Southern Sinner by Jessica Peterson

Off on a post retirement celebration Hank finds himself in Vegas at the same time as feisty successful Stevie is in Vegas celebrating her divorce and very big professional accomplishment.  The two meet at a blackjack table and Hank is enamored from the word go!  Stevie’s character has an amazing confidence that you could feel was hard earned.  And every interaction she had with Hank left me wanting more and more of her!  Generally in books I don’t always connect with the heroine but Jessica delivered on Stevie.  She was confident, knowledgeable and feisty, but also so approachable. She felt real. 

As for Hank After Southern Hotshot I wasn’t sure how I was going to feel about him.   After the way he left things with Samuel and Emma he was going to have to redeem himself.  But I fell and I fell HARD.  He was so kind, caring and so considerate.  Jessica really showed readers his love of taking care of people, often to the detriment of himself. He loves his family more than anything, and dreams of being a family man.  

Stevie and Hank decide to spend time together in Vegas but he just cannot let her go.  He is drawn to her like no other woman before.  I will say, it was fun to watch Hank fall for such a strong and successful woman.  I also loved these characters’ easy banter, it was clear that they had a strong connection that was not all sexual.  But that doesn’t mean that there were lots of spicy scenes, because Jessica is a master at those.  And they were HOT.  So stinkin hot!  

Because he adores his family so much he needs to prove he is over Emma so Hank asks Stevie to be his fake girlfriend.  And how this played out was so fun to read and how their budding romance grew was engaging.  Hank took a backseat and was never afraid to stand behind Stevie and let her shine.  He saw her strength and wanted nothing more than to stand back and watch her succeed.    

I think that this book is a MUST read, and the entire series is stellar! Once again, I put Asheville, NC on the top of my to visit list!!!  I am so looking forward to Rhett’s book!!!

Thank you Jessica Peterson and Valentine PR for an advance reader copy of this book! I adored it!