Title: It's in His KissAuthor: Jill Shalvis
Series: Lucky Harbor, #10
Published: August 26, 2014 (Grand Central Publishing)
Rating: Staying in Tonight
Format: Egalley provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review (Thank you!)
Summary: Becca Thorpe has uprooted her life and escaped to the beach. Now's her chance to get away from city living, throw caution to the ocean winds, and live in the moment. Especially if the moment includes the deliciously sexy surfer she meets shortly after arriving in Lucky Harbor. Something about the dark intensity of Sam's eyes and the thrill she gets at his touch convinces her to stay awhile.If I could pack up and go live in my choice of any fictional setting I've ever read, I would choose Lucky Harbor. And not just because I've always had an obsession with small towns or the fact that it's constantly overflowing with hot, available men (though that certainly doesn't hurt). Maybe I'm just feeling a little melancholy and bittersweet because this is the beginning of the end - the first book of the last "trilogy" in the Lucky Harbor series. But really. Truly. I love the atmosphere of the town. I love Lucille. I want to stay at the B&B and visit the Love Shack and maybe even get pulled over by Sawyer (because yum!).
Boatbuilder and investment genius Sam Brody is a self-made man who knows how dangerous it can be to mix business and pleasure. But he can't resist offering Becca a job just to hear her laugh and have her near. Yet when her brother comes to town asking for help, will he tempt her back to her glamorous life in the city? Or do Sam and little Lucky Harbor have a chance to win Becca's heart?
In all seriousness, though, Shalvis has captured my heart again. I am completely head over heels for this new group of guy friends: Sam, Tanner, and Cole. They have years of co-worker/friendship/blood brothers bonding behind them, and if I'm a sucker for any dynamic, it's that one. I love a good male friendship. I was already excited for Sam's story because he was the sexy, taciturn runner we got to see just enough to be teased in the previous set of Lucky Harbor books, but I was just as fascinated by Cole and Tanner as I was by Sam. I found myself wanting to know more about each of them individually, and I can't wait for their stories.
But back to the love story that I did get this time around, because it was a doozy. I laughed (because hello, this is a Jill Shalvis book, and if I don't laugh at least a dozen times when reading a Jill Shalvis book, call an ambulance) and sighed and swooned. I was captivated from the first page. I picked it up during Bout of Books, not sure if I was going to go for it or one of my other books on my goal list. But as soon as I started page one, I was a goner.
See, Sam wasn't the only one with secrets; in fact, that was not his department as much as it was Becca's. In fact, he wasn't nearly as silent as he gave the impression of being. He cared deeply for those within his circle. He was very sweet and sincere in his actions, even when not in words. Yeah, he was gruff sometimes, but it worked for him. I could absolutely see why Becca fell head over heels.
As for Becca, my heart hurt for her immediately, because you just knew she had something in her past that was haunting her. But she was a fighter. She went after what she wanted (including Sam, telling him straight-up what she wanted from him on a number of occasions, from wanting to sleep with him to wanting to date him, and can I just revel for a second in how refreshing that is?). She was scrappy and fun and totally obsessed with ranch popcorn and knew how to laugh at herself. Basically, I would totally be friends with her if I could somehow finagle my way into this fictional universe.
I was completely captivated by this story. It dealt with family problems and friendship, with fears and expectations, all against the charming and fun backdrop of the Pacific and Lucky Harbor. It had a good story and great characters, and not only the leads. I want to know more about Cole and Tanner. I want to know more about Olivia, Becca's neighbor. Thankfully, it seems I will be getting my wish in the next couple books! And while I'm not excited about getting closer to the end, I think these stories will be worth it.
