Crystal Blogs Books: Once in a Lifetime (Lucky Harbor #9) by Jill Shalvis

"I finally got Internet, and I'm trying to decide what to name my Wi-Fi. I'm torn between FBI Security Van and Guy in Your Tree. Any opinions?" - Aubrey Wellington

Once in a Lifetime
Lucky Harbor #9

Author: Jill Shalvis
Publisher: Grand Central Publishing
Published: February 11th 2014
Source: publisher for review

Purchase Links: Amazon - B&N - I ndieBound - iTunes

SOMETIMES WRONG IS OH-SO-RIGHT

After a wrenching loss, Ben McDaniels tried to escape his grief by working in dangerous, war-torn places like Africa and the Middle East. Now he’s back in his hometown and face-to-face with Aubrey Wellington, the hot-as-hell woman who is trouble with a capital T. Family and friends insist she’s not the one to ease his pain, but Aubrey sparks an intense desire that gives Ben hope for the future.

Determined to right the wrongs of her past, Aubrey is working hard to make amends. But by far, the toughest challenge to her plan is sexy, brooding Ben …even though he has absolutely no idea what she’s done…

Can this unlikely couple defy the odds and win over the little town of Lucky Harbor?

I am in so much trouble. I knew this wouldn't end well, but did I listen? Nope! And now, I'm sitting here putting every single Jill Shalvis book on my Amazon wish list and my Goodreads TBR. Nah, who am I kidding? I'm going to enjoy every moment of the catching up I've got in front of me.

Welcome to Lucky Harbor. Yes, I am late to the game and started with book 9. I try not to start in the middle of a series, but I really wanted to jump right into this one. So I did and after a couple awkward moments at the beginning of the book, I was having a great time visiting with Aubrey and Ben. Let me rephrase that, nothing about this book is awkward. All the awkwardness was on my end because I had zero information of the series when I started Once in a Lifetime. Once I got to know Ben, Aubrey, and the rest of this charming group of characters, I was in love. Ben, you stole my heart. Oh, my God! He was every Christmas present wrapped up in a big red bow. If I could clone him, I would. Aubrey broke my heart. She wanted to make amends for every wrong doing in she as a teenager and it killed me when the door was slammed in her face. Sometimes I don't understand how two characters fall in love, but Ben and Aubrey were meant to be. They needed each other something fierce. Aubrey likes to argue with him and that's fine with Ben because he spends that time fantasizing about what he'd like to do with her. He likes to tease her about her list, but that's okay since she's tormenting him by hiding that he is the Ben on her list. They play perfectly off each other. The same with their respective friends. Ben, Luke, and Jack are all perfectly matched with Aubrey, Ali, and Leah. A fantastic group of characters.

If you are a fan of romances with witty writing, fun characters, and small town life, pick up this series. I do recommend you start at the beginning though. Or at least start with It Had to Be You (Lucky Harbor #7) because Ali, Leah, Luke, and Jack all play roles in this story and you'll get a feel for them from their respective books. Have fun and I'm looking forward to extending my visit to Lucky Harbor for a couple more books.

...or a lot more books. *grin*

Aubrey got a look at the man she’d inadvertently drenched and stopped breathing. Oh, God. Had she really thought her day couldn't get any worse? Why would she tempt fate by even thinking that? Because of course things had gotten worse. They always did.

Ben McDaniel slowly stood up from his barstool, dripping vodka from his hair, eyelashes, nose… He was six feet plus of hard muscles and brute strength on a body that didn't carry a single extra ounce of fat on him. For the past five years, he’d been in and out of a variety of Third World countries designing and building water systems with the Army Corp of Engineers. His last venture had been for the Department of Defense in Iraq, which Aubrey only knew because Lucky Harbor’s Facebook page was good as gospel.

He swiped his face with his arm, deceptively chill and laid-back.

In truth, he was about as badass as they came.

Aubrey should know, she’d seen him in action. But she managed to meet his gaze. Cool, casual even. One had to be with Ben, the man could spot a weakness a mile away. “I’m sorry,” she said.

“Are you?”

She felt herself flush. He’d always seemed to see right through her. And she was pretty sure he’d never cared for her. He had good reason for that, she reminded herself. He just didn't know the half of it. “Yes, I am sorry,” she said. Her heart was pounding so loudly she was surprised she could hear herself speak. “Are you okay?”

He ran his fingers through a sexy disorder of sun-streaked brown hair. His eyes were the same color, light milk chocolate marbled with gold caramel. It was hard to make such a warm-colored gaze seem hard, but Ben managed it with no effort at all. “Need to work on your aim,” he said.

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

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Q&A with Jill Shalvis

What’s your idea of a dream vacation?

Somewhere on an island with warm sun, calm waters, and an outlet to charge my Kindle. Oh, and food that magically appears…

If you owned a bookstore, what book would you make sure was in stock?

All of them. And let’s just say the romance section would be VERY well stocked.

Describe Aubrey a sentence

Aubrey: her heart’s in the right spot but she doesn’t like to lead with it, if that makes any sense.

What scene was the hardest to write?

Ben having to grovel after being a total and complete jackass. Nothing like seeing a big, strong, alpha man having to humble himself and make amends. Aka, get on his knees and beg…

What can your fans look forward to next in the Lucky Harbor series?

Next up is a Lucky Harbor trilogy for this coming summer and fall, It’s In His Kiss, He’s So Fine, and Once In A Million, the stories of the three sexy hot guys who run Lucky Harbor Charters.