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Synopsis
“Addictive like all Kylie Scott books, you’ll swoon, laugh, ache, put your life on hold, and compulsively read until the wee hours of the night—only to reread the whole thing the next morning. Perfection!”
Katy Evans, New York Times bestselling author
Returning home for her father’s wedding was never going to be easy for Adele. If being sent away at eighteen hadn’t been bad enough, the mess she left behind when she made a pass at her dad’s business partner sure was.
Fifteen years older than her, Pete had been her crush for as long as she could remember. But she’d misread the situation—confusing friendliness for undying love. Awkward. Add her father to the misunderstanding, and Pete was left with a broken nose and a business on the edge of ruin. The man had to be just as glad as everyone else when she left town.
Seven years later, things are different. Adele is no longer a kid, but a fully grown adult more than capable of getting through the wedding and being polite. But all it takes is seeing him again to bring back those old feelings.
Sometimes first loves are the truest.
Review
4 stars!
A fun, slow-burning and sexy romance that is sizzling with chemistry and a slightly forbidden edge. She’s 26, and he is her father’s 40 year old best friend…and she’s loved him her whole life. This book was lots of fun with a fantastically feisty heroine, delicious angst and a nice amount of heart and I loved it!
Adele and Pete haven’t seen each other for seven years after then-18-year-old Adele’s unrequited love led to an attempt at seduction that went horribly wrong, and she fled town. But now she’s back for her father’s wedding, and staying at Pete’s place while she is there. And it’s clear that he’s not happy with either of those arrangements.
Another grunt.
Great. Was this how it was going to be for my entire stay?
“Not that I don’t adore the whole grouchy thing you’ve got going,” I said. “But out of curiosity, should we just possibly talk about the issue and get it all out there? Deal with it, maybe?”
He frowned. “Hell, no.”
“So we’re never going to discuss it?”
“Got it in one.”
I took a deep breath and gave him a thumbs-up. “Okay. Great. Good talk, Pete.”
Pete is broody, grouchy and initially completely standoffish with Adele. You can tell there is ‘something’ there between them, but he has no intention of talking about it, let alone acting on it, and he comes off as being a bit of a dick. Which sets the stage for Adele and all of her awesomeness, because OMG I love this girl! She is smart and feisty, funny, sarcastic and no-nonsense, and she holds nothing back. She’s understandably vulnerable but she puts herself out there and I love her openness.
“You weren’t in love with me. You just thought you were.”
And yeah, no. “Pete, there’s a lot about what happened back then that I’ll readily admit was ill-judged, outright wrong, and even possibly plain stupid. But don’t tell me how I felt. I know how I felt.”
And then there’s her attitude…which confounds Pete and leads to fantastic fireworks
I was done. Seriously. Full on. Done. “Oh, go fuck yourself.”
“What did you say?”
“You know, Pete, it was seven long years ago,” I said. Ranted. Whatever. “I behaved like a dumb kid and I’ve acknowledged that. I’ve apologized many, many times.”
He wiped a hand over his wet face. “Did you actually just tell me to go fuck myself?”
But underneath all of the animosity, it’s clear that there is so much more going on. Adele still has feelings for the first man she ever loved, and it seems like it’s reciprocated, but Pete is all kinds of confused about his feelings and not quite sure what to do with them. It sets up a wonderful dynamic as the two of them banter and bicker and try to sort out what the hell is going on with them, all while the sexual tension simmers away, creating a tingling sense of anticipation as we sit back and wait for the inevitable.
“So, what’s your plan?”
“That we take some time and get to know each other as adults.”
I thought it over. “My feelings for you aren’t casual. They never have been.”
“I know.”
The story of Adele and Pete’s past relationship is intermingled throughout the events in the present, which I really appreciated because it showed the undeniable connection that formed between them and the close relationship that they shared. I loved this because, not only was it gorgeous to see, but with all of Pete’s broodiness, it’s initially difficult to see it in the present. But as they finally take a chance on exploring all of that chemistry, it becomes more and more clear, and I loved seeing the changes in them.
“Why should I stay, Pete?”
“So we can figure out what this is. Because you’re important to me and I don’t want to lose you for another seven years.”
It’s a twisty road with lots of ups and downs and more than a few surprises, and I was glued to my kindle as it all played out. I loved Adele and Pete’s story, I loved the side characters who contributed to richly to it, and I loved the Australian setting which brought the story so vividly to life.
Such a great read – 4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt
It was meant to be a soft kiss. A chaste one, even.
The minute my lips touched his, however, everything changed. Callused hands grabbed the sides of my face and my mouth opened on a gasp. His tongue swept inside, taking me over. Holy hell. Shoes and purse hit the floor, forgotten. Nothing about this kiss was slow or easy. The man devoured me. Every ounce of emotion
poured into that kiss, all of the anger and frustration between us. His tongue was teasing and tasting, driving me wild. Then he drew back to suck and nip at my bottom lip. One hand slid around the back of my neck, the other over my hip to grab at my ass. His hold was firm, a little rough even. He treated my body like it belonged to him and I wasn’t gentle either.
Apparently experience mattered. Because all I could do was try and keep up.
I held on tight to his open shirt, straining against him, trying to get closer. I’d have crawled inside the man if I could. Turned out that under certain circumstances, the taste of scotch worked for me in a big way. Against my hip, his cock hardened, digging into me. And oh my God, I’d done that to him. Me. How amazing! Meanwhile, my body felt liquid, core aching and empty. I needed him inside of me and it seemed like I’d already been waiting forever.
“Pete. Please.”
“Fuck,” he muttered, breath hot against my ear.
I fumbled at the remaining buttons on his shirt. My damn fingers didn’t seem to be working. Easier to just push the whole thing upward. Luckily, the man decided to help, tearing the shirt off over his head. More skin was good. And he was so hot and smooth, a thrill to the touch. The solid flesh of his pecs and the flat plane of his stomach.
He tore at the zipper on the back of my dress, dragging fabric down over my shoulders. A growl came from the back of his throat, a noise of frustration, impatience. I’m reasonably certain I heard the silk rip. I didn’t care. His hands and mouth seemed to cover every bit of skin revealed, touching and tasting me everywhere. The dress got stuck on my hips. Out of the way enough for now.
He didn’t even bother undoing my bra, simply peeling down one of the lace cups to free my flesh. My breast filled his hot palm as it took the weight. Fingers plumped me, his thumb flicking over my hard nipple. The sting of pain followed by the heat of his kiss made my head spin and my body ache. There was no room for thought as he fed me deep, wet kisses. Slowly, he took us to the floor. No time for anything else. Just the urgent need to have him inside me.
The hardness of the polished wood was cool against my back. My legs were spread, his body between them. And with his broad chest above me, his weight taken on one arm, he was all I could see. I swear even the insides of my thighs were wet, I was so ready. It would have been embarrassing with anybody else. But this man, he had to know, he had to understand. It had always been him.
“Pete, I need—”
“I know,” he said, voice harsh and low.
About the Author
Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie on her website.
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