My Review : Winner Takes All by Laurie Winter

This is my review for the book blitz for Winner Takes All by Laurie Winter. This is a post-blitz review. The book blitz was organized by Lola's Blog Tours. The book blitz ran from 21 till 27 January. See the tour schedule here.

Winner Takes All (Warriors of the Heart #4)
By Laurie Winter
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Age category: Adult
Release Date: 21 January 2019

Blurb:
Storm Thompson wants to be anywhere but Liberty Ridge. Especially since his hometown also contains his childhood nemesis, Colleen Gardner. With a young daughter and mentally ill mother to care for, he struggles to simply make ends meet. Every day, his goal of owning an organic farm slips further out of reach.

Psychiatrist Colleen Gardner has her sights set on starting a retreat to help veterans suffering from PTSD. She's done well but her small town fundraisers just aren't enough.

"The Great American Scavenger Hunt" TV show offers a million-dollar prize, and Colleen and Storm are selected as competitors. Both resolve to do whatever is needed to win, even using the other to get ahead. Storm and Colleen compete to fund their dreams, but their already tattered relationship becomes more strained. Only one will win the money. But will love prove the ultimate prize?

Excerpt:

The Great American Scavenger Hunt

 Day 1

Storm stood on the stairs of the US Capitol Building, and the weight of his travel pack dug into his shoulders. Before sunrise, all the contestants were bussed seven miles over from their hotel in Arlington. A few other contestants started conversations, and his minimal replies made clear he wasn’t here to make friends. Colleen ignored him, which was good. Her mere presence provided enough distraction.

He had a good view of her down at the other end of the line. How could she stand upright underneath the weight of her pack? The thing looked as heavy as her. He’d bought his at the secondhand shop in Liberty Ridge. Colleen probably shopped at a high-end outdoor store that carried the latest gizmos and gadgets. Her pack and its contents might cost the equivalent of a small country’s GDP.

When he’d seen her yesterday at lunch, he almost didn’t recognize her. Her short hair looked amazingly sexy. This morning, she wore a tousled look, like she’d just rolled out of bed, which she likely had being that the clock just struck seven-thirty am.

The host of the show, Burt Blackstone, walked before the assembled group. He stood medium height, with a trim build, and a head of closely cropped, salt-and-pepper hair. Today, Burt wore khaki shorts and an orange button-up top. “I want to wish every one of you good luck. We’ll start filming shortly. I’ll go over the rules once more, mostly for the audience’s sake. Then, I’ll give the signal, and you’ll be off.”

A low murmur drifted over the group.

Storm shifted the weight of his travel pack and mentally walked through his plan. He held a red envelope, which was identical to the ones given to the other contestants. Let’s rock and roll.

You can find Winner Takes All on Goodreads

You can buy Winner Takes All here:
- Wild Rose Press
- Amazon

Previous books in the series:

About the Author:
Laurie Winter is a true warrior of the heart. Inspired by her dreams, she creates authentic characters who overcome the odds and find true love. She keeps her life balanced with regular yoga practice and running. When not pounding the pavement or the keyboard, she's enjoying time with her family, who are scattered between Wisconsin and Michigan. Laurie has three kids and one fantastic husband, all who inspire her to chase her dreams.

You can find and contact Laurie Winter here:
- Website
- Facebook
- Twitter
- Goodreads
- Amazon
- Pinterest
- Instagram

 

Winner Takes All is the fourth book in the Warriors of the Heart series. I have not read the previous books in this series, but that was not a problem - as this can be read as a standalone.

When I read the synopsis of the book, it felt as though I had read this particular book previously. I knew this couldn't be the case, as I was provided an Advance Readers copy prior to publication. I'm truly happy that I decided to continue on and read the book. While it had some similarity to another book, Winner Takes All was actually better written and I enjoyed the story line more.

Colleen and Storm have been best friends since kindergarten. They loved to prank each other during their growing up years. That all ended the night before high school graduation, when one prank went a little too far and emotions were involved.  Fast forward 20 years, and they find themselves living in their hometown, both single.  Both have an opportunity of a lifetime to be on a new television game show with a million dollars at stake for the winner.

Both have great causes for the winnings. Both are very competitive. I loved that the game show was much like the Amazing Race, and it took them across the United States. The competition as well as the story line had me reading in anticipation of the next page. I could not get enough of this book!

The characters are well-developed and lovable. I truly enjoyed reading this story as I, too, have recently been re-acquainted with a love after 20 years. Another bonus for the book is that it is a clean and wholesome romance - something that makes the story that much sweeter.