Ties That Bind by Heather Huffman
Published By: Booktrope Editions
Release Date: September 26, 2011
Formats: Paperback - 224 pages / Kindle - 401 KB / Nook - 722 KB
ISBN: 1935961349
ASIN: B005S19K1G
Genre: Contemporary Romance / Women's Fiction / Chick Lit
About The Author:
Heather Huffman writes romantic suspense with strong female leads who refuse to lose hope. Though her stories never shy from looking into the world's darker corners, they don't dwell there. Heather shares with her resilient heroines a passion to make a difference and so donates a portion of her book royalties to organizations that fight against human trafficking.
Heather was born and spent her childhood in Florida but now calls the beautiful state of Missouri home. Her greatest joy, when not writing, is to hit the road with her three boys for adventures unknown.
AUTHOR WEBSITE
GOODREADS
Heather Huffman's Ties That Bind Virtual Book Tour Page on AToMR
BUY THE BOOK: Ties That Bind
AMAZON
BARNES & NOBLE
Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by AToMR Book Blog Tours.
* Contest Giveaway *
Ties That Bind Virtual Book Tour Event
1) Tour Stop Contest Prize: Post a comment below to enter to win one of three (3) eBook copies of Ties That Bind by Heather Huffman
2) Grand Prize: Enter to win 1 signed print copy of Ties That Bind and Tumbleweed by Heather Huffman. Clink on the Rafflecopter entry box to enter to win the grand prize!
Book Description:
Kate Yager never had a father, and she never minded - until her mom died. Now, acting on the name called out on her mother's deathbed, Kate has moved to San Francisco and gotten herself hired by the man she suspects to be her dad. As if a new job, new apartment, and new parent weren't enough, Kate finds herself head-over-heels in lust with a complete stranger she met at an art show. A stranger who, she later finds out, happens to work in her office.
As her relationships with her friends and father grow stronger, Kate has to confront the decisions of her past to find out whether she can love the man who gave her up, love the man who loves her truly, and even whether she can love herself.
Book Excerpt:
"I have a few ideas for how to spend the day."
"Is that so?" She narrowed her eyes, unsure if she trusted his ideas.
"Come on, you're going to love it."
"Somehow I doubt that."
"Spoil sport."
"Flip nut."
"What?" He paused, unsure if he'd heard her correctly.
"Flip nut?" She repeated.
"I'm telling myself that's an American term of endearment."
"That's exactly what it is." She patted his shoulder patronizingly.
"We're here." He stopped abruptly as the road ended.
"Why are we at the pier?" She eyed him nervously.
"Well, I know we were supposed to start with things having to do with the launch party, but you've come so far on that already. It wouldn't hurt to get started on the next issue ..."
"What are you talking about?"
"Okay, okay, you caught me. This just looks fun."
"What looks fun?"
"Kayaking." He dazzled her with his smile. "Come on. But you have to promise not to tip; I have my camera with me."
"No way." Kate dug her heels in and shook her head firmly. "Absolutely not."
"Are you scared?"
"This isn't third grade," she reminded him for a second time that morning.
"Seriously, I understand if this kind of thing is just way too spontaneous for you. I get it."
"What do you get?"
"You don't brush your teeth without scheduling it on your Blackberry, do you? What about showers?"
"I am perfectly capable of tending to personal hygiene without the assistance of my handheld."
"So, where's the line?"
"What line?"
"We've established you can be spontaneously hygienic, but you won't get on a boat without proper notice, even if it's part of your job. I'm just wondering where the line is."
"This isn't for work."
"Sure it is." He'd moved even closer to Kate; his nearness was driving her to distraction.
"No it's not. It's for your own sadistic enjoyment. Nice try," Kate could feel her face heating up.
"You're right; should we call Jack and ask his opinion?" The look he gave her was pure innocence. The one she bathed him with was something else entirely - more like loathing. She toyed with the mental image of using one of her heels as a weapon.
"That's fighting dirty," she muttered.
"True," he agreed, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
"Really dirty." She folded her arms across her chest.
"Yep." He began to dial the phone.
"Fine." She heaved a sigh and stalked him. "Let's get this over with."
"Daddy's little girl." He triumphantly pocketed his phone.
"Excuse me?" She stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face him.
"Oh come on, it's pretty obvious you want to please Daddy. I get it with the last names - don't want to show nepotism and all that." He strolled towards the door.
"What makes you think Jack Cooper is my father?" She moved to catch up with him. "Please tell me you haven't told anyone that."
"Sorry." He seemed taken aback by her distress. "The mannerisms, the eyes ... I just assumed it was common knowledge everyone pretended they didn't have."
Kate sank onto a nearby bench, leaning forward and sucking in great big gulps of air. So this was what a panic attack felt like. Did Jack know? Jessica? Liz? Were they all playing her stupid little game out of kindness? Tara? Tara couldn't know.
Gavin stood in front of her, as if unsure how best to proceed. He finally settled on sitting quietly next to her and rubbing her back gently. The light touch was enough to reignite the electric currents in her veins. Maybe not his intended response, but it diverted her mind from its crazy ramblings nonetheless.
"Is that so?" She narrowed her eyes, unsure if she trusted his ideas.
"Come on, you're going to love it."
"Somehow I doubt that."
"Spoil sport."
"Flip nut."
"What?" He paused, unsure if he'd heard her correctly.
"Flip nut?" She repeated.
"I'm telling myself that's an American term of endearment."
"That's exactly what it is." She patted his shoulder patronizingly.
"We're here." He stopped abruptly as the road ended.
"Why are we at the pier?" She eyed him nervously.
"Well, I know we were supposed to start with things having to do with the launch party, but you've come so far on that already. It wouldn't hurt to get started on the next issue ..."
"What are you talking about?"
"Okay, okay, you caught me. This just looks fun."
"What looks fun?"
"Kayaking." He dazzled her with his smile. "Come on. But you have to promise not to tip; I have my camera with me."
"No way." Kate dug her heels in and shook her head firmly. "Absolutely not."
"Are you scared?"
"This isn't third grade," she reminded him for a second time that morning.
"Seriously, I understand if this kind of thing is just way too spontaneous for you. I get it."
"What do you get?"
"You don't brush your teeth without scheduling it on your Blackberry, do you? What about showers?"
"I am perfectly capable of tending to personal hygiene without the assistance of my handheld."
"So, where's the line?"
"What line?"
"We've established you can be spontaneously hygienic, but you won't get on a boat without proper notice, even if it's part of your job. I'm just wondering where the line is."
"This isn't for work."
"Sure it is." He'd moved even closer to Kate; his nearness was driving her to distraction.
"No it's not. It's for your own sadistic enjoyment. Nice try," Kate could feel her face heating up.
"You're right; should we call Jack and ask his opinion?" The look he gave her was pure innocence. The one she bathed him with was something else entirely - more like loathing. She toyed with the mental image of using one of her heels as a weapon.
"That's fighting dirty," she muttered.
"True," he agreed, pulling his phone out of his pocket.
"Really dirty." She folded her arms across her chest.
"Yep." He began to dial the phone.
"Fine." She heaved a sigh and stalked him. "Let's get this over with."
"Daddy's little girl." He triumphantly pocketed his phone.
"Excuse me?" She stopped dead in her tracks and turned to face him.
"Oh come on, it's pretty obvious you want to please Daddy. I get it with the last names - don't want to show nepotism and all that." He strolled towards the door.
"What makes you think Jack Cooper is my father?" She moved to catch up with him. "Please tell me you haven't told anyone that."
"Sorry." He seemed taken aback by her distress. "The mannerisms, the eyes ... I just assumed it was common knowledge everyone pretended they didn't have."
Kate sank onto a nearby bench, leaning forward and sucking in great big gulps of air. So this was what a panic attack felt like. Did Jack know? Jessica? Liz? Were they all playing her stupid little game out of kindness? Tara? Tara couldn't know.
Gavin stood in front of her, as if unsure how best to proceed. He finally settled on sitting quietly next to her and rubbing her back gently. The light touch was enough to reignite the electric currents in her veins. Maybe not his intended response, but it diverted her mind from its crazy ramblings nonetheless.
My Book Review:
Kate Yager is a thirty-two year old event planner, who grew up never knowing who her father was. Her mom Danielle had been diagnosed with cancer, and on her deathbed she whispered the name Jack Collins. Determined to find out if this man was her father, she moved to San Francisco and took a position in his magazine the San Franciscan, in order to learn more about him. What she didn't plan on was becoming attracted to a younger man, handsome twenty-five year old British photographer, Gavin Nichols, who also joined the magazine's staff. With years of emotional baggage and walls built around her heart, Kate kept Gavin at arms length, yet she yearned to let go and let him into her heart. Gavin guesses that Kate resembles Jack, and offers to help her search the relationship between Jack and Danielle, in the hope of proving that he is in fact her biological father. Will Kate be able to let go of her emotional baggage? Will Kate let down her wall and give Gavin a chance? Will Kate find out the answer to who her father is, could it be Jack? And if Jack is her father, will he accept Kate as his daughter?
Ties That Bind is an enjoyable lighthearted romance story. The storyline is well written and easy for the reader to relate to. The author does a wonderful job of exploring Kate's emotional past, her insecurities and her growth through the relationships she forms with Gavin, Jack, Jack's fiancee Tara, and her co-workers Jessica and Liz. Written with a light touch , a sense of humor, and filled with quirky dialogue among the characters, especially Kate and Gavin, the reader will embrace this fast-paced story, it has a nice balance of romance and some dramatic twists and turns.
The author creates a cast of characters that are realistic, down-to-earth people that the reader can embrace and relate to. I found that Kate's complexity and Gavin's easy-going nature to be fascinating, especially as I watched how their relationship developed. I couldn't help but love Gavin, he's a "dream man": easy-going, caring, understanding, thoughtful ... the whole package! I really enjoyed the youthful, fun-loving, and spirited Jessica and Liz, master matchmakers extraordinaire! Finally, I was intrigued by the relationship between Kate and Jack, I loved how the story kept me guessing on how their relationship would turn out.
Ties That Bind is a fun, flirty, quick read that will keep true romance fans entertained.
RATING: 4 STARS ****
