This One Will Definitely "Set The Night On Fire"

Set the Night on Fire
by Laura Trentham

Synopsis:

From award winning author Laura Trentham comes Set the Night on Fire, a novel about starting over, finding your way back home—and falling head over heels. . .

Ella Boudreaux has a lot to prove to her family, friends, and foes—and to herself. So when her marriage ends she decides to invest her energy and money into a place that brings back some of Ella’s happiest memories: the Abbott brothers’ garage. Maybe, if she puts her mind to it, she can teach skeptical, stubborn Mack Abbott how to make the business a true success. Which would be a lot easier if the hunky mechanic didn’t make her motor run quite so fast…and hot.

Mack was furious when his brother, Ford, sold his share of the business. He’s in no rush to team up with a wealthy divorcée who shows up to the garage in stilettos—and the longest, sexiest legs he’s seen in forever. But Ella’s grit and determination won’t quit…and soon Mack can see that she’s been down a few rough roads herself. Neither Mack nor Ella can deny the fierce attraction that’s revving up between them. Could it be that true love has been in the backseat all along…and they’ve finally found the key?

My Review:

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

After divorcing her no-good husband and moving to Cottonbloom, Ella is truly alone. She's purchased a one quarter share in the Abbott Brothers Garage, and being around the Abbott brothers only reminds her of losing her own brother. Her memories of standing side by side with her brother, heads bent under the hood of his 240Z, along with her business sense make her think she could be good for the garage, but the oldest Abbott brother, Mack, is determined to get rid of Ella as quickly as possible.

This is a new author for me, and I owe a great big thank you to St. Martin's Press for inviting me to read an advance copy of this book because I would have really been missing out if I hadn’t found her!  This is small-town romance at its best, with a welcoming, vibrant setting, quirky, endearing, unique secondary characters and that heartwarming, inviting feel that absorbs the reader into the story. The people of Cottonbloom were so enticing I was ready to look it up on the map, jump in my car and point it in the direction of this terrific town on the river.

I enjoyed everything about this book with its wonderful sense of family and community, a bit of an enemies to lovers romance, and the growth, self-actualizing, forgiveness and healing these characters experienced. I loved Ella, with her strength, stubbornness and determination, but still a hint of insecurity. And grumbly, growly Mack, working so hard to honor his father’s memory that he didn’t realize how closed off he had become from the people in his life or what he was missing as a result.  He's strong and stoic, but his hint of vulnerability and the way he dealt with it are what really made me love him. Mack and Ella butted heads and had some major fireworks between them, and watching them figuring out they could lean on the other and also be strong for the other was immensely satisfying. If you're looking for an enchanting, delightful, evocative, heartfelt, small-town read, grab this one now. You won’t be sorry!

Get your copy of Set the Night on Fire here, and check out more of Trentham's work here. Until next time, dear reader

Much love between the covers,

BookAddict

(See my other reviews here.)