Perfect for readers of Susan Mallery and Rachel Gibson, Between the Sheets is Molly O’Keefe’s final book in the Boys of Bishop trilogy, featuring a sizzling romance between a sexy motorcycle bad boy and the girl next door who can’t resist him.
After years of running, Wyatt Svenson has now parked himself in Bishop, Arkansas, trying to do the right thing and parent a son he didn’t even know he had … parent a son he didn’t even know he had until recently. Over six feet tall and packed with muscles and power, Ty likes to get his hands dirty, fixing his motorcycle at night and keeping his mind away from the mistakes he’s made. Then his pretty neighbor shows up on his driveway, doesn’t bother to introduce herself, and complains about the noise. First impression? She should loosen up. Funny that she turns out to be his son’s elementary school art teacher — and the only one willing to help his troubled boy. Ty needs her. In more ways than one.
Though Shelby Monroe is safe in her structured life, she is drawn to Ty’s bad-boy edge and rugged sexuality. What if she just lets it all go: her worries about her mother, her fear of heartbreak, and her tight self control? What if she grabs Ty and takes a ride on the wild side? “What if” becomes reality — intense, exhilarating… and addictive. But Ty wants more than a secret affair. He wants it all with Shelby. But will she take a chance and open her heart? Ty is determined to convince Shelby to take the biggest risk of her life: on him.
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Good book about two people who found healing in each other’s arms. Ty was new to Bishop, looking for a place to settle and raise the son he just found out about. Ty had a rough childhood and youth and spent years trying to outrun the memories of the mistakes he’d made. He felt completely inadequate as a father and struggled to connect with Casey, but was determined to do the best he could. His way of relaxing and de-stressing was to work on the motorcycle he was refurbishing, and he frequently lost track of time working late into the night. That came to a screeching end when his neighbor showed up to chew him out about the noise.
Shelby has lived in Bishop all her life. She spent her childhood under the thumb of her abusive, narcissistic father, who hid his abuse behind his role as a spiritual leader. He did his best to destroy her self-worth and that of her mother. Shelby survived by closing herself off to all emotion and keeping people at a distance. Since her father’s death, Shelby’s mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. Unwilling or unable to ask for help, Shelby hid behind a cool and unruffled façade while feeling overwhelmed by her life. Ty’s arrival turned that safe life on its head.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Ty and Shelby, even though I frequently wanted to shake her. Their first meeting was very antagonistic, as Shelby’s uptight attitude rubbed Ty the wrong way. He was surprised to discover that she was Casey’s art teacher at school, and the only one willing to help his troubled son. While meeting to discuss Casey’s needs, there was no denying the attraction that flared between them. While Ty wanted to date and get to know her, Shelby was only interested in a physical relationship, and a secret one at that. The more time Ty spent with her, the more he realized that he wanted more. I ached for Ty as every attempt he made to get closer to her was shut down. There were times I wanted to shake Shelby for not opening her eyes to what Ty offered her, but I also hurt for her belief that she was incapable of loving anyone. She very nearly succeeded in pushing Ty so far away that they couldn’t recover. It took a crisis with her mother for Shelby to realize that she wanted to change and that Ty was the one who could help her do it.
Another vital part of the story was the relationship between Ty and Casey. They struggled so much in the beginning. Casey went through so much during his early years, with a drug-addicted and negligent mother. His desperation was obvious in the way that he searched for Ty. Though Ty was shocked and overwhelmed, I loved his determination to be the best father he could. I hurt for Casey, who found it difficult to believe that happiness could last and self-sabotaged when things went well. I loved how Ty’s consistent presence in his life helped Casey realize that he could trust Ty. Ty’s support of Casey over the fight at school was a turning point in their relationship, and I loved how they began to connect better during Casey’s suspension. The part involving the bike auction was heartbreaking for Ty as he got a good look at what Casey’s early life was like. I loved how he immediately took steps to change things because of it.
I loved the epilogue and seeing the progress that all three made toward giving and accepting love in their lives. Ty’s surprise for Shelby was pretty sweet, as was the help of all their friends.
A thoroughly engaging and entertaining story involving pain, loss, and love with some pretty stimulating sex scenes thrown into the mix. Well done, Molly!
3.5-ish. This is book three in the Boys of Bishop series by Ms O’Keefe. Book two is still my favorite, but this one is a close second. Between the Sheets is the story of Shelby Monroe, the uptight art teacher, and Wyatt Svenson (Ty), the bad boy biker who just rode into town with his eleven-year-old son that he’s only known about for four months.
Ty is looking for a new start and figures Bishop is as good a place as any. Shelby knows she doesn’t deserve a new start and is simply trying to survive. Shelby’s story actually starts in book one where she is publicly humiliated on national TV. Now, Shelby knows that trying to step out of her role as caregiver for her aging mother is something she can never do again. Ty knows nothing about any of this. All he knows is that Shelby needs to drop the walls she’s built around herself.
This is a story of how to forgive yourself and realize when you’ve been a victim. It’s heartbreaking to watch the stages of realization that Shelby goes through with her mother who suffers from Alzheimer’s. Some things happen a little too suddenly to be totally believable. It shows how there’s always a private and a public side to life and when they collide it can become a disaster.