Series: Road to Love (Book 3)
He's tantalizing trouble she can't resist…
Charlotte Parrish has always wanted a certain kind of
man: someone responsible, settled, boring. Bad boys need not apply. But when
her car leaves her stranded and a mysterious stranger with brooding eyes and a
protective streak comes to her rescue, she can't deny how drawn she is to him.
In town searching for family he's never met, Mitch is everything she never
thought she wanted -- and suddenly everything she craves.
Finding his half-brothers after all these years is more
than Mitch Crews has allowed himself to wish for. Finding love never even
crossed his mind…until he meets Charlotte. She's sweet, warmhearted, sexier
than she knows -- and too damn good for an ex-con like him. But when his past
comes back to haunt him, putting Charlotte -- and the family he's come to care
for -- in danger, Mitch isn't playing by the rules. He's already surrendered
his heart, but now he'll risk his life.
Terrific book. This is the third in the series and can be
read as a standalone, but you'll get more out of it if you read the others
first. This is the story of Charlotte Parrish, the sort-of little sister to
Brodie and Jack Crews, and Mitch Crews, the half-brother they didn't know
about. Their father, Elliott, is a man who doesn't know the meaning of the words
fidelity and commitment. The first two books, Driven to Distraction and SlowRide, explain their relationships to Elliott.
Mitch had a hard life growing up with a part-time father,
an addict mother, and her drug dealer boyfriend. He's recently out of a
five-year prison sentence received for a stupid decision he made in an effort
to protect his mother. She has since passed away, and Mitch arrived in Red Oak,
Ohio, looking to meet his half-brothers. He's not sure why it just feels like
something he needs to do. He never expected to encounter someone like
Charlotte.
Charlotte was taken in by Ros Crews when her parents passed
away. Brodie and Jack have always treated her like a little sister, from
teasing to protectiveness. Charlotte gives as good as she gets, keeping them in
line as well as their office organized. She loves them, but when it comes to a
man of her own, she wants someone less badass and more normal. Meeting Mitch
brought out a side of her she didn't recognize.
I loved the opening pages of the book. It starts with
Charlotte having car trouble in front of a bar and being accosted by a couple
of drunks. Mitch was hanging around the outside of the bar and noticed
Charlotte as she was making phone calls looking for help. Intrigued and
attracted, it was fun to see him argue with himself about talking to her, but
he didn't hesitate when it looked like she needed help. I loved the way they
immediately connected. Charlotte wasn't the least bit afraid of him, even when
he punched the drunk. Just as Mitch finished, Brodie and Jack arrived, having
received her messages. Of course, they went into protective, big brother mode
right away, with Charlotte doing her best to call them off. Mitch immediately realized
who they were, and wasn't happy about having his timeline moved up before he
was ready. It got even more complicated when Ros arrived. The various reactions
to Mitch's revelations were fantastic. My favorites were Ros's immediate
acceptance, and Mitch's complete bewilderment at it. I also loved how easily
Charlotte could read Mitch's emotions. This scene was an excellent indicator of
how Mitch's absorption into the family was going to go.
Mitch has only had himself to rely on for so long that he
isn't sure how to handle having a family who wants to be involved in his life. I
loved how none of them let him push them away. Even when he tried, they would
just keep coming back. There were terrific scenes of everything from family
dinners to work parties where he had to learn that family meant everything to
them. It was a hard concept for him, and I ached for the way he wanted it to be
true but was afraid to believe. Mitch also had the problem of not wanting his
past to impact them, but that past was coming for him. I loved the support that
he received and the difference that it made to him when he finally believed.
I loved the development of the relationship between Mitch
and Charlotte. The connection and sparks were there from the moment they met. Mitch
had some bad moments when he realized her relationship to Brodie and Jack, but
it didn't slow him down for too long, though he did have to agree to their
conditions at the beginning. His fascination and sheer delight in being with
her were sweet. I loved how he appreciated her sass and ability and willingness
to stand up for herself against Brodie and Jack. He was also very protective of
her, especially when it came to himself. It took him a long time to believe
that she would genuinely be interested in him. Charlotte was surprised by her
reaction to Mitch but accepted it very quickly. I loved how she understood him and
could read his emotions. It warmed my heart to see the way that she smoothed
the way between him and his brothers, defended him when she thought he needed
it, and stood up for him when she felt it was necessary. I loved how the
attraction between them grew until they couldn't fight it any longer, and their
feelings grew right along with it. The biggest obstacle was getting Mitch to
believe that they could have a future together. I loved the ending, and seeing
Mitch finally feel like he was home.
The suspense of the story was good. We discovered fairly
early that Mitch's mom's boyfriend is absolutely no good. Upon finding out that
she left her house to Mitch, who'd sold it to the state and walked away, he was
furious. He was determined to get his revenge and tracked Mitch to Red Oak. It
is immediately evident that he has no redeeming features and is extremely
dangerous. Mitch was afraid for Charlotte and the others and determined to find
the man before he could do any harm. There are some scenes from Newman's point
of view that reveal how bad he is. The tension ramps up as Newman's plans draw
closer to fruition, and Charlotte becomes a target. The final confrontation had
me glued to the pages until it was all over. I especially loved how Newman
underestimated Mitch and completely blew off Mitch's family connections. I
loved seeing how they all came together to end the threat.
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