Review + Giveaway: A Bed of Brambles by Sam Rusell

A Bed of Brambles by Sam Russell

Series: Draymere Hall #2

Release Date: 11th March 2017

Genres:  Contemporary Romance

Hettie and Alexander are back, and this was never going to be a conventional love story. No bed of roses. Proud, passionate and wilful, they are alike in so many ways. That has to be a good thing doesn’t it? Or it could be a disaster…both carry scars, and old wounds have a habit of causing new hurt.

Physical attraction draws them together but hearts and minds can be thorny. One thing is certain, together or apart their lives will move on. Alexander and Hettie’s clashes of spirit will only be part of the story.

Second chances. New beginnings. The opportunity to make things right. Or to make the same mistakes all over again. Unless fate takes the future out of your hands…

Praise for Sam Russell

‘Russell delves into her characters’ minds exposing their innermost thoughts, fears, and desires’

‘The author's ability to flesh out a character into a believable human being is what sets a great book above the rest’

‘Sam Russell's beautiful writing draws you right into Draymere alongside Hettie, Alexander the horses and dogs, and keeps you there’

EXCERPT

Her sharp green eyes slipped over him as she scanned the arrivals hall. He noticed the dusting of sun-freckles across her cheeks and his heart clenched as he waited. He needed to read her face, to believe she was back for good. Her gaze swept around again, and this time their eyes connected. For a suspended moment it felt as if his heart stopped beating, and the pit of his stomach fell.

Then she grinned at him.

The suitcase swung into her legs at her sudden change of direction. He waved, and she abandoned the case and ran at him. He lifted her off the ground and pressed his eyes shut, not trusting himself to speak. He felt her breath warm on his neck.

A Bed of Brambles is the second book in the Draymere Hall series but it was not completely necessary to have read the first book although I do think I would have liked to have a little bit more of a background to what was going on as there were one or two things I was unsure of. However, that being said, it is a really good book and I think if I had time I'd go back and read book 1 as I did enjoy this book.

Alexander is as nervous as hell. Hettie is coming home from Johannesburg. Coming home to him after being apart for 6 months. Neither is sure if they can make their fractured relationship work this time. Hettie makes a mistake just before coming home but decides, once she is in Alexanders bed that its a secret not worth sharing. Neither one can get enough of the other and soon the relationship is back on, although Hettie remains fiercely independent and determined to do something with her life without the financial help of her sexy vet. Hettie soon decides that if she is staying with Alexander then she needs to sort out her life and her career and decides to open her own livery stable. However, this is not without its difficulties and soon Hettie's secret breaks apart the already fragile new start to hers and Alexanders relationship and Hettie must accept that despite her best efforts, she does need a little help and support to get the stables up and running. 

I don't really want to tell you too much more without spoiling the story.  Suffice to say, the story flies along with lots of quite steamy bedroom scenes. The passion between Hettie and Alexander is hot hot hot! At times there seemed to be a fine line between love and hate and sometimes I wasn't sure whether the couple actually liked each other. There was certainly a heck of a lot of lust within this very complex relationship. Both are carrying a lot of emotional baggage, too afraid to open up completely. If you like your men tall, dark, handsome and moody then Alexander is perfect! There were lots of brilliant secondary characters and I actually liked Fiona, Hettie's nemesis. I love the dialogue that goes between the two and Fiona, or Troll as she later becomes known as, becomes an unlikely ally. I enjoyed this book a lot. The writing was good and kept me interested throughout. The characters were a lot of fun to get to know and if you love horses, dogs and country living with lots of drama then this is the book for you.

 

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ABOUT SAM RUSSELL

 

Sam Russell was born in London, but it was her family’s move to the countryside which ignited her passion for writing and love of the rural life. She worked as a groom and trained as a riding instructor, teaching in the UK and abroad before returning home and marrying a farmer.

Sam ran a livery stables from the farm whilst raising their three children. Her writing, which was a hobby while the children were young, took off when they flew the nest. She was encouraged to write and publish her debut novel, A Bed of Barley Straw.  Her latest book, A Bed of Brambles, is the second novel in the Draymere Hall Series.

When she’s not writing, Sam will be out and about on the farm with the animals and the dogs. You can read more of her story on her Rustic Romance blog.

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SamRussellAuthor/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/SamRussellBooks

Goodreads Author Page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/13571859.Sam_Russell

Blog: https://russellromance.com/blog/

Website: https://russellromance.com/about/