Book 6, 2023
The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
I brought my work book home with me last night and finished it. The book was a Christmas gift from one of my co-workers. It was The Last Boyfriend by Nora Roberts. It's a contemporary romance, and the second in the "Inn BoonsBoro" trilogy. Since I don't really read much in the way of romance any more, I hadn't read the first book. I'm trying to recall if I've ever read anything by Nora Roberts before. Huh. Maybe? This story is in third-person pov, and the main characters are Owen Montgomery and Avery MacTavish.
Owen and his brothers run a construction business together. Their most recent project is renovating the old inn in Boonsboro, which their mother purchased with the intent to reopen it. Avery has a pizza place across the street and has been excited to watch the progress on the inn. She pitches in to help when she can spare a moment. Avery especially enjoys Owen's company, as he was her first boyfriend when they were children. Spending time together has Avery and Owen looking at one another in a new light. When they decide to explore their budding relationship, they do so cautiously, as neither wants to jeopardize their friendship if they don't mesh as romantic partners. Romance surrounds them, however, because Owen's brother Beckett is getting ready to marry Avery's friend Clare. Throw in the ghost of Lizzy, who haunts the inn, Avery's absent mother showing up out of the blue looking for a hand-out, and the revelation that Owen's mother and Avery's father have been seeing one another, and you had quite a story!
The biggest thing I took away from this was just how mature Owen and Avery were about their relationship. They communicated. They thought ahead and discussed things. The only hiccup came when Avery's mother's visit left her reeling and caused her to withdraw into herself while she processed. Owen got all pissy that she was stepping back and forced a confrontation with her. That was my biggest dislike. She was setting boundaries, and he trampled them because he "knew what was best for her". Forcing Avery to talk did work out, but Owen's methods still got my hackles up.
Favorite lines:
♦ "No slasher flicks -- or anything with monkeys."
♦ "I swear you look like you've been hit with the cute stick."
♦ "The next person who asks me that is going to get a knuckle sandwich that won't be so freaking tasty."
Although no longer my cuppa tea, I did enjoy the book. Would I read the next one? No, because I can see that Owen's brother Ryder will end up with Avery's friend Hope, and all I ascertained about Ryder from reading this story is that he's an asshole. And Hope deserves better. Giving this one a solid four stars.