Reviewed by Kat

TITLE: The Alcove

SERIES: Lavender Shores #7

AUTHOR: Rosalind Abel

PUBLISHER: Self Published

LENGTH: 303 pages

RELEASE DATE: May 29, 2018

BLURB:

Jasper Getty is living his dream as the owner of the charming bookshop, Lavender Pages. For seven years, he’s enjoyed the safety and freedom to be himself, selling books by day and curling up and getting lost in novels by night. But a dark page from the past comes back to haunt Jasper as his ex begins stalking him.
Russell Wallace hit reset on his life in Nashville and became a bodyguard after decades of living according to family expectations. But even years later, he doesn’t believe he deserves happiness. When Russell is asked to travel to the beautiful seaside town of Lavender Shores to protect a friend’s brother, he expects nothing more than a job and a paycheck. 
But Lavender Shores reveals a world Russell never imagined, and his immediate attraction to the adorably geeky Jasper complicates an already difficult job. Jolted by the memory of a shared moment and paths that crossed years ago intensifies the sparks into a bonfire of passion and hope. 
When danger comes pounding at the door, Jasper is in danger of losing his life… and his heart.

(Contains Lavender Shores maps and family trees.)

REVIEW:

I was so excited to find out that we were getting to go back to Lavender Shores to visit again!!!

We had met Jasper Getty earlier in the series. He is the book store owner of Lavender Pages and he is also the brother of Harrison Getty, who is married to founding family member Adrian Rivera. Jasper also mentioned as a possible attraction for Adrian in “The Hideaway” but I guess his sights changed to Jasper’s hunky big brother instead. Now Harrison needs to keep his little brother safe from his abusive ex that had been recently released from prison. Harrison enlists the services of an acquaintance from back in Nashville, Tennessee, where the brothers grew up. Russell Wallace, a former police officer, is now a bodyguard for people in need of protection. He is currently on assignment in Lavender Shores to protect the little brother of the former quarterback of the Tennessee Titans who is being stalked and harassed by a former lover. The ex seems to have returned to his former drug use and has gone psycho since being released from prison. But what Jasper and Russell hadn’t realized was that they had met briefly seven years before and that meeting had made a big imprint on them both. It had been a critical turning point in each of their lives but neither had known it was more than a one-nighter. How do they deal with all this knowledge when they both realize the that the other was “the one”?

I discovered something, quite by accident, while reading this book…I can’t be a causal reader! This copy came in the day that my daughter and granddaughter flew into the islands for a 12 day visit. I tried to read just a chapter a night, like I have discovered is the reading style a lot of readers, but I literally can’t understand how you do it!! Being retired I have discovered and realized that I am a binge reader. I pick up a book and read straight through. Life doesn’t exist when I am absorbed in my “new location”. This is particularly true for Lavender Shores. I really want to live there, but only if it has the Hawaiian weather and temperatures…okay I want it here on my island! But I just can’t be transported back and forth for each chapter with it being broken up so much. It kept taking me out of the moment! I just can’t comprehend how you do it!

I know that Jasper has a slight connection to the “founding families”, by his brother being married to one of them, but I really missed their “interferences” into the lives of their sons in this book. Yes, we briefly got interaction with a few, especially at the book club event. And wasn’t that scene a kick! This is one of those times I am thankful that these stories don’t include picture because I would need brain bleach of the image of Robert in a sheer thong! However, I think that scene might have lead me to a new series. It sure peaked my interest. But I missed all of those family get-together and parties. That being said, I don’t think that we could have had this level of danger with one of the families involved so deeply.

I don’t know if this can be truly classified as a “second chance” romance but, in my mind, the fact that they made such impact on each other’s live during their short encounter makes it one for me. The truth that they not only were made for each other but needed to be together was important. They deserve their “happily ever after” because they really are “the one” for the other.

I am so excited to discover that there is more of this wonderful series to come! I know that we will be going back to the founding families on the next adventure but I am so thankful that Jasper and Russell got to share their story and adventure. The Lavender Shores series is a must-have in my opinion and this book was a great addition to the continuing series. I hope you enjoy your visit back as much as I did! I am looking forward to many, many more visits 😉

RATING: 

BUY LINK:

Amazon