Katy Regnery
Campaigning for Christopher: The Winslow Brothers #4
November 17, 2015
Blurb
Christopher Winslow, the youngest of the four Winslow brothers, was born with a silver spoon in his privileged mouth, which has made it difficult for him to establish his credibility in the fast-approaching congressional race. Working against the clock to assure Pennsylvania voters that he is forthright, trustworthy and able has been an exhausting challenge, but Christopher's chances at beating the incumbant look good.
Julianne Crow, a plus-size model struggling to make ends meet, jumps at the chance to make a little extra cash on the side. What does she have to do? Slip something into Christopher Winslow's drink and take some very naughty pictures with him.
But Christopher is nothing like Julianne expected, and when her actions sabotage his hard-earned campaign only a month before the election, her guilt is overwhelming. She offers Christopher her help in an effort to repair the damage she's caused, but can anything change the fact that he sees her as an opportunist and a mercenary? When she starts campaigning for Christopher, he may find out there's more to her than meets the eye.
Return to the world created in the English Brothers books with this fresh foursome of scorching hot Winslow Brothers!
*****
*All books in The Blueberry Lane Series can be enjoyed as standalone novels.*
Excerpt
He had no right.
He had no business.
But it didn't matter, because he couldn't help himself. He leaned forward and claimed her mouth hungrily with his.
Her lips moved beneath his immediately, her hands flattening on his chest as he reached around her waist and pulled her up against his body. Her lips tasted like coffee with a hint of sweetness, and he wanted more—more of her, more of the sweetness. Sweeping his tongue over her lips, she opened for him, and he tilted his head, slanting his lips to cover hers more perfectly. Their tongues tangled—velvet heat, timid at first and then more sure, her teeth razing his flesh as he plunged hungrily into her mouth, swallowing her whimper and adjusting her against his body so that his hardness lined up with the valley of her sex. He groaned as she nipped his bottom lip, leaning her head to the side as he slipped his tongue back into her mouth. Moaning softly, she arched into him, and he slid his hands up her back, bracketing the sides of her breasts through the flimsy material of her blouse and feeling the frantic, ragged pull of her breath beneath his fingers as he kissed her.
And kissed her.
And kissed her.
Another whimper sounded from the back of her throat, and suddenly he realized that the hands she'd flattened against his chest were pushing him away. With a grunt of frustration, he released her, stepping back. Reaching up, he touched his lips with the back of his hand, panting as his knuckles dragged over the sensitized skin. He scraped in a shaky breath, staring at her, forcing himself not to lunge for her and draw her back into his arms.
Her chest heaved up and down from the force of her breathing, her blouse was disheveled, and the skin around her lips looked pink, though her lipstick was still perfectly in place. Her eyes were wide. And angry.
"You can't do that!" she said in a breathless whisper. "You can't just—"
"I know," he mumbled, dropping his hand from his lips and raking it through his hair. What the hell had he just done? What was he thinking?
"You can't accuse me of . . . of falling for you two days ago and then . . . then k-kiss me in p-private like . . . like the world is ending today. It's not . . . it's not fair, Chris."
"I'm sorry. I just . . ."
He turned his back to her, confusion making him wince. He didn't trust her. He didn't want anything to do with her. Why couldn't he help himself around her?
She raised her voice, speaking angrily to his back. "You said this was a job. An . . . an act. That didn't feel like an act."
"It wasn't."
"You're confusing me. You don't want me, then you—"
He palmed the back of his neck and turned to face her, his own voice low and lethal in his ears. "I don't want you?"
"No!"
"Are you insane?" he barked.
"Are you?"
"Jules," he gasped, staring at her in disbelief because how could she not know this? Despite what he'd said on Monday, didn't she know? Couldn't she see? And then suddenly he was speaking, his words coming out in a rush, a relief, a completely inappropriate stream of consciousness that he'd never, ever meant to share with her. "I can't think about anything but you. I dream about you. I have imaginary conversations with you. I go to YouTube and replay that press conference kiss over and over again to torture myself because I can't get enough of seeing you in my arms, melting into me. I don't want you?" He took a step toward her, stalking her, taking her arm so she couldn't pull away from him, and leaning into her personal space until they were almost nose to nose. "I've never wanted anyone as much as I want you!"
My Review
So, it's no secret that I absolutely adore Katy Regnery's Blueberry Lane series, and as I read through the English Brothers and now through the Winslow Brothers, every book has seemed even better than the last. This time around, I'm a bit surprised because I'm actually sort of on the fence for Campaigning for Christopher. Not for the overall story, mostly for certain parts.
I am totally head over heels for Christopher Winslow (no surprise there). It's virtually impossible not to be-he's honest, loyal, fights for what he believes in and what's right, and let's not forget he's a Winslow brother so of course he's hot...sexy...gorgeous...pick your favorite adjective and just keep listing them here.
Jules, well...I liked everything about her character with one big exception--the decision she made at the beginning that led to the sabotaging of Christopher's campaign...I have a really hard time getting past that, especially since the action she took was based on well...pretty much squat. But besides that, I didn't feel the connection between her and Christopher like I did with all the other Blueberry Lane couples. I didn't really sense the intensity between them-maybe it's just me, maybe it's what she did to him when they first met...I'm not sure.
But even with my reservations, the story itself (once I get past the above issues) is still compelling and does cover some serious topics while still weaving a tale of romance and falling for someone you'd least expect. You'll also find the classic intimate scenes we've come to expect in a Blueberry Lane story (mostly toward the end, though there's sexual tension throughout the whole book).
With all that said, I'm giving Campaigning for Christopher 3.75 stars (rounding to 4). Not quite what I was hoping when I started the story, but still this is a very good read, and fans of the series will definitely want to add this to their collection. Recommended for 18+ due to adult language and sexual content.
About the Author
Katy Regnery, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author, started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract for a winter romance entitled By Proxy. Now a hybrid author who publishes both independently and traditionally, Katy claims authorship of the six-book Heart of Montana series, the six-book English Brothers series, and a Kindle Worlds novella entitled “Four Weddings and a Fiasco: The Wedding Date,” in addition to the standalone novels, Playing for Love at Deep Haven and Amazon bestseller, The Vixen and the Vet. The Vixen and the Vet is included in the charity anthology Hometown Heroes: Hotter Ever After, and Katy’s novella “Frosted” will appear in the upcoming (Jan ’15) anthology, Snowy Days Steamy Nights. Additionally, Katy’s short story, “The Long Way Home” will appear in the first RWA anthology (Feb ’15), Premiere. Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, and two dogs create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home.
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