Review: Simply Irresistable by Jill Shalvis

The back blurb:
Maddie Moore's whole life needs a makeover.
In one fell swoop, Maddie loses her boyfriend (her decision) and her job (so not her decision). But rather than drowning her sorrows in bags of potato chips, Maddie leaves L.A. to claim the inheritance left by her free-spirited mother-a ramshackle inn nestled in the little coastal town of Lucky Harbor, Washington.

Starting over won't be easy. Yet Maddie sees the potential for a new home and a new career-if only she can convince her two half-sisters to join her in the adventure. But convincing Tara and Chloe will be difficult because the inn needs a big makeover too.

The contractor Maddie hires is a tall, dark-haired hottie whose eyes-and mouth-are making it hard for her to remember that she's sworn off men. Even harder will be Maddie's struggles to overcome the past, though she's about to discover that there's no better place to call home than Lucky Harbor.

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Simply Irresistible is the first book in Ms. Shalvis' Lucky Harbor series. This was a fun, fast read. I liked Maddie right from the beginning of the story. She was someone I could easily identify with: she was sort of a pushover but didn't want to be. This was especially evident when we learn that her last boyfriend was an abuser. She's come out to Lucky Harbor ready for a fresh, new start. Her two half-sisters do not share Maddie's opinion that this inheritance could be the start of something wonderful, they just want to sell and go.

Jax is a wonderful hero, I liked him from the start too: smart, sexy, honorable, good with his hands... *sigh* He instantly falls for Maddie, whom he meets through a very funny series of events; I should probably add "forgiving" to his list of endearing qualities :)

I laughed a lot while reading this book - I mean come on, the town's cafe was named "Eat Me". The quotes at the beginning of each chapter were cute and a good reminder about why the sisters were at the inn: their free-spirited mother. While I did guess one or two of the plot points in advance, the storyline had enough twists to keep me interested. The interaction between Maddie and Jax was hot any time they were near each other, which makes me happy as a reader. I didn't like Maddie's sisters very much, but by the end of the story they had grown on me. While I liked Jax's friends, their interaction felt a bit forced for me. Ever the romantic, I am hoping that they end up with Maddie's sisters somewhere in this series...

Mass Market Paperback: 336 pages
Publisher: Forever
Release Date: September 28, 2010
ISBN-10: 044657161X
ISBN-13: 978-0446571616

My Rating:

This book was provided to me by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.