3 stars-- The Hero (Sons of Texas #1) by Donna Grant

My first Donna Grant! I couldn't resist the cover for The Hero. Goodness it's yummy! I mean, seriously pet-able! lol And it was a decent read, too, though I did have a couple quibbles.

• The set up. Three military brothers suddenly being brought home to Texas-- after over a decade away-- to help find their estranged father who had been kidnapped by terrorists along with a bioweapon.

• And the characters. While there was nothing overly remarkable about any of them they were still nice to spend time with and all good people.

• It was fairly quick paced. There's not a lot of down time as they deal with the bad guys and trying to figure out the missing pieces of the puzzle on who's behind kidnapping their dad and how to find him. 

• The heroine held her shit together when things went sideways. She didn't have any TSTL moments or irrational bits. It had me throwing my hands in the air going YES!!!!! lol

• The romance relied almost entirely on them having been in love 14 years earlier. Then after a bad break up and not seeing each other once in 14 years they're magically in love and planning the future together within like 2 days. Erms.

• No condoms even though they were just "hooking up" and neither wanting anything serious.

• There wasn't enough resolution for me. The romance concluded but the series arc just wasn't totally satisfying. Nothing really resolved on that. They got their piece of the puzzle and basically handed things off to the next sibling and his heroine. 

• There were bits I just didn't feel were well thought out. Or, I guess, you could say where the writing wasn't tight? Like they have a ranch with numerous animals and ranch hands and after a death they give the ranch hands time off. Erms. Who's going to care for all of the animals since hero/heroine are off saving the world? Or bits that really felt loose then after the fact they'd come in with an explanation on how it happened. It felt like it relied too much on convenience for explaining some things in order for other things to happen.

Okay. so it sounds like I really hated it. But I didn't. It was a decent enough read but squarely in the average category for me. That is not a horrible place to be and I liked it enough that I do want to read book two and see where things go for this group of brothers. Overall it was a nice diversion even with the quibbles.

Owen Loughman is a highly-decorated Navy SEAL who has a thirst for action. But there’s one thing he hasn’t been able to forget – his high school sweetheart, Natalie. After over a decade away, Owen is returned home to the ranch in Texas for a dangerous new mission that puts him face-to-face with Natalie and an outside menace that threatens everything he holds dear. He’ll risk it all to keep Natalie safe – and win her heart...

Natalie Dixon has had a lifetime of heartache since Owen was deployed. Fourteen years and one bad marriage later, she finds herself mixed up with the Loughman’s again. With her life on the line against an enemy she can’t fight alone, it’s Owen’s strong shoulders, smoldering eyes, and sensuous smile that she turns to. When danger closes in, she holds close to the only man she’s ever loved…

Amazon | Goodreads

*covers link to Amazon

Challenges: New to You (author) | Goodreads