*REVIEW* Jill Shalvis's It Had to Be You

Today I'm reviewing one of my most highly anticipated books of this year. Now, if you've been around my blog at all, you probably would've noticed that Jill Shalvis is one of my absolute favorite authors. And her Lucky Harbor series? Well, I just can't say enough about it. I cannot recommend her or this series enough...so before I start gushing uncontrollably, let's just get straight to the review, shall we?

Oh, and a little teaser graphic I was inspired to whip up...

*Spoiler-Free* REVIEW: It Had to Be You by Jill Shalvis
Published On: May 28th, 2013

*DISCLOSURE: ARC was provided in exchange for a fair and honest review

It Had to Be You
by Jill Shalvis
Publication Date: May 28th, 2013

Synopsis:
Ali Winters is not having a good day. Her boyfriend left her, everyone in town thinks she’s a thief, and now she’s about to be kicked out of her home. Her only shot at keeping a roof over her head and clearing her name is to beg for help from a police detective who’s as sexy as he is stern…. 

After a high-profile case goes wrong, Luke Hanover returns to his hometown for some peace and quiet. Instead he finds a bombshell brunette in a heap of trouble. As he helps Ali put her world back together, the pieces of Luke’s own life finally seem to fall into place. Is this the start of a sizzling fling? Or are Luke and Ali on the brink of something big in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

My Thoughts:

Detective lieutenant Luke Hanover hasn't been back in Lucky Harbor since his grandma's death 10 long years ago. Looking for nothing more than to be alone and to escape the crushing guilt of a investigation case gone wrong he finds himself returning to the town he once called home. His intention is to steer clear of everyone, make no attachments. That way he won't have anyone to disappoint. He might have succeeded except for the sexy stranger he finds standing in his grandma's kitchen...wearing nothing but her underwear, yelling at her ex over the phone.

Ali Winters has never caught a break in her whole life. Growing up with a crazy and perpetually optimistic (and often broke) mom and sister, Ali became the steady one: their rock. But now, dumped by her cheating ex via text and left homeless on top of that, she has to wonder what else could go wrong in her life.

Enter Luke Hanover who makes her feel anything but steady.

Soon Luke gets caught up in Ali's whirlwind of a life (including the accusation of her theft of $50k), her body, and eventually her heart. He gets sucked into the exact thing he tried to resist, forming an attachment to someone else he feels he is determined to disappoint and he fights it tooth and nail.

Ali, meanwhile, is determined, just this once, to have a little harmless fun and not give all of herself, protecting herself from heartbreak.

She loved the way he seemed to tremble when he touched her. Or maybe that was her doing the trembling from the feel of his palms searing her skin. He had a way of driving every thought from her head. Everything except for need.

And right then, in that moment, the only thing she needed was him.

The Final Verdict:

Once again, Jill Shalvis has struck gold in Lucky Harbor. Creating lovable, yet realistically flawed characters, Shalvis sucks you in and makes you wish that you could pack up and move to this fictional town. There, much like Luke and Ali, you could be able to find a little bit of love, a whole lot of friendship, and you may just also be able to discover yourself along the way. Jam packed with humor and heartwarming moments this was a beautiful story of hope, redemption, and learning that sometimes it's okay to let yourself depend upon someone else.

Rating:

About the Author: 
New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky animals. Any resemblance to the quirky animals in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold and visit her website at www.jillshalvis.com for a completely booklist and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.

Where to purchase & learn more:
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Add on Goodreads | Jill's Blog | Jill's Twitter

all the best, dear readers!