He bailed on a wedding to the wrong woman, only to fall
right into temptation's next trap
Runaway groom Brett Harston has long been the subject of
town gossip -- and so has Sarabeth Edmonds, who's returned to Royal after
leaving her hateful ex-husband. Soon an innocent kiss to rile the rumor mill
unleashes a red-hot attraction they can't resist. Will the wealthy rancher fall
hard -- or will she be the one to run this time?
Good book. Brett is once again at the center of a
firestorm of gossip after breaking his engagement the day before the wedding.
He can handle it for himself but feels guilty about hurting his ex-fiancée. He
plans to lie low until the fuss dies down. Then he meets Sarabeth.
Sarabeth returned to Royal in the previous book,
Back in
the Texan's Bed, to repair her relationships with her adult children. Twenty years
earlier, she left her cheating ex-husband, who promptly did everything he could
to keep her from their children. Finally, Sarabeth gave up and moved to
California, where she became a very successful businesswoman. Now she's renting
Brett's guest cottage while she's in Royal.
I enjoyed the first meeting between Sarabeth and Brett. After
initially mistaking her for a teenager, he then recognized her as Rusty's
ex-wife. The last thing he expected or wanted was the intense attraction he
felt for her. Sarabeth was equally attracted to him. The next day, as Sarabeth
tried to work up the courage to drive into town and face the gossips, Brett
impulsively joined her.
He claimed that
the two most gossiped about people appearing together would blow up the gossip
lines. When the first people they encountered were three of the worst gossips,
Brett couldn't stand by and watch them insult her, so he kissed her, setting
the stage for what was to come.
That kiss had a significant impact on both Sarabeth and
Brett. They quickly decided that a friends-with-benefits arrangement was just
what they needed. They are upfront with each other about their "no
relationships" rules, happy to be on the same page. Neither one has a
problem with the ten-year age difference between them. I loved that Sarabeth is
independent and confident in who she is, having earned that confidence the hard
way. Brett is a self-made man who overcame a rough childhood to become the
respected rancher he is. Neither needs to prove anything to the other, making
it easy for them to share activities equally.
Even though neither Sarabeth nor Brett is looking for a
forever relationship, it isn't long before their fling deepens into something
more. Neither one wants to admit it, even to themselves, and they try
desperately to convince themselves they're imagining things. Sarabeth is
especially wary, thanks to previous relationships. When a confrontation with
her ex brings out Brett's protective instincts, Sarabeth blows up and breaks
things off, accusing Brett of not believing in her. Brett was blindsided, hurt,
and angry. Both were miserable apart. I loved Brett's conversation with his
friend Jules, who pointed out that Brett was way past fling and into
head-over-heels in love. Sarabeth got the same talk from her friend Jaynie and
her daughter Gina. Just as it looks like they will take the time to talk out
their problems, an unexpected crisis forces a delay. I loved seeing Sarabeth
take charge and Brett go along with it. And when they finally had that talk, I
loved seeing them both open up and be completely honest with each other. I hope
that they make appearances in later books in the series to see how they do.
One of the things I enjoyed about this book was seeing Sarabeth
stand up to Rusty. He spent their marriage putting her down and destroying her
relationship with her kids after their divorce. I loved seeing what she
accomplished with her life and even more knowing that Rusty has no clue. There
was a terrific scene where Sarabeth, Ross, Charlotte, and Gina are dining
together. Some back-and-forth ensues that gets Ross on all the ladies' bad
sides before the conversation moves on. I loved when an offhand comment by Sarabeth
eventually reveals exactly how successful she was in California. I loved the
reactions, especially the desire to be there when Rusty finds out.
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