Review

The irony of this series is Burton is writing about a fictional town that exists in my own backyard. I loved it! If you’re into small town romances this book is a great place to start.

I won’t review the information in the blurb again, but I will mention this book covers the topic of being in an abusive relationship. Burton handles the topic tastefully and I love a heroine who’s able to stand up for herself after being in a tough situation.

For Emma that’s where the problems reside, she’s not ready to trust and doesn’t want to relinquish control to another man again. Luke on the other hand is fine with the bachelor life and keeping things casual.  He has his dog, Boomer and that’s all the companionship he believes he needs. Until he runs into Emma not once or twice, but three times and each encounter leaves him wanting to spend more time with her.

Sexual tension and relationship development are well paced in the story, combined with a cast of secondary characters who had me laughing and longing for their stories. From Luke’s taciturn brother Logan, to his best friend Carter who used to date Emma’s sister. There’s plenty of romance for the city of Hope to produce.  Plus, there’s the addition of adorable dogs thanks to Emma and Luke’s pets.

One of my favorite parts is when Luke first asks Emma on a date and it doesn’t go very well.

“Let me take you out.”

Her head jerked up and her gaze met his. “What?”

Yeah, what exactly. He couldn’t believe he’d said that. But now that he had…

“You heard me. Let me take you out. We’ll go out somewhere and eat. Use forks and knives. Have a nice conversation and a drink. Then I’ll take you home, walk you to your front door, and call it a night.”

She had this wary look on her face that would have made him laugh if he wasn’t sure she was taking this so seriously.

“That’s it?”

He grinned at her. “Well, that’s not how I usually do it, but for you, sure. That’s it.”

She frowned. “How do you… usually do it?”

“Look, Emma. I’m not the dating type. But I like you. And I can see you want to ease into this. I want to help. I want to be your friend.”

“My friend.”

And it all goes downhill from there. Maybe Luke needed a Twix moment.

As far as plot goes, Emma and Luke are able to hold most of it with the conflict simmering between them. Otherwise, the robber hitting up stores and doctor’s offices in town adds an element of suspense. There’s also another twist in the road, but I won’t give it away. I did appreciate that the suspense was secondary to the romance. I’m not a huge suspense fan, but in this storyline I didn’t mind it.

Overall, this book is perfect for those who enjoy small town romances with a smack of comedy and well-developed characters. I look forward to reading more in this series.

For readers who like Jill Shalvis’s Lucky Harbor books.