Can’t Buy Me Love by Molly O’Keefe

Title: Can’t Buy Me Love by Molly O’Keefe
Crooked Creek Series Book One
Publisher: Random House Publishing Group
Imprint: Bantam
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 368 pages
Book Rating: B+

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through Edelweiss

Summary:

A beautifully written contemporary romance about second chances at life and at love, set on a booming cattle ranch in Texas-perfect for readers of Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Susan Mallery, and Rachel Gibson.

Tara Jean Sweet knows who she is-white trash, through and through-and she also knows she’ll never let any man steal her heart. So when elderly Lyle Baker takes her under his wing, giving her a stake in his leather business, she agrees to help the dying man out by playing the part of his fiance. He’s putting on the act in an effort to drive his grown-up children back to his ranch in Texas; he knows they want his fortune, and won’t let him marry the buxom blonde. His plan works, and soon Luc, a ridiculously handsome hockey star, shows up, along with his half-sister Victoria. When Luc and Tara meet, the sparks are immediate and blinding, and their fates are further tied together by the strange terms of Lyle’s will. But can their connection survive the truth about Tara Jean’s past?

The Review:

Can’t Buy Me Love by Molly O’Keefe is a funny, poignant, and emotional romance. Tara Jean Sweet is not proud of her past but with Lyle Baker’s friendship, she has finally turned her life around. Now a successful hockey player, Luc Baker has left his father, abusive childhood and Texas behind. But as Tara and Luc quickly discover, the past does not always stay in the past.

Can’t Buy Me Love is a well-written contemporary novel with a delightful cast of characters. The main protagonists are beautifully developed with realistic flaws and imperfections. Tara Jean and Luc are complex characters with complicated pasts. They have more than their fair share of emotional baggage and although their obstacles sometimes seem insurmountable, together they overcome the serious issues facing them.

The sparks fly between this wonderful couple from their very first meeting. The sexual chemistry between Luc and Tara Jean is sizzling hot. Their sex scenes are tremendously sexy and exceedingly passionate.

Can’t Buy Me Love is a fast paced romance with an exceptionally well-developed plot. The characters are multi-faceted with believable problems to conquer. With an incredible amount of emotional depth and substance, Molly O’Keefe brings her readers a captivating and intensely sensual love story.