Series: Here in Lillyvale, #4
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Release Date: March 15th, 2021
Add to Goodreads | Amazon.in (Available on KU)
It was always meant to be like this, wasn’t it?
I had a supporting role in all of my friends’ love stories.
Now I’m the leading man in my own.
This is how I fell in love with Makenna Brady, my friend’s little sister. The woman I would take a bullet for, the woman I would jump in front of a bus to save.
We also have a little secret.
We got married and no one knows about it.
So sit back, grab your favorite light beer (you know mine) and marvel in my strong pick-up game.
I promise. It’s worth the wait.
She was worth the wait.
Author’s Note: While Hubby can be read as a standalone, it rewards readers who have previously read the Here in Lillyvale series before diving into this one. This book overlaps storylines with the first three books in the series (Here, Hustle, and Home) and does include spoilers for those books. This book does start in first person, but the bulk of the story is told in third person. Expect foul language and explicit sex scenes. It might be too sexy for some readers. Reader discretion is advised.
If you know me at all, then you know that I am a big fan of Jenny Bunting and her Here in Lillyvale series. I even got the chance to read an ARC of Home last year and I absolutely adored and loved Addison and Kirk. But if like me, you’ve read the previous three books and you’ve met Dan Price and loved him, then you are in for an absolute treat with this book. I love that Jenny is keeping us completely in suspense the whole way through – without a cover, a name or a blurb – and till you read the book, you won’t actually know why. Because THIS IS THE BOOK TO END ALL BOOKS!
Dan Price and Makenna Brady finally get their own book and a chance to tell all of us about their relationship. And let me just tell you that it’s nothing like you’re expecting. They’re such brilliant characters and while we’ve seen more of Dan than Makenna (because he’s everyone’s best friend), you’re going to love her just as much. And their relationship is brilliantly beautiful and so so complicated.
The book starts with the best “Dear Reader” note from Dan and I have to say, it had me cracking up so hard. But also gasping, because ohmygod!? You’ll see what I mean when you read the book. And then we move onto the story. We go through the Dan/Makenna history from the moment they met to when everything changed and to see the familiar scenes we’ve already read about in the previous three books, but from a different angle really makes it that much more special.
“Sometimes, he felt like the funny best friend who sat on the sidelines, like in an eighties romcom. He wanted to be the hero, who got the girl.”
Dan is the quintessential best friend, wingman and everything guy. He’s always looking out for his friends and their happiness, especially by inserting himself into their romances and helping them all get together and bone till there is no tomorrow. Dan is the kind of friend everyone wants as well. He’s genuine, he’s kind, he’s hilarious and while he’s rich (like, really rich), he doesn’t make a noise about it. Dan believes in being there for his people and ensuring that they all live their best lives. And we’ve seen him step in for Zoey and Jonathan, for Taylor and Malcolm and for Addison and Kirk and they’ve all found their happily ever afters. Now it’s Dan’s time.
Makenna Brady is the sister of Brady (who we meet in Here, the first book featuring Zoey and Jonathan) and she’s a wild child. She’s gorgeous, tattooed and doesn’t give a shit what people think of her. Makenna wants to live her life for herself, not for everyone else. She’s got a dream and she’s going to follow it, no matter what everyone else says. Sure, the lack of support and the constant judgement upsets her, but Makenna is so confident in herself and her life that she ignores everyone. Till she can’t. I loved Makenna. I loved that she did not give a hoot what other people thought about her, because she’s proud of the person she’s become and she gets to live her life the way she wants even if it doesn’t always make her the happiest.
“Kisses like this were why a broody hero held up a boombox blasting love songs outside a window on the off chance the heroine was home.”
Dan and Makenna have the most incredible chemistry. They are drawn to each other right off the bat. They’re complete opposites, which only makes things that much more enticing between them. Dan is shamelessly flirtatious with Makenna and she’s mostly amused before she realises that Dan actually has so much more to offer. Whenever they’re alone, it’s explosive. The sex, the steam, the dialogue – my god. Brace yourself, because they are so wonderfully dirty. I know, not what you’d expect, but that’s the best way to explain it.
Just so you’re wondering, they’re in a secret relationship. Brady’s already sort of told Dan to not go down that road with Makenna and she’s just not interested in having everyone in her business all the time. So it’s a lot of sneaking around, a lot of texting, a lot of sex wherever they can make it happen. But it’s also supposed to just be a friends with benefits situation, there’s not supposed to be feelings or emotions, but it’s hard. Dan is 100% FEELINGS and he can’t just turn it off. If anything, he’s holding himself back because he knows how Makenna feels.
“I just feel calm. I’m so go-go-go all the time, but with her, I don’t have to feel ‘on’ or have to perform. I love to make her laugh. It’s my favorite thing.”
There’s just so much of this book that I can’t squeeze into my review because I would be giving too much of it away. But what you need to know is that Jenny Bunting has delivered a love story for Dan and Makenna that is worth dropping everything for. And the best part? You get to relive all the big moments from the other books and watch these two characters fall in love. They are the kind of soulmates that I believe everyone looks for in their romance books and I promise, you are in for a treat.
Thanks to Jenny Bunting for generously providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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