Amazon | iBooks | B&N | Kobo
Blurb
Willa Doon has always been shy. Her quiet demeanor was something she’s always embraced. That is, until Jackson Page moves to town. The one man she desperately wants to take notice struggles to remember her name.
Year after year, Willa stands by, watching as the bartender slash playboy drowns his demons in beer and sex. Then one night, he shows up at her door, suddenly aware that the girl he’s seen around Lark Cove is now a beautiful woman.
Except what he doesn’t remember is that this visit isn’t his first. They spent a night together once before. A night he’s forgotten, thanks to a bottle of tequila.
A night that crushed a timid girl’s heart, and set a broken man on the path to heal them both.
Review
“How had I missed this? How had I missed her?”
4.5 stars!
Book #2 in the Lark Cove series brings us the story of Jackson and Willa that was hinted at in Tattered (though this can standalone). I have been so excited to read this story about a damaged yet confident playboy and the shy, quiet girl who has loved him from afar for years, and Devney Perry has done a fantastic job with it, giving us a heartfelt, fun and emotional story that is passionate, intense and all kinds of swoony. I loved it!
Willa Doon first noticed Jackson when he arrived in the small town of Lark Cove. She was only 17, but it didn’t stop her from falling madly for the hot young bartender from the big city. But she was shy and quiet, so over the years it never even occurred to her to make a move on him. He didn’t even know her name, calling her ‘Willow’ whenever he actually acknowledged her. So instead she watched him hook up with random women who passed through town while staring dreamily at him and thinking of all that would never be.
And then one night he comes to her unexpectedly, and they share a moment, and a steamy, life-changing kiss. But right when Willa thinks that all of her dreams are finally coming true, she is crushed when she discovers that Jackson doesn’t remember it, and she makes the decision to try and forget him and move on with her life.
Jackson is probably the only person in Lark Cove who hasn’t noticed that Willa has a crush on him. In fact, he’s barely noticed her at all, until his eyes are opened by a portrait of the young beauty, and suddenly she is all that is on his mind. He’s never had any trouble getting women before, and he’s never been interested in anything more than one night with them, but there’s something about Willa that draws him in – he wants to spend time with her and get to know her – so it stuns him when she turns him down flat. He has a fight on his hands, and he’s a man determined to get his girl.
I’d been a blind asshole. All this time she’d been right there. If not for Thea’s drawing, I may have never opened my eyes.
They were open now.
It’s a fantastic setup for Willa and Jackson’s story, and I was completely sucked into this book as Jackson is taken in by a woman for the first time in his life, and battles like hell to get her. His determination to the cause is swoony and so much fun. And I loved Willa’s feistiness as she stands up for herself pretty much for the first time. It creates a wonderful dynamic for them, and I loved watching it all unfold.
“Do you have any idea how long I’d been waiting for you to notice me? How many times I’d walked into the bar and wished you’d finally just see me? Then you did and I was so happy. And then you forgot.”
Of course it’s only a matter of time before their attraction wins though, and OMG I love this romance!!!
“Can I tell you a secret?” He leaned down and whispered. “I have a crush on you.”
I smiled. “It’s about time.”
Sweet, swoony and oh-so-sexy, Willa and Jackson are just gorgeous together! Not only are they beautiful to watch, but Jackson has demons that he’s battling with after being abandoned over and over again as a child, and when Willa takes those on with him, fighting for her man (she may be timid, but damn she can be fierce when she needs to be, and it’s awesome!), it’s an emotional ride that is full of big moments that had me cheering for the two of them.
“I’m not much of a fighter and I rarely stand up for myself. But I’m standing up for you. I’ll fight for you.” Her hands slid up to my cheeks, pushing me back so she could look me in the eye. “I’m not letting you go. And I’ll never leave you behind.”
Fuck How was I supposed to resist her.
Never had a woman stared at me the way Willa did. She looked at me like I was a king. The adoration in her eyes had nothing to do with my face or body. She saw straight to my center, and it was the sexiest thing I’d ever seen.
But when Jackson’s past comes crashing into his present, it changes everything for them, and the strength they have found together may not be enough to get them through it all.
“Dealing with the bullshit is how you know it’s real … It’s easy to love someone when times are good. Real love is about holding on to one another when times aren’t.”
It’s a beautiful story, and it unfolds in a way that had me completely captivated and feeling it all. Jackson and Willa definitely have their ups and downs – both personally and as a couple – and I loved watching them deal with it all. Their relationship isn’t always easy and they have barriers to overcome, but when they’re on the same page, it’s natural and fun, passionate, emotional and so beautifully swoony.
It was just her and me. Just us.
She wouldn’t find another man to make her dreams come true.
I was her dream and she was mine.
Characters introduced in the first book are a part of the story, and I loved catching up with them and seeing them be a part of Willa and Jackson’s journey. There is a little bit of overlap that allows us to see events from Thea and Logan’s book from a different perspective, which I really liked, and I loved the story progression that we get to see for them.
This is a really sweet read that finishes off beautifully with a fantastic epilogue. A great addition to the series. I loved it.
4.5 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Lark Cove
Tattered (#1) (Logan & Thea)
Review
Buy: Amazon
Timid (#2) (Jackson & Willa)
Review
Buy: Amazon
Tragic (#3) (Kaine & Piper)
Review
Buy: Amazon
Excerpt
I scooched my chair in toward the table, trying to put a little more space between Jackson and me, but he wasn’t having it.
He put both hands on the back of my chair, then leaned in close. “Hi, Willa.”
“Uh . . . hi.” I shivered at the heat from his chest on my bare shoulders.
Why was he standing so close? My parents were right there. Our table was one of four tall, square ones in the center of the room and there was plenty of space between tables.
Plenty. P-L-E-N-T-Y.
But was Jackson using any of that plentiful space?
No sirree. He stayed pressed against the back of my chair, like there were only three inches of usable space behind him, not three feet.
My skin prickled he was so close. I tried to nudge my chair forward again but it barely moved. Sweat beaded on my temples and I pulled in a shaking breath.
Jackson’s woodsy, rich scent was everywhere. It overpowered the stale beer, pizza and peanuts, and I inhaled a deep breath, unable to resist.
Sexy Hot Forest. That’s what they’d call his cologne.
About the Author
Devney is the USA Today bestselling author of the Jamison Valley series. She lives in Montana with her husband and two children. After working in the technology industry for nearly a decade, she abandoned conference calls and project schedules to enjoy a slower pace at home with her kids. She loves reading and, after consuming hundreds of books, decided to share her own stories. Devney loves hearing from readers! Connect with her on social media.
Website | Facebook | Instagram | Twitter