Friday, August 28, 2020

BLOG TOUR - The Last Man She Expected


DESCRIPTION:

How could being so wrong suddenly feel so right? 

Falling for her arch nemesis 

Isn’t going to happen.
Moving to Starlight was Mara Reed’s first step forward after her devastating divorce. But had she known she’d find Parker Johnson, her ex-husband’s ruthless divorce attorney, there, she might have gone in a different direction. Away from the big city, Mara is seeing Parker in a new light—but is it enough for her to set aside her anger?

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MY THOUGHTS:

Title:   The Last Man She Expected
Author:  Michelle Major
Series:   Welcome to Starlight #1
Publisher:  Harlequin Special Edition
Genre:   Romance
Format:  Kindle ARC
No. of Pages:   224
Date of Publication:   September 1, 2020
My Rating:   4 Stars

After going through a difficult divorce, Mara Reed has made the move to Starlight, Washington with hopes of starting over for her and her daughter Evie. Working at a coffee shop owned by her aunt helped her to meet people while keeping busy enough to keep disturbing thoughts at bay. Also, small-town life is proving to be more than favorable.

Evie has found a best friend with a little girl named Anna. Meanwhile Mara has found Evie's father Josh to be a very good friend, but there is not a single spark between them. When Josh's brother Parker heads back to their hometown, he hadn't expected to run into the wife of one of his divorce clients. As far as Mara is concerned, Parker facilitated her brutal divorce, so she has no use for him.

However, Parker is in Starlight for a very good reason. His niece Anna has recently undergone chemotherapy, and Parker intends on being there for Josh. How will he navigate the close friendship between his brother and Mara, along with the fact that Anna and Evie are so close? Reluctantly, Mara begins to see a side to Parker that she hadn't seen before. The two have an unlikely chemistry, and before long, denying their attraction proves impossible.

What a sweet love story! I loved this book on several levels. First of all, I loved the strong platonic friendship between Josh and Anna. Also, Evie touched my heart. She had been strongly affected by her parents' divorce, so I felt for her throughout. Then the romance itself. It played out quite well. It was quite enjoyable watching Parker and Anna grow in their relationship, despite their differences, and also it was nice watching Parker draw close to Evie. This touching story is the first in the Starlight Miniseries by Michelle Major,  I really hope Brynn gets the next story and has her chance at finding love. The next story is His Last Chance Christmas Family, set for release in December.

Many thanks to Harlequin Special Edition and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.


Please enjoy the following excerpt:

Excerpt, THE LAST MAN SHE EXPECTED by Michelle Major

“Come to finish me off?” he asked as Mara Reed walked into the room.

She sniffed. “How’s your head?”

He removed the bag of peas, tossing them to the top of the dryer. “I’ve taken harder hits.”

“Not that I meant for you to fall, but I can’t say you didn’t deserve it,” she told him, crossing her arms over her chest.

He raised a brow. “That’s an interesting way to apologize.”

She gave a humorless laugh. “I’m not here to say sorry.”

Parker felt his mouth drop open. “You practically pushed me out of the bounce house.”

“Not quite. You grabbed for me and I evaded you with my catlike reflexes. Is it my problem that you’re clumsy?”

He had to admire her moxie. The moment had happened so fast, but he was pretty sure she’d given him a tiny shove when he stumbled. Not that he’d throw her under the bus by telling anyone. “If you didn’t seek me out to apologize, why are you here?”

“You took everything from me,” she said instead of answering, her husky voice laced with bitterness.

“Your anger is misdirected,” Parker said, shifting under the weight of her stony glare. “I’m not your ex-husband.” He’d represented hundreds of clients over the years, but this was the first time he’d actually been confronted outside the courtroom. He didn’t like the way Mara Reed made him feel, as if he’d been the one to cause the destruction of her marriage.

“No,” she agreed, her hazel eyes giving him a slow once-over. Despite her obvious dislike of him and the obstinate set of her heart-shaped jaw, there was no denying Mara’s beauty. She had dark hair with a few hints of burnished gold highlighting it and pale, luminous skin that would have inspired the finest Renaissance painter.

She was taller than average, something he’d al-ways appreciated in a woman given that he stood well over six feet. She’d fit perfectly with him, a thought that almost made him laugh for its absur-dity. He couldn’t imagine any scenario which would make Mara want to be close to him.

“You made it possible for him to destroy me,” she said, her voice oddly devoid of emotion. He wanted to deny it, but the truth was he couldn’t remember the details of her case, especially since she’d been Paul Reed’s much younger third wife. He’d already been twice down that road with his client. It was a mental trick he employed, not allowing himself to see the opponent as a person. Mara Reed had been a name to him, an entity he’d set out to take down like he was a remote-control drone zeroing in on a target.

“It wasn’t personal.”

She flinched, and he wanted to take back the words. They were simple enough as part of his job, but he imagined they felt like salt dumped into an open wound to Mara. Despite his now pounding headache, he didn’t mean to hurt her. He understood what he did for a living and had come to terms with the man he’d become as a result, even if he didn’t always like himself because of it.

“It was to me,” she whispered and walked away.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Michelle Major grew up in Ohio but dreamed of living in the mountains. Soon after graduating with a degree in Journalism, she pointed her car west and settled in Colorado. Her life and house are filled with one great husband, two beautiful kids, a few furry pets and several well-behaved reptiles. She’s grateful to have found her passion writing stories with happy endings. Michelle loves to hear from her readers at www.michellemajor.com.

Author links: 
Website: https://michellemajor.com/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/michellemajorauthor/ 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/michelle_major1 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MichelleMajorBooks 
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6468588.Michelle_Major 

5 comments:

  1. This sounds great. I will have to look into this new series. I love feel good reads.

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  2. The cover looks sweet and your review confirms it. Lovely reviewing, Robin

    ReplyDelete
  3. Not my kind of read but glad you enjoyed it. Great review.

    ReplyDelete