REVIEW: Tempting Mr. Wrong by Keri Carpenter

In Tempting Mr. Wrong (Wrong Man #2) by Keri Carpenter, the moment Lance Townsend got out of the Army, he wanted to start eliminating things off his bucket list. Instead, he finds himself on the doorstep of his best friend’s sister determined to fulfill a request to the good man they both lost. Can he do what was asked of him without breaking Carly’s heart all over again, or will he finally give them what they both need – a chance at happy ever after?

Lance Townsend is the one man Carly Quigley has never forgotten. But if there’s one thing she does know, it’s that he’s the wrong man for her. However, when he arrives in town determined to fulfill a request that her brother asked of him, she has no choice but let him back into her life again. She knows maintaining distance between them is the right thing to do to protect herself when Lance leaves town, yet it seems impossible, especially when the chemistry between them still burns as strong as it did years ago.

”It’s a bad habit, and one I’m now paying for dearly. Trust me. A dollar a word.” She offered a small chuckle, but Lance didn’t join her. She tried again. “Listen, I really am sorry about the water.”
“That’s okay,” he said, but didn’t seem to mean it as he continued to fan his shirt and shake his head back and forth, beads of water dripping down his cheekbones. “I suppose I shouldn’t have gotten so close to the war zone.”

Ms. Carpenter certainly knows how to weave a story that encompasses both the brother’s best friend and second chance romance tropes really well. Right from the beginning, this story captivated me and the way it started was amusing. Carly is really good with her niece and they definitely have fun together, as the heroine seems like a big kid herself sometimes. However, it was the moment the hero and heroine come face-to-face again for the first time in years that had me reading faster than normal determined to discover whether Lance would finally be able to overcome the fact that Carly is his best friend’s sister.

The dialogue was intense due to the main characters back stories. They have a complicated history. Did Lance leave Carly for the right reasons back when they were getting close? Can she give him a second chance knowing that he has plans now that he’s out of the Army? It was hard not to want to cry for the hurt the heroine suffered when she lost those that she loved, but her love for her niece just didn’t allow for those tears to actually fall. Her niece, Mya, is adorable and the little girl’s growing relationship with Lance definitely bought about some really wonderful light-hearted moments that left a huge smile on my face a lot of the time.

What was he planning on doing? Pulling out an AK-47 in the middle of the kitchen?
”I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she said as her laughter died down. “That was a scary and intimidating expression.”
He narrowed his eyes. “I’ve brought insurgents to their knees with that look.”
She nodded slowly and emphatically. “I’m sure it was very frightening for them.”
Shaking his head, Lance whistled low. “You are one tough cookie.”

Both the main characters were compelling, as were the secondary characters. Lance and Carly love Mya so much, and want what is best for her. Caring for her niece hasn’t always been easy, but she loves the precious little girl and would do anything for her. The heroine is strong and brave with what she’s been through in the past and how she handled it all. She’s also very determined to go after what she wants professionally, because the job she’s looking to secure will bring a lot more stability to her and her niece’s life.

While Lance, he’s confident, determined and I absolutely loved the growing relationship between him and Mya. She brings such joy to his life; happiness that he hasn’t felt in a long time because he’s been in the Army; a career that he loved and was good at. Then there’s his determination to honor the request his best friend asked of him. It’s palpable that Carly is doing a wonderful job of caring for his goddaughter, yet he realizes it’s time he be there for Mya as well. The ways he interacts with her were pretty amusing, especially the moment where he teaches her about combat techniques.

Overall, Ms. Carpenter has penned a delightful tale filled with plenty of emotion and a strong and nicely-detailed romance that had me cheering for this couple’s happy ever after. The way this story ended was perfect, as Lance realized that he couldn’t complete his bucket list without the most important thing in his life – love. I would recommend Tempting Mr. Wrong by Keri Carpenter, if you enjoy second chance romances or the brother’s best friend trope.

Book Info:

 June 13th, 2016 | Entangled Publishing | Wrong Man #2

Lance Townsend craves freedom after years living a structured existence in the Army. But just as he’s about to start on his bucket list, Lance receives an unexpected request: check in on his goddaughter. The problem? The adorable little girl’s aunt is the one woman he’s never been able to forget.

Carly Quigley can’t believe her brother’s best friend, the man who jilted her years ago, is at her door. He claims her brother asked him to check in on her niece and their fixer-upper, but all either of them can focus on is their undeniable attraction. Carly knows Lance is counting down the hours to leave, which makes him the wrong man for her. Unfortunately, the wrong man has become oh-so-tempting.