Series:
Never Too Late for Love: Ellington Cove (Book 1)
Sarah Clarkson's dream vacation has turned into a
nightmare.
The widowed mother of a high school senior is giving the
empty-nest life a test drive with a solo vacation to Key West. The resort is
pure luxury, as is the sexy silver fox who makes her feel beautiful on her
first night in town.
Finding out he’s a former Navy SEAL? Even better.
Working for the Guardian Agency as head of security at a
Key West hotel is a perfect match for Brent Stafford, given his background and
experience. He’s ready to face any danger.
Ready to face a gentle single mom with a smile that makes
him forget he’s too old to believe in love...? Not so much. He knows he should
keep his distance.
But when Sarah witnesses a kidnapping, and someone is
determined she doesn’t live to tell about it, Brent knows he’ll do whatever it
takes to protect her. He’s a warrior and he’ll keep Sarah safe from the threat.
And she’ll show him she’ll keep his heart safe and that
it’s never too late for love.
Terrific start to the Never Too Late for Love: Ellington
Cove series. The story opens with a prologue explaining how the Guardian Agency
became involved with the Ellington Cove Resort. I'm intrigued by the mysterious
head of the Guardian Agency and would love to learn more about him. I enjoyed the
interactions that led up to the formation of the team.
Sarah is a widow whose husband died fifteen years
earlier, leaving her to raise their three-year-old daughter alone. Now that
Vivi is a senior in high school, Sarah is facing an empty nest and the need to
redefine herself outside of "Vivi's mom." So, while her daughter is
on her school's senior trip, Sarah has come to Ellington Cove on her first solo
vacation. Upon her arrival, she meets handsome and charming Brent.
Brent is a former Navy SEAL who felt a bit lost after
leaving the Navy until the Guardian Agency hired him. He's settled into the
work and with his teammates, Nick, Tony, and Gabby. He's never been interested in the hotel's
female patrons before, but something about Sarah catches his eye.
I loved both Sarah and Brent. Sarah has made a good life
for herself and her daughter but has avoided romantic entanglements. When she
arrives at Ellington Cove, she admits it has also been lonely. She's looking
forward to rediscovering who she is as a woman. She has a few insecurities
because of her lack of experience and age. She is intelligent and mature, so
her interactions with Brent and reactions to the danger are reasonable and
drama-free.
Brent has settled into a job he enjoys and is getting to
know his new home. He's good-looking, charming, and protective. His confidence
in himself and his abilities is evident without being overbearing or arrogant. In
one scene, he's involved in a fight, and Sarah is worried about him. She is
told, "Trust me, the old man's a badass." Perfect description.
I enjoyed watching the relationship between Sarah and
Brent develop. The sparks were there from the moment they met, which shocked
them both. Brent feels he should leave her alone but can't resist the pull.
Sarah is determined to explore the feelings he's stirred up. I loved that first
dinner, where they connected quickly and enjoyed each other's company. Getting
caught up in witnessing a crime wasn't on either's agenda, and both felt the
disappointment of having their evening interrupted. I loved Brent's
protectiveness and that he didn't allow it to overwhelm their connection. As
the danger increased, so did his determination to keep Sarah safe and his need
to get to know her better. I liked Sarah's instinctive trust in Brent and how
that trust made it much easier to be herself with him.
I laughed at how well Brent could read Sarah's emotions,
making it easy for him to understand her insecurities. I loved how he found many
ways to show her how beautiful he thought she was. I loved watching Sarah
blossom with confidence under his attention. Brent is surprised at how quickly
he falls for Sarah and has a few worries about whether she feels the same. I
loved his gobsmacked reaction when she told him how she felt, and I could feel
his frustration when trouble interfered before he could respond. I loved the sweet
and romantic surprise he set up for her and the depth of his emotion when he
could finally tell her how he felt. The epilogue was terrific, and I loved
seeing him with Vivi.
The suspense of the story had me hooked from the
beginning. From the moment Sarah witnessed the suspect leaving the crime scene,
I knew the authors had an exciting tale in store for me. I could feel Sarah's
fear when the creepy guy from breakfast appeared to be following her later that
day and her relief when Brent arrived. Attempts on Sarah's life made it clear
that the bad guys wanted to eliminate the only witness, and only Brent's presence
kept her safe. I loved the teamwork of Brent and his friends as they tried to
track down the missing woman and keep Sarah safe. The intensity ramped up when
the bad guys kidnapped Sarah. I was glued to the pages as Sarah made it as hard
as possible on the bad guys, and Brent raced to find her before it was too late.
I loved Sarah's confidence in Brent and how it gave her the courage to act on
her own. The resolution was fantastic.
I can't wait to read Nick's story next.
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