Saturday, June 22, 2019

#BookReview – “Hide Your Heart” by Tracey Alvarez


Blurb

Alexandra Lauren Knight has reinvented herself in the safety of her rural New Zealand hometown to become Lauren Taylor. She’s cut all ties with her past as a former model whose ex-husband turned out to be ruthless in both the boardroom and the bedroom. While Alexandra allowed other’s expectations to propel her into the spotlight, Lauren prefers the safety of anonymity; restoring classic cars with her brother, and snuggling with her four-year-old son.

Nate Fraser, a burned-out photojournalist, plans to fix up the property next door to Lauren and sell it as a celebrity retreat. Always on the move, Nate is only comfortable with short-term assignments and even shorter-term relationships. But it’s not just his buyer’s tight deadline or that the restoration is far beyond his expertise which turns a short-term project into an ordeal. Nate’s plan of travelling the globe is in jeopardy—created by the intensity of his growing feelings for Lauren and her little boy.

As the sparks of passion ignite between them it reawakens Nate’s long forgotten dream of having a home and family. Lauren must find a way to trust Nate not only with her secrets, but with her heart—before her safe haven is exposed and she can no longer hide in the shadows.
 

Review

In the first Bounty Bay novel, former runway fashion model Lauren Taylor is hiding out in the wilds of New Zealand with her four-year-old son. Except for her family, no one in the small town of Bounty Bay knows about her celebrity status and the abusive ex-husband she left in the States. When a famous photojournalist buys the dilapidated property next door to hers, she fears her carefully crafted little world will soon fall victim to the paparazzi.
Nathan Fraser bought the rat-infested house and overgrown property to make into a celebrity hideaway, and he’s sinking every penny he has into fixing the place up. With the profits, he’ll be set for life and will no longer have to travel to war zones. After he rescues Lauren and her son Drew from being stranded on the road in the middle of a storm, he finds himself drawn to the mysterious woman and the adorable boy, but settling down is the last thing he wants.
Both Lauren and Nate are stubborn and emotionally withdrawn people. She’s still living in fear because of the trauma she suffered at her ex’s hands, and he’s so much of a loner that he doesn’t realize how much he actually needs and wants a family and home. Trust, friendship, and romance bloomed slowly between them. Her little boy Drew is completely adorable (my favorite character in the book) and it’s easy to see why Nate fell head over heels for him.
The sex scenes were brief and sweetly sensual rather than explicit, and furthered the H/h’s budding romance. I normally read stories that have a lot of fast-paced action and mystery, but this one was slower and focused more on family ties, emotional turmoil, and simple, small-town living. Nothing big really happened, but I enjoyed the story and the beautiful descriptions of New Zealand.
3 Stars

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