Sweetness abounds in the second installment of the Sugar Lake series, which was fitting given the name of the town in which the story took place. The story was not only sweet; it was heart-warming, funny and entertaining. I got my first glimpse of the main characters in the first book and could not wait to dive into their story and it sure was worth every waiting moment. Only for You tells the story of a single mom and the man who made her realise falling in love the second time around can be as good and exciting as the first.

Bridgette Dalton returned to Sweetwater to raise her five-year-old son after the death of her husband. Focused on raising her son and operating her flower shop, The Secret Garden, she had no time for romance. However, her hot and sexy neighbour has her thinking maybe pursuing a no strings relationship was not such a bad thing.

Bodhi Booker came to Sweetwater to renovate the house he purchased for his mom. As a covert operations specialist he never saw it fit to make a commitment of forever to a woman. He felt he had nothing to offer a woman. This was due to the dangers of his job. He never counted on meeting the beautiful young widow who would have him rethinking his position about relationships.

From the moment they met sparks flew, and their unexpected attraction had them both tied up in knots. They tried fighting their attraction; however, after weeks of struggling with their feelings for each other they became involved in a no strings relationship with no expectations of permanency. However, love is not an emotion one can dictate, as Bridgette and Bodhi will come to realise.

I found Bridgette to be a relatable character. I admired her independence, strength and determination. With Bridgette what you see is what you get. She was real, and she remained true to herself throughout the story. I understood her reluctance to get involved in a relationship. Having suffered pain from the loss of her husband, no one could fault her for not wanting to risk her heart again. Her son, Louie was her priority so relationships were a big no-no. She took her role as a mother serious and everything she did was done with Louie in mind.

Ms. Foster has created some amazing heroes, but Bodhi is my favourite by far. If it were possible for me to create the perfect man, Bodhi would be my template. He is hot, sexy, romantic and considerate. He is brooding, which made him even more appealing. He runs a charity for military heroes and their families. Seeing the way he treats both Bridgette and her son made my heart swoon. I can imagine the warm and fuzzy feelings Bridgette must have experience seeing this hot and sexy guy looking out not only for her but also for her son’s best interest. He is definitely a keeper. Did I mention he reads romance novels? Be still my heart.

I loved them as a couple. I became invested in their relationship and hoped they would work things out so they could be together forever instead of now and here.
Interaction between the characters was dramatic, entertaining and heart-warming. I loved all the characters but the one who owned a piece of my heart was Louie. Sweet, adorable and innocent in his mannerisms, he will worm his way into your heart.

I enjoyed this story, but I had issues. The issue I had relates Bodhi’s career, the mission he went on and the aftermath of said mission. The fact that his career played heavily in his decision to avoid long-term relationships, I expected it to be featured more in the plot. Instead it was glossed over. Furthermore, the problems arising from his career, which proved a hindrance was resolved quickly and easily. Regarding the mission, I was hoping for more details, especially as it relates to his final decision.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Fans of sweet, sexy and emotional romance stories with a sensitive and caring hero will enjoy Only For You.

Lynn

Written on Dec 5, 2017

I really enjoyed The Real Thing, the first book in the Sugar Lake series so picking this one up was no effort at all as I'm blown away by Bridgette and Bodhi's emotional journey to a Happy Ever After.

Bridgette Dalton, a single mum and owner of the flower shop in Sweetwater has little time for herself after working and caring for her young son. When, someone new moves into the house next to her, she can't help but notice the handsome man…Her family are supportive and suggest she starts looking for someone new since five years have passed since her husband died. Only, the new neighbour is only around temporarily and she doesn't want her son to become attached to him before he leaves for good.

Taking a break from his job as a special operative, Bodhi Booker is using the time to fix up the house he's bought his mother in Sweetwater. The next door neighbour is a woman he'd like to get to know more intimately, but with his departure looming shortly, anything more than a fling isn't possible because he's seen first hand the upset and devastation families face when a loved one doesn't come home. Something he's not prepared to do himself.

Bridgette and Bodhi's story is both heart-warming and heartbreaking in equal measures, including times of pure happiness as well as incredible sadness as the pair decide to 'live for the moment'. It's a refreshing, yet emotional journey they make, naively believing they can walk away and continue their lives when Bodhi leaves.

I'm not a fan of children in adult books but Louie is an integral and sweet addition and Bodhi's interaction with him melts your heart as well as his own.

Like a master magician, Melissa Foster always manages to bring something new to her writing with every novel she publishes and Only For You is no exception. She draws you into the narrative with multi-faceted protagonists so it's easy to become invested in their lives. Both Bridgette and Bodhi are adorable and relatable in their own way, showing courage and compassion when making difficult decisions concerning real-life issues. All this wrapped around a cosy and welcoming small town setting with well developed and lovable secondary characters.

This, like The Real Thing, is a standalone novel. If you are unfamiliar with the author's books, These Sugar Lake novels are a fabulous place to start.

***arc generously received courtesy of Montlake Romance via NetGalley***

Emma (SCR)

Written on Nov 30, 2017

This review was originally posted on Star Crossed Reviews Thank you to Lisa for letting me be part of this tour. I am a huge Melissa fan. I loved the first book in this series and have been eagerly waiting for Bridgette's story.

Bridgette is a single mum to 5 year old Louie. She runs her own flower shop and is an all round supermum in my opinion. Bridgette has loved and lost in the past and now she not only has to protect herself but also little Louie. I really loved Bridgette's character. She is extremely strong and brave. She is very hard on herself, especially when it comes to being a mum to Louie.

Bodhi is just about as close to perfect as I think it could get. He is sweet, caring and thoughtful. Throughout the book we always see him thinking about Louie before he does anything which I can't help but find endearing.

Little Louie is so funny in this book. You know how children say things and it breaks the tension and all the adults are laughing and the child has no idea why. Well that! If I have a kid like Louie I think I will be one happy mum.

This book gave me all the feels and all the tears. I spent about 2 chapters with just tears rolling down my face and I was so emotionally there with the characters that if it wasn't so damn cold I would have got my ice cream out the freezer to eat away the feelings.

I really love Bodhi's mum and Shira. Bodhi's mum had a lot of similarities to Bridgette which I enjoyed a lot. Shira was one of those characters that is so to the point that you just want to hug them for being the one to say what everyone else was thinking but without being aggressive. I hope she sticks around for another book.

I also adored Bridgette's siblings and I was super psyched to find out that they are all getting their own books! I cannot wait.