A new series!
Falling for the PI
Still Harbor # 1
By: Victoria James
Releasing August 10th, 2015
Entangled Bliss
Blurb:
Teacher Kate Abbott’s fresh start in Still Harbor was the beginning of the life that she and her two best friends always imagined for themselves. Still, being a working single parent of a special needs daughter hasn’t exactly improved Kate’s love life. But Kate’s preference for nachos over men quickly disappears when she meets the oh-so-sexy Matt Lane.
Until she finds out he’s a cop.
Matt is a former cop-turned-private investigator, and he knows fear when he sees it. A cop clearly spooked Kate…or hurt her. Still, something about the gorgeous professor catches his attention, and despite his “no settling down” policy, he can’t resist her. But all of the attraction in the world won’t be enough to overcome Kate’s past…
Excerpt:
She turned her face up to his, her lips reaching for him. He cupped her face gently with his hands and proceeded to kiss her thoroughly, deeply, until neither of them had the desire to speak. The emotions she evoked in him were like nothing he’d ever experienced. The first night he’d met her at the bar he’d wanted to go to bed with her. He’d had an insane attraction to her, found her gorgeous and drop-dead sexy, and now he wanted her even more, was even more attracted. Except now he also wanted to wake up with her, wanted to know every part of her.
Matt kissed her until she couldn’t stand on her own. Her knees wobbled. He picked her up, sat her on the counter, and stood between her legs. Everything became hotter, fast.
Their hands bumped into each other, competing for access, and he let her win as she pulled his shirt off. He lifted her and walked with her legs wrapped around his waist into his bedroom.
“You’re not carrying me.” He didn’t feel like pointing out that she made no attempt to disengage herself.
“I am, because I don’t want you to let go.”
“Well, it’s not very smart, because of your leg injury.”
“Sex rule number one? Don’t remind a guy about any inadequacies.”
She laughed softly and leaned forward to kiss his neck. “We both know your ego isn’t that fragile. Maybe you should use a cane.”
He dropped her on the bed, both of them laughing. He followed her down only to have her wrestle him underneath her. She straddled him, out of breath. When he made eye contact with her, the humor was gone, something changing in her expression. His room was dark, but the faint glow of light from the hallway streamed through, enough that he could make out every expression, every flicker in her eyes. She leaned down, took his hands off her waist, and placed them beside his head. She didn’t break his stare.
There was a look in her eyes, something other than desire. The room was quiet except for the sound of their breathing. He waited, knowing she needed to make the next move, knowing this wasn’t going to be like anything he’d ever experienced. God, he’d wait forever, even if it killed him. She sat there, on top of him, and he sensed he was being evaluated, tried for some crime he had or hadn’t committed.
He tried to figure her out, as he’d done countless times before, studying her unreadable expression. After another minute he slowly lowered his hands to grasp her thighs, feeling the heat through the soft denim. He didn’t say a word as he grasped the edge of her sweater and she lowered her head as he lifted it off and tossed it to the floor. His gaze roamed over her bared torso appreciatively, taking in the full breasts, the black lace bra.
With self-control he hadn’t known he possessed, he kept his hands on her waist, her soft, pale skin a contrast to his. Her eyes were still on him, like she was expecting something. He knew her guard hadn’t come down yet. He didn’t have her trust yet. And he knew she wasn’t waiting for words. Whatever darkness Kate had, whatever wounds, he knew they wouldn’t be healed by some compliments. He knew that what she needed from him wasn’t words.
Review:
If more first dates featured the world’s best poutine, surely the world would be a better place? 😉
I had so much fun reading this book! As always, Ms. James’s sense of humor shines through in her writing. There were so many giggle-worthy scenes (and more than a few snort-worthy as well), that I couldn’t possibly have kept track of them all. The ongoing joke of “Mr. Art Zibbits” was especially entertaining. (I could explain it here, but really it’ll be funnier if you read it yourself straight from the source.)
Once again Ms. James has created characters it’s easy to fall for quickly. Matt is an all-around great guy; he’s almost too perfect, except for his “no single mothers / no long-term relationship” rule. (Which he actually turns around on pretty quickly–but it’s hard to find fault with it, given his aforementioned awesomeness and the fact that you just want him to be with Kate. So. Much.)
Kate has been through a lot–she lost her entire family as a teen and was put into the foster system; before that she and her mother were victims of domestic violence–but she’s turned her life around. She’s adopted a beautiful little girl and is opening a home for women and children escaping domestic violence in her new home town. Trust isn’t something that comes easy to her, however, and though she doesn’t want anyone to fight her battles for her, she has a hard time dealing with people who are rude to or about Janie, her special needs daughter.
Matt learned at an early age to stand up to bullies and defend those who cannot defend themselves; together the two of them will come to see that their differences will make them stronger together.
Falling for the P.I. is a fairly short novel; but there’s so much there!
There’s just something about starting a new series from an author you enjoy–so many infinite possibilities–it’s kind of like starting a new school year, but without the anticipatory homework dread 😉 Ms. James gives us a lot to look forward to in her newest series, Still Harbor–three sisters-of-the-heart (each of whom has adopted a little girl, and they’re raising them all together) two of whom are decidedly single at the novel’s end; solid supporting characters in Matt’s mother, sister, and business partner; the thrill of a new fictional location to explore–this book has all that and more. A mystery with Kate’s sister Alex and her daughter is suggested in the epilogue–hopefully we won’t have to wait too long to find out what it is!
Rating: 4 stars / B+
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
Buy Links: Amazon | B&N | iBooks | Kobo
Author Info:
Victoria James is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary romance.
Victoria always knew she wanted to be a writer and in grade five, she penned her first story, bound it (with staples and a cardboard cover) and did all the illustrations herself. Luckily, this book will never see the light of day again.
In high school she fell in love with historical romance and then contemporary romance. After graduating University with an English Literature degree, Victoria pursued a degree in Interior Design and then opened her own business. After her first child, Victoria knew it was time to fulfill her dream of writing romantic fiction.
Victoria is a hopeless romantic who is living her dream, penning happily-ever-after’s for her characters in between managing kids and the family business. Writing on a laptop in the middle of the country in a rambling old Victorian house would be ideal, but she’s quite content living in suburbia with her husband, their two young children, and very bad cat.
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