Read 24 November 2018Series: Happily, Inc. (Book 4)
Silver Tesdal has a head for business and a mouth made for kissing, and banker Drew Lovato has his eye on both. But ever since he was dumb enough to let her go, she’s kept him at a distance. When the bank turns her down for a loan, Drew sees a double opportunity -- he can finance her brilliant, unique idea to rock Happily Inc’s wedding industry and win back her trust.
Despite her reputation, Silver’s not as tough as she seems. Losing Drew nearly destroyed her. Still, his kisses are as tempting as his offer to invest in her business. If she can’t quite get over him, maybe she should get under him and knock him out of her system once and for all.
But her best-laid plans begin to unravel as Silver finds herself falling even harder than when they were high school sweethearts. Which means that she’ll have to come clean about the secret she’s been hiding from him for years -- and risk losing him forever.
Good second chance romance. It can be read as a stand-alone but is better read in order for the backgrounds of the other characters. Silver and Drew were high school sweethearts and very much in love despite the obstacles. Drew was from a wealthy family, while Silver was from the wrong side of the tracks. When it was time for Drew to leave for college, Silver broke up with him. She felt he would be better off without her holding him back, and could experience college life as it was meant to be.
Twelve years later, Drew is back in Happily, Inc., and still drawn to Silver. Silver has created a good life for herself as the owner/operator of a traveling bar business. She is doing well enough that she wants to expand, but the local bank has turned down her loan application. When Drew found out, he offered to finance Silver's expansion himself, by buying in as a minority partner. Silver isn't so sure that she wants to chance that close an involvement with him.
I really liked both Silver and Drew. Silver is feisty, independent, and determined. She has fought hard to make her business a success, overcoming the obstacles in her path. I loved her creativity in her business as she took her strengths and ran with them. She is also fiercely independent, determined to make it on her own. She has made mistakes in the past, but she admits them and moves on. Drew is a great guy. Silver's background had never mattered to him; it was the person she was that he loved. Though their breakup hurt him, he later admitted that she had been right about his need to spread his wings. He's older and wiser now and wants to get to know her again. Drew also had to fight a battle on a second front, as family expectations butted up against Drew's plans for his future.
I enjoyed the rekindling of their relationship. The sparks between them were there from the beginning, and Drew was all for following up on them. Silver is a bit more cautious, not wanting to risk her heart again. When Silver decided to accept Drew's offer, she also had the strength to negotiate the terms the way she wanted them. I enjoyed the way that Drew was determined to be more than just a silent partner, and the effort he put in to learn the business. He also stuck to learning and backup and didn't try to take things over. I loved seeing them get to know each other again, and how the chemistry between them continued to build. When they finally gave in to the passion, they were determined to keep it casual, but neither could stop the way their feelings for each other continued to grow. Through it all, Silver is haunted by a secret she has kept from Drew. She has to find a way to tell him before he finds out for himself. I ached for Silver because she was afraid it would ruin what had been building between them. I was pretty impressed with Drew, who, once he got past his initial knee-jerk reaction, was able to see things from Silver's point of view. There was also some interference from Drew's mother, whose attitude did a number on Silver's insecurities. Drew had some things he had to face also, and I loved the source of some of the advice he got. The ending was terrific, with a couple of unexpected twists.
There was a secondary story going on that I wouldn't exactly call a romance. Wynn and Jasper have had an understanding for a while. Wynn laid down the rules, and Jasper has gone along. But something happened that went against those rules and Jasper knew he'd been living on borrowed time. If Wynn found out, there would be trouble. Part of the problem is that Jasper seems to have developed a yearning for something more, but Wynn is determined to keep her life as it is. I ached for Jasper, and really wanted to shake Wynn. I'm curious to see if something develops later between them, or if they are destined for other people.
I loved catching up with other residents of Happily, Inc. The previous couples are all moving forward with their relationships, and I loved seeing all the interactions. I especially enjoyed the various meetings that Drew was involved in and his amazement and appreciation for the intertwined businesses. I still want to shake Libby and her uptight snottiness toward those she deems unworthy. The real "winner" of this book, though, was Drew's mother. I detested the way that she had planned out Drew's life and how she completely ignored his attempts to show her that he had his own plans. Her plans to suck up to Bethany's parents were irritating. I hated the way she treated Silver, and her completely callous reaction to what Drew told her was nuts. If I were Drew, I would have cut her completely out of my life. Though I initially thought his father was just as bad, he turned out to be much better than I expected. I liked seeing more of Grandpa Frank. I love how he keeps his fingers in the pies of the people of Happily, Inc., and his help in Drew and Silver's relationship was just what they needed. I also loved Autumn, who was bright and amazingly insightful. She has some interesting conversations with both Silver and Drew.
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