Series:
Sexy SEALs (Book 2)
Subject: Lieutenant Commander Cade Sullivan
Status: On leave
Mission: He's home to take care of some family business.
Obstacle: Eden Gillespie. The girl who always lands in
trouble...has landed in his bed!
Lieutenant Commander Cade Sullivan is the job. His
commitment to the Navy SEALs is absolute-almost. Worse still, he's been
summoned home, where his privileged family is the town royalty and women vie to
be one of Cade's conquests. One of them in particular...
Ever since they were kids, Cade has been rescuing Eden
Gillespie. Now she's decided she owes him one heck of a thank-you-one that
involves a bed, naked bodies and sweet satisfaction. But when their sexy trysts
are discovered, Eden becomes a bit of a town sensation-and not in a good way.
Can she convince her SEAL to risk one last rescue operation?
Terrific friends-to-lovers story. Cade and Eden grew up
next door to each other. Cade is the only son of a wealthy family, handsome and
athletic, and all the girls wanted him. Eden's family used to be rich, but they
are comfortable now. She was the quiet, klutzy girl next door that always
seemed to need rescuing. Cade was her hero, her crush, and the source of her
fantasies, then and now.
As the story opens, Eden is celebrating her twenty-fifth
birthday and making the same wish she makes every year - Cade and her together.
Instead, she gets a notice from the bank that her flighty mother took out a
loan against the house Eden bought from her (long story), and the bank is
calling in the loan. She recently opened her vet practice but doesn't yet have
the clientele to produce the money in a month. Instead, she steels herself to
try to get the local country club set to use her for their vet services. An
uphill battle, as she and they don't have the best relationships.
Meanwhile, Cade, who left town the day after graduation
to join the Navy and escape his controlling father, became a Navy SEAL. He
recently lost one of his best friends in the line of duty and is struggling
with his grief. His uncle, a trainer, sees Cade's struggle and tries to help,
but Cade refuses to accept what his uncle suggests. Before Cade can escape his
uncle's presence, he receives word that his father has had a heart attack and
he's needed at home.
I liked both Cade and Eden. She is intelligent, kind, and
can laugh at herself. She is also somewhat insecure in that she always felt
like she was on the outside looking in, never belonging. But she has no trouble
going after what she wants when given the opportunity. Cade is a good man who knows
what he wants and goes after it. He has a reputation with the ladies but never
leads anyone on.
I enjoyed seeing the relationship develop between Cade
and Eden. They have a long history as friends, especially with Eden's penchant
for needing rescuing. But on this trip home, something changed. I loved seeing
Eden once again stuck in a tree, with Cade coming along just as he's needed.
This time, however, Cade sees Eden as more than the girl next door, and his
sudden attraction to her freaks him out. I loved seeing Eden ask him out for a
drink "to say thank you." His head tells him to say no, but he finds
himself saying yes, with no idea what's in store for him. Seeing Eden step
outside her comfort zone and put the moves on him was fun.
Over the next couple of weeks, they can't keep their hands
off each other, but what they have is more than just physical. I loved seeing
their connection grow as they spent time together. Several scenes had me laughing
out loud. Cade's attention gains Eden the attention and acceptance she wants,
but her ability and kindness make the biggest difference. Some terrific scenes
of her with people and animals show her true self. Her biggest fear is losing
her heart to Cade, which seems inevitable. Cade is shocked by how much he
enjoys just spending time with Eden. He's always kept a distance between
himself and the women he's with, but he can't do that with Eden. It gets more
complicated when she sees past his flirty façade to the hurt and confusion he
hides from everyone.
When a secret Cade has been keeping from Eden comes out,
she feels hurt and betrayed. She thought they'd moved past the damsel in
distress needing the big strong man stage. Learning that Cade is questioning
his future sends Eden on her own rescue mission. But their lack of honest
communication drives them apart, each thinking they know what is best for the
other. I loved the epiphany that Eden had and what she did about it. The
epilogue was terrific.
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