ARC Review: Confessions of a Secret Admirer by Jennifer Ryan, Candis Terry, and Jennifer Seasons

Confessions of a Secret Admirer is an anthology featuring four different novellas by Avon authors.

Waiting For You - Jennifer Ryan

Waiting for You by Jennifer Ryan follows Taylor Larson back to her hometown. She sees her friend from high school, Seth Devane with his daughter. She’s glad to see him and reminds her of her true love lost, his brother Grant. She’s under the impression he doesn’t like her. She couldn’t be more wrong. He’s been waiting for her to come back to apologize for a misunderstanding. Her grandmother died and she returns to help with her store. Her time is limited so Grant gets busy: cleans her barn, tends to the horses, and makes dinner. He invites her to the town’s Valentine’s Day dance. They rekindle what they never lost. The setting is an extra character. Denver looks gorgeous and inviting in the snow. Taylor and Grant were teenagers and fell in love. Too much, too fast, but still smoldering. Sweet story and recommended.

Sweet Fortune - Candis Terry

Sweet Fortune by Candis Terry begins with Sarah Randall contemplating a fortune cookie’s advice. “If opportunity doesn’t knock, build a door.” She’s recently lost her dream job as an assistant to a television host. She moves from Los Angeles to Texas. She lands a job at Bud’s Nothing Finer Diner as a waitress. With the approach of Valentine’s Day a list of the town’s most eligible bachelors appears in the newspaper. Deputy Brady Bennett is listed and with good reason. He’s stunning and Sarah has noticed. Now how to get his attention and hold it. He likes sports so she signs up to play baseball, but her talent lies in playing pool. She gives him a lesson he won’t forget. She also hand delivers cookies to his home anonymously as a hat tip to her fortune. Sarah and Brady make a cute couple. She tries so hard to be nonchalant and he falls in love with her. Her plot to get his attention makes this a good read.

Major League Crush - Jennifer Seasons

Major League Crush by Jennifer Seasons is the funniest of the three. Bertie Cogswell writes a comic strip, F@#$ MY LIFE. It’s based on her real life. She’s an ordinary woman who is obsessed with her professional baseball player neighbor. Drake Paulson lives across the hall from Bertie. They finally meet when she picks up her newspaper. He asks her if she follows the comic strip. He thinks it’s hilarious. She’s thrilled, but doesn’t admit it’s her work. He invites her to a Valentine’s Day party in the building. She agrees and has too much to drink. She tips her hand and he figures it out. She’s horrified at her behavior and avoids him. To win her back, he shows her his scrapbook of the comics. He’s her biggest fan. This one has a Bridget Jones vibe to it. Bertie is awkward, but Drake sees her beauty and brilliance. Some of the things he does to win her over are worth the read.

Overall

Overall the stories follow the idea of a secret crush on someone. It’s not just for kids. Adults try to catch each other’s eye too. My favorite is Major League Crush. She’s crazy about him and when he finds out, she’s so embarrassed. She goes out of her way to avoid him and he won’t let up. Nice to see her devotion returned tenfold. The trio of stories flow well together and make an enjoyable read.

**ARC provided by Publisher**

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