I realize that a social media post isn’t the usual way to secure a date to your honeymoon—for obvious reasons—but here we are.
My wedding was canceled. What’s not canceled is the nonrefundable, ten-thousand-dollar all-inclusive vacation at a luxury resort, and I’m not about to let it go to waste.
I’m packed and ready to hit the beach. But I can’t deny that it might be more interesting to honeymoon with someone.
Since my track record of picking dates isn’t exactly golden, I’ve done something that I hope I don’t regret. In a moment of weakness—mixed with panic and fueled by margaritas—I agreed to let my friends choose someone to go with me.
It’ll be a blind date / postnuptial vacation—without the nuptials. A few fun days in paradise with no expectations. No obligations.
Before you say, “pick me for a free vacay!”, a few things to consider …
The perfect candidate will be single. He won’t talk too much on the plane. And he’ll be able to leave town quickly.
He will also be okay with sharing a bed. It’s a honeymoon suite, after all.
If you want to be considered, email Rebecca and Sara your application at the address below. (Get creative. There’s a free vacation on the line.)
Wheels up next week!
Blurb:
Subject: You up?This is definitely a feeling cute, might want to delete later situation. But isn’t every message sent at two in the morning a precursor to regret?By the way, I hope you read that subject line as the pun it was intended to be. Okay, cutting to the chase—neither of us has an interest in cultivating an emotional connection with each other, right? You have your reasons, and I have mine. But none of that keeps us from nearly crossing the line from professional to personal every freaking day.I mean, what was that almost kiss in the hallway this afternoon?Something has to give. So this is me, giving in.I can’t believe I’m suggesting this, but what if you and I had … a fling?Just a short-lived non-romance. No pretending it will ever be more. We’ll avoid flowers and flirting and get to the f—you know what I mean. That’s all either of us wants anyway. Think about it. Let me know.I’ll see you in the office in the morning.Oh! One more thing—If you’re not into this, don’t ever mention you saw this email. I’ll pretend I never saw it either.Okay. Bye.
About the Author:
USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket.
“Emotional, angsty, so romantic, and edge of your seat suspenseful! ALL THE STARS!!”
—Samantha Young, New York Times bestselling author
Falling Embers, an all-new emotional small town romance from bestselling author Catherine Cowles, is coming April 12th, and we have the first look!
Prologue
Hadley
PAST
“Hads, you know there’s no way she’s going to let you go.”
I leaned back against my bed and cradled the phone against my ear. “I think I can convince her.”
Jenna was silent for a moment before speaking. “I know you’ve got megapowers of persuasion, but your mom is on another level.”
I didn’t need my best friend to tell me that. I lived with my mother’s overprotectiveness every day. No, overprotective wasn’t the right word. It was paranoia.
“I’m going to go talk to her now. I’ll call you back when I’m done.”
“Okay.” Doubt dripped from Jenna’s tone. She’d watched me go down this road too many times before.
But I wouldn’t let her doubt get to me. I was holding on to hope. I pushed to standing and started for the door. I paused as I pulled it open, listening. I could hear voices wafting up from downstairs and moved in that direction.
“It sounds like a herd of elephants is invading,” my dad called as I pounded down the stairs.
“Just one daughter,” I told him, rounding the corner.
He had a baseball game on mute as my mom worked on hand-stitching a quilt.
“Where’s Shiloh?” I asked.
Mom’s jaw tightened, and I knew I’d already made a misstep. I shouldn’t have asked. My dad gave me a smile that didn’t reach his eyes. The kind I’d seen far too many times during the past eight years. “She needed some air, I think. She’s in the barn with the horses.”
My sister practically lived out there these days. And every time she ran off, a muscle in my mom’s cheek fluttered, or her knuckles bleached white—as they were now.
I didn’t know what to say. Not when we were already starting here. Instead, I shuffled from foot to foot, rethinking my approach.
Dad patted the couch cushion next to him. “Take a seat and tell us what you’re working through in that big brain of yours.”
His words had my mom lifting her gaze from her stitching and eyeing me carefully. I swallowed as I sat, my throat seeming to catch on the movement. I tucked a leg under me. “I wanted to ask you something.”
“Go ahead,” Dad said.
I toyed with a loose thread on the couch cushion. “Jenna is going to a party at Toby Jacob’s house tonight. I know you’re not crazy about parties, but I really want to go. I promise I won’t drink anything but sealed bottled water. You can breathalyze me if you want. And I’ll text you every thirty minutes, so you know I’m okay. I’ll stay with Jenna the whole time.”
Mom’s knuckles lost even more color. “Hadley—”
“Are his parents going to be home?” Dad cut her off.
“Um, no. But they know he’s having the party. They’re in Portland this weekend.”
My mom tossed her stitching onto the coffee table. “I can’t believe the Jacobs would be that irresponsible. Letting a bunch of kids run wild in their home while they’re away. Drinking. Probably drugs. Anything could happen.”
“Now, Julia,” my father began, but Mom cut him off with a glare.
“Anything, Gabe. Absolutely anything could happen.”
“But not to me. I’ll be so careful. I promise.”
Mom’s gaze shot to me. “You might be careful, but you could still get hurt because of someone else’s reckless decision. I won’t risk it.”
“Please, Mom,” I whispered. “Everyone in my class will be there. I don’t want to be the freak anymore.”
She stiffened. “You are not a freak simply because your parents want to make sure you’re safe.”
But I was. Everyone whispered. The girl whose sister had been kidnapped. The girl whose parents practically kept her locked in a bubble. The girl who never got invited to anything anymore because people had given up. Jenna was my only friend, but I could feel even that relationship waning. It was too hard for her.
I looked at both my parents. “I only have one friend because no one wants to put up with the insanity it takes. I have no life. It’s pathetic.”
“Hadley,” Dad warned. “You’re not pathetic. And you have a wonderful life. You ride horses, we go to the lake, go on hikes. That would be a pretty good life to some people.”
“But what about the life I want? To go to a party. God, maybe even on a date. To ride the bus to away games like everyone else. But, no. All of those things are too dangerous.”
“Stop it.” My mom’s voice lashed out like a whip. “How can you be so selfish? You know what we went through with your sister.”
“Newsflash, Shiloh’s fine. It’s awful what happened to her, but it was eight years ago. Please don’t steal my life because of it.”
“Go to your room, right now,” my mother barked.
I turned on my heel and ran. But not upstairs. I went out the front door. The house walls felt too claustrophobic, my parents bearing down, everything closing in around me. I tried to suck in air as the door slammed behind me. But I couldn’t seem to get my lungs to obey.
I started towards the paddocks as tears streamed down my cheeks, and I willed my lungs to cooperate. As I rounded the corner of the barn, I collided with a solid form.
Hands encircled my arms to steady me. “Shit, Hads. Sorry, I didn’t see you.”
I tried to get out my own apology, but no words came. The fact that I was struggling to find my voice only made it harder to breathe.
“Hads? What’s wrong?” There was a slight panic to Calder’s voice. “Want me to get your mom and dad? Hayes?”
I shook my head quickly, but the movement was jerky. I didn’t want my older brother, and I certainly didn’t want my parents. WANT MORE? Click here for the full sneak peek. >>> https://bit.ly/3J9UwMw
Synopsis
I’ve loved Calder Cruz from the moment he taught me how to fly. Racing down a mountain and giving me the release I so desperately needed. My understanding. My safe space.
Hadley has fought for a life of her own ever since her sister’s kidnapping. When she was drowning in expectations and family pressures, Calder was always the one who understood her.
Until one night changed it all. From best friends to strangers in a single breath.
She’s like a fire that lives inside me. Even when I thought it was all burned out, there were still embers that lived in my bones.
Calder knows what it’s like to almost lose the people he loves most. He’ll never make that kind of mistake again. Working at the fire station and taking care of his daughters are the only things he needs.
All it takes is a single moment to make him realize how wrong he is. A split second of coming close to losing the woman he has always loved.
But as long-buried embers light anew, there are those who lurk in the shadows. And they’ll do whatever it takes to extinguish that flame for good…
Writer of words. Drinker of Diet Cokes. Lover of all things cute and furry, especially her dog. Catherine has had her nose in a book since the time she could read and finally decided to write down some of her own stories. When she's not writing she can be found exploring her home state of Oregon, listening to true crime podcasts, or searching for her next book boyfriend.
Genre/Tropes: Contemporary Romance/Office Romance/Fake Dating/Friend to Lovers
From USA Today and Amazon Charts Bestselling author comes a “fun and flirty!” fake dating situation between two coworkers that quickly straddles the line between friends and lovers.
Our laughter fills the lanai, mixing with the sound of the water trickling from the hot tub into the pool. It feels like I’ve had a shot of tequila and am settled in for the night.It’s nice.“What about you?” I ask her, lifting my legs and laying them on the ottoman next to her. “What would you be doing if you weren’t here with me right now?”“Probably deciding on the paint color for Parasol Place. Maybe having drinks with Jovie. Sometimes Smokey’s has live music on the weekends, and I go sit on the beach and listen.” She shrugs. “I do all sorts of stuff.”As much as I’ve thought about Brooke, I’ve never pictured her having a life—doing things like a normal person. She’s always been Work Brooke, coming at me with designs and prices, or Fantasy Brooke. In that case, she’s usually naked or in my T-shirt and bent over an apparatus of some sort.Her doing normal people stuff is an interesting concept.“What are you thinking?” she asks me.Your peach-shaped ass up in the air while you watch me pound into you over your shoulder.I roll my tongue around my mouth. “You don’t want to know.”“I asked, didn’t I?”Your lips wrapped around my cock while I thread my fingers through your hair and come down your throat.“Trust me,” I say. “You don’t want to know.” But I think she does know. I think she has an idea, anyway.She turns toward me in a way that makes me place one of my legs on the other side of her, effectively boxing her in.I make every effort to stay calm. Control my breathing. Keep my hands locked on the armrests. Don’t move a muscle. Because seeing her like this—in my house, between my thighs—is a little more than I was expecting to have to deal with tonight.It feels a bit more than a game of pretend.Her hands rest just above my knees. She smirks.Damn this woman.“Fine,” she says, squeezing her fingertips into my jeans just hard enough for me to feel it. “Don’t tell me. That’s fair because I’m not telling you what I’m thinking about either.”
Blurb:
WANTED: A SITUATION-SHIPI’m a single female that’s tired of relationships ruining my life. However, there are times when a date would be helpful. If you’re a single man, preferably mid-twenties to late-thirties, and are in a similar situation, we might be a match.Candidate must be handsome, charming, and willing to pretend to have feelings for me (on a sliding scale, as the event requires). Ability to discuss a wide variety of topics is a plus. Must have your own transportation and a (legal) job.This will be a symbiotic agreement. In exchange for your time, I will give you mine. Need someone to flirt with you at a football party? Go, team! Want a woman to make you look good in front of your boss? Let me find my heels. Would you love for someone to be obsessed with you in front of your ex? I’m applying my red lipstick now.If interested, please email me. Time is of the essence.
About the Author:
USA Today and Washington Post bestselling author Adriana Locke lives and breathes books. After years of slightly obsessive relationships with the flawed bad boys created by other authors, Adriana has created her own.She resides in the Midwest with her husband, sons, and two dogs. She spends a large amount of time playing with her kids, drinking coffee, and cooking. You can find her outside if the weather's nice and there's always a piece of candy in her pocket.
A Kiss for A Kiss, an all-new surprise baby, mature adult romance from New York Times bestselling author Helena Hunting is available now!
BLURB
I’m Jake Masterson, single dad, and the General Manager of Seattle’s NHL team. I walked away from a career as a player so I could raise my daughter. For the last twenty-plus years, Queenie has been my main priority, but now she’s getting married.
And there’s a small complication.
A beautiful, sexy complication named Hanna.
She’s my son-in-law’s older sister. Or at least that’s how they were raised. The truth is a little more scandalous than that.
I’ve been drawn to her from the moment I laid eyes on her. And I spent months trying to keep a lid on that attraction.
Until we finally give in.
It starts with one searing kiss, but quickly ends with us between the sheets—and in the shower, and the hot tub, you get the picture—and turns into months of sneaking around. Here’s the problem: we live on opposite ends of the country. It can’t be anything but casual. And as I’ve already said…it’s complicated.
But when Hanna finds out she’s pregnant…suddenly things get real serious.
Fall in love today!
FREE in Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3broHRD
Amazon Worldwide: http://mybook.to/AKFAK
Add A KISS FOR A KISS to Goodreads: https://bit.ly/3w4SirW
EXCERPT
“You’re trouble tonight, aren’t you?” Her fingertips dance along my traps as she brushes past me. “And yes, to answer your question, I did, in fact, bring the red bikini.” She disappears down the hall to the spare bedroom, where she’s sleeping tonight. Because I invited her to stay at my place this weekend rather than at King’s. It’s not that she isn’t welcome there. It’s more that she wants them to have their privacy. It also means I get more time with Hanna, so it’s a win all the way around. And I’d be lying if I said I hadn’t been thinking a lot about time alone with her this weekend. I change into my swim trunks, pour myself a scotch, heavy on the rocks, and her a glass of wine before I make my way outside. I set the drinks on the outdoor dining table, remove the hot tub cover and check the temperature, making sure it’s not too hot. Once I carry the drinks over and set them in the cup holders, I sink into the hot, bubbly water, stretch my arms out, let my head fall back and my eyes close. All the time I’ve been spending with Hanna is starting to get to me. Reminding me that I’m in my forties, and very much still a bachelor. There are a lot of reasons why getting involved with Hanna on a romantic level would not be a good idea. Queenie and King’s relationship being at the forefront. But she’s fun. And sexy. And we get each other. A minute later, the sound of the sliding door opening and closing and the slap of flip-flops against the deck have me cracking a lid. “You better not be sleeping already!” she calls out. “Not sleeping, just waiting on you.” I watch as she pulls the tie on her robe and the terry fabric slips over her shoulders, revealing that red bikini I’m such a fan of. Hanna is all curves. Amazing curves. The kind I’ve fantasized about putting my hands on plenty of times over the past several months. And with us spending a lot more time together, it’s been hard not to give in to the constant draw. I rise from the water and hold out a hand as she climbs the steps. Her fingers slip into my palm, sending a jolt down my spine and a stirring inside my swim trunks. “Could you try to be a little less beautiful all the time?”I tease as I help her into the tub. “Could you try to have more of a dad bod?” She drags her fingers down my abs, brows waggling, a smile on her gorgeous face. “You are definitely good for my ego, Jake.” She pats me on the chest and sinks into the water on the opposite side of the tub from me. Which is probably a good thing since I feel like we’re playing with fire tonight. The kind I wouldn’t mind pouring a gallon of gasoline on just to watch it burn brighter. “That was a great engagement party. I think the kids had fun, don’t you?”She stretches her legs out. Her toes skim the outside of my thigh and I barely resist the urge to run my hand up her calf. I don’t know what’s in the air tonight, but things seem…different. Heightened. “Yeah. It was good,” I agree. She pokes me with her toe. “Then why are you frowning? You’ve been off all night. What’s going on?” With all the planning and talks we’ve been having, Hanna and I have gotten to know each other better. And she can read me pretty easily. “I don’t know. On one hand, I’m happy for King and Queenie and I know he’s going to be a great husband to my daughter, but I spent all these years raising her, and being there for her. They’ve been living together for months, but for some reason, it’s all kind of hitting me. It’s real now.” I take a sip of my scotch. “It’s different from when she went away to college, and even when she moved out of the pool house and in with King. There’s this hole I didn’t expect.” “It sounds like empty nester’s syndrome.” She moves to the spot beside to me, where the glass of wine I poured her sits. “Is that what this is? I’m all morose and shit.” She chuckles and props her elbow on the edge of the tub. “You need to look at it with a fresh perspective, that’s all. You’re not losing your daughter. It’s different with girls. Sure, she’s found her partner in life, but she’s always going to be your baby girl. And the two of you are so close.” “I don’t know what to do with all of this freedom,” I admit. “My entire life up to this point has been revolved around raising Queenie and my career.” “Which means you did your job. And that’s a good thing. Think about it, Jake. This is the great part about having a kid young. Sure, you lost out on the freedom of your twenties, but in some ways, this is even better. You’re in your forties. You have a great job, you’re in incredible shape.” She twists and pulls her knee up so it rests against my thigh, her arm extending along the back of the tub, fingertips skimming my . “You have all of your hair.” “I’m definitely grateful for the last one,” I joke. “You have great hair.” She runs her fingers through it. “It’s sexy.” She bites her lip and then shakes her head. “Anyway, what I’m saying is, you’re in the prime of your life. Most people in their forties are raising teens, or maybe their kids are getting ready to go to college. You’ve done all that. Now you can just live. You can date. Have fun. Do whatever you want.” “Fun would be good.”My gaze drops to her lips. “And I’d like to do whatever I want.” “Me, too.” Her bottom lip slides through her teeth. “Like right now I could kiss you.” “You definitely could.” I skim her thigh under the water with my fingertips. She nods. “There’s nothing stopping us.” “So why aren’t your lips on mine yet?” I ask. Hanna shifts again, her wet palms come to rest on either side of my jaw, and she presses her soft lips to mine. I slip my hand under her hair and wrap it around the back of her neck. For a moment, I question whether this is a good idea. But when our lips part and our tongues meet, I forget all the reasons why it might not be. I groan as I sink into the kiss and our tongues tangle. She tastes fruity, like the wine she’s been drinking. She straddles me and settles in my lap, her breasts pressing against my chest. She breaks the kiss for a moment and our eyes meet. “I’ve been thinking about this for months.” “I’ve wanted to know what your lips taste like since the first day I met you,”
ABOUT HELENA HUNTING
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of PUCKED, Helena Hunting lives on the outskirts of Toronto with her incredibly tolerant family and two moderately intolerant cats. She writes contemporary romance ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
Connect with Helena
Instagram: http://bit.ly/2kN5wdZ
Twitter: http://bit.ly/2mloUim
Facebook: http://on.fb.me/Zt1xm5
Facebook Fan group: http://bit.ly/2kN5yCD
Website: http://www.helenahunting.com/
Never miss an update! Subscribe to Helena's mailing list:
Harland Bull Eaton has lost many things—his first wife, his beloved mother, those three women he proposed to . . . Oh, and there was that time he almost lost the family dairy farm due to a scandal. He’s losing faith in just about everything, especially love.
But one night, his friends give him a dare. No commitments. No heartbreak. Just buy that gorgeous redhead a drink. The big-city bombshell he’s set his eyes on swirls him into a tailspin that lands them in bed for a one-night stand he’s pretty sure he’ll never forget. But this time, he swears, he won’t let his heart ride herd on his common sense.
Recently separated and newly unemployed, Scarlett Russell is at a crossroads. With no other plan than visiting a friend in Vermont, the last thing she expects is a hunky, silver fox offering to buy her a drink. Even less expected is when she raises that offer to “take me to bed, cowboy.” She just wants one night to forget everything gone wrong.
Turns out once won’t be nearly enough. Won’t ever be enough, feeling the way she does. But secrets and an unexpected surprise are a lot to handle . . . unless these two can break a trail to an unexpected happily ever after.
Excerpt:
“A coffee, black, no sugar, no cream, and a caramel macchiato with exactly five drizzles of caramel, fifteen pumps of vanilla syrup, whipped cream, and an extra shot.”
What the . . .
Thank God, I did not take that order. I don’t even know what that is. There’s a pause and I’m wondering what’s happening when Bull says, “You have a little something . . .”
I just want to die a slow death as I imagine him swiping at the corner of her lip or wiping off her nose and that sweet, tender touch will be all the spark she needs to want to pounce on this man behind me. Bull has these deep blue eyes and that silver speckled scruff, plus his hair that looks artfully streaked with gray. He’s just all around sexy and he doesn’t even know it about himself. Then, his touch. The soft strokes down my body and the delicate dips of his fingers, I just can’t—
“Have either of you seen Scarlett?” Audrey asks.
Frick.
“Scarlett?” Bull chokes behind me.
“Yeah, Scarlett. She’s our newest barista and I swear she was out here.”
“I didn’t see anyone,” Vermont Barbie states. “But then again, I’ve only been looking at Bull.”
Okay, that’s enough.
“Found it,” I say, popping up from behind the couch and holding my fingers pinched together like I’ve just found gold in them there wood floorboards.
“Scarlett?” Audrey blinks at me with those expressive eyes of hers . She’s a petite blond with a lot of power behind her personality. I slowly stand but find myself dizzy as I do and grip the back of the couch for support.
“Whoa.” I blurt, unable to stop myself as the room spins and my legs tremble. My skin runs cold, but I break out in a full body sweat.
“Scarlett, are you okay?” Audrey asks, rushing to the edge of the couch while Bull quickly stands to face me.
“I . . . yeah, I just think I stood up too fast.” However, that isn’t the full explanation because that rush to my head has now settled back down to my belly.
“You sure you’re okay? You look a little gray,” Audrey asks.
“I . . . excuse me.” Rushing around the couch, I fight the pull to look at Bull, as I disappear behind the counter, bypassing our waiting customers with one finger in the air, and then press out the door to the grassy area behind the building for some much needed fresh air. Once outside, I promptly bend forward and heave.
“Oh my God, are you okay?” Audrey says behind me and I close my eyes, embarrassed by my position in front of my boss. Audrey’s younger than me, but a good, business woman and kind-hearted. She took me on without any prior experience in the coffee industry.
“Yeah. Just something I ate, I think.” I honestly don’t know. It’s been a few weeks like this, nausea, fatigue, and then if I do get sick, which doesn’t always happen, I feel a million times better once I vomit. “I just have a little stomach bug, but I don’t have a fever. I’m so sorry about this.” I point to the grass which holds no evidence of how my stomach felt. “And that.” I nod toward the café.
Audrey’s brows crease as she examines my face. “What else is wrong? As far as how you are feeling?”
I consider it a second and then answer. “My boobs hurt. My back kills. And I had a tuna fish sandwich for breakfast the other day. I think there was something wrong with the mayonnaise.” Then I reconsider what I’ve said. That sandwich the other morning had been the best damn tuna fish in the world and the last thing I’d ever eat when it comes to a breakfast item.
Audrey’s lips slowly curl and her eyes spark like she knows something. “Scarlett, could you be pregnant?”
“What? No. Heaven’s no. Absolutely not. I . . .” I stare back at her, horrified at the notion. I’m forty-two. I’m recently divorced. I cannot be pregnant at this stage of my life.
“No. I am definitely not pregnant.”
Review:
4 Stars!
Cowboy is the second book in the Busy Bean series that makes up part of the World of True North and it’s a great addition!
It follows the Hero, Bull, who is a 42 year old dairy farmer and has given up on finding his happily every after. And the heroine, Scarlett who just left her cheating husband and got fired from her job and now living with her best friend in Vermont and wonder what’s next now that she’s single in her forties…. Throw in a surprise baby and things get a little crazy! Both characters are super sweet and hilarious.
This was my first book by LB Dunbar and it was a fun read. It was great reading a mature romance as you don’t really find these in the romance genre that much unless you’re reading an age-gap romance where only one of the characters is around this age.
Bull and Scarlett hook up on what is meant to be a one night stand but they can’t stop thinking each other and end up seeing each other again and things get a little more complicated when Scarlett gets pregnant. Although it gets complicated as they both try and figure out how they’re going to look after a baby together, they start falling for each other.
Bull and Scarlett are so adorable together and have the hot chemistry to match. They both have fears and insecurities that get in their way at moments in time but they work through them together and stick it out when things get tough. I loved that no matter how hard it got, they wanted to stick around because they loved each other.
There are so dramatic moments but it’s well balanced with funny and lighthearted moments. It was all around an enjoyable read even though I don’t normally reach for surprise baby books!
*ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review, all opinions are my own*
Four years ago, I had a ridiculous crush on my sister's boyfriend. But when they moved away together, I put Beck out of my mind and my heart. But now he's back, and roasting the best coffee in Vermont. I need to convince him to supply the Busy Bean. And I need more of those kisses we accidentally shared outside the coffee shop. He still makes my heart race faster than a triple shot of espresso.
She should be off limits, but instead she's pushing mine
Her sister burned my life to the ground, so Haley Elliot is the last woman I should bring into my bed. Although our business relationship is giving way to something more than a fine grind. Neither of us can help ourselves. And what’s worse, I think I’m falling for her.
But it’s a small town, and ours is a big secret. And when her sister blows back into town, suddenly the coffee isn’t the only thing brewing...
Excerpt:
You know that thing where the rational part of your brain decides on a sensible course of action and commits to it, but then the murky, primal, unsupportive part of your brain refuses to get on board? The Germans probably have a name for it, something hard to pronounce with lots of umlauts. All I had was a feeling, and it hit me on a regular basis over the next couple of weeks whenever Beck set foot in the Busy Bean.
Every time I saw him propped in the kitchen doorway sharing a laugh with Zara, I felt it. When I realised Roddy had started using Beck as a taste tester for recipes he was developing, even though they barely knew each other, I got a big, hard dose of it. And the day I left the cafe to find Beck and his dog playing with Audrey and her two kids down by the river bank, I was awash with it.
If I had to parse this feeling into its component parts, it would be made up of nine-tenths envy and one-tenth wistfulness. With a sprinkle of sexual jealousy thrown in, just for kicks and giggles.
Because I wanted Beck to laugh with me the way he laughed with Zara. I wanted us to have the kind of relationship where I could run ideas past him, the kind of friendship where I could come upon him and his dog down by the river and feel free to hang out with them.
I was fully aware that this stupid, stubborn longing I was experiencing was at complete odds with my decision to respect his obvious desire to have as little to do with me as possible, but no matter how many times I told myself I didn't care, the lump of concrete in the pit of my stomach said otherwise.
The problem was that Beck was just one of those people that other people wanted to be around. He'd always been that way, hence the fact that my sister had wanted him, and the fact that I'd developed my ridiculous, hopeless-cause crush on him in the first place.
He had a natural ease and charm that made people smile, even if they were having a shitty day. He gave good banter, and he knew how to tease people in a gentle, utterly harmless way that made them feel like they were special because he'd noticed them. And he was curious about people, asking lots of questions and genuinely listening to their answers.
It probably didn't hurt that he was extensively easy on on the eyes, either.
All of this worked together to make him a warm, real presence that people wanted to get closer to, like campers gathering around a fire at night.
I witnessed the power of his charisma over and over, in the way Audrey stood a half-foot closer to him than she did to other people, even though she was madly in love with her husband Griff, and in the way Roderick launched into an amusing anecdote whenever Beck arrived with his delivery, as though he'd been waiting to share the story with him. Even snarky, cynical Zara wasn't immune, spending extra minutes chatting to him on the phone when she called through our bi-weekly order, her laughter ringing through the cafe.
Everybody loved Beck, and Beck loved everybody - with the notable exception of me.
Review:
4.5 stars!
This is the first book I’ve read by Sarah Mayberry and I really enjoyed it. I’d love to read more her Sarah’s books now.
Sweetheart is a really sweet and sometimes serious love story that was a great start to the Busy Bean series. The balance between steam and emotion was perfect.
Set in Sarina Bowen’s World of True North, at the Busy Bean Cafe run by Audrey and Zara from Bittersweet and Bountiful, Sarah Mayberry has seamlessly fit beck and Haley and their story into the True North World and made me feel like I was back in the world that I love so much. We see more of Audrey and Zara as well as Roddy from Roommate as they all work with Haley and Beck, It was great seeing the characters I already love fit in with the new characters written by Sarah.
Beck and Haley are great characters, I really loved them together and apart. They both start off a little rocky as Beck finds out that Haley is the sister of one of his exes. It’s super complicated but these two characters are completely drawn to each other from the moment they see each other again and their chemistry sparks straight away.
At the start Beck tries to keep his distance, hesitant to start anything with Haley but he can’t resist the pull they have towards each other, I could really feel the angst as they tried to resist and I loved every minute of it.
While Beck might seem a bit mean at the start, he is only trying to protect himself from things that have happened in the past and underneath it all, he’s super sweet and a fun guy. Haley is such a sweetheart and super determined and and I really loved her character, although I did want to just hug her at some points of the story!
I really loved this story, the banter between the two main characters is witty and fun and was something I really enjoyed. This was such a great start to the Busy Bean Cafe series and a great addition to the World of True North!
*ARC provided exchanged for an honest review, all opinions are my own*
