A Sure Thing (The Donnigans, #1) by Marie Harte 
Series: The Donnigans #1
Published by Sourcebooks Casablanca on November 1st 2016
Genres: Blue Collar, Military, Small Town
Pages: 352
Format: eBook
I received this book for free from in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
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Meet the DonnigansWith the eldest Donnigan brothers adjusting to civilian life, their younger sister constantly in trouble, and their little brother clueless about life in general, falling in love is the last thing on anyone's mind...
Can this Bossy Badass Marine...The Marine Corps was everything Landon Donnigan ever wanted in life...until a bullet sent him home with a medical discharge. Teaching a self-defense class at the gym is old-hat for a marine, but when he meets sexy Ava Rosenthal, his combat skills are useless for protecting his heart.
Be her Mr. Right? Ava can take care of herself and likes quiet, bookish men-not muscular warriors who think women need to be coddled. But Landon is more than he seems, and when they come together, the results are explosive.
Praise for Marie Harte's McCauley Brothers series: "Packed with sass, sensuality and heartwarming emotion...an absolute delight!"-Romance Junkies "Funny, addicting, and full of hot sex scenes."-Booklist
[box style=”rounded” border=”full”]A sweet, sexy romance. You are going to want to be a Donnigan after reading this story. [/box]
I was on the fence on the last Marie Harte series, but I am all in on this one. It was not just a love for Landon Donnigan and Ava Rosenthal that makes this story so great, it is the family dynamics on both sides that grabs your attention for even more stories to come.
Ava and Landon meet at the gym where Landon’s brother is an instructor. And the former marine shows off his bossiness when he decides to help Ava with her technique. She might reluctantly admit that Landon is correct, but the cocky man doesn’t need any more encouragement.
Clinical psychologist Ava is currently working on her five-year plan and while her career is on track, her romantic life, is not so much. She is currently trying on-line dating and while the men she is meeting all meet her checklist of a successful and attractive future husband and father of her children, there is no spark with any of them. Which makes it all the more frustrating, that there is nothing but chemistry between Ava and the muscle-bound know-it-all who is absolutely not her type.
Against her better judgment, Ava agrees to go on a date with Landon and reluctantly admits that he does have many appreciable qualities, such as a strong tie to family and he is really thoughtful…or maybe it is just her hormones screaming “let’s jump the hot marine.”
While the bedroom scenes, as well as the didn’t quite make it to the bedroom scenes, are well-written, it is the crazy family dynamics on both side that will keep you reading further into this series. Ava’s cousins include her Sophie, currently on a man-hating moratorium from dating, and Elliot, whose recent heartbreak has him working his way through all the hot men in town. Neither has a successful relationship, but that doesn’t stop them from heaping all kinds of helpful hints on Ava.
Then there are the Donnigans which include younger brother, Gavin, who is suffering PTSD; younger sister, Hope, who is butting heads with her mother and hanging with all the wrong type of men; and the youngest Donnigan, Theo, recent High School graduate who is trying to figure out what to do next.
There is hints as to the next book at the end, I will be looking out for that although I am sure it won’t be out until next year.
Favorite Scene:
He paused in front of a closed door and turned the knob. “And this, good doctor, is the ultimate in bedrooms. A master for the master. A glorious area for my splendor to be showcased, where my magnificence is only matched by the size of my–“
She shoved past him into the room and froze.
They stared, her in amusement, him in shock that soon turned to anger.
“Gavin! Hope! Theo! Get your asses up here.”
“Do you really want your family seeing this?” She had difficulty keeping a straight face. ‘I mean, your proclivities are nothing to be embarrassed about.”
“It’s not mine, damn it.”
“But still, you’re sharing the house with Theo, and he most likely hasn’t been exposed to these kinds of things.”
“I have no idea who put this here.”
His cheeks rivaled the red of her favorite apple.
“Are you sure? It’s nothing to be embarrassed about. And if you think about it, using…that…is a way to promote safe sex.”
“Christ.” He dragged a hand through is cropped hair, and she coughed so as not to laugh.
What sounded like a herd of elephants tramped up the stairs before Hope, Gavin and Theo rushed in behind them.
“What…?” Hope was aghast. “Oh my gosh, Landon. What is that?”
Gavin and Theo started laughing. Hope joined in.
Ava could no longer contain her mirth. “No wonder you think you’re popular with the ladies!” She held her ribs. “They never say no, do they?”
“Ew, that thing looks like Ava,” Theo said when he could catch his breath.
Ava wiped tears from her eyes. “Well, this is awkward.”
The blow-up doll in the middle of Landon’s bed had long dark hair and neon green eyes. It wore a pair of shorts and a Jameson’s Gym T-shirt. And by its left hand was a flyer for the self-defense class that had written in marker over it, “SIGN ME UP.”
“Man, Landon. I had no idea.” Gavin shook his head.
Landon glared. “You did this.”
“Not me, Bro.”
“Hope, Theo?” Landon stared with suspicion at his brother and sister. Then he turned to Ava.
“Whoa. I certainly didn’t do this. I mean, I guess I should be flattered. She’s oddly attractive in a rubbery kind of way.”
Landon clapped a hand over his eyes.
