Member Reviews

I don’t think author Tamara Morgan could have picked to more different people as the hero and heroine in her latest book in the Winter Rescue series, Out of Reach; a man who seems to have no fear and a woman who fears everything find common ground in this crazy, intense, May-December romance.

Max Stafford has always lived his life a bit on the edge; an esteemed mountaineer and a member of a search and rescue team, Max loves the high stakes and adrenaline rush that comes with the territory. However, Max is scared of his daughter’s nanny, a woman much too young for him who while afraid of everything has told his ex-wife and him that he is everything she wants in a man and he has no clue how he can handle spending two weeks with her and his seven year old daughter in a remote cabin for two weeks.

Elena Villanova doesn’t remember a time that her life was riddled by her anxieties, but she accepts them and doesn’t try to hide them from anyone including Tina, the seven year old she is nanny to and she has no qualms about letting Tina see how nervous she is about spending two weeks in a small cabin with her and her father, but she also intends to be prepared in every way including getting Max to see her as a woman and not a child.
For someone who is basically afraid of her own shadow I had to give Elena a lot of credit for not only facing her fears, but for doing so with an amazing attitude. I loved that while there were some things she wouldn’t consider (like flying on an airplane), every day she left her home and went out into a world where she knew things could harm or even kill her.

Elena is smart, she has her master’s degree in child psychology and while she knows there is nothing in her background to make her so riddled by anxiety she also knows she can’t cure it, so she’s spent her life living it as best she can and always preparing for the worst. Her relationship with Tina was special and most of all it was teaching Tina about acceptance and tolerance of people who are different something I think both of her parents agreed wasn’t a bad thing. Max was a bit harder to get to know, but it was evident that he was willing to do anything for his daughter including giving up the mountaineering that makes him feel alive to please his ex-wife and get to spend more time with his daughter. What I loved was that Max saw Elena as strong, something she didn’t see in herself and Elena understood that part of Max was dying because of the constraints his ex-wife and for all intensive purposes her employer was putting on him. There was attraction between them although at times I did feel that Elena’s was a bit of hero worship mixed in with a serious crush, but the more time they spent together the more it was obvious that something bit was brewing between them. Most of all I was impressed that when Max needed her to; Elena confronted every fear she had to help him do what he was so very good at.

Fun, exciting, mixed with a bit of suspense Out of Reach was a fantastic holiday romance.

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There couldn't be two more opposite people than Max Stafford, professional climber and search and rescue volunteer and Elena Villanova, the anxiety prone nanny to his seven year old daughter Tina. Hired by his ex-wife Quinn, Elena's eccentricities (like playing alphabet survival games with his daughter) don't get in the way of her providing excellent care. She also doesn't pull any punches, telling the older man that she's got a crush on him even knowing she's definitely not his type. When Quinn's forthcoming marriage means Elena and Tina need a place to go for the holidays, Max reluctantly takes them with him to an isolated cabin in the woods where he'd planned for 2 weeks of forest ranger relief duty. In close quarters, Max finds it harder and harder to deny his attraction to Elena especially when he finds out her nanny duties will be over after the vacation as she takes on a new job. Max is willing to risk life and limb to save others, but is he too scared to try again with love?

This is the first story I've read in the Winter Rescue series but I definitely want to read more! I loved the contrast in characters here. Max is so self assured and fearless, but having had one relationship with a woman who divorced him because of his love of outdoor rescues and mountain climbing means he's hesitant to try again. And Elena, with her anxiety over things little and big seems like the kind of woman who'd put him in the stressful position of having to choose between her and the things he needs in his life to be whole. But Elena surprises even herself by taking the initiative to do things she'd never thought she'd be able to do, and by standing firm in the face of adversity. Max's arguments that she's too young for him at 24 to his late '30s fizzles out in the face of her strength and competence. Max's relationship with Tina is great to see; he's a dedicated dad and loves spending time with his daughter. This is a slow burn romance as Max takes his time figuring out what he wants (and what he's scared of) but we still get some sensual scenes and a delightful happy ending. Plus, there's a 'trapped in a blizzard' theme, and some action packed scenes that move the plot along swiftly. If you're looking for a sweet and sexy holiday romance, this one is a great choice!

Review has been posted at Goodreads, Amazon, BN and Kobo. Review has also been posted at Straight Shootin' Book Reviews and link provided below.

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Out of Reach is a slow burn romance. Even though this is the third novel in the series, it can totally be read as a standalone. Tamara Morgan is a new to me author and I have to say I was pleasently surprised by this novel. From page one I was fully captivated by this story line.

Max is a mountain man through and through. but with his job and all, he kind of has to be. He works in rescue and is known around as the best climber for the tough jobs. Elena is a nanny for Max's seven year old daughter, Tine. Elena has harbored a crush on Max for a long time. The only issue is the age gap and the fact that Elena is Max's daughters nanny. When Max's ex wife decides to head to hawaii to elope, she leaves Elena and Tina in Max's care for two weeks. Two weeks up in the snowy mountains with the man of her dreams should be easy. Right?

This was a really fun novel. It was a slow burn full of sexual tension and longing looks. I love the whole Nanny and rugged mountain man vibe and I loved the no nonsense of this novel. It was right to the point and there wasn't any nagging drama that sometimes feels out of place with the theme of novels such as this.

If you're looking for a fun quick read, definitely pick up Out of Reach by Tamara Morgan!

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Great tension and chemistry - a great addition to the series.

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Maybe I should have hung out with SAR guys when I was younger. They have many intriguing qualities: brave, strong, sexy, adventurous. Max is a single dad volunteering for ranger duty for Christmas when his ex has other plans. Now Max has his daughter, Tina, and Elena, the nervous and fearful nanny staying in the cabin during a blizzard. Can he handle all the estrogen? Can he escape her feelings about him? Emotions run high and sexual tension is intense, even with a Yeti on the woods. The third book in the series it reads independent of the others, Max has been a secondary character and a few names are familiar. The whole series is fun, quick, exciting and I learned plenty about SAR. My copy came from Netgalley and I wrote this review voluntarily.

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I love a good snowbound romance - a rugged mountain man and a cozy cabin is always a fantastic mix. This story goes beyond the usual fields of two attractive people trapped together with a ton of sexual cherry: search and rescuer Max is shut in a cabin with his daughter's too tempting nanny Elena, not to mention his daughter Tina and Elena's constant anxiety issues. This is one crowded cabin, physically and emotionally.

I remember enjoying the first two books on this series from years ago, but this one was the biggest surprise. Even with a nailbiting mountain rescue scene, the sweetest surprise was that Max wasn't the one to rescue the lovers - it was Elena's quiet love and strength that gave him a much needed wake-up call. Also, bonus points for not including a magic solution for Elena's anxiety issues.

My only complaint was that I read this during an unseasonably warm fall day. This is best saved for a cold winter's night with a hot drink and roaring fire.

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