Title: A Passion to Pursue
Series: Prophecy of Love #2
Author: Kelsey Browning
Release Date: March 31, 2016
What if a pair of cowboy boots could foretell true love?
For years, Texas gal Greer Maddox waited to inherit her legacy as the next prophecy bootmaker. But that day never came. Now, instead of living out her rightful destiny, she’s lost, restlessly jumping from one art project to the next.
Until the day leather tooler Alejandro Villanueva strolls into town looking like ten kinds of sexy trouble.
After surviving his dark and dangerous past, all Alex wants is a quiet future. Alone, where his former life and mistakes can’t hurt anyone else. Even casually screwing around with a girl next door like Greer—whose dulce de leche voice and curvy body make him sweat—is a bad idea. But when she gets involved in his attempts to win the Prophecy Boot Company’s tooling contract, waving adios is the last thing on his mind.
Their attraction flares hot and undeniable. He wants her, and even knowing he shouldn’t have her can’t stop him from indulging in the temptation she offers. But when his past comes calling, he is forced to choose between hiding from his sins, or saving the woman he loves.
It was supposed to be a simple interview. Alejandro (Alex) Villanueva is more than qualified for the Tooler position at Prophecy Boots, but the universe appeared to be angling to keep the position just out of reach for him. When his car breaks down on the way to the interview, Greer Maddox becomes his unlikely rescuer and—despite the instant attraction he feels for her—a chronic pain in his rear. Alex is running from a dark past that has molded him into a man with no room for a woman in his life, much less an All-American, Girl Next Door like Greer. However, he can't deny his attraction to the strong, stubborn woman who's become determined to show Alex that there's more to life than the shell he's allowed himself.
Greer has been waiting to find her calling—dallying in every art form imaginable, hoping that something will stick. It isn't until dark, tattooed, broody Alex shows up in town that she's struck with inspiration, and with him as her muse—and eventually her voice of reason—she's not willing to let him go easily. When his dark past comes calling, it could end the couple before they even get started and leave their own prophecies unfulfilled.
This is the second book in the Prophecy of Love series and I think it's even better than the first. I loved mysterious and broody Alex, and I simply adored vivacious and plucky Greer. They're scorching hot together, but they're also so much deeper than their physical chemistry. Greer's heart is huge; she’s brave and loyal and, in the end, strong enough for both of them, which was kind of an amazing thing to read.
I enjoyed all facets of the storyline here—I even feel like I bought into the whole mystical idea of Prophecy Boots more in this book than I did with the first one. It's a sweet, poignant secondary storyline that ties neatly into the larger storylines, and I really connected with it.
There's a little bit of everything in this book—some angst, some drama, some humor, lots of pages that had me grinning like crazy, and more than a few pages that had my panties in danger of certain ruin. I was able to predict some of how the story played out, but there were some small twists that I didn't see coming, and I loved that Ms. Browning could surprise me like that!
In the end, I enjoyed everything about this book, including the little updates on Cal and Delaney, and the whole quirky, lovable town of Prophecy. I am now completely invested in this series and wholeheartedly look forward to more!
~ Review by Shelly
Kelsey Browning writes sexy contemporary romances that readers describe as funny, sassy, and full of sizzling chemistry. She also co-authors humorous Southern women’s fiction with a sprinkling of mystery. Originally from a Texas town smaller than the ones she writes about, Kelsey has also lived in the Middle East and Los Angeles, proving she’s either adventurous or downright nuts. These days, she makes her home in Athens, Georgia, with her tech-savvy husband, her smart-talking son, a rescue dog from Qatar, and her (fingers crossed) future therapy pup.
