Review: C rating...
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 09 24, 2012
My Review:Honestly, this book was an okay read. It just seemed to be lacking something. The story was all there for it to be really good, but I went to bed with only 10% of the book left to read and was fine walking away from the story. That's not the way it should be.From the very start, I had an issue with Jack as he realized he was being pushed into a marriage he didn't want. In his own words, he seriously needed to grow a pair. Because he was afraid of being talked into a marriage he didn't want (hello, I can't respect a hero who can be pushed into a marriage he doesn't want), he lied to his fiance about why he was breaking it off by telling her that he's in love with the manager of his hotel. What he doesn't realize at the time is that this manager is hiding a pretty big secret about her past. But by telling this lie, he begins to notice Melanie in a different light.Melanie is a woman with a past that she's desperate to keep hidden. Her priority is to keep her young safe happy and healthy. She is not happy with Jack's attention towards her. Even though he's gorgeous, intelligent, a great guy with an amazing physique, she continues to push him away, thinking that he won't understand about her history. She has reason for her reticence....she's been burned by those she loved in the past...namely her parents, when they didn't stand by her when the accusations started flying. If she couldn't trust them, then why/how would she ever trust anyone else? I understood that aspect of the story, but there were other things that caused issues.There were things I really loved about this book:*I like that Jack is a former footballer so he knows a bit about paparazzi and how bad the press can get.*I loved Melanie's son, Ryan, and how attached he immediately becomes to Jack.*I even liked the story from Melanie's past.What I couldn't work past in the story line was:*Melanie's continued attitude about the incident from her history...even when there's no evidence that it's going to continue to be a problem.*Up to the VERY END of the story, Jack still didn't understand how much of an issue that was for Melanie.*I just have a hard time believing in a true HEA when the hero and heroine are so bad about seeing the true nature of each other's issues.The writing on the book is fine. I think the issues I had with it are just me...in fact, knowing that the book is set in England, I am guessing that the author also is and it truly may come down to a regional issue rather than anything else. All I know is that I didn't enjoy the book as much as I'd hoped.I received a complementary copy of this book in return for an honest review.