Oh I loved every second of this book! Single dad Tuck and Maren, the new nanny for Tuck's darling 4 year old daughter, were so so good for each other! Grumpy/sunshine is always a favorite trope for me, and both characters were so well-written. To be honest, the 12 year age gap didn't even seem like much at all because of how mature the heroine Maren was- she was definitely wise beyond her years. I adored Tuck- he was such a fantastic father, provider and friend, and Maren seamlessly fit right in his little family. This book would read just fine as a standalone, but characters from the first book in the series are featured and if you haven't read it (I Wish I Knew Then), I recommend it as well! The setting for this series, Harbour Village, has such a wonderful small town atmosphere I totally would love to live there!
After 22 years working in the electric utility industry, I have a deep respect for line workers. I was so excited that Chase was one himself! And when I read that Megan had experience working for a nail polish company (and nail polish is my other hobby besides reading romance!) I was immediately IN! Chase and Megan had so much immediate chemistry, I was hooked instantly. Having a spirited teenage daughter myself, I related so much to Chase parenting his daughter Kennedy, and I love the bond Kennedy and Megan created. Author Adriana Locke created another family with so many siblings I want to know better- fingers crossed for more from this family!
As soon as we’re alone, the air
shifts. Shadows dance across the tabletop. Megan’s jasmine perfume scents the
air, and my body temperature rises.
I struggle to remember our
conversation yesterday. I remind myself that my child—the same one that
occupied the seat next to me a minute ago—is my priority. Over and over, I
replay all the reasons why I can’t afford to get off track.
Why I can’t touch Megan Kramer.
My muscles tighten in my stomach and
across the back of my neck as I lift my gaze from the tabletop to her.
She grins. It’s simple, but when
coupled with the heat in her eyes, there’s nothing sweet about it. “That was
fun.”
I hold her gaze, unable to look away.
This is the first day, Chase.
Twenty-nine more to go. Don’t blow it already.
I smirk and push away from the table.
I need to put some distance between
us before things get really fun.
Blurb:
This nanny makes things hard for her boss.
Chase Marshall is many things:
An attentive single dad
Jaw-droppingly gorgeous
My employer for the next thirty days
He’s also the bane of my existence.
He swears I’m a never-ending headache—the most infuriating woman he’s ever met.
If I’m so irritating, then what’s up with the lingering looks when he thinks I’m not watching?
The seemingly innocent touches while making breakfast?
The smirk that graces his kissable lips after one of our verbal spars after his daughter has gone to bed?
One minute he’s coming to my rescue. The next second he’s complaining about how I fold his work shirts. Fine. Fold them yourself.
It turns out that the only time I don’t get under Chase’s skin is when I’m under him.
And that’s where things get complicated.
From USA Today Bestselling author Adriana Locke comes a grumpy, blue-collar single dad that falls hard for his new nanny. This small-town romance is a standalone novel with tons of heat and even more heart.
About the Author:USA Today Bestselling author, Adriana Locke, writes contemporary romances about the two things she knows best—big families and small towns. Her stories are about ordinary people finding extraordinary love with the perfect combination of heart, heat, and humor.She loves connecting with readers, fall weather, football, reading alpha heroes, everything pumpkin, and pretending to garden.Hailing from a tiny town in the Midwest, Adriana spends her free time with her high school sweetheart (who she married over twenty-five years ago) and their four sons (who truly are her best work). Her kitchen may be a perpetual disaster, and if all else fails, there is always pizza. Learn more at adrianalocke.com.
Max and Cozy were so good together! Amy Daws is so good at romantic comedy but she can also bring the swoon and Max was indeed swoon-worthy. Although this can be read as a standalone, it was fun to catch up with other Amy Daws characters and I loved how she worked in her personal love of charcuterie boards. I listened to the audiobook and Teddy Hamilton and Erin Mallon both gave great performances. I listened at 1.3x and found it to be just the right conversational speed.
Hiring the woman who wrecked me to nanny the kid I just found out I have is a dumb idea. Getting naked with her in the back of my truck is even dumber.
But old habits die hard.
Amelia Fox was my high school sweetheart, the girl who broke my heart and nearly ended my football career a decade ago. It was all I could do to put one foot in front of the other, much less make a comeback.
But I did come back. And I'm not about to let go of everything I fought for just because my world is imploding again.
When I find out I'm the father of a two-year-old boy, I'm ready to start my final season in the pros. It's my last chance to nab the championship I promised my dad I'd win before he died.
Enter Amelia: teacher, toddler whisperer, and--oh yeah--my ex-girlfriend. We haven't spoken in ten years, but I'm desperate, and she's looking for a job.
I need to focus, which means I need help with this kid. Which means I need her.
The arrangement works until one night of bad decisions and great sex threatens to ruin everything.
Can we make it work this time around?
Or is she just another bad habit I need to break before she breaks me?
SOUTHERN PLAYBOY is a full-length, standalone novel.
Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Jessica Peterson's North Carolina Highlands series has been such a delight thus far, and I'm happy to say Southern Playboy fell in that camp as well. There are so many great tropes represented- single dad, nanny/boss, second chance and slow burn are all favorites of mine and so enjoyable here. The secret baby trope is not typically a favorite of mine, but the way the author handled the situation was new and refreshing and pretty darn fantastic. Toddler Liam absolutely stole the show for me, although I loved reading about Amelia and Rhett's second chance at love. Life is messy and never perfect, and compromise is necessary in relationships- seeing the main characters both come to this realization was so satisfying. Their journey felt authentic and real.
Meet Jessica
Jessica Peterson writes smokin' hot romance set in her favorite cities around the world. She grew up on a steady diet of Mr. Darcy, Edward Cullen, and Jamie Frasier, and it wasn't long before she started writing swoon-worthy heroes of her own. She loves strong coffee, stronger heroines, and heroes with hot accents.
She lives in Charlotte, NC with her husband Ben and her smelly Goldendoodle, Martha Bean. She's hard at work on writing her next favorite sex scene. Stay tuned for exciting news on her next release!
I Wish You Were Mine by Jessica Peterson
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