ONE SUMMER NIGHT

Trying to save her family’s iconic New York department store, Maggie Sinclair doesn’t have time for a love life, especially with Owen Pierce, the son of her father’s archenemy, who's the boy she kissed years ago on one dreamy summer night at the Jersey Shore.

“The two beachfront mansions had been built side by side decades earlier, before the start of the Pierce and Sinclair rift.” Maggie and Owen had been childhood friends, summering together at the shore before their families had a falling-out, Owen’s mother left, and Maggie’s mother died. One “ill-timed and half-drunk” teenage kiss had fueled her fascination with him, and years of crossing paths both professionally and personally never let it quite die, but Maggie has avoided relationships, too busy trying to save her family’s retail company and perhaps too reluctant to admit to herself that no one attracts her quite like Owen. After a few random meetings amplify the sexual and emotional tension between them, they step more and more into a relationship, documented by the intrigued local gossip pages. Owen appeases his angry father by claiming he’s doing it to get Maggie to trust him, with the ultimate goal of taking over the real estate once her stores have failed. As the two grow closer and the stakes get more intense, past distrust and current misperceptions collide to create an explosive situation. Trust and love may save the day, but getting there is a hard sell when Owen’s father is determined to drive a wedge between the lovers and take everything Maggie holds dear. Pineiro begins a new beach-themed series with a bright combination of an enemies-to-lovers trope with a second-chance-at-love twist. Secondary characters enhance the plot and setting while hinting at the next two stories in the series.

A sexy, fun, yet touching summer read.