Cross My Heart by Abigail Strom

When opposites attract...

The last thing Jenna Landry wants is to fall in love. The former rock musician is getting ready to start a new job and a new life in L.A., and she's only back in her hometown for the summer. Nothing could tempt her to stay any longer than that...not even the sexy doctor next door.

Michael Stone has a reputation for being as cold as ice. So what is it about his free-spirited neighbor that sets him on fire? The strait-laced M.D. has his hands full with his career and his teenage daughter, and even if he were looking for a relationship, he knows Jenna is all wrong for him. So why does being with her feel so right?

I can't resist a good adult romance and even though most of them sound corny, this was anything but. Yes, it had moments of typical insta-lust but it had the slow build up of their relationship that I loved. They actually took the time to learn more about each other, not act on initial primal urges until they felt something in their hearts instead of just their pants! 

I really liked both Jenna and Michael, they both had their own lives to live and weren't going to give that up for just anything. Their interactions were sweet and heartfelt, both were complicated and smart people; Jenna was an ex-rock star, an independent woman, and Michael was a heart surgeon and a sort of estranger father. By getting to know the other, they were both improved and seemed to get more out of life, if only just because they had a different sort of person to engage in conversation and get comments from. That sort of relationship, where they learn from each other, can be comfortable talking for hours or just working side by side, I loved that about them. 

Michael's teenage daughter Claire was a welcome addition to the story, a very good character to help bridge the gap between Jenna and Michael as well as another person to consider in beginning their relationship. Instead of being an hindrance or bratty, Claire somewhat unknowingly helped them understand each other better; Jenna was welcomed into their little family and became a role model for Claire, whereas Michael learned how to understand his own daughter by learning from someone who used to be one! Overall, I loved this short and sweet unlikely romance. 

Published 1st September 2011.