Susan F. (scoutmomskf) - , reviewed on 12/15/2020 + 2544 more book reviews

Good start to the new series about the recently discovered Outlaw branch of the Westmoreland family. The various members are introduced in Breaking Bailey's Rules, including the fact that family patriarch Bartram Outlaw wants nothing to do with the Westmorelands. His kids, however, are happy to meet their cousins, some of whom make brief appearances in this book.

Garth is the oldest of the Outlaws and in charge of running the company. He decided it is time to get married, but there's a catch. Years earlier, while in the Marines, Garth fell in love with a woman who was killed in action. He believes he can't (or is it won't) fall in love again, so he plans a marriage of convenience. He has a two-week getaway scheduled with a woman he met through a dating service to see if they would suit. But when he arrives at his destination, the woman is a no-show, leaving him at loose ends. So he asks Regan, his pilot and longtime friend, to stick around.

Regan has known Garth all of her life. Her father was the Outlaws' pilot before her, and she grew up with the Outlaw kids as friends. However, her feelings for Garth are decidedly not friendly. She had a crush on him from the time she was sixteen, and in recent years that crush turned to love. Regan knows he only sees her as a friend. Even though she's been a fill-in date a few times, she longs for more. When he invites her to stay with him for those two weeks, she sees her chance to show him she can be what he needs.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Regan and Garth. We know Regan's feelings from the beginning, but Garth's are more complicated. He's sure he will never love another and plans to enter a loveless but convenient marriage. One motivating factor for the marriage is the inconvenient attraction Garth feels for Regan. He thinks that marriage will solve that problem. For the first couple of days Regan and Garth spend together both struggle to hide their attraction though some of it leaks through their erected shields. Garth gets the bright idea that they can indulge themselves for the two weeks, as long as she realizes that love and marriage are not in the cards. Though Regan is stunned and angry at first, she decides that the best way to show Garth what he needs is to give him what he thinks he wants.

I loved watching Garth and Regan spend time together. While their physical connection was intense, the time they spent otherwise occupied deepened their emotional connection. Many scenes of shared interests, from performances to hikes to cooking, brought them closer together. They also shared some more painful memories, such as Regan's loss of her mother and Garth's loss of his fiancée. But Garth is a hard nut to crack, and their return to Alaska ends their affair.

I ached for Regan, who had such high hopes, only to have them dashed by Garth's actions. Meanwhile, Garth is deservedly miserable without Regan. By the time he sees the truth of his feelings, matters become complicated by an unexpected visitor. I ached for Regan and how, devastated, she makes a hard decision about her future. I loved the scene with Garth's siblings and the kick in the pants they provided. Garth did an excellent job of not quite groveling but finally opening up his heart to her. I loved the ending and Garth's over-the-top demonstration of his love.

I enjoyed getting to know a little bit about each of the Outlaw Westmorelands. I can't wait for the next book in the series. I would also like to find out the story behind Bartram Outlaw's attitude about his Westmoreland family.

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