Hero Next Door

by Lara Swann

[kimbacaffeinate]

Told from dual POVs, I quickly slipped into the story as Naomi, a schoolteacher, moves into her new home and a little boy asked her why her hutch is on the front lawn. Little Tyler is adorable and is soon back with his Dad Mack *sighs* to help her move it inside. We quickly learn, Naomi is starting over after a troublesome past, and that Mack is raising his son on his own. From the chemistry to their inner dialogue I was all in.

I really enjoyed both characters and enjoyed watching the slow build of trust and friendship develop as their attraction made the air crackle.  Both Mack and Naomi have baggage. Mack's is in the form of an ex-wife, who convinced him to abandoned his military career in favor of starting a family, then left when Tyler was born. Naomi has recently escaped an abusive relationship and is mourning the lost of her father. She is skittish but fiercely determined to stand on her own.

From the small-town feel, to the moments of tension as the suspenseful angle took hold, I quickly devoured their story. It had a slow-build that gave way to delicious heat.

Both narrators were new-to-me. I thought Veronica Worthington did a wonderful job with Naomi and even enjoyed her male voices. It took longer to warm up to John Lane. He has a deep-set voice, that felt cold in the beginning, but he slowly let Mack's feelings show and either softened his a little or he grew on me as the story progressed. I thought they worked well as a pair. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer