Available at Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, and Kobo
Smooth*
Getting to Know Characters a Little More Deeply
I am enjoying this series so much for several reasons. First, I do have a personal connection to the town of Petaluma where this fictional Foghorn Brewery is. My dad grew up in Petaluma, and I spent many childhood days there visiting my grandparents and aunts. I think the author has given the reader a good taste of what life is like in this small town that has turned medium-sized city.
I was familiar with the hero and heroine from the previous book in the series, and I was curious to see what the author would do with the hero. I didn’t really like him in the previous book as he seemed to be a bit of a jerk, but it’s amazing what good authors can do when they rehabilitate so-so characters by showing more backstory as well as providing more depth with the character’s current thoughts, actions, and emotions so we can truly peel back the layers of character. I absolutely adored that this was not one of those one-night-stand kinds of romances, where the hero or heroine (or both!) don’t see their potential for a true relationship. In this one, Patrick has a deeper interest in Aspen right from the start and is looking at the long term; I love that in this book it was the guy who felt that way first. Again, too many contemporary romances especially seem to start the book with the hero being somewhat shallow and not caring about forming deeper relationships. I like Aspen as well; she’s a competent and smart self-made woman. The book has some serious moments… but also some ones that are surprisingly funny and sometimes a little zany. A delightful read, and I am looking forward to the next one in the series.
