Things are going as planned until his best friend’s little sister comes barreling into his life. Funny, quick talking, smart, beautiful, she’s a temptation he tries—and fails—to resist.
When Beth Murphy hears Joe is back in town, she makes sure she’s the first on his welcoming committee. Though he tries to pretend he’s gruff and unworthy of her, she sees the man who spoils his dog, who touches her like she’s precious. Cherished. But there’s one wall she can’t break down—the truth about what’s happening at home.
On the night the nature of his father’s illness becomes painfully, publicly apparent, Joe does the right thing—push Beth as far away as possible. But if he thought she’d go away quietly, he’s about to learn she’s made of sterner stuff.
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I'm pretty sure it would take a lot for me to not enjoy a Lauren Dane story - especially one taking place in Petal, Georgia. The Chase brothers (and now the Murphy family) kind of represent all that I love in romance: witty dialogue, Alpha men with a heart (& manners), and a touch of Southern charm. Who can resist all that?! And Lost in You takes it a step farther, since the relationships within which the Murphy clan are finding theirs HEA's are not simple and perfect. Real life problems - divorce, cheating, mental health issues - become major plot points around which both the hero and heroine have to learn to operate.
There are immediate sparks between Joe and Beth - fantastic sparks. She sees something she wants and goes after it immediately, with a lot of charm and a fun sense of deviousness. It's rare to see the woman as the one who chases but I think the fact that she's good natured-ly cajoling Joe into following an attraction he already feels makes it work. They start as something a step more serious than f*ck buddies and unfortunately getting to the point where can both admit to their feelings isn't easy. Speaking as someone who's got their own complicated family past I like the way Dane writes each of them as real people, who don't always know how to balance family, loyalty, and their own HEA.
While reading the Chase Series isn't required to enjoy this book I recommend them because 1) they're great on their own, and 2) it makes this books even better :).
Overall Feeling - A
Series - 1) Once and Again 2) Lost in You (3/12/13)
*I won this book in a blog contest*
