NEVERMORE BOOKSTORE
Series: Townsend Harbor #1
Author: Kerrigan Byrne & Cynthia Aubin
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: March 28th, 2023
Cadence “Cady” Bloomquist knows two things for sure: First, shelving books at her shop, Nevermore Bookstore, totally counts as cardio. Second, staying late every Thursday night to take a certain mysterious customer’s order is not the same as waiting by the phone for some man.
Until.
Until the calls with the man who identifies himself only as “Fox” last for hours, and become the highlight of her week. Which leaves her to wonder, if his jagged velvet voice can kindle her fire over the phone, what sort of alchemy might it inspire if they met in person?
There’s nothing Roman Fawkes wants more than the brilliant, beautiful bookstore owner, but Roman Fawkes knows it can never happen. Secreted in his mountain hideaway high above sleepy little Townsend Harbor, his hermit’s existence shields him–and those around him–from the pain of his past.
Until.
Until one of their weekly calls is interrupted by a break-in, and Fawkes is powerless to protect the woman who has become his one link to the world. Orchestrating a trap for the fool who dared harm her, Fawkes finds himself not just ensnared, but beguiled by her. Now so close to Cady, he discovers she’s fallen for “Fox”, and yet he’s unable to reveal her heart’s desire is closer than she thinks.
Can Fawkes resist the temptation to get between Cady’s covers, knowing they’ll never have a happily ever after?
Oh boy, I did not see that coming… The first book of this authors duet, Nevermore Bookstore, gives us a fresh and new take on the small town romance, with plenty of mystery, sass, love and steam. And a couple of twists and turns that left me speechless, lol!
First of all, don’t let the cute cartoony book cover, and advertisement as funny and upbeat rom com, fool you, because they book had quite an heavy emotional charge, and a LOT of inner battles and demons to eradicate. So much so, that it kind of blind sided me immediately upon starting, because there is nothing lighthearted about this story, though there are certainly plenty of hilarious moments.
Surprisingly given the grumpy/sunshine premise, I was in awe at Cady for her strength and bright personality, she had so much to put her down for, but she never lost her ‘heart’, and her faith, I adored that about her, and of course her and Gemma’s sisterhood relationship are goals!
I don’t know if it was an excess of inner monologue, or if it was the extended slow pace of the ‘actions’, but I found myself distracted when normally I devour Ms. Byrne’s books like a thirsty woman in the desert, but I did feel that the story drag way to much, and we got lost many time in their inner struggles, which I wish it had been reduced, for the storyline flow sake, but well, I did pull through, and I’m soo happy I did, because the last couple of chapters were GOLD.
I loved the word building, the small town setting with all its quirky and funny characters, and the love story on itself, with all its genuine love, care and connection between Fox and Cady, it’s like they are truly meant to me, an epic love tale, in every way, even if our hero was a stubborn pig headed alpha, lol. And I can’t wait for the rest of the books in the series, such a great potential!
You are capable, Fox. You’re broken, but so is everything else I love. So am I. You just have to want this enough to fight for it.”
I’m not afraid of pain. I’m afraid of letting it keep me from living.”Cady was the sum of her pretty parts and the whole of his heart.
KERRIGAN BYRNE
Kerrigan Byrne is the USA Today Bestselling and award winning author of THE DUKE WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO. She has authored a dozen novels in both the romance and mystery genre. Her newest release DANCING WITH DANGER is available February 9th, 2021 She lives on the Olympic Peninsula in Washington with her dream boat husband. When she’s not writing and researching, you’ll find her on the water sailing and kayaking, or on land eating, drinking, shopping, and taking the dogs to play on the beach. Kerrigan loves to hear from her readers! To contact her or learn more about her books, please visit her sites:
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CYNTHIA ST. AUBIN
Bestselling author Cynthia St. Aubin wrote her first play at age eight and made her brothers perform it for the admission price of gum wrappers. A steal, considering she provided the wrappers in advance. Though her early work debuted to mixed reviews, she never quite gave up on the writing thing, even while earning a mostly useless master’s degree in art history and taking her turn as a cube monkey in the corporate warren. Because the voices in her head kept talking to her, and they discourage drinking at work, she started writing instead. When she’s not standing in front of the fridge eating cheese, she’s hard at work figuring out which mythological, art historical, or paranormal friends to play with next. She lives in Texas with two surly cats.