[A quick note: I read Things We Never Got Over during the summer and LOVED it. I can’t believe I didn’t take that opportunity to explore more of that author’s books…until now! Better late than never. Anyway, this wasn’t a Christmas book, but it’s set in a cold weather setting so it was still a nice seasonal read.]
“𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐈’𝐦 𝐚 𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐟𝐮𝐥. 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐈’𝐦 𝐚 𝐥𝐨𝐭. 𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐟𝐚𝐮𝐥𝐭 𝐢𝐟 𝐩𝐞𝐨𝐩𝐥𝐞 𝐜𝐚𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐮𝐩.” —Lucy Score
Remington Honeysuckle Ford (Remi Honey) is the bright sunshine of Mackinac Island, beloved by all who fall into her path. Brick is a grumpy, no nonsense, overprotective type. The moment they meet, Brick erects a wall to keep Remi out. He knows she’ll destroy him. Nearly fifteen years have passed. A lot has changed. Remi moved away to Chicago to nurse a broken heart. Brick got married and divorced. Their past is fraught with tangled relationships and even more tangled feelings. He’s spent the years desperately pining after her, believing he’d never have her. She’s spent the time becoming a famous artist. When a dangerous threat emerges, Remi runs straight back to the only safety she knows. Mackinac Island, and its Sargent Deputy, Brick Callan.
OHHH MYYY GOSH! This is possibly the best contemporary romance I’ve read! It had the perfect balance of riveting plot, deeply fleshed out characters, perfect setting, and ahhhh-mazing smut. I loved how tangled Remi and Brick’s relationship was. There’s tons of intrigue, suspense, and secrets. It was impossible to put down. I was desperate to know what Remi was hiding, desperate to understand Remi and Brick’s past.
This is NOT a second chance romance. Thank freaking goodness. I hate second chance tropes. I got worried that Brick and Remi had been “together” already, before she ran away from Mackinac Island. Turns out, Brick never gave Remi the chance to be something more. They both wanted each other, but Brick always kept her at arms length, despite the attraction between them. So when we see the romance finally sizzle to life, we’re seeing it for the first time.
And hold on to your panties, ladies!!!! This book is HOT HOT HOT!!!
Brick is sexy, overprotective, and likes to get rough in bed. Let’s just say there were lots of spankings. However, Brick also believes Remi deserves better. He sees her as a free spirit. He’s held himself back from her because he believes she would never want to be tied down. A lot of his beliefs stem from his childhood, from his mother and father’s broken relationship. This is the lens through which he views the world. It’s flawed. His character arc is fulfilling.
I want to talk about the plot, but it’s sooo tangled! There are tons of twisted webs between Remi and Brick. I’d just confuse you. Plus, the whole fun of the book is discovering what happened between them. It created lots of mystery. So, I’ll just say that after fifteen years of history, unfulfilled needs, and emotions, Brick and Remi are finally forced to confront their feelings, confront the past, and inspect what went wrong between them.
The angst was OMG. So much angst. The sex scenes were delicious! While there isn’t much sex for the first half of the book, the second half is packed with it.
The other thing happening during the main plot is the side plot. Something tragic was happening in Remi’s life in Chicago. When she flees to Mackinac Island for safety, it’s clear that someone is trying to find her and hurt her. We don’t get the full story until later. Part of the suspense comes from that. Brick won’t stand for it. He’s overprotective, and the moment he senses danger, his instincts kick in.
Make sure you check the trigger warnings. There’s discussions about domestic abuse, and a couple of short/small scenes depicting the abuser and abused (neither are the MCs). There’s also a serious car accident, which could be triggering. At the end, during the final sequence, there’s a chapter or two with violence, the abuser being physically violent towards women and the use of guns. None of the scenes were overly detailed, but were vital to the plot. Sensitive readers should be aware of this.
GAWWWDDD, this book. I have a massive book hangover. How did it measure up to Things We Never Got Over?? Personally, I enjoyed it more. And that’s saying something because TWNGO is up for a goodreads book of the year award. I loved TWNGO. It was one of my fave contemporary romances of 2022. It’s the reason I decided to try some of Lucy’s other books. I can’t believe it took me months because WOW WOW WOW!!
𝐌𝐘 𝐑𝐀𝐓𝐈𝐍𝐆: 𝟓/𝟓⭐️
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