Title: Second Best
Author: Noelle Adams
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: November 15, 2017
Blurb
We meet every other Wednesday night in a
downtown hotel. No dates. No commitments. No hearts and flowers. Just his body
and mine.
downtown hotel. No dates. No commitments. No hearts and flowers. Just his body
and mine.
Maybe I’m his second best. He’s definitely
mine.
mine.
But second best has never felt so good.
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 4 Stars
I often find the friends-with-benefits trope to be hit or miss; there’s a delicate balance to making the romance that develops feel real to the reader and not forced just because it should be there as a side effect of the couple being no-strings-attached friends with benefits. But Noelle Adams definitely put together a hit with Second Best.
Sean and Ashley go into their “contract” fully aware of what to expect from the other. They each have their reasons for not wanting to date around, so the “I’ll rub your back if you rub mine” deal that they strike up fits both their needs. Until it doesn’t any more.
I was so cheering for these two to get together. Their connection jumps off the page, and they are such richly, fully developed, relatable characters, which made me ship them even more. I am keeping Second Best on my re-read list!
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Purchase Links
Free in Kindle Unlimited
Excerpt
After I
turned the water on to get hot, I pulled my hair back into a messy bun and
dropped my clothes onto the floor, feeling almost decadent—like I wasn’t just a
normal girl with a normal job living a normal life. I loved the specialty bath
wash the hotel provided—deliciously scented with lavender and honey—and I
scrubbed up and rinsed off at a leisurely pace.
turned the water on to get hot, I pulled my hair back into a messy bun and
dropped my clothes onto the floor, feeling almost decadent—like I wasn’t just a
normal girl with a normal job living a normal life. I loved the specialty bath
wash the hotel provided—deliciously scented with lavender and honey—and I
scrubbed up and rinsed off at a leisurely pace.
I wondered
what Sean was doing.
what Sean was doing.
He probably
had a meeting run late or else something urgent came up at work.
had a meeting run late or else something urgent came up at work.
I was going
to be very disappointed if the front desk called up to tell me he wasn’t going
to be able to make it after all.
to be very disappointed if the front desk called up to tell me he wasn’t going
to be able to make it after all.
I’d been
waiting for two weeks for tonight. I didn’t want to miss out.
waiting for two weeks for tonight. I didn’t want to miss out.
When I felt
an unexpected blast of cool air, I turned to see what caused it. I squealed
loudly when I saw a man getting into the shower with me. I raised my hands
instinctively to beat him off.
an unexpected blast of cool air, I turned to see what caused it. I squealed
loudly when I saw a man getting into the shower with me. I raised my hands
instinctively to beat him off.
You
understand I wasn’t thinking through any of this. All I’d processed was the
sudden appearance of a man where I hadn’t been expecting one.
understand I wasn’t thinking through any of this. All I’d processed was the
sudden appearance of a man where I hadn’t been expecting one.
“Hey,” Sean
said, laughing as he grabbed at my flailing wrists. He was as naked as I was.
“I expected a warmer welcome than this.”
said, laughing as he grabbed at my flailing wrists. He was as naked as I was.
“I expected a warmer welcome than this.”
I relaxed
immediately, flushing with embarrassment and the aftermath of my shock. “You
scared the crap out of me!”
immediately, flushing with embarrassment and the aftermath of my shock. “You
scared the crap out of me!”
He was
still laughing. “I can see that. Who did you think was getting into the shower
with you?”
still laughing. “I can see that. Who did you think was getting into the shower
with you?”
“I don’t
know. I thought you were running late.”
know. I thought you were running late.”
He moved so
he was completely under the shower spray, the water soaking his short brown
hair and streaming down his high cheekbones, strong chin, and sexy mouth. “I
was. But I rushed over so you wouldn’t start without me.”
he was completely under the shower spray, the water soaking his short brown
hair and streaming down his high cheekbones, strong chin, and sexy mouth. “I
was. But I rushed over so you wouldn’t start without me.”
“Start…
without…?”
without…?”
I didn’t
finish the stilted question because he’d pulled me into a kiss.
finish the stilted question because he’d pulled me into a kiss.
I had no
objections to kissing him. In fact, it was one of my favorite activities. No
one kissed like Sean Doyle did—with those clever lips, agile tongue, and
dedicated skill. But I’d put my hair into the bun on purpose, and I didn’t want
him to pull my head under the water, so I backed away, saving my hair from
getting soaked like his.
objections to kissing him. In fact, it was one of my favorite activities. No
one kissed like Sean Doyle did—with those clever lips, agile tongue, and
dedicated skill. But I’d put my hair into the bun on purpose, and I didn’t want
him to pull my head under the water, so I backed away, saving my hair from
getting soaked like his.
He frowned
when I broke the kiss and reached for me again. “Why are you all standoffish?”
when I broke the kiss and reached for me again. “Why are you all standoffish?”
“I’m not.”
I giggled as I evaded his hands. “I just don’t want my hair to get wet.”
I giggled as I evaded his hands. “I just don’t want my hair to get wet.”
“Why not?”
I stared at
him through the steam-thickened air. “Why not? Do you have any idea what it’s
like to go around with wet hair as long as mine? It takes forever to dry and it
gets everything wet.”
him through the steam-thickened air. “Why not? Do you have any idea what it’s
like to go around with wet hair as long as mine? It takes forever to dry and it
gets everything wet.”
He frowned
and stepped forward, pushing me back against the shower wall. “Fine. If you
insist on focusing on practicalities, how’s this then?” He kissed me again, and
this time I didn’t have any desire to pull away. My head was safely away from
the fall of water.
and stepped forward, pushing me back against the shower wall. “Fine. If you
insist on focusing on practicalities, how’s this then?” He kissed me again, and
this time I didn’t have any desire to pull away. My head was safely away from
the fall of water.
“Not bad,”
I murmured against his lips.
I murmured against his lips.
“Not bad?
That’s all you can say after two weeks without kissing me?”
That’s all you can say after two weeks without kissing me?”
“What did
you expect me to say? That your kiss is the most incredible thing I’ve ever
experienced in the universe.”
you expect me to say? That your kiss is the most incredible thing I’ve ever
experienced in the universe.”
He nuzzled the
side of my face, his tongue darting out to taste my skin in little, unexpected
licks, each one causing a quick jolt of pleasure. “That wouldn’t be a bad
start.”
side of my face, his tongue darting out to taste my skin in little, unexpected
licks, each one causing a quick jolt of pleasure. “That wouldn’t be a bad
start.”
Author Bio
Noelle
handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was
twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different
states and currently resides in Virginia, where she reads any book she can get
her hands on and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.
handwrote her first romance novel in a spiral-bound notebook when she was
twelve, and she hasn’t stopped writing since. She has lived in eight different
states and currently resides in Virginia, where she reads any book she can get
her hands on and offers tribute to a very spoiled cocker spaniel.
She loves
travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her
life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus
on writing contemporary romances.
travel, art, history, and ice cream. After spending far too many years of her
life in graduate school, she has decided to reorient her priorities and focus
on writing contemporary romances.
Author Links
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