Camille Evans has a serious problem with men in her life, and not just with Jack Daniels, Jim Bean and Captain Morgan. When she lands from a whirlwind trip, Camille isn’t expecting to see her serial cheating boyfriend waiting with a large sign baring her name; Trey isn’t romantic like that. Instead she deplanes on the arm of Will, her revenge cheat, and makes plans to end it with the boyfriend … boyfriend and start something new and exciting. But Trey is there, and hurt by her actions, Will leaves Camille behind, vowing to never see her again.
Until Will becomes her co-worker.
And Trey decides to step up his game.
As she attempts to sort out her feelings and try to figure out what—and who—she wants and needs, ghosts from her past surface and she disappears with the other men in her life – Jack, Jim and the Captain. Only one guy can reach her at the bottom of the bottles’ empty promises, and he’s ready for the fight of his life.
Please note – this title was originally available in the USA TODAY bestselling anthology – Romantically Ever After. If you purchased your copy between May 11, 2020 and June 8, 2020, it is included with that boxed set. This is book 2 of a three book series, although each can be read as a standalone.
Titles in the series are:
It All Began with a Note (book 1)
It All Began with a Mai-Tai (book 2)
It All Began with a Wedding (book 3)
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Will and Camille meet at a resort in Mexico, and are from the same city. They’re looking forward to getting to know each other better. Until her cheating boyfriend shows up at the airport. Will disappears, but turns up again as the substitute kindergarten teacher at her school. They both have pasts that need to be dealt with before they can move on and try to have anything more than friendship together. This is an incredible book. Much darker than It All Began with a Note, it deals with sexual assault, alcoholism, toxic relationships. Camille is such a complicated woman, and every time I thought I had her figured out, another layer of her story was peeled back, always more darkness to explain her drinking, her issues with Trey, her empty apartment. Will is still reeling from the suicide of his wife, but sees the good in Camille, and is willing to protect and accept her as she is, however much of herself she can give to him, even if it means that they’re just friends. I ugly-cried while reading this book, sometimes happy tears, many times not. It was a long journey to them being together, one that I enjoyed reading about.
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
I really loved this book. I couldn’t put it down ; I read it all in one sitting. Camille returns from an amazing idyllic vacation in Mexico to her life full of its own troubles.
Watch how Mexico keeps creeping it’s way into her troubled life determined to give her a chance at happiness.
**I received an ARC of this book and am VOLUNTARILY leaving my own honest review**
First, I have to say I didn’t care for Camille. Yes, I felt bad for what happened to her, but she’s not one of my favorite characters. With that being said, I loved Will’s character. Will and Camille meet in Mexico and form a connection. Come to find out they live in same town, so when get to airport on their return flight, he’s going to give her a ride home. Oh, that’s my boyfriend holding the sign with my name. I’m not going to say anything else, so I don’t spoil it for other readers. There is a good story here, if you can overlook certain aspects.
It All Began With A Mai Tai by HM Shander – One of my favorite authors brings the story of Camille who was introduced in ‘It All Began With A Note’. Torn between a cheating boyfriend and a handsome, caring man she met on vacation, Camille must dig deep inside herself to make a choice between the two while battling her own personal demons brought on by an attempted sexual assault.
Will she stay with the safe and familiar or venture outside of herself to the new and unknown? A must read by a great author. I couldn’t put it down.
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.