ARC Review: Barefoot at Midnight (Barefoot Bay Timeless #3)

Barefoot at Midnight (Barefoot Bay Timeless #3)

by Roxanne St. Claire 

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.