*I received a free copy of [title] from [publisher] via Netgalley. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review, which is honest and unbiased *The Schemer was a fun, hot read, where the main characters did everything they could not to fall in love with each other.
Story:
Both Tyler and Everly made me swoon! The Schemer - Tyler, thought he had everything he had ever dreamed of. Until Everly moved into the apartment above his. Stomping her high heals at all hours of the day and night, and generally pissing him off. Everly knew from the first time they met that Tyler was not the guy for her. Embarrassed of his humble upbringing, he didn't even speak in his Waterbury accent anymore. And she was a proud Riverside woman. Never one to let her past bring her down!
The Schemer happens just after The Charmer, and I really recommend reading these two stories in order, so that nothing will get spoiled. All the characters from The Negotiator show up here as well, and it was nice to see how they are doing. The overt hostility between Tyler and Everly made their chemistry off the charts. And it also showed that while they were both strong characters, they really wished for love in their life. With the right person, at least.
There is also a secondary romance in The Schemer, with Sawyer and Hudson's mom, and I loved seeing the woman of steel getting swept off her feet. I would have gladly read a full length novel about her, though, so I was a tiny bit disappointed she only got this.
If you're a fan of contemporary romance that involves some strong characters, a good plot and a real story, The Schemer should make its way to your shelf.
Characters:
Everly is the kind of heroine I wish there were more of in contemporary romance. Even if she had a tough childhood, she wasn't afraid of anything. Apart from falling for the wrong man, like her mom had done. She's a successful woman, and she knows her self worth. I loved how she put herself first, and the relationship she had with her best friend, Kiki. The way she interacted with the other characters also made her both likable and realistic.
Tyler was more of a mystery to me. While I could understand his reasoning, I wanted him to get a clue and just understand that nobody really cared that his childhood was far from ideal. His present success should have been enough for him, but he wanted to reach for more - sometimes not even thinking about what he needed in his personal life.
Writing style :
The Schemer is written in third person point of view, past tense. Tyler and Everly each have their chapters, and there are some from Helene's perspective as well. The dialogues and the hot action were well done, and I got to know the characters well while going on a short part of their journey with them.
Feels :
I was frustrated at times, but that was to be expected, as the characters were frustrated, too. I also felt the chemistry, as well as the hope for something more they all reached for.
The Lakeland Community Center didn't have a lake nearby, but it sat up on a hill and had an amazing view of the harbor. When the wind hadn't whipped off all the leaves from the trees lining the walk up to the front doors, it had to be a great place to sit at the outdoor tables dotting the lawn and play chess, have a coffee, or talk about the good old days when the dinosaurs roamed the earth and milk was fifty cents a gallon.