Review: Silver Creek series is currently one of my favorite small town contemporary series and each subsequent book gets better
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 07 7, 2014
First reviewed at Red Hot Books http://redhotbooks.com/2014/07/review...Maisey Yates’ Silver Creek series is currently one of my favorite small town contemporary series and each subsequent book gets better and better. This novella gives us a revenge story with a twist.Mac Denton grew up dirt poor with unstable parents who provided most of the fodder for gossip in the small town of Silver Creek. Mac worked hard to rise above his beginnings and has finally gotten to a comfortable place in his life. Then Lucy Ryan, the Queen B back in high school, shows up on Mac doorstop to apply to be his housekeeper. Mac clearly remembers how mean she was to him and other kids low on the high school totem pole. It seemed like making Lucy his housekeeper fitting revenge, until he finds out the reasons why Lucy is back in Silver Creek virtually penniless.Lucy has been provided for her whole life, from her parents to her society husband. The phrase “grin and bear it” has been her life maxim until she couldn’t take her husband’s verbal abuse one second longer. Lucy is shocked when her parent’s won’t agree to help her out after her divorce and for the first time in her life, she’s forced to figure things out on her own (including eating a large serving of humble pie).Mac really wants to continue to hate her, but watching her day after day really trying despite her clear inexperience, he becomes enamored with her fortitude. After years of being with an emotionally unavailable husband, Lucy is infatuated with Mac’s earthy sensual nature. It doesn’t take much longer to cross the lines they were flimsily holding on to.I really liked both of these characters. Yes, Mac was still nursing the hurt that Lucy put on him from way back but, he let that go about 10 minutes past hiring her and, overall, was really sweet. Lucy, however, acknowledged her past bad behavior and apologized in the best way – by acting better. Lucy proves that it’s not too late to grow up as the reader watches her slowly emerge from her cocoon. She never was a bad person, per se, just a clueless one. Mac is a bit clueless himself when it comes to relationships as his parents were such a trainwreck. The conflict comes from his inexperience and wariness abutting her newfound self-confidence. Lucy’s crowning glory is when she finally demands better for herself and it was lovely to read.Novellas generally make me antsy because I always want more of the story, but I think this one is done well. The author always manages to inject the right amount of heat, humor and heart in each of these stories that keep me coming back time and time again.Grade: B+*ARC provided by Berkley/NAL