LOVE ME SWEET

This snowblown romance from Brogan (The Best Medicine, 2014) is the latest in her Bell Harbor series. 

When Delaney, a hot reality star, goes on the lam to escape a sex-tape scandal, she ends up in tiny Bell Harbor, Michigan. There, she meets Grant, a hot cinematographer who happens to be in her rented shower. A mix-up means both have a claim to the house, so they agree to share the space until Delaney's rent money gets returned from Donna, the landlady, who’s Grant’s mother. Unfortunately, Donna has a slight kleptomania problem, and the temporary roommates must drive through a Midwestern blizzard to recover both mother and money. Will these unusually attractive people be attracted to one another? Yes. Is there a problem? Yes. Delaney lied about her name and history to Grant, setting up the inevitable moment-of-truth confrontation. Grant must decide whether to trust the woman he knows as Elaine, who has $40,000 in cash in a backpack and won’t say why. Brogan’s prose is peppered with deliberately snarky, slangy lines, and the tone is light except when the main characters ponder the other’s drool-worthiness. Then the mood gets hot and heavy. There's nothing particularly engaging about Delaney or Grant as protagonists, but the book does push an upbeat, generous message about finding yourself, standing up for yourself and living an authentic life. Some of the most compelling parts involve the subplot of Delaney’s reality-star life, including media exploitation and the loss of privacy. Those sections are where the book stands out.

This is a sexy, slightly kooky romance that should please Bell Harbor fans. The writing and message make it a pleasant read that ends on a higher note than it begins on.