キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか? しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか? 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな?』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう?もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
Captain's Log, Supplemental
Her Unlikely Family by Missy Tippens
From the back cover:
Take One Conservative Bank President
Add One Rebellious Teenager
Try To Mix
Take responsibility for his orphaned niece, yes. Raise her himself, no. A good boarding school was what the girl needed, not an uncle who was never home. But then Michael Throckmorton's niece ran away. And the big-hearted, beautiful diner waitress who'd taken her in wasn't letting her go so easily. Josie Miller had a few conditions for Michael. Oddly enough, he was willing to listen. Yet days later, why wasn't he hauling the teen back to school and himself back to the city? Could it be that an unlikely family was forming?
Camy here:
What a fun story! I liked the mix of two such different personalities as Josie and Michael. Josie is both kind and wild—just the kind of heroine I like to read about. Michael starts off very stuffy and I didn’t really like him at first, but I really enjoyed his transformation from Michael Throckmorton III to Uncle Mike. The flow from uptight prick to sensitive guy was very smooth, believable, and enjoyable to read.
Michael’s niece, Lisa, steals the show, in my opinion. Maybe because I’ve worked with teens for so many years. She seemed completely authentic—irritating and lovable at the same time.
There were a few moments at the end where things got confusing for me—I didn’t understand why some characters made the choices they did or were upset by other people’s choices. However, the ending is satisfying and romantic and left me with that happy feeling at the end of a romance.
This is a great book for romance readers of all ages, from teens and up.
Her Unlikely Family by Missy Tippens
From the back cover:
Take One Conservative Bank President
Add One Rebellious Teenager
Try To Mix
Take responsibility for his orphaned niece, yes. Raise her himself, no. A good boarding school was what the girl needed, not an uncle who was never home. But then Michael Throckmorton's niece ran away. And the big-hearted, beautiful diner waitress who'd taken her in wasn't letting her go so easily. Josie Miller had a few conditions for Michael. Oddly enough, he was willing to listen. Yet days later, why wasn't he hauling the teen back to school and himself back to the city? Could it be that an unlikely family was forming?
Camy here:
What a fun story! I liked the mix of two such different personalities as Josie and Michael. Josie is both kind and wild—just the kind of heroine I like to read about. Michael starts off very stuffy and I didn’t really like him at first, but I really enjoyed his transformation from Michael Throckmorton III to Uncle Mike. The flow from uptight prick to sensitive guy was very smooth, believable, and enjoyable to read.
Michael’s niece, Lisa, steals the show, in my opinion. Maybe because I’ve worked with teens for so many years. She seemed completely authentic—irritating and lovable at the same time.
There were a few moments at the end where things got confusing for me—I didn’t understand why some characters made the choices they did or were upset by other people’s choices. However, the ending is satisfying and romantic and left me with that happy feeling at the end of a romance.
This is a great book for romance readers of all ages, from teens and up.
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