Alaskan Blackout & The Wrong Rancher

I'm so in love with Quinton! Alaskan Blackout by Joanne Rock is the first story in this two-fer, and it's hands-down my favorite. Quinton heads to Alaska to find his reclusive brother in order to settle their father's estate, but the only one who knows how to find him is his stepsister, McKenna. While he's sticking close to her as his only lead, he also finds himself wrapped up in solving her problems with a cyber harasser and trying his best to avoid their crazy-hot chemistry. McKenna is as loyal as can be, and she's not going to help Quinton find Clayton no matter what he does (or how well he does it). Still, neither can resist when a storm knocks out the power and traps them overnight. Forced proximity for the win! I absolutely loved these two together. I completely understood their reasons for avoiding a relationship, but with a connection like theirs, it was inevitable. This story drew me in right away and I couldn't get enough of their romance. The HEA was perfect, the complication leading up to it was a bit of a surprise but it was beautifully handled. I'm really looking forward to reading more in this delicious series. The second story, The Wrong Rancher, was by J. Margot Critch, a new author to me. This story sees Piper getting to know the Hardwell family after discovering that their patriarch is her bio father, while trying to avoid the simmering attraction she feels for the grandson of the family's nemesis, Maverick Kane. Kane doesn't know that she's part of the family for a while - they're keeping the news on a need-to-know basis - but he can't resist her and pulls out all the charm while getting to know her. Maverick and Piper are terrific together, but the story just didn't feel as fleshed out as it could have been. Piper didn't come across as being as much in love with Maverick as he was with her, which left their HEA feeling a little premature. Still, the writing was compelling and the story kept me interested throughout. It appears that this story is part of an overall series of interconnected romances, so fans of the Hardwell family will want to make sure they don't miss this one. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book/set.