Office supply addict Eve McGrath’s meticulously organized life is on the verge of crashing at her feet. Blue Mountain distillery’s new tasting and visitor center has to be finished pronto or her mother will lose her mind. Good thing Eve likes a challenge—which is exactly what she’ll face trying to convince the flaky contractor’s hot son to finish the job.
Nick Baker is back in Kentucky just long enough to get his wayward dad back on his feet. Then he’s gone. Unfortunately, he can’t resist helping Eve, the sexy distiller-in-distress, whose addictive, bourbon-flavored kisses threaten his carefully constructed boundaries. And if he can’t rein himself in, the uncomfortable secrets of past will nail him to the wall…
They were alone. Eve was suddenly nervous. What was the deal? She wanted to ask Nick if the incident in the truck last weekend was a one-shot deal, if he’d decided he really wasn’t that into her, or if there was going to be more, but reminded herself that she was taking things as they came.
Not stressing over the future. The bag with her planner inside banged against her hip as she led Nick down the hall to a door at the end. “Well, this is it,” she told him.
“Your mecca.”
“No. The Office Superstore out on 62 is my mecca. This is just a temple.”
“You really like office supplies, huh?”
“Oh yeah,” she told him. “Those times I get to take the company credit card and go to the office store? All that potential for organization and efficiency? It’s like Christmas and New Year’s Eve all rolled into one.”
“Copy paper.” He said it in a deep, growly voice that could have come from a 1970’s R&B singer. “Thumb tacks.” He waggled his eyebrows at her, and she giggled.
She turned away to grab the door handle, and he stepped closer, so she could feel him almost but not quite touching her from shoulder to butt. No, it wasn’t the thought of file folders that had her nipples tightening and heat pooling low in her belly. She stepped back, bumping into him as she pulled the door open, revealing her stash of office supplies.
“Paper clips.” This was more of a husky whisper. Which did actually send a shiver down her spine, but not because of the words themselves, more about the way he said it. Right into the place where her shoulder met her neck. His hands were on her hips now, and with just a tiny bit of effort, he could have her fully back against him. “Ball point pens.”
Her entire body flushed, and she took a chance asking the question, because leaving this up to fate was no longer an option. “Are you trying to seduce me with sexy language?”
“Is it working?”
“I think it is,” she told him and turned to face him.
Eve and Nick make one heck of a couple, and an even better team as they worked together to get Eve’s family’s tasting center up and ready to go for her mother’s big charity event. And okay, there were some pretty serious issues being dealt with here too–alcoholism, both from the personal POV and that of their family’s, guilt and abandonment–but even though their treatment was well done and realistic, they didn’t bog the story down. Throughout it all, Ms. Stanley’s writing had me giggling out loud–a lot–and even tearing up at the end. Because, dang. Good ending.
A Taste of You is the third book in the series, but should work fine as a standalone; even though the MCs from books one and two ( Drunk on You and A Shot with You ) make frequent appearances, you don’t have to have read their books to enjoy them here. But given what happens at the end, you’re probably going to want to.
Just sayin’.
Also just sayin’–an office supplies addiction is only a problem if you let it be one. There’s nothing wrong with a healthy appreciation for post-it notes, composition books, and exactly the right size tabs for every project. Nothing. At. All. Plus, everybody counts down the days until the back to school sales start at office supply stores, don’t they? I know Eve has my back here… 😉
Rating: 4 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Teri Anne Stanley has been writing since she could hold a crayon–though learning to read was a huge turning point in her growth as a writer. Teri’s first stories involved her favorite Saturday morning cartoon characters, followed by her favorite teen idols. She has also authored a recipe column (The Three Ingredient Gourmet), and scientific articles (Guess which was more interesting!). Now she writes fun, sexy romance populated by strong, smart women and hunky heroes.
Teri currently supplements her writing income as a neuroscience research assistant. In her nearly non-existent spare time, she is the human half of a therapy dog team, an amateur genealogist, and a compulsive crafter (if there are directions on the internet, she can probably make it). Along with a variety of offspring and dogs, she and Mr. Stanley enjoy boating and relaxing at their weekend estate, located in the thriving metropolis of Sugartit, between Beaverlick and Rabbit Hash, Kentucky.
Thank you so much for sharing your lovely review!
My pleasure! Thanks for visiting 🙂
Aww, thanks! (I cried when I wrote the ending, too).
OMG, it was so good 🙂 Thanks for stopping by!