Suddenly One Summer, by Julie James
Published 2015 by JOVE books, an imprint of Penguin
About the Book:
Divorce lawyer Victoria Slade has seen enough unhappy endings to swear
off marriage forever. That doesn't mean she's opposed to casual
dating—just not with her cocky new neighbor, who is as gorgeous and
tempting as he is off-limits. But once she agrees to take on his
sister's case, she's as determined to win as ever—even if that means
teaming up with Ford....
Investigative journalist Ford Dixon is
bent on finding the man who got his sister pregnant and left her high
and dry. He's willing to partner with Victoria, despite the fact that
the beautiful brunette gets under his skin like no other woman. He might
not be looking to settle down, but there's no denying the scorching
attraction between them. Still, the more time he spends with Victoria,
the more he realizes that the one woman as skeptical about love as he is
might be the only woman he could really fall for…
My Take:
I won this paperback in a contest over the winter, thrilled to have an autographed copy from one of my absolute favorite authors. I've loved everything she's previously written, and reread a few of them multiple times.
This one... Was a little different, and didn't grab me the same way as her previous books. I chalked it up to a bad stretch of winter and put it aside to reread when the weather (and my mood) improved.
And I'm really glad I did. Turns out I really like this book after all. As in, Really liked it.
Victoria Slade is Chicago's foremost family law attorney, in other words, divorce attorney to the rich and famous. She's always in control of every situation... Until a home invasion leads to panic attacks and the immediate need to move. While her new condo is being renovated, she rents a condo next door to Ford Dixon, an investigative reporter with issues of his own.
Julie James is a master at writing sassy and sarcastic characters who hide their vulnerabilities behind quips and banter. The back and forth between her characters never fails to make me smile, and the ending left me with a big stupid grin on my face and the urge to tell my husband how much I love him. Yeah, that sappy. But in a totally good way.
Is it a feel-good beach read? Yes. Is it a satisfying romance with a strong female lead? Yes. Why didn't I like it the first time around? I have absolutely no idea. Honestly.
I totally recommend grabbing this for your beach bag, and a great summer read.
Grab a copy on Amazon.
