Book review – Letters to a Secret Lover by Toni Blake

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4.5 stars!

*grins* I loved this book!!! It was a surprising, beautiful, sexy love story about second chances, acceptance, self- forgiveness, and finding happiness 🙂

I started it last night intending to only reading the first 10-20% of it but ended up staying up till 3:30AM to finish it! It kind of fools you a little because it starts out light and funny but before you know it, it gets really emotionally deep.

Linsday is sure she has it all – great job as a love advice columist/blogger, a to-die-for shoe collection and she is one half of Chicogo’s latest ‘it’ couple. But everything comes crashing down after her fiance abruptly and unceremoniously dumps her. Desperate to get away from the humiliation of her break up, she heads off to a small town in Montana intent on buying back the an old family property from whoever now owns it and simultaneously deciding that a little fling would help her get back on the sex horse.

Upon arriving in the town, she sets her eyes on a tall, dark, scowling hunk of a man who walks in the bar. Little did she expect he would be Rob Coulter, the reclusive new owner of her aunt’s property and who not only would not be interested in selling it but also seems uninterested in a fling or pretty much anything social. He’s gruff, rough and hot as hell and she has her work cut out for her trying to get to know this man who holds two things she now wants… But the more time they spend together, they both start realizing that they are falling for whats behind the facades they have both built up against the world.

“Well, you’re in,” and headed unceremoniously for the door.
And without meaning to, she said exactly what she was thinking, her sarcasm coming through loud and clear. “My hero.”
He stopped with one black work boot out the door and looked back, his eyes narrowing slightly, his expression going even darker. “I never claimed to be anybody’s hero, sweetheart.”
And then he was gone.

The characters were lovable, the story intrigued me and did not have any dull moments, and I adored the writing style – it was fun and light on the surface with undertones of deep and serious. Even though I was laughing out loud and cackling with glee in the beginning, it was in a more serious way, you know? It wasn’t a humorous book, it just had funny moments, and you could tell there were a lot more deeper emotions just beneath the surface and when they all came out, boy did it HIT me!!

I loved Rob! Although on the outside he appeared aloof, reclusive and gruff, as we got bits of his POV, it became very clear he had a big heart and had suffered serious hurt in the past that had left a big mark on him. Along with a tattoo of “Gina” that he had over his heart, an aversion to relationships and a series of beautiful love letters written to Gina, he was quite the mysterious, tortured and yet lovable, sexy mountain man.

And I actually also really loved Lindsay. It took her a while to lose her overly materialistic side (lol, and figure out that 5 inch spiky heels weren’t prime hiking material) but I liked that despite that, she had really good intentions, wasn’t ditzy, and grew a lot as a person over the course of the book.

I felt myself totally drawn into the story. I wanted to know more. There’s so much anticipation! So many secrets! I wanted to know Rob’s past. Why was the the way he was? What could have made such a big-hearted guy so reclusive? Who was the girl in his letters? Why did he get her name tattooed on his heart? What was their history? Why did he withdraw from people, and especially relationships? And what was it that made him open himself back up, to her? Would Lindsay end up with the property? Was that even the best decision? … I loved it! I had so many theories forming about the secrets at the same time as watching their romance unfold.

And speaking of romance, Rob and Linsday’s chemistry was on FIRE!! Their sexual tension sizzled but when they finally pushed through it, it was scorching!!!! *faints* When they fell, they fell hard. It was intense, beautiful and thrilling.

Oddly enough, at about 65% in, I put two and two together and figured it all out. I had strong suspicions from earlier on what the secret was, but at that point, I was sure. I could totally predict the bad stuff that was unfolding, I literally face palmed myself twice (yes, it hurt, I’m an idiot) while vividly imaging screaming and cursing at the heroine… but here’s the weird thing, it didn’t bother me that I knew, and the mistake was pretty innocent so I found it very forgiveable, and I still totally enjoyed every moment of the story.

By the end of the book, my heart was in my throat. My prediction was right and that didn’t help me prepare for it one tiny bit! I had fallen so in love with the characters and felt for them so strongly that I was terrified for them! … but don’t let that scare you – there is, of course, a beautiful HEA and epilogue 🙂

Definitely add this to the steamy contemporary romance to-read pile!!

I reeeeeally really hope someone in the movie industry reads this book and decides to turn it into a movie. I could picture the whole thing in my head so vividly – some of the scenes were just gorgeous. It really would make the PERFECT movie!! *crosses fingers and toes*

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