Can't Forget You

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In this charming second chance romance, Jessica Flynn has the fulfillment of a dream within her grasp. When land adjacent to her spa comes up for sale, she can just see the cozy hot tubs she’ll install outside the cabins she’ll build to expand into a retreat/paradise. But the problem is that her ex-boyfriend, Mark Dalton, has his eye on the same property in order to expand his outdoor adventure business. Mountain bike trails and hot tubs aren’t exactly friendly bedfellows, and neither really are Mark and Jess. Until…

Can’t Forget You is the third novel in Ms. Lacey’s Risking It All series and we spent the first two books with other members of their group of friends. In those books, the author dropped a lot of hints about Mark and Jess’ backstory, and about why Jess was so cold towards Mark, but a lot of the details remained a mystery to the other characters and therefore to the reader. Now that we’re in the points of view of both Mark and Jess, the whole story unfolds and I admit to being both gripped and charmed.

They were, as far as Jess was concerned, building a happily-ever-after for themselves back in high school. Suddenly, however, Mark left town after graduation to join the Special Forces, and her dreams shattered around her. She tells us several times that she’s fine – enough times that we know she’s really not – and that having Mark so close again has no effect on her. I cannot lie; I rolled my eyes right out of my head the first time I read that. If he had no effect on her, none of us would be here, so clearly, that’s also a lie. A charming one, but still.

Jess and Mark are originally at loggerheads, but when an outside bid comes in for the land, they decide to team up to make sure they can both use the land and ensure condos aren’t built in their tranquil mountain home. As the pair are forced to spend more and more time together, not only does the chemistry ramp up again, but the layers of their pasts begin to be shed. We learn why Mark left so abruptly and what they’ve both been up to and how they both still feel. We’re in their heads as they wrestle with past pain and the idea of second chances. I really enjoy how Ms. Lacey writes romance and this book is no different.

I’ve read the whole series, so seeing the other couples was a fun reunion, but I don’t think you’d be lost if you jumped in here. If second chance romance is your booknip as much as it is mine, then you’ll love this. Can’t Forget You ticks all the great second chance boxes, with the added bonus of a terrific group of friends and a plot device that makes sure the problems of the past have to be resolved before the future can be entered into. Overall, this is a fun, sexy read about two people who deserve their happily ever after.

Buy it at: A/BN/iB/K

Reviewed by Kristen Donnelly

Grade: B+

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date: 14/01/18

Publication Date: 12/2017

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Recent Comments …

  1. excellent book: interesting, funny dialogs, deep understanding of each character, interesting secondary characters, and also sexy.

Voracious reader, with a preference for sassy romances and happily ever afters. In a relationship with coffee, seeing whiskey on the side.

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Robin
Robin
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01/15/2018 11:15 am

Sounds charming. I’m curious about why you gave it a B+ rating instead of some form of A. Your review is really complimentary.