The warm weather is influencing my reading this week–I’m sticking with light and fun beach reads. Next up is a contemporary romance I devoured in one day.
Cain Black left home 10 years ago to pursue his dream of becoming a musician. His career is finally on the upswing, but marriage to a movie star and a glitzy lifestyle left something to be desired. When he is called home to attend a funeral for one of his childhood buddies, reconnecting with his mom and close friends shows Cain that real feelings have been missing in his life. And his attraction to Maggie O’Rourke makes it easy to stick around his hometown for the summer.
As for Maggie, who wouldn’t be attracted to the hot lead singer of BlackRock? But she’s worked too hard to create a safe place for herself and her son to risk it on what is sure to be a brief fling with Cain.
You know the main characters are going to give in to the attraction, but the buildup is nicely paced. And the relationship comes with complications that need to be resolved before they can have their happily ever after.
This is a fun read. The characters are a little over the top, but not unbelievable. I like that Cain doesn’t have all the answers. He doesn’t know what to say to make Maggie jump into bed with him–or to ease her concerns when the paparazzi invade their privacy. There is enough tension in the resolution of Cain and Maggie’s different lifestyles that while I knew the story would have a happy ending, I didn’t feel like the author got lazy with the plot.
The secondary characters who need a comeuppance get one.
The men who grew up with Cain in Crystal Lake are given interesting backstories–this is clearly the first in what is likely a trio of stories about them and how they find love. Enough is setup in Cain and Maggie’s story to make me jot down a note to watch for the next story in October.
Check the WRL catalog for The Summer He Came Home
Blogging for a Good Book 
Reblogged this on .