I received this book for free from the TLC Book Tours in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Series: From Manhattan With Love #2
Published by HQN Books on August 30, 2016
Genres: Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Pages: 384
Format: eBook
Source: TLC Book Tours
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In the chaos of New York, true love can be hard to find, even when it's been right under your nose all along…
Love has never been a priority for garden designer Frankie Cole. After witnessing the fallout of her parents' divorce, she's seen the devastation an overload of emotion can cause. The only man she feels comfortable with is her friend Matt—but that's strictly platonic. If only she found it easier to ignore the way he makes her heart race…
Matt Walker has loved Frankie for years but, sensing how fragile she is beneath her feisty exterior, has always played it cool. But then he uncovers new depths to the girl he's known forever and doesn't want to wait a moment longer. He knows Frankie has secrets and has buried them deep, but can Matt persuade her to trust him with her heart and kiss him under the Manhattan sunset?
Sunset In Central Park is the second book in the From Manhattan With Love series, and even though I haven’t read book one or any other book by Sarah Morgan, I really enjoyed this book and the author’s writing style. This is really a friends to lovers book at its heart, and its also a slow burn before things start to happen somewhat quickly.
Frankie Cole is a commitment-phobe who’s never dated anyone seriously, due in large part due to the nasty breakup her mother went through with her philandering father when Frankie was a teenager. Her mom did a 180 and has become a serial dater of younger men ever since the divorce (and earning her daughter a bad reputation by association on their small island), and she’s quite hard on her daughter’s celibate ways. Frankie’s had a few disastrous relationships with men that were very wrong for her, so she’s sworn off men altogether to focus on her career as a horticulturist and to read as many books as she can while living a quiet, anonymous life in New York City. She’s found quite a bit of success running Urban Genie, an event planning company that plans just about everything with her two best friends Eva and Paige, so Frankie’s just fine closing herself off emotionally to most people except her best friends. But then Paige’s older brother Matt starts hinting that he wants more than a friendship with Frankie…
Matt Walker is a successful landscaping business owner, getting his hands dirty while planning and carrying out beautiful urban landscapes all over the east coast. He’s known Frankie for twenty years, and he thinks he knows all of her baggage and hang ups–but that doesn’t keep him from liking her all the same. He’s patient, kind, friendly, and persistent, and he has his work cut out for him when Frankie comes to help him out during the summer on a rooftop urban garden project that then turns into another project when she reluctantly returns to their home island with him. Frankie is skittish when it comes to relationships–she’s convinced that they all end badly no matter what–so Matt has to convince her that he’s in it for the long haul, and she’s not just some fling.
I give Sunset In Central Park a four out of five. This romance started out a bit slowly as Matt and Frankie really felt their boundaries and friendship out, and it’s when Frankie started to come out of her shell that her character really grew on me the most. She was a bit repetitive in the beginning about her hangups, even though her friends already knew her story with her parents for the most part since they’d grown up together. The characters were very likable and fun, with the New York City backdrop and the island setting painting a nice picture throughout. This was a fun, quick read where two friends explored their feelings for each other. Sarah Morgan’s writing was clear, concise, and easy to read. I’m definitely open to reading more from Sarah Morgan in the future. Even though this was the second installment in this series, Sunset In Central Park can be read as a stand alone novel.
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About Sarah Morgan
USA Today bestselling author Sarah Morgan writes hot, happy contemporary romance and her trademark humour and sensuality have gained her fans across the globe. Described as ‘a magician with words’ by RT Book Reviews, she has sold over 14 million copies of her books. She has been nominated four years in succession for the prestigious RITA© Award from the Romance Writers of America and won the award twice; in 2012 for her book ‘Doukakis’s Apprentice’ and 2013 for ‘A Night of No Return’. She also won the RT Reviewers’ Choice Award in 2012 and has made numerous appearances in their ‘Top Pick’ slot.
As a child Sarah dreamed of being a writer and although she took a few interesting detours along the way, she is now living that dream.
Sarah lives near London with her husband and children, and when she isn’t reading or writing she loves being outdoors, preferably on vacation so she can forget the house needs tidying.
Connect with Sarah Morgan
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I’m glad you enjoyed this one and that you’ll be looking for more from this author! Thanks for being a part of the tour.
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