Ex-soldier Zane Tucker is perfectly happy with his single
life and his adventure watersports business. A gambler by nature, he figures
the odds of finding a woman for forever are a lot longer than finding a woman
for right now. And as a man of action and not emotion, he believes a woman with
lasting romance on the mind would want someone with less hard muscle and more
soft sentiment. But then his dog hurtles toward the new county librarian,
yanking Zane into her delicate, pretty presence. Will they both scare her away?
And why does that worry him so?
Harper Grace has a bucket list of goals to tick off and
is determined to live every moment to the fullest by overcoming her usual
shyness. No one will call her too timid and too boring ever again. But then a
giant of a man and his equally large dog charge into her life and she can't
decide if she wants to take a step back…or step fully into Zane's strong arms.
She's been brave enough to change her life, but does she have enough courage to
risk her heart?
Good book. Zane came home to Eagle Ridge after his Army
Ranger career ended in injury. Along with his brother, Adam, he started an
adventure watersports business. He enjoys his bachelor life and sticks to women
who don't expect commitment. That all comes to an end when his dog, Gambler, crashes
into the new librarian, Harper, and knocks her over. Something tells him that
his life will never be the same.
Harper moved to Eagle Ridge from San Francisco,
determined to change her life. Naturally shy and introverted, she's been called
boring once too often. She has a list of goals, and getting distracted by Zane
wasn't in the plan.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Zane and
Harper grow. Though the chemistry between them runs hot, both have been burned
in the past. As a young soldier, Zane fell for a Southern girl who allowed him
to woo her, but when he got serious, she called him too big, too clumsy, and
too rough around the edges for any woman. Thanks to her, he feels like the
proverbial beast and destined to be alone. He often feels like a bull in a
china shop, along with his neurotic dog, who really is. Risking his heart again
is not in the cards. Zane also has lingering issues over his mother leaving the
family after he outgrew his childhood asthma. Harper, too, has been hurt.
Engaged to an attorney for two years, he suddenly broke their engagement when
she reserved the church for their wedding. Not only did he claim she was too
boring, but he cheated on her for six months with one-night-stands. She's not
interested in another relationship.
Complicating matters, Zane's brother Adam and his sister
Bailey have both recently found love interests. Though he won't admit it, Zane
feels a little out-of-sorts. The townspeople say he's moping because he's still
single and keep trying to set him up with various women. In a convoluted series
of events, Zane claims that he and Harper are an item, forcing them to spend
time together. I loved watching them get to know each other - the big, tough
guy with a hidden soft spot and the petite librarian with an unexpected
adventurous side. I loved seeing Zane's softer side come out as he showed
Harper how wrong her ex was about her. I ached for him and his insecurities as
his feelings for Harper grew, but he had trouble believing she would want him.
I liked seeing Harper blossom under Zane's attention, discovering she's
stronger and braver than she knew. There's a terrific scene when her ex shows
up in Eagle Ridge expecting to pick up where he left off, and I loved seeing
her disabuse him of that notion, aided and abetted by Zane. I loved their
"aha" moments when each one realized the depth of their feelings.
Zane's big moment was sweet and emotional, and I loved how it happened.
There was a secondary romance between Zane's father, Sam,
owner of the local diner, and the diner's manager, Brenda. I especially enjoyed
his reaction to her makeover.
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