Buy:  Amazon

---

---

Review

4 swoon-filled stars

I fell in mad love with Georgia Cates’ Beauty series when it came out. The story of Jack Henry and Laurelyn completely stole my heart. And now, Cates has returned to the same world with a story for Alex and Magnolia that is similar but different, and once again, I got swept up in a beautiful romance.

Magnolia works for an elite matchmaking company, and when they branch out to Australia, she agrees to go for three months to help with the set-up. When she finds herself in the wrong place at the wrong time, she ends up chatting (with the anonymity of a wall between them) with one of the men who comes in to meet their match, and sparks fly.

Alex is a retired rugby star who is looking for a wife. He’s had his fill of publicity-hungry women, and he wants love and a true connection with somebody, and he’s enlisted the help of professionals to find it. Things take a twist, though, when he finds himself drawn to one the employees of the company, and not his actual match. He can’t get the woman out of his head, and when he drops a crumb, she follows, and they meet in real life, quickly agreeing to explore their attraction.

I didn’t come here looking for this, yet the idea of letting it go feels…wrong.

It’s a tricky situation because Magnolia can’t be seen out and about with a client from her company, so they have to keep things on the downlow. She’s also only in the country of three months, so they know they have an end date. In the grand tradition of Jack Henry and Laurelyn, they agree to fake names and to not share any personal details to keep make it easy to walk away, in the meantime diving on in to explore their wild chemistry.

So, they date, they spend time together, they talk about their lives (as much as they can), and they share a mind-blowing sexual connection. Despite the secrecy, they’re open with each other and share so much, and they fall accidentally, hopelessly and completely for each other. It’s a slow build up that feels real and emotional, and I loved watching it happen. They don’t fight it, they both just follow their hearts and let it happen, and it’s so, so sweet!

This isn’t something I can fight – not that I want to. She’s woven into me, into this life, into everything that matters. No matter what lies ahead, this love is mine to hold. And right now, surrounded by the people and the place that mean everything to me, one thing is clear: she’s the one.

It’s sweet, sometimes even a little sappy, but hey, I’m a romance reader and I need some sappiness every once in a while. Alex and Magnolia fall in soul deep, all-consuming, life changing love, and they cherish every single moment of it. But while Alex is ready for a lifetime commitment with somebody, Magnolia is not. She doesn’t believe herself capable. But that doesn’t stop their deepening feelings, and with the clock running out on their time together, their hearts will be truly tested.

“Love doesn’t follow a timeline. When it’s real, you don’t want for the perfect moment. You seize it, even if it’s messy, even if it’s not part of the plan. The best things in life never happen on a schedule.”

Helping them along the way are Alex’s friends Jack and Laurelyn (loved seeing where they are ten years after their story!), and his big Samoan family who provide their support.

It’s a sweet, sexy and emotional read, and I revelled in the feels and the ease of it all. It feels so natural and so right, and I definitely got that soul-mate feeling, that these two absolutely belong together. I loved watching it happen, and my heart hurt for them as their inevitable separation comes, but this is the first in a trilogy, and the story is definitely not over. I’m diving straight into the next book to see where their journey goes from here.

“This isn’t goodbye, my steel beauty … It’s just see you later.”

Such a swoon fest – 4 stars.

A Review copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.

 

Beauty