Smoke and Mirrors
by M. Mabie
Smoke and Mirrors is LIVE, 99¢, and FREE in KindleUnlimited!
Blurb
My best laid plans had backfired. I’d thought by putting miles between myself and my first love that she’d be free to live whatever life she’d wanted, but when I came back from serving my country and Faith was raising her little girl alone, it was time to make new plans. In eight years, not a single day had passed when she wasn’t on my mind, and not a night went by when I didn’t miss her. She was fierce and stunning and didn’t need a man in her life, but when the time came—and she wanted one—the line would start behind me.
Like smoke, I’d let her slip through my fingers once, but I’d never forgive the man in the mirror if I let it happen again. She was the fire inside me that would never burn out.
My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
Mrs. Downing, now isn’t a good time to flirt with me. They’re going to think you have a head injury.
He licked his fork clean and then stuck the plastic handle in the front pocket of his denim overalls. He patted the disposable silverware and said to me, “I’ll need this for dessert.”
I’ve got baggage. Luggage, really. Tons of it.
I sent them a pic of you cleaning out Darrell’s gutters… Oh, come on. You took your shirt off twenty feet away from my window. Girl code mandates sending a picture to my best friends.
Son, the inside of this house is like its heart, and it’s beautiful. But the front porch is the face and it looks like a divorcee who needs night cream.
“I think she’s poopin’. She’s been in the bathroom for a long time.” There was some rustling around on the other end, and then she bellowed. “Mom, are you still poopin’? Aaron’s on the phone… I’ll talk to you until she’s done. Sometimes it takes a while.” Again she shouted at her mother. “Do you need some toilet paper?”
It’s funny how a moment can be so big that you worry it won’t fit in your heart, but then you feel your insides swell and it finds a place.
My Review:
Smoke and Mirrors was a comfortable, pleasant, and easy read populated with adorable, endearing, quirky, and lovable characters. The premise was realistic, easy to follow, and relevant while the characters were common, small-town, everyday working-class people, who were uncommonly good and exceptionally appealing. I relished this sweet couple and Ms. Mabie’s engaging dual POV narrative from start to finish. Add in a precocious, feisty, and precious four-year-old then blend it all together with wit, cunning insights, smirk-inducing levity, a sweet and steamy love story, and clever writing, and you have a delightful and entertaining book to cherish and enjoy. I didn’t notice how ingenious the title was until I made the connection of Aaron, the male protagonist, being a fireman. A kind, thoughtful, sweet, and sexy fireman. I fell in love with him right away and he just kept getting better and better. I hope Ms. Mabie continues this charming and breezy series in perpetuity; after all, she has an entire town to pick and choose from.
Empress DJ
If you haven't yet started the City Limits series of Standalone, you can find them on KU.
Roots and Wings(City Limits, #1 - Standalone) bit.ly/CityLimits1
Sunshine and Rain (City Limits, #2 - Standalone) bit.ly/2CityLimits
M. Mabie is the writer who made thousands of readers hate to love (and love to hate) the angst-filled contemporary romance, Bait.
She lives in Illinois with her husband. She writes unconventional love stories and tries to embody "real-life romance." She cares about politics, but will not discuss them in public. She uses the same fork at every meal, watches Wayne's World while cleaning, and lets her dog sleep on her head. She has always been a writer. In fact, she was born with a pen in her hand, which almost never happens. Almost. M. Mabie usually doesn't speak in third-person. She promises. www.MMabie.com
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