Love and Other Responsibilities
by Lexxie
Couper
Blurb:
Themes: Contemporary
Rating: 4.25 stars
Heat Rating:
Review:
A new series begins and while I was skeptical
to begin this one, I couldn't resist giving it a try once I read the blurb. Most
of my favorite stories from Lexxie Couper are what could truly be classified as
shorter Erotica stories, but this story is more of a contemporary romance. Not to say it isn’t a hot romance, because as
with anything that Lexxie writes, it is very hot, but truly the romance is the
focus of the story as opposed to the lusty connections as with many other
previous stories. There were also a lot
of emotional pitfalls and issues to work through in this series that most of us
aren’t used to with Lexxie, but it was so well done that you are amazed that
she hasn’t gone there more. If you are a fan of a good contemporary romance
such as the Rock Series by Nalini Singh or the Heartbreaker Bay Series by Jill
Shalvis you are going to enjoy this new story that looks to be the beginning of
a new series that might be enough to change any readers mind about what truly
makes a good contemporary romance.
Randi
Lockwood if a middle school teacher that is finally taking a chance in life
when she embraces a chance on a sexy connection with a man she runs into—literally—at
a waterpark and cannot walk away from. Unfortunately
she has learned one too many times that her life is never simple and rarely
easy. Widower and single-father, Brody Thornton is beyond blown away when the
gorgeous woman that grabbed his interest and finally convinced him to take a
chance on dating again, turns out to be the teacher that he is squaring off
against on his daughter’s behalf. While
the connection between Brody and Randi remains scalding hot, the needs of his
daughters come first, and neither of them want to damage them, but surely a friendship
couldn’t be a bad thing? Too late they
both realize that friendship isn’t what they want and that their hearts are too
invested to be around one another without being together. With a bratty teenager daughter, needy little
girl, matchmaking nephew and assorted
group of friends, Brody and Randi have to decide if they are willing to risk
everything for love and another chance at living after he’s already lost
everything once and she’s never even had a chance. Or is walking away the best thing for
everyone before the damage is truly irreparable?
Randi
was a kickass teacher, even when she didn’t have all the information she needed
to do what was in everyone’s best interest.
It is obvious that she loves the kids she is teaching and when she finds
herself becoming closer to Brody and his daughters, she tries so hard to be a
good friend to them, something so much more important than being a “replacement
mom”. I can tell you from personal experience
that a stepmom that is a friend is way better than one who is trying to be
something she never could be. There were so many moments that you felt bad for
Randi as she puts herself out there and finds her heart stomped on again and
again, but she never lets her anger rule her or lashes out at anyone that isn’t
an equal match. It was also obvious she was an AWESOME aunt
and nothing was going to stand in her way when anyone tried to come between her
nephew and the life he wanted and deserved, not even his own parents. She is the ultimate Mama Bear and the kids
she is protecting aren’t even her own at that point, so heaven help the world
if she has her own children (biologically) someday because there is no way anyone
will ever threaten their happiness and get away with it. While there were a few moments here and there
that I wished she would have tried harder to keep Brody from breaking her
heart, she was a great character and one I loved getting to know. Brody on the other hand was such an ass so
many times I wanted to just slap him. Obviously
he’s had some hard times thrown his way and he had to work through the
emotional traumas, but it’s long past time that he let a few things go, as a
model for his daughters needing to do the same.
How does he expect them to develop into healthy-minded and strong-hearted individuals if they watch him just caving under the pain of his loss
and never living again? While every girl is going to be jealous of her daddy’s
new lady, a truly loving daughter is going to see how much he loves and needs
to be loved by a good woman, like Randi, and embrace the changes. There were a few shining moments where I thought
he was going to prove himself, but then he took giant steps back, until the
very end when it took a big push to force him to terms with the future and his
need for love not just for himself but for his girls.
Honestly
I could not put this book down from start to finish, neglecting bedtime and
making my coworkers lives hell the next day with my grumpiness! Randi and Brody
were just so interesting to get to know and we kept wondering if they were
going to get over all the obstacles in their path to find a way to
happiness. There were a lot of tears, a
few laughs, plenty of heartwarming moments, and a heck of a lot of sexy
moments, but in the end it was the roundedness and combination of a life and
love well-lived that proved this story unstoppable. Randi is a woman I can see myself aspiring to
be, despite her own insecurities and I know that she is the type of woman that
will lead and rule her family with love and understanding, along with discipline
and compassion. Brody was a good guy,
obviously a loving father, and once he pulled his head out of his butt, he was
a man that proved that his heart was big enough to have room for Randi without
forgetting his first wife as it should be.
The heat and sensuality of the connection between Randi and Brody is off
the charts, even when they are both fighting tooth and nail to be nothing more
than friendly acquaintances, and there is no way they would have been able to
fight that off for too long. The chemistry
was definitely the beginning, but I like to think that the emotional balance
they provided one another once they found their way, was what will make their
marriage lasting and deep. I am looking
forward to the other connected titles that we see mentioned in the end of the
story, which I’m hoping with be the stories of Brody’s other Aussie Expat
friends, because let’s be honest, there’s very little sexier than a hot Aussie
on the hunt for love. Keep the magic
coming, Lexxie!
*eARC provided by author for the purpose of an honest and unbiased review. No compensation was provided.
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