Title:  Flirting with Forever
Series:  Island Bliss #1, Lowcountry Lovers #1
Author:  Kim Boykin
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  July 19, 2014
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  4 stars
Source:  Borrowed, Kindle Unlimited
Cover Description:

Forty-year-old Tara Jordan’s first book, The Perfect Marriage in 30 Days, is at the top of the bestseller lists, and her publisher wants her on a book tour ASAP. Tara’s about to live her dream only there’s one problem. Her husband of 15 years has just walked out, leaving Tara on the brink of financial ruin with no choice but to promote a self-help book about marriage when hers is secretly in ruins.

Enter publicist Jake Randall, 30, who’s had it with hand holding newbie authors channeling their inner divas on their first book tours, until he meets Tara. Their instant attraction blossoms quickly into love. Tara thinks she has achieved her dreams and earned her license to thrive until her husband, Jim returns determined to win her back.

Read on for my thoughts on Flirting with Forever.  No true spoilers, promise.

Flirting with Forever hit all of my emotional buttons.  I raged at Jim’s arrogance, cruelty and supreme SOB-ness.  I laughed at Jake’s attack on a suitcase full of wrinkled clothes and swooned over this knight in shining but dinged a bit armor, I snorted at wine parties at odd times, I cringed at an errant suitcase connecting with a foot, I cried at love’s painful death, I sobbed at the passing of a treasured pet/friend and I rejoiced at the triumph that love can be with the right person.

I “got” this story.  It was very real, very painful yet joyful at the same time.  When one man can destroy you in a moment, the pain is unbelievable.  When one man can help heal you with an embrace and a kept promise, the joy is beyond words.

Tara’s overnight success with her self-help book is the story of many authors, lots of novels until that one takes off – so in reality “overnight” is just a word not reality.  She’d never had the support of her husband, he saw what she did as a hobby nothing more but when his friends were talking about his wife’s book he finally  picked it up.  And walked out the door.  His emotional, mental and financial actions devastated Tara to a point of almost madness.  The absolute last thing she wanted to do was head out for a book tour, but with their joint accounts cleaned out and mortgage payments due she had little choice.

Jake was heading out for vacation.  He did not need to be dragged into taking over Tara’s book tour because of a misdirected suitcase incident.  He did not need to babysit one move diva — but here he was, and he wasn’t the least bit happy about it.  To say that Jake and Tara got off on the wrong foot would be the understatement of the year.  But somehow they managed to pull off that first day’s interview.  It was a rocky start, yet slowly Jake realized that Tara was no diva and he was not immune to her charms.

It was a book tour that neither wanted to be on.  It would turn into the adventure of their lives and a journey straight into love.  They might not have realized it that first day, but that wayward suitcase incident was the best event that had happened to them.  The road to a happy ending will be rocky, with a few not so nice characters and problems surrounding them.  But in the end love heals, love can last and love makes all the difference.

Looking for a romance that will rocket you on an emotional roller coaster?  Then may I suggest you pick up Flirting with Forever.  It’s been out for about a year now, and is the starting novel to an enjoyable series.  Go find it, sit back with a box of tissues maybe some wine on the side and indulge yourself.

 

Available for the Kindle (yes, there are two versions of the cover)