Happy Memorial Day

 

Runaway by Katie Cross

 

Stella Marie is Mark’s accountant and keeps him grounded in his business decisions.  Mark is struggling to get his business off the ground.  Stella Marie and Mark have their meetings over the phone; they haven’t met in person.  Mark is irritated after his discussions with Stella Marie, but he realizes he needs some sound business advice.  Mark drives Stella Marie crazy too, but she realizes he approaches ideas differently.

 

When Stella Marie needs help to get away from her creepy stalker former boss, she turns to Mark.  She shows up at his doorstep one day and asks for a place to stay.  Mark helps her out by protecting her from the stalker, and Stella Marie helps him with organizing his business.  There are a few scary moments with the creepy ex-boss, but things turn out well.

 

This is the third book in the Coffeeshop series, and as with the first two, it is very enjoyable.  I love the interaction between Mark and Stella Marie.  He doesn’t pay a lot of attention to detail, and Stella Marie does, so they complement each other.  Mark does have some worthwhile business venture ideas, but he needs some practical advice to stay balanced and focused, and Stella Marie provides this.  They are helping each other, and I love that Mark and Stella Marie’s relationship is reciprocal rather than one-sided.

 

Runaway is worth reading.

Lovesick

 

Lovesick is the second book in the Coffee Shop series.  It’s a stand-alone story, so it’s not necessary to read the first book, Coffee Shop Girl, although it is beneficial in understanding the character’s backgrounds.

After JJ rescues Lizbeth from a car accident, Lizbeth, JJ and his brother Mark become part of each other’s lives.  They have seen each other in the local coffee shop but didn’t interact regularly, although Lizbeth has had feelings for JJ for a long time.  When Lizbeth needs a place to stay after another crisis, Mark lets her stay in a cabin nearby and offers her a job designing a website and organizing the files for his business.

Lizbeth and JJ discuss their views about romance.  Lizbeth thinks romance is real and has a large collection of romance books.  JJ doesn’t believe in romance and challenges Lizbeth to prove romance is real.

Lizbeth and JJ have both been hurt.  They come from broken homes and have had some significant losses, which has influenced their ideas about romance.  As they share their views with each other, Lizbeth and JJ become more open to different ideas and begin to change and grow as people.  They also acknowledge they love each other.

Lovesick is a fun, entertaining book with likable characters.  I like the interaction between Lizbeth and JJ and how they open up to and listen to each other.  I especially love the idea that romance is real but as with anything worthwhile, it takes a lot of work.

Rancho Palos Verdes-Again!

 I had the opportunity to sub at another preschool in Rancho PV last week.  The trees, flowers and other plants are beautiful.

Coffee Shop Girl

Bethany has some challenging issues.  She takes over her dad’s coffee shop when he passes away.  Bethany must deal with grief from her loss and discovering the business has a lot of debt.  Additionally, Bethany’s half-sisters, Lizbeth and Ellie, need her help to get away from their abusive father.

Maverick is also dealing with the loss of his father, so he takes a break from his family and the family business.  He is renovating his grandfather’s cabin and wants to help failing businesses get back on their feet.

Bethany and Maverick meet and are attracted to each other, although they have a hard time admitting it at first. 

The Coffee Shop Girl is a well-written, engaging story.  Katie Cross does an excellent job with the interaction between Bethany and Maverick.   I like how they open up to each other about what they are dealing with and choose to trust and help each other.   Bethany and Maverick aren’t perfect by any means, but they are open to learning, growing and becoming better people.

The Coffee Shop Girl is a fun, worthwhile read and I would recommend this book.

 

Happy Mother's Day