For almost a decade, successful 37-year-old Samira Broderick has used her bustling LA practice as an excuse to avoid a trip home to Australia. She still resents her meddling Indian mother for arranging her marriage to a man who didn’t stick around when the going got tough, but now with a new job Down Under, she’s finally ready to reconnect with her. And while she’s there, a hot international fling might be just what she needs to get out of her recent funk.
Aussie stuntman, Rory Radcliffe, has been hiding his stutter for years by avoiding speaking roles. When a job he can’t refuse comes up as a reality show host, he knows he’ll need some help for the audition: a dialect coach. But he finds himself at a loss for words when he discovers it’s the same sexy woman with whom he just had a mind-blowing one-night stand…
Samira can think of many reasons why Rory is completely wrong for her: he’s ten years her junior, for one, and he’s not Indian–something Samira’s mother would never approve of. Even if things were to get serious, there’s no reason to tell her mother…is there?
Release Date: Nov 17, 2020
Heat Level: Hot
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: Berkley
Price: $9.99
Samira Broderick left her homeland of Australia for the United States 10 years ago, following a very nasty divorce. She has established herself as a Physical Therapist and has built a thriving practice. She has returned to Australia for 6 months to help her cousin set up a new therapy center. Her first night back in town, she meets up with her cousin for a few, many, drinks. After getting help from a very handsome, younger man, she ends up having a hot one-night stand.
Rory Radcliffe has avoided speaking roles throughout his career in the television/movie industry. When his agent calls him to meet up at a local bar to discuss a big opportunity to host a new reality tv series, he needs a few, many, drinks to deal with the pressure of it. While at the bar he sees an incredibly appealing woman in need of a rescue. He ends up having the most amazing one-night stand.
Neither expect to see the other again. It comes as a complete surprise when Rory ends up seeking diction therapy at the clinic Samira works at. They quickly give in to their mutual attraction and agree to start seeing one another. They find love despite their differences and the many obstacles they face.
I really liked this story. The author takes us into the world of a woman of multi-cultural heritage; her mother is from India, her father was American, and she grew up in Australia. The author does a fantastic job of describing foods, clothing, social gatherings, and expectations from the Indian society. The story deals with several difficult subjects, like cultural identity, infertility issues, and older women dating younger men. The author also did a great job taking the reader into the mind of someone who lives with a stutter and how it impacts their life. I found the characters to be easy to empathize with as they dealt with personal feelings of inadequacy and strained relationships with their parents. My only complaint is that the characters tended to repeat thoughts too often throughout the story and that got tedious. I definitely recommend this book. There some graphic sex scenes, but they are not long, nor are they frequent. I hope you get the chance to read this one, it was very good.
~ Andrea
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