Tru Blue (Sexy standalone romance) (The Whiskeys: Dark Knights at Peaceful Harbor Book 1)

~~~~~5 AMAZING STARS ~~~~~ Wow, I didn't know anyone could be selfless but Melissa found the one man who I think could fit the bill. Truman or Tru if you were to look at him you might want to take a step back because of his appearance, but if you were to get to know him, you would find out that he is one of the most loving and caring man you would ever meet. When Tru was younger he went to jail for a murder he did not commit. His younger brother did. He was not supposed to go to jail and he would be able to still protect his brother, but, their bitch of a mother had him put away. For six years Tru served in jail. When he got out he tried to find his brother who had ended up like their mother hooked on drugs. His brother was so high he told him to go to hell. Then he went underground until a night that Tru will never forget. When his phone rang six months out of prison. He let it ring not answering it and on the third time it started to ring he thought something might be wrong so he answered and it changed his life forever. Their mother was unresponsive. When Tru got to the address Quincy gave him he went inside after listening to all of the screaming. His gut twisted inside but he went anyway. When he was inside his brother told him that she had died. The screaming he found out was a little girl and a baby. He asked if they were Quincy's but he said no they were their moms. Tru ran over picking them up to quiet them down. They were filthy and had on dirty diapers. He could not believe the condition they were living in. Quincy told them they were born on the streets no birth certificates. Tru asked him how he could let them live like this and until he wanted to get cleaned up and off the drugs not to come near the kids again. He stormed out after grabbing some diapers and a nasty smelling blanket. When he got home he washed them up and put them on one of his shirts, then went to the store to get them somethings they would need. When he was decided what kind of diapers and formula to get he noticed a nice looking woman checking them out. She come over to help and she was a blessing. Helping him get all of the things he would need. She kept asking questions he was not ready to answer. Gemma was a woman who wanted love. She wanted to be loved and to have children of her own. But, that would never happen for her, well the having kids part anyway. She grew up in an environment where everything was loveless. She was taken care of by nannies. She was in her own kind of prison. Now she give little girls one day to be what ever they want with her princess for a day business. Gemma and Tru shared something at the store and she could not get him out of her mind. She stopped by to drop off her car and to see the babies. She wanted to see how he was settling in with them. The more they talked the more she liked him. As time went on they were very hot and heavy for each other and falling for each other, but being the guy Tru is before he could go all the way with her he had to tell her the truth. Well, the truth that he told everyone, that he was in prison for murder. After he told her she ran away crying. He wanted her in their lives she made things better for him and for the kids, but like his friends said he might never see her again. He sent her pictures that he had drawn of his past with little notes. He didn't want to give up. Crystal (Gemma's best friend) noticed something was up and did what she had to do to get it out of her. After Gemma told her what happened Crystal tried to tell her that he did what anyone would do if faced with that. After a few more days Gemma could not get him or the kids out of his mind. She went to see him. Let's just say things get heated and not in a bad way. Their bond they formed is so special and so loving. You will be brought into the story that you will not want to ever get out of it. I don't want to spill all of the juicy details or how it ended. I want you to read the book so you can see what an amazing story it really is and I am so looking forward to the rest of the gang finding their true love as well. Melissa Foster never disappoints. All of her books are amazing and I am happy to say she is one of my favorite authors. I encourage you to read any and all of her books. Does Tru and Gemma get their happy ever after? Does he get to keep the kids? What happens with Quincy? Those are things you will find out when you read it. Until Next Time: Happy Reading.

Tru Blue, book one in The Whiskeys: Dark Knights at Peaceful Harbor, is the first book I have read by Melissa Foster. It won't be the last! Tru Blue, a story about two lovers finding each other despite being from different sides of the track, reads like a Hallmark movie, with themes of blood versus found family, putting family first, and love conquers all. Melissa Foster brought lots of emotions to her writing. Be sure to have tissues handy! Yet, when it came to romance and love--WOW! Melissa didn't hesitate to bring the heat! Definitely had tingles and goosebumps from Melissa's passionate, intense, and fiery love scenes! Melissa Foster's wordcraft is second to none! Both the main protagonists and the support characters were easy to relate to, and I wanted to squeeze the motorcycle-riding Whiskey brothers, like they were great big teddy bears, not hardcore, Alpha baddies! Melissa Foster did a fantastic job in creating complex, three-dimensional characters. Each character was a perfect fit for their role in the scene—a testimony to Melissa Foster's writing talent. If you haven't done so, download Melissa Foster's Tru Blue. It is well worth the time and money!

Phew. This book. Can you give more than 5 stars? This book needs more than 5 stars. I loved, loved, loved this raw, heartwarming, and healing romance. This beautifully written and expertly delivered love story between Gemma and Tru will give you all the swoony swoons while also pulling at your heartstrings with all the emotions. Truman is 6 months out from serving a 6 year prison sentence for manslaughter when he gets a panicked called from his dug addicted younger brother asking him to come help him. That’s how Truman learns his mother has died from an overdose and he becomes an instant parent to two additional siblings who he did not know anything about. Gemma runs Princess for a day and struggles with her own past. When she stumbles on Tru at Walmart trying to buy basically everything for a baby and a toddler who are dressed only in his oversized T-shirts, she helps him and her heart becomes invested in him and the kids. As they continue toward their HEA, there are a lot of truths to learn and accept, a lot of hurdles to overcome, and a lot of baggage to unpack. The story included sweet moments, steamy scenes, chuckles, supportive friends, messy families, painful pasts, and all the heart squeezing love. All of Melissa Foster’s books have a central theme of family who accept you as you are - those we are born into and those we create. This book is no different. I love Melissa’s characters and families. And I am so looking forward to reading the next book in this series.

I wish I could give more than 5 stars. This book was beautiful. Truman Gritt has been a protector and a family man as long as he can remember. Throughout his awful childhood, he was often left in charge of caring for his younger brother Quincy and he truly did everything he could to protect his little brother and to try and prevent him from ending up like their mother. Truman’s heart was always in the right place, but sometimes his choices came with consequences he hadn’t anticipated. He has just finished serving time in prison and shortly after his release he gets a desperate phone call from Quincy. Despite his trepidations, Truman being the loyal, loving man that he is, drops everything to go and help Quincy and his mom. When he finds his Mom pulseless in a crack house and his brother high as a kite, he isn’t very surprised. However who he finds with them catches him completely off guard and changes his life forever. Without a second thought, Truman rescues his infant and toddler siblings from the filth and poverty they’ve been suffering in and despite knowing next to nothing about very young children, he immediately sets out to provide a better life for them. Gemma Wright has also had a very loveless upbringing, but hers was the type with cold parents, hired help and etiquette classes. All she has ever wanted in her life is to feel loved and to be loved. When Gemma comes to Truman’s rescue in the baby department at Walmart and helps him get the necessities for his first night on Daddy Duty, Truman is reluctant to accept the help, but his desperation overrules his pride. As Truman adjusts to being tossed into the deep end of parenting overnight, Gemma finds herself falling more and more for the man who would do anything for those he loved. This is the type of love Gemma has been lacking her whole life and she is ready to embrace it wholeheartedly, despite Truman’s concerns and caution. I can tell you that reading about Truman taking care of his siblings will absolute melt your heart. There are so many sweet moments in this book, I couldn’t choose one to quote, but for all of the light in this story there is definitely darkness too. There is also an extremely sexy and steamy love story in the midst of the chaos. Is Truman and Gemma’s love strong enough to overcome the devastation from their pasts to piece together a happy future for their new little family? Highly recommend reading this book. Heartbreaking, poignant, sweet, sexy and hopeful. Just a wonderful read. Eskimo kisses forever! I can’t wait to read about the Whiskey family in the next books. They played such an important supporting role in Truman’s life and really prove the point that family is not just blood.

I have the Kindle and Audible versions; but just listened to the book so I can't speak to editing/proofreading issues. I've been wanting to read this series for quite a while. Truman and Gemma seem an unlikely pair that make perfect sense once you get to know them. They have chemistry and they work out problems together. For the most part, it's a very good story. That said, some of it was so melodramatic, it was like a soap opera. Bottom line: I enjoyed it enough to continue with the series.

Gemma and Truman. Man, I've been waiting for SO long (MONTHS) for this book to either come out on KU or on sale. I finally got it yesterday and man as always, Melissa doesn't disappoint. I had the audiobook waiting for the book and it was SOOOO good. Gemma being the sweet of an angel woman she is and knowing a good thing when she sees it and Truman being a hero that he never had to be and is. This book had my heart from the preview, and it is SO well deserved. I read this so fast and it's no wonder I did. This series of "The Whiskeys" is so well written and I can't wait to see what's next. Gemma and Truman got the family they both needed and wanted and now Kennedy and Lincoln will have the very best life thanks to these two becoming the parents these babies need. So happy for this HEA.

4.5 Stars! Tru Blue took me by surprise in the best way possible. I never saw it coming. Truman’s story is gritty and will just pull at your heartstrings. Truman is the best kind of man. He’s made the best of the s***ty cards that life has dealt him and will do anything to protect the ones that he loves. He will be tested in ways he never expected and can only hope that he will be a better man when it’s all said and done….Truman is finally putting the past behind him and doing his best to move on, only to have his past crash back into him. He suddenly finds himself in a life he never expected and once again proves that he will do anything to help his family….Gemma pushed her way into Truman’s life and I gotta tell you, he never stood a chance. She asked questions and helped him in so many ways. Before Truman even realizes it, Gemma has burrowed her way under his skin. Will Truman be able to accept Gemma’s help and let her into his heart? Or will Truman’s past come back to haunt him one last time and ruin any chance for his happiness? Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I found it to be incredibly well written and captivating. Truman’s story pulled me in and got under my skin. His story made my heart ache and had me hoping for a better life for him. I loved that there was so much more to him than meets the eyes and how he strived for a better life despite his circumstances. He was an alpha male without realizing it and had a deep love for his family. And Gemma was exactly what Truman needed. She was helpful and loving and just so accepting of him. Together, I think they made a really great team and shared an incredible connection. Once again again, Melissa Foster has written a beautiful story that is written from the heart and impossible to not fall head over heels for.

Do you guys know the feeling; when you start reading a book and it’s just so good that you have to read it really slow because you don’t want to miss a thing? This is the way I felt while I was reading Tru Blue. I read it really, really slowly and I took every word to my heart. I am blown away by the beauty of this story! Trumann is a mechanic, who has been living in Peaceful Harbor since he was released from prison, where he has been for the last six years for a murder he did not commit. He is enjoying his freedom to do whatever he wants, and he has his steady job. His life is turned upside down when his mother overdoses and he discovers that he has a baby brother and a toddler sister. He wants to give them a better upbringing than what he had, and he takes them with him. When he, in the middle of the night, is out shopping for the new addition to his family he meets Gemma. Gemma is a young woman who has a princess shop in Peaceful Harbor, and she absolutely adores children. By the cruel touch of fate, she will never be able to give birth to any children of her own, though. When she sees Trumann, looking lost, in the shop with two small children her heart melts and she just has to help him. And this is how Gemma and Trumann meet each other, and the story begins. When I started reading this book, I had a clear vision up in my head of what to expect from it. It was going to be; boy meets girl, and they fall in love, and everything ends perfect, but once again I must confess that Mrs. Foster surprises me with her writing and how she can create characters that just touches my heart in a way that leaves me breathless. Trumann is a young man, who has had a terrible upbringing, and who was left to his own devices. But he has a very strong sense of loyalty to his family, and he will do anything to help, never thinking of himself and his own happiness. Gemma was brought up in a rich environment, but she never felt the love of her parents and all the restrictions she was put under left her to create a fantasy world full of fairy tales. When she was old enough, she packed up her things and left. The problem is that even though she is living her life the way she wants to, something inside her still wants to please her mother, and she still seeks acceptance from her. Melissa Foster describes the relationship both Gemma and Trumann has to their families just brilliantly and their struggle to come to terms with accepting their childhood is just heartbreaking. The whole universe that Mrs. Foster creates around the young family is brilliant, and she makes me want to hear all the supporting character’s story as well. Let me tell you this; she writes the most adorable children, and she makes me want to move to Peaceful Harbor right away! The love between Gemma and Trumann is so beautiful, and I don’t think I have read such a sensitive story since the last time I read a Melissa Foster book. I’m in love with Melissa Foster, and I don’t know if I should be upset or happy because she is on her way to ruin me for all other authors. Thanks to the author and Beck Valley Book tours for this absolutely brilliant advanced copy.

Every time I read one of Melissa’s books, I think to myself - this is it - this is the best one and this man is my favorite! Guess what? Tru Blue is one of the best books I’ve read this year and Truman Gritt is one of my favorite book boyfriends to date. Well done, Melissa. Well done. Tru Blue is the kind of romance that will leave you believing in fairytales. Not the traditional ones, but the ones of our own making. I fell hard and fast for Truman, Gemma, Kennedy and Lincoln and am happier for it. I’m giving Tru Blue the judy.ann.loves.books stamp of approval, TBR and Enjoy!

I have to say that I loved Tru Blue...... This is the first book by Melissa Foster that I've read but I'll definitely be going back to read The Bradens @ Peaceful Harbor series - and that's just to start with. Truman and Gemma's story was really sweet. There was a little angst but it was minimal and on the whole read was easy, enjoyable, sexy and heartwarming. Tru didn't have the best life growing up (that's an understatement really) but he still fought hard for his family and tried to live the best life he could. That was such a great trait, that after all the crap he'd experienced, time he'd lost and the sacrifices he'd made, he was still focused on those he loved (both family by blood and of choice) Gemma grew up in a very different environment from Truman but didn't fare much better when it came to being loved and cared for - her mother didn't give her the time of day and she fought to make her own way in life. This gave them a connection and helped them understand each other from the beginning. Their initial meeting was fun, though maybe not for our hero!! Gemma at first was a little judgmental and kinda jumped to conclusions about people, without really being too aware of it! That was probably the main issue I had with her initially but she redeemed herself when it came to Truman and everything that came after! Yeah, this book was super-sweet, it was nigh on 'insta-love' (but not quite) and come the end of the book things wrapped up pretty easily but I was so happy with how things turned out for our couple that none of this put me off! Family was a huge part of the tale, as was not being too proud or stubborn to ask for and accept help. We met so many supporting characters and I can't wait to find out their own stories. Well written, engaging, smokin' hot and packed with emotion, I'm giving Tru Blu 4.5 sweet stars!

Reviewed on behalf of My timeout book blog I give Tru Blue 5 stars for keeping me interested and intrigued, through the highs and the lows, while discussing hard life events and their consequences and yet throwing in a beautiful love story. Melissa Foster has done it again, another set of characters brought to life through her amazing story telling. Being in the right place at the right time brings Tru and Gemma together and you can't help but fall in love with him. He's sexy and tough yet he's tender and loving, patient and kind. His love of family and what he'd sacrifice for them is amazing. Can he have it all? Tru Blue is a standalone romance novel that brings us back to Peaceful Harbor and reunites us with some characters, the Whiskeys, from one of her other books. While Truman may have had a hard life with many twists and turns, the Whiskeys were always there to assist him along the way; the family Tru always wanted. This story will bring out many emotions, happiness, sadness, fear, love, and even hate. Even though Tru and his siblings lived a very different type of lifestyle from Gemma's, they all ended up with the same disdain for their parents. Tru Blue will keep your interest and through all the twists and turns you will fall in love with all the characters for the part they play in bringing this story to life. But I guarantee that you will fall head over heels in love with Tru and his big heart. I absolutely loved this book and couldn't put it down. Every page had me wondering what was coming next and I’m sure it will captivate you as well. The story spoke of life on the streets, addiction, suicide; all very tough life events that are hard to deal with but with love, patience and a little help from family and friends, you can conquer and rise above and maybe even find your one true love!

Tru Blu is the first book in the Dark Knights series set in Peaceful Harbor. The story captured me from the first page and kept me enthralled right to the very end❣️ Truman was released from prison, six months ago, after serving a sentence for a crime he didn’t commit. He gets a call from his brother and goes to him and finds additional siblings he knew nothing about living in squalor. He steps in to help and raise them but knows nothing about kids and what they need. Gemma, just happens to be in the same shop and can see he’s having trouble, so she steps in to help - igniting a passion between them that is palpable🥰 What great characters and fantastic storyline from Melissa - who is quickly becoming a favourite author, while I devour each series as quickly as I can. Onto Bear and Crystal’s story next😁

Grab it, read it, enjoy the roller-coaster ride of the two main characters like I did. This story makes you believe in the good in people again - awesome!