Veena’s review of Why Not Tonight (Happily Inc, Book 3) by Susan Mallery
Contemporary Romance published by HQN 18 Sep 18
I am so very much enjoying this spin-off from Fool’s Gold. These are sweet, uncomplicated romances that are a nice escape from the day-to-day humdrum. It’s also nice to stay in touch with some of the characters from the previous series, who make occasional guest appearances while we read about a whole new cast of characters.
Ronan Mitchell is an artist. He’s one of those spin-offs who left Fool’s Gold and settled in Happily Inc. He creates magic with glass, but he has the artistic temperament honed to a fine edge being moody and stand-offish with a chip on his shoulder. When he doesn’t communicate with anyone in town for more than five days, Natalie, the office manager at the art gallery where he displays his work, is deputized to go check on him. As it turns out, she sets out in the worst storm of the century and barely makes it to his front door, drenched and bedraggled. From the get-go the repartee between these two characters will sweep you in and hold you captive until you find yourself reading the last few pages of the book, all the while totally engaged with the characters.
While readers have known of Ronan’s angst, we finally get to understand a bit more about the family dynamics, and, thanks to Natalie, Ronan finally gets it too, though I want to slap him silly in how he interacts with his mother. This is a tender love story with two very strong and very likable characters – though, if you’ve been reading the series so far, Roman is not a likable character at all as of yet. Natalie is also adorable and so giving, completely on the opposite end of the spectrum from Ronan, as she engages him in her projects to teach art to the local school children and in general give back to the community. I know readers will rejoice with her as just as I did when she starts to make good money for her art, especially with Ronan’s encouragement in pursuing some of her creative ideas.
All in all, a great episode in Happily Inc.
Grade: A
Summary:
Susan Mallery welcomes you to Happily Inc, where true love isn’t just for fairy tales…
Natalie Kaleta will do anything for the artists at her gallery, including risk life, limb and the effect of humidity on her naturally curly hair. Braving a downpour to check on reclusive Ronan Mitchell, Natalie gets stranded by a mudslide at his mountain home, where the brooding glass artist reveals his playful side, sending her inconvenient crush from under-the-radar to over-the-top.
After a secret tore apart his family and made him question his sense of self, Ronan fled his hometown for Happily Inc, but the sunny small town can’t fix his damaged heart. He won’t give in to his attraction for beautiful, perpetually cheerful Natalie. She’s untouched by darkness—or so he thinks.
Natalie knows that when a heart goes through the flame, it comes out stronger. Life may not be a fairy tale, but sometimes dreams do come true. Why not this one? Why not tonight?
