Title:  Love me Tender
Series:  The Cinderella Project #2
Author:  Ally Blake
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  October 12, 2015
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  5 stars
Source:  NetGalley
Cover Description:

It was love at first sight…

When her Papa loses his job, indomitable Serafina Scott insists it’s her turn to take care of him – meaning landing a well-paying job…and fast. Which is how she ends up working for the Cinderella Project, a high-end matchmaking business, even though she’s certainly no expert on affairs of the heart. Until she meets Murdoch, the gruff builder restoring her extravagant new work place. He’s inscrutable, infuriating, and gorgeous…

Convincing them was a whole other matter.

Murdoch finds Sera confounding…and luminous. But beneath her firecracker exterior, she is dangerously soft-hearted, and the last thing she needs is a broken brute like him.

While Sera does her best to convince Murdoch that they are a match made in heaven, Murdoch makes it his mission to prove her wrong. Will it come down to who’s the most convincing…or who’s most willing to be convinced?

Read on for my thoughts on Love me Tender.  No true spoilers, promise.

Love Me Tender is such a charming, involved story.  A story of the past and its hold over the present – and of a determined woman who sees possibilities where others see the impossible.  Hazel is a flamboyant, outspoken and seemingly flighty seventy-something woman who is opening a matchmaking enterprise.  She needs a website and Serafina can provide that quite easily.  Since her father’s health issues, Sera knows she needs to bring in more income to their household..  The job with Hazel appears perfect – and even more perfect is the handsome builder who seems to have a special spot in Hazel’s heart already.

Sera and Murdoch’s romance is rocky at best.  While there is a strong attraction between them, Murdoch will fight it tooth and nail.  Because of an event in his past which involved Hazel’s granddaughter, he will not allow himself to open himself up to the possibility of love.  And as Sera slowly finds herself falling deeper into love with him there seems to be no happy ending for them.  Murdoch is one stubborn man whose met his match in an equally stubborn woman.

The past can hold onto us in the most illogical ways.  This is what has happened to Murdoch.  His misguided belief and determination to avoid love at any cost is a direct result of his past.  Once he gets past that barrier he will finally find happiness.  But it’s going to be a twisting and winding road to get him to that point.  Love Me Tender is a sweet, engaging journey for a daughter and father, and a man and a friend to leave behind the past and move forward to a different, but no less satisfying future.  There will be tears, frustrations, hurt feelings and intense joy.  But ultimately each one is the only person to decide that they are worth… everything, from the right person.

I would highly recommend this story for any romance reader who loves an involved, complicated story that you could see easily being unfolded by your friends or even yourself.  It’s a heartfelt journey to possibilities when we are brave enough to take the risks.

*I received an e-ARC of Love Me Tender from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. That does not change what I think of this novel.*

Available for the Kindle