Title: The Best of Me
Author: Jessica Prince
Series: Hope Valley
Genre: Contemporary Romance
It wasn’t hard for Nona Fanning to fall for Trick. He was strong, kind-hearted, loyal, and unbelievably handsome. He was the man of her dreams, and all it took was one night to give her a taste of the beauty he had to offer. But while she’d been opening her heart to him, he’d kept his under lock and key.
After Patrick “Trick” Wanderly’s wife left him, ripping away their picture-perfect life, he convinced himself that she’d taken the best pieces of him with her. He wasn’t ready to move on and give his heart to someone else. Then his whole world flipped upside down after spending one night with Nona.
It took awhile for him to see what he had standing right in front of him, but now Trick’s eyes are open, and he’s determined to fix what he broke. But when danger threatens to tear Nona’s world apart, it’s up to Trick to help hold those pieces together while fighting to protect the woman and the new life he’s come to cherish.
Something came over me at that very moment, an intense feeling I’d only experienced one time before in my life, when Nona and I were on the dance floor at Hayes and Temperance’s wedding. Her smile, all that insanely gorgeous hair, those curves. All of that was enough to bring the strongest of men to their knees. But when she smiled, it was like feeling the sun on your skin. When she spoke in that melodic voice, speaking her brand of wisdom, it was all too much; the pull was impossible to fight. Moving on pure instinct, I closed the last few inches and pulled her against me, slamming my mouth down on hers.
Her lips parted on a surprised gasp and I took full advantage, driving my tongue inside Nona’s sweet mouth. She tasted like wine and chocolate, sweet and rich. It was heaven, and that initial taste sucked me in and refused to let me go. I was drowning, completely consumed in Nona, and I couldn’t get enough.
Her nails scored my chest, fisting the material of my shirt as a tiny whimper bubbled up her throat, and that was enough to push me over the edge.
The memories of our night together were still as fresh in my mind as if they’d happened an hour ago, and I wanted all of that. Again, and again, and again. I wanted her over and over until I eased at least some of the ache that came from desiring everything there was about Nona. But deep down to my bones, I knew it was useless. This kind of craving was never-ending. I craved her body and mind. I wanted every piece of her I could get my hands on.
Sunny Shelly’s Review: 5 Stars
Confession: Trick and Nona were the Hope Valley couple I’ve been least interested in. But I totally fell in love with them in Best Of Me!
We’ve met both characters before. Hayes’ partner on the police force, Trick is the forlorn guy moping over the end of his marriage, which he did not want. Nona is the sassy hairdresser in town, besties with Eden and Tempie. As we find out in the opening, she’s always had a thing for handsome, sweet, kind, considerate Trick. Who is worlds apart from her dead-bear ex. They sleep together following Tempie and Hayes’ wedding, but when she catches Trick sneaking out in the middle of the night, Nona is heartbroken, knowing that he’s still not over his ex.
A few weeks later, Trick and Nona are now neighbors, and she can’t avoid him anymore. Not that he’s give her the chance, because he’s realized what a mistake he’s made. Trick really goes out of his way to prove to Nona that he wants her. And it’s swoon-worthy.
As with the other Hope Valley book, there is a bit of a mystery woven throughout. And this one, who is selling meth to the kids in town, is a shocker!
This story is different than most others I’ve read by Jessica Prince, as the H/h are both divorced, single parents. It was interesting to see how they broached the subject of dating, and introducing their new relationship to their kids, who were already friends. I’m sure in real life, blending families together isn’t as smooth, but it happens seamlessly for Trick and Nona. It was especially sweet to see the way they bonded with each others’ children. When Nona’s daughter, Blythe, asks him to protect all of them because he’s a detective… omg! How sweet!
There is so much to love about Trick and Nona. I stand corrected! He fills her cup with little gestures, and those mean the world to Nona. Two sad, lonely people find reason to smile again in one another, and it is lovely.
I received an advanced copy and voluntarily left a review.
Visit Hope Valley
a series of interconnected, standalone romances
Read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited
Amazon US | Amazon Universal
Read for FREE on Kindle Unlimited
Amazon US | Amazon Universal
Born and raised around Houston Texas, Jessica spent most of her life complaining about the heat, humidity, and all around pain in the ass weather. It was only as an adult that she quickly realized the cost of living in Houston made up for not being able to breathe when she stepped outside. That’s why God created central air, after all.
Jessica is the mother of a perfect little boy–she refuses to accept that he inherited her attitude and sarcastic nature no matter what her husband says.
In addition to being a wife and mom, she’s also a wino, a coffee addict, and an avid lover of all types of books–romances still being her all time favs. Her husband likes to claim that reading is her obsession but she just says it’s a passion…there’s a difference. Not that she’d expect a boy to understand.
Jessica has been writing since she was a little girl, but thankfully grew out of drawing her own pictures for her stories before ever publishing her first book. Because an artist she is not.
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