Review: just want to hug Leo
Rating: 3 out of 5
Date: 01 23, 2014
Gorgeous, rich and noble Lord Leo Strathairn seems to have it all. He is a charming man who is always ready with a quote, so it seems like a no-brainer for his friend Miles Harrington (hero of ISLAND ROAD) to ask Leo to select a reading for his wedding. The only problem is that Leo can’t.Luckily for him, Sanctuary Island is the home of quirky head librarian Serena Lightfoot. She is unique, different from any other woman of this acquaintance. As she helps him find the perfect romantic piece to read at Miles’s wedding, their attraction grows, but Leo’s secret and fears may end their burgeoning romance before it begins.The first in the Billionaire Bachelors trilogy, THE FIRESIDE INN is an emotional start to her second Sanctuary Island novella series.Lily Everett is the new pseudonym for Louisa Edwards, an author whom I loved and glad to see back writing. Everett’s characters always feel real. Leo’s pain and embarrassment concerning his situation is stark contrasting with the happier emotions of new love thus making both the highs and lows much more memorable. There are times you just want to hug Leo and tell him everything will work out in the end.Unfortunately, the novella does have its flaws. Primarily THE FIRESIDE INN’s problem concerns time. These two characters must fall in love in a few weeks. With such a short amount of pages, Everett starts the story off and then skips a couple of weeks in the relationship for the finale. This makes the usual buildup feel abridged rather than satisfying.THE FIRESIDE INN is a standard introductory read, introducing the premise of the trilogy. With interesting characters, the novella does hold up despite its flaws. It is good to see Louisa Edwards writing again albeit with a different pen name, but it really just makes me miss her sexy chef books.