Review: A Thrilling Second Chance at Love
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 05 27, 2014
One of my all-time favorite storylines is second-chance love. There is a level of excitement that comes from starting somewhere in the middle of a relationship, but as far as books go, this can be a tricky place to start if you don’t introduce strong characters and quickly define and endear them to the reader. I’m happy to say that EL delivered Piper and Ryland flawlessly. As their story moved forward I already felt like I’d known them for years. I never questioned their authenticity as characters or the organic feel of the emotions evoked throughout the book.Piper never played by the rules. I loved Piper’s strength and the way she unapologetically lived life. She is a breath of fresh air in a book world filled with sweet little girls. Ryland is the ultimate book boyfriend (seriously, can I keep him?). He’s learned not to count on anyone yet he is still the guy you can consistently depend upon. He would do absolutely anything for the girl he loves. He’s a sweetheart with just enough of that bad boy edge to make your palms sweat and your heart beat faster.Thrown together on a roadtrip, Piper and Ryland find themselves living so closely that the spark between them threatens to catch fire at every turn. I adored the chemistry between them. It was intense and exciting and I swear at times I could feel it. Their banter, stolen glances and inner musings had me right there with them while they battled temptation. EL did an amazing job crafting the relationship between these two characters. She mapped out every physical, mental and emotional response they had to one another until you might as well be standing next to them witnessing first-hand the electricity between them.Where There’s Smoke is sweet, steamy, unpredictable and unexpected. I had to read this book in one sitting because there was no way I could stop until I knew what happened next. EL kept me on my toes with Ryland and Piper’s thrilling journey. She had me greedily consuming every word on this intricate and emotional ride. This book is a must read!