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Mile High Romance #1
Need You Now
He’s mountain-tough. She’s city-smart. The sparks are about to fly . . .
Only the most resilient of souls could breathe new life into an all-but-forgotten town nestled in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains—but what they get in return might be worth the heartache it takes to make it happen . . .
Gracely, Colorado, was once a booming mining town. No one knows that better than Brandon Evans. His father’s company kept the town thriving for years—until Brandon threatened to expose his illegal practices and drove him away. Everyone blames Brandon and his brother for turning Gracely into a ghost town—but the tenacious residents cling to a long-held legend about the land’s healing powers. And Brandon has a plan to spin that legend into reality . . .
Lilly Preston took a leap of faith and moved to Gracely a year ago to save her nephew from an abusive situation. She would do anything for him, even sacrifice her glamorous job. Reluctantly, the former PR hot shot takes a job at the ruggedly handsome Evans brothers’ Mile High Adventures, a company offering restorative Rocky Mountain vacations.
Brandon thinks PR is pointless, and Lilly knows less than nothing about the outdoors. Which is exactly why they need each other—in ways neither ever imagined . . .
Only the most resilient of souls could breathe new life into an all-but-forgotten town nestled in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains—but what they get in return might be worth the heartache it takes to make it happen . . .
Gracely, Colorado, was once a booming mining town. No one knows that better than Brandon Evans. His father’s company kept the town thriving for years—until Brandon threatened to expose his illegal practices and drove him away. Everyone blames Brandon and his brother for turning Gracely into a ghost town—but the tenacious residents cling to a long-held legend about the land’s healing powers. And Brandon has a plan to spin that legend into reality . . .
Lilly Preston took a leap of faith and moved to Gracely a year ago to save her nephew from an abusive situation. She would do anything for him, even sacrifice her glamorous job. Reluctantly, the former PR hot shot takes a job at the ruggedly handsome Evans brothers’ Mile High Adventures, a company offering restorative Rocky Mountain vacations.
Brandon thinks PR is pointless, and Lilly knows less than nothing about the outdoors. Which is exactly why they need each other—in ways neither ever imagined . . .
352 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 30, 2017
About the author
Nicole Helm
325 books509 followersNicole Helm is the national bestselling author of fast-paced romantic suspense for Harlequin Intrigue and down-to-earth contemporary romance. Her Intrigues routinely land on the Publishers Weekly Bestseller list, and she’s received starred PW reviews for her contemporary romances. She’s written over 75 books, known for their emotional depth and happily ever afters.
Nicole also writes with Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews as Hazel Beck writing the Witchlore series, which began with SMALL TOWN, BIG MAGIC in 2022.
In her spare time, Nicole loves losing herself in genealogy research, watching Cardinals baseball, and hiking with her family. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons.
You can contact her via email: Nicole@nicolehelm.com
You can sign up for Nicole’s monthly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/V973n
Nicole also writes with Megan Crane/Caitlin Crews as Hazel Beck writing the Witchlore series, which began with SMALL TOWN, BIG MAGIC in 2022.
In her spare time, Nicole loves losing herself in genealogy research, watching Cardinals baseball, and hiking with her family. She lives in Missouri with her husband and two sons.
You can contact her via email: Nicole@nicolehelm.com
You can sign up for Nicole’s monthly newsletter at http://eepurl.com/V973n
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 66 reviews
June 5, 2017
I've really enjoyed Nicole Helm books in the past - she writes really fun contemporary romances, sometimes featuring farmers (score!) and they make me smile. So I'm sorry to say Need You Now did not give me the smilies. I usually love a grumpy hero but Brandon was just so...depressing...it was hard to root for him. Brandon grew up in Gracely, Colorado and his family owned a mine that employed many people. But after some shady business dealing from his father, the mine fails, and unemployment sky rockets. Brandon, who assumed he would one day take over the mine, is angry at the devastation his father's actions affected the town he loves. With the mountains, and the forests and the water, Brandon's blood sings with the beautiful nature. Wanting to give something back to the town, Brandon, his brother Will, and their friend Sam open an adventure company, taking groups of people on hikes and other adventures in the mountains. While their company is successful, the town still gives them the stink-eye and local businesses refuse to work with them. Will and Sam outvote Brandon and decide to bring in a PR person to help their image.
Lilly really needs some work. Moving from Denver to Gracely with her sister and nephew (who were in an abusive relationship) Lilly finds herself in a small town and supporting several people. When she hears the adventure company wants to hire her, she is ecstatic, yet cautious. She knows those three guys are wealthy but also arrogant and does she really want to have to deal with three men, one (Brandon) who really doesn't even want her there? But she needs the job so she takes it. She starts carefully repairing relationships with local townspeople and all the while, falls for Brandon.
As I said earlier, Brandon is grumpy - but super grumpy. He feels responsible for the town and how his family has let them down. He totally disagrees with hiring Lilly, who isn't even from Gracely to help with their image. He rarely smiles, and is just in a bad mood. There is no "lusty grumpiness" - you know, the bad mood a hero is in when he won't admit to himself how attracted he is to the heroine. This was just Brandon with a rain cloud hanging over him.
Lilly definitely has a more sunny personality but in my opinion she comes across as though she thinks she is better than everyone else. Maybe others will get a different impression of her, but to me that is how she felt. There are two twists to the story, one to set up a future book but there is one that directly affects Lilly and Brandon. This makes the HEA complicated, and it felt very rushed at the end. I would say it's more of a HFN (happy for now) than a HEA.
The setting in this is beautiful, and Will, Brandon's brother is the town flirt and Sam, their friend is mysterious (he doesn't own a cell phone!) I hope to like their books better.
Grade: C-
Lilly really needs some work. Moving from Denver to Gracely with her sister and nephew (who were in an abusive relationship) Lilly finds herself in a small town and supporting several people. When she hears the adventure company wants to hire her, she is ecstatic, yet cautious. She knows those three guys are wealthy but also arrogant and does she really want to have to deal with three men, one (Brandon) who really doesn't even want her there? But she needs the job so she takes it. She starts carefully repairing relationships with local townspeople and all the while, falls for Brandon.
As I said earlier, Brandon is grumpy - but super grumpy. He feels responsible for the town and how his family has let them down. He totally disagrees with hiring Lilly, who isn't even from Gracely to help with their image. He rarely smiles, and is just in a bad mood. There is no "lusty grumpiness" - you know, the bad mood a hero is in when he won't admit to himself how attracted he is to the heroine. This was just Brandon with a rain cloud hanging over him.
Lilly definitely has a more sunny personality but in my opinion she comes across as though she thinks she is better than everyone else. Maybe others will get a different impression of her, but to me that is how she felt. There are two twists to the story, one to set up a future book but there is one that directly affects Lilly and Brandon. This makes the HEA complicated, and it felt very rushed at the end. I would say it's more of a HFN (happy for now) than a HEA.
The setting in this is beautiful, and Will, Brandon's brother is the town flirt and Sam, their friend is mysterious (he doesn't own a cell phone!) I hope to like their books better.
Grade: C-
February 4, 2019
3.5
He's an emotional cripple, and they are both screwed up by dysfunctional families. What a happy homecoming for a baby.
This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
He's an emotional cripple, and they are both screwed up by dysfunctional families. What a happy homecoming for a baby.
This review is based on the ARC provided by the author and/or the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinion.
September 6, 2017
I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with ‘Need You Now’, since small-town stories can be charming as they can be vicious depending on the genre that I actually get into. But Nicole Helm has written quite a heartfelt one about a man who’s trying his hardest to establish his business in a town that hates him and his brothers and a woman whose family burdens lie squarely on her shoulders, mirroring reality closely in such a way that their situation is a relatable one. I felt for the Evans brothers as they cleaned up the mess their good-for-nothing father left them as much as I felt Lilly’s frustration at being trapped as the provider of a family that’s more broken than complete. Both Brandon and Lilly were hard on themselves in a way that made them the harshest critics of their own circumstances in a way I could definitely understand, as Helm makes both these characters face some hard truths about themselves.
It’s slow-going (with a lovely slow-burn) as Helm brings some nuanced emotions and well-timed humour into a prickly relationship but I genuinely enjoyed the rounds that Brandon and Lilly engaged in as they argued constantly over how to get Mile High Adventures up and on the map once more. Their disagreements were not only funny, but served to amp up the tension between them, which was always a fun way of getting them closer without both parties realising how much their mutual attraction had grown. Before I knew it, half the book was gone with Brandon/Lilly finding themselves in awkward situations until it all, well, explodes.
But as always, it gets worse before it gets better, business in town declines and Lilly/Brandon hit a very rough patch in their relationship. I did think Lilly tended to severely over-react in several parts because of her own issues, second-guessing everything and her lashing out seemed unjustified as she judged Brandon through these black-coloured lenses of her past. Her irrational behaviour towards the end was over the top as she only looked to protect herself, which made her harder to like when she selfishly refused to give Brandon a chance for anything and pretty much eviscerated him where it hurt the most.
The end of the road (read: the end of the book) came sooner than I thought and the curtain fell on Lilly/Brandon with a HFN ending, which is probably the most realistic one to expect in this case. Yet Mile High Adventures has barely gotten off the ground and Helm seems to promise more to come despite this rather abrupt conclusion.
*ARC by netgalley
(always grateful, mind)
It’s slow-going (with a lovely slow-burn) as Helm brings some nuanced emotions and well-timed humour into a prickly relationship but I genuinely enjoyed the rounds that Brandon and Lilly engaged in as they argued constantly over how to get Mile High Adventures up and on the map once more. Their disagreements were not only funny, but served to amp up the tension between them, which was always a fun way of getting them closer without both parties realising how much their mutual attraction had grown. Before I knew it, half the book was gone with Brandon/Lilly finding themselves in awkward situations until it all, well, explodes.
But as always, it gets worse before it gets better, business in town declines and Lilly/Brandon hit a very rough patch in their relationship. I did think Lilly tended to severely over-react in several parts because of her own issues, second-guessing everything and her lashing out seemed unjustified as she judged Brandon through these black-coloured lenses of her past. Her irrational behaviour towards the end was over the top as she only looked to protect herself, which made her harder to like when she selfishly refused to give Brandon a chance for anything and pretty much eviscerated him where it hurt the most.
The end of the road (read: the end of the book) came sooner than I thought and the curtain fell on Lilly/Brandon with a HFN ending, which is probably the most realistic one to expect in this case. Yet Mile High Adventures has barely gotten off the ground and Helm seems to promise more to come despite this rather abrupt conclusion.
*ARC by netgalley
(always grateful, mind)
May 30, 2017
So. Much. Angst. This book moves very slowly then suddenly it’s over.
Brandon Evans, his twin brother Will, and their friend Sam Goodall, opened Mile High Adventures in their hometown of Gracely, Colorado. It’s a former mining town in desperate need of rejuvenation due to the bad business decisions of the Evans brothers’ dad. Brandon has taken on the responsibility of trying to right the wrongs of his dad. He’s also determined to be nothing like his dad in his business and personal life.
Lilly Preston has always been the dependable one in her family. She took care of her sister, Cora, while her mom worked 3 jobs. Her sister got pregnant at 17 and mom left them. Cora’s boyfriend became abusive and Lilly relocated them all to Colorado. She is quite the enabler for her sister.
Lilly takes a PR job for Mile High Adventures. Brandon is completely against the idea and doesn’t hide the fact. These two begin a like/dislike relationship. We get both POVs. So much whining, push, and pull over responsibilities/problems no one asked them to take on or fix. Lots of inner turmoil. Some humor inserted here and there.
Loved the descriptions of the mountains and waterfall. Made me want to visit. I am also a big fan of the lumberjack look, which all three men had.
I wanted more information about the healing powers of the town. It was mentioned a couple of times but no background information or any details were given. Brandon and Lilly’s relationship needed more developed. We get all the angst then suddenly it’s over.
Despite this book driving me crazy with all the angst, the snippets of Will and Sam’s histories make me curious about their stories. Hopefully Brandon and Lilly’s relationship will continue to develop in the next in series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley.
Brandon Evans, his twin brother Will, and their friend Sam Goodall, opened Mile High Adventures in their hometown of Gracely, Colorado. It’s a former mining town in desperate need of rejuvenation due to the bad business decisions of the Evans brothers’ dad. Brandon has taken on the responsibility of trying to right the wrongs of his dad. He’s also determined to be nothing like his dad in his business and personal life.
Lilly Preston has always been the dependable one in her family. She took care of her sister, Cora, while her mom worked 3 jobs. Her sister got pregnant at 17 and mom left them. Cora’s boyfriend became abusive and Lilly relocated them all to Colorado. She is quite the enabler for her sister.
Lilly takes a PR job for Mile High Adventures. Brandon is completely against the idea and doesn’t hide the fact. These two begin a like/dislike relationship. We get both POVs. So much whining, push, and pull over responsibilities/problems no one asked them to take on or fix. Lots of inner turmoil. Some humor inserted here and there.
Loved the descriptions of the mountains and waterfall. Made me want to visit. I am also a big fan of the lumberjack look, which all three men had.
I wanted more information about the healing powers of the town. It was mentioned a couple of times but no background information or any details were given. Brandon and Lilly’s relationship needed more developed. We get all the angst then suddenly it’s over.
Despite this book driving me crazy with all the angst, the snippets of Will and Sam’s histories make me curious about their stories. Hopefully Brandon and Lilly’s relationship will continue to develop in the next in series.
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC provided by NetGalley.
June 9, 2017
I found this book to be well written but ultimately joyless. The characters were so mired down by their own baggage that it seemed that their relationship was more added stress rather than something that added happiness to their lives. To be honest I was never even sure what they liked about each other. Even their relationships with the secondary characters seemed filled with resentment. I have heard great things about other books from this author and will certainly give give them a try. This one just did not work for me.
April 20, 2017
I'm neutral about this book. The positive would be the beautiful nature all around them and how the author did such a good job of letting me visualize it. The negative would be all the whining that both Brandon and Lilly did. Brandon whined constantly about how he had to fix what his dad ruined. And Lilly whined about the life she was dealt. They both take on responsibility that wasn't asked of them and then complain when it doesn't work out.
September 23, 2018
This pains me, because I really like Nicole Helm as an author a lot. But this book was setting up as an extremely slow burn and then it accelerates aggressively before going off the rails and then it ends, and there just wasn't enough time for any kind of plausible recovery. At best, it's a HFN romance; at worst, it's not a romance at all despite the exchange of ILYs. The hero and (especially) the heroine should be in therapy, not preparing to coparent a child.
This was a real bummer.
This was a real bummer.
May 30, 2017
This was more emotionally angsty than what I was looking for and I wish the ending had more closure than a HFN. Overall, it was a decent read.
January 12, 2018
I loved Helm's Cowboys series and I'm going to love this mountain men/lumberjack one, if the first is anything to go by. Helm has the ability to take what is one could even say trite, or typical, in contemporary romance and make something interesting and original out of it. And yet, she never loses sight of what makes the genre beloved to its readers. In this case, her rugged "lumbersexual" (the heroine's words, not mine) turns out to be a moral, thoughtful, sensitive man ... and yet, I most enjoyed his grumpiness and grunting. The heroine, complex in her own right, even has a "grunt jar" to which her lumberjack with the "mind of a businessman and heart of a poet" contributes significantly. There's more, much more, and you may read a more extensive review by following the link:
https://missbatesreadsromance.com/201...
I received an e-ARC from Zebra Books/Kensington Publishing via Netgalley.
https://missbatesreadsromance.com/201...
I received an e-ARC from Zebra Books/Kensington Publishing via Netgalley.
February 3, 2018
This one was ok. I thought the characters were ok, the story was ok, and the romance was...you guessed it: ok. Nothing really made this one stand out for me. But it wasn't bad either. I'm not sure if I would be willing to continue on with this series.
May 20, 2017
Review also found at http://kristineandterri.blogspot.ca/2...
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you. It is set to be released later this month.
This story follows the regular trend found so common in this genre. Boy meets girl. There is instant dislike and conflict, and also instant attraction. They fight said attraction for a million reasons that make sense only to them, they start to see each other for who they really are...and then light the candles and queue the Barry White as things are about to get steamy.
The highlight of this story for me was the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains and the descriptions of the beautiful scenery. I enjoyed this so much more than the angst between Lily and Brandon. Just so that I am clear, it doesn't mean I didn't like them or their storyline, it is just that the scenery was the star of the show.
Now I need to take a moment to digress and maybe rant for a bit. Brandon is what would would be described as a lumbersexual. Yes people, this really is a thing and the trend is starting to pop up everywhere. You know the type, rugged with a great body, athletic, most likely wearing plaid or some sort of outdoor wear and a beard. Queue the screeching halt to the music. You had me until the beard. While I am not opposed to some facial hair, when I hear the description of a full beard, all I can think of ZZ top with the overgrown beards. The OCD in me can only think of all the foreign objects that can get stuck in said beard. Gross! As I said, I digress, the lumbersexual movement is catching momentum with or without me and I fear I may be in the minority on this. So if this is your thing, I recommend this story as I think this will be a series with plenty of more beards in the future.
This was an entertaining read for me and although I found it started to drag a little towards the end, it was exactly what I was looking for (minus the beard) at the time
I received an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you. It is set to be released later this month.
This story follows the regular trend found so common in this genre. Boy meets girl. There is instant dislike and conflict, and also instant attraction. They fight said attraction for a million reasons that make sense only to them, they start to see each other for who they really are...and then light the candles and queue the Barry White as things are about to get steamy.
The highlight of this story for me was the backdrop of the Rocky Mountains and the descriptions of the beautiful scenery. I enjoyed this so much more than the angst between Lily and Brandon. Just so that I am clear, it doesn't mean I didn't like them or their storyline, it is just that the scenery was the star of the show.
Now I need to take a moment to digress and maybe rant for a bit. Brandon is what would would be described as a lumbersexual. Yes people, this really is a thing and the trend is starting to pop up everywhere. You know the type, rugged with a great body, athletic, most likely wearing plaid or some sort of outdoor wear and a beard. Queue the screeching halt to the music. You had me until the beard. While I am not opposed to some facial hair, when I hear the description of a full beard, all I can think of ZZ top with the overgrown beards. The OCD in me can only think of all the foreign objects that can get stuck in said beard. Gross! As I said, I digress, the lumbersexual movement is catching momentum with or without me and I fear I may be in the minority on this. So if this is your thing, I recommend this story as I think this will be a series with plenty of more beards in the future.
This was an entertaining read for me and although I found it started to drag a little towards the end, it was exactly what I was looking for (minus the beard) at the time
May 24, 2017
Review: Need You Now (A Mile High Romance) by Nicole Helm http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-8Q1
Publication Date: May 30, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4 Stars
A nice romance, more on the emotional side than physical. Brandon and Lilly had a lot of emotional baggage they needed to work through. Although I liked them each, they carried the “I can’t have this relationship” thing a bit too far for me. All in all, an enjoyable story. I look forward to the next Mile High story.
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle $4.99 http://amzn.to/2qbgCea
Publication Date: May 30, 2017
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4 Stars
A nice romance, more on the emotional side than physical. Brandon and Lilly had a lot of emotional baggage they needed to work through. Although I liked them each, they carried the “I can’t have this relationship” thing a bit too far for me. All in all, an enjoyable story. I look forward to the next Mile High story.
*Review copy provided by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
~*~*~*~
Kindle $4.99 http://amzn.to/2qbgCea
March 1, 2021
The first half of this was pretty decent, with some extremely A + pining/‘but we can’t because reasons’/‘oops we are touching’ content.
Unfortunately the second half spiralled into a soap opera mess with secret siblings, unplanned pregnancy and a heap of emotional issues that were not really set up enough to justify the resulting angst.
Unfortunately the second half spiralled into a soap opera mess with secret siblings, unplanned pregnancy and a heap of emotional issues that were not really set up enough to justify the resulting angst.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 19, 2017
I truly enjoyed Ms. Helm's Big Sky Cowboys series, so I was eager to read this first novel in her new series, and while it took me quite some time to warm up to this novel because not much happens in the first half of the book, which gets off to a very slow start, in the end, I enjoyed it marginally more than I thought I would and I give it 3 stars.
Brandon Evans and his twin brother, Will, are the sons of a disgraced, despised and despicable scion of the family mining business, whose greed and disregard of safety rules caused Brandon, the eldest son and heir to the mining business to expose his father's wrongdoing and lies. Five years later, the town of Gracely and it's people hate the Evans brothers and blame them for the loss of their jobs and the break-up of the town, as people left when other jobs were nonexistent. The fact that their father's womanizing, cheating and lying have been overlooked left Brandon with the feeling that his turning in his father let to the destruction of the town, and he desperately wants to undo the damage his honesty inadvertently caused. So Brandon and Will started a new company, Mile High Adventures, a hiking, canoeing, outdoor trekking business to bring tourists and jobs back to town, but so far, although they've been moderately successful, their success hasn't yet trickled down to the town in the valley below, and the Evans name is still mud.
Enter into the picture, Lilly Preston, a public relations specialist, already hired without Brandon's knowledge. She's supporting her wayward sister, Cora, and Cora's son, Micah, who live with and are supported by her after leaving Cora's abusive boyfriend Stephen behind. Lilly is a very take-charge woman, and beyond straitlaced about her new job and its duties. Her attitudes are hard to understand for the first two-thirds of the novel, because she's really given no backstory at the outset. We only know that she believes she's good at her job, that she's as attracted to Brandon as he is to her, that both parties are doing their utmost not to reveal that attraction, and that she spends way too much of the novel inside her own head, and Brandon does the same.
Brandon challenges her and her PR skills at every turn until he dares her to go on one of the hiking treks with him under the guise of "how can she write PR about something she's never experienced?" Granted, Lilly has been trying to prove herself to him too. He's convinced that she won't be able to keep up, but she's game to try, and although she's no mountaineer, she does have some grit, something Brandon reluctantly admires.
While I truly enjoyed watching their relationship develop, the author got bogged down by an overabundance of internal dialogue, and by the time I began to actually like these characters, something happens (no spoilers from me) that made me reassess everything I liked about Lilly for most of the novel, to the point where I actually wished I could slap her and tell her to snap out of it. Her actions were unexpected, deceitful, controlling and downright hurtful, and regardless of the HEA ending, by the time I got there, I truly couldn't stand her, which certainly took me by surprise and it was so unexpected a consequence that had I not been reading an advanced reader copy of this novel, I'd have stopped reading it because her actions were the antithesis of what I believe any woman would do in real life.
In addition, I was also bothered by the lack of knowledge the author displayed when it came to all the outdoor activities Lilly was involved in. Rather than delay the first hike because she couldn't find hiking boots in her size, she bought ones that were too small for her feet--a really bad idea. One their next excursion, a canoe trip, Brandon is paddling his canoe with two paddles--wrong! Anyone who's ever gone canoeing knows that each person in the canoe, or just the single person rowing uses a single paddle. Yes, these are minor points, but I'm including them in this review because I believe that an author should do his/her research and get their facts right. After Lilly jumps out of and then upends canoe when she sees a snake, she and Brandon are standing in icy cold water, Lilly halfway and Brandon totally submerged. Does he immediately get them back to the lodge to avoid hypothermia? Nope. They sit on the shore in soaking wet clothing and then he jokingly tosses Lilly back into the frigid water. Again, wrong! Since Brandon is a wilderness guide who regularly takes newbie tourists on these outdoor adventures, he should have known better, and so should the author.
While at the start, I thought I liked Lilly more than Brandon, by the end of the novel, I preferred Brandon, although not by much, and the fact is that even though they each redeem themselves to a degree when we finally learn why they behaved as they did, I didn't particularly like either character, which hindered my enjoyment of this book, and is the reason why I could only give it a 3-star rating.
Brandon Evans and his twin brother, Will, are the sons of a disgraced, despised and despicable scion of the family mining business, whose greed and disregard of safety rules caused Brandon, the eldest son and heir to the mining business to expose his father's wrongdoing and lies. Five years later, the town of Gracely and it's people hate the Evans brothers and blame them for the loss of their jobs and the break-up of the town, as people left when other jobs were nonexistent. The fact that their father's womanizing, cheating and lying have been overlooked left Brandon with the feeling that his turning in his father let to the destruction of the town, and he desperately wants to undo the damage his honesty inadvertently caused. So Brandon and Will started a new company, Mile High Adventures, a hiking, canoeing, outdoor trekking business to bring tourists and jobs back to town, but so far, although they've been moderately successful, their success hasn't yet trickled down to the town in the valley below, and the Evans name is still mud.
Enter into the picture, Lilly Preston, a public relations specialist, already hired without Brandon's knowledge. She's supporting her wayward sister, Cora, and Cora's son, Micah, who live with and are supported by her after leaving Cora's abusive boyfriend Stephen behind. Lilly is a very take-charge woman, and beyond straitlaced about her new job and its duties. Her attitudes are hard to understand for the first two-thirds of the novel, because she's really given no backstory at the outset. We only know that she believes she's good at her job, that she's as attracted to Brandon as he is to her, that both parties are doing their utmost not to reveal that attraction, and that she spends way too much of the novel inside her own head, and Brandon does the same.
Brandon challenges her and her PR skills at every turn until he dares her to go on one of the hiking treks with him under the guise of "how can she write PR about something she's never experienced?" Granted, Lilly has been trying to prove herself to him too. He's convinced that she won't be able to keep up, but she's game to try, and although she's no mountaineer, she does have some grit, something Brandon reluctantly admires.
While I truly enjoyed watching their relationship develop, the author got bogged down by an overabundance of internal dialogue, and by the time I began to actually like these characters, something happens (no spoilers from me) that made me reassess everything I liked about Lilly for most of the novel, to the point where I actually wished I could slap her and tell her to snap out of it. Her actions were unexpected, deceitful, controlling and downright hurtful, and regardless of the HEA ending, by the time I got there, I truly couldn't stand her, which certainly took me by surprise and it was so unexpected a consequence that had I not been reading an advanced reader copy of this novel, I'd have stopped reading it because her actions were the antithesis of what I believe any woman would do in real life.
In addition, I was also bothered by the lack of knowledge the author displayed when it came to all the outdoor activities Lilly was involved in. Rather than delay the first hike because she couldn't find hiking boots in her size, she bought ones that were too small for her feet--a really bad idea. One their next excursion, a canoe trip, Brandon is paddling his canoe with two paddles--wrong! Anyone who's ever gone canoeing knows that each person in the canoe, or just the single person rowing uses a single paddle. Yes, these are minor points, but I'm including them in this review because I believe that an author should do his/her research and get their facts right. After Lilly jumps out of and then upends canoe when she sees a snake, she and Brandon are standing in icy cold water, Lilly halfway and Brandon totally submerged. Does he immediately get them back to the lodge to avoid hypothermia? Nope. They sit on the shore in soaking wet clothing and then he jokingly tosses Lilly back into the frigid water. Again, wrong! Since Brandon is a wilderness guide who regularly takes newbie tourists on these outdoor adventures, he should have known better, and so should the author.
While at the start, I thought I liked Lilly more than Brandon, by the end of the novel, I preferred Brandon, although not by much, and the fact is that even though they each redeem themselves to a degree when we finally learn why they behaved as they did, I didn't particularly like either character, which hindered my enjoyment of this book, and is the reason why I could only give it a 3-star rating.
May 26, 2017
**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**
This book was my second stab at reading Nicole Helm. The first book I read by her, So Wrong It Must Be Right, was entertaining but didn’t blow me away. While I still wasn’t floored by this book, I really enjoyed the story.
The concept behind the business Brandon and his brother Will run is great. Their father basically decimated the small town they grew up in because of his greed. Because of the way things went down, Brandon feels partially responsible for the hard times the town is having and most of the townspeople feel the same way. Although their feelings toward him are not justified, he never really explains to anyone the exact way things happened and so I almost can’t blame them for how they react to him.
Lilly is a tough nut to crack. She has great intentions and there are many things I can understand about her reaction to men in general. But even after (finally) getting the whole story of her upbringing it still annoyed me that she seemed to view all men as the same. Yet it broke my heart when she confessed to how she felt about love, being loved, and loving others. This is definitely a woman who can benefit from a bit of therapy! And I don’t say that to be glib…I mean that in the most honest and caring way.
I loved the interactions and the obvious attraction between Brandon and Lilly. What I didn’t love is how a few things were dragged out. Their first dalliance, so to speak, spanned multiple chapters. At first it was cute, the push/pull the two were having. Then we got in their heads a bit too much and I found myself skimming huge chunks of the scene.
The same thing happened when the climactic conflict was revealed. Lilly got far too deep in her head and, for me as the reader, it became a bit drawn out and repetitive. Plus, no matter what happened to Lilly or her family in the past, she was being a downright terrible person. She became super judgmental of both Brandon and Will about something they did before the big conflict (which honestly, she could have looked at it the other way and wondered if they had a right to privacy as much as she worried about the other person involved) and let that carry over into the other things happening between her and Brandon. It was all very frustrating. As I said, it became repetitive or it would have probably been okay.
I hesitate to mention a very big thing that bothered me only because the copy I read of this book was an ARC. I am going to bring it up only because this book has obviously already been through the first few steps in the publishing process and the chances it will be changed before publication are slim. Which, by the way, I don’t fully blame the author for. Someone…anyone…should have caught this! I even looked it up because I thought maybe I was wrong my whole life. You do not row a canoe with one person and two paddles. It just doesn’t work that way. The scene that numerous times mentions Brandon and Lilly being in a canoe is not a canoe by the way it is described…it is a rowboat. I have been in many rowboats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, etc. in my life. If I am wrong I apologize for bringing it up, but it was such a huge thing being that Brandon is a wilderness guide.
Although it may seem as though this book wasn’t enjoyed by me, it really was. I enjoyed the chemistry and the storyline and the setting. Sometimes I’m the most critical when I really enjoy a book but little things keep it from being great instead of just good. I think that’s what happened here. I will definitely be looking for the next book in this series. I cannot wait to see how thing play out.
3.5 stars
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This book was my second stab at reading Nicole Helm. The first book I read by her, So Wrong It Must Be Right, was entertaining but didn’t blow me away. While I still wasn’t floored by this book, I really enjoyed the story.
The concept behind the business Brandon and his brother Will run is great. Their father basically decimated the small town they grew up in because of his greed. Because of the way things went down, Brandon feels partially responsible for the hard times the town is having and most of the townspeople feel the same way. Although their feelings toward him are not justified, he never really explains to anyone the exact way things happened and so I almost can’t blame them for how they react to him.
Lilly is a tough nut to crack. She has great intentions and there are many things I can understand about her reaction to men in general. But even after (finally) getting the whole story of her upbringing it still annoyed me that she seemed to view all men as the same. Yet it broke my heart when she confessed to how she felt about love, being loved, and loving others. This is definitely a woman who can benefit from a bit of therapy! And I don’t say that to be glib…I mean that in the most honest and caring way.
I loved the interactions and the obvious attraction between Brandon and Lilly. What I didn’t love is how a few things were dragged out. Their first dalliance, so to speak, spanned multiple chapters. At first it was cute, the push/pull the two were having. Then we got in their heads a bit too much and I found myself skimming huge chunks of the scene.
The same thing happened when the climactic conflict was revealed. Lilly got far too deep in her head and, for me as the reader, it became a bit drawn out and repetitive. Plus, no matter what happened to Lilly or her family in the past, she was being a downright terrible person. She became super judgmental of both Brandon and Will about something they did before the big conflict (which honestly, she could have looked at it the other way and wondered if they had a right to privacy as much as she worried about the other person involved) and let that carry over into the other things happening between her and Brandon. It was all very frustrating. As I said, it became repetitive or it would have probably been okay.
I hesitate to mention a very big thing that bothered me only because the copy I read of this book was an ARC. I am going to bring it up only because this book has obviously already been through the first few steps in the publishing process and the chances it will be changed before publication are slim. Which, by the way, I don’t fully blame the author for. Someone…anyone…should have caught this! I even looked it up because I thought maybe I was wrong my whole life. You do not row a canoe with one person and two paddles. It just doesn’t work that way. The scene that numerous times mentions Brandon and Lilly being in a canoe is not a canoe by the way it is described…it is a rowboat. I have been in many rowboats, canoes, kayaks, paddleboats, etc. in my life. If I am wrong I apologize for bringing it up, but it was such a huge thing being that Brandon is a wilderness guide.
Although it may seem as though this book wasn’t enjoyed by me, it really was. I enjoyed the chemistry and the storyline and the setting. Sometimes I’m the most critical when I really enjoy a book but little things keep it from being great instead of just good. I think that’s what happened here. I will definitely be looking for the next book in this series. I cannot wait to see how thing play out.
3.5 stars
https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.c...
June 2, 2017
He s mountain-tough. She s city-smart. The sparks are about to fly . . .
Only the most resilient of souls could breathe new life into an all-but-forgotten town nestled in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains but what they get in return might be worth the heartache it takes to make it happen . . .
Gracely, Colorado, was once a booming mining town. No one knows that better than Brandon Evans. His father s company kept the town thriving for years until Brandon threatened to expose his illegal practices and drove him away. Everyone blames Brandon and his brother for turning Gracely into a ghost town but the tenacious residents cling to a long-held legend about the land s healing powers. And Brandon has a plan to spin that legend into reality . . .
Lilly Preston took a leap of faith and moved to Gracely a year ago to save her nephew from an abusive situation. She would do anything for him, even sacrifice her glamorous job. Reluctantly, the former PR hot shot takes a job at the ruggedly handsome Evans brothers Mile High Adventures, a company offering restorative Rocky Mountain vacations.
Brandon thinks PR is pointless, and Lilly knows less than nothing about the outdoors. Which is exactly why they need each other in ways neither ever imagined . . .
Review:
I picked up this book because I was attracted to the blurb.
Once I started reading I liked it a lot more.
This is the first book in a new series about brothers who are trying to make up for the sins of their father and ancestor. The setting of an adventure vacation company I thought was a good backdrop and can really lead to some interesting stories and plot points. I had not read this Author and she did a good job of creating an interesting story. It felt like a lot of the story was back-story, but that is to be expected in the first book in the series. Both of the main characters, Lilly & Brandon, were likable and had good chemistry. The scenes were they were out doing adventure activities were my favorite. There is a plot twist that I will not give away, but I am interested to see where it leads the series and the characters.
This was a good set-up/beginning of series book and hope leads to more good books.
3.5Stars
*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*
Only the most resilient of souls could breathe new life into an all-but-forgotten town nestled in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains but what they get in return might be worth the heartache it takes to make it happen . . .
Gracely, Colorado, was once a booming mining town. No one knows that better than Brandon Evans. His father s company kept the town thriving for years until Brandon threatened to expose his illegal practices and drove him away. Everyone blames Brandon and his brother for turning Gracely into a ghost town but the tenacious residents cling to a long-held legend about the land s healing powers. And Brandon has a plan to spin that legend into reality . . .
Lilly Preston took a leap of faith and moved to Gracely a year ago to save her nephew from an abusive situation. She would do anything for him, even sacrifice her glamorous job. Reluctantly, the former PR hot shot takes a job at the ruggedly handsome Evans brothers Mile High Adventures, a company offering restorative Rocky Mountain vacations.
Brandon thinks PR is pointless, and Lilly knows less than nothing about the outdoors. Which is exactly why they need each other in ways neither ever imagined . . .
Review:
I picked up this book because I was attracted to the blurb.
Once I started reading I liked it a lot more.
This is the first book in a new series about brothers who are trying to make up for the sins of their father and ancestor. The setting of an adventure vacation company I thought was a good backdrop and can really lead to some interesting stories and plot points. I had not read this Author and she did a good job of creating an interesting story. It felt like a lot of the story was back-story, but that is to be expected in the first book in the series. Both of the main characters, Lilly & Brandon, were likable and had good chemistry. The scenes were they were out doing adventure activities were my favorite. There is a plot twist that I will not give away, but I am interested to see where it leads the series and the characters.
This was a good set-up/beginning of series book and hope leads to more good books.
3.5Stars
*I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book provided by the publisher.*
May 18, 2017
Brandon Evans and his brothers are trying to right the wrongs of the past and put life back into the little town that their father's shading dealings stole by opening an adventure park. Their hope is that the park and it's rumored healing powers will draw tourists in, and also boost the economy of their little town, problem is they are having trouble swaying the opinions of fellow townsfolk. So, they decide to hire someone to help them with their public relations, which brings Lilly Preston into their lives, and the moment she is there she begins to shake things up!! And catch the eye of one certain brooding brother!
When Lilly Preston takes a PR job at Mile High Adventures park she knows that she is getting in way over her head, especially since she knows virtually nothing about outdoor activities, but she needs a job and they were hiring! And once she meets the brooding, but very handsome, brothers she knows she has her work cut out for her, they need her expertise, but not all of them are on board with what she does or has to offer them. Brandon especially... he has doubts that she can convince the townsfolk to come around to their new business... but she intends to change his way of thinking!
I really enjoyed meeting Brandon and Lilly, their story was well written, heartwarming and very addictive! I had initially planned on reading a chapter before bedtime, but I ended up getting sucked into their world and stayed there until the wee hours of the morning. I loved watching "the little dance" between to these two blossom into something truly special, it of course took them sometime to get to where they needed to be, but every little bump along gave their relationship a very realistic feel. I can't wait to make a return visit to the series, and get better acquainted with the other Evans men... and the ladies who fall under their spell! Highly recommend this one, this charming little town and it's residents are sure to pull you into their world, and have you never wanting to leave!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.
When Lilly Preston takes a PR job at Mile High Adventures park she knows that she is getting in way over her head, especially since she knows virtually nothing about outdoor activities, but she needs a job and they were hiring! And once she meets the brooding, but very handsome, brothers she knows she has her work cut out for her, they need her expertise, but not all of them are on board with what she does or has to offer them. Brandon especially... he has doubts that she can convince the townsfolk to come around to their new business... but she intends to change his way of thinking!
I really enjoyed meeting Brandon and Lilly, their story was well written, heartwarming and very addictive! I had initially planned on reading a chapter before bedtime, but I ended up getting sucked into their world and stayed there until the wee hours of the morning. I loved watching "the little dance" between to these two blossom into something truly special, it of course took them sometime to get to where they needed to be, but every little bump along gave their relationship a very realistic feel. I can't wait to make a return visit to the series, and get better acquainted with the other Evans men... and the ladies who fall under their spell! Highly recommend this one, this charming little town and it's residents are sure to pull you into their world, and have you never wanting to leave!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.
August 15, 2018
Brandon Evans, heir apparent of the Evans Mining Corporation of Gracely, Colorado, bears the weight of guilt on his broad shoulders, as he feels that he is responsible for the collapse of the company followed by the failure of the town, when he revealed his father's shady business practices, which could have cost people their lives. And the townspeople, without any else to blame, unfairly blame him and his twin brother, Will, too.
With Will and their friend Sam, they created Mile High Adventures, hoping it would resuscitate the town. There is a legend about the mountains' healing powers. Will and Sam decided that they needed a PR consultant to bring in more business and connect with the townspeople. They bring in Lilly Preston, who had relocated to Gracely from Denver to remove her sister, Cora and nephew Micha, from a toxic situation. Because of her father and Cora's ex, she is wary of rich and powerful men, a description she assigns to Brandon and Will, without even knowing them. From the begining, Brandon and Lilly clash, because of their own issues, Brandon refusing to be like his father and Lilly not like her mother or sister. But despite their determination not to mix business with pleasure,
they are also drawn to each other, as they are really very much alike. They are both tired of always being the responsible one, and one night when they are trapped in the in the office with no power, they allow them selves one night of passion, never to be repeated again. Can the two of them find in the other, the contentment that they have been searching for?
I actually read this book after reading a ARC of A Nice Day for a Cowboy Wedding, the 4th book in the series about Cora. There was not enough background about Cora's situation, in that book, so I thought it might be found her. Not so much. I like the story and the characters, but in both books, the constant lamenting about their pasts and responsibilities became tiresome.
With Will and their friend Sam, they created Mile High Adventures, hoping it would resuscitate the town. There is a legend about the mountains' healing powers. Will and Sam decided that they needed a PR consultant to bring in more business and connect with the townspeople. They bring in Lilly Preston, who had relocated to Gracely from Denver to remove her sister, Cora and nephew Micha, from a toxic situation. Because of her father and Cora's ex, she is wary of rich and powerful men, a description she assigns to Brandon and Will, without even knowing them. From the begining, Brandon and Lilly clash, because of their own issues, Brandon refusing to be like his father and Lilly not like her mother or sister. But despite their determination not to mix business with pleasure,
they are also drawn to each other, as they are really very much alike. They are both tired of always being the responsible one, and one night when they are trapped in the in the office with no power, they allow them selves one night of passion, never to be repeated again. Can the two of them find in the other, the contentment that they have been searching for?
I actually read this book after reading a ARC of A Nice Day for a Cowboy Wedding, the 4th book in the series about Cora. There was not enough background about Cora's situation, in that book, so I thought it might be found her. Not so much. I like the story and the characters, but in both books, the constant lamenting about their pasts and responsibilities became tiresome.
September 7, 2018
These three books by Nicole Helm are the first 3/4s of her Mile High Romance series. The fourth was released while I was reading these so haven’t had a chance to review them yet. I really enjoyed the series overall. The setting made me want to hop a plane and spend time at the fictional resort in Colorado. Each story can be read alone, though they work better together in order – and it’s such enjoyable series why not read each one. And even though she wrote each one as a standalone there’s not too much rehashing of previous books as sometimes happens in series, which can get really old.
Mess with Me was probably my favorite, while Need You know was my least. Nicole’s books remind of the dearly departed HQN Superromance line – lots of emotional angst, character development, and engaging story. In the first two books of the series, I felt immersed in the world of Gracely Colorado and the Mile High adventure business. The setting and story unfolded in such a way that I really wanted to visit and get to know these characters (ye, I know they’re fictional). Though I’ll admit the external conflict was outside my realm of experience, it was intriguing. The internal conflicts, however, felt real – the personal challenges the characters faced and the emotional growth they went through was true to life. The books reminded me of Fiona Lowe’s books in that regard.
Probably my biggest disappointment is that I wanted to see underlying family story developed more. The Evans family had owned the local mine in Gracely, but earlier generations weren't the most upstanding citizens. I know the series is primarily romance, but I wanted to know more about the Evans family and about where the town ends up with this new generation.
Mess with Me was probably my favorite, while Need You know was my least. Nicole’s books remind of the dearly departed HQN Superromance line – lots of emotional angst, character development, and engaging story. In the first two books of the series, I felt immersed in the world of Gracely Colorado and the Mile High adventure business. The setting and story unfolded in such a way that I really wanted to visit and get to know these characters (ye, I know they’re fictional). Though I’ll admit the external conflict was outside my realm of experience, it was intriguing. The internal conflicts, however, felt real – the personal challenges the characters faced and the emotional growth they went through was true to life. The books reminded me of Fiona Lowe’s books in that regard.
Probably my biggest disappointment is that I wanted to see underlying family story developed more. The Evans family had owned the local mine in Gracely, but earlier generations weren't the most upstanding citizens. I know the series is primarily romance, but I wanted to know more about the Evans family and about where the town ends up with this new generation.
May 29, 2017
Need You Now is the story of Brandon Evans & Lilly Preston. Both characters are carrying a lot of excess emotional baggage from the past with them. This baggage affects every decision they make. Brandon, his brother Will & friend Sam are determined to make a success of their business to try to help their hometown. The town has been steadily going downhill since Brandon turned in his father for unethical practices & the mine closed. The town has unfairly blamed the brothers for everything instead of their father.
Lily carries baggage from her childhood & her mother/father. It has completely warped her view of love & relationships. She has an over developed sense of responsibility towards her sister & nephew. From the minute Lily & Brandon meet there is an intense chemistry between them. Can they move past their baggage or will it hold them back? When an event causes Lily to draw into herself, will Brandon abandon her or stick by her side?
I enjoyed the interactions between Lily & Brandon and between each of them & their siblings. They are trying to find a new stage of sibling relationship under the different circumstances. The way the author describes the scenery, the reader can create a picture in their mind. I enjoyed this one & cant wait for Sam's story!
Lily carries baggage from her childhood & her mother/father. It has completely warped her view of love & relationships. She has an over developed sense of responsibility towards her sister & nephew. From the minute Lily & Brandon meet there is an intense chemistry between them. Can they move past their baggage or will it hold them back? When an event causes Lily to draw into herself, will Brandon abandon her or stick by her side?
I enjoyed the interactions between Lily & Brandon and between each of them & their siblings. They are trying to find a new stage of sibling relationship under the different circumstances. The way the author describes the scenery, the reader can create a picture in their mind. I enjoyed this one & cant wait for Sam's story!
May 4, 2017
"Received an Advance Reader Copy in exchange for a fair review"
I loved this one by Nicole Helm, introducing three interesting and complex men who are partners but never talk about their hurts and insecurities, just keep moving further.
I really liked the romance between Brandon and Lily, the build-up of the relationship, the conflict, the dialogue, how the heroine cracked the hero’s armor; but the heroine’s stubbornness refusing her baby’s father the opportunity of speaking was irritating.
Despite always enjoying Helm's stories and writing style, I thought that both main characters display traits that were a bit annoying, both with a martyr complex, trying to be the hero/heroine for everyone and help everyone but themselves.
By the end, when both Brandon and Lily’s siblings turned into the wisest people on earth, I confess I was rolling my eyes.
“Need you now” has also a great setting and great secondary characters and I’m eagerly expecting Sam and Hailey’s story and very curious about Will’s.
I'm grateful to the publisher, Zebra Books/Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley for providing a free copy
I loved this one by Nicole Helm, introducing three interesting and complex men who are partners but never talk about their hurts and insecurities, just keep moving further.
I really liked the romance between Brandon and Lily, the build-up of the relationship, the conflict, the dialogue, how the heroine cracked the hero’s armor; but the heroine’s stubbornness refusing her baby’s father the opportunity of speaking was irritating.
Despite always enjoying Helm's stories and writing style, I thought that both main characters display traits that were a bit annoying, both with a martyr complex, trying to be the hero/heroine for everyone and help everyone but themselves.
By the end, when both Brandon and Lily’s siblings turned into the wisest people on earth, I confess I was rolling my eyes.
“Need you now” has also a great setting and great secondary characters and I’m eagerly expecting Sam and Hailey’s story and very curious about Will’s.
I'm grateful to the publisher, Zebra Books/Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley for providing a free copy
May 22, 2017
I LOVED this book!! The story and the characters grabbed my attention from the very first page and I didn't want it to end. Both the main characters and the secondary characters are well developed and fell like friends by the end of the book. I can't wait for more in this new series.
Brandon Evans is hard working and determined but not matter what he does he can seem to change the perception the town of Gracely, CO has about him and his brother. They are still being held accountable for all the wrong their father did and the ultimate decisions Brandon had to make. That's where feisty, sassy, and equally determined Lilly Preston comes in. She is a PR specialist that has been hired by his brother. To say these two headstrong individual clash is an understatement but they definitely need each other and before long....want each other.
This one is fun, sexy, and shouldn't be missed. I highly recommend it.
Brandon Evans is hard working and determined but not matter what he does he can seem to change the perception the town of Gracely, CO has about him and his brother. They are still being held accountable for all the wrong their father did and the ultimate decisions Brandon had to make. That's where feisty, sassy, and equally determined Lilly Preston comes in. She is a PR specialist that has been hired by his brother. To say these two headstrong individual clash is an understatement but they definitely need each other and before long....want each other.
This one is fun, sexy, and shouldn't be missed. I highly recommend it.
May 31, 2017
Need You Now by Nicole Helm is the first in a new small-town series. Not your usual sweet, forgiving, supportive small-town but one that show how a family’s past can haunt the next generation. How true, how true I know since I live in a small-town, I have seen it happen to others like the Evan brothers.
Brandon Evans and Lily Preston have a lot on their plates as they fight their attraction while battling small-town prejudices and family worries. Theirs is a love hard won. The author gives the reader their story with the beautiful Rocky Mountains as the background. The vivid descriptions of the scenery are breath taking.
I personally could have done without the beard, not being a fan of the latest bearded fad among the current generation of males. However the characters were likable; making it a notable start to this series.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.
Brandon Evans and Lily Preston have a lot on their plates as they fight their attraction while battling small-town prejudices and family worries. Theirs is a love hard won. The author gives the reader their story with the beautiful Rocky Mountains as the background. The vivid descriptions of the scenery are breath taking.
I personally could have done without the beard, not being a fan of the latest bearded fad among the current generation of males. However the characters were likable; making it a notable start to this series.
An ARC of the book was given to me by the publisher through Net Galley.
June 30, 2017
Author, Nicole Helm did a great job of mingling characters and the "stories" that they are afraid to share with anyone.
While a good story, Brandon and Lilly both seemed to be prickly and brusque characters. My way or not at all attitude. While Brandon had baggage that he carried about his dad, and bound and determined not to be like him, he needed to embrace and rejoice the fact that he was not his dad...period!
As for Lilly, she had major control issues. Didn't want to be like her mom or dad, but dominated her sister, Cora. Guilt also was a big factor in this book. Lilly could be very superior in her attitude around people.
The scenery descriptions were very vivid and sounded so beautiful. Nice job!
All in all, a good book to pass away a few hours. Thank you Good reads for the chance to read this book.
While a good story, Brandon and Lilly both seemed to be prickly and brusque characters. My way or not at all attitude. While Brandon had baggage that he carried about his dad, and bound and determined not to be like him, he needed to embrace and rejoice the fact that he was not his dad...period!
As for Lilly, she had major control issues. Didn't want to be like her mom or dad, but dominated her sister, Cora. Guilt also was a big factor in this book. Lilly could be very superior in her attitude around people.
The scenery descriptions were very vivid and sounded so beautiful. Nice job!
All in all, a good book to pass away a few hours. Thank you Good reads for the chance to read this book.
November 13, 2017
One of the Mile High Romance series, in which we meet Brandon Evans, oldest twin (by minutes) and super-responsible, determined NOT to be like his late father. He wants to bring life back to little Gracely, CO after the closing of the mine his father ran.
Onto the scene comes PR expert Lily Preston, intent on making a good life for her little sister and her nephew after they escaped an abusive relationship. Lily, too, takes her responsibilities seriously--so much so that any kind of fling with a man is out of the question. And with her boss? Never!
But chemistry isn't to be denied, until a one-night stand turns out to be a lot more. How Lily and Brandon finally come to terms with the outcome of that special encounter makes for an enjoyable read.
Onto the scene comes PR expert Lily Preston, intent on making a good life for her little sister and her nephew after they escaped an abusive relationship. Lily, too, takes her responsibilities seriously--so much so that any kind of fling with a man is out of the question. And with her boss? Never!
But chemistry isn't to be denied, until a one-night stand turns out to be a lot more. How Lily and Brandon finally come to terms with the outcome of that special encounter makes for an enjoyable read.
January 16, 2018
I read the synopsis of this book and it sounded so good. I just wish it was executed as well as the synopsis made it sound.
I only liked this book. I did not think Brandon and Lilly had a lot of chemistry. Their relationship was very contentious for most of the book. They both had a lot of baggage that effected their relationship. It is definitely a enemies to lovers book. Their relationship was not solid til the last chapter in the book. I liked Brandon a lot more than Lilly.
There is an accidental pregnancy in this book and Lilly tried to keep the baby from Brandon. I did not like that. I am actually surprised she told him to begin with.
I won't re-read and I won't finish the series either. :(
I only liked this book. I did not think Brandon and Lilly had a lot of chemistry. Their relationship was very contentious for most of the book. They both had a lot of baggage that effected their relationship. It is definitely a enemies to lovers book. Their relationship was not solid til the last chapter in the book. I liked Brandon a lot more than Lilly.
There is an accidental pregnancy in this book and Lilly tried to keep the baby from Brandon. I did not like that. I am actually surprised she told him to begin with.
I won't re-read and I won't finish the series either. :(
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 11, 2017
Gotta love this new great series!! Brandon & Lilly were really fun to read with this outdoor expedition company & all the few men that work & linger in the actual office ! The setting was absolutely gorgeous to introduce this very very angsty couple that learn to work through their relationship in the workforce as well as personal end! There's NO denying their chemistry & so much personal baggage is yet to be resolved before these two get their HEA! Love how Nicole works in one of my all time favorite troupes to complicate things at the end too! Great set up making me curious as to how the rest of series will play out!
October 16, 2017
I almost didn't finish this. There was this one point that made me put the book down and walk away for days. I wanted to punch both the main characters and I have enough stress in my life without inviting it into my pleasure reading. BUT I did come back to it and I'm glad I did. After the 2 chapters of essentially self-absorbed, teen angst (in grown adults, mind you) we came to the emotional revelations I'd been waiting for! I'm struggling with those 2 chapters still. While I understand a certain expectation of obstacles to "true love," but when it's self-inflicted it's frustrating! I will definitely be reading more from this author.
May 25, 2017
Lily Preson is a PR specialist. She took a job in Gracely, Colorado to look after her sister and nephew. Brandon Evans hired her as a last resort to restore the ailing Mile High Adventure business into profitable health.
Both Lily and Brandon would rather be in a different situation, but they needed each other and they must work together for a common goal.
There were plenty of hostilities at the start, but as time went on, they discovered that beneath the tough exteriors, there is charm and tenderness...... after some behavioral and attitude adjustment.
I loved it.
Both Lily and Brandon would rather be in a different situation, but they needed each other and they must work together for a common goal.
There were plenty of hostilities at the start, but as time went on, they discovered that beneath the tough exteriors, there is charm and tenderness...... after some behavioral and attitude adjustment.
I loved it.
June 6, 2017
I was nipping at the butt, waiting to read Need You Know by Nicole Helm, partly due to the hot, rugged cover and partly due to the enticing blurb. I don’t know why but mountain men always get to me. I’ll take one of them over a billionaire in a stiff suit, any day!
Overall, I enjoyed this story. Now, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t dislike it, either. The romance is a slow burn, so readers looking for instant gratification, look elsewhere. Both main characters have issues they need to get through and it’s a journey to overcome some of them. 3.75 stars!
Overall, I enjoyed this story. Now, I didn’t love it, but I didn’t dislike it, either. The romance is a slow burn, so readers looking for instant gratification, look elsewhere. Both main characters have issues they need to get through and it’s a journey to overcome some of them. 3.75 stars!
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