The Fling: a romance in paradise follows two individuals home and a chance for a lifetime love

The Fling is the second book in the Lake Bittersweet series by Jennifer Bernard. Emmaline Curtis has never been far from home before but when she wins an all expenses paid trip to Hawaii, it is a dream come true. There she meets a gorgeous man and after a few moments of flirty banter, she is ready for anything. Conor Gault is in Hawaii on a business trip when his chance meeting with a beautiful woman turns into an unexpected romance in paradise. They agree to a fling. However, it is cut short when he receives news that his rock star father has passed away unexpectedly. He finds himself in Lake Bittersweet, Minnesota, a place he has purposely avoided for seventeen years. The last person he expected to run into is Emmaline, the woman who has haunted his thoughts since they parted in Hawaii. They find that their spark is still there but it will be tested when they discover that their pasts are linked in more ways than they ever knew. 

After reading the first book in this series, I wasn’t sure if I wanted to continue this series. However, when I had a chance to read the second book, I decided to give it a second chance. The Fling starts out great. Two people in paradise who throw caution to the wind, until reality brings them back. I enjoyed their interaction and flirty banter. After they meet up again in Lake Bittersweet, the story falters a bit. I loved Emmaline and Conor’s interactions. I loved Conor’s interactions with Emmaline’s brother, Henry. I think my issue with this story is the interactions with the supporting characters who were introduced in the story as if I should have already known them and their histories. Maybe it was the time between reading book 1 and book 2 that was the issue but I found myself losing attention. Overall, though, I did enjoy this story. I enjoyed Conor’s growth specifically. I may continue the series in the future. If you enjoy small town romance, I recommend The Fling. 

The Fling is available in paperback and eBook

Every Little Thing: missing persons in paradise and one member of the Gray family decides to confront the past she has been running from

Every Little Thing is the twelfth book in the Hart’s Ridge series by Kay Bratt. Taylor Gray and her family travel to Cabo San Lucas for the fairytale wedding of Ellis’s daughter, Madison. Everything is perfect in the picturesque beach resort. However, the next morning, the bride and her maid of honor have gone missing, virtually without a trace. With the local police being no help, Taylor and her family investigate on their own. Will they find Madison and her best friend alive? Back in the States, Lucy is on the run. Wandering from state to state, trying to outrun the past, her memories and the voices in her head. However, the further she travels, the more she realizes that she will never know healing and peace if she keeps running and she heads to the one place she never wanted to see again. Will Lucy finally find the peace she has been longing for? 

I opened this book with anticipation. The Hart’s Ridge series digs deep in the stories that we only hear about on true crime shows. Each story has a heart-gripping event that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. In Every Little Thing, Taylor and her family find themselves  diving deep into the seedy side of paradise and the determination to bring home the missing women. Lucy’s storyline was about confrontation. I knew we hadn’t heard the last of this situation, I don’t want to give it away, but I loved that Lucy is a lot smarter than her family thinks she is and finds a way to put her mind at ease and bring an end to the shadow that has stalked her. If you haven’t read the Hart’s Ridge series, I highly recommend starting with book 1, Hart’s Ridge. If you are a fan of the Hart’s Ridge series, I highly, highly recommend Every Little Thing. 

Every Little Thing is available in paperback and eBook