What do you think?
McCabe Multiples #1
Runaway Lone Star Bride
WEDDING FIASCO…TO DOMESTIC BLISS?
Nothing in his military training—or Texas upbringing—prepared Hart Sanders for rescuing a woman fleeing her own nuptials. But when the runaway bride is dangerously desirable Maggie McCabe, now working at his family ranch as a wedding planner of all things and bonding with his toddler son, Hart can't stop fantasies of domestic bliss.
Two years ago, Maggie ran from making the biggest mistake of her life as fast as her cowgirl boots would take her. Now the gorgeous ex-soldier and his adorable, blue-eyed boy are wreaking havoc with this McCabe daughter's hard-fought independence. Maggie just wants to help Hart create a stable, loving home for Henry…but doesn't stand a chance against their irresistible Lone Star charm!
Nothing in his military training—or Texas upbringing—prepared Hart Sanders for rescuing a woman fleeing her own nuptials. But when the runaway bride is dangerously desirable Maggie McCabe, now working at his family ranch as a wedding planner of all things and bonding with his toddler son, Hart can't stop fantasies of domestic bliss.
Two years ago, Maggie ran from making the biggest mistake of her life as fast as her cowgirl boots would take her. Now the gorgeous ex-soldier and his adorable, blue-eyed boy are wreaking havoc with this McCabe daughter's hard-fought independence. Maggie just wants to help Hart create a stable, loving home for Henry…but doesn't stand a chance against their irresistible Lone Star charm!
380 pages, Hardcover
First published July 1, 2014
About the author
Cathy Gillen Thacker
385 books107 followersDear Readers,
The love stories in my family have always been fodder for romance novels.
My maternal grandmother and grandfather simultaneously ran a business together and raised four daughters, long before it was an accepted thing to do. Grandpa O’Dell ran the gas station and the barber shop; Grandma O’Dell managed the grocery and cooked for customers. They were true partners and madly in love and parted, tragically, way too soon when he succumbed to cancer when he was in his early fifties. Grandma grieved deeply but eventually picked herself up, started a new career as a cafeteria chef, and eventually found deep romantic love and happiness again, in the form of a second marriage.
Read more here...
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 15, 2020
I don't have an opening quote for this.
Maggie (short for Magnolia, Callie's sister from Lone Star Christmas) is a runaway bride. She bolts at the altar and runs into the woods. Former army Hart runs after her. Then they don't see each other for a few years.
Maggie stays on at the wedding resort, and works there for years, 'hiding from the world.' Hart returns because his parents are the ones who run the wedding business. He's carting an 18-month-old named Henry with him.
MY WHOLE BEEF WITH THIS BOOK
My whole beef with this book is that Hart is basically seducing / fucking Maggie in order to get free, 24/7 childcare for life. He thinks she's hot. He likes having sex with her. Why not marry her and gain sex on tap and also free 24/7 childcare forever?
He's not even that subtle about this.
I don't think this is romantic. He knows Maggie has a long history in childcare. She wants to step away from that. She's actually qualified to be a business analyst now (though she's put that on hold to work for the wedding business). She doesn't want to do childcare anymore. People assume that since you've done childcare for years (decades, sometimes) and you love children - that you will be DELIGHTED for the 'opportunity' to become a full-time nanny for their kid. It's not true.
And he keeps using Henry to guilt her. Whenever she tries to pull away, he's like, "Well, don't you love Henry?" Honestly, what the fuck does loving Henry have to do with it? Maybe she wants a husband who values her as a person, did you ever think of that?!?
When it seems like Maggie is not going to fall for his ploy, not going to agree to either marry him or have sex with him while living with him in another state, and take care of Henry full time as well.... he calls his parents. And asks them wouldn't they love to move house from Texas to California in order to take care of Henry full time? They politely decline, much to his confusion and frustration.
I don't get this guy. Take care of your own fucking son? He's your son. Are you that incompetent that you can't raise him yourself? Hire a fucking nanny. (He does eventually hire a nanny, finally giving up on receiving free, 24/7 childcare from his wife/servant or relative/servants.)
That's my main beef. Even Hart's goes something along the lines of "Henry's missed you. Henry loves you. Don't you want to spend the rest of your life with him?" Instead of, I don't know, talking about how much he loves her or their future together as a couple, etc.
WRITING
Gillen Thacker loves adjectives and adverbs, to the point where it almost becomes humorous. Every noun and action is modified.
THE FLIRTING
The flirting is atrocious. I mean, I guess what passes as good and cute flirting is subjective, but I found this flirting very silly and laughable. Rolled my eyes a lot.
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Well, first I was disappointed because their first sex scene together is SO vague it was like trying to piece together sanskrit. I was squinting my eyes and tilting the book from left to right trying to decipher what these two were doing in bed together. I think she humped his leg at one point. I'm not even joking.
But I shouldn't have despaired. As the couple keeps on having sex - and they have sex a lot in this book. They have sex almost every night. Unlike some American Romances where it's one-and-done. - the sex scenes actually get to the point where Gillen Thacker describes everything and describes it well. I was pleased.
I have to give him extra points for going down on her, and I have to give Gillen Thacker extra points for making sure to mention that Maggie has hair on her vulva. And I have to give Gillen Thacker points for her 3 1/2 page described sex scene. Good job!
TL;DR My main problem with this book is the conceit that Hart is only 'romancing' Maggie because he wants free, 24/7 childcare. Sex on tap is a bonus. I just don't find this particularly romantic, even though historically men usually marry in order to have a live-in servant. But this isn't a historical, it's a contemporary taking place in 2014. I mean, he's not even that good at it. Even if you wanted to romance a woman for this purpose, you have to be more subtle about it. Also you should be more patient, less pushy, and say stuff like "I love you" and stress more your interactions / feelings as a COUPLE rather than shoving her into a mommy/nanny role all the time. Being a mommy or nanny is great, but it's not romantic and it's not going to make a woman fall in love with you. Be smarter, Hart.
And of course they end up together, so I guess he wins. Fuck that shit.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES
Contemporary Romance
Non-Virgin Heroine
He Heads Up Security for a Hollywood Star, Former Army; She is a Business Analyst but now works for a Wedding Industry.
Takes place in: Texas, U.S.A.
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
Maggie (short for Magnolia, Callie's sister from Lone Star Christmas) is a runaway bride. She bolts at the altar and runs into the woods. Former army Hart runs after her. Then they don't see each other for a few years.
Maggie stays on at the wedding resort, and works there for years, 'hiding from the world.' Hart returns because his parents are the ones who run the wedding business. He's carting an 18-month-old named Henry with him.
MY WHOLE BEEF WITH THIS BOOK
My whole beef with this book is that Hart is basically seducing / fucking Maggie in order to get free, 24/7 childcare for life. He thinks she's hot. He likes having sex with her. Why not marry her and gain sex on tap and also free 24/7 childcare forever?
He's not even that subtle about this.
I don't think this is romantic. He knows Maggie has a long history in childcare. She wants to step away from that. She's actually qualified to be a business analyst now (though she's put that on hold to work for the wedding business). She doesn't want to do childcare anymore. People assume that since you've done childcare for years (decades, sometimes) and you love children - that you will be DELIGHTED for the 'opportunity' to become a full-time nanny for their kid. It's not true.
And he keeps using Henry to guilt her. Whenever she tries to pull away, he's like, "Well, don't you love Henry?" Honestly, what the fuck does loving Henry have to do with it? Maybe she wants a husband who values her as a person, did you ever think of that?!?
When it seems like Maggie is not going to fall for his ploy, not going to agree to either marry him or have sex with him while living with him in another state, and take care of Henry full time as well.... he calls his parents. And asks them wouldn't they love to move house from Texas to California in order to take care of Henry full time? They politely decline, much to his confusion and frustration.
I don't get this guy. Take care of your own fucking son? He's your son. Are you that incompetent that you can't raise him yourself? Hire a fucking nanny. (He does eventually hire a nanny, finally giving up on receiving free, 24/7 childcare from his wife/servant or relative/servants.)
That's my main beef. Even Hart's goes something along the lines of "Henry's missed you. Henry loves you. Don't you want to spend the rest of your life with him?" Instead of, I don't know, talking about how much he loves her or their future together as a couple, etc.
WRITING
Gillen Thacker loves adjectives and adverbs, to the point where it almost becomes humorous. Every noun and action is modified.
THE FLIRTING
The flirting is atrocious. I mean, I guess what passes as good and cute flirting is subjective, but I found this flirting very silly and laughable. Rolled my eyes a lot.
HOW'S THE SEX, CARMEN?
Well, first I was disappointed because their first sex scene together is SO vague it was like trying to piece together sanskrit. I was squinting my eyes and tilting the book from left to right trying to decipher what these two were doing in bed together. I think she humped his leg at one point. I'm not even joking.
But I shouldn't have despaired. As the couple keeps on having sex - and they have sex a lot in this book. They have sex almost every night. Unlike some American Romances where it's one-and-done. - the sex scenes actually get to the point where Gillen Thacker describes everything and describes it well. I was pleased.
I have to give him extra points for going down on her, and I have to give Gillen Thacker extra points for making sure to mention that Maggie has hair on her vulva. And I have to give Gillen Thacker points for her 3 1/2 page described sex scene. Good job!
TL;DR My main problem with this book is the conceit that Hart is only 'romancing' Maggie because he wants free, 24/7 childcare. Sex on tap is a bonus. I just don't find this particularly romantic, even though historically men usually marry in order to have a live-in servant. But this isn't a historical, it's a contemporary taking place in 2014. I mean, he's not even that good at it. Even if you wanted to romance a woman for this purpose, you have to be more subtle about it. Also you should be more patient, less pushy, and say stuff like "I love you" and stress more your interactions / feelings as a COUPLE rather than shoving her into a mommy/nanny role all the time. Being a mommy or nanny is great, but it's not romantic and it's not going to make a woman fall in love with you. Be smarter, Hart.
And of course they end up together, so I guess he wins. Fuck that shit.
ROMANCE CATEGORIES
Contemporary Romance
Non-Virgin Heroine
He Heads Up Security for a Hollywood Star, Former Army; She is a Business Analyst but now works for a Wedding Industry.
Takes place in: Texas, U.S.A.
NAMES IN THIS BOOK
February 2, 2025
Angsty. Long and drawn out. Maggie (Magnolia) is a twin. She has a close relationship with her twin: Callie .. which was a highlight of the book for this reader.
The morality with the hero (Hart) was all messed up imho. But admittedly Maggie was right there with him.
The morality with the hero (Hart) was all messed up imho. But admittedly Maggie was right there with him.
Read
July 1, 2014"The first in the McCabe Multiples series has a heroine who discovers that love can find you anywhere and dreams don’t always work out the way you plan" (RT Book Reviews).
Miniseries: McCabe Multiples
Miniseries: McCabe Multiples
May 31, 2017
AR1507 Jul14 McCade Multiples #1 Twins Callie and Maggie planed a double wedding and on the big day Maggie ran! Hart Sanders, son of the owners of Wedding Mountain goes after her before she gets lost in the woods.
2 years pass and Maggie is running the Sanders' Mountain Wedding. Hart returns home with a toddler son he just found out about after his mother died. She hadn't told him about his son and he only found out when social services found him. He asks Maggie to help him with his son, Henry. She agrees, knowing that Hart will not be staying, and she needs to move on from her past. her goal is to get the business back on track and in the black with up grades to get an online presence.
2 years pass and Maggie is running the Sanders' Mountain Wedding. Hart returns home with a toddler son he just found out about after his mother died. She hadn't told him about his son and he only found out when social services found him. He asks Maggie to help him with his son, Henry. She agrees, knowing that Hart will not be staying, and she needs to move on from her past. her goal is to get the business back on track and in the black with up grades to get an online presence.
January 24, 2015
Decent romance. First in McCabe Multiples series.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews