‘Right. All under control, eh?’
‘Absolutely.’ I gave him my best winning smile, the one I’d used to close the many deals I’d made as I’d clawed my way up the ladder of success. The one that always worked. The smile that won clients over when they were wavering, just as Jesse was now. And then he returned it.
Just as they always did.
‘Good effort but I’m not buying it.’
I felt my jaw drop.
‘What?’
‘I can certainly imagine it fools a lot of people but I’m afraid I’m not one of them.’
Reach for the Stars is pure Maxine Morrey charm.
Felicity was never meant to end up with a money-pit farmhouse to renovate and a broken heart to heal…
But when Fliss attempts to drown the sorrow of seeing her ex-fiancé and his new wife’s magazine-worthy wedding all over social media, one rash decision loses her a job and gains her a doer-upper in the blink of an eye.
The only bright spot of living in the country is the very dishy and very handy loveliest-man-ever Jesse Woods. And when Fliss’s new roof has an ill-advised meeting with a tree in the middle of the night resulting in her literally seeing stars, there’s only one thing for it. She’s going to have to accept Jesse’s help and a place to stay.
City girl Fliss is at rock bottom but if anyone can teach her to turn her gaze from the gutter to the stars it’s Jesse Woods. She’s been burnt trusting men before, but Jesse may just be worth breaking her own rules for…
…Sigh… This book is chef kiss perfection. There is just something about Maxine’s books that just hit every single one of my buttons. I was instantly, and I mean instantly, obsessed with this story. The first scene in this book is when Fliss accidentally knocks out Jesse with a 2×4 piece of wood. Those sparks, or should I say stars, were flying between these two right from that very first meet-cute. I love every moment of this story. We first meet Fliss when her life is a hot mess. While drunk, she buys an old house and some sheep, as one does when they have been drinking a lot. The problem is that the house that she bought is in shambles, and as she attempts to fix it, more things go wrong, mainly because a tree falls through her roof into her bedroom. There is just something about watching as a heroine’s life implodes around them that is slightly addictive to me. I especially love it when the imploding is done through a series of disastrous and sometimes funny events. It makes for a really entertaining read.
The overall story is quintessential Maxine Morrey’s charm. It was a lot of fun to read, and when I was finished, I felt light and fluffy on the inside. This is a feel-good romance with a sprinkling of realism. I loved the fact that it wasn’t an overly heavy book. There are times when this bookworm just wants to sit down and read something that will put a smile on her face, and this book is that. I love the story’s small-town feel, and the secondary characters and their side stories made the reading experience richer. Fliss and Jesse are fabulous MCs. Fliss is an independent, strong woman who isn’t willing to accept favours or handouts. She has worked hard her entire life and doesn’t want to feel like she needs to depend on anyone else. Fliss’s character really has this fish-out-of-water trope-y experience. She is a city girl trying to figure out how to survive in this new country life she finds herself in. I loved watching Fliss let down those walls she built around herself. She does a lot of self-reflecting in this story, and it was great watching her find the things and the people who truly make her happy. Let me tell you, Maxine really knows how to write a fabulous hero. Jesse stole my heart. He is charming and gorgeous, and he sees through that tough, prickly exterior Fliss puts on. Jesse was the perfect match for Fliss. He is strong enough not to let Fliss boss him around and calls Fliss on her BS when the occasion arises.
The romance in this book is sweet and charming, and it had my heart pitter-pattering. Fliss and Jesse were great for each other, and their chemistry was believable and enjoyable. There was just something so addicting about their interactions. I found myself quickly turning the page to see what would happen next between them. Their love story was so fun for me because it has many of my favourite tropes, such as slow burn, opposites attract, fish-out-of-water, and forced proximity.
Reach for the Stars is an easy, breezy, sweet romance that I will read again and again.
Thank you, Boldwood Books and Rachel Random Resources, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
