Can an exciting new outlook on life help Connie heal her damaged heart?Connie White is running away from an abusive relationship. Fear and desperation have driven her to Bowdley Hall Hotel in the Scottish Highlands, where, despite an unceremonious start, she appears to have fallen on her feet. The owner, Frances McKenzie, is kind and understanding, and seems happy for Connie to hide out in her … hide out in her hotel for a while.
With a roof over her head and a job as a chambermaid, Connie is in a better situation than she could ever have hoped for. Her workmates seem nice, but she’s determined to keep them at arm’s length. After all, how can she form connections if she’s unwilling to divulge anything about herself?
Her apparent mysteriousness doesn’t faze her gorgeous new colleagues Will MacIntyre, Nico Moretti, and Ashley Fox. All three show a keen interest in her, but Connie has absolutely no intention of going there. She hasn’t fled one relationship, only to get involved with someone else, no matter how gorgeous. She simply isn’t ready for that.
When an epiphany of sorts makes her realise she’s living a half-life by keeping herself so cut off from everyone, she finally lets someone in. That someone shows her there can be something between singledom and a full-on relationship. And when casual dating is on the cards, anything is possible…
Note: This novella has been previously published as part of the Duty Bound anthology.
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Our heroine has fled an abusive relationship and finds new possibilities.
This is a fairly short read (novella length) about our heroine finding herself. The ex is a distant threat that she is hiding from and her present involves the attentions of three different men. The story about her learning to trust again and figuring out how to move forward. The story is well written and our heroine is well developed. Not so much the rest of the cast, but they do fill their roles. The plot is straightforward and easy to read, with some steamy material towards the end. Overall, it was an enjoyable weekend read.
Recommended.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout for review purposes.
Thought this was an exciting and near book. I loved the accents!! I could “hear” them and it was awesome!
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I just love everything Lucy Felthouse writes. Fro her short stories to longer novels. She’s a one-click author for me.
Struggles, Kindness and Romance!!
The dichotomy of running from a relationship so bad Connie only has the clothes on her back and a few belongings to the gracious welcome provided at a grand hotel, where is provided shelter and a job. After keeping to herself, she finds that she is still under the influence of the man who wished her ill.
Redefining herself and acting to please herself instead of another changes her demeanor and gives her a path forward to a new life.
*** I am voluntarily leaving my honest review of this book ***
Always one click lucy’s books. Great job again!
Trigger warnings for this story due to the main female character running from an abusive boyfriend. This is a fairy short read but it’s an interesting story that pulled me in from the get-go. Connie has been through a lot and this story tells how she survived and eventually began to heal enough to try to trust another person. It’s a well-written story that I enjoyed reading.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a decent story following a girl that was running away from a controlling and abusive boyfriend. She ran from south of London to Scotland. She almost died from hypothermia when she was found by the groundskeeper.
Connie knew that she had to get away from her abusive and controlling boyfriend before the abuse was physical. He isolated her from her family, friends and even people from her job. She had to sneak away some of the funds she earned and took out as much as she could in an ATM, gave notice at work, wrote a letter to her family and mailed it on the road, she left with just a hucksack full of belongings. She was walking through the rain looking for a house because she was wet through to her skin, walking through mud, hungry and very cold. She found a building that she could crawl into to rest and passed out. Days later she woke up in a bed in a nice room. After a few days she spoke to the manager of the resort to see if she could work off whatever expenses she has ensured and was offered a job as a chambermaid. She has drawn the attention of the solitary groundskeeper Will, the flirty Nico and his friend Ashley. She knows that she isn’t ready for a committed relationship when she just got over the bad break up, but she is attracted to each of these men.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This is a quick read as it was originally published in the Duty Bound anthology. It is the same as it was in the anthology so if you read it there, nothing has changed. It is currently a standalone.
Connie found herself in a situation where she lost herself to a man. She’s finally escaped and has no interest in getting lost again. This gives us a slow build up to any kind of romantic relationship. Once we do get to the relationship aspect though, it jumps right on into it hot and heavy! This gives us plenty of time to really get to know Connie. The person she used to be and why she became the person she is now.
We don’t really get to know a lot about the guys. Which by the way, just throwing it out there that yes, Ashley is a male. I was a little wary when I read the blurb b/c my mind instantly made Ashley a girl and I personally (to each their own) don’t like the FF. So once I discovered Ashley was in fact all male I was all good. Getting back on track now. Will is pretty standoffish to everyone but seems to take an instant interest in Connie. Nico is your resident flirt. Ashley we really don’t know anything about other than he and Nico are close. I really would like to know more about the guys and how they came to be at the hotel. Maybe one day Lucy will decide to add to the story.
Overall this was a great novella about finding yourself again and enjoying life. I really enjoyed it and I hope that one day we can see more from these characters as this short story got me invested.
Awesome new reverse harem by a beloved author! I adore her characters!
Confusing main character. I was really surprised at the heroin’s, Connie’s actions in the latter part of the book. Considering that she wanted to stear well clear of men, in my view her 3 men menage creation is totally out of character and so is her approach to the events. It is difficult to discuss this without spoilers. We have an emotionally abused girl on the run but the description of the abuse in my opinion hadn’t merited her actions. We never really find out why she had so desperately needed to escape, endangering her life in the process. Her attitude to her new surroundings, the people she meets and her work is of a demure, hurt person who is trying to protect herself from further heart-ache. Certainly not of a dirty talking young woman having non-exclusive sex with Will, Nico and Ashley concurrently. The editing was commendable but the storyline lacked progression, direction and depth. The attempt to bring the Scottish accent and slang alive was very well done.
New reverse harem!