Beyond Just Us
by Kimberly Kincaid
Publisher: Kimberly Kincaid
Release Date: May 19, 2020
Reviewed by PJ
Remington’s most cynical doctor is about to get upended by two little words: I do.
Tess Michaleson runs her ER like she runs her life—
no pretenses, no exceptions. As a single mother, she can’t afford anything less. As a woman who’s been burned by love? She can’t believe in anything more. Her son and her job are the center of her world. That’s all Tess needs.
Until Declan Riley falls into her arms…literally.
His tattoos and his Irish accent are enough to melt her panties. His diagnosis? That’s enough to break her heart.
But Tess can help him get the care he needs…
All she has to do is marry him.
Declan knows he should keep Tess at arm’s length.
What they have is temporary. Necessary. And he knows from experience just how dangerous getting close can be.
But the longer he’s around the smart, sexy doctor and her son, the more Declan realizes close isn’t enough.
He wants Tess. He wants it all.
Even if he has to do the one thing he swore he never would to have her.
PJ's Thoughts:
If you've been reading my reviews, you know by now how much I've enjoyed Kimberly Kincaid's Remington Medical contemporary romance series. Kincaid wraps up the series with Beyond Just Us, another sexy, steamy, emotional powder keg that kept me eagerly turning pages from start to finish.
I adored Tess and Declan together. If you've read any of the books in this series, you know single mom Tess is the smart-mouthed, no-nonsense, hard-working head of the Emergency Department at Remington Medical who always goes the extra mile for her patients. She's also finally divorced from her slime-bucket husband when her book opens and not looking to jump right back into another relationship. But, hey, a solid friendship and some burn-the-sheets sex with the gorgeous Irishman who falls at her feet is not out of the question. Especially when said Irishman ends up as her marriage of convenience husband.
It's easy to see how Tess falls for Declan because, boy howdy, I was right there with her. The guy cooks, cleans her condo, is wonderful with her infant son, respects her career, sets her body on fire, and protects and defends her from her critics. Not to mention, he's a romance novel cover model (Yum), Connor's (Between Me & You) good friend from the Air Force, and a really good guy. And then there's the Irish accent. ::sigh:: I want a Declan!
But it's not all fun and games for these two. Kincaid has set some pretty significant obstacles in the path of their relationship and she tackles them head on. Both Tess and Declan have serious emotional baggage to unpack. Tess has a whole lot of trust issues (not surprising, considering her marriage) as well as personal insecurities seeded by her family. Declan, on the other hand, is struggling with a life-changing health diagnosis that has taken away his career and, possibly, his future. I like that Kincaid guides them into friendship and partnership while moving their romantic relationship forward. And I love how the community of friends from the other books, all of whom have benefited from Tess's guidance, gather together to now help her and Declan. It's a wonderful conclusion to a wonderful series and has my enthusiastic recommendation.
The books in this series do not have to be read in order, however, the characters all appear in all of the books. If you wish to avoid relationship spoilers, I'd recommend starting with book one, Back to You: A Bad Boy Workplace Romance, and continuing to Better Than Me: A Friends to Lovers Workplace Romance, Between Me & You: An Enemies to Lovers Workplace Romance, and Beyond Just Us: A Single Parent Marriage of Convenience Romance.
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Because I love this series so much, I'm giving away a Kindle copy of one Remington Medical book (winner's choice) to a randomly selected person who comments on this post before 11:00 PM, May 20.
*Must be 18 or older
So, tell me, what's your favorite romance trope?
marriage of convenience I love the moment when they realize they've fallen in love.
ReplyDeleteYes! That's so delicious, isn't it?
DeleteContemporary or historical, second chance romances are my favorite!
ReplyDeleteAnother of my favorites!
DeleteI love all the emotional baggage that typically has to be addressed in a second chance romance.
DeleteI enjoy friends to lovers or enemies to lovers tropes.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite tropes are the wounded warrior and Beauty and the Beast, which can overlap. In a way, Beyond Just Us fits into the wounded warrior category. A serious diagnosis does change one's perspective and plans. We have dealt with two of them and reflection on how you have lived your life and how you want to proceed from there. Consideration of your partner's concerns and needs always (or should) factor into plans.
ReplyDeleteThank you for the review.
I love a good second chance book.
ReplyDeleteYou have given me quite a bit to consider. This story certainly sounds like an emotional journey with lots of wonderful ups and downs. Thank you for this review.
ReplyDeleteI hope everyone is safe and sound and taking care.
I love the friends to lovers trope, but really ANY good story with wonderful characters keeps me interested. I've never read any "medical" romances...maybe I should try this one out!
ReplyDeleteI love enemies to lovers.
ReplyDeletedenise
I love second chance tropes best - they are just so romantic! But I also like friends to lovers, beauty and the beast type stories, and romances with people who have a disability. Probably for me, the deal make or break is I have to have character development that deepens as the story continues and I have to have steam!
ReplyDeleteI, too, love friends to lovers relationships, though like your other readers, I can get caught up in almost any well-written love story. But I have to say, PJ, your review convinced me we all need a Declan!
ReplyDeleteFriends to lovers is my top closely followed by beauty and the beast
ReplyDeletePlease don't enter me as I already have a copy of the book. Marriage of convenience or fake relationship are my favorites with best friend's sibling next. I loved this story and it might be my favorite of the series. BTW, I already claimed Declan as my book boyfriend!!!
ReplyDeleteI love a marriage of convenience story! Two people agreeing to marry so they can have something they desire then falling in love and realizing they don't want the relationship to e nd.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite is marriage of convenience. It is often blended with friends to lover trope or the enemies to lovers trope.
ReplyDelete