This pacy, fun novel in the Fortune, Colorado series introduces Shannon Charlemagne on a visit to a horse ranch in Colorado. She's putting up with her sister and wishing that she wasn't one of the famous horseracing Charlemagne family. Her sister is ordering her to walk up to the door of a racing rival and ask for a job managing his stables. Her hitherto hidden personal assets should be on display, because this rival, Sean Muldoon, is single and sexy. Seems like the quiet Shannon's worst nightmare, but in fact she might just be GETTING LUCKY.

This is a fun premise and while we wonder, along with Shannon, where the family money has been vanishing to, we can understand her willingness to do almost anything to support her family's stables and expenses. Sean did not come from a racing background, being a Dublin city lad, but he had the great good luck to own a Triple Crown winner after long years of work. Now he's about ready to chuck it in if he has to look at one more computerised form. Enter Shannon.

If you enjoy romance stories with nuances of hidden identity, culture clash and suspense, this will be a winner. Sean hides that he was unwillingly involved with a Dublin crime gang, and he's hoping they won't ferret out his new location and new life. While Shannon lives apart from her fractious family because the stress of being around them gives her panic attacks, which can still emerge if she's distressed or pressured. Will the change in her circumstances be good for her, or bad? Will she find a way to put Sean out of business? Or will someone else do it for her?

There's nice atmosphere in this novella, with rugged landscape sheltering the town of Fortune and microbeers available at the bar. You'll come away feeling you've visited the place and met the people. We see lots of horses and the less pleasant side of racing isn't hidden. There's talk of using a Thoroughbred sire for in vitro breeding, though the Stud Book doesn't admit racehorses other than from natural coverings on my side of the Atlantic. There's fact mixed with speculation to keep racing fans interested and a hot adult romance for those keen on the love interest. Seems like a perfect quick summer read. Jennifer Seasons has also written a baseball themed series, if GETTING LUCKY whets your appetite.

Book Summary

Welcome to Fortune, Colorado—where the air is clean, the men are rugged, and the all the good ones… are bachelors.

Born into the infamous Charlemagne equestrian empire, Shannon has been raised to do whatever it takes for the family business. Even if it means going undercover and digging up dirt on a competitor. It's easy enough when she believes he's a bad guy whose success seems too good to be true. In fact, Shannon's excited to put the aggravatingly sexy Irishman in his place and get back in her father's good graces. All she needs is to stay focused on the goal … and out of Sean Muldoon's arms.

From stealing a thoroughbred racehorse from the Irish mob to striking gold in the mountains of Colorado, there's little Sean hasn't experienced. But when it comes to resisting his hot new stable manager, he's out of luck. With the mob hot on his heels, keeping Shannon off their radar is all but impossible, and he's not about to put her in danger too. Sean wants Shannon, but how can he offer her a future … when he can't even guarantee tomorrow?