Her Unexpected Detour by Kyra Jacobs

The Basics:
Her Unexpected Detour by Kyra Jacobs
Entangled Bliss
Contemporary Romance
Book 1 in the Checkerberry Inn series
Published September 14, 2015
Source: Received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
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Why I picked up this book:

I'd just visited a lovely inn in Southern Ontario when I picked this book up. That inn connection was a huge pull. (I really want to go back on vacation--so relaxing)


Blurb:

Sometimes it's not the destination, but the detour...

Kayla has the perfect strategy for a broken heart: work, work, and more work. Then a storm sends her car skidding off the road, stranding her in Mount Pleasant. Fortunately, rescue comes in the form of the incredibly handsome but gruff Brent Masterson. And he's hot enough to tempt Kayla into doing something she never thought she could do... 

Brent Masterson swore he would never give into the fierce attraction that's been sizzling between him and Kayla since they first met. He has his own demons, and he won't risk his heart again. Not even for someone as gorgeous and amazing as Kayla. So...how exactly did he end up in Kayla's bed last night?

But sometimes all it takes is an ice storm to show two broken hearts the way home…

My Thoughts:

Her Unexpected Detour is a sweet contemporary romance. The two leads are well-matched. Brent has his issues, Kayla's in town because she's got some of her own. They're forced into proximity by nature and a gently meddling grandmother (who was not at all annoying--which, if you know me at all, is pretty high praise. I hate meddling family members, and I really don't enjoy know-it-all or needlessly kooky grandmothers). 

I really enjoyed the family components of the story. Kayla's got an adult brother who feels quite young, and I liked that dynamic. Brent has a cousin who handles the books at the inn who I thought was a little mysterious. I want to know more about him.

The inn itself sounds lovely, and made me want to visit one immediately. I love reading romances featuring business-owners or family-owned businesses because I'm not bold enough to try to run one myself, but I love the idea of it. The determination, work ethic, and grit required to tough it out are qualities I find really attractive. And from a distance, it's easy to romanticize what it would be like to operate my own inn, bakery, event planning company, bookstore or whatever. 

Now, I did have an issue with this book. It's that the romance is very quick--these two know each other for a very limited period of time. And it seems like it has to be all or nothing for them, which didn't feel realistic to me. I wanted a bit more build, more time for them to bond, I guess?

Bottom line:

Her Unexpected Detour is a lovely contemporary romance. It didn't really leave a huge impression on me, but it was delightful while I was reading it. I think the atmosphere of it was as important to me as the romance itself.
3.5 stars
For fans of contemporary romance, family businesses, inns

Don't just take my word for it though! I've gathered up a couple of other blog reviews, so check them out for some other opinions!

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