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Review

3 stars

This is a sweet read, and the first in a new series by Karla Sorensen. It’s a close proximity/ opposites attract romance with a side of HGTV and drama as an enthusiastic designer comes up against a broody, grieving ex-football player.

Burke is a recently retired (injured) football player who is mourning the tragic death of his best friend and his wife. Things take another unexpected turn when he learns that they left him an old family mansion that is falling to pieces, but about to be renovated. He has no idea what to do with the place, but one meeting with the perky designer/restoration expert, and he can see the vision. Wanting to see his best friend’s wishes fulfilled, he throws himself into the project with her.

For Charlotte, restoring the house that holds precious memories of her childhood is her life’s dream. She’s thrilled that she was able to convince the grumpy new owner to continue with the renovation. But when she insists he be hands-on with the decision making, he promptly moves in with her to share a small cottage on the property, their attraction to each other becomes impossible to hide.

So, what is a super-organised, practical girl to do? Propose a no-strings arrangement for as long as Burke is in town. But rather than relieve the sexual tension sizzling between them, it only seems to make things worse, and soon the lines are blurring. But neither of them ever planned on sticking around once the project is completed, and they certainly never planned on love.

This is a sweet romance, and I enjoyed it, but it was lacking a bit for me. It didn’t really pull at the feels and I didn’t feel a strong connection to either of the characters. I wanted more from their love story, and though the romance does come, I wish they had found their way forward together a little sooner than they did. I was happy with how it ended though.

There’s a great bunch of side characters, some of them begging to have their stories told, and I’m keen to continue on with the series.

3 stars.

I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by Connor Crais and Vanessa Edwin, and they do a great job with the narration.

 

The Best Men