REVIEW: Tough Luck Hero by Maisey Yates

Tough Luck Hero by Maisey Yates: The morning after he was stood up at the altar, Colton finds himself married in Las Vegas to Lydia, the woman he’d spent the last two years disliking. Although neither one can stand the other, Lydia convinces Colton to stay married as she’s running for mayor and his mother certainly can’t take any more shocks.

But what they expected to be an annoying few months becomes so much more as they realize the irritation with one another was actually an intense attraction, just one they ignored as control freaks who keep away from strong emotions. But as they fall into the sparks and get to know one another, barriers begin breaking down and thoughts they never voiced come out.

Neither knew they could be passionate until they began delving into a relationship. Colton holds the family together and Lydia has made her home the town she loves after escaping a bad family life. Together sparks and passion fly, but the question is if they can handle the flame.

“Do you have a food processor?” she asked, because talking about food processors seemed as good a method as any for diffusing the unwanted crackle of tension in the room.
“Of course.”
“There’s no ‘of course’ about that. A lot of men wouldn’t have one.”
“Well, I have a housekeeper. She cooks a lot of my food.”
Lydia’s eyebrows shot up. ‘A housekeeper?”
“You feel a little less victimized now, don’t you?”
“No, thoroughly victimized.”

I absolutely loved Tough Luck Hero. So much. It felt real and deep, and they grew and fought, and were just adorable and hot together. From hate to love (my favorite trope), it was a long battle Colton and Lydia to open up to one another and to begin to trust in one another. A slow build before they broke down, but the tension and passion remained throughout the entire story.

I feel I don’t see this as much as I would like in other books, but I loved how Colton and Lydia truly got to know one another. They delved deep into their thoughts, their insecurities with each other. Their romance was not based on lust, although theirs was certainly strong, but very much on who each other was. And they were fun together. There was absolutely adorable banter that was truly unexpected from such controlled characters. Yates made these controlled and restrained people fun, and that is definitely hard to do.

I highly recommend Tough Luck Hero for all romance fans, especially those who love a hate-to-love romance such as myself. The fifth in a series, it can be read as a standalone, but just for the joy of reading the others I would definitely recommend the whole series. It’s a cast of people I love being a part of.

Book Info:

Publication: June 28, 2016 | HQN Books | Copper Ridge #5

Can the golden boy of Copper Ridge, Oregon, get a second chance at happy-ever-after?

Ranching heir Colton West knew his wedding would be the talk of the town. But he didn’t expect to get left at the altar—or to escape on the next flight to Vegas with Lydia Carpenter, the woman who gets under his skin like no one else. The only thing crazier than honeymooning with Lydia is waking up married to her. So why does he find himself entertaining his new wife’s desire to stay married—and fantasizing about a real wedding night?

As Copper Ridge’s prospective mayor, Lydia can’t risk a divorce scandal so close to election time. But pretending to be blissfully in love with her new husband is more confusing than she’d thought. For a man who’s always rubbed her the wrong way, Colton suddenly seems to know exactly what to do with his hands. And his lips. Now Lydia’s wildest mistake could turn out to be her luckiest move, if they’re both willing to take the ultimate gamble…