This story had all the markings of a romance I adore; chemistry, humor, tension, a bit of a love/hate aspect, and of course… drama!
I enjoyed being a witness to Luke and Tess’s journey. From childhood friends to enemies, to frenemies, to friends, and then.. something more.
They have history, and it was good history, until it wasn’t. Luke made a huge mistake that changed the course of their friendship and possibly a blossoming romance, and then they went their separate ways. Luke became a bit of a drifter, always moving and learning something new. He never stayed in one place for too long. Tess became entangled in routine and obligation. She closed herself off and found herself lost among work, caring for her father, and learning how to run Mrs. Bennet’s flower shop. The two couldn’t be more opposite, which quickly becomes part of the appeal.
Their bickering has a playfulness to it and I couldn’t help but keep turning the pages to see when exactly one of them would cave and realize they were meant to be something incredible. Luke teaches Tess to be spontaneous and to go with her gut instincts and take risks in life while she teaches him that a bit of routine isn’t a bad thing, and putting down roots could cause something wonderful to bloom and grow (pun intended?).
Needless to say, Luke and Tess learn to work together to bring out wonderful qualities in one another that lead them down the path to a deep and ridiculously sexy romance. I couldn’t get enough of them, or the crazy cast of Bennet siblings, the wisdom of Tess’s dad, or the enchantment of a landmark flower shop in the face of a rejuvenation.
If you’re looking for another steamy pool or beach read, I highly suggest meeting Tess and Luke in this lovely rom-com. They’ll make you want to stop and smell the roses!