In Summer’s Moon (Sweetland #3) by Lacey Baker, Parker is back in Sweetland following the death of his grandmother. Carrying out her wishes and keeping the family business running will keep him there for a while. He has no intention to stay forever, but on leave from his detective job at the Boston Police Department, he is in no hurry.
Drew has always been attracted to Parker. She’s escaping from bad memories of her own and has no desire to be involved with anyone. A one night stand with Parker with lasting consequences might change all that though. Drew doesn’t expect Parker to want to settle down with her. She’s not even sure that’s what she wants. A shared responsibility draws them closer though. As Parker starts caring more and more for Drew, Drew is still scared and unsure. She’ll have to face her past before she can move on, and that might happen sooner than she’d anticipated. Parker has his own worries too, and thanks to his work, danger is closer than he realizes. Will they have a chance at a future together?
I really liked Drew and Parker. Lacey manages to make them a bit mysterious, and pulled me in, making me want to know them better. Drew has moved on from a traumatic experience in her hometown and is doing well for herself. She is independent and determined to take care of herself. She never expected to find herself in a relationship with Parker. She’s made a lot of assumptions where he is concerned, and she’s going to have to let them go if they are going to have a chance. I really like Parker too. He finds himself having to win Parker over, and I liked watching them work through their issues in an attempt to make things work. Parker is responsible and protective. When the unexpected starts happening in Sweetland, he’s determined to keep his family (including Drew) safe. The mystery around Parker was intriguing, and Lacey brought this into the plot well as a strong secondary story. I liked how she pulled it all together and made it work.
There are a host of secondary characters in Summer’s Moon, from Parker’s family to Drew’s mother and more. They all added strength and diversity to the plot without taking away from it. Summer’s Moon is the third book in the Sweetland series but can be read as a stand alone (like I did) easily. Lacey explores the relationship between Drew and her mother well, and really made me feel even more for Drew this way.
I’d recommend Summer’s Moon to romance readers who enjoy a good mix of humor, sizzle, and mystery with believable characters.
Book Info:
August 26th 2014 by St. Martin’s Paperbacks | (Sweetland #3)
Parker Cantrell is not the most joyful guy around. After years of being a homicide detective in Boston, he’s seen too many bad things to believe in happy endings. So when Parker has to return to his small hometown to care for the puppy his grandmother left him, he’s looking forward to having some time to rest and relax. That is, until he bumps into Drew. She’s always gotten him hot and bothered, and unless Parker can find a way to avoid her, there’s no way he’ll be able to relax. Or get any rest…
Drew Sydney has had the biggest crush on Parker for as long as she can remember. Now that he’s back in town, the attraction between them is impossible to ignore. Drew knows she should stay away from Parker—if he can bolt after the best night of their lives together, he’s clearly not cut out to be anything real in her life. The problem is that their one night stand didn’t just rock Drew’s world…she’s also pregnant with Parker’s baby.
Both of their lives have just been turned upside down. Parker wants to do the right thing, but Drew isn’t interested in any shotgun weddings. So if Mr. “I’ve Seen It All” Parker wants the woman he can’t seem to forget, he’s going to have to win her heart all over again…
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Cute cover