Series: Bourbon Brothers (Book 2)
“That's the deal, Abbott. Take it…or leave it.”
How far will an ambitious heir go to secure his future?
Parker Abbott will do whatever it takes to be the next
CEO of King's Finest Distillery, even play fake fiancé to his childhood
nemesis, Kayleigh Jemison. Yet as he and the fiery redhead get reacquainted,
sparks fly and real passion emerges. But when her ex wants a second chance, who
will Kayleigh choose?
Good book. Parker and Kayleigh were good friends as
children until Parker did something stupid that destroyed their friendship. To
complicate matters further, Kayleigh is convinced that Parker's father cheated
her mother when he bought their family property. Now Parker has shown up at
Kayleigh's store wanting to buy her property! Parker needs this sale to show
his father that he is the best choice to be the next CEO of the family
business, but how far is he willing to go?
Having met Parker in Savannah's Secrets, I wasn't sure I
was going to believe he was redeemable as a hero. He is focused on the bottom
line and his goals, and doesn't come across as caring much about people other
than his family. He certainly doesn't have much in the way of people skills.
Kayleigh is Savannah's best friend, which has made some gatherings a little
awkward now that Savannah has married Parker's older brother. Kayleigh is
creative and independent. She never forgot the hurt of Parker's sixth-grade betrayal,
which doesn't make her any more willing to sell her property to him.
I enjoyed the development of their relationship. Kayleigh
is ready to send Parker packing when she gets a call from her ex-boyfriend's
sister. Suddenly Kayleigh needs a plus-one to a wedding, and who better than
wealthy, gorgeous, Parker Abbott? She basically blackmails him into agreeing to
pose as her fiancé in exchange for agreeing to sell her property to him. I
loved this scene because it not only showed the issues between them; it also
crackled with the sparks of attraction that were there too. I also enjoyed his
family's reaction to the plan. Neither Kayleigh nor Parker was particularly
happy when Savannah pointed out that their attitudes would not convince anyone
that they were madly in love. Savannah was a genius in coming up with a plan
for Parker and Kayleigh to get to know each other again, enabling them to carry
off their masquerade. I was also sure that she clearly saw that they belonged
together, and it was her way to get them to see it too.
I loved that first "tell each other what you see as
their good qualities." That got them looking at each other in a positive
light. Then the "ten dates in ten weeks" plan was to enable them to
get to know each other and become comfortable with each other. It was fun to
see each of those dates and the changes each one made in their relationship.
With each one, the sparks of attraction burned hotter until they finally burst
into flame. There were also some fun and sweet scenes between them, from the
mountain biking trip to the dance lessons. At the same time, their friendship returned
and grew into something more, though neither one would admit it. Just as Parker
realizes the truth about his feelings, they arrive at the wedding, and he
discovers that her ex wants a second chance. I ached for Parker as he makes a
rather boneheaded move, believing that she still loves the other man.
Meanwhile, Kayleigh is devastated by what she sees as another betrayal. A
little communication would have gone a long way to preventing heartbreak for
both of them.
I loved the ending as Parker went after what he really
wanted, though it took a kick in the pants to get him moving. The only obstacle
left to their happiness was her grudge against his father about the land
purchase. I loved that Parker had learned his lesson about communication and
honesty. I liked the conversation between Parker and his father, and his
insistence that it was time to tell the truth. The revelation at the end was a
surprise and went a long way toward changing my opinion of Parker's father as
well as Kayleigh's. I can't wait to see what's next for the remaining Abbotts.
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