Cover Image: Luck of the Draw

Luck of the Draw

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Member Reviews

This a well written and fast paced story that captivated me from the start. The storyline is entertaining and action packed. The characters are wonderful. Can not wait for what this author writes next!!

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I couldn't put it down.
I read this book late into the night and woke up tired for work.
The characters play well with each other and the writing is superb.
The story gripping and sensual.

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For some reason I just could not get into this one. I was bored and therefore I did not finish it. I think this is a case of it's not you, it's me.

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Luck of The Draw by B. J. Daniels is the second book in the Montana Sterlings series. It is also a second chance romance mystery. This book starts out fabulous but slows down a little to much for my liking. I felt like that it got a little off track and then back on track.

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I'm a fan of B.J. Daniels' novels and although I wasn't over the moon about the first novel in this series, Stroke of Luck, I was eager to read this second novel in the series, but I'm sad to say that I found this novel somewhat disappointing too, and I while I didn't dislike it, I didn't love it either and it gets 3 stars from this reader.

Luck of the Draw starts off like gangbusters, with the hero, Garrett Sterling, out on horseback riding along his property when he spots movement in the distance--a man with a gun pointed at what appears to be a terrified and unwilling woman being dragged off into the woods on the other side of a ravine. He fires one shot into the air to let the gunman know he's been seen, and by the time he holsters his weapon, he hears 4 quick and consecutive shots, and, when he grabs his binoculars, he sees one stationary, jeans-clad leg on the ground hidden my tall grass, and someone running away, climbing into an SUV and hightailing it out of there. He fears that the leg belongs to the terrified woman, but when he calls in the sheriff and takes him to the scene of the crime, a downpour begins, erasing possible evidence, and Garrett is shocked to learn that the leg belongs to the man and not his terrified captive. There's no gun in sight, and the search for the woman who killed her captor and ran is on. Told in alternating narration, we soon learn that the woman is terrified, has no idea where she is or where she's going and eventually crashes the SUV, sustaining a head injury. When Garrett goes to see her in the hospital he's shocked to see that the mystery woman is Joslyn, the woman he fell madly in love with and hoped to marry back when he was attending law school several years earlier, at least until the day she disappeared from his bed and his life without so much as a word or a note--but, once she regains consciousness, not only does she claim to not know her own name, she doesn't seem to know Garrett at all, and seems to have total amnesia about him, the event Garrett witnessed, her life, why she's in the hospital, who abducted her, why she was abducted, who wanted to kill her and why, how she got away, or how she managed to kill the man, but there is a moment of shocked recognition when their eyes meet, and Garrett isn't certain that she's not faking her amnesia, but considering the way their relationship ended, he's not inclined to believe anything she tells him. Since she had no identification on her, no money and no memory, Garrett convinces the sheriff to let him take her to his family's guest ranch high in the Montana mountains. It's been closed for some reconstruction, but it's a place where she'll be safe, hidden, able to recuperate, and hopefully regain her missing memory.

As I stated at the outset, the novel does grab you from the first page, but it's after Joslyn is ensconced at the Sterling guest ranch that the action slows down to a crawl, and we soon learn that Joslyn is not her name, but it was the alias she was using when she first became involved with Garrett, nor are several other names and identities she's used in the past. She admits that she does remember Garrett but not much else, the spark between these two is still there (or is it?), and the novel becomes a second chance at love, romantic suspense murder mystery, with a large cast of possible suspects, most of whom aren't who or what they seem, but the internal dialogue of the two main characters becomes redundant to the point of being boring.

Although Garrett and Joslyn (aka Monica, etc.) claim to have never gotten over their love for each another, one thing kept bothering me from that point in the novel to the HEA ending, and that is that although both Garrett and Joslyn repeatedly claim to love one another, and while Garrett is one stand-up, honest, open, kind, generous and handsome cowboy hero, I had a hard time accepting that after a one-to-two month relationship, he'd bought her an engagement ring and was going to marry this woman when he actually knew nothing about. She knew all about where he was from, his family members, the guest ranch, and more, but she always managed to deflect any personal questions he asked her about herself, and when he finally manages to find out who she is, where she's from, why she's spent most of her life hiding, and why someone or several someones want her dead, he still doesn't entirely trust her outside of their sexual fireworks, and yet he still wants to marry her because she's beautiful and their sexual chemistry was and still is off the charts, but that's not love to this reader, and it's not a valid reason to marry either, and Garrett's willingness to do just that stretched my willing suspension of disbelief to the breaking point.

While there's plenty of suspense, plenty of suspects, plenty of action, a subplot concerning the deputy who wants to be the next sheriff, a secondary subplot concerning the Sterling's long-time housekeeper and the sheriff, what I felt was sorely lacking in his standalone novel was depth and character development when it came to both Garrett and Joslyn, and I do hope Ms. Daniels takes the time to develop that aspect of her main characters in the upcoming novels in this series.

I voluntarily read an advanced reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

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“I really doubt it’s a stroke of luck that she’s turned up in your life again.”

Luck of the Draw by B.J. Daniels literally opens with a bang. While taking a break from overseeing renovations at the Sterling’s Montana Guest Ranch by taking a horseback ride, Garrett Sterling witnesses a woman being abducted and what appears to be her murder on the other side of a deep ravine. He reports it to the authorities who investigate and discover that there has indeed been a murder – but the body is that of her abductor. So, what happened to and where’s the woman?

Hours after the abductor’s body is found, an unidentified woman who had been in a car crash is taken to the local hospital. Garrett is summoned to the hospital to possibly identify her as the woman he had seen in the altercation. Instead, he comes face-to-face with the woman who had broken his heart. It quickly becomes clear that the woman is in danger and Garrett is determined to keep her safe.

This is the story of Garrett and Joslyn, a woman from his past with secrets. Garrett first met Joslyn when he was in law school. She was the love of his life and he had planned to marry her. But, then, she disappeared without a trace. Garrett searched for her to no avail. He was so broken up that he quit school and came back home.

This is the second installment in B.J.’s Sterling’s Montana series which revolves around the three Sterling brothers: Will, Garrett and Shade. If you haven’t read the first book, there is no need to worry. Luck of the Draw works perfectly well as a standalone. That said, the first book is fabulous and does a fine job of introducing the main characters. If you can spare the time, I’d recommend reading the series in order.

I loved Garrett. He’s strong, steady and responsible. Joslyn was harder to warm up to. It doesn’t mean that I didn’t enjoy their story. It’s just that Joslyn had some making up to do. Garrett’s family are understandably worried that Joslyn is only using him and will break his heart again.

A fun supporting character returns from the first book. Dorothea raised the boys after their mother died and still figures prominently in their lives. She sees conspiracy theories everywhere and is constantly casting spells against perceived evil.

Following please find a few of my favorite lines from Luck of the Draw:

“If there’s one thing I’ve learned it’s what a woman can do to a man’s common sense. Admittedly, I never thought it would happen to you.”
---
“I have a huge favor, but I should warn you up front it’s not just dangerous. It’s illegal.”

His friend laughed. “Don’t sugarcoat it on my account.”
---
“I was in love with a ghost.”

Luck of the Draw is a second chance at love murder mystery with an original plot and wonderful characters. B.J.’s book are automatic-reads for me. They never fail to be page-turners that captivate and keep me on the edge of my seat. If you enjoy thrilling tales of suspense paired with a bit of romance set amid gorgeous, raw scenery, you will definitely want to check out this series!



Suggested Reading Order:
Stroke of Luck (Book #1)
Luck of the Draw (Book #2)
Just His Luck (Book #3) – Coming Aug, 2019!

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Steamy, twisty, and action-packed!

In this second novel of the Sterling’s Montana series, Luck of the Draw, we head back to the mountains of the northwest and into the life of the ruggedly handsome, dependable Garrett Sterling as he inadvertently finds himself a witness to murder and helping the one woman who stole his heart and previously left without a trace.

The writing is crisp and tight. The characters are mysterious, multilayered, and persistent. And the suspenseful plot unravels and intertwines into a fervent tale filled with twists, turns, secrets, lies, familial drama, greed, danger, romance, and murder.

Overall, Luck of the Draw is a passionate, sinister, entertaining tale by Daniels that has all the elements you look for in a romantic suspense series and yet is just as satisfying as a standalone novel.

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Excellent action-filled suspense story mixed with a second chance romance. It started with a bang and kept me hooked from beginning to end. While Will and Poppy (Stroke of Luck) are on their honeymoon, Garrett is tasked with supervising the repairs to the guest ranch. While out riding, he witnesses what appears to be an abduction turned to murder. Too far away to stop it or see the details, he's shocked when he and the sheriff discover that the dead body turns out to be the gun-wielding abductor, not his female captive. In the meantime, the fleeing female ends up in the hospital after crashing the car. When the sheriff asks Garrett to identify the woman as the one he saw, Garrett is stunned to recognize her as the woman he'd loved and lost two years earlier when she disappeared from his life without a trace.

Joslyn is terrified to realize that, for the second time in her life, she has no memory of the events leading up to a murder. Unsure of who she can trust, she pretends complete amnesia to the sheriff who came to question her. She did not expect to have Garrett show up in her hospital room too.

Garrett is filled with questions and determined to get answers. He saw enough of the confrontation to be sure that Joslyn killed the man in self-defense. Even though she claims she has amnesia, he can see that she remembers him. He also senses that her fears are real and feels the need to protect her while he gets his answers. Joslyn knows she owes him the truth and has to hope that he will believe her.

I liked the rekindling of their relationship. It was clear that the feelings from two years earlier had never gone away, but Garrett is torn between his desire to believe her and wondering if anything she says can be believed. But his gut and his heart win out as the threats against her escalate, and he learns more about what drove her actions two years earlier. I ached for Joslyn who seems to have been running for her life for as long as she can remember. The happiest time of her life had been those months when she was with Garrett, and it had broken her heart to leave him. But more important than her happiness was keeping Garrett safe, and that was what brought her out of hiding. I liked how Garrett's confidence in her innocence grew, even as he had to fight off the well-intentioned advice of family and friends. His protectiveness was sweet, as was the support he gave her as she tried to wrench back control of her life. I loved seeing them come together at the end, ready for the future that had been denied to them two years earlier.

The suspense of the story was fantastic. From the moment that Joslyn reappeared in Garrett's life, it seemed like there was one thing after another trying to rip them apart. Joslyn's past was revealed slowly as though on a need-to-know basis. There seemed to be two competing threats to her health and well-being. First was the murder of her father and step-mother twenty-five years earlier, an event she witnessed but can't remember. Are the attempts on her life because the real murderer believes that she remembers what happened? Second is the large amount of money she is due to inherit in just a few days. There are plenty of suspects who have the motivation to see that she doesn't. I was on the edge of my seat as Garrett foiled one attempt, risking so much by trusting his instincts instead of trusting what he was told. I loved how Joslyn was determined to put an end to the threat and the plan that she and Garrett devised. The final confrontation was intense, and I wondered how Joslyn would survive long enough for her plan to work. I was glued to the pages until it was all over. There was a twist at the very end provided an unexpected surprise.

I had two favorite secondary characters in this book. First was the sheriff, Sid Anderson. I liked him in the first book, as a solid small-town law enforcement officer. His blossoming romance with the Sterlings' housekeeper, Dorothea, is a sweet addition. In this book, he had to tread a fine line between obeying the law and keeping Garrett out of trouble. It was a difficult edge to walk and I thought he handled it well. He's looking forward to his upcoming retirement but is also worried about who will replace him. There are a few hints as to how that will go, and I'm looking forward to the next book to see what happens. My other favorite was Garrett's friend and childhood playmate, PI Billy Mitchell. Billy's support, as he aided and abetted Garrett in his rescue of Joslyn, was crucial to that part of the story. He also had me laughing out loud a few times.

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B.J. Daniels brings us the second chance cowboy in LUCK OF THE DRAW. Garrett Sterling though Joslyn Charles was the one, until she up and disappeared on him. Then one day when he’s relaxing at his guest ranch, he sees a man trying to drag a woman across a ravine. His intervention is fortunate, if not volatile, because it turns out the woman is Joslyn. His Joslyn. And she has no memory of what happened. All of Daniels’ books have a suspenseful element to them and this is no different. Character development is strong, the plot believable and well-paced, and I thought this was a solid read.

Originally published at Frolic: https://frolic.media/mamas-dont-let-your-babies-grow-up-to-be-cowboys/

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Luck of the Draw hits the ground running with the suspense and danger, then falters a bit. It moves along at a stilted pace until about the halfway mark, then picks back up for the rest of the book. That said, it felt like there was a bit too much going on with this one, which was distracting for me. I also had mixed feelings about the characters, especially Joslyn who I never did quite warm up to. There is a good suspenseful story at the core of this one, but the whole thing could've done with some tightening up.

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I was hooked into this book right from the get-go.  On page one, Garrett sees what he suspects is a murder while out for a ride on the ranch's property.  From there, it only gets crazier.  This was one heck of a ride from beginning to end. 

Garrett Sterling is a pretty straight-forward character.  What you see is what you get with him.  So, when he discovers that the love of his life - a woman who disappeared on him two years ago - had been lying to him, it rocks his world.  But as soon as he realizes she's truly in danger, he's all in to protect her, no matter what.  This really endeared him to me in that, despite wanting answers, his first concern is for her safety.  

Joslyn Charles - aka Monica Wilmington - is another story.  She's so used to pretending to be someone else, you're never quite sure if she's being truthful or not.  You want to believe her, simply because Garrett is obviously still smitten, but it's hard to trust her, too.  

Luck of the Draw is an intense, engaging story that grabs you from the first page and carries you along right up until the end.  There was even a little twist at the end - the one person I thought was going to turn out to be an okay person, wasn't.  I love it when I can be surprised like that.  Now, I'm eagerly awaiting the third book in this series so I can get to know Shade like I have Will and Garrett.

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3.5 Stars

Luck of the Draw started off with a bang when Garrett Sterling, on a ride around his ranch, witnesses a fatal crime, too far away to do much about it.

Little does he know that this will put him into the path of the woman who left without a word, breaking his heart two years prior. He’s never been able to get over Joselyn and seeing her again is a punch to the gut, but she’s in trouble and even though he doesn’t quite trust her Garrett wants answers.

After that explosive start Luck of the Draw had a bit of a lull before it picked up again, with some back and forth mulling on Garrett’s part, inner thoughts on whether he should trust Joselyn again, and lectures by the sheriff about the same thing. After a few things were revealed the story picked up again with Garrett, Joselyn, and the sheriff trying to get to the bottom of the mysteries behind the attempts on Joselyn’s life. I was eager to find out as well. Garrett and Joselyn’s pursuit of the truth isn’t free of danger, and they try to stay one step ahead while staying alive.

Luck of the Draw was an entertaining combination of mystery, suspense and romance. This is the second book in the Sterling’s Montana series, but it’s not necessary to read the first book to enjoy this story. While Garrett and Joselyn’s story was wrapped up, there’s a burgeoning romance between the sheriff and the Sterling’s long time housekeeper, Dorothea, and the ending events with the sheriff is a mystery that I think will continue in the next book.

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Luck of the Draw by B.J. Daniels is a western romantic suspense that’s loaded with suspense. If you like cowboy heroes, you’ve got them. If you want a good blend of suspense, thrills, mystery, and romance, it’s here. This is a unique twist in a second chance romance that has a surprising end. Read it, you’ll like it.

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Another Sterling is in danger when he is the witness to a murder. It is not what he thinks and soon things start getting filled with tension and a touch of romance. Great addition to the Sterling and Luck series.

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3 1/2 stars

The beginning of B.J. Daniels’ second installment of The Sterlings Montana, Luck of the Draw, literally opens with a bang when Garrett tries to stop a murder from occurring. The situation is not what he anticipates nor are the players.

While the beginning was exciting, the chapters from Joslyn’s POV drag and are repetitive and this, unfortunately, made the beginning plod along too much for my liking. Add into that the fact that what I initially saw of Joslyn, I didn’t like. As the book goes on we don’t really learn about her and the troubled past she’s had, while there are hints to it. Many people weigh in on her character. (This is, again, a novel told from many POVs, so take that into consideration if you find that not to your liking.) But as a reader, I didn’t come away from the novel thinking that I knew Joslyn, which you would always like in a romantic suspense.

Garrett, on the other hand, is a nice, stand-up guy, even when he does stupid (seemingly romantic) things.

This time around, I did find that the multiple POVs detracted from the story, especially because in instances where it became repetitive. If the reader already knows about something, we don’t need to be re-told because a minor character doesn’t know about it.

For me for the second quarter of the novel, the repetition and the telling, mostly in Joslyn’s chapters, were difficult to take. In romantic suspense and mystery, I like the action to keep going, not get weighed down with exposition.

Regardless, the last half of the book, the action picked up and this reader was swiftly turning pages. Even when I thought everything had been summed up, there was one last, unexpected surprise. So, even if you find the chapter after the initial exciting beginning plodding, keep reading!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

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While wandering his property, Garrett, never expected to witness a altercation so fast that left an attacker for dead and the victim now turned killer on the run. When the victim is revealed to be Joslyn a blast for the past for Garrett since he wanted to marry the women until she up and left without a trace. Now there's an investigation and Garrett is going to keep Joslyn under his care until everything comes to light.

This was such a great fast paced read, it will hook you from the very start. I loved there was so much going on to keep me wanting to read till the very end. There was so much mystery surrounding Joslyn and I had to know more about her. Then there was an investigation and seeing how things slowly got revealed to the eventual end. You know it? Its hard to talk about this book without giving away too much but trust me when I say if you love a good mystery your going to want to pick this book up.

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This is an action packed, second chance romantic suspense which starts with bang and keeps on speeding along!

Garrett Sterling hadn't anticipated witnessing a murder, nor had he expected to see the woman who he'd loved be the chief suspect! Actually he hadn't expected to see her at all after she disappeared from his life but she's keeping secrets, telling lies . . . including pretending not to recognise him. Can he uncover the truth and keep her safe?

This  is another enthralling read from this fantastic author. She is so skilled at developing the characters - some you'll love but others you'll definitely not! In this story, the mystery centres around just who is trying to murder Garrett's love and why. There are plenty of suspects, a riveting plot full of twists and turns to keep you guessing as well as a heartwarming second-chance romance in this enthralling read. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading intriguing murder, mystery and romantic suspense.

I requested and was gifted a copy of this book via NetGalley and this is my honest review after choosing to read it.

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I enjoyed the plot of the story although I found it difficult at first to connect all the characters and the author's writing style. Once I got into the story I was drawn into it from beginning to end. The mystery and intrigue was great and I loved the surprise ending. I also appreciated the fact that the story was foremost about who was trying to murder Joslyn/Monica and less about what would happen between Garrett and her once the culprit was caught.

This arc was given to me by the author and publisher through NetGalley, although all thoughts and this review are my honest opinion.

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Great book. It was fast paced, which I liked very much. Interesting characters, intriguing story line. Held my interest from start to finish.

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Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

B.J. Daniels can write some of the most inventive plots I have ever read and "Luck of the Draw" is another. The story starts with a bang and then limps along like a car with a faulty carbonator until the middle when it starts firing on all cylinders. Unfortunately, the road this plot is traveling on is full of potholes, a lot of them big enough to lose this plot completely. That said, my oh my, what an intriguing Poor Little Rich Girl tale this is.

Garrett Sterling is taking a ride as a break from overseeing the renovations to the Sterling Family Guest Ranch when he spots movement across a deep ravine and stops to determine what it is. What he sees shocks and horrifies him and that is just the beginning. What he discovers about that afternoon brings him face to face with a woman from his past, one he remembers only to well, but she claims not to know him at all.

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