Review by Dottie: Worth the Risk by Claudia Connor

Worth the Risk

The McKinney Brothers, Book 2

By Claudia Connor

Genres:

Contemporary Romance

****

Teasers

 ****

Synopsis

New York Times bestselling author Claudia Connor follows up her heartfelt debut, Worth the Fall, with a novel about Matt’s brother, Stephen—and when a McKinney brother falls in love, powerful emotion and overwhelming desire are never far behind. 

Two hearts locked away . . . Hannah Walker spends her days coaching children through injury and trauma, one therapeutic horseback ride at a time. She knows all too well how violence can change a child and leave scars that never heal. It’s easy for her to relate to the kids; what isn’t easy is the thought of facing her own harrowing past.
 
Millionaire playboy Stephen McKinney could use a little coaching himself. Five years ago he encountered his most horrible nightmare—and the nightmare won. No matter what he achieves, nothing can make up for that awful night . . . or so he believes.

 Both desperate for a second chance . . . Stephen is used to getting what he wants. And he wants Hannah. So when she turns him down, he’s intrigued. What he doesn’t know is that her secrets will lead him to a place he never wanted to go again . . . to a side of himself he’s tried to forget . . . a side that would scare Hannah away from ever loving him. Now his only chance to win her trust is to bare his soul, risking everything he tried so hard to protect.

Dottie's Star Rating
(4 Stars)

Review

This is the second book in this series but can be read as a stand-alone. The question is - why would you want it to? The first book, Worth the Fall is delicious and I would be remiss if I didn't encourage you to read it too! The McKinney brothers are strong, honorable men and missing out on any of them would be a shame.

In any case, Worth the Risk is a book about Stephen McKinney. Just voted Norfolk's Most Eligible Bachelor and he's a pretty sexy one at that. He's a millionaire, he's gorgeous, and he’s successful. But he's not perfect; he was devastated by the loss of his fiancé a few years before and has decided real relationships are just really not worth the risk. He's photographed regularly with different beautiful women on his arm at high-profile events but deep down, he's really not happy.

Hannah is a woman with a tragic past; she has older brothers who are very protective of her as a result and they have never allowed a man to get close enough to her to even date her. She is a physical therapist for disabled children and runs an equine therapy program for them. She has fought very hard to build her life into what she wants it to be, despite her big brothers trying to protect her from the world. But sometimes life just throws things at you that make you sad.  One day, while at the grocery store to buy a few things, she is upset about having just lost a beloved pet...

Excerpt

Don't cry.  She scanned the beer case and swiped at her eyes. She wasn't going to cry. She bit down on her bottom lip. Damn it.  She was. No wonder her brothers treated her like glass. "Bad day?"  Hannah jerked at the deep voice beside her. Right beside her and way too close. Dark, tall, and wide, the man filled out his expensive-looking black suit like an athlete entering a stadium tunnel before a game. "I'm fine."  He angled his head, smiled, and her heart actually stumbled. "You know, people usually cry in their beer after they drink it.  Just saying."..."Well I'm done now." He looked back to the case as well, but even from the side she could see a smirk pulling at his lips. "That's good."  She grabbed a six-pack of AmberBock, spun her buggy around, and headed to the front feeling the stranger's eyes burning her back the entire way. 

Stephen McKinney watched her go, enjoying the way she moved in tan riding breeches that hugged her legs before they disappeared into tall, brown leather boots.  He smiled, enjoying it a little longer.  Golden-blond hair hung in a long, loose braid nearly to her waist. He had a flash of it tangled in his fingers spread across silk sheets. Beautiful. And gone...Still feeling a stab of disappointment, he exited alone.  But the sun warmed him and, it seemed, blessed him, with extreme luck, because, as he stashed his items in the tiny trunk of his Porsche, he caught sight of Goldilocks pushing her cart straight toward him...Still several feet away, she slowed, a touch of fight-or-flight in her eyes.  She took a few more steps, maintaining a certain distance he felt compelled to close. But he stayed where he was, legs crossed in front of him, effectively blocking her way. "Have dinner with me."..."What?"  "I'm asking you to dinner."  She looked around again, seeming more concerned with the parking lot than with him. "Oh."  Not exactly the effect he usually had on women....

Hannah has never been on a date. She doesn't feel like going to her brother's house and having them treat her like she is fragile once again. She eventually agrees to meet Stephen for a drink. She finds herself attracted to a man for the first time in her life and enjoys herself while they are out together. They begin to see each other, to get to know each other, slowly...

"What are you doing here?"  "Had a girl I needed to kiss."  And see and touch.  He'd only been back in town a few hours. Hadn't planned it. Couldn't explain it.  "Any students here?"  She shook her head.  "No."  "Brothers?"  His hands slid lower down her back. Her breath came faster.  "Um...no."  Her eyes were wide on his, their bodies flush chest to chest to trip. His fingers grazed her cheek, then slid around until he cupped the back of her neck.  "Anyone at all I should worry about?"  "Worry about?"  He covered her mouth in answer, savored the softness of her lips under his.  She'd been skittish and shy when they last parted, so he went slow, and he felt the exact second she let go and relaxed into him.  She smelled sweet and fresh, like vanilla and honey. Felt even better as her fingers slid up and into his hair, her breasts pressed against her chest. Maybe he hadn't lost as much ground as he'd feared.  He continued loving her mouth, sliding his tongue against hers. When she sighed and slipped more fully into his arms, he walked her back into an empty stall, took his time, kissed her like he wanted to.  Like he'd thought way too much about. And, holy hell, kissing her shouldn't make him this hot, not in all the places he was now burning. He deepened the kiss, tightening his grip at her neck and waist. The kiss was hot and hard and when he lifted his head, he found her eyes were still closed.  "So damn sweet."  Which only made him want her more. She blinked up at him, eyes dazed, looking every bit like a girl who'd been thoroughly kissed.  "It's hard to breathe around you."  "Is that a good thing?"  "I don't know."...

This is a pretty cool story about two people who have been through some pretty intense, unimaginable stuff just trying to make the best of things with the rest of their lives, and then they meet each other. One of the scariest things after you've been through tragedy is hope. Yet when they meet, they each feel a glimmer of hope spark in their hearts. It's human nature to want a connection with people, to want love in our lives. This little spark is what starts this connection between Stephen and Hannah. Throughout this book, there are starts and stops, misses, near misses, and bulls-eyes. They both want...so deeply, and they are both afraid to hope but still find themselves hoping anyway. This almost feels like a second-chance story without these people ever having met before. And when they do truly connect, it feels all the more like triumph of good over evil.

Matt and Abby from the first book do make quite a few appearances but you don't need to read book one to enjoy book two.  I definitely recommend both of these books very much (in my previous life, pre-blog, I gave the first book 4.5 stars)!  These guys are the kind of men who make women sit up and notice and then fan themselves about once they do!  Enjoy!

Purchase Worth the Risk Here: