Guest Review: Lana's Lawman by Karen Leabo - 3 Wine Glasses!

Lana's Lawman: A Loveswept Classic Romance 
(Brides of Destiny, The #2)
by Karen Leabo
ebook, 320 pages
Published October 8th 2012 by Random House Publishing Group (first published February 3rd 1997)
ISBN 0345534603 (ISBN13: 9780345534606)
original title: The Brides of Destiny : Lana's Lawman
Courtesy of NetGalley

In a tender story of fateful encounters and second chances, Karen Leabo maps the territory of true yearning and its power to heal old sorrows.
Though it’s been years since Sloan Bennett has seen Lana Gaston, time melts instantly when he comes to her rescue during a Texas thunderstorm. Lana was everything a teenage bad boy couldn’t have . . . but she felt like his for three magical weeks. Then she broke his heart—and Sloan walked away from Destiny, Texas. But now he’s back, wearing a badge, and wondering if fate has decided to give him another chance.
A struggling single mom, Lana can’t help looking back at all the wrong choices she made. With Sloan so close again, she’s filled with old regrets and deep new longing. Could the silly souvenir of a policeman’s badge, given to her by a fortune-teller, have more meaning than she ever dared to dream? Once, Lana didn’t have the courage to tell Sloan how much she cared. So she hurt him instead. But as his sensual lips dare to kiss away yesterday’s pain, she’ll risk her heart to let him know that this time, she’s his forever.
Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: Blaze of Winter, Light My Fire,and Santerra’s Sin.

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Crystal L's Thoughts:

Sloan Bennett and Lana Gaston were intensely hot and heavy for three secretive weeks their senior year. It was the classic 'bad boy' who shouldn't been seen with the 'good girl' scenario. That three weeks ended when Lana realized she couldn't handle the intensity of feelings she had for Sloan, so  she broke up with him in a way where Sloan thought it was because she thought she was too good for the likes of him. All though that couldn't be further than the truth, she felt it was better for him to hate her for the lie, than him know she loved him with every bone in her body, but just couldn't be strong enough to follow that path yet.

After the break up, at the school fair, Lana's two best friends, Callie and Millicent, drag her to a fortune teller's trailer who's not on the list of scheduled vendors. The fortune teller gives ominous fortunes for the girls in regards to future husbands, and then gives them souvenirs to match the future husband clues. Lana gets a little policeman's badge, and she can't help but think that the little toy is in the total opposite direction from her bad boy love.

Flash forward ten years later. Lana is divorced from a cheating husband and has an eight year old son named Rob. She's struggling to get by, take care of her son, and go to school to get her college education. As she's headed to Callie's wedding in the pouring ran when she has an accident and her car winds up in the ditch. Who shows up to save her? Sloan Bennett, the police officer. What follows is a frustrating story of two people who love each other, but have a hard time working those feelings out. Not to mention that they spend ninety percent of the book practically pushing the to other away (mainly Lana due to her fierce need for independence after her crappy marriage), just to finally have that light bulb moment at the end where they get tired of fighting that love.

It was a nice read, but I will admit that I felt it could have been expanded a bit to make it a fantastic read. Three wine glass toast. Enjoy!

Rating: 3 Wine Glasses