Blog Tour + Excerpt + Review: "Grumpy the Bear" by Marika Ray

I'm thrilled to participate in the blog tour celebrating the release of "Grumpy the Bear" by Marika Ray, book #1 of the Blueball Band of Brothers series. 

 

Firefighter Gannon Hart's life changed forever when he learned that he had a 5-year-old daughter, Elise, shortly after being seriously injured on the job. He decides to accept a disability payout and moves his daughter to the small town of Blueball, California to start a glamping resort. It's impossible to get any work done with Elise and her mischievous puppy underfoot, so if he wants to get the business up and running anytime soon, he'll need help. It comes from an unexpected source: his new neighbor, line worker Paisley Pearse, who feels compelled to step in after noticing Gannon's "creative" childcare strategies. It's a battle of wills between grumpy Gannon and feisty Paisley from the moment they meet, but their bickering is paired with an intense attraction they each find difficult to ignore. He's convinced that their 10-year age gap makes her off limits, however. How far will Paisley go to change Gannon's mind?

I adored the sparkling banter and fiery chemistry between Paisley and Gannon, as well as how protective he was of both her and his daughter. I wanted to cheer when he stood up to her parents and told them off for criticizing her career and life choices! When she turned around and did the same thing for him with his dad, I think I fell in love with Paisley right along with Gannon. They couldn't have been more perfect for each other if they tried, and I loved the little family they created with Elise and her puppy Meatball.

The one thing I was missing from this story was an explanation of what exactly happened with Elise's mother. How did Elise end up with Gannon? Does her mom have any contact with her now? It seemed kind of strange to me that Elise never asked about or mentioned her mom, and that she was so comfortable with Gannon after only knowing him for a few months. 

Despite that (tiny) frustration, I highly recommend "Grumpy the Bear" for all steamy rom-com fans and look forward to the next book in the series.

 

*Review copy provided by the author via Enticing Journey Book Promotions. All opinions expressed are my own. 

 

About "Grumpy the Bear"

He’s a tattooed, blue-eyed jerk who has no business being a single dad. He’s also my next-door neighbor, and after negotiations, my grumpy employer for the summer.

I don’t put up with cocky males normally and I certainly won’t put up with that man making noise at all hours of the day and night while he builds his glamp-ground. I offer advice, but the stubborn fool just turns his tractor on to drown me out. He returns the favor by pushing my buttons and making me so angry I can’t see straight. And I really want to be able to see his gorgeous body in those well-worn jeans and backward hat.

Amidst the verbal warfare, I discover he’s hiding scars from a recent accident. I also find out his light eyes heat up to a smoldering icy gray when I give as good as I get. Makes me want to see just how far I can push him and what he’ll do when he boils over.

Gannon’s been dealt a rough hand in life, and when I find a way under that gruff—and stupidly handsome—exterior, I find that maybe he’s not Grumpy the Bear as I nicknamed him, but instead just a teddy bear.

 

Grumpy the Bear is a steamy romantic comedy between the world’s grumpiest single dad and his new next door neighbor, complete with a five-year-old princess, a glamp-ground in the making, a gaggle of friends who hold no prisoners, and all the sizzling banter to keep you up all night. This romance ends with a spicy hot and perfectly sweet happily ever after (and zero breakups…according to the hero.)

 

 

Read an Excerpt from "Grumpy the Bear"

I pulled the hat off his head so I could see his eyes. I needed to see them when I asked this question, even though it wasn’t the question I wanted to ask. What I really wanted to say was that I needed more than just a physical release from him every now and again. I wanted to be with this man for real. I didn't care if we were neighbors or that I was currently the nanny for his daughter.

“You’re not playing fair, cowboy.”

He frowned. “What do you mean?”

I shrugged. “You can’t just play a song for a girl on your guitar and not put out. It just isn’t done.”

Understanding dawned. “You need more of those orgasms, Pearse?”

I tilted my head and went for what I wanted. “I need sex, cowboy. Sweaty, physical, blow-my-mind sex. I don’t want to walk straight tomorrow.”

Gannon groaned, dropping his head to my shoulder.

Let's see if my grumpy neighbor could ignore me now...