Series: N/A
Traits & Tropes: soldier/veteran hero; starched heroine; enemies to lovers; opposites attract
Publication Date: 09.28.21
Genre/Setting: Contemporary; Western North Carolina, USA
Heat Level: 2
Rating: 4/5
Narration Rating: 4/5
June Wu has always been one to strive for perfection. She’s the fixer, the glue that holds her family together, and she needs to stay on top of things. But now, she has entirely too much to deal with thanks to her mother’s mounting medical debts and the bypass highway that has made her family’s small-town inn lose business. Now the all too handsome new neighbor is driving away the guests she still has with his loud music and construction noise. Still, he needs help and June is nothing if not helpful. Besides, his new bar could be just the draw to help bring tourists to their town, if she can just ignore the volatile attraction spiking between them.
Haunted by his time as a soldier and still grieving the loss of his best friend, Sal, Clay Hawthorne prefers his own company. He’s only in Blue Cedar Falls to carry out Sal’s dream of creating a bar in the hometown he never made it home to. Unfortunately, the business association is holding up progress and Clay needs an ally. June is soon his unlikely partner, but their temporary relationship doesn’t sit well with Clay. For one, he wants something lasting, but June is his total opposite and it’s going to take a lot for these two to meet each other halfway.
I read this book and listened to it on audio as well and I must say, having dual narration from a male and a female actor definitely helped draw me into the story. I found myself actually wanting to clean or go for runs so I could listen. Both June and Clay were going through a lot and had much to learn about themselves and each other. I appreciated that they were able to have that growth here and yet maintain a fairly low level of angst. Of course, there was a blow up between the MCs, but the rift was short-lived, and the make-up and communication were fantastic. The chemistry between June and Clay leapt off the page from the get-go and I absolutely loved June’s mom and her matchmaking. The two were definitely opposites, yet they were clearly meant to be together, and they were so easy to root for. Clay helped June see that she could ask for and accept help and didn’t have to always present a façade of perfection and she helped him cope with his survivor’s guilt and believe in his own worthiness. I’m a sucker for a hero who believes himself unlovable so that got me right in the feels. This was such an enjoyable book with a couple who really went together well, and I can’t wait to see what’s next from this new author.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/1043255511
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4258664404
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