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February 08, 2010
 

View All Titles by Gracie C. McKeever

REVIEWS for Manifest Destiny [The Matchmaker 3]

4.5 Hearts: "This story is the third tale to feature a Vega sibling and their big sister Angela. It also ties into another McKeever tale, Spells Cast in Shadow, which is Seth and Montana’s story. Although connected, this is a stand-alone tale and may be fully enjoyed without reading either of the other stories, but is best enjoyed with full knowledge of the back-story, if for no other reason than Ms. McKeever is such a magnificent storyteller. In many ways, Jason and Evelyn seem like each other in the opposite form - both are extremely wary of entering into any type of relationship due to painful past experiences, and both are stubborn, strong-willed individuals who insist on living life on their own terms. In many ways, they seem like a totally improbably pair! However, Ms. McKeever does a masterful job in revealing the traits of these characters in a way that plausibly allows them to become a fully recognized couple. This tale is full of twists and turns, and the reader will never know just what the irrepressible Evelyn will come up with next. The love scenes are scorching and classic McKeever! This reviewer also enjoyed revisiting the main characters from previous tales and other repeat readers will do so as well. The paranormal bits are primarily psychic in nature, although a couple of mystical creatures do make an appearance. The two main protagonists provide all of the angst, so readers looking for the suspense element found many times in Ms. McKeever’s tales will miss that in this one. Excellent effort as usual, Ms. McKeever! Highly recommended!" —Leah, Love Romances and More

4.5 Klovers: "First off, I LOVE how Gracie C. McKeever joined her Matchmaker series to her novel Spells Cast In Shadows in this story! It makes perfect sense for Evelyn to vacation at the very same Dude Ranch owned by Seth and Montana Phoenix – not to mention it was great fun to see where that couple is now. Pairing Evelyn with Jason, who suffered from a case of unrequited love in that previous book was wonderful, and paves the way for future crossovers, should McKeever choose to do so.
     I loved Jason Makepeace before, but seeing him come into his own in The Matchmaker, Book 3: Manifest Destiny was a pure delight. It took someone with a gentle soul and a firm hand to break through Evelyn Vega’s considerable defenses, and who better for the job than a man who stands by his friends even while his own heart is bruised? By the time Jason meets Evelyn, he is over his crush on Montana, and planning for his move away from the Freeborn Ranch. The timing couldn’t be better for him to meet the woman who is his ‘Manifest Destiny’, even if he does not believe so at first. Evelyn thinks she is over the pain of her first marriage, but she has buried the real hurt deep down inside, hidden even from herself. She needs someone like Jason who can touch her very soul, read her every need as easily as he finds he can read her mind, to help her deal with the past that has sealed her heart away from the potential pain of loving again.
     I am uncertain how many more Vega siblings are left, but with the expansion of this series in Manifest Destiny, I am hopeful that Angela will turn her skills to others when she finishes marrying off her brothers and sisters. I’ve enjoyed each of these stories as much as the first, and am nowhere near ready to see an end to McKeever’s The Matchmaker series!" —Jennifer, CK2S Kwips and Kritiques

4 Cups: "Manifest Destiny is the third volume in Ms. McKeever’s Matchmaker series, but it works well as a stand-alone title. The fish-out-of-water tale of a city girl in a rural setting is a classic plot, and Ms. McKeever adds a paranormal twist to keep it fresh. The sex scenes are numerous and they leave nothing to the imagination, but they are integrated into the story and do not seem gratuitous. Evelyn is a sensual woman who proves that the saying “life begins at forty” can be very true. Jason allows her to live out her fantasies of being with a cowboy and proves that there are younger men who appreciate the intelligence and experience of an older woman." —Maya, Coffee Time Romance

4 Angels: "I recommend reading these books in sequential order. If you don’t, I believe you miss out on the development of some of the characters. There was enough information in Manifest Destiny to prick your interest in Beneath the Surface, Matchmaker 1 and Terms of Surrender, Matchmaker 2. Gracie C. McKeever has developed the May – December romance well, at least from this forty-something’s perspective. In Manifest Destiny the comments are sharp and well aimed. I fell in love with Jason; I wonder if I went to Colorado I could find one like him?" —Dana, Fallen Angel Reviews

"Gracie C. McKeever did it again in this wonderful love story of two people who had been unlucky in love. You have the city slicker, Evelyn Vega, a Wall Street broker, who meets her match in Jason Makepeace, who works on the Freeborn ranch in the country. Oh the pages ignite when the two meet for the first time; passion explodes off of the page. It was a hot, funny story that will keep you turning the pages and wanting more when you reach the end." —Nicole Harvey, Paranormal Romance

STORY EXCERPT

He took off his hat as he approached. “Miss Vega?”

She took off her glasses, stared up at him and raised an imperial eyebrow.

Jason noticed, except for a light touch of glossy bronze lipstick, she had on barely any make-up.

For some reason, this surprised him. It surprised him also that his cock instantly reacted to her slick but uncomplicated looks, twitching in his jeans at her flawless olive skin, the light veneer of moisture giving her complexion an ethereal sheen that made him want to lick her like a mango ice cream cone.

Jason caught himself following a single drop of moisture as it made a path from her neck down to her luscious cleavage, and had to consciously stop his mouth from watering.

His cock throbbed behind the zipper of his jeans as if he hadn’t let it out off a leash in centuries. Sadly, this was almost close to the truth, nearly eight months since he had been with Jennifer Brighthart, a twenty-five-year-old (much younger than he liked tangling with), New York bound waitress from town with dreams of hitting it big in modeling and acting.

Okay, maybe eight months wasn’t exactly centuries, but it was getting dang near close for him. He hadn’t realized how close until this very moment surrounded by Miss Vega’s raw feminine appeal and heat.

“And you would be?”

He started, shook his head to clear it of all the horny-dog thoughts going through it, and quickly stuck out his right hand. “Jason Makepeace, ma’am. I’m the cow boss at Freeborn.”

“Cow boss,” she repeated as if trying it on for size and put a perfectly French-manicured hand in his. “Is that anything like a cowboy?”

She had a strong grip. He liked that. “It’s a highfalutin name for foreman, or a cowboy in charge of cattle operations. I mostly run the buckaroo crew.”

“Ahhh.” She nodded. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Makepeace.”

“You can call me Jason, ma’am. Almost no one calls me Mr. Makepeace.”

“And you can call me Evelyn. Almost no one calls me…ma’am.”

Jason put his hat back on, stopped himself from grinning at the difficulty she had getting that last word out of her mouth. “No disrespect ma—I mean Evelyn. It’s just an address of respect around these parts, like Mr. and Miss around your parts.”

“Respect, huh?”

She said the word as if it was an alien concept and made Jason wonder if common courtesy and respect were unknown qualities to someone from the big bad city. He’d heard horror stories about cold and rude New Yorkers, sure. Granted he didn’t travel much outside of the Midwest and Southwest but he was almost certain Evelyn Vega pulled his leg.

She stood from her bag. “Shall we go?”

“Ready when you are.” Jason hungrily watched her, the skirt flowing down around her legs to reach the top of her boots in sinuous waves. She turned to lift one of the bags, an expensive leather designer tote and then smoothly draped a matching handbag across her chest.

Jason inhaled, her scent wafting out to him as she passed, a combination of some spicy sandalwood cologne laced with a touch of vanilla musk and a lot of female.

He reacted as if he had been gut-punched, hissing as his cock hardened and grew to painful proportions in response to the mix of the aroma and Miss Vega’s proximity.

What was that about? He hadn’t reacted so strongly to a woman in a long time. In fact, he couldn’t remember the last time he’d had such a carnal response except…Heck, he had barely been in his twenties, nothing but a dumb pup back then, hormones running haywire and vulnerable to the attentions of almost anything on two legs and female.

Evelyn headed for the front passenger door of his truck and paused. “Are you coming?”

Jason looked at her and at the stack of bags she’d left behind—two of those large wheelie bag do-dads that were all the rage among the sophisticated set, and a matching backpack.

He gathered the bags, grunting at the unexpected weight as he hefted them into the backseat of his pick-up. “Dead body in any of these?”

“No. Just essentials.”

More like half her fancy New York City wardrobe. “You’re only staying a week right?”

“No, two. Why?”

“Just curious. Most people stay one.” Jason sauntered around the front of the truck to get in the driver’s seat and caught her looking around in awe as if she couldn’t believe the pristine condition of the cab. He stopped himself from smiling at her reaction and asked, “You were expecting some smoke-filled honky-tonk?”

“Actually, I was looking for your gun rack.”

“I don’t know what you’ve been told, but that’s a myth. All us hillbillies and rednecks ain’t card-carrying members of the NRA.”

“It wasn’t meant as an insult.”

“Contrary to all the westerns you might have seen, being a cowboy is a lot of hard honest work that doesn’t involve shoot ’em up, bang-bang poker games in the town saloon.”

“Oooo-kay, you made your point.”

ADULT EXCERPT

She spread her thighs wide for him, every bit the accommodating wanton, trembling as he lowered his mouth and tongued her swollen clit.

“Oh, God, Jace…I need you…” She gasped as he eased a finger into her. “Yes. That’s it. I need you inside me. I need—God, that feels good!”

He added another finger and scissored them as he plunged deep and twisted his fingers inside her, brushing the sensitive bundle of nerves inside as he licked, sucked, and nibbled her clit until her body strung tight beneath him.

“Jason!” She grabbed his hair in both hands and held him in place as an orgasm crashed down on her. Her vaginal muscles clenched around his fingers and her cream gushed out and filled his hand.

He raised his head and sat back on his heels again to watch the tremors rack her slick naked body while he licked each finger and savored the musky sweet taste of her. He stared at the downy black hair between her legs, mouth watering at the sight of her creamy glistening pink lips peeking through her curls. “Mmm, now that tasted better than a T-bone steak.”

Evelyn leaned up on her elbows to look at him with bedroom eyes. “Speak for yourself. I think I’d prefer a little taste of this steak right here.” She reached for him, grasped his long jutting shaft, fingertips just barely making it completely around to meet her thumb once she closed her hand around his erect flesh.

He watched her eyes widen in comprehension and his heart fluttered with pride.

Lordy, he knew vanity was a sin, but the things this woman did to his libido and his ego with just a look and a touch made the sinning all the more worthwhile!

“Had enough already?” he asked at the astonished look on her face and she shot right back, “Not nearly enough.”

“I am truly glad to hear that, darlin’,” he murmured, braced his weight on his palms on either side of her head as he lowered his face to hers again. He licked her parted lips before she opened her mouth to suck in his tongue and nibbled his bottom lip.

She cupped his ass, pulled him towards her and bucked her hips, her pubis colliding with his cock as she growled into his mouth. She reached down to caress his balls, taking the springy weight of him in her hand and making him melt inside as surely as that wicked smile of hers did. “Don’t hold out on me, cowboy. Give it to me now.” She drew him forward, but Jason refused to be prodded or rushed. Not until he was ready. He’d waited a little while already. He could wait a little while more, and so could she.

He reached for his jeans behind Evelyn’s head, dug around in one of the front pockets before he emerged with a foil pack that he brought to his mouth.

Jason stared down at Evelyn’s face as he ripped into the package with his teeth and one hand and waited for her reaction.

“Why you cocky cowboy!”

He shook his head, gave her his most earnest look and murmured, “Not cocky, just hopeful. Would you rather I wasn’t prepared?”

“I suppose it’s a good thing one of us is,” she admitted, then squinted up at him. “You sure you didn’t put that snake in my tent?”

His eyes widened at the idea. “If I had thought it would get you where you are now, in my tent and beneath me, I might have.” Jason finished sheathing his cock and positioned himself between her thighs as Evelyn brought her legs up to circle his hips. “If I hadn’t come prepared, you would have been deprived of this.” He gently poked her slit with the tip of his cock.

Evelyn nodded. “I like a man who thinks ahead.”

“Have to keep up with you.”

He watched her grin like a satisfied lioness and his heart flipped over.

Time to get this show on the road and good!

He cupped her breasts, leaned in to suckle and bite her erect nipples until they both shone like washed plums in the dim light of the tent.

Evelyn writhed and gasped beneath him. “C’mon, cowboy. Mount up.”

“You are so bossy.”

“So I’ve been told.” She reached between his legs to grasp his balls, firmly massaging them in her hand until Jason groaned.

He leaned in to plunder her mouth, coming up for air a minute later to say, “You’re lucky we want the same thing.”

“If that means you’re going to fuck me now, and fuck me good then yes, we do.”

Her raunchy talk turned him on like nothing else, had him taking his throbbing shaft in hand, guiding it to the creamy opening of her pussy...

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