5 SMOOCHES!
SYNOPSIS:
A sexy new standalone from #1 New York Times bestselling author, Vi Keeland
The first time I met Caine West was in a bar.
He noticed me looking his way and mistakenly read my scowling as checking him out.
When he attempted to talk to me, I set him straight—telling him what I thought of his lying, cheating, egomaniacal ass.
You see, the gorgeous jerk had wined and dined my best friend–smooth talking her into his bed, all along failing to mention that he was married.
He deserved every bit of my tongue-lashing and more for what he’d done.
Especially when that lazy smile graced his perfect face in response to my rant.
Only it turned out, the man I’d just told off wasn’t the right guy.
Oops. My mistake.
Embarrassed, I slunk out without an apology.
I was never going to see the handsome stranger again anyway, right?
That’s what I thought…until I walked into class the next morning.
Well, hello Professor West, I’m your new teaching assistant.
I’ll be working under you…figuratively speaking.
Although the literal interpretation might not be such a bad thing—working under Professor West.
This was going to be interesting…
REVIEW:
I always enjoy reading Vi Keeland’s writing, but I’m just going to come out and say it: Beautiful Mistake is my favorite book from her yet. I adore workplace romances, and Keeland’s take on it here was unique and interesting. But this was more than just a simple office romcom; this was a gorgeous and seductive romance, and Keeland delivered powerful emotions in this fabulously complex and complicated love story.
“I’d felt a connection from the first time we met… whatever was between us had always felt bigger than me—bigger than us.”
From the part meet-cute, part angry confrontation that was their first encounter, the chemistry between the hero and heroine leapt from the page. More than just sexual chemistry, though, there was a genuine connection between Rachel and Caine that felt a whole lot like déjà vu and was more familiar than either could understand. Rachel, a music major graduate student, was also Professor Caine West’s teacher’s assistant, so a romance between the two of them would be an infraction of the school’s fraternization policies. Yet despite that, the two them were almost powerless to fight the growing attraction between them. It was a delicious, goose-bump eliciting build-up, and when they finally gave in to the pull between them, it was explosively passionate and far more intense than either of them had anticipated it would be.
“Maybe I couldn’t get you out of my head because you’re supposed to be there.”
That niggling feeling of familiarity between them, though, was something that never went away, and Keeland delivered an emotionally charged, meaningful and moving storyline there that made Beautiful Mistake a page-turner I had difficulty putting down. With each new revelation, I became more and more invested in these two characters and their happily ever after. Their back-and-forth bantering was on-point and lived up to the “Feisty” nickname Caine gave Rachel. She was a strong heroine, she knew what she wanted, and I loved how she had no problem calling him out when he needed it. Keeland filled out this story with a cast of side characters who added dimension and depth, taking this already deep story and turning it into something special.
“It’s us.”
“Us?”
“Together. It just works. I felt it the first night we met. Just didn’t want to accept it…”
“Do you accept it now?”
“…I never really had a choice, Feisty.”
This couple fought through some heavy history to get their happily ever after, and I was positively enthralled with their journey, devouring this story with heart-racing anticipation from cover-to-cover. Five smooches from me for Beautiful Mistake by Vi Keeland!
~ Danielle Palumbo
