The Real Thing

The Real Thing is the first book in a new series by Melissa Foster. This time I won't bother you by telling you how much I loved the secondary characters because this is getting old pretty fast. I feel like I am always repeating myself when it comes to Foster's books because I love them for the same reason. They are like different cakes, but with the same basic recipe. The author is able to keep the good elements in each book she writes, but each character and situation is different. This is why I love reading a book by Melissa Foster. I always know I will enjoy her books. I enjoyed The real thing. I was a little annoyed at Willow because she made it seem like Zane was the bad guy from all those years ago, while that wasn't the case. show more She is the one who moved on so quickly after their night together and I am not mad at Zane for acting like a man whore even though he loved Willow. Both of them moved on.

I also didn't mind the deception on Zane's part because he was trying to be with the woman he loved. There is one thing that pops into my mind vividly every time I think of his and Willow's fake engagement which makes me like him a little more. I would have liked to see him picking out the ring himself though. Overall the book was good and I had a good time reading it. I am looking forward towards reading Bridgette's book. show less

Remember that first time? The hopes, the dreams, the feelings! Remember how long that mood stayed with you? Willow Dalton tried to control it. She asked her friend Zane Walker to be her "first" & then forget about it. No special feelings involved, just one night. She screwed up though. She fell for him. He stopped texting and her heart was crushed. In every encounter after then, she's guarded her heart by being sassy & snarky towards him. Now he wants her to be his pretend fiancée to clean up his image. Can she keep herself safe through that? Can she keep up a lie to her family for that long?

Zane Walker is now a Hollywood leading man but he never forgot Willow. A perfect situation to reconnect with her dropped in his lap. A focus show more group said he needed to clean up his image & date someone nice. Zane took it a step further thinking that if he could get Willow to open up, he could express his feelings. He's been in love with her since that night years ago. His life feels empty. He has everything he's dreamed of except her. Can he get Willow to ignore his image as a playboy? Will she fall in love with him?

OMG, I love Zane! So many times, the girl falls in love & the guy wants a one nighter. Not in a book by Melissa Foster! She's flipped it around to Willow wanting the one night stand, Zane in love with her for years & both of them suffering for years. The characters are well defined & the reader is given a good look at the characters for the rest of the series. The Dalton's love to give each other crap but support each other through thick & thin. I loved the interaction between Willow & Remi when they first meet. I am not going to leave spoilers but I had to laugh! I can't wait for the next book! I would recommend this book to all contemporary romance lovers that like their stories with spice & heat. There is some dirty language & sex but that isn't the focus of the story. show less

I literary jumped at the opportunity to read a book by Melissa Foster that would be the first in a series. I have read some others by her, but I always got involved in the second or last book. It’s ok, just that I hadn’t had that feeling of knowing everything there is to know about the characters, be those main or not. So here I am, reviewing the first book of the “Sugar Lake” series.

Zane and Willow come together by means of a lie. Zane is back collecting on a favor he did for Willow in college, when she asked him to take her virginity. And how could he refuse her? She was his best friend’s sister, a pretty hot sister I might add. Now he’s back asking her a favor in return. Zane has become this big actor, hunting for a role show more in a romantic comedy and looking to clean up his reputation. The best way to do that is to show the media he is a serious guy, involved in a serious relationship, with a nice girl from a small town. But what to do when the lie becomes truth?

Willow has trusted Zane even since college, when she decided he was the one to offer her the lovely memories of the first night with a boy. Their invisible bond has always been there since that time and once they are united again, sparks become full flames. Still, when Zane realizes she is the one for him, he must fight for her trust with all his weapons. There are issues no be solved between them, she is not willing to leave her bakery, he has a successful career in Los Angeles. The way they connect, their interaction, this is what kept me reading this book until the end.

This was a quick read for me. I didn’t even know when time flew by. I was right there with the characters, I suffered with them and felt the butterflies again. I am giving this book 5 stars with all the love of reading! And this is my favorite, out of all of Melissa Foster’s series. I think the writing for this one is really amazing! Please give it a go if you are a Romance addict like me! show less

Melissa Foster has created a hit with her latest book ‘The Real Thing’. This is the first book in the new ‘Sugar Lake ‘series. I wholeheartedly enjoyed this sweet contemporary second chance romance. I love these type of stories, so I was eager to dive into this book, and I am glad I did. It was everything I expected and more.

What the story is about.
In ‘The Real Thing’ introduces us to Willow Dalton, the owner of Sweetie Pie Bakery, and Hollywood actor Zane Walker. Zane and Willows’ relationship has been a complicated one, which went as far back as their high school years. For Willow, Zane was the one man she never got over and it did not help to know he was the one she gave her V card.

Zane has returned to Sweetwater to show more film his latest movie, a romantic suspense, which is very different from the gritty action movies he usually stars. To prove that he could be a romantic hero he had to clean up his playboy image, and this involved being in a steady relationship. To accomplish this task, he approached the one woman he believed he could trust with such a task. He convinced Willow to act his fiancée for the time he would be in Sweetwater filming. Will they be able to maintain the pretence, or will their fake relationship become the real thing?

Willow is one of those characters you will love but at times find her actions frustrating. I did not agree with her behaviour towards Zane over the years when she was the one who had made the rules regarding their relationship the night when she gave up her virginity. She made the rules so why be upset when he did what she wanted? In spite of I enjoyed the role she played in the story. She displayed a level of strength and bravery, but when it came to Zane, she struggled with insecurities. Doubts and insecurities clouded her judgement, and she believed every emotion displayed by Zane was an act.
I could totally see myself with a guy like Zane minus the paparazzi of course. A hunky and famous movie star who cared about others. The way he treated Willow and her family was a testament to his caring nature. Zane thought his current file would provide with his biggest role to date. However, he would come to realise that his biggest role would be convincing Willow that what he felt for her was the real thing. Along the way, he would discover his purpose.
It was good to see them work at resolving the issues from their past and coming to terms with the mistakes they made. Dealing with those issues makes it easy for them to handle their romance on a mature level.
I loved the secondary characters. They helped to make things interesting. The information provided whetted my appetite and I am eager to see what Ms. Foster has in store for them.
I enjoyed the romance, which was hot and sweet. I liked that this was not an instant connection. Their feelings for each other have been building over the years and it only grew stronger as time went by. There were a lot of swoon worthy moments. Family and friendships featured strongly in this book, which came as no surprise. If you are familiar with author’s contemporary romance, you will understand what I mean.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Overall, I enjoyed this installment. I am looking forward to the next book, which centres on one of Willow’s sisters. I would recommend this to fans of sweet romances and second chances. show less

The Real Thing was a "sweet" story. Haha... lame pun that anyone who read the back of the book can come up with. Really those this book was smoking hot. With some unexpected heart melting romance. Zane comes across as a playboy actor and he is just is very confident in that sexy way. Willow is like the girl we all want to be in our early twenties. She is confident in herself with her job and around her friends and family of the town. She is amusing, and realistic. Her problem is that she has always been in love with her first love, its always there and hard to forget. So when Zane, who has been her best friend for years, propositions her with a crazy plan for his reputation... (but is it...)

Melissa Foster has created some very good show more characters with this book. I would say that it was a great solo book even, but I am more excited that it is part of a series. The whole family, that could use some hooking up, are full of very different characters that have different personalities, but seem loveable that you want to see the whole gangs stories unfold. show less

4.4 stars

This author has been on my TBR list forever. She always has been highly recommended but for some reason I never took the chance on her books. That was a mistake. Stellar story, writing skills, and a solid story made for a great book.

I only had one real issue and that was in how the "issue" of a past decision was handled. I appreciated how Zane wanted to make it disappear or take the heat off Willow, but that was beyond silly.

Fiery arguments, arrogant jerks and naughty thoughts, do not a relationship make. What happens when the guy of your fantasies needs a favor? A decadent game of hearts. Zane and Willow are a mess. He's the jerk that broke her heart and makes her temperature rise. She's the woman that adds spice to his life and makes his heart rejoice. The Real Thing has all the ingredients to deliver a box office hit. Heat and sweet meet to create a deliciously tasty treat.