Can't Hurry Love
by Melinda Curtis
Published by Forever
Book #1 in the Sunshine Valley series
Head-over-heels in love, Lola Williams gave up everything to marry Randy, including a promising career in New York City.
Now, after one year of marriage and one year of widowhood, Lola finds herself stranded in Sunshine, Colorado, reeling from the revelation that Randy had secrets she never could have imagined. She swears she's done with love forever but the matchmaking ladies of the Sunshine Valley Widows Club have different plans... Sheriff Drew Taylor also knows what it feels like to be unlucky in love. So when Lola comes to him for help uncovering Randy's hidden life, Drew finds himself saying yes against his better judgment - especially with the Widows Club eyeing them both. Soon enough, Lola is upending Drew's peaceful, predictable world...and he kind of likes it! But will this big-city girl ever give her heart to a small-town guy again?
Genre:
Triggers:
Trauma from death of husband, Trauma from partners secret life
I would like to thank the publisher for sending me this ARC via NetGalley so I could do an honest review. #CantHurryLove #NetGalley
Mild spoilers below.
Can't Hurry Love is the first novel in the Sunshine Valley series written by Melinda Curtis, and is written from three different point-of-views: Lola Williams, who has been widowed for almost a year when she discovers her husband was having an affair, Drew Taylor, Sunshine Valley's sheriff, single father to a spunky six-year-old daughter, and Mims, president of Sunshine Valley's Widows club, a support group of sorts and group that focus's on raising money for charities in their town (and also their match-making). All have their own personal turmoil, and all clash together in this sweet romance.
Lola and Drew are the main two protagonists, and their stories are interesting. I was immediately drawn into the mystery of her husbands secret life, and found myself not being able to put the book down, because like Lola, I wanted to know. It helps that Lola's antics to get to the truth makes for some fun reading, especially when an exasperated Drew gets involved. And while I had feelings about some of the women he was involved with, and they were confirmed, there were some twists, which I appreciated. Drew's situation with his ex-wife is also interesting. I am not sure about his ex. I have trouble sympathizing with a woman who gave up her child, and then six years later comes back and wants to resume the mother role. I do like that Drew, in the end, decides to allow supervised visitation, since his daughter seems to like her biological mother so much.
This romance was a bit different from other romances I have read. It's certainly not my first small town man, big city girl story, and it's not even my first widow story. But it felt different. Lola's desperation to the truth leads to some hilarious moments, and to some unexpected friends in the end. I loved that while people assumed she thought she was better than them, she was actually quite kind, and craved to feel like she belonged. I loved her unconventional job, even if it wasn't what she really wanted to do, as it really shows off her compassion. I loved how Drew's personality really stood out with Lola, much like it did with his crazy sisters (who were a delight to read). His proposal might be one of my favorite proposals I have read.
The only things I didn't like about this book, was, while it had no problems describing her ex's blow-up dolls, and collection of naughty costumes, its very PG-13. I like a little steam in my romance, and this one is lacking in that. The second thing, there was very little build up to the proposal. I would have liked if we got to see them truly together, and dating for a bit. It seems crazy to share one hot kiss and propose!
Despite lacking steam, and we don't get to experience Lola and Drew in a relationship together, the chemistry between the two of them is insane, and is truly fun to read. Drew's habit of taking Lola to jail to cool off is funny, and him handcuffing her to the bed to cool off was kind of hot. So while there was no actual sex, there was moments that you just knew it would be good between them. I found myself completely drawn in, and I ended up reading most of it in a day, because I didn't want to put it down. It had me laughing, it had me teary eyed with that amazing proposal, and fully immersed. I highly recommend this book, and I look forward to future books in the series.
Susan: "If you know these things, why do you interrogate me?" Drew: "Because cops love confessions." Lola: "My life is flaming out, and you've got nothing to say? Nothing?" Drew: "I'm hungry. The food is hot. And you don't want my advice anyway." Lola: "You understand where I'm coming from. You might even be sympathetic that I've been hurt. But there's one thing you don't know. I'm going to find this woman and get my answer." Drew: "Lola. Don't make me arrest you." Lola: "You're welcome to arrest me. If I break a law." Becky: "I'm confused." Drew: "That's a common occurrence when Lola is around." Lola: "Thou hath wounded me with your verbal sword." Drew: "Congratulations. There aren't many people who've been in my jail two times in the span of a week." Lola: "There's an honor I didn't aspire to." Drew: "What's your secret talent?" Lola: "Nana would say I love too deeply. My mom would say it's my naivete, which isn't really a talent." Drew: "I don't think either one of those is a bad thing." ... Drew: "What do you think my secret talent is?" Lola: "Loyalty. You're loyal to a fault." Drew: "Loyal? That's a good thing, right?" Lola: "I suppose. It's hard for me to say. You aren't loyal to me." He said nothing. But he was afraid she was wrong.