Well-to-do journalist Rick has had the ownership of the small-town The Franklin Standard daily newspaper foisted on him by a provision in his grandfather’s will that the newspaper remain in the family or close its doors. Having to continuously hobnob with the town’s elite at endless chamber of commerce dinners, Rick enlists the help of big-mouthed, opinionated debate teacher/coach (and secret crush) Mac to be his non-date “go-with” for these functions—all whilst shamelessly bantering and flirting with each other. Rick and Mac met 6 months ago while he was writing a story for the newspaper and shared one mind-altering kiss (the events of the first book in the Perfect Kisses series, which I have not read but did not feel like I needed to), but put the brakes on the budding romance to preserve their professional reputations. In the interim, Mac learnt that Rick is not just a reporter for The Standard but also its owner, the product of wealth and privilege, and proud owner of several luxury cars. Most importantly, his father shut down the metal plant where her father worked and catalyzed the implosion of her parents’ marriage. Ages ago. Which Rick knew nothing about because he has nothing to do with his father’s business ventures. To Mac, Rick’s parentage and upbringing are signs that they’re too different and could never be together, despite the sizzling physical attraction between them. Never mind the fact that Rick is intelligent, genuine, super laid back, and has never done anything to even suggest that he’s anything like his father. Since he can never be the man for her, she insists on setting him up with her perfect beauty-queen cousin Brandy… and what’s a man to do but agree to do whatever the woman he loves (but can’t figure out) wants whilst trying to get her to see him for who he is? And so Mac and Rick end up snowbound and alone in a cabin in the woods in what was supposed to be a sort-of-double-date matchmaking weekend escapade for Rick and Brandy, finally coming to terms (individually) with the fact that they can’t live without each other but being incapable of communicating it.
SPEAKING OF LOVE has all the makings of a great read: the friends-to-lovers trope, the enforced proximity, an adorable hero who doesn’t even pretend he gets women, enough miscommunications and premature conclusions to make you want to teach the hero and heroine to talk despite both making their living with words, and fun, flirty banter. But though the interactions between the hero and heroine were plentiful and hilarious, I just didn’t feel the chemistry between them. And I couldn’t relate to Mac at all—I just could not buy her reasons for not wanting to pursue a relationship with Rick. Because his father shut down a factory that left her father out of work fifteen years ago? Because he’s from a wealthy family? Because his surname is Duffy? REALLY?? Her assumption that he was a wanker based solely on his parentage despite having known him for six months and seen no asshattery in his behaviour really made me want to smack her upside the head and tell her to grow a bloody pair when she finally realised he wasn’t a wanker and she couldn’t live without him but mistakenly assumed he had the hots for her perfect-arm-candy cousin.
Despite my personal dislike of the heroine, SPEAKING OF LOVE is a well-written, humorous quick read that kept me entertained for the duration. It’s strictly PG and sweet without being saccharine, and will undoubtedly leave you with a smile on your face.
**ARC provided by Publisher**
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