Kiss Me Ever After
by Julie Archer
Series: Ever After, #1
Genre: New Adult Romance/Contemporary Romance
Release Date: January 14, 2021
She has a lot of plans. None of them involved him. Until now.
Lennon Cole has it all mapped out, bright lights, New York and living the high life. Until a shady deal in her father's business world brings everything she knows down around her. With nothing left, Lennon ends up in the one place she doesn't want to be; at her grandparents' holiday home in Ealynn Sands.
Justin Navarro has it all sorted. The bad boy of Ealynn Sands, his reputation precedes him. If there's one thing he can't abide, it's tourists flying into his hometown and leaving again without a backwards glance. Like Lennon Cole. Sure, they've had moments... Near misses and almost kisses, but he could never be interested in a pampered princess like that.
Until the night he saves her life.
Now the tourist and the bad boy are seeing each other properly for the first time... but it's just a summer fling... isn't it?
Kiss Me Ever After is a standalone romance, where opposites attracting could just change your life forever.
Copyright 2021 @Julie Archer
“Remind me why we’re doing this again?” I winced as a woman literally stuck a pin into me.
“We’re saving my mum’s skin,” declared Amber, my best friend.
Which was why I stood in a freezing cold corridor in a thin satin slip dress, having the bodice altered to make it fit properly.
“Keep still,” hissed the woman through a mouthful of pins. “I don’t want to get blood on this dress.”
I did as I was told, trying not to shiver and inadvertently get pricked.
Amber had roped me into modelling at the Ealynn Sands Annual Summer Fashion Pageant. Her mother worked in the hotel which hosted it, and two girls they’d lined up to model had dropped out at the last minute. So Sonya had spoken to Amber, who’d spoken to me, and before long we were trying on outfits and now being made up to within an inch of our lives.
While I enjoyed fashion, my interests lay on the other side of the industry in marketing and PR. This week, I’d got the news I’d been accepted for an internship next summer with a prestigious consultancy in New York. It was everything I wanted… Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s. Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Central Park and yellow cabs…you name it, I was ready. Anything to do with the Big Apple and I wanted it. When I’d told her, Amber had been excited for me, even though it meant missing out on our usual summer plans. Selfishly, I didn’t care. One summer away from here wouldn’t hurt anyone, well, except maybe Amber. She would miss me.
“Excuse me, ladies,” a male voice cut through the excited chatter in the corridor, “coming through!”
My gaze fell on the waiter pushing through the hallway with a tray full of empty plates and dirty cutlery.
Dark curly hair, brown and gold eyes, and a muscled body clad in the regulation uniform of black jeans with a black and white horizontal striped t-shirt. I practically drooled.
Justin Navarro.
For years, he and I had danced around each other every summer.
Almost getting together.
Almost, but not quite.
He brushed past me, his arm skimming my nipples, which tightened enough in response that he noticed and paused. The corner of his mouth quirked, his eyes catching mine.
“Sorry,” he murmured.
The low octave of his voice sent waves down my spine.
“Remind me why we’re doing this again?” I winced as a woman literally stuck a pin into me.
“We’re saving my mum’s skin,” declared Amber, my best friend.
Which was why I stood in a freezing cold corridor in a thin satin slip dress, having the bodice altered to make it fit properly.
“Keep still,” hissed the woman through a mouthful of pins. “I don’t want to get blood on this dress.”
I did as I was told, trying not to shiver and inadvertently get pricked.
Amber had roped me into modelling at the Ealynn Sands Annual Summer Fashion Pageant. Her mother worked in the hotel which hosted it, and two girls they’d lined up to model had dropped out at the last minute. So Sonya had spoken to Amber, who’d spoken to me, and before long we were trying on outfits and now being made up to within an inch of our lives.
While I enjoyed fashion, my interests lay on the other side of the industry in marketing and PR. This week, I’d got the news I’d been accepted for an internship next summer with a prestigious consultancy in New York. It was everything I wanted… Macy’s, Bloomingdale’s. Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Central Park and yellow cabs…you name it, I was ready. Anything to do with the Big Apple and I wanted it. When I’d told her, Amber had been excited for me, even though it meant missing out on our usual summer plans. Selfishly, I didn’t care. One summer away from here wouldn’t hurt anyone, well, except maybe Amber. She would miss me.
“Excuse me, ladies,” a male voice cut through the excited chatter in the corridor, “coming through!”
My gaze fell on the waiter pushing through the hallway with a tray full of empty plates and dirty cutlery.
Dark curly hair, brown and gold eyes, and a muscled body clad in the regulation uniform of black jeans with a black and white horizontal striped t-shirt. I practically drooled.
Justin Navarro.
For years, he and I had danced around each other every summer.
Almost getting together.
Almost, but not quite.
He brushed past me, his arm skimming my nipples, which tightened enough in response that he noticed and paused. The corner of his mouth quirked, his eyes catching mine.
“Sorry,” he murmured.
The low octave of his voice sent waves down my spine.
This was my first book by Julie Archer and I really enjoyed her writing style and ability to write scenes that made you feel like you were a part of the story. It did start off a bit slow for me, but once the characters and setting were sorted, I really enjoyed the romance that developed between Lennon and Justin.
There was a lot going on with both characters outside of their relationship that had me rooting for them to find their happy ever after. They are both dealing with family issues and I really felt for what Justin had to deal with.
I’m not a big fan of too much drama and angst, and there were a couple of scenes that I felt didn’t add a lot of value to the story that I could have done without, but overall I enjoyed watching Justin and Lennon find the way to the happy ever after. There were a few questions left unanswered, so maybe some things will be addressed as the series progresses.
Julie Archer is the author of contemporary romance featuring rock stars, small towns, a healthy dose of angst, some steamy times, and always a happy ever after!
When not writing, she can usually be found binge-watching teen drama series on Netflix, or supporting Spurs (the English Premier League football team, not the American basketball team!) from her armchair, and running around after her two feline children, Corey and Elsa.
Real angst. Real romance.
No comments:
Post a Comment