Series: Sugar Falls, Idaho (Book 7)American Heroes (Book 3)
She was used to flying solo…
But that was before Kaleb came on board!
Temporarily grounded combat pilot Molly Markham didn’t come to Sugar Falls to get serious about a man she barely knows! But when Kaleb Chatterson becomes her unexpected hero, she agrees to date the billionaire software developer to keep their secret from getting out. Except the sexy brainiac -- and her pretend boyfriend -- is fast turning into the man of her dreams…
Very good book. Molly is in Sugar Falls on medical leave from the Air Force. She is a combat pilot in the Air Force, but some devastating news has thrown her plans for the future into turmoil. She is trying to come to terms with everything that it means without her family's interference, so she hasn't shared her news with anyone. When she has a problem while at the grocery store, Kaleb comes to her rescue. Kaleb is a bigtime software developer who is also in Sugar Falls visiting family. He is something of a workaholic, and though he loves them dearly, they do tend to get on his nerves. His errand to the grocery store was just what he needed for a few moments of peace.
I loved both Molly and Kaleb. Molly is independent, loyal, and confident. But that confidence has taken a hit with the diagnosis of her diabetes. Without her career as a pilot, she's no longer sure of who she is or her place in the world. I ached a bit for her because her family dynamics make it difficult for her to open up with her sister. She is also stubborn, confrontational, and something of an adrenaline junkie (occupational hazard, I suspect). That stubbornness results in her resisting Kaleb's attempts to help her.
Kaleb was terrific. He is super smart, geeky, and just plain nice. He is a billionaire, but you wouldn't know it, with his geeky t-shirts and jeans and easy approachability. He is also a "Mr. Fix-It" kind of guy, who will go to great lengths to take care of the people he loves. His relationship with his family is complicated. There's no doubt of the love, but Kaleb sometimes feels out of step with his super-competitive siblings. This results in the occasional moment of insecurity when he compares himself to them.
I loved the development of the relationship between Molly and Kaleb. It got off to an interesting start, with his rescuing her during a diabetic episode. Her independence and pride make her somewhat less than gracious to him. She is also a bit paranoid about anyone noticing her and reporting to her sister. Kaleb was amusing with his squeamishness over her needle, his panicked call to his assistant for information and his desire to keep the encounter from his own family. When they discovered that their sisters were good friends, Molly was afraid that her secret would come out. In return for keeping the secret, Kaleb asked Molly to be his pretend girlfriend to keep his family off his back.
That pretend relationship fans the flames of attraction into something bigger than either expected. I loved Kaleb's protectiveness toward Molly. He was so sweet in his attempts to watch out for her, from swiping her cinnamon roll to cooking for her to providing an (over) abundance of information. I loved seeing the two of them together, with Molly's zest for life and Kaleb's more cautious approach. The whole jet ski episode was hilarious, especially when Molly took over the driving. I also enjoyed seeing her jerk Kaleb's chain about the way he was attached to his gadgets, though she also stepped on a few of his insecurities. I liked seeing how their feelings for each other grew, though neither was quite sure what to do about it. Molly isn't ready to think about a deeper relationship until she knows what her future holds in store for her. Kaleb has ideas, but acting on them gets him in a world of trouble. I loved their big moment at the end when both of them were able to admit their fears and insecurities, and that being together was more important. The epilogue was awesome, especially the bit with the name on the simulator.
I loved the importance of family in the book. I ached for Molly, whose family wasn't exactly dysfunctional, but it wasn't a warm one either. Because of their childhood, each of the siblings was very independent and self-reliant. The sharing of emotions wasn't something that had ever been encouraged. This made it especially difficult for Molly to open up to her sister about her diabetes. Thanks to Maxine's recent marriage (see A Marine for His Mom), she has gotten much better, and I loved seeing her and Molly get closer. Kaleb's family is almost the polar opposite. They are loud, tactile, competitive, and there's no doubt about how much they love each other. Even when Kaleb complained about them, it was obvious that he'd do anything for them. I ached for him and how his early medical issues made him feel like an outsider sometimes. I understood his need to get away from them at times, and I also loved that he had his ways of getting even. It was great to see how much Molly liked his family and that maybe hearing about hers gave him a little more appreciation of them.
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