Flirting With The Beast by Jane Porter – a Review

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Description:
It’s been five years since Andi McDermott lost her husband, and she’s finally starting to feel like herself again, ready to live fully–she’s even started dating again. But when her holiday plans with her stepson and his fianc�e fall through, she refuses to spend another Christmas alone while everyone is celebrating with their families. Impulsively, she decides to go up to her cabin in Lake Arrowhead, a place she used to love to visit but hadn’t gone to in years, not since the feud started between her husband and their nearest neighbor.

Andi starts to rethink her decision when being alone at the cabin proves to be more challenging than she expected–a heavy snowstorm hits the area, and Andi finds herself trapped there with no one to help except for her neighbor, Wolf Enders. A military vet who lives full-time on Lake Arrowhead, Wolf is as grumpy and intimidating as Andi remembers. But he’s also unexpectedly kind and uncomfortably sexy–his presence reminds Andi that she may be older, but her body still works perfectly fine, thank you very much. But can this good girl tame this sexy beast of a man, and will this snowy fling turn into a love of a lifetime?

Review:

Flirting with the Beast by Jane Porter is the second book in her Modern Love series.  We meet our heroine, Andi McDermott from the start, when she is preparing a Christmas dinner for her stepson and his fiancée.  Andi lost her husband 5 years ago, and now she is slowly starting to live again, including dating.  When her stepson cancels in the last minute, Andi is devastated, and decides to go to her cabin in Lake Arrowhead, which she hasn’t been in years.

Andi runs into her neighbor, Wolf Enders, who had a feud with her husband in the past.  When a major snow storm hits, she loses power, and Wolf invites her to come to his cabin to have dinner and even stay until power returns, he also has a dog, Jax, who will slowly get used to Andi.  In a short time, Andi begins to see Wolf in a different light, with the chemistry between them sizzling, they start an affair. Wolf is a loner, having been in the military for a long time, and early on, he comes comes across as rough & tough, but he finds himself enamored with Andi; as she is to him.   What I really liked about this romance, was that both Andi and Wolf were older characters, both close to 60; but they were awesome together.

Where Andi has no children, with the exception of her stepson, whom she rarely sees; Wolf is divorced, with two sons (a third son died tragically in the military), and his grieving daughter in law, Lindsay, who has a 4-year-old son, Charlie.  Wolf’s ex-wife hates him, and Lindsay isn’t happy staying with her mother-in-law, and decides to move in with Wolf.  Quickly, Andi and Lindsay become friends, with Andi helping her move on. I really loved how close they became, and Charlie was the cutest and fun child.

This is not only a romance, but the story was very emotional, with a number of obstacles along the way, including issues such as mental health, depression, grief, therapy, loss of beloved family members, and taking care of a child.   The last ¼ of the book had me not happy with Wolf, as his behavior was not good, with lots of drama.  Will they end up together?

Flirting With the Beast was a wonderful story, that was also emotional and intense at times.  I loved most of these great characters that Jane Porter created, which was also very well written by Porter.  I totally suggest you read Flirting with the Beast.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher