Blurb:
Lawson Monroe is a chef without a
restaurant...until his friend and mentor makes a deathbed promise to leave Law
the only dive bar on Mimosa Key. Law has big plans for the Toasted Pelican
until he walks directly into the luscious body and gorgeous face of Libby
Chesterfield and her outrageous claim that the bar and restaurant should come
to her.
When
Libby learned that the man who once owned the crappiest watering hole on the
island was actually her biological father, she decided the least he owed her
was his unclaimed business. The old man wasn't there for her when she and her
brother were growing up in Barefoot Bay, but his legacy can help her build a
new future when she transforms the property into Balance, a yoga studio. The
only obstacle? Her father apparently named former bad boy and current sexy
silver fox Law Monroe his heir.
Law
never thought he'd want anything more than the chance to make a living cooking
his food for the people of Barefoot Bay...but Libby arouses an irresistible
hunger in him. Battling an attraction that sizzles hotter than one of Law's
cast-iron skillets and uncovering long-buried secrets with more twists than one
of Libby's yoga poses, they'll have to find a way to both get what they
want...especially if what they really want is each other.
Themes: contemporary
Rating: 4.25 stars
Heat Rating: 
Review:
Roxanne St Claire continues to make her
readers happy and never fails to give them an exciting ride and two people that
you can fall in love with as they find themselves and each other. This story is the final in a trilogy within
the overall Barefoot Bay world, a trilogy all about three sexy silver foxes
that have found love later in life. Now I’m
willing to read just about anything that Rocki writes, but I will say that while I enjoyed
this set of stories, I am not as enamored as many of her readers are,
possibly because I’m still on the younger side of life, being only 30 years old
(for the next few days at least). If you
are new to the trilogy, or even to the entire Barefoot series, I can only ask
where you’ve been because you have missed out on a seriously awesome ride. But luckily Rocki’s skill with words will
allow you to jump right in with Law and Libby’s love story. This story is one that is full of learning to
forgive, others and yourself, in order to find a way to be happy. Love and loss, drama and trauma, all come
together to allow two people to find their HEA and come together with true love
and trust. Being a longtime fan girl of
Rocki’s I can honestly say I’m enjoying every moment of this series and am
looking forward to seeing who arrives in the Barefoot world and falls in love
despite all odds and fears.
Lawson
has lived a challenging life and has finally found what he wants out of life,
but now he has to get around a woman that has always intrigued him in order to
secure his future. Lawson has been
working for the past year, since the death of his best friend, the closest to
a real father he has ever had, to find a way for his dream of opening a small restaurant
to come true. He has tried and tried to
find the people that swooped in and took over the restaurant after his friend’s
death but, to date, has had no luck. Libby
is finally realizing her dream, opening a yoga studio—right in the location of
Law’s dream restaurant. Law and Libby butt heads as they challenge one another,
leaving Libby and Law fighting one another with the determination that fuels those dreams. Soon that passion leads them down
the slippery slope of lust and love, but Libby’s inability to truly trust
anyone, let alone a man, leaves Law struggling to get everything he wants—Libby,
heart and soul. When the truth of their
shared pasts finally comes to light, can they forgive one another and find a
way to trust in their hearts, or will their love be left to fade away?
Lawson
is an intriguing guy; he has interested me since he first appeared in the
barefoot world, two novels previous, and the more we get to know him the more I
love him. He has led a roller coaster
life, fighting his addictions, and finding a way to make a positive mark on the
world. He is obviously a sexy man, even
if he is on the other side of midlife crisis time, but his sweetness and
inability to give up on his dreams make me like him even more. His loyalty to those he loves, even long
after they are no longer in his life, was a trait that is surely missing (for
the most part) from the men of my generation.
He has found his calling in the world of food and if he could only get
past the stubborn Libby he could fulfill his dreams. I was brought to tears
several times as Law shared his life story with Libby, and the way he was able
to get past the traumas in his life reminds me that with the right support,
even the most tragic of circumstances can be overcome. Libby was the support he needed, even as she
fights her own fears and insecurities.
Libby has always felt like an object to the men in her life, not really
seen as a person to love, but instead as a thing to own, and that has led her to
have some serious uncertainties, even as she loses her heart to Law. She has never had a man in her life that
really saw her, leading her to become self-conscious and fighting tooth and
nail for her independence. I liked
getting to know Libby, but I will admit that she made me angry more than once
when she questioned Law’s honesty and love. When she finally gives in to her
instincts and allows herself to give in to their passion, Libby becomes the
woman she was always meant to be.
Barefoot
at Midnight is the final in this trilogy of silver foxes and the women that
finally capture their heart, and the Barefoot Bay Timeless trilogy is one that I
will remember for a long time. Law, Mark, and Ken were three sexy men, despite their
advanced ages and multitude of experiences adding up to make seriously
interesting characters. Lawson is
looking for his place in life, trying to truly find his happiness, but he has
no plans for a permanent woman in his life, until Libby waltzes back into his
life and suddenly becomes almost all he can think about. He has come a long way and once he accepts
his past mistakes and releases his pain, he is able to embrace his future, both
professionally and personally, even if it revolves around his love for
Libby. Libby has been put through the
ringer by men in her past, but she is in no way prepared for Law or the impact
he will have on her life. Finding a way
to experience true love, while also finding a path that allows both her and Law
to achieve their dreams is a tall order for a woman that has never allowed
herself to embrace her own personal dreams. Once Libby finds herself, finds her
true ability to love and trust in her man, Libby learns that she can be truly,
fully happy. The heat between Libby and
Law has been an undercurrent between them since they were first reunited, a heat
that was there when they were just teenagers.
Once they give in to their passion, even if they cannot deal with the
emotional fallout, the intensity is off the charts and one that neither of them
have ever experienced before. I enjoyed
seeing both Law and Libby grow and become better people just by coming
together. As I understand it, Rocki plans to continue her experimentation with
lovers that have gotten a few more years under their belt than most other
series out there today. I will say that I
will be reading anything that Ms. St. Claire leads my way, but hopefully we
will return to some of the younger lovers as well. If you are looking for an intensely emotional,
sensual story about two people that have finally found their soulmate, Barefoot
at Midnight will give you just what you are looking for, guaranteed. Rocki strikes again!
*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.
