New York City stylist Poppy Kaminsky knows that image is everything, which is why she's so devastated when hers is trashed on social media--after a very public meltdown over her cheating fiance. Her best friend's New Orleans society wedding gives her the chance hide out and lick her wounds...
Brandon Boudreaux is in no mood to party. His multi-million dollar sailboat business is in danger of sinking thanks to his partner's sudden disappearance--with the company's funds. And when he rolls up to his estranged brother's pre-wedding bash in an airboat, a cold-as-ice friend of the bride looks at him like he's so much swamp trash.
The last person Poppy should get involved with is the bad boy of the Boudreaux family. But they have more in common than she could ever imagine-and the steamy, sultry New Orleans nights are about to show her how fun letting loose can be...
Good book about two people who experience significant crises in their lives, and with each other's help, find their way to new beginnings. The story opens as Poppy, a New York City stylist to the rich and famous, arrives in New Orleans for her best friend's wedding. The timing is perfect, as Poppy desperately needs to get away. After finding her fiancé in bed with her intern, Poppy had a very public meltdown, which ended up splashed all over social media. Her image is destroyed, and she needs to find a way to fix it. Hiding out in New Orleans for a couple of weeks will give Poppy the time to do so. However, she isn't really in much of a party mood, and the arrival of the groom's bad boy brother is one more irritation.
Brandon is the black sheep of his family. While his brother followed their father into the law, Brandon's interest lay in boat-building. After a massive blow-up with his father, Brandon and his best friend Jeb set out on their own. Brandon hasn't spoken to his parents in ten years, though he has remained in touch with his brother, Henry. He's not about to miss Henry's wedding and the hoopla before it, though he isn't in much of a mood to party. His partner Jeb has disappeared, taking all of the business's money with him. He doesn't want to believe it, but the facts are hard to deny. The last thing he wants to deal with is a stuck-up Yankee.
I liked the first meeting between Poppy and Brandon. He pulls up to his brother's dock in an obnoxiously loud airboat, and Poppy looks at him like he's pond scum. But there is no doubt about the sparks that fly between them. Brandon is a charming flirt, and he immediately lays it on thick with Poppy, who wants nothing to do with him or any other man right now. There's also a pretty big gentlemanly streak in him, and Brandon comes to her rescue when she has a panic attack. I thought she could have been a little more appreciative, but she was also fighting her attraction.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Brandon and Poppy. A hurricane-like storm brings them together as Brandon rescues her from a dangerous flooding situation. As they ride out the storm together, the attraction between them continues to grow. Both try to resist, as neither wants a relationship, thanks to the current upheaval in their lives. Instead, they form an unexpected friendship, discovering that they have more in common than they knew. I loved how their first impressions of each other changed as they got to know each other. I ached for Poppy, whose run of bad luck left her with some insecurities. Brandon is more sensitive than I expected at first, and it isn't long before he finds ways to show Poppy what an amazing woman she is. Brandon also faces a situation he doesn't feel prepared for, and this time it's Poppy who comes to the rescue. I had a grand time watching her prep Brandon for his big meeting.
All the while, the attraction between Brandon and Poppy continued to simmer until they couldn't resist any longer. Each one is clear that they don't want anything serious and decide to have fun together. But as Poppy builds Brandon up for his meeting, he discovers that he wants more than just her professional attention and a short-term affair. This freaks him out a bit, especially since he doesn't feel that he's in a place to do anything about it. Meanwhile, Poppy makes significant progress reinventing herself and her brand but doesn't know how to tell Brandon that she plans to relocate to New Orleans. After a blow-up where Brandon says some bone-headed things, both of them have some soul-searching to do before either is ready to look at a future together. I liked the ending. Both Brandon and Poppy show some real growth, and I loved Brandon's big moment.
The drama regarding the wedding between Henry and Poppy's friend, Sonja, added some extra tension to the story. I liked both Henry and Sonja, who genuinely appear to love each other. However, outside forces create an untenable situation, and Sonja doesn't handle it well. Their issues are left hanging, so I can't wait to read the next book in the series to see how that turns out. Brandon's troubles with his partner, Jeb, are also glossed over at the end, leaving that open for the third book.
I enjoyed the detailed descriptions of New Orleans, from the bayous to the little details about the city itself. I especially liked the scene set at Café du Monde, as it brought back fond memories of my visit there. I also liked the mentions of post-Katrina issues, from the loss of jobs to the way people helped each other. I liked Poppy's reminisces of her time volunteering and the impact it had on her life.
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