BOOK REVIEW ~ MCCULLOUGH MOUNTAIN SERIES BY LYDIA MICHAELS

Title: Sacred Waters (McCullough Mountain, Book One)
Author: Lydia Michaels
Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing
Release Date: July 3, 2013
Genre: Erotic Romance
eBook, 237 pages

Colin McCullough has always known the path his life would take and at summer’s end he will finally make his Holy Orders. But what should have been a relaxing summer in the mountains with his large Irish family turns into an interlude plagued with temptation the moment his brother brings home the enchanting Samantha Dougherty.

When Samantha agrees to spend her summer break with Braydon McCullough she soon realizes his intentions are not what they seemed. While coping with Braydon’s assumptions that they are in a relationship, Samantha’s vacation only becomes more complicated when she meets his older brother, Colin, the soon to be priest! What was intended to be a peaceful holiday turns into an unforgettable experience of loyalty, lust, sacrifice, courage, and love.







Book Review

I have been to McCullough Mountain...and I never want to leave.

Seriously.

This series has become one of my all-time favorite. It has EVERYTHING that I crave in a book. Sexy heroes, admirable heroines, laugh-out-loud moments, and characters that you wish were real.

The McCullough's are an Irish family made up of the best cast of characters I've read in a long time. Each individual is unique and interesting in their own way. And I fell in love with ALL of them.

Sacred Waters is the story of Samantha Dougherty and Colin McCullough.

Sam has been invited to spend the summer with Braydon and his family on McCullough Mountain. Sam and Braydon have this weird "relationship" where the two have kissed a time or two, but nothing real serious has ever developed. Although Braydon wishes that something more would develop, Sam only sees him as a friend.

Colin, Braydon's older brother, is preparing to enter the priesthood. He has devoted his life and his future to God. His faith is solid and his path has always been sure.

Except when Samantha comes into his life. Now the very thing that Colin has always wanted may keep him from discovering what he was meant to have.

Theirs is not an easy romance. It is filled with heartache, compassion, confusion, and tribulations. But the love between these two is also passionate and all-consuming.

Lydia writes with passion, emotion, and fills her story with laughter and love. The McCullough family is perfect with all their flaws and imperfections.

Sacred Waters will be one of those books that I will definitely pick up and re-read--just because I miss the characters and want to "visit" McCullough Mountain...again and again.





Title: Skin (McCullough Mountain, Book Two)
Author: Lydia Michaels
Publisher: Secret Cravings Publishing
Release Date: August 22, 2013
Genre: Erotic romance
eBook, 228 pages

When Finnegan McCullough gets a flat tire he bumps into a woman he’s never seen before. After a stern lecture on trespassing, he offers her a ride and a friendship takes shape. Mallory Fenton is unlike any girl he’s ever met. She’s funny, sexy as hell, and sweet as pie, but she doesn’t see herself that way.

After literally crashing into Finnegan McCullough, Mallory is a hot, tongue-tied,mess. A true lumberjack, he wears his flannel well and possesses the sexiest smile she’s ever had thrown her way. Unfortunately, men like that don’t look at girls like her. When Finn confesses his desire to be more than friends, Mallory is shocked. After years of being the ‘fat girl’ she knows better than to believe a man like Finn could ever find her attractive. But she’s gotten under his skin and Finn is determined to show Mallory how beautiful she truly is.

A realistic and heartwarming romance that proves love and beauty come in all shapes and sizes.


Book Review


Skin is one of those books that make you feel a gamut of emotions. I could totally relate to the heroine, Mallory Fenton.

Mallory has a skewed self-image, and what woman doesn't, right? But Mallory is determined to lose weight and eat healthier. She stresses that is a lifestyle change and not a diet. Her health is at issue and she needs to make a change. So she moves from Philadelphia to Center County, leaving her friends and family behind to focus on herself.

Finn is the kind of rugged hero I love reading about. He has no grand plans with his life. He lives in Center County where he works at his father's logging company. He wears sexy flannel shirts and has a body no gym could ever touch.He sees himself as the responsible McCullough--not that the others aren't responsible as well--the one that can be depended on to give a hand. He loves his family and doesn't resent them for it. It just is what it is.

In a word, Finn is delicious.

When Mallory literally runs into Finn while she is out exercising, she is gobsmacked by Finn's sexiness. But there is not a chance in hell he would be attracted to her, right? Besides, Finn is already attached to his high school sweetheart, Erin.

But somehow, these two connect and becomes friends. Mallory feels at ease with him. Finn even nicknames her "Philly", which I found adorable. But Mallory continues to see herself as the "funny fat girl" while Finn shows her that he sees her differently. He is truly a great guy who sees beyond the artificial.

Michaels writes witty dialogue between Finn and Mallory (as well as between other characters). I seriously could not stop laughing in some parts. The  banter between Finn and Mallory was delivered with honesty and humor.

"Stop eye-fucking the pie and grab a plate," he said, tearing off a stringy triangle.-----Finn 

But despite their disagreements regarding food, Finn supports her and understands Mallory's determination to succeed in losing weight. He even offers the family's field for Mallory to have a safe place to run at night.

When things unravel between Erin and Finn one night, the dynamics between Finn and Mallory shift. Their relationship builds over time and I loved the growth of both characters.

Skin is aptly named and beautifully written--with enough sex and sizzle to have you wanting your own logger showing you how beautiful you are--inside and out.





Title: Chaste (McCullough Mountain, Book Three)
Author: Lydia Michaels
Publisher: Secret Cravings
Release Date: February 3, 2014
Genre: Erotic Romance
eBook, 384 pages

Kelly McCullough has always gotten every woman he’s wanted. Of all the McCullough men, his charm and magnetism is unmatched. However, there is one woman he cannot have.

Ashlynn Fisher is everything Kelly McCullough is not. She is quiet, shy, and—above all—virginal. After losing her heart to Kelly in grade school, no other man compares. Paths cross and temperance is put to the test when Ashlynn decides it’s time for her to find love. Kelly offers Center County’s sweetest brown-eyed girl all the guidance he can, but finds himself in a situation he never expected to face. Through chaste kisses and stolen secrets, his virility is tested and he must learn what love truly means as his selfish ways are transformed in the face of a selfless need to give her everything she wants.





Book Review


Good.Lord.

I have fallen for Kelly McCullough since the beginning. He is snarky, charming, and a man-ho. But you know from the word go that there is something more about this sexy Irish bartender. He is hiding a gentle heart behind those mouth-watering tatts and sinful smile.

Kelly has been teased mercilessly by his siblings about Ashlynn. She hangs out at the bar and watches him with drool practically on her chin. But Kelly shakes it off and swears that nothing will ever happen between them. She is a virgin. She is sweet. And she is not for the likes of him.

Ashlynn has been crushing on Kelly since high school. He was one of the few that didn't make fun of her. And she could see that he was hiding his own secrets behind those Irish eyes.

Raised by her father, Ashlynn was never one for frilly dresses and girly things. She worked on her father's farm growing organic vegetables and selling them. Strong in her faith, she has been saving herself for her husband.

But when Ashlynn becomes determined to find happiness with a man, she is unexpectedly pulled into the vortex of Kelly's sexual prowess with one chaste kiss. And her faith is put on shaky ground as her sexual awareness is awakened for the first time.

Kelly, used to slaking his need with willing women, is thrown for a loop by Ashlynn's innocence. But the more time he spends with her, he finds himself wanting to be a better man.

I cannot explain adequately how much I loved and adored this story. How sexy it was that Kelly put instant gratification on the back burner and discovered how much hotter sex could be with someone you love. And Lydia Michaels proves that you don't have to write gutter trash to make a story unbelievably sexy.

And the laughter...oh my. I never laughed so hard.

While reading Chaste, I felt immersed inside a cocoon of warmth, laughter, and family. I really, REALLY, wanted the McCullough's to be real and wished like hell I could conjure them into being. Especially Maureen, the matriarch of the family. She is hysterical with her bluntness and sailor-talking mouth.

"Lots of women have loved that one, dear. Even when he was a wee lad I would change his diapers and say, 'Oh, Frank, this one's gonna be the death of us.' " ------Maureen

While finishing up the last pages of Chaste, I felt a sadness creeping in. Dammit--another great ending but I have to wait for the next in the series.

Bravo, Lydia Michaels. I loathe and love you at the same time.