by Susan Mallery
About this book
Nissa Lang knows Desmond Stilling is out of her league. He’s a CEO, she’s a teacher. He’s gorgeous, she’s… not. So when her house-sitting gig falls through and Desmond offers her a place to stay for the summer, she vows not to reveal how she’s felt about him since their first – and only – kiss.
Desmond should’ve known better than to bring temptation into his house. He decided long ago that his best friend’s sister was too sweet, too good, for him. She deserves a guy who can give her his heart. For her sake, he’s stayed away. But as her laughter breathes life into his lonely mansion, he’s not sure how long he’ll be able to resist.
(This book also contains a bonus story, A Little Bit Pregnant, originally published in 2003.)
Book review
This is the third book I’ve read so far in this month, and my favourite by far. The story is simple and straightforward – a genuine, kind-hearted girl and her brother’s best friend who’ve crushed on each other for a long time. They stay together for a summer and fall in love.
Desmond is the classic dreamy hero – he’s rich, gorgeous, kind and generous – what more could you ask for? Except he’s grown up in a cold childhood with parents who are more business-minded than family oriented, and he thinks he doesn’t have a heart. He needs to work through his issues about believing in and placing his trust in love.
Nissa is loyal, sincere and sweet. She goes the extra mile for her best friend who is battling terminal illness. She works temp jobs over the summer to save for her trip to Italy the next year, and it’s fun experiencing the various temp jobs through Nissa.
The supporting characters in the book were great – I wish I had a housekeeper like Hilde, who seems to truly care for Desmond and enjoys her work. Nissa’s best friend, Marisol, is brave and positive as she works on her recovery from terminal illness. Nissa’s family members also seem very close-knitted and view Desmond as part of their family.
It was easy to imagine all these characters who are filled with life and love, moving into Desmond’s big, lonely house for the summer and filling it with laughter and conversation. It’s a very happy thought and one of the best images I have when reading the story.
Rin Ranger 