#BookReview: Her Summer with the Marine: A Donovan Brothers Novel by Susan Meier - 4 Wine Glasses

Title: Her Summer with the Marine: A Donovan Brothers Novel 
Series: The Donovan Brothers #1
Author: Susan Meier 
Format: ebook, 266 pages
Published: March 10th 2014 by Entangled: Bliss
ISBN: 1622664981
Links: Goodreads | Amazon | B&N | ARe
Source: Author
Reviewer: Crystal
Rating: 3/5

Their competition has never been so irresistible
The last person Ellie McDermott wanted to run into after returning to her hometown is Finn Donovan, her high school nemesis and the guy she crossed the line from enemies to lovers with one night years ago. Now ex-military, tattooed, and still sexy as hell, Finn is a complication Ellie doesn’t need—she needs to concentrate on saving her family business.
Finn’s entire life, Ellie was there, going head-to-head with him in every class, bee, and test. So it’s no surprise she’d show up just as he was about to take over her father's struggling business. It is a surprise, though, that his attraction to her is even more explosive than it had been. Acting on their attraction is one thing, but Finn has to turn a profit to save his own family, and nothing—not even love—will get in his way.

Thoughts:

Finn Donovan returns from the military to his home town to take care of his mother and keep her out of the abusive hands of his father. Opening up a new funeral home in a small town where there is already an established home may not have been the smartest move, if he wasn't planning on buying out that business sooner then later. But when his high school enemy turned one-time lover, Ellie McDermott, returns to run her fathers failing business all of Finn's carefully laid out plans are derailed. Finn needs clients to support his new business and in turn take care of his  mother, while Ellie made a promise to her ill father, who also has medical bills to pay for, to keep that business running. Tempers rise, an old passion flares, and the deep-rooted competition between these two emerges anew. But can Finn and Ellie separate business from pleasure, and keep their hearts out of it? 

Her Summer with the Marine was a sweet story that follows the classic (fr)enemies turned lovers romantic trope. Finn and Ellie have a past rife with friendly competition but also new teenage attractions and romance, as well as misunderstandings and disappointments. The latter has caused Ellie to stay away from her hometown longer then she should have and it takes her fathers heart-breaking illness to make her return. Some aspects with definitely tug on your heartstrings but Her Summer with the Marine is also a humorous story with plenty of crazy antics you could imagine coming from a funeral home environment. If you were a childhood fan of Pretty Girl, you'll want to pick this book up. ☺ The healthy rivalry between Finn and Ellie for business is entertaining though the growing romance between them is very much a slow-building one which restrained my ability to connect with them as a couple as I would have liked. 

All in all though, Her Summer with the Marine was a sweet and spicy story from author, Susan Meier that flowed well and I enjoyed. I look forward to more stories from the Donovan brothers!