Enjoy heart-meltingly beautiful and toe-curlingly sexy romance in Tempted by Love, an emotionally riveting story about a man who has lost it all and carries a torturous secret, a divorced single mother who has everything to lose, and the little girl who helps them heal. Fall in love on the sandy shores of Silver Island, home to coffee shops, boat races, midnight rendezvous, and the sexy, … and the sexy, sharp-witted Steeles.
In USA Today bestseller TEMPTED BY LOVE…
Years ago, bestselling author Jack “Jock” Steele lost his girlfriend and baby in a horrific accident that drove a wedge between Jock and his family, keeping him from sharing a devastating secret. An aging philanthropist saved him from the brink of despair, and for a decade Jock cared for his ailing friend who became his family. Now his friend has passed away and left him a fortune—on the condition that he publishes another book. Jock is floundering, unsure how to rebuild the life he’d walked away from, much less find his muse, have another relationship with a woman, or even think about having a family of his own. But he can’t get his sweet, sexy new friend, single-mother Daphne Zablonski out of his head, and her adorable toddler must know something he doesn’t, because she wraps her tiny fingers around his heart and won’t let go.
Daphne has been through the wringer with her ex-husband and doesn’t believe true love is in the cards for her. Friends she can handle, but letting a man see her mom bod naked? Especially someone as strikingly handsome and unbelievably sexy as Jock? No, thank you. Besides, she has a toddler to chase after and enough fictional boyfriends to fill her lonely nights. If only her book boyfriends could make her body tingle the way one look from her mysterious neighbor does.
As Jock and Daphne’s friendship turns to something too tempting to deny, their lives take an unexpected turn. Can a man who has lost everything find redemption with a woman who has everything to lose? And then there’s that secret…
More Steeles at Silver Island are coming soon!
TEMPTED BY LOVE (Jock)
MY TRUE LOVE (Jules)
ALWAYS HER LOVE (Levi)
ENTICING HER LOVE (Sutton)
CAUGHT BY LOVE (Archer)
WILD ISLAND LOVE (Leni)
Discover the magic of New York Times bestseller Melissa Foster’s writing and see why millions of readers have fallen in love with the Love in Bloom big-family romance collection. Love in Bloom novels are written to stand alone or may be enjoyed as part of the larger series, so dive right into this fun, sexy romance
Snow Sisters
The Bradens
The Bradens and Montgomerys
The Remingtons
Seaside Summers
Bayside Summers
The Ryders
Wild Boys After Dark
Bad Boys After Dark
The Whiskeys
The Wickeds
Sugar Lake
Harmony Pointe
Harborside Nights
“You can always rely on Melissa Foster to deliver a story that’s fresh, emotional and entertaining. Make sure you have all night, because once you start you won’t want to stop reading.” NYT Bestselling Author Brenda Novak
“With her wonderful characters and resonating emotions, Melissa Foster is a must-read author!” NYT Bestseller J. Kenner
“Melissa Foster is synonymous with sexy, swoony, heartfelt romance!” NYT Bestseller Lauren Blakely
“I highly recommend this book to fans of Nora Roberts…and fans of a sweet story filled with heat and heart.” – Tia Bach, author
“Melissa Foster is quickly becoming one of my favorites…reminds me of Jill Shalvis’ books and they are my benchmark for contemporary romance awesomeness.”
“I highly recommend the Snow Sisters all the Braden and Remington books…They remind me of the McCarthy of Gansett series and The Green Mountain series…” – I Love NY, Reviewer
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I loved this story by author Melissa Foster so much! It was such a beautiful and heartwarming love story and I fell in love with Jock and Daphne who had amazing chemistry. But, I have to say the character that stole my heart was Daphne’s young daughter, Hadley who was so adorable and claimed “Dock” as her own. Daphne and Hadley helped Jock live again and to open his heart to love and family after surviving a tragedy a decade ago. I thoroughly enjoyed the interaction between these three as well as those of the other characters and I’m really looking forward to reading more books in this new series.
Oh my, this book took hold of my heart and I went on such a ride with Jock and Daphne. Both have been hurt by love in the past – and the crazy attraction these two have for each other at times adds to their pain, though no one’s fault but the past.
Jock has PTSD from a past accident that causes him to retract from small children. The only problem is that the one woman who has made him feel anything in the past 10 years has a beautiful, joyful, and lovable baby girl causing him to keep his distance.
Daphne has been blindsided with the love of her past. Now she’s met Jock and there is definite chemistry between the two of them, the only problem is he seems to revolt anytime her daughter is around.
These two finally open up to each other about their fears, hopes, and dreams.
These two rocked me! I love Jock and Daphne so much and can’t wait to see what happens with the other Steele siblings we get to meet in this book!
There is something SO special about this book. There is SO much emotion, happiness, love, and sadness wrapped into one incredible book. (and it’s STEAMY!!) But you will be cheering SO LOUD for Jock, the slightly lost hero, Daphne, the strong, single momma, and Hadley, the little girl who isn’t letting Jock go! She just knows something before Jock and Daphne do! GAH! SO SO SO SO SO SO incredible! You won’t be able to put it down. I have read probably all of Melissa’s books by now, and this one was SOMETHING SPECIAL!
I adored Melissa Foster’s “Tempted by Love,” a sweet, emotional story featuring endearing, well-developed characters and a compelling plot. Main characters Jock and Daphne had both suffered a great deal in their past relationships and deserved to find some happiness, so I found it very easy to cheer them on to their HEA. While Jock’s history was tragic and I certainly empathized with his losses, I found it incredibly easy to relate to the body image issues Daphne expressed as a result of her ex-husband’s verbal abuse. It was wonderful to see her overcome those and start to see herself as beautiful through Jock’s eyes. Jock’s relationship with Daphne’s young daughter, Hadley, was another highlight of the story. Hadley was a true scene-stealer and reminded me of several toddlers I know in real life because of her insistence on doing things herself. I chuckled every time she said “I do it!” and smiled every time she called Jock “my Dock.”
Daphne and Jock’s romance was obviously central to the story, but Jock’s efforts to reconcile with his twin brother, Archer, and find his way back to his family were also a major source of conflict. Jock had stayed away from his childhood home of Silver Island in the years since the accident in which he lost his girlfriend and newborn son so that the rest of his family wouldn’t be forced to take sides between him and Archer. His relationship with Daphne and Hadley helped him finally come to terms with that trauma and realize how much he missed having his family in his life, and that it was time to confront Archer and the secrets keeping them apart.
Overall, “Tempted by Love” was an incredibly moving story, and I highly recommend it for all fans of emotional contemporary romance. I look forward to reading more about Jock’s siblings in future books.
*Review copy provided by the author. All opinions expressed are my own.
Okay so full disclosure – I haven’t read ALL of Melissa Foster’s books, but I’m going to call it now. This is her best yet! Tempted By Love had it all – pain, heartbreak, loss, love, new beginnings, old memories. These characters were everything and I certainly felt all of the emotions right along with them. I was instantly drawn into this story and quickly fell in love with Jock, Daphne and little Hadley – oh how I fell in love with Hadley! Bring on the next book in this series!
Jock finally gets his HEA! I loved Jock when we met him in a previous book. I love a brooding grumpy man that is broken and needs to just be loved by the right woman. And did he ever!
Melissa Foster has a way of weaving her stories together so that you really don’t realize one series ends and the new one begins. Her characters just come to life in worlds that seem soo real.
Daphne is a single mom of an adorable little girl. Daphne is trying to navigate through life. In comes Jock whose tragic past stops him from pursuing Daphne. Hadley, her daughter, never smiles for anyone until Jock.
Watching how Jock navigates from despair and overcomes his tragic past to learning to accept the death of his son, was beautiful. He truly wanted to be in both Daphne and Hadley’s life.
A beautifully written love story that moves us from Bayside to Silver Island. I can’t wait to learn more about Jock’s family.
Tempted by Love by Melissa Foster
The Steeles at Silver Island #1
How marvelous to come into a new Melissa Foster series on the very first book! Learning about the island, the main characters of the family and finding out that there are plenty of Steele’s to make this a rich and plentiful group of stories is wonderful!
In book one we meet three people that will profoundly impact one another. Through their growing relationship they will find friendship, a way forward and a future together. Jock Steele will deal with demons that have plagued him for a decade, Daphne will begin to see herself in a new light and Hadley will provide impetus to the story. The begins at Bayside, sets the scene for the move to Steele Island, provides a happy future for the main characters and sets the reader up for book two soon to follow.
What I liked:
* Daphne: loving, kind, fiercely protective, daughter and single mother. She is great at her job with dreams of working in event management. Her ex-husband left her with some battle scars – jock helps her get over them.
* Jock: once carefree and happy, a successful author, member of large loving family, a mischievous twin – until an accident that changed his life. Climbing out of the dark well he has lived in is not easy, but Daphne and Hadley will help.
* Hadley: not quite three, dynamic, loving, gentle and knows what she wants. She wins hearts everywhere she goes.
* The PTSD angle to be overcome and how it is done.
* The relationship between Jock & Daphne and how it grew slowly till it sped ahead.
* The Archer-Jock aspect that needed to be dealt with and how it was resolved
* Emotional growth made throughout the story
* The families and friends…supportive, loving and there for one another
* Knowing there is another book in the series to look forward to.
What I didn’t like:
* Hmmm…there were some losses and heartaches but without them the story would not have had the depth and emotion so…can’t say I wish they had not happened.
Did I enjoy this book? Yes
Would I read more in the series? Definitely
Thank you to the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
I always get lost in Melissa Foster books and Tempted by Love was no different. Jock and Daphne made me fall in love with love all over again. The Steeles have a lot going on and with Jock’s ghost whispering in his ear, I was not sure if he would get free and live again. Daphne is a character I can relate to. I blush a lot in the same situations she comes across. I probably blushed along with her on some scenes. I loved it! Plus her toddler is ready to steal the show and your heart. I loved how Melissa developed her tiny little character. Her language was on point! So don’t miss out on this new series! You will love it all! I am excited to get to know the rest of the Steeles <3 Until then....
The first of many great Steeles at Silver Island stories. Melissa has a way of pulling you into her stories and holding you there until the end. I found this one to be totally captivating, Jock struggles with his past loss and fights the attraction. Daphne and her little girl Hadley chip away at the fear and uneasiness he has around children and helps him heal from his tragic loss. Great friends to lovers romance story.
Tempted by Love is a lovely beautiful story.
Troubled Souls. Heart warming. Swoon.
Rating: 4.5 Stars
The author has written a note to her readers to let them know that this is an emotional story. After I read that, I figured keeping tissues close at hand was warranted.
Daphne has a cutie pie that some day may be a heartbreaker but for right now she’s just a scene stealer – and hilarious without really trying. Jock may seem angry at the world but it could be something deeper than that. It was nice to see a relationship blossom as this couple gets to know each other. The author does a great job in having Daphne feel uncomfortable which she has a cute way of displaying. All the sexual innuendos that seem to pop up may have you laughing out loud. After all, laughter is the best medicine.
Parts of the story were sweet, parts were romantic, parts were sad, and some may have even been bittersweet. It’s a story that will quickly grab your attention as well as a certain someone. This is one of those books that I wanted to read at the beach so bad. I was just not comfortable with what’s happening in the country right now. Our author though makes it very easy to imagine things as if I were there and I can ask Alexa to play “ocean” in order to hear waves crashing on the beach.
These characters are so easy to fall in love with. You want to be able to watch people walk by and wonder if that was so and so or not. Maybe these people might be Daphne and her family. Picture who might be Jock in your mind. With so little on TV that I really want to watch, why not watch this story play out in my mind. Can you picture yourself fitting in with their group? Having time together on the beach at night? There was one last thing I loved about this book and that was how open ended the last chapter was. I thought it would get me ready for the next book but that is several months away. Not a hardship to read something else of this author’s while waiting for that day to happen.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Tears upon tears, my eyes were like a broken faucet I cried so much. Heartbreakingly beautiful story!
I have been waiting for Daphne’s story for a while now, I have watched all of her friends find their HEA’s while she raises her daughter without the father anywhere to be seen and always wondered what her story was and when she would finally get her turn at happiness, well, thankfully her time has come.
Jock has been around but not as long as Daphne, while I knew a bit about him I had no idea of the pain he had suffered years ago and it totally broke my heart. It was if the stars had aligned or maybe fate played a part in Daphne and Jock meeting when they did because it was just about perfect timing.
Hadley is Daphne’s beautiful little girl that steals everyone’s heart and she is the balm to a broken soul that was so desperately needed.
If you have been following my reviews you know I highly recommend Melissa Foster’s books because she is truly a gifted writer. This book will have you crying, laughing, cringing, swooning, and falling in love right along with Daphne and Jock, you will feel so many different emotions you will believe you are a part of the story yourself.
Happy Reading!!!
This brand new series is based off her others (that I have not fully read) but we get a bit of Island life with a whole lot of family in this one. Jock had had some horrible events happen to him and had been battling with his emotions for a decade. Daphne and her daughter Hadley come into Jocks like and turn it upside down. This one is filled with so much happiness, sadness, joy, love, family, growth and happy and sad tears! Along, with the slow burn and sexy steam that we get in this one! They fall in love over muffins and Scrabble – so yeah its cute!
Loved all the characters in this one, even the side characters you start to hate but in the end also hope they get their HEA.
Loved the storyline in this one, powerful messages about hope and family- love that you just wish everyone had a big family! I can’t wait to read more of this series and see who gets the next HEA.
Overall 4.5 stars and 4 steam
Jock has my heart. I knew from the first time I met him that his story would break my heart and bring me to tears and it did. His life has not been easy, and his grief had taken over his life until he met a man that pushed him to move past it while learning to live again. He meets Daphne and sparks fly but he must learn how to open his heart to her little girl before they can move forward. Hadley, Daphne’s daughter, has Jock wrapped around her fingers and Jock knows that his life will not be complete without her in it. He looks at his past, sees what his future could be and does all that has to be done to find his HEA.
Daphne is a single mother who wants the one man who cannot be around her daughter. She is strong enough to know that she cannot put herself before Hadley’s happiness and makes that hard decision to not start a relationship with Jock. Until Jock realizes that he must have both of them and he lets Daphne see how much he is trying and how much he can love them. I love how strong Daphne is. She stays true to herself and Hadley all while opening her heart again to love.
In true Melissa Foster style the story of Jock and Daphne will tug at your heart and make you believe in true love.
This is one of those love at first sight stories–the catch- is 2 yr old Hadley who has decided that Jock (Dock) is HERS no matter what he thinks or does! Jock had a couple of really bad experiences and he is still not over it. Hadleys’ Mom is divorced from a terrible person and she is kind of gun shy as well. Can Hadley get these two together and heal wounds? And can wounds be healed in other parts of Jock’s life?
I loved this story where two people are drawn together–carefully at first–then all out total love when they both learn to trust!
This novel will have your heart breaking in parts–but–it has a happier then happy ending!!
Tempted by Love is the first book in this series but with all old friends stopping by it feels like coming home. Jack and Daphne Have both suffered in the past and are working to Move on. He is a writer with the drama that comes along that and she Is a single mom with her own history. This story really moves you and has plenty of ups and downs along the ride. Lots of feelings, laughter, tears and steam to leave us wanting more, and wanting it now!! I can’t wait for the next book.
Melissa Foster has done it again. She has written the most heart warming story that pulls you into it, so that you feel like you are there with Jock, Daphne, Hadley, and all their brothers, sisters, parents, and friends. As you read, you feel every emotion, happiness, sadness, anger, and love. This is a wonderful story that will have you crying one moment, and laughing the next. I am so glad that I got to know Jock and Daphne, and especially her daughter, Hadley, and now I am looking forward to reading more about their family. If I could give this book more than 5 stars, I would. I very, very highly recommend this book.
Jock and Daphne wow, just wow! We’ve met both Jock and Daphne in other Melissa Foster books but in this one we get their story. Jock is still adjusting to the loss of the man he became a caretaker for and who helped him through a tragedy in his past. Daphne is Hadley’s mom and works in the office at Bayside. She would really like to get back to event planning which is what she was doing before she had Hadley and got divorced, but time away from Hadley just isn’t possible. She moved back home to be near family and has a great support system which includes friends who have fallen in love and are now starting their own families. Jock and Daphne have the same circle of friends and met at a wedding a year before and neither has forgotten the other. Jock would really like to spend more time with Daphne but her daughter has set her sights on Jock and it makes him uncomfortable. Daphne can’t be with a man that can’t accept her daughter, they’re a packaged deal. When Jock explains his past and why he reacts like he does but says he wants to learn his triggers and work through them, your heart will melt. Daphne helps him work out his fears and reunite with his family. Jock helps her to get past some of her insecurities as well. You can’t help but love Hadley and how she works a bit of her own magic on all the adults in her life! Daphne’s family is great and Jock’s provides some drama but also a few laughs along the way. Love, love, love this book! Seriously grab a glass of wine, settle in a comfy seat and start reading! I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Love the new spin off series! Melissa Foster has a way of writing stand alone stories that easily combine in each series with crossovers too! Daphne is a single mom with an almost 3 year old that dreams of finding romance and love. She knows what she wants and won’t settle for anything less. Jock (a nickname that stuck, also known as Jack) is a writer and caretaker who has his own tragic past that keeps him far away from small children. After a year of trying to forget his attraction and desire for Daphne, he decides to overcome his triggers to have a relationship. He also decides to mend relationships with his family. Relationships take work, but Daphne and Jock love their work!
I enjoyed this well-written book. After her breakup, Daphne is focusing on raising her daughter. True love and being sexy won’t be happening for her. Jock lost his wife and baby in an accident, and closed off from his parents and siblings. Daphne and Jock are neighbors and start to become friends, and maybe more. This book was hard to put down and I didn’t want it to come to an end. This was an entertaining story and I look forward to reading more books by this author.