CLOSING THE DEAL
LENORA WORTH
ISBN: 978-1-950510-50-4
June 2019
Tule Publishing
www.tulepublishing.com
Digital
$3.99
220 pages
Contemporary romance
Rating: 4 cups

Jolted by the unexpected death of the grandmother who had raised her, Sarina returns to Blossom, Texas to find she has inherited the Victorian house her grandmother operated as a hotel and event centre. Sadly, the place has slipped into disrepair and funds to continue are almost nonexistent. Besides that, her boss is nagging her to return to her city job soon. The quick sale offered by an appealing stranger would solve all her problems, but her friends beg her not to and her heart holds conflicting wishes.

Drake has struggled to meet his successful father’s exacting demands. A high powered entrepreneur and developer, his dad has now entrusted him to seal a deal to obtain property in Blossom to create an elegant resort and residential community. Drake is determined to achieve this–until he meets Sarina. Her reluctance to sell annoys and then confuses him, while he finds himself falling for her as he tries to woo her to his original goal. He begins to see that is not possible, certainly not quickly enough to suit his dad.

Sarina stalls, discovering two long pre-scheduled events where the customers were not notified of the changed circumstances. With the help of several old friends she vows to see them done and done well. Although she finds Drake gorgeous and personable, she cannot trust him to abandon his goal to buy the property even when he stays to help her with essential renovations and the events. Meanwhile, he too is stalling to keep his dad from sending a high-pressure salesman to do what Drake cannot seem to accomplish. How can these two ever reach a point of trust and find a common long term goal?

I was charmed by the setting and quickly drawn into the conflicts by which both Sarina and Drake are torn. They have opposing purposes which you want them to resolve, but only in the right way! Until the end you worry whether or not they will. A deft and skillful writer, the author keeps it sweet while maintaining the subtle sizzle of attraction between the two lead characters. She makes the town Technicolor vivid and the local folks you meet real and fascinating. This book is to be the first of a trilogy in which Sarina’s two girlfriends find their true loves. I will be looking for those, as yet to be titled and scheduled for release. I already follow this author and trust her to provide a good read.

AZGaye
Reviewer for Coffee Time Romance and More