EDGE OF FRIENDSHIP
The MacBains: Book Two
by Nan Dixon
A recovering alcoholic and his employee go from friends to lovers in Dixon’s romance sequel.
Fresh out of rehab, Michael MacBain still doesn’t know how to react when people drink alcohol around him. He’s going to meetings, has a therapist and sponsor, and is trying to eat healthy food and exercise. However, even those measures and a busy work schedule as chief financial officer of the family business, MacBain Enterprises, can’t distract him from memories of Sarah, whom he planned to marry; she died of cancer two years ago.Michael’s tightknit family try their best, but don’t fully understand his personal struggles. Enter Liz Carlson, who’s new to Minnesota’s Twin Cities and taking on new responsibilities within the MacBains’ property empire; she becomes close friends with Michael’s sister and colleague, Kate, and serves as a personal attendant in Kate’s lavish wedding. Neither Michael nor Liz is ready for a relationship—Liz has secrets of her own, mostly related to her gambling-addict twin brother, Jordan—but an unexpected kiss at an employee outing changes everything. Michael and Liz decide to pursue a platonic friendship, and he shows her the beauty that Minneapolis has to offer, but as the two become deeply entwined in each other’s lives, resistance to romance becomes increasingly futile. This is the second book in Dixon’s MacBain Family series, featuring a family of tycoons who prioritize love and kindness over money. Michael’s sister Kate is especially vibrant and loving as she brings Liz into the MacBain fold and makes the shy, hardworking young woman feel welcome. Liz herself is likable, as well, determined to make it work in the big city on a limited budget and taken by surprise by her feelings for Michael. However, Michael is still deep in his recovery processes and has issues with boundaries and relapses, which don’t always make for a comfortable match with Liz’s naïveté and complex family issues.
A tale of an appealing family, but featuring a central couple that doesn’t seem quite ready for love.