RUINING MR. PERFECT (The McCauley Brothers #3) by Marie Harte-Review and Excerpt
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 7, 2014
It’s Not Easy Being Right…
Vanessa Campbell is a CPA by day and a perfectionist by night. She’s fit, successful…and decidedly lonely. She can’t stop thinking about the youngest McCauley brother, Cameron. He’s just like her: smart, attractive, and usually right—except when dealing with her.
But Someone’s Got To Do It.
Cameron McCauley likes Vanessa a little too well. She’s a blond goddess with a razor-sharp tongue. She hates to be wrong, just like him. But she can hold a grudge and is stubborn to a fault—also like him.
A past misunderstanding has them rubbing each other the wrong way. Cam is dying to shake Vanessa up—get her to let loose. But if he succeeds, can his heart handle it?
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REVIEW: RUINING MR. PERFECT is the third instalment in Marie Harte’s contemporary, adult The McCauley Brothers romance series focusing on the tight knit McCauley family. This is financial advisor Cameron McCauley and CPA Vanessa Campbell’s storyline-two perfectionist people who can never be wrong. While their little idiosyncrasies and expectations bother everyone else, Vanessa and Cameron discover they are more alike then they could have imagined. RUINING MR. PERFECT can be read as a stand alone without too much difficulty although I suggest reading in order. Any pertinent information from the previous storylines is revealed when necessary.
Told from third person POV, the majority of the storyline focuses on the building relationship between Vanessa and Cameron but also journeys into the struggles of the McCauley parents. As James and Beth McCauley’s marriage begins to dissolve, Vanessa and Cameron’s sexual attraction to one another is difficult to ignore. Cameron has enrolled himself as a member at Vanessa’s gym, in order to get closer to the woman he has been attracted to for a very long time.
Vanessa and Cameron are perfectionist and idealist. They both have long term goals; financial and business agendas; cool exteriors and fiery personalities. On the surface Vanessa comes across as acerbic and forthright but her past has formed the woman she is today. Cameron comes from a supportive and over-zealous family whose love for one another is beyond measure. It is their childhood experiences that have forged their personalities and quest for success. The sex scenes are provocative, intense and hot but saying that their one on one conversations were stilted, professional and cold-a possible reflection of their normal personalities but one that didn’t make for a sympathetic character.
A portion of the storyline follows Beth and James McCauley as they struggle with their thirty year marriage. A lack of communication and mistaken beliefs have erected a wall between the couple, and it will take the help of their well-meaning but concerned children to show them exactly what it is they have and will lose. If you wondered why the McCauley brothers were so stubborn you just have to look at the parents. The teasing and horse-play back and forth between the brothers is entertaining and very familiar.
The world building continues as the McCauley family continue their journeys toward love and a happily ever after. The secondary characters include all of the previous storyline couples as well as the widowed Mike McCauley and mechanic Delilah (Del) Webster. We are introduced to Del’s protective and extended family knowing that Mike will be in for a difficult time.
Marie Harte’s MCCAULEY BROTHERS is a story of family struggles and falling in love. Marie’s stories resonate with passion and love for four brothers whose lives have become a little more complicated and full with the women they love.
Reading order
1. The Troublemaker Next Door
2. How to Handle a Heartbreaker
3. Ruining Mr. Perfect (October 2014)
4. What To Do With a Bad Boy (November 2014)
Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.
Reviewed by Sandy
“But he told me to do it.”
Cam blinked. “He did? Well, you should never—”
“Dad thought it was kind of funny after he yelled at me.” Colin gave him a sharp nod, then added with a smirk, “Dad said he used to do that to you, and that you cried like a girrrl.” Considering Colin’s anti-girl phase, that was a high insult.
“Is that right?” Cam frowned, remembering being the butt of too many jokes while growing up. “Mike has no idea what he’s dealing with. You think your dad’s tough? Watch Uncle Cam.” Knowing he shouldn’t encourage the mischief in his nephew’s eyes but unable to stop himself from the unspoken dare, Cam hurried to the kitchen, found a large glass and filled it with ice-cold water. Considering the freezing January wind outside, Mike would be basking in a hot shower to warm up. Cam grinned, looking forward to his brother’s howl of misery.
Colin trailed him like a puppy. “Oh wow, Uncle Cam. Are you going to get Dad?” He clapped.
“Shh.”
“Oh, sorry.” Colin’s big grin showed a missing front tooth.
Cam walked down more ugly brown carpet that looked as it if had been vacuumed to death—Mike and his obsession with cleanliness—and tiptoed into the big guy’s room. He made sure he had a clear exit. If his goliath big brother caught him, he’d be toast. Fortunately, he could move like a gazelle.
Gliding into the master bathroom, he readied himself. One, two…three. He yanked open the curtain and tossed the cold water at…Vanessa Campbell?
He stared in shock at the sexiest woman he’d seen in a long, long time. Naked, her creamy skin glistened with water as she gaped at him in horror. Which quickly turned to anger.
“Cameron McCauley!”
“Oh, wow.” He couldn’t look away
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Caffeine addict, boy referee, and romance aficionado, USA Today bestselling author Marie Harte has over 100 books published with more constantly on the way. She’s a confessed bibliophile and devotee of action movies. Whether hiking in Central Oregon, biking around town, or hanging at the local tea shop, she’s constantly plotting to give everyone a happily ever after. Visit http://marieharte.com and fall in love.
TRC: The Troublemaker Next Door is the first book in this series. Can you please give us a brief description of this story?