Review: Pretty good paradise/reunion romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 5, 2014
3.5-4 starsThis was a pretty good story. I liked both Carla and Sam and liked their story. This is the first story I've read by this author and based off this I'd be willing to try more of her work in the future. Obviously, I haven't read book #1 in the series but enough was explained or didn't need explained that I'd say this book works as a stand-alone.Carla is the manager for one of the Caribbean's most luxurious resorts, Holley Cay. She worked as the assistant manager for years under her cousin, Chris (also the owner) before he opened a new resort on another island and she took over this resort. She doesn't make the time for or have an interest in relationships as her past experience hasn't been the best.Sam grew up the son of a drunk that made him feel inadequate all his life. Sam was a ladies man after high school but was drifting until he joined the Army and found his maturity. He's since learned that sex isn't worth as much without caring to go with it. He finds out that Chris (a friend since they were kids) needs a head of security for Holley Cay and agrees to take the job mostly because Carla is there.Sam always avoided Carla when she was in high school because she was Chris' younger cousin but once she graduated, they both ended up in jobs at a resort outside of Vegas. Sam was all about being with Carla but Carla knew his rep and wouldn't have sex with him. They spent the whole summer together and had much physical pleasure together but they never had actual intercourse. As the summer ends Carla has hope that they can be together afterwards but Sam is sure she'll come to regret shifting her life around to be with a looser like him so he harshly tells her lies about how he doesn't care about her and she was just a bit of fun. She's heartbroken and they both move on with their lives. Chris is never let in on the summer romance though and when Holley Cay needs a security chief desperately, Chris asks Sam about it, not realizing what problems it would cause. Carla is very unhappy about the Sam being hired but there's not much she can do about it so she just tries to avoid him. Carla does relatively well at this for a bit but Sam does manage to get a bit of face time with her. When a hurricane heads to the island, everyone has to be evacuated but a last minute accident leaves Carla behind and Sam goes back (jumping from the ferry to swim back to the dock to do so) to help her stay safe from the storm. They find a cottage on the side of the island away from the storm and get set up to wait it out.As we might expect, being stuck in a tiny cottage together during a storm with no electricity soon generates some heat between them and they do end up in bed together. Carla decides that she'll just indulge in Sam during the storm. That the storm gave them a little pocket of now-where that once they come out it's like it never existed. Of course she's fooling herself and Sam isn't willing to let things go like that but this is what she tells herself. Sam soon realizes that he never stopped caring about Carla and he was a fool to leave her behind when he was young. He tries to get Carla to realize he's changed and she does to an extent but she still wont believe him emotionally. When the storm ends Carla shuts Sam out completely and Sam is left trying to figure out how to win her trust when he trampled it so thoroughly when he was younger that she refuses to let him in again. Things don't go smoothly for Sam and both he and Carla are hurt as they almost ruin a possible good thing. Thankfully, just before things go completely to hell they manage to come to an understanding and trust what the other says. With a little bit of talking and a quick bout of make-up sex, Carla and Sam are good and heading towards their HEA together.This was a very enjoyable story. I liked the characters and the story was well done and kept me entertained and interested all the way through. Now I'm kind of curious about Chris' story in book #1 though so I may go back to try that one next. I'd recommend this book. :)