An impulse wedding…
Strong, sexy Nell Bravo won't be fooled again. After all, Declan McGrath already shattered her heart into pieces -- not once, but twice. When alluring CEO Deck sweeps Nell off her feet in Las Vegas, though, she tumbles headlong into an "only in Vegas" fling with her first love. But Nell sure didn't bargain on a Vegas wedding!
…a lifetime of love?
It's taken a long time for Deck to finally capture the one who got away. And this time, he's charmed her straight to the altar. But Nell will stay married to him only until Christmas Day -- unless Deck can prove that this time, it's for keeps. With the clock ticking, can Deck convince Nell that he truly is her one and only…or has Mr. Love-'Em-and-Leave-'Em broken a Bravo's heart for the last time?
I loved this book as the last of the Justice Creek Bravos bites the dust. For the last several months Nell Bravo has been doing her best to avoid Declan McGrath, but he keeps turning up wherever she is. They had been high school sweethearts, but he had broken things off with her twice, shattering her heart and her trust. Eleven years later he wants back into her life, and she wants no part of him - or so she tells herself.
Nell is at a construction convention in Las Vegas when Deck turns up yet again, thanks to a bit of maternal interference by Willow Bravo. After months of trying to avoid him, Nell decides that accepting his invitation for drinks is the best way to finally get closure on their relationship and move on. She ignores the little voice in her head that says being anywhere near him is bad for her peace of mind. Drinks turned into dinner and a return of the old easiness of being together. After just enough alcohol to reduce her inhibitions, Nell agrees to a quick Vegas wedding but experiences massive regrets the next morning. After informing Deck that she wants a divorce, she heads for home.
I really liked the development of their relationship. Both have issues from their past relationship that have to be dealt with before they can find their future together. Though Deck seemed to be extremely manipulative at the beginning, he had to take desperate measures just to get Nell to talk to him again. As more of their history was revealed, I completely understood what had driven Deck's actions back then. He and Nell were in love, and Nell was expecting them to get married. But men have their pride, and with Nell being the rich girl and Deck being the poor boy, he wanted to make something of himself first. He was also honest enough with himself to realize that they weren't ready for marriage. Deck's relationship with his father also played into it when his dad convinced Nell to "loan" him some money, which further damaged Deck's pride. Nell never saw the issue, only wanting to help the man she loved and his family. She was devastated by their breakup and all her attempts to make amends fell on deaf ears, except for that one encounter that ended up shattering her heart and her trust completely.
I loved seeing Deck convince Nell not to file for divorce immediately, but to give them until Christmas to try to make their marriage work. He doesn't get things entirely his way, though, as Nell has conditions of her own. Deck is the kind of guy who likes to be in control, thanks to the lack of it when he was growing up, and giving up some of that control wasn't easy. I enjoyed seeing Nell stand up to him and make him look at compromises. Living with Deck is everything she had once dreamed about, but Nell is reluctant to risk her heart again, fearing that Deck will walk away at the end of their Christmas deadline. There is also still the problem of Deck's father and his refusal to let his dad anywhere near Nell. She believes that until that hurdle is overcome, they have no chance to make their marriage work. Everything came to a head on Christmas day, with an unexpected gift from Deck's dad causing a freak out on Deck's part. An eventful day ended with Deck and Nell finally laying their past and fears to rest. The scene in front of the fireplace was sweet and romantic and absolutely perfect.
One thing that was never in doubt was that they still loved each other. Even though Deck had attempted marriage to another woman, it didn't work out because his heart was still Nell's. I loved that he owned up to his mistakes of the past and wanted another chance. He also knew that it wasn't going to be easy. On Nell's side, she had tried to convince herself that her feelings for Deck were dead, but it only took seeing him again to show that they weren't. She fought it during those months he haunted her, but she would never have married him if she hadn't known deep down that she still cared. The chemistry between them was hotter than ever, and that also had its influence on their relationship, because their feelings made that connection so much deeper.
I also loved the scenes with various members of Nell's family. The closeness between the two sets of siblings has continued to grow throughout the series. I also liked seeing the changes in Willow as she found a new love of her own. I enjoyed the assorted get-togethers, from Nell's confession lunch with her sisters to Willow's wedding, and seeing how the previous couples are doing now. It was quite a contrast with Deck's family. I ached for him and his sister over the unhappiness of their childhoods. I was impressed that both of them had turned out as well as they had because of it. Deck is still very close to his sister, and in spite of his issues with his dad, still watches out for him.
This was a terrific series and I can't wait to start The Bravos of Valentine Bay.
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book.
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