Accidentally on Purpose (Heartbreaker Bay, #3)

by Jill Shalvis

[Linda]

This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews
Accidentally on Purpose continues in the same vein as the prior Heartbreaker Bay books, and the romance made me melt into a puddle.



This series is filled with feel-good romance, great friendships and off the chart chemistry! Accidentally on Purpose is sweet, quirky, hot and funny, I had a really good time getting to know Elle and Archer better. It was apparent in the prior books that they were reluctantly attracted to each other, and that they were both holding back. Understanding why was very nice, and seeing behind Elle's close to perfect façade made me like her even more. A go-getter and caregiver, Elle is always there for her friends, giving advice, helping out, working hard... But she doesn't really take the time to do anything that's just for her - almost as if she doesn't deserve to be as happy as everyone else. And Archer... *sighs* he's hot - more so because he's so caring behind his tough exterior than because he's good looking. And seeing these two try to stay away from each other and failing was epic!

And aside from the romance and the attraction between Elle and Archer, there was danger lurking in the shadows. Accidentally on Purpose introduced some new characters, too, from Elle and Archer's common past - and they were not necessarily good news... With the added suspense, this story kept me even more at the edge of my seat than the earlier Heartbreaker's Bay novels, as I had to know that Elle would stay safe. Of course, not everything went according to plan, and there was quite a bit of heartache there for a while, and my heart squeezed in hurt for the characters who were hurting and didn't know what to do to make it better.

As always with a Shalvis romance there are some very strong friendships as well, and they are just as important (if not more so) than the romantic feelings the protagonists have for each other. I think the friendships are a big part of why I always come back for more, and why I feel so satisfied when I have finished reading - and this was also the case with Accidentally on Purpose. Written in third person, past tense, but with lots of fabulous dialogues, the story flowed evenly, and I was riveted from the first sentence to the last.



Now he outright smiled and her breath caught. Damn, stupid, sexy smile. And then there was The Body. Yes, she thought of it in capital letters, it deserved the respect.

He got to his offices in six minutes and came in the back entrance. Joe was standing there waiting for him, looking terrified. Earlier that night he'd faced down a crazy dude with a knife without blinking, but Elle scared him. Good to know.

Pru smiled and took her hand. "You do know that when this category five storm hits, your real sisters will be at your back, right?" Willa took her other hand and squeezed, nodding her agreement with Pru's words, her eyes solemn. "Always," she said. "Through sickness, gray hair and health, babe."