Sweet, Texas #3
Candis Terry
Adult Contemporary Romance
384 pages
Avon
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review
THE STORY (from Goodreads)
The men in Texas are hard to resist . . .
Seattle event planner Allison Lane is an expert at delivering the perfect wedding—even if she might not exactly believe in the whole "'til death do us part" thing. When her father decides to tie the knot with a woman he barely knows, Allison heads to Sweet, Texas, to make sure his new honey is the real deal. What she didn't expect to find at the local honky-tonk was a sexy Southern man as bent on charming her pants off as he is on blowing her "true love doesn't exist" theory all to hell.
And they always promise . . .
Veterinarian, former Marine, and Sweet's favorite playboy Jesse Wilder takes one look at Allison and knows she's a handful of trouble he can't deny. But even after a sizzling kiss and obvious mutual attraction, it seems Allison has no such problem. When Jesse uncovers her sweet side, can he crush his playboy image, melt her cynical heart, and change her mind about taking a trip down the aisle?
Something sweeter.
MY THOUGHTS
Something Sweeter is a fun foray into the heart of Texas, use of the endearment "darlin" present and as swoon-worthy as ever as it flows from the mouth of former Marine–and current veterinarian–Jesse Wilder. In addition to a slow-burning relationship between our lead couple, we’re also treated to the meddling, antics, and unwavering support of his brothers and his endearing mother, their playful familiarity allowing us to really snuggle into this story surrounded by the warmth of love and laughter on all sides. There’s plenty of conflict in the relationship between Jesse and Allison, but the drama is kept to a bare minimum, making this the perfect read for a lazy summer afternoon when a little heat and a whole lot of charm top the list of reader must-haves.
Allison, having grown up with a mother divorced five times over, is utterly convinced love is fleeting and subject to the whims of those who claim to feel it, and therefore finds herself in Texas to ensure her father made the right decision with his recent engagement to a virtual stranger. Because this is a lighter contemporary romance, we don’t delve too deeply into Allison’s relationship with her mother, and as a result it’s sometimes tricky for us to fully put ourselves in her shoes with regard to her conviction that happily ever after doesn’t exist. Having said that however, though Allison’s beliefs on love are clearly the kind that will require the entirety of this story’s four hundred pages to change, she’s not overly frustrating with her stance, sharing with Jesse upfront how she feels without throwing her opinions in his face every five minutes.
Jesse is as smoldering ex-military southern gentleman as they come, his Texas drawl practically audible as it reverberates through the pages and travels straight to our hearts. There are a number of stops and starts to his and Allie's physical relationship, but with her career requiring her to head back to Seattle after her visit with her father, it’s easy understand why they both err on the side of caution when it comes to intimacy. He works hard to show Allie that lasting relationships are not the mystical unicorn she believes them to be–even as he denies the depth of his own growing feelings for her–and despite the stubborn nature they both share, they’re a joy of a romantic couple overall.
Something Sweeter is predictable in the way all romances are, but as always with this genre, the characters themselves and their individual journey to happily ever after take precedence over the mystery of where the relationship is headed. Ms. Terry has written a romance full of sweetness and heart, and I look forward to going back and watching the previous two Wilder boys fall for their women just as Jesse fell for his.
Rating: 4/5
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This book was sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a
review.
I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.
