Beckett Hayes knows what it’s like to be too busy for romance. Since she was a teenager, she’s been the primary caretaker of her younger autistic brother and the wrangler of her talented composer father, who has Asperger’s. And while she missed out on college, that hasn’t stopped her from creating her very successful business Consider It Done, a personal concierge service that is flourishing despite her being in the small town of Rome, Rhode Island.
Between her family responsibilities, her busy work schedule, and her passion for training service animals, Beckett is too busy for dating. But that doesn’t stop her from admiring bartender Levi when he complains about her bringing Gregory Pecker in and sitting him at the bar with her. Sure, he’s a rooster, but he’s also a trained service animal, so she feels justified brining him in while she waits for her takeout order. And while Levi says that they don’t do takeout at his family’s bar and grill, Beck’s made a deal with his chef behind his back to make it happen.
Meanwhile Levi Rhodes is just as busy. Between running the bar and grill as well as his family’s marina and helping raise his niece, especially since the sudden death of her mother, Levi is pulled thin. Although he flirts with the female customers in the bar, he hasn’t had the time for anything more in a long time. But that doesn’t stop him from admiring Beckett while trying to get her to stop bringing livestock into his bar and plying his chef for special favors.
And to complicate things, Her best friend is getting ready to marry his, and the bride wants her to do the wedding planning. And for the venue to be Levi’s bar. So now they have to work together to make sure this wedding is perfect. But their mutual attraction is growing, as is their mutual admiration. The more Levi learns about Beck’s situation at home and how much she has on her plate, the more he appreciates all the sacrifices she makes and wants to ease her burden. And the more Beckett finds out about Levi’s stepping up to help his family, the more she wants to help him find reliable staffing for the bar.
But the more complicated things get, the deeper their feelings grow. But will they be able to put aside all the reasons they each have for not getting involved and let themselves fall into the love they deserve?
Marina Adair’s Hopeless Romantic is the second book in the When in Rome series, about finding love in a small town. Filled with charming characters, funny situations, lots of flirting, and plenty of tasty pastries, it’s a romantic comedy that delivers on romance, family, and lots of love.
I really needed this book this week. It’s a warm and fun reminder of setting priorities and asking for help during challenging times. I loved how these characters interacted, how deeply they cared for their families, and how they respected each other’s feelings as they were building a friendship. As a contemporary romance, I think Hopeless Romantic is super-sweet, with just the right amount of heat, chickens, bowling, and cake.
A copy of Hopeless Romantic was provided by Kensington Books, with many thanks.
