Series Name: Lovelight, # 4
Review By Veronica
Business Casual is a satisfying and banging conclusion to the Lovelight series.
Favourite Quote:
A smile hitches the corner of her mouth.
“You’re touching me right now.”
“Yeah, that’s the thing about it. I touched you once, and I only wanted to touch you more. I want to keep touching you. I want to make you feel good.”
Goodreads Synopsis:
Nova Porter isn’t looking for love, and she certainly has no explanation for her attraction to buttoned-up, three-piece-suit-wearing investment banker Charlie Milford. Maybe it’s his charm? Or maybe it’s his determination to help her fledgling business however he can. Either way, she’s distracted every time he’s around. With her new tattoo studio set to open in her hometown of Inglewild, she doesn’t have time for frivolous flirtations.
In an effort to get Charlie out of her system once and for all, Nova offers a proposition. One night. No strings. They’ll kick their uncomfortable attraction to the curb and return to their respective responsibilities. But their explosive night together scatters their expectations like fallen leaves. And with Charlie in town as the temporary head of Lovelight Farms, Nova can’t quite avoid him.
And Charlie? Well, Charlie knows a good investment when he sees one. He’s hoping he can convince Nova he’s worth some of her time.
There is always a sweet bitterness when you finish the final book in a series, especially one that you have come to love. The Lovelight series has been an enjoyable and addictive romp, and I would highly recommend it to any romance bookworm looking to sink their teeth in a small-town romance. We have met both Charlie and Nova in previous books in this series. Charlie was particularly enduring right from the moment he popped on the page. If you love your heroes to be big old cinnamon rolls, then Charlie is your man. This book starts at Stella and Luka’s wedding (the MCs from the first book in the series), with a very stressed-out Nova and a goofy yet overworked Charlie. Nova is weeks away from opening her tattoo shop, and Charlie has volunteered to help around the farm while Stella and Luka go on a much-needed honeymoon. I really enjoyed this story. Charlie and Nova have some intense chemistry, and with Charlie being a big old flirt and Nova not taking any of his flirty bs, it made for some sharp, fun, and witty banter, which was catnip for my soul. The banter between Charlie and Nova just scratched that romance itch. Fans of this series will love being able to hang out with characters from past books and get to check in and see how they are doing. It gives you the feeling that you are catching up with old friends. The town of Inglewild is just as charming and quirky as I expected it to be. BK really knows how to capture that small-town essence and weave it into an unforgettable romance.
Nova and Charlie are wonderful MCs and it was great getting to spend more time with them. Charlie has always been this soft and goofy character and always goes around like he doesn’t have a care in the world. But as a reader I sensed that there was more lurking underneath that carefree loveable attitude. Peeling back those layers and getting to know Charlie better was heartwarming and even a little heart-wrenching at times. Charlie is such a good soul that you just want good things for him. You want him to find his fated mate and get that HEA that he so deserves. His character has so much depth, and his growth near the end of the book had me standing up and cheering for him. Nova is the more prickly and more guarded with her heart. She has put a lot of pressure on herself. She is reluctant to ask for help and wants to prove to the world, especially her brother Beckett (MC from the second book), that she can open her shop. Her relationship with Beckett was sweet, and Nova’s feelings about making Beckett proud of her were completely understandable.
The romance was hot! Nova and Charlie aren’t looking for love and have no interest in being in a relationship. But they both cannot deny that there are some serious sparks flying between them. So, they agreed to have a one-night stand to get each other out of their systems. As you can imagine, one time isn’t going to be enough for them, so they decide to have a friends-with-benefits relationship, which, of course, is going to turn into something more. The sex in this book is on fire. The chemistry between Nova and Charlie was off the charts when they weren’t in the bedroom, so you can imagine how spicy and intense the sex was between these two. Besides all the spicy time, there is this really fun and special connection between these two. They have some pretty quick and meaningful moments where you could just see that connection grow stronger. Their relationship has its bumps, mainly because these two dummies are unwilling to admit that there is more going on between them, creating misunderstandings that cause bumps in their relationship. I love being on their journey and watching them get that HEA that they deserve.
Fans of one-night stands, friends with benefits, cinnamon roll heroes, small-town romances, and secret relationships will love this book.
Business Casual is a swoonastic conclusion to an unforgettable series.
Thank you, Berkley Publishing, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
