Sometimes love is a package deal...
Two sweethearts for the price of one!
Rugged builder Kane Fortune has never had any trouble
attracting women -- he's just never been the type to stick around. Until he
meets widowed mom Layla McCarthy and her adorable toddler, Erin. But just as
Kane feels safe enough to let his guard down for the first time, Layla puts on
the brakes. She's worried he's not up to being a lifetime valentine. Kane will
have his work cut out for him proving he's right for the role.
Good book about two people who are wary about risking
their hearts. Kane is a member of a newly discovered branch of the family. He
moved from his home in New York to Texas to help his new cousins with their
hotel project. Kane is handsome, charming, and an all-around nice guy who has
his pick of women, but his relationships never last long. That is until he
meets Layla and her daughter, Erin. Layla is a widow who still grieves the loss
of her husband. She is beautiful, determined, and very protective of her
daughter.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between
Layla and Kane. They met at the daycare center where Kane picked up his nephew
at the same time Layla arrived to get Erin. Kane was immediately smitten and
wanted to get to know her better. Layla felt the same sparks but doesn't feel
ready to do anything about it. Kane's patience pays off when she accepts an
invitation to the hotel's grand opening. I loved seeing Kane with little Erin,
who took to him immediately. It's that connection that helps soften Layla's resistance
to spending more time with Kane.
I loved watching them spend time together, both with and
without Erin along. It's obvious that the feelings between them grow stronger,
but neither one is quite ready to admit it. Kane has some insecurity issues related
to a secret he hasn't shared with Layla. He's wary of opening up completely for
fear of being judged. It takes him a while to get to the point of trusting
enough to share. At the same time, Layla worries about how fast things are
moving between her and Kane, afraid of the effect on her and Erin if he ends
the relationship. Those fears come to a head when Kane confesses his feelings
and Layla pulls back.
I ached for Kane and the hurt he felt by Layla's
withdrawal. I liked that he stood up for himself and refused to deny what he
felt just to make her comfortable. In an emotional confrontation, Kane lays out
his feelings and pushes back against Layla's excuses, leaving a lot for her to
think about. I loved how a little kick in the pants provided by Kane's brother
opened her eyes to what she was doing. The final scene was fantastic as Layla
let go of her fears and allowed herself to be happy.
There is also a brief mention of the collapsed deck from
last month's book (
Her Texas New Year's Wish) and the uncertainty about its
cause. Was it an accident, or was it sabotage? No conclusions have been reached,
and there is an underlying worry that something else could happen.
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