Review – Lucky in Love by Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Forever
Publish Date: Out Now
How I got this book: review copy from author

Mallory Quinn has had enough of playing it safe. As a nurse and devoted daughter, she takes care of everyone but herself. And as the local good girl, she’s expected to date Mr. Right. But for once, she’d like to take a risk on Mr. Wrong. And who could be more wrong than Ty Garrison? The mysterious new guy in town has made it clear that he’s only passing through, which suits Mallory just fine. Besides, his lean, hard body and sexy smile will give her plenty to remember once he’s gone…

For the first time in his life, Ty can’t bear to leave. Helping this sexy seductress-in-training walk on the wild side is making him desire things he shouldn’t — including leaving the military for good. As their just-for-fun fling becomes something more, Mallory and Ty wonder if they could really be this lucky in love. After all…anything can happen in a town called Lucky Harbor.
*Blurb from Goodreads*

I am a total fangirl of Jill Shalvis, and when it comes to the Lucky Harbor books, I have yet to be disappointed.

Mallory is an ER nurse looking to find someone she can have a little fun with. As the town good girl, she is known for being sweet and always doing the right thing. When she takes care of the new Mysterious Cute Guy, her friends make a date for her. Too bad he is unconscious and can’t remember agreeing to it. But he shows up at the location of their date on a whim, and stands in when Mallory needs him to.

Ty wants nothing more than to get healthy so he can get back into the field. He lives for his high-stress job, and has always dreamed of where he is headed off to next. But the sexy Mallory lets her hair down around him, and he can’t seem to stay away from her. Even once he gets cleared to go back to work, there is something about Mallory and Lucky Harbor that calls to him, enticing him to finally settle in one place.

I must admit, I was pretty excited to see what the deal was with Mysterious Cute Guy, and I loved the fact that he was so mysterious to everyone in Lucky Harbor, for the vast majority of the book. Add in the fact he was ex-military who still worked doing covert black-ops style missions, and I was head over heels in love with the guy after a few chapters. Given the way he kept telling himself he needed to leave, I held hope that he would find it incredibly difficult to do so. Once he got the all clear and continued to stick around, day after day, just for the chance to be with Mallory another day, I was smitten.

There were times I adored Mallory and other times I wanted her to assert herself more. She was a strong and passionate woman, and yet she let the guilt from her past eat away at her, she left her family and even some friends walk all over her. I wanted her to stand up for herself more, because I knew she had it in her. Once we got to the end and she really took the bull by the horns, she developed so much in that one scene. I was glad to see her get everything she ever dreamed of. That always makes me happy.

As for the relationship between Ty and Mallory, it was totally hot, but at times felt like there was something missing. Not only were these two constantly pushing each other away, it felt as if things were rushed for them. They never really seemed to truly get to know each other on the page, and yet by the end of the book, they were ready to say “love you” and live happily ever after. While they had some awesome and super hot sexy times together, I found I had a harder time believing in their HEA than I did with some of the other Lucky Harbor books.

That being said, I still love everything about the town of Lucky Harbor. From the old biddies that are constantly up in each other business, to the wonderful friendships between the heroine and her best friends, this town continues to be one that keeps me wanting to come back for more. I love that Shalvis has the town set up on Facebook, with the characters constantly referring to the page and it’s hilarious updates. I am very anxious to find out more about Mallory’s two best friends: Amy and Grace. Shalvis did a great job of setting up an intriguing backstory with Amy and the sexy forest ranger Matt, and I can’t wait to find out more about them!

All in all I continue to have mad love for Jill Shalvis and the Lucky Harbor books. Fans of contemporary romance are missing out on great things if they aren’t reading these books. While I think this second trilogy (books 4-6) is starting off to a little rougher start than the first trilogy (books 1-3), I can’t wait for the next Lucky Harbor installment.
I give Lucky in Love a B-

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