Just Maybe (Crystal Walton) – Review

~ About the Book ~

When a case of mistaken identity spirals into a more-than-complicated pretend relationship, an adventure seeker and a grammar fanatic just might’ve met each other’s match.

Three weeks. That’s all the time self-made billionaire Cooper Anderson has to respond to discovering he’s a single dad, sell his lake house, and catch a one-way ticket across the world. The quick-witted nanny responding to his ad couldn’t be more of a life saver … and maybe a nice distraction. Until the secrets she’s hiding get a little too close to exposing his own.

The one lead guaranteeing Quinn Thompson a promotion just has to land her back in her hometown to finagle an interview out of Mr. Elusive, of all people. But she can hack it, right? Even while mistaken for the nanny, she can keep things quick and professional. No running into her embarrassing Southern family, no stirring up the wounds that’d sent her packing four years ago, and definitely no melting over a stockbroker’s unfair dimples and boyish charm.

Why, oh, why doesn’t anything ever go according to plan?

With both their deadlines closing in before they’re ready, Quinn and Cooper must decide whether the life they’re set on pursuing alone is worth more than the one they could be missing together.

Series:  #3 Home in You Series
Genre:  Contemporary Inspirational Romance
Release date:  11 October 2017
Pages:  235
Publisher:  Independent

Amazon US  //  Amazon AU  //  Goodreads

~ Excerpt ~

Cooper drew Quinn into a dancing hold again to give her a chance to calm down, if nothing else.
[…]
He brushed her bangs over to her ear. “I’m not saying you shouldn’t tell them. Just not today.”
Quinn glanced behind her and back without answering, a dozen emotions still churning in her brown eyes. She needed to get her mind off things. To be honest, he did too.
He twirled her around, drew her in, and dipped her like a professional dancer.
Angled downward, she raised a brow at him. “Going for a trophy?”
“If our fan club over there has anything to say about it, I think I just won it.” He lifted her upright and motioned to the faces following their every move from the opposite end of the yard.
Sass returned to her eyes as she stepped out of his hold. “Don’t be so sure. They’re a tougher crowd than you think.”
“Then I guess I better find another way to impress them.” He took her hat off, nestled it onto her head, and curved her hair around her ear. “They want to know you’re with someone charming, gentlemanly.”
“Mm.” She nodded, evidently placating him. “Well, you are a good actor.”
“Who said I’m acting?” He countered her raised brow with a steady gaze. “In fact, I think they’d be pretty disappointed if I didn’t kiss you right now.”
“Is that right?” She stood her ground, but the slightest flutter on her neck told him the distraction was working.
“Mm,” he mimicked, edging closer. “Question is, would you be?”
She set a hand to his chest. “Ask me again when we’re done.”
Despite the tease in her voice at using his own lines on him, his heart rate picked up. A breeze blew through her hair, tangling him in an aroma of flowers and summer and things able to bring him to his knees.
Her fingertips reached for his collar, her eyes never leaving his. Her alluring expression nearly consumed him until a laugh breached the tiny space between them. “Sorry, that was totally lame, wasn’t it?” She tugged her hat down. “I don’t know how to play the smooth card like you do. I’m too much of a dork.”
“No, uh . . .” Cooper ran a knuckle along his jawbone. “That was, um, really good, actually.”
“Yeah?”
Recovering, he slid his fingers in her hair, his grin to the side. “Yeah.” With his lips to her ear, he whispered, “But you should probably keep practicing.”
Her breath fluttered when he grazed a kiss to her cheek.
He leaned back, winked, and started toward her family, who were still watching them like they were about to bust out popcorn. Halfway there, an acorn nailed him dead in the back of the head. He swung around toward an overly satisfied grin.
“Good thing my arm doesn’t need any more practice.”
He lit up in laughter. Yep, he could definitely fall for Quinn Thompson if he wasn’t careful.

~ Review ~

After I read Drew and Ti’s story, Begin Again, I knew it was going to be a tough act to follow. The banter, the humour, the chemistry, and the growing friendship that taps into the heart and soul of the characters—it was the best of everything I love in a contemporary romance. But it begged the question: Could the next one possibly be as good? I should have known better than to doubt this author. Cooper and Quinn might be totally different characters, but all those same elements are alive and well in this novel, just presented in their own unique Cooper-and-Quinn way.

Quinn is equal parts sass and homemaker, and she has a compulsion to correct people’s grammar that I can totally relate to. I laughed out loud at her angst over someone calling their coffee shop ‘Xpresso’! She’s also driven to prove herself in order to make those she loves proud of her, which is what brings her to Cooper’s doorstep in search of an exclusive interview. Being mistaken for a nanny gives her a perfect ‘in’ for the interview she wants to write, but before she knows it, Cooper’s returning the favour by posing as her boyfriend, her family’s falling in love with him, and . . . well, it’s getting so much more complicated than writing an article should be!

And Cooper… Hello, Mr Delectable! For a self-made billionaire, he’s pretty laid back. He handles Quinn’s sass like a pro, has genuine (and very potent!) charm, is big-hearted and fun-loving, and notwithstanding his track-record with nappy-changing(!), it’s obvious he’s a natural at this fatherhood gig. What girl wouldn’t swoon over all that?!

But lying at the heart of this story is a girl living with the devastation of having the one thing she wanted more than anything stolen from her, and a guy who’s burdened by a load of guilt and fear his father would never have wanted him to carry. And as much fun as the banter and Quinn’s slightly embarrassing Southern family are, my favourite moments in this novel were those moments when the walls came down between Cooper and Quinn, and their hearts were on full display—their vulnerability, their compassion, and their growing love for one another. Scoop me off the floor, because my bones pretty much turned to mush!

All that is to say, if you love contemporary inspirational romance, Crystal Walton needs to be on your must read list!

I received a copy of this novel from the author. This has not influenced the content of my review, which is my honest and unbiased opinion.

~ Other Books in Series ~

Read my reviews for Still Falling, Write Me Home and Begin Again.

~ About the Author ~

Crystal received her bachelor of arts from Messiah College in PA, married her exact opposite in upstate NY, and earned her master of arts from Regent University in VA, where she currently resides with her husband, David.

She writes modern clean romances with humor, broken characters, and emotional plots full of grace and hope. When not working her accounting day job, she’s delving into the wonder of words, supporting her Starbucks habit, or laughing over movie quotes & singing eighties songs with her husband.

Connect with Crystal:  Website  //  Facebook  //  Twitter  //  Instagram  //  Pinterest