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My Review:Title: One Good Reason
Author: Sarah Mayberry
Series: Adamson Brothers #2
Published by: Harlequin Superromance
Release Date: January 1, 2011
Format: Kindle Book
Pages: 282
Genres: Contemporary, Romance
Potential Triggers: View Spoiler »
Reading Challenges: Lenoreo's 2021 Backlist Reader Challenge, Lenoreo's 2021 COYER Summer, Lenoreo's 2021 Finishing the Series Challenge, Lenoreo's 2021 Monthly Key Word Challenge
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My rating:
Blurb:Re-read Sarah Mayberry’s fan-favorite Harlequin Superromance
It’s time to move on
Any day now Jon Adamson will pack his bags and hit the road. After all, his intention was never to hang around Melbourne once he’d settled his late father’s affairs. Yet he hasn’t moved on. And it might have something to do with Gabby Wade. The not-so-big office manager with the really big attitude is making Jon’s days…interesting…engaging…fun. It’s impossible for him to resist her.
But he knows himself—long-term commitments and cozy family dinners aren’t his style. If that’s what the future holds, why is he still here? And why is he spending all his days—and nights—with Gabby? Because maybe she’s the one reason strong enough to make him stay.
Originally published in 2011
4 stars — I wasn’t sure how I was going to appreciate this book with their initial antagonistic relationship…especially because I just finished a book recently where it played a large role in not being a fave. And it’s not going to be a Sarah Mayberry fave either, but for some reason I could tolerate their push and pull more easily. I think because deep down in their POV’s you could see all the other things they were feeling — how conflicted and confused they were.
The thing about these Adamson boys is that they both display a lot of that toxic masculinity shit that drives me insane…but in some ways it’s kind of interesting to have very stereotypical guys who see emotions as weakness as our heroes — because we end up getting to see them make inroads towards shedding that crap. And it’s believable, because they don’t make leaps and bounds over the book — it’s slow and reasonable. And they still have a long way to go. But I believe that they will just continue to get better.
So Jon was very closed off, and that was heartbreaking…especially because of the why. But it made his growth very satisfying. And underneath it all he was very caring and protective.
The lesbian thing bothered me. I’m willing to give a little leeway because, honestly, a lot has changed in 10 years. But I didn’t appreciate the heavy stereotypes at play. It definitely wasn’t the worst, but it twigged me. And honestly? It wasn’t necessary for the story. Something else could have been substituted and none of the story would have been lost.
Despite that weird lesbian thing, I appreciated the rest of Gabby’s story and growth. I can’t imagine how hard it must have been to love someone and realize that the relationship wasn’t right. And then to potentially face the same thing.
Even though their relationship started out antagonistically, I really ended up enjoying it when it started to change. Obviously their chemistry was fantastic, but it was the emotional connection that got me…even as it was tested time and again.
So yeah. Solid romance, an enemies to lovers that didn’t turn me off, so success. And my current OLDEST book on my TBR, so woop woop!
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