A romance bookstore owner finds her own happily ever after with a single dad in a new romance series from the New York Times bestselling author of Every Dog Has His Day.Ryder Copeland is an accomplished architect and one heck of a father…not to mention tall and sexy. He’s everything a hero should be, and Lord knows, Maisy Kelly has read enough of her great-aunt Eloise’s romance novels to … Eloise’s romance novels to recognize one when she sees one. But like all fairy tales, Maisy can’t help but wonder if this Prince Charming is too good to be true…
Ryder is drawn to the shy, curly haired professor who hires him to convert the Victorian house she’s inherited from her aunt into a romance bookstore. Attracted to a woman for the first time since his divorce, Ryder finds himself wishing for a future with Maisy that he knows is impossible. Ryder has never wavered from his plan to leave the small town of Fairdale, North Carolina, so he can give his daughter the life she deserves. But suddenly he’s not so sure. And the closer he gets to Maisy, the harder it’s going to be to walk away…
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In this new book by McKinlay we are introduced to Maisy, a young woman who has just left her job as a professor due to a bad breakup. Having inherited her Aunts home she is looking toward the future and has decided to turn it into a romance book store. Ryder is a single father who is trying to give his daughter all the things he missed out on in life. He’s an architect and will be doing the work turning Maisy’s house into a bookstore. The two meet and there is an instant chemistry but Ryder isn’t looking for romance and Maisy seems to always pick the wrong guy. As they begin to work together it is hard to deny the attraction but What can come of being together. Ryder is moving after he finishes the job and Maisy doesn’t want to be hurt. Follow along as these to skirt around their attraction and try to deny how they feel. Will they take a chance on romance or will things end up unhappily ever after for these two. This was a wonderful read filled with characters that we can all relate to. I enjoyed the back and forth between the characters and look forward to more from this author.
Adorable, sweet, touching, and romantic! Just the kinda story a romance junkie lives for.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is the start of a new series for this wonderful writer. This is set in the small town of Fairdale. Maisy inherited her Aunt’s home and some money to do with it as she sees fit. She decides to turn it into a Romance Bookstore. So, she decides that she needs a specialist to take the historical home from a hoarders paradise of books into the store of her dreams. In walks a cowboy off the pages of her romance novels, Ryder, the architect and builder. Sparks fly, and so does the conflict. This is a delightful start to a new series, and once again, I can’t wait for the next one!
I love Jenn McKinlay’s romances, especially since the ones I’ve read so far have all featured pets. In this one, she shares information on how to take care of an abandoned kitten. George, the kitten, plays an important part in the book and really brings out the best in the heroine, the hero, and his his teenage daughter.
Ms McKinlay is a new to me author and I have to say she really impressed me with this book. If I could use one word to describe this book it would be sweet. Ryder is sweet, his relationship with his daughter is sweet and Maisy is sweet. This book just flowed so nicely. It wasn’t insta love but rather a very nice slow build up. Great story that I recommend reading. I look forward to reading more from this author.
I voluntarily reviewed an early copy of this book.
Super cute story about a hopeless romantic who wants to open a romance bookstore and her cowboy architect who helps her build it. Maisey and Ryder are very likable characters, and I enjoyed the progression of their love story. I also enjoyed all of the side characters (especially King George). I look forward to the next book in the series.
I’m really fighting the urge to open up my own Romance Bookstore after reading this book! i have so much in common with Maisy Kelly, so this book captured my heart. You can’t help but fall for Ryder Copeland during the story, as he’s an adorable single father to a teenager (his daughter will run away with your heart too). Any storyline that includes animals or children, immediately has me captivated and hoping for a happily ever after. I loved this story and can’t wait for more in the series!
This story from Jenn McKinlay, a new-to-me author, was a warm and feel good romance. It follows a second chance’esque trope with a shut down, single father of a teenage girl and a quirky, full of life woman who’s inherited a lot of romance books and chooses to start over in her life at 29. It’s a typical story from the genre, not particularly unique in it’s telling but oh-so entertaining and engaging thanks to the lovely writing and character building of McKinlay. Said characters, including the secondary’s, charm readers instantly and allow the plot of this story to play out in comical, sometimes angsty, and endearing ways. The third person point of view writing of McKinlay absorbs readers in her Carolina world. I liked her perspectives and I absolutely loved how this author not only acknowledged romance books, authors, and readers but validated each of them in a beautiful, fun way through her heroine and the legacy her heroine is so wonderfully creating.
The Good Ones delightfully reminds us to hold out for that special feeling and to accept ourselves and others as exactly who we are not forfeiting anything for anyone else. This is a simple love story that gives romance readers a boost and entertains. I would recommend to all romance readers who like easy reads with appealing characters.
Maisy Kelly finds herself the current owner of her great aunt Eloise’s former home. This house is not a typical structure. In fact – it is a book lover’s paradise. The entire house is home to the largest collection of books that Maisy has ever laid her eyes upon. After leaving her teaching position, Maisy heads to her new home to get a grasp on what the future entails. With so many books staring Maisy in the face, a ‘simple’ idea comes to fruition…..opening a book store.
The idea comes to mind to restore the old house to its former glory. A historical home with the backbone to give growth to the idea that Maisy can create one of the most unique book stores around. With the thoughts of restoration in mind, Maisy seeks out a professional that can create the vision that is swirling around in her head. Ryder Copeland is the professional that comes recommended for the restoration project. What Maisy quickly realizes is Ryder is anything but the typical construction worker.
Ryder does look like your average construction guy. This cowboy has the good looks one would expect to find gracing the cover of a romance novel. What is also unexpected is the fact that Ryder is a single dad to a delightful teenager named Perry. All of Maisy’s restoration plans are coming to light through the vision that Ryder brings to life through his craft. A job that is more of a means to an end for the cowboy. Maisy’s project is the final stop on Ryder’s list before heading off to a new state and sending Perry off to an all girls boarding school.
What Ryder didn’t figure in his plans was crossing paths with Maisy, and all the upheaval she would bring to his life. The attraction between the two was hard to ignore, but working in such close proximity made ignoring their feelings even harder. Nothing could prepare the two for the desire to extend things beyond a simple fling. With Perry, Savannah and King George in the middle of the mix, Ryder and Maisy will find that sometimes plans have a way of crashing around you.
The Good Ones is the first novel in a new series by Jenn McKinlay. It’s a journey of finding love even when you have lost all hope. While I found Maisy and Ryder to be entertaining….Perry and King George managed to steal the show! This book wasn’t an over the top romance. It was more of a wind up to the end result. While I have read other books by McKinlay that were more entertaining than this one, I feel like it was a great start to what I hope ends up being a solid series.
Maisy Kelly is sitting on the steps to the second floor in the Victorian home she has inherited after the death of her beloved Aunt Eloise. She has just finished reading One Last Chance, a cowboy romance book by one of her favorite authors and is enjoying her book hangover when someone knocks on the front foor. She opens the door to find Jake Sinclair, charming, sexy cowboy hero from One Last Chance standing there. “No, this can’t be Jake Sinclair. He’s a fictional character.” is what is running through Maisy’s head as she stares at the handsome cowboy standing on her front step. Maisy isn’t expecting anyone so she is wearing old ripped denim shorts and her favorite well-worn Fairdale University sweatshirt. How embarrassing! Turns out this good-looking cowboy is Ryder Copeland, the restoration architect she wants to hire to renovate the house. Why is he here a day early? Their appointment is for Tuesday, not Monday. Ryder smiles and informs Maisy that it is indeed Tuesday. Oh my! Maisy invites Ryder in…..
Ryder Copeland wants to win the bid to renovate this charming Victorian house. He can tell it will be an interesting job just from the outside. He steps inside and is greeted with books, books and more books. There are books everywhere, cluttering up every room, every stairwell and hallway and even a few in the bathrooms. These books are all romance novels. Seems Maisy’s great-aunt loved to read romance stories. Not that all these books everywhere would distract him from falling in love with the house. And maybe a little in love with the owner too.
The Good Ones by Jenn McKinlay is the first book in her new series, Happily Ever After. This author is well-known as an excellent cozy mystery writer. She dipped her toes in the Contemporary Romance world with her Bluff Point series and found lots of success. I can see where that success will continue with this series as she is off to a great start with this book. The storyline flows smoothly and the characters are all very likeable. The dialogue is quite entertaining. This is a fun, delightful book and I look forward to the next book in this series.
I thought this book was incredible! There is something about Ms. McKinlay’s contemporary romance that totally strikes the right notes with my heart. I really thought it was one of the better I’ve read in the last year (and I read a lot). Her characters are so darn real. They have their problems and their hesitations to fall in love, but she writes the story in a way that makes it next to impossible for them to not. I absolutely love a hero that can’t overpower his own reluctance to give in to love.
The plot moves right along at a realistic pace and the dialogue between the characters is spot on. I adored how Maisey would just go right after Ryder if she had a beef with him and how she made darn sure that he was hearing what she said. Ryder and his inability to say those three little words to anyone in his life was frustrating, but it was that much sweeter when he finally said them.
The secondary characters were as interesting as Maisey and Ryder. I loved his daughter and King George (the kitten) being a part of the book was just precious. I’ve followed the growth of the original King George and Ms. McKinlay’s love for him on her FB page and loved this tribute to him.
I am positively chomping at the bit for the next book in this series! Loved, loved, loved!
This story was just the sweetest thing I have read in a long time. Maisey misses her Aunt El and after losing out on the job she should have had at the college she decides to make the house she inherited a bookstore. It’s and old Victorian home that needs to be updated but keeping the same look and that’s where Ryder comes in. Ryder is an architect that is hoping to eat this job before he moves to take a desk job to make sure he can support his daughter’s private school. Ryder and Maisey have an instant attraction but he is her employee and doesn’t plan to stay long so Maisey says it’s not worth the heartbreak and tries to not get attached. As they all try to ignore the elephant in the room it just begins to get as big as the house itself. Great story very enjoyable, perfect book to curl up with.
Reviewed on behalf of Once upon an Alpha