REVIEW: A Better Man by Candis Terry

In A Better Man (Sunshine Creek Vineyard #1) by Candis Terry, NHL hockey star Jordan Kincade has devoted his whole life to his career, sometimes at the detriment of his family. When his parents suddenly pass away, he knows the time is right to go home to Sunshine Creek and support his siblings. His little sister Nicki has already been struggling in school even before their family’s devastating loss so Jordan intends to help her by meeting with her teacher. When he realizes that lovely Ms. Diamond is a woman he knew in high school, who probably hates his guts for the way he treated her, he will do anything to get back in her good graces.

‘As a teen back in high school he’d liked Lucy. Enjoyed her company. Appreciated the way her mind worked. But he’d never looked at her like he wanted to strip her down and mess her up. But he was sure looking now.’

Seeing Jordan walk into her classroom brought back a lot of memories for Lucy. Some good, some heartbreaking. But she promises herself she will focus on getting Nicki back on track and ignore Jordan’s flirting. As they work together to figure out what is behind the teenager’s issues, Lucy has to admit that Jordan has come a long way from the wild teenage boy she knew in school. And their attraction has only gotten stronger. She doesn’t want to make the same mistakes as she has in the past but something tells her it might be worth it to try again with Jordan.

Before he got in the SUV, he stopped and said, “A woman like you deserves to be treated well because she matters. You matter to me, Lucy.”
As he drove away, any remaining ice around her heart completely melted.

What a fantastic way to start off a brand spankin’ new series from one of my go-to authors, Candis Terry. And I have to say that this first glimpse into the Kincade family dynamics has me already wanting more!

The Kincades were a complex bunch, each family member definitely having their own vibe/personality which made this extremely interesting. It’s a great set up for future installments, too. I was quite impressed with how deftly Candis Terry maneuvered between the serious part of the storyline regarding the sudden loss of the Kincade’s parents and the heated reunion between Jordan and Lucy. It would have been easy for one of those elements to overshadow the whole story, but that didn’t happen. Instead, all of those emotions were woven together to create a realistic view of a family in mourning as well as highlighting everything Jordan was going through personally.

I honestly loved both Lucy and Jordan and thought there was a lot of depth to them. Lucy came from a troubled home, and combined with the bad situation she found herself in right out of college, it led to her having trust issues as well as a fragile hold on her self-esteem. Jordan was sort of the opposite. He had a strong sense of self and had been brought up in a loving, albeit crazy busy family. I thought it was great how Jordan was able to help boost Lucy’s view of herself, and there was one particular scene where he made her feel like a princess that just wowed me. You’ll know it when you read it. *dreamy sigh*

Jordan and Lucy’s stormy past made this a delicious second chance romance. I liked how their relationship evolved from animosity to friendship to so much more, plus how they were able to team up to help Jordan’s little sister Nicki with her problems. It was nice that even though there were some darker threads to the plot, there were moments that kept the tone from being too heavy. The bickering between the Kincade brothers was comical, as was their nickname for Nicki, ‘baby dragon’, thanks to her teenage mood swings. My favorite lighthearted character though was Lucy’s dog Ziggy and his, well let’s say, gastrointestinal issue. I could totally relate, having had a dog with the same (embarrassing) issue. 😉

The Sunshine Creek Vineyard series has kicked off on a positive note. With relatable characters, poignant moments, and a bit of a family mystery to solve, I think contemporary romance readers will have a great time getting to know the Kincades.

Book Info:

Publication: Expected publication: March 29th 2016 | Avon | Sunshine Creek Vineyard #1

Meet the Kincade brothers: they’ll do what it takes to protect their legacy—but what happens when love gets in the way?

Hockey star Jordan Kincade wasted no time ditching Sunshine Valley and everyone who mattered for a career in the NHL—a truth Jordan confronts when his parents’ deaths bring him home. Now he’s back to make amends, which begins with keeping his younger sister from flunking out of school. It’s just his luck that the one person who can help is the girl whose heart he broke years ago.

Lucy Diamond has racked up a number of monumental mistakes in her life, the first involving a certain blue-eyed charmer. She has no intention of falling for Jordan Kincade again, but when he shows up asking her to help one of her students, Lucy just can’t say no. Worse, the longer he’s back, the more she sees how much he’s changed. And so when a blistering kiss turns to more, she can’t help but wonder if her heart will be crushed again . . . or if she’ll discover true love with a better man.