Call Her Mine
by Melissa Foster
Harmony Pointe - Book 1
Publisher: Montlake Romance
Release Date: August 13, 2019
Reviewed by PJ
Ben Dalton has always been honest, except where his heart is concerned. He’s been in love with his best friend—saucy, smart-mouthed Aurelia Stark—forever. But Ben’s a planner, and timing has never been on his side. When he finally decides to make his move, Aurelia beats him to the punch with a move of her own—to a different town.
Aurelia loves her new life in the charming town of Harmony Pointe. She has a great apartment and her very own bookstore, and best of all, the sinfully hot, commitment-phobic friend she’s crushed on for years is no longer just around the corner. Maybe she’ll finally be able to leave her unrequited love behind and move on.
But when a baby is left on Ben’s front porch—a baby that is presumably his—Aurelia is there for him. Neither one knows the first thing about babies, but how hard can it be? Ben and Aurelia are catapulted into a world of love, laughter, and tracking down the baby mama, and it might even add up to a very happily ever after… just not one either of them expects.
My thoughts:
We all have our favorite romance tropes. Friends to Lovers is one of mine and Call Her Mine is an good example of why I never tire of it. Readers are treated to a fun, sexy, and surprisingly emotional journey between two people who have been best friends since childhood and who have always harbored (secret) romantic feelings toward each other but have never acted upon those feelings. For Ben, it's always been bad timing (face it, Ben's timing truly sucks as do his reasons for a series of one-night stands), and they both fear that taking their friendship to the next level by declaring their feelings could potentially ruin what is their most treasured relationship. And then Foster tosses a major monkey wrench into their lives that turns everything upside down, strips them down emotionally and all those feelings come pouring out. What happens next is sexy, flirty, and laugh-out-loud funny, with an unexpected emotional twist that had the tears flowing but an HEA I could believe in.
Ben and Aurelia are good people I liked and cheered for but their journey isn't without its issues. Ben has spent the past several years dropping his pants at the drop of a hat and his reasons for all that meaningless sex made me angry. Man's got some growing to do - which he does - but not without a few cringe-worthy moments in the process where I would not have blamed Aurelia one bit for walking. The strength of this relationship is definitely tested.
Foster guides them forward with all the hiccups, humor, and sigh-worthy moments one would expect when two life-long friends finally reveal, and accept, the romantic feelings the entire flippin' town has known they've carried for one another for years. She's created a strong family - and community - around them that adds texture and richness to the story. I adore Aurelia's grandmother as well as Ben's family and will be searching out the books that tell his sisters' stories. I'm also here for all of the Harmony Pointe stories that follow this one.
Do you enjoy friends to lovers romances?
Have you read any of Melissa Foster's books?
What's your favorite romance trope?
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Melissa Foster Author Interview
1) ”If a woman can’t find love in the quaint town of Harmony Pointe, it’s sure to find them…” —this is the tagline for your newest series Harmony Pointe. Tell us a bit about the town and these women who are finding love.
I love writing about close-knit small towns, where gossip is ripe, and embarrassing tales of youthful rascals abound. Harmony Pointe is nestled between Sweetwater and Port Hudson, New York, not far from the city. It offers grand views of mountains as far as the eye could see. Cobblestone streets, brick-front eclectic shops, and old-fashioned street lights add to the small town’s charm. Readers who are familiar with my Sugar Lake series will recognize Harmony Pointe as Derek Grant’s hometown.
2) What was the idea that sparked the beginning of the series?
I have been itching to write Ben Dalton and Aurelia Stark’s story since I first read about them in WILD BOYS AFTER DARK: LOGAN and BAD BOYS AFTER DARK: MICK (Billionaires After Dark series) and THE REAL THING (Sugar Lake series). Harmony Pointe is a Sugar Lake spin-off, and in the Sugar Lake series several of Ben’s siblings find love. It was finally Ben’s turn.
3) For longtime fans, can you tell us what this series has in common with your previous books? How is the series different from what you have written before?
Avid readers of my Love in Bloom series will have met Ben and Aurelia in several previous books and series. Their story is filled with humor and sexy times, and this one wallops the reader with an ugly-cry worthy punch. This family is very female centric, which is different than most of my other series. The exception is the Montgomerys, cousins to the Daltons, in which the males are also outnumbered. #GirlPower (Bradens & Mongtomerys series).
4) Why was it important that Ben and Aurelia launched this series in Call Her Mine?
Ben and Aurelia were too loud for me to ignore! They were finally ready to share.
5) There are friends-to-lovers romances and then there are Ben and Aurelia who are closer-than-close. Seriously, these two just about live in each other’s heads. What takes them so long to realize that they belong together?
Have you ever had a friend who you love so much that you can’t imagine life without them? I have. It instills a certain level of fear—what if you risk that friendship, lay your feelings on the line, and the other person doesn’t feel the same? True friends, the ones who “get” you, who accept you at your worst, bitchiest states, and at your best, are hard to come by. Risking the friendship is terrifying. I think this was the case for Ben and Aurelia—Plus there’s Ben and his damn planning...
I love writing about close-knit small towns, where gossip is ripe, and embarrassing tales of youthful rascals abound. Harmony Pointe is nestled between Sweetwater and Port Hudson, New York, not far from the city. It offers grand views of mountains as far as the eye could see. Cobblestone streets, brick-front eclectic shops, and old-fashioned street lights add to the small town’s charm. Readers who are familiar with my Sugar Lake series will recognize Harmony Pointe as Derek Grant’s hometown.
2) What was the idea that sparked the beginning of the series?
I have been itching to write Ben Dalton and Aurelia Stark’s story since I first read about them in WILD BOYS AFTER DARK: LOGAN and BAD BOYS AFTER DARK: MICK (Billionaires After Dark series) and THE REAL THING (Sugar Lake series). Harmony Pointe is a Sugar Lake spin-off, and in the Sugar Lake series several of Ben’s siblings find love. It was finally Ben’s turn.
3) For longtime fans, can you tell us what this series has in common with your previous books? How is the series different from what you have written before?
Avid readers of my Love in Bloom series will have met Ben and Aurelia in several previous books and series. Their story is filled with humor and sexy times, and this one wallops the reader with an ugly-cry worthy punch. This family is very female centric, which is different than most of my other series. The exception is the Montgomerys, cousins to the Daltons, in which the males are also outnumbered. #GirlPower (Bradens & Mongtomerys series).
4) Why was it important that Ben and Aurelia launched this series in Call Her Mine?
Ben and Aurelia were too loud for me to ignore! They were finally ready to share.
5) There are friends-to-lovers romances and then there are Ben and Aurelia who are closer-than-close. Seriously, these two just about live in each other’s heads. What takes them so long to realize that they belong together?
Have you ever had a friend who you love so much that you can’t imagine life without them? I have. It instills a certain level of fear—what if you risk that friendship, lay your feelings on the line, and the other person doesn’t feel the same? True friends, the ones who “get” you, who accept you at your worst, bitchiest states, and at your best, are hard to come by. Risking the friendship is terrifying. I think this was the case for Ben and Aurelia—Plus there’s Ben and his damn planning...
That man made me crazy.
I love him so hard!
6) When romance finally (finally!) is in the cards for these two, they have one very tiny situation that turns up—Ben’s previously unknown infant daughter. What was it like to create an insta-family for this pair?
It was so frigging fun I wish I could do it again! I loved every second of writing this book. I was able to strip Ben and Aurelia down to their most raw selves and emotions, and then watch as they found their new footings together. It was glorious.
7) While it is unfair to ask if you have a favorite hero, we’d love to know what makes Ben so special to you.
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes—arrogant, funny, introverted, brilliant, average, overly serious, etc. Ben is like the guy you see sitting at the end of a bar in a fine suit and think he’s probably taken, or at the least too refined to be fun. And then he opens his mouth and melts you, or makes you laugh, at every turn. He’s protective, but not in a bullying way. Don’t even get me started with that man holding a tiny baby, falling in love with her page after page. I’ve got goosebumps just thinking about it.
I love him so hard!
6) When romance finally (finally!) is in the cards for these two, they have one very tiny situation that turns up—Ben’s previously unknown infant daughter. What was it like to create an insta-family for this pair?
It was so frigging fun I wish I could do it again! I loved every second of writing this book. I was able to strip Ben and Aurelia down to their most raw selves and emotions, and then watch as they found their new footings together. It was glorious.
7) While it is unfair to ask if you have a favorite hero, we’d love to know what makes Ben so special to you.
Heroes come in all shapes and sizes—arrogant, funny, introverted, brilliant, average, overly serious, etc. Ben is like the guy you see sitting at the end of a bar in a fine suit and think he’s probably taken, or at the least too refined to be fun. And then he opens his mouth and melts you, or makes you laugh, at every turn. He’s protective, but not in a bullying way. Don’t even get me started with that man holding a tiny baby, falling in love with her page after page. I’ve got goosebumps just thinking about it.
Melissa Foster is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling and award-winning author of more than eighty books, including The Real Thing and Only for You (from her Sugar Lake series). Melissa and her books have been featured in USA Today, Hagerstown magazine, The Patriot, and more. Her novel River of Love has been optioned for film by Passionflix. Melissa also writes sweet romance under the name Addison Cole. When Melissa isn’t writing up a storm, she’s living her own happily ever after with her husband and a gaggle of grown children. For more news, information about her books, and to chat with her, visit Melissa at www.MelissaFoster.com.
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I've not read any of Melissa Foster's books. I can get into any well written romance trope but my favorite is a marriage of convenience.
ReplyDeleteI have read a couple of books b y Ms Foster. I do enjoy friends to lovers - I think it is more realistic than some other ideas I have read. In fact, I think the idea of friendship between two people is always a wonderful starting point.
ReplyDeleteI've read several of Ms. Foster's books. My favorite is second chances.
ReplyDeleteI have read a few of Melissa/Addison's books. I love friends to l o vets stories. Will be reading this one ! Enjoyed the interview post.
ReplyDeleteCarol Luciano
Lucky4750 at aol dot com