Did somebody say, Grumpy/Sunshine, small town, and a lingering suspicion that something is afoot with Sunshine/Feisty lead?…. Lucy Score just knows how to reel me in. Oh and not to mention, Brick trying to deny his feeling for his ex wife’s best friend, who also happens to be his brother’s high school sweetheart, and the cherry on top… his boss’s daughter. When it came to Remington Ford, Brick not only had his hands full with the mischievous Remi, but he couldn’t help his mind from wandering with some… interesting thoughts about her.

Brick was the typical grumpy man, except that he wasn’t rude, he was kind and caring to others and always offering to help out whenever. The only thing was with Remi, Brick couldn’t help himself with either wanting her so badly that he tried to distance himself from her , he felt like his world was turned upside, and he also craved her attention. Brick had a lot going on for him when it came to Remi. In typical grumpy man fashion, he would tell Remi not to do certain things, and she would respond by either being defiant or tried ruffling his feathers in order to get a reaction out of him. Together, Remi and Brick had some interesting conversations, but you could sense the blatant tension between them (their attraction!) 

I really liked the small town vibe, Remi and Brick’s back and forth banter with each other, always challenging each other, never a dull moment with those two. I also found the reason why Remi was back in town most intriguing. From the beginning of the story, it was hinted at that Remi was dealing with something, more specifically she was trying to get away from someone. In a way, there was a sense of mystery, a bit of that “edge of your seat” feeling trying to figure out what Remi was hiding, and most importantly, what happened?! The way Remi eventually revealed what happened to her was not entirely what I was expecting, but it left me feeling in suspense especially because, in the midst of Remi being back home on the island… things weren’t exactly safe for her yet. There was still danger lurking around. I was worried about Remi just as Brick was, but as much as I love a grumpy man, sometimes a part of me was like, “Brick my man, take a chill pill and step back a bit because if you don’t, Remi isn’t going to want to open up.” As much as Brick wanted to help Remi, his overprotective nature was a bit overbearing to Remi. Don’t get me wrong, I loved Brick being a grumpy, possessive, overprotective man, but sometimes he needed to cool off since Remi felt he was judging her. 

Remi and Brick’s attraction/ crush they had for one another wasn’t just something out of the blue, it was something that was present even back when Remi was in high school. For all the times, Brick and Remi were tempted to take their attraction to the next step, Brick was the one who always hesitated because, one, he felt like he couldn’t be the person Remi wanted to be (Brick’s words), and in Brick’s mind the fact that Remi was his brother’s high school sweetheart, Ex wife’s best friend, and boss’s daughter, he felt like it would have been over complicated with Remi. One of the many things I liked about Remi was, she called Brick out on his “reasons” as just excuses, and after constantly feeling rejected and the constant up and down rollercoaster of emotions that she felt Brick put her through, she put her foot down and laid down the law. I respected Remi for essentially trying to put distance between herself and Brick because, as much as Brick was a great guy, he didn’t deserve to expect things from Remi or be part of her life as more (romantically) when he couldn’t fully commit. I will say that as the story progressed, I was happy to see Remi and Brick talk things out, and really put more effort into their relationship, especially with Remi trying to show Brick just how much she cared about him, and that she wanted more from him than just physical intimacy. The growth between Brick and Remi was great.

Simply WOW! Lucy Score truly knows how to bring a unique, vibrant, fun, and compelling story to all her books and with each book of hers that I read, I not only fall more in love with Lucy, but her characters! Lucy knows how to write a fantastic, grumpy man, and a just as equally feisty, strong female lead. The tension between Brick and Remi was palpable through the pages and just when I thought they would finally give in, I was left with just a tease (but I enjoyed it nonetheless) in a way, it kind of felt a slow burn romance, since Remi and Brick’s had moments where they were so close to doing something more intimate, but then ultimately either something got in the way or more often it was Brick who didn’t want to cross that line. I loved the romance between them, and phew the spice was delicious and FAN- F#%KING-TASTIC! GOD DAMN SO GOOD WOOOOOO! Oh and a round of applause for Brick not only telling Remi what he wanted, but FOR DELIVERING! PLEASURING! AND JUST BEING AN ABSOLUTE MOUTH WATERING BEAUTIFUL MAN! ALSO HIM BEING A DIRTY TALKER! I ascended to heaven just reading what he said.

This book had everything I loved and could have wanted, but also introduced me to things I didn’t know I wanted. There was romance, comedy, small town vibes, Grumpy/sunshine, suspense, mystery, lovable characters, and amazing plot! If you think you’ll like this book, no sir, YOU’RE GOING TO LOVE IT! ANYTHING BY LUCY SCORE IS A MASTERPIECE AND I CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF HER BOOKS!