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Blurb

Ben Calloway is my new fiancé.
When he suggests we get married, I nearly laugh in his face. That is… until he points out just how much I need him. I’m single, pregnant and alone in a tight-knit town I ran away from five years ago. I’ve burned every bridge there is to burn in Hermosa Beach, and assumed my life would just continue to go up in flames. But who knows? Marrying Ben just might be the answer to all of my problems.

Remmy Wallace is my new bride-to-be.
I wanted a family once. Until an act of betrayal stole my vision for the future. Now, I’m lying in wait until I can figure out how to bring down the man who hurt me. And marrying Remmy could be exactly what I need. She wants to know what I get out of the deal, but what am I supposed to say? Not the truth, that’s for sure. My reasons are my own, and I plan for them to stay that way.

 

 

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Review

4 stars!

The third book in the Hermosa Beach series, this is a marriage of convenience romance between two very surprising, almost-villains. I thought I knew what I was getting in for when I started this book, but it quickly became clear that I was in for an unexpected ride. Secrets are revealed, and the character growth is fantastic, and I loved getting to know these two very misunderstood characters that ended up completely owning my heart.

The books in this series are closely interconnected, woven around a group of friends in their early 20s. Each book is about a new couple, however there are storylines that run through all of the books, so I would definitely recommend reading them in order.

The last book of this series finished on a bit of a WTF moment when Ben Calloway – cold and calculated businessman – proposed a marriage of convenience to troubled, pregnant and newly-single Remmy. I wasn’t a fan of Remmy at all in the last book of the series, and was actually a bit worried about how I would go with this book because I truly didn’t care to read about her. However things changed a bit towards the end of Be Your Anything, and I was curious to dive into this one – especially seeing that she was matched with cold and seemingly uncaring Ben. What an interesting dynamic!

Ben is the older brother of Wyatt. He owns a local bar/restaurant, and we don’t know a lot about him other than he’s been ostracised from the family by his parents, though he still sees his siblings – not as much as he should, but that is starting to change. Ben has some big secrets, and he has been devastatingly betrayed in the past. He is not interested in marriage or having a family of his own, instead he is a man with a plan of revenge, and Remmy can help him with that. And when he learns that he can help her in return, that’s when he proposes their marriage of convenience.

Remmy is stunned by Ben’s offer. Though they’ve known each other for most of their lives, they haven’t really interacted much given that Ben is a few years older than the rest of Remmy’s group. It’s an interesting proposition and would certainly help her in her current situation, especially when it comes to her protective parents and their old-fashioned ideas about family and single mothers.

It’s a complex situation, and things don’t get off to the greatest of starts, but Ben is a bit of a force of nature when he wants something, and the two of them soon find themselves on the path towards fake marriage. It’s awkward and pretty cold, and though there are some lusty feelings on both sides, I didn’t really feel it. To be honest, for the first half of the book, I didn’t particularly like either of them. I couldn’t feel much of a spark between them and there’s not much romance at all. But as the story progresses we get to know these characters more, they started to open up to each other, show their vulnerable sides and be honest with each other, and suddenly there’s a shift, and I felt it. I could feel their feelings towards each other change, I could feel their connection deepen, and I was fully on board as they fell so hard and unexpectedly for each other.

The way he makes me feel inside is overwhelming … He makes me want to ignore everything I’ve learned about men and just lean hard into his side, allow him to continue treating me the way he has been. Like I matter.

In another life, I could get lost in her.

My heart ached for Remmy. She has been through so much, and she’s so damaged by it all. She’s made mistakes, and she owns them, but she’s so lost.

I’ve seen and done things that will never be undone, that will never be forgiven – things I’m not even sure I want to forgive myself for.

What she needs is somebody to stand by her side and give her the strength to start fighting for a better life, and that’s exactly what Ben does. He’s a bit overpowering, and he makes mistakes at the beginning, but Remmy is quick to confront him and tell him what she needs, and he genuinely listens, he changes his behaviour, and he becomes so much more personable. He genuinely begins to care, and he became the most amazing romantic hero! I fell for him utterly and completely.

The romance develops naturally, the sexy time is intense and passionate, and the emotional connection develops beautifully, and without impediment. They just follow their hearts, and though they have drama to deal with, there is very little angst, and I loved watching these two find a very unexpected love.

“I love you … I am lost in you, in this terrifyingly beautiful love. And I would give my everything to follow you deeper into the unknown.”

*dreamy sigh*

It’s an emotional journey, but it’s really beautiful, and once again Jillian Liota has given us wonderful development for two characters who are very deserving of a happy ending, and I ended up falling really hard for these two.

Such a gorgeous read – 4 stars.

Review Copy generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

Hermosa Beach

 

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About the Author

Jillian Liota is a Southern California native currently living in Kailua, Hawaii. She is married to her best friend, has a three-legged pup with endless energy, and acts as a servant to two very temperamental cats. 

Jillian has authored ten novels in contemporary and new adult romance, and has had her writing praised for depth of character, strong female friendships, deliciously steamy scenes, and positive portrayal of mental health.

 

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