Expected publication date: May 28th, 2019
DEFINITELY, MAYBE…OR LOVE, ACTUALLY?
English professor Bonnie Blythe expects her life to play out like her favorite novels, especially now that her long-term boyfriend has finally proposed. So when a shocking discovery leads Bonnie to end her engagement, she decides to close the book on love. But the plot thickens when a brand-new character enters the scene—and quickens Bonnie’s heart.
With his brilliant blue eyes, sexy accent, and irresistible charm, Theo Wharton is like a romantic hero straight out of a Jane Austen novel. When fate places Bonnie in England for a summer—conveniently close to Theo—she realizes a hot friends-with-benefits fling is exactly what she needs to start a fresh chapter. Just as Bonnie begins to believe she’s falling in love, an eye-opening revelation into Theo’s life makes Bonnie feel like she’s wandered into one of her favorite books. Will Bonnie have the courage to risk her heart and turn the page with the dashing Brit to find her true happy ending after all?
We were first introduced to Bonnie and Theo in the first book in the series (see my review here) and I have so been looking forward to their story! At the time Bonnie had been engaged to her middle school boyfriend Gabe for over a year, however they had not set a date for their wedding. There were some hints in the first book that all was not well between them, but while Bonnie and Theo shared an attraction at the time it did not go any farther. Bonnie has since returned to Chicago until one night when she discovers Gabe in their bed with another woman.
Unbeknownst to Bonnie, Theo is also in town to attend a charity event with a woman his mother is trying to push on him. As the Duke of Emberton she feels it is his responsibility to marry well to prevent the estate from falling into bankruptcy. Theo has known this and accepted that his life is not entirely of his decision; he must do what is best for his family and their legacy. But come on, we all know Bonnie is going to throw a wrench in these plans, right??
When Bonnie is offered the chance to teach a summer seminar on Shakespeare at Cambridge, she gratefully accepts knowing that she can leave the mess with Gabe behind her. She will also have a chance to see Theo again, though after a tryst is cut short in Chicago due to her, um, lack of knowledge of certain sexual activities she is also dreading facing him. (And may I say the scene in the cafe where Ana decides to educate her on the manuever is one of the funniest things I’ve read all year!) Now Bonnie and Theo are both back in merry old England, and they decide to embark on a ‘friends with benefits’ fling, but they both soon find out that it is impossible to leave feelings out of the mixture.
I thought this second outing in the series was just as strong as the first, and I’m really enjoying the mix of humor and heat that Melonie infuses into the stories. If I may be honest, Theo might just rank a little higher than Logan on my book boyfriend list! While yes, Logan has the kilt there’s just something about this particular Brit that I find more endearing! Let me know what you think once you’ve read them!!
Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this early!