All This Time - A Review of READY TO FALL by Daisy Prescott

 (Good reads Blurb)

When you fall, you fall hard... 

Readers first fell in love with John Day as the hot next-door neighbor in Romantic Comedy Best Seller Geoducks Are for Lovers. Tall, dark, and handsome is an understatement. With the beard, a dog named Babe, and his ever present plaid shirt, John is a modern lumberjack in more ways than one.

Lurking beneath the flannel and beard could be the heart of a romantic. Or is John a wolf in flannel clothing?

After his favorite neighbor rents out her cabin for the winter, John finds himself playing fireman and tour guide to Diane Watson, a beautiful brunette with her own messy past and recent battle scars. When an ex shows up unexpectedly, their lives will be changed forever.

Will he be ready to fall in love? Or will he fall back into his old, flirty ways?

Hold onto your heart... and get ready to fall for John Day.

The Story...

I first became acquainted with John Day as Maggie's sexy, shirtless, lumberjack neighbor in Geoducks Are for Lovers. (see my review HERE)  He made for wonderful eye-candy for Maggie and her friends then, but I'm glad that he gets his own story and we get to watch his transformation.

John has spent many years making his way through the single women on Whidbey Island.  He flirts with all of the married women who come to visit during the tourist season.  Settling down has been the furthest thing from his mind until his high school crush comes around again, having separated from her soon-to-be ex-husband.  When John decides to test the waters and calls her his girlfriend, he gets a shock.  He discovers that she has been reconnecting with her husband, and they are not quite as separated as John had been led to believe.  After this crushing blow, John tries to fall back on his "player" status, but it lacks the appeal it once held for him.

Maggie has left the island to do some travelling with Gil.  She has rented her cabin out for 6 months to a newly divorced New Yorker, Diane, who's first act on the island involves nearly burning down Maggie's cabin.  John sees the smoke and rescues the poor woman and saves the cabin.  He appoints himself as Diane's keeper and spends a lot of time educating her in the ways of wood-burning stoves, fishing, and other aspects of island life.

The fact that Diane and John have just come out of hurtful relationships keeps them both from acting on the intense attraction that they feel toward each other.  At first.  After spending time getting to know each other they agree to work out a friends with benefits kind of relationship.  Because those ALWAYS work out well, right?

What Worked...

It really was a good read.  I enjoyed watching John's transformation.  You could see him go through stages as his relationship with Diane strengthens.  Her acceptance of him just the way he is was great.  I also really enjoyed the slow build of their relationship.  While they were immediately attracted to each other, there was no insta-love.  They had to work hard and take the time to discover each other.  It was great.

John is super swoony and I also really liked Diane.  She was vulnerable, but she learned how to stand up and demand what she wants.

What Didn't...

To me, (and this is a personal preference) the ending felt a little stretched out.  I felt it coming but then there was another chapter.  And then another.  I have a bad habit of ending the story in my head before the author is finished telling the story and that's what happened to me here.

This was a great follow-up to Geoducks Are for Lovers and I thank the author for providing and ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.  I recommend it to anyone looking for a grown-up romance complete with swoony, shirtless lumberjacks and outdoor shower sex.

COMING DECEMBER 17, 2013

About Daisy Prescott...

Before writing full time, I worked in the world of art, auctions, antiques, and home decor. I earned a degree in Art History despite being convinced I would major in English and endured a brief stint as a film theory graduate student. Over the years I've acquired many titles: baker, art educator, antiques dealer, content manager, blue ribbon pie maker, fangirl, blogger, freelance writer, gardener, wife, and pet mom are a few of them.

Born and raised in San Diego, my husband and I currently live in a real life Stars Hollow in the Boston suburbs with our dog, Hubbell, and an imaginary house goat. Ready to Fall, my second novel, will be released on December 17, 2013 and features John Day, the hot, sexy neighbor in Geoducks. I'm busy researching my next novel, which will not feature any bivalves. 

Links...

Daisy on Facebook
Follow Daisy on Twitter
Ready to Fall on Goodreads

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