Friday, September 21, 2012

Simply Irresistible (Lucky Harbor, #1) by Jill Shalvis



Simply Irresistible (Lucky Harbor, #1) by Jill Shalvis
Published: October 1, 2010 by Forever
Received: Purchased e-book via B&N
Maddie Moore's whole life needs a makeover.

In one fell swoop, Maddie loses her boyfriend (her decision) and her job (so not her decision). But rather than drowning her sorrows in bags of potato chips, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim the inheritance left by her free-spirited mother--a ramshackle inn nestled in the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington.

Starting over won't be easy. Yet Maddie sees the potential for a new home and a new career--if only she can convince her two half-sisters to join her in the adventure. But convincing Tara and Chloe will be difficult because the inn needs a big makeover too.

The contractor Maddie hires is a tall, dark-haired hottie whose eyes--and mouth--are making it hard for her to remember that she's sworn off men. Even harder will be Maddie's struggles to overcome the past, though she's about to discover that there's no better place to call home than Lucky Harbor. [goodreads]

I have been on a quest to find the perfect Adult Romance for myself. Nothing too cheesy, and nothing too embarrassing (let's be real -- Ginger covers her eyes and gets red cheeks when certain body parts are given silly names).  Thanks to my good friend Jess for recommending this book to me, I've found just the right mix of passion and depth within this contemporary adult romance.  She knows my tastes all too well.

The first thing that captured my attention with this particular story was the setting.  I could totally visualize the small beach side town of Lucky Harbor.  It reminded me of such places that I see in movies.  With the fall/winter season approaching quickly, I welcomed the change of season in my reading material as well.  Though Texas never sees snow like the Pacific Northwest, I still enjoy experiencing it through vividly told stories such as this one.

The other dynamic of this story which really won me over is the story line.  I love the idea of starting over when you feel as though you've hit rock bottom.  I mean, what could possibly go wrong?  Well, lots of things in Maddie's case.  But there's always that silver lining somewhere and I really connected with Maddie, her sisters, and the various people in Lucky Harbor who continuously searched for it.

And then there was the passion.  Oh my.  Maddie meets Jax within the first few pages; however, their tension builds for quite some time after that.  It's not just about the physical connection though, there's something richer, deeper there, and as the reader you instantly feel it.  Experiencing their encounters one after the other was a treat for me to read about.  Yes, there were moments when I blushed like crazy, but there were also more sweet, mature moments that I could identify with.

I know that there are several books in this series, and have been told they follow various characters and their stories.  I've already picked up the second book and plan to make my way through all of them, eventually.  I have a desire to read more contemporary romance novels, but they have to be the perfect fit for me.  The Lucky Harbor series by Jill Shalvis definitely captured my interest! 


12 comments:

  1. Great review, Ginger! I have been hearing more and more about this series. I will definitely have to check it out. Sometimes I need a break from young adult literature and this seems like the perfect series to pick up. Plus, I saw the e-book is 99 cents at B&N? You can't go wrong there.

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  2. I couldn't be happier that you loved this!! Jill Shalvis is the perfect contemporary romance author to start with :D you already know book 3 is my favorite so I can't wait to see your (hopefully 5 star) review. You'll be a pro in not blushing during the sexy scenes when you finish this series lol but some recs I think you'll enjoy are Just The Sexiest Man Alive by Julie James (or just Julie James in general, all her hooks are my favorite but Just The Sexiest Man Alive is her PG book since its her debut) and Sugar Daddy by Lisa Kleypas, who's only the greatest and best author evaaaaaaarrr. The Travis series is just the best thing ever written.

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  3. I love your review, it captures the book so well. Love this series and bought more just yesterday because you reminded me how great this series is.

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  4. MMMM, I am a fan of rock bottom and passion and starting over and adult contemporary romance.

    You make me psyched that I already have this on my Kindle,way to go, Ginger (and Jess for recommending it!!)!

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  5. This sounds like such fun! I'm always looking for recommendations for my mum and so I'll be sure to tell her about this series. I'm so glad you enjoyed this and that you've found the perfect Adult Romance for yourself. Have fun reading the rest!

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  6. I just saw that this book was $.99 B&N for my Nook, and after reading your review I think I will definitely have to purchase it! :D

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  7. Yay! Glad to see your review of this. I'll definitely have to check it out. It's been a while since I read a good adult romance; really need to read more and this one sounds perfect!

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  8. I'm a sucker for a contemporary romance. Thanks for the review, I just bought my copy!

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  9. Oh wow, so I am not the only one that blushes when she reads scenes in books such as kissing or more. Yeah, I blush even on t.v. just the flirting will have me go beet red when I'm sitting by myself. So this sounds like a cute series. I like the sound of Lucky Harbor. No paranormal stuff. Doesn't sound cheesy. I will put this one on my TBR list. Thanks for the review!

    Heather

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  10. Well, you convinced me. I just bought the kindle edition (only $0.99). I've been looking for something a little different to read (from what I normally read), so I'm going to give this one a go.

    Also, I totally blush at things, too! Glad I'm not alone.

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  11. Oh my! I am so excited to read this story (the whole series if I'm being completely honest) now! I have also been kind of dipping my toes into adult books (I am reaching the old age of 20 soon so I figured it's about time...) so this sounds like the perfect series to start off with. Great review Ginger :)

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  12. I just bought this a few weeks ago for my nook because it was only a dollar, and I am so happy to hear you enjoyed it so much! I've been craving something like this for a while now, and I think this one will be the next book I pick up. I've also been wanting to read a book set in the fall, hooray.

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