Opposites attracting is a favorite theme of mine and is the guiding force in the book I'm bringing you today, The Right Kind of Wrong by Emily Wood. Keep reading to get a glimpse of this book, along with my impressions of it, and learn even more by visiting the other blogs hosting this tour. Make sure to fill out the form below for your chance to win a bookstore GC!
Fresh out of jail, Jamie Pierce is desperate to change his ways and become a better person. He wants to earn enough money to get out of London for good and live a quiet life somewhere in the country. But then he meets Harriet Jones, a beautiful young fashion designer who is plagued by self-doubt, and suddenly leaving doesn’t seem so simple.
Harriet has spent years trying to win her father’s affection, but time and time again she’s been left feeling that she just isn’t good enough. When she starts to fall for her rough-around-the-edges neighbor, she knows her father would never approve.
It was only meant to be a fling, but maybe the person who seems so wrong for her could be just the kind of person she needs. Can Jamie help Harriet learn to believe in herself, or will she remain trapped in her own prison of self-doubt?
EXCERPT:
"I guess that's a hint for me to go." Jamie sighed. "Shame, I was enjoying myself."
He hopped off the stool, and despite the rising panic about her work, Harriet felt a warm glow at his words. "Really?"
"Geez, don't sound so surprised. Why wouldn't I be enjoying myself in the company of a beautiful woman?" Jamie stared down at her with that burning, intense gaze of his.
Harriet squirmed. Years of being criticized had made her unable to take a compliment. "I'm not beautiful."
She broke her gaze away from his, and looked back at her work. Work was what she knew, what she understood, not compliments and looks of strange, gorgeous men whom she had invited into her home with no real idea why.
She felt his fingers under her chin, lifting her face so that she had to look back up at him. Even though she resisted slightly, his fingers were firm.
"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met," Jamie told her, and he looked so serious.
Harriet wanted to believe it. But she knew she wasn't beautiful.
"Can I kiss you again?" There was a fleeting moment of indecision in his eyes, like maybe he shouldn't, but all Harriet wanted was for him to kiss her again.
"Yes." Her voice was trembling. There were so many reasons why she should have said no. But she wanted this. She wanted Jamie.
His eyes fixed on hers until his soft lips found hers. Harriet savored his gentle kiss this time, marveling at his skill to ignite a passion within her that she wasn't even sure she had. When he pulled away, Harriet was left breathless.
"You seem nervous," Jamie said, taking her hand, which was physically shaking.
"I…I haven't touched a man since my husband and I separated," Harriet admitted.
Jamie's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You seem too young to have been married already."
"Yes, well, it didn't work out," Harriet said bitterly. She looked away, trying to push down the emotions that threatened to resurface—rejection, abandonment, the feeling of never being good enough. But she was good at controlling the pain by now; she'd been doing it ever since she was a child.
"I'm sorry." The fire between them was in danger of fizzling out as they stood there awkwardly, but then Jamie kissed her hand. "Anybody would be a fool to leave you."
Jamie pulled her closer and started kissing her again. He tasted of beer, and Harriet hated the taste usually, but like with everything else, he made the wrong seem so right, and she loved it.
She kissed him like she couldn't get enough. Boldly, Harriet raised her hands up to cup his face, the beginnings of stubble feeling grainy against her palms. She was more turned on than she could ever remember. Harriet pulled away, suddenly nervous. It wasn't like her to do things like this, and it scared her just how much she wanted it.
"It's okay, we don't have to take this any further. We don't really know each other," Jamie said a little breathlessly.
Harriet tried to hide her disappointment, but she knew he was right, and she wasn't the kind of girl to be this forward.
"But I'm up for it if you are." Jamie's voice was more serious, and his words sent waves of desire through her body.
Given her tendency to over-think things into inaction, she decided to let her body take over. There were a hundred reasons why she shouldn't do this, but she was going to go with the one reason she should—she wanted to.
He hopped off the stool, and despite the rising panic about her work, Harriet felt a warm glow at his words. "Really?"
"Geez, don't sound so surprised. Why wouldn't I be enjoying myself in the company of a beautiful woman?" Jamie stared down at her with that burning, intense gaze of his.
Harriet squirmed. Years of being criticized had made her unable to take a compliment. "I'm not beautiful."
She broke her gaze away from his, and looked back at her work. Work was what she knew, what she understood, not compliments and looks of strange, gorgeous men whom she had invited into her home with no real idea why.
She felt his fingers under her chin, lifting her face so that she had to look back up at him. Even though she resisted slightly, his fingers were firm.
"You are the most beautiful woman I've ever met," Jamie told her, and he looked so serious.
Harriet wanted to believe it. But she knew she wasn't beautiful.
"Can I kiss you again?" There was a fleeting moment of indecision in his eyes, like maybe he shouldn't, but all Harriet wanted was for him to kiss her again.
"Yes." Her voice was trembling. There were so many reasons why she should have said no. But she wanted this. She wanted Jamie.
His eyes fixed on hers until his soft lips found hers. Harriet savored his gentle kiss this time, marveling at his skill to ignite a passion within her that she wasn't even sure she had. When he pulled away, Harriet was left breathless.
"You seem nervous," Jamie said, taking her hand, which was physically shaking.
"I…I haven't touched a man since my husband and I separated," Harriet admitted.
Jamie's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "You seem too young to have been married already."
"Yes, well, it didn't work out," Harriet said bitterly. She looked away, trying to push down the emotions that threatened to resurface—rejection, abandonment, the feeling of never being good enough. But she was good at controlling the pain by now; she'd been doing it ever since she was a child.
"I'm sorry." The fire between them was in danger of fizzling out as they stood there awkwardly, but then Jamie kissed her hand. "Anybody would be a fool to leave you."
Jamie pulled her closer and started kissing her again. He tasted of beer, and Harriet hated the taste usually, but like with everything else, he made the wrong seem so right, and she loved it.
She kissed him like she couldn't get enough. Boldly, Harriet raised her hands up to cup his face, the beginnings of stubble feeling grainy against her palms. She was more turned on than she could ever remember. Harriet pulled away, suddenly nervous. It wasn't like her to do things like this, and it scared her just how much she wanted it.
"It's okay, we don't have to take this any further. We don't really know each other," Jamie said a little breathlessly.
Harriet tried to hide her disappointment, but she knew he was right, and she wasn't the kind of girl to be this forward.
"But I'm up for it if you are." Jamie's voice was more serious, and his words sent waves of desire through her body.
Given her tendency to over-think things into inaction, she decided to let her body take over. There were a hundred reasons why she shouldn't do this, but she was going to go with the one reason she should—she wanted to.
Buy at BEACHWALK PRESS.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
I love the theme of opposites attracting and with Emily Wood's Rags and Riches series this theme is nicely on display. Though much of The Right Kind of Wrong is predictable, the character of Jamie still made it an enjoyable read as he struggled to overcome his past in a story that ends quite satisfyingly after a rocky road to their HEA.
Harriet has always been the good girl, desperate to make her rich father proud after the death of her mother and sister. Though she devotes herself to work and little else he still sees her as a failure, especially since she's divorcing the man her father admires. It's been a staid and uptight existence thus far which has manifested in a woman who appears bitter and judgmental. Her attempts at trying to please her father have contributed to a personality that's a rather unpleasant one at the start of the story....at least until she meets blue collar worker, Jamie. She's attracted to him from the start but treats him as a booty-call in the early part of the story which made me dislike her early on. She tended to jump to conclusions and let her prejudices, and her father's judgements, rule her at times which almost destroyed their burgeoning romance. Through it all he stood by her. He gives her the confidence and support that her father should've given her and he shows her that there's more to life than work. He makes her comfortable in her own skin through his numerous compliments and the strength to set out on her own to make her business dreams come true. A final, and thoroughly enjoyable, showdown with her father finally made me like her and led to an immensely satisfying HEA.
Jamie is the perfect hero and he won me over from the start! He had a rough time growing up in the foster care system which ultimately led to a stint in jail. He's desperately trying to make amends and it's an everyday struggle to keep his anger under control even as he's looked down upon by many for his past. He's just what Harriet needs now as he shows her how to enjoy life. He makes her feel good about herself and gives her the self-esteem to reach beyond her father's ideals to make her proud of herself. He does all that and still remains super sweet and sexy. Their sexual interludes are not only HOT but are another way he helps her gain confidence. In helping her he also helps himself. He wants to be the kind of man Harriet can be proud of and aims to make something more of himself than a barman. I loved Jamie completely and he'll remain in my thoughts for a long time to come.
Even though this is a part of a series it can definitely be read on its own. From a wonderful hero to numerous hot and heavy scenes I found myself fully immersed in this story. Though I found the heroine a bit grating at times I still applauded her final scene with her father that spoke volumes about her feelings for Jamie. Ms. Wood has written another enjoyable story as the Rags and Riches series continues to delight.
My rating for this is a B.
*I received this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
I have always believed that the best stories are the ones that you can't put down, the ones that transport you to a different place and make you believe in the characters. This is exactly why I write… I have always loved the escapism that reading and writing provides, and there is nothing more exciting than imagining your own set of characters, and then letting them practically write the story for you. Writing has always been a dream of mine, and I'm lucky to have the kind of people around me that have always nurtured and encouraged my passion.
I live a cozy little life in Wales, and when I'm not writing I'm taking care of my young family, studying for a degree in Classical Studies, and training to become a nail technician. I love traveling to new places, meeting new people, and experiencing new things…it's all great inspiration for my books!
I also love to hear from my readers or other writers, so contact me at: emilywood.author@gmail.com
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http://emilywoodauthor.
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