Small Town, Big Secrets by Elsie Davis – a Review

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Description:
To save her son, shy but determined waitress Becky McAllister would do just about anything. But she never expected “anything” to include the brother of the man who broke her heart.

Steve Parker needs a wife, now, if he has any hopes of winning his local DA election and becoming the advocate for the underserved he’s always dreamed of being. The sweet waitress seems like just the person—if he can get her to agree.

One year of marriage—no strings, no personal attachments. Becky gets the insurance funds she needs for her son’s surgery while Steve’s poll ratings soar. Neither planned on a commitment in their future, so they should have no problem making it through the year without getting emotionally involved, right?

Except Becky’s holding on to a secret from her past—one that would change everything.

Review:

I quite enjoyed Small Town, Big Secrets by Elsie Davis.  It’s a quick read with a good pace of storytelling.  Both Becky and Steve, even though they come from different sides of the tracks, wind up really complimenting each other.  They brought a nice balance to each other’s live and the story. I was really happy to see that Steve was nothing like his brother Jack.  These two are complete opposites and his brother is a complete jackass, for lack of a better word.  Even though the story is about Becky and Steve I found that Becky’s son Byron just stole the show every time he was in a scene.  Byron is one of those characters you wind up adoring from the instant you meet him. We learn that Byron is really Jack’s son, but no one has ever learned the truth because Mr. Jackass has blackmailed poor Becky into keeping the secret of Byron’s paternity.  However, the moment he and Steve meet, you see that instant connection.  Steve has his suspicions but doesn’t push Becky for answers right away and this allows for him and Bryon to really bond and get to know each other.  Their relationship is so stinking cute you can’t help but root for Steve to win over Becky in the end. 

Steve and Becky’s road to happiness doesn’t happen over night. I liked that Ms. Davis keeps these characters real and makes them deal with real problems and fears going down the path they decided upon to help each other out. Both Steve and Becky make a deal to pretend to be in love for the benefits that a deal like this can be for both of them, not realizing that they would really develop feelings and fall in love for each other.  Yes there was some angst, drama, and bumps in the road for our couple along the way, but in the end Ms. Davis somehow managed to tie it all together in a sweet and charming way that only Steve could pull off, and deliver that HEA they all deserve including Byron. 

If you like the small town story-line theme, with solid characters and storytelling then this one’s for you.  Just grab your favourite cup of tea or glass of wine and settle in outside on a beautiful day and enjoy the adventure that is Becky and Steve. 

Until next time, happy reading everyone!

Reviewed by Marcie

Copy provided by Publisher