REVIEW: Moonlight Over Manhattan by Sarah Morgan

In Moonlight Over Manhattan (From Manhattan with Love #6) by Sarah Morgan, Dog walker Harriet Knight is trying to view her twin sister Fliss’s decision to move from their apartment in New York City to the Hamptons as a chance to broaden her horizons. To stand on her own two feet. And that’s when she comes up with the idea for Challenge Harriet. She’ll do something every day between now and Christmas that pushes her out of her comfort zone. The challenge gets real when Harriet must walk cute little spaniel Madi from a different location–the owner’s brother’s apartment. He just so happens to be the sexy doctor she had met once before. But unfortunately this time instead of being confident and assuring, Ethan Black shows a different, ruder side of himself. Harriet slowly realizes that just like she’s trying to get over her aversion of uncomfortable situations, Ethan is dealing with some baggage of his own. And as she gets talked into staying at his apartment to take care of Madi, she knows it will be a true test to her new resolve and to her heart.

“We don’t offer dog sitting. Solo walks only.”
“It’s snowing. They are forecasting more. What if you’re not able to get here one day? I will lose my job and my home. And where would Madi and I live then?”
“Are you trying to guilt-trip me?”
“Whatever it takes.”
“You’re seriously suggesting I stay here?”

A doctor in a hectic emergency room, Ethan isn’t quite sure how he got rooked into taking care of his sister’s dog Madi. He was assured that she would be fine as long as she got walked by Harriet, from the Bark Rangers, twice a day. But after the first day proves disastrous when he walks in to find his apartment destroyed, Ethan knows he’s in over his head. After he apologizes for losing his temper in front of Harriet, he talks her into staying with him for a few days to help sort things out with Madi. Bad mistake. Because now all he can think of is coming home to his house guests and can’t wait to spend time with lovely Harriet. For a guy who has had years of experience pushing aside his feelings so he can focus on his job, Ethan somehow begins to fall for Harriet. He tries to write it off as mere attraction but he’s just kidding himself. Knowing she’s a longterm relationship kind of woman means he should back off. But maybe she’s just the one who can help him break through the walls closing off his emotions after all.

“You’re a good person, Harriet Knight.”
“I think what you meant to say was that I’m a badass, kick-ass serious piece of work.”
He couldn’t help it. He laughed. Out loud. Here in the stark hospital corridor, where the air seemed to be filled with nothing but tension.

What could be more charming and beautiful than a holiday story set in Manhattan? The absolutely lovely relationship between our hero and heroine, that’s what. Sarah Morgan went all out with Moonlight Over Manhattan and I couldn’t have been more satisfied with how it ended.

He groaned and pulled her against him. “I love you too. I want to be your forever family, or whatever it is you call it when you find permanent homes for those animals you foster.”
Forever family.
Merry Christmas, Harriet.
Her throat thickened and she leaned her head against his chest. “I want that too.”

Sarah Morgan’s books always make me smile. Yes, there may be serious issues for our characters to get through. But I know there will be a wonderful HEA and lots of sweet romance along the way. And that definitely explains Harriet and Ethan’s story. Both of them were such *good* people. Do-gooders, really. I mean, Ethan was an ER doctor who dedicated his life to helping others and who always made time for his close knit family. And Harriet’s dog walking business was more about caring for the animals and their pet parents than just a way to make a buck. She also fostered pets and regularly volunteered at her local shelter. How can you not immediately like both characters, right?

Okay, so Ethan and Harriet each had their moments where I shook my head a bit, but they were a terrific couple overall. I liked that they were what seemed to be an opposites attract pair–although they had a lot in common when it came right down to it. Harriet was rather misunderstood as most people thought she was weak and very shy. It’s true that she was introverted but she’d had a lot of anxiety issues to overcome since she was a child. But her Challenge Harriet deal she made with herself had me rooting for her from the beginning. Harriet was determined to step out of her comfort zone in at least one way every day in an effort to make herself more independent. And I totally understood how she would have felt sheltered considering her twin sister Fliss and her brother Daniel were both such take charge people. Harriet proved that she had a lot of gumption, along with being super sweet and caring, and her transformation was a wonder to behold.

Sarah Morgan always gifts us readers with terrific heroes and Ethan sure was that. The sexy ER doc was a great friend to his coworkers and was more than willing to help anyone in need. He had a wonderful relationship with his family and, for fans of Morgan’s O’Neil Brothers series, we found out that Ethan had ties to that dynamic family in Vermont. (And there may or may not have been a trip up there right before Christmas where we got to catch up with them all…) I kind of felt bad for Ethan, though, that he thought of himself as emotionally shut off. With his crazy job he had to keep his feelings tucked away so he could focus on what was best for the patient but he felt like he couldn’t access his emotions in his personal relationships. It took Harriet–and beautiful Madi–to show Ethan he could still love and care with depth. Sigh… It took him a while to figure it out but boy was it worth it in the end.

Their romance might have started off slow and rocky but Harriet and Ethan’s undeniable attraction filled this book with sparks and light humor. If you’re a fan of Sarah Morgan’s character-driven stories, I think Moonlight Over Manhattan is sure to be a winner for you.
 

Book Info:

Publication: November 28th 2017 | HQN Books | From Manhattan with Love #6

She’ll risk everything for her own Christmas miracle…

Determined to conquer a lifetime of shyness, Harriet Knight challenges herself to do one thing a day in December that scares her, including celebrating Christmas without her family. But when dog walker Harriet meets her newest client, exuberant spaniel Madi, she adds an extra challenge to her list–dealing with Madi’s temporary dog sitter, gruff doctor Ethan Black, and their very unexpected chemistry.

Ethan thought he was used to chaos, until he met Madi–how can one tiny dog cause such mayhem? To Ethan, the solution is simple–he will pay Harriet to share his New York apartment and provide twenty-four-hour care. But there’s nothing simple about how Harriet makes him feel.

Ethan’s kisses make Harriet shine brighter than the stars over moonlit Manhattan. But when his dog-sitting duties are over and Harriet returns to her own home, will she dare to take the biggest challenge of all–letting Ethan know he has her heart for life, not just for Christmas?

Booklist STARRED review: “Morgan brings us another delightful, romantic, and sexy tale that may just be the best so far in her From Manhattan with Love series.”

Publishers Weekly STARRED review: “There’s a dash of action, a sprinkle of cheer, and a lot of love to warm up this sweet, sexy wintertime tale.”

RT Book Reviews: “In the sixth From Manhattan With Love tale, Morgan once again makes New York shine — this time with a sexy, unpredictable holiday tale about a doctor with a heart of ice and the woman who’s hot enough to thaw it. Using her expressive, clever, titillating narrative and her brilliant dedication to even the smallest detail, she weaves an unforgettable story that’s funny and heartfelt, showing off Manhattan in all its Christmas finery and cleverly connecting another series. Her two- and four-legged costars are exceptional, but it’s her compassionate, resilient heroine and cynical, driven hero who make this the perfect must-read on a cold winter’s night.”

All About Romance: With its sweetly sensual romance, cute doggy pals and entertaining secondary characters – someone give Ethan’s colleague and friend, Susan, her own late-night chat show stat! – Moonlight Over Manhattan is a satisfying, undemanding story that delivers on both the romance and the Christmassy schmaltz, and is just the thing to curl up with on a cold, grey winter’s afternoon.