In Bungalow Nights by Christie Rigdway, Book 2 in the Beach House No. 9 series:Vance Smith is an army medic who has just returned from war and is on a mission. He promised his dying friend Col. Parker that he will take his daughter on a month long vacation to Beach House No.9 and help her to complete the “Helmet List” of all of the things that he never got to do with his “Little Girl”. Seeing a picture of Layla Parker, Vance thinks
that she is a 9 year old girl. What a shock when the little girl proves to be a brown haired 25 year old woman with big brown eyes and a body that makes him want to rethink this vacation.
Layla Parker is the Karma Cupcake Queen. She and her uncle own a traveling food truck that sells gourmet cupcakes. Her uncle has arranged her to spend the month at Beach House No. 9, but when she meets Vance, the unexpected and unexplainable pull he has on her makes her want to run for the hills. But her father’s dying wish was for her to spend the summer at the beach house, so like a good little soldier, she decides to try to ignore her attraction to Vance and make the most of the time that her father planned.
Along for the ride with Vance and Layla are Addy and Baxter. They have their own subplot in the story and it did not detract at all from Vance and Layla, it only enhanced the story. Vance has family issues. He sees himself as a screw-up in his families eyes, and not half good enough for Layla. Layla looks at Vance and sees a strong man, with a gentle heart who she deems her only personal hero.
I loved Vance and Layla together. Both fight their attraction for one another, but they keep getting drawn in, and eventually give in. I love that it was not a wham, bam, thank you ma’am” kind of thing, but something that built at a good pace and by the time that they stopped fighting the attraction, you were ready for them to get together. I loved the dynamic of Vance’s family. He loved his family and the loved him, but misunderstandings and miscommunication kept preventing them from showing it. I loved how Layla tried to help them out and eventually helped them reconcile.
I would recommend that book to everyone. I will definitely read the rest of the books in this series.
Book Info:
Publisher: Harlequin HQN (February 26, 2013)
Return to USA TODAY bestselling author Christie Ridgway’s Crescent Cove, California, where the magic of summer can last forever…
Combat medic Vance Smith made a promise to a fallen officer: to treat the man’s young daughter to an idyllic vacation at Beach House No. 9. One month, some sun and surf, a “helmet list” of activities to check off and Vance will move on. But the “little girl” he’s expecting turns out to be a full-grown woman. With silky hair, big brown eyes and smelling sweetly of the cupcakes she makes for her mobile bakery, Layla Parker is irresistible. And Vance shouldn’t lay a finger on her. Honor—and one heck of a scarred heart—says so.
To Layla, Vance is a hero who was injured trying to save her father’s life. She intends to spend their month of lazy days and warm nights taking very good care of the gorgeous soldier—inside and out….