Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis | Book Review

Second Chance Summer by Jill Shalvis

Cedar Ridge #1

First Published: 2015

Kindle

Adult, Contemporary Romance

Rating:

Re-Readability:

RESCUE ME

Cedar Ridge, Colorado, is famous for crisp mountain air, clear blue skies, and pine-scented breezes. And it's the last place Lily Danville wants to be. But she needs a job, and there's an opening at the hottest resort in her hometown. What has her concerned is the other hot property in Cedar Ridge: Aidan Kincaid-firefighter, rescue worker, and heartbreaker. She never could resist that devastating smile . . .

The Kincaid brothers are as rough and rugged as the Rocky Mountains they call home. Aidan has always done things his own way, by his own rules. And never has he regretted anything more than letting Lily walk out of his life ten years ago. If anyone has ever been in need of rescuing, she has. What she needs more than anything are long hikes, slow dances, and sizzling kisses. But that can only happen if he can get her to give Cedar Ridge-and this bad boy-a second chance . .

Y'all must already know I adore Jill Shalvis. She is a queen of romance - and Second Chance Summer has all her signature traits - great characters that are fun to read of, whether it be the main characters or the supporting cast, funny banter and great small town setting.

That being said, I wasn't as enthralled as I usually am by this novel. I'm not sure what it was really, because it had all those things I normally love about her.

Maybe it was because Lily and Aidan had history together that we didn't really get to see, but effected their current relationship. There was a lot of things they knew about each other that we didn't get to see them find out, and so while logically I knew they had probably learned that ten years ago, in that period we're barely privy to, it also felt like a cope-out. Like, all those wonderful parts of building a relationship were robbed from us.

Maybe it's just me.

This was probably why I felt like the "I love you"s came too early and with little basis. It's because these two characters were in love before, but we didn't get to see it!

While this will not be the first book of Shalvis I recommend someone to read, if you already love her you're bound to enjoy it. 

Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis | Book Review

Animal Magnetism  by Jill Shalvis

Animal Magnetism #1
First Published: 2011
Kindle
Adult, contemporary
Rating:

Sunshine, Idaho, is a small, sunny town - the perfect home for man and beast. Well, maybe not for man, as pilot-for-hire Brady Miller discovers when his truck is rear-ended by what appears to be Noah's Ark. As the co-owner of the town's only kennel, Lilah Young has good reason to be distracted behind the wheel - there are puppies, a piglet and a duck in her Jeep. Still, she doesn't find it hard to focus on the sexy, gorgeous stranger she's collided with. Brady is just passing through, but there's something about Lilah and her menagerie that makes the temptation of staying in Sunshine one that's difficult to resist...

When it comes to romance, Jill Shalvis is one of my favorite authors out there. So it came as no surprise to anyone that I loved this novel. What all her stories have in common is a strong, fierce heroine (and not necessarily in the I-can-kick-your-butt way), charming and sweet heroes and quaint and picturesque settings. No one does small-town and the closeness of it quite like her.

And this first book in her Animal Magnetism checks all those boxes in just the right way. 

Meet Brady Miller. Brady is new to town. Or maybe that's not the right way to put it as he has no intention of staying in town for long. A couple of days, tops. On second thought, after a chance encounter with Lilah young and his brothers' enticing him with a plane to fix, maybe a month. But nothing more.

Of course, a lot can happen in a month, as Brady finds out as the undeniable chemistry between him and Lilah explodes and sends them reeling. But is a no-string-attached relationship gonna cut it for these two?

Honestly, they were just so great together. They felt like they fit, like two pieces of a puzzle. This is one of those couples that from their first meeting on page, felt right. They brought each other up, they supported each other, they were a source of strength for each other... for me, these types of relationships are the best.

And of course, the characters surrounding them were fantastic. I adored Brady's adoptive siblings, and I can already tell which direction the next books are going to take, at least with one of the couples. And let me tell you; I am looking forward to it so much!

And of course, we can't forget THE ANIMALS. So many cute, adorable or darn right wacky animals in this book, and I loved every single one of them!