Title: A Date with an Admirer
Series: The Dating Series
Authors: Heidi McLaughlin & LP Dover
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Release Date: May 19, 2020
February is the month of love, but not for Sophie. One week before Valentine’s Day, she learns her boyfriend of two years has been cheating on her with one of his dental hygienists.
As much as she wants to erase any trace of him from her life, she has no choice but to face him and his new squeeze at a huge Valentine’s Day bash that has fast become the social event of the season. No way is she going alone. What she needs is a beautiful hunk of arm candy... STAT.
Sophie’s best friend, Ellie, proposes the perfect solution to her dilemma. Her brother Tanner, the smokin’ hot surfer, just got back into town and is more than happy to help Sophie prove she’s over her scumbag ex. What starts as an act between Sophie and Tanner quickly swells into more. It doesn’t take long before Sophie finds herself wanting to ride more than just waves with the toned and tanned hottie.
But when passion crashes over the pair, Sophie fears she’s putting her friendship with Ellie at risk. Can Tanner convince her to give their love a chance? Or will the bonds of friendship repel Cupid’s arrow?
I enjoy each author when they write on their own and I love when they collaborate (I practically devoured their Society X books), and once this hit my e-reader I immediately dove right in. It's a quick-ish read, and because it's on the shorter side, it helped that there's already some history between Tanner and Sophie, and Tanner comes through for Sophie right on time when it comes to the Valentine's Day gala and having to see her very recent ex with his new chippy.
There's all kinds of chemistry between Tanner and Sophie, but the fact they're friends also helps it feel a bit more real. While I could see where Sophie was coming from when it came to any sort of potential relationship with Tanner, I wish these characters would do the adult thing and communicate! We all know what happens when you assume, and that's exactly what Sophie did and that is 85 kinds of frustrating. And while I felt bad for Tanner the morning after the gala, his day pretty much went to sh!t (literally lol).
Tanner slowly lets me go. “So, tell me about this party. What all do you need me to do?”
My cheeks burn. There are things I’d love for him to do, but I’m not about to mention them. Closing my eyes, I sigh and open them back up. “Okay, it’s a Valentine’s Day ball, put together by a girl I knew in college. Everyone I graduated with will be there. It’s like one of the biggest events of the year.”
Tanner smirks. “Your ex will be there, right?”
I nod. “Yes. Along with the woman he cheated on me with. I’m sure everyone there knows what happened. I can’t not go.”
“Do you still have feelings for your him?” Tanner asks, furrowing his brows.
“No,” I gasp, knowing it’s the God honest truth. I stare right into Tanner’s eyes, hoping he can see it as well. “I don’t love him anymore. Here recently, I keep thinking I never did. We didn’t have that connection.”
Tanner moves closer, his eyes searching mine. “What exactly do you want from me? Do you want it to look like we’re together?”
My stomach flutters and the nerves make me shiver. “Would that be okay with you?”
His eyes focus on my lips for a few seconds before meeting my gaze again. “If you want this to be believable, we might have to practice. I don’t want to be at the party trying to kiss you, only to have you recoil or look surprised.”
Everything inside of me trembles. Just the sound of his voice and hearing those words turn me on. “That’s not going to be a problem,” I say, whispering the words.
Tanner smiles. “You sure? I’m right here if you want to practice.”
Dammit to hell, I want to kiss him more than anything, but that’s the sexual tension talking. I can’t be acting rash like that, not with Ellie’s brother. Then again, he has a point. We can’t go into the party pretending to be together and not looking like we’re together.
Taking a deep breath, I get to my feet. By the mischievous grin on Tanner’s face, it’s obvious he can tell I’m contemplating it. “Okay,” I give in, “maybe we should practice a couple of things, but not today. I think we should get to know each other a little better first. We have a week before the party.”
He agrees with a nod and stands. “Sounds good to me. I’ll pick you up tomorrow morning. We’ll spend the day together.”
I like the sound of that, maybe too much. “See you tomorrow,” I say. I walk him to the door and he opens it. He glances down at my lips again and I really just want to say fuck it and kiss him just to see what it’s like, but I totally chicken out.
Something tells me he’s not afraid though. Tanner starts out the door and looks at me over his shoulder. “Sweet dreams tonight, Soph. I’m sure I will.”
Mouth gaping, I watch him get in a black Jeep and drive away. Sweet dreams aren’t exactly what will be happening in my sleep. All that’s roaming through my mind is naughty. Groaning, I shut the door and lean against it.
“What the hell have I gotten myself in to?” I can still smell Tanner’s cologne and it’s intoxicating. “I’m going to be making out with my best friend’s brother. If that doesn’t spell disaster, I don’t know what does,” I mutter out loud. What’s bad is that I know I’m going to like it.
Heidi McLaughlin is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestselling author of The Beaumont Series, The Boys of Summer, and The Archers.
Originally, from the Pacific Northwest, she now lives in picturesque Vermont, with her husband, two daughters, and their three dogs.
In 2012, Heidi turned her passion for reading into a full-fledged literary career, writing over twenty novels, including the acclaimed Forever My Girl.
When writing isn’t occupying her time, you can find her sitting courtside at either of her daughters’ basketball games.
Heidi’s first novel, Forever My Girl, has been adapted into a motion picture with LD Entertainment and Roadside Attractions, starring Alex Roe and Jessica Rothe, and opened in theaters on January 19, 2018.
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author L. P. Dover is a southern belle living in North Carolina with her husband and two beautiful girls. Everything’s sweeter in the South has always been her mantra and she lives by it, whether it’s with her writing or in her everyday life. Maybe that’s why she’s seriously addicted to chocolate.
Dover has written countless novels in several different genres, including a children’s book with her daughter. Her favorite to write is romantic suspense, but she’s also found a passion in romantic comedy. She loves to make people laugh which is why you’ll never see her without a smile on her face.
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