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Texas Cattleman’s Club: Blackmail #7
Lone Star Baby Scandal
One night changes everything...
It's bad enough that straitlaced Sophie Prescott fell for her boss Clay Everett's charms the night of Royal's masked ball--now she's pregnant with his baby! Too bad the former rodeo star turned billionaire entrepreneur's emotional defenses are impenetrable and Sophie doesn't stand a chance of breaking through. So where does that leave her? And with a blackmailer hounding the town's A-list, is their secret the next to be revealed? Or is an even bigger surprise in store--that maybe, just maybe, Sophie has discovered the chink in Clay's armor...?
It's bad enough that straitlaced Sophie Prescott fell for her boss Clay Everett's charms the night of Royal's masked ball--now she's pregnant with his baby! Too bad the former rodeo star turned billionaire entrepreneur's emotional defenses are impenetrable and Sophie doesn't stand a chance of breaking through. So where does that leave her? And with a blackmailer hounding the town's A-list, is their secret the next to be revealed? Or is an even bigger surprise in store--that maybe, just maybe, Sophie has discovered the chink in Clay's armor...?
240 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published July 1, 2017
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
September 27, 2017
After reading Book 8, Tempted by the Wrong Twin, I was intrigued about the love-story Sophie Prescott and Clay Everett who made appearances in the book, but was left disappointed.
In the first place at many places Clay became Cole. One place his name became Clay Prescott instead of Clay Everett.
Both, Clay Everett and Sophie Prescott were nice people, but eighty percent of the book was about Sophia deciding she's not going to make love to Clay because he was not into commitment, family and children, he then makes a move she succumbs, again goes back to same decision, he again makes moves and she succumbs again. Then, when she finds out she's pregnant, she takes the same excuse for not telling him. It kind of got tedious to read the same thing again and again.
It was okay read. Not that bad.
In the first place at many places Clay became Cole. One place his name became Clay Prescott instead of Clay Everett.
Both, Clay Everett and Sophie Prescott were nice people, but eighty percent of the book was about Sophia deciding she's not going to make love to Clay because he was not into commitment, family and children, he then makes a move she succumbs, again goes back to same decision, he again makes moves and she succumbs again. Then, when she finds out she's pregnant, she takes the same excuse for not telling him. It kind of got tedious to read the same thing again and again.
It was okay read. Not that bad.
July 20, 2017
Plot: 4/5
Characterisation: 3/5
Prose: 3/5
How much I enjoyed it: 3/5
Characterisation: 3/5
Prose: 3/5
How much I enjoyed it: 3/5
August 7, 2017
Good entry in the Blackmail series. Sophie has been the secretary/personal assistant for Clay for more than five years, since before the accident that wrecked his rodeo career and has had a crush on him the entire time. The story opens at the TCC masquerade ball, where Clay convinces Sophie to dance with him. The sparks between them are incendiary, and Sophie finds herself in his arms and in his bed that night. But she also knows that nothing can come of it, and to try to protect her heart she refuses to give in again.
Both Clay and Sophie have things from their pasts that have made them wary of relationships. Sophie was involved in an incident as a teen that resulted in the death of a man, and she has never forgiven herself. She wants a husband and family, but she's not so sure that she deserves it. Clay was engaged to a woman who dumped him after his accident, making him believe that he's not cut out for relationships. Instead, he devotes himself to his business, with the occasional no-strings encounter.
I enjoyed the development of their relationship. They have been friends since he hired her. When he had his accident, she was the one who stood by him, alternately encouraging him and bullying him into working toward his recovery. What she doesn't know is that he's been attracted to her also. When they give in to the attraction the night of the ball, Sophie is determined not to give in again, and Clay is equally determined to get her back in his bed. That determination succeeds occasionally, but Sophie always puts her walls back up. When she discovers that she is pregnant, she doesn't know what to do. She knows she has to tell him, but he's made it clear he isn't the settling down type. She doesn't want an offer of marriage from obligation. Clay is drawn to Sophie in ways he hasn't been to any other woman. He's a little freaked out by the depth of his need for her. I really liked how their feelings showed in their support of each other. Not only was Sophie there for Clay during his recovery, but she is also right there with him during his business troubles, and not just because it's part of her job. I loved her sensitivity to his moods and how she tried to make things better for him. I also liked how Clay tried not to push too hard when Sophie would withdraw from him, even though he wanted to. I also liked what he did for her father, without telling her about it. Though they hit a rough patch when Sophie finally tells him about the baby, Clay does see the light and go after her. She just needs to get over the hurdle of her past to believe that she can have the future she wants. I liked his big moment at the end, as he is finally able to lower his own walls and take a risk on telling her how he feels.
At the same time this is going on, someone is doing his best to destroy Clay's business. Rumors have been spreading that his company has had major data breaches and customers are leaving. I loved seeing Clay and Sophie working together to do damage control. Clay's efforts reveal that someone named "Maverick" is behind the troubles, the same name that has been causing problems for other residents of Royal. Clay's frustration is obvious as is his determination to find out who it is. I liked how he got the other business owners together to compare notes and the support that they offered him. I am more and more curious about who this Maverick person is and what his problem is.
The only issue I had with the book was that the editor/proofreader did a terrible job. Sometimes the hero's name was Clay, sometimes it was Cole, which could be very confusing and would pull me out of the story. There were also several instances of the wrong word being used, which would do the same thing.
Both Clay and Sophie have things from their pasts that have made them wary of relationships. Sophie was involved in an incident as a teen that resulted in the death of a man, and she has never forgiven herself. She wants a husband and family, but she's not so sure that she deserves it. Clay was engaged to a woman who dumped him after his accident, making him believe that he's not cut out for relationships. Instead, he devotes himself to his business, with the occasional no-strings encounter.
I enjoyed the development of their relationship. They have been friends since he hired her. When he had his accident, she was the one who stood by him, alternately encouraging him and bullying him into working toward his recovery. What she doesn't know is that he's been attracted to her also. When they give in to the attraction the night of the ball, Sophie is determined not to give in again, and Clay is equally determined to get her back in his bed. That determination succeeds occasionally, but Sophie always puts her walls back up. When she discovers that she is pregnant, she doesn't know what to do. She knows she has to tell him, but he's made it clear he isn't the settling down type. She doesn't want an offer of marriage from obligation. Clay is drawn to Sophie in ways he hasn't been to any other woman. He's a little freaked out by the depth of his need for her. I really liked how their feelings showed in their support of each other. Not only was Sophie there for Clay during his recovery, but she is also right there with him during his business troubles, and not just because it's part of her job. I loved her sensitivity to his moods and how she tried to make things better for him. I also liked how Clay tried not to push too hard when Sophie would withdraw from him, even though he wanted to. I also liked what he did for her father, without telling her about it. Though they hit a rough patch when Sophie finally tells him about the baby, Clay does see the light and go after her. She just needs to get over the hurdle of her past to believe that she can have the future she wants. I liked his big moment at the end, as he is finally able to lower his own walls and take a risk on telling her how he feels.
At the same time this is going on, someone is doing his best to destroy Clay's business. Rumors have been spreading that his company has had major data breaches and customers are leaving. I loved seeing Clay and Sophie working together to do damage control. Clay's efforts reveal that someone named "Maverick" is behind the troubles, the same name that has been causing problems for other residents of Royal. Clay's frustration is obvious as is his determination to find out who it is. I liked how he got the other business owners together to compare notes and the support that they offered him. I am more and more curious about who this Maverick person is and what his problem is.
The only issue I had with the book was that the editor/proofreader did a terrible job. Sometimes the hero's name was Clay, sometimes it was Cole, which could be very confusing and would pull me out of the story. There were also several instances of the wrong word being used, which would do the same thing.
June 1, 2017
This is the next in the Texas Cattleman's Club: Blackmail. It was another really good book! It was very hard to put down! Clay was hurt while being a bullrider..he wasn't expected to walk afterwards but he fooled everyone..he is now a billionaire owner of a computer company called Everest..Sophie is his secretary, friend, nurse, sometimes boss! On the night of the ball at the TCC they end up in bed..she refuses to be with him again but they can't stay away from each other..than she finds out she is pregnant and her dad is needing a heart..little does she know that Clay is the one that helps her dad...She lives to be with her family but Clay can't let her get away..he loves her so he goes to get her and bring her back to Texas...Maverick played a small part in this book but he is still up to his tricks of trying to destroy the town!
January 9, 2018
A quick easy read, which is what I expect from Romance.
I really struggled with Sophie's character in this story because she has this strange sordid past that she starts referring to, and then it's a weird guilt situation about a man being killed when someone accidentally drops a cigarette and they set a barn on fire? The way the character talks about it feels flat and unrealistic, and there's a line that sums up: "If you have gone back five years, you would've found my record. Well, maybe not, because I was seventeen and juvenile records are generally sealed." It's a weird statement that acknowledges the reality but also sort of breaks character to exposit at the reader.
There were also typos throughout, which I found distracting.
I really struggled with Sophie's character in this story because she has this strange sordid past that she starts referring to, and then it's a weird guilt situation about a man being killed when someone accidentally drops a cigarette and they set a barn on fire? The way the character talks about it feels flat and unrealistic, and there's a line that sums up: "If you have gone back five years, you would've found my record. Well, maybe not, because I was seventeen and juvenile records are generally sealed." It's a weird statement that acknowledges the reality but also sort of breaks character to exposit at the reader.
There were also typos throughout, which I found distracting.
September 17, 2018
Maverick is getting annoying. What a jerk. All these bright, educated people cannot stop him in this age of technology.
Sophie was so frustrating. Come on where is trust and honesty. I can’t believe how you can’t face what is going on and talk it out rather than assuming. As loyal as Sophie was helping Clay to recover from his accident, Clay had a lot of anger and hurt to recover from.
One can’t assume how one feels
Sophie was so frustrating. Come on where is trust and honesty. I can’t believe how you can’t face what is going on and talk it out rather than assuming. As loyal as Sophie was helping Clay to recover from his accident, Clay had a lot of anger and hurt to recover from.
One can’t assume how one feels
January 11, 2019
I loved this book. The only reason i gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because of all the errors. More then once, the main character was referred to as Cole and his name is Clay. And it was in the same paragraph.
November 11, 2023
Fairly bland storyline where she just keeps saying she doesn't want to sleep with her boss (shocker, she does anyways), and I found at least 4 times they called Clay by the name of Cole. At one point they even called him Clay Prescott.
July 26, 2017
Very good short read but there was a lot of mistakes with the names and time frames. Still enjoyed it. Love cowboys
August 5, 2018
Main character’s name changed from Clay to Cole throughout the book. I think they should have done “find and replace” before printing! 😂
December 16, 2024
The author really should decide if he’s called Clay or Cole - lol
January 2, 2018
With baby in the title, you know you’re in for the Unexpected Expecting, the unwanted, unplanned for, carelessly conceived fetus that will grow into a big problem for its baby mama. You can also do away with UST as well, since the romantic couple gets their skank on in the first 20 pages. But, wait, there’s more! He’s her boss and she’s his secretary. Cue the facepalm.
With no surprises in store, we have to wade through the predictably feeble attempts of Sophie to keep her boss at bay with the “it was a mistake that won’t be repeated” song while knowing that it will be repeated. Over and over and over again.
Clay doesn’t do relationships or marriage, due to a bad breakup in his past. But his motivations don’t really matter. He used to be a player and still wants to have sex with his subordinate. Once wasn’t enough for him and he’s going to make her give in no matter what her objections. Gag.
He changes his mind about commitment, of course. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes et cetera. The only thing that makes this questionable romance a smidgen more palatable than most is that Sophie is a really capable employee. She’s a powerful force that got Clay out of his pity party after an incident that crushed his leg and ruined his career as a champion bullrider. She’s very efficient in the office and a pro at dealing with problems that arise. It’s only concerning the impropriety of sleeping with the boss that she’s a complete and utter ninnyhammer.
There’s also some trouble with an unknown hacker called Maverick that’s determined to bring down Clay’s company. Maverick was written about in another romance but I find it impossible to be interested about some internet specter that no one can seem to catch and is never seen nor heard. Maverick is very much a nonentity so don’t get excited about it.
This novel gets a thumbs up for Etta Candy. Thumbs down for the man candy.
With no surprises in store, we have to wade through the predictably feeble attempts of Sophie to keep her boss at bay with the “it was a mistake that won’t be repeated” song while knowing that it will be repeated. Over and over and over again.
Clay doesn’t do relationships or marriage, due to a bad breakup in his past. But his motivations don’t really matter. He used to be a player and still wants to have sex with his subordinate. Once wasn’t enough for him and he’s going to make her give in no matter what her objections. Gag.
He changes his mind about commitment, of course. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes et cetera. The only thing that makes this questionable romance a smidgen more palatable than most is that Sophie is a really capable employee. She’s a powerful force that got Clay out of his pity party after an incident that crushed his leg and ruined his career as a champion bullrider. She’s very efficient in the office and a pro at dealing with problems that arise. It’s only concerning the impropriety of sleeping with the boss that she’s a complete and utter ninnyhammer.
There’s also some trouble with an unknown hacker called Maverick that’s determined to bring down Clay’s company. Maverick was written about in another romance but I find it impossible to be interested about some internet specter that no one can seem to catch and is never seen nor heard. Maverick is very much a nonentity so don’t get excited about it.
This novel gets a thumbs up for Etta Candy. Thumbs down for the man candy.
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August 10, 2017Sophie and Clay will grab your attention and keep it throughout their story. A real pleasure to get to know them and to watch their struggles with coming to terms with changes in their relationship. :) Kim
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews