Series:
The Christmas Pact (Book 2)
A bumpy start…
with a fairy-tale ending?
After her sheltered upbringing, Eliza's exploring her
adventurous side in Costa Rica! But her dream vacation is hijacked by gorgeous,
brooding resort owner Matt. Enthusiastic Eliza's determined to win him over.
But, when they're stranded in a cave on Christmas Eve, she can't hide her
vulnerability. Until Matt encourages her to continue grabbing life with both
hands. Can she do the same for this tortured CEO?
Terrific story in an exotic setting. Three sisters made a
pact to do something different for Christmas, with each sister's destination a
surprise planned by the other two sisters. Eliza was excited and nervous to
find herself in Costa Rica.
In the book's prologue, we discover that Eliza endured
two bouts of leukemia, one as a child and one as a teen. She is now cancer-free
and trying to catch up on the life she missed while ill. I also ached for her
at the guilt she felt over the sacrifices her family made for her.
The fun starts when Eliza arrives in Costa Rica to
discover the resort she's staying at nearly empty. The owner forgot she was
coming and gave most staff leave for the holidays. Matt is apologetic and
cancels his plans to be there for her. He made me laugh with his comments about
his fear of her sister, Thea, and his corporate lawyer. Eliza is a little taken
aback but jumps right into her search for adventure.
Matt is a workaholic who owns a line of sustainable-focused
resorts. His primary focus has been earning money to help his parents and
brother. His brother was injured as a child, and Matt blames himself. He
carries a boatload of guilt all of the time. This has affected his willingness
to enter any long-term relationship with women or spend much time with his
family.
I loved watching the relationship between Matt and Eliza
develop. Matt unexpectedly finds himself entranced by Eliza and her enthusiasm
for life. Though he initially tries to keep distance between them, that doesn't
last long. I loved watching Eliza pull Matt into her adventures, breaking through
his worries about injury and fear of getting close. But beneath her zest for
adventure, Eliza has an ever-present fear of having a relapse and becoming a
burden, and that affects her growing feelings for Matt. When trapped in a cave
overnight, they finally trust each other enough to share their rocky pasts. Trust
and exposure of their vulnerabilities boost their attraction to each other. Unfortunately, Eliza's fears return in force
the next day, and she pulls away. I ached for Matt, who had finally opened his
heart. An unexpected discovery brings them back together in an intensely moving
scene. I loved Matt's voicing his support for her and how he relieved her
greatest fear. There was no epilogue showing their future, so I hope there will
be a series epilogue in the next book that will show their future.
I loved the exotic setting of this book. The author's
vivid descriptions of locations and activities made me feel like I was there. The
ziplining description was terrific, to the point I could almost feel the wind
in my hair as they flew down the line. My favorite scenes were the ones with the
monkeys. Eliza's interest in them motivated Matt to take one of his most
thoughtful actions. The result was fantastic, and I loved Eliza's joy.
I can't wait for the next book and seeing what is in
store for sister Thea.
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