REVIEW: Sweet Talking Man by Liz Talley

Sweet Talking Man by Liz Talley: Leif is a hippie artist who teaches at the local school. He’s in the small town of Magnolia Bend on a mission to find the father he never knew. While Leif is sexy and charming, he desperately is looking for a place to belong. He wants love and his three broken engagements are a testament to the fact he hasn’t found the right woman.

Abigail is a mother to a twelve-year-old daughter and runs a B and B. After her husband left her for a younger woman, she changed. Abigail is tightly controlled and exceedingly organized. She is determined to never let anyone see her fall apart again or to put herself in a position where another man can leave her.

But even though Leif looked mighty fine in his worn blue jeans and waffle T-shirt that left little to the imagination, Abigail had to remind herself that he was the David Lee Roth of Magnolia Bend. “Just a Gigolo.” “The Ice Cream Man.” A “love ’em” and “leave ’em” sort, with his laid-back charm and sexy blue eyes. She had no business wanting to take a lick from Leif’s ice-cream cone.
She needed to remember who she was-a mother, a business owner, a crappy art student. A woman who should leave ice cream well enough alone.
She renewed her efforts to draw an apple, as a new Van Halen song became her earworm-“Hot for Teacher.”

Abigail and Leif are total opposites, but they find that they are wildly attracted to each other. I loved how they described each other at the beginning! As they are dancing around their attraction, Abigail’s ex-husband Cal suddenly reappears and wants to pick up his life and relationships as if he had never left.

“Let me take you out,” he said, shoving his hands into the pockets of his pants. “I want to drink wine, make you laugh and make up for that awful kiss we just had.”
Awful kiss?
If that was awful, what was his definition of spectacular?
“That’s probably not a good idea. You’re my child’s teacher. Heck, you’re my teacher. Things are complicated in my life right now. Cal is-” She didn’t really know what to say about the way her exhusband had waltzed into her life, ready to pick up where he’d left everything. Ready to be the family man he’d forgotten to be.
“Just a date. We don’t even have to kiss. Unless you want to. I personally like the kissing thing, but I can restrain myself. But the laughter thing has to stay.”

Both have fears and insecurities from their pasts that hold them back. As Leif gets closer to unraveling his mother’s past in Magnolia Bend, Leif and Abigail become closer than either expected. Birdie, Abigail’s daughter, further complicates their relationship with her behavior and desire for her parents to reunite.

Sweet Talking Man is an entertaining romance between total opposites. Liz Talley did a great job balancing the romance and individual journeys that Abigail and Leif had to pursue. Ms. Talley provided interesting and colorful secondary characters. Hilda was a great addition! She’s a unique woman, but she helps to push Leif to pursue both Abigail and the identity of his father.

Book Info:

Publication: February 3rd 2015 by Harlequin SuperRomance #1972
Who doesn’t want a little sweet talk?

Leif Lively is the hottest thing to happen to Magnolia Bend. But single mother Abigail Orgeron figures he’s another heartbreaker and does her best to ignore the steamy glances he tosses her way. When he speaks, though, her resistance crumbles! His sweet words, humor and laid-back ways captivate buttoned-up Abigail.

For once, losing control feels so good, and this no-strings arrangement is getting serious. What will she do when Leif solves the family mystery that brought him to town and decides to leave? Because she’s learning that the biggest love means taking the biggest risk.