Review: Always on my mind by Jill Shalvis

Although I never tire of Shalvis' writing, I am getting tired of some characters..

Original Title: Always on My Mind

Series: Lucky Harbor #8

Author: Jill Shalvis

Publisher: Grand Central Publishing

Release Date: September 4th 2013

Source: Review copy from the publisher

Genre: Contemporary Romance

THERE'S NOTHING LIKE THE REAL THING

After dropping out of pastry school and messing up her big break on a reality cooking show, Leah Sullivan needs to accomplish something in her life. But when she returns home to Lucky Harbor, she finds herself distracted by her best friend, Jack Harper. In an effort to cheer up Jack's ailing mother, Dee, Leah tells a little fib - that she and Jack are more than just friends. Soon pretending to be hot-and-heavy with this hunky firefighter feels too real to handle . . .

No-strings attachments suit Jack just fine - perfect for keeping the risk of heartbreak away. But as Jack and Leah break every one of their "just friends" rules, he longs to turn their pretend relationship into something permanent. Do best friends know too much about each other to risk falling in love? Or will Jack and Leah discover something new about each other in a little town called Lucky Harbor?

REVIEW

Jack is a fire fighter trying to follow the steps of his heroic father.  Jack's mom, Dee, falls apart after Jack's father died and Jack wants nothing more than to see her old self back.  Because of Dee's sadness, her treatments fail to work.  When Dee worries to Jack's best friend forever, Leah, that her son is not settling down, Leah tells that she and Jack are together to cheer Dee up.  But, pretend relationship between Jack and Leah is not going to be easy for either of them, given their past..

I don't want to start off with Leah, I will get back to her later.

Jack is another of the perfect swoon-worthy creations of Shalvis.  His love for Leah is so romantic and adorable. His situation with his mom, his cousin, his job and most of all, Leah, is so complicated, that I sometimes feel the need to comfort him and say everything will be okay.  The guy is literally in life or death job and even when it is something he is so good at, it pains to know that he does all this to honor his father.

Jack's dog, Kevin, made me laugh a lot!  Kevin is one of the major reasons I love this book.

"Sit," Jack told him.
Kevin barked.  His bark was loud enough to pierce eardrums, and everyone in the room winced.
"Not bark," Jack said. "Sit."
Kevin offered a paw.
Jesus.  "Kevin.  Sit."
Kevin turned in three circles and plopped down to the floor, which shook like an earthquake under the one-hundred-and-fifty-plus pounds.

Awwwww, such a cutie..

Other than Jack and Leah, there are two other adorable couples and they are equally sweet..  We also see a little of some older characters like Lucille, Luke, Ali, Sawyer and Cloe and it's always a treat to them.

Well, back to Leah.  Let's say, I want to shake her well and tell her to really open her eyes.  Of course, I can't do that and so I became irritated, annoyed and finally, tired.  Come on, it's like there is her HEA shoved so hard at her face, but she ignores, complains that she doesn't get one and walks away?  Yeah, she can fill a man's tummy just so good, but that's not the reason she can be such an idiot.  In all of the Lucky Harbor novels, I had loved the heroines as much as the heroes.  As to Leah, I am just moving on..

Although the writing is as refreshing as always, I find the story is so old and repeated.

Recommended for contemporary romance readers, who loves Shalvis' writing!