Ami's Hoard

I love Jill Shalvis's "Lucky Harbor and this latest installment -- a beginning to an end since book #12 will be the final book in this series -- is perfect for me in every way. My first reaction after I reached the ending was sighing and whispered, "sigh, this was perfect".

I was so in love with the characters! First, we have Becca Thorpe, a feisty and sweet heroine, whom despite her personal issues (fear of performing to strangers, a terrible past relationship, a job that wasn't as successful), but she never came to me as whiny and pitiful. Yes, she might keep Sam at arm's length sometimes, especially relates to her personal problems, but in other things, she's just a trooper! I loved how she tackles the challenge of being a waitress, then later taking care of the boys business, and much later, dealing with the kids and their music program. She is an admirable woman. I loved her so much.

Then Sam ... ah, Sexy Grumpy Surfer. He has that grumpy rather brooding but very protective kind of man, and I can't help from falling head over heels in love with him. From the moment he helps Becca with the spider, to dealing with his own father, to taking care of Becca when she finally opens up to him about her painful experience, to that FRICKIN' moment at the Summer Bash ... Sam just grabbed my heart and I was a goner.

I also loved this issue about 'saying about' and 'showing' love. Becca's family never really tell her "I love you" and for her, those words meant a lot. But for Sam, those words didn't mean anything. "Love you" often came with disappointment. For Sam, "love" means showing it in action rather than saying about it. Somehow I thought it was really engaging thing to read -- and of course it did bring that perfect grand-romantic moment and I wanted to paint little pinks hearts all over my Kindle.

It was a flawless kind of contemporary small-town romance for me, along with colorful and engaging secondary characters -- some that long-time readers of this series are familiar with -- complete with some funny, sexy, sizzling, heartwarming, wonderful, and most definitely ROMANTIC moments. I wanted to hug this book then to hug Ms. Shalvis for bringing such joy and contentment in my life simply by reading her words.

Now I couldn't wait to read the next story, even if it means I'm approaching the end.