Series: Cupid, Texas #1
Published by Avon on My 28, 2013
Genres: Contemp Romance, Romance
Pages: 349
Format: Paperback
Source: Avon Addicts, Courtesy review copy
Goodreads
From the author of the Twilight, Texas books comes the first in a dazzling new Cupid, Texas series. Lori Wilde welcomes us to Cupid, where every wish for love comes true...
Natalie McCleary couldn't believe her eyes-a lean-muscled, darkly tanned, nearly-naked man stood in her path…and then it hit her: love. Everyone always told her it'd hit like a thunderbolt, and she never believed them. But now she knew: practical, sensible Natalie was head over heels in love-with a stranger.
But ex-Navy SEAL Dade Vega wasn't about to be a stranger for long. He'd ridden into Cupid on his motorcycle, vowing to keep a promise he'd made to a military buddy. But a single glimpse at Natalie-soaking wet and unexpectedly tempting-changed his life forever.
But how can he offer her is love, when he can't even promise to stay in one place for longer than a week?
I liked this story, but I’m not really a big fan of the small-town romances. It was a slow moving story, a good romance, but there was a small mystery/suspense plot and it just seemed too contrived to be realistic. What I mean is that Dade Vega, former NAVY SEAL has come to Cupid, TX to find out why his buddy/foster brother Red sent an emergency coded text to Dade before he disappeared.
Red had been a long-term boarder at Natalie McCleary’s B&B for a couple of years, and he’d sometimes go on walkabout, but he always came back within a couple of days. This time he didn’t. But it seems Natalie is the only one who’s worried about him.
Dade doesn’t tell Natalie, or anyone, who he really is, hoping to ferret info out of the townspeople. But this is where I had a problem with the story. He never acted like a SEAL. Ever. It’s in your blood, your demeanor. You can’t have a hero be SEAL as you would “oh I used to work as a plumber.” It’s not just a job. It’s a way of life. That being said, I liked the hero just fine, but I feel like the author just thought Oh he’ll be a SEAL but has very little idea of how they behave. Here’s where the contrived missing SEAL plot fell apart for me. It was only used as an excuse to bring Dade into Cupid, and then into Red’s old room and job. That was the extent of it.
The romance between Natalie and Dade was sweet, and pretty slow, but not in a bad way. I think if you are looking for a sweet, slow-build, small-town romance, then this one is for you.
Also really quickly, the cover is misleading. The hero is not a cowboy at all. He’s a SEAL/biker. It’s not a big deal, but just don’t go in expecting a cowboy romance.
***ARC courtesy of AVON Books and Avon Addicts
Ah those cover blips like that drive me crazy. It would be nice if pubs/designers/authors actually worked together on these things and all knew what the book was about. Oy.
I do love a small town romance so it definitely sounds like one that could work for me despite the SEAL attitude not being there. and have this one on the review pile yay!
~Anna