My second roundup of this trope, but with more alignment than ever: in these three following books, the heroines move temporarily to somewhere in the UK for work, not intending to stick around but falling for local lads during the course of their contractual obligations.
Love at First Book by Jenn McKinlay. Fun fact: I bought this book at a small indie bookstore in Santa Barbara while I was there for my brother’s wedding. The basic premise of it is: what if JK Rowling A. wasn’t a rancid TERF, B. never finished Harry Potter, C. owned a bookstore run by her hot and eligible son who she always regretted missing the childhood of as a beloved and busy children’s author, and D. hired a fan from across the pond (a hot and eligible woman) to help kick writer’s block in the ass to finish the final book and meanwhile work at the bookstore with her grumpy son.
And of course, grumpy son (Kieran) lowkey hates Emily Allen (librarian from Martha’s Vinyard, long-time fan of the author) at first, assuming she’s another sycophant/time-waster. Eventually, though, Emily’s earnest interest in helping not just his recluse mother (who herself has a secret Emily is honor-bound to keep, though it breaks her heart to do it) but Kieran himself.
She’s only there until the book’s done, though. So there’s no point getting attached to the gorgeous Emerald Isles and bookseller, right? RIGHT??
I was pleasantly surprised how much I liked this bookstore impulse purchase; it could have been spicier and about 30% more angsty, but overall I had a lovely time with it!
How hot? 🔥🔥
Kilt Trip by Alexandra Kiley. Addie Macrae is a travel consultant who calls nowhere and everywhere home… except Scotland. Until she’s forced into a Scottish assignment to save her job and heads there under slight duress. Also under duress? Logan Sutherland, who resents that some random American woman is coming in to mess up his family’s tour company. Of course, he wasn’t consulted before they hired her, and of course, he’s not above some early book pettiness in reaction.
But if they can work together, maybe both their jobs will be safe, so when he finds out that her disinterest in his beloved homeland is due to baggage with her late mother (represented by polaroids from a long lost trip she once took), Logan does his best to help her track down closure while also pitching a less corporate-feeling rebrand of his life’s work.
Again, though, Addie isn’t sticking around- her job literally takes her to a new country or continent every few months. The fact that they’re crazy attracted to each other is… irrelevant. Irrelevant in a lasting sense, at least.
I liked this book for its slightly unlikeable heroine- she’s a little too sharp, a little too disconnected, and it makes it all the more enjoyable to watch her take a load off and let the warmth of this family support her.
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥
Morbidly Yours by Ivy Fairbanks. A book with an asexual hero! Unheard of! I almost didn’t pick this book up because I tend to be a queasy reader and it’s about a guy who works at a funeral home, but I saw enough other people recommending it that I took some metaphorical dramamine and jumped in. And I’m SO glad I did. This book has a great balance of spice, representation I never get to see of myself, angst, stakes, and tropey shenanigans.
So we’ve got awkward asexual mortician Callum Flannelly, who won’t get to keep his family’s undertaker business and the roof over his head unless he can get married before his 35th birthday, which, you guessed it, is closing in fast.
Lark Thompson is new in town (Galway, Ireland) and his new neighbor, still grieving the sudden death of her husband a few years back and not at all happy that her temporary digs while working for a local animation company puts her so close to a funeral home. But she can’t help but be charmed by Callum’s straightforward bearing about it all.
She especially can’t help but want to help him find a bride by 35, and becomes his official dating coach for the few months they’re spending in proximity to each other. A microtrope I LOVE- the dating coach who is explicitly trying to get their eventual love interest into other people’s pants, which being very obviously the right person for them.
How hot? 🔥🔥🔥
Next week, I’ll be recommending books about librarians! SHHHHH!
What should I be reading next? Let me know in the comments!
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