Good book about two people with different lives seeing past stereotypes to possibilities. Lexi returned to Royal when her fifteen-year marriage ended in divorce. Shortly after arriving, she got involved with her high school boyfriend; their romance rapidly progressing toward marriage. Then Brett broke their engagement the night before the wedding, putting Lexi right back in the middle of Royal's gossip chain. She now works as VP of Marketing for her father's bank, determined to bring his old-fashioned way of doing business into the twenty-first century. As such, she encouraged the bank's sponsorship of the upcoming Soiree on the Bay Arts Festival.

Jack is the owner of the construction company hired to build the stages and other structures at the festival site on Appaloosa Island. A self-made man, Jack moved to Royal eleven years earlier after his fiancée called off their wedding. He is a hands-on owner, most often found on-site working alongside his employees.

I loved the first meeting between Jack and Lexi. She flew to the island to check on the progress of the work and mistook Jack for one of his workers. Jack didn't correct the mistake until Ross Edmonds, one of the festival organizers, started commenting to Lexi about her divorce. Jack saw the effect it had on her and stepped in, claiming that he and Lexi were an item. After a bit of back-and-forth conversation, Lexi agrees to a date with Jack. Dinner at the exclusive Sheen restaurant gives them a chance to get to know each other. The sparks between them are off the charts, but they agree that neither is interested in anything serious. Dating and having fun together, however, are something both are up for.

I enjoyed seeing the relationship between Jack and Lexi develop. The attraction between them deepens and grows as each discovers the other is not what they expected. Far from being the snooty socialite Jack expected, Lexi is down-to-earth, friendly, and easy to like. Rather than the playboy Lexi had heard about, Jack is fun, easy-going, and caring. Lexi tends to see the worst in herself, blaming herself for things that went wrong in her relationships. Jack's admiration of her goes a long way toward changing the way she sees herself.

The more time Jack and Lexi spend together, the deeper their feelings grow. There are some terrific scenes of them together, having fun and fanning the flames between them. It doesn't take long for Jack to realize he's ready to give up his playboy ways for a future with Lexi. But Lexi's inability to trust her judgment after two failed relationships makes it difficult for her to believe that she's ready for something more. I ached for Jack when he didn't get the response he hoped for and for Lexi when she let her fears come between them. I liked her sister's pep talk and how it helped Lexi see the truth of her feelings. I loved the ending and seeing Lexi go after what she wanted.

The secondary characters were an essential part of the story. I was not too fond of Lexi's dad at first, especially given his history with Jack. It seemed that he was more concerned with prestige and appearances than in progress. But as the book went on, I saw a different side of him, and in the end, he turned out to be pretty wonderful. I also liked Jack's sister, Angie. She's protective of Jack, and she initially disapproved of his relationship with Lexi. However, I enjoyed the scene at Angie's birthday party as she and Lexi bonded over their divorces.

As for the overarching theme of the series, the Soiree on the Bay festival, the planning continues. In earlier books, there is a feeling that something isn't quite right. That suspicion continues here with an unexpected financial problem. I have an idea who is behind it and can't wait to see if I am right. ( )