Review: great mix of family drama and romance
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 02 23, 2014
Fairway To Heaven Lily MaloneReview from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.This sounded great fun...Jack, ah Jack :) I do like those Bad Boys, the ones you can really get to dislike. And yet he had a special sort of charm too, and that's what had sucked Jennifer in...Her long held crush had moved away, and she'd been drowning her sorrows in booze and men for too long, then she met Jack, and he charmed her into his life. Jack's one of those who come from wealthy family, doesn't need to work for the money but works as a golf pro at the local club, and is the apple of his mothers eye. He swept Jenn off her feet, and she was entrenched into his life, with their shared love of golf and a baby son Sebastian. When she decides to surprise him one day – well, she was the one surprised....finding him in the bunker with a student of his...I just loved the letter she left him.Gradually through Jenn's musings on their past we see that the cracks have been there a long time, all that was Jenn has gradually been submerged in the need to keep Jack happy. He didn't like her friends, didn't like her drinking, she'd given up her long held love and hobby of golf through lack of time with Sebastian to look after, he wasn't one for helping with the baby or home. When he knows he's been caught he tries to say it's gossip, then when he knows she saw them he tries remorse, then blaming Jenn....she'd had health issues affecting their sex life, though time and patience would heal it but Jack puts the blame for his affair back on her  for lack of sex.  What a jerk – and how I love those.Anyway she stays at her best friends' family cottage, only to find the delicious Braden there. He's her best friends brother and the object of her long held crush. Jacks always been jealous of him even though they never dated. Jack's right though, in a way, because Jenns' heart was always with Braden.  Braden has some serious work problems, and doesn't want to tell the family just yet, so he and Jenn have a few days alone, where they get on well, Sebby really takes to him, and they, and we, can feel their shared attraction sizzle.I loved Jenn and Braden, I could feel the pull of their magnetism to each other, though they were scared of losing friendship they couldn't ignore what was between them, and had been for so long. Braden helps Jenn with Sebby,just taking crying or untidiness in his stride and helping out ,where Jack would have just gone back to sleep or moaned then gone out somewhere else. It's an eye opener for her about what parenting could be like. Then things come to a head, Jack and his mum come along...Jenns worried about losing Seb, Jack hasn't told his mum the whole story though, and Bradens' family find out what he's going through....There's some great characters here, a good story where the drama comes early followed by romance, rather than other way round as is usual. I enjoyed learning about the day to day issues facing Jenn, it's good to read a novel where the practicalities are taken into account, too often its all like a fairytale :) though I don't need too much realism, I’m reading for escape after all, but there needs to be some.I loved the ending, though wondered what would happen about Bradens' work issue, and would like to have seen resolution from that. Its a standalone novel ( hurrah) and priced at 2.00 for 282 pages its excellent value. Its not a heart throbbing, blood racing, throat grabbing, sexy novel but more of a sensual, gentle romance, with beautiful, tender moments between Braden and Jenn.Stars: Four. Great sensual read, full of gentle but very real drama.ARC supplied by Author