Book Release Blast for Risking Forever by A.M. Kusi (REVIEW)……

 Two bruised people find a bit of happiness on their slow burn journey to HEA, a journey strewn with miscommunications and scenes of true love.  Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Risking Forever by A.M. Kusi, along with my impressions of this second installment in The Emerson Family of Shattered Cove series, then add it to your bookshelf!

She’s looking for a fresh start. He’s still mourning the past. Will a short-term summer arrangement open them up to a beautiful future together?

Elise Aki desperately needs a stroke of luck. Grieving after a painful breakup forced her into couch surfing, the strong-willed teacher craves a fill-in before her new job begins in the fall. So the live-in nanny gig she lands feels like a godsend...until her charge’s handsome single dad comes home and assumes she’s a thief.
Roman Emerson never wants to feel the agony of loss again. Dedicated to his mute daughter, the alarmed father confronts the stranger rifling through their belongings only to be met by a nose-bruising punch. And even after discovering his mom hired the curvy knockout with a mean right hook, he’s certain his unwanted attraction makes her a not-so-good fit for their heartbroken household.
Determined to prove she’s capable, Elise steps up to the challenge of caring for the cute kid and her overprotective parent. And though Roman tries to trust his gorgeous housemate, he struggles with a fierce need to guard his traumatized child and safeguard his fragile heart.
Can two wounded fighters learn to read the love growing between them?

BUY here.

MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:

Readers looking for a heartfelt small town romance, with a dash of mystery, will get all that and more with this single dad/nanny romance.  Add in a traumatized, mute little girl and you end up needing tissues while watching these two bruised adults slowly heal through the love growing between them.  By the turn of the final page you feel drained but cleansed and at satisfied peace with this epic romance.

Roman's a grumpy, single dad still trying to deal with the death of his wife.  He's also trying to care for his daughter Ariel, a mute, while juggling his own feelings of guilt and anger.  Unbeknownst to him, his mother has hired a nanny...and so begins a romance built on an unforgettable first meeting that takes a slow burn journey to HEA.  Roman's a tough nut to crack, someone wallowing in his guilt over his loss, but Elise isn't someone to give up on him or his daughter and he eventually decides he's all in with her in interludes full of steaminess that pulled at my heartstrings too.  There were moments early on where he was a bit of a douchebag though, while trying to fight his attraction to Elise, but once he gave up the fight he showed how talented he was at dirty talk which made for decadently delightful scenes of forgiveness.

Elise is a heroine who's easily relatable.  Her previous relationship was emotionally abusive and she's now left riddled with self-doubts and body image issues.  Her ex certainly did a number on her and it's left her a bit lost.  The opportunity to nanny, before starting the school year teaching, sounds like the perfect diversion.  She doesn't expect all the emotional baggage surrounding the family though but shows the kindhearted, loving person she is by being part of their healing process.  It's a process that brought a few tears, along with a few smiles, in a slow burn journey to becoming a family.  I found Elise an admirable heroine with issues we all feel occasionally, but it still broke my heart to hear the negative thoughts perpetuated by her ex in her mind still. Elise's love for Ariel showed through from the very start and it warmed my heart how easily she interacted with the little girl despite her being mute.  She made the little girl feel safe, loved, and special and seeing this trio slowly become a family had me cheering them on.

Courtesy of A.M. Kusi readers are again rewarded with an engaging and emotionally intense tale featuring an appealing main couple whose journey to HEA is richly rewarding.  Readers will find themselves happily put through the wringer when reaching a conclusion as satisfying as the one found between Roman and Elise.  The authors must also be credited with the respectful handling of disability.  Every member of Ariel's family knew sign language and it was seamlessly incorporated into scenes with her.  Another facet seamlessly incorporated into the narrative was that of the continuing mystery surrounding the murder of Nash's fiancée, a mystery hanging over the entire town and one that's keeping me guessing...in a good way.  Add in the conclusion setting the stage for Ricky's story to be told next and readers will be on the edge of their seats waiting for the next installment in this beautifully crafted small town romance series.

My rating for this is an A-

*I got this book from the author for review in exchange for my honest opinion.

AUTHOR INFO:

A.M. Kusi is the pen name of a husband and wife team. We enjoy writing romance novels that are inspired by our own experiences as an interracial/multicultural couple.

Our novels are about strong women and the sexy heroes they fall in love with, are emotionally satisfying, and always have a happy ending.