Kissing Kendall: A Maritime City Novel by Jennifer Shirk
Kissing Kendall: A Maritime City Novel (Entangled Bliss)
Synopsis:
Kendall Grisbaum is finally taking charge of her life—pouring her heart into opening a new bakery business and even allowing her best friend Georgie to play matchmaker for her. Trouble is, the one guy she secretly wants is Georgie’s older brother, Brad, who is decidedly off limits.
Brad can’t seem to get his little sister’s best friend out of his mind. He and Kendall used to be close friends, too, and as a local policeman, Brad can’t help but play protector, looking out for Kendall. When he offers to help her renovate her new bakery space on the side, their friendship—and their attraction—flares back to life.
Amid the temptation of doughnut muffins and blueberry cobbler, a new temptation draws them both closer. Can they take a chance on love when it means risking their friendship, even when not doing so risks everything?
Review:
Can I just start by saying thank you to the author for writing a book where the husband dies and the widow doesn't immediately move on to someone else? That is how this story usually goes, the wife doesn't even have time to mourn before she is in love with the best friend/brother/who ever that she has always kind of liked. It drives me crazy as it is just...I don't like it. It doesn't seem realistic. Thankfully this book starts two years after Kendall's husband died, two years she has had to mourn his loss. She is just now at the point where she is going to start trying to move on and figure out what she wants to do with her life.
Brad has always had a crush on Kendall. They were best friends and just when he was getting up the courage to ask her out his friend swoops in and beats him to it. Since Brad had feelings for her, and he doesn't want to cause issues between her and his best friend, he starts seeing less and less of them. He just can't deal with seeing them together. He used to think how he wondered what it would be like if the husband were not in the picture. When the husband ends up dying Brad blames himself. He had an argument with him the day before and he just feels guilty for wanting Kendall. He is a police officer and keeps an eye out for her, but still stays away. He doesn't want to get involved, get attached again when she is trying to heal.
When Kendall and Brad meet up again they both feel the attraction, though they both think the other is not affected. Kendall thinks it is ridiculous and she shouldn't be feeling this way. She doesn't want to lose her friendship with Brad, especially now that she has him back in her life.
I really liked Brad and Kendall together. I like that Brad knew it would be hard to get Kendall to come around to letting herself care for him. He knew it wouldn't be a piece of cake, but he just kept being there for her and pushing it a little. He knew what he wanted, and what she wanted but was too afraid to go after. I liked how he pushed her to be better, braver, to move on and fully live. I just really enjoyed them together. The end, however, seemed to be a bit rushed. Kendall changed too much too quickly for me. If it would have been fleshed out a bit more, a bit slower for her to suddenly not be afraid of living and loving someone with a dangerous profession, I would have really loved this book. It was still a great read, the end just felt rushed to me.
Rating: ★ ★ ★
Thank you so much!
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