Title: Under the Covers
Series: The Texan Quartet #3
Author: Claire Boston
Release Date: August 13, 2015
What if the one time you didn't want love was when you truly needed it?
Forced to flee her abusive ex, alone with no support, Elle is determined to rebuild her life and protect her five-year-old son. Not one to take the easy road, she opens a bookshop café, but opening day almost ends in disaster. In the midst of this chaos, the last thing she needs is a man as charming as George Jones getting in her way.
George has always been a sucker for a damsel in distress, and Elle ticks all the boxes. But Elle's not interested in being rescued by anyone, especially not him. She knows her taste in men can't be trusted, but fighting George's charisma is harder than she expected. And George, who is not one to ignore an itch, has found there's something about Elle that's got under his skin.
When Elle's ex turns up to cause trouble, George must overcome his boyish flirtatiousness if he's to convince Elle to trust herself and let him into her life. But can Elle put her past behind her before it overwhelms her present?
Pulling herself up by the bootstraps, Elle opens up a bookstore café in a new town, a new home away from her abusive ex. Her son is safe, she’s safe and she’s going to make this new business a success if it’s the last thing she does. She’s a business owner now and a mom. She has all she wants in life—she’s too busy to have anything more.
Enter George Jones. Look up the saying “damsel in distress” and you’ll find a picture of George rescuing someone. It’s ingrained in his personality—he just can’t help himself when he sees a woman who needs assistance, be it his family, friends or a stranger. And George notices on day one, Elle needs rescuing from the lack of help at her café to the lack of love in her life.
But Elle is so guarded. She’s set aside her pride to accept help for her café, but she’s not about to set aside her heart—that heart can’t be trusted. Or can it? When George’s boyish flirtations finally break through and he comes to her rescue time and time again, will Elle finally give in?
Under the Covers is a very sweet, if somewhat predictable romance. It’s very low on the heat level, but a nice romance all the same. Elle and George have a lovely chemistry, and you can’t help but root for their romance to blossom. The intrigue with the ex added a bit of angst to the story that was needed to round things out.
Overall, this story was a nice and easy read and it was lovely to catch up with the other characters from the series.
~ Review by Missy
Sweet and a little bit sexy. Happy, mostly light and so very easy to read. All things I thought as I finished this third instalment in The Texan Quartet, a series by Claire Boston that I’ve been enjoying, a great deal.
Finally getting on with her life after escaping her abusive ex, Elle is opening her bookshop/café and trying to be the best mom she can be to her five year old son, Toby. She doesn’t need a man, but when George Jones comes into her life, like a knight in shining armor, she finds it very difficult to deny her growing feelings for him.
George loves to rescue people, and he knows Elle’s been through hell. He wants to help her, but he also just wants her. She’s under his skin, and he’d like to get Under the Covers with her too.
When Elle’s past rears its ugly head, putting both Elle and Toby in danger, George races to the rescue. But with her history, getting Elle to trust him is no easy feat. Will George be able to get the girl and stop her ex from ruining everything she’s worked for?
This one was a super sweet romance, with a couple of big laugh-out-loud moments—courtesy of Toby. Out of the mouths of babes, right? Under the Covers was, perhaps, a little predictable, and a little ‘convenient’, especially in the beginning, but it did have all the hallmarks of an adorable and likeable story. And, Ms. Boston’s writing improved a great deal as the story wore on.
While the first couple of chapters moved a touch slow, and didn’t completely wow me, each new page added a little something to the overall feel of the book, to the point where I was very needy of a HEA for these two. In particular, George. Elle’s concerns, although legitimate, came across as repetitive at times and I just wanted to yell at her to open her eyes to what sweet, sexy George was offering. I mean, that man was…whoa, perfect!! A man that’s good and caring with kids? SIGN ME UP!
Under the Covers is just one of those fun, easy and quick reads that may not change your world, but has enough of the good stuff to stick with you long after the book is closed. There is one more to go in this quartet, and I am looking forward to getting my hands on it. I’m going to be sorry when this charming series ends!
~ Review by Beth
Claire Boston is the best-selling author of The Texan Quartet. In 2014 she was nominated for an Australian Romance Readers Award as Favourite New Romance Author.
Her debut contemporary romance novel, What Goes on Tour caught the attention of Momentum's Joel Naoum when her first scene was read aloud at the Romance Writers' of Australia (RWA) conference in 2013. This led to a four book contract for The Texan Quartet series.
Claire is proactive in organising social gatherings and educational opportunities for local authors. She is an active volunteer for RWA, as a mentor for aspiring authors and the reader judge coordinator.
When Claire's not writing she can be found in the garden attempting to grow vegetables, or racing around a vintage motocross track. If she can convince anyone to play with her, she also enjoys cards and board games.
Claire lives in Western Australia, just south of Perth, with her husband, who loves even her most annoying quirks, and her grubby, but adorable Australian bulldog.
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