ARC Review:Back to Us (Shore Secrets #3)

Ward Cantrell always went for the long shot. But that recklessness cost him his college scholarship and his chance to play pro ball, and—worst of all—it ended his relationship with the girl next door. Neither the town nor the girl has ever forgiven him. Now he's taking one last long shot by opening a boutique distillery on the family farm he inherited.

Piper Morrissey spent high school in Ward's shadow, but she's come into her own in the years since. Maintaining her spotless image, and that of her family's winery, is priority number one. Nobody knows that she still yearns for her golden-boy ex. Or at least they didn't—until Ward agrees to sell Piper the land she needs to start her precious port line. The caveat? She'll need to date him for one month.

Ward hopes a month is all it'll take to convince his former sweetheart that while he's changed, his love for her hasn't. But when the chance arises to thumb his nose at the town that turned its back on him, he can't afford not to reject Piper's offer. Will that make her reject him and his love—for good?

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What I thought about Back to Us

Ward Cantrell and Piper Morrissey were the best of friends. Then they started dating.  That was ten years ago. Something happened between them (they are nineteen at the time) and everything falls apart.  Ten years later, they are sorta-friends with lots of unresolved sexual tension between them.

Ward comes up with a scheme to help Piper and the business that her father doesn't want for her, and to also help him get back in her good graces.  He'll help her with a problem and in return, she has to agree to date him for a month. When she says yes, I thought it was cute how Ward really hadn't thought out his plan and had to turn to his friends to find out what to do.

Sadly though, this book was not for me. While there were some nice moments, I just didn't relate to either of the main characters and the circumstances of Ward's fall from grace really seemed very petty in the grand scheme of things. The beginning was a bit slow for me too. The story didn't engage me like most of the romances that I read, and I found myself skimming instead of reading. 

I did not read the first two books in the series, and although this worked as a standalone, I do wonder if I might have liked this more had I known more about Seneca Lake and the background of the four friends this series is about.  Your mileage may vary, as they say, but this second chance romance just didn't do it for me. 
 

About the Author

Christi Barth earned a Masters degree in vocal performance and embarked upon a career on the stage.  

A love of romance then drew her to wedding planning.  Ultimately she succumbed to her lifelong love of books and now writes contemporary romance.  

Christi is President of the Maryland Romance Writers and lives in Maryland with her husband.

http://www.christibarth.com/home/