“A standout contemporary romance.” —USA Today’s Happy Ever AfterMorning Glory native Jess Culpepper is desperate to get out of town after divorcing the only man she’s ever dated. She takes a temporary nursing job in Florida and, thanks to the bequest of her late friend, Lacy, has the funds to rent a condo right on the beach. She’s not prepared to literally trip over her old high school lab … old high school lab partner—and definitely not prepared for how deliciously hot he is now.
Ryan Reyes, once known as “The Brain,” has worked hard to become more than the skinny nerd that jocks bullied and girls politely tolerated. At twenty-six, he has retired from science to run a charter fishing business in Pensacola and spend his leisure time catching up on the debauchery he missed. But when the unattainable girl of his teenage fantasies moves in down the beach, old feelings come flooding back.
Their scorching attraction soon leads them into bed—but what starts as no-strings-attached fun is complicated by a return to Morning Glory and the shadows of their shared past. Can the head cheerleader and the geek redefine themselves and forge ahead to find their happily ever after?
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Perfectly Charming is the second book in Liz Talley’s Morning Glory series. Jess Culpepper is desperate to move on from her divorce. When the chance to get out of Morning Glory for a while comes up, she takes it. She takes a temporary nursing job in Pensacola, Florida, And thanks to the bequest of her late friend, Lacy, she rents a condo right on the beach. Little does she know she is in for the surprise of a lifetime. Living a few doors down from her is Ryan Reyes, her old high school chemistry lab partner. Once known as “The Brain,” Ryan has worked hard to be more than the shy nerd. Walking away from a brilliant science career, he now runs a charter fishing business and spends his time catching up on the debauchery he missed. He is thrown for a loop when the girl of his teenage fantasies enters his life. At first, their relationship starts as old friends catching up but soon turns into an attraction neither can deny. Their no-strings-attached fling becomes complicated when they return to Morning Glory for a friend’s wedding and they are forced to confront the painful past. Can they find their happily ever after? Or will old wounds keep them apart?
After reading a previous book that was deep and depressing, I needed a light, fun pick-me-up and Perfectly Charming delivered. It is a very sweet story filled with sexy fun and heartfelt moments between friends and lovers. There were a lot of sighs, smiles and laughs. I loved Jess’s vulnerability and hesitation moving forward from her divorce. She doesn’t trust herself to feel again and is determined not to get hurt again. She decides a good, fun fling is what she needs and she decides that Ryan is good for that. I also loved Ryan who I identified with as the shy nerd. While I wasn’t bullied as he was, I was known as the brain among my classmates and was looked to for the answers. I understood and related to his desire to be more than “the smart guy.” Their inevitable conflict was believable and the resolution was sweet. I loved Jess’s friends, Rosemary and Eden, and their tough love as they help Jess realize her fling has become more than that. I’m loving the Morning Glory series and can’t wait to dive into book 3. I loved Perfectly Charming and recommend it as well as Charmingly Yours, which I recommend reading first.
Perfectly Charming is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook.
Book 1, Charmingly Yours, is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook.
I really enjoyed this book! I am currently reading this series and so far, this is my favorite.
Can you make changes in your life and become someone new? Do the changes only show on the outside and inside you are still the same person fighting to get out? The plot is based on these thoughts and this book is more than just a romance. It brings to mind being a mature adult, but the negative stains that childhood leaves are always still inside, but you can grow and the stains can fade.
Excellent plot, wonderful characters, beautifully written story!
I read the first book in this series so long ago, but still remember enjoying it. I’m not sure why I took so long to read this second book, but it was just as enjoyable, if not more. I loved the somewhat May/December romance between past high school acquaintances, the pseudo-reformed geek and the cheerleader. Actually, I loved everything about this story. It was fun, sexy, and sweet. The author has a wonderful writing style and I’m excited to read even more of her work.
This is the second book in this series and just as good as the first. Jess Culpepper has taken back her maiden name after her divorce from her cheating husband who decided he needed to “experience life” and wanted out of their marriage. Well, Jess takes her letter and a job offer for contract nursing and heads to Florida for work and the night before her first day on the job she encounters a naked drunk birthday man. Covering him with her beach towel and delivering him back to the party he then shows up on her doorstep the next day and turns out to be her former chemistry lab partner from high school, Ryan Reyes. Ryan had a crush on her back in the day and now finding her here within his reach is a dream come true. Will they find their way or will going back to Morning Glory for Rosemary and Sal’s wedding ruin everything?