MY KIND OF WONDERFUL - Jill Shalvis
Cedar Ridge , Book 2
Grand Central Publishing
ISBN: 978-1455586783
December 2015
Contemporary Romance

Cedar Ridge Resort, Colorado - Present Day

After spending years battling cancer, artist Bailey Moore has a list of things she wants to enjoy before she settles down. Next on her agenda is tackling a mural on a wall at Cedar Ridge, a family run ski resort in the Rocky Mountains. From the start, Bailey battles one of the owners and head of the ski patrol, Hudson Kincaid, which leads to fiery clashes between them. She is ready to walk away from the project when his family overrides his objections. Will Hudson continue to be a pain in the neck for Bailey, or will hate turn to something different?

Hudson has a lot of responsibilities, what with his job at the resort rescuing people who act irresponsibly while skiing, to caring for his mother who is suffering from dementia. Hudson is also missing his twin brother, Jacob, who walked out of their lives years ago after they fought. Something about Bailey rubs him the wrong way, and he's very vocal about his objection, but when he discovers she's a cancer survivor, he feels like a cad.  Hudson soon learns that Bailey is a tough person and can't be told she cannot do something. Yet it doesn't stop them from clashing, which quickly turn into heated kisses. With his responsibilities in life, he cannot promise a future for any woman, while Bailey has a life to celebrate. Is there any chance they can work out a compromise?

In MY KIND OF WONDERFUL, Jill Shalvis brings readers back to Cedar Ridge and the competitive Kincaid family who are trying to keep their ski resort afloat after their father's death. The family consists of a motley crew of half siblings who have two things in common: a father and a love of skiing. Hudson's mother's mental state has slowly deteriorated to the point that Hudson and Jacob soon found themselves as teenagers caring for their mother. This led them to seek out their half siblings in Colorado and a family closeness has developed. However, after Hudson and Jacob fought years ago, Jacob walked out and has yet to show his face in Cedar Ridge again.

Enter into Hudson's life Bailey. She's stubborn and beautiful, and while she might appear fragile after her cancer battle, she is one tough woman. It was Hudson's mother who "commissioned" the mural, and it's his family who ultimately (against his wishes) approved the project. They can see the effect Bailey has on Hudson, and they love it. He's a man who has spent his life accepting responsibilities, so it's about time he has a little "fun." Hudson tries to micro manage Bailey's work, but being around her only intensifies the attraction between them. An affair is a dangerous thing to happen to someone who might be looking for love after concentrating on getting well for the past few years, but Bailey insists she's only looking to enjoy life. Yet, how will both react when it's time to say goodbye?

The interactions between Bailey and Hudson will have readers snickering as they battle each other and try to hide their feelings for each other. There are also the competitive battles between the Kincaid brood, which are intense in their mission to try to outdo the other. Meanwhile, Hudson has to deal with his guilt over what he considers his responsibility toward driving away Jacob. Will he ever overcome this?

The sexy hijinks enjoyed by Bailey and Hudson in MY KIND OF WONDERFUL are fun and entertaining. Their chemistry sizzles and zings right off the pages and it's one of those books that you won't ever want to put down. But good things eventually come to an end, and readers won't be disappointed in MY KIND OF WONDERFUL.

Patti Fischer