Hide and Seek: Playing with Fire Book 2, Anne Conley

Joey is unsure of what he wants is future to look like and who he wants in it with him.  He's freshly dumped by someone who never had his heart and when he catches the eye, and disdain, of a fiery beauty he thinks he might have just caught a little clue about that future.  Except Vivian wants nothing to do with the muscle-bound hottie, no matter what her lust-starved body says; she's got a lot riding on her keeping her head, and her heart, out of the sheets and firmly in control.  Joey's never met a challenge he backed down from and Vivian's heart doesn't stand a chance.  As they open their hearts to one another it's clear they both want something more, something deep and lasting, but if they can't see what's right in front of them and take a chance, it'll slip right through their fingers.

It was Joey that captured my attention right away.  I knew there was something special about him and it became clear when his earnestness and devotion to Vivian even when she was only an idea once he met her.  Changing his ways and turning himself inside out to prove he was worth a chance as well as falling in love with her daughter endeared him to me even more.  And when he apologized right away and admitted to his lack of knowledge and understanding regarding both Carly and their history I was practically swooning.  He really was the complete package despite his cockiness, bravado, and difficulty accepting his mother's new-found happiness because he was willing to own his faults and improve for the sake of himself and to have a future with Vivian and Carly.

While I knew Joey wasn't perfect, I loved him for everything that found a balance.  Vivian didn't have that balance.  She was constantly shooting herself in the foot.  Being so anti men based on one, albeit horrible, experience was short-sighted.  Her commitment to her daughter was admirable and I absolutely do not fault her for it, except it often went to the extreme.  Protecting her heart is one thing but when she was almost cruel in her actions I couldn't get on board.  Her evolution, however, was wonderful.  She went from being surrounded by walls to being open and laid bare for someone she learned she could trust to treat her the way she deserved.  I enjoyed watching her open up to Joey and to the women who became her good friends, seeing her build her own community of support and love.

I enjoyed the story overall and felt that there was a lot of potential for both characters both as individuals and together.  Joey felt like a complete person and watching him grow and mature made everything worth it.  Similarly with Vivian, watching her become the softer, more open, more forgiving version of herself showed me that they were worth getting to know.  I did feel that Carly read a lot older than her described age, though to be fair, she could just be emotionally, verbally, and socially advanced for her age.  Overall, it was a pleasure to read their story mostly for their individual growth and for the passion that they shared that deepened into something long-lasting.

*$2.99 on Amazon!