Chase Ferguson is one of the youngest mayor's in Dallas' history and loaded thanks to his family's oil money. However, the man has regrets - namely Miriam Andrix. Mimi is an environmentalist but that didn't stop the two from having a passionate summer fling. Um, Chase might not have told her that he was fabulously wealthy thanks to oil money and of course by the time she finds out - they've caught feelings. Before you think this might be some sort of conflict for our heroine - rest assured, it's not. No, Mimi is in lurve and ideals be damned. Anyway, what splits these two apart is more the fact that they're from "different worlds." Chase ultimately sends her away because his family has ambitions for him and he "knows" being the wife of a politician with Big Oil money will slowly kill her. He puts her on a plane back to Montana.
That was ten years ago and Chase, now mayor, is up for reelection. His opponent has dug up his past with Mimi, including a lovely photo of her taken three years ago at a protest rally against Big Oil. He's scheduled to go to his fabulous vacation home (OK, mansion) over Thanksgiving to unwind, which just so happens to be located outside of her hometown of Big Fork, Montana. The least he can do is warn her that a potential media storm is headed her way.
They run into each other, in of all places, the grocery store. Words are exchanges, sparks fly, and of course while enjoying Thanksgiving dinner with her family Mimi just can't let it go that Chase is all alone in his big, giant, fabulous mansion. So she hops in her truck to take him leftovers and pie and because she's a romance heroine, keeps going up to his isolated place even after the snow starts falling fast and furious. Because, of course. Bingo bango, she's now snowed in at his place.
It's a testament to the author's abilities that my left eye didn't twitch uncontrollably while reading this. It is competently written, the pages turn easily, and it features textbook Desire steaminess and angst. This is book two in a trilogy about the Ferguson siblings so between Chase's siblings and Mimi's family, the secondary character field is crowded, but not overly confusing or unnecessary.
What didn't work for me is mainly a romance heroine who doesn't so much as waffle about being in a relationship with Big Money Oil Man Chase when she's supposedly so passionate about her environmentalist ideals. Like there's not even a blip there. In fact it's Chase who broke things off ten years ago to "protect" her. Then there's Chase - reader, let me tell you I damn near guffawed when he said he wanted to be mayor because he knew he could do some good and since he was already rich that made him less likely to be corrupt and take bribes.
HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!
I damn near broke a hip falling out of bed after reading that.
Given my intense dislike for politician characters in my fiction reading, I'm still confused as to why I downloaded this book back in 2018, but it wasn't a complete waste of my time. It's a fast, steamy read and Lemmon hits her beats in the snappy, quick Desire line. I'd read another book by Lemmon, meaning that ultimately, this was a success.
But seriously, Wendy? Why did you download this one?
Final Grade = C
7 comments:
Had you told me this book was out in 2008, I would have been slightly bemused at most. 2018? Were you sleep-downloading, Wendy?
Glad this worked to introduce you to the author's work; I'm giving it a pass myself.
Yeah, I have your aversion to political characters in my romances (at least, contemporary romances) so I wouldn't touch this with a barge pole. I'm going to be more generous than you are to yourself, however, and suggest that maybe your finger slipped and you clicked the wrong link? Easy enough to do, especially on the HQN website.
Wendy, that "I'm already rich" tidbit was truly a strike of genius by the author, but that book should be labeled fantasy, then!
:D
AL: I'd blame it on drugs, but the strongest drug I do is caffeine. My dislike for politician characters in my fiction reading isn't a recent development either. It dates back decades. Truly a mystery how this ended up on my Kindle.
Eurohackie: LOL! When I started this book I just went all the way back into my Desire folder and this was one of the oldest books in there. Then I started reading and was like, "Really 2018 Wendy? Really?!"
S: I literally laughed out loud. Yes, because already having money = less likely to be corruptible. Even back in 2018 that would have been hysterical!
Yes, I remember the hooha when the "Afterglow" imprint was introduced. Pretty much nothing about it appeals to me, because I am like you: I loathe cartoon covers and trade paperbacks! Desire isn't my favorite HQN line but I wonder where the authors are going to land. I looked up the one that is an autobuy for me (Zuri Day) and her next HQN book is coming out in January 2025 in trade paperback, so I guess she's going there. She originally wrote for the now-defunct Kimani line, so I can only imagine those writers being pretty peeved to keep being shuffled around.
I will not be purchasing trade paperbacks. I only do that for an extremely select few authors (I'm talking basically two, only one in romance). I can't stand the price hikes that went into effect this month. I might be forced to go completely secondhand at some point.
On the upside, I did see that Carla Kelly has a new Historical in the pipeline! I'm excited for that :)
@eurohackie: the prices are absolutely ridiculous, especially because so many publishers are pricing the digital editions as if they were trade print--twelve to eighteen dollars for a license that can be revoked at the whim of the distributor? no thanks.
Eurohackie: Oh, I didn't know about the new Carla Kelly! It's slated for August and it sounds great (also like perfect fodder for a future Unusual Historicals post).
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