Contemporary Romance published by William Morrow Paperbacks 11 Jan 22
Unfortunately for me, it’s been a while since I’ve read Jill Shalvis. She’s a favorite, and one thing after another just kept me from picking up a recent release. Of course, I always wonder why it takes so long between reading her works, because I love every minute I spend with her characters finding their way to love.
We start off with a bang, Levi and Jane are the only ones in a descending gondola at Lake Tahoe just as a snow storm is brewing. During the tumultuous ride, Levi takes a hit for Jane and ends up injured. Believing they may not make it out alive, Levi calls his mom, needing to talk to her one last time, never imagining he’d wind up with a pretend girlfriend.
Jane is taken with a man who would give his mother such a gift, especially not knowing his fate. Turns out, his mom is taken with the idea of this girlfriend, and Jane’s life becomes one pretend lie after another when it comes to Levi. Part of her doesn’t mind, he’s one of those men who any girl would love to have in their life. But she knows very little about family, and men aren’t something she wants to deal with after the last time around.
But she promises to keep up the pretenses for his parents’ upcoming anniversary dinner. In the meantime, she gets love advice from her BFF Charlotte, who has issues with men and love herself. And that’s another great part of the story, Charlotte and Mateo are just as charming and fun as Jane and Levi. There’s plenty of backstory also between Levi and Mateo for one more family aspect of the book. Jane is the one who has family problems and once she meet’s Levi’s family, she has no idea she’s fighting a losing battle.
As usual, Jill Shalvis gives readers wonderful characters and thought-provoking storylines amid traversing the journey to love and romance. You can never go wrong reading this new release or any of her stories.
Grade: A
Summary:
During the snowstorm of the century Levi Cutler is stranded on a ski lift with a beautiful stranger named Jane. After strong winds hurl the gondola in front of them into the ground, Levi calls his parents to prepare them for the worst…but can’t bring himself to say goodbye. Instead, wanting to fulfill his mother’s lifelong wish, he impulsively tells her he’s happily settled and Jane is his girlfriend—right before his phone dies.
But Levi and Jane do not.
Now Levi’s family is desperate to meet “The One.” Though Jane agrees to be his pretend girlfriend for just one dinner, she’s nervous. After a traumatic childhood, Jane isn’t sure she knows how to be around a tight-knit family that cherishes one another. She’s terrified, and a little jealous. But an unexpected series of events and a host of new friends soon show Jane that perhaps this is the life she was always meant to have.
As Jane and Levi spend more time together, pretend feelings quickly turn into real ones. Now all Jane has to do is admit to herself she can’t live without the man she’s fallen in love with and the family she has always dreamed of.
Read an excerpt.
