I received this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Love Like Ours by Melissa Foster Also by this author: Sisters in Love, Lovers At Heart, Destined For Love, Friendship on Fire
Series: Sugar Lake #3
Also in this series: The Real Thing, Only for You
Published by Montlake Romance on 11th September 2018
Genres: Chicklit, Erotica, Humour, Love & Romance
Pages: 252
Format: eARC
Source: from Netgalley
Goodreads
Amazon Kindle, Audible
One wrong move, and she meets a guy with all the right ones…
Talia Dalton lives her life on cruise control. Despite her successful career as a professor, she prefers protecting her broken heart to taking chances. She’s calm, cool, collected, and steady. Until the morning she takes her eyes off that familiar road and almost runs over the sexiest man she’s ever seen. It may not be the best way to start the day, but it might be the type of shake-up she needs.
Male dancer Derek Grant has goals, and nothing is going to get in the way of achieving them. As a graduate student and the sole caretaker of his ailing father, he hasn’t much time for relationships. Then Talia crashes into his life. Sweet, pretty—and so buttoned-up that he can’t wait to help her cut loose.
For Derek, falling in love was a beautiful accident waiting to happen. And it might be exactly what Talia needs—if she’s willing to let go of the past and embrace every surprise Derek has to offer.
Thank you to Lisa for letting me take part in this blog tour. I loved the first two books in this series which are a little different. Its fresher with an edge.
This story follows buttoned up good girl Professor Talia Dalton. She is Willow and Bridgette’s older sister and has always been very straight laced. Talia is a very private person and has always cared about how others see her and . I liked Talia. She cares a lot about her family and has always been close to them. She has a lot of insecurities which I easily identified with.
Derek Grant is one hell of a man. He has given up a hell of a lot to care for his father but he wouldn’t have it any other way. Derek is an honest, hard working man. He is extremely caring and fiercely loyal to those that he loves. As always Melissa has written a mighty fine man that would have any girl weak at the knees. I also need a tuxedo mocha in my life. It sounds AMAZING
Melissa had me instantly falling for these two. Their characters are so endearing and you just want to jump in and support them. Melissa’s writing never fails to capture my heart.
It was really great to be back with the Daltons and I loved seeing Bohdi’s mum again. I loved seeing more scenes with Piper and I am extremely excited for her book. I am also really hoping that Aurelia and Ben get their act together, pronto.
Extract
“You’re in for it now!”
She shrieked and ran across the snow. He darted after her, but she dashed through the gazebo, scooped up a handful of snow, and tossed it at him. It hit him square in the face, and she gasped.
“Sorry!”
He teasingly growled and made a huge snowball, lightly packed so as not to hurt her, and stalked toward her.
She stumbled backward, waving her hands. “No, please!” she said between laughs.
Her killer smile was almost enough to stop him in his tracks. “Oh yes, Parking Lot Princess. You are mine!”
She grabbed another handful of snow and lobbed it at him, missing by a mile. Then she sprinted away. He took off after her and she turned, tripping over her own feet. He lunged, catching her in his arms, but their momentum sent them both to the snow. She landed on top of him, both of them laughing. Molly whined and licked their faces.
Her teeth chattered. “Sorry!”
“Hell, Talia. I’m not.”
Her eyes widened, then brimmed with heat again, dark and alluring as they skimmed over his face and lingered on his lips. Her body sank exquisitely into his. Even separated by coats and clothing, she felt incredible. Molly lay in the snow, watching them as if she felt the unbelievable moment, too. When Talia’s eyes found his again, they were like windows to her soul. Every sexy thought was right there on the surface, so tempting he was about to lean up and take a kiss, when she suddenly schooled her expression, as if she’d just realized she’d shown her true emotions, and rolled off him.
She lay on her back beside him, staring up at the sky, breathing heavily.
He leaned over her and gazed deeply into her troubled, beautiful eyes. Whatever this was between them was magnificent and stronger than anything he’d ever felt, but the caution in her eyes won again. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cross a line. It’s been a long time since I’ve”—wanted to kiss a woman—“felt whatever this is between us.”
She pressed her lips together, and as he backed off, she grabbed his sleeve and said, “Me too. It’s been a long time.”
Man, she was so close, her desire evident in her tight grasp on his sleeve and the longing look in her eyes, but the tentativeness was still there, brimming before him. He swallowed his desires and went for levity.
“Do you have an ailing family member you’re caring for, too?”
She shook her head. “I have fear of the unknown, trust issues, and a full life.”
“Is that all?” He helped her to her feet, both of them smiling with his tease.
Molly got up, wagging her tail.
Talia’s teeth were still chattering. He put his hands on her arms and rubbed them, itching to pull her against him and heat her up with a scorching-hot kiss. Instead he took her hand and said, “I’ve got something to warm you up.”
“Um . . . ?” Her cheeks pinked up again.
He chuckled. “Yeah, that, but since we’ve already tabled the good stuff . . .” With Molly in tow, he led her to where his backpack lay in the snow. He dug out the thermoses he’d brought and handed her one. “It’s not as fun, but this should do the trick.”
She pulled her hat a little lower on her ears. “What is it?”
“Tuxedo mocha. Have you ever had one?”
She shook her head, wrapping both hands around the warm thermos. “Thank you for not making me an alcoholic drink the other night, by the way. That was really nice of you to remember.”
“You’re hard to forget, Talia.” He loved the sultry look that earned him and had to distract himself before he made the mistake of tasting that look. “I shouldn’t have waited so long to give this to you. The whipped cream and chocolate curls are probably melted.”
“You had me at whipped cream.” She took a sip and closed her eyes, moaning appreciatively. “Holy cow,” she said breathlessly. “This is heaven in a cup.”
He clenched his jaw as his mind chased that moan down an X-rated path. “It’ll be even better next time, when I make it fresh for you.”
“Next time?” she asked, and took another sip.
The tip of her tongue swept over her lips, seriously testing his ability to hold his tongue. He shouldered his backpack and took Molly’s leash from where it dangled out of Talia’s pocket. As he hooked it onto Molly’s collar, he said, “How can I help you step out of your comfort zone and get over all your hurdles if we don’t see each other again?”
Giveaway
a Rafflecopter giveawayAbout Melissa Foster
Melissa Foster is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling and award-winning author. She writes contemporary romance, new adult, contemporary women’s fiction, suspense, and historical fiction with emotionally compelling characters that stay with you long after you turn the last page. Her books have been recommended by USA Today’s book blog, Hagerstown Magazine, The Patriot, and several other print venues. She is the founder of the Women’s Nest, a social and support community for women, and the World Literary Café. When she’s not writing, Melissa helps authors navigate the publishing industry through her author training programs on Fostering Success. Melissa has been published in Calgary’s Child Magazine, the Huffington Post, and Women Business Owners magazine.
Melissa hosts an annual Aspiring Authors contest for children and has painted and donated several murals to The Hospital for Sick Children in Washington, DC. Melissa lives in Maryland with her family.
Visit Melissa on The Women’s Nest, Fostering Success, or World Lit Cafe. Melissa enjoys discussing her books with book clubs and reader groups, and welcomes an invitation to your event.
Reading this book contributed to these challenges:
Yay! I’m so happy you loved Derek and Talia! What an amazing review!