Animal Magnetism, by Jill Shalvis

I was looking for a quick, light read and was not disappointed in the contemporary romance Animal Magnetism by Jill Shalvis.

Lilah Young runs a kennel in Sunshine, Idaho.  One morning after picking  up a duck, two puppies and a potbellied pig for boarding, she runs into tall, handsome, new-to-town Brady Miller.  Literally: she runs her jeep into his parked truck.  Brady takes pity on the scatter-brained, but cute, damsel in distress and drives her and her menagerie home.  The attraction runs deep, and after an earth-shaking kiss, Lilah heads into work thinking she’ll never see this guy again.

She’s pleasantly surprised when she heads to Belle Haven, the veterinary clinic that her good friends Dell and Adam own, and sees Brady’s (slightly dented) truck in the parking lot.  She quickly realizes that the man she just met is the same Brady she has been hearing about from her friends, who grew up with him in a foster home.

Dell and Adam convince Brady to take a month off from his “pilot for hire to dangerous places” job and fix up a helicopter for the clinic.  If during that month they can convince him to stick around, so much the better.

As for Lilah, she’s tired of playing it safe in the small town where  she grew up.  She’s interested in Brady, and a great part of his appeal is that he isn’t from Sunshine.

The story is mostly about Brady and Lilah getting to know one another, with small town life and cute animals providing a pleasant backdrop.  Tough guy Brady has commitment issues.  Loveable Lilah doesn’t like to ask anyone for help.  Not unexpectedly, despite their interest in only a short-term commitment, they fall in love.

Shalvis does a nice job developing the relationship and turning up the heat for the love scenes.  This new series is a great way to while away an afternoon.

Check the WRL catalog for Animal Magnetism

Dell’s story is next up in the series.  Check the WRL catalog for Animal Attraction.