Review: Met Her Match

Met Her Match by Jude Deveraux
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Picking up a romance from a familiar author is one of the best feelings. It has been a while since I last read anything from Ms. Deveraux. Coming back to her with this book is a treat. When it comes to romance, Ms. Deveraux creates a perfect blend of yearning, conflict and sexual chemistry. I loved this book. I really love Terri. Terri is the kind of friend that everyone can only hope to have. She gave up her dreams to help her dad out. In some ways, she allows the town to place an albatross upon her very strong shoulders. Even the strongest can break with enough pressure.

Terri is a strong woman who is living life to the fullest given her family constraints. She is the fix it all person for her dad's summer cottages. The people in the "outskirts" of Summer Hill love her. They know she is a straight shooter and can be depended upon. When a man is tossed into her way, she is taken off guard. Fighting an unjust reputation, Terri has to mind her Ps and Qs more than any other person. What I found most heinous about this story is the small minded pettiness coming from other women. Second is the cluelessness and enablement men allowed to degrade and marginalize Terri. I was so angry. I wanted them all to be shown up. Luckily for Terri, the man she doesn't want… Nate, is the man for this job.

Nate's background is interesting. He comes with his own baggage and it is funny because his baggage is what causes the conflict. Luckily for him, his uncle knows better and steers him in the right direction with some underhanded maneuvering. What I love about Nate is his sense of right and wrong. He owns up when he makes a mistake and he wants to champion those who have been unjustly cast in a bad light. His determination to go after what he wants is both a strength and weakness. Weakness because sometimes he doesn't really understand what he wants and ends up with a mess on his hands. Such is the case of his engagement.

The chemistry between Nate and Terri is fantastic. I think it is best captured when the duo work seamlessly to save a drowning person. That scene explains so much and gives a reader a pleasurable warm fuzzy feeling. There are a couple of collateral damages which makes this story more realistic. It is not always a win-win situation. There are consequences to actions and the consequences may hurt innocents. Terri and Nate know this first hand and almost sacrifice their happiness to avoid hurting others. I love them more for it.

This contemporary romance is heartwarming and recommended to all readers who love a happily ever after.

*provided by NetGalley