Publisher: HQN
Publish Date: Feb 21st
How I got this book: NetGalley
Three bestselling authors brings fans three classic stories of sexy Irishmen and the women who love them. Includes St. Claire’s “The Sins of His Past, Tangling with Ty” by Jill Shalvis, and “What Reilly Wants” by Maureen Child. Original.
*Blurb from Goodreads*
The minute I saw Jill Shalvis’ name on the cover, I didn’t even bother to read the blurb. I knew she wouldn’t lead me astray, and the chance to read two other authors I didn’t know much about… It’s a win all around!
The first story in the anthology is Roxanne St. Claire’s THE SINS OF HIS PAST and although I’ve only read one short story by St. Claire in the past, I will definitely be picking up more of her work. Kendra has had a lifelong crush on her childhood friend Deuce, but when he walked away from her after a night of passion, she started to give up hope. But once Deuce’s baseball career is over, he comes strolling back looking to pick up life in his hometown, despite the fact that his dreams might ruin hers.
A good second chance or friends to lovers story is one that ALWAYS sucks me in and keeps me entertained. I did not want the story of Deuce and Kendra to end. At all. St. Claire did an amazing job building up the sexual tension between these two, especially as bits and pieces of their history together are revealed throughout the story. I loved Kendra’s strength to get through life, despite all the hardships she encountered along the way, especially when some of them had come at the cost of Deuce’s happiness. And the fact that Deuce was able to come around and really see what he was missing in life, what he really needed to make him happy… I’m such a sucker for a strong alpha man to be brought to his knees by his leading lady, and St. Claire could not have done a better job than she did with Deuce and Kendra. I laughed and cried with the characters and did NOT want the book to end, at all.
I give THE SINS OF HIS PAST an A-
The second story was Jill Shalvis’ TANGLING WITH TY, a story about a sexy Irish architect and a genius prodigy doctor. I wanted this story to be on par with the current work I’m used to by Shalvis, and for me, it didn’t live up to that expectation.
Although I liked the overall setting and story with Nicole and her best friends, I had a really hard time connecting with both Nicole and Ty as characters. Nicole was a prodigy and workaholic, and Shalvis must write the most convincing genius ever, because I found myself thinking that Nicole was aloof and boring and almost seemed too smart to be human and interesting. I wanted to be able to connect with her, and I just couldn’t. While I liked and connected more with Ty, I still didn’t think that he was easy to fall in love with. But he did compliment Nicole well, so I suppose that is what matters. In their own weird way, the two of them completed each other well, I just didn’t feel it.
I give TANGLING WITH TY a C-
The third and final story was Maureen Child’s WHATEVER REILLY WANTS. Child’s name sounded familiar, but I wasn’t sure if I had read her before, but I was so impressed with the story that I immediately went out to see if there were other books in the series. The four Reilly brothers made a bet to see if they could go for 90 days without having sex, and Connor thought he would have no trouble, but when he mentions to his best friend Emma that he thinks she is “safe,” she sets out to show him just how feminine she can be.
Like St. Claire, I thought that Child wrote an absolutely incredible friends to lovers story. Both Connor and Emma are hesitant to lose their friendship, but they are also incredibly attracted to each other, especially after Connor unknowingly taunts Emma and the gauntlet is thrown. I loved that they were both scared of loosing each other, but unable to stay away. I was so glad to see that Emma also put her foot down and refused to settle for anything less than what she really wanted. It was a fabulous friends to lovers story, and one that I could honestly read over and over again.
I give WHATEVER REILLY WANTS a B+
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This looks cute!!
@Mandi Schreiner: It was very cute!! I loved it!
The “Tangling with Ty” title is actually an older Shalvis book, I think. I have it on my Kindle as a standalone (though it is actually part of a three part series). I think it was a Harlequin Blaze title.
I actually liked it more than you did, probably because I just love the way Shalvis writes.
It sounds as if it’s worth getting this anthology just for the other two stories, though, even if I do already have one of them…
@JacquiC: I think you can still get the other two stories as stand-alones through Kindle. (I THINK! I did see one on nook, so I assume you can still get it on kindle). Glad you loved Ty’s book!