I’m a full time single dad. A former NFL player turned coach, tasked with turning around a college team full of kids who either don’t take it seriously or are determined to get injured. I will absolutely not be falling for my new neighbor.
Lark Butler is pure chaos wrapped in gorgeous, infuriating sunshine. She showed up out of nowhere––getting paid to cry at a funeral, no less. Who does that? But somewhere between offering her condolences and crawling out of a literal grave site, we’ve found ourselves tangled in the drama of Outtatowner, Michigan–my coastal hometown with a decades-old feud and two aunties determined to end it.
I’m finally putting down roots so my daughter has a normal life and I need to forget about Lark. Forget the way it felt the night we kissed or what it’s like to finally take something just for me. But when those sparks ignited, it was more intense than either of us bargained for.
Trouble is, I can’t trust her, and she never stays.
She’s burning my carefully laid plans to the ground and all it took was one look.
Wyatt is a stressed out single dad struggling with transition. He walked away from the NFL at the peak of his career and is now coaching a college team so he can spend more time with his daughter. A quick trip to his hometown for a funeral convinces him to move back, at least temporarily, to raise his daughter surrounded by family. He was intrigued by the beautiful stranger hired to cry at the funeral (and no, I refuse to elaborate on that because my words would not do those scenes justice, you have to read it). But he wasn’t prepared to find Lark as his new neighbor thanks to his meddling aunt.
Lark is a struggling actress seeking work anywhere she can find it and crying at funerals is a great side gig. She’s on the fence about returning to LA when the job is done since she doesn’t have another job lined up yet and this quirky town is so much fun. She accepts an invitation to stay for the summer before Wyatt returns, but she’s hardly disappointed to learn this gorgeous man is her new neighbor.
These two have chemistry from the moment they meet but Wyatt runs hot and cold towards her. He’s juggling a lot right now with his precocious kid, unruly players to babysit and a demanding new job so he’s not about to add anything to the mix. Except he can’t seem to stay away from Lark. In a moment of desperation, he hires her as the personal assistant he so desperately needs but worries it’s a mistake.
Lark is a hit with Penny, his daughter, and the boys he needs to corral for the summer but she’s only here temporarily because her life is in LA. I loved these characters and it was so easy to root for them. Add in a crazy small town complete with a generations-long feud, a robust supporting cast, plus tons of heat and behold the magic. This is a fun and funny HEA with lovable people and silly problems and I loved every minute of it. I received an ARC from Grey’s Promotions in exchange for an honest review.
