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Blurb
All new romance from New York Times Bestselling Author Claudia Connor…
How many times can you be unlucky in love before you decide it’s not luck, it’s you?
With her ex-groom’s words, I’m in love with someone else, still ringing in her ears, Clare Franklin flies off alone to her would-be honeymoon. Forced to accept not everyone gets that happily ever after she’s always dreamed of, she’s done with men. Until she gets tangled up, quite literally, with one sexy veterinarian.
The only thing Dr Deacon Montgomery wants is to share his surgical expertise and get back to his two year old twin daughters. But, the connection he feels with Clare highlights just how alone he really is and makes him wonder if he can be more than doctor and daddy.
Long talks and moonlit walks under the rustle of palms has Clare thinking maybe she gave up on love too soon. Until one phone call from home changes everything.
Review
4.5 stars
This is such a beautiful story! A sweet, sexy, chemistry-filled love story that is surprising and unexpected, and that completely swept me off my feet.
Clare is literally minutes away from walking down the aisle when she hears the words that no bride… no person ever wants to hear – “I’m in love with someone else.” To clear her head and pull herself back together after such a shock, she takes her planned trip to the Dominican Republic, turning her honeymoon into a “ladymoon” (I freaking love that name btw), giving herself a much-deserved break and time to relax and just ‘be’.
So immediately, I’m already half in love with Clare. She’s smart, strong and sensible, and I was so proud of her for handling her situation the way she did. However she very quickly realises that moving on isn’t going to be too difficult. She’s not as devastated as she should be, and looking back, her fiancé never really gave her the butterflies she always imagined would happened when she fell in love. In fact, maybe she’s narrowly escaped what could have been the worst decision of her life. And that is only reinforced when she literally stumbles into the hottest man she’s ever seen.
“I’d rather have nothing than something that isn’t real. And I’m okay with that. Coming so close to almost making a mistake has made me okay with that.”
“Really?”
“Yep.
“So you’ve given up?”
“Maybe I’ve finally grown up. You have to let go of the fairy tales at some point. I always thought when it was right, you’d just know and that would be it. But how can you really ever know when it’s real?”
Deacon is in the Dominican Republic speaking at a veterinary conference when Clare comes crashing into his life. He’s a single father of two-year-old twin girls and doesn’t have time for dating or romance, but being away from home and being completely captivated by Clare, he allows himself to get swept up in his attraction to her.
And OMG, I loved this romance! Easy and natural, it just flows. It happens quickly, but the pacing felt realistic and I loved seeing the chemistry sizzle between these two as they enjoy living in the moment with each other, allowing their emotions (and their libidos) to take them on an amazing journey together, and it’s so, so beautiful! Sweet, fun, spine-tingingly flirty and gorgeously steamy.
But it all comes to a sudden stop when real life gets in the way of their burgeoning romance, and when they return home they both find that nothing will be the same for either of them again.
I won’t say anything more than that because I don’t want to spoil anything, but OMGOMGOMG, I loved it! The story twists in directions I didn’t see coming, written with lots of heart, humour and emotion, and I loved watching it all play out. My heart ached, I swooned, and I may have even squeed out lout at one point. And I couldn’t put this book down, desperate to see what was coming next.
Didn’t she more than anyone know how rare it was to find a love that made your heart tremble? And if you found it you should grab hold with both hands and not let go.
I fell in absolute love with these characters. I’ve already gushed about Clare, but I need to gush even more over Deacon because he is an absolute sweetheart! I knew that from seeing him in the role of romantic hero, but when he switches over into single father mode he is still just as incredible. Beware your ovaries reading this one! And his little girls are absolute scene-stealers! I loved their importance to Deacon, and to the story, and I thought the theme of family was beautifully carried throughout the book. And on a personal note, I am a parent of twins myself, so I was particularly invested and giggling away at the truth behind a lot of those scenes.
He crossed the room and standing beside her in the quiet, stroked a hand over her hair. She was the loving, fierce mama bear his girls never had. And she was the woman he loved with everything in him.
I was captivated by this story from start to finish, and though I was a little bit wary at times, in the end it all worked out, unfolding as it needed to, with scenes that had me clutching my heart, laughing, or tearing up at the gorgeousness of it all.
Absolutely beautiful, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a follow up book for Jess and Connor soon!!!!
4.5 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt
His wide, warm palm grazed her lower back as they wove their way through the tables to the exit. They crossed over the water garden in silence, slowing as they reached a fork in the path.
“Which way?” Deacon asked. “I’ll walk you back.”
“That’s sweet, but you really don’t have to. It’s a five-star resort, not downtown Los Angeles.”
Deacon kept walking. “True. But you know, I took you to dinner and all.”
She arched a brow at him. “It’s also an all-inclusive resort. Maybe I took you.”
“Maybe you did.”
He flashed her that slightly lopsided grin that hit her right in the chest. She conceded to the walk, and together, they followed the brick path. The resort was dark, but lights along the sidewalk lit the path and shined up the skinny gray trunks of the swaying palms. It was quiet, and when they didn’t pass even one other person, she was glad he was walking her back.
She slowed as they came to the breezeway leading to her building and pointed up the steps to the second floor. “I’m up there, so…”
Deacon started up the steps. “I’ll walk you to the door. I’m funny like that.”
She probably should have said no, insisted that she could make it to her door on her own. Because of course she could. But she didn’t insist, just followed enormously glad she’d removed the HONEYMOON banner from her door.
They reached her room, and she turned to face him. Just the two of them now, up here, alone at her door. She felt a slight buzzing in her head that had nothing to do with alcohol.
“Well, Clare of the here and now.”
She rolled her eyes at the reminder of her earlier word-vomit ramble. “It was nice to meet you.” She stuck out her hand, hoping it wasn’t sweaty.
“It was nice to meet you, too.”
It didn’t feel like a simple handshake as he wrapped his fingers around hers. “I had fun tonight. You turned what might have been a horrible night into something surprisingly nice.”
“I’m glad.”
“Thank you for catching me and saving my top and for dinner and talking and…” And maybe she could stop talking.
“You’re welcome.”
A frog gave a low croak, and another answered, but she figured the pounding of her heart was louder.
The buzzing in her head grew louder, and she felt dizzy from looking into his eyes and staring at his lips because she wanted him to kiss her. She wanted to feel those smooth, firm lips on hers, to taste him and feel his arms around her. I’m losing my mind.
“You’re beautiful,” he said. “I’ve been wanting to say that all night.” He lifted his hand and lightly brushed his thumb over her cheek.
Then he leaned in, and she moved. Just…moved. In and up, her fingers twisting in the front of his shirt. She was just falling into the taste of him, just getting that warm, tingling flood of a first kiss when her brain fully registered that he’d been leaning in to kiss her cheek.
“I’m sorry.” She swallowed hard, felt a stinging heat flooding into her cheeks, and wished desperately to disappear. Deacon was staring at her in complete confusion. That made two of them. “I’m… really sorry.”
She spun to her door. A stiff wind sang through the open-air hallway, slapping her hair across her eyes. How she got her key in the lock, she had no idea. Mumbling one more apology over her shoulder, she opened the door and closed it behind her. She stood, heart pounding in mortification, her lips buzzing.
The champagne glasses and fruit and cheese tray had been cleared. The bed had been turned back, and the damn swans were back, nestled in the center of the bed and kissing right on their terrycloth lips.
Giveaway
There is a giveaway for 3 ecopies of Love at Last (open internationally) + 1 signed paperback of Love at Last (US only) (4 winners total)
ENTER GIVEAWAY HERE
The Escapist Book Blog is not responsible for this giveaway
Author Bio
Claudia Connor is an award winning New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of Contemporary Romance, including the beloved McKinney Brothers series. Claudia writes, warm, heartfelt romances with a bit of steam, a lot of family and always a happily ever after. Claudia attended Auburn University, where she received her undergraduate and masters degrees in early childhood education, and completed her studies in Sawbridgeworth, England. When she’s not writing, she enjoys movies, reading, and travel, with a heavy dose of daydreaming during all three. Claudia lives near Memphis, Tennessee, with her husband and three daughters.
You can find out more about Claudia’s books at http://claudiaconnor.com. News on upcoming releases, promotional sales, fan club swag, and chances for advanced reader copies can be found in her monthly Newsletter.
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