REVIEW: Rumor Has It by Leela Lou Dahlin

Rumor Has It by Leela Lou Dahlin is an uncomplicated, realistic romance. Although this book is on the shorter side, less than 150 pages long, the author packs a lot of punch into the plot. However, the pace meanders a little bit. In a nutshell, the two main characters, event planner Raina Gibson and lieutenant fire chief Liam Prescott, have been good friends for about four years and due to Raina’s honesty while straddling Liam’s lap, they move their relationship out of the just friends zone.

Rumor has it that Liam is a commitment-phobe. Since he is a smart and gorgeous male specimen, women are constantly throwing themselves at him. The women that he sleeps with know that a future with him is not an option. He is able to dismiss any clinging or emotional attachment with a combination of scorn, avoidance and hostility. He enjoys spending his downtime with Raina because not only is she a good friend, she is smart, beautiful, sweet, and homey.

Up until recently, Raina has tolerated Liam’s slight moodiness and his need to just hang out at her place, because she really likes him and their friendship means a lot to her. She has always been attracted to him and she wants to experience the mind-blowing sex that she has only heard about. Seducing him is her only option and it works. Little by little she breaks down Liam’s barriers and learns a lot about her sexual needs in the process.

Being friends first is really what brings Liam and Raina together romantically. With the exception of his and Raina’s friendship, Liam has never had a long-lasting relationship.

Neither of them wants anything to ruin their friendship, so putting the brakes on becomes somewhat habitual. Ms. Dahlin does a nice job of depicting the friends to lovers romance trope. I found the writing of the first chapter to be slightly juvenile, however, the author’s creation of the naturalness of a shy woman going after the man that she wants was amazingly realistic. Overall, a decent read with an ending that will keep you smiling.

Book Info:

Published October 27, 2014 by Loose Id LLC

Raina Gibson is an event organizer who’s planned a family of her own ever since her mother passed away. The idea was to be married by age twenty-six, and have two children by thirty. She’d had everything in place, but one thing kept getting in her way: her best friend Liam Prescott. She’s attracted to his sexy confidence and intrigued by his daring spontaneity. Rumor has it this committed bachelor is phenomenal between the sheets, and since she’s never known anything but ordinary she figures that has to be the draw. So she decides there’s only one thing to do: get him into her bed and out of her system then get herself back on track.

Liam’s a Lieutenant Fire Chief who’s never forgotten what it feels like to have the most important woman in his life walk away without looking back. But there’s still something about Raina that makes him want to keep her close and protect her. So when Raina propositions him he’s torn. They’re thrown together for the Annual Fire Ball and the more he has her the more he wants.

“Out of their systems” isn’t working out as planned. So they’ll have to decide whether to keep the fire between them burning or hose down these new behaviors and go back to what’s always worked for them.