Drawing Me In
by Tracey Alvarez
Synopsis:
She’s drawn by his wild spirit…
Bree Findlow’s ordered world slides into chaos when the man who broke her heart arrives back in their small New Zealand home-town. But with years of avoidance tactics under her belt, she figures ignoring the sexy-as-sin artist whose touch colors her red hot, is a practical solution. Until her mother arrives with an announcement jeopardizing Bree’s livelihood, and her sister also shows up…along with the nine-year-old secret Bree has kept hidden from everyone. Especially the father of that secret.
He’s drawn by her quiet strength…
Harley Komeke is back in Oban to rest, regroup and hopefully re-find his missing muse. He also isn’t against rediscovering every inch of the icy-cool treat, Bree Findlow—after falling under her spell in what felt like a lifetime ago at Art College. His pursuit takes an unexpected turn when, hello, insta-fatherhood. Reeling from shock, Harley knows he should despise the woman who allowed her sister to informally adopt their son, but he can’t. Because Bree, more than anyone, understands that with his past, he never, ever wanted to risk having a wife and family.
They’re drawn to each other over and over…
Like the formidable tides that surge around Stewart Island, Bree and Harley can’t resist the heat generated between them. Push and pull, kiss and retreat, touch after breathless touch—until a moment’s recklessness has consequences neither can brush aside.
Passion won’t hold them together when past fears threaten to tear them apart.
Review:
Another Due South book–yay!
This time our hero is Harley Komeke, Ford’s (Playing For Fun) can’t-hold-me-down artist twin–back from NYC for their birth mother’s funeral; hanging around for a while in the hopes his muse will show up long enough for him to create the pieces he needs for his next big city show. Only she’s playing hard to get…and so is Bree Findlow, the woman he all but ran from back at art school.
Or is she?
Bree’s been keeping a major, ten-year-old secret from Harley, and it’s one that’s going to change things forever. And speaking of life changes, there just might be yet another one in store for these two…
I have to admit, it was hard to read Harley and Bree’s story at times. They’ve both made some pretty significant mistakes, and they’ve both done things that have hurt the other. Harley’s insistence that he can’t do commitment, can’t be someone’s father got to be frustrating–even while the reasons behind the belief are heartbreaking. Bree’s leaving him at about 3/4 of the way in? Devastating. Ms. Alvarez sure knows how to put her characters through the wringer, and us right along with them!
Fortunately, she pulls us all through to the other side with skill and a feel-good HEA. I loved everything that Harley does to show Bree that he’s changed in all the ways that matter, and I put the book down with a happy sigh and a big smile on my face. It was also fun to see the rest of the series characters continuing to be H in their EAs (especially Piper and West! Big things are happening for them :))
Drawing Me In would work okay as a standalone, though as some aspects of it deal quite a bit with Harley and Ford’s past, it’s probably a good idea (but not an absolute necessity) to read Ford’s book first.
Favorite line:
Mundane tasks like work and earning a living were so much more fun after multiple orgasms.
True that, Bree! 😉
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I received a complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.
