Review by Booklist Review
Lexi Clark had a tough relationship with her gambler mother, Daisy, who cleaned up her act when she married Ashley's father. The stepsisters love each other, but they're not close, at least not until after Daisy's death, when Lexi is called back to Sunrise Cove, California, to complete a mission with Ashley: deliver six envelopes to people Daisy needed closure with before collecting their inheritance, the bulk of Daisy's lottery winnings. Neighbor Heath Bowman had a tough childhood too, and after Lexi moved away with her father, Daisy became a surrogate mother to him, which is why he's helping Lexi and Ashley with their quest. That, and he's had a thing for Lexi since they were kids. The attraction is mutual, but as two adults with deep-seated scars, what hope is there for a future together? Heath is a classic Shalvis hero, hardworking, easygoing, and steady, the perfect foil for chaotic Lexi. As much a story about sisters as it is about romance, The Love Fix is funny and emotionally resonant. A real treat.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Bestseller Shalvis's emotional eighth standalone Sunrise Cove contemporary (after Better Than Friends) expertly tugs at the heartstrings. After art appraiser Lexi Clark's boss turned boyfriend dumps and fires her in one fell swoop, her stepsister, Ashley, compels her to return to the Lake Tahoe hamlet of Sunrise Cove to carry out their late mother's last wishes: delivering handwritten apologies to the people affected by her gambling addiction. It's a difficult task, as Lexi's complicated feelings about her mother, Daisy, remain unresolved, and she resents carefree younger Ashley for having evaded the brunt of the childhood trauma Lexi endured. Also back in town is Heath Bowman, Lexi's childhood friend, who is equally damaged by a rough upbringing. Their chemistry sparks as Heath helps the sisters deliver the letters, but both are determined not to form romantic ties. Through the nuanced sisterly dynamic at the novel's heart, Shalvis incisively explores the fraught aftereffects of being raised by a parent with addiction. The romance is equally well executed, with Heath and Lexi's efforts to deny their attraction doomed to fail from the start. This poignant tale is one to throw in the beach bag. (June)
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