REVIEW: STAND BY YOUR MAN: A CARIBOU CROSSING ROMANCE by SUSAN FOX

Series: Caribou Crossing #3.5

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Publisher: Kensington Zebra

Publication Date: 6/24/14

Format: eARC

Pages: 158

Source: Author

Rating: 4 stars

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International bestselling author Susan Fox returns to the big-skyed Western town of Caribou Crossing, where an unlikely couple forge a future more hopeful than they'd ever thought possible. . .

Karen MacLean is a hardworking, well-respected corporal for the Caribou Crossing detachment of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Though she secretly longs for marriage and a home like the one she grew up in, she's made her job her top priority and grown accustomed to being alone. But a handsome sergeant whose will is as strong as her own could change everything she thought she believed. . .

Sergeant Jamal Estevez is often trusted with undercover work, but his greatest challenge has been to conceal his true identity as a recovering alcoholic. A city guy who's never had a real home, he's starting to find peace riding the country roads of Caribou Crossing--with beautiful Corporal MacLean. As the attraction between them grows, Jamal may discover that the life Karen has been hoping for is exactly what he's needed all along. . .

My Review

I've never *visited* Caribou Crossing before reading Stand by Your Man, but I think I would like to go back! In fact, I don't remember ever reading a small town romance set in Canada before, but I liked the change of setting, though it was subtle.

Since this is my first experience with the setting, I obviously had no prior knowledge of the characters and the experiences that led them to this point. And that was okay, because author Susan Fox did a thorough yet sneaky (meaning, not obvious) job of giving the backstory, without just dumping it in my lap. My point is, yes, Stand by Your Man is part of a series, but can be enjoyed as a standalone as well.  I happen to like small breaks between novels, a chance to get a nice, neat love story in a small package.

In Stand by Your Man, we get the story of Karen a corporal in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. I'm not exactly sure what the RCMP corporal's equivalent would be for those in the US, but it seemed her position was pretty important, and she was wide-respected by the community. Karen is the kind of heroine I don't often see: tall, pretty but not overly gorgeous or glamorous, doesn't wear high heels or fancier clothes. I liked that she didn't put herself down for not being glamorous. And though she doesn't necessarily see herself that way, Karen is practically a goddess in Jamal Estevez's eyes.

I liked Jamal, too. A lot. He was a quiet hero, but very intense. An recovering alcoholic undercover detective (or some equivalent of that) whose upbringing was rough, Jamal has never pictured himself with a happy future. He never saw the wife, the kids, the evenings playing ball in the yard, until Karen showed that future to him. The question is, will Jamal take a chance and grab that future? Will he open up to Karen about his past and go for that future with her. I liked that these two were up-front about what they wanted from each other and what they wanted for themselves. Maturity and good communication is so refreshing!

Stand by Your Man was a lot of story for it's length. The author did a nice job with characterization, I felt as if I knew both very well. The plot was solid with a good resolution that left me feeling content. Bottom line, Stand by Your Man was a charming story, and I'm glad I took the time to read it.

Favorite Quote

  He glance at her, an eyebrow cocked, his dark eyes gleaming.

  Her breath caught and she couldn't look away. She was so freaking naïve about male-female signals, but she'd swear--almost swear--this man was interested in her.

  This man, who was so damned hot and fascinating that he made her want to strips off her tee and jeans, toss her undies after them, and jump his bones...

  A corner of his mouth kinked up knowingly as if he'd read her mind.

Caribou Crossing Series

       

About the author

Susan Fox, who also writes as Savanna Fox and Susan Lyons, is the award-winning author of “emotionally compelling, sexy contemporary romance” (Publishers Weekly). She is published by Kensington Zebra and Brava, Berkley Heat, and Harlequin Spice Briefs. A resident of both Victoria and Vancouver, B.C., Susan has degrees in law and psychology but would far rather be writing fiction than living in the real world.

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