“I’d take a bullet between the eyes before I raised a hand to you, Taylor. The fact that you have to spend a second in pain makes me want to die. Are those the kind of words you’re talking about? Because they’re the only ones I’ve got.”
Trigger Warning: Gun violence/ Murder/ Sexual scenes
Plot Summary
It was supposed to be a relaxing vacation in sweet, sunny Cape Cod—just me and my beloved brother—but discovering a corpse in our rental house really throws a wrench into our tanning schedule. Now a rude, crude bounty hunter has arrived on the back of his motorcycle to catch the killer and refuses to believe I can be helpful, despite countless hours of true crime podcast listening. Not to mention a fulfilling teaching career of wrangling second graders.
A brash bounty hunter and an energetic elementary schoolteacher: the murder-solving team no one asked for, but thanks to these pesky attempts on my life, we’re stuck together, come hell or high tide.
I’m just here to do a job, not babysit an amateur sleuth. Although… it is becoming less and less of a hardship to have her around. Sure, she’s stubborn, distracting and can’t stay out of harm’s way. She’s also brave and beautiful and reminds me of the home I left behind three years ago. In other words, the painful hunger and protectiveness she is waking up in me is a threat to my peace of mind. Before I sink any deeper into this dangerous attraction, I need to solve this murder and get back on the road. But will fate take her from me before I realize the road has been leading to her all along?
My Review
Taylor just wants a relaxing vacation with her brother, who just lost a dear friend. The 2nd grade teacher grabs a big amount of her savings to rent a nice house on Cape Cod, best known for its beaches. So it will be a relaxing vacation. The catch? There’s a dead man in her rented house. And not just dead….murdered.
A normal girl would probably be a bit shaken up, but Taylor listens to a lot of crime podcasts and she remains utterly calm.
So when, in the next day, a mean and scary bounty hunter appear to investigate the murder, Taylor decides she should help. The thing is, Myles doesn’t want help. He just wants to solve this murder quickly and go back to his bounty hunting thing. He’s just here doing a favour to a friend. But Myles doesn’t have a choice when Taylor tells him she kept important evidence from the crime scene and he won’t see it unless she can help him solve the crime.
While Myles just wants to work alone, he can’t deny the attraction he feels towards Taylor. But that kind of woman wants to settle down and have kids and Myles can’t do such a thing, he’s too scarred from his past and won’t let anyone come closer. But Taylor isn’t just anyone and, slowly, she breaks those walls and starts to see the real Myles beneath the scary six foot five frame exterior.
I’ve picked this book before, at the beginning of the year but couldn’t pull it through. Just wasn’t feeling it. After finishing a book and wondering what to read next, I decided to give it another chance and I’m so happy I did. I loved the book! The first time I read it, it wasn’t just the right time.
I love the cheerful and positive character that is Taylor. I identified myself so much with her…
And Myles…oh Myles. Just my type of character. A huge man, full of tattoos, riding a motorcycle and looking mean and scary when he’s really not. I really loved to see the evolution of his relationship with Taylor and how protective he became of her. It was great to watch these two banter with each other while reading the ‘hot-as-hell’ chemistry of both.
I really enjoyed the relationship between Taylor and her brother Jude. He was an interesting character and loved his few interactions with Myles too.
A very light and romantic read with a bit of mystery between. Tessa Bailey is really growing on me since the amazing book It Happened One Summer. Definitely going to read more books from her.
Tropes you can expect
- Grumpy/ Sunshine
- Age gap
- Murder mystery
Highlight Moments
- Taylor running into a the door when spotting Myles
- Jude meeting Myles from the first time
- The cave
- The library
- The church
Quotes
“Come back here.” “I don’t think I will.” “Half pint.” “I have a name.” “Come back here and tell it to me, then.”
Time to face facts. I am a big, nasty motherfucker and this freckle-faced teacher couldn’t be less scared of me if she tried.
“You’re going to pretend you don’t know you’re beautiful to get a compliment out of me. Is that how this is going to go, half pint?” His laughter is strained. “It’s not happening.”
“I didn’t see your bike outside.” “I parked it down the block.” “Why?” “So you wouldn’t see it and scurry over here to bother me.”
“Taylor…” Ryan begins. She turns in his direction. Over the top of Taylor’s head, I promise him a slow death with my eyes. “Fuck off,” I mouth, very precisely.
“This rescue would be a lot more romantic if you weren’t mooning over my sister,”
“We’re not a thing,” I answer for us. Myles starts, turning his frown on me. “Well hold on. That’s not completely accurate.”
And he feels the exact same way about Jude.” “Not the exact same way, Taylor,” Myles mutters, shrugging at Jude. “Nothing personal.” “Too bad.” Jude snaps the caps off two bottles of beer, uses them to gesture at the three of us. “I’ve seen that porn, too.”
| THIS BOOK STALKER CONFESSES: |
| PLOT: ★★★★ |
| CHARACTERS: ★★★★ |
| WRITING: ★★★★ |
| COVER: ★★★★ |
| OVERALL: ★★★★ |
Confessions of a Book Stalker 
I do love a good grumpy v. sunshine trope. This looks interesting! ♥️
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Yes, it was very entertaining watching these two bicker. Give it a try 😊
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