Burned in the past, Navy chief Brett Craven has sworn off serious relationships. But when he meets Kenzie McLaughlin, a gorgeous redhead with a fiery personality, his well-reasoned strategy is blown out of the water.

Years ago, a terrifying attack changed Kenzie’s life, making her trust only a few men, including her brothers and her father. After a sexy Navy guy waltzes into the family pub and doesn’t hesitate to make his interest known, there’s no denying the attraction between them. Can Kenzie let her guard down long enough to fall for Brett?

Titles in The McLaughlins include:  One More Round – Straight, No Chaser – Top Shelf –

Title:  Top Shelf
Series:  The McLaughlins #3
Author:  Shelli Stevens
Genre:  Contemporary Romance
Published:  April 17, 2018
Publisher:  Tule Publishing
My Rating:  4 stars

If you’ve followed The McLaughlins series then you’ll know of Kenzie’s experience, and like me, have probably been waiting for her story.  Kenzie has valid trust issues with men and right now the men in her family are about the only ones she truly can trust.  Until she met Brett.  And that meeting could change everything for her… for the better or the worse.

For the most part I really liked Brett, until he (like many partners in a relationship) does something unthinkingly and just dumb.  He’s been hurt badly in his past and in his own way he has trust issues as well.  Unfortunately, Kenzie does as well and that mistake with Kenzie may cost him his happy ever after future.  I wanted Kenzie to find happiness with an awesome man… and she did eventually, but he’s also human and makes dumb mistakes.  The banter, flirting, and connection between Brett and Kenzie is fun, believable and shows the chemistry that is sparking between them.  They simply need to work a bit on that relationship, and isn’t that true for all couples.  It’s really hard to find that perfect fairy tale romance in the real world.

I had fun with Kenzie and Brett’s romance, and that really is the entire point.  Although I always strongly suggest reading a series from the beginning to get the most entertainment value and picking up on those small nuances that don’t always appear in an individual’s story… you could read Top Shelf as a standalone romance.  You could, but I still think you’ll get more from the story if you understand the past, but that’s my opinion.  I’d recommend this story and this series to any Contemporary Romance reader who enjoys a believable story, human and flawed characters and some interesting secondary characters that make the story come alive.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

Available for the Kindle