4 Star Review:
I loved the blurb and fell for the cover. Andi Burns killed it with this story. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and the story line had me wanting to know what Elaine would finally decide after being burned years before. She was a great leading character but her set backs was dictating her HEA.
Simon was the perfect hero to the story. Even though there was an age gap, he had an old soul. His determination and happiness illuminating from him had me a sucker. I loved this story and excited to see what is next by Burns!
do I need out of life? Hmmm…maybe the hot new IT guy from work. Those
dimples…And don’t get me started on his forearms.
idea. Besides, my relationship track record is pitiful and the last thing I
need is to get my heart broken again. So Simon Walker can take his charm, his Star
Wars sheets, and his genius IQ and sweet talk some sweet young thing.
met. Hilarious. Sexy. Smart. And unfortunately, she’s also convinced herself
that I’m way too young for, so she’s friend-zoned me.
her to see that I’m ready to settle down–with her. It’s no easy task, but that
doesn’t scare me. After all, I’m a techie, and cracking codes is what I do. No
matter what it takes, I’ll hack the code to her heart.
work romance with a younger hero, office hijinks, lots of laughs, and plenty of
steam.
scavenger hunt for a good half hour, and we’re tied at 5. We’ve got a list of
outlandish costumes and the goal is to spot as many, in real time, as we can.
People watching is fun, but let’s face it: I’ve mostly been watching
Elaine–the way she smiles softly, the way she toys with the ends of her hair
or the bracelets on her wrist. I thought I was crushing before, but spending
time with her one-on-one, (and no, the occasional carpool does not count) has
me completely enchanted.
again, but the look on her face tells me she’s come up empty. I take a quick
glance around and smile.
win.”
Sexy nun right at your back. Wait.okay, look now.” I watch her turn to spot a
co-ed in little more than a crop-top and a habit. Seriously, her skirt’s the
size of a business envelope, which could be an issue in the eyes of the Lord.
“Holy crap, that girl will catch pneumonia.”
doctors at the bar should lend a hand?”
heart expands. “Well, sure. It’s the medically responsible thing to do.”
the visual. “Sounds like a bad porno.”
thing as a good porno?” The sincerity in her voice makes me choke on my beer.
Are you okay? Here, put your arms up. Maybe you need the sexy doctors?”
draw a few stares. I smile in reassurance. “I’m good,” I promise, as I clear my
throat a final time. “I don’t need the sexy doctors. Thoroughly enjoying my
evening with a sexy copy-editor, though.”
compliment as I flag down the scarecrow. Hell, even I’m impressed with the
level of smooth I’ve been able to maintain. Being with Elaine is so easy that
all–well, okay, a solid 50%–of my awkwardness seems to have dissipated.
returns and nods when I ask for a refill. She turns to Elaine, “Another for
you, too?”
I’ll switch to a Shirley Temple Black.” Scarecrow nods again and disappears
into the crowd.
just order a Shirley Temple? That’s awesome. I don’t think I’ve had one
of those since I was ten.”
and I’d bet my Wookie collection she’s about to knock on my age.
fact that I’m making her laugh and this date is going well, despite my
inability to wear matching shoes, I reach across the table and press my finger
to her lips. “Don’t say it.”
with innocence, but I’m not fooled. Gifted program, remember? “Don’t. Whatever
crack you were going to say about my age or yours, don’t.” Scarecrow returns
with our drinks, and I accept mine, even if it means pulling my hand away from
Elaine’s lips.
say anything.” She can’t keep a straight face as she lifts her drink.
two seconds away from saying something like, ‘When you were ten? What was that?
Three years ago?’” I’m sure I impress her with my exaggerated falsetto.
looks appropriately and adorably sheepish. “I was merely going to clarify that
a Shirley Temple Black is an improvement on the old standard because it
contains a shot of vodka. And the Black comes in because that was her married
name.”
it’s good, this grown up version?”
sips her drink through her straw, and my cock, which has been half hard since
this date began, presses painfully against my fly. Christ. If she starts
talking about porn again, I’ll go out of my damn mind.
the table this time and puts her hand in mine, lacing our fingers together. Her
thumb rubs over my pulse point; it’s barely a touch, but it’s enough to drive
me crazy.
to my forearm, and her fingers caress the skin there. It feels good, sure, but
when I look up at her and see the flush on her cheeks and I know she’s getting
turned on by my forearms, I nearly lose it.
quickly, and I’m about to protest or cry like a baby, but she’s toying with the
little plastic sword, and I’m a little mesmerized as she peels a cherry off the
length of the sword, rolls it on the tips of her fingers, and then points it in
my direction. “Want my cherry?”
sass, and steam. She loves a happily-ever-after as much as her characters do,
and she always reads the last page of a book first, just to make sure it all
turns out okay.
When she’s not writing, she’s reading, folding laundry, or daydreaming about
her next hero and heroine.