Breathe the Sky by Michelle Hazen is set in the remote Mojave Desert where wildlife biologist Mari Tucker is hiding from an abusive ex. She’s part of a crew supervising the construction of power line towers and foreman Jack Wyatt’s site is considered to be the worst assignment. Yet, despite Jack’s initial reluctance to humor “tree huggers,” he soon finds himself seeing things from Mari’s perspective and a tenuous friendship begins. They find common ground when Jack recounts abuse at the hands of an alcoholic older brother and a growing attraction begins to blur the lines of friendship. Hazen does an excellent job of bringing the reader into the desert with vivid descriptions. Mari is tasked with making sure endangered wildlife are protected throughout the construction process and Hazen seamlessly weaves that into the story through Mari and Jack’s interactions. Graphic love scenes.
Clara expected to spend the summer with an old friend (and long-time crush) but his band accepted a last-minute tour offer and Clara is left sharing a house in Los Angeles with a handsome stranger. The Roommate by Rosie Danan is a surprisingly sweet romance about an East Coast socialite and West Coast porn star. As she slowly unwinds from her rigid routines, Clara finds herself more and more drawn to Josh’s irresistible charm. Eventually Clara and Josh embark on a risky business venture that has her bank-rolling his expertise into a sex tutorials website. When the industry’s big player fights back, both Clara’s reputation and Josh’s career are jeopardized. As lust and love collide, the unlikely couple will need to decide if there’s a future in mixing business with pleasure. Graphic love scenes.
