A Deal Is a Deal - “A Deal Is a Deal” is the first in a trilogy of connected novellas about three half-brothers. This one features Rand, the oldest of the three, as the hero. Although the specifics aren’t mentioned, he lost his wife and child six years ago, and ever since then, he’s had his heart locked up tight. He still goes out with women and even sleeps with them from time to time, when the need for physical release becomes too great, but he has no intention of ever falling in love again. His heroine, Phoebe, was engaged to Rand’s brother, Carter, but it ended four years ago. After that, she became close friends with Rand, and ever since, her feelings for him, both physical and emotional, have gradually been growing until she’d give anything for just a week in his bed. When she accidentally blurts out that fact at a charity event they’re both attending and he overhears her, he offers to fulfill her fantasy in exchange for the deed to an island she owns that has a rich lithium deposit he needs for his business.

I really liked Phoebe, because she’s the perfect mix of sweet and sassy. She tends to speak her mind, but she’s also one of those seemingly rare, modern-day virgins, and there’s no one she wants to introduce her to the pleasures of the flesh but Rand. She’s tired of just being friends and wants so much more from him. Even though she knows he’s kept his heart off limits, she can’t help hoping that maybe he’ll open it up for her. Rand is an intensely sexy alpha male. Most of the time I liked him. He’s an excellent lover and takes good care of Phoebe, but he has a few moments where he says things that border on cruel and made me want to smack him. It was at those times, I found myself wishing he’d dial back on the alpha a little, but overall he showed enough gentleness and vulnerability to stay in my good graces.

With this being a short novella, things move rapidly between our hero and heroine. It all takes place in the span of only one week, but I wasn’t overly bothered by that. Rand and Phoebe's long-standing friendship played into their emotional connection a lot. Phoebe was totally in love with Rand before the story even started, and while Rand fought it for a bit, I could tell from the start that he knew Phoebe was a keeper and not one of the loose women he usually tended to go for. It’s one of the reasons he’d kept their relationship friends-only up to that point. The love scenes are smokin’ hot, and there’s a decent little plot for a novella, with Rand and Carter both vying for the rights to Phoebe's island, as well as Carter trying to mend the troubled relationship with his brother. So overall, “A Deal Is a Deal” was a really fun story. It was originally published along with its two companion novellas in this anthology, but it has since been republished as a stand-alone ebook, simply titled Rand. Star Rating: ****1/2

Carter's Story - “Carter's Story” is the second of three connected novellas about three half-brothers. In this one, we have Carter, who is technically the middle brother, but only ever so slightly younger than the oldest, Rand. When Carter’s father passed, there was a stipulation in his will that Carter must marry within a certain time-frame or the family-owned electronics company will be sold off, and his time is running out. He cares about his mother and brothers and doesn’t want to put them in a difficult position by not complying, nor does he want the media attention that’s sure to follow if he tries to have the conditions of the will overturned. Therefore, he’s determined to get hitched fast. Carter had broken off his engagement to Phoebe, Rand’s heroine, four years earlier, because he had such a visceral sexual attraction for another woman he thought he was following in his philandering father’s footsteps. That other woman was Daisy, who has been employed by his company for a number of years, and she’s the one Carter has his eye on as his future wife. However, convincing her might be difficult. I really liked Carter, even better than Rand, because he’s a little more of a soft touch. It’s cute how he keeps reassuring Daisy that the money he’s offered her isn’t for sex, and I thought it was sweet that he wanted to make their first time together special, even if it’s supposedly just a business arrangement.

Daisy has been in love with Carter from afar for years but never thought he would give her a second glance. She harbors insecurities from her first marriage, because her husband said she was too fat and never thought she was good in bed. So when Carter comes to her with his offer of marriage, even if it is one of convenience, it’s like a dream come true, but she doesn’t know why he would want someone like her. I loved how Carter was able to bring out Daisy’s sexy, passionate side in a way she’s never experienced before. Daisy is so shy and adorkably awkward, I couldn’t help but adore her. She was the perfect heroine for me.

Because of the short length of the story, the “I Love Yous” come pretty quickly, especially for Carter who didn’t think he was capable of loving someone, but them knowing one another for a while and admiring each other from a distance helped with the quickness of it all. The love scenes are deliciously steamy and absolutely perfect. So overall, this was a very fun story that I thoroughly enjoyed. In addition to being part of the trilogy of connected shorts about Carter and his brothers, both of whom make appearances, it’s also tied to Lucy Monroe’s Mercenary/Goddard Project series. Daisy mentions her brother being a merc, and her sister, Bella, whose story, Silver Bella, is also part of that series makes an appearance, too. “Carter's Story” was originally published along with its two companion novellas in this anthology, but it has since been republished as a stand-alone ebook, simply titled Carter. Star Rating: *****

*Colton’s Story - “Colton’s Story” is the final novella in this anthology of three connected stories about three half-brothers. In this one, we have the youngest brother, Colton, who was only recently found by his two older brothers but has been welcomed into their lives and business dealings. Before heading to Luna Island where he heads up the lithium mining operation for the family electronics business, Colton takes a holiday in Las Vegas, where a drunken night (he doesn’t usually drink and is a total lightweight when it comes to alcohol) ends with him waking up next to a stranger. He later discovers that he married her, when Fayre, his new wife, comes looking for him. When Fayre realizes Colton doesn’t remember anything about her or getting married, she figures she simply made yet another bad choice in men. Colton decides to own up to his responsibilities, but he has his work cut out for him convincing her that he’s sincere.

I absolutely adored Colton. Yeah, he walked out on Fayre the morning after, because he didn’t remember who she was and that he’d married her in a drunken haze and didn’t want to deal with the awkwardness of it all. But he ended up spending the next six weeks dreaming about her almost every night and felt guilty enough about it that he’d planned to go back to Vegas to try to find her again as soon as he got a break from work. Despite first appearances, he also wasn’t a player and had a more serious side when it came to relationships, which I loved. I also have to give him major kudos for stepping up to the plate when Fayre comes looking for him. A lot of men probably would have kicked her to the curb and given her the quickie divorce she was asking for, but instead Colton pulls out all the stops to cherish her in every way he possibly can and treat her like a princess.

I really liked Fayre, too. While she begins the story pretty steamed up, and understandably so, she isn’t annoyingly bitchy like some heroines I’ve read in similar circumstances. Fayre comes from a rough background, but I admired that she’d turned her life around as a chorus girl and had plans to start her own dance studio. Most of all, though, she wanted to be a mother. When Colton starts sweet-talking her again, she wants to believe him, but she’s been hurt a lot in the past. However, it doesn’t take long for her to melt back into his arms and trust that he truly is the real deal.

“Colton’s Story” is an incredibly cute and romantic novella. The reader will definitely have to buy into love-at-first-sight fairy tales to appreciate this story. I have to admit that the insta-love trope often doesn’t work for me, but here I was enchanted. Colton is the ultimate Prince Charming, while Fayre resists a little at first, but then eats it up. Their emotional connection is great, while they also share incredible chemistry with love scenes that are full of steamy goodness. Their story was super-sweet and absolutely perfect for me, so it ended up being a superb wrap-up to this anthology as well. “Colton’s Story” was originally published along with its two companion novellas in this anthology, but it has since been republished as a stand-alone ebook, simply titled Colton. Star Rating: ***** ( )

In these connected short stories, three brothers fall in love and marry REALLY quickly.

The first brother, Rand, is a bit (and I do mean bit) of a playboy, but when his friend Phoebe swears she'd give up the deed to her inherited island - which just happens to have large amounts of lithium, which he needs for his company - to spend a week in his bed, he's just tempted enough to agree to the deal. Of course, she's been in love with him for four years, and while he though his heart was ice after his wife and son's deaths 7 years earlier, turns out it may be melting for Phoebe.

Carter, Rand's younger brother, finds out he must get married immediately or lose his inheritance, and so sees it as a perfect opportunity to set up a deal with an employee of his who has haunted his fantasies for years. Of course, she's secretly been in love with her boss for years, so she agrees to the marriage-of-convenience.

Their surprise third brother (dad was a shameless philanderer, blah, blah) gets super drunk in Vegas one night, wakes up with a stranger in his bed, and sneaks out after leaving a note. Of course, he hasn't stopped thinking about the beautiful stranger, so when she shows up demanding a divorce for the quickie Vegas wedding he wasn't aware of, he forces her to take a day or two to figure things out. And maybe fall in love.

So. All the stories are VERY weak and quickie and unbelievable, but Monroe writes a steamy sex scene, to say the least. The premises of the stories - that these are "bad boys" in need of taming - is completely ridiculous. All three are steady, dependable men, who fall in love deeply (again, completely unrealistic) and immediately go to marriage - all three of the marriages are done within a week or two of the first kiss between the characters. Clearly the stories are just dressing for the sex scenes, but I gotta say, that ended up being okay for me!

Recommended if you're just in the mood for steamy seduction scenes, but no real depth. ( )

Cute short stories about love & family. ( )

Lucy Monroe has charmed me again with these three wonderful stories about these three sexy, hot and sensitive brothers. She weaves wonderful romantic tales which brings these incredible men to life. The women in their lives are sensitive to their needs and their love for these men goes "soul" deep.

I truly enjoyed this book and highly recommend it, especially for Lucy Monroe fans. Again, Lucy has produced a real winner! ( )

:) ( )