Ask anyone in town for the best guy to rev your engine and they’ll point to me.
Ask anyone who’s read a book or watched TV, or hell…
Any human with a pulse knows Brooke Braham is America’s top advice guru.
I don’t need a PhD to see I shouldn’t fall for the famous shrink.
It’s not like an auto shop owner can’t run with the rich and beautiful, but guess what?
Turns out the good doc and I share more than scorching chemistry.
She lost her sister in the worst way, and I—
Well, let’s just say it messes with a guy to learn his dead addict mom isn’t.
Dead, I mean. Who knew?
Not my big pack of rowdy brothers.
My sister might’ve sensed it, but I had a different take.
One I’ve never told anyone.
There’s stuff I should take to the grave, but Brooke’s got me all up in my feelings.
Turns out they aren’t just below the belt.
She’s funny and smart and loves my big, doofy dog.
But we can’t get involved.
It says so right there in her book.
Love’s not for folks facing major life messes, which is us in a nutshell.
So much for sexy sand sledding lessons that can’t lead to more.
Ditto for using my childhood tire swing in ways that would make a mechanic blush.
I can’t fall for Brooke, no matter what my busted-up heart believes.
I’m a guy with a rep for fixing anything.
Almost anything. Let’s not dwell.
The last thing Brooke needs is me rescuing her like she’s some damsel in distress.
But what if we’re meant to save each other?

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

 

You say ‘assistant’ like you’re embarrassed to have one…Like you’ve farted in public or rubbed one out at the dining room table.

Brooke smiles, and my heart flops like a dying fish.

Sometimes you have to say things out loud so they don’t eat you up inside.

This must be what Grace loved so much about travel. Not the places, but the connections. These bright, fragile threads tying people together.

You make me the very best version of myself.

My Review:

 

This was an absolute joy to read, I giggle-snorted and hummed my way through this delightfully scintillating and cleverly amusing tale. The writing was whip-smart, flawlessly witty, titillating, perceptive, and keenly parsed with sensitivity for real-life issues, while also being easy to follow, well-paced, perfectly pitched, and well-honed. Who could ask for more?

I have savored each book in this series and while I thought her last book was her best ever, I do believe my favorite wordsmith has topped herself. This agile storyteller’s craft keeps getting better at an exponential level.