Bea Reviews Hideaway Cove by Anna Sullivan

Publisher: Forever
Series: Windfall Island #2 
Source: the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Release Date: July 29, 2014
Challenges: Finishing the Series |  NetGalley & Edelweiss Reading Challenge
Buying Links: Amazon* | Book Depository* | ARe* | Kobo | Barnes & Noble | 
* affiliate links; the blog receives a small commission from purchases made through these links.

Blurb from goodreads:

SOME PASSIONS CAN'T BE DENIED . . .

Jessi Randal walked away from her last relationship with a baby and a broken heart. Now, years later, the last thing this single mom wants is to give Windfall Island—and all its nosy residents—anything more to gossip about. But the moment she lays eyes on the tall, sexy stranger with the slow Southern drawl, she knows she's in delicious trouble . . .

Holden Abbot is on the island to find the missing heir to the Stanhope family fortune. It's his job to charm as many secrets out of the town as possible. And if he can charm Jessi into his bed, even better. When all evidence points to her as the heir, a dangerous enemy sets his sights on Jessi and her son. Now Holden will have to risk everything to protect the family he's come to love.

Bea's Thoughts:

I enjoyed the first book in this series, "Temptation Bay", so I requested this one and then it sat on my Kindle for far too long. I finally got around to reading and I just didn't enjoy it as much as the first one. Parts of the story were far too predictable and the mystery took a back seat to the romance. The romance was sweet with a few hot scenes. Jessi's son Ben is a big part of the story so if you don't like kids in your romances you might want to skip this one.

Jessi has been off men since her high school love abandoned her and their son. His mother blames Jessi for his leaving while ignoring the fact that he's had no contact with his son and hasn't paid any child support. Holden, whom we met in the first book, is sweet on Jessi and determined to break through her walls. He genuinely likes Ben which helps though she tries to keep the two apart as she's worried about Ben getting to someone she's convinced is just passing through.  Jessi is stubborn, unreasonably so at times, and plays the martyr - she can't get involved again cuz she can't risk her heart or Ben's, being a single mother is a calling, etc. She needed a good wake up call and Holden gives it to her.

"Jessi, I don't want to hurt him. Or you."
But he could, so easily, and wasn't that what really frightened her? "What exactly do you want, Hold?"
"A chance to get to know you, and for you to get to know me."...
She'd been there before, she reminded herself.
She'd been taken in by a sunny smile and the attention of a handsome man-or boy, as the case had been.

Holden is a bit arrogant and certain he knows what's best for both Jessi and Ben. He pushes and nudges and doesn't stop until he gets what he wants. At times he was too pushy for be, for Jessi too, and I found him irritating but most of the time he is sweet and funny.

"You're right." Hold ran a hand back through his hair. They'd spent less than a weekend together and there he stood, angrier than he could ever remember because she's had a crisis and hadn't called him first. 

Wasn't he the one holding back? he asked himself. The one preaching to her about trust while he let the past build a wall between them? He'd been burned, and burned badly. 

He's also keeping a doozy of a secret which almost derails their relationship. But first, Jessi's ex comes back and sets about winning over Ben with bribes and trying to win back Jessi. She's leery, he seems as immature and selfish as he ever was and she's having trouble forgiving him for abandoning them.

Events unfold predictably, there are few twists or surprises. The story is familiar and comfortable. The mystery is strictly secondary and mainly pops up to at convenient times to move the story along. This one was nice but not wonderful. Still, I want to know what happens and if the mystery gets solved. I've requested the third and final book from my library.