Embracing Her Heart (The Bradens & Montgomerys #1) Love in Bloom Contemporary Romance

Melissa Foster

Jan 2018 · The Bradens & Montgomerys (Pleasant Hill - Oak Falls) Book 1 · Sold by World Literary Press

About this ebook

Discover the magic of New York Times bestseller Melissa Foster's writing, and see why millions of readers have fallen in love with the fiercely loyal and sassily sexy characters in the Love in Bloom big-family romance families. 

Welcome to Oak Falls, Virginia, home to horse farms, midnight rodeos, bookstores, coffee shops, and quaint restaurants where you're greeted like family and treated like treasured guests. Buckle up for a wild ride. Like any Southern girls worth their salt, the sweet-talking, sharp-tongued Montgomery sisters can take men to their knees with one seductive glance or a single sugarcoated sentence.

A second chance at their first love...

Leaving New York City and returning to her hometown to teach a screenplay writing class seems like just the break Grace Montgomery needs. Until her sisters wake her at four thirty in the morning to watch the hottest guys in town train wild horses and she realizes that escaping her sisters' drama-filled lives was a lot easier from hundreds of miles away. To make matters worse, she spots the one man she never wanted to see again ruggedly handsome Reed Cross.

Reed was one of Michigan's leading historical preservation experts, but on the heels of catching his girlfriend in bed with his business partner, his uncle suffers a heart attack. Reed cuts all ties and returns home to Oak Falls to run his uncle's business. A chance encounter with Grace, his first love, brings back memories he's spent years trying to escape.

 

Grace is bound and determined not to fall under Reed's spell again and Reed wants more than another taste of the woman he's never forgotten. When a midnight party brings them together, passion ignites and old wounds are opened. Grace sets down the ground rules for the next three weeks. No touching, no kissing, and if she has it her way, no breathing, because every breath he takes steals her ability to think. But Reed has other ideas.

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The Bradens & Montgomerys are part of Melissa's Love in Bloom big-family romance collection. All Love in Bloom novels are written to stand alone and may also be enjoyed as part of the larger series, so dive right into this fun, sexy romance.

MORE BRADENS & MONTGOMERYS (Pleasant Hill - Oak Falls) coming soon! Order of future books is subject to change.

Embracing Her Heart

Anything For Love

Trails of Love

Wild Crazy Hearts

Making You Mine

Searching for Love

Hot For Love

Sweet Sexy Hearts

Then Came Love

Rocked by Love

Wicked Bad Hearts

Claiming Her Heart

**Please note that future books in the original Montgomery series are crossing over to the Bradens at Pleasant Hill, and for this reason I have combined the series into THE BRADENS & MONTGOMERYS (Pleasant Hill - Oak Falls). 

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"When it comes to contemporary romances with realistic characters, an emotional love story and smokin' hot sex, author Melissa Foster always delivers!" The Romance Reviews

"You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that's fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won't want to stop reading. Every book's a winner!" New York Times Bestselling Author Brenda Novak

"With her wonderful characters and resonating emotions, Melissa Foster is a must-read author!" New York Times Bestseller J. Kenner

"Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" New York TimesBestseller Lauren Blakely

"Melissa Foster writes her romance novels similarly to my favorite adult romance author, Danielle Steel: the perfect blend of drama, romance, friendship, love and passion."- Andrea Buginsky, author

"I highly recommend this book to fans of Nora Roberts (one of my personal faves) and fans of a sweet story filled with heat and heart." - Tia Bach, author

"Melissa Foster is quickly becoming one of my favorites. Fated For Love was amazing. It kind of reminds me of Jill Shalvis' books and they are my benchmark for contemporary romance awesomeness." --Books Like Breathing (on Fated for Love)

"I highly recommend the Snow Sisters all the Braden and Remington books....I am sure there are going to be other family's that intertwine and that is what I love most about these books. They remind me of the McCarthy of Gansett series and The Green Mountain series. I am a huge fan of Marie Force. And now Melissa Foster has joined her ranks...." - I Love NY, Reviewer

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The Bradens & Montgomerys are part of Melissa's Love in Bloom big-family romance collection. All Love in Bloom novels are written to stand alone without any unresolved issues or cliffhangers. Love in Bloom features alpha male heroes and sexy, empowered women. They're flawed, funny, passionate, and relatable to readers who enjoy contemporary romance and women's fiction. Characters from each sub-series appear in future books.

Love In Bloom Series

Snow Sisters

The Bradens at Weston

The Bradens at Trusty

The Bradens at Peaceful Harbor

The Bradens & The Montgomerys (Pleasant Hill - Oak Falls)

The Remingtons

The Ryders

Seaside Summers

Bayside Summers

Wild Billionaires After Dark

Bad Billionaires After Dark

Harborside Nights

The Whiskeys & Tru Blue

"Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!" New York Times Bestseller Lauren Blakely

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance, and women's fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Melissa loves to chat with book clubs and readers, invite her to your next event.

Foster's love stories are perfect steamy romance beach reads for fans of big-family, small-town romance. The characters are romantic and loyal, some are billionaires, others are not, and you're always guaranteed a happily ever after. 

This book will resonate with people looking to read: small-town romance, feel-good romance, contemporary romance, romantic comedy, series, romantic comedy series, racy, sexy, heartwarming, heart-warming romance, family, love, love books, kissing books, emotional journey, contemporary, contemporary romance, romance series, long series, long romance series, sassy, captivating romance, hot, hot romance, forbidden love, sparks, loyalty, swoon, beach romance, books for summer, books for the beach, beach series, sweetbriar, seaside, love in bloom, bradens, remingtons, ryders, whiskeys, wicked, dirty, fierce, alpha heroes, funny romance, laugh romance, modern romance, cape cod, cape cod romance, USA today, USA today bestseller, smart romance, something funny to read, billionaire, billionaire romance, love story, millionaire, wealthy heroes, happily ever after, happy ending, lighthearted romance, light romance, romance for adults, contemporary romance 2023, funny romance new, swoonworthy, romance series, romance books, beach reads, new adult, small-town, funny, female, stories, sensual, sensual romance, alpha male, dominant male, hot guy, fun summer reads, love and friendship, new romance series, hot romance series, new small-town series, beach reads 2023, new beach read, free beach house book, free beach romance, free summer romance, free vacation romance, free summer book, steamy romance, romance series, family romance, big family, friend romance, friends to lovers, contemporary crush, love story, romance love, new adult romance, contemporary romance and sex, romance billionaire series, friendship.

Ratings and reviews

Embracing Her Heart (The Bradens and Montgomerys (Pleasant Hill - Oak Falls) Book by Melissa Foster Okay, this is now one of my new favorite books by Melissa Foster. I love second chance romances and this one does not disappoint! Grace Montgomery and Reed Cross were high school sweethearts who had to keep their relationship secret because of a rivalry between their high schools. Having grown up in a small city where such rivalries existed, it was easy to identify with. Grace was always convinced country life was not for her and upon graduation she pursues her dream in NYC to become a playwright and producer. But at what cost? Reed has has own dreams that don't include leaving Oak Falls, but is devastated when Grace departs and heads off to Michigan to escape his heartache and becomes a leading historical preservation expert opening a business with a college friend, Thad. After a betrayal Reed sells his share of the business and returns to Oak Falls to help out his Uncle Roy who suffered a heart attack and stays to run his uncle's business. Fate brings these two together when Grace returns for a three week visit to teach a screenplay writing class and of course Gracie and Reed can't escape seeing each other. Reed, aka Greedy Boy is as sweet and romantic as he is sexy and alpha. A perfect compliment to Grace's smart, sweet and sassy nature. His thoughtfulness and romantic gestures make him instantly endearing. Their chemistry is stronger than ever and what ensues is more than a trip down memory lane, as these two lovers make new memories while treasuring the old ones. You can take the girl out of the country, but can you take the country out of the girl? And does she really want to? With Grace's three weeks coming to an end and her life back in NYC, can these two lovers make a long distance relationship work? These are well-developed characters with great secondary characters who add to the story and move it forward. From Grace's huge family to Reed's Aunt and Uncle who raised him, to his missing father and their many friends, to the house Reed buys and movie theater which holds such fond memories for them, this book is a wonderful read.

4.5 stars--EMBRACING HER HEART is the first instalment in Melissa Fosters’ contemporary, adult The Bradens and Montgomerys: Pleasant Hill-Oak Falls, erotic romance series-a spin off from the author’s Bradens at Pleasant Hill series. This is historical preservationist and builder Reed Cross, and screen-play writer Grace Montgomery’s story line. EMBRACING HER HEART can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the original series is revealed where necessary. Told from dual third person perspectives (Reed and Grace) EMBRACING HER HEART is a second chance romance focusing on the rekindling relationship between historical preservationist and builder Reed Cross, and screen-play writer Grace Montgomery. With the recent heart-attack of his beloved uncle Roy, Reed made the decision to return to Oak Falls in the hopes of forgetting out the disaster and betrayal by his business partner, he left behind in Michigan. What Reed never expected was to come face to face with the woman he has always loved, his high school sweet heart, Grace Montgomery, back in town to teach a course on playwriting. Grace, home for a three-week hiatus, cannot help but be drawn to the man that broke her heart. What ensues is the quick rekindling relationship between Grace and Reed, and the potential fall-out as Grace prepares to head back to New York, and the lifestyle in which she has become accustomed. Grace Montgomery is a successful screen-play writer whose return to Oak Falls comes with too many reminders about the past-a past that continues to break her heart. Reed Cross, raised by his aunt and uncle, knew he belonged back in Oak Falls but something or someone was missing, from his heart and his home. The relationship between Grace and Reed is one of second chances; a high school romance that was destroyed when Grace went off to college, and Reed ran to forget about the girl that broke his heart. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text. There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Grace’s rather large collection of successful siblings: Brindle (high school teacher), Amber (book store owner), Pepper (research and development scientist) and her twin sister Sable (musician), Morgyn (small business owner), and their only brother musician Axsel: their parents Marilynn and Cade Montgomery; Grace’s childhood best friend Sophie; and the Jericho brothers/ranchers-Trace, Justus, Shane and Jeb. We are introduced to Reed’s uncle Roy and aunt Ella, as well as a large assortment of townsfolk and visitors including Brett Bad and Sophie Roberts (Bad Boys After Dark #4). The world building looks at the second chance romance between Reed and Grace. We are privy to their memories of the past including Reed’s less than pleasant thoughts about the parents he never knew. A small town romance EMBRACING THE HEART follows the ups and downs, gossip and friendships of Oak Falls, Virginia EMBRACING HER HEART is a sweet story with a sexy and sensual rekindling romance. The premise is heart warming; the characters are energetic and spirited; the romance is provocative and intense. Melissa Foster writes an inspiring tale about second chances, first loves, family and heart.

4.5 Stars Embracing Her Heart is the first title in the Pleasant Hill series, featuring The Bradens and The Montgomery's. It's a heartwarming, and sweet story full of heat, heart and humor. If you love a second chance romance, or small town trope this may be the book for you. Although this is the first title in the Pleasant Hill series, the town and several of the secondary characters have appeared in Melissa Foster's previous titles including Swept Into Love, Touched By Love and Bad Boys After Dark: Brett. Reed Cross is such an endearing character, and has the makings of a perfect book boyfriend. He's kind, loyal, caring, compassionate and above all determined. He's a carpenter and very good with his hands. Grace is fiercely independent and strong, and was desperate to escape the small town of Pleasant Hill the minute she finished high school. Although she's successful and accomplished her childhood dreams and goals, she's finding it's not as wonderful or fulfilling as she had expected. The sexual chemistry between Grace and Reed is undeniable and intense, and their connection just oozed off the page. I adored Grace's quirky and fun siblings, each with a distinct personality and I can't wait to see more of them in future titles. If you are looking for a well written read, interconnected standalone look no further than Melissa Foster, but be prepared once you start her books you will be sucked into her fictional worlds.

About the author

NEW YORK TIMES and USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR

Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes sexy and heartwarming contemporary romance, new adult romance, and women's fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Melissa's emotional journeys are lovingly erotic and always family oriented. Melissa loves to chat with book clubs and readers, invite her to your next event.