Title: My Kind of You
Author: Tracy Brogan
Series: Trillium Bay #1
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: Novel
Available: 18th April
Wall Street Journal bestselling author Tracy Brogan is back with a sweet, hilarious series about family, forgiveness, and what it means to go back home.
Emily Callaghan never expected to spend another summer on Wenniway Island. Yet here she is, back in her quaint northern Michigan hometown of Trillium Bay, divorced, flat broke, and dragging along her precocious twelve-year-old. It’s a simple arrangement: Emily, a house flipper, will renovate one of her grandmother’s rental properties in exchange for a much-needed loan. Once a wild child, the reformed Emily also hopes to remodel her reputation and show her family she’s all grown up.
But coming home is never simple. Emily’s dad is more distant than ever. Her younger sister is dating a much older man, and Emily’s worried it’s a mistake. The cottage remodel grows increasingly daunting. And then there’s handsome out-of-towner Ryan Taggert…
Ryan has his own family drama. A smart, ambitious land developer, he’s come to Wenniway to rescue his father from the grips of a new girlfriend and protect their family business. But he’s quickly distracted by gorgeous, witty Emily Callaghan.
There’s no denying the attraction between Emily and Ryan. But will their conflicting interests destroy any chance at love? Or will Emily finally get the chance to rebuild her life—and repair her heart?
Source: ARC from Montlake Romance
This was an enjoyable, easy read with some really funny scenes, plenty of family drama and dramatics and a cast of great characters. Emily and Ryan both have their flaws, but also some really good points as they stumble their way through this book, trying to keep up with all that’s going on with their families and trying to deny their attraction to each other. If you’re looking for an enjoyable escape with a hint of summer, then this definitely fits the bill.
I liked Emily. She’s had her ups and downs in life, but despite being forced into going home, she’s determined to show everyone that’s she’s been successful in her years away – even if it’s not entirely true. I liked her determination. Sure, she really doesn’t see the best in people at times, but she has her reasons, and I liked how easily she slipped back into island life. She may have escaped, but she’s not pretentious about it and there is a good heart buried beneath all her protective layers.
I wasn’t sure about Ryan at first. He’s a bit judgemental in the beginning, sizing everything up and finding it wanting, but he’s also under pressure and kind of insecure about himself. Once he relaxes, he turns out to be a pretty decent guy and I loved how supportive he was of Emily. They have good chemistry too, even if it takes them ages to finally do anything about it.
But this book is about so much more than the romance between these two. Emily’s family is full of serious characters – her grandmother and her feuds, her daughter and her matchmaking, her sisters and, well… you’ll find out. They’re all fun and more than a little eccentric, while Emily strained relationship with her father adds some deeper emotions to the mix. Then there’s the rest of the island – naked horse riders, gossiping beekeepers, diabolical old ladies and interesting work crews, to name just a few. This book is rarely dull and packed with humour, including one exceedingly memorable trip to the lake.
I do wish the plotline involving Ryan’s reason for being on the island had been given more time, though. Everything is shoved in really close to the end, and the resolution of pretty much everything in the final chapter felt too rushed and far too neat and tidy. After slowly teasing the feud and everything through the whole book, I was a little disappointed to have most of it happen off-page. That’s not the only thing I would have liked to have seen that’s not included either, like drunk puzzle night or the old geezers’ poker game.
So it’s not perfect, feeling more HFN than HEA, but it’s still a fun, enjoyable read packed with small town humour, family antics and charm. It’s also a great introduction to Trillium Bay and I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for a return journey in the future.
My Kind of You is out April 18th.
Visit Tracy Brogan for more details.
