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When I reviewed Serena Bell’s So Close (Tierney Bay #1) earlier in 2020, I remarked that it was set in the same locale as a 2015 book that I had read and loved by this author called Turn Up the Heat. At the time, it was no longer available in stores but I’m happy to share that it has now been re-released. I decided to read it again to see if it held up to the high regard I gave it before. (Spoiler alert – it does!).
When Lily McKee’s relationship in Chicago failed, she ended up with no plan except to lick her wounds and try to save up some money to salvage her dream of opening her own restaurant. Staying with her sister in the small town of Tierney Bay on the Oregon Coast and waiting tables at a dingy diner keeps her going as she sorts out what to do next. With time on her hands, she can’t help but notice the sexy mystery man who starts to take up residence in one of her booths. Kincaid Graves has his reasons for being quiet and reserved, but he isn’t immune to the glances he gets from Lily and what starts out as an innocent flirtation heats up quickly as they discover that they share a sexual penchant they can freely indulge in with each other. But what starts out as sex becomes something deeper, a relationship that will only stand a chance if secrets are told before they come out on their own. Will Kincaid tell Lily the truth about his past before it’s too late?
This is a well told story of two people coming from different circumstances, and learning to trust again. It hooks you right from the start and though Kincaid’s circumstances are revealed to the reader fairly quickly (no spoilers here), it’s a secret that he keeps from Lily. Waiting for her to find out (and wondering what she’ll do with the news) gives the reader the conundrum of wanting to turn the pages faster while savouring the buildup at the same time.
Lily is a friendly and sweet woman who loves to cook, and the most difficult part of her job at the diner is that she doesn’t have the freedom to create and improve upon the dishes on the menu. The one time she tries to make something for Kincaid she gets in trouble from her boss, but Kincaid stands up for her. Outside of her sister, Lily doesn’t get that kind of support from anyone and it starts forging bonds of trust between them. From there the sexual tension leads them into an erotic affair where issues of consent, bondage and rough sex all come into play.
Kincaid comes across as a tortured hero on a mission of revenge and finding the truth at all costs, a mission that is hampered by his growing feelings for Lily. He is strong, loyal and protective and he falls hard for Lily despite his best efforts to keep himself emotionally uninvolved. Lily has made it clear she’s only in Tierney Bay to make some money so she can find a new job and a new place to live in Chicago, and even if Kincaid wanted to, there are reasons that he can’t follow her there. They go into this relationship knowing it’s only temporary.
Shame and guilt plague both Kincaid and Lily for various reasons. Sharing and overcoming their perceived inadequacies takes some time but helps them grow closer, as does the bond from their sexual experiences. I love the way the story plays out, and once we get past the inevitable conflict and on to the well-deserved happy ending, there is a really sweet epilogue that brought tears to my eyes. Fans of gritty, sexy, emotional romances should definitely give this one a read.
Buy it at: Amazon
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Grade: A
Book Type: Contemporary Romance
Sensuality: Hot
Review Date: 03/05/20
Publication Date: 04/2020
Recent Comments …
Yep
This sounds delightful! I’m grabbing it, thanks
excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.
I don’t think anyone expects you to post UK prices – it’s just a shame that such a great sale…
I’m sorry about that. We don’t have any way to post British prices as an American based site.
I have several of her books on my TBR and after reading this am moving them up the pile.
I'm a biochemist and a married mother of two. Reading has been my hobby since grade school, and I've been a fan of the romance genre since I was a teenager. Sharing my love of good books by writing reviews is a recent passion of mine, but one which is richly rewarding.
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Bell never, ever disappoints.
This is true! This one is one of her first books, when she was in a blogging group with Cara McKenna, Ruthie Knox, Charlotte Stein and a few others. I can’t remember the name anymore and they ended the blog in about 2017 I think. I used to follow their articles.
Oh, I found it! It’s Wonk-O-Mance http://wonkomance.com/index.html
It ran from 2012 to 2015 and the site is still available though they have not published new content. Interestingly, only Serena Bell, Alexis Hall, Charlotte Stein and Amber Lin (writing now as Skye Warren) are still actively writing. The rest are on a hiatus (hopefully not permanent, but for some it’s been a couple of years already).
I was just thinking about Charlotte Stein this morning and wondering if she were still publishing. The last thing I remember from her was a short story in the REINDEER GAMES anthology from Christmas of 2018, but possibly I’ve missed something more recent. I’m sorry Cara McKenna (along with two of my other favorites, Anne Calhoun and Jill Sorenson) are no longer publishing. They produced such good work—each of them write several books that are comfort rereads for me. And I did not know that Amber Lin was Skye Warren (she’s one of my “dark” romance favorites), so thanks for the info.
yeah, for a while Amber/Skye was writing under both pen names but the Skye books were taking off and the Amber ones weren’t so she abandoned that one and hasn’t written anything new under it for a few years. Charlotte just released a zombie menage romance, Reawakening, which was originally released in 2011, so I’m not sure how many people would have seen it then. I don’t think she’s written anything new since the Reindeer Games antho either. I also miss Cara McKenna and Anne Calhoun, as well as Ruthie Knox and Mary Ann Rivers a lot. That group that was in the wonkomance blog together was terrific.