One Night Charmer: A Copper Ridge Novel #4 by Maisey Yates
Rating: Good
Source: NetGalley
Description: Copper Ridge, Oregon's favorite bachelor is about to meet his match. If the devil wore flannel, he'd look like Ace Thompson. He's gruff. Opinionated. Infernally hot. The last person Sierra West wants to ask for a bartending job - not that she has a choice. Ever since she discovering that her "perfect" family is built on a lie, Sierra has been determined to make it on her own. Resisting her new boss should be easy when they're always bickering. Until one night, the squabbling stops... and something far more dangerous takes over. Ace has a personal policy against messing around with staff - or with spoiled rich girls. But there's a steel backbone beneath Sierra's silver-spoon upbringing. She's tougher than he thought, and so much more tempting. Enough to make him want to break all his rules, even if it means risking his heart... (From NetGalley)
Genre: Romance - Contemporary
Why I Picked This Book: I read a Christmas novella by her last year and really loved parts of it despite an ick part towards the end.
My Impression: Once again, I'm so confused! My streak is not great here at the moment. This is the 2nd book in 2 weeks that I'm confused about. Writing my thoughts on the book when I'm so royally confused about how I feel about the book is definitely a challenge so I'm thinking pros and cons list might make this a bit easier. It will definitely make this make more sense!
Cons:
Ace is an ass. Like if you were teaching a class on how to be an ass Ace would be exhibit A. Right from the start the way he treated Sierra made me cringe. He starts out calling her little girl and continues to do so even when she is very clear that she doesn't like it. He also thinks of her as "just a little thing" or "just a bouncy blonde" for far too long into their relationship. I understand some of it is a defense mechanism but it just came off as so demeaning.
This is just another part of Ace being an ass but his continual belief that Sierra is just like his ex-wife even when she consistently shows she isn't. I get that he got a raw deal and I get that Sierra does come from money and I can see some of the animosity on the first night (though he's still an ass) but after that when her purpose becomes clear I wanted to smack him.
Also, part of Ace being an ass is that he really sets Sierra up to fail. She's never done anything to him - they've never really even had a conversation until he basically spends an entire car ride insulting her. But when she comes to apologize which seems unnecessary because she needs the job he's even more insulting and keeps calling her little girl and kind of makes her put up with it. He also is absolutely no help in training her for the job and really keeps hoping she'll mess up big time.
Pros:
I like Sierra quite a bit. She's in a tough spot and is trying to do her best to stand up for what she believes in even though it means really doing things the hard way. She wants to show that she's intelligent and that she actually is good at the job she had and can be good at waiting tables too.
The emotions really felt real in the book and I really connected with that. I really connected with them as a couple and with how Sierra was feeling. I teared up a few times even.
I loved Ace's dealings with his family and friends and the development that occurs as Ace becomes possibly less of an ass. That gives me some hope for the HEA.
Overall:
Despite the fact that Ace needed a good slap in the face and possibly a time out to think about his behavior and the fact that it contained one of my least favorite plot devices I did really enjoy the book. I read the bulk of it in a day and really didn't want to put it down. I'm not sure how I feel about the author in general because this is the 2nd book I've read by her where I had some issues with the characters BUT the hints we get about what's going to happen in the next book with Sierra's brother means I'll probably be back for the next one.
Would I Read More of this Series/Author?: Yes. I want to read more about the West family and I'd like to go back and read Kate and Jack's story.
Would I Recommend this Book?: I would but cautiously. There are some issues that clearly irritated me but I was also really absorbed into the book. While this is the 4th book in the series it reads as standalone without any problem.
Oh my gosh, Ace sounds awful! I have really wanted to read more Copper Ridge books, but I think I'm totally passing on that. i get really annoyed when the hero of a novel takes out all his issues from a previous relationship on the heroine. Especially if he's being so mean.
ReplyDeleteI don't think I could deal with Ace. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteI want to slap Ace just after reading your review. Ugh. He sounds awful. Sierra can do better--even if he does change by the end. I am not sure about this one, even though you gave it a good rating. I'm not sure I could get past Ace's early behavior in the book.
ReplyDeletelol - The con is basically all about Ace being an ass. Too funny. I like grumpy and sometimes dickish hero's, but there's a thin line. And it also depends on how the heroine deals with it. This guy might bug me too.
ReplyDeleteSo a mixed reaction to this book! I hate it too when the male is so stuck in what he thinks he can't see the person for who she really is. But sounds like you are hooked enough to try the author again!
ReplyDeleteSounds messy, like life :) Says a lot that you look forward to the next book! Maybe I'll try Kate and Jack's story.
ReplyDeleteHe would be exhibit A..oh I love it Katherine. This sounds like a mixed read, but glad you enjoyed it for the most part asses aside :)
ReplyDeleteLOL oh my word yeah pretty much all of that. My review for it goes up tomorrow I think and oh man I may have railed on Ace. Holy cow that man. I'm glad I wasn't alone in that. heh
ReplyDeleteAce does not appeal! Sounds like the book does work to some extent as you want to read on.
ReplyDeleteGood review, Katherine. I've been on the fence about trying this author, but if you've run into two books in a row of hers that you had mixed feelings about, I think I'll hold off for now. It's not like I don't have a ton of other books to read!
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