The Steeles at Silver Island #3
e-ARC provided by author
Author: Melissa Foster
Archer and Indi have been hooking up secretly for a while now. Indi is best friends with his sister Leni, and she’s going to move to Silver Island to establish herself as a business owner. She’s a respected make-up artist and hairstylist in NYC, with her own skin/hair care products and she wants to open a boutique in the island she has come to love. Hence the secret hookup – Archer is the island’s most eligible and most elusive bachelor. He has no intention of settling down with anyone. He’s had his fair share of conquests all over the island and Indi doesn’t want to start her life there with the reputation of being just “one of his many hookups”.
So, every time they meet, they can’t resist the pull and, as she does “the walk of shame”, Indi vows this is the last time. The problem is that Archer can’t get her out of his head. And he keeps showing up, with his gorgeous, massive body and his dirty talking that Indi can’t resist.
This is a standalone novel, but we met Archer before when we found out what happened to his twin brother’s girlfriend and his best friend, Kayla. Archer’s been torturing himself for that and a lot of other things that he apparently believe are his fault. His devil may care attitude and resistance in getting into a serious relationship come from the fact that he believes he is undeserving of love. Enter Indi, who also has demons of her own, but who doesn’t take crap from the giant vintner. She sees the true Archer beneath the layers of anger and gruffness.
I was intrigued by Archer from the first moment I met him a couple of books before. I could tell that there was a wonderful hero in Jules’ protective big brother and it’s a delight to see Indi peel all the layers he covered himself with for his own protection. Indi is also a great character. I love how she sticks to her guns and pursues her dreams, even if it will alienate her from her uppity family.
Also, when these two get together your eyebrows will singe from all the heat emanating from the page! Oh, Indi, you never stood a chance when you thought you could resist him! Nothing like a big alpha grump who turns to mush for his woman (although he’s kicking and screaming while it happens)! He proves to Indi that he will be there for her no matter what and she makes him realize that he never failed the people he thought he wronged.
Like I said, this is a standalone novel, but why on earth aren’t you reading Melissa’s books??? I particularly love the books set on the island! And I loved catching up on Jules, Grant, Leni, Tara, Levi, Jock, Daphne and, most of all, little Hadley!
Side note: if you are reading the books chronologically, this story happens before the events in Maybe We Will, but it doesn’t take away from anything or is spoiled by that book.
A thousand stars, as always.
