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Thursday, January 26, 2017

ARC Book #Review: Any Time, Any Place by Jennifer Probst

Book Title: Any Time, Any Place (Billionaire Builders 2 )
Author:  Jennifer Probst |WebsiteTwitterFacebook|
Publisher: Gallery Books
Genre: Romance
Series/Standalone: Series Book 2
Format:Paperback, Ebook
Cost: $16.00
Pages: 400
How I got it: Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Publisher
Publication Date: Jan 24th 2017
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Synopsis:
HGTV’s Property Brothers meets The Marriage Bargain in this second volume in the Billionaire Builders series, an all-new heart-wrenching and sexy contemporary romance from New York Times bestselling author Jennifer Probst. When she was a teen, Raven Bella Stratton’s father was killed in a horrible car crash. The bigger shock was the discovery of a woman with him—Diana Pierce—and their two fully packed suitcases with airline tickets to Paris. Devastated by her father’s betrayal, Raven went to live with her aunt, never truly overcoming the traumatic event. When she discovers that the mysterious woman had a family with a husband and three boys, Raven vows to leave the memory of her father behind. Until Dalton Pierce visits one night and suddenly her past challenges her future... Leaving his life in California behind to run Pierce Construction with his two older brothers, Dalton Pierce has enjoyed returning home and studying his passion of woodworking. But when he visits the local bar with his brothers one evening, he’s immediately drawn to the smart-mouthed, badass, sexy bartender who sets his body on fire. Unfortunately, she doesn’t seem as intrigued by him, and his multiple advances are met with rejection. When he offers to restore the bar back to its original glory, he begins to work with her on a daily basis, and falls harder. His plan of seduction slowly weaves a web around them both, until they are caught up in the spell. But Dalton doesn’t know the secret that can either destroy them both...or finally mend two broken hearts.
Email Jennifer Probst has a new book, would you like to review it. Me *psst would I?? Is that a legitimate question?? Types response immediately Why yes. yes I would. Takes book and reads it in 2 days, Me: Sigh now I must purchase all the books here take my money.

This is pretty much how the last few days have gone in my corner of the reading world. Once I read this I was too hooked to put it down. I really loved the characters in this one and I loved that we got a mostly well adjusted couple trying to find their way around life and love in this city.  As a women who lives in Connecticut, a Connecitcuter?? Is that even a word?? Nah we'll just stick to  New Englander it sound better, I absolutely loved that this book was set in my home state, even if the town is fictional, I mean there are a few towns it could be based on but definitely not a real Harrington in CT.  I loved having a book based in CT since that's my play ground and I don't have to imagine too hard the landscape.  or how our summers re just so darn hot (although right about now I would gladly take some of that heat).

So away from me and onto the book review, this book is the journey of a pretty wild and successful bartender turned owner and another of the wealthy brothers from the Pierce Brothers Company.  This is going to be the tale of the young woman who's father was also involved in the crash that took the life of the mother of the Pierce boys.  It's a great story of the redemptive power of love, forgiveness and knowing the one's truth.

So we get to meet Raven and she's pretty badass, she is a bartender with a really cool idea of her own bar & is doing everything to make her baby succeed and in doing so is making a name for herself in town, as well as around the state.  Given the opportunity to showcase her baby and bring in more people Raven has to decide if taking on the Pierce brothers is worth the hassle it will bring.  After her tragedy of her father's passing;  she'd been hell bent on revenge and destruction and this job, this career has been what has saved her, she became a bit of a loose cannon and roomed allover chasing an answer that she couldn't find anywhere else but home.  Having made the decision to change her life around she's really enhanced her life and even though she has wicked chemistry with Dalton she's staying as far away as she can, because his family destroyed hers.

Dalton isn't aware of why the woman's he's so attracted to won't even give him he time of day.  After his mother's passing, he took off to California to make a life for himself and there really got to know his passion and began making a name for himself in the industry. He has a love and passion for wood (ohhh the things I could do with that statement, but I'm going to be good) and a serious talent for making amazing restorations, however he's bored and looking for a project to inspire him and even though he wants to get his hands on Raven, he wants her bar even more.

I really loved the coming together of the couple in this, they felt like two strong willed people circling each other and trying to find a way to be friends while keeping their armour in place.  Raven knew who he was, he didn't know who she was, but he was too chicken to step up the challenge she laid out.  I loved that she made her wished plain, that she knew what she wanted and the fun time he offered wasn't enough for her anymore and she didn't hesitate to say so.  Her life was going to way she wanted for the first time in a long time and she wanted a partner that would understand her quirks without smothering them.  I really loved that Raven was a bartender, and a fan of creating great drinks (as a bartender myself I love that look of surprise when they try a drink and love it).  Being that I know the career she's in made me love her more, made me love the crew that worked for her and made me especially love Al because I assure you there are tons of him working in bars everywhere.

Dalton was a good guy who loved a good time and was honest about it.  He was fascinated by Raven and when he realized her needs and his weren't linking up he offered friendship and really meant it.  He hoped for more but understood that she wasn't going to give him that more.  My favorite scenes are when they both are having fun, and then he nerds out on her only to discover she's just a big of a nerd.  I loved them hanging out on the porch and him sharing his favorite myths with her and I just knew he wasn't going to be a happy camper when he found out who she was.

They both as kids blamed the other without really thinking about how their parents where grown adults who made their own *albeit effed up * decisions.  I loved the female friendships, the lack of cattiness, even the characters that seemed ditzy turned out to be pretty bad-ass as well.  I really loved the look at the familial friendships as well, how much the brothers loved and respected each other, even though as the youngest Dalton was a little more sensitive to the teasing.  I'm looking forward to more books from the series including their co-workers I'm really hoping it's not just the brothers getting stories, or if it is then at least the other characters get their stories in the books.

I loved how the characters had to learn that the past shouldn't be used as an excuse, and that even if this isn't your path, it can still be traversed well.  This isn't where Raven or even Dalton thought they would be; but as time passed, and needs changed and got clearer; they each had to learn to grow and to let go of the things that wouldn't help them, and yet it very muuh was the past that pushed them along.

I'm glad Raven wasn't a push over and that when it came down to it, she still valued herself and what she brought to the table.  I'm also Dalton recognized a gem when he found it and learnt to treasure it. Funny I just realized how much the fact that he's into restoring items, by stripping them down to their most basic and how she's into finding new ways to make the old fun again, works not just for their careers but also for their relationship.  Yeah I loved this one, definitely read it my loves.
 ★★★★☆
I'm looking forward to book three and to finding out what happened with his brother, I'm also looking forward to reading book 1, because you know I had to buy it right??

Happy Reading and I'll see you next time


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