A woman wanting to run from her past and a man focused on the future find themselves drawn to each other amidst the cutthroat world of politics. Keep reading to get a tempting glimpse of Life of the Party by Kris Fletcher, along with my impressions of it, then discover even more about this book by visiting the other sites hosting this tour. In honor of this first installment in the Calypso Falls series make sure to fill out the form below for the chance to win a $25 Amazon GC too!
In this all-new contemporary romance series, the five Elias sisters of Calypso Falls, New York, discover that love sometimes arrives in surprising ways...
Jenna Elias was always the life of the party, coasting on her charm and beauty, hiding the shame of the scandal surrounding her absentee father, a corrupt politician. But the party ended all too soon with an injury that left her partially paralyzed and a husband who simply left her. Now, at age thirty, she’s back in Calypso Falls. She leads a simple existence working in her sister’s coffee shop, but Jenna misses the joy she once had in her life. Then Cole Dekker walks into the coffee shop.
As idealistic as he is sexy, the local lawyer is running for mayor of Calypso Falls. Drawn to Jenna’s quick wit and radiance, he asks her to volunteer for his campaign. As the two start working together, there’s no denying the powerful attraction they feel for each other. A desktop makeout session leads to much more. But when Jenna’s dad returns to Calypso Falls and wants to be a part of her life again, the association could spell political suicide for Cole—and the end of a once-in-a-lifetime chance at true love.
EXCERPT:
(Jenna) couldn’t quite stop staring at him.
Her rational brain ticked through the points—attractive guy, my age, waiting politely—while something within her urged her to look harder. Deeper. Before she missed something vital.
Then he raised his eyebrows and tipped his head, and she caught it. The flash of humor. The air of expectancy. The feeling that, in this moment, she was the only thing that mattered to him.
“Could I get a coffee, please?"
Hello, reality, you cruel bitch.
“Um . . . sure. Sorry. I’ll be right with you."
Okay. So his desperate focus had been not on her, but the caffeine she represented. Nothing wrong with that. Better, even, than the possibilities being offered up by her imagination.
She returned to the register and focused on the order she needed to modify. It would be a lot easier if she wasn’t certain that he was following her every move, watching her hands glide across the keyboard like they held Harry Potter’s wand. Or maybe he was the one with the magic. It certainly took all of her resolve to stay on task when she had this sense that she was being compelled to turn back to him.
Lucky for her, learning to walk again had taught her a few things about determination.
At last the receipt was modified. She braced herself and returned to Mr. Compelling with the practiced smile she kept in her pocket for any situation requiring tact and/or faking.
“Sorry for the delay. One coffee, right?"
“Right. Milk, no sugar."
“Let me deliver these and I’ll get right on that."
She reached for the tray, but he placed a hand across it.
“Hang on,” he said.
Well, hell. There was nothing like watching a guy turn into an entitled, demanding jerk to crash through the Hormone Net.
“I’ll be right back.” She said it firmly, resisting the urge to explain playground rules about taking turns to him.
“That’s going to the table in the corner, right? The loud group?” At her nod, he added, “I’m with them. Add my coffee to the bill, let me pay up, and I’ll do the delivery myself."
Her first thought was that Aunt Margie had got things seriously wrong when she said that all men were shortsighted asses who couldn’t see beyond the ends of their peckers.
Her second was that he’d caught her limping and felt sorry for her.
She straightened her shoulders, her backbone, her hips. “Thanks, but I can manage."
“Sure you can. But I’m heading that way anyway."
“That’s very kind of you, but I’ve kept them waiting long enough."
“Yeah, well, I kept them waiting longer. If I come bearing gifts, they might be more forgiving.” The grin flashed again. “In fact, why don’t you toss a few of those muffins on the tray, too. I have a lot of groveling ahead. It might go better if I feed the beasts before I throw myself on their mercy."
How was a girl supposed to resist that?
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MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
After such an exhausting presidential race I wasn't sure I wanted to read a book set in the world of politics, but the premise drew me in and in many ways it charmed me. From its appealing main characters to its colorful cast of secondary ones who soon felt like family, this romance depicted the toll being in the public eye has on people. It's a romance that kept me fully immersed in the connection between a woman running from her past and a man looking towards the future under the watchful eyes of his constituents.
Jenna's family once had a prominent place in the world of politics until her father absconded with money, and faked his own death to hide it, before landing himself in jail. Along with notoriety from her father she earned her own reputation for being a Party Girl. After an engagement with a seemingly perfect man ended in disillusionment, along with a life-changing car accident, Jenna's left feeling a bit lost and desperate to start fresh. Meeting Cole couldn't have happened at a worse time but he's too good to ignore despite her fears over his being a politician. Jenna's a strong-willed woman who doesn't let her disability hold her back. She's sassy and outspoken and doesn't hesitate to let Cole know what she wants in and out of the bedroom as they undertake their secretive romance. With her sisters she's playful and mocking as only sisters can be which made their interactions highly entertaining. Jenna was ultimately a likable heroine who let fear rule her, until realizing how valuable true love is, to work her way towards a hard-fought HEA.
Cole's a rare man when it comes to politicians as he values honesty and transparency. He would never judge someone on acts they had no control over and believes in what he sees and hears as opposed to what comes from the outside. He's a true White Knight who stands strongly alongside Jenna, a quiet support as she deals with her recently released father. Cole's a sweet and sexy hero, charming in everything he says and does, and he definitely gets my vote. He's quick to admit he's wrong and quick to prove his love in a Grand Gesture that had me swooning. His interactions with his political team were entertaining and had a familial feel to them as they all had each other's backs throughout good times and bad. On a whole I'm proud to announce that he's the latest addition to my list of book boyfriends for all his goodness and charm.
From start to finish I found this to be a satisfying read with a slew of appealing characters and a romance that fully invested me in its outcome. The romance between Cole and Jenna was sweet and sexy, as well as scorching. As her disability was also addressed it made their connection more realistic too. The secondary characters, especially the Elias sisters, were strong with unique personalities that allowed them their own moments to shine and it has me excited for their own stories to be told. With so many good qualities making up this romance I still felt like something was missing, something holding me back from loving it. Although I'm not quite certain what that "something" is, I can say that I felt as if the story dragged in the middle and the background story of Jenna's father was a bit over-the-top. Despite that I still recommend this book for its timeliness to bring us all back from the ledge of a devisive election!
Jenna's family once had a prominent place in the world of politics until her father absconded with money, and faked his own death to hide it, before landing himself in jail. Along with notoriety from her father she earned her own reputation for being a Party Girl. After an engagement with a seemingly perfect man ended in disillusionment, along with a life-changing car accident, Jenna's left feeling a bit lost and desperate to start fresh. Meeting Cole couldn't have happened at a worse time but he's too good to ignore despite her fears over his being a politician. Jenna's a strong-willed woman who doesn't let her disability hold her back. She's sassy and outspoken and doesn't hesitate to let Cole know what she wants in and out of the bedroom as they undertake their secretive romance. With her sisters she's playful and mocking as only sisters can be which made their interactions highly entertaining. Jenna was ultimately a likable heroine who let fear rule her, until realizing how valuable true love is, to work her way towards a hard-fought HEA.
Cole's a rare man when it comes to politicians as he values honesty and transparency. He would never judge someone on acts they had no control over and believes in what he sees and hears as opposed to what comes from the outside. He's a true White Knight who stands strongly alongside Jenna, a quiet support as she deals with her recently released father. Cole's a sweet and sexy hero, charming in everything he says and does, and he definitely gets my vote. He's quick to admit he's wrong and quick to prove his love in a Grand Gesture that had me swooning. His interactions with his political team were entertaining and had a familial feel to them as they all had each other's backs throughout good times and bad. On a whole I'm proud to announce that he's the latest addition to my list of book boyfriends for all his goodness and charm.
From start to finish I found this to be a satisfying read with a slew of appealing characters and a romance that fully invested me in its outcome. The romance between Cole and Jenna was sweet and sexy, as well as scorching. As her disability was also addressed it made their connection more realistic too. The secondary characters, especially the Elias sisters, were strong with unique personalities that allowed them their own moments to shine and it has me excited for their own stories to be told. With so many good qualities making up this romance I still felt like something was missing, something holding me back from loving it. Although I'm not quite certain what that "something" is, I can say that I felt as if the story dragged in the middle and the background story of Jenna's father was a bit over-the-top. Despite that I still recommend this book for its timeliness to bring us all back from the ledge of a devisive election!
My rating for this is a B+
*I got this book from NetGalley for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
Kris Fletcher writes about small towns, big families, and the love that grows despite them. She has a thing for underdogs, which probably explains her lifelong devotion to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Kris shares her central New York home - fondly known as Casa Kitty – with her husband, kids, two cats, and a large population of wild killer dust bunnies. You can learn more about Kris, her books, and the view from her balcony at her website.
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