Almost Like Being in Love

Lost Texas Hearts, Book 2

By: Christina Dodd

Narrated by: Natalie Ross

As the middle child, Pepper Prescott's rebellious nature helped her survive when her parents disappeared and she and her siblings were sent to different foster homes around the country. Now an independent young woman, Pepper finds herself on the run after witnessing a shooting. Fearing for her life, Pepper flees to the only place she ever considered home and is shocked to find her old lover, Dan Graham, living on the remote mountain ranch.

A battle-hardened ex-Special Forces soldier, Dan no longer strikes Pepper as a man she can trust with her secrets, her life, and her love. But as long-simmering desires flare into a deep, sensual passion, Pepper realizes the only way she can reclaim her life is to ally herself with the enigmatic warrior who's willing to help fight for her future by solving the mysteries of her past - and making her his wife today.

©2004 Christina Dodd (P)2010 Brilliance Audio, Inc.

A great listen

I really enjoyed all three books in this series. I was lucky enough to happen upon the first book as my first listen in this series and was eager to listen to this one. With regard to the individual books it really doesn't matter if you have listend to the first one. This one, the second in the series truly stands on its own.

Lovely.

I've read this series so many times over the past 5 years... it never gets old. I want more books like this.

A little too long

I actually enjoyed this story, but nearing the end, I was getting very tired of the lead female and her annoying whining about her tough life and inability to love. This book could have been done better and shorter. The narration was good though

Not as good as the first in the series

One of the reviewers stated it would have been a great story if there wasn't such detailed & out of nowhere sex scenes that do nothing to enhance the story. I agree with that reviewer. I fast forwarded through the sex scenes and the story resumed almost where it left off! I was glad that characters from the first book entered the story (almost like a cameo). Overall I'm glad I listened to this book, especially since Hope and Zach appear throughout it.

great 2nd in series

like this book great series book i just got so tired of all the darn sex..... i fast forward i know a good 1/3 book. to much sex could have done more with relationship building other than sex. sorta disappointed with that asspect.

I enjoyed it!

Good second installment to this series. Just a tad bit long, but a very interesting story nonetheless. And the male lead had a "hot" factor that was off the charts! This book will make a lot more sense if you read it in succession to the first book of the series.

Again, Natalie Ross does a really good job with the narration which, in my opinion, can make or break an audio book.

Fun, but unsatisfying

I've enjoyed Dodd's books in the past, but I've always read them. This was the first time I'd listened to one of her books, and I think that may have had something to do with my impatience at times. The book was light, fun, and enjoyable, but not something I'd go out of my way to recommend to friends. The mystery element was present but felt overly contrived and the romance was a little too stilted. However, I listened to it from start to finish and don't feel like I "wasted" a credit.

Not my favorite of this series.

This was my least favorite of the family's stories. To a point, I understood where Pepper was coming from. I get the deep emotional wounds she hadn't yet healed from, but it was like she didn't want to heal or even consider that she could be wrong. Her seeming inability to put herself in someone else's shoes and also allow for conclusions other than her own made her unlikeable. Her complete emotional immaturity made me wonder how a man as worldly as Dan would want her.
If victim mentality was a book character, it would be Pepper Prescott.

*******SPOILERS AHEAD!!!****

Honestly, someone who tried her best to get someone to think the worst of her and when they do, she curls up like an old wounded dog and then pouts and sulks and plays the poor wronged wounded woman. It's enough to make you gag!
I'd say Hope and her crew and Rita were my favorite characters. Russell was hilarious. I laughed out loud at the first words out of his mouth after getting flipped onto his back.
Dan was okay, if a bit cheesy with the 'oh my darlings'. At times he reminded me of the book heroes from the novels of the early '80s.
Still, his wounds, both physically and emotionally (the tragedy of the little girl...😢) and his story overall was the most believable and touching. Poor guy.

The Villains...hmmm

General Jennifer Napier didn't feel like any kind of a real threat because we only experienced her at the beginning of the story and then no more interaction til near the end.
It didn't matter how many seemingly dozens of times Pepper thought the name 'General Jennifer Napier' when obsessing over what may happen. She simply wasn't an interesting enough villain for me to care what she did.
I think I could have gotten more into what kind of threat she posed if from time to time the author showed the reader what was in her head or at least part of her hunt for Pepper.
Schuster got off easy compared to the atrocities he committed. It felt like the author was pressed against a deadline and had to rush to finish. The big climax felt...off. We got zero interaction with him. No showdown between him and Dan, nothing. Dan was denied his vengeance against Schuster for the child, which to me made that part the worst.