Review: Pint of Contention by Susannah Nix

Rating: 3/5  PoP: 75%     King Family Book 3

Ryan McCafferty is part of the King family by marriage, not blood. However, the King family treats him as one of their own. George has a tendentious relationship with all of his children and Ryan is no exception. When Ryan learns a shocking reality from his biological family through George, it shifts his world view. Margaret Silvestri is good at her job, consulting with businesses to cut costs and increase efficiency. She travels where she is needed, for as long as she is needed but it is not a lifestyle that allows for great relationships to be cultivated. As she takes a job with King’s Creamery in the small town of Culter, Texas she plans to keep to herself because everyone is connected somehow. 

Ryan is a do-gooder by nature, he wants to help and decrease the harm others feel. He is a firefighter and member of the local Highland Games club. However, he has been letting what ifs dictate his future when Maggie moves in next door. Something about her makes him want to know her better. There is an undeniable attraction between the two and as they spend more time together under the disguise of mutual benefits, feelings develop. Ryan tries his hardest not to let his heart get involved. Eventually the dam breaks and both Maggie and Ryan have to confront the growing relationship. Ryan is such a sweet and caring guy that had a difficult and somewhat unstable childhood. He is the type of person that is friends with everyone and will go out of his way to help others but not always himself. 

Maggie has lived alone for so long she is not sure she could handle a relationship, but realizes her lifestyle is not satisfying without someone to share it. This book had all the elements of a good romance but for me something was missing. I felt like we did not get to know Maggie very well and the relationship with the characters was very slow. I wanted to see more of them having fun and learning things about each other. I did enjoy the last quarter of the book more than the beginning as they are an established couple and are learning to deal with things together. It sounds like Nate King’s story is next but I am most anticipating Joise’s.