Kiss Me That Way by Laura Trentham – a Review

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Description:
A river divides Cottonbloom in two: the upscale enclave on the Mississippi side and the rundown, rough and tumble side in Louisiana. They’re worlds apart—but nothing can build a bridge like love…

Cade Fournette never had it easy Cottonbloom. He stuck around long enough to raise his orphaned siblings and then hightailed it out West—and never looked back. Even though he’s made a success of himself in Seattle, Cade never lost the toughness and the angry edge that helped him survive down South. His only weak spot: the girl he left behind…

Monroe Kirby came from the wealthy side of town, but that didn’t protect her from her mother’s drinking—or her mother’s boyfriend. It was Cade who did that, on a long-ago hot September night, before he disappeared…along with a piece of her heart. Now Monroe is a physical therapist who can fight for herself, and it’s Cade who could use some conditioning when he makes an unexpected return back home. Will he and Monroe pick up where they left off and finally explore their mutual passion—or will the scars and secrets of the past divide them once more?

Review:

Kiss Me That Way by Laura Trentham is the first book in her new Cottonbloom series.  This is also the first book I have read by Trentham, and after reading this, it will not be my last.

Monroe Kirby is our heroine and you will love her from the start.  We get a glimpse at the beginning of the past of Monroe when she was 13 years old, as her mother’s drunken boyfriend tries to rape her.  She managed to escape into the woods, and ran into Cade Fournette, an older & tough young boy from the other side of the tracks.  Cade protected her, and managed to watch over her from a distance for many years, until he left Cottonbloom. 

Now in the present time,  Cade has returned home to recover from a serious injury.  Monroe is now a physical  therapist, and is surprised to see Cade after all these years.   She never knew why he left town, and can feel her attraction to him still stands after all these years.  Cade looked at Monroe as a kid; someone he wanted to protect, but never had any romantic feelings. But now she is a beautiful young woman all grown up.

What follows is a slow build romance that will find Monroe helping him recover, and Cade slowly beginning to have feelings for her. Cade has a successful business in Seattle and has every intention of returning there when he recovers.  He doesn’t want to act on his newfound feelings for Monroe because he would hurt her.  Cade has had a hard childhood, and doesn’t believe in permanent relationships.  Will Monroe be able to convince Cade to stay, now that they have begun to act on their feelings? 

This was a fun story, with many characters in this small town of Cottonbloom.  I loved Monroe’s best friend Regan;  Cade’s sister Tally.  I also liked Sawyer, who is Cade’s brother, who I suspect will have his own story with Regan in the future.  Monroe and Cade made a wonderful sexy couple, but I did get annoyed at him with his stubborn refusal to accept how much he was falling in love with Monroe.

Laura Trentham not only created a nice fun sweet romance in a small town, with great secondary characters; but she also touched on subjects such as,  physical abuse and self defense for teens, which Monroe teaches in her spare time.  If you are a fan of pure romances, that are also fun,  I suggest you read this book. 

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher