Breaking rules and breaking hearts

Free-spirited Chloe lives life on the edge. Unlike her soon-to-be married sisters, she isn't ready to settle into a quiet life running their family's newly renovated inn. But soon her love of trouble--and trouble with love-draws the attention of the very stern, very sexy sheriff who'd like nothing better than to tame her wild ways. 

Suddenly Chloe can't take a misstep without the sheriff hot on her heels. His rugged swagger and his enigmatic smile are enough to make a girl beg to be handcuffed. For the first time, instead of avoiding the law, Chloe dreams of surrender. Can this rebel find a way to keep the peace with the straitlaced sheriff? Or will Chloe's colorful past keep her from a love that lasts . . . and the safe haven she truly wants in a town called Lucky Harbor?

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This is the third in Shalvis' Lucky Harbour series. I've noticed that there will be other books set in Lucky Harbour in the future but this one seems to conclude the stories of the three out of town half sisters. The previous books are Simply Irresistible and The Sweetest Thing. Although it's probably not a necessity, I would suggest that you don't read this book if you haven't read the first two in the series.

Over the course of the first two books I've been waiting for Sawyer and Chloe to get their own book and get together. I love a couple who are antagonistic towards each other in the beginning and this pair certainly were that. I think what happened for me with this book is that we had so much back story about them fighting and being at each other's throats that when it came to their story we were already half way through the beginnings of their relationship. Perhaps that took the sparkle out of it but something was definitely lacking.

I liked Chloe better than I thought I would based on the first two books and she really grew into a character I liked and could route for. Sawyer was a great brooding hero although I think I would have liked him to open up a little more to Chloe. He had a difficult relationship with his dad which gave him depth although what happened to Sawyer's brothers (mentioned very briefly in the first two books) is beyond me!

Giving this book a rating was a little bit of a dilemma for me because while I liked it and it was readable - nothing much happened! I erred on the side of generosity as I like the Lucky Harbour series as a whole although it's probably a low 4 stars and definitely not the best of the series.

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381 pages

Lucky Harbor series:

           

 

           

           

  

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Tara has a thousand good reasons not to return to the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington. Yet with her life doing a major crash-and-burn, anywhere away from her unfulfilled dreams and sexy ex-husband will do. As Tara helps her two sisters get their newly renovated inn up and running, she finally has a chance to get things under control and come up with a new plan for her life.

But a certain tanned, green-eyed sailor has his own ideas, such as keeping Tara hot, bothered...and in his bed. And when her ex wants Tara back, three is a crowd she can't control - especially when her deepest secret reappears out of the blue. Now Tara must confront her past and discover what she really wants. If she's lucky, she might just find that everything her heart desires is right here in Lucky Harbor.

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This is the second book in the Lucky Harbour series (after Jax and Maddie's book, Simply Irresistible and before Sawyer and Chloe's book, Head Over Heels). While I suppose you could probably read this book as a stand alone, I really think that you'd get a better grip on the characters and their previous interactions if you read the books in order.

Tara is the grumpy, bossy sister and although we know and understand why, I was worried that I wasn't going to like her or root for her. That turned out not to be a problem as yes, Tara was bossy, but she was also self-deprecating and only ever wanted the best for people - I ended up really liking her. Not only that but Ford's laid back nature really complemented Tara and it was a case of opposites attract. The pair had sizzling chemistry and although there was no huge conflict, peril or drama - I was really rooting for the pair.

The cast of supporting characters were really rich but never overpowered the main characters or love story. As well as Maddie, Jax, Chloe and Sawyer there's the meddling townsfolk who aren't nearly as overpowering or stereotypical as in other novels I've read. There's also Tara's ex-husband, Logan. He's not a bad guy but clearly not the right guy for Tara but I loved his interactions/battles with Ford. Like another reviewer said, it would be nice if Logan gets his own story in the future. There's also the adopted daughter storyline which was more sweet than heavy and added a little extra to Tara and Ford's story.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It was part of a series that I'm really enjoying and I can't wait until Chloe and Sawyer's story comes out in December. If you like fun and sexy romances with characters you'll love then I would recommend this book, and the rest of the Lucky Harbour series, to you. 5 stars.

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384 pages

Lucky Harbor series:

           

 

           

           

Click to see other books by Jill Shalvis