Rising Assets
by Rebecca Zanetti
Release Date: March 31, 2014
Publisher: Entangled: Brazen
Book #3 in the Maverick Montana series
Number of pages: 210
Paperback
Source: MelCat
Contemporary Romance
Ages 15 and up
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Friends with benefits was never the plan…
Melanie Jacobs is in trouble. With three jobs—including running her ranch—and dwindling funds, she’s exhausted. Not to mention desperately trying to hide a secret. Unfortunately, her best friend Colton Freeze knows all too well that’s something is going on, and he won’t give up until he knows exactly what he needs to fix.
Then Colton learns the truth—that Melanie’s future happiness rests in the fickle hands of fate, and her chances for having a family are shrinking with every passing day. Her only comfort is Colton, but when a heated argument between them turns into an even hotter kiss, the boundaries of their friendship are erased, leaving only a scorching-hot hunger for more.
Every kiss—every touch—is a stolen pleasure. But will their new friends-with-sexy-benefits arrangement bring them closer together, or destroy everything they once shared?
Readers of this series knew that eventually Melanie and Colton would end up together. (Just as we patiently wait for Hawk and Dawn to get their HEA.) We just didn’t know how it would happen. I have to admit, their road to that first kiss was not what I expected. Dawn’s reasons for working multiple jobs and being exhausted threw me. Something a bit different, and I appreciate that.
I’m well known to rail against the “big secret” trope. Thankfully, Dawn’s secret does not remain a secret for long and it’s actually what draws this couple together. I love the relationship Dawn has with not only Colton, but also Hawk. These three have been friends since they were barely out of diapers and have always had each other’s backs. That’s exactly why Colton has never given into his urges to try to step things up with Dawn, and vice versa. Neither want to ruin their friendship. But their chemistry cannot be denied. Not by them or by anyone within their vicinity.
The other stories in this series had a bit of intrigue. That was missing here, and I felt the hole it left. It almost seemed like there was going to be some suspense when it came to the bigger picture of Colton and his family, but that didn’t happen. I don’t know if I felt the story was a tad bit lacking because I expected some action/suspense, or if there was actually something missing from the story.
Overall, it’s a fun read. Again, plenty of chemistry. Plus, Colton’s family and this small town are a lot of fun and keep the characters and the reader on their toes.
3 stars
All In Good Time 