Reviews

Drawn Deeper by Brenda Rothert

dani_reading's review

4.0

Great book, HEA

This is my first read from Brenda Rothert, happy to have found her books. I'll definitely be reading more from her soon!

bookbae96's review against another edition

5.0

Ah, I have been waiting for Kyle's book for ages! This eldest Lockhart brother has had my interest and attention since meeting him in DEEP DOWN, the first book in the Lockhart Brothers series by author Brenda Rothert, and I am excited to finally be able to read his story.

It's taken time and a lot of work, but Dr. Kyle Lockhart has finally found a place of normalcy for himself and his two young sons. Working past the pain of a marriage long gone bad and his wife's desertion, Kyle's not interested in anything but maintaining a safe and loving environment for his boys. Sure, he's lonely sometimes, but taking care of his sons is his main priority, so making time for a woman isn't even really on his radar.

Meredith Hobbs knows all too well what it means to be lonely, too. The former fiancée of Kyle's brother Reed, Meredith has been pretty much persona non grata in their small town of Lovely since she left Reed at the altar many years before . But Kyle isn't concerned with the past, and is happy to take Meredith up on her offer to tutor his two sons in her spare time. Soon enough, the friendship between Kyle and Meredith changes into something much more, and leaves both of them feeling like second chances are definitely possible.

DRAWN DEEPER was most definitely worth the wait. Who knew that such a passionate man existed beneath the calm cool exterior that Dr. Lockhart projects (I had my suspicions, but, like, whoa, Dr. Kyle!)? One of the things that I like most about Kyle is his ability to look beyond Meredith's past actions and appreciate her for who she has become. And Meredith, who had come across as not so necessarily likable in the past books, is really much stronger than she knows. Finding the love of the right man, and sharing the feeling of having a real family, brought out a whole new strength in her, and it was a pleasure to see her grow more into the current version of herself.

Brenda has done a great job of portraying all of the aspects that make Kyle a great dad, doctor, son, and lover, and seeing him and Meredith get their HEA is extremely satisfying. 4.5 'heartwarming but hot second-chance' stars for Kyle and Meredith. I'm looking forward to HIDDEN DEPTH, the next book in the series, because, more Lockhart brothers? Yes, please!

***ARC generously provided for an honest review.***

myownbookshelves's review

5.0

Ever feel like you are in a character rut where all the characters are painted with the same brushstroke and bucket of paint? Well, look no further than Drawn Deeper. Brenda Rothert has given us Kyle Lockhart to be that breath of fresh reading. This novel is part of a series that can definitely be read as a standalone, but strongly urge you to read the preceding novels for the character arc of Kyle and Meredith. To be honest, I read Deep Down and almost skipped In Deep. (Yeah, I know stupid girl). But I didn't. And in the vein of honesty, I'm glad I got to know them as secondary characters first. Now onto my enjoyment of this story...

First, Meredith? Okay, maybe I was in a bubble. But I thought I was not supposed to like her. I love when authors give me a character I'm not interested in HEA and gives me one. It gives you hope that everyone deserves to be loved. Next and most importantly - Kyle. Go back to the first sentence of the review. Okay now: Heartbroken man, left to pick up the pieces, trampled on emotionally, financially, and physically deprived. You know the character? He holds the grudge on those feelings and is not going to allow anyone to break down those walls. Got the character? Okay now toss him away with yesterday's trash because that is NOT Dr. Lockhart! Kyle is loyal, trusting, open and giving. All the swoon worthiness wrapped up in a tall drink of water. Yes, Meredith and Kyle have some hiccups along the way, but what relationship doesn't. Ms Rothert gives you an enjoyable tale of second chances to get lost in.

Now, I have claimed Mason (In Deep) as my book boyfriend. However, as much as I love that smart mouthed man, I LOVED Kyle and Meredith's story even more. Do you really need to read the entire series? No but consider yourself warned you should. If you are a first time reader for Brenda Rothert - start with the Lockhart brothers series book 1 before jumping to this one - you won't be sorry. If you read the previous book, she definitely gives you a story to read over and over again. 5 out of 5 stars.