Single in Sitka (An Odds-Are-Good Standalone Romance Book 1)
*claps* I had so much fun (and feels) reading this one!! It wasn’t anything crazy or over-the-top tense or anything like that, just pure sweet (yet super-steamy!!! HOLY MOLY) contemporary romance, with just the right amount of angst to keep me concerned about how it would resolve. And a cop-romance which I’ve obviously got a thing for. YAY ME!! I one-clicked this on release day SO HARD. 😉
It hit all my romance-buttons:
- A sweet and loving (and grieving) single father – check
- An interesting (and very plausible) date potential? – check!
- A not so pleasant (but also plausible) “meet cute” – CHECK!!
“What? What do you want?” I finally yell, stopping to face him. “Why can’t you leave me alone?”
He brakes beside me. “You’re clearly in distress. I can’t leave you out here alone.”
“Why not?” I demand. “Are you the distress police?”
“Nope. Regular police.”
- YAY!!! A man in uniform – YES PLEASE!! I mean… check. 😉
- An issue that is keeping them apart (and making me ache?) YEP!!!! CHECK and CHECK!
And actually, there are a few issues keeping them apart, but the main one is a BIG one.
So what’s it about?
He’s a State Trooper in Alaska, raising his young children alone (after the death of his wife) in a safe and quaint town (he’s a little jaded on city life…) but curious about the crying girl on the side of the road…
A skinny, moody city girl crying on the side of the road for no good reason? A wily reporter with girl-next-door freckles on her nose who pretty much tricked me into talking to her?
and she’s a reporter in Seattle, trying to get over a recent breakup with the one she thought was “the one”…
“…The right one’s still out there waiting. You’re not giving up, are you?”
“Giving up? Hmm.” I tap my chin. “Well, my boyfriend of five years dumped me because he wasn’t ‘into us’ anymore, which we all know means he wasn’t into me…”
She LOVES her city life and her job (well to an extent 😉 ) and when she’s sent on assignment to Alaska (how she gets sent there made me chuckle) ;), she responds to a personals ad hoping to temporarily dip her feet in the dating pool again. After all, since it’s far from home, with no possibility of getting serious, there’s no danger in a little fun, right?
“You just look so famili—wait a second! You’re the cop! The one who gave me a ride yesterday!” Her head straightens and she raises her eyebrows. “Still mad at me?”
That is, unless you meet someone that you have that undeniable “spark” with. Oh yes… an amazing connection, but hard to do from so far away.
And at first, this wasn’t even a consideration, since both agreed to be each other’s temporary rebounds. Just to get back into the swing of things.
Dare I tell him that my original interest in Sitka had nothing to do with bears? That it was a last-minute story idea I’d pitched after ogling his personal ad? That my true interest in Sitka was actually…him?
He’s not ready for anything serious, and is careful not to disrupt his children’s lives, and she’s got her perfect life (and apartment) set in the city that she adores (of course, minus a love life)…
“Like you said, we’re both looking for a rebound. I’ll be that for you, if you’ll be that for me.”
“No strings attached?”
“None.”
but the heart wants what the heart wants…
CUE THE DELICIOUS ANGST!!!
I’m leaving it there for you to discover (and devour). It’s an easy read and one to swoon over, and I really appreciated that it explored real life situations that many “long distance couples” (or even “already-made” family) couples likely face.
My only true hiccup? I wish the cover had the hero looking a bit more his age (both main characters are well into their 30s) vs this super-young version. Cute… of course! My version of Luke? Nope.
4 stars! <— A sweet and steamy read that kept me connected. This was just what I was in the mood for, and exactly what I needed. Did it all tie up a little too perfectly in a beautiful bow? Sure. But that’s the fantasy right? Well… at least mine. 😉
Where did Marly Chance disapear to? Knew she was supposed to be having a rest when her son was born..but really?? He must be heading for university now lol