Review: Worth the Risk by Claudia Connor (McKinney Brothers #2)

Synopsis

When a McKinney brother falls in love, powerful emotion and overwhelming desire are never far behind.
Two hearts locked away . . . 

Hannah Walker spends her days coaching children through injury and trauma, one therapeutic horseback ride at a time. She knows all too well how violence can change a child and leave scars that never heal. It’s easy for her to relate to the kids; what isn’t easy is the thought of facing her own harrowing past.

Millionaire playboy Stephen McKinney could use a little coaching himself. Five years ago he encountered his most horrible nightmare—and the nightmare won. No matter what he achieves, nothing can make up for that awful night . . . or so he believes.

Both desperate for a second chance . . . Stephen is used to getting what he wants. And he wants Hannah. So when she turns him down, he’s intrigued. What he doesn’t know is that her secrets will lead him to a place he never wanted to go again . . . to a side of himself he’s tried to forget . . . a side that would scare Hannah away from ever loving him. Now his only chance to win her trust is to bare his soul, risking everything he tried so hard to protect.

My Review

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley/Random House Publishing Group - Loveswept in exchange for an honest review.

Claudia Connor’s “Worth the Fall” (the first book in the McKinney Brothers series) was one of the best books I have read this year. In this one we meet Matt’s brother Stephen. We weren’t formally introduced to Stephen in the first book, but we were given little pieces of information that made me think that this was going to be an emotional ride. And that is exactly what happened.

When Stephen McKinney first sees Hannah Walker, she is standing in a supermarket aisle trying not to cry.

“Bad day?”

Hannah jerked at the deep voice beside her. Right beside her and way too close. Dark, tall, and wide, the man filled out his expensive-looking black suit like an athlete entering the stadium tunnel before a game.

“I’m fine.”

He angled his head, smiled, and her heart actually stumbled. “You know, people usually cry in their beer after they drink it. Just saying.”

He continued to study her with soft brown eyes, and for the first time in a long time, she didn’t want to look away. But she did. And pulled the sides of the long-sleeved shirt she wore open over a tank top closer together. Because of the frigid air coming from the beer case, and because no matter what she had on, no matter how covered, she could never shake the feeling people could somehow see through to what lay beneath. “Well, I’m done now.”

He looked back to the case as well, but even from the side she could see a smirk pulling at his lips. “That’s good.”

She grabbed a six-pack of AmberBock, spun her buggy around, and headed to the front, feeling the stranger’s eyes burning her back the entire way.

Stephen is immediately taken with Hannah and extends a dinner invitation that she accepts. Up until this point you may think this is a typical “boy meets girls, they fall in love and live happily ever after” story, but we quickly learn that is not the case. Both Stephen and Hannah have some serious demons that they have been dealing with for quite some time. Hannah has led a very sheltered life and Stephen has thrown himself into his work. Hannah is very hesitant to start anything with Stephen, but he is very persistent, but they eventually start a relationship. Of course there are things that stand in the way of their happiness. Things that include ghosts from both of their pasts as well as new enemies that neither of them saw coming.

I highlighted so much of this book and I tried to go back and pull my favorite quotes/moments, there were just too many. Stephen being extremely sweet and swoon worthy, Abby and Matt (god, I love those two) plotting to get Hannah and Stephen together, the whole (so many of them!!) McKinney family causing a (good) ruckus, Hannah opening up to not only Stephen, but the rest of the world and of course all of those lovely, quiet and sexy moments between Hannah and Stephen. 

There are a lot of secondary characters in this book. You not only have the rest of the McKinney Brothers, BUT you also have Hannah’s brothers. And I beg the author....GIVE THEM ALL BOOKS PLEASE. Zach is a fireman, Nick is an FBI agent and Luke is military…Delta Force. And the mysterious Dallas (I actually had to go back and look up his name…it’s only mentioned three times. He’s not around…what’s up with him?) Especially Nick…there is a story there and I need to know it.

Highlight the next couple lines to see spoiler. I really want to know more about Nick and Mia’s relationship. By delving into their past it will also give some more insight into Hannah’s journey. Hannah feels responsible for their breakup so I would love to know more about that. Plus Nick is hot and there are clearly unresolved feelings…on both sides.

It says a lot when an author can introduce multiple secondary characters and make the reader want to know more about all of them.

JT‘s (Stephen's brother) book is next and we only a tiny little glimpse of him throughout the book. The author is very good at giving us just enough information to pique my curiosity. I hope his story finds him making his way back into the McKinney fold, just like Stephen did. I love that kooky family.

Amazon buy link: http://amzn.com/B00L6YJ6AE