Sandy M’s review of When I Need You (Need You, Book 4) by Lorelei James
Contemporary Romance published by Berkely 25 Jul 17
Almost as much as I love the connection between hero and heroine when it happens in romance, I also love when the hero falls for his new lady’s child. When I see father and young son at the park, walking along the sidewalk hand in hand, just having fun no matter what, my heart melts. So while Jensen Lund has his rules he’s determined to stick by when he meets Rowan for the first time, no such rules exist for him when it comes to her son. Yes, my heart melted every time Jensen’s did interacting with Calder.
Rowan has moved in across the hall from Jensen, subletting her brother’s apartment for a few months. That’s a surprise to Jensen after meeting Calder for the first time – a time neither he nor the reader will forget, that’s for sure. The more he learns about Rowan, the more he realizes he can’t get involved with her because she breaks every one of his rules when it comes to women. But, well, we all know how fate can knock us on our asses when it’s our time. Rowan has been put in Jens’ path just so fate can play with him a bit.
Not to be outdone, Rowan has her own rules too. She and her son have been abandoned and hurt, so going that route again is not an option. Especially for Calder. She’ll do anything to protect that kid, as mothers do. However, she has to think twice every time Jensen and Calder are together. To Calder’s delight, the great football star is a Harry Potter fan! Jens is a reader after my own heart, starting with Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, right from the beginning, when reading to Calder several times throughout the book. So both Jensen and Rowan are having a difficult time with their rules. He decides to take it slow, let things evolve as they will as he spends more time with Rowan. She, of course, tries much harder to keep distance between them, only because of Calder. She’ll be hurt, yes, if things don’t work out, but so will that sweet little boy.
But once the slow and easy road merges with can’t keep my hands off you, the chemistry between these two explodes. There’s a lot to be said for being friends first, it seems. Good thing we’re the only ones who know what’s in store with this friendship. There’s no drama to be had, just two people who genuinely like each other and like being together and, thus, let nature take its course. Or maybe that’s fate. They do have to be careful for a while due to the no fraternization rule in the football organization, so players and cheerleaders are a no-no. There’s the usual double standard when all is revealed, but Jensen is a man who takes no crap from anyone. I applaude his resolution.
I’m glad we get to see more of the entire Lund family, especially Mama Lund. She’s a hoot and I enjoy her every time she pops into her children’s lives. The conversation between Jensen and his oldest brother Brody, who is the hero of What You Need, is intriguing and endearing, and I’d love to see a novella about Brody’s current issue and following Jensen’s advice to resolve it. Just a thought to toss out to Ms. James. Because as with her Rough Riders series, I’d love to see more books about the Lunds, even a few novellas to keep the series ongoing.
Grade: A
Summary:
Rules are tossed aside when a pro football player join forces with a spitfire cheerleading coach in New York Times bestselling author Lorelei James’s brand-new romance…
Heir to Lund Industries and ladies’ man Jensen “The Rocket” Lund has three conditions when it comes to dating:
1) No single mothers
2) No cheerleaders
3) No medical personnel
So it makes no sense that he’s wildly attracted to Rowan Michaels, who breaks all three.Rowan didn’t pass the rigorous requirements to become an athletic trainer and Vikings cheerleader in the hopes of landing a pro athlete. Been there, done that, and she has a young son as proof that football players and fidelity don’t go hand in hand. When Rowan learns her new neighbor is Jensen Lund, the smoking-hot tight end who takes being neighborly to a whole new level, she’s grateful for the team’s strict no fraternization policy because the sexy man defines temptation.
But Jensen is intent on rushing straight to the goal line to prove to Rowan he’s much more than just a player…on and off the field.
Read an excerpt.
Other books in this series:
