A long, hot summer with her secret crush…
What could possibly go wrong?
Nissa Lang knows Desmond Stilling is out of her league.
He's a CEO, she's a teacher. He's gorgeous, she's…not. So when her
house-sitting gig falls through and Desmond offers her a place to stay for the
summer, she vows not to reveal how she's felt about him since their first --
and only -- kiss.
Desmond should've known better than to bring temptation
into his house. He decided long ago that his best friend's sister was too
sweet, too good, for him. She deserves a guy who can give his heart. For her
sake, he's stayed away. But as her laughter breathes life into his lonely
mansion, he's not sure how long he'll be able to resist.
Terrific friends to lovers story. Nissa is a teacher who
takes temporary jobs during the summer to earn money for her dream trip to
Italy. This summer, she accepts a house-sitting job, then sublets her condo for
the summer for extra income. When the house-sitting job falls through, she has no
place to stay. Since Nissa can't stay with her brother, he suggests staying
with his best friend Desmond in his huge house. Nissa is reluctant because
she's had a crush on Desmond since he stepped in to take her to prom when she
was seventeen. Desmond remains a friend to their entire family, so she has
buried her feelings for years.
Desmond became friends with Nissa's brother Shane when
they attended the same boarding school. Desmond was tutored at home until he
was sent away to school, so though he was book smart, his social skills were
nonexistent. He was raised by parents whose marriage was more business merger than
marriage and actively discouraged expressing emotions. Shane immediately befriended
Desmond and absorbed him into his family, showing Desmond what a loving family
looked like. Shane's family treated him as one of their own, and there is
nothing Desmond wouldn't do for them. Inviting Nissa to stay with him is a
no-brainer, but it also makes his life more difficult. He's never forgotten
their goodnight kiss, but she deserves better than him.
I loved watching the relationship between Nissa and
Desmond develop. Their friendship is strong already, thanks to knowing each
other for so long. I loved how easily they talked and laughed and teased. But
underneath the comfortable friendship, the sparks of attraction simmer and
grow. Nissa believes that if Desmond had been interested in her all those years
ago, he would have done something about it. So she keeps her unrequited
feelings buried. Besides the fact that, at the time, Desmond felt he was too
old for her, Nissa's brother made it clear it was hands-off his little sister. Having
Nissa there now stirs up feelings Desmond doesn't know what to do with.
There are many sweet scenes of the two together, and it's
easy to see that they get closer. I ached for Desmond as he shared his family
life with Nissa and his conviction that, like his parents, he has no heart. He
truly believes that he is incapable of love. No matter what she said, Nissa
could not convince him otherwise. And yet, his obvious care for Nissa's friend
Marisol and her daughters on their boat trip showed that there was more to him
than he knew.
Desmond and Nissa's relationship undergoes a considerable
change when she slips and confesses her attraction to him. I loved seeing how Nissa's
frustrated rant led Desmond to prove that he was just as attracted, and things
snowballed from there. The connection between them burned hot until interrupted
by an emergency call from Marisol. I loved the effect that seeing Nissa drop
everything for her friend had on Desmond. Though he's always been someone who
supported charities and good causes, always ready with his checkbook, this is
the first time Desmond experiences helping first-hand. He warmed my heart with how
he brought Marisol's daughters to his house for Nissa to take care of them.
He's so good with them, yet he can't see that it's because of his big heart. Even
better, he involved himself even more deeply in their lives, planning a massive
surprise for Marisol.
But when Nissa can no longer hide her feelings and tells
Desmond of her love, Desmond panics and sends her away. His conviction that he
has no heart and is incapable of love is too firm for Nissa to overcome. I
ached for Nissa as she tried to deal with her broken heart. I also hurt for
Desmond, who couldn't understand why he was so miserable. An unexpected call
from his mother spurred Desmond's "aha" moment and a call to Nissa's
father. I loved that conversation and the one in person a few hours later.
Because Nissa's dad was almost a father to Desmond, too, he gave some fantastic
advice. I especially loved the bit about groveling. Desmond's big moment was terrific.
I liked the ring's description and would love to see a picture of the author's
inspiration for it.
No comments:
Post a Comment