Opposites plus toaster oven would best describe the tropes
in this one.
Brodie Shaw, a successful
architect-cum-interior-designer, is an out-and-proud player. Kate Monroe
is a detective (sexuality: straight, we got to add that here) with her every
milestone along her long-term plan all mapped out. Brodie comes from an
accepting and supportive family. Kate’s mom is hateful and homophobic. Brodie
has had love in her life, Kate has had judgement and more than her share of
slaps from her mom. Brodie is patient and amiable, Kate (thanks to her
background) wants things her way and has a short fuse. So they are opposites in
almost every possible way.
One night an attempted break-in is called in and Kate goes
to the crime site. Brodie had called the police about the attempt to break into
one of her neighbouring offices. The first meeting between the two is a
disaster with Brodie gleefully checking out Kate. Brodie’s smugness and audacity
get under Kate’s skin and she has a disproportionate reaction to Brodie. The next
couple of meetings aren’t so great either and when Brodie appears as an
unexpected dinner guest at Kate’s place with Kate’s sister, Devon, Kate
practically loses her shit.
Brodie seems to pull out more emotions and deeper reactions
from Kate than anyone else. And the lady does seem to protest too much.
This book is Kate’s journey as she navigates unexpected
discoveries about herself, denies the fledging curve on her straight road,
acknowledges it, runs frightened, tentatively explores it, accepts it and
finally embraces it. It is coming of age (or rather becoming her own person) at
a later age (Kate is 35). Gardner does an excellent job in drawing Kate with
all her baggage, issues and behaviour defined by her experience with her
mother.
Despite the fact this is Kate’s journey, Brodie is not
relegated to being just foil or a prop. She is also well-defined as the
charming rake doing a 180 degrees for love.
Much to the credit of the author, you can understand,
empathise with and root for both the leading ladies – individually and as a
couple. At the end, you know the HEA is indeed going to be ever after.
There is a parallel love story between Kate’s best friend,
Gina and Devon also playing out. That is all sweetness and hiccough-free. Both
these ladies are also absolutely lovely.
This is a long book spread over a fairish time period but
kept us invested and engrossed.
⭐⭐⭐☆★
