Series: N/A
Traits & Tropes: instalove; grumpy/sunshine; protector; age gap (older hero)
Publication Date: 06.06.22
Genre/Setting: Contemporary; Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA
Heat Level: 6
Rating: 4/5
Narration Rating: 3/5
Elementary school teacher Taylor is in Cape Cod seeking a relaxing vacation with her brother, Jude, when the discovery of a dead body in their rental house throws their schedule into chaos. Now, not only does she have to deal with the police investigation, but she also has to manage Myles Sumner, the grumpy, mannerless bounty hunter hired by the victim’s sister to investigate. Taylor is obsessed with true crime podcasts and thinks she might actually be able to help. Myles is having none of it, but Taylor isn’t so easily dissuaded.
Myles just wants to complete this job as a favor to his old friend and has no interest in babysitting an out-of-place school teacher. Unwittingly, it becomes easier and easier to put up with Taylor’s company and soon Myles actually craves her nearness. She’s stubborn and a dangerous distraction, but she also has Myles rethinking some decisions he’s made and waking up painful memories, unlocking a protectiveness he’s not at all comfortable with. He knows he needs to find this murderer and return to his nomadic lifestyle before he gets in any deeper with Taylor, but when she is threatened, he’ll have to wake up and realize what he actually needs in his life.
This was such a fun, quick story, despite the rather dark theme of having a murder hanging over our hero and heroine. I listened to this during a pretty dark time myself, on my morning runs in the days following my grandpa’s recent passing as I tried to process things, so I probably didn’t give the story as much attention as it deserved. Nonetheless, I really loved the instalove dynamic established between Myles and Taylor, especially given Myles’ reluctance to give in to his feelings thanks to his feelings of inadequacy. I loved that he was a bit rough around the edges but utterly made of goo inside. Taylor recognized this almost immediately and didn’t take any of his nonsense. This was grumpy sunshine done well because she saw past that outer shell and treated him with kindness and respect, showing him real love, but without ever becoming a pushover or trying to brush past traumas under the rug or dismiss any of his fears. She knew just how to handle him without pushing him too far and I loved that he wound up realizing his issues and how he needed to fix things on his own and doing everything he needed to do to make Taylor feel secure and assured of his feelings and his sincerity. I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the big, gruff man brought to his knees and I think I’ll never not love this trope in a romance. It also didn’t hurt that this one was very steamy either.
I wasn’t the biggest fan of this narration as some of the cadence just seemed off in places. Otherwise, I really liked these characters and thoroughly enjoyed their story. My only complaint was that I wanted to know what was going on with Jude and Dante and that was never addressed so perhaps they’re waiting for a future book?
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4772441684
https://www.bookbub.com/reviews/3839360114
Comments
Post a Comment