An innocent hiding in the shadowsLiving on the sidelines has always suited Mandy Robbins but all that changes when Ted Hosking challenges her to step into the light. For some reason the dangerously sexy Falls Lodge owner has decided to personally play a part in her metamorphosis. She is determined not to fall for the taciturn man who has “commitment phobic” written on his forehead, but Ted is the … written on his forehead, but Ted is the only man who has ever seen the real her beneath the quietness. As her past comes calling, she realizes that with Ted it’s not just her heart that’s at risk … it’s her life.
Her big, bad protector
Ted Hosking has no problem with hard work or living in the spotlight; it’s what he knows and how he’s built his business. He’s a take-charge kind of guy, so how is it possible he has no clue how to handle Mandy Robbins? She scares him. There’s no getting around that. Gentle, sweet, and shy, she’s Ted’s opposite in every way. There shouldn’t be any surprises in life, not for a man as jaded as he. But when he leaves her bed after their first night together, everything changes. What he feels for her has the power to change the very foundation he’s built his life on, and that shocks him to the core. When danger looms and threatens Mandy, he knows that staying away for her protection is no longer an option. Their love has only just begun and he’ll fight with everything he has for her, no matter the cost.
Ryker Falls Series
Somebody To Love
From This Moment
Love Me Tender
Only Just Begun
Hold Me Close
more
Only Just Begun is the fourth book in the Ryker Falls series by Wendy Vella and is definitely worth reading.
One night Ted Hosking decides to make Mandy Robbins his project. He wants her to step out of the shadows and into the light. He thinks she has spent long enough watching life on the sidelines and wants her to take part instead, but his feelings for her start to change and they scare him more than anything has his entire life.
Mandy doesn’t know what to think about Ted and his interest in her, but she’s enjoying herself while trying to figure it out. She soon realizes that when she makes the decision to join life it has the potential to not only break her heart, but the possibility of putting her life in danger also.
I’ve really been enjoying this series and I’m looking forward to reading more.
I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.
Mandy knows that her safety lies in never being noticed; being overlooked. But after so many years of living a shadow life, she’s tired of playing it safe. Ted’s always noticed her in the shadows and he’s never taken her self-effacing timidity at face value. Ted knows what it’s like to live in the shadows and what it’s like to come out from behind them. He’s perfectly capable and more than willing to drag Mandy into the light, kicking and screaming if that’s what it takes. Ted’s grumpy attitude reminded me a lot of Doctor House: world-weary with no patience left for time-wasters. Though, Ted managed to do a much better job of maintaining friendships than Gregory House ever did. I loved watching this pair spar with each other. The chemistry crackles through their snappy, sometimes snarky, banter. I was thoroughly entertained by it. Even though they fought like cats and dogs, I can’t say these two were opposites. At the core of their natures, Mandy and Ted were actually quite a lot alike. One of the best bonuses about this story was that we got the chance to see a bunch of our favorite Lake Howling heroes for a bit. It was a lot of fun to have this cross-over. I can’t wait to see what the author brings us next.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book from the author.
Sometimes loving another is harder than a hidden past.
It’s hard to hide from a disturbing past. Still, Mandy Robbins has been doing it for most of her life, and so has Ted Hosking. They each have dark secrets that they are unwilling to admit to, and they each have longings that they can’t deny to themselves or to each other. The only question is, how long will it take them to realize that running away is an exercise in futility.
Only Just Begun is one of the most entertaining and emotional books I’ve read in a while. I really liked Mandy, and I eventually liked Ted. They both had so much emotional baggage, yet they also had so much to offer to each other. Wendy Vella is a gifted writer, and it shows in how she developed all of the characters, and how both the primary and secondary characters came to life through their thoughts and dialogue. Since the pace moved at a clip, I breezed through this engrossing read to its happy ending.
All in all, I truly enjoyed Mandy and Ted’s story. I hope you will too.
Content alert: Due to strong language and descriptive sexual content, I can only recommend this book to mature readers.
Disclosure: I received an ARC of this book from the author. I am voluntarily submitting my honest review.