Waylaid is live!

I love this book! The latest instalment in the True North series, this is Daphne Shipley’s story, and it’s a fun yet emotional story with a beautiful romance that completely stole my heart. It captivated me from start to finish, and it’s a gorgeous read!

 

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Blurb

It’s a tale as old as time: the bad boy meets the good girl. He makes a daring proposition. Then the boy gets a mysterious head injury and loses a year of his life…

The first time I meet Rickie, I don’t know what to make of him. The second time we meet, he doesn’t remember the six hours we spent together. Or standing me up afterward.

I’m not the same, either. I’ve got secrets. I’ve told lies. Bad boys aren’t my type, anyway. Even the ones with troubled gray eyes.

But now we’re roommates. Cue the awkward moments in the hallway when he’s wearing only a towel and a smile. He’s determined to win me over, and his talented hands weaken my resolve.

It’s all fun and games until my past rears its ugly head and his secrets come to light, shaking our fragile connection, maybe even breaking it…

Note: this is Daphne Shipley’s story. Contents include Vermonty ice cream flavors, nerdy awkwardness, tattoos, and a playboy grandpa.

 

 

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Review

5 stars!

I love this book! The latest instalment in the True North series, this is Daphne Shipley’s story, and it’s a fun yet emotional story with so many layers and a beautiful romance that completely stole my heart. It captivated me from start to finish, and it’s a gorgeous read!

“I tried not to like you. But it didn’t work.”
“I know, baby girl.” He gives me his cockiest grin. “Sorry about that. What can I do to help take away the pain of this failure you’ve suffered?”

Daphne is the youngest of the Shipley siblings. She’s smart and serious, and has been away at college for the last few years. But an incident in her final year has seen her transfer to a local Vermont college to finish off her degree, and she’s lying low while she tries to untangle the mess that her life is in. She’s at home, working on the family farm for the summer, and much to her disgust, so is her brother Dylan’s roommate, Rickie.

Coincidentally, Daphne met Rickie a few years earlier – they only spent a few hours together, but it was a meaningful few hours, and they made plans to meet up again, only Rickie never showed. It was three years ago, but Daphne is still angry and hurt, and she’s just been burned by a man again, and is feel particularly vulnerable. And just to infuriate her even more, Rickie hasn’t even mentioned their past, and has spent their time together so far being an outrageous flirt.

In a fantastic twist, Rickie doesn’t remember his time with Daphne. He suffered a head injury and has lost his memory around the time when they met, so he has no clue why she’s so ticked off with him. But that hasn’t stopped him from propositioning her at every opportunity. Rickie is supremely confident, and he holds nothing back, and his bold and insistent pursuit of Daphne is so much fun.

“I think you just can’t handle the hotness,” I say.
“Of you?” she sniffs.
“No baby. Of us. There’s something there, and you like to pretend there isn’t.”

Rickie is the kind of hero that I find so entertaining. His cockiness is endearing, and he’s funny and open with a huge heart. And though he may joke about it, the man is completely serious, he wants Daphne. He’s drawn to her in a way he can’t explain, and he loves her serious, prickly nature. He’s aware it’s going to take a lot to win her over, but he knows it will be totally worth it.

It’s only a matter of time. Daphne knows what she wants. It’s the same thing that I want. I can’t say why she’s so skittish, but I’ve given her the time and the space to overcome her hesitation. And yet she’s still keeping her distance, shooting me looks every time she thinks I’m not paying attention.
Spoiler alert: I’m always paying attention.

I have no idea when she and I are finally going to get together. I just know that when it happens, it’s going to be spectacular.

It’s a great set-up, and so enjoyable to watch Rickie make his play. Daphne is feeling the attraction, she’s just fighting it. But living and working side by side for the summer means that they spend a lot of time together, and as they start to talk and open up, there’s a definite shift as Daphne sees the deeper part of Rickie, and they develop a friendship, and a deep connection that becomes incredibly important to them both.

“We’re more alike than you think.”
“We are?” I ask as his hand cups my face. I lean into the pressure of his palm. I can’t help myself.
“Yeah,” he whispers. “Messy lives and greedy hearts. That’s us, Shipley.”

Their attraction soon becomes too intense to ignore, and their friendship develops into a beautifully heartfelt and passionate romance. It’s sweet, fun, sexy and emotional, and I loved seeing them together! They are so open and honest with each other, and there’s this feeling that their relationship is so special. Rickie and Daphne are both unique characters – so different, but also very similar – and their coming together feels natural and right, like this precious thing that is just theirs.

“I used to think something was wrong with me. But now I think I know better.” Those gray eyes look up, boring into mine. “I was missing you. I was waiting all this time for you to come back into my life. And now you’re here.”

But in their personal lives, Daphne and Rickie are both dealing with a lot. Daphne is trying to move on from her past, while Rickie is just trying to remember his! There’s a lot at stake for Daphne as she tries to make amends and sort out her future, and I could feel her guilt and frustration. She’s also struggling with her place in her family – those relationships aren’t as easy and comfortable as they should be, and she knows her past actions have caused that as well. And while Rickie has no recollection of the night he was injured, or the months leading up to it, he’s still struggling to deal with the aftermath and experiences nightmares and panic. And when pieces start coming back to him, it only makes his situation worse.

Their journeys are emotional and dramatic, and beautifully written, and I love the way they are there for each other, supporting each other every step of the way. There are some great twists in their stories, and I loved the way it all unfolded. I was glued to my kindle, and was completely invested in these two together, and individually, as they sorted it all out.

There is some angst, but it’s realistic and makes sense to the story – adding to the intensity and sucking you right in, without becoming frustrating or overwhelming. I was rooting for these two from start to finish, and even though it’s painful at times, I loved their story and how it all played out.

We get to see plenty of the rest of the Shipley family, which I loved, and there is some great progression for some of the previous characters. I loved being back in this world, and Rickie and Daphne’s story is a fantastic addition to the series.

I loved this one so much – 5 stars!

An Advanced Reader Copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

True North series

 

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Excerpt

I read all the way to the highway exit, but I only get halfway through the first article. It’s dense and full of statistical analysis that’s over my head.

By the time Rickie rolls down the exit ramp, I feel the onset of a full-blown case of imposter syndrome. Dr. Drummond is expecting me to be sharp. What if they ask me to work on this type of analysis, and I can’t do it?

“I see the ice cream place,” Rickie says. “But there’s no entrance back onto the highway. What the hell?”

“Doesn’t matter,” I mumble. “It’s three miles down a side road to exit 6.” I close the journal with a sigh. I feel so panicky right now. I’ve always tried to be the smartest girl in the room. But it’s all an act. I’m obviously the worst kind of dunce—the kind that can’t see her own mistakes until it’s way too late. (See: the last twelve months of my life.)

Is it normal to have a midlife crisis right before your twenty-first birthday?

Rickie rolls into the gravel parking lot of the Dreamy Creemee and puts the truck in a shady spot. He rolls down the windows before killing the engine. It’s getting toward dinner hour, so there aren’t many people here. Just a couple of moms pushing toddlers on the swing set.

And I’m quietly having a panic attack in the passenger seat.

I take a slow but shaky breath. Do I even want ice cream? Is there a flavor on that signboard that could take me out of my own head? I reach for the door handle, but Rickie stops me.

“Look,” he says. “About that time we shared a ride home from Connecticut…”

“No,” I say forcefully. If he makes me relive that embarrassing experience, I might lose my cool. “Just forget it, okay? So what if you ghosted me?”

His eyes widen. But my rant is only picking up steam.

“None of that matters. I didn’t even blame you. And the only way I’m going to make it through this year is if I put Connecticut behind me, okay? Just leave it alone.”

My voice cracks on that last word, and I realize that I might actually cry. Which is a thing I never do. But Harkness College was my dream, and I blew it. My damn eyes get hot and my throat constricts.

“S-so just forget it,” I squeak. “It’s already in the past. It can just stay there.”

Rickie’s gray eyes are soft now. And they’re moving closer. To my utter surprise, he leans forward and presses a kiss to my lips.

So soft, my brain sputters.

“Shh,” he says against my lips. His kiss is warm and unhurried. Like a ray of sunshine when you’re shivering.

For once, my squirrel brain forgets to scurry. And I just let it happen. He kisses me again. It’s still gentle. His bright eyes measure me. I don’t know what he sees. But whatever it is, he decides he likes it.

Those soft lips brush and press. Again. And I’m only human. Rickie’s surprisingly tender kiss has caught me at a vulnerable moment. I lean in, experimenting with the slide and pressure of his mouth against mine. A sizzle of heat flashes across my skin. It’s the strangest sensation—as if he’s transferred an ounce of that devil-may-care attitude across the steering column and right into my soul. I drink him in, lips parted. Ready for him to take it further.

But then it ends. Rickie sits back, his head cocked to the side, as if in deep contemplation.

I’m bereft. “Wh-what was that for?” I stammer.

I expect a smirk. But his expression remains soft. “You seemed a little freaked. So I brought you to an ice cream place on a hot summer’s day. But that wasn’t enough, apparently. You needed even more distraction. So I gave it to you. And I’m good at that. A real specialist.”

Replying is impossible. All I can do is sit here and try to process that kiss. That lovely kiss.

He really has some nerve.

 

 

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