Review: The Fireside Inn by Lily Everett
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 01 7, 2014
I really enjoyed reading THE FIRESIDE INN by Lily Everett. The intro begins with Miles bringing his three confirmed bachelor best friends to the Billionaires Club so he can tell them he plans to marry and how he'd like them each to help. In the face of their disbelief and scoffing he offers up a pretty hefty bet they will all also find love in Sanctuary Island. This made me wonder what I would be reading. I am happy to say this was not another story of an arrogant billionaire who always gets his way and behaves however he wants because he has the power and money to get away with it.I was very happy to find a sweet, romantic tale of a wealthy man with a long held secret that has made him vulnerable all of his life. Leo Strathairn's secret has held him captive in many ways for in guarding it he has also had to hold back his emotions in order to avoid discovery. This has made him a man who has never felt the love, understanding or comfort of another. When Miles asks him to select and do a reading about love during his wedding ceremony Leo feels completely ill-equipped for the job.When Leo meets Serena Lightfoot, the Head Librarian at the public library in Sanctuary Island he believes she is the perfect person to assist him with his task. Serena has always had a kind and romantic heart, but since she was usually at the top of her classes the only thing boys, and then later men, seemed to notice was her brain. She's a little suspicious of a handsome man like Leo showing interest in her due to bitter disappointments in her own past. Too many times she was tricked by someone showing her attention only to discover they were only after her help by doing their assignments and never really cared for her. However, with his British accent and charm, his agreement to help her secure sponsors to help her library, and a sincere promise his only ulterior motive is that he plans use their time together to seduce her sweet body, she agrees to do the research for Leo and meet with him to go over her selections.Leo and Serena have a strong initial attraction and wonderful chemistry that develops into something deeper. Through this connection Serena sees through the facade Leo has always hid behind to his potential and finds herself falling in love. Leo too is smitten by the quiet and honest strength of Serena. She is so different from the socialites and models he usually dates. At first glance they seem an unlikely pairing, but in truth Ms. Everett offers a perfectly matched couple with a very endearing story of love I rate with 4 stars.~Complimentary copy received from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.