A Review by Wendy
4 In the End, All's Well Stars
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Spoiler Free
What I found most charming was the hook flip. Most of the time, there is a fake relationship, engagement or even marriage. Never have I read a fake Break-Up...Yes, you heard me right...
We have Jase Dvornakov- a war hero who specialized in defusing bombs.This is a man who was able to steel his nerves to where they almost did exist, to have the where with all to figure out which cord to clip to stop a bomb while under enemy attacks. Jase's fingers would work their magic and he barely broke a sweat.
Now dealing with his in your face family with their constant push to find a woman, marry her, and give grandbabies... that is a whole other type of torture. His immediate family, brothers and infamous grandmother are determined to have him in a relationship "for his own good".
The joke is Jase has no trouble connecting with women. He Loves Women. He just doesn't want to be married. The last time he was, his heart was broken. It was a pain he does not want to experience again. So fun, yes. Each person enjoying their time together, sure. But nothing serious.
Heather Reese is done with men. She has had too many duds and heartache is an ingredient she will not have in her successful bakery. She has taken all of her frustration and focused on her cookies. She has taken the shop and expanded it with making X-Rated cookies for her customers online and locally. She has her circle of friends and stays away from any romance.
She has seen Jase, though. He came back from the Navy, a beautiful specimen of man...But he also has a reputation of enjoying all of the women, too. She will not fall into that trap.
Her resolve to not fall for Jase is tested when she is standing in front of the florist shop where Jase is rocking out while putting a bouquet together. He is dancing around, free and moving those hips like no one's business. It is almost hypnotic...Heather clears her mind of all naughty thoughts and lets Jase know she is there. She is a little tongue-tied but gets out the reason for her to be there. She has been working with the assisted living home and wanted to do something special for them. She had presented a proposal for a Senior Prom for the residents. By going to all the shops and vendors in the town, she is looking for donations and putting the poster in the shop window.
Heather finally gets this out and Jase is enjoying his time with her. They banter a bit and then it gets even more fun with Heather shooting down any flirting by Jase. She says nothing will come of it, he pushes no, it could be good and before you know it... a whole relationship has verbally been played out before it ever happened. It is like a conversation dance, with flirting fun and an undercurrent of interest. Jase takes the poster, says he will donate and Heather goes to open her bakery.
Now the flower shop is family owned and all of his family is involved. He loves them but wishes they would stay out of his personal business. His grandmother, Babushka, is a force of nature. She is elderly but vital. You do not disappoint her, talk back to her and you love her unconditionally. When she starts up again with having a possible fix up, Jase says he has just experienced a break-up with Heather and wasn't over it yet. He figures this will buy him some time before the dating push starts all over again.
Well, you know how a Butterfly waving its wings can cause all sorts of effects unrelated...Well, that butterfly had nothing on the fib Jase told his family...What happens next is like one of those domino videos you can see on YouTube...There is shock, romance to melt panties, friendships between generations, and frustrations galore.
These characters each had their moments to cause the reader a bit of frustration but overall they had so much going for them. Jase, I wanted to take him aside, have a Come to Jesus moment, and slap some sense into him. Heather was so giving and I appreciated her. Overall these two were able to figure out their obstacles and gave me what I wanted.
Although this is part of a series, it can be read as a stand-alone. Christina Hovland can write the funny, sexy and warm. I will be looking to see what is next.
A gifted copy was provided by author/publisher for an honest review.
Christina Hovland lives her own version of a fairy tale—an artisan chocolatier by day and romance writer by night. Born in Colorado, Christina received a degree in journalism from Colorado State University. Before opening her chocolate company, Christina’s career spanned from the television newsroom to managing an award-winning public relations firm. She’s a recovering overachiever and perfectionist with a love of cupcakes and dinner she doesn’t have to cook herself. A 2017 Golden Heart® finalist, she lives in Colorado with her first-boyfriend-turned-husband, four children, and the sweetest dog around.
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