ABOUT THE BOOK
Sex is a gift. A beautiful, wonderful, complicated, desperate gift.
Rhys Gunnerson was fine, despite all the effing weddings on his calendar. His bar was in the black, the crowd liked his guitar playing, and he had sex when he wanted it. Easy. And he’d fully recovered from his divorce … almost.
Nicole Freeman was fine, or at least she will be once she buys a house. She had friends, a good job, a mean roundhouse kick, and almost enough money to buy a home where no one could ask her to leave.
The hot guy at the kickboxing gym is a distraction, a fantasy. But when his protective instincts kick in and she moves above his bar, the fantasy starts to become reality. Attraction and slow burn burst into flames, but something’s wrong. When doubts and fears threaten to hold them back, can they find a way to have their turn at the happiness everyone deserves?
Trigger Warning: Nicole was raised in a culture of sexual shame. Though there are no flashbacks, her memories and struggle to overcome the trauma she experienced in that environment are included on the page.
MY REVIEW
I’m late to the series, but this book reads well as a standalone. It’s my first Christina Braver novel about a brave and innocent young woman and a protective and thoughtful man destined to fall in love.
Rhys Gunnerson is a former tech genius turned bar owner who is trying to find himself after his cheating, pregnant ex left him for his boss. His ex wanted Fifty Shades, and Rhys wanted romance. After that, he thought he was happy running the bar, playing his guitar, and having an occasional fling here or there. Then she came to town. The intelligent, independent sparring partner with the killer smile and lethal kick was “too damn beautiful, and Rhys was in deep shit”.
Nicole Freeman has been on her own since her parents kicked her out of the house at a young age. Her upbringing was manipulative and controlling where women were considered weak and sex was shameful. On her own, she learned to count on herself and take control of her life. She met friends and found therapists who helped her heal by being strong and loving her body. Her attraction to the hot man at the gym was new to her. He was out of her league, but she wanted to explore her feelings. Could he be the one to help her get over the “sneaky shame of her upbringing”?
Rhys and Nicole are made for each other. Rhys acts like he hates attending weddings, but it’s his divorce talking. He’s such a loyal and considerate man and he is so patient and understanding about Nicole’s need to be independent. I also love the fact that Rhys is so supportive of his friend Alex who has come out. In fact, Alex and his partner, Brett give sage advice to both Rhys and Nicole. Nicole is innocent, but she’s definitely not weak. Most assuredly she is a badass who wants a home of her own and to find someone to spend her life with. It’s sad she had to walk away from her family due to sex shaming, but she is not afraid to learn and ask questions. In fact, her knitting group called the Nip and Purl is a great place to learn about sex from experienced women. If only I had found a place like that when I was young.
In the end, the lovers overcome their doubts and fears with compassion and honesty as they find that home is where the heart is.
This captivating story will make you laugh, cry, and love the journey Rhys and Nicole take to find the happiness they deserve. Family and friends are a plus in this series and I can’t wait to go back and read more about them in the earlier books.
Thank you to Ms. Braver for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.
Penny Harbor Series
- Your Two Lips (2022)
- Your Sweetness (2022)
- Your Heart (2023)
- Your Turn (2023)
- Your One (2024) – My review
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ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Christina Braver writes steamy, small town, contemporary romance set in the Pacific Northwest. Her stories are about real people and real love with the guaranteed HEA we all need.
She’s been reading romance for decades and loves to escape into stories about strong heroes with softer sides and independent heroines with a bit of sass.
She strives to support allyship in her writing and portray diversity in everyday life. She believes together, we will save the world.
When she isn’t writing, Christina can be found reading in her favorite corner chair, sipping wine and laughing too loudly with friends, or cooking dinners that always take twice as long as the recipe suggests. She lives in Seattle with her husband who shares his bourbon, and two teenagers that keep them both on their toes.
And just like her favorite latte, her books have some steam. If that’s not your regular brew, you may want to change your order. Enjoy!
Follow Christina on her website, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok.
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