I guessed the villain before the end, but I was ready for more Myles/Taylor interaction, so it didn’t bother me. There are some books where the murder mystery really drives the book forward – and there are other books where the characters drive the book forward, and the murder mystery is secondary. What about the murder mystery plot? Well, it felt a little low stakes. (Not all three words in the same scene, but definitely three words that are relevant for this book.) She always writes excellent steam, but this book kicks it up a notch. To me, this is the sexiest of all of Tessa Bailey’s books.

There is some side drama with his best friend (a famous movie star named Dante), and I’m hoping we get to see a Jude/Dante pairing in a future book. He is snarky and fun, but also deeply cares for his sister. Together, they are a great grumpy-sunshine pairing. He’s grumpy and tough, and honestly everything I would want a bounty hunter to be. Myles was drawn to Taylor for unknown reasons. Just sort of thrown down and told who is boss, you know? Is that so much to ask? But on the three occasions I’ve dated a man long enough to… to do… it, they insisted on treating me with respect in bed. On the other, I’d like to be manhandled once in a while. On one hand, I’d like a man who makes a good living and wants a family someday. As long as he doesn’t treat me like porcelain in bed.” Lord, it is incredibly satisfying to witness the smirk fade from his face. “I guess I wouldn’t mind the suit and socks and finance section type of man. This is a snippet from an earlier scene with Myles: Taylor is a sweet, caring person, and she just wants a man who can be her forever, while also turning her on. Enter Myles, a tattooed and gruff bounty hunter, brought in by the victim’s sister to solve the murder… if only he wasn’t distracted completely by Taylor’s charming ways.įirst, I loved the characters.

She has always been the safe and steady one, and when she discovers the rental house owner’s dead body in the laundry room, she decides that she wants to be brave and adventurous. The set-up: Careful, cautious second-grade teacher Taylor has saved for years to take a vacation in a resort town in Cape Cod with her brother. When she said she was writing a murder mystery romance, I knew that I’d be all-in. I love the banter and the steam – she has great dynamics between her main characters, and her books tend to be lighthearted and eminently enjoyable. I am admittedly a Tessa Bailey fan, especially her newer works.

A killer vacation book