Blurb: John Murphy is tormented by nightmares. A bestselling young-adult author, he writes the ultimate fantasy: stories where good always triumphs. He knows better. His past has shown him the worst in people—and in himself. When he moves next door to the sexy, vibrant Livvy—a woman completely unlike his usual one-night stands—he's driven to explore every curve of her delicious body.
Pastry chef Livvy knows that giving in to the temptation that is John Murphy won't lead to anything permanent, but she deserves a passionate summer fling. John discovers she's as sweet as the confections she bakes while Livvy slowly unravels his secrets. But what will happen when she uncovers them all?
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John is a troubled soul. A man with a devastating childhood he hasn't yet overcome... Livvy is a struggling pastry shop owner. She needs to be loved, as herself.
I found this story to be extremely compelling and wonderful. I admit to having to put down this book several times because there were tears pouring out of my eyes.
John can't absolve himself of his awful childhood and the fears and pain inherent in his guilt, both in people he should have been able to trust and in himself. However, he senses that the world is good, through his books, where good always triumphs over evil. While he spins tales of good versus evil, he also is passionately in lust with Livvy, his beautiful next-door neighbor.
Livvy is learning to become herself. She's a bit stuck in a rut and has yet to find a way out and into the world. She sees her chance in a summer fling with John and so grabs the bull by its horn with both hands, so to speak. She's a pastry chef, owning a pastry shop and
She soon starts to unravel John's secrets and the wall he's built around his heart. She sees the man he is and can be, which scares John shitless. He retaliates the best way he knows how--by being an alphahole. John tries to push her away but Livvy sticks like the thorn on his rose. Though they get waylaid by insecurities, doubts and some worrisome events, they emerge stronger than they were individually and when they first started out, together.
John breaks free of his past, fully realizing, for perhaps the first time, that he is worthy of love and life and happiness. Livvy learns what it means to love and be loved, especially by a man as
Kelley has written a very powerfully evocative story. It pulled at my heart and made me cry. Let me tell you, not many stories, movies, news stories, etc make me cry. This alone made me give five stars to this story. I sincerely felt for John when he past came up and made him break down and give in to his fears and inner demons. However, I was also extremely pleased to see that Livvy wouldn't let him go without a fight and ended up coming out of that fight with John at her side.
Inez, you owe me a box of tissues. And chocolate. I went through half of my stash! :)
