Julie Lessman's Dare to Love Again ~ Reviewed

DARE TO LOVE AGAIN
The Heart of San Francisco Book #2

By Julie Lessman

January 2014

Revell

ISBN 0800721667

BACK COVER:

Spunky Allison McClare is determined to be a fearless, independent woman. But when she takes a notion to explore the wild Barbary Coast, she quickly discovers she's no match for the unsavory characters that haunt the dark streets.

Detective Nick Barone would rather do almost anything than teach this petite socialite self-defense, but it seems he has little choice. Sparks fly every time the two meet until a grudging friendship develops into something deeper. But is he just a fraud like all the rest of the men Allison's cared for? Or is he the one who will let her dare to love again?

MY REVIEW:

Looking for a sweet romance with a spunky heroine and a grumpy hero? This is the book for you. And don’t worry if you haven’t read Book #1 in the series yet, because I hadn’t either. Even so, I didn’t have a hard time getting into this story. I think this is written so that it could be a stand-alone if necessary.

My favorite character, surprisingly, was a secondary little superstar named Lottie. This young orphan is a scene stealer with her heart melting charm. Not only is she super cute, she’s integral to the story because she reveals information to the hero and heroine that they wouldn’t have known about otherwise.

As for main characters, Detective Nick Barone (long “e”) is particularly swoon worthy despite his gruff exterior. He takes out bad guys at the drop of hat.

The story takes place in early 1900 San Francisco. There’s a ton of history woven throughout, so if you weren’t paying attention in history class, you’ll find some redemption here.

DARE TO LOVE AGAIN is an easy read and a visit back to another time and place. . . which is exactly what I want to do this frigid winter. 

Reviewed by: Michelle Griep WriterOffTheLeash...Blogging Gone Wild