Unexpected Eva by V.H. Nicolson
Unexpected Eva by V.H. Nicolson is a super spicy age-gap romance with big feels.
This book will leave you with big feels and falling in love with a swoony hero.
This was my introduction to V.H. Nicolson as an author, and it happens to be her third published book. I have some mixed feelings on this title.
The protagonist, Knox, owns a hotel resort in the charming Scottish town of Castle Cove. He became a father to his son, Lincoln, when he was just 17 years old. Since then, Knox has been raising Lincoln on his own while learning the ropes of the family hotel business. Knox exudes an air of mystery.
Eva Wallace, a single mother to her sons Hamish and Archie. She is technically still married but separated from her alcoholic and abusive husband, Ewan. She is 14 years younger than Knox and works alongside her siblings, running a dance studio. Eva is diligent and self-reliant, always putting her family first but reluctant to seek assistance.
Knox emerges as the first person in Eva’s life to prioritize her needs. They decide to keep their relationship a secret from their families, which leads to complications along the way. Knox’s son develops a crush on Eva, and their hidden romance becomes a pivotal point in the third act.
This book is filled with passionate encounters and intense chemistry between Knox and Eva. There are scenes beyond the bedroom. Knox is known for his seductive language. While it takes Knox some time to express his emotions and commitment verbally, he demonstrates his affection through actions and his genuine care for Eva and her children.
The first half of the book focuses heavily on sensuality but lacks momentum in terms of plot development. This creates pacing issues. In the final third of the story, particularly during the third act break, the author introduces time jumps. Although the pacing becomes uneven at times, certain events are mentioned as significant, yet the author fails to provide detailed scenes for those occurrences, instead breezing past them.
Moreover, I find the resolution of Eva’s family dynamics unsatisfying. Despite everything that unfolds, I still harbor frustration towards her family. In essence, they bear responsibility for the fourth act’s breakup and needed to show more remorse and make amends.
I will absolutely give this author another try. It was an enjoyable read it just has some pieces I wish it didn’t or the author has edited out some of the extra unneeded stuff.
