***I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.***
A woman expecting to spend the holidays alone finds warmth in the iciest man she knows in this steamy and charming later-in-life romance by New York Times bestselling author Jane Porter.
It’s been five years since Andi McDermott lost her husband, and she's finally starting to feel like herself again, ready to live fully—she’s even started dating again. But when her holiday plans with her stepson and his fiancée fall through, she refuses to spend another Christmas alone while everyone is celebrating with their families. Impulsively, she decides to go up to her cabin in Lake Arrowhead, a place she used to love to visit but hadn’t gone to in years, not since the feud started between her husband and their nearest neighbor.
Andi starts to rethink her decision when being alone at the cabin proves to be more challenging than she expected—a heavy snowstorm hits the area, and Andi finds herself trapped there with no one to help except for her neighbor, Wolf Enders. A military vet who lives full-time on Lake Arrowhead, Wolf is as grumpy and intimidating as Andi remembers. But he’s also unexpectedly kind and uncomfortably sexy—his presence reminds Andi that she may be older, but her body still works perfectly fine, thank you very much. But can this good girl tame this sexy beast of a man, and will this snowy fling turn into a love of a lifetime?
Flirting with the Beast by Jane Porter is the second book in her popular modern love series, and can easily be read as a stand-alone novel. This series features older characters who fall in love and I found Flirting with the Beast an excellent addition to this series.
Story Recap:
Andi McDermott has been a widow for over five years and is finally feeling like herself again. When her stepson and his fiancée change plans and tell her they can’t spend Christmas with her, Andi decides to spend the holiday in her cabin up in the mountains in Lake Arrowhead. She hasn’t spent any time in the cabin since her husband passed, but she knows she needs a change of scenery to help her get over the disappointment of spending Christmas alone.
When Andi gets snowed in, she needs to ask her neighbor, Wolf Enders, for help. Wolf and Andi’s husband have been feuding for years until Andi’s husband’s death. Wolf is a military vet and is grumpy and intimidating, but Andi is surprised that she sees a kinder, gentler side when he helps her at the cabin.
My Thoughts:
One thing I love about this series is the older characters. Andi is ready to move on, and she has been dating a little bit, but no one has intrigued her enough to keep around.
The romance between Andi and Wolf was the main theme of the book, but I liked all the family issues that had to be resolved as well. With older characters, there is usually adult children in the mix, and they can affect the relationships, and this is certainly the case in this book. But, they added so much to the overall story, and gave me more insight into the main characters and their motivations and issues.
The attraction between Andi and Wolf is very strong and the book is a bit steamy. But, there is so much story between the steamy scenes that made this such a well-rounded book.
Recommendation:
I highly recommend Flirting With the Beast to anyone who enjoys romance books. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
About Jane Porter
USA Today, and New York Times bestselling author of 65 romances and women's fiction titles, Jane Porter has been a finalist for the prestigious RITA award six times, with her Tule Publishing novella, Take Me, Cowboy, winning the Novella Category July 2014. Today, Jane has over 15 million copies in print, including her wildly popular Flirting with Forty, a novel picked by Redbook Magazine as it's Red Hot Summer Read in 2006 before being turned into a Lifetime movie in 2008 starring Heather Locklear.
Jane holds an MA in Writing from the University of San Francisco and makes her home in sunny San Clemente, CA with her surfer husband three sons, and two dogs.
Sounds good. I don’t think age really matters. There don’t seem to be as many books with older characters in though. I am 32 and most of the characters that I read about now are younger than me.
I haven’t read anything by this author yet, but glad you’re enjoying this series. Good to know you highly recommend this one, and can be read as a stand-alone.
I am really looking forward to this one! I like that it features more mature characters (being 52 yrs myself)! I think I will do this one next. Nice to see you loved it, Wendy!
Wonderful review, Wendy. I also like when older characters are still able to find love, as it is possible at any age. I will probably pass due to the steamy scenes though.
Oooh la la! I love a romance book that features older characters. It just proves that romance is alive and well even past your 30’s haha! This one sounds so fun!
This sounds great! I haven’t read a ton of books with older characters. I’ve enjoyed the ones I did, though. Well, as long as they didn’t make characters in their 50s seem geriatric. I’ve run across that a couple of times.
Nice review. I do like books about older characters for a change rather than always reading about people in their twenties and thirties. The setting for this one really appeals as well.
I didn’t realize this was a Christmas romance. I’m all for romances with older characters.
Sounds good. I don’t think age really matters. There don’t seem to be as many books with older characters in though. I am 32 and most of the characters that I read about now are younger than me.
A great review,
I haven’t read anything by this author yet, but glad you’re enjoying this series. Good to know you highly recommend this one, and can be read as a stand-alone.
I do love a grumpy hero and older than the typical characters. This sounds lovely and I like that there’s a lot of story between the steamier scenes.
This sounds better than first book. Great review!
This sounds lovely. I also appreciate older characters, just because someone’s older doesn’t mean they don’t want the same things as anyone else.
The cover says cozy, but then the title screams: stay away 🙂
I am really looking forward to this one! I like that it features more mature characters (being 52 yrs myself)! I think I will do this one next. Nice to see you loved it, Wendy!
Wonderful review and I love characters in my age group. I’ve not tried this author,
Wonderful review, Wendy. I also like when older characters are still able to find love, as it is possible at any age. I will probably pass due to the steamy scenes though.
It is an interesting technique to use the adult children to showcase motivations, etc. for the main characters.
Yes, it was. Thank you, Linda.
Another lovely romance, and I like that there are older characters too. Not everyone finds there love early in life 😊
That’s so true, Jenny!
Great review, Wendy!
Thank you, Jolene!
I like that this book features older characters! Great review Wendy!
Thank you!
We hope that she ends up having an amazing Christmas!
Thank you!
Sounds interesting.
Thank you, Rosie!
I actually read her Flirting with Forty in Redbook in 2006. I forgot about her until I just read a holiday freebie she wrote last week.
Oh wow. I read her Flirting with Fifty last year and now this one. I didn’t know she did a Flirting with Fourty too.
A cabin. A snowstorm. A grumpy neighbor. What’s not to love! I so want to read this one now. 😀
It’s a lot of fun, Lark.
Oooh la la! I love a romance book that features older characters. It just proves that romance is alive and well even past your 30’s haha! This one sounds so fun!
It is a fun one, Stephanie!
This sounds great! I haven’t read a ton of books with older characters. I’ve enjoyed the ones I did, though. Well, as long as they didn’t make characters in their 50s seem geriatric. I’ve run across that a couple of times.
Yikes! Fifty is still young! These characters were very realistic for their age IMO.
I do enjoy books with older characters too Wendy! Thanks for sharing about this series.
Thank you, Jodie!
Excellent review Wendy. I like that the characters are older. I hope I have this one!🤗☕📚💜
I hope you do too!
I like older characters too. Lovely review Wendy.
Thank you, Rae!
Nice review. I do like books about older characters for a change rather than always reading about people in their twenties and thirties. The setting for this one really appeals as well.
Yes, I love Lake Arrowhead, so the setting was familiar to me.