive night together, he wakes up alone. Only through quirks of fate does he find her again, and this time he’s not letting go.

I thoroughly enjoyed these two characters. Shannon is totally focused on her business, doesn’t want anything to get in the way. Including Drake. But she can’t keep that resistance up when he’s around. Even making her “just sex” deal with him doesn’t work. One touch and they’re both out of control. Drake is out of town on business a lot, so he takes Shannon along more and more, where they get to know one another, have built up a trust between them, the beginning of a very nice relationship.

But there’s outside sources that are getting in the way. One is Drake’s mother. Talk about a meddler, in cahoots with the ex-girlfriend. Especially when she’s going through relationship problems of her own with Drake’s dad. Then as the time gets closer to discovering who the high bidder is on that five acres, again more suspicision causes problems for Drake and Shannon. And though Shannon’s reaction is predictable, as with how they’ve handled everything so far, these two talk things out after a while.

In between our getting to know Drake and Shannon, we are also introduced to Drake’s family at the Double-Barrel Ranch, his younger siblings and his parents, each throwing craziness his way to handle. I like that Ms. Jeffrey doesn’t make us wait three-quarters of the book before Drake and Shannon hit the sheets. A lot of books do that anymore, and I’m a tad tired of it. There’s a lot to be said for sexual tension, but sometimes it’s just better for characters to get their move on. These two do that quite early, and their sexapades throughout after that are fun as well as intense and satisfying.

I’m looking forward to more books with this family. There’s a lot going on. This book is a bit over 400 pages, but not once was I bored and wished things would move faster. If Ms. Jeffrey stays the course in consistency with what she’s introduced readers to with this story, the other books will be just as good as this one.

See my complete review at http://www.goodbadandunread.com

[deb22luvsbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this romance. The author is a very descriptive author and at points I though she was a little too descriptive (really did not need to know what each person was wearing when they went somewhere), but it did not detract from the story too much. It was a very indepth story with many little backstories and sub characters to get to know. The main two characters are the typical playboy who comes from money, but has struck out to make his own fortune and the "white trash" girl who has a sordid past and who has worked very hard to move away from that and has started her own business to which she is very dedicated. They meet at a charity auction where sparks fly and they both do things that are out of character for them (he brings someone home to his apartment, she actually goes there without knowing him). The story goes on with them going back and forth acting on and then denying their true emotions until they can no longer do that. The sex scenes are hot....the partners from the past are many and angst abounds!!
This story also has many subplots: His parents dysfunctional marriage; Her dysfunctional family; a mysterious plot against his family's businesses; past lovers who mean to do harm.....and it goes on, plenty of material for future installments to be based on.
My biggest complaint about this book is that it wrapped up in a jiffy and I suppose the ending was meant to be a "cliffy" but really it just left me looking for more chapters behind the last page. I rather have a little more to the HEA than that.

[Krystle ~A Booknatic~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

First off I would like to thank the author for gifting me with this great read in exchange for a review! I'll admit it's my first western style romance, I've been so caught up in the paranormal romance genre I haven't really sought out to read anything different, and I'm glad I did, change is good... Especially this book, haha!!! I enjoyed it very much, and can't wait for more in this series. =)


You learn about two very independent people, Shannon Piper and Drake Lockhart. Shannon comes from a rough upbringing and didn't really find herself until she broke away from some bad decisions she made in her younger years and Drake had a more “cushy” lifestyle coming from a very wealthy family of ranchers (yep cowboys...tight wranglers.../sigh lol).

Shannon is now a very successful business woman, owning her own real estate company dealing with selling high end homes in the Camden, TX area. Not bad from her ending high school with a GED, getting mixed up in sticky situations, going from odd ball job to bad job, then moving back home to live with her grandmother and getting her real estate license thru night classes at a community college. Once she got her business off the ground she was finally coming into her own and couldn't have been any happier.. Until she met Drake, she didn't need any kind of distractions what so ever. But how do you keep yourself from having a bit of fun, especially when he's so attractive?

Drake Lockhart is the son of Bill Lockhart owner of the Double-Barrel Ranch, founder and CEO of a major real estate investment company, and is no stranger to having lavish women dangling from his arms. Like his current flame Donna, but her view point of life begins with throwing around meaningless words like “fabulous/marvelous”, countless giddy friends who act like spring break is all year round, and ends at the bottom of a martini glass. Something Drake is tiring of since he is now 35 years old, lately now the idea of possibly starting a family and settling down have been becoming more appealing to the cowboy.

These two meet at a charity ball event hosted by the high end of the real estate world. Shannon is excited to be networking among the top of who's who and putting her name out there. She bought herself “The Dress” that makes her absolutely shine, she mingles, she laughs with people she doesn't know.. And then she sees him..

Her first thought was how different he looked from the others in the room, like a nineteenth century throwback who might walk outside, mount his horse and ride away.

And vice versa

Drake was taken aback. He had to make himself stop staring at the red-haired woman. She was wearing one of those glittery dresses and in the room's special lighting, she looked like an exquisite emerald.



They have an exciting meeting indeed, followed by an exciting rest of the evening and into the wee morning hours. And just like that she's gone without a trace. Doesn't take him long though to track her down (especially since her face is plastered on a giant billboard in town for her company) since they're both in the same business, and when he does I loved it. As I read it I said allowed, “You are so busted girl”. I even felt embarrassed for her because the author puts her in a tricky situation where Drake has the upper hand LOL. Loved that scene.

Ms. Jeffrey does a great job with this book, she makes you feel all of the emotions the characters are portraying, it's very streamlined, and it has great characters that make everything work! Like I said, can't wait for more. The only thing I wanted to see “more of” would be that I would have loved to of had like an epilogue or maybe she'll carry Shannon and Drake on over to the following books of the series, or maybe I wasn't ready to be done with them and just want more, haha!.... I also liked that the book wasn't told in just Drake and Shannon's point of view, that way you see more of what's going on, more character building for more of what's to come, etc..

I also kept thinking that I could easily see this as a movie/mini-series for the Hallmark Channel or Lifetime Channels.

....“You're the kind of girl who eats supper, aren't you?” He gave her his best smile. “Anything beyond that is strictly up to you.” - Drake Lockhart

[Jonel · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novel starts out at a bit of a slow pace but then picks up quite nicely. By the end you’re quite wrapped up in the relationship between the two main characters. She employs a very intricate, descriptive writing style that allows you to visualise everything that is going on and everywhere that you travel with the characters. Jeffrey also makes sure to fill in any background information without breaking the smooth, mellow flow of the story. I also appreciate the fact that Jeffrey writes about cutting like someone who rides a cutter regularly and knows the scene. She also portrays ranching in a realistic manner rarely seen in fiction. Overall, this is a very down to earth type story, which I quite enjoyed.

The two main characters in this novel are quite well developed. You get to know them as individuals and as a struggling couple. Some of the supporting cast is also quite well developed. They play key roles in the story (and I’m assuming in the sequel) and it shows in the way that they are portrayed. Others are less developed, but still fill their role in the story very well. As a whole, I quite enjoyed the cast that was brought forth in this novel.

As a rule, I hate cliff-hangers. A lack of ending in a novel is a pet peeve of mine. That said, Jeffrey walks a fine line between a cliff-hanger and leaving an opening for a sequel in a series. The main affairs of this novel are wrapped up within the novel itself, but there is definitely a lot left undone and waiting for the reader to explore more. It’s the perfect middle ground. I know I, for one, am dying for the sequel.

Please note that I received this novel free of charge from the author in exchange for an honest review.

[Victoria · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rounding up to 4 STARS- I'm not sure how I ended up reading this book since I'm not familiar with the author and didn't know anything about the title before I started but came across it, read the sample, and decided to try it out. Overall, it was a nice way to spend a Sunday.

The story starts pretty slow but by 20% in, I was fully invested. The writing was good, the characters were well developed, and the sexy parts were very well done and steamy. While nothing was overally explicit, the chemistry between these two characters was completely hot. There is a good bit of secondary story provided about family members. I absolutely hated Drake's mother in the story and wished he would have put her in her place early on. The major complaint I have is the ending. It felt very rushed and a couple things were not addressed that I thought were important to the relationship. This book definitely needs an epilogue, without one, it just seems incomplete. That being said, I really enjoyed these characters and would definitely read the second book (unreleased at this time) in the trilogy that will focus on Drakes brother.

One note: While the storyline between the hero and heroine concludes, there is a secondary storyline that was not resolved and I'm guessing will carry over to book two.

Note: At the time this review was posted, this book was available to borrow through SCRIBD Subcription Service.

To see other books available to borrow through Kindle Unlimited or SCRIBD, check out the Subscription Addiction group

https://www.goodreads.com/group/show/...

[Skye Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

***RRC received by author in exchange for an honest review***

Loved this book so much!!!

What a breath of fresh air!!

If you are looking for a BEAUTIFULLY written romance novel, thats hot and spicy in all the right spots, you've come to the right place!

I adored the parents, its not very often that parents are portrayed in novels, as still being in sooooo much love! They were like teenagers and it was wonderful!

Shannon Piper is solely focused on her real estate business. She wants NOTHING to come in the way of what she has worked so hard for.

Drake Lockhart hot, sexy, Alfa male with eyes for Shannon. This infatuation only intensifies after he wakes up alone after there meeting.

Ok, so 'just sex' didn't really work out of these two, and I could not have been happier!

I enjoyed watching them grow with each other, especially when he would take her on his business trips.

As with all books there was some drama, this time in the form of his mother and ex-girlfriend. Argh I despised these pair of meddling no-gooders.

The ending was nicely wrapped up, although there is an opportunity to expand the series through the rest if the family that was introduced throughout this 400+ page novel.

Thank you Anne, I truly enjoyed your work and would be more then happy to review for you in the future.

[Desiree Holt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Anna Jeffrey's books a while ago and she has never disappointed me. This is a great story about self-relaization and learning what really counts in life. Shannon is both strong and vulnerable and Drake is learning that having it all doesn't necessarily mean, well, having it all. As these two people do the relationship dance—one step forward, two steps back—I found myself cheering for them to be able to reach for what really mattered. It was obvious to the reader they loved each other long before they were willing to accept it themselves. Drake has been a player, big time, but after he meets Shannon he realizes how empty all those other relationships were. Is he still surrounded by beautiful women who throw themselves at him? Indeed, but he handles everything with courtesy and respect, even when he's pushing them out of his life. For good. Shannon is afraid to trust not only what she feels but what Drake says he feels and I loved watching him work hard to convince her that what they have is real. I read the book in two sittings, only because last night I couldn't stay up any longer. So this morning there I was with my tea and The Tycoon. I cannot wait for book 2 in this series. Anna, you rock.

[Che-che · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARR-I received this book in exchange for a review.

Ok first let me say I love this family, I have never read a book that contained 2 parents that were in such a teenage love saga before LOL. And when I say parents I mean the parents of the main character Drake.

Let me back up and start with the 2 main characters Shannon and Drake are 2 people from opposite sides of the track, Shannon is trying hard to make a good life for herself as well as take care of her grammy. Drake is a rich Texas tycoon who comes from a bug family with big pockets. They meet at an event where Shannon is there looking to make work contacts and Drake is there with his toxic hateful girlfriend.
They wind up having an unforgettable night that ends with Shannon giving a fake name and slipping out in the middle of the night.

This story was a little long winded at times but I got that the author is setting up the rest of this series and for that I loved it.The characters are all great and who doesn't love a story with a great HOT cowboys (I mean even the dad in a HOT cowboy) wink wink Swoon worthy dad I LOVE IT LOL

This was really great and I can not wait for the next installment I AM A FAN OF THIS SERIES AND WILL READ THE NEXT ONE!!!

[Tressa · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Tycoon was an enjoyable story. I found the setting and socioeconomic setting compelling. Anna Jeffrey created interesting characters and family dynamics, but I think that stronger editing would have made The Tycoon sparkle.

I thought that the main characters, Shannon and Drake, were engaging. Personally, I felt that Shannon was a stronger and more independent individual than Drake. I felt that Drake was actually a more vulnerable individual underneath all his personal success and wealth. I also enjoyed reading about their families.

I do wish that the various subplots in The Tycoon were tighter. The multiple subplots sometimes detracted from the primary story about Shannon and Drake. Overall, I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

[Anya · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! :)

[MiMi · Rating 3 out of 5]

for a long book the ending was very fast!!

[Lu Bielefeld · Rating 3 out of 5]

gostei e vou acompanhar a série.
A heroína tem uma personalidade marcante e não é nenhuma idiota.

[Claudia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Scheming, drama, back stabbing and in the middle of all that you got a love story. A rich Drake Lockhart and the girl from the otherside who fought to be success that she is Shannon Piper. Love wasn't planned for either of them but its what happened. Even through the plots of his mother who thought he deserved better than "white trash." On top that drama someone is out to destroy the Lockharts, the accidents may not just be accidents. This book has so many dynamics it keeps you on your toes as a reader. I could have read more but I'll guess I have to wait patiently to see how Shannon and Drakes love progresses and who is exactly involved in the plot against the family and why.

[Sandy Vaughan · Rating 4 out of 5]

No foreign hero here! He's TEXAS all the way! So is she! What should you expect? A Texas size romance between two honest, hardworking, strong willed people! (ok, i liked it!)

[Cindy Gower · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first "tablet" book - I am old school ... Loved it! Only one problem - this was the last Anna Jeffrey book that I had not read. So I guess I have to wait a few months for the next one ...

[Tammy Howard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot and steamy! Who can resist a gorgeous, wealthy Texas man anyway? I’m a Native Texan so I could relate to this book so well. Author nails getting that Texas feel in this book- so good!