How could being so wrong suddenly feel so right?Falling for her arch nemesisIsn’t going to happen.Moving to Starlight was Mara Reed’s first step forward after her devastating divorce. But had she known she’d find Parker Johnson, her ex-husband’s ruthless divorce attorney, there, she might have gone in a different direction. Away from the big city, Mara is seeing Parker in a new light—but is it … different direction. Away from the big city, Mara is seeing Parker in a new light—but is it enough for her to set aside her anger?
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This story has it all, the deep feels, the angst, the passion, the cute kids, friends for life, the family drama, and falling in love against all the odds. And all of that is wrapped in a smoothly flowing, riveting tale that made me smile, and sigh, and swoon, and even tear up but they were happy tears cause it was just so beautifully brought together.
The connection between Mara and Parker was tangible on so many different layers. Their past brought in the painful conflict, their present was sizzling with attraction, and the future didn’t seem like a realistic possibility because of the emotional baggage both of them had.
Yet all the fears and doubts and hassles in the protagonist’s minds are balanced with the little joys in life, with the support of family and friends. And through those reservations and skepticism, the characters grow and learn to trust and to open up, to dare to take the ultimate leap of faith.
I admire and adore Major’s writing and her style to tell a story so that it wraps around your heart and mind and imagination like you are part of the townfolks witnessing the events happen in real-time.
The Last Man She Expected delivered beyond all my expectations!
~ Five Spoons
I loved this book’s storyline. I loved the chemistry in this story. I loved Mara’s character. I loved Parker’s character. I loved Evie & Anna. I loved the ending. Awesome job Ms. Major.
The Last Man She Expected by Michelle Major
Mara Reed and Parker Johnson are the main characters with Mara daughter Evie.
Mara distrusts Parker because he is the lawyer for her ex husband who made the divorce rough on Mara. They have to work through a lot of issues but they fall in love and work at being a family.
He decides to become a small town lawyer instead of a divorce lawyer, it was a very well written book with lots of twists and turns.
Who is Mara Reed? What does she do for a living? Who is Parker? What does he do? How do they know one another? Who are Paul and Annie? Where does Mara live? Who is Evie? I liked Josh and Anna. Who is Jenn? How do they ultimately all know one another? As I learned more about Parker and Josh’s lives and their pasts, my heart broke for each of them. I could only imagine what living through that was like. What is the Trophy Room? The friendship between Mara and Brynn is a hoot! Parker’s comment to Josh about kittens was one that almost caused me to fall out of my chair at a restaurant. Evie is funny. When Evie is talking with Parker at the field, what she said to him about it being just her had me crying. There were definitely some unexpected surprises in this book! Enjoy the read!
RECEIVED THIS BOOK AS A GIFT from Netgalley FOR A FAIR/HONEST REVIEW and REVIEWER FOR Bloggin’ With M. Brennan.
A romance packed in with a lot of drama, this book was a fun, entertaining and fast-paced read. Mara Reed has moved to Starlight, escaping Seattle and her ex-husband with all of the bad memories that the divorce brought. Not least of the bad memories was Paul’s divorce attorney, the very gifted Parker Johnson, who absolutely destroyed Mara’s reputation and left her with little in the way of finances in order to support her small daughter Evie. Parker is in town to help his brother build businesses and meet a deadline. While there, he also helps his brother Josh in coaching a young soccer team which includes Evie. The romance is inevitable but how Mara and Parker get there is a magical mix of author insight and just plain good writing. The tale weaves around the two soon-to-be lovebirds, but it also includes Josh and his plight as a single father and little Evie who is so damaged her cruel father who basically ignored and disparaged her. I enjoyed the characterization the most in this story as well as the cute setting of a small town in which everyone knows everyone and also all about the relationships happening at any one moment. I especially enjoyed how Mara was willing to help Josh and build her own self-confidence after Paul’s unending attacks on it. Finally, I liked that Parker was willing to self-reflect about his part in Mara’s discouragement and lack of trust of males. All in all, this was a quick and excellent romance that I highly recommend.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”
This novel is perfect for anyone looking for that elusive combination of sexy and sweet and enemies to lovers. Fans of Kristan Higgins will find this right up their alley.
“The Last Man She Expected (Welcome to Starlight Book 2)” by Michelle Major was a wonderful classic romantic read. Mara Reed and her daughter Evie moved to the small town of Starlight after a nasty divorce and she was living with her Aunt. Parker Johnson who was the lawyer for Mara’s ex-husband is in Starlight visiting his brother, who happens to be Mara’s best male friend. She doesn’t want anything to do with the man who helped her ex take everything but their daughter from her, or does she?
This was a sweet story about Mara and her daughter starting over in Starlight after a messy divorce. She makes a couple single friends after a year; but mostly keeps to herself as she works, takes care of her daughter, and tries to heal.
Both Mara and Parker have past demons and insecurities they try to work on throughout this story and both decide it’s better to work together on projects than apart. I really liked Parker’s protectiveness and love towards his extended family (especially kids) and being a hard worker and stepping up to a challenge.
There is one very graphic love making scene towards the the middle of the book with future mentioning of bedroom scenes behind closed doors. There is also some bad language throughout-pretty minimal though.
Typically I read Harlequin Love Inspired books so I wasn’t sure going into this book whether there would be bad language and or graphic love scenes-which I typically do not read.
Overall, I enjoyed the story and loved getting to know Mara and Parker’s families, their friends and the town of Starlight. I read it in one night because it was easy reading with interesting characters and story line.
I received a copy of this book complimentary for blog and social media review. All opinions are my own.
Good book. Mara and her daughter moved to Starlight after her divorce. Staying with her aunt and working in her coffee shop gave Mara a chance to connect with people without risking her emotions. Her divorce had been ugly, with her ex-husband and his lawyer destroying both her personal and professional reputations and leaving her with nothing except her daughter. She is understandably angry and bitter.
Mara’s daughter Evie made friends with another little girl, Anna, while Mara became good friends with Anna’s father, Josh. They connected over their daughters’ activities and the problems of single parenthood. Mara is especially happy that there are no sparks between them, as she swore off men after her divorce. What Mara doesn’t know is that Josh’s brother is coming to town to help Josh with his current construction project. She has no idea that Josh’s brother is her ex-husband’s divorce attorney.
I loved the first meeting between Parker and Mara. She recognized him immediately while he only felt a vague familiarity. That is until she blasted him for everything he enabled her ex to do to her. Of course, his first reaction was that it was just his job, not anything personal. The sparks fly between them, but underneath the antagonism are sparks of another kind. When Josh enlists Mara’s help with the project, too, she finds herself working closely with Parker.
I liked watching the relationship develop between Parker and Mara. The attraction between them is undeniable, but neither wants a relationship. Parker is only in Starlight for a short time. His memories of growing up there with an abusive father caused him to leave Starlight behind years ago. He visits his brother and niece very rarely, and can’t wait to go when he does. Mara is done with marriage. She doesn’t trust her judgment any longer, nor does she have any confidence that a man would want her. She is content to have left city life behind her and has no intention of leaving Starlight. However, both agree that spending some no-strings adult time together would be acceptable.
The more time that Mara and Parker spent together, the more she saw a different side of him. He can be kind and funny. He gets involved in helping Josh with the girls’ soccer team and unexpectedly connects with Evie. There are some great scenes between the two of them as Parker acts more like a father than her own did. I loved watching them start to feel like a family, something that worried both Parker and Mara. Though they have grown closer and been able to share some of their more painful moments, neither can see a future for them. When an unexpected visitor stirs up old fears in Mara, Parker suffers the backlash. I wanted to shake Mara for not letting Parker explain. I hurt for Parker, who had finally begun to recognize his feelings for Mara. An unexpected and eye-opening conversation helped Mara see the truth. Parker got an equivalent kick in the pants from his brother, making him realize that he’d allowed his fears to run his life for too long. I loved the ending.
Secondary characters were just as enjoyable. Evie and Anna were adorable. Opposites in many ways, they balanced each other’s strengths and weaknesses. I loved Josh and his friendship with Mara. I ached for him and everything he’d been through with Anna’s chemo and his wife’s desertion. I liked Mara’s friend Brynn and the support she gives Mara. I also hope to see her get a happy ending of her own.
I’m always smiling when I return to Starlight! Michelle Major easily wraps a small town around her reader’s heart with engaging characters, intriguing back stories and just enough sass and humor to warm our soul as we turn the pages towards that happily ever after! THE LAST MAN SHE EXPECTED definitely lives up to the hype as recently divorced Mara settles into life as a single mom in Starlight, Washington. I loved every thing about it!
Mara Reed is an easily relatable character. She puts one foot in front of the other every single day to make a good life for her daughter, but when the day is over and Evie is asleep, she remembers the “what if”s and “used to be”s with the best of them.
Parker Johnson is a joy to watch transform into a great guy. He doesn’t recognize Mara, but she quickly lets him have it and refreshes his memory that he recently raked her over the coals as her ex-husband’s divorce attorney. Awkward!
I highly recommend this book as well as the first book in the series to anyone who enjoys small town romance with lots of heart, sass and happily ever afters.