Natalie Minton double-checked that she had everything she needed for her trip...swimsuit, sunscreen, sunglasses, bridesmaid dress...check...check...and check...then wheeled her neon floral carry-on towards the apartment building's front door. Just as she looks out the door waiting for her ride she gets another annoying email from Raphael Talbot.
His brother Otto had approached her about writing a biography of their mother and his first email had indicated his reservations but told her that he could see her on Thursday. She had responded that she would be out of town for a wedding and he again gave her a time without her input on the time. If she hadn't needed the job badly she would have told them to shove it because she didn't need to deal with a jerk.
But, she did need the job. Aubrey and Phillip, part of the Silverberry Book Club, were getting married on a Mexican beach and with Aubrey retiring from political office Natalie was between jobs and despite this trip nearly clearing out her funds she couldn't let her friend down and couldn't let her to know of her finances because Aubrey and Phillip would insist on paying for her trip. Not happening.
As she looks up after emailing her response to Raphael she sees a woman bundled up against the snow and entering a code into the intercom and looks at the woman in shock when she gets an alert on her phone. It was her sister Shyla begging her for two thousand dollars.
The frantic travelers in the Canadian Airport trying to escape the winter weather were making his skin itch. Unlike his outgoing brother Otto, Rafe preferred solitude and staying out of the public eye. Having a mother in politics he always felt like a show pony.
He was currently trying to talk his brother out of publishing a biography of their mother when a bunch of giggling women arrived in their seating area and one rolling her gaudy sunflower carry-on over his toes without a backward glance. If it wasn't for their stepsister Elizabeth wanting a destination wedding in Mexico, he would be in his lab where he didn't have to deal with people. Unlimited alcohol and pool games did not sound like fun.
Returning to their conversation and his reservations about the biography Rafe tried another tactic telling Otto that maybe the timing wasn't good since Otto was planning to announce his candidacy for the position Aubrey had vacated when she retired. Because if the world found out how far their mother would go for her political career Otto's would be over before it began. Maybe if he put up enough roadblocks he could avoid the scandal that this biography would unearth.
I loved this book! It is very well written and the characters are fully developed and relatable. Although this book is part of a series and has recurring characters, all of the stories have their own HEA and can be read as standalone novels.
Natalie is outgoing and has been involved in politics since high school. Rafe lived under the spotlight his whole life due to his mother's political career and always felt second best next to his older brother.
This book is action-packed and full of drama as Rafe tries to avoid a massive scandal and Natalie deals with her sister's substance abuse. Rafe and Natalie's story kept me turning the pages wanting more. Natalie's determination to find the truth causes major issues in her relationship with Rafe as this gorgeous doctor has major issues in self-confidence and has always felt second best living under the shadow of his older brother.
Highly recommend!
STRICTLY BY THE BOOK is book four of the SILVERBERRY SEDUCTION SEASONED ROMANCE SERIES
STRICTLY BY THE BOOK releases on April 13, 2023
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Thanks for such a great review, Deb! So glad you liked it!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Looking forward to more Silverberry stories!
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