Reviewed by Sadonna

TITLE:  We Could Do This Tonight

SERIES:  We Could Do This Duet #2

AUTHOR:  Emerson Beckett

PUBLISHER:  Self-Published

LENGTH:  338 pages

RELEASE DATE:  September 12, 2023

BLURB:  

How do I choose which heart to break? No matter who I choose, I’m going to be the loser.

Alejandro

Three years ago, Ben walked into my Portland bar and stole my heart with one look. It didn’t matter that I’m 21 years older than him. All he wants is me.

Benjamin’s beautiful smile and endless charm attract everyone he meets, including my 20-year-old daughter, Anna.

No one knows about all the things he and I have done together. And I’ve made sure to keep it from her.

My carefully constructed life built upon rules and my duty to my family is about to crumble before my eyes because she and I want the same thing—Ben.

In the end, keeping us a secret may cost me both of them. I’m in an impossible love triangle that, no matter which one I choose, I’m going to lose.

And when someone attacks my bar via social media, it’s all I can take.

So, which do I choose? Anna’s happiness? Or a life with Ben?

Ben

I knew I loved Alejandro Sanchez the moment our eyes met across the bar. There was something about the single dad and bar owner that I couldn’t get enough of.

After three long years, he’s finally okay with us. But when he refuses to tell Anna about us, I take matters into my own hands.

I’ll do whatever needs to be done to keep him in my life, even if it means accepting a date with Anna.

We Could Do This Tonight is an age gap, single dad, boss/employee love triangle romance and the second book in the We Could Do This Duet. It is the tenth book set in the Package Deal World with reoccurring characters from the original series. It is best enjoyed after reading We Could Do This Forever.

Note to the reader: If you have not read the Package Deal Series, you might find it beneficial to start there and refer to the reading order for the PD World within the books. All the books are available through Kindle Unlimited.

REVIEW:

Note:  This is a spinoff story from the Package Deal series and as such there are a lot of characters here who have backstories that occur before/during this book so there could be some major spoilers.  There are also major spoilers for the previous book in this series, We Could Do this Forever.

Ben and his bestie Mariella travel to Portland because Ben has grown restless in SoCal.  They want to check out the local scene and go to a highly recommended bar, Alejandro’s.  There the bartender Nick is friendly and gives them a little info on the city.  But the thing that really catches Ben’s eye is Alejandro himself.  There is an instant arc of chemistry between them when they see each other across the room and then meet.  Alejandro is the most beautiful man Ben has ever seen and he is determined to get to know him.  He is sure that they are meant to be.

Ben moves to Portland and then he applies for the open bartender job as Alejandro’s is going to be expanding to the building next door.  Alejandro is surprised to see the gorgeous and intriguing young man again.  But he is 21 years older and there can never be anything between them.  After more than a year of them flirting and dancing around each other, Ben makes a move on New Year’s Eve as they are closing.  He kisses Alejandro.  And they continue this ambush kissing thing for a while.  Alejandro is terrified of anyone finding out since Ben works for him.  They keep things on the DL – and especially from Alejandro’s young daughter Anna.  Anna is growing up though and she has a crush on Ben.

Preston, Alejandro’s best friend and a chef in the meantime is in love with Nick.  Nick has been working his way through architecture school and he and Preston end up together (their story is told in the first book of this series).  When Nick and Preston move to California, Alejandro and Ben end up visiting them to see a concert by a band who is from Seattle and that they are also friends with through their connections with the Pirates, the local NFL team, who hang out at Alejandro’s place.  It is there that Ben and Alejandro take their relationship to the next level.  But they are still on the DL.

Ben doesn’t like hiding but he’s trying to be sensitive to Alejandro’s responsibilities as as parent.  He makes sure that legally they are protected.  When they are invited to NYC for Nick and Preston’s wedding though, things go wrong when Anna asks to go with and Ben ends up having to stay with Preston’s brother instead of Alejandro for what was supposed to be a romantic getaway.  When Anna tells her dad she’s going to ask Nick out, well Alejandro leaves.  He’s heartsick over losing Ben to his daughter, but he doesn’t want to break her heart.  But Ben isn’t interested in anyone but Alejandro.  And he never will be.

Overall, I really enjoyed finally getting the full story of Ben and Alejandro’s relationship.  They are background characters in a lot of the previous books and it’s clear that something was going on with them beyond the flirtation, but this book finally tells there full story – from meeting by chance at the bar and Ben deciding Alejandro is who he wants and the long long long road to getting to a place where they can be together.  The story got a little long for me at points when Alejandro just kept getting in his own way.  I appreciated that everyone realizes he was being a dumbass and were committed to helping him see the light.

Ben was certainly doggedly persistent in waiting on his man.  In the end he has to decide how much he’s willing to put up with from Alejandro who just can’t seem to figure out how he can have everything he wants.  He’s overprotective to a fault and even his ex-wife has to help shake some sense into him.  There is baggage there but they have a good relationship and are very successful co-parents for Anna.  Present and Nick have had a bird’s eye view to this entire relationship, but given Preston’s screwups with Nick and lo9king to Alejandro for assistant, it’s only fair that they try to help Ben and Alejandro too.  I particularly loved their roles in this couple’s finding their HEA.

Of course the Pirates and their spouses and families are along for the ride as well.  There are plenty of sexy times after these two finally get over their years-long foreplay (personally I didn’t need that many, but you do you).  Ben really has to be the mature one in this relationship as he waits for Alejandro to catch up and realize that this really is the love of his life and if he screws this up, he will surely regret it for the rest of this life.  The epilogue is sweet and a perfect ending for these two 🙂  I really like this world where this story takes place and look forward to more stories here.  Recommended.

RATING: 

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