Author: Karla Sorensen
Series: The Best Men Series book #1
Category: Contemporary Romance
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
"He didn't want this house? Too friggin' bad. It was his. He didn't want the hassle of handling the renovation? I was not going to be his verbal punching bag." - Charlotte
It wasn't the typical miscommunication trope that drove a wedge between the two main characters, it was just a flat-out refusal to say anything at all. I lost count of how many times the narration said something along the lines of 'I should have said.....but I didn't" in either of their POVs.
Burke was in over his head, his whole life up until his forced retirement had been a series of laid-out goals for him to achieve to get to the next step. Now, with so much uncertainty and dealing with the unexpected loss of his best friend, he is adrift and angry. I thought the character was less grumpy and more rude than anything else. Especially to the girl he thought was pretty.
"Charlotte Cunningham, it seemed, was very skilled at igniting my temper. Probably because I found her attractive. Like Murphy's Law." - Burke
Charlotte was clever and sarcastic, with the ability to get underneath Burke's skin when he needed to loosen up a bit. She was determined to see her vision of the old manor restored and had a sense of purpose.
The forced proximity and awkward roommate antics were delightful, truly Burke and Charlotte don't get along very well. They're plan was seemingly to antagonize each other to the death or until they finally crossed those platonic lines. But while the PowerPoint presentation was hilariously cute, I struggled to find the chemistry between them.
"'You're my partner in this,' he said. 'So no matter how much we bicker, or how much we disagree, I will always have your back.'" - Burke
Indecision by the two main characters drew on too long and the book could have been condensed if we didn't spin inside each of their minds so much. In all, there are few plot points that actually happen in the story.
This book mostly failed as a romance book for me, but I thought it had some real depth outside of Burke and Charlotte's relationship in how grief is processed. Burke was drowning under expectations his friend Chris left him with, the lack of answers, and the vulnerability of his feelings were well portrayed and the biggest takeaway from the story. Perhaps my book review should have focused on this aspect, instead of the failed romance.
"Grief had a funny way of coming out when we least expected it. That was the look in his eye that I recognized. There was always a tipping point." - Charlotte
Tropes and Themes: Grumpy x Sunshine, Forced Proximity, Small Town Romance, Slow Burn, Enemies to Lovers, Sports Romance.
Blurb
Former Dallas football player Burke Barrett is weathering a lot of changes. He’s retired from football. He’s mourning the loss of his best friend. And now he’s been bequeathed a dilapidated house in northern Michigan he doesn’t want. To his surprise it comes with a long-legged, blindly optimistic renovation manager with big ideas for Burke’s inheritance. She’s passionate, irritating, and irresistible.
Restoration expert Charlotte Cunningham is used to rough exteriors. This surly client, with his stubbled jaw, towering physique, and inflexible attitude, is worth smoothing over. The attraction sizzles, and a proposal is in order: a romantic tryst to relieve the tension. No strings attached. A safe bet for both of them since Burke is prepared to renovate, sell, and move on.
A pet project with an end date. Does that go for love too? Burke must decide what he really wants and what he’s willing to risk. He should know by now that the best-laid plans can change in a heartbeat.
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